One; Ignition
Sir, we ve lost contact with bravo team, I have their location but they ve gone quiet! And the civilian craft? Gone too sir. Did they mention anything before they went dead? Only that they where taking heavy fire from the covenant, and requested that we send reinforcements. The captain closed his eyes, shaking his head, Deploy echo team
The sky was burned a pale red from the heat and intensity of the covenant glassing. Not only where they burning the planets surface to ash, but the small sectors where they weren t destroying with their battle cruisers, had been barraged by covenant search parties scanning the planet for the artefact that had been retrieved by noble team. Although word had spread of the retrieval of the object, the covenant where still searching, but for god knows what?
Streaking through the sky was echo team. Their where two types of warriors in the UNSC that got the most respect accompanied by the most danger and difficulty. They where the Spartans and the Hell jumpers. When Doctor Halsey began research into a combination, word spread like wild fire.
White hot plasma roared past the pit window of echo teams quarters windows. One by one the Spartan/ODST clambered steadily into their drop pods, gearing up for the task ahead. Alright, you know the drill. We ve been ordered to drop into a high level combat area with minimal support to aid a recon group who have been pinned down while defending a civvy spacer. Any questions? The colonel looked around the room, fitting his helmet on I thought not, With one last ammo check, Echo team were ready for the drop. Kieran, make sure that the scopes calibrated this time! Colonel Fisher called to the pod next to his. What s the problem, I made the shot didn t I? Called back Robinson from his pod. I nearly died, because you hadn t calibrated the scope in your rifle! Relied Fisher,
You where in no danger! Laughed Kieran. Pulling his black and yellow ODST helmet over his head. Okay Echo team, engage hostiles on sight, and remember; no heroes!
The capsules where launched from the docking bay and out into the atmosphere, hurtling towards the planet. Within minutes, Echo team where in sight of the civvy airship. Sir, what s the status of the civilian transport? I don t know Hitomi, their comnn Link went dead before the drop. Hitomi was the Covenant expert, only using weapons that where designed by the covenant, believing that they functioned better than human technology. Her armour was one colour, teal.
Okay, the LZ is hot, as expected, any one who lands outside of the estimated radius needs to rendezvous with the closest squad member immediately, then regroup at the cruiser. Yelled Fisher over the live feed.
Only moments later, the pods where on the ground, all outside of the radius. Kieran punched the eject switch, sending his front cover blasting off ahead of him. Swinging his Sniper rifle over his shoulder, he stood out of the pod. His heads up display showed that everyone was close enough to get to the site quickly enough, but under the Colonels orders he had to meet up with whoever was closest.
Setting himself to a light jog, he headed north, towards the next pod. Covenant often arrived at the pods shortly after their arrival, and this case was no different apart from the Spartan inside; Staying out of sight, Kieran deployed his bipod and lay on his front, getting a closer look at what was going on. As usual the elites took charge, one leaping to the unopened front. After a quick look inside, it drew back its fist, bright plasma erupting from the small hilt clutched in its fingers, forming a blade of pure energy. In a movement almost too quick for the eye to follow, it plunged it into the cockpit, head level with the occupier. The Sangheli gave a jolt, and slammed into the glass, as though something had yanked its arm from inside.
With a boom, the Elites head splattered all over the glass, its body slithering to the ground. Another stepped forward, but this one was stopped short by the pod window ejecting, mowing the creature down instantly. The remaining grunts fled, screeching in their native tongue. Out of the pod came Danna. Her lilac ODST armour was spattered by the deep blue from the Elites she decimated. Her shotgun rested on her shoulder. Nice of you to help out, She said when Kieran appeared out of the brush. We both know that you didn t need it. He replied.
Okay, Hitomi landed with Liam and Connor, so we should head over to the Civvy transport stat, they ll be there by know, no doubt.
The sun had began its slow decline from its perch in the sky, but still the sky was red, red with the blood spilled, with the blood to be repaid
As anticipated, Hitomi and the other two where already there. Just a flash in the distance, using glass to reflect the light and grab our attention. Fisher s voice echoed over the headset, All units switch to a private channel. They did so.
The civvy ship was surrounded, by infantry and vehicles alike. Thankfully the heavy titanium air pressure doors hadn t yet been breached. But that was likely to change once the bulging blue plasma cutter arrived on the scene, being held up by four trudging grunts, squealing and crying as they so often do. We cant let that plasma caster reach that door, Kieran; take out the furthermost hostile once they reach the stairs. Danna, get down the hill and open fire, draw their attention away from the craft, Hitomi, Liam prep for assault, as soon as they re distracted I want you to move in and hit from the rear. Four green lights blinked on the HUD. Connor, stand by, grab one of the stationary guns and lay down suppressing fire on the vehicles. Kieran watched, pulling back the chamber spring on his rifle, aligning a bullet with the barrel, then matching the target. Halfway up the staircase he lined the shot and pulled the trigger, no hesitation. The lead fired through the air, leaving a trail of white smoke behind as it pierced the skull of the rear grunt, pale blood spattering the marble stairs. The sudden lack of leverage from the rear caused the others to stumble, which was enough, they fell, one being crushed, with a sickening *crack* underneath the plasma cutter. Hostiles began looking around frantically trying to locate the mysterious assassin. Then Danna took her cue, leaping from the bushes to slide, as though surfing, down the sandy hill to roll and land cleanly behind a stack of weapon crates.
The present Sangheli commander moved in, sword drawn and ready. But Danna was quicker, the elite stabbed at her but didn t even manage to graze her. She ducked, rolled, and appeared behind him, delivering a brutal, Spartan issue kick, to the back if its left knee. Bones broke under her boot, sending the elite one on knee. As though powered by lightning, she shoved the barrel of her shotgun into its four lipped mouth and pulled the trigger, blowing its brains all over the sand. Waves of plasma washed over the crates she had crouched behind. Robinson, fire at will! Called fisher, unleashing bursts of fire from his new prototype Battle rifle, pinging covies left and right from his vantage atop the crescent hill.
Kieran open fired, taking out any that Danna missed. As if on cue, Hitomi and Liam sprang into sight, firing in all directions, slaughtering the startled rear infantry. Shells fell like rain from the shaft of Kieran s sniper, each one not used in vain, never missing a target. Connor landed inside a huddled group of skirmishers, their jaws watering at the thought of food. They pounced on him like cats on mice and in moments he was overwhelmed and brought to the ground. In mere seconds he turned it around. Slithering like an eel he dodged the first set of jaws, which clamped onto an ally. That didn t go down too well, they began fighting like dogs, scampering and snapping at each other, rolling away from the initial fight. The other three quickly became subjected to the napalmed fury of Connors custom ammunition, standard issue M6G Magnum pistol.
With the issue sorted, he proceeded to the stationary gun nearest to him. Unfortunately the covenant had managed to regain some sense of reality by now and had begun a counter attack. Several manned Ghost crafts began to diverge on Danna s position, firing as they went, giving her no break for fire. Kieran took one down, but before he had a chance to reload a green bolt of plasma strung out over the bonnet of one, sending a magnetic pulse through the engine system, shutting the vehicle down. Hitomi grabbed a hold of the passenger, quickly dispatched him, then moved on to fire at the last ghost. Liam whipped out his wife; the M41 SSR rocket launcher. Destroying any resistance.
Within five minutes, the ODST squad had the civvy craft locked down and prepped for evacuation protocols. The six troopers regrouped in the centre of the area. What now colonel? Fisher sighed, clipping his rifle to his backplate, Command just radioed in, they re sending a falcon to pick us up. He removed his helmet. We where sent down here to minimize covenant resources and that s exactly what where goanna do, so, where goanna hit em at the source He looked up, his expression unyielding. The others followed his line of sight to notice the colossal covvy cruiser glassing the atmosphere. Oh and troopers; They looked back, Welcome to reach