I don't own Halo, Bungie does. I only own the characters, excluding those mentioned in any game, book or comic copyrighted by Bungie or 343 Industries or Microsoft.
Also, if you feel compelled, I have opened up a twitter account for my FanFiction stuff. E_J_C_Graves
October 22, 2552 (Military Calendar)
04:00 Hours, Earth Time
Orbital Drop Shock Troopers
72nd Company
Squad 849
Location: UNSC Marine Outpost 551, Northeast Africa
25 Miles from Voi, Kenya
Motor Pool
Long Road To Ruin
Sergeant Eric Segraves stood at the entrance to the motor pool looked around at the large grouping of vehicles ranging from transports to mobile artillery platforms. For just being an outpost, it sure had a huge garage that housed nearly every vehicle known to the UNSC Marine Corps. He reached up and gave a slight tug to his left shoulder pauldron, tightening the strap that held it in place. As his hand slid down the front of his armor, it knocked into something on a chain that clinked softly. He grasped the dog tags in a fist and held them for a moment and then released them. He reminded himself that she would have wanted him to stay on task until his mission was complete.
He glanced to his left as he heard the soft rustling of fabric. Coming up the hall to the entrance was the reporter, Ms. Carla Bennett, long hair fluttering in her wake. She had an air around her that moved people out of her way without her saying a word. This was obviously not a pleasure visit. She stepped up next to him and looked out into the motor pool. "It's a lot of vehicles for one man to command, especially since he's never been stationed in an armored division before. Word has it that you're leading a suicide mission."
He nodded and responded without looking at her, still taking in the huge array of vehicles in front of him, "That may be so, but I have a feeling that you're not coming to warn me of gossip, Ms. Bennett. So, if I may ask, why have you come here?" She kept her eyes forward like him when she replied, "Well if this suicide mission goes through successfully, then I want to be there to document it's every step, especially on the first day." He turned to face her. "No, I do not want any more civilians to go on this trip then there needs to be. You're staying here, Ma'am."
A sly smile crept to the edge of her mouth as she turned to face him. "I figured that you would put up a convincing fight, so I took the precaution to approach the Major about this last night and he gave me the go ahead. So, like it or not, you're stuck with me. And if you're worried about me getting hit by a stray plasma bolt, the major gave me a set of armor from a soldier who no longer needed it. Apparently the soldier made the mistake of attempting to mess with an ODST last night and can't walk as of the current moment. So really, there is no point in arguing." Eric stared her down and jabbed a finger at her. "Ok, I'll allow you to come along, but if you become a problem, I will not hesitate to shoot you in the leg to get you sent back here. Are you armed?" When the reporter shook her head, he pulled a pistol out of a hip pocket and handed it to her along with spare clips. "This is an M6G Personal Defense System. It fires a twelve point five millimeter round and is accurate to from close to medium ranges in the hands of a skilled user. There are eight rounds per magazine. It will link up with your armor's helmet system to present a reticle, but it is basically point and shoot. I think you can surmise who this pistol formerly belonged to, Ma'am. I'm telling you now, that if you lose this gun, I will shoot you myself. If you shoot it when I tell you not to, I will shoot you myself. If you shoot a friendly, I will shoot you myself. But if you do shoot a baddie when I say you can, you will have a seat on a ride home. Use it wisely, Ms. Bennett, I'll make sure that you're riding with my squad. Go ahead and meet up with them at the south end of the garage."
Once again he grasped the dog tags around his neck as he walked to the front of the motor pool. He released them and cleared his throat before yelling, "Marines, assemble." In front of him, a group of one hundred marines formed in the aisle between all the vehicles lined up. "Marines, I am Sergeant Eric James Segraves, a member of the ODSTs. I will be leading this evacuation mission today. I do not expect you all to like me, nor do I expect all of you to respect me aside from my rank. What I do expect is to see the determination and willingness to obey that will be needed to live to tomorrow. Today we will be running an evac mission in hostile territory. Some of you say this is nothing short of suicide, and under most circumstances I would agree with you. But there is a reason that you have been picked for this mission and that is because you are marines. Command chose this mission to be run not from a Navy base, nor an Army base, but from specifically a Marine Base. Why, because we are the best of the best. We hold ourselves to a higher standard than them. While we may feel fear, we choose not to show it and this is what makes us great. You have all sworn an oath to protect Earth and her colonies and now the covies have reached earth, but there is one thing that they have not expected, us. They think that because they have won world after world that we are just going to roll over and let them take our last refuge without putting up a fight. Well I think today is a day to show them just how wrong they are. Move to your vehicles. I want there to be three warthogs to every terrapin and one of those three to be have a gauss gun. When we stop, I want the terrapins to be manned and defended as we move civilians into them and out of the city. Once a terrapin has been filled with at least fifteen people, I want it to head back to base as soon as it can with its escort, no questions asked. Once the civilians are secured here, you will receive orders for your next destination. That's how it will work. Now, Marines, if your vehicles are fueled up and ready to go, then get to it, we need to get into the city before day breaks. So, double time it, Marines!"
Immediately afterward, there was a hustle as marines sprinted to their vehicles and began to start them up. Segraves heard the growl of warthogs being started alongside the deep throaty roar of M20 Terrapin Armored Personnel Carriers spooling up. He made his way to the warthog he would be driving and clambered into the driver's seat and started it up after clipping his rifle into place on his back. The vehicle's weight shifted as Jason and Brandy hopped on. He glanced to his left and saw Carla Bennett climb into the passenger seat of the warthog next to his. He donned his helmet and brought up the road map that he would need. He nodded to the marine standing at the gate, who pushed the button to lower it. Once the gate was down, he led the convoy out of it and onto the highway heading to the city that had brought him nothing but pain and loss. He sighed and grasped the dog tags around his neck, knowing that there was a busy day ahead of him.
*\\\\\*/*
Dawn was fast approaching as the convoy entered the city. Eric kept a wary eye on the covenant ships above the skyline. The Prophet of Truth's fleet had hauled into system just hours after Regret's had quickly been dispatched. The ground forces, mostly brute led had taken refuge in what was left of the sprawling metropolis. If any refugees were left in the city, then they needed evacuation fast, and that was the convoy's job. According to the instructions that he had been given, there were nineteen key areas that any surviving refugees were ordered to go to. He had chosen his part of the convoy to begin with the sector farthest from the highway and then eventually work his way toward the center of the city. There were two terrapins and six warthogs under his direct control as well as eight other terrapins and eighty four other warthogs reporting to him as they made their ways to the different areas in the city. He took a deep breath and focused more on the road ahead of him. He steered around abandoned cars and debris in the street as he zig-zagged around the city. There was a tap on his right shoulder and he glanced up at Brandy who was swinging the turret of the 'hog around to sweep the area. She nodded at him and asked on a private team comm channel, "Hey, why have we not seen any Covies yet?" Next to him Jason shrugged. "Beats me, but I wouldn't complain. As long as we get these civies out safely, that's all we need to worry about. As long as we drive around quietly, we shouldn't encounter that much resistance… Theoretically."
As if to counter his statement, the terrapin behind them ran over a car, releasing the loud screech of shearing metal that echoed down the street. Eric opened a new comm channel directly with the terrapin's driver. "Basher, let's keep it quiet, we don't want to spook any hostiles. Keep those treads on pavement." There was a moment before the response and finally the corporal driving the APC said, "Basher acknowledges. Keep it on the road." Switching back to TeamComm, he commented, "I'm not liking this at all. This entire city is occupied by hostiles, why have we not seen any? Halverson, keep on your toes up there." She nodded in response. He switched channels again, "All Squads, report. How is it going out there?"
One by one, drivers reported in. Only four squads had encountered resistance, and that was only light. "Something's not right, all squads, stay on high alert, if something that isn't human moves, shoot to kill." He drove down the street until he ran into a barrier of cars stacked across the road. He tapped the brakes and slowed to a stop in front of the makeshift roadblock. He hopped out of his seat and walked up to the barrier. Glancing over his shoulder he motioned for Halverson to stay on alert. "Jason, get in the driver seat, if we have to bug out, then we might as well get out as quick as possible. He looked over the wall of vehicles and saw that spayed across them was graffiti that said, Glass This! in bold yellow. Jason suddenly keyed into his headset, "Uh, Sir, I'm picking up a faint UNSC E-Band broadcast. I think it's coming from the building to the left." He looked up at the tall, skyscraper to the left and swallowed down the urge to call a retreat. Squad, dismount. Gunners, stay on those turrets and keep the position secure. Basher, keep that engine going." On command, the passengers and drivers of the warthogs and the five marines in the Terrapin dismounted and formed up around him, followed by Carla Bennett. "Corporal Broward, see if you can respond to that broadcast. Squad, we've received an E-Band broadcast coming from that building. We're going to check it for any civies who are possibly holed up in there. Acknowledged?" There was a series of nods and "Oohrahs" that followed as safeties clicked off rifles and submachine guns.
The group proceeded to make its way through a tiny gap in the wall of vehicles and stacked up at the door. "You two," Segraves began as he pointed out a private and corporal, "Private Hall and Corporal Alexander, take point and prepare to breach that door." There was a tap on his shoulder. He turned around as Jason depolarized his visor and said, "Sir I've isolated the signal and have encrypted it for two-way conversation. You can respond at any time." He nodded and keyed into the channel Jason had opened. "This is Sergeant Eric Segraves, UNSC Marines ODST, if you receive me, please respond. This is in response to the emergency band broadcast. Once again, please respond if able." Just a second later a static filled response came over the channel, "We receive you, Sergeant, if you are who you say you are, we are in need of assistance. We have brutes dropping down onto the roof and we have wounded and families up here. Please assist as fast as possible, we will open up the front doors for you remotely from here. Please hurry." He turned two the marines at the door, "Belay the door breach marines, Hall, you stay on point, we've got wounded several stories above and brutes coming down from the rooftops for them. Let's secure the building, Marines. Go." On cue, Private hall rounded through the open door, sweeping the dark interior with the flashlight mounted on his rifle. "Clear." The rest of the squad followed him in. Once the group made it to the center atrium, one of the marines walked over to the elevators. "Sergeant, looks like the lifts have still got power." Segraves moved up and hit the door button for one of the elevators. The door slid open to reveal a spacious elevator. He turned to face the private, who just shrugged and suggested, "Sir, it sure beats the stairs."