Lengthening Shadows
Prologue
Click.
I wearily opened his eyes only to close them again as a colorful starburst of pain knocked myself out cold.
Damn the LT is going to kill me.
Maybe looking around will help.
I opened my eyes once again and examined my surroundings. Purple dimly lit walls.
Seems to be iridescent.
Click.
Hey that almost sounds like…
Oh Shit…
I turned my head to the left to see the LT playing with a familiar looking gun in her hands.
"Hey that's my sniper." I said to her. "No Private, it's the UNSC's sniper and don't you forget it." She replied in a toneless voice signifying that she didn't really believe in what she was saying. "Can I have it back then ma'am" I said hopefully. "Not in your condition, have you looked at yourself lately."
I had to admit that I had not. I cast my eyes downward to see a large bandage across most of my torso.
So that's why breathing hurt so badly.
"Yeah Private you're gonna be spending a few days in the medical bay here on the Night of Malevolence that our elite buddies are so gratefully letting us use." "But LT I'm ready to go fight some Loyalist covvies." "You don't understand, Malychev they've found Earth." The LT whispered, and flicked her eyes away to a spot on the wall and stared.
I knew the UNSC couldn't keep the information safe indefinitely but I assumed its secrecy would've been retained for a little longer. Then I realized something. "How long have I been out of it?" "Seven hours since they fought us back at Oxidanus VII. They were encroaching through the Inner Colonies closer and closer."
"Damn" I breathed out slowly. "When will I be released?"
"You should be out and about in around 72 hours, Private. Good thing too, we're going to need everyone we can to repel the Covenant from Earth."
Smirking widely I replied sarcastically "I'll be up in half that LT, and it's nice to know that you care about me."
"Don't test me Private if you weren't wounded I'd smack you right now. Rest." With that last word she stood and left through the sliding doors.
The sedatives must be working.
My eyes close of their own accord, leaving my mind to drift into unconsciousness.
Chapter 1
Steamy clouds parted like a drawn curtain; a fireball one hundred meters across flew over my squad's position illuminating the streets for kilometers. I traced the line of flames back to a faint outline of a brute warship in low orbit.
I peered through my SRS99C – DM modified scope and saw the brutes falling back to their warships. Another glassing, another lost colony world.
My helmets com set broke its long maintained silence "Knife Squad, time to pack up and head back." The LT sounded resigned. "There's nothing we can do now, don't worry we'll get another shot at 'em."
I stood up, and stretched a bit. The LT's voice said "Hey Orion, we only have a few hours until the planets gone." "I know, I know, calm down a bit El-Tee." I responded. "I'm on my way."
I started into a jog sliding down the rope I had climbed earlier to get up to my vantage point. My gloves gave me enough friction for me not to break my legs as I reached bottom. I continued at a jog through an alley, I could probably keep it up for hours. I spent the next 5 minutes maneuvering carefully through abandoned avenues and ransacked sidewalks. About 3 blocks from the rally point, I heard a low groaning sound from the store to my left.
Turning my head I saw a low red gleam from the dim confines of the convenience store. I entered and heard a low grunt. My eyes followed the sound to the gleam I saw earlier.
It was a Brute, apparently injured. His gaze met mine through a haze of pain. It noticed what I was and struggled to get up. His legs were buckling, unable to bear his weight. He kept struggling to get upright.
"Goddamn Orion get to the rally point now!"
"One sec LT I'm investigating something"
"I don't care what you're investigating -" I turned my radio off.
What should I do with him,I wondered to myself
Mercy kill? Nah, that would be too humane for his kind.
The planet is going up in flames.
Yes just leave him here to be burned on his self wrought pyre.
Mental argument over with I turned to leave and walked to the door. "Hur hur hur hurh" the Brute seemed to be in hysterics. I turned around and saw the reason why.
The brute was holding one of those spikers; it was aimed right at me.
"Jesus Christ" I muttered.
The Brute fired one spike left in the gun I brought my M6 pistol up just as I was hit in the abdomen by the spike.
I fell to the ground nearly blacking out from pain. I refocused and shot the Brute through his skull.
That's gonna hurt in the morning.
I turned my com back on and managed to say "LT I need a corpsman" before I blacked out.