Stage 27: Spartans, Form Up!
The New Age: Humanities Plight
Two Years after Halo Activations
The small town of humans tilled the soil and fed their herds early in the morning hours of yet another wonderful day. Food was plentiful thanks to the herds and crops that had been planted in the fresh soils. Life was hard, but life was free and no one knew this more then Litran and Bitran. Litran cautiously walked the town, speaking to the other women that traded food for supplies. She glowed happily as she carried her second unborn child, now in her sixth month of pregnancy. At her side walked her newest friend, and fan, Evelyn.
Evelyn was one of the first clones born using the Ark yet even at the age of twenty seven she had no memories of life before, only basic functions of day to day living. Evelyn happily carried the one year old child of Litran in her arms, a baby reminiscent of her mother in every way. The child's name was Lilith, the first human born upon the Earth.
Across the small town of only a dozen humans, Bitran happily sheered off the wool of a large four legged herbivore. The animal's dark tan wool would provide warm clothes during the winter months, and the creature would grow it back in a few days. Bitran finished cutting away the wool and tossed the mass of it to a nearby man assisting him. Bitran untied the animal's long legs and stepped back as it sprang to its feet. The animal raced back toward the herd and began to graze upon the tall grass, unaffected by Bitran's actions.
"Amazing how you held down that great beast all alone. You surely are a man of great strength, Bitran." The dark toned man commented as he heaved the heavy ball of wool onto a wagon. Bitran simply smiled and looped the rope around his shoulder, ignoring the comment toward his reclaimer strength. "This lot will bring us a fine collection, Bitran."
"No, not this lot. Winter is coming, and I've stocked up on plenty of supplies." Bitran picked up a large canteen of water and drank a small whisk, tossing his assistant a share as well.
"You are right." The man added. "The days grow short, even though I've never seen a winter, I know this is a sign of what is to come. But beyond that, do you believe that your wife will share another wonderful story tonight?"
"I'm sure she will be delighted to share another tale at tonight's gathering." Bitran smiled awkwardly. He brushed back his untamed hair and motioned to walk back to his hut. Litran's stories were generally translated into heroic tales of forgotten ages, and seen only as myth or lore. But Bitran knew them for what they really were, watered down tales of her battles and encounters.
Nightfall came, and like every night, the humans of the small town gathered at the central hut of Litran and Bitran. The women cooked and the men relaxed from their long hard days on the field, or hunting the nights prey. A wild beast cooked over the flame while water was passed about to and fro. It was a merry time for the small group of humans numbering only fifteen; eight women and seven men. It was an odd number but Lilith's birth made it so. Amongst the couples there were two women that were pregnant and due to give birth at any time; aside from Litran. Bitran and Litran's hopes were high that one of the two mothers carried a male child, Lilith would need a mate and the hopes of continuing their species rested on the next generation, as the forerunners had told them to not use the Ark's cloning facilities in vain. They wanted life to occur naturally, and for the blood line of the reclaimers to thin. Humanity was destined to grow on its own, and the legacy of the forerunners to be forgotten.
Evelyn gripped the knife and pulled it away from Litran, "go sit with your husband. A woman of your size needs to be resting. Else that baby fall from your loins." Several of the women laughed at this comment and Litran smiled in shame. She was so accustomed to helping with the dinner that she never paid it much mind that she could occasionally rest, but with her added strength and massive size she was barely concerned with the child inside of her. She walked from the smoky cooking area of the hut and walked toward Bitran and the other men.
In Bitran's arms sat his pride and joy, Lilith. He held her closely, while talking to the men at his side. Litran reached over and took Lilith from his arms. Bitran smiled as Litran lifted the tiny child from his arms and he kissed his mate lovingly.
"How about a story from Litran while we wait for dinner?" A nearby male shouted as he passed out newly sharpened stone knives to the other men. Everyone cheered and gazed to the elder female of the town while she held Lilith playfully. The women on the far side of the hut also agreed.
"Very well." Litran sighed. "I guess I shall tell the story of how God gave us this world." Litran knew that for the safety of everyone she dared not talk of the forerunners, the Empire or the other worlds that would be created using the Seed ship. Her story consisted of legendary folklore, fabricated truths and white lies. She even mentioned the coming of a great flood that nearly destroyed all life, but the Gods stopped the flood from destroying them with a might Ark that whisked life away. Bitran marveled at how closely Litran derived the story from their actual history. Everyone gleefully listened while they ate the meat and vegetables of dinner, and gave a cheer at its conclusion, offering up thanks and praise to the Gods.
The night grew old, and with everyone's stomach filled the men and women paired off and returned to their own huts. Bitran cleaned the gathering room and tossed the scraps to the piglets on the edge of town. He walked in and watched as Litran feed Lilith.
"Several of the others are going to explore the western region in the morning." Bitran sighed as he sat on a pile of furs. "At this rate they will find the ship's hiding spot. I told them I will not venture with them, but I will have to take another two day journey and hide the Ark again."
"Why don't we tell them?" Litran sighed in return. "We've been keeping this secret for so long. Let's tell them about the Ark, how they were born and where we came from. Evelyn is already questioning my strength and stamina. She and the others do not carry our super gene, they are noticing our abilities."
"If we tell them then they may want to fly into space, or see the stars up close. What if we run into the Law Keepers or worse, the flood?"
"Still, the others are asking questions that are becoming harder and harder to answer." Litran moaned. "The couple across from us, when they became sick we healed them with the medicines aboard the Ark. It was a miraculous thing to everyone. How can we keep such secrets?"
"Soon I'll find the perfect location to hide the Ark, it will be forgotten and we will teach everyone how to heal simple sickness and injuries. The Ark's medical supplies will not last much longer. We will forget, we must forget." Litran and Lilith sat at Bitran's side. He wrapped his arms around the two loves of his life and the family drifted off to sleep.
The next day began early for Bitran and after six hours of walking through the high untamed grasslands, Bitran arrived at the deep cavern wall where the Ark lay. It was a few hours before mid day, and the sun was beating down on him. Even in the late fall the sun would swelter the region in its glare, but the nights were dreadfully cold. He stumbled on the loose rocks of the jagged cliff's edge and peered into its depths. The cliff was several hundred feet to the bottom, but Bitran knew that he would only need to descend a few feet, as he glared at the top of the Ark.
The Ark sat silently as birds nested upon its hull. Bitran marveled at its size and dropped his bag of supplies. He pulled a canteen of water, made from tightly sawn animal hide, out of the bag. He pulled the cork from it and began to drink when he heard an unnerving sound; voices in the distant. He nearly spat the water from his jowls as he scampered to find a hiding place. Picking up his bag, Bitran dashed toward the cliff's ledge and climbed down; hiding himself under a rock outcropping. He pressed himself firmly against the edge and paused, hoping that no one saw him or heard him.
"We've been walking for hours." One of the voices stated. Bitran recognized the man's voice. He was one of the four men that were going to go exploring. How had they come so far so fast?
Another of the men replied, "Stop complaining. Would you feel better turning back? And just what would we tell the others we found?"
"Look at this! It's a massive trench. How are we going to cross it?"
"Like I said, we've walked too far. We can't cross this channel…" All the men peered down into the depths and each were shocked at what they saw. The shiny grey hull of the Ark lay before them, peering back at them with secrets they could never comprehend. Bitran sighed, knowing that he had failed to keep the ship secret, but he continued to listen to the men's voices.
"That doesn't look natural."
"What is it?"
"It looks like one of the great chariots that Litran mentioned in her stories."
"Could it be a chariot of the Gods?" The men became silent for a moment as Bitran continued to listen. Litran's stories had a greater impact upon them then Bitran had first thought.
"We shouldn't be here! What if the Gods grow angry and cast their wrath upon us?"
"Litran's stories are true! The Gods will punish us for seeing this."
"Be calm, all of you." Another of the men shouted. "If this is a great chariot of the Gods, then surely they have great treasures inside. Treasures that will make our lives better and much easier to live. Perhaps the Gods wanted us to find it."
"Let us go back to the town. We will get others to come and help go inside of it."
"Two shall stay, the rest will return. It will be a full day's journey before we can come back." Bitran heard the rustling of feet and then suddenly he knew what he had to do. He shouldered his bag, and quietly climbed down to the ark.
Nearly an hour passed as the two men continued to marvel at the shiny hull of the Ark. They sat at the cliff's edge and peered downward in an awestruck silence.
"Perhaps we should give the Gods praise, less they come at us with anger and wrath."
"The Gods will not be angry at us. We are merely watching. We will say a prayer before we enter the chariot tomorrow."
"What-what is that?" Below, the men watched as a purple light shined upon the top of the Ark. It was very far away but they could see its glow clearly. A circular door parted and a human figure appeared. "It is a man. A man came from within the chariot."
"No… that is not a man! I have not seen a man such as that. He must be a God!" The two men watched as the mysterious figure jumped from point to point toward them. He crossed the massive expanse of the ship and began to jump up the cliff wall with ease. From several different outcroppings the men could see the figure jumping up toward them; swiftly and with ease.
"It is coming!" The men pushed away from the cliff's edge and crawled backwards, sliding across the grass in fear. The figure shot upward from the cliff and landed with a loud rumble before them. They gazed at his face in terror because all they could see was their own reflection. To them, it was as if they were looking into their own eyes. Fear consumed them and they began to cower. The figure stood much taller then they did, nearly seven feet tall. His body was coated in steel and was dark as the evening sky, yet his eyes face glowed gold and mirrored the world around it. Each step he took toward them sent a chill down their spines.
"Forgive us! Forgive us!" The men screamed as they bowed before the armored figure. "We did not mean to disturb the chariot!"
A muffled voice escaped from the figure, but the sound appeared to be coming from all directions. "Be not afraid, for I am not a God. I am merely a messenger that is protecting this chariot. The chariot of the Gods will now leave this place and go to prepare a new place for you. The Gods shall create a new kingdom, a mighty place, but you are not yet ready to enter this kingdom." The armored figure turned and walked back to the edge of the cliff. "This world in which you live has been made to protect you. This world is yours. This Earth shall bow to you. Treat it justly and discover its endless regions. This chariot is the Ark which restored life after the flood, and it shall be hidden. With the God's instructions I shall protect this chariot and not allow anyone to find it until the Gods say that it is time."
"Oh mighty messenger, when will that time be?"
"You will not live to see it, but perhaps your children, or your children's children will. Tell the others of your town these things that I have shared with you. Now go, and be at peace." The figure leapt into the air and fell toward the Ark. The purple light engulfed him and pulled him inside. The two men stood to their feet and nervously looked toward the chariot, the Ark, and marveled as it began to rumble. Fire sprang from beneath it and the earth moved. The world around them seemed to shake as they both lost balance and fell to the ground. They were dumbfounded, afraid, and awestruck all at once. The mighty chariot of the Gods rose above their heads, sending out flames that snapped across the rocks and boulders of the deep trench. The chariot then accelerated out of sight, leaving only a thin trail of smoke in its wake.
The two men tearfully gathered themselves and began to run from the area, back toward their home, and to tell the others of the wonderful things they had just been told and seen. They caught up with the others just as they had neared town and told them all what they had seen and heard. In town they told of the marvels they had seen. The spoke of the messenger, and soon began to call it an Angel. The story spread throughout all of the homes and eventually Evelyn began to knock at Litran's doors.
"Yes, Evelyn? What is it?" Litran questioned, while looking into Evelyn's overjoyed eyes.
"Has Bitran not returned? I have such wonderful news to share!" Evelyn looked around the large hut but Bitran was nowhere to be seen.
"He has yet to return from his hunt. But what is this news." Evelyn then began to share all the wonderful things that the men had told everyone. The God's Chariot; the Ark, the great messenger angel that protects the Ark and how the Ark vanished in a ball of fire.
"Everything you have told us, the many tales, they are all true! The Gods promise a kingdom, a glorious place for us! Isn't it wonderful?" Evelyn could barely contain her excitement. "I'm going to tell my husband. There will be many questions for you and Bitran at tonight's gathering." Evelyn raced off into town and joined in with the merry people as they continued to praise the God's and speak of the men's story.
Nightfall came the gathering went as usual, aside from Bitran not returning. Everyone asked where Bitran was, but Litran had no answer for them. They ate and were merry, and Litran told more stories and answered the various questions from the people. The gathering ended, and midnight approached without any sign of Bitran.
Six days came and went, and Litran could no longer contain her fear. Bitran had been gone too long, much longer then she thought it would take him to hide the Ark and return. Bitran gazed out of her window while Lilith slept. It was night time of the fourth day, and she couldn't stand the waiting. A soft rain was washing over the town and her mood was just as dreary. She paced back and forth until her mind could no longer hold in the concern. Exhaustion began to overtake her, and after four days she finally drifted off to sleep at Lilith's side.
The morning of the seventh day, Litran opened her eyes to the singing of birds in the distance. She gazed at the window and felt the tiny fingers of a child grabbing at her shoulder. Lilith was sitting beside her and playing with her mother's hair.
"How long have you been awake, little one?" Litran sat up and kissed Lilith's soft white cheeks. But then Litran felt something hanging at her neck. She looked down and lifted a new necklace. The stone hanging from it glowed with a soft pink hue. It was long and circular shaped, and Litran instantly knew what it was.
"The core?" Shock filled her, knowing that the crystal was a ship's core. The mysteries behind the crystals have always puzzled her, but her understanding of it was simple in nature. The core stored data, star charts, could manipulate time, and produce enough power for a star cruiser. It was the most sacred of all forerunner technology and a gift from the gods to the forerunners. But her next thought was, "how did it get around my neck?" Litran sat up suddenly and her eyes raced around the hut, but she then felt the strong arm of a man wrap around her waist and rub her child baring stomach. She looked down and saw that Bitran was sleeping comfortably at her side.
Tears slowly rolled down her face, filled with happiness and excitement, but she didn't want to wake him. Clearly he was exhausted, and all of Litran's fears were instantly washed away.
"He is a reclaimer." Litran thought to herself. "There is not a creature on this planet that can match our strength. I had no reason to be afraid." She wiped the tears from her eyes and laid her head upon Bitran's chest. She listened to his steady heartbeat, the air that filled his lungs and embraced the warmth of his body. He had come home to her, but she knew that they would have a lot to discuss after his sleep. She lifted the crystal and stared at it deeply. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Her efforts paid off and the crystal suddenly began to collapse upon itself, growing smaller and smaller. It was now no larger then a stone, and would be easier to explain if anyone in the village saw it.
"I hope I didn't wake you." Bitran stated in a soft whisper.
Litran turned her eyes upward and into his gazing eyes, "no. It was your daughter that woke me. But this was the first sleep I have had since you left." She sat up and kissed Bitran deeply. "What happened? The men returned with grand stories."
"I guess they believed my tale. They had found the ship before I could hide it, and I had to do something. I wore my armor and spoke to them, using similar ideas from your stories. But we no longer need to worry about the Ark. It is hidden. I will guard its location even upon my death bed."
Litran sighed. "No matter where it is hidden, we will need to watch over it. It must be hidden very far. It took you many days to return."
"It was a five day journey." Bitran sat up with concern upon his face. "We are the last of its protectors. This world, and the lives upon it, will develop into a new culture, but if they find the Ark…" A heavy pause followed as Litran embraced Bitran in an attempt to console his weary mind. "We must not let its secrets be released. You were right, Litran. I thought that we could forget and put it behind us. But we can't. We will have to protect it until humanity is ready."
"I have been thinking." Litran sighed. "When our new child is born, and old enough to travel, perhaps we should journey to the ark. We can live there, and together we can keep the Ark protected. We can pass down our knowledge to only a select group, such as our children, the true bloodline of the Reclaimers."
- - - - - - - -
Mobile Fortress
108 Marine Desert Brigade
15:31 October 26, 2552
Master Chief Spartan 117 walked the short hallway to the vehicle bay of the Mobile Fortress; three decks of weapons, vehicles and marines. At his side walked Linda, Spartan 058. They walked down the short flight of stairs into the vehicle bay as the company of Marines, once stationed in Egypt, loaded pelicans, warthogs, and scorpions for the battle ahead. The rows of human vehicles lay in perfect formation, two pelicans sat toward the rear of the bay, at the base of the ramp from the upper level. Beyond the pelican were two Wraith tanks sitting side by side. Behind the tanks were six rows of two warthogs. The vehicle bay was tight and packed to the brim with supplies and troops, but with a company of marines onboard it had to carry as much as possible. Their mission was to break through the Covenant defensive net, and then eliminate the covenant threat around Camp Eden.
Nearly three hundred feet long and rolling on massive tank treads, the mobile fortress was one of the old technologies used when Earth was still under civil disputes. The Egyptian Army created the mobile fortress to transport their soldiers across the tough African desert terrain. Capable of transporting more then two hundreds able bodies, the mobile fortress was decommissioned after the UEG was established. However a few of them were kept in serviceable condition in the event of urgent need, they were quickly pulled back into service when the Covenant first found Earth six days ago. It has been instrumental in defending African bases and ferrying troops to key offensives.
Cortana, the A.I. brainchild of Doctor Catherine Halsey, spoke swiftly to the Master Chief, "… thusly it wasn't expected of Regret to land in New Mombassa. If he was after the Ark, then he would have gone directly to it."
"Still, such a ship will be hard to defend." John replied, not carrying much for Cortana's theory based debate. "After we've defended Camp Eden, we'll have to meet Fred and Will there. Granted if ONI tells us were it is."
"They don't need to tell us, I already know where it is…" Cortana cut her statement short. "Chief, were near the Target Zone. The covenant's defense net is active, but those marines we sent in earlier have punched a sizeable hole in it. Two mortar cannons have been eliminated. We should be able to get this transport through. Just a moment." A burst of static filled John and Linda's ears as Cortana contacted the Sergeant placed in command of the attack.
"Sergeant Raynord, this is Cortana. The chief and I are here. Looks like you could use some assistance."
A rumble of explosions filled the reply, "Roger, Cortana. I can't say how long I can keep this door open. The Covenant has regrouped and is pressing the left flank of the TZ. We are taking heavy fire. I repeat. The TZ is hot! I recommend moving toward the right flank of the Zone."
"Copy that, Sergeant. I will take that under advisement and notify the commander."
"Sergeant Raynord, this Master Chief Spartan 117. What's the combat situation?" John hadn't noticed but he was already in a light jog to the first pelican while Linda was gathering up a select few Marines to tag along. Instinctively John and Linda knew that they needed to go out and assist the marines until the mobile fortress could speed pass.
Through John's speaker, "Covenant forces are charging, with wraith support in the rear. Ghosts are leading the charge but we managed…shit… we took out the first line." The constant bark of human artillery filled the com channel, but then Eric came back on. "We have three MBT's laying constant fire on those wraiths to keep the plasma out of my hair, but the covenant forces outnumber us by fifty to one. Their charging forces are nearly one hundred yards out."
Cortana cut into the conversation, "Is Spartan 087 still with you?" A green confirmation light winked on John's HUD. Kelly was there, and she heard everything. Again, John was about to be reunited with another lost Spartan, and once again they were needed to do the impossible. "We need to meet up with 087, chief. She has the data from the Black Ops mission."
"What data?" John replied. He was shocked to hear the strange comment because he had not known anything about retrieving data. John pulled up his BR55 and checked his ammo cash on his hip mounts. Six marines joined him in the pelican; Linda and six more marines jumped into the second bird. The ramp to the mobile fortress' vehicle bay lowered and the massive tank treads roared beyond. Two automatic turrets sat at the door, and prepared to mow down any threat that tried to attack while the belly of the monstrous sand crawling behemoth was exposed. The pelican began to hover above the vehicle deck as more marines ran around making final weapons checks and vehicle inspections. The exit hatch was just wide enough for the two pelicans to slowly glide through. The birds soared out of the bay and into the sky while the fortress continued to push forward.
"Sergeant Raynord recovered some form of intelligence from the Elite home world. I'm just now receiving the gathered intel from Siren, a Virus form AI onboard the Rogue Fantasy… the Black Ops have been busy. Interesting. Chief, the Black Ops are Spartans!"
- - - - - - - -
Dozens of explosions marked the front line of covenant ghosts and the following cascading explosion rumbled backward into the line of specters. The second wave of jackhammer rockets created a lot of damage, but what was left was a horde of aggravated brutes lead by a wall of jackals; a few lingering specters appeared but were out of range. The jackals were forced to hold their shields high and run ahead of their brute leaders, and they did it perfectly; however unwillingly. Eric and his line of marines, shock troopers and Mirratord warriors had limited cover available to them. Their cover options were to lay prone on the ground and fire into the charging covenant lines, while some marines ducked behind the scorpion tanks and the smoldering husks of covenant vehicles as plasma fire cut through the line.
Eric stood up after the first volley of plasma fire and noticed that Simyaldee and the other Mirratord warriors never flinched from their positions. The unshielded grunts had ducked, but quickly stood up to face the oncoming enemy.
Random plasma bolts blared through the line and over the prone warrior's heads. Random gunfire rang out from the line as Eric began to feel the intensity brewing. The men and women under his command were getting edgy, and fear was creeping into their hearts. He couldn't blame them, the covenant forces sounded like a thunder storm which was about to break upon their heads. The closer they came, the louder the rumble of their footsteps became.
Eric looked down the line, ignoring the plasma rounds that buzzed across his shoulder and watched as three marines buried their heads in the sand; as if that would help. He then looked to Rose and Melanie as they lay on their stomachs, gazing down the scopes of their BR55 rifles. Rose showed no sign of nervousness, unless she was hiding it, and Melanie was rolling two frag grenades in her left hand, anxious to face off against the covie bastards. More and more nervous screams rolled down the line as marines fired randomly at the wall of jackal shields.
Eric stormed to a nearby marine, gripped the soldiers jackhammer and took aim at the advancing jackals; now only fifty yards away. They were moving slow, but moving fast enough to close the gap and send fear into the human line. Eric pulled the trigger and the first rocket flew free. The jackals shrieked as the rocket beaded on them and they wanted to dodge, but their brute leaders held them in position. Five jackals died from the blow, and Eric let the second rocket sail just the same. The brutes tried to move more jackals into the rockets path, but it was too late. The blast tossed seven brutes into the air screaming as the air left their lungs. Eric spotted several more jackhammer rockets streaking toward the covenant line and smirked, hoping that this would give the human soldiers a renewed since of hope.
"Fire at will!" Eric screamed at the top of his lungs. He stepped forward, beyond the edge of the constantly firing tanks, and let loose a triple burst of hot lead. The random marine fire turned into a constant onslaught of human firepower. Stationary turrets drummed their successive beats and sniper rounds snapped constantly. Eric hadn't noticed it but he had taken four steps toward the covenant charge. "Meet them head on." Eric thought to himself as he fired. He took another short step forward, lowering his height in a crouch walk, and out of the corner of his left eye he could see another camouflaged Black Op uniform stepping ahead of the line.
Mathew was stationed two tanks down the line, near the center, and he stepped out just as Mathew had. He didn't step forward because he saw Eric, it was the same calling that all the Black Ops had; to face the enemy head on. Mathew began to reload his rifle and then noticed Eric standing several yards to his right.
Eric yelled back as the Covenant forces closed in to twenty yards, "Marines, cover the turrets and tanks. ODST, step up and get some!" The roar that followed was deafening. One hundred and twenty ODST stepped out of line, leveled their guns and fired into the advancing wave of brutes and jackals. Their lives were forfeit, and if the legendary Eric Raynord was going to take on the Covenant, then so were they. Nearly five hundred plus Covenant warriors roared in return, and Eric new what was to come.
The brutes pushed aside the jackals, snarling and barking through their sharp massive teeth. The brutes answer to the human's aggressive advance was to storm into them at full strength. Specters screamed ahead, their plasma turrets echoed a chopping repetition of super heated plasma. Ten ODST fell before they could step up to Eric and Mathew's new line, ten paces ahead of the tanks and marines.
"Form up!" Eric shouted as an ODST at his side caught two plasma rounds into his visor. The shock troopers steeped to the new line at Eric's side, as screams cried out around them. They all leveled their rifles and fired into the advancing wave. The brutes and jackals were cut down, and several specter pilots tumbled from their controls, but for every brute that died, ten more took its place. The brutes returned fire with waves of blue and red plasma bolts. Dozens of ODST crumbled under the weight and heat of the plasma weapons, but Eric and Mathew held their grounds; dodging plasma by inches. Plasma scorched Eric's helmet but he didn't falter. But what came next made him hesitate slightly. The front line of brutes tossed their weapons to the ground and sprinted toward him and his ODST, covering the twenty yard gap in a mere two seconds. Eric shouldered his rifle and pulled the trigger at the first brute that came near.
- - - - - - - - -
Palab watched. Palab waited. He snarled with the aggression of his ancestors, holding back the fury that was building within him. He watched as the honored human, Sergeant Eric Raynord, charged at the brutes, and Palab could not wait any longer. He exploded from his standing position using the strength of his legs to propel him ten feet before he dug his hands into the sand. On all fours Palab was lighting quick and so low to the ground that he seemed to slither like a snake on the hunt.
His mind filled with the words that Eric had told him, "lead by example." This battle was important enough that the humans risked everything to hold the area, and therefore Palab knew that he would do the same. He had not received the years of Mirratord training, but his agility and skill would carry him through this fight.
With every stride he came closer and closer to the battle, and he suddenly exploded into the air, his elbow spikes darted outward and connected with the back of a brute's leg. The brute collapsed under his own weight and Palab jabbed his boney spike into the brute's forehead. Another brute lunged at Palab's back, but the little grunt rolled clear and countered by sticking a plasma grenade to the brute's back. The brute roared as the grenade detonated and Palab raced through the battlefield of dead warriors. He closed the distance between himself and Eric and jumped onto the back of a brute that nearly grabbed the honorable human from behind. Palab wracked his claws across the brute's eyes and then lowered his right spike into the base of the brute's skull. The brute shrieked a harrowing cry. The combat of the grunts had been redefined and it was gruesome and deadly. Blood covered Palab's forearms and he zoned into blood thirsty trance.
Palab dropped to the ground and rebounded back into the air, nine feet. He spun with the counter wait of his massive arms and slashed a brute across the face. The brute roared in anger but soon found himself crumbling backwards as Palab kicked him. With the strength stored in his massive forearms, the same strength that could propel a grenade one hundred yards easily, Palab grabbed the brute's head and twisted it in an awkward angle. The snap of muscle and bone was muffled only by the brute's thick hide. Palab jetted his head up and looked around for the next target, but a jackal shield slammed into him. The jackal and Palab rolled a few feet and they both faced off. The jackal raised his plasma rifle while Palab snarled in protest. The first plasma burst whisked over Palab's head, and the jackal never had the chance to fire another. The bird like creature slumped over as Palab's elbow spike speared his chest and protruded out of its back. Palab had pushed the shield aside with his left arm and the jackal never had time to react. Palab tossed the lifeless carcass, snarled a blood chilling grumble and rejoined the fight at Eric's side.
- - - - - - - -
Melanie gritted her teeth with a fierce bite. Every muscle ached and screamed to run out and stand with Eric and Mathew. She no longer cared about her injury and was completely ignoring the pain. She stood to a knee and took random shots at brutes that passed through Eric's front line. She was as skilled with the rifle as any sharp shooter, and killed four brutes and two jackals with one clip. She popped the empty magazine from the butt of the rifle and watched as Rose fired casually at anything that came near Eric.
They watched as the brutes out numbered and out muscled the front line, but they also watched as Eric and Mathew blazed around the battle with unbridled passion. The tiny grunt messiah was bounding with cat like reflexes, cutting down brutes nearly twice his size. But the ODST weren't faring nearly as well. They were stumbling to and fro, being killed easily by overwhelming odds. They were fighting bravely, but they were simply outnumbered.
Rose jumped up and made a dash toward the battle, but she was tripped up by Melanie and pulled back into the line.
"You want to help?" Melanie yelled. "Stay here and don't die! You go out there and you will only distract Eric!"
"There's too many of them!" Rose pleaded. "We have to …"
"And what are you going to do…" A brute suddenly rumbled between them and Rose was knocked several feet back by the brute's shoulder. Melanie slapped the brute across the back and it collapsed at her feet. It rolled over as Melanie took aim to fire but, it knocked the gun away. Melanie, in desperation, dived into the brute's arms, straddled it to the ground and ripped her combat knife from her boot. She slammed the blade into the beast's chest and it roared in agony, but that only seemed to enrage the creature more. It grabbed Melanie by the arm with its left hand and began to pull the blade out. The creature's strength was unimaginable. Even with her Spartan strength she couldn't resist the creature's power.
Two nearby marines dived into the fray, not wanting to shoot the brute because Melanie was too close. The three of them struggled and the marines found that they were useless. Melanie screamed in determination as the brute snarled in return. It flung its massive right arm wildly, striking a marine and knocking Melanie's helmet off. The thick mucus of the beasts roar, spat onto Melanie's face but she didn't care. With all of her focus and strength she leaned into the blade, hoping that her weight would help push the combat knife back into the brute's chest.
Rose sat up just in time to see the Marines struggle to help Melanie. Her shoulder and chest hurt unlike anything she had ever felt. Thankfully, her armor chest plate held up against the gentle blow. Two more brutes were charging at them and Rose noticed that mostly all of the other marines nearby were dead, killed by plasma fire and grenades. She pulled up her rifle and took aim over Melanie's head toward the two advancing brutes.
"Aim for the head. Aim for the head. Aim for the head!" Rose mumbled to herself. She pulled the trigger and one of the brutes staggered, as bullet wounds marked through its throat. The beast slowly tumbled to the ground, grasping for air, while the other brute raced forward. Rose calmed herself and took aim on the other brute. She pulled the trigger and a blood curling click echoed in her ear. Her heart dropped with the realization that she was out of ammo. She peered at the ammo counter's zero and cursed in her mind, recalling Eric's warning about letting the gun get low on ammo. She reached to her pouch and pulled up a clip, and watched as the second brute slapped one of the marines helping Melanie. The marine's head was nearly torn off as his body slumped backwards. Rose slapped in the clip, and before she could raise her rifle to take aim a three round burst barked near her left ear, and the brute flipped backwards. Rose looked to her left, and a Spartan in battle ravaged green armor landed at her side. She instantly recognized the Mark VI battle armor and all of its field repairs. Above her head soared two Pelican's and the marines on board jumped down and into action behind the Master Chief.
"Form up on the line." The chief ordered as he sprinted forward. The marines behind him followed and raced to the line formed beside the tanks.
The brute under Melanie's knife jetted his left hand up toward her neck. Melanie felt the sudden pressure as the brute grabbed her with his monstrous vice like hands that covered her neck and part of her mouth. Her circulation was cut and she began to loose consciousness from the brute's tight grip. With one last desperate attempt she bit into the brute's hand, and the sharp taste of its blood filled her mouth, but she forced herself to bite harder and harder. The brute roared in agony but didn't let go.
Melanie had both hands on the knife, while the brute had one hand around her neck and the other tugging on her arms; attempting to stop the knife from going deeper. The two species were in a battle of life and death, and the first one to yield would most likely die. Suddenly the brute's grip loosened and Melanie regained her focus and breath. She looked up as the brute's arm slumped into the sand. A combat knife rested in its head and a Spartan gripped the handle. Melanie took slow deep breaths, calming herself and letting the blood flow back into her head. But as she stared at the Spartan's armor she realized that it wasn't Kelly that had saved her. This Spartan's armor was full of battle scars, scrapes and dried blood stains of previous encounters.
"Not many marines can survive a brute's grip." A female voice commented through Melanie's earpiece Luckily, the receiver hadn't been ripped out of her ear when the brute knocked off her helmet . "I guess you Black Ops really are Spartan Is."
"Get to your feet, Spartan." The Spartan ordered through his external speaker. His voice was deep, yet calming. He pulled the knife from the brutes head, sheathed it, leveled his rifle and ran out into the battle. Melanie grinned sharply as renewed strength filled her.
He was clearly the Master Chief and he called her a Spartan.
She picked up her helmet, shunned off the pain in her arm and gripped her rifle. As she reloaded the rifle another massive shift of sand happened near her. She turned and watched as another Spartan slumped into the ground beside her. This Spartan leveled a sniper rifle which had been heavily modified. The Spartan was silent and fired four quick shots, certainly killing whatever it was aiming for. After the shots fired, the Spartan placed the long barreled sniper rifle on its back and switched to a beaten up assault rifle. Melanie felt a little nostalgia from seeing the MA5B assault rifle, but the moment passed as the Spartan sprinted out into the battle behind the chief.
"You okay?" Rose questioned as she slumped beside Melanie.
"Never better." Melanie smiled behind her mask. She pulled up the rifle and fired into the mass of brutes, jackals and drones. She looked around quickly as a thought ran across her mind; the elites and grunts were gone.
- - - - - - - -
Eric turned to see Palab fighting at his side and exhaled knowing that he now had someone fighting with him. Mathew was cutting his way through the battle, aiding shock troopers as best he could, and pushing them toward Eric and Palab. Blood was trickling down Mathew's leg, but the Black Ops Spartan seemed unaffected. Soon enough Eric was joined by Palab, Mathew and three ODST as they all fought back to back in a small circle. A plasma grenade tumbled between them and they all scattered as it exploded. Two of the shock troopers tumbled into a huddled group of brutes and they were torn apart by the enraged beasts. Their screams were drowned out by the tearing of their flesh. Mathew, Eric, Palab and the last shock trooper regrouped and held the brutes back as best they could. Of the original one hundred and twenty shock troopers that stepped out to face the advancing Covenant numbers, only one remained, and he fought valiantly well. Eric knew the man, knew him well, but there was no time to reflect on him. The ODST's battle armor was stained in his own blood, but he continued to fight relentlessly. They were the last of the front line. Eric could hear the marines still firing into the Covenant lines behind him, but what also caught his ear was the scream of brutes in the distance. The screams weren't coming from the tank line, it was coming from the Covenant's charge.
While it seemed like hundreds of brutes were beating down on his small group, other brutes were apparently being slaughtered elsewhere. Palab snarled at his side, and the ODST fired several rounds from his magnum. Mathew kicked a brute's dead carcass as he reloaded his rifle, and Eric fired his last round into brute's chest.
"I'm out!" Eric grunted as he tossed the rifle and pulled up his side arm. Brutes were all around and they slapped their chests in aggression, but they were holding back. Forty brutes circled around Eric, Palab, Mathew and the ODST as they snarled aggressively; it was as if they were afraid to step toward them. But still Eric could hear the other rampaging brutes beyond; screams of agony escaping their lips.
Palab growled from Eric's side, "What wrong? Fight! Me kill you, traitors!" The brutes continued to snap and snarl but none of them seemed to advance, not wanting to be the next to die. They had watched three humans and a grunt hold their ground against twenty brutes, and they evidently realized that rushing them head on would be suicide.
A brute then screamed, "together, brothers! We shall crush them!" Like a tidal wave, the brutes charged simultaneously. They weren't as dumb as they looked. Mathew stepped back and bumped into Eric's, there was nowhere to go. The ODST took aim and held his breath. Palab snarled and lowered his stance like a cornered beast. Eric raised his magnum and readied to fire on the closest brute, fearing the end, but two brutes dropped to his feet and their heads tumbled to the ground a second later. Like a saving grace, Eric gazed into the eyes of Simyaldee.
The Mirratord elites cut into the wall of brutes and slashed with an uncontrolled rally of fury and speed. Their blades hissed through the air with expert control as brutes screamed in terror. One of the Mirratord elites was taken by surprise and three brutes tackled him. Two of the Mirratord raced to his aid, but could only watch as the brutes wore down his shields and beat him to death.
As the brutes struck their chests in celebration of killing one of the elites, several plasma grenades appeared out of thin air. The glowing balls where thrown by invisible hands and stuck to three gloating brutes. The change in mood was apparent as the brutes frantically tried to shake off the plasma grenades that were fusing to their skins. The grenades detonated, sending brute fragments scattering in all directions. The grunts, hidden by their active camouflage, knew that they were no match against the brutes, and used stealth as their alley in the field.
The Mirratord elites mourned the death of their comrade, but showed no sign of remorse. Gridolee jumped on top of a brute and overpowered it with his strength; driving his twin blades deep into the beast's shoulders and down the length of its torso. As the brute tumbled to the ground, Gridolee released a heavy battle roar that carried across the battle field. He then ran closer to Eric.
Simyaldee, still standing at Eric's side, easily cut down three nearby brutes using his one strike kill technique. He stood in front of Eric and the ODST, and shielded them from the sudden brute shot rounds that exploded against him. Simyaldee's shields easily withstood the assault and he pounced toward the lone brute. The brute, stunned that the elite's shields would hold against four direct hits, raised the blade end of the brute shot but missed. Simyaldee easily countered the brute's slow swing and stabbed his blade into the beast's fur covered side. The tip of his blade slid out of the brute's opposite side, cutting through its ribs, lungs and heart. The beast slumped to the ground, twitching as its muscles convulsed.
This action caught the eye of several brutes, but they also watched as five brutes were suddenly stuck with plasma grenades, a specter was destroyed, jackals were being instantly killed by unseen enemies and drones were being shot out of the sky by the human defense line. The battlefield was turning quickly into a covenant blood bath, and no matter how hard they tried they could not kill the elites. Though their numbers were superior, they were failing. Their direct assault had completely failed, even though many of the humans that had charged out were already dead.
"Fall back! We must regroup!" A brute commander shouted from the rear of their advance. The overwhelming number of brutes, jackals and drones turned and began to run. The marines on the tank line picked up arms and roared as they began to give chase.
"Shit!" Eric cursed as he heard the marines running up behind him. He turned and fired a round into the air, catching the marines attention. "Fall back to the damn line! I didn't give the order to pursue!" Eric grabbed Palab by the long extension on the back of his armor and held the rabid grunt at bay; Palab was about to start chasing the brutes as well. "Lieutenant Simyaldee, get your warriors in check. You know what's coming next."
"Yes. The brutes will no doubt reorganize for another advance. To chase them now will put us at a disadvantage, and we will loose this stronghold." Simyaldee turned to his Mirratord warriors, looking them all over to see how many had been lost. Luckily there was only one casualty. From the far left of the formation walked the Master Chief and another Spartan.
The chief was covered in brute blood, "Sergeant." Three Mirratord Elites walked behind the two Spartans and it was clear that they had fought together.
Eric looked up at the two green giants and reached for the chief's battle rifle ammo clips, "I'll borrow a few rounds if you don't mind." He knelt down and picked up his battle rifle out of the purple and green soaked sand. "How far is the mobile fortress?"
Cortana then spoke through the chief's armor, "A half-klick back, near the Recon LZ. It should be crossing the dune any moment now."
After slapping in one of the magazines, Eric pulled the hammer on the battle rifle, "Everyone fall back to the Target Zone defense line. We'll turn the covenants own guns against them. Chief, get your CO and his company to Camp Eden and finish this mission. Kelly should be back at the TZ by now." Eric placed his left hand to his helmet. "Black Ops, regroup at the Plasma Mortar. Kelly, fall in with the Chief and Cortana."
Cortana then mentioned, "I see that everyone still sees you as an ONI operative. Don't think I've seen many Sergeants that would be running the show the way you are. Shouldn't Commander Rodgers be overseeing this offensive?"
Eric chuckled. "Rodgers couldn't carry my ammo, let alone lead this strike." The rumble of the huge mobile fortress rolled across and through the sand dune and made its way toward the Target Zone.
Eric's speaker buzzed, "I heard that, Raynord. You're just lucky you still have pull inside ONI. I've been ordered to follow your orders while inside the TZ."
Eric and the group turned to begin walking back to the TZ, while Simyaldee and his Mirratord warriors kept watch on the Covenant retreat. "Lieutenant, once the covenant is out of range, pull your warriors back to the line. I'm going to lay out some mines for our friends over there. You copy that 05?"
"Loud and clear 19." Melanie's voice was soft in Eric's ears. He could tell that she was overjoyed by the order.
"So, they are the Mirratord?" Cortana questioned aloud. The Master Chief turned and looked at the group of Elites and Grunts that lingered behind; nine in total. "I don't see anything special about them. They look like regular Spec Ops, like the elite Major."
John turned off his external speaker and spoke only to Linda, Eric and Cortana, "looks can be deceiving. Look at their poise, their stance tells me a lot. And their fighting style was unpredictable. I could barely track those three elites that fought beside us."
"Agreed." Linda simply returned.
Eric continued to walk, "You don't know the half of it. Had they fought on the front lines on any of our colony, we would have never won any ground engagements. One Mirratord elite is equal to ten standard troops. Or two Spartans, however you want to look at it."
"I doubt that." Cortana replied.
Eric chuckled at Cortana's words, "Doubt it all you want. You've only seen them fight once and I've seen what they can really do. And I got the scars to prove it."
The chief turned and looked at the elite that stood at the front of the nine warriors. They all peered into the distance and watched the Covenant retreat. The master chief watched Simyaldee's stance closely, and even though he could only see Simyaldee's back, he could see that he was truly an elite worthy of leadership.
Sensing that someone was looking at him, Simyaldee turned his head slightly and saw that the Spartan was gazing at him. Simyaldee nodded his head respectfully toward the demon, and the chief returned the gesture. Simyaldee then returned to watching the covenant. He folded his arms across his chest and stood tall. The other elites did the same. It wasn't anything special, yet the Master Chief felt that everything Eric had said was true. These elites seemed calm even after everything they had just went through, and that was something that he himself had only learned through years of combat. The Master Chief watched as all nine of the warriors activated their cloaking technology and vanished. The ten grunts then did the same.
- - - - - - -
The Mobile fortress came to a stop at the side of the Scarab tank. The two powerful machines were nearly the same height, but the fortress was clearly longer and bulkier. The fortress was not as shiny as the Scarab's polished alloy, and its desert camouflage paint was spotted with marks of rust and plasma burns. The front and rear ramps of the fortress opened and marines began to file out, two scorpions roared out of the front ramp and rows of warthogs raced from the rear. The company commander, Jason Rodgers, stood on the front ramp and looked over the target zone. He watched as marines began to police the dead, while tech officers worked the two oversized plasma mortar canons nearby. Near one of the canons he could see a group talking to the master chief, and he slowly made his way down the ramp toward them.
Eric stepped forward and placed a map on the large support leg of the plasma mortar, "Black Op 05 is setting an AT mine field around the left flank, the elites and grunts are keeping watch on her until their phantom arrives. I've got a few Marine's shaking down the Scarab to defend the right flank, but thankfully the right flank is the weakest of the covenant defense net." Eric looked over the simple map he had before him and drummed his hand on the mortar canon's purple alloy. He looked up toward the direction of Camp Eden. "If all goes well, we can hold here for at least another day. That should be plenty of time for you to lead your company into Camp Eden, Chief, and take back our ground."
Cortana then cut in, "Major Rawlings' last report was that the camp's defenses were holding, but more and more covenant support is arriving."
"Chief, move your company into position." Eric barked. "I'm turning these mortar canons against the covenant defense net. Once I fire this baby, it won't be long before they return fire." Eric looked up at the tip of the plasma mortar and slapped it lovingly.
"Are you sure about that Sergeant?" Commander Rodgers voiced from the back of the group.
"Commander." Everyone saluted, only in respect of the man's rank. "No offense, Sir, but you should remain on the Mobile Fortress."
"I'll take that under advisement. The situation here is not as important as defending Camp Eden. Once we destroy a few more plasma mortars we'll be able to get more troops in. The Enterprise, Jefferson and the Advancing Storm are all awaiting the all clear to send in more troops. But they can't so long as these mortars are firing, and we can't wait any longer. Master Chief, take command of my company, and take the best troops with you." Rodgers then looked at Eric and Mathew. "All of them."
"Sir, you're not in command here…" Eric began to protest.
"I'm not going to make this a debate, Raynord. You stay here and the Covenant will drop everything they have on you. And this time they won't hold back. It's suicide to stay here. Master Chief, take the company and all the Spartans with you; you'll need the best at your side. I'll do what I can to hold the window open for more troops to pass. Plus we have the added firepower of the mobile fortress at our disposal."
"Chief, we don't have time to argue." Cortana added. "The covenant cruiser in the distance is moving toward Camp Eden."
"Damn it Rodgers!" Eric barked.
"No need for the best warriors in this war to die here, Raynord. This window isn't going to hold, and anyone left in this zone will be killed. Go. Get to Camp Eden and secure it. Those civilians need you."
Everyone turned to Eric, as the Master Chief questioned, "your orders?"
"Sergeant Johnson and his unit have already landed by now; if they made it." Eric thought. Sergeant Johnson and a few dozen squads dropped into Camp Eden from orbit to assist the guard units at the base, but they had to drop through the heavily defended covenant net. "Chief, get your company together and prepare to roll out. We'll follow you in. Kelly, I think you have something for Cortana."
Kelly walked toward the Master Chief and placed two fingers to her helmet, where her mouth would be, and swiped her fingers across her face; making a smiling gesture. The Master Chief returned the old greeting, pleased to see his long time friend.
"Linda, form up the company." The chief received a green confirmation light on his HUD and Linda raced deeper into the camp.
"Let's see what you have." Cortana stated. Kelly extended her hand and the Master Chief reached out and gently grabbed it. A wave of blue green static washed over their hands, and John felt, in some way, connected to Kelly. For a brief moment he could see into her mind as Cortana retrieved the data. He could see memories of long ago, on a distant world that he could hardly remember; Reach. It felt like an eternity since all of his Spartans woke up at the base; mere children back then. The training on Menachite Mountain popped into his fore thought and the smile on Kelly's face that he could never forget. She was more then just a Spartan under his command and in some way she was like a sister to him. They held hands for a few seconds, but it felt much longer. "I have the data. Hmm, it looks like Doctor Halsey's been busy; very busy."
"Alright, let's go." Eric stated to the Spartans at his side. "08, find Private Williams."
"You bringing him along?" Melanie questioned through the Black Ops private channel. She had been listening to the mission details while she planted the mines.
"No, but someone has to get Rose out of the area."
"You know she won't leave." Melanie sighed.
"And we can't leave her here." Eric placed a hand to his helmet and changed frequencies, "Rogue Fantasy, you copy?" Only a buzz filled his ear. "Shit."
Mathew and Wesley jogged up to Eric as the Spartans began to run toward the Warthogs and Scorpions, "Sarge?"
"Williams, find Rose and get her to the medical tent. Then tell one of the transport drivers to begin evacuating all injured to the Fallback Zone." Eric turned and they began to walk toward the warthogs, following the Spartans course.
"Sarge, you know she won't settle for that." Wesley returned. Melanie and the Mirratord joined Eric as he approached the line of warthogs and he turned to Simyaldee.
Simyaldee looked to the southern sand dunes as he addressed Eric, "Sergeant, the battle has gone equally to both sides… so far. But our place is now at the side of the Arbiter. We are off to join him, and protect him. It is the will of the high council, and we must obey. Though, I wish I could continue to fight at your side."
"We appreciate everything you've done. I'm sure the Arbiter will be grateful to have you at his side." A phantom began to rumble over the camp from the south and hovered overhead. The purple light of the gravity lift exploded from beneath and one by one the Mirratord vanished within. Palab, Migpap, Simyaldee, and Gridolee were the last. Palab sniffed the air and nodded toward Eric. He learned much from the honorable human, and vowed not to forget facing the trials with him. He patted Migpap on the shoulder and together they rose into the Phantom. Simyaldee nodded and followed Palab and Migpap. Gridolee faced Eric and walked a few feet closer.
"When next I meet you, Sergeant, I will have the head of a prophet strapped to my belt. I shall present it to you as a peace offering between you and my family." He nodded his head deeply in respect. Eric nodded in return. Gridolee then looked to Wesley, their eyes met briefly but neither spoke. Gridolee turned and stepped into the light of the phantom. The door closed, the purple gravity lift faded and the phantom turned back toward the south. It accelerated as it cleared the region. Eric hated to admit it, but he was indebted to the Mirratord. Had they not been there the battle against the Covenant would have been a massacre, but their skill and strength was the deciding factor in their victory. His anger toward them still existed, but his tolerance had grown stronger. Never had he met a nobler species.
Wesley, Melanie and Eric continued toward the chief's company, and as they came closer to them Eric spotted Rose about to jump into the driver's seat of a hog.
"Get her out of that hog!" Eric ordered to Wesley. Wesley sighed and sprinted to the warthog.
Melanie opened the private channel, "Just to warn you, this is going to get ugly." Eric understood that more then Melanie did. He had been on Rose's bad side more then once, and when she wanted her way she usually got it. Eric couldn't hear the conversation between Wesley and Rose, but he could see that Rose was not happy. She pushed passed Wesley and stormed toward Eric as he placed his rifle into a nearby warthog.
"Master Chief, take your company and pull ahead, we'll be right behind you." The chief nodded his head and climbed into the passenger seat of a hog. Kelly climbed into another, while Linda mounted on the side of a warthog. The company of marines sped into the desert toward Camp Eden; twelve warthogs, two scorpion tanks and two pelicans overhead. It was crowded and cramped on each of the vehicles, but they only had a few kilometers to go. Dust clouds followed the wake of the speedy vehicles, while the scorpions stalked slowly behind.
Eric stepped away from the warthog as Melanie and Mathew climbed inside. He took off his helmet, held it to his side and waited for Rose to step to him. He could see the anger on her face, the emotion boiling inside and her eyes fighting back tears. Behind him he could hear the plasma cannon preparing to fire; its loud rumble as plasma charged within it. A loud pulse followed the sound and a gigantic mass of blue plasma escaped from the weapons top mounted barrel.
Rose stopped mere inches from Eric and didn't look into his eyes, "don't leave me behind, sir. I'm not useless… I can help." Rose was sniffling, fighting against her emotions.
"You heard my orders. Get to the medical tent and wait for the next transport out of here."
Marks ran up to Eric and Rose, not knowing that he shouldn't have, "Sarge, that Scarab is ready. I've gotten control of … it." He saw Rose crying as she tried to look away.
"Good job. You'll take orders from Commander Rodgers from here on out. Dismissed." Marks hesitated and looked at Rose.
"You okay, babe?" Rose nodded her reply; a heartfelt yes. Marks slowly turned and walked back toward the Scarab tank.
Eric waited until Marks was clear and he gripped Rose gently by the shoulders; speaking softly, "Not this time, Rose. I've taken you into danger too many times. Not again. How many times do you have to barely avoid death?"
"I won't be a burden to you. I can fight. My aim has improved… I know how to shoot. I won't… I won't be in the way." Rose could no longer hide her feelings. She wrapped her arms around Eric and held him tightly in her arms. Eric leaned his chin against the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her in a soft embrace.
"I have to go."
"What if you don't come back? Don't leave me again… please. Don't leave me behind." Rose couldn't forget the moment she lost Eric the first time, the day she watched him board the transport from school fifteen years ago. "They stopped me from seeing you. I couldn't say goodbye, or tell you how I felt."
"I know that Kim told you not to talk to me." Rose fell silent, her cries halted. "Siren told me everything." Eric pushed Rose away and looked into her eyes. "Get to the medical tent. Wait for the transport. When this battle is over, I'll find you." He kissed her softly on the forehead, stepped back and pulled on his helmet. He wanted to say more, but time wouldn't wait.
"Private Williams, get to it." Eric shouted to Wesley. Wesley jogged closer and nodded to Eric. In one quick motion, Eric spun around and sprinted to the jeep. He jumped in the passenger seat and told Mathew, "Gun it!"
"About damn time!" Melanie shouted from the back. In the rear view mirror Eric watched as Rose and Wesley turned and walked back into camp. Wesley was consoling her and Eric knew he had to put the thought out of his mind. His job wasn't done yet. Melanie was also watching Rose, "She's not at all what I expected. What did you tell her?"
"I told her what she needed to hear." While he knew he had a mission to accomplish, Eric also knew that his chances of surviving were slim. His luck on the battlefield was eventually going to run out.
A few moments passed and Mathew spotted the company ahead of him, "19, they aren't that far ahead. I can see them." The warthog speed passed the two scorpions and then caught up with the speedy warthogs in front. Mathew slowed down as they joined the pace of the head warthog and the Master Chief.
"Well, it's about time you three showed up. We were beginning to have our doubts." Kelly stated over the com.
"There's no way I could miss out on this." Melanie replied.
"Can't wait to kick some brute ass!" Mathew chimed in.
The Master Chief cut in, "Enough chatter, Spartans. Sergeant, what's the call?"
"Linda, take a platoon and man the tanks while providing cover fire, and take out their heavy weapons. Kelly, you have the warthog platoons. Focus on the vehicles and stationary weapons; use the warthogs' speed to cause confusion. Chief, you and I will lead the infantry, two platoons, we'll rush in and find Johnson and put an end to this stand. Once we've dealt with the little fish, we'll take down that nearby cruiser."
Five green lights popped into Eric's HUD, compliments of Cortana; "I've linked all of the Black Ops into my system. Their modified Shock Trooper armor has basic com and HUD systems. I can relay any commands to the Sergeant just as if they were wearing MJOLNIR armor. Black Ops, simply speak yes or no and I can translate that in to a green or red indicator."
"Wow!" Melanie gleefully returned.
"Good, that should make things simple to communicate with the Black Ops." The chief added as he looked over the company. Camp Eden was in sight and overhead was the small Covenant cruiser, plasma was raining from its turrets and into the camp. "Pull it together and let's get in there." The roar of tank treads and warthog engines
Cortana then cheered into all Spartans personal com channels, "Six Spartans versus a Covenant Cruiser, I like these odds. Spartans form up, Covenant drop ship inbound!"
To be concluded…