Chapter 2

The Beginning of the End

AN: I'm bad at writing. As for the ones who said that it would be too easy, I'm going to add some stuff in.

Lance Corporal William Cambell gave the insertion chopper clearance to land on Platform 13-A. The insertion chopper landed softly on the landing pad and the doors opened. From the passenger side came a green armored figure and a teenager dressed in military fatigues and a Corporal insignia stitched on the side.

"Hey guys! Get a load of the new Corporal! What does he think this is? A slumber party?" Clancy shouted back to his teammates at the platform kiosks. They laughed and a PFC shouted back at him.

"Yea, get a load of the Spartan! Out of the frigging frying pan, huh?" he said.

"Attention!" someone shouted and everyone stood up at attention as the Spartans passed.

"As you were. Oh and Corporal, I don't appreciate people talking behind my back," Bill said as he passed Lance Corporal Cambell. The Corporal's jaw dropped and he sat back down at his station. Bill smirked and walked down off the landing platform. When he reached the bottom he saw a black Sergeant standing looking out into a valley with binoculars. The Sarge turned around and Bill snapped to salute.

"Sir!" he said.

"At ease Corporal, nothing to get all jittery about," Sarge said. He looked out onto New Mombassa from his outpost on the top of the hotel. Bill's CPU systematically scanned and assessed all Covenant troops in the area. He saw battalions of them, but something caught his eye. 'A new species?' he inquired to the CPU and it replied 'Yes, these maybe the Sharquoi, a species mentioned in multiple UNSC files. They are small, quick, and can teleport quickly, though not as fast as your targeting system can destroy them. Minimal armor, but energy shields make them a threat to normal UNSC forces. They are numerous around industrial sectors of the city. They also wield a new Covenant weapon, the Wave cannon, which shoots pure electrical energy AN: Metroid. One shot from this will jam your motor functions and you will be unable to move for a moment. This will give the other Covenant around them to blast away at your armor, revealing you battle chassis. If that is breached, it will be some time before you can function in a vacuum. Threat assessment: 76, Optimal Weapon for defense: Rapid Fire Plasma Cannon (though take caution as this will drain your weapon fuel cell stores).'

Master Chief tapped Bill's shoulder and pointed to the sky. Slipspace ruptures appeared throughout the sky. Another 14 Covenant battleships arrived at Earth.

"We should load up the Pelicans and start gaining some ground back from these bastards, "recommended Sarge.

"Yea, let's go. Corporal, wait here and snipe whatever you can. Bill's hand disappeared and a long barrel extended. A scope folded out from his wrist.

"Whoa! That's some fucked up shit!" Sarge said in disbelief. Bill smiled and turned to the city. Sarge and Master Chief left the rooftop via the stairs, leaving bill alone. He smirked and started scoping some Elites. He fired four shots and the Elites were no more, nor were the rest of the group of Covenant.

"Master Chief, permission to leave the rooftop and engage the Covenant on the ground?" said Bill as he clicked the comm.

"Granted, give 'em hell," he replied.

Bill finished off his remaining weapon energy stores and took cover as they recharged. Prye Company was tired and ammo was low. It wasn't looking good for the humans who actually needed food. It had been only 2 hours. He had no idea how Master Chief was doing but in his last communiqué he asked strictly that he receive no comm. traffic. He heard concerned and confused voices from around the corner of the alley. He crawled over and one of the marines spotted him.

"Corporal, look! Slipspace rupture in an atmosphere! There's In Amber Clad going with it. Man, were toast! Were screwed man! Were screwed!" he said pointing to the oddly shaped Covenant ship with a purple-blue mote of light of its bow. The hole widened and then it disappeared with a boom. Bill's CPU took over from there. Bill felt his body liquefy and stretch over the marines. Then it all clicked into place. That boom was radiation cracking the air. Enough radiation to kill or wound humans. And the resulting explosion would destroy the city. Bill's body solidified but didn't turn back into human cells. Heat washed over his 'body' and he felt rock and plaster crumble on him. New Mombassa had been destroyed...