Orange Squad
As we jogged quickly down the alley, I couldn't shake the feeling of imminent danger. Course, what do you expect when you're in the middle of a war facing extinction, heading towards a major hot-zone, where you can die in the coming battle. Squads; Yellow, Orange, Blue, Gray and Green from Echo Company were ordered to provide support for the 12th Armor Division at Tuscany Boulevard, five blocks southeast from our EP (Extraction Point).
Less than two blocks from our destination we exited out onto the street taking a group of Grunts and shielded Jackals by surprise. Blue, Green and Gray squads mowed them down with the loss of Yellow squads rookie getting killed by a stray needler round to the throat, we continued down the road to a roughly constructed barricade that was preventing the 12th AD from advancing to their EP.
While Blue squad prepped the barricade for demolition, with Yellow and Gray providing cover in case of enemy contact, lieutenant Jacobs from Gray ordered sergeant DeLanko (Orange) and corporal Kihm (Green) to enter the adjacent buildings to flank the covies, provide suppressing fire, until the barricade is blown and the 12th AD manages to retreat. At which point we bug out the way we came, to help escort 12th AD to the EP for extraction.
Srgnt. DeLanko led us into the left building. After climbing two flights of stairs we came under plasma fire from at least two dozen covie bastard's. Corporal Jimmy and I tossed a couple of frags in their midst hopefully killing a bunch in the process while we made for cover. As I blind fired from behind a collapsed column, private Yung stepped out with his SPNKR and fired a rocket at a cluster of Jackals and two Elites. At which point I switched to my shotgun and ran towards the remaining Elite whose shield was depleted by the rocket blast and was dazed by the explosion, firing one shot point blank at its face killing it instantly. Pumping a new shell into the chamber as I turned around looking for more covies, I glimpsed sarge putting a single round into a Grunts head just as it finished priming a plasma.
The resulting explosion sent me careening through the wall knocking two Jackals to the floor armed with carbines with me sprawled atop them. Luckily my entrance broke the neck of one and dazing the other long enough for the sergeant to give it' its daily dose of lead.
Private's Yung and Keaston hauled me up to my feet, so we could complete the objective. The snipers nest that the Jackals were using was the ideal spot we needed to provide suppressing fire for the 12th AD. We took up positions along the three balconies we had access to and began harassing all of the alien shits. Sergeant DeLanko and Prvt. Keaston began sniping any Elites and Jackals equipped with carbines, who decided to fire on us. Corporal Jimmy and Prvt. Yung took out their rocket launchers and destroyed three of the seven wraiths, Green squad destroyed the other four, out from their position behind a downed phantom. Jimmy and Yung then let loose a couple of rockets onto the largest group of covenant bastard's clustered together. Private Samson and I fired our assault rifles on the aliens closest to our position and opening a path for a nearby hog to get back into position.
Less than two minutes later as we were about to mop up, Lieutenant Jacobs yelled over the tac/com "Stand Clear." The barricade exploded up and out clearing a path for the 12th AD to retreat through. The 12th wasted no time as they regrouped to fall back to the EP, with Green squad covering the rear as they retreated through the hole of the now useless barricade. As this occurred, the sarge ordered us to fall back, we did so with no hesitation.
As we descended to the main floor a Grunt squad directed by an Elite entered the building in the hopes of flanking our allies outside. Unaware of our presence Sarge rolled a grenade at the group which promptly exploded in their midst, at which point we all opened fire on the clustered group, killing them all. After that we hightailed it out of the building before enemy reinforcements could arrive after hearing the small bout of staccato gunfire.
Upon regrouping with the other squads and the 12th AD we began a steady run up a nearby on ramp to the freeway where we continued the journey to the EP. The only threat that impeded our progress were a few small skirmishes with covie cannon fodder that was quickly squelched by the scorpions. We reached the Extraction Point soon thereafter. The scorpions were being attached to the pelicans when we came under fire by two wraiths, half a dozen banshees, a Hunter pair and five full squads of Grunts, Jackals, and Elites.
Thankfully the ground crews set up three chainguns and two missile pods which helped turn the battle in our favor. Unfortunately a plasma mortar hit its target, a scorpion that never had a chance to connect with its pelican was hit where the shells were stored causing it to explode violently. One of the shells discharged and flew directly into its respective pelican disabling it as well. The missile pods had managed to destroy all of the banshees, and the chainguns had dispatched most of the infantry but were disabled by the Hunters. Both of the wraiths were destroyed by Gray squad who had commandeered a gauss hog, while Yellow squad used rockets and grenades on the Hunters, thus killing them. The few remaining Grunts fled when the last Elite was killed.
We quickly loaded our equipment, vehicles and troops onto the remaining pelicans and took off for our respective ships, moments later we came under AAA fire. We lost four of the nine remaining pelicans; one of which had a scorpion, two that had warthogs, and the last had the much needed medical supplies we were sent to procure. Upon reaching orbit we headed back to our respective ships knowing we failed in our mission and readying ourselves to be chewed out for said failure.
As we were docking with our UNSC Destroyer `Up Yours,' Jimmy turned to me and said, "For a CQB specialist Aarkan, that was pretty damn scary at how you ran up to that alien scumbag with only your shotgun, and shooting it just once in the head. But the resulting karma of you being blasted through the wall by the plasma grenade was priceless.
Without looking up from where he was Sergeant DeLanko grumbled, "Jimmy, shut up and leave Corporal Macbeth alone."
I just made an annoyed laugh as I shook my head, then leaned it against the pelicans side and drifted off.