Location: New Mombasa, Kenya, East Africa, EARTH.
Timestamp: October 23rd 2552. 11:40 hours.
Unit ID: Corporal Jacob Matthews (Male, 25, 5'11"), Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, 7th Shock Troopers Battalion.
The enemy aircraft began its descent toward the platform, making life for the team just that much more unfortunate than it already was. The group sprinted for the door they entered through, but when they reached it, it wouldn't open. Although the power was now on, the sensor was busted. Martin jumped about in front of it, waving his arms around, but it was to no avail, as the doors remained shut.
There was an emergency opening lever to the right, about 35 feet away from the door. This lever had the power to override the system and open the door. The enemy drop ship began to leave a few brutes for them to deal with.
"Take cover! Behind whatever you can find!" David barked to the team, propping himself up against the wall, behind a large piece of equipment that had lights and switches on it, but the power in it was broken, so the lights weren't working. He began to provide some cover fire toward the general direction of the brutes for his team mates to find cover.
"We need to keep trying to get that door open!" Jacob called out. Each of them had found their separate pieces of cover, and had managed to keep the brutes back behind the wall they pinned them at with suppressive fire.
"I'll get on it!" David replied, now that his team mates were safer. He limped quickly toward the lever and pulled down on it. It was heavy and required about all of his strength he could spare, and both hands. The door opened up, but as soon as he let go to tell the others, it immediately slammed shut, without a second to spare. The lever had to be held down for the door to stay open.
"Jacob! Get your girlfriend through this door!" He yelled, as he pulled down on the lever again with all his might, opening the giant doors once again. "We don't have a lot of time!"
Jacob nodded and turned to Shay'est. "Get through the door and cover for Martin, he's next!" he pointed to the open door they entered through.
Shay'est nodded and sprinted to the door as soon as she had a chance. She just managed to get behind the door in time to take cover from enemy fire. Jacob sighed with relief, before returning fire at the brutes. He managed to take down the shields on one, and put a couple of rounds into its arm with his SMG.
"Martin, you're next! Get a move on!" Jacob yelled to his teammate, who was standing behind a wall behind him. Martin nodded and ran for the door, but not before stopping beside David, and observing him.
"What are you doing! Get going already!" David screamed, obviously struggling with the lever. Martin quickly pieced the puzzle together in his head and realized what David was doing. He nodded and ran for the door.
Shay'est provided cover fire and Martin joined him. "I'm through the door!" Martin called so Jacob knew his next move. He nodded and turned to Thel. "Provide cover for me, I'm gonna run for it, then when I'm there, I'll cover you. Got it?"
Thel nodded and Jacob sprinted for the door. Once he was behind the door, he began to shoot at the brutes, but looked at David. "What are you doing?! Get over here!" he screamed to him.
David looked up and shook his head. "I can't! The thing won't hold! You have to go! I'll hold them off as long as I can!"
"Bullshit, Captain! You're coming with us!" Jacob called back, before a spiker round hissed past his helmet and he had to crouch down to become less of a target. Thel'Watamee remained in his position, firing on the brutes, and with his plasma rifle, took the one that Jacob had wounded down. He was stalling as long as he can for them to sort themselves out.
"Corporal Jacob Matthews! You are in charge of this squad now! You are going to lead them to safety, do I make myself god damn clear!" David screamed, starting to lose his grip on the lever, his legs slipping out from under him slightly.
Thel began his push for the door while the others covered him from the remaining brute. Jacob couldn't hold back his tears. He was about to leave his captain to die. His friend to die, and there wasn't anything he could do about it.
"I said do I make myself clear Lieutenant!" David cried again.
"Lieutenant?!" Jacob screamed back, still firing.
"Consider this your promotion! It's been an honour serving with you!" David yelled as Thel'Watamee made it through and started to continue firing.
"No, David!" Jacob screamed, his voice cracking from the pain in his throat as tears streamed down his face. He reached out toward David, who released the lever, and sent the door screaming shut. His arm, which was through the door was only just saved by Shay'est pulling him back on to the floor.
The door sealed itself shut, and spiker rounds slammed against it but were unable to pierce through. Jacob screamed at the top of his lungs and tried his hardest to free himself from Shay'est's grasp. They could still hear David returning fire from the other side of the door, but they couldn't waste any more time, they had to move, or else his sacrifice was for nothing.
"What's the call, Lieutenant?" Martin asked, loudly. He was also experiencing difficulty talking as his voice was also faltering. David was a close companion of theirs for the longest time, and now he was gone. Giving his life to save them all.
Jacob took some time to collect himself, but eventually gave the command to retreat, calling out in a wavering voice. "Get back to the car, we have to get away from here!"
The team nodded, and Shay'est released him. She apologised to him for pulling him back, but he didn't hear most of it because his heart was pounding so loudly in his ears. His vision was blurred, and he couldn't walk in a straight line. Disoriented, he plopped himself down on the passenger's seat of the car.
Thel had taken a spike to his lower back on the left side in his dash for the door, which he pulled out with a grunt, and a spurt of blood, before sitting in the back seat behind Martin. Shay'est took the seat behind Jacob. Martin put his foot down, as the car was already left running from before, and they took off down the road they came in on.
A few moments of sad silence passed as the driver dodged the debris on the road. Jacob leant his elbow on the windowsill and placed his face in his palm, trying to stay composed. He had to try and stay as strong as he could for his team. They needed him now more than ever. He decided he needed to keep them together. That is until…
"There is more room back here now." Thel decided to break the silence.
Jacob took only a second to unholster his pistol and jam the business end of it into Thel's face. "Listen very closely. I don't care if that was your attempt at humor or you thought it was fitting to say. I don't care. If you refer to my friend as room for you to sit ever again or disrespect him in any way I promise I will blow your covenant ass away. Do you understand?" he said darkly and seriously.
Thel stared back at him, his game face on.
"Do you understand?!" Jacob yelled.
"I understand." Thel replied.
Martin nudged him and Jacob turned his vision to the driver. "Put it away man. Emotions are high right now and the last thing we need is to lose someone else."
Jacob knew he wasn't referring to Thel, but to him. Jacob nodded and shakily put away his weapon, sitting back down in his seat.
Hey guys!
A pretty emotional one this time around, but I was in the mood to keep writing from my previous chapter. I'm about to head to bed now so, yeah.
Anyway, I hope you guys liked it! Let me know what you think in a review!
Thanks and I look forward to reading your reviews! :)
