Marines and Elites

Chapter 21: Explosions are Awesome

Thirty minutes after Chapter 20

Marines

"So…" Ed asked. "What are you doing?"

"Making bombs." Thomas replied.

"Really? What kind."

"Cherry bombs."

"Ha ha. Seriously."

"Grenades, C16 and pipe bombs."

"Huh."

They were in the living room of the base, where the television and microwave were. The base had a startling resemblance to the interior of a house once one got in it. This was mostly because the residents who lived there had famous ancestors and the fact that they were to reside in the base permanently.

"So why are you making explosives when we're not attacking the Elites?"

"Because I'm bored already."

"Seriously? You've only been here for half an hour."

"That's long enough to bore some people."

"Technically, you don't classify as a person."

"Shut up." Thomas grumbled.

"So this is your hobby. Making explosives."

"Actually, my hobby is playing video games and killing people, but I can't do either of those things here."

Ed stared at him. "Killing people?"

"Dude, I'm a military bot. Killing people is what I do."

"Good point." He gestured to the bombs. "Where do you get the stuff to make these thing from?"

"Well, most of the bombs you see here I just got from my chest compartment."

"…Those are too many bombs to fit into your gut."

"It's complicated."

"I'm assuming that you also got the ingredients for the bombs in there as well."

"Yup."

"And where do you get those?"

"I buy them from the black market." Thomas replied. "You'd be surprised at what they have down there."

"I thought they just sold human organs to other people." Ed mused.

"Eh. Most of that comes from animals. And I'm pretty sure that the other thirty percent is Play-Doh. I mean, who in their right minds would agree for someone to cut out their liver?"

"What's Play-Doh?" Ed asked.

Thomas blinked. "Oh, right. The factory shut down three centuries ago." He shook his head. "Well anyway, most of the black market sells drugs, guns and illegal booze. Which for some reason isn't actually illegal in most countries."

"You know a lot about it."

"I'm a space criminal."

"Yeah, but still. This is the human black market we're talking about."

"Well, I spent some time down there as well."

"Do the black markets differ from galaxy to galaxy?"

"Not really. It's the same bunch of mafia bosses, gangsters, psychopaths and morons selling illegal stuff. The only real difference is the technology available."

Ed digested this. Then his attention turned back to the explosives. "So what's that thing?" He asked, pointing to a spherical, grey object.

"Type 36 Anti-Dimension grenade." Thomas responded. "If it works, then it sends the poor guy to an alternate universe. Usually though, it just beeps twice and stops working."

"…Huh. What about that?" Ed pointed to a yellow square-thing with red stripes.

"Plastic explosive. Composition Z-50, I think." Thomas looked at it. "Nope. Composition T-50."

"Is that bad?"

"Let me put it to you this way: It makes C-4 look like a nuclear explosion."

"So… not bad?"

"Incredibly ineffective."

"I'm still having a hard time believing that our newest squad member is an alien robot." William commented, looking at the drop pod.

Howard, who was with him, shrugged. "My family has gotten used to the weird, unexplainable and impossible. Although, ever since we got sent here, we've been getting less and less of that…"

"Is the weird, unexplainable and impossible good?"

"Some of it is stereotypical alien invasion with no purpose or meaning and some of it resembles daily life. A lot of it has technology way beyond ours."

"What, like the Covenant has?"

"The Covenant is an excellent example. They may be trying to kill us, but they've been alive for about as long as we have and they've already developed anti-gravity."

"Still… Thomas strikes me as one of those robots from those really bad, really inaccurate TV shows from the seventies."

"Thomas says he gets a lot of that."

"I find it hard to believe that he has better technology than us."

Howard pulled off a shotgun off the drop pod. "Trust me, he does."

"What does he have?"

"Well, his arm can transform into a plasma cannon and the door on his chest leads to an alternate dimension. Do I need to continue?"

"…No."

"Good. Because I don't know the full extent of Thomas's abilities."

"...How did you meet him?" William asked. "Like, when did your family meet him?"

Howard frowned, thinking. "Can't say I know every detail, but I do know that Thomas had crashed to Earth with Alex and had simply meet our ancestors through a series of misunderstandings."

"Who's this Alex guy?"

Howard sighed, pulling the last gun out of the pod. "You know how the Covenant are aliens, right?"

"Yeah?"

"So is Alex."

"Wait, Alex is part of the Covenant?!"

"No, as in he's an alien as well."

"Oh." William said, calming down. "What kind?"

"He comes from a race of beings called the 'Shades'." Howard replied.

"…That's not very original."

Howard shrugged. "It works. Anyway, he used to live in an alternate universe that was apparently the 'first' universe. I don't understand it, and Alex won't explain properly… But it was a world of constant warfare. His universe was split into three armies: Cold, Heat and Hell.

"Everything went along fine until one of the Shades, someone called Maleviolent, rebelled and almost destroyed Alex's universe. Then, through some process that Alex refuses to explain, a new universe was created and everyone fled there.

"Maleviolent followed, but it turns out that they tricked him into coming. When he entered the universe, they closed some portal and everyone scattered. So, Maleviolent now wants to completely destroy the universe, because he just wants to."

William digested this. "Wow. That's a lot to happen."

"Yeah."

"And your ancestors fought a guy who almost destroyed a universe and won?"

"Yes. Well, Thomas helped."

"What's Thomas's past? Does he have some sort of kick-ass backstory?"

"No, he was just a space criminal."

Elites

"So why does he want me in his office?" Miara asked.

Repora shrugged. "I dunno. That's Atar's mind."

"I'm not in trouble, am I?"

"Don't think so. Why?"

"Because I did flirt with Tracer almost immediately after I got here."

"Eh… He shouldn't care too much. Why'd you flirt with him though?"

"That's my business. And you should know. Don't you look up their background files?"

"Can't read."

"You don't know how to read?" Miara said incredulously.

"Yeah, I never went to school."

"Why exactly are you even in the army?"

POOF

"Don't tell her that you're insane." Heaven said. "We don't want to make a bad impression."

"I'm completely insane!" Repora said happily. "I'm a murderer and I talk to the voices in my head!"

"Goddammit Repora." Heaven muttered.

Miara stared at him.

"Oh, did you know that explosions are awesome? I mean, what is better to look at than a grenade blowing up on some random bystander, filling the air with blood and guts and appendages and-"

"Hey, go stand over there." Miara said quickly, pointing to the back door.

Repora retreated a bit.

"Little more."

Repora flew backwards and out the door.

Miara blinked, then decided that she didn't want to know. Reaching Atar's office, she entered.

Inside, Atar was glaring at her as if she had done something to offend him.

"Sir?" Miara asked.

"Sit." Atar commanded.

Miara looked around. "Sir, there aren't any chairs."

"Hey!" Atar snapped. "No insubordination!"

"Insub- Sir, I asked a question!"

"Exactly! One does not question their superiors! No matter what!"

"But-"

"No buts! Sit!"

Miara, seeing no alternative, sat on the floor.

"Oi! Don't be smart!"

Miara gave him a blank stare. "What."

"I told you to sit! I meant in a chair! Why would I want you to-?"

"Sir," Miara interrupted, standing up again. "Is this about my brother?"

"What?"

"Are you doing this to me because of my brother?"

Atar grumbled. "You know what they say. The Eriew fruit doesn't fall far from the tree."

Miara had dealt with this sort of reaction before for years. Her response was always the same.

"You'd think that, sir." Miara said. "But I'm nothing like my brother. Yes, I have a rebellious streak, but I am nothing like Utarz."

"Prove it."

"I severed all contact with him twenty years ago."

"What's your rank?"

"…Minor. But that's only because I insist on using my flamethrower."

"And why is that?"

"I'm a minor pyromaniac."

"Ah. Favourite colour?"

"Yellow." Miara replied, not seeing what that had to do with anything.

"Medals of honour?"

"Only one sir."

"Good."

"Good?"

"Yup. If you were anything like Utarz, then you would have zero medals of honour."

"So… we're good?"

"Affirmative."

Good. Miara thought.

"Now onto my next question."

Crap. Miara groaned mentally.

"Why did you flirt with Tracer?" Atar asked.

This was an easy question. "He's brave."

"Brave? I think you've came to the wrong Covenant squad."

"No. He's Trac 'Erosdee, right?"

"Well, yes, but the soldier's a coward. He can't see anything without jumping in fright. On top of that, he's obsessed with being precise."

"Those are the after effects of an incident prior to his transferring to the 800 Squad."

"You mean the General 'Labokomee incident?"

"Yes."

"I don't see how that would have that kind of effect on Tracer."

"Tracer was supposed to be 'Labokomee's bodyguard."

"So?"

"I believe that certain events took place. Besides, I still know that he's very brave underneath."

"If you say so. But prepare to be sourly disappointed."

"I can't believe that of all the females in the world, I get my sister." Utarz complained.

"Uh huh." Tracer replied, only listening slightly.

They were outside the base, looking up to the spire.

"I wanted a smoking hot babe, not Miss Queen of Bitchyness."

"Mm hm." Tracer's mind was still on Miara, but he got the vague feeling that Utarz was complaining about her.

"I mean, it's not like there aren't other females in the army."

"Not sure I agree with that." Tracer said, having listened in on that part.

Ignoring him, Utarz continued. "One of them could have easily just came here, I mean, girls are weak."

Tracer sighed, deciding to ignore Utarz and focus on Miara.

"We would have made such a good couple!"

"Yeah." Tracer thought about Miara. No female had ever opened up to him that freely. For that matter, no female had ever approached him on personal matters.

"We would have talked, and kissed, and fucked and stuff."

"Of course." Why did Miara take an interest in him? What did he have to offer? Tracer was just this lower-class citizen and soldier most well-known for a colossal failure on his part.

"But instead, I get my sister. Just my luck, when I thought I'd finally gotten rid of her."

"Uh huh." It wasn't as if he was upset or annoyed at her. She was a rather pretty female. He just couldn't see how she could possibly like him.

"And stay away from my sister by the way." Utarz added.

"Mm hm." What Utarz said didn't actually register until a few seconds after. Then he said, "Wait, what?"

"You heard; stay away from my sister!"

Tracer tried to place together what Utarz was saying previously to what he was saying now. It didn't add up. "I'm sorry, what?"

"My sister." Utarz said slowly. "Stay away. Arse. Up yours."

"So let me get this straight." Tracer said, annoyed. "First, you're complaining about how much you dislike your sister and then you're threatening me to stay away from her?"

"Dude, she may be a total bitch, but she's still my sister. So stay away from her."

"You're going to have to take that matter up with her." Tracer replied.

"Do I look like I have a death wish? Miara hates it when I interfere with her personal life. The only thing more painful is whatever Repora can dream up."

"That's not saying much."

"…You realise that Repora's a convicted serial killer, right?"

"What?"

"Yeah, he killed a lot of guys back on Sangheilos. Including," He raised his voice so he could be heard on the other side of the base. "MY FOURTH GIRLFRIEND!"

"IF SHE INSULTS MY FAMILY, THEN SHE DIES!" Repora roared back.

"WELL YOU CAN'T PRETEND THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT COMING!" Utarz shouted. "I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE ANYONE LIKED THEM!"

"THAT'S IT!" Repora appeared from the top of the base. "YOU DIE!"

Utarz, realising that he was in trouble now, ran off in the direction of his Ghost. Repora jumped down and started firing shots at him. Tracer stared at them as Utarz got into his Ghost.

"My point still stands Tracer!" Utarz yelled. "Stay away from my sister!" Then he zoomed off.

Tracer sighed as he watched the usual chasing game fold out. He wasn't scared of Utarz. Nothing Utarz could do would remotely hurt him. So he could get as close to Miara as he liked.

…Where did that thought come from?

Author's notes

I apologise for the lateness of this. I was playing Pokémon Y.

First off, the Eriew fruit is just something I made up, since I'm pretty sure that Sangheilos doesn't have apples.

Secondly, I may take a temporary break from Marines and Elites. Why, you ask? Because I'm more used to making these chapters during school time, and I'm on holiday. And also, I want to work on a separate Fanfic, my third one. What is it gonna be about? Well, you'll find out.

However, I might just continue writing this regardless. I dunno. I guess you'll find out next week.

Thanks for watching.

Potato.