Section II – Beta
Chapter Eleven - Thunder
0711 Hours, August 30, 2552 (Military Calendar) /
Epsilon Eridani system, Orbital Defense Generator
Facility A-331, planet Reach.
"Here's the plan: we split into four teams.
Team Delta – Fall back to this position. Take two Warthogs, but leave them and stealth it if you encounter any resistance. Your mission is to secure the area. This will be the squad's fallback position. Keep the back door open for us.
Team Gamma – You'll extract the Admiral and his staff and bring them back to the generators. We'll need the extra crew."
Team Beta – You're on generator defense."
"Understood, Chief," Spartan-067 said.
"Team Alpha..."
"Awaiting orders, sir."
"We're going to that valley to kill anything there that isn't human."
o o o
The birds had stopped chirping.
A deep crackle thundered about the valley. A storm was approaching, coalescing into a dark mass from beyond the ridgeline to the south.
SPARTAN-067, Jack, stood atop the west bunker, overlooking the massive plain expanding southward towards the ridgeline. Beyond laid ten thousand Covenant warriors and a warship, preparing a great assault upon the generator complex. To the west stretched mountainous hillsides. To the east extended a vast forest, full of lush trees the Spartans themselves had trained beneath as children.
No. Children implied innocence.
Jack had been assigned leader of Beta Team, in charge of defending the generator complex. The facility was comprised of seven sectors, five of which were entombed deep beneath the small mountains that stood behind him. Two of them, complex three and seven, were exposed. Exposed, however, was the wrong word. Enforced with meters of titanium steel and concrete, the two bases were fortresses. Loaded with weapons and ammunition, ten turrets, two Warthogs, two Scorpion tanks, they would hold out against any armada for a long while. Include seventeen Spartans, including Jack himself...and it was near indestructible
Today, they would see.
Jack watched the three Banshee fliers, now mere bulbous dots in the distance, glide over the ridgeline and disappear into the next valley. SPARTAN-104, Fred, SPARTAN-087, Kelly, and SPARTAN-029, Joshua, comprised Team Alpha and were en route to make a dent in the Covenant invasion force.
A dent was an understatement. They planned on detonating a Fury tac-nuke: a nuclear device that would flatten everything the megaton yield touched.
If successful, Alpha Team would give Beta the extra edge against any survivors. Alpha would no doubt then return and give aerial support from above.
If Fred, Kelly, and Joshua failed...then Beta would be left to fight the Covenant alone.
Still, Jack wasn't too concerned about their odds. They would no doubt be able to repel any invasion for at least several hours. By then, the UNSC would no doubt have defeated the Covenant fleet in space with the aid of the Super MAC orbital stations.
He had to wonder now, though, feeling the stillness grow around him as the sun began to warm Reach from its low perch above the horizon...
Were they ready?
Jack opened Beta's COM channel and spoke to SPARTAN-004, Eric.
"Red-Four, I need a sit rep on the facility's defenses. What do we have to throw at these Covies?"
"Good news, Red-Seventeen. We've found two additional rocket launchers and sniper rifles, each with plenty of ammo. Three turrets are affixed in delta formation atop each bunker, as per your orders. Four more turrets cover the main entryway to complex three and seven as well. Both Scorpions are in working conditions, as well as the Warthogs. Six Anaconda surface-to-air missiles are prepared as well. Also sir, we've found thirty Lotus anti-tank mines. Ten have been laid on the forward slopes to both bunkers, and the rest are scattered at random before the main facility. And of course, our last Fury tac-nuke is ready to detonate if need be. Anything else, sir?"
"Yes. I want a Spartan on each turret. I want a rocket man on both bunkers and two snipers with good views of the area. Any volunteers?"
SPARTAN-045, Rachel, spoke up.
"Sir! Requesting permission to lead the sniper team?"
"Negative, Red-Nine. I've decided to lead that one. I'll need the best view of the surrounding area to provide better feedback. You can help cover me."
"Affirmative, Red-Lead."
"I'll also need someone on each tank."
"Logan here, requesting permission to lead."
"Granted, Red-Thirteen. Take whoever's last and keep them ready by the 'Hogs. We never know when we'll need them."
"Roger that, Red-lead."
"Sir!" It was SPARTAN-073, Ashley. "We've found a damaged Pelican behind East Bunker. It seems functional. Orders?"
"See if you can get it off the ground and into the forest. We don't want the Covenant to know where it is. Secure it and prepare it for an emergency take-off. If things get too hot, it may be our only shot out of here. I'll alert Red-One of the situation."
Jack tried activating the Spartan COM channel, but something was interfering. He could only broadcast to his Spartans within range. He decided to try it again later, and if it was still dead, he would make sure that in the event of their retreat, the other teams would be retrieved.
No Spartan would be left behind.
"Beta Team, listen up. We're forming a new team. Contact with Red-One and the others is impossible at the moment. As of now Team Beta is Green Team. Until we make contact with the other teams, I'll be in charge of Green Team's operations. We have to assume we're not getting any backup, ever.
Here are your new team call signs:
I will be Green-One. Logan is Green-Two. Rachel is Green-Three. Everyone else follows in numerical order according to their Spartan tag."
Jack highlighted Beta Team and converted their new tags to fit this pattern.
"We'll make five squads, then," Jack said. He highlighted himself and Rachel.
"Green-Three and I are 1st squad. We'll provide sniper cover and assess the situation from afar."
He highlighted Logan and two others.
"Green-Two is in charge of 2nd squad. Call on him if you need covering fire or a ride. Green-Seven will lead 3rd squad in defense of West Bunker. Green-Nine and 4th squad will protect East Bunker. Green-Sixteen and 5th squad will guard the main facility. Understood?"
Sixteen acknowledgement lights winked back at him.
There was another boom of thunder, this one more powerful and closer than the first.
Smoke began to rise from beyond the southern ridgeline.
Alpha Team...
"Get to your positions. Prepare for combat," Jack said, as he took in a deep breath, his blood beginning to pump with the rush of battle. His body already knew how to move, how to react to plasma bursts and grenade blasts. It was his mind, however, that froze in place, keeping his gaze on the southern horizon, the rising sun to the east illuminating the valley in a brilliant glow.
"A storm's coming, Spartans..." Jack began, as dark shadows began to creep down the valley, the storm's clouds drifting nearer.
"Get ready for the rain."