Note: Hey, thanks for the reviews man. As a reward for your dedication, here's a large chapter that hosts a huge battle. I can't emphasize enough how much reviews mean to me. They mean that…you know…someone cares about what I do ( sniffing as I wipe my nose). But as I've said before and probably again in the future, reviews just push me to continue to write this stuff to appease my readers. It'd be nice to get some happy comments, and of course some concerns, questions and edits ( if you flame, I will do something very very mean. Very mean.) So just keep reviewing and the stories will keep coming.
P.S. I just got a headset for Xbox live and I am a sniping geek and the loudest mouth of 'em all. ( the account is HEDNOOD, as in head newb)." Just two more clicks until we reach the Grunt encampment," said the blue A.I as it referred to its files.
The large group had been marching for days through the terrain. They had gone through forests, up hills, crossed barren wastelands and were currently following a stream that would lead to them to another valley below. Across this valley lay the marshlands, where the Grunts were supposedly camped.
The Hunters were surprisingly silent as they moved with the marines. The head Hunter's armor had regrown back into a dark brown, and it led its group of about thirty Hunters as they tread silently behind the soldiers. The rest of the aliens had decided to remain at the forests and wait for the teleporter to reappear. Hope still clung to their urge to go back to their home planet.
" I must say," growled the Sergeant, " This whole operation has gone FUBAR ever since that freaking space hole sucked us up like a smoothie."
" Yo, sergeant," said Robert. " What's FUBAR?"
" You're too young to know kid," replied Chris as he walked alongside.
" Looks like we've reached the valley," muttered the Master Chief .
" Shit!" yelled the Admiral as he surveyed the valley.
A huge ship occupied most of the terrain. It's sleek droplet-shape body had not forcefield around it and was silent and still. There were no signs of any Covenant.
" That's FUBAR," Chris pointed out to Robert as several snipers went prone and clicked the safety of their S2 AM sniper rifles.
The Master Chief immediately took out his Rocket launcher and loaded a rocket into its base. He magnified his scope twice the distance and scanned the ship's shadows for hidden Covenant.
After several minutes with no sign of the Covenant appearing, the Spartan the snipers retracted their weapons. The Admiral had a worried expression on his face as he looked at the huge ship.
" I don't us to be starting any fights with the Covenant and losing men. Possibly fighting the grunts and attacking the main city of the Prophets is going to require a lot of firepower and I don't want to lose more than necessary. Let's try to circle around the ship and prevent a battle."
" Sir," cried Toto as he reappeared from his chip. " Unless our battleship camera's have been tampered with, these photos indicate that this is the same ship that had attacked us during our trip to the Colony. These are the real Covenant from our time."
" Jesus," muttered the Admiral. " If they've spotted us they're probably waiting in ambush for us to get near. Tell the tank to load new shells in their cannons. Add new ammo belts to the Warthogs."
" Marines and Helljumpers!" yelled the Sergeant. " Make sure you're stocked with sufficient ammo and grenades. I'm going to inspect and ensure every one of you has a fresh clip in his rifle. Keep your sidearms ready. Let's hustle!
The group slowly circled around the valley and towards the river as the large star, a Sun to this world, radiated its heat upon the soldiers. Toto was informing the Hunters of their predicament while the Sarge was yelling at Robert for putting his magazine upside down in his battle rifle.
Four hours later…
Large monuments towered over the group as they made camp. Their surroundings consisted of the ruins of an ancient city, built with hard unknown material that had brittled into cracked rock and dust. Tall towers and huts scattered around the ruins, gargantuan walls surrounding the city within. Around the decaying civilization lay a vast forest that the group had been marching through to reach this location. The marines had attempted to enter the city by using explosives and tank firepower but to no avail. Even the Hunter's fuel rod guns were useless.
" Screw the city," muttered the Sergeant. " I want snipers up on those towers covering the forest. I want the tanks up against the walls so they can't get flanked and Warthogs covering the radius of this place. I want marines spread out into fireteam and positioned in the forests. Let's hustle!"
Tanks rolled in position as Warthogs roared towards decent positions. Marines began to organize themselves into fireteams of five. Each fireteam included two riflemen, a machine gunner, a soldier with a launcher and a sniper. The one exception was the gold team, consisting of all snipers that were on the towers guarding the main position. The Hunters spread themselves across the compound in pairs, watching each other's back. The Master Chief was given command of three cheerful marines and two Hell-jumpers. The grizzled Hell-jumper with the rocket launcher acknowledged the Spartan while the younger one gave him the finger. The Master Chief ignored him and turned on his COM.
" I want each team's confirmation, position and number," said the Sergeant. "And don't give me any shit or I'll have some nut-cracking and ass-kicking to do."
" Alpha team."
" Positioned at the north side of the city and all accounted. Ready to whoop some Covenant ass sir!"
"Bravo team."
" At the northwestern side near the opening to the valley and all homies here. Prepared to make some noise!"
" Charlie team."
" In the forest twenty yards south from gates and we've got a party. Operation: Whoop-Covies-Ass in progress."
" Delta team."
" At the bank of forest southeast from gate and we're having a poker game of five. A good Covie is a dead one."
" Deal me in. Gold team."
" Stationed at all towers of the ruins and all eagles have eyes.
" Hunter unit."
Silence.
" Oh yea, forgot they couldn't use radios."
" Funny Sarge."
" Shut your piehole mister! I wasn't asking you if I was a comedian! Now, and last but far from least, Zulu."
" At the back of the ruins and we're all accounted for," replied the Master Chief.
" Alright marines, remain at your posts and give me hourly updates. I'm gonna catch a few winks and I will be very pissed if you wake me up to report a flying squirrel or some other shit."
The marines hunkered down behind a Warthog. The Master Chief, arms and legs still aching from the two battles and the long march leaned back against the wall of the building. Before his head even hit the stone he had fallen asleep.
