Chapter 7
War isn't Beautiful
As we rolled through the valley on the Scorpion battle tank, the pilot popped off a few 40mm HE rounds here and there taking down the few stray loaders that tried to get the jump on us. "Chief?" I asked trying to get his attention. "Yes Soldier?" He replied. "When you go back to the Autumn, I'm not coming with. Tell them to presume me KIA." I dropped the news, and even as much as a battle hardened soldier he was, he was shocked.
"Michaelson, you have to. You're one of the top combatants we have, second only to the ODST and of course myself." I rolled up my sleeve and gestured to the scar from a stray needler round. "Second day on Reach a wild grunt grazed me." I rolled up my other sleeve and showed the spot on my arm where I had muscle missing. "Back on the Halo, an angry brute sliced my arm with his Plasma sword." I pulled up my shirt to show my abdomen that was riddled with shrapnel scars. "Many plasma grenades and stray frags."
"I've come so close to biting the dust that it's actually starting to worry my. My luck might not hold out much longer." I finished. "And all the medals and commendations you've received because of it?" He asked. "Worthless." I replied thinking about Maya and how it had all started with half a bottle of whiskey.
Suddenly, two Marines' heads exploded and they fell off the tank, splattering a little blood on my face. No longer thinking about Maya I vaulted off the tank and shouted "SNIPERS! Everyone to cover!" Complying, the rest of the platoon scrambled behind the tanks as stray bullets began ricocheting off the armor of the vehicles.
I spotted a stray warthog and smiled at the Chief, "Remember that fight on the shipping route of the second moon of Qwazar?" I took off for the gun as I heard the Chief yell, "You crazy son of a bitch!" I jumped onto the platform the gun was resting on and opened up on the ridge where the shots were coming from. I saw the Chief dart from behind the tank and sprint towards the ridge with super human speed.
I continued laying 30 caliber rounds into the ridge as the Chief began climbing the embankment until he was close enough to toss a frag onto the ridge. Half a second later the bodies of two Hyperion Engineers flew over the edge and the Chief ran back. The Chief looked at me and shook his head. "Complains about risking his life and then jumps onto a gun in clear view of two snipers." I chuckled and lit a cigarette. "Part of the job."
The sun began to set as we began covering the last half mile to the 'Death Wall'. I got on my radio and broadcast to every soldier within range. "We'll bed down here for night. No fires and keep noise to a minimum, I'm sure they're just waiting to try and jump us." I lit a smoke and leaned against the tire of a warthog. Thinking about Maya I finished my cigarette and drifted off peacfully.