The fall of New Alexandria

August 23

17:43

Carter and Emile sat at communication console attempting to contact Corey and Jorge. As after they delivered the slip space drive to the covenant super carrier they went silent on comms.

"Six, five come in over…..do you read this is Noble one are you receiving over"

Kat walks into the room with two MRE's.

"Here you go guys" Kat said as she handed them the rations

"Thanks Kat" replies Emile as he begins to open the ration pack

"Any word from Six or Jorge" Kat asked she was clearly worried they heard it in her voice.

Emile shook his head saying no.

"Understood" Kat said as she left the room to be alone

Noble Six's POV

I was clearing out rooftops with 5 ODST's. They told me their names were Jake,Wilson,Smith,Nelson and Grimes they were cut of from their platoon and were attempting to get to their evac site but were pinned down so I decided to help them out. We had just cleared out another roof top when Smith requested that we took a 30 minute break just to eat and regain strength. I said they could and they pulled out their ration packs from their backpacks.

"Mother fucker" I hear Grimes shout out in frustration.

"What's wrong" I shout out in confusion.

"My ration I always get issued the same fucking ration on every mission we go on now I know the supply officer is fucking with me" Grimes responds in frustration and anger. Everyone begins to laugh including myself.

"Which one is it" I hear Nelson laugh out.

"Beef Stew with mashed potatoes" Grimes responded

"Yep that's the one" Nelson said and then proceeded to burst out laughing

"Here Grimes I'll trade you" I said to him as I pulled out my ration pack an ODST issued me a few days prior

"Well thank fucking Jesus" I hear him yell out which makes everyone laugh again

Grimes handed me his ration pack and I gave him mine all without him asking me what ration I had.

"You don't even want to know what my ration is" I asked him in a curious tone.

"At this point sir anything is better than that fucking beef stew I've been having for weeks" This makes me chuckle.

Timeskip

Third person POV

Carter walked around the building in an attempt to find Kat as she was missing for around 2 hours. He eventually knocked on a locked door and heard Kat say come in.

"Kat are you okay" Cater asked in a caring tone he then looked at her. Her eyes were red and puffy she was crying before he entered the room.

"Kat what's wrong" Carter asked.

"He's dead isn't he" Kat replied in a weak and fragile voice

"Who"

"Corey!" Kat yelled at Carter.

Carter wrapped his arm around Kat's shoulder hoping to comfort him. "Listen Kat just because they have gone silent on comms doesn't mean they are dead."

"I know but none of the sabers that went to the corvette where reported to have escaped and no life pods or drop pods where deployed minutes before detonation" Kat said as she began crying again.

"Kat if he did die then trust me I'd know by now, listen Kat he's not like that,he's Irish they don't go down easily" Carter joked attempting to comfort Kat

"But I'm just so worried about him" Kat responded.

"It's okay to worry Kat, I worry about you all the time" Kat looked over at Carter.

I'm sure he's fine listen if you want to try and contact him then by all means go on ahead its your shift anyway" Carter continued.

"Okay" Kat said as she got up from her seat and left the room and approached the communication center.

Kat entered the communication center and sat down at the console and attempted to contact Corey.

"Noble Six come in over this is Noble two do you read me?" No response was given just static.

"Corey this is Kat do you read me?"

"I read you Kat whats the situation" A voice boomed over the radio. Kat let out a sigh of relief as she heard Corey's recognizable Irish voice.

"Hey Corey are you okay you went silent for a minute, you had me worried"

"Yeah I'm good just got done killing a shitton of covenant while getting some ODSTs to their evac site you know just the usual for me"

"Good to hear but what about Jorge"

"Jorge…..Jorge didn't make it"

Kat froze at what Corey had just said and her eyes widened.

"Understood…...lets get you an evac" Kat terminated the transition and tears began rolling down her cheeks.

Timeskip

Corey walks into the room that noble team is in. All members are showing depressed facial expressions except Emile who kept his helmet on.

"Look at this place used to be the crown jewel..not anymore" said Jun as he observed the dying city through his binoculars. He then looks to his right to see Corey standing in the doorway.

"Hey your back" Jun stated. Kat looked over to Corey and her face lit up she quickly made her way over to him and gave him a tight hug. Corey hugged back not wanting to let her go.

"Thank god you're okay" she said before releasing him.

"Its a regular family reunion" Emile said in his smug tone. Corey turned over to Emile and pulled out Jorge's dog tags.

"Keep 'em I'll honor him my own way" Emile said then went back to being alone but then quickly spoke up again.

"Jorge said he'd never leave Reach…...big man was always sentimental"

"He gave his life thinking he saved the planet we should all be so lucky" Carter stated but then Jun butted in.

"Sir that true about Gauntlet,Red and Echo teams being assigned on civilian evac operations" Carter looks at Jun and then shifts his Gaze towards Kat

"Those are senior level communications" said Carter in an angry tone.

"I hear what I hear my point is why are spartans being put on defensive deployments" Kat responded.

Corey was suddenly hit by realization "Wait Kat what teams are on evac ops".

Kat looks over to Corey with a confused look then she finally spoke up.

"Gauntlet,Red and Echo why do you ask"

"My brother is in Gauntlet team"

Everyone then stared at Corey in the usual way that everyone stares at him.

"Since when do you have a brother" Emile said.

"Long story I'll tell you later" Emile nodded his head in response to what Corey had said. Corey then approached Kat and sat down beside her. "Kat about earlier you want to know if we are losing" he said.

She looked over to him and said something that he couldn't answer.

"I know we're losing...I want to know if we've lost" Corey didn't know what to say he then wrapped his left arm around her in an attempt to comfort her.

Noble Six's Pov

Then I heard an automated voice come over my helmet intercom

'New video from Jason'

I quickly opened up the video log and played it. He was sitting in some sort of a bunker complex.

"Hey big bro its week 4 of deployment so ummm….we are being put on civilian evac ops I...I don't know why we aren't taking the fight to the covenant its stupid. Anyway we were at an evac site getting ODSTs off world and we got into a firefight and…. my squadmate Amanda B243 didn't make it. I know you remember her from training she said you two were close, one minute she was next to me and then the next she wasn't"

Jason paused his face was depressed and a tear came down his cheek

"I must have killed a dozen covies though anyway Austin I gotta go but stay safe big bro"

'END OF VIDEO LOG'

I was worried for the mental stability of Jason he had just lost a teammate this was the first time he was exposed to a fellow spartan dying it would definitely affect him. I was pulled out of my thoughts when Jun mentioned an airborne radiation flare and then we are all swept off our feet by an explosion. The team began making their way to elevators that led to a fallout bunker beneath the building that we were in. Kat was still on the ground she was still stunned by the blast I went to help her up and we then got into an elevator.

"First glassing" I hear Kat speak up. I turned to her and nodded my head I look in her eyes and I can see the fear in her. I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Kat it's okay we're going to make it through this" I say hoping to calm her down.

The elevator doors open and we rush out to the bunker but then I hear something. I heard the silent engines of a phantom I look up to see an elite with a rifle fixed on Kat's head. I wasn't going to lose her. I quickly shoved her out of the way before feeling pain in my right shoulder.

Third person Pov

Corey collapsed on the ground with blood oozing out of his right shoulder. Noble team began firing up at the elite sniper. However the sniper was persistent and wanted to get the kill.

"COREY NO!" Kat screamed as she dragged Corey towards the bunker doors before another needle impacted Corey in his Left leg.

"Ahhh fuck….my leg my leg!" Corey screeched out in pain again. The pain was excruciating for him.

"Kat get him inside now" Carter commanded as he provided covering fire with Emile and Jun.

Kat dragged Corey into the bunker just in time before the doors closed. Austin was still screaming in pain.

"Medic I need a medic over here!" pleaded Kat as she tried to apply pressure on Corey.

Soon an ODST ran up to her and looked over Corey.

"I need a trauma kit over here!" The ODST said. Another ODST came up to him and handed him a trauma kit.

"Corey stay with me" Kat cried as she was putting pressure on his leg while the ODST was patching up his shoulder

"K….Kat" Corey said weakly, he knew he was dying

"Corey don't talk save your strength" She said back to him

"I..I'm sorry" He said even weaker.

"For what? you saved me" Kat replied as a tear rolled down her face. The ODST had finished patching up Corey's shoulder and then went to work on his leg.

"Put some pressure on his shoulder" the ODST instructed Kat and she did as she was told.

"Kat" Corey was getting weaker he knew he was going to be dead within the next 45 seconds. With his last ounces of strength he took off his helmet.

"Yes Corey" Kat said he saw in her eyes that she was holding back tears. This was it Corey knew he would be meeting the grim reaper any second now he had to do this now or he would never get another chance.

"I….I love you" Corey said before moving his head forward to kiss Kat. But then he didn't die he was confused he was sure that he would be dead. He broke lip contact had rested his head on the wall waiting to die but then he heard the ODST speak up.

"Okay I stopped the bleeding he'll be okay I'll leave you two alone" the ODST then sat up and left the room that Kat and Corey were in. Silence plagued the room Kat was frozen in place still shocked at what Corey just did. But then the silence was stopped when she spoke.

"Corey"

"Yeah" Corey replied in his weak tone

"Is that true what you just said"

"Well I just kissed you so what do you think" Kats face turned bright red and this time Corey noticed.

"Wait a minute do you…" he was cut off by a long and passionate kiss from Kat.

"I love you too" She said before kissing him again. Corey kissed back and pulled Kat close to him.

"Kat I need you out here" Said Carter from outside the room. Kat reluctantly broke the kiss.

"Yeah I'm on my way" she called back into Carter, she quickly kissed Corey before she got up. She looked back down at Corey.

"I'll see you in a bit tough guy"

"I'll be here" He said back to her as she exited the room.