Since I was a kid I knew I wanted to be a Marine. But that was when I was six. When the Covenant started getting close to our system, the Marines came around looking for the civilian population to become the protectors of our communities, but I knew what we were, we were just Cops with a lot of power. When I say a lot I mean we could beat people with our shock sticks if we thought they were Covenant sympathizers.
A lot of us abused that power, getting back in petty fights, protection money. I only beat someone once, he tried to start a protest against the Marines in the area. He wasn't seen after I beat him into unconsciousness.
We'll we got issued the same armor as the Marines, except civilian colors blue and gray. I hated it, I tried getting a set of black but they said I had to be uniform like everyone else. I don't mind it but I still think that I'd send a better message or at least blend in better.
Now, I'm 17. Leader of the Black Swallows, or on official records 'PSG-S119'. The military thought it would be a good idea to use underage kids to protect the schools in my area. Two elementary, two junior high, and one high school. Its only the high school kids who can join my unit, its a personal rule. Technically I could recruit a first grader but they don't make good soldiers, that and the side arms are larger then they are.
I have a five man active team that regularly goes to the schools and teaches a few classes about the safety drills. I doubt the drills would help if the Covi did attack, when you become a leader or at least get up in the PSG rank you see a few videos that show Covi Elites executing kids.
I should probably explain what I am as a leader a little better. PSG stands for Public School Guard. Underage kids sign a contract that say they will join the fight in exchange for rank and training on the military hardware which makes the boot camps go a lot faster. PSG-S119 is the section I'm in charge of, Section 119. I make sure the buses are safe, that the men under my command don't screw around, and that the kids get from school and home safe. We have a large number of Marines and other soldiers in the area who could do it but they are usally on leave from some military campaign on a distant world.
While I only have 5 active personell who come in every day, I have 30 inactive members. The inactive only come in a few times a week and give a report on whats happening in their assigned section/school. Active gets to patrol in the armor and a weapon, it makes all of the little kids want to be just like them.
My job, however, is much different. I get to do all of the paper work and set training in the nearby training base. I get to set up speakers for the schools. I also get to work with the schools staff. That sucks.
Not only do the staff think that the Military has no business in schools but they don't like me because I force it upon them. I have rights in the government that allow me to overrule the Administration, and I have to do it a lot. In the weekly visit from the Admiral or a congressman, we get into uniform outside of the school and drill in front of them and look good. The Administration doesn't like that, they want me to move it far away from the school. I told them no, and thats the end of it.
After a few months we got word that something deep in space was found and 'scuttled'. Meaning we looked at it and then blew it up so the Covi couldn't use it against us because we couldn't figure it out. At the time I thought it wasn't my problem but about a week laster, I was sitting in my office listening to my second in command give me a list of supplies that we might need for a training exercise this week end. Suddenly the radio that is only used for important messages sounded:
"This is the USNC Space Station Cairo calling to all ground forces on Earth, we have Covenant invaders on radar and they are coming in hot. All stations report into the Command and prepare for invasion. This is the big one boys."
