Chapter 11

Red Sorrow

October 20, 2552

19:20 Hours, Earth time

Mazeras, Republic of Kenya

ODST Spec Ops Unit, November Six, aka Nova Team

Status: Currently engaged in hostel controlled territory

Location: Kenya National Library, Earth

[Play Under Cover of Night: Halo on You Tube]

It was getting dark, I hadn't noticed it until now. the echos of a phantom's plasma fire ran through the buildings, the silence between the sounds grew shorter and shorter, they were getting closer. And, I knew I had to do something, but what? My body was telling me to move but in my mind there was no direction, my body was shaking from the anticipation. With no NCOs around I felt like a lost dog who had unknowingly wandered away from her master, and didn't know what to do. Only I did know what to do, I had to fight without them, and the thought of that terrified me . I looked at Katrina to see if he was feeling the same, only to be met with a cocky smile. How could he be smiling at a time like this? The sight of that smile infuriated me, but it also humbled me. I nodded at him trying to remove the fear from my eyes. He rested his hand on my head, he's gentle touch whispered you're not gonna die.

My body finally stopped shaking enough for me to get my thoughts together. I quickly reached for my helmet as well as my weapon, knowing I'd have to fire it but not knowing when. We could see the lights from an incoming convenient Phantom break the darkness of the approaching night. Katrina was Pieing one of the smaller windows to scout the situation trying not to be seen. I started to approach him, only for him to motion for me to stay back. After a few moments I could see the lights of the phantom Hovering away as Katrina carefully moved towards me.

"I don't have exact numbers but, there are about two squads out there, and one of them is really ugly. Looks like they're looking for something." Katrina Explained

"Or Someone?" I added, "Cpl Moreno?"

"Gotta be." Katrina added, "They're looking for a sniper, so the probably don't know we're hear yet, we'll have to use that."

"What about the Civilians! " I said with a bit of volume in my voice. Katrina quickly hushed me.

"Shhhhh..." he hissed, "We'll just have to lead them away the basement. But first we gotta be sure not to get caught ourselves."

I nodded.

They approached the Library slowly and careful, we knew they would. It gave us time to set up Booby traps by carefully placing stacks of books in ways that they would topple over simply by being brushed up against. The traps didn't kill anyone, they weren't suppose to but what they did do was let us know exactly how far they were in to the library without the need for eye contact. We waited for a particularly large stack of books to topple signaling us to move out a nearby window and back on to the streets of Mazeras where we hide behind a fallen piece of debris across the broken road.

"We did it!" I cheered quietly but it was too early to celebrate. Before I know it Katrina was cooking a live grenade in his palm. I moved to protest but it was too late the grenade had been let loose.

Boom!

The Loud explosion ended the silence of the night and with it the lives of a pair of jackals that were standing guard outside of the library. "Think that got their attention?" Katrina laughed.

"Not Sure!" I shouted sarcastically, "Throw a few more I don't think the Covenant on the other side of the Continent heard you."

Boom!

"Ah! I was being sarcastic you jackass!" I raged

"Yeah... I know... But I already pressed the button." Katrina explained nonchalantly.

"That's the most..." I started only to have Katrina place his hand in front of my helmet.

"It's the ugly one." he smiled that same cocky smile as before and it was no less annoying. That's when I saw him a giant hulk of a brute standing no less than Nine feet tall and clad in reflective blue armor. He spoke motioning for the grunts and jackals under his charge to search the area. But it was what he said that caused a thorns of hopelessness to overcome me. My body begin shaking again, and the more time went on the more noticeable the shaking became until Katrina said, "You're not looking too hot. And that's hard for you." he placed his hand on my shoulder and immediately became aware of my trembling.

I placed my hand over his, and somehow mustered the strength to speak. "They're... He said they're gonna glass the city."

"What?" Katrina said with confusion in his voice.

"I heard him" I said trying to speak calmly, "He said Let the vermin hide, this place will be nothing but ash before dawn."

"Glass the city?" Katrina acknowledged, "Damn it."

"Do they really hate us that much?" I said, "We should run right, We should run and wait for Sgt. Chambers and the others? We're in way over our heads out here."

"We have to get those people to safety."Katrina said under his breath.

Katrina looked at the ground for a moment before securing his rifle in his grasp. He started to move, but I couldn't let him I quickly grabbed him by the shoulder causing him to pause. "Damn it Katrina this is suicide." I said frantically.

He brush my hand aside, "Maybe you were right." he said, "Maybe you being Lt. Hawkins' Replacement was a mistake." and with that he left me sitting there basking in my cowardly desire for self-preservation .

"That idiot if we go out there, we're died."

Lcpl Katrina didn't leave me much time to wallow, before I knew it the smell of gun powder was in the air and stray plasma fire was whizzing overhead. That idiot. I stayed put for as long as I could, not sure how long, could have been an hour, could have been a few seconds, the battlefield has that kind of effect on a person. I didn't want to admit it but I was worried about him, if something happened to him then it'd just be me. I peeked over the debris while hidden to check and see if he was okay, all the while trying preparing myself for anything. I move as slow as I possibly could only to have my arm slip on a piece of loose debris, the jerking motions of my body soon caught the attention of a nearby grunt, who immediately moved to call out position to the others. Only to be taken down by Katrina before he could. He saved me, but in doing he didn't notice the enemy at his six, a Carbined jackal behind him was ready to take full advantage of the situation. 'No' I thought to myself. Before I knew it had rolled across the ground, and emptied my magazine in to him. The Jackal lay motionless. 'What did I just do?'

I revealed myself that's what I did. Katrina noticing me quickly offered suppressing fire keeping the covenant at bay until I come to my senses. He kept his rifle sighted in with his right hand and offered his left to me, to help me up. I took his hand and smiled, my heart felt like it was about to beat out of my chest, not because of fear, but because of pride. We took a stand back to back, as the remaining Convenient ground troops closed in.

"This isn't gonna be easy." I signed

BANG!

Katrina had fired a carefully aimed shot into the skull of an approaching grunt killing him instantly, " Now you try." he smiled.

Suddenly the brute captain aimed his brute shot at us and fired, it hit the deck mere inches away from us we quickly dove to avoid it. It didn't take long for the grunts to get the memo as plasma fire filled the air once again. I quickly took cover as the brute captain made his way to Katrina. I tried to move to help but it was no good I was pinned down by the remaining grunts and Jackals. Before Katrina knew it the Brute was on top of him roaring his horrible roar. Realizing the brute was too close to try and use his rifle Katrina punched the Brute in the chest with all his might, but it was no good, the brute didn't even flinch. He just laughed then pushed Katrina to the ground harshly with the heel of is foot. I kept trying to help only to be pushed back into cover with every attempt. Then I noticed there was a high pinched ring in my ear, I turned to find a grunt with an active plasma grenade standing dangerously close to me. He squalled as the explosion enveloped him.

"Shit!" I moved as fast as I could to escape the blast, but wasn't nearly fast enough. The explosion knocked me off my feet, into a nearby street lamp. A lay there unmoving for a bit, the front of my armor covered in plasma burns. Every cell in my body was screaming for me to stay down, but I couldn't, if I just stayed there I was as good as died, at least if I could move I'd have a chance. I had to try.

"Wait!" I could hear Katrina's voice but was unable to respond, I had no idea why he was yelling or if his words were even directed at me. I tried to found him to make sure everything was okay but It was to no avail I was still moving too slowly after being shaken from the impact of the plasma grenade. "Armin!" he yelled.

[Play Red Sorrow: Audiomachine on You Tube]

I heard his voice but was unable to responded. Dazed and confused I stumbled trying to make my way to my feet. Only to fall down again, As my eyes began to focus, what they saw I didn't want to believe. Before my very eyes Katrina stood facing me arms wide the rear blade of a brute shot piercing his abdomen. My eyes grew wide as I began to process the harsh reality, that Katrina got hurt protecting me. Blood dripped from the blade slowly and steadily. I wanted to save him, I wanted to do something but my legs were weak and my body trembled, all I could do was watch in horror. His helmet fell off revealing his eyes, they were weak and lifeless.

The Brute Captain spoke and I listened. The language I spent so much time to understand was being used by someone who thought I and those like me were less than dirt so much so that he and those he stood with had come to my world and resolved to destroy it. And now they were trying to take the life of my squad-mate, my friend.

"Disguising Vermin! Wait your turn!" Suddenly he removed the blade of his weapon from the back of a wounded Katrina causing him to began falling immediately, as if the blade was the only thing keeping him on his feet. Blood left him mouth as he coughed, causing droplets to land on my visor mere inches away. The splashes of blood seemed to give me the shock I needed to move. In one motion I tossed my blood covered helmet aside, while moving to catch my injured comrade. My eyes were frenzied with emotions moving frantically from the Brute Captain to Katrina and back again. Suddenly the voice of the Brute Captain caught my ear, "All humans are the same... They just don't know when to die!" Quickly he position himself in a way to plunge the blade of his weapon into the back of the young Lance Corporal once again.

I... I couldn't move, I wanted to help Katrina, to get him to safety, but my body just couldn't move. With my last ounce of my strength I screamed in the Jiralhanae, "Stop!... Just please stop!.. You've already won just, Just leave us alone!"The Brute Captain's eyes grew wide as he paused for a moment, I'm sure finding a human who could speak his native language was indeed a rare phenomena, however my outburst only served to enrage him further. His disdain of humans seemed to make my knowledge of his native language some kind of insult to his entire people. Now more furious than ever he quickly moved his blade to kill us both.

Suddenly the sharp sound of a sniper rifle rang off in the distance and before the brute captain knew it the right shoulder of his power armor had be pierced causing that arm to fly off his weapon. The Brute Captain yelled, "Worthless vermin!" as he used his remaining arm to try to kill the us. I closed my eyes and held onto Katrina tightly expecting the worst, but instead I heard a clash. As I opened my eyes a single tear of joy appeared among those of agony as I saw the energy saber of Corporal Miles slashing through the power armor of the brute's arm as he fired, leaving the brute captain helplessly off balance as he jumped back trying to avoid losing his arm. In an instant Cpl. Miles pulled out his second blade and slashed the brute across the mid section, ripping through his power armor; causing him to back away even further.

[Play Zack Hemsey The Way (instrumental) Halo ODST on You Tube]

"Corporal!" I shouted as I frantically began looking for the others members of our team only to see Sgt. Chambers on approach along with Corporals Radd and Holden clearing out the remaining Convenient small fries. "Sgt. Chambers, Katrina's hurt bad!" I cried out,"Save him! Please!" As Sgt. Chambers got closer, she stopped suddenly and stared hopelessly at the ground, "Sergeant! Sgt chambers what's wrong? why aren't you helping him!" Confused with mounting frustration my eyes followed her's only now did I notice the puddle of blood I found herself resting in. So very slowly I moved my hand resting on Katrina's back into view, only to see that it too was drenched in blood. Sgt. Chambers moved to examine the wound. After a moment, anger and frustration made their way into my young sergeant's voice as she looked away.

"Convenient Bastards." She quietly raged.

"Sergeant you can save him right?"

"..."

"Sergeant!"

"I..."

"Sergeant what the hell are you doing? Jesus Christ your Marine is dying!"

"I... I can't."

"Sergeant please!"

"I CAN'T!"

"Wh..?" My eyes grew large in disbelief.

"His Thoracic aorta has been completely severed!" She explained, "Right now his body is only receiving half the required amount of oxygen he needs to survive. But it's not just that ,from the looks of that hole in his back my guess is whatever caused it also damaged many of his internal organs causing severe internal bleeding. Even if I did close up the surface wound he'd still be gone long before we could get him the help he needs. I'm sorry Armin, but there's nothing I can do."

"Serg." Moreno voice rings on the communication system.

"Roger." Chambers replies stepping away trying to clear her throat of every hint of sadness.

"He's trying to get away!"

"Block his escape! That bastard's gonna pay."

"Roger that."

Cpl Miles slide back trying to keep his footing. It was no good, the physical differences between himself and the brute captain were to great. Being able to see his moves coming meant nothing if there wasn't anything he could do to stop them. This wasn't like his old mission were he'd sneak up on a target and take them down at their greatest moment of weakness. This was a head to head brawl where his opponent would do whatever it took to survive, same as him. If he was going to be effective against this type of opponent he'd have to come up with an entirely new way of fighting. But trying to do that in the middle of a fight was suicide. What to do?

The brute aimed in only to have the Corporal suffocate his shot, Quickly the Brute used his now somewhat recovered right arm to knock the trooper away. The young corporal slide back and stumbled, only to feel a hand on his shoulder helping him regain his balance, he looked up to see Sgt Chambers, determination radiating from her entire being. "You Okay?" she said with eyes locked on to the brute. Cpl Miles nodded. "We'll take him down together."

Cpl Miles said,"Hard and fast Sergeant?" moving his eye back to the brute captain.

"Hard and fast it is." Chamber agreed charging her shotgun.

Quickly they both began running towards the injured brute captain. As the Corporal approached the brute tried to aim his brute shot with his good arm only to have the trooper parry his attempt with his energy saber knocking his weapon from his grasp. Cpl Miles shouted, "Now!",

'This is for Katrina.' As Chambers moved into position, just as the brute regained his footing. With a single mighty swing he planned to take Chambers' head off. The young Corporal quickly took note of this and called out to her, "Chambers!"

Quickly Chambers back stepped giving her just enough distance to avoid the full impact of his assault, however her visor was not so lucky as the right portion was completely shattered. Still in the follow through of his attack the brute caption was easy pickings for Chambers who unloaded a burst from her shotgun right into his chest, completely destroying the functionality of the remaining power armor positioned there and causing the brute to fall over.

Corporal Miles looked onward impressed by the combat prowess of his NCO but soon noticed the Brute captain moving frantically as if he had gone berserk. Quickly the corporal moved to aid Sgt Chambers, yelling, "His getting up!" Moving quickly the now berserk brute ran at them like a wild beast, his movements were crazed and frantic, with massive hands he began to swing at them wildly. With energy sabers in hand Cpl Miles was able to deflect and and parry the majority of the blows coming at them scaring and burning the brutes hands in the process, but the berserker kept coming at him like a creature from hell until one of the brute's fist managed to slip by the Corporal guard, a solid punch to the gut sent the young trooper flying, Sgt Chamber quickly ran to his side. But before they both knew it the brute berserker was right on top of them.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

The brute winced as he turned around only to find me, with Katrina's blood-covered pistol still in my shaking hands, firing rounds into his back. The brute motioned towards me only to be stopped by a single round from Moreno's Sniper Rifle.

"A quick death is too good for this bastard." Moreno's voice is heard over the intercom "... Make him bleed. Can you do that?" An eerie silence takes hold of the troopers

"This thing on? I said can you do that?"

Cpl. Mile made his way to his feet, "I... I can do that"

"Sounds almost like your not sure."

"Have I ever lied to you? Come on Sergeant let's show this bastard exactly what happens when you hurt one of ours."

"Thought you'd never ask." Quickly the two rushed in yelling, determined, and blood thirsty. Cpl Miles gets to the brute first and is soon attacked for it. The brute swings his massive hand at the trooper only to have the Corporal cut almost clean through it leaving the detached limb hanging by a flap of skin. Sgt. Chambers moves in quickly afterward and fires her shotgun, aimed in at the exact point she hit the first time. The brute's blood gushed, drops covered the armor of the two troopers. Hurt but still very much alive the brute reached out with his right hand only to have the Corporal slash diagonally across the brutes chess opening him up even further. The Brute stumbled back and yet remained on his feet, his arms at his sides, the look of defeat carved into his face.

He spoke and I listened, " Your world will burn." But was silenced by Cpl Miles as the tip of his blade exited the back of the Brutes skull.

Suddenly I heard a faint whisper in my ear, "I... I can't speak loud enough for the others to hear me."

I quickly find the origin of the whisper in Katrina,"Shut up shut up shut up you idiot! You're not gonna die, we're gonna make it through this, just save your strength!"

"You should try not talking so much, its more attractive...Please... For once just... Do me a favor and listen... I … I was wrong. You do belong here," Katrina smiles for the last time "Because of you we didn't fail... Everyone's okay. Armin I..." as those words leave his lips his smile fades, his eyes go blank, and his body limp. What little strength he was using to stay in my arms was now gone. I could feel it in the depths of my soul, his spark was gone. And what lay in front of me a hollow shell of the person that once was. Tears began to flow uncontrollable I was angry at him for all the times he made her call him an idiot. And, angry at myself for all the times I was too pity to forgive or smile at him. But more than anything I felt sad, so very sad. So sad in fact that for the first time in what seemed like an eternity sense she join the Corps, I cried. In the middle of the battlefield with all the chaos erupting around me; I cried.

September 17, 2554

21:00 Hours, Earth Time

Ship: Midnight Enforcer; CO's Quarters

ODST Spec Ops Unit, November Six, aka Nova Team

Status: On the move to Earth

Location: Saturn's Orbit, Sol System

[Play Atonement: Halo 4 on You Tube]

Lt. Miles places Katrina's dog tags on a nearby desk as he made his way into a sitting position. 'Chambers keeps telling me that what happened back then wasn't my fault, I still don't know who's she is trying to convince me or herself.' The dim lights of the room began to flicker and spark. 'Katrina... my junior, my trooper, my decision... (the lieutenant flipped off the light switch) My Fault.. I own that; I'll carry that failure like everything else...'