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On A Pale Horse: Calm Before the Storm
Posted By: Silent Hunter<silenthunter18509@yahoo.com>
Date: 18 January 2004, 7:46 AM
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2000 Hours, January 20, 2553 (Military Calendar)
Battle Cruiser Atlantic, Slipstream Space
"So what happened to your armor?"
"You're talking to me now?"
"Shut up, and answer my damn question..."
"Alright, your highness...It was detected on the planet. They set off one of those exprimental nova bombs...the entire planet was destroyed.
"The covenant will be pissed." Her voice seemed to be trailing off.
"I'm sorry? I can't hear you..." He got a reply, but her voice sounded so far away, he couldn't make it out.
John opened his eyes. The light momentarily blinded him. He rubbed his eyes, and shook his head. He heard a voice. "Welcome back Master Chief." He felt weak. He couldn't keep his arms up for more than a few seconds. The whole trip seemed like a dream. "Take this." He saw the blurry silhouette of a tech handing him something. John extended his hand, and felt a pair of pills fall into his hand. He swallowed them, and felt the strength return to his muscles, and his mind felt clear. He took a deep breath, and started coughing. He nearly fell out of the tube. A tech handed him a pail. After a few seconds, he regurgitated a mucus-like substance into the bucket. He stepped out, and leaned on his knees.
"I really hate that stuff..." He mumbled as he stood straight.
0000 Hours, January 20, 2553 (Military Calendar)
Battle Cruiser Atlantic, Earth Solar System
There was a knocking at the door..."Come" said Commodore Admiral Hearst. The door opened, and Spartan 117 stepped through.
"Sir, you wanted to see me?" John asked
"Have a seat..." The Admiral replied, back to John, staring at a large painting of a battle in the American Civil War. John sat down in an overstuffed chair in front of the Admirals desk. "You say that Spartan 227 has betrayed us...is that correct?" The Admiral said, still looking at the painting. John thought his voice was oddly familiar.
"You could say that, sir" The Admiral let out a sigh, and turned to face the Chief.
"John..." The Chief's eye's widened...almost no one has ever called him by his name. It made him especially uneasy, because he had just met this man a few seconds ago. "That incident on that planet never happened. You never got hit by that plasma grenade, and you were never captured...and as far as the UNSC is concerned..." The admiral spun his laptop around. On it, was all the data on Miranda. Her Combat Record, her Decorations, Health Records...Everything. He selected everything, and pressed 'delete' "...Miranda, Service number 02165-57489-227, never existed. Do you get me?"
"...yes, sir"
"One last thing Chief...at 1700 hours tonight, you will board a shuttle bound for Honolulu for a good two weeks of R and R." He grinned at John "You've certainly earned it...dismissed"
"Thank you, sir" John stood up, and snapped a salute. Once the Admiral returned it, John turned around, and left the room.
0000 Hours, January 20, 2552 (Military Calendar)
Covenant Flag Ship Holy Light, Debris Field of Planet Sacred Guardian.
"'tis a great loss indeed. I can only stress that it could have been avoided, had the commanders of the Reverence, and the Esteem not have so foolish as to leave their navigation data."
"The humans shall pay for this."
"Indeed they shall. The High Prophet of Life is getting annoyed by the delay in the capture of Earth. The fifth key to the Sacred Light of the Ancients is on that planet. Re-assemble the fleet. We're going back.
1800 Hours, January 27, 2553 (Military Calendar)
Honolulu, Hawaii, Earth
John leaned on the balcony railing, and watched the waves lap onto the shore as the sun set. He felt a sort of peace. He watched a group of kids playing with each other. He watched a man and his wife playing with their kids. He saw an elderly man, enjoying his recent retirement. He was looking at the very faces of the people he was fighting to save. The people he was born to protect. And the people his best friends have made the ultimate sacrifice for. John remembered his fallen brothers and sisters in arms. He would not forget what the differences those people made in his life. So many lives lost.
Fred walked up to John. "Hey John"
"Hey Fred..." John shook his head when he thought of how many people had died. Fred joined John in just staring at those whom he must defend.
"It's the calm before the storm..." Said Fred, refering to the serenity of the scene. "Before the Covenant attack."
"Too many people have died...too many good people...gone..."
"There's nothing we could do...the covenant is just far too advanced..."
"Damn them...before I'm dead, I swear it, they will all be rotting in hell"
TO BE CONTINUED
To those of you who didn't find this section good or as good as the others, I'm sorry. It's 3:00 AM, and I'm running on empty.
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