April 22nd, 2537

Luna's Eatery, Old Mombasa

Luna's eatery was not particularly busy for the lunch hour. Waitresses seemed to walk as if they had nowhere particular to go. Drinks were refilled and the cooking of assorted old-world cuisines caused the restaurant's atmosphere to be filled with sensuous odors. Main courses sizzled on their hot plates as they were delicately lifted from a window that separated the kitchen from the seating area.

The view outside the diner's storefront was a sharp contrast to the sereneness inside. Cars whizzed by to and from their destinations. Most of them were headed to New Mombasa, as the sprawling city provided most of the industrial jobs. Old Mombasa, in contrast, was a much more laid back atmosphere. Consisting mostly of tourist shops and the Urban Housing Authority, the aging city offered little in the way of career proliferation.

A busboy gasped as he wiped a dish free from its table, causing the white and blue-trimmed plate to crash to the floor. An older balding man with a stained apron began rebuking the young boy through the kitchen window. Amy however hadn't noticed any of it.

"I can't believe you want to be a part of this, to just throw your life away. To leave me." Amy Wilkes sulked as she looked at the brightly adorned UNSC pamphlet.

"This is important to me Amy. Those alien bastards have to be stopped somewhere, and I am going to be part of the team that does it." Josh's bravado carried well through the diner as he mopped up the last of his ketchup with a French fry.

Why can't he just be happy here with me? Why is he so damn ready to get himself killed?

"I don't want you to end up dead like your father." Amy mumbled the phrase, hoping Josh wouldn't hear it while mortifying herself that the words actually came out.

"My father should still be alive. If that freakin' Ackerson had given them better supplies before sending them planet side they could have fought their way out. That loser should be put in front of a firing squad."

Amy gently hooked her reddish-brown hair over her ears and reached for a napkin to wipe her eyes. Suddenly the thought of looking at Josh was not one she wanted to entertain.

They were both from military families, but it seemed like they had grown up worlds apart. Amy's father was an ONI scientist, whose job had brought her to the city only five years ago. He had insisted she would follow in his footsteps, learning applied subjects in the fields of Science and Math. Still there was a side of him that liked the Corp, not a sentiment often shared with other ONI employees. She and her father had been scouting around the base, trying to get used to the layout when Amy had seen Josh Dunson for the first time. He was standing proudly next to his father as the older Dunson hoisted a pack onto his shoulder.

It was his time to go fight this war, though at the time they didn't know he wouldn't be coming back. The only thing that broke Josh's awe of his dad was the sight of seeing Amy's slender form across the street. Both stopped their movements and Amy could instantly feel her cheeks turning red. Josh's posture seemed to exhume confidence, and it was something that was wildly appealing to Amy. For a girl of thirteen, it was not uncommon for Amy to have a crush on a boy like Josh. He was her age, but his features denied it. He had a solid build to his body from training with his father. His father was almost to the point of being obsessed about fitness, and it apparently manifested itself in Josh as well. Something about him was different from the other "Brats" they had on the base, and that something caused her to know they would be together. They started a relationship shortly thereafter, but five years later, they stood to be torn apart.

"I don't plan on being just another dead soldier in this war." Josh's sudden return to conversation startled Amy out of her daydream. "I am sure between all the people signing up for the UNSC and the Spartans fighting with us, we can stop the Covenant." Amy debated within herself whether Josh actually believed his own words or not. He was stirring his soda the entire time, something that irritated Amy a bit, but she knew he always fidgeted when he got nervous. The day he asked her out he had been playing soccer, and kept juggling and bouncing it, beating around the bush until she finally took the ball away.

"Do you think they will find Earth?" Amy wondered why she even asked the question, as if anyone could or would actually answer such a thing. So many colonies had already been destroyed by the onslaught that no one even wanted to give credence to the notion of the Covenant finding the home world.

"Nah, we'll beat them soon enough, then we'll go to their planets and kill the assholes, and have us a bit of payback." Amy glanced down at the pamphlet once again, how glorious they made the whole deal seem. Like the cavalry in old movies she loved to watch, the UNSC was shown as the rescuers, sworn by duty to protect the inner colonies from the Covenant menace. Somehow the notion had lost its luster as the war went on. Amy knew that the Corp is where Josh would end up. Although she felt that he loved her, it was his father's death that betrayed them. It gave him pain that hurtled him toward a war of his own. That pain would get him killed.

"I'm coming with you."

Josh focused back intently on Amy, almost in shock at her words. "No, you will not. I want you here for me when I get back. You can't go putting yourself out there to get shot at." The words almost echoed within Amy's mind. Her demeanor changed into one Amy's flowing red hair had foreshadowed. She began to stand up and verbally blast Josh's mentality for such a statement, but Amy composed herself and sat down.

"You can't go out there looking to kill all of them for your dad on your own. It won't bring him back and you will end up getting hurt or worse. Besides, who else out there is going to be looking out for you? You are just a number to the Corp, but to me.. I'm going whether you want me to or not." Josh looked even more stunned. Amy had always been the mild one, almost a happy-go-lucky that he loved to be around. This was not her, however, but the fabled redhead her dad had warned Josh of. "Besides, my dad always told me that if the Covenant were to ever make it here, that Mombasa is not the place I want to be."

"Why the hell not?" Josh's curiosity was peaked. Amy's father was always so secretive. Josh knew Amy hated the term "Spook", but it always seemed to fit her father's demeanor. He was a man of very few words, especially when it came to his job.

Amy shrugged. "I'm not sure, and he won't tell me. You know my dad doesn't talk about what they do down there. So here's the deal. We'll go to the recruitment center before schools out to sign up. My dad will probably die when he finds out, but I don't care. I am not letting you go off and get killed." Josh placed his hand over Amy's and rubbed it gently. "It would be nice having you nearby.." A sly grin crept over his face as he gave her a suggestive wink. Amy jerked her hand back and slapped it down on top of his, causing him to recoil. "Pervert."

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October 20th, 2552

Intersection of 13th and 4th , Mombasa

82nd Advanced Recon Platoon

Amy gently lowered her rifle and the Luna's Eatery sign became indistinguishable. She and Josh had spent so much time there, sharing stories and learning how to love over shakes and fries. It was ironic that now they were here again, this time having to defend the city from the force they hoped would never come. She peered over at Josh as he checked his rifle and slammed in another clip. Amy rolled her eyes at what she felt to be an unnecessary show of bravado.

Maybe it's a guy thing

Amy, realizing she had been staring at Josh for perhaps too long, quickly turned her focus back to the street ahead. The two had managed to keep their relationship a secret though it had never been easy. Relationships within a platoon were deeply frowned upon from the fear of choosing to help your lover over the mission. Luckily Amy and Josh had never needed to make that choice, and hoped they never would.

Suddenly a voice from a forward scout tried to break through the radio silence, but static washed over the soldiers warning. The warning was only reinforcement to the truth, though; as Amy knew it was coming. Everyone did. The sounds of mechanical steps echoed through the seemingly empty streets of Old Mombasa. Stifled explosions came one after another as long-abandoned cars were crushed. The rise of the resulting smoke made for a surreal trail of destruction, as if death itself was coming for them. Corporal Amy Wilkes once again raised her SRS99C rifle and peered through the scope in the direction the machine was coming from. Buildings were currently obstructing her view, but it would be here soon enough.

"I don't know if we can stop that damn thing or not, but we can't let it get further into the city."

Amy's thoughts were driving her crazy. The Corps' rigorous training and Josh being nearby seemed to be the only things that seemed normal anymore. Amy didn't know really what she could do by herself. The simulations always called for a large force to take the spider-like machines down. Amy knew it would take all of them if they were going to bring it down.

There was a shelter just a mile past the bridge behind them that had been converted as a place of refuge from the incoming Covenant forces, but it would be nothing short of a death trap if the machine got past them. No, it had to be stopped now.

A sudden movement caught her eye and Amy focused in through her scope. Amy could see three pelicans descending rapidly, and almost as quickly as she had seen the trio one of them vanished, engulfed in a monstrous stream of plasma that evaporated it like sunlight through the morning fog. Small tracers began to erupt from the same vicinity, and another of the pelicans burst into flames before veering off to the South. Suddenly, what seemed like a glimmer of hope in the way of reinforcements was extinguished, leaving only despair as the machine returned to its advance on the platoon's position.

Amy then looked around her briefly, wondering if the rest of her platoon wanted to vomit as badly as she did. All looked nervous, particularly Private Thompson. It was understandable though, she thought, as he was pretty green. He was one of the "Accelerated" graduates, which Amy was never fond of. Most of them would lose it when the heavy fighting erupted, and she could pretty much count on the same happening to him.

Josh seemed to be holding himself together for the moment. There was a hint of nervousness in his speech as he and some fellow marines joked around, trying to ease the tension a bit before the fight. Josh's gaze crept its way over to her, and their eyes met. "Be careful," she mouthed and Josh nodded his head nonchalantly, and for a moment Amy almost wanted to be mad at him.

How can he be so calm? Does he not know what we are about to face? That damn fool better not get himself killed.

Lieutenant Avens was a different story though. He had been making quite a name for himself after helping a group of civilians off of Coral before they were attacked, in the process killing four elites and a hunter. Corporal Wilkes had her doubts whether such a thing could be accomplished by anything less than a Spartan, but if the story was true, she was glad he was in charge.

"Alright everyone, listen up, give me four rockets and all the fifty cals twenty-five meters to the south. When that bastard turns the corner, hit him in the eye, then get your asses back to Checkpoint Bravo. Squad one, you take the left flank with me. Squad two, you take the right. Remember the simulations people. Its only weakness is inside, at the heart of the bastard. The rest of you give me a line of three fifty-cals ten meters behind the Jack's, and snipers find perches on either side of this alley. Once the Jacks hit, I want you picking off any split-lip that comes out of its spider hole. We will board and take over that vehicle, just thin the heard for us. We must do it quickly and decisively. We cannot; I repeat, cannot let it cross over into New Mombasa! You reading me Marines?"

Lieutenant Avens gave a sense of confidence that this battle could actually be won, and Amy joined in giving a hearty "hoo-rah" along with her fellow Marines. A wondrous expression crept upon her face as Amy briefly gazed at the massive covenant cruiser hovering over the city to the west, casting a long shadow over much of the city below. She shouldered an assault rifle and picked up the SRS99C once more, then headed for the high-rise apartment to her right. The sandy-colored structure had a fire escape extruding between it and another building that would provide a prime spot to snipe from, provided that building remained standing.

Amy reached the fire escape out through the eighth floor as the echoes of it crushing cars and pavement got ever louder. She was now able to clearly hear the workings of its mechanical legs and the huge actuators required to move and manipulate them. It felt as though her heartbeat was slowly making its way up her throat and would cut off her breathing soon, but she swallowed hard and followed it up with a long inhale and exhale. She clipped the barrel of the sniper rifle to the fire escape's railing, and peered through the scope at each of the Marines on the front line. From that distance they didn't seem affected by what they were about to encounter, but Amy sure as hell knew they were doing all they could to keep it together.

A sudden crash followed by the sound of rubble falling caused Amy to pan her gun slightly up and to the right. It was then she got her first sight of one of the Scarab's spider-like mechanized legs. The leg was pulling itself free from a gaping hole it just created in what used to be Luna's Eatery. Shards of glass and plaster began to fall off the leg, further shattering upon impacting the street below. The hole in Luna's side was massive, and Amy felt her memories of the eatery were being ripped out along with the storefront's décor. "Son of a bitch." The words sounded in her head like they were a mile away as her rifle was focused in the target's direction. Another leg appeared from the left and the monster broke into view. The glowing white orb that made up its main gun was almost beautiful to look at, were it not for Amy's knowledge of its destructive capability. The head then contorted itself slightly as it seemed to glare down at the front line of her platoon. The panels that contained the glowing orb began opening as energy began to sizzle all around it, as if it was sucking the very life from the planet to power its arsenal.

Four trails of smoke sped from the front lines directly for the massive machine, which was halfway viewable. As quickly as the volley was sent away the Marines began reloading their Jackhammers, eager to bring the Scarab down. They never got the chance. A massive bolt of plasma began to stream forth from the Scarab's eye, engulfing the rockets before they reached their target. The plasma bolt struck the platoon's makeshift barricade of cars and rubble. What was left of the cars was thrown in the air as the marines caught in the blast simply vanished. The street and area around it began to glow red from the plasma's heat. One of the Jackhammers exploded in its launcher, taking out the Marines on the front the initial blast had spared.

"Dammit!" This time Amy had her voice, and it echoed loud off the building next to hers. She steadied her rifle and popped off a round, which sped through the air and connected with a grunt that had just wondered out of the scarab's control room. Its lifeless body fell over, and to her amazement a nearby elite mercilessly kicked it to the ground below. The elite's shields suddenly flickered as two other snipers sent their rounds into it. Amy quickly followed with one of her own, causing the elite's head to explode and paint a portion of the scarab in purple. This was their job, to take out those on top that could stop the boarding party. Another stream of plasma hit a building three blocks ahead of Amy, causing it to collapse and consume the very people that had sought refuge there.

Two more rounds from Amy's rifle dropped two more grunts, and the hum of fifty calibers trying to chew the scarab up reverberated throughout the streets and alleys. They did little to harm it, however, as it continued to blast through their assault lines. "All forces fall back to Checkpoint Bravo! Move your asses Marines!" It was going badly; from her viewpoint Amy surveyed that they had less than half of their front line left. They all began to fall back, with the exception of boarding parties. Amy noticed them emerging from their respective side streets at the rear of the scarab.

The simulations always projected a high casualty rate. You were boarding a moving object that was three stories tall and engaging the Covenant in close quarters and possibly hand-to-hand combat. Not something that had a promising outcome, even with a sufficient force. They were going to need help getting up on the scarab. Amy reloaded her sniper rifle, and slipped inside the building. The building seemed to amplify each of the scarab's steps, as if it was built to resonate and drive its occupants insane. Amy cautiously peered out the window and noticed the two squads appear from behind a building the machine had just passed. She watched them take careful aim and fire with grappling hooks, and begin their ascent to the top.

"Come on, get up there before... " It was too late, as several elites, jackals and grunts had made their way onto the scarab's platform. A grunt tossed a plasma grenade at the building across from hers, sticking to the railing beside a sniper. The Marine on the other side was obliterated, save his arm, which was tossed down to the street below. The scarab's head was now beside her building, so she brought her rifle to bear on its auxiliary gunners. The two grunts fell and an elite's attention was turned toward her. With incredible agility it leapt from the side of the scarab toward the scaffolding in front of her. Taking aim she fired off three successive rounds, two of which connected, lowering the elite's shield. It landed heavily just outside her window, the scaffolding creaking from the sudden stress.

Amy rolled from the front of the window, dropping her sniper rifle and un-shouldering her assault rifle in one quick motion. A flash of plasma flashed a few feet above her, making the air uncomfortably hot around her. She quickly fired off some rounds in the elite's direction, and made contact with its left side. The elite roared in pain as blood began to flow down its leg and spill onto the metal supporting the beast. The elite then lurched forward and crashed through the window, and was on top of Amy before she could fire again. It picked her up by her ammo harness and flung her across the room as if she was weightless.

Pain roared through her back as she slammed into a bookshelf. Amy felt as though she would black out, but she fought the urge and reached for her rifle, which had fallen to the ground to her right. The elite began walking toward her, but even more frightful was the sudden flash that emanated from it. Its shields had recharged and now there would be no stopping it before it tore her into. The beast even seemed to grin as it slowly walked toward her, as if giving Amy time to think about how she was about to die.

Suddenly bullets began slamming into the elite from the right, causing it to recoil from the barrage. Its shields flared and faded as it turned to view where the assault was coming from. It would have no chance to retaliate as rounds found their way through and blew through the creature. Blood escaped from the elite's mouth as it tried in vain to breathe, slowly being suffocated by its own fluids.

Amy slumped down to the floor, as the pain in her back continued. She looked over to see Josh running to her side. "Are you alright?" Josh frantically checked her over, looking for signs of serious trauma. "I think so. Thanks for the assist" Josh placed Amy's arm on his shoulder and helped her to stand. Walking seemed to ease the pain, and Amy managed to get her breath back. "How did you know I was in trouble? I thought you were retreating with the others?" Josh gave her a gentle smile. "I know you don't like to disregard orders, so I was going to wait for you next to the building, but then I saw you firing at the scarab and the elite leaping off, I thought you might could use some help."

They grabbed her rifles and exited the building to the now pothole-filled street. The scarab was making quite a path, and the remaining members of Aven's squads were about three-fourths of the way up. They were getting hammered though, and dead soldiers seemed to leave a breadcrumb trail showing the machine's path. Amy and Josh noticed two elites had came to the back of the scarab, and opened fire on the marines making their arduous trek up the clumsy ropes. They would have to do something or those men would be killed before they even sat foot on the deck. Amy dropped down on one knee and steadied her sniper rifle while Josh stayed standing with his BR55. Shots rang out from both guns and both the elites' shields flickered. Josh quickly broke through his elite's shield and watched it fall from the side, crashing into the top of a car below. Amy's elite, on the other hand, vanished out of sight.

Suddenly a feeling of horror swept over Amy as an energy sword erupted to life on top of the scarab's deck. It was instantly clear what its intended use was, to cut the grappling lines. One by one they fell, as Amy and Josh desperately shot at thin air, trying to connect with the elite holding the sword. Suddenly they were all gone, fallen to the street below, while at the other end of the scarab its main plasma gun was finishing up what was left of Amy's platoon. She and Josh began to race toward the scarab when a motion to the right caught their eyes. Off the side of the street lay a soldier, not dead, but clearly shaken.

"Amy, go check on Thompson, and I will see if anyone survived the fal.." Before Josh could finish his thought, explosions began to rock the street in front of them. The Covenant were making sure none of the Marines had survived, and had littered the ground with plasma grenades. Screams were echoed and silenced quickly as soldiers were torn apart and cast into the air. Some smashed into buildings while others found their way through car windows. It was a scene of absolute horror to Amy, as she turned to see Josh fall to his knees, calling out in desperation for his friends who were now gone.

Private Thompson had seen too much, and had developed a mild case of shellshock. Any luster the UNSC and this war might have had was gone forever in his mind, replaced instead with memories of his friends being burned alive by superheated plasma. Amy threw him up over her shoulder as new pain from the elite encounter returned. She gritted her teeth and began walking over to Josh. The two of them watched as the scarab made its way unimpeded onto the bridge connecting Old and New Mombasa. They had failed to stop the monster, and now all the citizens on the other side would pay for it.

The constant humming sound from behind caught their attention, and they turned to see a lone pelican coming toward them. "Amy, listen to me. Team up with the marines coming in, I am going to go ahead and see if I can't thin out the path ahead a little. I will meet up with you on the bridge. " Before she could object, Josh shouldered his rifle and picked up a Jackhammer. She began to reach out for him again but stopped suddenly. She had never seen a Spartan up close, and even though they were on the same side, the sight of Spartan-117 put a sense of apprehension into her being.

What a time to meet such a soldier, after having my ass handed to me..

Amy pulled herself together, although looking at the scarab only deepened her sadness. "It blew right through us. 50 Cal, rockets… didn't do a thing." Amy didn't know which was more unnerving, the fact of having to tell the Spartan the news, or the fact that he didn't say anything back.

The Pelican descended behind them and dropped off a Scorpion tank, then lowered itself to the ground. Amy could hardly believe her luck when she saw who exited from the back of the craft, none other than Sergeant Johnson himself, for his stories were almost as legendary as the Spartan's. The Sarge wasted no time in taking charge. "Where's the rest of your platoon?" Try as she might Amy couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye. "Wasted Sarge."

"And we will be too, sir, if we don't get the hell out of here!" It seemed as though Private Thompson had came back to life, his voice almost causing Amy to jump. Sgt. Johnson abruptly walked over to the private and firmly planted his hand on his shoulder. "You hit Marine?" Private Thompson quickly gave himself a look-over, as though he wasn't sure himself. "N-No sir." Johnson gave the private a quick shove off with his hand. "Then listen up! The Chief is gonna jump in this tank, roll across the bridge, and blow up any inhuman son-of-a-bitch dumb enough to get between him and the Prophet of Regret! Pull yourself together. Cause you're going with him."

Amy was unsure about trying to tackle the scarab again, but maybe now that the Spartan was here it might be possible to stop it. "What about that scarab?" Amy was hoping Johnson could instill some faith she had lost not twenty minutes ago. "We've all run the simulation. They're tough, but they ain't invincible. Stay with the Master Chief; He'll know what to do." The mention of the simulation felt like a slap across the face to Amy. It had failed so miserably before. Could the Spartan make that much difference? Still, Amy mustered as much confidence as she could. "Yes Sir! Sergeant!"

"Thanks for the tank, he never gets me anything." A new voice suddenly broke into the conversation, one that Amy couldn't pinpoint at first. A woman's voice coming from a Spartan? Was this indeed Spartan-117, or another one? An AI perhaps? Apparently Johnson knew where it came from, as he pulled back the hammer of the Pelican's aft 50 caliber. "Oh I know what the ladies like."

Amy didn't quite know what to make of the statement. Quite chauvinistic she thought, but that was something a girl got used to in the Corp. Her train of thought was broken as the Scorpion's engine roared to life. She shouldered her sniper rifle and slammed a clip into her assault, and climbed up on one of the tank's treads. She was going to fight alongside a Spartan, and she was not going to fail again.

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That's it for the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! Please R&R, as your comments and suggestions are welcome.