Ankara, Luna
May 3, 2551
Jane Hutchinson gave out a long sigh as she opened the door to her apartment. Stepping inside with a bag full of groceries, she heard her comms device chime with a cheerful musical tone.
Setting her bag on the counter, she rushed over, grabbing the handset and placing it on her ear.
"Hello."
"Hello Jane." A male voice spoke on the other line, her comm did not feature a visual of the other caller, but the sound was all she needed to know his identity.
"Ash, hi."
"Are you settling in okay?"
"Yes, thanks to your generous donation. Covalus' policy was right in saying that it would please its unsatisfied customers. After all you're the founder and chairman."
Ash chuckled, before turning serious. "I suppose so. I'm really sorry that everything wasn't able to be worked out between us."
"You've still been wonderful, even through that."
Both Jane and Ash Covalus had a complicated relationship even through their divorce. It wasn't physical or verbal abuse that went either way, rather the distant times they had together.
Ash Covalus was a rather large man in his late forties with light blond hair. The founder and chairman of Covalus software, he took much pride in his services and the welfare of his company, with a net worth in the multibillions. It was very hard being the leading developer in his industry and thus demanded his utmost attention.
Covalus met Jane Hutchinson during a reception where his company was awarded as the best innovation of the industry, having started out in a small studio apartment in Manassas on Reach. After years of a steadily growing romantic relationship, they quietly married and shortly afterwards, Jane had given birth to their only son. They lived quietly on the moon of Eudemon, where Robert, their son was among the best in school and the star striker in gravball.
Upon the outbreak of the Covenant, Eudemon was among the most outer of the colonies and highly vulnerable. Despite Covalus being vital to the UNSC's software security, the Navy refused the colony governor's pleas to send protection. Ash was forced in overtime, working close with many high ranking officials like Stanforth, Whitcomb, Hood and Parangosky. The strain of his absence, sometimes for months had put unnecessary stress on both Jane and Robert, who had started developing hostility to him.
Immediately, Covalus gave his second in charge control of the company as he tried in vain to repair his marriage and fatherhood. It all culminated when Robert "drafted" into the Marines. In 2549, Ash and Jane after a series of heated disagreements, agreed to a divorce. Finalized the next year, Jane now opted to live by herself , drifting from area to area, now settled in a new apartment complex in Ankara on Luna. When asked in an interview about anything to say to her former husband, she responded that there was no hatred between the two; there was just not enough for them to be together anymore.
"Jane, please pray for our boy."
"I will." She whispered back before hanging up. Both of them still supported Robert very much, sending gifts and keeping touch. Little did they know that Robert's life was about to change on that same day for the worse.
Lethbridge, Concord
"Grenade!"
Robert Covalus saw the arcing blue orb and the scream of his comrade at the same time. Diving flat on the ground away from the thrown explosive, he covered his face, feeling the heat from the deafening detonation wash over his body.
For nearly twenty minutes, Staff Sergeant Covalus and his seven surviving men were on the retreat, with two four person families in front. They had been dropped off by Pelicans to evacuate civilians trapped inside the suburban grocery store. The team was having a quiet exfil for a good couple of miles until one curious jackal sniper inside one of the residences tried to take a potshot at the sergeant's head. The beam rifle missed his helmet by three inches. Although Covalus tightened his grip on the M6D pistol and fired a bullet that had found its mark straight into the sniper's right eye, the shot had alerted every Covenant squad that was searching the streets for targets. Within thirty seconds of alien cries, the Marines hustled the civilians into cover as they held off the advancing hostiles.
"This is Foxtrot-4! We're under heavy fire and on a full retreat with eight civilians! Requesting air support!" Radio operator Corporal Ryo shouted.
"Foxtrot-4, we can get a Hawk to you in five mikes." The radio operator on the other line replied. Being that the Covenant had attacked predictably, there would have been enough time to mount an ample evacuation to save the human population. Thanks to some nasty weather in the Corsica region, particularly the sprawling city of Lethbridge, the Covenant had used the natural element to mask their approach and completely bypass the UNSC blockade waiting for them. The two light Covenant carriers were deploying their scores of troops into the main city while a single destroyer was prowling around to fight off any human vessel that tried to escape. That meant that there would be so much before the ground forces found and annihilated every human survivor after the initial invasion.
"We don't even have five." Ryo muttered in contempt as he ducked behind the cover he was hiding behind. Foxtrot-4 had come across some barricades and thus held out for the time being. They had killed a couple of grunts, but every time they would be about to target another one, their elite leader would pop out, firing his plasma rifle and forcing the marines back.
A white bullet trail whizzed by as a sniper round found its mark into an unlucky blue elite. Purple blood sprayed from the sleek helmet when the warrior toppled to the ground.
"Fall back!" Covalus shouted to his men, "Get through the house and across the street!"
Now the Covenant squads hastily advanced, seeing their opponents in a frenzied run. The grunts excitedly chattered, firing stray bursts from their green plasma pistols. The elites growled in their native tongue pointing to Covalus' retreating form as he darted inside the house.
The interior had to have once been a beautiful home, no doubt to a happy family. The walls had been colored a rich cream and the thousand dollar décor of a copper colored fish was blackened and the head was melted off, most likely from Covenant weaponry. Covalus barricaded the door once the squad sniper, Johnny was the last one inside.
The marines swept the house, tightening when they heard the squealing of grunts outside. In the middle of the bottom room, the civilians huddled in the center. Covalus moved to radio for evac.
"Foxtrot Actual, this is Foxtrot-6!" Another squad had cut in on his line for their commander.
"I can barely read you son." The calm voice of Foxtrot Actual came over, "What's your status?"
"We've got no civilians in tow! The whole neighborhood's deserted!" Gunfire of both plasma and ballistic weapons could be heard in the background.
"Fall back to West Avenue and hold for extraction. If you're listening Foxtrot-4, fall back to the same position."
"Foxtrot-4 moving out." Robert radioed back, walking into the main room of the house.
"Alright men, we're moving to the West Avenue for extraction. We're going to need a distraction for the Covies."
"Let's get moving." Johnny inserted a fresh magazine into his sniper, "We can use some grenades at the door to give a couple of the serious a surprise."
"Good call." Covalus regarded Ryo next. The Japanese Marine was fiddling with the radio, "You manage to get our bird?"
"Affirmitave, patching the pilot to you now."
A female voice wafted from the other line, "Foxtrot-4, this is Thunderbolt. I'm en route to your location, ETA twenty seconds."
"Thunderbolt." Covalus lowered to a whisper when he saw a marine make a throat slash gesture to him. He knew why, there was a blue armored elite right outside their window. "We've got a Covies surrounding the house, but they're afraid to come in."
"I'll hose em up for ya and will give as much of an escort as I can."
"Foxtrot-4 out." He turned abck to Johnny, who now held his last two fragmentation grenades in his hand. "You ready?"
"Yes sir."
Robert had Ryo lead the remaining marines to the garage where a pair of expensive looking cars sat, untouched by the war surrounding the suburban area. When they were at the front, ready to spring out, Covalus and Johnny pulled the pins on their grenades, setting it at the back door and then running. They were nearly to the garage when the explosives detonated. The wooden door instantly transformed into thousands of toothpicks, flying at incredible speeds. Weakened by the grenade's blast, the elite on the other side had little time to flinch when the splinters jabbed at his unarmored sections. Grunts ran away in terror as their larger leaders gave out frustrated roars to keep their men in line.
"GO! GO!" Robert shouted. Stunned by his words, the marines formed a surrounding shield over the eight civilians as they sprinted out of the house. More Covenant troops spotted the group, firing pink needlers and plasma rifles. A few of the marines returned fire, killing a couple of grunts, but kept moving until the needles seemed to scatter, as if not intent anymore on finding something to kill.
Robert and Johnny sprinted after their comrades, who were now on the side of West Street. Overhead, they heard the whipping sound as the sleek sparrowhawk hovered overhead, tracking their Covenant pursuers. The four barreled machine gun on the chin began spinning as it unloaded rounds into the hapless soldiers.
Suddenly, plasma fire raked the ground. Covalus looked up in horror to see a quartet of banshees after them. The marines dove into the side of another luxury house on West Street, making sure to shield the unarmed with their bodies. One of them peeled off and started firing at the hawk.
"Gah!" Thunderbolt's pilot cursed under her breath, "Sorry Foxtrot-4, you're going to be without air support until I get these fuckers off my back."
"Acknowledged Thunderbolt." Covalus looked skyward, watching as Thunderbolt charged her side lasers. A lance of red energy struck one of the attacking banshees, sending it to the ground where it impacted in a purple explosion, fragments of the aircraft flying everywhere. Narrowly dodging a triangular piece, he ducked back inside
"Foxtrot Actual, we're at the exfil point."
"Copy that Foxtrot-4, Foxtrot-6, are you there?"
"We're here! Uh, they've just got reinforcements! More Covenant approaching, from West Street."
"More?" Foxtrot Actual's voice lost its calm edge.
"They've got some huge sword toting elite leading the assault, three ghosts and a handful of squads!"
"We're not going to make it." Ryo muttered.
"Foxtrot Actual, what's the evac bird's ETA?"
"She's heading your way in ten mikes."
"Negative!" Covalus shouted back, "We won't survive five!"
"That's all we have. Foxtrot-4. Just sit tight."
"Sir, with all that enemy movement right around the corner, we'll never make it to the evacuation zone." Ryo noted, looking outside.
"You will make it." Covalus looked outside. Everyone surprisingly looked up at him.
"Sergeant?" Johnny asked, already knowing that he had in mind.
"Start your heading to the evacuation." He started to head outside.
"Are you crazy? That's suicide!" One of the civilians shouted. He was an older man, most likely a father to the two little children beside him.
"You're right." Robert grinned. "So if I were you, I'd put some ground between the Covies and yourself."
Most of the time, it would have been a lesser ranked soldier if someone had to sacrifice themselves. The concept of a noble sacrifice was a thought if they had no choice but to head straight to their deaths. Most of the time, the sacrifice was in vain as the Covenant onslaught continued. However the dead didn't know that. At least physically.
"It's been an honor Sergeant." Ryo was the first of his men to respond, snapping a firm salute before heading the others out. Some of them gave him a somber last look. Covalus didn't regret what he was about to do, it was his duty to protect the human race and so be it if it meant that it would cost his life.
He had waited a full five minutes when he was certain that the men were far away. Opening the door, he now saw the three ghosts in a triangular formation. In the front was a white armored elite, wielding a sword that seemed to sizzle in the cool air.
He aimed his pistol at the head to the leader, squeezing off a single shot. He was planning to take down at least one elite before falling and the chandelier in the house's atrium that he saw earlier provided just what he needed.
The single M225 round glanced off the shields, flaring up the entire armor. White armored elites were known to have among the most powerful shield systems. It made sense, higher ranking elites usually had better protection.
Instantly, the three ghosts broke their formation, moving rapidly as they tracked Covalus at the entrance. The elite charged forward, closing the width of the street in five strides. Looking as if he was running for his life, the sergeant turned tail, sprinting back to the atrium. The elite snarled, as if irritated that his prey had fled.
Covalus saw the elite spot him and began to cross the atrium. Timing it right, he raised the pistol, firing a shot straight upwards.
The heavy chandelier, supported only by a thin chain, snapped instantly when the armor piercing bullet tore right through. Without anything to hold it, the mass of metal and glass fell quickly. The elite looked up at the moving shadow, already raising his sword arm to parry what he may have thought was another attacker. The chandelier made his death fast and painless. Covalus smiled as he kicked the arm protruding out of the side, still clutching the sword.
More blue plasma fire erupted from the doorway as a second elite had stepped through. Although this one had red armor, he was likely no less dangerous.
Covalus swung his rifle around, bringing it upon the stomach of his opponent. The elite fell back, the plasma rifle skittering across the floor.
He punched the larger alien in the face, straddling him like a wrestler. The shields this time popped, his hand stung but he ignored it reaching for his pistol to put the hinge-head down.
As he trained the sights on the ugly head, he felt something warm in his stomach. He was suddenly unable to breathe and looked down, gathering the last bit of strength to pull the trigger. Covalus found it even harder than last time, finally discharging a round and hitting the left shoulder. The elite cried out, and drove the sword into his stomach even deeper.
Robert Covalus shook as the gun fell out of his hands. The elite deactivated the ceremonial sword, watching his human opponent take his last breath.
During the UNSC offensive, a corporal had found the body of Covalus next to the dead one of the sangheili ultra. Sealing it in a body bag, there was no point in shipping it home, no matter how much the distraught parents had bribed.
The hilt of the sword that he had died on was also recovered next to the corpse. It would be months later when the team asked one of the sangheili, who were now allied with humanity about the hilt of the sword they had found. The rune was unlike any other from what they had deciphered from the Covenant language.
The sangheili minor shrugged, saying that it wasn't a word, rather a crest. He said it was the crest of the Talam lineage.
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