Hey Folks, Grubkiller here, this chapter will focus on the soldiers of both sides preparing for war. I will not focus on any group of characters for to long. This isn't about the characters, it's about the journey. Also, sorry if it took me a while to update this story. I was working on another story.
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Sydney, Commonwealth of Australia, Capitol of the Unified Earth Government, location of the Senate and Colonial parliament. Residency of recently elected UEG President, James Montaine
It was a cloudy evening. The setting sun was shining it's orange rays, which reflected off of the gray clouds, giving the already gorgeous Sydney skyline a colorful look.
President Montaine, a tall, reasonably built man with a full head of gray hair was looking out the window of his office in the Presidential residence. From there, he could look out across the Sydney Harbor and get a good look at the Opera house.
"Beautiful isn't it? Someone should take a picture," the most powerful man in the civilian government said.
"Mister President, if you don't mind, It's time for us to get down to business". President Montaine turned around to see that the voice had come from the most powerful man in the UNSCDF: Lord Terrance Hood, Fleet Admiral of the UNSC Home Fleet, and CINC of the UNSC emergency military government.
"Pardon me Lord Hood, sometimes I need the distraction," Montaine said.
"I understand sir, but we made it through the war with the Covenant, and I believe that we will make it through this one as well," Hood said reassuringly.
Montaine gave a small smile in agreement. Before Montaine ever became President or even Governor of Vekta (an agrarian inner colony founded by migrants from the agricultural Middle America, and who's flag was hanging from a wall in the Montaine's office) he had been a member of the Vektan Colonial Guard and was pulled from its ranks to serve in the War against the Covenant. Vekta had been spared the horrors of the War, but most planets weren't so lucky. Montaine knew war, and was probably about to lead Humanity through another one.
Lord Hood not only fought in the war against the Covenant, but he distinguished himself by leading the defense of the Sol system in 2552. He was considered an iconic figure in Human space. He also was put in charge of the emergency government, which was when the military was given control of the government in times of war, which was what this meeting between the two leaders was about.
There were also members of the UNSC's UNICOM and NAVCOM, as well as members of Montaine's cabinet present to bare witness to the occasion.
"How could it have come to this? Why would Palpatine want to go to war with us?" asked Joshua Sweeney a member of the Cabinet. "It's because the Emperor is surrounded by "yes men" who agree with him no matter what. He's never heard the word "No" before, so he reacts like a spoiled child that doesn't get his way," Said Admiral Harper of the Home Fleet.
"I think that we should've negotiated with the Empire. Maybe we should have given them some concessions," said Speaker O'Malley. O'Malley was someone that the Montaine and the Military could not stand. He would give away half of the galaxy if it meant peace.
Montana got up to shut O'Malley down. "Let me tell you a story Mr Speaker. Eight centuries ago, the United States's shipping was being threatened by pirates working for the Barbary states in North Africa right after the Revolution. They said that if we paid them tribute every year, then they would stop. And some people agreed to making concessions. But Thomas Jefferson believed that concessions would only lead to further attacks from the Barbary states. So when he became America's third president, he refused to pay any further tribute and instead parked the newly formed US navy off the Barbary shores and sent a few cannon balls their way. It eventually brought them to the negotiating tables," Montaine said, while everyone in the room listened with interest.
O'Malley interrupted Montaine. "Mr president, as much as I enjoy your rousing stories, what is the point you are trying to make?"
"Making concessions doesn't work. As long as no one challenges the Empire, then they will continue to expand at our expense. The only words that they understand are words that come from the mouth of a cannon. I will not bow to that old fart that they call an emperor. I choose to be Thomas Jefferson. We will not grant any concessions to the Empire. We will dig in and protect our own interests and our borders. I know that this will be a difficult challenge, but as Hood said earlier, we defeated the Covenant, so we can beat back the Empire".
Everyone in the room clapped at Montaine's rousing speech. Even his critics would admit that he was a hell of a speaker.
"At the end of the week, I'm going to be giving an address to everyone in human space. And I want that bastard on Coruscant to listen. I'll transfer power over to Lord Hood then. Until then, you are all dismissed," Montaine said, and with that everyone filed out of the room.
Now it's time to start writing the speech, Montaine thought to himself.
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Coruscant, Capital of the Empire, home of the Galactic Imperial Senate,
Emperor Palpatine's private HQ tower.
It was nighttime in the Imperial Capital on Coruscant. Standing tall over the planet wide metropolis was Emperor Palpatine's private tower and HQ.
Palpatine himself was staring out over the city and the thousands of speeders zipping by every second. Look at them go about their pathetic lives, as if nothing was happening, the Emperor thought to himself.
Star Destroyers were hanging over the city's skyline, while Imperial military transports floated by carrying loads of Imperial Stormtroopers. They were being escorted by flights of Tie fighters that also patrolled the airways.
Down below, at the base of the tower, thousands of Imperial Troopers stood in tight ranks, and were preparing to load onto the nearby transports. Massive four legged behemoths stomped towards much larger transports.
The Emperor couldn't help but admire the view. This was the culmination of a plan that was centuries in the making. That plan ended with the downfall of his worst enemy, the Galactic Republic and their Jedi pets.
Now, the entire galaxy was in the palm of his hands, and everyone the Empire came into contact with either allied with the Empire, or payed a price.
He had ordered the senate to start expanding into the Milky Way galaxy in order to obtain more resources. They also made new allies and have now started obtaining imported slave labor from these new allies.
However there was one small inconvenience on the path towards the Emperor's final plans of galactic domination. That inconvenience took the form of the Unified Earth Government and its colonies, completely occupied by another human race, one that was completely disconnected from the Known Galaxy, and one that takes pleasure in being stubborn.
When the UEG refused to make concessions to the Empire, Palpatine felt insulted and humiliated. How dare these peasants defy my will, the Emperor thought. Ever since then he was looking for an excuse to justify an invasion of the UEG to the senate. But of coarse, the senate was full of people who liked to say yes to Palpatine, so it wasn't hard to convince them.
The senate hadn't declared war on the UEG just yet, so he had to go and convince them one final time. It is time for me to send my loyal supporters to do my bidding, Palpatine thought to himself, referring to the speech he was about to make to the senate. With that, Palpatine, escorted by his red cloaked Royal Guardsmen, headed for the shuttle that would take him to the Senate Building.
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Planet Aratoht. Batarian military/shipbuilding installation. 13 BBY(Star Wars galaxy year). Imperial/Batarian Staging Area for potential Invasion of UEG Space.
It was warm and humid out, as the heavy rainfall fell on the imperial encampment. All around white-armored imperial storm troopers, who formed the backbone of the Imperial army were either patrolling the perimeter, exercising, drilling, or just doing the daily duties of Stormtroopers, which involved serving the Emperor, Sheev Palpatine, with unwavering loyalty.
On the landing pad at the end of the base, an Imperial Lambd class shuttle had touched down. As it landed, it folded it's wings upward like a dainty butterfly (N/A:name that show) and the ramp underneath the cockpit opened up to dispense it's cargo, which happened to be a platoon's worth of new stormtrooper rookies, fresh out of training. They all dispersed looking for their units.
One such stormtrooper was one Anson Trask. He was assigned to the 407th Stormtrooper Division's Joker squad, who distinguished themselves on a Mandalorian colony when they fought the super commando warriors that defied Imperial rule. Trask walked around the base aimlessly looking for his unit. All the while being mocked for being a rookie. "Hey Noob, you lost? Your mommy isn't gonna help you way out here," one stormtrooper said with his helmet off.
Tracks continued through the camp in order to look for his unit. He then decided that he should go look for help. Trask walked up to the first person he saw.
It was a figure with a dark cloak. "Hey buddy? can you tell me where I can Joker squad D company, 407th division?" He asked not really looking up from his holo-map which had a map of the camp.
The cloaked figure turned around and looked down at Trask with a deep, dark, fury in its eyes. The figure was a Quarren from the planet Mon Calamari. But this particular Quarren was a Sith Inquisitor. The Emperor's personal warriors. They were only sent out if the situation. "Oh Shit!" Trask silently exclaimed.
The yellow eyed Sith warrior was about to introduce Trask to his fury for the noob's insolence. Then suddenly a new voice came out of nowhere. "There you are Noob!" The voice belonged to a bearded stormtrooper with blue stripes on his armor (N/A:force unleashed stormtrooper commander). "What the hell are you doing bothering Lord Malavel? You were supposed to wait by the landing platform until I came to collect you".
Trask looked at the sergeant confused. "But sir-," The sergeant got in his face "Don't through your buts at me Noob (N/A: name that show)," said the stormtrooper veteran. He then turned to the Quarren Inquisitor. "Lord Malevel, my name is Sgt Harkas. This is my squad's newest addition. Please excuse the rookie for his insolence."
The Sith warrior stood there for a few minutes before speaking. "See to it that he is disciplines, or I will". "Yes my lord," the stormtrooper veteran said. The sith turned away.
"Um, sir, I didn't get any orders that you mentioned," the rookie said. "No you didn't, but someone had to save your dumbass from that inquisitor. I'm Sergeant Harkas, Joker squad. I guess that means your with me, unfortunately".
Harkas led Trask to Joker squads tent. When they went inside, they found the rest of Joker squad. "Welcome to the 407th noob, you will be bunking with these maggots and lady maggot for as long as you're in this unit," harkas said. "Over there is Jes Gistang with the big gun," Harkas pointed to a redheaded lady, who nodded at Trask, polishing her grenade launcher. "That over there is Vax Potorr," Harkas pointed to the bald trooper rifling through Trask's large army pack.
"Why is he going through my stuff?" The rookie asked, trying to pull his bag away. "He's gonna replace the cheap shit, and get you some better shit". "Isn't that against regulations". A trooper in the corner, who was sharpening his knife explained. "Listened Noob, regulation is another word for rules, and rules were made to be broken".
"The trooper over there, who'll use his knife for anything except cut his hair, is a Mando named Hondo Karr". Harks said pointing at the knife yielding stormtrooper. "I keep telling you guys that I'm from Botajef, a colony loyal to the Empire," the Mandalorian said.
As Trask unloaded his bag near his new cot, Lieutenant Gil Cassel, a gray haired officer came in to talk to Harkas. "Sgt Harkas. I need to speak with you for a moment," the gray haired veteran stated. "Yes sir. Everyone head for the mess hall get some grub. We're leaving first thing tomorrow". "Yes sir," they all said in unison before exiting the tent.
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The jokers, Karr, Potorr, Gistang, and Trask all went to the mess hall.
The mess hall was filled to the brink. Troopers everywhere were line waiting to be served. The tables were still reasonably available. Most tables were normally occupied by a different unit. No one really mingled with the other platoons.
It also seemed like any normal mess hall that could've been used by any military. Only this was the Imperial military, which meant that propaganda posters lined the wall, and ISB agents patrolled the aisles, listening for any possible dissenters. One poster had a portrait of Palpatine himself pointing his finger, and below the towering emperor, imperial tie fighters and soldiers moved in the direction he was pointing, the premise being that wherever the Emperor tells them to go, they go (N/A: I got the idea from a Soviet poster in world war 2 of Stalin doing the same thing).
Holo-projectors played the sermons of imperial propaganda officers, who told the viewers to remember their duty, and to pledge their loyalty to Palpatine and to the Empire. But sense the Empire was gearing up for war, the political officers weren't preaching about the peace and prosperity under Imperial rule. They were talking about the "evil UEG colonialists" and their "UNSC attack dogs".
"The Unified Earth Government is nothing more than an expansionist regime. They want to destroy the peace that the Empire has built to make us prosperous Remain vigilant my comrades. The UEG is deceitful and treacherous. They claim to fight for freedom and love peace, put all the while, they hold their people down. They are ruled by industrialists who gain their wealth by waging war on their neighbors. Their soldiers are nothing more than unmotivated, poverty stricken slaves. With our great leader, Emperor Palpatine, leading our glorious armed forces to victory, we shall destroy the iron fisted UNSC, and liberate it's suffering people".
Trask and the rest of joker squad filled their trays with food and looked for a spot, which they found in the back near the holonet monitors. They playing sporting events, pod racing, and the news (Imperial news). Some even showed exotic dancers in a popular bar on Coruscant.
The squad sat down and started digging into their trays. Karr and Potorr watched the monitor with exotic Twi'lek dancers "shaking it" on stage. Some troopers began to hoot and holler. "Hm, men," an annoyed Gistang said enjoying her food.
"So what's your story noob?" She asked the rookie who was also enjoying his food. "Well, I was born and raised by my family on Lothal. My family loved life in the Empire. We were upper class, my mom was a prosecutor for the Imperial court of justice (they deal with dissenters), and my dad was actually in the Roan-Fel's imperial army from Bastion. When the people revolted against the government, he and a lot of soldiers from the 407th sided with the Sith to overthrow Roan-Fel and conquer the core systems. And know, I guess I got sick of the upper-class life style, so I decided to go out on my own. So I decided to sign up with the Corps," Trask said.
"And you?" Gistang stopped eating to explain her story. "I'm from Corellia. I grew up there during the Clone wars and the Vong wars a year after that. We got sick of the Republic, so we revolted. My parents were killed in the revolution by the Republic Onyx Guard. When the core was liberated by the Empire, my brothers signed up with the Imperial Stormtrooper corps to fight the Republic. Me and my sisters went to go live with our grandparents. Sense i was the oldest, I had to step up and help out," Gistang explained to the Noob.
"So why did you join the Stormtrooper Corps?" "To tell you the truth, originally wanted to be a pilot, but I failed flight school. So I became a stormtrooper. I guess overall, I was inspired by my brothers. When they came back home after beating the Republic, we were so happy for them. I wanted to be like them".
Trask smiled. "I guess we all wanna be like someone in our families," Trask said. "True," Gistang agreed.
They continued eating when Trask pointed towards Potorr and Karr, who were still watching the holo-screen. "So what's their stories?" "They don't like to talk much. But Potorr was a petty thief before the army drafted him. It was either that or prison," said Gistang, describing her bald headed squad mate.
"Karr on the other hand was a mandalorian warrior before he joined the Empire. His planet, Botajef, which was loyal to the Empire along with several other Mandalorian colonies. After the Republic was destroyed, several of Mandalore's colonies pledged their loyalty to the Empire, which Mandalore didn't appreciate one bit. So they invaded colonies like Botajef. By the time the Empire conquered Mandalore, Botajef had been reduced to an ash ridden wasteland. He lost all of his fellow warriors, his clan, and his planet. So I guess he joined the Empire, because that's all he had left," Gistang said, describing her quiet teammate.
Trask sat their stunned. "whoa, that's deep," Trask said looking over at his new Mandalorian teammate. "Yeah, don't talk about it to him," Gistang said. Trask nodded in agreement.
Just then, Potorr and Karr, who came from watching the holo-screens with the other troops, came to join the other two Jokers at the table. "Wow, those Twi'leks sure no how to dance. Maybe you can dance just like them Gistang?" Potter said, flirting with his teammate, who shrugged it off. "In your dreams Potorr," Gistang said.
Potorr chuckled. He leaned over to Karr. "She's totally into me," Potorr said. Gistang rolled her eyes at her delusional teammate. Potter then looked over to Trask. "So noob, you have a girl back wherever the hell it is you came from?" "Yes, I do. She's my Fiancé," Trask said, which drew the attention from the rest of the squad".
They were all silent, until the quiet Karr broke the silence. "I hope you get back to her safely". Everyone then stared at the normally silent Mandalorian with surprise. "Thank you," Trask said. Karl nodded in return.
Just then, the sith warrior from earlier, Darth Malevel, entered the mess hall escorted by several Sith troopers. These Sith troopers wore black armor and wore the hoods of the Emperor's royal guards. They had red accents and visors on their armor. These soldiers were feared across the galaxy, and were the elite of the Emperor's Armed forces. They were personally led by Darth Vader and his Sith inquisitors. Regular Stormtroopers policed planets in the outer rim, so seeing a Sith trooper was only joined the battle if things were serious. When Malevel entered, all conversations stopped. He didn't even have to speak to make his presence felt.
He spoke as loud as he could, his voice echoing off of the walls to increase the sound of his voice. "Soldiers of the the Empire. As you know, we are preparing for war with the enemies of our Emperor. We are about to show you our glorious Emperor speak on the matter know".
Everyone in the room looked at the largest monitors on either side of the room. The lights were dimmed, as to offer better vision for the monitors. The monitors screen's turned on and soon enough, they revealed the face of the Empire, Emperor Palpatine himself.
He still looked the way he did in the old days when he was Chancellor of the Republic (he doesn't turn ugly in this AU). He stood on the towering central podium in the Imperial Senate chamber. He was surrounded by thousands of senators from thousands of different worlds in the Galaxy. They all watched as their Emperor spoke.
"Members of the Imperial Congress. As you all know, it has always been the Empire's mission to maintain peace, order, and security throughout the Galaxy. And ever since then, we have worked toward co-operation with the people that we proudly call allies in our just cause. We have worked hard to ensure that our people, and the people of our allies, are all treated with dignity and respect. Although, I regret to inform you, we are currently in the middle of a diplomatic crisis. Far from this very planet, in a galaxy just recently revealed to us, we face a threat to that peace we have built. A peace which has allowed for the collective prosperity for the citizens of our Empire. A peace that we have worked so hard to obtain. One of our closest allies, the Batarian Hegemony is suffering the most horrific injustice imaginable. Their land has been stolen from them by an expansionist power, known as the Unified Earth Government. This UEG has been a trouble to our progress in the past. They provided aid to the CIS during the Clone Wars. They stomped upon the rights of their own people under their steel boots. They have waged a bloody war against each of their neighbors, due to their Imperialistic and Militaristic ambitions. And recently, they have violated the sovereignty of the Batarian Hegemony, our greatest ally in the Milky way galaxy. The UEG walked in, and took what rightfully belongs to the Batarian people. Know that we have done everything that we can to negotiate a settlement between the two entities. But, I regret to inform you, that the UEG and their UNSC attack dogs have refused our requests and have walked away from the negotiating table. We have tried to reopen a dialog. But ever since, the UEG has threatened violence against our Batarian brethren, and they continue to defy and insult the peace loving people of our prosperous Empire. We are now at war with the UEG. We must now meet this new threat to ensure the security and prosperity of our people, and liberate the people suffering under the rule of the treacherous government of the Sol System. Rise up warriors and citizens of the Empire. Victory will be ours, and peace shall prevail".
Every senator in the Senate chambers clapped after their Emperor was finished speaking, and every Stormtrooper in the mess hall cheered for Palpatine.
Everyone then piled out of the mess hall, after second helpings, and went back to their unit's tents. The Jokers were back in their tent. Potorr was standing upside down on his hands and pushing himself up and down. Gistang was disassembling her launcher and cleaning every bit. Karr was sharpening his Mandalorian blade, which he started attaching to the end of his rifle like a bayonet, instead of the usual laser bayonets. Trask, on the other hand was writing a letter to his Fiancé. He wrote about how he met his team and that he promised that he would be back in time for them to get married.
Almost every soldier believed that they were going to crush the UNSC and conquer the Sol system in a matter of weeks. Sgt Harkas, being a veteran of several campaigns against insurgents, on the other hand wasn't sure. He had full confidence in the empire's abilities, but he couldn't help but act, or rather look, slightly pessimistic.
I have a bad feeling about this, Harkas thought to himself as the sound went out over the camp that signaled the "light's out" order.
Everyone in the camp went to bed with thoughts of glory and victory in their heads. Of coarse, War has never been forgiving to it's subjects.
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August 11th, 2561 (UNSC military calendar), Inner Colony World: New Seoul, UNSC Marine Corps military base, designation: Fort Macarthur.
Storm clouds were on the horizon. Not actual storm clouds, because it was actually quite nice out in this part of New Seoul. PVT. Jack Mitchell of the UNSC Marine Corps, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, 7th Division, 11th regiment, 4th Battalion, Sentinel Platoon, knew that to be true.
The type of storm he was thinking about required much more than a mere umbrella. It was war, right around the corner. But he could't think about that right know. He was on the range with three of his five teammates: PVT. Will Irons, PVT Paul Jackson, and Lance corporal Tyler Daniels.
Mitchell was dressed up in his digital camouflaged uniform, which was colored the same way as the jungles of New Seoul, with a dark green, brown, and black color pattern. His uniform also had a velcro strap that had his name on it. He was also wearing a cap instead of a helmet at the moment. He had a UNSC emblem on his cap, and sense he was an American, like most members of the 1st MEF, he had an American Flag on his uniform's shoulders. The flag had changed over the centuries to include a yellow snake sprawled across the red and white stripes, with the yellow colored words Don't Tread On Me sewn into the red stripes of the Flag (N/A:If you're an American like me, look me in the eye and tell me that wouldn't be an awesome addition to the flag). He also had a silver cross around his neck which he kissed every now and then with a quick prayer.
In his hands was a black colored piece of iron and plastic. He was clutching a BR-55 battle rifle in his gloved hands. his safety was off and his fingers was outside of the trigger guard. He liked the older rifle better. The more recent silver model of the Battle rifle never really grew on him or anyone in the military really (N/A: hey 343, bring back the classic art style, would ya?).
He pointed his weapon down range and flipped the safety off and switched it to semi-auto. His rifle was now live. He sighted up his target and controlled his breathing very carefully to keep the rifle steady. His targets, were a set of paper cut outs of Imperial stormtroopers (some in cover and some not).
He scanned his targets from left to right very quickly started putting 9.5x40MM armor piercing rounds down range. When he ran out of ammo, he ejected the magazine, placed the fallen mag on the table in front of him, flipped the safety, pulled his finger out of the trigger guard and placed his rifle over his chest.
He looked at his handy work and found a tight grouping of nine bullet holes in the chest or heads of each of his four paper victims. "Nice shooting man," Jackson said complementing Mitchell's deadly efficiency with a rifle.
"yeah, nice work bro," Irons said to his old platoon mate. Mitchell and Irons' were bunkmates in boot camp. They got out six months prior.
"You got it right this time. But remember that paper doesn't shoot back," Daniels said, down playing the praise that Mitchell was receiving.
"Oh what, the Empire does? News flash Daniels, their troopers can't hit anything," Mitchell joked.
"Perhaps, but I would like to remind you that anyone of those Imperial shit-bags who point a weapon at you is bound to hit one of you idiots, and that makes him a threat, not to mention the fact that we are outnumbered 1000-1," Denials said to the three young privates in the team.
"Then I guess we're each gonna have to kill 1000 stormmies (slang for stormtroopers)," Irons countered. "I'll be sure to kill 1001 just to be sure," Jackson said, being his smart-ass self. Everyone of the three privates chuckled.
"Daniels is right," a new voice said from behind the team. The voice belonged to Staff Sergeant Jason Knox, who walked into the range with the squad's medic, Corporal Morgan "Doc" Holiday.
Knox was a Marine Veteran from the final years of the Human-Covenant War. The dark colored Marine looked as if he were in his late forties and had the signs of a man who's seen some serious action. Doc Holiday had the strongest build in the squad (N/A: In the US military the medics are usually the strongest members to carry all the extra gear) but wasn't quite a brick shit house.
"Never for one God Damn second do I want to hear you underestimate your enemies, Am I understood?" Knox asked. "Sir, Yes Sir," everyone shouted. "Know listen up you worthless maggots. Our Enemy is the Batarian Hegemony. They have launched terrorists attacks on our outer colonies because of a territorial dispute along the frontier," Knox said explaining the situation.
"The only reason that we haven't torn those ugly four-eyed fuckers a new asshole bigger than the grand canyon is because of the Galactic Empire. The Batarians want to snipe from behind their big brother like a bunch of pussies. As for the Empire, you insubordinate morons are right for once. They may not be the most competent soldiers, but the Empire has a limitless supply of warships, resources, soldiers, and equipment. That being said, the UNSC Marine Corps is the meanest, most highly motivated, and well trained bunch of badasses in the galaxy, and we will prevail the way we did against the Covenant, the Galactic Republic, and the Citadel races. You feeling me?"
"Aye Sir," the squad said in unison, responding to Knox's motivating speech.
"Good, know head for the chow hall and SHUT THE FUCK UP," Knox ordered. The team then went to the mess hall where the rest of the company was sitting down for a nice meal.
The mess hall was a generic mess hall used by any military. The walls were gray, as well as the tables and the columns that held up the ceiling. The walls had a few posters on them here and there. They were mostly motivational posters and advertisements for upcoming events, like the comedian that would be coming over soon. There were a few propaganda posters, but nothing that like what the Imperial mess halls were rumored to have. Unlike the Empire, UNSC servicemen and women didn't need motivation to fight. Most people reasoned that the Empire was fighting for an emperor and the list ended there. The servicemen of the UNSC on the other hand would be fighting for their home worlds, their families, and the freedoms and life styles that so many people took for granted.
Each Squad member went to the kiosks on the wall and pressed a button to receive the meal and drink that each Marine preferred (N/A: look on the walls of the mess hall in the Halo CE mission Pillar of Autumn to see what i'm describing).
When each member of the squad got what they ordered, they all sat down at an empty table. Everyone began to dig into their meals and make small talk.
"So Will, how's the wife and kids?" Mitchell asked his closest friend, while looking at the wedding band on Irons' left hand. Irons looked up from his meal towards his squadmate. "Jennifer's doing good. She just entered the third trimester. And girls are doing fine. They've been visiting my folks' home a lot lately".
"It must be crazy that your kids get to run around a mansion all day in the summers," Mitchell said. Will's father, Jonathan Irons was an Army veteran who founded the Atlas Corporation, which specialized in creating guidance systems for UNSC missile technology. It made his family quite wealthy in recent years.
"Yeah, I know I don't always see eye to eye with my old man, but I know that they're in good hands with him". Mitchell nodded and pulled out his letter that he wanted to write his girlfriend, who was in the UNSC Air Force. The two of them actually met on a mission along time ago when she was shot down and he had to rescue her. It was the beginning of a wonderful relationship. He started to write down a few things when suddenly he was interrupted.
"Atten-Tion," shouted a loud voice at the entrance to the mess. "Officer on deck". Everyone in the mess stopped what they were doing and stood tall and straight at attention. Then a figure with Marine Corps Digital Camo and an officer's cap walked in.
"Gopher balls, it's Colonel Hardaway," Jackson silently exclaimed, referring to the dark skinned Marine Veteran that walked in.
"Ok Marines, listen up. I know how much you all love a good show. Which is why I have a little something from the President of the UEG to show all of you". The Marine Colonel nodded towards a Corporal that turned on a large TV monitor. It flickered on and a few minutes later, the President himself was present, about to give an address to the UEG and its colonies.
Montaine took a breath and spoke.
"Citizens of the Sol system and it's colonies. My fellow patriots. As you all know, tensions with the Sith Empire have been at an all time high, and I would like to let you all know that we are most likely going to be at war within the week. I understand that this will be a difficult challenge. But we have faced far worse at the hands of the Covenant, and we survived, so we will do it again. The Emperor himself, has proclaimed to his people that we are an aggressive colonial power that started this crisis. Nothing could be further from the truth. While the Emperor's jackboots march over and ruin innocent lives, he has accused us of starting this war. Despite all of our peaceful efforts, it has come to my attention that there can be no negotiations with a dictator like this, no compromise, and no political deals. To the people of the Empire and it's allies, know this: you are not our enemy, but as your leaders draw you into a conflict of their own making, understand that we must and will do what we must do to protect our people and interests. If they insist on fighting, then we will show them the same mercy that they've shown others. We have done everything to make peace with the Empire and it's allies. But all the while, the Emperor and his puppets have looked upon our home worlds with envy, planning to seize by force, what they cannot claim by right. I want every serviceman and woman in our Armed forces to understand that billions of your fellow man are behind you and God is with us. Against those odds what hope does the Empire have. The time for friendship and dialog may have passed, and the time for fighting may soon come. The Emperor and his puppets must know that our people can be loyal allies, but fierce and unforgiving foes".
With that, the President's speech was over and the TV screen flashed off.
Chatter broke out across the mess in response to Montine's speech.
Hardaway spoke, his voice shutting down all conversation.
"OK Marines, I understand that we are all a little worried. But we have been trained for this very type of situation. I know that we may be in over our heads, BUT WE ARE UNSC MARINES. Our organization goes all the way back to the founding of the US Marine Corps in 1775. For nearly eight centuries, we have defined the standards of courage, spirit, and military prowess. We will stand tall in the face of this new threat and fight those fuckers all the way back to Coruscant. Do you feel me?"
Every Marine responded in unison to Hardaway's speech. "URRAH".
"Are you ready to look death straight in the eye and bitch slap him across the face?" Hardaway asked, "URRAH," the Marines shouted.
"Outstanding you Jarhead sons of bitches, now get ready, 'cause we are going to make them wish that they died quickly".
Mitchell looked down at his letter to his girlfriend, the men around him, and then at the cross around his neck. He then started to think that everything was going to be OK.
