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2552 Nairobi, Kenya or at least what's left of it. My platoon has been stuck in this hell hole for two months, probably more. So far eight of the ten buildings we have taken control of have been destroyed including the American embassy and the ministry of foreign affairs. There are only twelve of us left, not counting our wounded, stuck in the city hall building. Unfortunately we're running out of ammo and supplies. The Covenant's main force has been pushing closer and closer to the city square, and once they capture it, we will lose the entire city, and soon after, the entire country.
"COMMANDER!".
"Damn it Carter, I was sleeping, now what is it?"
"A large group of Elites and six Hunters have started advancing on our position from the North-East"
"Fuck! We got anymore 50 cal ammo?"
"No, and we've run out of sniper rounds sir"
"Give me some good news"
"Well, we still have about five frag traps set up"
"Great. Throw me two P rifles.... they're about the only guns we have with ammo ."
Grabbing the rifles in air, I speed down the three flights of stairs. Arriving in the main entranceway I find the entire floor littered with debris, blood, and bullet casings. The room contained three pillars on each side of the hall leading to the door. I strole as calmly as I can, being in a war zone, towards the half of my platoon encamped close to what used to be a large glass window. "There isn't a solid wall in this entire building" I complained aloud as I approached the six war torn soldiers.
"What about this one, commander?"
Tapping the wall, and smiling the scrawny-looking marine turned to welcome me.
"Cut the crap Anderson, now how much ammo do we have left?"
"Only five P rifles with around 80%, not counting yours, and a 40% beam sniper with a broken zoom"
I let out a disheartened sigh, as per usually do when we have little ammo.
"What about gre..."
"DOWN!"
Without a second thought I fall to the floor just missing a fuel rod beam. Astonished and breathless, I look back at the wall next to me. Through the hole in the wall I stare with total fear at the two massive Hunters as their huge cannons begin to charge.
"BLOW IT!"
Fear and confusion fill my mind only to be exiled by the relief of seeing both Hunters being engulfed in flames.
"Thanks, now back to business, what about grenades?"
"Well" Eriks angrily rasped " That was the last of our frags, and we have only one plasma grenade left"
No one liked Eriks very much he was an army demolition expert. We had rescued him from a Covenant ghost that had tried to run him down. That was back when we had our Gauss Warthog. He had always complained about not having enough explosives and that we used them inefficiently.
"We're supposed to get supplies today at 14:00 so the Pelican should be here any minute"
"DOWN!"
instinctively I drop to the floor as an explosion rocks the building breaking parts of the ceiling. Once I realized the explosion came from the roof I pressed my radio call button.
"CARTER! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"
"Sir, we were just unloading the supplies that had just arrived when three Banshees came at us with their guns blazing"
"Damn it!"
"We were only able to get the rations and three rifles before they were able to fire artillery and destroy the rest of the supplies"
"Anyone injured?"
a short silence ensued
"Carter?"
"Jean. Mitchel. Turner. And Brown. They're all dead."
A small and barely noticeable whimper seeps from the radio.
"Are you alright? Come on, pull together now."
Another slightly louder whimper crosses the radio
"Take a deep breath, Carter. We can't lose you now."
The sound from my radio confirms that my command has been followed
"Ok, i'm fine, as is Felix who managed to damage one banshee as we ran towards the stairwell. They seem to have pulled off."
"Why would they leave? They had us out gunned. Severely"
"Sir, it seems the covenant ground troops have retreated, we can rest for a while"
"Oh, no. I know what this is."
Without going through a certain experience any ordinary soldier would have sat down, rested, and eaten. But I knew better. Unfortunately, this experience only happen to one person in my squad. Me.
"No. there isn't time to rest"
"What? Why?"
"This is too convenient. My last squad made that mistake, and they aren't around to set you straight, so I have to"
"Sir?"
"Get to rooftop, all of you"
a look of concern passes through the room and back towards me.
"NOW!"
Leading the group, I push my way up the stairs and onto the roof.
"Silence"
"What the fuck is going on!?"
"Eriks, calm down, now look out over the city. What do you see?"
Eriks squinted his eyes and peered over the ruins of the city. Through the dust and smog of the war zone a large mechanical mass lurches forward. From the head, if you could call it that, a glowing ball formed, as if to signal doom for some building. In an instant, the beam cut through the smog, annihilating three large building complexes. Eriks eyes widened, I knew he would never do what I was about to suggest.
"It's headed towards the city square, right past us, and once it breaks through the blockade wall, it will destroy central command. Nairobi will be lost"
"..... we can't stop it..... we have to get out of here!"
"No"
"WHAT!?"
"We are going to hold our position here"
Eriks fear and anguish did not surprise me. I was going to have to leave him behind.
"FUCK NO! I'M NOT STAYING HERE JUST TO DIE!"
A fist, quite so very familiar to me, met with Eriks face, and forced Eriks to the ground. Before Eriks could even start to recover, I snatched his rifle and pulled the last grenade from his belt. Tossing the rifle towards Anderson, I seize my own rifle.
"If you won't fight, you will be captured or killed. Get back to headquarters, we don't need a coward"
"YOU!"
The wretched man lunged for my neck, but I caught his first and tossed him back to the buildings rail.
"LOOK OUT!"
The building adjacent to ours explodes in a burst of heat and energy. What I had hoped would take hours, took less than thirty minutes. I knew they would try to destroy my squad using only a pulse turret mounted above the main cannon.
"EVERYONE DOWN! IT IS GOING TO PASS BY US, BUT NOT WITHOUT FIRING!"
As I fell, I watched the turret take aim and send out a rapid stream of energy. This did Eriks no good as he was the only one to stand and turn to stare straight towards the burning death. Oh well, if he wasn't a coward, I could have called it a severe loss. The scarab was now very close to the building and starting to pass it by. It was now or never, and never takes too long.
"RIFLE!"
A rifle slid across the roof stopping near my hand.
"JOINT FIRE ON THE TURRET!"
triple bursts flare from our rifles, tearing holes in the turret and disabling it.
"NOW FOLLOW MY LEAD!"
I leap to my feet and sprint across the rooftop. Battle cries are let out from behind me.
"OOO-RAH!"
"LET'S KICK SOME ALIEN ASS!"
"ALEA IACTA EST!"
I wasn't sure exactly what the last one was, it probably came from Carter, but latin phrases tend to be on the good side. The end of the building came quite fast. You could call it a leap of faith, but faith had nothing to do with it. More like a leap of chance and stupid bravery. Two grunt and an elite. Both of my boots planted deep in the face of the little bastards gave me quite a bit of joy.
"die human!"
"I think not"
in order to dodge a blow, I needed a good footing. I quickly and easily secured one, letting me roll left along the scarab's back. Disorientation scares me, not that I might die, it's just I lose my awareness. Blurry eyed and anxious, I aim my rifle, best I could, towards where I rolled from. Breath damn it, you need to breath, your not that afraid. My vision clears to see the rest of my team land on the scarab and totally waste any elites left. The four marines were quickly moving about the deck to secure and make ready for the assault.
"Wait. four?"
I scan around keeping their names in mind. Felix, Hughes, and Anderson.
"Carter"
"Huh?"
"Felix, Hughes, and Anderson. Where are they?"
"Uh, hehe, it's actually quite funny"
I grimly scowl at Carter
"Well, they kinda missed the boat, I believe the expression goes"
"Crap. They are still alive right?"
"Last time I checked. Before the scarab passed I told them to head towards center command"
The scarab stuttered to a stop.
"Looks like they know were here. Let's go kill us some aliens"


I missed the boat. How could I let myself miss the boat!? Reporting to command is so boring.
"Damn it Anderson, this is all your fault"
"Don't blame me, Hughes had my rifle, and I sure as hell wasn't gonna leave it"
"Maybe if you'd clean and take care of it, I wouldn't have had it, you lazy ass"
"WHO YOU CALLING A LAZY ASS!?"
"Shut up. Both of you. We need to get to central command, and the covenant are gonna be pushing in soon, so I suggest we get moving, unless you like the concept of liquidation"
"fine"
"fine"
the odd silence of the building made me cautious to make any noise. I made a notion to Anderson and Hughes to keep quiet. The trip down the stairs took much longer than it usually did this time. The lobby was filled with the same deceitful silence.
"Gather what you can find"
"Uhh, there's nothing left"
"Oh, well, then let's go"
"I'll take point, you two go on either side"
"I call right"
"Damn"
"keep you heads low were gonna move fast through the city"
We formed the basic delta formation, and made for the exit, which happened to be a giant hole in the side of the wall.
"GO!"
"don't fire, we're just gonna get to central command"
"Awww, come on Felix"
"Can it, since Commander isn't here, I'm next in command"
By this time I estimated we were half way there.
"Wait, stop"
"Huh?"
"Get around the corner"
"Whatever Anderson"
Anderson was always cautious type, in all the time I knew him back in college, he had never played a single hand of poker. Wait, scratch that, I have never seen him gamble, bet, or risk any money at all. We always tried to get him to gamble, but he never did. That was probably why he always had more money.
"C'mon Anderson, don't be paranoid"
"Take a look for yourself, just about half a mile behind us"
"I'm not gonna like it, am I?"
Anderson made his stupid grin, confirming my question. I angrily shoved my head around the corner.
"Fuck. Fuck! FUCK!"
My eyes must be deceiving me.
"100? 200? not counting the grunts and jackals"
"might as well call it 200, it would be very bad to under estimate"
"Click. Commander, we could use some help"
"Hello!"
"Ahh!"
"Calm down guys"
"Where did? How? What the hell?"
"Just down the street, good tactics, and a Marine Corps field commander"
Confusion.
"Heh heh heh. I see you've found the Covy army"
"Quit it"
Commander never gives us the full story when he's in a good mood. And he's only in a good mood when he has won, or knows he will win.
"Well, follow me, it's almost ready"
"What is?"
"You'll see"
Stupid tricksy child-like Commander. I made a almost inaudible "God damn it".
"What was that Felix"
He spoke with a grin that seemed a permanent landmark on his face. We followed the Commander up the street towards what appeared to be a large civilian truck.
"TAAAA DAAAAA!"
"Uhh"
"Well if you could tell what we were planning, so could the Covenant, and I always love the element of surprise"
"A TANK!?"
"VERY CLOSE, HUGHES, BUT NO CIGAR. Hehehehehe"
Hughes drooped his head.
"Any other guesses?"
"We're all gonna die?"
"Don't be a pessimist Anderson"
"Felix?"
Commander is too happy. Oh! He must have...
"Scarab"
"WHAT!?"
"WHAT!?"
"Oh, drat! You win. Just follow me for your prize"
I happily trotted around the truck, followed by Anderson and Hughes, wide eyed with mouths gaping. Once around the truck, I let out a whistle.
"She's a beaut' ain't she? in just a couple minutes she'll be up and running, or at least firing"
Carter was furiously working on the wrecked machine and never even took the time to look at us.
"Make that half an hour Commander"
"Sigh, six against two hundred. I wonder if they'll truce, hehehe"


Never a break. We just took down a scarab, and we can't even get it's once running cannon online. I strolled, as is my preferred style of walking, from the group as they all stared at me.
"Well?"
I turned around
"We need to waste a couple minutes, let's go chat with the aliens"
We made are way up to an intersection littered with rubble not too far away from the advancing covenant ground forces. I waved to the butt ugly elites. A plasma bolt welcomed me.
"HEY COVENANT"
the advancing forces slowed to a stop, and we could hear chatter among the aliens.
"YOU THERE?"
"SILENCE HERETIC! SURRENDER, THIS TIME YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE OUR WRATH!"
"Wait, this time? What the heck is that thing talking about"
"I remember that voice. sorta. HEY, ARE YOU THAT RED ELITE WITH THE SCAR?"
"DEMON! YOU GAVE ME THAT SCAR!"
"HEY, I BET YOUR PRETTY PISSED AT ME"
"GRAAAAAAAA!"
"I'LL TAKE THAT AS A YES"
"YOU WON'T LIVE THROUGH THIS BATTLE, BUT I'LL GIVE YOU THE HONOR OF DYING IN COMBAT. I CANNOT LET YOU PERISH BY ANY OTHER, SO I WILL KILL YOU. ONE ON ONE"
"SOUNDS GOOD, WHAT WEAPON SHALL WE USE, Y'KNOW TO MAKE IT FAIR"
A small barbell like device dropped near my foot. The others stared at me as I picked up the weapon.
"VERY WELL!"
I skidded out from behind the rubble and charged toward the fiend. With a flick of my wrist and the press of a button, I swung out the blade, made of pure energy.
"Hah! you wield a sword like a Brute!"
"We will see"
horizontal, vertical, right, left, stab. Damn he's quick.
"WHOA!"
If I were as bulky as Hughes, that strike would have gotten more than just the plasma rifle I had on my belt.
"Hahaha. Can't dodge me forever!"
This wasn't looking good. I could barely get off a single cut, not to mention I was being pushed farther from my team. I lept backwards a good distance. Breathing heavily, I stared into the eyes of my foe.
"I took down the entire crew of that Scarab you guys sent through, I wonder if you knew any of th...."
"GRAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!"
He began to swing wildly at me, putting his full force into every stroke. Anger and hatred consumed him. What was once an equally skilled adversary, had become a raging fool. I decided to push him farther, just to bide my time.
"Missed!"
"RAAAAA!"
"Crrr.....Commander!"
Wow, that surprised me. My radio still works!
"The cannon is just about ready, you just need to get out of the way"
Oh crap. A group of elites advanced from the army and surrounded me and the furious elite.
"FIRE THE CANNON!"
"But sir...."
"NOW!"
A purple-ish aura formed around the circle of elites that prohibited my escape. I turned to see my opponent grin and slash my sword from my hand to the ground. I turned to run, but to no success. Three elites restrained me. Suddenly the group of us were pull up through the air.
"FIRE!"
I turn downward. The light of a thousand suns burnt a stream path through the city below.


"Ha Ha, look at him struggle!"
"Bastards"
Once they could, they bound my wrists with some strange device, obviously not intended for humans.
"OW! Damn it my fingers are being crush"
"Shut up, once your dead, you won't have to worry about your hands"
"Take the scourge to be interrogated"
"NO! I must kill him myself!"
"We need more information concerning the humans plans"
"Fool! This human is very determined, he won't reveal anything"
"He is no threat anymore, and I can be very persuasive"
The red elite grumble and turn away. The rest also turned off separate ways, except the five that escorted me down the solemn hall. Hmmmmm, the one of the close elite's plasma pistol is loose. Sure i'll do it.
"Fancy place ya got here"
"If you like this, you'll like your accommodations even better"
"OW!"
I had fell, on purpose. It happened so that my battle knife, the elites pistol, and another's rifle also fell on the floor.
"Hah, nice try, too bad"
"Oh, really"
I pull apart my hands and spread my palm open and hurl my concealed grenade at the gold amour elite in the center of the group. Perfect. Snatching the pistol, rifle and knife, I break for the next set of doors.
"Thanks Eriks, you kinda did come in handy"
Turn through some automated doors, I find myself in what appears to be a sort of engine room. The room is filled with large machinery, with barely enough room to strafe. The most interesting sight in the room was hundreds of strange floating pale blob-like creatures systematically moving through the room, pulling off panels and working. They don't even take notice of me. I have heard of these oddball creatures in a briefing for a mission once. They are adept engineers, but cannot fight, and show no signs of loyalty to the covenant, they just do what they please. Pawns. The elites I escaped from have probably already alerted the whole ship. I need to get going.
"Wait what the?"
A black cylinder rose from the floor, when I had made it to a control panel in the middle of the room.
"HERETIC!"
A Hologram formed at the top of the cylinder, in the form of an elite.
"A covenant AI, what a surprise"
"FOOL, YOU'LL NEVER GET OUT OF HERE ALIVE!"
"That's enough out of you"
Luckily for me, this was where the AI's main core was. Using my knife I pried off a panel on the cylinder.
"HERETIC IN ENGINE ROOM ONE!"
Yank. Wow, the covenant's technology sure seems elegant in design. I stuffed the smooth black disk into my shirt.
"Time to go"
"The heretic is in here, find him and kill him!"
"Can't catch what you can't find"
On the other side of the room my exit was clear. I am very good at being stealthy, when necessary. This time I wanted some more weaponry. There were three elites searching the room and one at my entranceway and one at the gravity lift. the guards wielded swords and the seekers carbines. Tossing my plasma pistol across the room, I attracted one seekers attention. I waited.
"Now"
Shifting from behind and very loud machine, I position behind the fool and draw my soon to be blood stained knife. Unprotected hinges in the armor made a good place to push the blade. Not to make a noise, I set him to the floor and stole his carbine.
"Oooo, Stickies"
I used to play baseball in college. My team had never lost, thanks to me. Too bad I sucked at pitching, i could never seem to get the ball across the plate.
"Crap"
The two other seekers were closing in on me, and I had the full attention of the spectating guards.
"HEY LOOK, IT'S THE HERETIC!"
They turned and I blazed my carbine into one of the seeker's face. The other began firing, but with a quick dive, I was able to escape with only a plasma burn on my left thigh and right fore arm.
"Ow"
I make a taunting whistle. Here comes the last one. As he closes in I drop my last plasma nade near the corner, and dive across the open hallway in the room. I didn't see it, but it was dead.
"Care to fight?"
The guards started in towards me. I broke for my plasma pistol. Using it and my carbine, I was able to kill one about 5 foot from me and seize it's sword. I turn to the last
"Deja Vu"
"GRRRR"
Poor inexperienced elite. It ended with one blow. He swung high, I ducked. I swung low, he lost his torso and legs. The blue-ish blood stained my shirt. Stand tall.
"The engine room is down here on the right"
"Yo!"
"HEY!"
A trio of thin fatigue clad military of human personnel aimed their oddball weapons at me. The best part of that thought was "human". Great, I'm complementing my thoughts.
"Whoa! Don't shoot!"
"What part of the military?"
"Marine infantry, you?"
"Navy"
The guns were lowered.
"Hmmm, any plans to get off this damned ship?"
"Well, we got this far, we were gonna take the bridge. Up that elevator."
The center human pointed towards the other end of the room.
"You guys got off lucky, I did all the work, hehehe. Names?"
"I'm Petty Officer Jonas Quartz"
"William Heart"
"Jessica Barnes"
"Quartz, Heart, Barnes. Follow me"
I turn and begin to start to jog to the elevator. The Plasma burns started to wear down on me.
"Why should we follow you? Who are you?"
I stop, for only a second, without turning
"Commander"
I begin to walk.


"Commander?!"
"He can't really be The Commander."
"Kinda explains how he killed all them."
I never thought the stories about The Commander were all what they were cracked up to be. He was the only Marine I respected at all, yet I had never met him.
"Well?"
"Huh?"
"Let's go, we don't really have a choice"
I breathed out.
"He, out ranks us"
I jog to catch up and slow into a walk. I can hear my friends grumbling.


Apparently I am kinda famous as The Commander. I am quite good at killing, especially inexperienced Elites. By my count, I think i've beat around 100.
"What the hell"
The ship began to quake. Not like regular movement. Definitely explosive.
"Anvil missiles I think"
"Huh?"
"We need to get to the fighter bay"
Sprint to the elevator, down. Damn it, I can't go for much longer, I'm so tired. They'll follow. So predictable hehehe. Say a prayer, Lord knows I haven't in a while. Uhhhhh, such a great time to forget, screw it. I'm here anyways.
"Hope you're not too far behind me!"
"not at all!"
Run down the stereotypical covenant hall.
"Whoa"
Big room, many fighters, a good many choices.
"I like Phantoms"
"Banshees!"
"Hey, ranking officer here!"
Another group of explosion shook the ship.
"Fine"
"I'll pilot"
Kinda like running down a dock at a harbor, to a boat, 'cept more metallic. I jumped in and settled down in what was the copilot's seat.
"On second thought, think I'll rest"
Barnes sat down in what was probably the pilot seat.
"Good"
Hey God! I could use a little help. I hear the back close, and forget that God only works in mysterious ways.
"Uhhh, hang tight, I can't say I'm an expert driver"
"Eh. Better than me, just do your best"
The craft lurched up, then down. Then forward and towards the bay exit.
"What the hell? This ship is taking such a beating"
"Hmmmm, I've done something similar to this before"
"Ok....Good. Think....I'll......Sleep"
'night.

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