"We're at the firebase." The pilot reported and sure enough, they were pulling into the large UNSC command center "Doesn't look so good." He added grimly.
The firebase was literally a firebase - It was ablaze. Lines of troops in ODST armour with painted jaws and such charged at the strong lines of uniform ODST. Shields pounded against shields as they fought for superiority.
"How the - " Thomas gasped as he watched the scene. He was thrown out of the Pelican and Marines ran up to him, slapping a white pad onto the armour under his shoulder and arming him with an assault rifle in his hands, shotgun on his right shin, SMG on the left of his belt and a Spartan Laser on his back. They replenished his stock of grenades and recharged his energy shield using a machine he stepped onto. That was taken away and someone ripped off the white sticker - An authentic-looking scar had been painted onto his armour, faking battle damage.
"Take out the ODST and destroy the fleet." He was ordered and he was given his Grackle back. No, it wasn't his Grackle. It was battlescarred and was outfitted with two chain-fed machine cannons. The chasis was sleeker and a different colour with several compartments. As Thomas approached he heard a soft hum and the few circular ports he saw made sense - This featured energy shielding. "We have fifty Spartans, go into the battle and fight, then take a Hawk and help against the aircraft." He mounted his Grackle and joined a small group of Spartans in similar equipment.
"Alright then, Spartans." The leader said, clapping his hands together. "Just follow me." He told them before slowly rolling out towards the fight. They were roaring down the airstrip soon and the UNSC's ODST shifted to allow the Spartans to go in. The UNSC's response was carefully co-ordinated. The leader skidded to a stop atop a Pelican where ODST were storing weaponry and aiding the wounded and pumped his fist into the air.
"Let's go, Spartans!" He roared and the ODST cheered as they broke through the ranks. The machine guns blared and the bike shook as the opposing fighters crumpled. Thomas's bike took fire from a marksmen's battle rifle but it came out unscarred. He shot at ODST on his side as his bike's weaponry continued to clear a path. Half the fighters had turned to focus on the Spartans and half remained concentrated on the ODST. Behind him gaps were filled in by the moving sea of soldiers. A few metres from him Spartans were fighting their way through on Grackles on either side. The leader had jumped straight into the conflict with two shotguns and was a lion as he mercilessly slaughtered the opposition.
Thomas sprinkled a few grenades behind him and let them detonate. Pelicans were stuck - They had to go up to avoid the risk of being boarded but were pinned down by light fire from the firebase with heavy weaponry loaded and ready to fire.
"247!" Someone shouted desperately. Turning to look behind him Thomas noticed that the bikes were being swamped and the leader had taken heavy fire. "Help!" He pleaded as he fired another shot. Fingering the Grackle Thomas opened the hatch containing additional equipment and pulled out a bubble shield. He spun his bike around and skidded to a halt before he slammed it onto the fingers worked a switch that shut off the machine guns and took out his Spartan Laser. He held it awkwardly as he set up deployable covers in a v-shape and be began to charge his laser. The bubble shield flickered and shut off and his red beam shot out in a deady line. His Grackle shot foward, machine guns blaring as he charged another shot. He absentmindedly threw a Spartan onto his bike. "Thanks." He groaned and he fingered his back. His body crumpled into a compact shape and a bright blue shield with tessalating hexagons shot out around them. A drop shield. "Board... That." He wheezed, pressing a button on the side of his head and sending a Navpoint to Thomas.
A Pelican. Not questioning his leader's command he sped up and threw a few Grenades before tugging the bike up. The explosion fuelled his weak jump and he slid into the back of the aircraft as it closed, taking out the heavy machine gun. Thomas rolled off his bike as it fell over and burst into the cockpit before dislocating the pilot's shoulder and plunging his knife into his neck. He threw the body out of the hold and used the heavy machine gun to clear several motorcycles. His fellow Spartans kicked off to get onto the Pelican. Thomas provided them cover as they sped up to the maximum speed of the bike. They jumped up and used the Grackle to launch themselves straight onto the Pelican. Slowly all the Grackles were loaded. They were taking fire now and the hold was alive with ricocheting bullets. Confused, Thomas looked out of the hold to see that they were descending.
No-one was driving. He turned to stare at the broken door and a Spartan quickly dove into the cockpit. They dropped a meter and with that shaky star then began to rise up. Thomas dropped some grenades and watched them detonate. He sank into a chair and took off his helmet, shaking his hair. He had blonde hair with dirtier brown near the top of his head and had large green eyes. He was a youth, looking about 19 but actually being only 16.
Another Spartan carefully positioned a deployable cover behind the turret, leaving a gap big enough for two Spartans beside it. He placed an unactivated cover in a hatch on the wall.
"Just in case." He told the others. He had long black hair with a fringe that covered his left eye. His eyes were a stormy grey and his expression was solemn. On his back was a battle rifle, at the left of his waist a machete and on his shin a Covenant Spiker. On his right side was a M6 at his waist and his shin a sniper rifle with the barrel folded. Two SMG's were magnetically attached to his thighs. His armour was heavily modified. His helmet split down the middle and his visor was two-layered and the two halves clipped onto his chestplate, which was a hybrid of EOD and CQB. One of the visors was a blood-red and the other a frosty grey but somehow the visor was green under normal use. He had two combat knifes that slid into the embossed section of his armour and the handles were long with a circular piece for the thumb that was used as a swivel joint for the blade itself. While stored the blade folded down the handle. He looked odd compared to the others but no-one said anything. He was Spartan 322.
Their leader, Spartan James-271, was in standard CQB armour with a seperate colour scheme. His lights were golden as was his undersuit and his armour was red on copper. His golden visor was bloody and he had several cuts around his body with bullet holes peppering his figure. The strange one bent down and pressed a button on the back of his right shoulder, squirting biofoam into his body. He gasped and his consciousness fluttered for a bit before he fainted again. His hair was black with grey ends and his eyes were a odd bronze. He was armed with nothing but a grenade.
There were three other Spartans who kept their helmets on. They all had standard CQB armour. 192 had red on white and was armed with an assault rifle, Spartan Laser and a M16 Magnum. 263 was white on silver and held a battle rifle with an SMG at his side and his knife was missing. 317 was crimson on red, making bloodstains invisible. He had a rocket launcher on his back and his knife in his armour.
That was their current team. They had fled the battle, but... Thomas hoped that they could find a good excuse. If not, they were all dead.
A/N : Even though I've got a bunch of chapters written up, please review! I need motivation ;3