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[I] Outpost 143-X: Communication's Department[/I]
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Michigan and Utah insisted on sharing a room. But, they also insisted that they would be alone. Mitch knew, being freelancers, they would get what they wanted. While Utah was resting in their rooms, Michigan was hard at work fixing the Outpost's communication equipment. He was good at what he did, and he was quick.
[color=olive] 'Mitch, I'm detecting Covenant forces coming. They are in attacking formation. Shall I contact Agent Utah?'[/color]
Michigan strapped on his helmet and looked at the radar. Sure enough, large red blips on the radar we're moving ever closer to his position. He switched to regular viewing mode, and made his way to the Barracks. He reached his room, and Utah was already putting her armor on. She looked up at the sound of Michigan entering the room.
"Mitch, Nu said that there was a Covenant fleet coming this way. She said E.T.A. 5 minutes."
Michigan nodded and loaded a round into the chamber of his side arm. His battle rifle was strapped across his back , he was ready for action. Utah stood up straight and put her helmet under her arm. She walked toward Michigan and stared into his reflective visor. She smiled at him, and he lifted the helmet off his head. Her mouth was attached to his before he got the helmet fully off of his head. After a few seconds of this, Utah finally released her boyfriend.
"Mitch, be careful out there. I don't want to lose you so soon." She hugged him tightly, as if for the last time.
Michigan chuckled. "So soon? So, you wouldn't mind if I got killed, say… five years from now?"
Utah giggled and blushed slightly at her poor choice of words. "That's not what I meant! And you know it!" She playfully punched him in the arm. She slid her helmet on top of her head. The alarm for incoming attack sounded and everyone started moving about, readying for the inevitable attack.
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[I] Outpost 143-X; Front Gates[/I]
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Barricades we're set up along the outside gates, and down the main hallway. The load hum of a Wraith's engine can be heard from over the horizon. Mitch and Utah were among the front lines, watching for the first of the Covenant forces to peak over.
A lonely Grunt walked over the edge, only to be met by Utah's sniper bullet. After the Grunts body fell, all hell broke loose. The group from the outpost was met with three Phantom's worth of Brutes. The ten of the Brutes carried Gravity Hammers. Thirteen of them carried Brute Shots, while the rest carried Spikers.
Then came the vehicles. Five Ghosts, three Wraiths, and a Scarab tank. Utah slid her visor up and looked at Mitch.
"How are we going to do this?" She asked in a worried voice, her chocolate brown eyes piercing Michigan's yellow reflective visor. He raised his visor as well, looking her in the eyes.
"Don't worry Utah… I'll be fine." He said winking at her.
He focused his attention toward the invading Covenant, sliding his visor shut and enabling his PA system in his armor.
"Only engage on my mark!" He shouted to the troops of the outpost, looking down the sight of his Battle Rifle, zeroing in on the nearest Brute, which was about ninety feet away. "Five…" Eighty feet away. "Four…" Seventy feet away. "Three…" Sixty feet away. "Two…" Fifty feet away. "One…" Forty feet away. "MARK" The Covenant we're thirty feet away when the first Brute fell by Michigan's hand.
Shots rang out from all around the two freelancers. A couple of Brutes threw spike grenades at a group of Marines, sticking two of them and hitting the ground next to another group. The terrified screams of the Marines were heard for about three seconds before the grenades exploded, sending spikes into the bodies of the soldiers surrounding the three Spike grenades.
Xi shined into existence. [color=olive] ;Michigan, the best course of action would be for you and Utah to split up. You should flank from the right side, while Utah stays here, to provide covering fire.'[/color]
Michigan looked over at Utah, and using their own secure radio channel, he explained Xi's plan to her, and she, reluctantly agreed.
"I love you, Utah." He said, running toward his position.
He barely heard her return his feelings before he rushed in, firing at a couple of minor Brutes, carrying Spikers. They fired back, the weak spikes being deflected by his anti gravitational suit enhancement. He threw a frag into the center of the mass of Brutes, taking a few out, and wounding more around the dead ones.
Xi spoke in his head. [color=olive] 'Mitch, the energy reserves for your anti gravity system is low. I advise you to switch it off soon.'[/color]
Michigan nodded as the gravity around him returns to normal. He continues firing at the Brutes, killing them off one by one. The Brutes fire back, some of the spikes sticking in Michigan's armor, causing the shields to drop slowly. He picked up a couple Spike grenades and tossed them into the group, finishing off the minor Brutes.
He was reloading his Battle Rifle when an explosion drained his shields. He dove out of the way as a Brute Shot grenade flew passed his body, hitting a sand dune behind him, causing the sand to fly into the air. Michigan lobbed a spike grenade over the wall and heard the Brute start to rage when an explosion told him that he was finished.
He poked his head up when he didn't hear any movement. He saw that the remaining Brutes were all dead. Bullet wounds to the head. He looked over at Utah, who's attention was on the closest Wraith, and smiled inside his helmet.
He waited until his shields were charged to their maximum capacity before rushing at the Wraith closest to him. The charges from the turret on top of the Wraith was quickly draining his shields. He took aim and fired three times with his Battle rifle. The brute slumped over in the turret seat. He ran around to the back and stuck a frag grenade into the exhaust of the vehicle, the explosion taking out the whole thing. He snickered as the Wraith fell to pieces before him.
He looked around him, there was a Brute with a Gravity Hammer rushing toward him. He was quick with his last spike grenade, charging at the Brute, sticking it to his armor and jumping out of the way, before it exploded. As he hit the dirt, the explosion sent spikes into his own armor, doing more damage to him then the Brute itself.
The explosion, however, rendered the Brute's armor useless. It shook it off, and charged at Michigan, who was still getting up. The Brute raised the hammer over his head, and was bringing it down, as his head exploded in a mass of blood and brain matter. The body fell onto Michigan, pinning him to the ground, for a second. The Brutes saw this and rushed him. By the time he was able to stand up, he had about twenty Brutes with Spikers pointed at him.
He raised his gun and pointed it at the nearest Brute, only to be met by a sharp pain in the back of his neck, exactly where Xi's module is. Xi appeared on the ground in front of Michigan.
[color=olive] 'I'm sorry to do this Mitch… but, I've learned that the Covenant's way is superior to our own, so I've offered to help them. You will now be immobilized for transport.' [/color]
Michigan didn't have any time to react before a surge of energy ran through his body, knocking him unconscious. Before he was out, he switched on his secure channel with Utah, and was able to utter one phrase before his mind was consumed with total darkness.