Chapter 3.1 The Push
33 Hours prior
Sergeant Matthew Ortiz wiped the sweat from his brow before slapping a fresh clip into his AR, the sounds of rifle fire echoed throughout the small base that had been constructed for the soul purpose of protecting the power grid from attack. He and the rest of his team had been locked in a fire fight with what he guessed was at least 30 or so covey for the last hour. Pausing for a short breather he yelled to the marine to his right who had been making runs between the front line and the base supplying the squad with ammunition. "Hey Jordan how are we not dead yet?"
"I don't know, maybe we're more badass than we thought."
Ortiz looked over the barricade to his surprise the enemy had stopped shooting. "Did we get them all?" A faint humming could be heard coming from a distance in the direction of the enemy's front line. "You hear that?"
"Yea, any idea what it is?"
"Not a clue." As the words left his mouth a large blob of plasma tore across the tree tops before crashing to the ground mere meters from their position. "Wraith!" Another plasma mortar flew from behind the trees followed a loud groan and two green plasma rounds that tore through tree trunks that flew over their heads crashing into the gates of the base. "Fall back or get fucked!" Ortiz com'd the leader of his squad who had taken over command of the grid defense after the last had been killed by a covenant sniper. "Janeth we have a wraith and two hunters knocking on the North door."
"Have you tried killing them yet? Usually works in these situations."
"With what, I guess I could throw a rock at them but that would probably just piss them off."
"I tell you what if you feel ambitious enough to get some exercise there is a rocket launcher in the armory unless somebody with a head on their shoulders already took it."
"Exercise! That sounds terrible; I'll send Jordan after it."
"Just get it done."
The sergeant looked at Jordan, "Want to go get the rockets? I'll make it worth your time. I'll even let you look at my porn collection, EXCEPT the Asian porn, those are special."
The marine sighed, "Fine, but if you fail to go through with this I swear to God I'll tell the Lieutenant about the pictures you took of her in the shower."
"Thanks sweat heart, while you're at it bring me back a sandwich. All this killing is making me hungry."
Jordan shook his head and ran into the base. As he rounded the corner to the armory he heard loud whistling followed by a loud crash that shook the base which caused him lose his balance sending him sliding down the hall. He came to a stop at the entrance to the armory, getting to his feet he was met by a wall of dust that engulfed the entire room. A faint hissing broke the short silence; it was then followed by a large pop and metal clanging against the once full weapon racks. The dust began to settle revealing a drop pod and a new ally.
Cody stepped from the drop pod before prying a Spartan Laser and assault rifle from the two weapon racks that sat on either side of the seat. Turning to the door he saw a marine standing in the door way looking at him in awe. "Saw that you guys are in quite a pickle on my way down, how about we even the odds a little."
Jax got to his feet as he slid his combat knife from the neck of an elite, turning to his right he brought his leg up and kicked a grunt sending it tumbling, methane spraying from the now crushed breathing mask. Slapping a fresh clip into his AR he pushed forward and began to engage a group of jackals. A large red blip appeared on his radar as he heard a heavy grunt, spinning to his left he dropped to the ground and hid behind the trunk of a large tree. The concussion from a plasma explosion reverberated through his body as splinters flew past him. Looking up he saw the tree begin to sway before snapping where the fuel rod round had exploded and began to fall in the same direction. Slipping around the trunk he brought his rifle to his shoulder setting the cross hairs upon the torso of a hunter. Raising its shield above its head the beast caught the tree before tossing it to the side before charging towards Jax. The shadows of the forest glowed green as the large fuel rod began to charge once more, the green blob fired and sizzled over the Spartan's head.
An explosion of fire and plasma threw the hunter off balance bringing it to it's knees. "Holly did you really just shoot his gun with and explosive round?"
"Yea I'm just as surprised as you that it did as much as it did."
Jax slipped his rifle onto the magnetic holster on his back and removed a fragmentation grenade from a pouch on his belt as he began sprinting towards the dazed predator. Priming the grenade he thrust his fist forward piercing the orange worm filled torso, letting go of the grenade he took a large leap backwards and removed his rifle from its holster. As the grenade exploded the surrounding brush was painted in thick orange ooze. Satisfied with himself he wiped the blood from his visor and continued pushing his way to the South gate of the power grid.
Cody feathered the trigger of the Spartan laser as he centered the cross hairs on one of the hunters. White smoke rolled from the laser as the weapon discharged and blew the beast in half, as the weapon quickly cooled down he set his sights on it's partner. As the weapon fired once more a blue beam tore through it knocking out Cody's shields and partially grazing his visor. Disoriented by the bright light he found shelter behind the remains of a warthog and tossed the now worthless Spartan laser away. As his shields recharged he darted to a nearby barricade and removed his pistol from its holster and began assisting the marines in taking out the seemingly endless wave of ground forces that began to poor from the tree line. The sound of trees snapping masked the gun fire as the wraith that had been raining artillery fire on the base made its way into the open.
Leon slid to a halt behind the trunk of one of the many trees that made up the southern forest line of the base. Slipping his assault battle rifle onto its holster he removed his magnum and snatched the plasma pistol of a fallen grunt as he rolled from cover. Sprinting from the tree line he looked to his left seeing Jax, Kai and Jeff doing the same. Looking to his right he looked for Michael, a loud thwak from a combat shotgun caught his attention, to his surprise Michael was already knocking on the southern gate of the base. Charging the plasma pistol he approached an elite who was taking aim on Jeff with it's carbine, as he discharged the plasma pistol he brought his magnum up and fired two rounds that tore the elites throat and spine. Tossing the covenant weapon aside he focused the remaining rounds of the magnum on jackals and grunts before sliding to a halt in to gate entrance and swapping mags in his sidearm so he may cover his teammates as they neared the gate as well.
