[0612 Hours, August 30, 2552 (Military Calendar)/ Reach, Orbital Defence Generator Complex Three]

"Bryant! Get over here, you gotta see this!"

Private First Class Maxamillion Bryant looked up from his rifle. He was new to the Company, so he was rather surprised to hear his name called by anyone other than the Sergeant. He couldn't recognize the man calling him. In fact, Bryant couldn't even pick him out from the crowd that was rapidly growing around the radio that had been tuned to FLEETCOM (against regulation) so that the Marines could listen to the battle above.

"Just a second!" Bryant called back, before sliding the rifle's magazine back into place. He checked the ammo counter to make sure it was full as intended, then ensured the safety was on before slinging it over his shoulder. He then headed over to the group of his fellow soldiers, and started to push his way through the group so he could get close enough to actually hear the radio.

"Good timing – damage reports are just coming in," said the Marine who had called him over, who was apparently responsible for the radio's current tuning.

"Damage reports?"

"Yeah, the Covenant fleet turned away. He Navy boys are regrouping." He held a finger up as the reports began to stream in one after another.

Five of Reach's Orbital MAC guns had been destroyed… along with more than three quarters of the fleet along with them. Bryant winced at this… it was a victory, but at a heavy cost. Twenty ships left… among them, the Knight Hammer and the Pillar of Autumn. The Knight Hammer's news was a relief. She carried a large compliment of ODST troopers – some of the best troops the UNSC had. As for the Pillar of Autumn… Officially, it was just another Halcyon-class frigate of the fleet, but there had been rumours going around that it carried the Spartans – all of them. The news that she had escaped harm was better than anything else.

"Aw, damn it, did I miss it?" The curse of the Marine turned a few heads – he had been elsewhere when the reports came in, and was just arriving.

"Wyatt? Where were you?"

"Takin' a piss, what's it to you?" He elbowed his way into the group. "So what happened?"

"Covenant turned back – but not before doin' a number on our boys up above," Bryant replied. "Sounds bad… but it looks like we got off free an' clear."

Wyatt – Corporal Mitch Wyatt, as was his full name and rank – wiped the sweat from his brow, which wasn't just caused by the hot day. "Well, that's a relief. Guess those alien bastards will think twice about attackin' Reach!"

"Hey man, don't jinx it… I haven't seen the Covenant ever retreat before…" The Marine looked about ready to continue, but he was cut off by a frantic yell from somewhere nearby.

"Guys!" A few Marines looked around, unable o find the source of the yell at first. After a second yell, everyone found the speaker – a younger Marine standing in one of the watchtowers around Complex Three's perimeter, the closest one to the group. "Forget the damn radio and look up!"

"What's got into you, Faletti? The battles over, no reason to look… up…" It was instinct – someone tells you to look up, and you look up. Just about every Marine did. Bryant almost wished he hadn't. What he saw send a chill down his spine. A hush went over the complex – no one dared speak, less they inadvertently draw the attention of what they saw.

Hundreds of Covenant drop ships were streaming down from the sky above, aiming for a landing zone a few miles from Generator Complex Seven, which was located about a mile away from Complex Three. The attack had been a diversion all along. It was a ruse… a chance to launch the drop ships. Everyone knew now what their goal was. Reach's Orbital MAC Cannons were the main – the only – problem the Covenant faced, and the best way to take them out was to cut off the power supply. That meant this previously relaxing defensive position was about to get a whole lot busier.

The radio suddenly came to life once more. Static burst through at first, before a frantic voice shouted through. "There are thousands of them. Grunts, Jackals, and their warrior Elites." The transmission broke into static. "They have tanks and fliers. Christ, they've breached the perimeter. Fall back! Fall back! If anyone can hear this: the Covenant is groundside. Massing near the armoury… they're-" White noise filled the speakers. All that could be heard next were screams, followed by an explosion before the transmission cut off. The stunned silence remained, until finally, it was broken.

"You head the transmission, Marines! The Covenant has come to pay us a visit!" It was Major Banks – the man in charge of Delta Company, one of two companies of Marines currently stationed at Generator Complex Three. He made sure to yell loud enough for all to hear. "D Company, grab what ammo you can carry and load aboard a transport. We're headed for Complex Seven. They will be taking the brunt of the Covenant attack, and they will need our help. Move out!"

The whole area became a hive of activity in the minutes that followed. Byrant was a part of Charlie Company, so all he could do was get out of the way of the Delta Company soldiers. The next voice he heard was that of Captain Lennis, who was currently in charge of Charlie Company. "C Company, listen up! As you all heard, D Company gets to head out and fight the good fight. That means you all get to sit on your asses here at Complex Three. But that does not mean you are to get comfortable! The Covenant are sneaky bastards, and we will be ready if they make it past Complex Seven! Report to your positions, and be on alert!"

Bryant made a quick check to ensure the Captain had nothing more to say, before he jogged over to the nearby watchtower, where his squad of eight was stationed. He climbed the ladder on the side of the tower to join Corporal Evan Faletti, the marine who had first spotted the Covenant Drop ships. Once there, he took a look around the small base.

One company of Marines to defend an entire Generator Complex seemed like a small number, considering the Generator's importance. However, once one took the terrain into account, that opinion quickly changed. Unlike the rest of the Generators, Complex Three was built within a mountain on the edge of an entire range. The main entrance was located at the top of a winding mountain road, just large enough for a Warthog to drive up. Around the base – and again at several points along the road – were numerous defensive lines with bunkers, walls, and machine gun emplacements in addition to the watchtowers at the base. It was a fortress, and could be defended with less than half this number of Marines, should the need arise.

[Aboard the UNSC Knight Hammer, SOEIV Bay, in orbit above Reach]

"There are thousands of them. Grunts, Jackals, and their warrior Elites." The transmission broke into static. "They have tanks and fliers. Christ, they've breached the perimeter. Fall back! Fall back! If anyone can hear this: the Covenant is groundside. Massing near the armoury… they're-" White noise filled the speakers. All that could be heard next were screams, followed by an explosion before the transmission cut off.

"Shee-it…" The statement mirrored the sentiments of everyone in the room. Silence once again took the Drop Pod bay of the Knight Hammer. The room was filled with a full platoon of ODSTs – the 111th Platoon, known to be among the best of the Helljumpers. Amongst them, was Sergeant Melissa Kendal, the Platoon's best marksman – and rumoured to be among the best of the ODSTs as well.

A moment later, the Captain's voice came over the speakers. "You all heard the message. I'm sending the 111th down to aid in the defence – God knows they'll need it. We will be over the drop-zone in five minutes." That was all that was needed. No formal order – the ODSTs knew their duty.

"You heard the man," said the platoon commander. "Squads Delta and Epsilon, you'll be dropping near Complex Three. They've only got one company of Marines present, and they'll need your help if the Covenant gets to them." Squads Delta and Epsilon were chosen for a reason. Melissa was part of Delta squad, heightening its overall ability to aid in fortress defence, and Epsilon specialized in heavy weapons, which were a valuable asset in any defence. "Everyone else, you're going to Complex Seven, to aid in immediate defence. Move out!"

Melissa snapped a quick salute, before moving to follow her orders. First, she swung by a nearby table where she had been making a few quick modifications to her S2 Sniper Rifle. When she arrived, she found another ODST standing over the opposite end of the table, looking over two items – a sack of Lotus Anti-tank mines, and an M19 rocket launcher. They weren't the cause of her brief pause, however. This ODST stood several inches above every other member of the platoon. Corporal Cale, Epsilon's main Heavy Weapons specialist. As Melissa suspected, Cale seemed to be deciding which of the two things to take.

"We don't have time to be indecisive," she said, snatching her rifle off the table. She took the time to load every pouch on her belt and armour with extra ammunition. "Just take both." Never one to mince words, Cale simply nodded. He slung the sack of mines over one shoulder, and hefted the rocket launcher over the other. Melissa let out a low whistle – there were few others here that could manage that feat of strength. After watching the hulk of a Marine head off to his pod, Melissa turned and headed for hers.

Melissa made sure her Sniper Rifle was secure in its slot, before she climbed in after it, slipping on her helmet just before the pod closed shut with a hiss. The Platoon Commander's voice came over the speakers of each pod once all were closed.

"You all have your orders. Dropping in five…" As he started his count down, the pods slid outwards into their drop positions. Below, Melissa could see the Knight Hammer's bay doors open up, revealing the planet below. "Two… what's our motto?" 44 voices sounded off in unison across the comm.

"Feet first into hell, sir!" With a violent lurch, the pods dropped out of the cruiser, and shot down through the planet's atmosphere.

[Orbital Defence Generator Complex Three]

Things went to hell the moment the last of D Company's Warthogs had left. A portion of the Covenant drop ships broke off from the main force, unbeknownst to the soldiers of C Company. They took the perfect route, coming around the mountain so that the very instant they were seen, they could open fire.

"COVER!!!" Bryant yelled, hoping to catch the attention of his fellow Marines on the ground. He was actually the first to see the lead drop ship, which was made easier by his perch on the watchtower. Faletti swung the mounted machinegun around and started to pepper the drop ship, but the bullets simply glanced off its hull. Looking down, Byrant saw that at least a dozen Marines had been hit by the drop ship's opening fire – and now, several more rounded the mountain, their cannons spitting hot plasma down on the confused Marines.

Thankfully, someone below was quick on their feet – a rocket lanced up at the third drop ship, impacting it on the port side. A second rocket caught it on the nose. Bryant watched as it slowed, and wobbled a bit, before pitching down and to the side, where it was pointed directly at the watchtower he and Faletti were posted in.

"Shit! Faletti, we gotta go now!" Bryant yelled. He cast a quick glance over his shoulder at the smoking drop ship as it barrelled down upon the tower, before he leaped off. The next few seconds were a blur as the ship hit the tower dead center, bursting into flames as both ship and structure collapsed to the ground. Luckily enough, Bryant landed far enough away from the flames to be safe, and even managed to have a somewhat soft landing. Faletti was less lucky – he ended up with a twisted ankle, and a deep gash on his leg from a piece of shrapnel.

Bryant whipped around, looking for his squad's medic. He then realized that they had been stationed at the tower's base, and likely hadn't seen the drop ship. Cursing under his breath, he ripped off Faletti's pant leg and tied it tightly around the wound, stopping the blood flow for now. With a grunt, Faletti was to his feet again, and collecting his assault rifle. It was a superficial wound, and wouldn't keep him from the fight.

The two marines made the short trip to the next watch tower, where the Company's Captain was stationed. They needed reassignment, as their squad had just been eradicated. However, when they arrived, they weren't greeted by the Captain, but rather an older Sergeant – Master Sergeant, in fact.

"Sir? Where's Captain Lennis?" Bryant asked, a little confused.

"He got hit by a sniper a few seconds after the Covenant unloaded troops. I'm in charge now." He took his eyes off the Covenant's chosen landing zone for a moment to look over the Marines. He then pointed off to the right, near where they had just come from. "Get to the right flank and hold it! We need to get a good field of fire on that… Oh, shit!"

Bryant followed the Sergeant's gaze up towards the sky. There, above the Covenant landing zone, a little over a dozen burning streaks could be seen. They were SOEIV's (Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicles), better known as ODST Drop pods, and they were headed straight for the Covenant landing zone. This far in, it was much too late for them to manoeuvre away.

"Step up the fire on that landing zone, Marines! ODSTs inbound on the Covenant drop site!" He needn't say more. Once those ODSTs landed, they were going to have a hell of a time getting out of that clearing, and to the Marine's defences. Bryant hoofed it to the nearest bunker, where he looked up just in time to see the first of the drop pods hit the ground.

[SOEIV, Covenant landing zone, just outside of Generator Complex Three]

"Shit." The moment her drop pod had cleared the clouds, Melissa knew she was in trouble. All the ODSTs did. She could see the drop ships unloading troops right in their drop zone, and she knew they wouldn't be gone by the time they landed. As if that weren't bad enough, from what she could tell, the Marines had been hit hard in the first assault by the drop ships, so they would have less covering fire than expected.

It was a good thing ODSTs made a tradition of kissing their own asses goodbye before every drop. You never knew when one was going to be your last.

"The moment you touch down, grab what you can and book it for those bunkers. Hopefully, the confusion surrounding our landing will buy us some time," Melissa said, over the squad-wide comm. System. Delta squad was ready, as was Epsilon, she figured. Turning her attention back to her own situation, she realized she had about three seconds before impact - an impact which would involve her drop pod, and one of the Covenant Drop ships. SOEIV's were built tough, and could blast through a building if the roof wasn't large enough. She would survive the landing – the drop ship, likely not. That was the problem.

Bracing herself, Melissa found that she was surprisingly calm, given the situation. Then her pod hit the drop ship, and the world became hell.

The front door of her pod blasted off the moment the pod was stationary on the ground. Melissa leapt out, ripping her Sniper Rifle from its clamps as she went. Slinging it over her shoulder, she broke off at a sprint while drawing her sidearm in her right hand. Two grunts fell to a quick pair of shots, but they weren't her immediate problem. Chancing a glance over her shoulder, she saw four more drop pods hit the ground nearby, just as the drop ship she had come through hit the ground. Melissa turned and kept running, praying that the soldiers in those pods died a quick death, rather than one burning while trapped in their pods beneath the ship's wreckage.

Plasma rounds kicked up dirt and sand all around her as the Covenant recovered from the confusion of the crash. Melissa just kept running. A distance of only thirty feet separated her from safety. A pair of plasma bolts singed the air by her left shoulder, causing the pauldron to melt slightly.

Twenty feet to go. Out of the corner of her eye, Melissa saw a black armoured figure dive into one of the bunkers. One of her fellow ODSTs had made it.

Ten feet. Melissa jammed her sidearm into its holster and lengthened her strides.

With less than five feet left, Melissa threw her body forward, diving into the bunker, and the safety it provided. She could hear the staccato rifle fire all around her as she took a moment to catch her breath. Once she had, she rose to a crouch, and took stock of her surroundings. Two Marines were stationed in this particular bunker, one with a nasty leg wound. Off to her left she could see another bunker, this one with three Marines, as well as a fellow ODST. Looking back, she saw more Marines clustered around the second watchtower, which was still standing. She could also see the barrel of a sniper rifle poking out over the railing.

That was when she heard a distant whine, followed by a loud discharge. An instant later, the center of the watchtower exploded in a green blast of plasma. It listed to one side, where it seemed to stay for a moment before finally collapsing to the ground, taking the Marines with it. Those that had been clustered around the base scrambled for cover behind the wreckage.

Melissa turned her attention back towards the Covenant landing zone. There, she found the source of the blast: a pair of Hunters lumbering towards the Marine emplacements. As if that wasn't bad enough, she spotted two more jumping down from a fresh drop ship. One of them was already charging its plasma cannon, and had it aimed directly at the bunker she was in. Reaching out frantically, she grabbed both Marines and pulled them back as she dived to the ground, just as the Hunter fired.

A/N: So this is the opening chapter to my little... experiment of a story. As should be obvious by those of you that know your times, it is set during the Battle of Reach. As for anything else... well, read on. Oh, and about updates... I'm a University student, so I won't have a steady update schedule. But it will continue.

Reviews and constructive criticism are a good motivator as well... though, as this is only the prologue I don't expect much. Just keep this in mind. Until next time!