The First Contact War
Chapter 19
The Prototype
'being a good person does not depend on your religion, status, race, colour, political views or culture. It depends on how you treat others'
2623 February 22nd Earth Standard Calendar, Sergeant Ghost on OAG research facility on Algolis.
"I need you to be strong – strong enough to do what you've never done in your life. Can you be strong enough to allow yourself to be… can you just be human?"
These words echoed through the head of the marine. Sergeant Ghost a marine in the Hades Corps of the OAG Corps of Engineers, a marine that was known for being cold, and somewhat sadistic, showing little to no emotion towards anything especially in battle.
These words were from a marine that died in his arms, and Ghost himself died inside. Her words echoed through his head as he vowed to avenge his entire platoon. After this disastrous event he was negatively known among the other marines.
Ghost had brown eyes, and black hair. He was wearing the normal OAG marine outfit and carried a AC160 Assault Rifle. Ghost along with other Marines from the Hades Corp were deployed to destroy navigation material and prototype weapons so it wouldn't fall into enemy hands or in this cause the Separatists.
Droid fighters flew overhead, being shot down and marines were shooting at the droids and vice versa. It was a true war zone on Algolis.
"Damn it man, what are you still doing here? Command has declared a full retreat" One marine said as the other one took cover after firing a round of plasma.
"We can't pull out. The civilians maybe on the way out of here but there is a core of engineers out there and I am not leaving them behind" The younger marine said.
"It's not up to you" The older marine of the two said. "Cole Protocol has been enacted, let's move it" The older marine said as the braced themselves from an explosion.
"The shuttles…" The more experienced marine said looking towards said shuttles.
One shuttle lifted off the ground into the skies but a shot down with a laser from one of the Separatist ships. HMP gunships flew in and dropped off their troops.
"If this fighting keeps up we are going to be good as dead" The marine told his younger comrade. "We got to stick it out and pray they get us some evac… let's go"
The marine who started walking away turned asked the younger man a question. "Who is left behind?"
"What?"
"Answer me soldier, what's the name of the group!"
"It's the Hades Corp, there are at hanger 10:30 and they say they're not leaving until they destroy the prototype of some weapon system" The marine said as he pointed towards hanger 10:30.
"Demolition squad… I should have known" The other said looking at hanger. "Ghost"
Meanwhile in another part of the battlefield a sniper took a shot at the enemy.
"If the Cole Protocol had been enacted why the hell are we stranded on the frontline?" The sniper asked the other who was firing at the enemy behind cover.
"We are pinned down here and now the Sarge is missing… we're screwed" The sniper's friend said.
"No, we were sunk from the beginning" The sniper said as his partner turned to him.
"What?"
"On his last assignment our fearless leader let his entire platoon go down. They got wiped out in a single firefight, Sarge didn't even flinch"
"Yeah well I guess that's why they call him the Ghost then isn't it and why the brass always decides to put him in charge of demolition jobs because he's not even HUMAN!"
The two marines were hit by an explosion from a separatist tank. "Come on don't die on me, come on!"
The sniper took a depth breath of air. "I can't believe these sons of bitches left us behind"
The blonde marine holding the sniper looked to see a wave of incoming Separatist forces. "This is it" The marine said as the two closed their eyes and waited for their deaths however they turned towards the hangers.
An explosion from hanger 10:30 followed by something flying out of the explosion landing in front of the two marines. The two marines stared at the figure it front of them.
The figure looked like a power suit coloured black with a yellow coloured visor yellow pads. It looked similar to the MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armour that would be produced in the future.
This was the HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL Mark I Prototype Armour Defence System. It had Dynamic Local Dissipative Shield, Titanium alloy plating, Nanocomposite titanium fibres, am motion sensor of 75 meters (with an optional range of more than 400m), lock-on, and red square targeting.
Its weapons were a T261 Lucifer Arm-Mounted Gatling Gun, 5 LAU-1810/SGM-151, a M149 Magellan RCL, 6 Type 18 Magnetic/Bayonet-style Claymore, and a jetpack.
The two marines stared in awe at this towering behemoth. "I can't believe it" said the sniper.
"Oh my god" Said the other marine. "It's the prototype suit, but who the hell is driving it?"
"Ghost to Hades Corp, fall back immediately" The operator of the prototype said as the red square targeting homed in on the droids. "Ignore the CIS, I'll hold them off, nobody is dying here"
"You heard him let's go" Said the blonde marine as the other looked at him.
"You idiot" The sniper said. "He is not supposed to be testing that suit he is supposed to destroy it"
Ghost ran forward at the Wraith that was firing at him and jumped to its side and pulled out one of the Type 18 Magnetic/Bayonet-style Claymores and stuck it into the AAT and jumped away as it blew up.
"Can you hear me sergeant?" A voice asked Ghost. "What do you think you're doing? Your orders are to destroy the suit and all related data. You are disobeying direct orders!"
"No sir, I am following my orders" Ghost replied to the commander.
"Explain" The commander said.
"I have destroyed all the data and I am using the time left on this suit to safely evac my people" Ghost said as he brought up the T261 and began firing at an incoming fighter. "I'm not leaving until every one of my men are safely off-"
"That is not the plan, I am ordering you to stand down and-"
"There's no other choice. The mission cannot be jeopardized" Ghost said as he mowed down droids with the mounted gun. "And I am still responsible for these marines"
"Wait Sergeant, Ghost! Listen to me!"
'I lost my entire platoon, every one of my men and that's when it happened. That's when I truly became a ghost' Ghost said as he remembered holding the corpse of the woman. 'Just a shadow surrounded by death'
Ghost continued to fire at the droids before him. "The suit has a staggered countdown. In order to trigger final detonation, the system requires a voice command" Ghost fired a missile from the LAU at the droid MBT.
"You designed it that way for a reason… didn't you?" Ghost rhetorically asked as he used his shield to block an attack from a gunship before firing 105mm HE Rounds from the M149 at the said gunship.
"Ghost…"
"Just get my men of this planet. This is Ghost over and out" Ghost then cut off the communications as his targeting system locked onto the droids.
Using his jetpack, Ghost flew into the air as he shot two rounds of the M149 at another fighter and another at a second one that attempted to outmanoeuvre the missile unsuccessfully. Ghost flew towards a gunship and after landing on the top of the CIS ship began firing the M149 a few times destroying the HMP gunship.
Ghost stood in the wreckage and turned to see enemy fire, he used his shield to block the rocket shot from a launcher. Using the arm mounted gun to kill the clanker before using his arm to punch the top half of a super battle droid of the bottom half.
Shooting a HE Round into the neck of a spider droid he turned around to the B1 droid missing the spider droid blow up from the inside. Many B1 droids and super Battle droids fired at the marine who was using his arm to block after his shield broke and need to recharge.
After an explosion Ghost was sent flying backwards missing an arm as the droids held up their weapons before moving in on the marine.
"What's the matter Ghost? Why can't you move?" Ghost asked himself. "I made up my mind that day, the night I let my platoon die. Looked up at those moons and something died inside me, a conscience, something that gets in the way… that's all a soul is, an obstacle, something to overcome" He said as he lied there staring at the moons remembering his makeshift funeral for the marine who died in his arms.
"I can't atone for failing to protect them" Ghost watched as he saw two shuttles fly away into the sky. Forcing himself up the countdown finished and was awaiting the verbal command.
"Speak the voice command exactly as displayed" The computerized voice said. Ghost looked at the code word, Be Human.
He remembered the last words of the dying marine. "One last thing, what was I to you?"
"A soldier with a promising future ahead of you"
"And you're a ghost, aren't you"
"What?"
"Feelings pass right through you don't they" She asked as she looked into his eyes. "So cold and unforgiving in every choice you made in battle, you're a soldier. I think that's what let us trust you-"
"Don't talk, save your strength"
"I don't need it" She said shocking Ghost. "I need you to be strong, strong enough to do what you never done in your life. Can you be strong enough to allow yourself to be … Can you just be human?" She asked with tears.
"If not for your sake but for all of us… if you just allowed yourself to feel something maybe you wouldn't be a ghost any longer"
Ghost looked at the code word as the words of the woman echoed through his mind. Ghost looked down before looking back up with a smirk on his face. "Voice commanded authorization. Be human" The computer registered the voice command.
"And for one last instant I'm human again" Ghost said.
The prototype suit sparked before a large explosion engulfed the battlefield as the last shuttle escaped the planet.
"Transmission from orbit around Algolis, Cole Protocol enforced, and accompanying navigational databases eliminated. The soldier I previously recommended for military court martial is… I redact that portion of my earlier report. That soldier is officially missing in action, lost during heavy combat on Algolis. He demonstrated honourable conduct not only as a marine but also as a human being. We're heading for rendezvous with OAG Heart of Midlothian, over and out"