The next day
The transport ship the Skyline was a large ship, about 300ft long and just under half as wide. It had a large rectangular main section with a curved front and a small hexagon-like shaped section connected to a small rectangular tunnel that stuck out from the top of the ship's front. That was probably the bridge. Sticking out of the sides of the back of the main rectangular section were two smaller rectangular sections with circular holes at the end of them. They were the engines. Along the sides of the main rectangular section were several small circular holes and a large rectangular hole was above them. A small hanger with a few fighters and pelicans just in case the transport ran into trouble with the Covenant and had to fight or evacuate. The ship was en route to Reach from Rhea, but had to make a stop at a space repair station for the night after a rogue asteroid hit the ship's engine, damaging it quite badly. Luckily, the engineers at the station were able to repair it and the ship resumed It's journey to Reach about an hour ago and it was almost there.
In the hanger of the ship, Marcus, with a backpack on, was sitting on a small box, looking down at a small square shaped object in his hand. It was a moving holographic image of a photo that was taken about a year ago, just a mere week before the war between Humanity and the Covenant began, on Earth. In the photo was a younger him (his black hair had been cut at the time of the photo and, obviously, he did not have the scar on the side of his face) and a woman of about twenty with short brown hair, blue eyes and had a very pretty face. He smiled a little at the photo. That woman was a friend of him, and had been for about five years, and he secretly held a romance for her. I mean, he really liked her but it was really hard for him to try and admit to her, especially her as she was caring and nice. In fact, she had been really worried about him when she heard he had been injured in Rodum in January but was relieved to know that he was okay.
Just then, a side door of the hanger opened and a young looking pilot with red hair walked in. Marcus quickly hid the object inside his uniform's chest pocket.
"Hop in the pelican, Marcus," the pilot said. "We're almost at Reach,"
Marcus nodded and stood up and walked over to a pelican that was parked nearby. He climbed into the craft and sat down on one of the resting area seats. The pilot climbed in a moment later and walked into the cog pit.
A few moments later, the craft jolted as it rose into the air. The landing gear folded themselves back up either side of the resting area entrance, which closed at the same time, momentarily blocking out all light it returned as the craft flew forward out of the hanger and into space where the light from the Niobe Aino star flooded the ship. Marcus felt the craft bank left after a few moments of flying straight and then descend. Looking through the open doorway of the cog pit, he saw their destination.
Reach, a large planet that was twice the size of Humanity's home world Earth and the last of the planets in the system to be colonized. Humanity's colonization ships Arizona, Nile and Moresby had arrived here in 2515. However, Reach was much different than other colonized planets. It was the main military and scientific research planet in the Niobe Aino system and that was what almost all of the people here worked for. Most of the civilians here were workers, but I mean they did have things like nightclubs and parks and small towns for the workers to sleep in but that was it. It was destined to be a civilian planet but the UNSC really needed an entire planet to construct their main scientific research and military facilities and because Reach did not have a moon, which even if it did would have been deemed too small, and because it was the very last planet available in the entire system, it was chosen. There were debates but with more people deciding to flock to Takra and Eucia, it was pretty much left in control of the UNSC for them to do what they pleased to it.
So this is where the assignment that could ensure our survival is being carried out he thought as he gazed at the planet. He had only been to Reach once before and that was when he had been a worker for the UNSC, which was when he first joined, before he decided to become a marine because he did not want to be stuck on Reach forever rather than exploring the enormous expanses of space that lay out there. Like many young recruits, he had been drawn into the UNSC for the taste and thrill of adventure, which it sort of was in a way.
The pelican flew through the planet's atmosphere towards the planet. As the ground became clear, Marcus, who was still looking through the cog pit doorway, saw several mountains pass the cog pit's window view. Then, some buildings on the ground came into view, along with several warehouse and barracks-like buildings. Then, a large platform with the letters LZ came into view. At that moment, the pelican began to slow down. Marcus sighed. Well, this was it. This is where he became part of this assignment.
A moment later, he heard the landing gear unfold and the craft jolted again, indicating that they had landed. The entrance to the pelican opened and daylight flooded the craft once again. Marcus looked out through the ship's entrance and saw the side of a nearby warehouse about sixty feet away. An officer was standing on the ground next to the platform.
"Out you get buddy," the pilot said from the cog pit.
Marcus nodded. "Thanks, man," he replied and he got up and jumped down onto the platform. The officer greeted him.
"Morning, Marcus," he said as Marcus walked off the platform onto the ground.
"Morning, sir," he replied.
"Follow me," the officer turned and walked towards the warehouse nearby; Marcus followed, trying to catch up with him to ask him a few questions.
"Um, excuse me, sir. Do you know exactly what this assignment is?" he asked.
"I do, but It's best if I don't tell you out here, just in case there's anyone that hears that we don't want them to hear," the officer replied.
A small door on the side of the warehouse opened automatically as they approached it. The two walked through the doorway into the middle of a long corridor that had several doors along the left wall. The two walked right down the corridor where they came across a smaller corridor that led left to a door at the end. They walked down it, stopping about half-way down the corridor in front of a large door with a number panel on the wall next to it. The officer typed in a code and the door opened a large square shaped room with grey walls, a planet in a pot in the corner and a small holo-light hovering just below the ceiling, lighting up the room. Another small door, which led to a smaller room, was on the back wall of the room. Two more officers and a scientist with blonde hair, though it was turning grey, and dressed in a white top, black trousers and wearing a white lab coat were standing in the room.
"Ah, good. He's here," the scientist said. "Come in,"
The officer and Marcus stepped into the room. The scientist walked forward and shook Marcus' hand.
"Good day, Marcus," he said. "My name is Thomas,"
"Hi," Marcus replied.
The scientist nodded and turned towards the smaller room. "Please enter there," he said, pointing at the room. "And put on what is in there,"
Marcus nodded and walked over to the small room and entered, the door closing automatically behind him. The room was a small rectangular shape and was dimly lit by a small holo-light just below the ceiling. As Marcus took off his backpack, he noticed something hanging on the wall. He looked up.
It was a bodysuit, a green bodysuit with a chest pocket and it was a bit bulky. He walked over to it and picked up one of the sleeves in his hands. This is what they wanted him to put on? A bodysuit? It was not that it was unfashionable or stupid or anything like that but it was just…well, weird. Why a bodysuit and how was it part of this assignment?
"Are you lost in there, Marcus?" one of the officers asked from outside in an impatient voice.
He better be quick before they got really angry. He changed out of his military uniform and put on the green bodysuit. He was amazed to find that even though it looked bulky, which made it look like it was heavy; it was surprisingly light, as if he was picking up a chair with one hand. He smiled at himself. For some reason…he felt more stronger and powerful than he did when he was in his marine uniform, as if now that he was in this, nothing or no one could hurt him. It felt strange, but good as well.
He exited the room and the officers and the scientist smiled at him.
"Good , it fits," the scientist said. "How does it feel?" he asked Marcus.
"Quite good, actually," he replied. "Why are you making me wear this, though?"
"It's part of the assignment," one of the two officers that had been in the room answered.
"Is it strong?" Marcus asked.
Before he could receive an answer, one of the officers pulled out a pistol and loaded a clip into it. Marcus heard them and a look of panic spread across his face.
"Wait! Sir, what are doing with that?" he asked in a panicked voice as the officer raised the pistol at him. Marcus gasped and covered his face, waiting for the bullet to tear into him.
BANG! BANG! BANG! Three gunshots exploded in the room, each one striking Marcus on the chest. Amazingly, they did not go into his body, or even through the suit. Marcus moved his arms from in front of his face to see the bullets lying on the floor. He then went wide-eyed when a holographic meter appeared above his wrist. The bar in the meter was yellow and about half-way down the meter. Then, it rose back up the top of the meter, turning green as it did, before it disappeared. Wow, he was amazed! Really amazed!
"That strong enough for you?" the officer with the pistol asked.
Marcus smiled a little and nodded. "Yes, sir,"
"Everything is good then," the scientist piped up. He turned to the officer that had brought Marcus to the room. "Okay, take him to the others," he ordered.
"Yes, sir. Follow me, Marcus," the officer replied.
"What about my stuff?" Marcus asked, stepping back towards the changing room.
"Don't worry about that," one of the officers replied. "That'll be delivered to the barracks later. Go on,"
Marcus hesitated for a moment before he nodded and followed the officer that had brought him here back out of the room into the corridor. The door closed behind them. When it did, Marcus began to ask the officer questions again.
"So this is suit is…kind of a super suit, isn't it," he said.
"Your right there, Marcus," the officer replied. "It's made from Dorvask, a very strong material. You might not have super strength or super speed or the ability to fire lasers and stuff like Superman but It's close enough,"
Marcus nodded and looked down at himself again as if admiring the suit. "So I'm really part of an assignment of super soldiers, aren't I,"
"Yep."
"How many others are there?"
"You and sixty four others. And if you want to know why your part of this assignment, or taskforce as It's known as, It's because your tough. You survived two blast wounds that would have critically injured or even killed any other marine, Marcus. You're a survivor. And don't worry, everyone else that's part of this taskforce is kind of the same, but their also some of the best marines, pilots, medics, engineers and such we have in the UNSC,"
"Wow," was all Marcus could reply. He could not believe it. He was part of a taskforce, and one that was destined to ensure Humanity's survival. It was a big responsibility, even for him. It was even bigger than when he had been a marine.
The door ahead of the two opened as they approached it, revealing a large square shaped room where several chairs and metal crates were scattered about. There were about twenty other people, both men and women, in the room, dressed in green, red or white bodysuits. They were in groups scattered about the warehouse room. At the end of the warehouse was a doorway that led to a corridor, where another door was just visible.
"I'll leave you to get settled in," the officer said to Marcus before he walked back up the corridor. Marcus stepped into the room and the door closed behind him. A few people turned their heads in his direction to see who had entered but they quickly resumed their conversations.
Marcus walked forward a little into the room, passing a group of three women sitting in the corner of the warehouse where a few crates were. Two of them were wearing white bodysuits; the third was wearing a green bodysuit. The woman in the green bodysuit smiled at Marcus when he walked in and she got up from the crate she was sitting on.
"I'll talk to you later," she said to them before she hurried off after Marcus. When she reached him, she tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, Marcus," she said.
He turned to face her and his face broke into a smile. "Anya!" he exclaimed.
She leapt into his arms and they hugged each other tightly.
"How are you?" she asked him.
"I'm fine now," he replied. "I was worried I wasn't going to meet anyone I knew,"
Anya laughed a little and withdrew from him, her big smile still remaining on her face.
"Well, welcome to Reach," she said.
Marcus chuckled. "Thanks,"
Anya pulled him by the arm over to the side of the room where two spare crates were. Marcus took in Anya's form as she led him over to them. She was a pretty woman with short brown hair, blue eyes and she had a really beautiful face that had a small nose, skin that looked really smooth and soft cheeks. This was the same woman who was in the holographic movable photograph Marcus had in his…oh no! He left it in his chest pocket in his military uniform! Oh great! He cursed under his breath, but Anya heard him, though thankfully she did not hear exactly what he said.
"Sorry?"
"Oh, nothing. Nothing!" Marcus blushed a little but it quickly faded from his face before he sat down on the crate. Anya sat down on the other crate.
"So how's the ER been lately?" he asked her. "After…what happened to Jessica?"
"We've been coping alright," she answered. "Eve's been trying to make sure we don't leave her sight. She's afraid what happened to Jessica would happen to us,"
"She's really caring isn't she," Just like her Marcus thought, thinking of Anya who he believed and knew she was a very caring and very nice woman.
"Yeah she is. Then again, who wouldn't be. I mean, she treats us like we're family because…well, she's on her own in her life now,"
Marcus nodded in understanding and looked down at the ground for a moment, remembering back to when he had heard from Anya that Eve had lost her mother from a stroke just over a year ago. He had thought that her father would have looked after her, but Anya had then told her that he had died several years before her mother had. Upon hearing this, Marcus had felt really sorry for Eve. Someone losing their parents at a young age, both of Eve's being before she was even twenty years old was not something that was easy to forget. It was hard to think about, let alone talk about.
After a moment's silence between the two, Anya decided it was best to change the subject.
"So how have you been since what happened in Rodum?" she asked him.
"Not bad," Marcus replied. "The scar's been a bit painful and so was the wound on my side, but that's healed, though there wasn't really anything they could do about the scar."
Anya smiled. "I'm just glad you're okay. When I heard you got wounded, I got so scared I thought you…" she trailed off, her smile disappearing from her face for a second. "I'm sorry," she said after a few seconds.
Marcus nodded. "It's alright," he replied.
The door to the warehouse opened again and a few more people, three men and three women, two of the men in red bodysuits and the last in a green bodysuit, and the three of the women in white bodysuits. One of the women saw the two girls Anya had been with in the corner and ran over to join them.
Anya smiled. "Bethany's here," she said as she got up. "You don't mind if I go over and join them, do you?"
"No, no. You go ahead," Marcus replied as he got up. "I'll talk to you later,"
"Okay," she gave him a last hug and a smile before she rushed off to join her other three friends. Marcus smiled after her and walked over to the group of three men that had just entered. He knew someone among them. He was a former marine and had been a friend of Marcus as well.
Marcus approached the man in the green bodysuit from behind. When he reached him, he cleared his throat and said: "Glad to see me again, Eric?"
The man turned and smiled when he saw Marcus.
"Marcus!" He exclaimed, pulling his friend in to a hug and patting his back. "Oh, how you doing, man?" he asked.
"Fine," Marcus replied as he moved away from Eric. His friend had spiked up red hair and freckles and had more of an athletic body. He had been a runner for his school before he had joined the UNSC, which was where he and Marcus had met and quickly become friends.
"C'mon, let's sit down," Eric said. "Oh, by the way Marcus, this is Daniel…" he pointed to a tall man of about twenty two with blonde hair and green eyes and who was dressed in a red bodysuit. "…And this is Robert," he pointed to the man next to him, who was also in a red bodysuit, with brown hair and brown eyes. He looked to be about twenty one.
"'Sup, guys," Marcus greeted and they nodded in return.
The four then walked over to where a few chairs were set up against the wall and formed a circle with them and sat down on them.
"So, what did you guys do to get put into this taskforce?" Marcus asked them.
"Well, me being a marine and that I've managed to live long enough is one thing," Eric began "But the general said that it's because I'm strong. Not physically, but mentally. I mean, I haven't gone crazy or decided to give up all hope. Just like you, hey Marcus,"
Marcus nodded in reply and turned to Robert and Daniel. "What about you guys?"
"I'm a good pilot." Robert said. "I've done training in pelicans and hornets, so I guess that's why I'm here,"
"I got top in my sniper training class last year, so them regarding me as a good sniper is most likely why I'm here," Daniel said.
Marcus nodded. They all had their different reasons, or stories for being part of this one taskforce. As the officer had told him, it was made up of some of the best marines, pilots, engineers, medics and such in the entire UNSC, but Anya and her friends being here meant some of the ER was here as well, which did bring some relief. They were good pilots and could work their way out of fire fights if shot down, though that was only if it was a small force.
The four talked for quite a while, so long that they lost track of time. Gradually, the hall began to fill up with more people. Every now and then, Marcus glanced over at the group in the corner, which were now numbering five strong as another woman, who Marcus recognized as Emily, came in about five minutes ago. Eventually, Marcus began counting those around the room and came up with an equal of sixty four. That left one more to join them.
Wonder who It'll be? He mentally asked himself.
His answer came just a few moments later when the blast door to the room opened. Eric looked and nudged Marcus in the side.
"Hey Marcus, look who it is," he said.
Marcus turned away from Robert and Daniel, who were talking to each other, towards the warehouse room's entrance. Standing there was a very familiar woman with short silver hair, blue eyes and was dressed in a white bodysuit.
"It's Eve," he whispered under his breath, looking away quickly, which Eric also did, so as not to attract her attention.
However, Marcus could not help but look again, making him think he was being stupid as he was treating Eve like some undiscovered animal that was on display, and saw Anya run over to her and give her a hug. The two talked for a few moments before Anya pulled Eve by the arm over towards their group in the corner.
"I can't believe Eve's here," Marcus said to Eric.
"I know," he replied. Then, he smiled. "With her in this taskforce, we'll win. We'll definitely win,"
Marcus was about to reply when the door at the other end of the room opened and a soldier stepped in from the corridor on the other side and announced: "Alright, everyone this way," and he, Eric, Robert and Daniel joined the rest of the taskforce as they headed down the corridor towards another room at the end. When they entered the room, they saw it was another large warehouse room, though this time there was only one other ground floor door in this room and it was on the left wall and there was a walkway about twenty feet above the floor going from one door to the other built into the walls of the room.
The taskforce members piled themselves into the room. When they were all in, one of the doors on the walkway opened a man dressed in a UNSC military uniform walked out onto the walkway, stopping about half-way down it, and turned to face the taskforce members, who looked up at him.
"Good day, soldiers," he announced.
"Good day, sir," the taskforce chanted. The soldier then cleared his throat.
"I am sergeant John," he said. "I will be training you in your fight against the Covenant. Many of you may not have been in combat before. For those of you that have, you'll expect hat training to come. Training will last one month. Now, report to your barracks. Training will start later today,"
The door on the left wall, which Marcus was near, and the taskforce walked out of the room and down the corridor towards a large room on the other side of an open door at the end, which was on the left wall of a longer corridor that led left and right. The taskforce walked into the room, which was a large rectangular shape with bunk beds going along both ends to the end. At the other end of the room on the left side was a single bed. The taskforce members quickly went about choosing their beds.
Marcus walked down the left end of the room and chose the bunk bed that was third from the end of the room. He climbed onto the top bunk and sat down on it. Three women walked past him and he looked to see it was Anya, Eve and Bethany.
"I'll sleep here," he heard Eve say as she sat down on the single bed at the end.
Anya and Bethany took the bunk bed next to Marcus'.
"Start of a new life," Anya said as she climbed onto the top bunk and sat down, smiling at Marcus when she saw him and he smiled back.
"It'll be Hell when we're out there fighting the Covenant," Marcus heard Eve reply.
Marcus mentally agreed that she was right. It was going to be Hell when they were out there, especially for those who had not been in combat very often, or even at all, against the Covenant. He should be alright because he had fought against them a lot, but even now he could help but think how much of a Hell it would be when they were sent out against the Covenant.
He would just have to pray it would not be big, and for those who had not fought Humanity's enemy before.