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Discovery of an Enemy, Chapter Six: Part II
Posted By: russ687<russ687@hotmail.com>
Date: 28 June 2004, 5:56 PM
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1512, July 21, 2552 (Military Calendar)
System Designation Classified, Planet Codename Milestone
Kren wiped the raindrops off his face as he stared up the long shaft leading to the surface. He was part amazed and part bewildered, it did not make any sense to have a direct air source connected to these tunnels, unless something was meant to live down here.
He turned and shone the light around the room, trying to find any exit tunnels or anything that might give him a clue as to where to go. The light wouldn't penetrate far enough so he had to move closer in the room. As he got closer the objects against the wall began to become visible.
He stopped in his tracks as he looked down as far as his light would see. Lined along the wall, evenly spaced, were large square containers. They appeared to be made of some sort of metal, and were at least centuries old; a thick layer of dust covered them. The shape reminded him of burial coffins, except much larger. They were at least five feet high and twenty feet long. The sight was eerie and perplexing at the same time.
He took cautious step forward toward the first one. The ground was covered with a thick layer of dust as well, and he felt as if he was in some sort of ancient tomb. The sight would have really made him think that was so if there were spider webs everywhere.
He stopped and slung his rifle, carefully to keep it pointed generally at the container. He stepped forward and grasped the overhang of the apparent lid and pulled up. The resistance was very strong, and he wasn't strong enough to open it; perhaps it was locked?
He took his hand and felt along the top of it, pushing away the layer of dust. A glimmer caught his eye, and he brought his flashlight to bear.
It was a symbol, similar to the type seen in the entrance tunnel to the large room. It reflected his light and bounced off the nearby walls, but so did something else.
He turned off the light and turned around slowly, bringing his rifle to bear. He stared at the light beam coming down from the surface and waited in the darkness. Slowly coming into view was a figure.
It was an Elite.
The half-transparent being stopped directly under the light and stared directly at Kren, its silent body posture showing that of one who was ready to attack, yet contempt with its own situation. Under the light, Kren made the armor discernable as silver. He had never seen that color on an Elite before.
The Elite raised an arm, its large hand grasping a grenade sized ball. The ball looked just like a ball bearing, being completely spherical and chrome. It emitted no light, sound, or anything. Kren would have mistaken it for an oversized marble.
The light from the surface reflected off the ball and the light began to intensify. The room began lighting up as it grew brighter. The Elite began shaking, not from fear, but from the force of something. The appearance was that of the Elite holding up a heavy object with one arm. No sound could be heard as the posture of the large warrior worsened. The "weight" grew stronger.
Kren lowered his rifle and began taking slow steps forward. The Elite's arm began shaking uncontrollably, as did its whole body as the ball grew brighter. Kren had to shield his eyes as the light began blinding him. The room was completely illuminated now.
Kren stopped as he heard something. It was a roar.
The sound grew louder and louder, it was coming from the Elite.
It was the sound of pain, of frustration, of death.
Kren looked up to see the roar reach a real-time volume. The Elite's half-transparent body snapped back into reality, and it became real. The roar from it was loud, the presence of the alien was real. Kren raised his M7A1.
The Elite stopped its cry and the ball went dark. It looked directly at Kren as its arm slowly dropped. It let go of the ball and it hit the ground and rolled into the puddle of rainwater. The Elite was breathing hard.
Kren stared down the sights of his rifle. This was no longer fake.
The Elite's hands clenched tightly as it stood there, staring down the Marine from ten meters away. Kren's heart pounded as he waited for what this Covenant would do.
A crack emitted from the Elite's clenched fists.
Kren instinctively pulled back the trigger at the sudden movement. The rifle spat out a single round as the Elite charged forward.
The round impacted it square in the chest. Its shield lit up.
The second round hit it in the chest again. The shields held up.
The Elite was now charging at him, less then 5 meters away. The hatred in its eyes was visible as its mandibles opened wide. Kren heart pounded harder then he ever thought possible as the rifle recycled for another shot. Time seemed to stand still.
The third shot left the suppressed barrel as the Elite's arm swung back. The round hit it square in the chest and its shield flared, then failed. It penetrated through its armor and shot out through its back. Kren blinked as the purple blood splattered on his face.
The blow of the Elite hitting his body was the first thing he felt as he reopened his eyes. He went flying backward with the Elite toppling over him. His HUD system went haywire and blacked-out as he crashed back-first to the dusty floor. His rifle went clattering across the floor as the Elite went headfirst into one of the containers; a cry of pain being emitted.
Kren slid across the floor until he was stopped himself by a container. Nothing but pitch blackness surrounded him. The only light was from the beam coming from the surface in the middle of the room, and that was not enough to light up anything.
The throbbing pain coursed through his chest as he stared straight up into blackness. His ribs ached as he visualized the bruising being done as he regained full consciousness. The sound of his heart beating filled his head.
Kren rolled over onto his stomach and forced himself to his feet. He swayed back and forth as his equilibrium tried to get back in sync. He felt half-conscious as he looked around aimlessly for the Elite. Nothing but darkness enveloped him. He had experienced this many times before, and he knew that it was a defeating factor in the midst of battle.
He heard a low growl from somewhere in the room and immediately reached for his M6D. The pistol came to bear and he flicked on the mini-flashlight attached to it. He scanned the room back and forth, the light not being powerful enough to penetrate far enough around him.
The sound of foots steps originated behind him.
Kren spun around to come face to face with the Elite, charging him once again. His thumbed off the weapon's safety and pulled the trigger as a bright muzzle flash erupted from the pistols short barrel. The noise of the round echoed throughout the room as the HE round impacted the Elite in its left shoulder. Kren closed his eyes as more sticky substance splattered him in his face.
Kren was thrown back as the Elite struck him, full body, yet again. Kren it the floor hard but gripped the M6D tightly to keep it in his hands. This fall didn't daze him nearly as bad as the first, and he rolled onto his stomach and jumped up.
The Elite was losing its strength, but its pure determination to kill the Marine drove the proud warrior to its feet as it bled profusely from two wounds.
Kren spotted the Elite quickly and brought the pistol to bear. He fired off another shoot as the alien sprang toward him yet again. Kren fired off a second round, and it blew open the Elites torso. A deep growl of pain emitted as the Elite stopped dead in its tracks within an arms reach of the Marine.
Kren fired off another shot and it impacted the alien square in the chest, sending armor and gore fragments flying out. The Elite crumbled to its knees, grasping at the wound. Kren pulled the trigger as fast as he could again, and the Elite took another HE round to the chest.
The pistol clicked loudly as the last round left the clip.
The Elite was completely shredded from the front, with all its frontal armor destroyed or missing. Blood poured out of an artery and began collecting into a pool on the floor. Kren reached to reload as the Elite let out one last cry.
Kren winced as he felt his leg bend an unnatural way. His left leg gave way and he fell to a knee. He saw the Elite retract its arm and hit it again. Despite the Mark IAC armor, Kren could tell the blows were more then superficial. Pain spiked through his leg as he dropped the pistol and reached with both arms to defend against the next blow.
The Elite was weak and the combined arms from the Marine stopped his last offensive strike. Kren gripped the large forearm of the alien, mostly out of pain and slowly pushed it back. The Elite appeared to be dazed, as it did not try to resist. Kren let go and fell to his back, then pulled himself along the floor away from the fallen beast.
The pain in his leg was almost unbearable. He let out a long yell of pain as he felt it in the dark. The leg-armor was missing a piece, and he felt in that area. Nothing wet or sticky came off of it.
Kren grunted and grinded his teeth as the pain began to subside. Then he began to worry about going into shock. He breathed hard but slowly and tried to slow his heart rate down, the pain resounded in waves, and his body shuddered at each one. In all his years of fighting, he had never encountered something that literally brought him to the floor. He had been lucky, avoided plasma fire, even friendly fire, but now he knew what it was like.
What it was like to fall.
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