"In war, truth is the first casualty"

PART ONE: The 210th

"There is no way to peace; peace is the way."

1825 HOURS 21-AUGUST-2549 (MILITARY CALENDAR)
210th INFANTRY BATTALION, ALPHA COMPANY

He couldn't remember a mission like this; hell he couldn't remember when a single campaign had committed over twenty thousand men and women to a single engagement. To him this was something new, something never seen before.

The Covenant didn't try to glass the planet, they avoided that with all costs, and instead they just dropped in thousands of soldiers into the city itself and ran like hell out of the system.

A new tactic?

So being part of the first platoon of the 210th Para-Infantry Battalion, Company A wasn't something he would enjoy since they were always the first ones in and the lasts to leave. That just gave them more of chance to die during the covenant's suicide assaults or if the flyboys lost in space a good bombardment would ruin their lives… for good.

Corporal Nicholas A. Harding still didn't say a word; he sat quietly on the bench closest to the drop ship's door with the rest of first squad. He heard a voice break the COM silence in their helmets and the crackle of static filled his ears. "Okay ladies, I know how much you like to live so listen up! You are?"

No reply.

"Good."

"The Covenant have set up positions to the South and Western parts of the city, they have massed an assault to destroy the 14th ODST Brigade and 702nd Infantry Battalion. We are not going there."

As he expected it a voice spoke up. "Why's that? I wanted to kick some covie ass!" There was a roar of laughter and the Corporal broke a smile.

The voice wasn't amused. "McKenzie, you smart ass, I thought you had to shoot straight to kill something. Plus you have to be at least taller than a grunt to kick their ass, or they'll return the favor."

The Pelican roared with the sound of the enlightened.

The red head from Brooklyn, New York back on earth nodded and smiled, but kept his mouth shut.

"Well since he shut up, let me continue. We are not going to the reinforcement points, that is Bravo and Delta Companies job, our mission is to drop into the MEDEVAC point and guard the docs so they can do their job. There have been a lot of banshees in the area and they have been targeting the hospitals so they've moved the patients to an underground garage.

"There are three points of entry and there will be a platoon watching each entrance, except half of first platoon- Lieutenant Bale you listening?"

A crisp. "Sir yes, sir!"

"Half of your platoon will be on patrol, I don't care who, but you'll be talking a couple of hogs that the Pelican drops off and you'll be going north to HALMARK 3, you got me? It's marked on your map."

"The rest of the battalion shouldn't have a problem, but if they do, they'll call us up. Semper Fi. Carry on."

The ship was filled back with the low talk of the Marines as they spoke about their mission. Harding relaxed in his seat, his fluttered and began to close. Then nothing but darkness and silence, just the way he wanted.

His eyes fluttered open to the sound of the men stirring, he stretched and blinked a few times, and you never dropped in tired and wished that he didn't fall asleep. But he didn't get any rest for the past few days so he needed it.

The COM voice in his ears returned and it was commanding as ever. "Marines, wake it up. We're over the drop zone and these birds need to get back to the ship for supplies so ready your chutes and get ready to go feet first into hell."

"Sir yes sir!"

The Corporal made it to his feet, his parachute on his back, his ear ready and his MA5B locked and loaded. The only problem is that he was too tired to think, he didn't want to think. The Marine kept rubbing his green eyes.

The doors slowly began to open, exposing the space outside, the dull blue sky that was slowly turning orange and reds; he could see darkness in the distance.

There was a constant roar of the machinery helping the door opened. "Breakin' stuff!"

He spun to look behind and a smile spread upon his lips. "Lookin' tough!"

Behind him was Corporal Shane O. Poles, a dark skinned man with short cut hair and pitch black eyes. He had a boyish looks, which seemed to never fade with a smile but he could age years if something was wrong. He was part of his squad, third squad, a rifleman.

"Well this is FUBAR!"

The roar of the wind made his voice distant, and Harding couldn't keep his eyes off the light near the drop bay that pulsed yellow. Just wait… But for how long?

"How that's Hound?"

The black man nodded. "The Covenant started their assault twelve minutes ago and our guys are peeling like an orange. Now our mission's changed, we got to get the docs out of the city."

Thousands of questions flooded Nicholas mind, but one came up. "How?"

"The Pelicans are going to evac the majority of troops, and since we're the only ones at full strength our company is going to drop in and take out as many bastards as we can but we got to get the docs out first and get the docs to the mines outside of town."

"Hey Hound, how the hell do you know all this?"

Poles smiled a large grin from ear to ear. "Well, you don't transfer from ONI to the Marines if you don't pick up a few things."

Hacking into the COM lines again, the man had skill and he made it unnoticeable. He wasn't one to keep the information to himself; most likely the whole company knew and was pissed. Yet only the 2nd Infantry Division's 210th Para-Infantry Battalion could do the job.

The yellow light began to pulse green and the all too familiar voice spoke. "Go! Go! Go! I'll see you on the ground Marines!"

They went by pairs, the Pelican went in a wide circle, making sure to place them evenly, or if too many were massed in one area, they would be easier to kill. But if not enough the covenant would get to them.

Poles and Harding were in the middle, Poles cradled his M90 Shotgun while Harding grasped his MA5B Assault Rifle. It wasn't long before it was there turn. The LT was by the drop ship's door, he was a lanky man, dark brown eyes and sandy color hair, and he had a solemn expression upon his face.

He nodded at the pair. "I'll see you on the ground gentlemen, rally point Zulu-24." Yet in the beginning, Harding could have sworn that the LT said HALMARK… Something wasn't right but tried not to let it bother him. During a drop, you didn't get nervous.

"Go! Go! Go!"

Poles stepped out into the great abyss and Harding reluctantly followed after.

The sky seemed like a blur as they descended.