UNSC Fortress world of Reach
August 30, 2552
The sound of a UNSC ship leaving its port filled my ears, gun fire from allies became sporadic at best, the only gun fire I could hear was from south? North? My sense of direction became disoriented as the battle for Reach intensified.
My entire ODST squad was wiped out, I was lucky to be alive. An elite allowed me to live for some reason I didn't know why but he did. I was injured and not immediately killed. I was prepared for death to come and put me to rest, but no that elite left me to die out here on a burnt world and not by the covenant's hand.
A grunt would surely stumble into me and then shoot me with his little guns surely? Well whatever, I was hiding in the supply room that was abandoned. Most of the supplies were left behind as the crew of the Pillar of Autumn didn't bother taking it as there wasn't enough time to get them, and enemies were storming the base, but they eventually would leave.
Well whatever, the sound of allied and enemy gunfire died down as the last resisting member of the UNSC was killed, whoever remained was most likely hiding from the covenants wrath, or have already left the planet.
The covenant was for sure trying to find everybody they could but some were just too good at hiding, so there was a chance a survivor could have survived but that was likely considering the increasing hostility of the environment after a world was glassed, they may have some forces on the surface but that was very little.
The first thing that will happen in areas that have been glassed the hardest will be well into the thousands of degrees celcius, turning the area into lava, and it will take years to cool down, then whatever areas that were not glass will still be affected, all local wildlife will die, whatever survives will be fighting for their life at this point, then heavy rainfall will come and it will last for some time but heavy rain will cause flooding but I'm on hill so I should be good for now.
I was lucky to still have my helmet and armor as an ODST which will allow me to survive a bit better in the environment considering I am commanded to jump into a giant brick with thrusters on it and then be dropped from space in orbit to the ground, so I'm pretty prepared for some increased environmental hostility as I am trained for stuff like this.
I decided to turn my thoughts towards the supply room I was hiding in, it was chalked full of supplies, weaponry, and body armor. Not only that many vehicles were abandoned by the UNSC, I believe the Autumn was only one of the few ships that was able to survive let alone to leave Reach.
Well it's their fate now all I can do is try to survive for as long as I can on the Burning Hell that was known as Reach in the Epsilon System, so I got out of my hiding spot behind a pile of armor it looked like someone had already came in here to try and scrounge for supplies but was killed considering there was a dead body in here with me.
When I got out I was barely as tall as the top shelf, considering I was only around 158 centimeters, even in my suit that barely gave me an added height of about 10 centimeters.
The Shelf in itself had things such as panchos, backpacks, rifles, shotguns, magnums and body armor, on the floor there were things such as shovels and equipment. The dead body was just a poor infantryman who was left on the ground when the Autumn left. His dog tag identified him as Private Johnson Mendéz, he's actually from the United States on Earth. His family is probably worried sick about him, as he probably hasn't sent them a message in the past month or so.
I decided to pick up his dog tag. I decided to try and find a place where I can put his dog tag to keep for safe keeping, when I bury him. If I find more dead soldiers I'll do the same. Engraving their names so they won't be forgotten and sending their families the location where I buried them but that will be a long time from now considering my current situation.
But I'll do their family a favor and give them a proper burial, so their families could find them assuming we win or a ceasefire is called.
The original reason why I was sent to Reach, to help locate the Covenant Homeworld or planetary Capital, help Spartans take their leaders hostage or kill them and demand a ceasefire. That was the plan, but as you know Reach was attacked with a bigger fleet sooner than expected.
I grabbed a shovel and began digging outside. I buried the deceased soldier and gave him a prayer and carved his name on a metal plaque I found, along with his I.D number where he was born, and his age. November 2530-August 2552. He was awfully young, he was just a few years younger than me.
The rain was hitting the ground hard quickly turning into mud, eventually new more fertile soil would be uncovered from the rain. If I found a working falcon or any vehicle I could make trips between the now deserted military space port, towards any farm that has seeds so I can get food.
If that doesn't work I at least have more rations than a single person can eat that will last for possibly decades.
I went back inside and headed to the security room, it was deserted as expected, the covenant searched this place in and out. Trying to find survivors, I was here so they sort of failed in that regard. But they'll surely come back. Right?
Well if they do I'll need to get moving so they won't follow me again, either way I'm dead if help doesn't come eventually which will either be never or years from now but whatever might as well make the best of it.
When I arrived the cameras were offline as expected, but there was something here that every security room had. Keycards, it was something I needed if I wanted to access restricted parts of the Port. Well I could easily just use a blow torch to open it up that way assuming I found one.
After going through multiple drawers I eventually found what I needed. A blue keycard with a lanyard with it, someone couldn't keep track of their belongings. Whatever I pick up the keycard and put around my neck, I'll put it under my clothes later when I take it off but for now this way will work.
I then decided to go back to the supply closet, when I arrived, I took down panchos, and body armor. Fastening it into a makeshift camping bag of sorts. I then took off my helmet followed by my body armor putting it in a corner of the supply closet.
I then closed the supply closet door, turned off the lights, set a timer for 6 hours, got under my poncho blanket and went to sleep. I'll need it after all I'm in a world that's on fire.
