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On Their Shields by mad_jackal
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On Their Shields: The Exodus
Date: 30 September 2002, 3:09 pm
1930 Hours/ 27 August 2552 (Military Calendar)/
Episilon Eridani System/ FLEETCOM HQ/ Planet Reach
" Green Two to Green Leader, over. "
" Green Leader. Report. "
" Tracking Covenant patrol two clicks from your position. Requesting permission to engage. "
" Permission denied. Keep an eye out for any other survivors. Engage only if fired upon. Green Leader out. "
He could hear the disappointment in Green Two's voice as she acknowledged the order. It couldn't be helped under the circumstances. Twenty-four hours ago, the Covenant launched a surprise attack on the UNSC's military headquarters and shipyards here on Reach and decimated its defenders. Without the support of the orbital guns, the fleet couldn't fight the alien ships by itself. Singly and in groups, the fleet were blasted into the void by the Covenant's plasma weapons. Twelve hours ago, Covenant dropships landed troops to kill every last human unlucky enough to still be here dirtside. That's not going to happen, Green Leader thought to himself, at least not on my watch.
Of the twenty-eight Spartans who landed at Reach's UNSC complex earlier today, only six were left including himself. He didn't know if the Master Chief and his team survived either. There was no one better than John 117 when it came to doing the impossible. However, today just might be the exception... No one ever believed that Reach would ever be discovered much less destroyed.
Picking up his MA5B assault rifle, he wiped away the fluorescent blood and slapped in a fresh magazine of 7.62 mm shredder rounds. Then he checked the needler pistol he took from a dead Covie grunt's hand. It still had a few quills left in the chamber. " Good to go, " he said aloud, " 'cause this Spartan still has some payback to dish out. "
" Green Two to Green Leader. Covenant patrol is now one click from your position. Advise immediate evac, over. "
" Green Leader to Green Two. Roger that. Have everyone pull back to LZ Delta Two. Priority is to police up any survivors. You are cleared to engage any hostiles in your way. Good Hunting. "
" Understood. Green Two, out. "
Green Leader finished purging the base's databanks per the Cole Protocol. He sure as hell didn't want the Covenant finding out where the Earth was located. In his many years of service as a Spartan, he personally witnessed three different planets glassed by the Covenant. This was an enemy that couldn't be reasoned with, did not encourage negotiation, nor expressed any interest in the human race except for its destruction. It was his duty as a Spartan to prevent the extinction of the human race by killing as many of these alien bastards as he could. He chambered a round in his assault rifle and scanned the corridor.
The motion detector picked up a faint signal two doors down. Green Leader thumbed the MA5B's selector switch to 15-round burst. A target reticle popped on his HUD and he sighted the rifle down the corridor. Then a squat form appeared in one the doors. At five feet tall, it was hard to make out the Covie grunt. Foot soldiers for the alien Covenant, they were used as cannon fodder by the other castes. As single combatants, they weren't any good. Yet in groups they could even take a Spartan down if he was careless. Green Leader sighted on the alien's head and pulled the trigger. The MA5B spat out once, the muzzle flash lighting up the dark hallway. Two hundred meters away, the grunt's head was blown off. The blood and brain matter sprayed the other aliens. The Spartan began to move and tossed a cylinder down the hall.
A muffled < WHUMP!!! > sounded behind him. The Spartan was a blur as he raced down the hallway towards the exit. He knew it would only be a matter of time before reinforcements arrived. The air crackled before him as plasma bolts burned holes in the walls he streaked by. When he trained here as a boy, Dr. Halsey said their augmentations would increase their physical prowess. What the Spartans didn't realize was just how much faster and stronger they became. Green Leader was running at sixty kilometers per hour. Other Marines who watched him run the obstacle course only saw a blur. These Covenant bastards wouldn't get a clean shot at him.
His motion sensor picked up another contact as he exited the building. A Jackal was blocking his way to the Warthog. He aimed the needler at the Jackal and fired off a dozen ruby quills. As they struck the Jackal, he brought up his assault rifle and shot the alien at close range. The 7.62mm shredder rounds tore into the Jackal's flesh. The alien fell onto the Warthog's hood and slid off, leaving a slimy trail of blood. Before the Spartan jumped into the driver's seat he secured a satchel charge to the door he exited from. A nasty surprise to slow down any enemy pursuit. Chief Mendez would be proud.
On his HUD a new window opened. A timer began a silent countdown. In twenty minutes, FLEETCOM HQ and its spaceport would be reduced to so much radioactive dust. A HAVOK tactical nuke was set earlier by his Green Team within the generator room. It would vaporize a thirty kilometer square area. It was definitely time to haul ass. He clicked on his COMlink.
" Green Leader to all units. As of 2000 Hours, military standard time, Reach has fallen to Covenant forces. The recall order is given. Rendezvous at LZ Delta-Two. "
He knew his Spartans acknowledged the order when their icons blinked once on the HUD. What other surviving UNSC forces were left had to make the LZ on their own. On his HUD was another window displaying the map with the coordinates for LZ Delta-Two. Green Leader put the Warthog in gear and drove through the front gate as the satchel charge exploded. Next he synchronized the fire control system of the Anvil-II missile launcher to his Mjolnir battle armor. When he came under attack his response would be immediate and fatal to any Covenant warrior stupid enough to get in his way. While the standard armament of a Warthog was the M41 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun, this one came with heavier firepower. The Anvil-II missile was dual-purpose; it destroyed material targets as well as flesh and blood ones. The launcher contained eight missiles with napalm and armor-piercing warheads. It was guaranteed to screw up an alien's day. Green Leader was just about to leave the perimeter when the distress call pinged over the COMlink.
" Bravo Two-Five, Bravo Two-Five to any unit within grid three twenty-seven! Pinned down by enemy fire and in danger of being overrun! Request immediate evac! "
Green Leader checked his HUD and called up the map screen again. Grid three twenty-seven was adjacent to his current position. He checked the roster to ID Bravo Two-Five. It was a rifle company of Marines. Looking again to the timer in the upper right-hand corner, he decided that there was enough time. He spun the Warthog 180 degrees, throwing up dirt and dust in his wake. Then he clicked on his COMlink.
" Spartan 921 to Bravo Two-Five. Standby one. Rolling in hot! "
In grid three twenty-seven a handful of Marines were desperately trying to hold out against the Covenant hordes. As plasma blasts and explosions rocked the overturned Warthogs they were using for cover, Sgt. Thomas Barnes wondered for the umpteenth time why didn't he opt for early retirement. This is the worst fighting since Sigma Octanus IV, he mused bitterly, I just might buy the farm here... He prepped his MA2B carbine and chambered a round. Then he sighted on a group of alien grunts and fired a 15-round burst. Two fell down but the rest hid behind their energy shields. One of his marines, Pvt. Kowalski, shot a 102mm rocket from a M19 " Jackhammer " portable launcher killing another dozen aliens. Other marines were firing assault rifles , shotguns, and some were even using dropped Covenant plasma pistols. In the end, Sgt. Barnes thought, at least we gave these pukes a good fight.
" Sarge! We got incoming! Looks like a Ghost and a couple of Banshees! "
Barnes ran over to where Pvt. Kowalski was. He adjusted his Oakley monocle and brought up the 10x magnification. The monocle zoomed in on the alien craft. This was bad news. With those additional plasma guns, his squad was toast. He cursed under his breath. Gritting his teeth, Sgt. Barnes looked over the faces of his marines. Every man and woman was looking to him to get them out of this jam. They had fought the Covenant on twenty different worlds and lived to tell about it. He sighed. There might not be a way out this time boys and girls. He kept that thought to himself.
" Listen up, leathernecks. You do not, I repeat, you do not have my permission to die today. I will personally kick your stupid ass in the afterlife if we get atomized here on Reach. Check your ammo, grab another weapon if you have to, but we are gonna take out as many of these Covie fudgepackers as we can. Do you hear me marines? "
" Aye,Aye Sarge! " they answered in unison.
" Here they come again! "
Hundreds of Covenant Grunts and Jackals swarmed over the hill firing their plasma weapons. The marines of Bravo Two-Five returned fire. The buzz of 7.62mm rounds and the whine of plasma bolts reverberated throughout the valley. The Banshees unleashed a plasma salvo that killed two marines. Pvt. Kowalski targeted the Ghost and blasted its rider with the last rocket. The alien hoverbike upended on its nose and slammed into the wreck of a Covenant dropship. A plasma bolt singed Sgt. Barnes in the shoulder. " Goddamn! ", he cursed. He raised his carbine and killed the grunt who charged at him. He looked at his ammo indicator. It read " EMPTY ".
" Marines! Check your ammo! ", Barnes screamed.
" I'm out. "
" Down to three rounds, Sarge. "
" I'm out, too. "
Sgt. Barnes looked around the battlefield. There were scores of enemy dead scattered around their position. Grunts, Jackals, even a Hunter lay dead at their feet. He thought about his wife, Jean, with her blonde hair and how she used to make blueberry pancakes for breakfast. At least she would be safe on Earth. He pulled his M6D service pistol and prepared to make a final stand with his brave marines. The others readied useless rifles as clubs while Pvt. Kowalski unsheathed his Bowie knife. Sgt. Barnes knew the end was near.
The Banshees were closing in, the plasma cannons charging up a shot. The alien fighters screamed across the sky. Just as Sgt. Barnes closed his eyes he heard a twin whoosh! in the distance. Seconds later, explosions and falling debris told him a miracle just happened. A miracle in the form of an iridescent green armored giant with a case of 7.62mm shredder rounds.
" Marines! Grab some ammo and let's kill these Covie SOBs!!! "
Green Leader turned and sprayed the attacking Grunts with a hail of shredder rounds from his assault rifle. He gave a vicious rifle butt to a Jackal, caving its head in. Reloading on the move, he broke the knee of another Jackal and killed him with a single shot to the head. Sgt. Barnes and the other marines followed suit, shooting on the run. The remaining Covenant warriors broke ranks and retreated. The exhausted marines flopped onto the ground and stared at their armored savior.
" Spartan 921. Who's in charge here? "
" I am. Sgt. Thomas Barnes. Bravo Two-Five, 7th Regiment, 1st Marine Division. "
" At ease, sergeant. Are these Warthogs still functioning? "
" Sir, yes, sir. "
" I'll get them righted. Take your men and follow me to Camp Hathcock. We're leaving now. "
" Aye, aye Sir! "
Green Leader checked the timer. Only nine minutes left. He checked on the other Spartans. Good. They were already at the LZ. He selected Green Two's icon and opened a private channel on the COMlink.
" April, this is Joshua. "
" Where are you? The timer is down to eight and a half minutes. "
" Grid three twenty-seven helping out some marines. Give me a sitrep. "
" Ok. Do you want the good news or the bad news first? "
" The bad, of course. "
" The Pillar of Autumn broke orbit and jumped into Slipstream. "
Joshua cursed under his breath. With the Pillar of Autumn gone, there was no way to escape Reach. His team of Spartans and any other survivors were now stranded. The Covenant still had a chance to kill them all. Damn!
" So, what's the good news? "
" I found an old friend who just might be able to get us off-planet. "
" What?!!? "
" Quit yakking. Just get your ass over here. Now. "
" Joshua out. "
He closed the COMlink. Joshua assisted the marines in upending the Warthogs and got them moving with six minutes to spare. He motioned for Sgt. Barnes to ride with him. They got in and drove onto Route One, Reach's main highway that connected all the UNSC military bases. Now it was a race against time and against the Covenant to escape Reach. Joshua only hoped it was before the Covenant glassed this world.
They drove through the Highland Mountains and past the Wilderness Preserve where he and the other Spartans trained as children. Joshua remembered the navigation exercise where they won their first victory against their trainers, thanks to John 117 and Deja, the AI who educated them. That memory was definitely one of his favorites. The explosion and the resulting mushroom cloud where FLEETCOM HQ once stood broke him out of his reverie.
" Can I ask you a question, sir? "
" Go ahead, Sergeant. "
" I just wanted to know the name of the man who saved my squad. "
" It's Joshua, sergeant. No thanks are necessary. "
They drove in silence for awhile longer. At the front gate of Camp Hathcock, they dismounted. Joshua contacted April via COMlink and had the wounded moved inside the underground complex. Medics and nurses tended to the injured marines. Joshua ordered Sgt. Barnes and the uninjured marines to rearm themselves and post guards. He told the marines to stay alert due to the impending Covenant advance. After making sure that the entrance was secure the Spartan commander went looking for April, call sign Green Two, his assistant team leader. The other personnel in the corridors of Camp Hathcock were not used to seeing a Spartan in Mjolnir battle armor. For many, the Spartans were legend. A group of super-soldiers trained from childhood, genetically enhanced and given the best arms and armor to combat the Covenant legions. At two meters in height, a Spartan in Mjolnir armor looks as alien as a Jackal. Yet everyone still alive right now owed their continued existence to this small group of legendary warriors.
Joshua entered the Command Center. There were a couple of Navy techs who came to attention as he entered. He asked them where he could find Spartan 421. They told Joshua that she was in Conference Room Three. He returned their salute and walked over to the door marked " CR-3 ".
She was sitting at a desk reading a file on the flatscreen monitor. Her helmet was perched on the end of an armrest. A S2-AM sniper rifle lay against one wall; its shoulder stock had dozens of kill stickers attached to it. A couple of unopened chugs of chocolate milk and cinnamon-sugared pecans could be seen peeking out from her duffel bag. He could smell the cordite and ozone in the room. It amazed him every time that when he looked at April, he couldn't help but smile. Joshua remembered the first time he met her here on Reach. Chief Mendez had paired them up in hand-to-hand combat class. He underestimated her in that first match and she beat the snot out of him. He had thrown a right cross then a straight left; she ducked underneath and swept his legs out from under him. To make matters worse, she pummeled his face in. They had started out as rivals during their training. Now, it was different. She was his executive officer and the best damn shooter in the UNSC with over two hundred Covenant kills, including five Elites. To Joshua she was the reincarnation of Tomoe Gozen, a female samurai who cut a bloody path during the " Warring States " period in medieval Japan. A lovely, deadly angel who could kill from long-distance....
" Want to see my logbook? ", she asked cheerily.
" Why? I know you popped more Covies on the way back. "
" Spoilsport. I would've had more if you didn't wave me off... "
Joshua sighed. " Look, girl, I wanted everyone back here. You know I hate anyone taking unnecessary risks. Our survival is more important. Besides, I, uh, need your skills as an XO more than just another shooter. "
" Ah, excuses, excuses... ", she smiled mischievously, " Don't you want to know what I found out? "
" In a minute. Can I have some chocolate milk first? "
April took one of the chugs and tossed one to Joshua. He popped off the top and downed it in a single gulp. Afterwards, the Spartan commander tossed it into a wastebasket. April finished making some changes into a program that was running on the holoscreen and turned back to her fellow Spartan.
" So, " Joshua asked, " who did you find to give us a lift off this mudball? "
April tapped a couple of keys and a hologram appeared before them. It was in the shape of a woman in Greek battle armor. She wore a plumed helmet, bracers on her wrists, greaves on her shins. In her left hand was a spear. The right held a mirrored shield. She smiled as she spoke.
" Hello, Joshua. Hello, April. Welcome home, Spartans. "
" Deja. " whispered Joshua.
Deja was the AI who had instructed the Spartans when they were children. In the classroom she was their teacher educating them in military history and tactics, the arts and sciences, the different cultures of Earth and her colonies. She also encouraged Joshua in creative writing and April in playing guitar. She was a mother to all Spartans.
Now she would be their salvation.
April spoke first. " I found out from the main database that Deja was still here on Reach. I found her memory-processor core and uploaded her here. She'll fill you in on the rest. "
" Listen to me, Joshua, for time is short. I am aware of the Covenant forces in orbit and here on Reach itself. I know the Pillar of Autumn has already left orbit to continue your old mission. There still is a ship here that you can use. The Dauntless.
A prototype warship. "
Deja waved her hand and an image formed in the center of the flatscreen monitor. A long, angular starship floated there. Joshua noted its call numbers: EX-5150 UNSC. He studied its defenses and armaments. Twin Magnetic Accelerator Cannons. Hundreds of Archer-II missile pods. Titanium-A battleplate. Four Shaw-Fujikawa Translight engines. Vectored thrust and maneuvering jets. More options on this one vessel alone than in an entire battle group. Both Spartans were impressed.
" The Dauntless was to be the first battleship commissioned into UNSC service. However, its shakedown cruise was delayed due to shifting priorities in the Admiralty. It is fully stocked and provisioned. I have already done a pre-flight check and the engines are running at fifty percent. If you started boarding now, we can all leave within the hour. "
" Thank you, Deja. You have always come through for us. " , said Joshua.
The Spartan commander turned to April.
" Finish whatever data purges you need to do per the Cole protocol. Then find a bridge crew among the survivors here at the camp. Have the rest of the Spartans and Sgt. Barnes meet me on the hangar deck. We'll have everyone start boarding in ten minutes. Well done, Spartan. "
" Thanks, Joshua. If we survive this one, how about another match? "
Joshua smiled at her. Even when in dire straits, April was always the optimist. Maybe that's why he loved her the most. She was even more precious to him now that they were few in number. He took a few cinnamon-sugared pecans on his way out.
" Best two out of three? " he asked.
She threw a chair at him as he exited the door.
Pvt. Kowalski finished his meal. He took out his binoculars and scanned the ridgeline. It was a miracle that Spartan came when he did, thought Kowalski. I thought for sure we were dead. He felt more confident about their chances of survival. His belly was full, he was carrying a bandoleer of ten magazines for his assault rifle, and the welcome news of a ship being prepped for launch boosted his morale. The Spartans will lead us to victory, he thought, there's no way we can lose now...
It was his last thought as a plasma bolt sheared through his chest.
" At-ten-HUT! Commander on the deck. "
The assembled Spartans snapped to attention simultaneously. Sgt. Barnes, wearing a clean uniform, was honored to be included in this briefing. He had only met a Spartan once before. To be with a small group was exciting for him. He raised his hand in salute. Joshua returned it.
" At ease, men. In one hour we are leaving Reach. Sgt. Barnes, I want you to direct all personnel aboard the UNSC Dauntless. You and your men will serve as the security detachment. If you do not have enough men, conscript any non-essential personnel to your unit. "
" Aye, sir. ", Barnes replied.
" Spartans, I have the pleasure of welcoming back an old friend. Deja is here and will be voyaging with us aboard the Dauntless. I'm sure you all have questions but they'll have to wait. Reiko and Paul, set up another HAVOK in the generator room. I want to give the Covenant another case of the radioactive shits. "
They all laughed at that one.
" Pedro and Mary. Start rigging the entrance and other areas with Lotus anti-tank mines. Chain them for maximum effect. Also, there should be some holo-decoys and sentry guns. Give the Covies some more bad medicine. April and I will finalize the launch preparations and oversee the evacuation. Let's move, Spartans. As Chief Mendez used to say ' All I want to see are assholes and elbows. ' Double-time. "
They came to attention and fell out. Joshua put his helmet back on. When he reconnected with the Reach battlenet, he didn't like what he saw. Covenant dropships landing five clicks from Camp Hathcock. He opened the COMlink to his team.
" Green Leader to team. Initiate Alamo option. Barbarians at the gate. "
He sprinted towards an arms locker. The Spartan commander took a MA5B assault rifle and a full bandoleer of magazines. He also picked up a couple of grenades and a M90 shotgun. The motion detector beeped a warning signal. Two contacts. An explosion blew out the wall and a Jackal stuck his snout out. Joshua blasted him with a face full of eight-gauge buckshot. He kicked at the second Jackal and shot out his knees. Joshua pulled the pin on the grenade, tossing into the hole. When he heard the shrieks of pulped aliens, Joshua moved on. How the hell did the Covenant get past their security?
" Green Two to Green Leader. "
" Go. "
" We only have half of the survivors onboard the Dauntless. The Covenant are massing at the entrance, breaking through the perimeter defenses. We need to slow them down, buy more time. "
" We're out of time, Green Two. Still I might have a trick up my sleeve. I'll meet you at the Command Center. "
" Roger that. "
" Green Leader, out. "
Joshua fired another blast from his shotgun. A group of Grunts took hits in their methane tanks causing a huge fireball. Flame licked at his shields; the meter on his HUD decreased a bar or two. He got up off the floor and sprinted down the hallway. Bolts of plasma burst on the walls around him. The Spartan drop-kicked another Grunt and gut-shot a Jackal with the shotgun. He was about to turn the corner when a heavy, metal shield slammed him to the floor. A Hunter towered over him and knocked the shotgun out of his hand. Joshua rolled out and punched the alien's knee hearing bone crack. The Hunter raised his fuel rod gun and plasma engulfed the Spartan in greenish flame. Joshua's shields became overloaded, warning lights flashing in his HUD as the meter emptied. He was slow in getting up. The Hunter pinned him by the wall with the shield. Damn, Joshua thought, this is the end...
A supersonic < crack! > boomed in the corridor. Then another. The alien Hunter slumped to the floor. When Joshua looked up, he saw April standing over the inert form. He smiled.
" So what is this? Two-oh-two or two-oh-three? "
" Let's just call this Two-oh- I just saved your butt. "
" Smartass. Let's finish this. Thought you never ask. "
The Spartans picked up their weapons and continued down the hallway. April switched to a pair of M6D autopistols , spewing 12.7mm rounds in every direction, an alien dying with every shot. Joshua continued firing the shotgun 'til he ran out of ammo. He took the MA5B assault rifle, 15-round bursts splattering Covenant warriors all over the walls and floors. A Grunt grabbed April from behind but was rewarded with a pistol shot to the head. She struck another Jackal with a side-kick that ruptured his armor. The female Spartan tossed another grenade towards a group of massed Grunts and fluorescent blood exploded all over the walls. She turned to Joshua.
" Are we having fun yet? ", she laughed.
Joshua shook his head. This battle wasn't over yet.
TO BE CONTINUED
On Their Shields: The Exodus, pt. 2
Date: 1 October 2002, 12:15 am
Alarms sounded throughout the complex. The Spartans ran on towards the Command Center. The walls and corridors shook with each step they took. Joshua checked his HUD. Green Three and Four, Reiko and Paul, had finished setting the HAVOK tactical nuke in the generator room. They were on their way back to the Dauntless. Green Five and Six, Pedro and Mary, were at the Dauntless assisting Sgt. Barnes in getting the survivors aboard. He opened a COMlink channel to Deja.
" Deja, this is Joshua. I need access to the Hathcock automated defenses. Can you slice into it? "
" Of, course. Cortana showed me a few tricks before she was assigned to the Pillar of Autumn. Standby. "
Deja reached out to the Hathcock processor cores. She allowed her consciousness to probe and pry until she found the safety interlocks on the automated defense systems. She linked the remote fire control unit to Joshua's Mjolnir armor. When she was done with that task, Deja continued to tweak the Dauntless' translight engines to eighty percent.
" Joshua. You now have access to the Hathcock Intruder-Intercept System. All safety interlocks have been disengaged. I confirm that all remaining personnel, with the exception of you and April, are aboard the Dauntless. I'll see you both on board. Good Hunting. "
" Thanks, Deja. Joshua out. "
The Spartans reached the Command Center. They took their time scanning the immediate area. No contacts on their motion detectors, nothing on any of the multi-optics on their HUDs. April pointed to the holotank. Joshua saw the screen was full of enemy blips. The Covenant had arrived to deliver the coup-de-grace. The Spartans had other ideas.
" Spartan 921 to Dauntless. "
" Dauntless here. This is Lieutenant Stark. "
" Lieutenant Stark, as of 2200 Hrs. you are hereby placed in command of the UNSC battleship Dauntless per Article Twenty-Two, paragraph A under the 'exigencies of combat service '. You will still report to the chain of command here under NavSpecWeps. That means me and the rest of my Spartans. "
" Understood, sir. "
" Your first mission is to get the Dauntless in orbit and away from any pursuing Covenant ships. You are cleared to engage the enemy. Do not get our ride home vaporized. Is that understood? "
" Aye, sir! "
" You have your orders, Lieutenant. Godspeed. Spartan 921 out. "
Joshua closed the COMlink. His fingers flew over the console in front of him, inputting commands to the Intruder-Intercept System. He smiled. Let the Covenant eat shit and die screaming. On his HUD Green Four's icon was blinking. Joshua took the incoming call.
" Green Four to Green Leader. "
" Leader. Go. "
" Linking digital remote to your systems. HAVOK ready. "
" Roger that, Four. Go on. I'll see you later. Green Leader out. "
April signaled that she was ready. She had rigged the whole center with Lotus anti-tank mines and tripwires. She also had left a clear path to the computer terminals. If the Covenant tried to access the databanks, it would activate a nasty virus to be uploaded onto their mothership. This virus was developed by Cortana and the ONI spooks who were here a few months ago. It would also release nerve gas and a flare to barbecue these nosy bastards. Joshua gave her a thumbs-up.
" Let's go. It's time we said goodbye. "
Joshua activated a new window on his HUD. He scanned the listing until he found what he was looking for. A M808 Scorpion Main Battle Tank. He highlighted it and started up its engine. Then he loaded a single round into the main gun. Joshua interfaced with the targeting system and put the reticle right on the Covenant dropship. The Scorpion fired once into the dropship's engines. The resulting fireball and the shrieks of the enemy injured made him smile. He and April left the center. They ran down to a turbolift and heard a series of explosions behind them. The Covenant was near. Joshua reloaded his MA5B assault rifle with AP-HE ( armor piercing-high explosive ) rounds. April still had her S2- AM sniper rifle but she also carried an M90 shotgun. Both of them carried a few grenades. The Spartans boarded the turbolift and descended further into the bowels of Camp Hathcock.
2200 HRS/ August 27th, 2552 (Military Calendar)/Episilon Eridani System/ planet Reach/ Aboard the UNSC Dauntless
Lieutenant Stark had just closed the COMlink channel with the Spartan Commander. It was incredible. Spartan 921 had just given him the keys to the most powerful warship in the UNSC Navy. He had just graduated from the Naval Academy here on Reach three days ago. His initial assignment was supposed to be as helmsman on the UNSC frigate Cole.
David Stark dreamed to be sitting in the Captain's chair someday. He never believed it would be now. With hundreds of other sailors and marines depending on the decisions he made in the next hour or so. And in the middle of a full blown Covenant invasion. He wiped his palms on his trousers.
Here goes nothing, he thought to himself. You just need to get this crate off-planet while the Covenant takes pot-shots at you all the way to orbit. Yeah, no problem. He was surprised to hear his voice had a steady timbre to it.
" Helm. Release mooring cables. One-third engines. Sound battle stations. "
" Aye, aye sir. One-third engines. Mooring cables released. "
The Dauntless moved away from the drydock, slowly rising into the air. The vectored thrusters and jets fired in synch, providing much of the lift necessary to get this battleship moving. She was a fine ship. Ensign Montoya enjoyed the responsive controls and goosed the engines just a bit more.
" Ops. Upload current positions of enemy vessels. I want you to call out every time one of those Covies even move a parsec. You savvy? "
" Aye, sir. Two Covenant frigates over the horizon. A cruiser above Reach's north pole. Some single-seat fighters and a carrier directly to our east. Nothing within five clicks, except for some burning dropships. "
Ensign Romanov wasn't sure how this cruise was going to turn out. She didn't know enough about the rest of the bridge crew nor about their captain. Right now, though, their very lives depended on what he decided to do next. She hoped that it wouldn't end with their deaths in fiery plasma.
" Weps. Status on the MACs. Arm Archer-II pods A1 through C4. Prepare the sandcasters to screen us when we make the break for orbit. Make sure to disengage all interlocks before you take the shot. Prepare a solution for those frigates. "
" Aye, sir. Both MACs are charged to seventy percent. Archer-II pods A1 through C4 armed. Sandcasters are primed ready to disperse Titanium-A dust to deflect enemy fire. Preparing solutions for the frigates and uploading them to your screen now. "
Ensign Liao was one year junior to Stark in the Academy. While she trusted the Spartans in everything related to ground combat, space was another matter entirely. She remembered in strategy & tactics classes how fond Stark was of risky maneuvers. How he gamble his ships to achieve victory. Liao hoped Spartan 921 didn't doom them all.
" Nav. Per the Cole Protocol, plot a jump away from here to the Serpentis system. Calculate a second jump to the Taurus system. Find in our databases where the closest UNSC outpost is. "
" Aye, sir. Plotting new course. "
Ensign Harrison was a third-year cadet fresh from the Escape and Evasion course in the Wilderness Preserve. He always believed that he had another year of preparation before it was his turn to fight the Covenant. His time ran out. Now he was a serving officer aboard a newly commissioned warship. A warship about to sail in harm's way against the Covenant.
The Dauntless continued to rise in the launch corridor and paused before the hangar doors. Lieutenant Stark keyed in a sequence of numbers on his keypad and sent it to the Hathcock Central Command. Nothing happened. He keyed in the sequence again. Again, the doors refused to open.
" Deja. Can you find out why the doors aren't responding? "
Deja appeared in the holotank, still wearing her Greek battle armor. She held a sword in one hand. It sparked once and pointed to a series of points on the Hathcock systems pathway. It wasn't good news.
" Lieutenant, the controls are fused. The Command Center must have been destroyed when the Covenant triggered the Lotus anti-tank mines. My suggestion is to contact Spartans 921 and 421 to find the secondary controls. Otherwise, we're all going up with Camp Hathcock when the HAVOK detonates. "
2210 HRS/August 27th, 2552 (Military Calendar )/Episilon Eridani System/ Camp Hathcock subbasement-four/ planet Reach
" Cover me. "
Joshua fired another fifteen round burst at the Grunts blocking their way to the auxiliary vehicle pool. Bits of rock and molten iron flew from the corridor as plasma bolts impacted nearby. April moved to a better position and dropped two more Grunts with her sniper rifle. He clicked on the COMlink.
" April. We've got to break through. That HAVOK will detonate in twenty. If we're not out of here... "
" Standby. " She took aim at another Jackal and pulled the trigger. The supersonic < crack! > boomed off the corridor walls. A 14.5 mm round entered the Jackal's head and exited into the rock behind him. Still deadly as ever, Joshua thought to himself. April reloaded a second magazine into the rifle. " I agree with you. We need to end this now. "
Joshua had expended the majority of the Intruder-Intercept system. Ultrasonic bombardment. Sentry chain-guns firing fifty-millimeter depleted uranium rounds. Nerve gas. Static laser grids. C12 explosives in pre-positioned spots. Lotus anti-tank mines. Stationary M12 " Jackhammer " launchers. The Covenant still kept on coming.
" Got an idea. See those barrels? " Joshua highlighted it on the mapscreen they shared on their HUDs.
" Yeah. Reactor coolant. So? "
" Target those barrels and flash-freeze those Etees! "
" Ok. Take notes. I may quiz you later... "
April brought up the 10x magnification on her scope. She adjusted her aim by five degrees and shot the barrels. The air became filled with icy plumes that covered the Grunts there. Joshua popped a grenade and tossed into the newly minted snowmen. Seconds later, an explosion ripped through the corridor showering frozen alien bits on both Spartans.
" Is this coming out of my pay? ', joked April.
" It's covered under ' massive unplanned urban renewal '. Move your ass, Spartan. "
" Consider it in motion, sir. ", she quipped.
Joshua watched the timer blink on his HUD. The HAVOK was armed and ticking. He took a running start and kicked in the entrance to the motor pool. Rows of Warthogs, Pelican dropships, and other assorted UNSC vehicles were parked here. He pointed to the first Pelican he saw and motioned for April to start it up.
" Deja to Joshua and April. "
Joshua clicked on his COMlink.
" Go ahead, Deja. "
" The Dauntless is still locked in the launch corridor. Lieutenant Stark tried the priority codes but nothing's happening. I also tried slicing into the Hathcock MPUs but it was no good. "
Joshua sighed heavily. When Mr. Murphy shat on your parade, he didn't do anything half-assed. The Spartan commander checked his HUD and brought up a map of the camp's subterranean levels. He looked at the timer for the HAVOK. Eighteen minutes to go. Time to earn his pay.
" Ok, Deja. Prepare for immediate departure. I'm uploading co-ordinates for a pick-up of April and myself. Try to make sure that the bridge crew doesn't get the ship blown up. "
" Give them some credit Joshua. You were young once... "
April hid a grin. She busied herself with the pre-flight check and the weapons. She knew Joshua had a sensitive side. He just preferred that no one ever saw it.
" Alright. Dust-off in five. Joshua out. "
He checked his assault rifle and noted he was down to five magazines of AP-HE rounds. In his pouch were three white phosphorous grenades. His M6D auto-pistol with two clips of Magnashok rounds. It would be enough. If he needed anything else, he could always take it from the dead Covies.
" April, if I - "
She turned around and head-butted him with her visor.
" Go. I'll keep the meter running. "
The Spartan became a blur. April was glad he was gone. She didn't want Joshua to notice her tears.
Joshua followed the pathway outlined to him on his HUD. The manual back-up was two floors above the motor pool. The timer still was counting down towards zero. If the Dauntless and the rest of the UNSC forces here were to survive, he needed to complete this task. Hefting his MA5B assault rifle at port arms, the Spartan streaked down the corridor. He shifted his multi-optics to check for Covenant forces. Nothing. His armored fist reached for the door controls. Then his motion detector started to ping.
The Elite shimmered out of nowhere brandishing a huge vibro-sword. Joshua rolled out of the way. A huge gash was left on the floor where he was. The Spartan flipped the selector to full-auto on his assault rifle and unleashed sixty rounds of armor-piercing/high-explosive ammo. The first fifteen rounds bounced off the Elite's shield. The second fifteen rounds caused the shield to flicker. The final thirty blew apart the alien's armor and insides, crumpling him to the floor. He was catching his breath when the second Elite appeared and nailed him with a plasma bolt.
His shield meter decreased by half. His assault rifle was now so much molten slag. He spun and planted a front kick on the alien's torso, smashing the Elite into the wall. The Elite's bulk was firmly stuck. He raised his plasma rifle to fire...
And blasted the AP-HE magazines that Joshua tossed at him. The Elite was struck by three hundred rounds of superheated metal and slag burning him where he stood. Joshua sat on the floor for a minute watching the Covenant warrior burn. His shield meter refilled and he keyed in an override code for the hangar doors. Unholstering his M6D auto-pistol he moved towards the exit. He clicked on his COMlink.
" Spartan 921 to Dauntless. You're now cleared for take-off. "
Joshua ran down the hallway to the motor pool. He smiled underneath his visor. They were going to live to fight another day.
TO BE CONTINUED
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