Chapter 10 : A War is lost
UNSC Infinity
Training facility : Deck 29
Present day
Palmer cursed with frustration as she pounce the pressure doors fruitlessly. " What the hell going on Lasky ?" thought Palmer.
"Banging on the door isn't going to help commander." scoffed DeMarco behind her. In the training arena were a dozen Spartans in blue jumpsuits along with a few marines in combat form. Some of the people in the room were talking to each other, others were placing around the gym wondering what was going on and the rest were sitting down on the benches. Hoya and Anyton were tapping on communication terminal looking for a channel. Throne and Grant were in a corner patiently standing.
It has been an hour since the ship mysteriously locked down , the crew assure it was another lockdown drill but channels to the bridge was cut off mysteriously. No one knows how.
" It is just me or something tell me there is a wave of bad feeling about this." groaned Palmer with a inpatient tone. " You cannot tell me you have trouble getting to the captain ? "
" No Commander nothing on the bridge." reported DeMarco turning away from the terminal " Nothing but absolute silence."
" That obvious , could be another training run or a drill." added Grant brushing hair off her face.
" We don't know that Grant." scoffed Palmer before turning to the flat screen hoping Lasky would make something up on the camera.
Suddenly the screen on the wall came to life with the live footage of Captain Lasky cuffed behind his back sitting on the chair. Next to the captain was the assailant in an ODST armor and uniform along with a blue bandana with the COG insignia.
" Hello Infinity." sneered the man on the screen putting a gun infront the Captain as Marcus grabbed the back of the neck of Lasky and revealing his brutality work.
" Oh my god." gasped Palmer with shock and horror as the reaction came insight of Lasky as a hostage. The entire room exploded with confusion and shouts as the rest of the crew gathered around at the screen.
" Lasky! No! No! NO!" cried Palmer at the screen " Lasky !"
Lasky beaten so badly; his face was covered with bruises, blood and cuts. Streams of blood and sweat made a mess in the uniform. Lasky's left eye was largely swollen purple and red. His nose was bleeding and his mouth was bloody. His shoulder was bleeding from a gunshot wound.
" I am here to deliver all of you onboard. A message." growled the ODST then place a knife around Lasky's neck. The video broadcasted across the ship. Every personal, soldier and Spartan watched on the screen to see their bruised Captain at the mercy of the rogue ODST.
" Holy shit." gasped Throne rose from his seat.
" What the hell ?" asked Madsen with shock.
Palmer placed her hand on her mouth as a tear formed on her eyes. The rest of fire team majestic even looked horrified at the sight of their beaten Captain and they revealed they were helpless to take action. The man on the screen began to speak.
" Listen up motherfuckers." growled the rogue ODST " I locked the entire ship down and I have your captain. We are on our way to Sangehilios and we going kill every one of them. You and me." point the handgun at the screen.
The man gave a dark chuckle " That right, we going blow the shit out of Sangehilios ; we aren't stopping until we turn this place into a park lot and everyone on it dead. Every last one of them" The man leaned closer to the screen "If you try to stop me. I am going blow the bridge up and the entire ship. He showed his makeshift bomb vest to the camera and held the detonator in the other hand.
" I am in charge." laughed the man with a sick sneer on his face. " I am in charge on this ship. I am the captain now."
" Let me tell you something. This dumbass here thinks he is special. What to be fucking enthusiastic and do a lot of sympathy shit." mocked the man pointing a finger at Lasky before pull the chair for space. " I just tell him that the most stupidest shit I heard."
" God dam Marcus." growled Lasky " Leave my crew and people out of this. You cannot change the way I see things. This is between you and me.
" Right." scoffed Marcus " Well then , because I am better than you." Marcus swing a brutal punch into Lasky's face. Blood spilt as Marcus's fist collided into Lasky's bloody nose . Palmer turned away from the glorified sight with her hand covering her mouth and DeMarco stood there with his mouth open.
Turning the screen " They fucking burn down my home, my family and everyone. I burn theirs," shouted Marcus.
" I can fight for them. I can kill every single covie. They are not human beings. They are fucking animals," shouted Marcus slamming a kick into Lasky's stomach and the Captain groaned from the impact exploded in his gut. " You are not a soldier." reattributed Lasky " You are not one of us. You are a dam psychopath." Marcus paused and stared at the breathing Captain catching his breath from the hellish torture the rogue soldier was giving him.
" That guy a fucking animal." snarled Hoya " He killing Lasky."
" Stop it ! " screamed Palmer as Grant and DeMarco held her back.
" You are so right Lasky." Then Marcus slammed his foot against Lasky's stomach and Lasky fell down the ground coughing with blood. " Yeah." cheered Marcus with triumph turning to the screen camera. " I am in charge now". With a sicken grin, Palmer had never seen.
" You going help me kill every single covic on Sangehilios or I will kill the captain myself." growled Marcus. " Sergeant Fenix out. FUCK YOU Infinity." before he fired on the screen killing the broadcast. The entire crowd looked at Palmer.
" What the hell are we going to do ?" asked Throne.
Palmer took a deep breath from her rage. " We going get the hell to the armory , armored up and we going kill that sick son of a bitch." said Palmer with vengeance in her eyes.
Meanwhile , the Master Chief and blue team saw everything on the wall screen of Lasky heavily tortured as the completely insane ODST beating the crap of the captain. His fist squeezed tight around the assault rifle.
" I am not going let this stand." growled the Chief as his anger slowly rose from inside. " We going stop this now. We don't have much time."
Bridge
" God dam ! " shouted Roland from the holotable. " I did everything you ask. Stop, you are killing him."
" Fuck Yeah." sneered Marcus before he injected a syringe of drugs in his neck while he had his foot on Lasky's neck before Lasky past out. The word escape from Marcus's mouth send a chill down to the AI and it was the voice of a mass murder psychopath.
" Marcus ? " called out a voice. Marcus froze in shock as slowly turned to face the person who was dead a long time ago. Dominic Santiago.
" Dom ? "
" Marcus."
Dom was in his COG armor with his beard standing there behind a group of screens. His face looks sad but concerned.
" Marcus what the hell are you doing ? " asked Dom raising his arms slowly. " Stop Marcus , this isn't you."
" You are fucking dead ! Dom " roared Marcus raising the assault rifle with a myriad of emotions of seeing his deceased friend who die saving his ass and the rest of the delta in Mercy. He swore it was his hallucination despite the grief and anger inside of him for years.
" Marcus." said Dom " It dam wrong , I didn't have a choice and I am sorry for what I did. I only did it to save your ass."
" Save my ass just to win the war for you ? We are in this together! "screamed Marcus pointing a finger " You left me , you didn't care about me and you weren't there ! You are my brother."
" Yes we are Marcus , you won the war for all of us. Cole , Baird and Anya – "
" Don't you say her name ! " screamed Marcus emotionally raising the assault rifle. Dom jumped back in shock and took a step back,
" What the hell wrong with you Marcus ? " Shouted Dom. "Why are you doing this ? Is this what I want? I did to save you."
" What wrong with me ? " roared Marcus waving the assault rifle in his hand. " You die right in front me ! All for what to be with Maria ? I got nothing Dom. I hope you are having a happy moment because everyone is gone and I am still here. I am doing this for Anya , Cole , Baird and everyone . I am going to kill every single Covie today and I am not stopping until they are all dead."
Words hit Dom hard. Dom was beyond shock as Marcus raised the gun towards him like a mad man. " Is this what you want ? Rip my heart out ? Dom they are gone. Anya is gone too. Rip it out Dom."
" Stop this Marcus !" shouted Dom loudly like a general ordering his troops around. " Marcus please." Dom plead but Marcus keep the assault rifle in place
" Rip it out ! I don't need it , I got nothing ! Nothing ! This fucking war is all for Nothing. Nothing !" screamed Marcus through tears " I can't live like this. Now the locust and the covenant "
" Oh you really did for me Dom." Marcus blamed and his volume echoed across the bridge "You really did it for me, Buddy! You really did it! Oh, yes you did! I'm nothing now, Rick! NOTHING! I've got nothing, Dom! No friends! No fucking family! No respect! No life! Sera! This God-forsaken world of shit! There's nothing for me here Dom! Nothing! I thought I could make it... I thought I could hold out. Until they came and destroy fucking everything." throwing his arms down.
Angry tears continue to pour down on Marcus's face from the explosion of insanity, grief and angry.
" I am sorry Marcus. Stop this Marcus. Don't do this Marcus " plead Dom hoping Marcus regain his humanity to stop the madness but Marcus cut him off. " I can't live like this." finished Marcus ready the assault rifle. " This is the only way. This wasn't supposed to be like this when you come back. You weren't meant to live."
" We suffered together! We are brothers for god sake." pleads Dom." What about the brother I love and I –"
"Thought it would end like this huh Dom. You are dead. " shouted Marcus without hesitation Marcus fired his entire assault rifle. 7.62mms slammed into a set of screen on his left. Marcus roared with fury as the bullets shattered a set of screens into bits of parts, glass and metal. Bullet casing dropped into the floor.
Marcus lowered the assault rifle and rumbled his eyes only to see a console exploding with small bits of sparks and a screen collapsed on its own. Embarrassed by from his hallucination, Marcus turned to see an unconscious Lasky on the ground and then the silence of in the bridge.
Torn by his grief and his lust for revenge , Marcus choked down with tear and sobbed silently as he dropped on his knees with shame.
Flashback
Kashkur city
" Holy shit! " shouted Marcus as the squad rushed out of the building's exit as a gigantic beam of green vaporized a trail of destruction across the street. The scarab fired its main cannon and the plasma beam vaporized an entire street with seconds. " How the hell did they get one of those things ? " shouted Cole " Bigger than my mommy's ass
" Shit there is no way we can take that thing on." shouted Marcus as he fired a burst of lancer fire on the infantry aboard the scarab. An Unggoy gunner manning the plasma cannon fired a trail of blue tracers at the fleeing survivors.
" We going to need a big fucking gun." shouted Sam as she spin around then level the sniper rifle and blew the gunner's head off.
Marcus roared with fury with the lancer firing a stream of orange at the scarab. The scarab spitlt a fierce
Delta squad rushed through the ruins of the city with other survivors trying to flee the Covenant attack. Banshees dive bomb from the skies firing their pulse plasma cannons into the fleeing COG soldiers.
" Run !" shouted Marcus as his squad spirited across the ruined city park as the scarab slowly stomping its way towards the district. It mechanical purple legs smashed buildings into rumble and kinetic shockwaves from the crushing feet shock the ground even knocking down debris or survivors to the ground.
On the platform were Kig-yar snipers and Unggoy gunners manning the plasma cannons and a General Sangheili was ordering a group of Unggoy manning the mortars to fire. Two Unggoy in the open platform were armed a mortar. The unggoy barked a command and the unggoy pull the pin on the Covenant reversed mortar. The artillery mortar fired an artillery plasma canister high in the air before scattering a droplet of blue then quickly rain down on the ground exploding a mist of bright blue.
" They got mortars ! Don't let them touch you." shouted Marcus ignoring the massive explosions and the screams of banshees in the air. Marcus spirited toward a truck overturned with crates scattered around. The squad side beside the truck one by one.
Anya turned to her squad ; all of them covered with sweat , dirt and smote but looking weary and sharp. Marcus peek to see the scarab halting it's advance ; the scarab was cooling down it's weaponry and the infantry on top trying to reload their weaponry. Marcus put out the hammer of dawn targeting laser and aim it at the scarab.
The orange fluorescent rays of light came smashing down on the scarab with unexpected ease. The behemoth roared with pain as the armor gave in overwhelming thrust of orange from the skies. The scarab gave a final roar as the Scarab emblazed into a fierce fireball of orange , blue and purple. The emblazed shockwave n catches covenant infantry in its clouds of flames. Covenant troop quickly running away from the destruction of the scarab as it collapsed in a blaze of pieces.
The burning mechanical corpse now laying on the ground with chunks of debris and rumble. Marcus breathes with relief along with the rest of the squad. " Nice one baby." cheered Cole. "Another way, to burn that kind of big purple bitch down."
" Yeah, now we get the hell out of here. They will be back to kill us" Marcus said boldly watching the burning scarab and the wall of flames across the district halting the covenant advance.
" Incoming you guys, another load of purple dicks 11 o clock." shouted Sam " They are piss about breaking their toy. Good riddance."
A pair of phantom dropships fired down a rain of plasma at Delta's position. Marcus and the others duck as hot streams pounding their position.
" Spread out ! " shouted Marcus barked a chain of orders . " Anya with me , Cole suppressing fire. Sam and Baird take the left and draw their fire away from us and the other survivors. " Better pick up some covie weapons , they sure better than ours."
Anya switched for her lancer for a plasma carbine, Marcus switch for a plasma repeater carbine he just picked up and Cole ready the fuel rod cannon. "Get ready then run. We make a run for it."
" Now !" shouted Marcus as he squeezed trigger on the plasma repeater and the two repeat the same. Plasma bolts sizzled into the hull of the phantom. Cole unleashed another bolt from the fuel rod only to disabled the plasma cannon. The two phantoms dropped squads of Sangheili and grunts into the battlefield. Elites were armed with heavy artillery , energy swords and plasma repeaters . Unggoy were armed with fuel rod cannons , plasma pistols and plasma Grenada launchers. Kig yar armed with shields, needlers, and carbines.
The covenant troops engaged Delta in a full force with guns blazing. An Elite was sniped in the head , another Kig Yar was gunned down. Several covenant soldiers cut down by Delta's small arms fire. Marcus and the three raced towards Baird and Sam's position inside a ruined lobby.
" Covering ! " shouted Baird firing his guns at the Covenant shock troops. Rose from cover , Sam dropped down a Sangheili officer with the concussion rifle. " Baird on your-" Sam didn't finished when a purple pulse came from above and entered into Sam's eye.
The pulse burned right through Sam's eye and exit from the back of her skull. It happened so fast as Sam fall on her back from sniper fire. Her longshot rifle landed on the ground. Baird saw it happen in front of him barely enough time to scream for Sam. Sam collapsed as she fell on the floor dead.
" NOOOO! Sam ! "screamed Baird with shock. Baird screamed with grief and agony of his fallen friend turning the lancer at the source of Sam's killer. The Field Marshal inside the phantom with the needle rifle. Baird spit bullets from what is left of his assault lancer along with Marcus and the others focusing their reminding firepower on the retreated phantom. Baird screamed on top of his lungs banging the floor with his fist until they bled before wrapped his arms around Sam's lifeless body.
" FUCK." shouted Cole.
" Sam." cried Anya kneeing down on her fallen friend with her hand on Sam's lifeless body. The rest of Delta squad gathered around their fallen friend. Baird hugged Sam's body around his arms and sinking his face down on her shoulders sobbing loudly. Ignored the outside of plasma fire and explosions did not help with their grief.
" Fucking God dam it ! " cursed Marcus firing a burst of bullets in a direction.
Marcus lowered his head , Anya shed a tear and Cole hammered his fist into the wall in grief. " They killed Sam." shouted Baird in tears then screaming with agony. Baird tried to attempted to vault over the broken wall but Marcus tackle him to the ground holding him Baird as he screamed curses at the covie.
" Baird shut up. Sam dead and we need you." screamed Marcus before throwing a hard punch on Baird's face. Cole pulls Marcus off Baird as he remind so catatonic at Sam's corpse laying on the ground.
Baird wiped tears off his face before closing Sam's eyes then removed her dogtag. " Let move Delta," said Marcus with a hint of mourning. "Sam." said Marcus to the body.
The squad peeked from the ruined structure to see a dozen more phantoms and spirit dropships deploying Wraiths , ghost and a Spectre along with infantry reinforcements.
" You dam Covie bitchs! You Mother fucker." shouted an enraged Cole fired streams of lancer rounds at charging covenant soldiers. "" You like it . This is for Sam motherfuckers !"
A Elite on the spectre gun fired a stream of plasma bullets at the barely standing building and gunners on Wriaths fired a stream of concreted plas-rounds into the side of the building. Delta ducked down from the barrage of plasma bolts.
" Go! we can't stay here." yelled Anya " Baird we have to go now."
Baird stared at Anya with tears pouring down on her face " Hell No , I am not leave Sam behind." He flinch as a fuel rod round already impacted the side of the wall with a bang delivering a shockwave and cloud of dust in the air .
Cole and Marcus primed smoke grenade and threw them out of the broken window. The smoke grenade spilt out a cloud of grey smoke camouflaging the group's escape. The frustrated Covenant quickly focuses their firepower on the ruined building.
Meanwhile on the Covenant front lines. Thel watched on his screen from his command scarab. He witnessed the savage humans used some kind of laser bombardment that took down and devastated the Scarab. Thanks to the fallen scarab , ground troops were halted for a moment. Thel was furious for the moment, but on the bright side , the human defensive were overwhelmed and his army was close to victory.
Further his attempt to crush the human resistance at any extreme measure , he send a command to his fleet deploy ships into the battle and give the order to glass the city. Then he ordered a squadron to destroy the hammer of dawn satellites.
Marcus turned and fired a burst into a kig yar and an unggoy on his left as he lead the squad out of the battered streets. He saw a packwagon intact with a civilian shot in the head. " In here ! We got ourselves wheels."
Cole was the first to enter into the back of the truck and pulled Baird carrying Sam's corpse.
" We going to Anvil Gate. Oh shit." shouted Marcus as a squadron of Banshees appeared on his left firing a trail of pulse in mid air. Marcus and the other ducked from the incoming plasma fire. Then Marcus quickly entered into the driver seat and he starts the engine. " Cole ! Cover us with the machine gun ! I reload." called out Anya.
" We getting out of here." shouted Marcus as he smashed his foot on the accelerator
The packwagon rumbled forward , wheel spin and spiting mud and dirt as it plowed through the war torn streets.
" Oh shit , big bitch ass come on our 6." shouted Cole " Put the pain on them baby. Say hello to my little friend. FOR SAM ! BITCHES !" squeezing the trigger on the vulture cannon . Horde of rounds hammered into the nearest banshee who went down into flaming wreckage. Cole was blazing down banshees one by one until three spectre with gunners firing plasma rounds on the fleeing squad. Followed by ghost and choppers and a dozen drones who fired their weapons.
Cole and Anya ducked as the plasma sweep overhead. " Baird ! " called out Anya to turned to Baird who remained catatonic as he held Sam's corpse on his arms. He was complete beyond devastated and his sarcastic personality replaced with despair, frenzied cold, guilt, and the mixture of deep sadness.
" Do something Damon ! " shouted Cole " WE getting our ass chew man ! " but Baird just ignored them and stared at Sam's corpse remaining dead silence.
" Baird ! Please ! FUCK. " shouted Anya as she flinched from a plasma bolt zoom past her missing her face. Dropping the ammo pack , Anya switch to her subpistol , clipping a drone by the wing and another drone in the head. Cole was blazing down the ghost and chopper vehicles who fell prey to the intense firepower machine gun.
" The covies are dam good." groaned Cole " If you get your ass back into the fight Baird."
" Marcus. Drive faster ! "Shouted Anya. Cole was firing
" I am trying ! OH FUCK" shouted Marcus as a phantom flew overhead firing it's main cannons raining plasma fire on the road. Marcus twist the wheel as the packwagon turned into another road , Marcus narrowed his eyes to see a blockage of vehicles consider of Wraiths , specters , ghost , choppers and stationary guns guarding a bridge.
Hunters pairs took position and ready their weapons and shield, Brutes , Elites , Jackals and Grunts did the same. A phantom hovering over the blockage level's it cannons. A heavy unggoy leveled his plasma launcher , a Sangheili operated a plasma turret and a pair Jiralhanae ready their bruteshot and a rocket launcher.
" Delta you all better duck. It going to dam hot ! Brace for impact ! " shouted Marcus. Cole and Anya ducked down and covered their heads in the trunk
Marcus sticks the targeting laser from the open window; ignoring the plasma bolts flying towards the truck and he aimed at the nearest target the phantom. With a tight squeezed on the trigger as the laser locked on the phantom. Narrowing his eyes and the determination of getting his squad out of the city succeed. A beam of orange came down on the phantom from the sky then detonated in a cloud of fire. In a split second , the laser blast a gap into the blockage and vaporized the Covenant tanks and troops instantly.
Out of the flames came the packwagon , the packwagon with the remaining squad members of delta escaped across the highway. The packwagon drove to safety on the road while the Covenant warships were finishing off the rest of the city.
The escape from the Covenant offensive was a relief but full of raw emotions exposed from the lose of their friends and everything they try to rebuild gone.
Marcus slowly drove the packwagon up the hill and the vehicle reaches an abandon gas station. Marcus stepped out of the truck. Cole and Anya stepped off the flatbed truck leaving a mournful Baird and the body of their friend. Marcus was at the railing fence staring at the besiege city as he watch the covenant ships gathered in the skies. Anya joined Marcus while Cole stood guard behind the truck. The whole squad was deeply silence.
Hordes of Phantoms , Banshee fighters and Spirit dropships hovering in the air and flying as they await the Covenant navy of all sizes came to their bombardment positions.
They watch as the Covenant warships actived their ironic beam cannons and ready to fire into the hulking ruins of Kashkur . Super carriers , crusiers assault ships , frigates , destroyers and Corvettes along with a battleship shoot beams of bright plasma into the city at the same time. A squad of phantoms flew overhead of the burning city.
Beams of plasma converted the ground into molten glass , buildings crushed and melt down , survivors vaporized alive from the plasma fire and flames spreading uncontrollably as the biosphere destruction continued on. Some of the ships from the covenant were shooting lasers on the move.
Over the horizon , purple and blue explosions peppered the area as the city landscape transformed into the sea of bright blue.
Marcus was completely in a face palm , he hated when he lost friends and family to the war and now he witness the Covenant glassing everything in their warpath.
Marcus's fist tighten and he saw the destroyed look on Anya's face as she dropped on her knees in sight of the horrific fate she just witnessed . The Covenant was destroying everything and accomplishing the goal of the Locust horde of humanity extermination. Now they were force to suffer the same fate being glass alive. Rebuilding Sera was all for nothing when the Covenant came.
Anya had tears pouring down on her face as Marcus wrapped his arms around his lover-crying softy. Cole lowered his head down and Baird just watch from the truck with sadness.
They were just witnessing the fall of Sera. This is the end.