A.N. I'm back with a new Wolf Pack story. We've got some new members so it's time to get another story out. Shoutout to all my brothers on the virtual battlefield, and let's get started.
Timeline is around the end of the Covenant/Human War.
Squad Members:
Ian- Leader
Julian
Max
Alex- Comms. expert
Steve- Heavy Weapons expert
Brody- Spartan's son
Evan
Spartan (I ain't giving my name)
On the space station Denouement, an ODST squad resides and watches over a supply depot of Hydrogen Fuel Cells that were to be used as power supplies.
"Man, how come we weren't called in to help defend Earth?" Steve asks, cleaning out his assault rifle after target practice with Evan.
"How should I know? We're only a small squad so I doubt we could really do anything about an invading fleet."
"Still, we could have done something."
Ian stepped into the room, and the two stood at attention.
"At ease men, I just came by to ask if any of you have seen Brody and Spartan."
"Sorry Boss," Steve says, "I haven't seen 'em."
"I thought I heard Max saying he was going to help them fix some calibration errors with one of the new Scorpions that arrived." Evan responds
"I'll head to the Vehicle Depot then, I'll see you boys later." Ian says, leaving the two to their cleaning.
Ian then made his way to the Vehicle Depot where sure enough, there was Spartan, Brody, and Max standing around the Scorpion, with Spartan underneath the vehicle closing a panel.
"That should help the motors a bit, and the calibration with the passenger turret should be good." Spartan says, dusting himself off
"Awesome, now if we need to use this thing it'll be at top condition." Max says.
"Good work men, as you were," Ian says, making his presence known, "Brody, Max, Spartan. Good to see you boys keeping busy. I know you all must be tired of sitting on a station."
"With all due respect, sir, we feel that we should be on Earth fighting instead of holding position on a station protecting fuel cells." Brody says.
"I can understand your frustration, but someone needs to guard them, and we were unfortunately picked to do the job."
Julian came rushing into the Vehicle Depot with an urgent look on his face. He took a quick moment to catch his breath before speaking.
"Sir, Alex got something on the radar, and it's big and coming this way."
The five rushed out of the building and headed for the Command Center. Upon arriving Steve and Evan were already present, so the whole squad was there.
"Alright Alex, what've you got?" Ian says, getting straight to the point
"I got a large reading on our sensors, and it isn't of human origin. I think it's a covenant ship."
"Of course it is, what else could it be?" Evan says sarcastically.
"I'll get the turrets up, they'll buy us a small bit of time to get armed." Spartan says and runs to a console and starts hitting buttons.
"Sans Alex and Spartan, the rest of us will go and get weapons and armor." Ian says.
The remaining members of the Wolf Pack head to the Armory, where an assortment of weapons were held. Everyone grabbed a couple of everything and headed back to the Command Center. Once they arrived the whole squad started to make a plan.
"Alright, we should try and hold up here, draw them in-" Ian starts.
"Where they could trap us? Not happening." Julian interrupts.
"Well what do you suggest then?"
"Why don't we leave the turrets active here and attack the ship." Spartan suggests.
"Well how are we gonna do any damage with a Pelican?" Julian says sarcastically.
"We get aboard the ship and take out it's power source. A cruiser that size has to have something big powering it."
"That's actually a good idea Spartan. Of course we'll need a few men on the station to make it look like we're still here."
"I volunteer to stay, sir." Max says.
"Me too, sir." Evan says.
"Alright, the rest of us will head to the Hanger and head to the cruiser."
The remaining members of the squad made a quick stop at the armory once more, where they gathered a large explosive item. From there they went to the hanger, where Spartan remembered something.
"Sir, I just remembered that a friend of mine in ONI sent me a smaller version of a Prowler as thanks for taking a shot for him once."
"I'm guessing that you put it in the Hanger?"
"Yes sir, right over here. I hid it so none of us would try and tinker with it."
Spartan leads them to a far corner where the Mini-Prowler was covered by a large number of crates and tarps. It was about the size of a Pelican and looked like it could hold the same number of passengers. Everyone looked at the Mini-Prowler in awe.
"How did we miss this?" Steve asks rhetorically.
"There's a NAV computer that'll help with the flying, so let's get started." Spartan says, heading into the cockpit.
The others loaded their gear and weapons as the Mini-Prowler started up. Once everyone was ready the Mini-Prowler took off. The cloak shield was activated and they were invisible. Spartan and Ian could see the drop ships flying down past them from the cockpit.
"We left just in time. Let's hope Max and Evan hold out while we're gone." Ian says.
"We're approaching the cruiser, I'll try and keep us away from those plasma turrets."
"Do what you need to do."
Ian went to the back and had everyone on their feet.
"We're going in stealthy, but pack some extra ammo in case things get bad."
"Yes, sir."
"You got it boss."
Brody moved to the cockpit to talk with his dad before landing.
"Hey dad, this is crazy, do you think we'll make it out of this one?"
"I promise, we'll both be going home after this ends."
Brody went back into the back to finish getting prepped.
"We set down in 5...4...3...2...1." Spartan says through their helmets' comms. Once He reaches zero, the Mini-Prowler lands near an open hatch on the cruiser.
"We're lucky the shields weren't up." Steve says, looking around for any hostiles.
"Alright men, let's get to the reactor, set these charges, and get out."
Ian took the lead and jumped down the hole with the others following. They dispatched a few grunts and jackals with their knifes and hid the bodies.
"So far so good. If I recall the schematics correctly, then we should have to head down the elevator and move through a few more corridors." Brody says.
"Three per elevator, let's move."
The six split into two groups of three and went down the two covenant equivalents of elevators. Once at the bottom they regrouped and continued on. While moving towards the reactor, they didn't notice a Zealot following from behind.
In record time, the squad made it to the reactor, and Brody started setting up the explosive, but were alerted to a siren of sorts. The small lights were flashing around while the siren blared out it's alert.
"Oh sh*t. That's not good." Julian says.
"Form up on me! Defend Brody and keep the covies off him." Ian yells, taking up a defensive position. Soon enough, Grunts, Jackals, and Elites started pouring out of the entrances that surrounded the reactor. The squad quickly shot them down, but did have to move now and them from the occasional Plasma Grenade.
Eventually two Hunters arrived, and Steve shot one down with his rocket launcher. The other Hunter went into a frenzy and wounded Steve with a plasma blast to the arm when he dove for cover.
"MAN DOWN!" Ian yelled.
"I'm alright! Just a nick in the arm. I can fight." Steve says, firing a shot from his shotgun.
Spartan opened up a med kit and stuck Steve's arm with some Biofoam.
"That should hold you 'till we get back to base."
After a large dispersal of ammo, the Hunter finally died. No more covenant were coming so Ian took the time to see how Brody was doing with the explosive.
"Almost done, sir," Brody says, hitching some wires together, "I just need to connect the explosive with the trigger and then we can blow this place to kingdom come."
Spartan walked up to Brody and says, "Good job son."
"Thanks dad."
Julian sees a distortion near the three, and yells, "Zealot! Look out!"
Ian jumps out of the way of the energy sword, while Spartan pulls Brody down. The Energy Sword misses the humans, but hits the explosive's wiring. Steve fires some shells at the Zealot, while Ian avoids it's attacks. Spartan jumps onto the Zealot's back while Brody went for the knees.
The two pulled the Zealot down, and Steve tossed Ian his shotgun. Ian quickly aimed the barrel at the Zealot's face, and with a pull of the trigger, ended it's life.
"Woo, what a story for the kids." Steve says.
"Oh easy for you to say, you didn't have to pull the damn thing down." Spartan jokes before picking up the Energy Sword and handing it to Brody. "Souvenir."
Ian looks at the explosive with a grim face. The wireless receiver had been severed, so it couldn't be remote activated.
"Got some bad news. One of us isn't making it back home." Ian says.
Brody takes a look at the explosive and kicks the reactor's base.
"He's right. How are we gonna decide this?"
They all stood in silence for a moment, before Steve came up with an idea.
"Let's have everyone's dog tags facing downwards so we can't see who it is. Boss'll pick at random, and the last person stays behind."
"Anyone oppose this idea? No? Let's do this then." Ian says.
They all remove their dog tags and lay them on the metal surface of ground. Ian closes his eyes, as does everyone else, and shuffles the dog tags around. After a few seconds, they re-open their eyes and look at the tags in front of them.
One by one Ian picked up the dog tags, until it was only Spartan and Brody left.
"I'll stay behind. I'm not letting me son do this."
"Dad, calm down, let fate decide."
Ian looked at the two tags in front of him. One was Spartan, a soldier who had his share of battles and glory. The other was Brody, Spartan's son, who was still a bit green. As he looked at the tags, he remembered something Spartan said about his tag. It had the tinniest of chips in the middle from a battle. Ian looked at that specific tag, and lifted up Brody's.
(A.N. Two songs would go really well with this. First would be Reignite, a fan song for Mass Effect. The second is Kizuna from the anime Fairy Tail)
"That's is then...it's been an honor Spartan." Ian says, grasping Spartan's hand with is own.
"It's been an honor for me too Ian."
"Damn, I thought for sure we'd all make it back home." Steve says in a defeated tone.
"Don't worry, I'm still going home."
Spartan picks up his dog tags and gives them to Brody.
"Tell your mother I won't make it back for dinner."
"Heh, you're always a sarcastic jackass dad."
Spartan and Brody give each a brief hug before everyone starts leaving.
"Give 'em hell Spartan." Julian says.
As they all started towards the exit, Ian looked back at Spartan and gave him a salute. Spartan returned it, and the door closed, separating them. Spartan then turned his attention to the explosive and started tinkering with it. All he needed was to press the button and boom. One of the doors opened and a squad of four Elite Rangers stepped out. Spartan pulled out his battle rifle and started firing on them. One was dead within seconds while the others dove for cover.
Topside, Ian started the Mini-Prowler, just in time to see a group of Elites jet pack up and start firing on them. Steve and Brody fired at them from the opened back of the Mini-Prowler, and managed to kill a few before the back door shut and the ship took off to the Station, not even bothering to set up a cloaking field.
"We're all clear Spartan, hit it." Ian says over the helmet comms.
"Yes sir...I'll see all you boys again real soon. I promise, and son, take care of your mother."
"I'll make you proud dad."
"I'm already proud of you son."
The comms cut off, and Spartan shot down the last Ranger. Spartan took off his helmet and let it fall to the ground.
"I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise son."
Taking a deep breath, Spartan activated the explosive. The last thing Spartan felt was a brief flash of heat.
Back on the Station, the remaining squad members arrived and rushed to the Command Center, ignoring the dead bodies of the covenant forces.
"Guys, you're back." Max says, but is ignored.
"What's going on?" Evan asks.
"Look at the Cruiser." Ian points out.
The Cruiser was starting to spark and light up purple. Soon, the area where the reactor was blew up in a massive shower of metal and plasma.
"We did it, we held them off." Ian says, dropping to the ground in exhaustion.
Everyone else followed suit, and before they knew it they were being hailed by a UNSC Charon Class Light Frigate that was flying towards them. Ian activated the Command Center's comms. relay, which was surprisingly un-touched, and sent out a message.
"This is the Wolf Pack, we prevented the Covenant from taking out the Hydrogen Fuel Cells. Awaiting orders."
"Good job, this is Captain Trombley. I have good news, the war's over. A new squad of marines are going to be positioned here and the rest of you are to return to Earth."
"Understood ma'am."
Ian then turned to his men, who all has solemn looks on their faces.
"So he died for nothing?" Brody says, fists clenched in rage.
"Brody, you father died protecting us. That's an honorable thing, and he will be remembered because of it."
Brody accepted the fact his father was gone, and raised his chin high.
"Come on men, let's go home."
On Earth, a woman named Amy was relaxing at her barracks after her work shift ended as a shooting range instructor. Some of the new recruits were being a pain, not making most of the shots and complaining about the weapon being the problem. Amy poured herself a tall glass of whiskey and drank it in one gulp. Ian made his appearance in full formal attire.
"Ian, how're you doing?"
"I could be doing better. It was a long trip back home."
"Since you're here, Spartan and Brody must be around. So where are the trouble makers." Amy says jokingly, but sensed something was wrong when Ian didn't laugh with her.
"Brody is talking with his girlfriend, but Spartan..."
"Ian, get to the point." Amy demands, knowing what must have happened since Ian was almost never in his dress uniform.
"Spartan gave his life saving the rest of us. He destroyed the reactor of a Covenant Cruiser, but paid with his own life."
"...care to join me for a drink?"
"You don't seem very distraught."
"I love Spartan. If I didn't I wouldn't have married him and Brody would have never been born...I will miss him, but I've got Brody to help with that pain."
Ian nods and gives Amy Spartan's dog tags and an ODST Flag trifolded.
"Thank you for bringing these. I know it must be hard for you too, since you were such good friends." Amy says, taking the two items.
"I'll find a way to cope. I have to be going though, I was suppose to meet up with Evan and Steve in five minutes."
"Well, I guess I'll see you around."
Ian said his goodbye and stopped at the Voi Memorial while being flown to meet his squadmates previously mentioned. Ian knelt down and removed his hat.
"Hey Spartan, I delivered your dog tags and the flag to your wife. Don't worry about her, she's got the protection of the Wolf Pack, even though she doesn't need it...we all miss you. Your son has excelled in his training, and has the potential to surpas us. It's been a good chat but...the guys are waiting...I'll visit again, I promise."
As Ian was flown to his squadmates he looked at the sunset, which showed a glimer of hope for humanity. He may not be there to see it, but the Wolf Pack would continue to live on. They would make sure that no one will forget their sacrifices, and what the Wolf Pack had to sacrifice to ensure victory for humanity.
A.N. That's it guys. I'm posting this on my birthday, what do you know ^_^ I'm glad to have such a great group of friends that'll be there to watch my back and look out for me.
So thank you guys for always being there. Until next time.