Chapter 3
Deployment
Alright, this is the main engagement of the First Contact War, the Battle of Shanxi. As you might have guessed things are going to play out a little differently this time. Also, don't get used to any of the characters I introduce. After the time skip, at best they're going to be minor characters if they show up at all, most likely they will be officers and play the mentor roll.
At slipspace, a five UNSC ship group was heading for Shanxi. The Peacekeeper had headed back to the nearest UNSC controlled planet, and was now being sent out with the other four ships to eliminate the aliens that had lived on Shanxi. Hall had been given command of the ships due to the fact that out of all the ship's Captains she knew them most about the aliens. Shanxi was a small colony by UNSC standards, only a few small cities spread out thinly over on of the continents.
The aliens seemed to have landed drop ships, and even some of their warships, on the planet to avoid the Super MAC platforms, and were engaged in ground operations, directed at the capital city, New Austin. Apparently the landed ships were frigates and cruisers, and due to speculation it was believed that the only reason that the cruisers had been able to land was that Shanxi was a low gravity planet. Generators were used to create an Earth like gravity around the cities, and the cruisers had landed beyond them along with the frigates and dropships.
"From what we've heard from General Williams," Captain Hall spoke into her COM unit, speaking to the other ships and her own crew. "The aliens are utilizing the use of the laser defense systems on their ships to shoot down any aircraft that flies within range. Because the ships are so spread out, it is too risky to use Pelicans who are too likely to be shot down. Instead we will be using HEV pods to deploy ODSTs to the planet's surface. Williams is estimating that there a couple thousand aliens on the planet. Williams only has five hundred Marines garrisoned in New Austin, so we need to get men on the ground and we needed to do it yesterday."
In the lower decks of the Peacekeeper, in an HEV pod,CorporalDamon Winters gulped nervously as he slip on his ODST helmet. He had just been transferred to Sergeant Mack Norman's squad for this very mission, and he was as nervous as heck. "Winters," said the said Sergeant, his helmeted face appearing on one of the pod's two screens "You alright kid?"
"Not really," Damon replied "This is the first time I've been deployed for active combat."
"Yeah, well you're not the only one," Mack said, a comforting tone in his voice. "Unless you served in the Human-Covenant War no body has. We're all nervous kid, but trust me the adrenalin rush you're gonna get from the drop is gonna be so strong you'll forget that your nervous."
Damon smiled as he nodded. "We are dropping out of slipspace," came Hall's voice through the COM-Net ""From what we've heard about the aliens, they use high velocity kinetic weapons. It is unknown how much strain a Marine's or an ODST's shields can take of it before it collapses, so avoid enemy fire at all costs. All ODSTs will be strategically deployed through and around New Austin. Your orders are to do what it takes to drive the aliens out of New Austin. The landed ships seem to be heavily guarded, and are secondary targets, only to be targeted after the city is secured."
There was a shudder throughout Damon's pod as it rotated into position to be deployed. "To all ODSTs," Hall spoke "Good luck, and Godspeed." Damon nearly bit his tongue as his pod was released from the Peacekeeper, and began to enter the lower atmosphere. Damon could actually feel the adrenaline flowing threw his veins as he guided his pod with the controls. Damon slammed his fist into a button in the side of the pod, causing his pod's flaps do deploy.
Damon's teeth rattled in his skull as the pod slammed into the ground. Letting out a small sigh relief that he was still alive, Damon grabbed his shotgun, hitting the button that opened the pod door as he did. He climbed out of the pod, seeing the four pods of his squad-mates. Mack climbed out his pod, holding his assault rifle. "This is Alpha-6," Mack said, putting his hand to his COM unit "We've successfully deployed."
"Roger Alpha-6," Captain Hall replied "Good hunting."
They had landed in the middle of street in what looked like down town. "Looks like we're only a couple of blocks away from one of the locations where Williams' Marines are holed up," Mack said, glancing at his HUD. "We're going to head over there and support them." The three other ODSTs climbed out of their pods, Damon couldn't remember their names. Two of them carried battle rifles, and the third carried a sniper rifle. "Follow me!" Mack shouted, as he dashed down the street, Damon and the other ODSTs right behind him.
As the ran through downtown New Austin, signs of war couldn't be more obvious. Cars had been abandoned in the street, some had been overturned, possibly for cover, and one or two had even exploded. As they came to a turn, Mack held his hand, his squad slowing as he did. Mack glanced around the corner, checking for hostiles. Seeing that it was clear, Mack gestured forward, and he and his squad rounded the corner, moving forward cautiously.
The was a loud bang, and the head of one of the ODSTs jerked back as his visor exploded into a shroud of shattered glass. "SNIPER, GET DOWN!" Mack shouted. Mack and the ODST with a sniper rifle ducked behind a destroyed Warthog, while Damon ducked behind an overturned Taxi. The remaining ODST made to dive behind the same Taxi Damon was hiding behind, but a sniper round tore through his shields, and pierced his leg. Letting out a cry, the man fell to the ground, as Damon pulled him behind the Taxi.
"How bad?" Damon asked, holding his shotgun tightly in his hands.
"Pretty bad," the man groaned through gritted teeth. "I'm not sure if I can walk like this."
"Crystal," Mack said, glancing at the ODST next to him "Take him out." The ODST next to him nodded, taking her pistol and throwing it out of cover. There was a loud bang as the sniper fired at the movement. As he did, Crystal leaned out of cover, seeing where the sniper was due to the flash of his gun, and fired. The bullet hit the sniper, who was kneeling on top of a post office, straight in the head. Limply, the sniper fell off of the roof and hit the ground with a dull thud.
"Damn it," Mack said, glancing at the dead ODST. "How's he doing!" Mack shouted at Damon.
"He can't walk!" Damon shouted back, helping the ODST to his feet. "How far away are we from the Marine's garrison?"
"Not very," said Mack, as Damon helped the wounded ODST to his feet. "Looks like those Warthogs still work," he said, pointing to two abandoned Warthogs. "Damon get him into the passenger's seat." Damon, helped the wounded ODST over to the Warthog, lifting him into the passenger's seat, then ran around the Warthog, climbing into the driver's seat.
Mack and Crystal were examining the dead alien. "Looks like a lizard," Crystal remarked. The alien was around the same size as a human, with a curved head, sharp mandibles, and tattoos on its face. "Why do you think they attacked us?" Crystal asked as they walked away, heading for the second Warthog.
"Who knows?" Mack replied. "Maybe we were trespassing on their territory," he said as he climbed into the driver's seat of the Warthog, while Crystal climbed onto the gun. "Damon follow us!" he shouted as the drove off, Damon right behind him.
Both Warthogs rounded the corner, speeding down the street as fast as they could. A small group of the aliens were patrolling down the street. When they spotted the Warthogs, they fired on them, the bullets that they used poked holes in the sides of the vehicles. Crystal brought the turret around and opened fire on the aliens. Two of them collapsed as the drove by and out of sight.
After five minutes of driving, they came to a blockaded hospital, with guns sticking out of the boarded windows. The Warthogs came to a stop, and Damon helped the wounded man out of the Warthog, and to the front of the hospital. "HEY!" shouted Mack, banging on the front door "We're shock troopers, we've got a wounded man!" The was a loud grinding noise as something heavy was moved across the floor, and the door was opened. Two Marines wearing the new standard issue armor were standing behind it. The green armor clung to the Marines' bodies, covering a good deal of it in, acting as adequate protection, in addition to the shields that Marines now had. Orange visors covered their eyes, acting as face protection and HUD. "Inside quickly," they whispered as the ODSTs scurried inside. As they did, the Marines closed the door, and pushed what look like a washing machine in front of it.
"The General is here," one of the Marines "I'll take you to him, he'll be able to give the 411 on what's going. The doctors and nurses are still here, they can take a look at your friend. One of the Marines helped the wounded ODST down one of the hallways and out of sight. One of the other Marines gestured to Crystal, Mack, and Damon to follow him as he walked down one of the hallways.
They passed several rooms with wounded Marines lying on tables, doctors and doctors doing the best that they could to treat them. Eventually they came to a room where a man in a generals uniform was talking with two other men in officer's uniforms around a map of the city. "Sir," said the Marine "Several ODSTs arrived a few minutes ago."
"Good," said Williams turning around to face the ODSTs and smiling wearily. "We're running low on unwounded troops and we can use everyone that we can get. Who's in charge?"
"Me," said Mack, stepping forward "Sergeant Mack Norman. What's the situation here?"
"Not good," Williams said "The aliens make raids on this building every once in awhile, and they're wearing us down. So exactly how much reinforcements did the UNSC send?"
"Three frigates and two destroyers," Mack replied "They've deployed their loads of ODSTs all over the city. Dropships can't get anywhere near the city without the risk of being gunned down by AA."
"That may be enough," said Williams "If we can put enough pressure on the aliens, they may run back to their ships and retreat from this planet."
"Any plans?" Mack asked.
"One," said Williams "The aliens seem to be used the town hall as their HQ, if not there's still a lot of activity going on there. If we hit them here we can disorganize and demoralize them. We've got five Warthogs out back, them, along with the two that you had may be enough to take out town hall. Are you up for it Sergeant?" Mack nodded. "Good, all round up my men. You'll lead the strike. We roll out in ten minutes."
"We'll take E.T. out no problem," Mack said smiling "New Austin will be under UNSC control again in no time."
"Reports are coming in," said an Ensign from one of the terminals on the Peacekeeper. "ODSTs are moving in all over the city, we're getting red blips all over the place. We're taking a couple of casualties, but all reports point to that we're slowing moving into the city."
"Good," Hall said, looking sternly at the Shanxi. "They sooner we get New Austin back the sooner we...what the...a slipspace rupture? Everyone on the bridge wheeled to look at the viewscreen. A slipspace rupture had indeed appeared by Shanxi, and a bright purple Assault Carrier was emerging from it. "The RSN?" said Hall, confusion evident in her voice "What are they doing here?"
She was answered as her COM unit beeped. Putting her hand to it, she was answered by the strong calm voice of a Sangheili. "This is the Shipmaster of the Vigilant Guardian, we intercepted a distress signal from Shanxi. How may we be of assistance?"
ODSTs are on the ground and the RSN has arrived at the party. In the next chapter (or two) I will finish up the First Contact War and then make the time skip to the events of Mass Effect 1. As always tell me what you think and review. Yeah the guys that got shot were redshirts, didn't want the UNSC to seem invincible.