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AN ANCHOR IN THE STARS: Chapt: 2
Posted By: Sketcher<gangsterg12@aol.com>
Date: 26 October 2003, 2:24 PM
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About a week later Dan sat in Admiral Richard Lloyd's office. He had been called
in to discuss a new mission, one of the highest security. His concerns at the moment,
however, were fixed on a piece of paper carelessly dropped on the floor. Being in a high
ranking commander's office discouraged him from moving it.
Hurried foot steps came from the hallway. A troubled Lloyd stepped through the
doorway. Dan, out of uniform and in civilian clothes, stood at attention.
Lloyd half saluted and then said, "As you were."
"Yessir," Dan replied.
Lloyd put his hands behind his back and slowly walked toward the window. His
face grew solemn as he turned his head.
"Earth, that is where they are going. What in the hell am I supposed do to about
it? If I was a younger man, I'd be there, but....ah....Well, why are you here?" he asked.
"You sent for me sir."
"I did, oh yes, I forgot. Well, what do you think about it?" the Admiral asked the
stunned Captain.
"About what sir?" Dan asked.
"Well the Covenant's target," he replied.
"Well sir, it was destined," Dan answered.
"Destined. A way to look at it. You are aware of the Cole Protocol, correct?"
"Yes sir, who isn't?" the captain replied.
"Reach fell and one ship made it out, some rust bucket called the Pillar of Autumn.
It followed it the protocol to a core. Lost contact with her a few days ago. But the
Covies found their way. How? Who knows. That is where you come in. Captain, I need
you and Team Neptune on full alert, the moment the first Phantom opens its ramps, I need
your people flying in to meet them. Any questions?"
"No sir," Captain Oakes answered.
"All right, now get the hell out of my office and get your uniform on, don't need
you looking like civilian scum," the Admiral ordered.
"Yessir, good bye sir," Dan saluted quickly, then walked out of the office.
Dust blew across the base as he walked from the Headquarters' building. A
Warthog packed with three Marines drove past. The Captain picked up his pace and ran
toward the Naval Infantry barracks. The door slid open at his approach. He stepped in
and shook the dust from his dark hair.
"Sir," said Fish, who was attempting to shave without a mirror.
"Where is everyone?" Dan asked.
"Well, Terry and Gordon went to grab some beer. Mark, Christian, and Sepp
took the Warthog for a joy ride. And well Jackson, he is, well, go look for yourself,"
answered the soldier, motioning toward the bathroom stalls.
Dan walked in ready to break his neck if he needed to. Jackson stood by the sink,
his hands were covered in blood. His face looked as though somebody had attempted to
pull it off.
"Jackson, what in god's name happened to you?" the Captain asked.
"Sorry sir, but you know that Marine pilot I was dating?" Jackson asked, holding
back the pain.
"Yeah."
"Well she obviously didn't tell me about the Marine she was already dating," he
said, staring down at the floor.
"Son, now I hope you won that fight," Dan told him.
Jackson grinned, "Well sir, that I did."
"Good man, well, at least we still have our reputation. Now get yourself cleaned
up, and mop the floors," the officer ordered.
"What sir?" the stunned soldier asked?
"You heard me, you're lucky I don't have the MPs after you, but I need you right
now. The Covenant is heading for Earth, we have been placed on standby. Now get your
shit together," Dan said before walking out.
He sat down on his bunk and began to clean his MA5B. Jackson stepped out and
found the mop and the bucket. Fish smiled slightly and shook his head. A hard knock
suddenly interrupted them. Fish stood up from the bed and hit the button to open the
door. An angry Marine Sergeant with a Prussian mustache glared at Jackson.
"You, come here now!" he ordered.
Dan stood up from the bed, "Hey Sarge, go back to your own barracks."
"Excuse me boy," he replied, his expression growing tenser.
"You heard me, walk yourself back to your bunk before I kick it back there
myself, that is an order" the Captain ordered.
"An order, you think you can boss a Sergeant around?" the Marine asked.
"Sergeant, you think you back talk a CAPTAIN?" Dan asked standing up.
"Sorry sir, I just didn't see rank. Sir, this soldier of yours beat up one of my men,
for no reason," the Sergeant said, growing weaker.
"No reason, I bet, look Sarge, I have the situation under control, now walk
yourself back to your barracks now, before I have to have you cleaning the toilet of every
ship that comes in here for the next week!" Dan ordered once more.
"Yessir," the Sergeant saluted then nearly ran back to his barracks.
Dan calmly sat down and continued to clean his weapon.
Miles above Earth, the Covenant armada had arrived, in the birthplace of
humanity, the source of their most hated enemy. The forces of Earth were mobilized and
the Cole Protocol lost its effectiveness. The threat was great and both sides knew that the
coming battles would be the worst yet. The fate of a species and an entire history hung in
the balance as the tides came in.
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