Chapter One:
The ODST's
"Sir, the Covenant have set up a large plasma turret around section five." Sergeant Green said. "It's blowing buildings over backwards. The 304th armored division is wiped out. The Covenant have also dropped three Scarabs."
"Call in some Longsword's to take out the turret Sergeant." Replied Spartan 013.
"Yes sir, Colonel." The Sergeant replied and turned back to the communications desk.
The Colonel took his BR55 Battle Rifle and walked back down the corridor. He watched a medic patch up a wounded marine as he walked by them. Upon returning to Earth, Spartan 013, Sheeda, and Sergeant Green came under attack by Covenant cruisers. There were over two, hundred, fifty of them. The orbital defense stations were almost all destroyed. Only thirty-two of the three hundred stations were left. All of them firing MAC rounds to take out as many Covenant ships as they could. The Colonel's cruiser was shot down and crash-landed in New Mombasa. Which just so happened to be the center of the Covenant's attack. From there he linked up with the 501st Armored Infantry, a.k.a. the ODST's. They had proven very effective in the battles he had just fought with them, and he planned to stick with them as long as he could.
The Colonel walked up to Captain Watkins who was giving orders to a few marines that were gathered around him.
"Captain." The Spartan said.
Watkins finished, sent the marines off, and turned toward the Colonel.
"Yes, sir?" Captain Watkins replied.
"Get some men ready. We need to take out a couple of Scarabs." He said.
"Sir, with respect, how the hell are we going to do that?" Watkins asked.
"Just trust me. We're going to need about ten men. Get them geared up and ready to go by 1300 hours."
"Yes sir, right away." Watkins replied saluting.
The Colonel saluted back. Watkins then began jogging down the ramp outside to give the men orders at the temporary barracks. Just as the Colonel was about to go back to Sergeant Green, another Captain approached him. They saluted each other.
"Captain Adams here on request from ONI, sir." He said.
"What is it, Captain?" The Colonel asked.
"Your new MJOLNIR armor is here sir. It's a Mark 6." He replied. "We've got some technicians waiting in the armory to help you put it on sir."
"Thank you Captain, tell them I'll be there in just a moment." Spartan 013 answered.
Captain Adams nodded and jogged back toward the armory.
So, ONI had developed some new armor. Another advantage, yet another something to make him look even greater. He walked back to Sergeant Green and asked him for a status report.
"Sir, Fleet Admiral Gonzales denied our request saying all Longswords were currently engaged with enemy sir." Sergeant Green said.
"Which is understandable," The Colonel replied. "I guess we'll have to take it out ourselves."
"How sir?" Green asked.
"Gather some C-7; the men I've called to help take out the Scarabs will help us. Getting up close to that turret won't be an easy task, but we'll get it done. At the expense of those marine's lives if we must." The Spartan said.
"Yes sir, I believe there's an entire case of C-7 in the armory." Sergeant Green said.
"Well you can follow me there then. ONI just sent in some new armor for me. I'm going to go get suited up and then we'll gather the men and leave."
"Sir, sounds good to me sir."
"Feels good to me Captain." The Spartan said moving around in his new armor.
"Good, I assume you're going to use it right away?" Captain Adams asked.
"Of course, this Spartan never misses a fight as long I can help it." He replied.
The Sergeant then walked up with a metal case in both arms. It looked heavy and sweat dripped down his forehead.
"I'm guessing that's the C-7?" The Spartan asked.
"Yes sir." Green replied setting the case down and wiping his forehead.
"What are you planning to do Colonel?" Captain Adams asked.
"Your Fleet Admiral Gonzales denied a request from me for bombardment on a Covenant turret. We've got to fix that. So, we're going to take this C-7 here and blow that S.O.B. back to their homeworld." The Colonel replied.
"High Charity." Adams said.
"What?"
"High Charity, that's the name of their homeworld. The Master Chief has given us plenty of information." He finished.
"Where is Spartan 117 anyway?" The Colonel asked.
"Out in the front lines of course. He arrived not too soon, before you did. In a forerunner ship." Captain Adams said.
"Yes I noticed it not too far from here when our ship was crashing to the surface. Interesting looking thing don't you agree?"
"Yes, most interesting. Uhh, but anyway Colonel you should leave right away, before that turret can take out any more of our men." Adams said.
"Of course. Thank you Captain for the gift and hope everything goes well back at the Office of Naval Intelligence HQ. Sergeant, you've got the C-7." The Spartan said and grabbed his BR55 Battle Rifle and walked out of the armory.
Sergeant Green picked up the case and followed. The Colonel walked through the small "camp" and found Captain Watkins.
"Well Colonel your men are ready to go. Is there anything else you need?" Watkins asked.
"Actually yes, I need a Transport Warthog and a M12G1 Warthog LAAV. Then I'm going to need a Pelican standing by if shit happens, maybe for reinforcements or extraction so be ready." The Colonel said.
"Okay, sir we have one Transport Hog left and we've got three M12G1's and two M12 LRV's." Captain Watkins replied. "You're sure you want one of the M12G1's sir?"
"Yes, there are probably a lot of Ghosts out there and that Gauss Cannon will be useful." Spartan 013 replied.
"Yes sir. Your men are right over there," Watkins pointed to a group of ODST's standing in formation. "And I'll have the Warthog s here in a few sir."
"Thank you Captain. By the way, Major Williams was KIA, you want his job?"
"Sir, I gladly accept, sir!" Watkins answered.
"Good, carry on Major!"
"Sir, yes sir!"
The Colonel then turned to the marines and walked over to them. He looked at them. All wore the standard ODST pressurized armor. It was black with a black and gray camouflage on the arms and legs. Each marine held a BR55 Battle Rifle except for two. One of them held an M41 SSM Rocket Launcher and the other held a S2 AM Sniper Rifle.
"You, sniper give your name and rank!" The Colonel ordered.
The marine stepped forward.
"Sir, Private First Class Freeman sir!" The marine said.
"Freeman huh. I knew a Sergeant Freeman, died at the hands of a brute."
"Sir, that would be my Uncle sir!"
"I see. Heavy Artillery name and rank!" The Spartan yelled.
The sniper stepped back and the heavy artilleryman stepped forward.
"Sir, Specialist Hiroyuki sir!" Yelled the soldier.
"Thank you." The Colonel said.
Hiroyuki stepped back.
"All right marines listen up! The Covenant bastards have placed a large plasma turret about eight kilometers from our position. It wiped out the 304th armored, marines. Do hear me? Wiped out!"
"We hear you sir!" The soldiers said in unison.
"Good, 'cause if we don't take that thing out its going to blow a path right through here for the Scarabs. And we don't want that now do we?"
"No sir!"
"So let's show those Covenant scum who the best in the human military is!" The Colonel Yelled.
"Yeah!" The marines yelled in return.
"The Helljumpers!" Spartan 013 yelled.
"Feet first into hell!" The group shouted together.
Then the two Warthog s drove up. The marines hopped out and jogged off for another task.
"Okay marines I'm going to be driving the M12G1 so I need two volunteers to come with."
Private Freeman and another marine stepped forward.
"The rest of you get in the transport. We'll go ahead of you to provide cover." The Colonel said. "Green I want you to stay here and get on COM. Let me knows if anything goes wrong. Sheeda will help you now that she's back in the mainframe. Private Freeman take the C-7 from the Sergeant and get in the Hog."
"Yes sir." Freeman said putting his sniper rifle on top of the case and then taking it.
"Specialist Hiroyuki, I want you in the back of the Transport to keep any Covenant Ghosts or otherwise off our back." The Colonel ordered.
"Sir, yes sir!" The Specialist replied.
"Okay the rest of you move, move, move!"
The ODSTs broke formation and got into the Warthog s. Spartan 013 loaded the chamber in his BR55 Battle Rifle and hopped into the driver's seat of the M12G1 Warthog LAAV. Freeman stowed the case of C-7 in the cargo compartment behind the seat and then grabbed his S2 AM Sniper Rifle. The Colonel placed his Battle Rifle behind the seat in a slot made specifically for it. He started up the Warthog and waited for the other marine to hop onto the Gauss Cannon in the back. The other marines were all piled in and ready in the other Warthog .
The Colonel hit the gas and the Warthog took off. The other followed. The Spartan flew passed the checkpoint and out in the highway. Cars lay scattered in the road and the Spartan swerved around them keeping his speed. The other Warthog kept its pace as well. The buildings they went passed were damaged and battle scarred. Bodies of marines and the various species of the Covenant lay along their walls.
The Colonel revved up the engine, plowed over the debris of a Ghost, and crushed it beneath the tires. The Transport Warthog came right after and crushed it again. The Spartan came around a bend and found two Ghosts in the middle of an intersection. Two Elites and three Jackals were on the ground around them, who were accompanied by five Grunts.
"Take out those Ghosts private!" The Colonel ordered.
"Yes sir!" The private replied swinging the Gauss Cannon around.
He fired and the ultrasonic blast hit the Ghost in the front. It exploded and the Elite fell to the ground with rest of the debris. Freeman butted his sniper rifle to his shoulder and looked down the scope. He zoomed into x10 and blew an Elite's head in half. Its body fell backwards and its plasma rifle let off a few rounds. The Jackals raised their shields and the Grunts flung their arms up and began to run around in circles. Freeman aimed again and killed a Grunt. The Gauss Cannon's barrel exploded again and hit the ground near the second Ghost. It flipped over and the Elite fell out. Freeman pulled the trigger again and killed the Elite before it could get back in.
The Colonel flew through the intersection running over a Grunt and Jackal. Just as he went through it, a Shadow and two more Ghosts came from the right. The Ghosts fired their weapons. The Elite on top of the Shadow fired the turret as well. Specialist Hiroyuki aim his M41 SSM Rocket Launcher and fired. The rocket soared through the air and exploded the turret. The blasts from the Ghost impacted the rear of the Transport Warthog causing it to shake.
Hiroyuki aimed and fired again. The rocket hit one of the Ghosts sending up into a ball of flame. The other flew through the smoke only to be hit with a gauss round. That Ghost exploded as well. The wreckage hit the ground and twirled over before coming to a halt. The Elite driving the Shadow released the Ghost he was pulling and got into it. He drove it out of the Shadow and chased after the Colonel.
Spartan 013 floored it down the highway as fast as the Warthog would go. The transport kept up fine. Then a Phantom came out from in between two buildings right over their heads. The gunner pointed the gauss cannon up and began firing at one of the three plasma turrets the Phantom supported. It fired back. The plasma blasts hit behind the Warthog scorching the metal road.
Hiroyuki rested the barrel of his rocket launcher on a roll cage bar that hung over his head and aimed for another one of the turrets. The rocket locked on and he fired. The rocket hit and the turret exploded. The fragments hit the highway and were left behind as the vehicles continued to move.
"Whoooohoooo!" Screamed one of the marines in the transport.
The gauss cannon fired again and another turret exploded. A few pieces hit the hood of the transport Warthog and cracked the windshield. The driver swerved from side to side but slowly regained control. Hiroyuki fired again and took out the last turret. The Phantom continued to fly over them and the marine in M12G1 continued to fire. Shots hit the Phantom's hull but did only minimal damage.
The Phantom's grav lift was directly above the transport. Then an Elite dropped down from it and landed on the roll cage. All the marines', except for Hiroyuki's, weapons went up and fired. The Elite pointed down and fired. The plasma hit a marine in the arm and chest. He screamed and dropped his weapon on the floor.
"It burns man!" The marine yelled.
The Elite's shield then collapsed and the slugs filled its body. It screamed and fell off. It hit the road and rolled a few feet before stopping.
Specialist Hiroyuki fired his weapon at the grav lift and it exploded in a fiery ball. The Phantom quickly pulled up and turned around the corner of a building to avoid further damage. The marine on the gauss cannon fired once more as it disappeared around a building. The Warthogs came to a merge in the high way where two Ghosts came flying down the road.
The gauss fired and one of the Ghosts exploded. The other Ghost swerved to avoid the explosion and flew up the hood of a car. In mid air it began to flip over. The marine didn't give it a chance to land though as he fired twice more. The Ghost exploded in mid air and landed on the ground in front of the Warthog . The Colonel kept driving and crushed it under the tires causing the entire vehicle to jerk up.
"There, it's a Ghost now!" The marine said laughing.
Another Phantom then came over a building in front of them and dropped some brutes.
"Private Freeman, take them out!" Spartan 013 ordered.
"Yes sir!" Freeman replied looking down the scope of the rifle.
"I got some too sir!" The marine in the back yelled swinging the gun around.
The Phantom then turned and flew over them firing its turrets along the way. It then disappeared between the forest of skyscrapers. Freeman pulled the trigger and blew a hole through one's head. The gauss cannon fired and another was blasted in half. Freeman re-aimed and shot another through the chest. It stumbled but was still alive. He fired again and killed it. He pulled out the empty clip, threw it, and shoved in a new one.
The marine fired the gauss again hitting at one's feet. It fell over dropping its weapon. Freeman quickly leveled his weapon and fired. Another brute fell to the ground. The two Warthog s flew through the remaining group of four with the Colonel running one over. Another grabbed onto the bumper of the transport and climbed on. It grabbed Private Gerhard and threw him off. Hiroyuki then smacked it in the head with his rocket launcher, which was followed by all the rest of the marine's bullets. It roared and fell off.
"We have to go back for him man." A marine said.
"Face it he's already dead, there's no point." Replied another.
The Colonel slowed and made a sharp turn down a small alley. The transport followed. The alley led to another road and the Spartan pulled out and stopped. The transport pulled out behind him and stopped as well. The plasma turret was above them on top of a five-story building. The Colonel stepped out of the Warthog and the other marines did the same.
"Report." The Spartan said.
"Sir, we've got one WIA and one MIA sir." Specialist Hiroyuki said.
"Who's the MIA?"
"Private Gerhard sir."
"Hmm, who is WIA?" The Colonel asked.
"Private Zim sir." Hiroyuki said gesturing toward the Private who had just gotten out of the hog with some help.
"Can you fight marine?" Spartan 013 asked.
"Sir, I can still fire a weapon and move my legs, so yes sir." Private Zim replied.
"Good. I'll have you and another volunteer stay here and guard the Warthog s." He said.
"Sir, I volunteer for the job sir." Private Red came forward.
"Alright the rest of you come with me. Someone grab the C-7." The Colonel ordered.
"Yes sir." A marine named Private Harding said and went to the Warthog and grabbed the case.
The Colonel went back to the Warthog and grabbed his BR55 Rifle. He checked the magazine and turned off the safety.
"We go in on foot. Expect heavy resistance from Covenant forces. We may lose a few men on this one. Just remember your training and you should be all right. Now let's move!" The Colonel yelled.
"Sir, yes sir!" The marines yelled in unison.