Author's note: Well, here is my first fanfiction. hope you all enjoy, please give constructive criticism and reviews and favs would be awesome. This is also a shoutout to ilmiopassato's halo stories which are awesome by the way!

"We're being overrun!"

"Third squad, cover the rear!" I yelled

We were pinned by at least a company of Covenant. And things were really not looking good. Ten hours ago we had a taskforce of about ten thousand men, a full division. My platoon was one of the many ODST platoons that were chosen for the taskforce. Said taskforce was meant to recover a high value asset in the city of Armec, on the planet Aroughs. The Covenant had found Aroughs not three months ago. The fighting as usual resulted in the UNSC retreating. Some pockets of resistance remained as the UNSC was evacuating what civilian they could to the waiting transport fleet in orbit. Said transport fleet was being escorted by one of the very best battle groups the UNSC has to offer, Battle group Delta. The battle group was led by the UNSC Predator, one of the new Avenger-class cruisers, she and her commanding officer was responsible for turning the course of the war into a more favourable position for humanity. She was so far one of a kind, built and maintained by a cooperation between leading weapons research and development company, Hammer Industries and the UNSC. UNSC Predator, a legend among the fleet, at about four and a half klicks long, she was the largest ship in the whole fleet. Anyway back to the story, my platoon was all that was left. Out of the fifty men and women we started out with thirty-two remained.

"Ma'am! The covvies are flanking us from the right!"

Great…

"First squad redirect fire to the right flank! Staff! You get those SAWS laying down suppressing fire on the left flank and rear! Second squad on me! We're going over to give those covvie bastard a proper ODST welcome!"

"OOORAAHH" came the reply.

We were in a city, a great big city and my platoon was stuck at an intersection with covenant on our ass and flanks. I led second platoon into a nearby building.

"Move marines!" I yelled.

My MA5B assault rifle held at the ready, I took point and brought the whole platoon to a plasma scorched building that had an angle on the Covenant forces pining the right flank of my platoon. Second squad was a typical ODST squad. That meant submachine guns, assault rifles and battle rifles. Nothing particularly heavy hitting but right now, we needed to take some of the heat off and this was the only way I felt. A flanking maneuver against a flanking maneuver.

"This is crazy, a squad against a whole company?" a PFC muttered.

"Stow that you sorry excuse for a helljumper," I snapped.

We were in the building now, on the first floor. The covenant has yet to realize we were there. We'd probably get ten seconds of fire on them till they react. Probably less. A company worth of plasma at eleven ODSTs. That would be nothing new.

"Alright, set up here, sergeant get your fireteams in place and I want grenades thrown first before we open fire. Have everyone throw all but one of their grenades. Target large clusters and make em count. On my mark."

The sergeant began shouting out orders through SQUADCOM.

"Ma'am! We can't hold out much longer!" Staff sergeant Albert yelled, "Danielle! We need some slack!"

"Stand by," I said, "And, Al? get me UNSC predator on the com. We're gonna need extraction."

"YA THINK?!"he all but yell back.

Yep, that was my dysfunctional XO alright

"Throw grenades!" within the span of five seconds, about twenty-five grenades were thrown out of windows on the first floor.

"FIRE AT WILL!" I yelled, targeting the first red elite major I saw. I squeezed off a five round burst and saw its shield flicker. A second burst staggered it, the third killed it.

Six seconds later, a wall of plasma hit the building. An ODST next to me took a plasma bolt to the arm and went down.

"EVERYONE DOWN! FALL BACK!" I yelled, dragging the injured man with me. He struggled with me for a while before managing to pull himself upright and continue running back to the platoon. However, we accomplished our objective. Our grenades took out a good chunk of their forces. But it wasn't enough. We still had a hell lot more of Covenant to deal with.

I ran and ducked behind a piece of rubble. And took a breath. Popped out and fired a burst at the covvies, then ran like hell.

As I was about ten meters away from the intersection where my platoon had barricaded themselves, my helmet radio crackled, "Ground forces this is UNSC Predator, what is the situation?"

"Predator, this is First Lieutenant Danielle Cain! Request immediate support, I repeat the the mission has failed, I repeat, mission failed, request immediate evac!"

We were saved, Predator was coming for us. Thank God.

"Negative lieutenant,"

Oh fuck.

"What do you mean negative?! We are getting torn up down here! One platoon is all that's left of the taskforce! We need the support!"

"And you'll get it" a rougher voice answered, the CO of the Predator, "Stand by."

"Well?!" Albert yelled.

I shook my head.

"Great! Now what?!"

"Keep shooting dammit!" and I popped up from cover and kept firing.

"Ma'am are we getting evac?!" the sergeant of first squad yelled over the noise and plasma discharges.

"NO! we're getting support! Now keep firing till those covvies are dead!"

It was the longest two minutes of my life when I suddenly heard someone scream, "Reinforcements!"

I looked around and there was nothing. And then I looked up.

Thirty HEVs came ploughing into the hard tarmac, surrounding us and forming a shield. Their lids popped open.

"SHIT! Those are Spartan-IIIs!" someone yelled.

Spartan-IIIs in their semi-powered infiltration armor vaulted out of the smoldering vehicles, SPNKR launchers at the ready, and SAWs. They gave a sustained burst before falling into cover with us.

"Lieutenant?" the Spartan in charge asked.

"Yes?"

"We have air support inbound, permission to pop smoke to designate our position?"

"Do it!"

He pulled out two smoke grenades and threw then in the middle of our hidey hole.

"I'm running dry!"

I glanced at my own combat webbing. Two mags left. That was roughly sixty or so more rounds. Then it'll be knife and pistol work. Not the ideal equipment for this kind of business.

Well, we were helljumpers were we not? This was where we were meant to be.

"Ground team, this is Inferno-4 and inferno-5, approaching target."

I sighed. "Inferno flight, this is the lieutenant, keep them of our backs, we'll fall back to…" I looked at the chief Spartan.

"The Admiral had prepared evac, we have to get four klicks down the road first, we'll be picked up from on top a building, tallest one in the area."

"You heard the man," I told the pilot.

"Wilco ground team, stand by for air support, danger close, sit back and enjoy the fireworks."

Typical flyboys

"Air support inbound! Heads down!" I yelled into the com.

All the ODSTs threw themselves to the ground.

The ground shook as Anvil missiles smashed into the ground and 120mm rounds perforated the tarmac. Up above, the two Longswords flew at attack speeds, zooming past us.

The Spartans on the other hand kept standing, weapons at the ready, not appearing the slight bit fazed. Their shields flickered slightly.

Funny, a year ago Spartan-IIIs didn't have shields.

Knowing the admiral as I did, well, he probably had something to do with it, again. Honestly, it has ceased to amaze me. Honestly, the admiral was an unorthodox son of a bitch and he cared for his troops. Rumors were he joined the troops on the ground, leading from the front, leaving most of the planning to his XO, unless he was absolutely needed. Of course, he commanded from the front and people say when he and the Spartans that follow him arrive, the winds of war change and humanity roar is heard again.

I've only worked with the admiral (not personally of course) for about ten separate deployments and missions throughout the years, and honestly, he has not once failed to deliver.

"Coming by for another pass." My helmet radio hissed.

"Alright people! Move to the rendezvous!" I yelled, setting a way point on the map on my heads up display and transmitting it to the rest of my platoon.

We got up and ran. Thirty men and women left, the Spartans covered the rear and the occasional burst of gunfire was heard as they suppressed any covenant that bounced back from the air strike a little too quickly.

Within the minute however, the distinct whine of 120mm rotary cannons were heard again as the longsword made their second pass.

I ran, we ran, well of us ran except the Spartans.

"God's with us today ma'am!" my XO shouted in between pants.

"Ain't no God staff! It's the bloody admiral…Again!"

"As long as he keeps saving our asses he is God on high to me!"

I chuckled.

We reached the building and some of my men headed to the elevators.

"Use the stairs dammit!" I yelled, "We're in a bombed out building with unstable electricity supply and you want to use the goddamned elevator!? Get your shit together and hoof those stairs!"

Not sparing even a "Yes ma'am.", they ran up the stairs.

I was the last one of my platoon up on the stairs

Staff was already getting the ODSTs into firing positions.

"Predator," I said into the mike of my helmet, "We're ready for exfil."

"Two minutes ground team."

Al looked at me, "makes you wish we were still in the 51st ODST bridage doesn't it!?"

"We'll be back soon enough." That I knew for sure. I wouldn't have been surprised if the rest of the brigade along with the ground complement of battle group Delta was already in orbit.

The Spartans came along then and took their positions. Looking over the edge of the building I saw a stream of purple, the covenant. Loose streams of green sped towards us, some missing by a mile, others scorching the building. Covenant were taking potshots at us.

"We got any rockets left?" I asked.

The third squad sergeant replied, "Just the one."

I jerked my thumb over my shoulder, "Give them a goodbye present, would you?"

Even as the pelican dropships descended, a whoosh sound was heard as my platoon's last rocket traversed the open air to hit the covenant formation. The explosion was small from way up here, but it was a hit. The ramp dropped and we piled in. All except the Spartans. I looked to the Spartan leader and yelled over the roar of the engines, "Let me guess! You're not coming with us!?"

He shook his head.

Figures…

"Good luck then Spartan. Give em hell!"

Even as I said that the pelicans lifted off and the hatch began to close.

Ten minutes later, we were on one of the eight launch bays of UNSC Predator.

We were in formation even as a large Spartan-II approached.

"Admiral on deck!" a voice called out.

Everyone in the hangar bay stopped and saluted the large Spartan.

"At ease," his voice boomed

He looked at me and gave me a smirk, "ODSTs, you survived, I want a full report of course, but the fact that we got even some people out, is a victory in my book. We'll be retrieving the package don't worry. So take the day off, tomorrow we'll be heading back in."

"By the way Danielle?"

Here it comes….

Everyone started grinning

"Sir?"

"I did tell you to bring more SPNKR ammunition didn't I?" he had a huge shit-eating grin on his face and I knew he was joking, he was glad I was okay.

"Sorry sir, must have slipped my mind." I muttered. I should have taken his advice.

He shook his head and turned to leave for the bridge.

Yup he can be a fearsome Spartan, a brilliant admiral but after years apart and after years fighting war, I love it when he was just himself, I think everyone does, I think we all love the moments where he teases people and treats them like brothers and sisters.

That my friends was my blood brother, Admiral Daniel Cain, also known as Spartan Major General Daniel-001.