Zero Hour
Chapter Two: A Never Ending Story
01:52, October 20 2552 (Military Calendar),
ODA-142 Cairo Station, orbiting Earth, Sol System.
"Hey Staff Sergeant, there's a weapons rack in the corridor to your right, if you want I could send two guys with you." The Sergeant shouted.
"Keep you guys here, I'll go alone," Danny replied, he turned to Charlie. "I need you sidearm and two clips."
Charlie nodded and withdrew his M6G sidearm and two clips.
"Here you go boss."
"Thanks." Danny ran down the corridor, duel wielding M6Gs. Just as he was at the weapons rack, he heard a noise to his left. He peered around the corner; it was a grunt playing with its plasma pistol. He snuck up behind it, withdrew his combat knife and cut the pipe connecting it to its methane tank. The grunt rolled about on the floor for a few seconds, trying to breathe, until it finally died. Danny walked over to the weapons rack to see 6 MA5Cs.
"So they did bring these out," he muttered.
He grabbed one and pulled the clips out of the other 5, putting them into pouches. There were footsteps to his left. Danny ran into the room next to him, it was the quarters for a very untidy marine. He peered out the door, there was an Elite wielding a Carbine. That Carbine could kill him quickly, especially if the Elite could pull off a head shot from less than a meter. Danny waited until it was a few meters away and opened fire. Almost all the bullets from the MA5C hit their target thanks to its improved accuracy. The Elite turned round and started taking shots with his Carbine, a few rounds hitting the wall above Danny's head. The MA5C's clip went dry, he threw it down and got out both M6Gs, 4 rounds hit the shield collapsing it letting the rest of the high explosive rounds do what they were designed to do, kill. The Elite lay in a crumpled heap. Danny holstered one M6G and put the other one into a pocket. He grabbed the MA5C off the floor and put a fresh clip in. He made sure that there was no one else around and ran back to the others.
02:00, October 20 2552 (Military Calendar),
ODA-142 Cairo Station, orbiting Earth, Sol System.
"Here's your gun and clips back." Danny said hiding behind a box next to Charlie.
"Thanks, did you get what you wanted sarge?" Charlie replied, killing a few grunts.
"Yeah, I did." Danny showed him his MA5C.
"Sweet!"
Danny fired a short burst at the endless swarm of grunts, killing a few of them. There was gunfire coming from the other side of the room. Everyone poked their heads over the boxes that they were hiding behind, it was 3 marines. Danny smiled when he saw their faces.
"Took you guys long enough." He shouted.
"Sorry sir, we ran into a bit trouble on the way," The female marine shouted back. She had a slim figure, lightly tanned skin and a little bit of brown hair sticking out of the back of her helmet.
"Hey Jessica, James, Tom, you got any spare battle rifle clips?" Charlie shouted
"Yeah man, when do you want 'em?" Lance Corporal Tom Ramirez replied.
"In a minute,"
"No problem."
The Covenant was surrounded, know where to run or hide. The last remaining Elite was starting to get angry.
"Flannigan, Thompson, focus fire on that Elite." Danny ordered.
"Yes sir," The pair shouted simultaneously. A barrage of bullets slammed into the Elite, collapsing its shields and killing it within seconds.
"Ramirez, do your thing." Danny shouted.
"Alright….and yes sir." He replied. Tom Ramirez got his portable machine gun set up and started firing at the Grunts, igniting methane tanks and sending body parts flying. Within a matter of seconds the room was empty.
"Regroup." Danny ordered.
Private Jessica Flannigan, Private First Class James Thompson and Private Tom Ramirez walked over to him. Both of the male marines were muscular. James' hair had a red tinge to it that contrasted with his pale white skin and Tom had he darkest brown hair you had ever seen which went nicely with his deeply tanned skin.
"Here are those clips Charlie," Tom said, handing Charlie the clips.
"Thanks." He replied.
"Hey sarge, you'll never guess what happened to the Malta," James said.
"What?"
"It blew up."
"Awe man, some of the guys that I used to be in a fire team with were on there." Danny looked at the floor.
"We have borders in Habitat Delta." The Defence Coordinator said calmly over the loudspeaker.
Danny ignored it, he was exhausted from the fight and the lack of sleep he has been having for the last few days. The other team started walking in the direction of Habitat Delta.
"We got this one." The sergeant said walking away.
"Are we just going to sit here?" Jessica asked.
"Until we get called somewhere or they ask for more men to go to Habitat Delta, we are staying here." Danny replied. "If you want to do something you can secure the perimeter."
Everyone sat down, please that they could get some rest.
"I need a squad in Habitat Delta." The Defence Coordinator screamed down the intercom.
"Alright, lets move out."
After a few minutes of running they got there. It was a mess, dead and wounded marines everywhere.
"Flannigan, Ramirez help the wounded, Thompson, Ferguson, with me."
Jessica and Tom dragged a few of the wounded marines to safety, filling their wounds with biofoam and bandaging them up. Meanwhile, Danny, Charlie and James were throwing grenades and shooting, trying to kill as many Covenant as they could.
"I only see 14 left," A frag detonated "make that10 left."
"Ramirez, report." Danny shouted.
"We have stabilized 4 of them, no sign of the Sergeant yet." Tom replied.
"Down to 7," Charlie screamed.
"Throw all you frags at them." Danny ordered. They all threw enough grenades that could kill a hunter. The rest of the Covenant were killed.
"I've found him sir." Jessica shouted. Danny ran over.
"Tell..m..my..wife..I..I..love her." He said coughing blood.
"Hang on a little bit longer and you can tell her yourself." Danny replied.
The sergeant's breathing slowed down.
"Come on, don't you give up, you're a marine," Danny shouted.
"Sarge, the medics are here," Jessica said.
"Take care of him doc." Danny said as he walked towards his team.
"Staff Sergeant Williams please report to Hangar A-0" The Defence Coordinator said over the intercom.
"Come on guys lets go." Danny said to his team.
02:27 October 20 2552 (Military Calendar),
ODA-142 Cairo Station, orbiting Earth, Sol System.
"Staff Sergeant Williams?" A pilot asked.
"Yeah that's me." Danny replied.
"I'm Flight Officer Chung, I've been ordered to take you to the surface."
"Ok, everyone get on board" Danny turned to the FO Chung, "Where are we going?"
"London, England."
Looks like I'm going home, Danny thought. He got in and the Pelican's rear hatch closed. The Pelican lifted off the hangar floor, waited for the hangar doors to open and flew out into space.
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That was the 2nd chapter