0752 Hours, October 20, 2552
Hotel Zanzibar, New Mombassa (25 minutes later)
The desk crashed against the floor as my boot struck it. Around me the rest of second squad was constructing defences out of anything available. Chairs, tables, no matter. They would provide limited cover. We were held out in the reception lobby of the hotel which overlooked the interconnecting streets of new Mombassa suburbs. To think that not hours ago that these streets were full of hustling and bustling citizens all now deserted from the area. The lobby was not exactly a big room but felt spacious due to the cream coloured walls and draping mirrors that were laid about. To my left a computer terminal blinked on and off, a scorch mark travelling straight through its centre. I walked over attaching my visor to the screen. Good a video log incomplete I thought. Maybe it would show what happened here. Curiously I selected it to play. On the screen an image of a man appeared. He was gaunt looking with a tidy grade four hair cut and two gazing brown eyes. Looking the job of the hotel manager he spoke into the screen.
"Video diary log – October 20th 2552. I started work as usual today. So far only 6 people have checked in this morning, one being a Mr Richard Johns which I can vaguely remember staying here sometime last year. From the look of things the UNSC has been increasing patrols in the area over the past few days. It's as if something big is about to happen. You can see the fear in people faces as you walk past them in the street as more leave the outskirts. It is not good for business. I sent Debbie out this morning to collect the mail and she still hasn't returned. She has been gone forty-seven minutes and I hope nothing is wrong. Anyway, one of our guests has asked for fresh towels so I'll have a word with her when she returns.
End video diary… Wait! What's going on outside? Why are people getting out of their cars? What are they all looking at?" Within the next second a gigantic explosion ripped through the square. As the manager moves away from the console the camera switches to its external view. In the background the manager is shouting frantically.
"Oh my god! The building opposite has just exploded showering rubble onto the people below. People are running, screaming everywhere. Mass panic has erupted in the square"
The camera shows people running for their lives, trampling over each other and the dead from the blast. Behind them two phantom drop ships landed spilling out hordes of covenant troops from their bowels. Without hesitation the covenant opened fire on the civilians. Men, women, children, It didn't matter. It never did. The covenant was here to eradicate the entire human race down to the last child. Poor bastards I though as I watched the streaming video camera. The camera moved back inside to the monitor showing the complete horror on the manager's face. Suddenly he turned to run and tripped over the chair. Clutching his arm he pushed himself backwards along the floor into the cupboard behind. Next thing an elite walked into view raising its plasma rifle. The manager screamed "Please, no, no, noooo!" I turned away as the elite fired, the plasma weapon tearing through flesh and bone. It laughed manically and turned to face the screen. His rifle began to glow as the monitor blackened. The word 'Error' flickered onto the screen. I unattached my visor and looked behind me into the cupboard. The sprawled out body of the manager was still slumped in the corner, his blood stained the floor. The plasma has punctured his left lung, incinerating his heart. At least his death was a quick one. I made a promise to myself and the manager that if I ever came across that elite. I would care to make his death as long and painful as the harsh winter nights of Meathan VII.
Anti and Se7en had just finished fortifying our barricades as I walked over to them. Voodoo had climbed a flight of stairs to act as our spotter for the time being.
"Good job men. I'd like to see those blasted aliens get through this"
"Maybe you'll get your chance." The reply was dead serious.
"We got two elites and a pack of dogs incoming on your 10"
"Roger that Voodoo. You can come down off the roof now"
"Negative Sarge, going to see if I can take one of those calamari out"
"Affirmative, Headshot out"
I turned to face the others. They too had heard the radio conversation. I unslung the battle rifle from my back. It was time to earn our pay.
Voodoo moved cautiously out of room B2s window onto the roof of Hotel Zanzibar. The room over looked the whole of the square giving an excellent vantage point. He moved over to the massive metal 'O' and rested his SRS99C-S2 AM rifle on the mid section. Voodoo checked his breathing and blanked out the rest of the world. The two elites moved closer and closer down the road to hotel Zanzibar. One raised its hand as the squad drew to a halt. The left elite started sniffing the air and turned to face the roof. It must have seen a glint of light sparkle off the gun and pointing to Voodoo and let out a commanding war cry.
"Bastard" Voodoo thought and opened fire. One round hit the elite in the shoulder blade as it dived for cover. The other covenant ran for the Hotel only to meet responding marine fire from inside. Voodoo clutching his rifle moved across the roof to relocate. The elite he hit was still alive. He knew them all to well.
"Keep the fire on them boys" I shouted out as parts of the barricade melted under sustained plasma fire. I fired three round bursts into the air from behind my war torn table. I poked my head around the corner as a wave of plasma flew in my direction.
"Sarge I can't get a shot off. They've got a plasma turret on our position"
"Hold on marines. Voodoo can you hear me?" The vox fizzled with static. I couldn't make out what he was saying.
"Rein..ents in…ming"
"Say again, Voodoo. Repeat…arg damit"
The plasma fire halted in our direction and turned to face the new threat. I equipped 2 fragmentation grenades attaching them together with my boot lace. An old trick I had learnt off a previous deceased friend. I pulled the pin out and yelled "Frag and clear". Tossing the grenade bomb through the lobby window into a bunch of grunts I watched the explosion. The effect was devastating. Not only did it destroy the turret, the blast caught the petrol tank of a nearby car flipping it into a near by building.
"That's the way, yeah." Se7en called out as he poured on the fire. The elite that was previously on the gun turret was confused. Caught in the crossfire of the defending marines and squad one it issued the command to retreat. As it turned to retreat it ran face first into the butt of the Master Chiefs rifle. The elite's skull cracked under the blow as it fell to the ground dead.
I walked out from behind my cover to meet the Spartan. As I did so the injured elite leaped out from his hiding place with his sword brandished. It growled as blood dripped freely from its wound. The elite raised its blade and paused. A shot crackled through the air as the round hit. Voodoo stood on the roof to the left of me, smoke rising from his gun.
"Target neutralized"
I double clicked my vox in acknowledgement and turned my attention back towards squad one.
"Chief glad you could make it. Crash sites on the other side of this hotel. Covenant are crawling all over it. Follow me."
I led the now combined forces of squad one and two over the covenants dead bodies, through the hotel to the sea front, encountering little resistance along the way. We reached the shore just as a phantom was dropping off more covenant reinforcements. We just had enough time to find cover before the drop ship started raining plasma down on us.
"Anyone got a SPNKr? We need to take out those dam guns" I yelled slapping in a fresh magazine for my BR.
"Aim for the elites first" I heard a marine call as debris pounded off the walls. The helljumpers and marines kept firing at the covenant position until the plasma stopped.
"Philowe is it clear?" I yelled as a grenade triggered an explosive barrel not feet away.
"You tell me" The Scotsman always had humoured us. "Se7en, Anti, move it out, covering fire"
We lay down a field of fire while Anti and Se7en ran for the other side of the road. The phantom still hung just 10 meters off the ground pounding our formation with plasma.
"What about that phantom"
"I've got a little present for them. Delta 239 this is Sergeant Headshot. Bring green smoke over." I had been allocated one bombing run just encase things got a little too hot for us to handle. I never planned on using it.
"Roger that Sir" the reply came through the vox. "ETA 30 seconds"
"Keep your heads down men. Anti, Se7en, get the hell out of there" I ducked in behind a supporting pillar holding my rifle tight.
Delta 239 cruising at a speed of 75km/h rounded the last of the city buildings as it manoeuvred onto the shoreline. Armed with a light weight chin mounted 40mm chain gun and 2 HE Anvil II missile pods it was perfect for supporting the grounded marines. 500 yards ahead hovered the covenant phantom, its guns glazing the area. Had it noticed the D77-TC pelican behind, it might have chosen its target more wisely. The pelican reversed thrusters to slow its velocity and loaded the rocket pods.
"Target lock and… Fire" Four missiles spiralled through the air erupting into the phantom side on. The transport lurched sideways crashing into the building destroying its portable guns as fire bellowed from its aft engines. At that moment the right thrusters gave in as it plummeted to the ground taking out a street lamp in its fury.
"Hoo-rah!" The pilots chanted. "Sergeant, we'll set down over in the clearing"
The marines cheered as the drop ship hit the ground. I walked over to the rest of the helljumpers and they saluted me.
"This victory isn't the war… but it sure as hell tastes sweet" I told them.
"About this war… special delivery from Commander Keyes, sir." I turned around as a warthog pulled up behind.
"I'd love to help you crash the party but im needed elsewhere. Chief, take care of my boys" Moving towards the pelican, me and Voodoo boarded.
"I'll meet you in the metropolis" The transport ascended off the ground and headed for the heart of New Mombassa.