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A Marine's Tale: Vengeance is Mine
Posted By: pj-NYkr90<phantomf4@earthlink.net>
Date: 27 August 2003, 6:41 PM
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Author's Note; Jeze, this took a long time. Well, between getting a new Xbox to play Halo on, my birthday, and getting grounded, there wasn't much I could do. Anyway, hope you like it. (Note, I'm still grounded…)
Saturday, October 3rd, 2551
"So lemme get this straight Ryan, your girlfriend is dying," questions Bynam.
"Yes! Now if you don't mind damnit, I don't wanna talk about it right now," I reply. Emanuel walks over and then hands me a chicken wing.
"Wanna a chicken wing," he asks. I tank the wing and chuck it.
"NO! I DON'T WANT YOUR CHICKEN!!!" If you can't tell that I'm pissed, then you have problems. I need to see her before she does die. My girlfriend has caught a serious disease. I forgot what it was, but I don't really feel like reading the letter again; it'll just intensify the pain. I get up and start walking towards HQ. Deere runs up to my side and hands me a package of sorts. It doesn't have a stamp, probably because of the fact that it may be laced with coke.
"I've had enough bad news for the day Deere, I don't need anymore." I drop the package on the floor...and I hear a jingling sound. I quickly turn to pick it up and under my breath, I mutter, "Please don't be what I think it is." I pick up the letter and open it. Into my hand, falls a Crucifix. I fall to my knees and then put my hands to my face. I start bawling. I cry like crazy. First, my girlfriend is dying, and now, I find out that my grandfather, the one who took care of me from birth till I was eighteen, has died. He told me that when he died, he'd give this necklace to me. Deere walks over to me and then pats me on the back.
"It's gonna be okay man, it's gonna be okay."
Gery walks over, picks up my letter and hands it to me, "There's something else in there."
"Thanks," I say as I take it. I pull it out and then read it. It's the will. I begin to read it. There are only three things on it; one, he loves me; two, that everything he owns is in my possession; and three, that he wants me to kill as many Covenant bastards as I could. I crumple it up, get to my feet, and then continued on my trip to HQ. The rest of my fire team follows me. Yao comes over to us and then asks me, what's up. We spill him the news and gives me his condolences. We reach the door and I let myself in. Commander Riley seems surprised.
"Oh, yeah it's you, good job today," he commends.
"I need out, sir," I say in complete disregard to his compliment.
"What!? No, that isn't possible, the Covies are planet side now, and they are gonna attack again."
"Only for a couple of days, sir. I've had relatives die sir," I contest.
"Lemme think about it Corporal, and if I'm in the right mood, then we'll discuss that, are we clear?"
"Crystal clear, sir."
"Dismissed." I turn around and exit the room. I kick the garbage can that's right next to the door and start to curse under my breath. I'm pissed. I miss my grandfather badly, as he was the only real father figure I had in my life. My real father is a deadbeat. He left my mom when I was young. She didn't have enough time or resources to take care of me, so my grandfather opted to take the challenge. My father still saw me…about once a year; But not enough to even make me love him the way father and son always do. An hour later, Riley gives me permission.
"Dunbar, you can go, but you gotta take one more guy with ya. The Longsword is too complex for just on Marine to fly."
"Thank you, sir," I reply. So now, I get to tell my girlfriend I love her and that I'll miss her and go to my grandfather's funeral. I walk over quickly to Bynam and tell him the good news.
"Great dude, can I go?"
"Sure man. Just be quick, I gotta see her before she dies." I a minute or so, Bynam comes back with a duffel bag full of his clothes and stuff. We head over to the landing strip and get the keycard for Longsword fighter 11A. I run up the ramp and almost shut it on Bynam's head. He gets really pissed at me for this one.
"Ya could've killed me bro'! Watch out," Bynam yells.
"Yeah, yeah," I reply in a carefree manner. I run to the front, slide the keycard in the ignition and then press the buttons on the card. The Corps must think we're incompetent. On the MA5B ammo pouches, it tells you were to pull the tab out from, as if it isn't obvious. On the rocket launcher it tells you which way to hold. I mean, who in the hell would hold the thing backwards? I tried to once and I couldn't reach the grip. But the buttons on the keycard help because I don't know how to pilot one of these. But an actual USN pilot would. Anyway, who cares? I'm going to get to see my girl one last time before she dies.
In a matter of minutes we're in the continuing abyss of space.
"What are Earth's coordinates," ask Bynam.
"How the hell should I know man, I mean, I'm in the Marines to shoot, not to fly around willy-nilly," he replies in an aggravated voice.
"Okay, fine, leave a brother hangin' in the wind like that. I'll find out on my own." I tap a couple of buttons on the panel and then find the coordinate-data arrays. I access the arrays and then Earth's coordinates.
"Got it, okay, so here we go." I enter the coordinates in the Slip-space coordinate intake and then press the button. I hear the drives go on, and then they cut off.
"What the heck is going on," I ask with a tone of fear in my voice.
"Look doufus, your supposed to switch the safety of," Bynam replies, trying to act like he's smarter than we he really is.
"Well, ya could've told me that earlier, but thanks anyway," I reply.
"You are welcome grasshopper," he replies sarcastically. "When you snatch the stones from my hands, you will have become a true man."
"Right, and that would mean that you are a total jackass because you couldn't snatch stones from my hand if you even tried."
"Really, okay. You wanna put a bet on it?"
"Fine, how much, a hundred?"
"Cool with me, okay so where's the stones."
"Okay one second." I punch the Slip-space drive and then go back to the Armory. I pull out a magazine and then pull out ten rounds. I go back to the pilot's chair, hold my hand out with the bullets in it and then wait for him to grab it. He tries a couple of times and misses them. On his third try, he gets half of them.
"See, I told you I could get 'em."
"Yeah, but see, you only got half of 'em and I kept twenty-five. So the way I see it, is that you owe me $250 bucks."
"Screw that. Let's just call it even man."
"Yeah, okay, but I'm only doin' this 'cause you're a homie."
"Fine, fine, I owe you one man."
Tuesday, October 6th, 2551
We reach Earth a couple of days later. We had the cryo-tubes on a timer for the estimated amount of time it would take us to get to Earth. I crawl out spit the filmy stuff that keeps you alive out of my mouth and then get some clean clothes on. Bynam meets me on the bridge.
"Wazzup," I ask.
"Nothin," he pauses, yawns, then continues to say, "jes drowsy."
"Yeah, I know what ya mean man." We reach the outer preliminary scan centers. This is where are troubles begin.
"This Scanning Station R, comply over," fizzles the COM.
"How the hell do I speak to them man," I ask Bynam.
"Why should I know dude, I'm here to help out, not to know anything."
"Where's the speaker dude? Help me out man!"
"I repeat, comply to station or we will be forced to fire, over."
"Is that it man," shouts Bynam.
"It's worth a try," I reply pressing all the buttons near and on the small console. As we get closer, I can see two cannons rising to the occasion.
"Shit, where the hell is it man!!"
"There," bellows Bynam pointing to a series of knobs and frequency displays.
"Yes," I say as I walk over to and pick up the communicator thing.
"Hello, this is LS11A, coming in for leave, over," I reply with a sigh a relief. I see the guns lower.
"We made it man."
"Roger, permission to go into the atmosphere, where is desired landing zone?"
"New York, East Islip District, Housing Complex 7A."
"One moment."
After a brief pause, the COM replies, "Two facilities are open, make your way down and chose either."
"Thanks," I say. We fly in and land on a pad closer to my house than the other.
"I got some business to take care off, so you can go to Joe's or somethin' and I'll meet ya there, alright?"
"Right."
"Oh, and you better take this," I say handing him a pistol. He stares at me and I simply reply, "Rough neighborhood nowadays." He shakes his head in understanding and walks off towards Joe's. As for me, I walk off to the hospital.
…through the eyes of Jon Bynam
I walk forward down the street and then view the place that Ryan talked about, Joe's. I move up to the door and then open it. To my surprise, it's rather clean for the neighborhood it is in. As the door opens, one of those little bells jingles and the people siting down, eating waffles, grits and, bacon turn to look. I hear one of them mumble, "No wonder we're losing this war; they're letting these guys off on leave in the middle of combat." I don't really care, I'm on Earth helping a friend. I take a seat and start reading the menu. After about five minutes, a waitress walks up and stares at me.
"On the house Corporal," she states and walks away. I stare at her (not a bad body, I might add) and wonder why she did that. I'm a Corporal, but I don't have my name tag on. I turn around and see if anyone is standing behind me.
"Where in the hell did you come from man," I ask Ryan in wonder.
"My grandpa's house," he replies.
"Who was that," I inquire.
"My girlfriend's sister."
…through the eyes of Ryan Dunbar
I hold the Winchester-Colt Pistol that was once my grandpa's tightly in my pocket. Jon has eaten, but I can't. We're about to see my girlfriend. It's easy to watch it and learn about it…death I mean. But when it happens to you, so close to you, you feel it more. It burns your heart to see someone so close and important to you go. But she hasn't gone yet; there's still a chance for me to say goodbye, and how much I love her.
We reach the front desk and are quickly rushed through to the Delivery Room. Now why in the hell are we going here…well, there's only one reason why that I know of. My girlfriend is having a baby. I run in to see the baby half way out. I walk over to the doctor and ask him if everything is gonna be okay.
"Well, you're the father, and we've proven that by a shit-load of DNA tests and crap. But it's still unsure if she'll make it. The disease was just a false alarm"
"Thank you," I reply, collapsing back into a chair and then sighing, then crying.
"God, Thank You," is the only phrase that I manage to mumble. There truly is a God. After the baby is out, I walk over to her and talk.
"Hey, how are you doing," I ask.
"I'm fine," she replies in a weak and hoarse voice.
"Well, get some rest, okay."
"Okay, I will."
"I love you." She falls asleep as soon as I finish my statement. I begin to exit the room when I see my father.
"Hey, son."
"What do you want?"
"I wanted to congra…"
"Shut the hell up, dad. This is the first time in what, four years since you've even talked to me? You don't even deserve to be on this ground near me. And how do you live with calling me your son; you weren't there long enough for me to even know you." I walk right past him and then Bynam closely follows. My dad turns around with tears in his eyes.
"You don't have to like it but no matter what I'll be your dad! You remember that son, you remember that..." I keep on walking not the least bit phased by his little speech. I'm in no mood to even care about him right now.
"Don't you think you're being a little harsh man, he is your father man. He brought you to this world and you don't even thank him for that little bit," states Bynam.
"Ya know, you're right. But it was his responsibility to take care of me when he gave me the privilege to live here. So who's in the wrong here?"
To my surprise, Bynam replies, "Both of ya'll." I turn back and stare at him.
"Ya just don't get it man, do ya."
"Yeah, actually I do. Treat thy father and thy mother with respect, and your life will be fruitful; one of the ten commandments."
"Screw that." I walk away and to the docks, Bynam closely behind me. We board the Longsword and depart Earth's gravitational pull.
Wednesday, October 7th, 2551
I am jolted awake from my sleep in the cryotube, as is Bynam. We jump from the tubes to hear the blaring of alarms. WTF is all I'm thinking. I hurry to put on clothes and then rush to the bridge. I look out the front windscreen and then see several Seraphs heading for us. Plasma bolts head straight for us.
"Shit," says Bynam as he joins me on the bridge. They don't fly this far from their mothership, I think to myself. When the thought enters my head, I quickly hit the evasive maneuver button. The Longsword continues to fly around crazily, dodging plasma all over the place. In a couple of minutes, I hear a horrendous screeching noise.
"What's that man," I yell."
"Look," says Bynam looking forward and seemingly awestruck. I turn to see the shimmering shields of a Covenant cruiser, but no cruiser. Then, all their power must have been pushed towards keeping the shields active because all of a sudden, this huge mass of purple appears in front of us. It must have been cloaked. Several of the Seraphs start shooting at us but miss and hit the shields. More power drain. Now, the shields are draining. I turn and look at Bynam; he does the same to me.
"Shit," we both say in unison. The shields finally fail, and all the power and force built up behind us shoot us forward. We crash right through the hull of the cruiser and then fly through the windshield. The lights on board are dark. We have to get off the ship. I turn around and tell Bynam to follow me. We jump through the windscreen, which is now broken and head back to the armory. I pick up an MA5B; some magazines for my Grandpa's pistol and the assault rifle and then sling a shotgun over my shoulder. I also get a bandoleer of grenades. Bynam picks up the other assault rifle and a GPMG-90 (General Purpose Machinegun). We both don the extra armor packs and begin heading down the hall. I see the door, it's been reactivated I guess because they're using backup generators. But I don't have too much time to think about it because the door opens when we get within its sensor's vicinity and two Elites with searchlights see us. I draw my shotgun and pump lead into the first's gut and then smack the second in the head with the shotgun butt. Bynam finishes it off by pouring about twenty holes the size of quarters in him. We continue on and spot a contingent of Grunts. I prime a frag and then toss it into the center of the group. They look to bee too tired to care. They notice too late. Several fly up and hit the ceiling so hard they stick. I can hear the hoses that bring methane to their lungs hissing as the air exits the tube and the Grunts as they wheeze for air. I run forward and finish off the rest. This is beginning to feel good. I'm getting my vengeance for my Grandpa's death. This is the way he would've wanted it. We head forward until we notice some of the doors ahead of us opening, but nothing there.
"Cloaked Elites," Bynam states, readying his GPMG for the battle to come. It's not gonna be easy, but we have to get off this ship; and fast…
Up next
A Marine's Tale: The Covenant Ship and a Nearby Planet
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