Reach: Rebirth
Chapter One: Rest and Repair
Epsilon Eridani System
Reach
August 30th, 2552
16:37 zulu time
A half-dozen elites lay dead in a bone-dry shipyard. In the middle, an elite zealot stood over a spartan, sword hand posed for the finishing blow. The spartan had given all the fight he had and made a heroic last stand. But now, he was out of fight. He accepted his fate.
The elite let out a roar. "This is it" Noble 6 thought "After everything i've been through, this is where I die."
A burst of 5.56 rung out. The elite staggered backwards and fell to the ground. His shields had already been down from when the spartan kicked him, so the rounds tore right through his chest. Noble 6 lays his head back on the ground and lets out a sigh of relief.
"Are you alright, Sir?" A soldier runs to his side.
"Energy sword. Left bicep. Too close to the chest for a tourniquet" The spartan replies.
"I'm not a medic, Sir" The soldier says nervously.
"Bio-foam in my left cargo case" The spartan tells him.
The soldier snaps open the hard case and pulls out a cylinder with a tube coming out of one end. He studies it for a second.
"Stick the tube in the wound and squeeze the trigger. Just like a grease gun" Noble 6 says impatiently.
"If you say so" The soldier stabs the tube into the wound, causing the spartan to twist and groan. He pulls the trigger and a tan foam bubbles from his wounds.
"That's good" The spartan says. He brushes the soldier off and stands up. It seems the covenant have retreated back their cruiser. It geared up for slipspace and disappeared. Probably after the U.N.S.C. frigate Pillar of Autumn, the spartan presumed. The carrier that he wounded with the MAC gun earlier was limping off in the distance. It was far too damaged for slipspace or to even break atmosphere. It would have to remain on Reach until repairs were made.
"What now?" The soldier asks.
"I have to pay someone a visit."
Back at the MAC cannon, spartan A239 or Noble 4, lay on the ground with an elite on top of him. Noble 6 flips the elite off of him. Much to his surprise, the spartan begins coughing.
"Noble 4!"
"6? I'm glad you made it." Emile wheezes "Did they…?" He doesn't finish before he starts coughing again.
"Yes. The Pillar of Autumn got away" Noble 6 tells him "Soldier, give me the bio-foam!"
"It's all out, Sir" The soldier replies.
The dying spartan grabs Noble 6's arm "It's too late for me. Take my shotgun. Kill as many Covey' bastards as you can with it."
Noble 6 nods.
"Looks like you need another helmet too" Emile removes his helmet and hands it over "Take better care of this one. You know how proud of it I am."
A tear rolls down Noble 6's cheek. "Here's something in return" He pulls out the dog tags of Noble 5. This time, Emile gladly accepts them. They watch the burning covenant carrier disappear in the distance, along with the star in this solar system.
Night covers the sky now. It's been 10 or 15 minutes. Noble 6 glances sideways and notices Emile has finally passed. "You're with the rest of Noble team now" 6 Whispers.
"Sorry for your loss" The soldier says.
"We've all lost something today" The spartan replies.
"Where to now, Sir?"
"We need a ride. We're going to Castle Base" Noble 6 replies.
"I know just the place to find one" The soldier smiles.