Earth
New Mombasa
2:30pm, local clock
Jomo Kenyatta Ave.
He was down to 3 magazines now...
Just 3 of them.
3.
About as depleted as you could without going to one.
That was all the ammo he had left, and for both his MA5C and M6SOCOM , combined.
Buck had done his level best to conserve his rounds. He really had, but there was only so much that could be done when it came to being methodical with how many bullets you had , when you were getting confronted by repeated squads of Brutes- and only Brutes. None of those stupid Grunts waddling around like geese, squeaking and squealing while taking potshots at you with their damn peashooters...
...No.
No. when it came to Brutes, you had to unload on them. You had to blast them, squarely in the chest or the heads. You had to use all the firepower you had at your disposal, even if that was nothing heavier than an assault rifle and a frag grenade or two. Better yet, slam a Jackhammer rocket right to the kisser- a Spartan Laser, even, if you had one handy.
Overkill ? Hardly.
Not when it came to Brutes.
Staring at his nearly depleted stock of ammo though, Buck had some real doubt that he had enough of that left to stop one- let alone 2. Which was the real sticker of a problem...being that Brutes always came by at least 2's and no lower. You couldn't afford to be caught face to face with the hulking aliens if all you had was barely over 1 spare mag, and no high explosives...let alone a frag.
A bad place to be in..
Damn, damn, damn..
Jeez...!
A huffed breath of frustration escaped his lips..dry already, all the way through, feeling like they were split already... and not even close for the first time that day. It wasn't even that hot outside, either ! Not even summer, but regardless
But...its not just me
Wasn't ever...
He glanced behind him, pivoting just enough to see.
The Gunny was greeted by the same sight he'd expected to be: Decker and Dubbo were still with him. Better yet, they'd managed to avoid letting the squad formation drift loose on its own, aside from direct commands to form up one way or another.
Good thing they had as well, as the street outside wasn't safe anymore. There was too much sun overhead now, and with the neaon-bright blue layer of static that'd been hanging over everything after the Covie supercarrier jumped out,
Decker was currently the one of them covering the trio's six, as he'd been commanded to do, and was keeping his MA5C raised as he maintained a 3 point stance, with one shoulder braced against the wall of the " First Mombasa Financial " bank that the squad had just come to a halt beside.
Boots coated thoroughly with dust, he was there. The Leatherneck was a yard down the sidewalk from the 3rd member of the improvised squad, keeping their 6:00 covered...and making good use of the slight bend in the alleyway that prevented any of the Quil-Heads ( Jackals ) from lighting them up from the rooftops on the opposite side. In fact, there was barely enough sunlight trickling down to where they were to warrant Buck switching off VISR mode.
Not that'd he'd need it outside, though...
Not anymore. That layer of blazing neon blue that'd spread over the sky like a carpet after the Supercarrier had pulled its in-atmo FTL jump had dissipated at last, leaving the airspace clear and open.
Or, though, that the outside wasn't a red zone. Which it was, for sure...
Whole city is by now.
Ignoring, as best he could, the coming-and-going dryness in his mouth, and the urge to pull his helmet off and take a swig from his canteen, Buck called to the other leatherneck, " Dubbo ! Private, give me an overall mag check. "
The Aussie was quick on the trigger. " 4, Sergeant. Just 4... "
Damn, again. Scraping the barrel...
And we were being so ...methodical !
That ain't like them
Yeah, they had been. No spraying and praying from Buck, or either of the other Leathernecks. They'd made every effort to aim for nowhere else but the most vulnerable spot on every target that'd ever crossed their sights...and in the past hour that they'd been wading their way through the deserted district on a vague path northward, they'd taken out at least 4 squads worth of Covies, many of whom where Brutes.
And, it'd burned through their reserves.
Burned through them. After all, Buck had already learned that Decker was running off just 2 mags for his own MA5, and now the Gunny learned that Dubbo wasn't much better off: just 4 spare magazines for his own weapons. Between the 3 of them, they had...
...well, 9 may have sounded like plenty, but in a red zone that spanned a mega-city, it would last a New York minute. Maybe not even that if the pattern of running into unit after unit of enemy heavies...with the last firefight a few blocks back having also drained the last frag grenade that Buck still had- something he'd been all too aware of as he reached into his armor pouch, grasped it, and then flung the party favor at the legs of a bellowing Jiralhanae.
At least it'd been used well.
Done its job to a T, though it'd been the last.
But, even though they'd do the same for the 9 mags they still had , not all of them were rifle rounds. You couldn't exactly fight off a company of Brutes with an M6SOCOM...unless they'd all lost their armor somehow, and you landed every headshot.
" ...Understood, Marine ". Buck nodded minutely, chewing his lower lip.
He braced his rifle against his right shoulder, let the muzzle drop, and let his mind do its thing. The ammo counter on the MA5's top cover blazed with the number " 17 ", but he didn't devote all his attention there, because he couldn't.
I know we're in a bind, but...
Yeah. That's common knowledge. Solutions are what matters !
Always...
Yeah, there it was. ODST training kicked in yet again, doing its thing. When confronted by an issue, you tackled it, by taking it apart carefully and methodically- even if you had to crank that up by 10 once they got a bead on you.
The problem ? They didn't much ammo left. Not nearly enough to last them the rest of the way to their RV...
" Gunny ? Gunny, I got something over here..."
Romeo..!
Buck sensed the chilled sensation of adrenaline seeping into his blood, and not just at what he'd heard, but also at the cool, focused tone the sniper had used. If Romeo had spotted something, then that could only mean their time spent hunkered in this narrow lane was pretty much over.
The Covenant had found them.
" Corporal ? One second.."
" Hey, Dubbo ! Dekker ! "
They've found us. Before we found them.
And we're ammo-starved right now. Great..
" Ears open ! "
He had to push it aside, though. It was time to get on task...
Dubbo's head came up, with a surprised blink,
Buck angled his helmet up toward where he knew Romeo was posted- hidden behind one of the rooftops parapets and a neighboring AC vent tower on the Zulu Corner restaurant/apartment building right across from the alley. He'd posted the smart-mouthed marksman up there- on the high ground- nearly as soon as he'd RV'd with them back at Veronica's- at, Captain Dare's crash site, because there was no point keeping someone who excelled so much at long rang shooting on the ground level if there was superior elevation to be had.
Which there was. This wasn't rural Washington State, after all. In downtown New Mombasa, there were more multistory structures than you could wave a stun baton at, and Romeo had made good use of them.
Especially now...
" Send traffic, Corporal..", Buck commanded.
" Gunny. I got a file of Jackals and a Wraith, coming up over the crest of the road ahead...but no Brutes. They've all got Beamers, but their shields are down. "
" Repeat, down. "
Well, that was unexpected.
Jackals without their shields, eh ?
That was rare- the bird-beaks rarely went anywhere without the energy shields lit. Unless you caught them off guard, the round barriers would probably be up.
They weren't here, though...?
Nonetheless, Buck processed what he'd heard. "..Copy that, Corporal. Estimated time till contact ? "
" They're on a Sunday stroll pace, so...about 1 minute, Gunny. "
" Rough estimate..."
" Copy. Do not engage, understand ? Stay hidden and observe."
" Reading you loud and clear, Gunny. Might wanna hurry, though; Covies are gaining ground.."
Alright, showtime.
Let's rally the boys...
...and get on the go.
The aliens were in their grid, it seemed. And in force.
Buck was seething; he had neither the numbers nor the hardware to engage a Wraith right now, let alone one that was traveling with a full escort ! A Jackhammer, a Spartan Laser, or even a FRG ( Fuel Rod Gun ). Something in the heavy ordinance clan, anything...but they didn't. They didn't even have any frag grenades...or a C12 explosive blow pack.
But, all they had, was bullets. And not that many of them.
Nothing to do, but lie low...
And get scarce.
" Dekker ! Get over here, Corporal ! We've got a Wraith inbound !"
At the sound of his barked-order voice, the Marine currently pulling sentry duty turned his head around, brows slightly raised in surprise, but got it together quick, and rose to hustle to where the Sergeant was, while gripping his MA5 tightly with one gloved hand.
" Circle up ! ". Buck made the appropriate motion with a finger. " Dubbo ! That means you too. "
Complying, the Australian re-positioned himself to be on Buck's left, as Dekker came to a stop on the right.
Pack it up Marines, we're moving out ! "
" You're in trail, Dekker ! Both of you, let's go ! Move ! "
He beckoned urgently, standing as he did. Dekker turned around, in time to be in 3rd place
" Gunny...hey, Gunny ! You said they got a Wraith ?! ", exclaimed the Australian.
" You said a Wraith...? "
" Damn right. At least one. Fully online, and with a full escort. "
Dekker bit his lower lip, and his eyes narrowed. He nodded, but said nothing.
" Brutes- ? ", the Aussie began to ask, but Buck didn't let him complete.
" Doesn't matter, Private ! We're not staying here and letting them run over us with that thing. Even here, one of them might see us-and then the Wraith will, and then we're done. "
The moment he spoke the word done, Buck observed Dekker nod in sync. It was subtle, and over quickly, but it was there nonetheless. The clamp he'd put on his lower lip had relaxed as well, but even so..it gave away that he had some healthy appriation for how hyper lethal a Wraith could be if it could catch you in its sights. How even a single plasma charge it lobbed at you could pulverize- no, literally atomize- everything within 10 feet of the impact zone with over 14,000 degrees of boiling heat-flash atomizing anything and anyone in the blast radius so quick, you'd miss it if you blinked.
Or...that's what Buck was guessing, anyway. The PFC was a tough read, which was odd for a rookie.
But, anyway-
No room on the schedule for musing. Not now.
Buck jabbed a hand over his right shoulder, and just around the corner. " Listen up !We're hooking around that bend, and we're staying put, till that patrol goes by ! "
Without missing a beat, he got on comms again, and pinged Romeo, tapping his helmet's side to alert the other jarheads.
" Corporal Agru ! What's that Wraith's 20 ?! "
" Rounding the bend ahead of 'em , Gunny. They'll be on you inside of 20 seconds..."
" ..Got it. We're displacing. Keep track of your wayfinder, and RV when your way is clear. Copy ? "
" Solid copy, Gunny. See you there. ", the sniper confirmed. With that, the transmission ended.
Got a plan coming together here...
Now just got to pull it off.
Tapping his helmet again, Buck then set about shepherding the others where they needed to go. " On your feet, Marines ! Dubbo ! You're up first ! Dekker, stay on him. Both of you, hook another right when you get out. I've got your back. "
" Move ! "
"..Roger that, Gunny ! "
" On it, Gunny. "
Rising to a low crouch-run stance, the Australian led the other Jarhead away, moving at a brisk jog deeper into the alley, bound for the other end. Dekker was right in trail, and as he shot past Buck, the NonCom sensed a hand jab his shoulder plating- the ingrained " Last one out " gesture that'd stuck with the UNSC for the past several hundred years, all the way from its roots in the 2100's.
Buck covered their 6, rifle up, Through the relatively narrow slit formed by the buildings that formed this concrete canyon, he watched the sunlight cover the road. It was still clear, yes, but-
Down to way less than 20..
" Gunny ! They're less than 12 seconds away ! "
" Copy, Romeo ". Buck stayed icy, weapon steady and trained. " Got the others out; I'm moving. Wait one. "
" Better hustle, boss..."
Now, it was his turn.
Adrenaline pulsed, and made it even quicker.
Rising, Buck finally made his own retreat.
He stood, and then raced out , also at a jog, leaning into it as the telltale whine and hum of a Wraith's repulsorlifts began to drift in from somewhere behind him, and on the right. It was what helped make Wraiths so deadly, that general lack of noise. They could glide in, perilously close to an unsuspecting target...and then they woulds strike.
The alien tanks hadn't earned the moniker " Wraith " for nothing...and the same went for how they were still on the prowl around this block.
And they weren't alone, either...
" Gunny ! ". Romeo's voiced filled his ear. " Gunny, the Wraith and co just left the alley in their 6, but I've got a visual on some Banshees coming on a gun run ! "
But, this one would be denied. The ODST wouldn't give them the shot they wanted, no so easily.
Buck burst from the alley, and immediately spied that the other Marines. They had taken cover against the wall of the building that stretched out towards the right ( exactly as ordered ), with Dubbo still in the front, and Dekker keeping watch behind them.
The Corporal's eyes widened, and he called out. " Hey, Chip, he's here ! "
Buck acknowledged the PFC with a tuck of his jaw, as the Australian rotated in the crouch stance just enough to spot the NonCom joining them.
He kept going, and at full tilt, going right on past Dekker and nearly the PFC as well, before delivering a shoulder thump of his own.
" Nice going, both of ya. ". Buck came to a jogging stop as his fist bounced off Dubbo's shoulder' armor plate. He readjusted the grip he had on his MA5, placing it back in at-arms. " Covie patrol just went past, and they took the Wraith with 'em. "
" Good riddance ", Dekker was quick to comment, a note of derision evident as he spoke. " They oudda be grateful we didn't have a C12 pack on hand..."
The Corporal spoke up then. " Hey, Gunny ? ..You'd have let me throw it at them if we'd had, right ? "
The ODST glanced over and down at him. Somehow, the request did not come as a shock or a surprise, even though it might've, at least, come off as very unexpected. But, it was neither one. It didn't strike Buck as something that was..random, either. Like the first person in a group stepping up and offering to be the one to pitch a bomb at a Wraith...
Long as you could get the drop on it, needless to say.
That...that said something about a Leatherneck. He hadn't even asked for a Jackhammer !
Or an FRG...or a SL...or a-
Basicaly, any other AT ordiance that didn't require getting up close and point blank range.
Yeah, there was something more to it, for sure. Almost as if..
...he had an axe against them.
One he wanted to grind real hard.
Blinking behind his visor, Buck slowly rotated around to face him, momentarily getting a sweeping panning view of the street. It was just long enough to get a glimpse of a burned out city bus, surrounded by a menagerie of other civvie cars...though Buck didn't stop to examine them.
He didn't stop listening for the whine or crash of energy weapons fire- a freaking Wraith had just gone by, after all- either. The NonCom was keeping all his senses primed, ready to react to anything that even hinted at a threat.
But, none materialized. Not yet, though..
It'd have to wait.
Not for long, though...
. He faced Dekker instead, met his eyes, and responded " You volunteering, Corporal ? "
The Jarhead shrugged lightly, his eyes flicking momentarily toward the alley's mouth where they'd jsut emerged. " Just saying...if we get ahold of any of that stuff. I'd take a rocket launcher without a second thought. I want it. And if we find another Wraith... "
" You mean, if it doesn't find us..!", Dubbo called out his correction, not even having turned around. " Lumpy wanker'll dust you otherwise..."
" Either way...! ", Dekker promptly retorted twisting a tad toward the other Jarhead for a second, before going back to look up at the Gunny.
He exhaled for second, as Buck calmly watched, then shrugged with just a slight rise once again.
Got something to say, kid ?
"... If you're offering, Gunny, that is ", the Corporal finished. There was no anger in his tone anymore, just...well...
What ?!
..some kind of hope, but with hostile intent. A precise kind of hostile intent, actually. A measured kind, like he knew exactly what he had in mind, and didn't even need to put it into so many words. On the other hand, maybe he didn't really need to.
Buck could read between the lines enough to garner that much, at least...
Finally, he found himself answering accordingly. With a nod, the NCO said , " ..Ok then, Corporal: First Jackhammer we find is yours. "
" Thanks, Gunny. ".
Oh, I am going to get the full story here, soon enough...
You may not know it, Corporal, but I will.
Like I hadn't already promised myself that anyway, though...
Couldn't hurt to send that message twice
Rather than say a word of his mental planning on that subject aloud here, however, Buck settled for an affirmative nod, before redirecting his attention back to the Aussie who was still standing point.
" Dubbo ! ", he barked, flipping the switch back to " Let's get ***t done, ODST style ".
They couldn't stay here any longer; whether they'd heard imminent Covie action inbound to their position or not until now, it wouldn't last longer than another few minutes. Even till this point, there'd still been distant sounds of battle, ebbing and flowing from no further away than a few blocks.
" Dubbo ! Get ready to move out , Private ! " Buck, yet again, turned around and issued the fresh orders to the second Jarhead. " On my left ! "
No more time to waste...
Got to keep going on
" Dekker ! Take right ! "
" Right ! "
Following that plan, Buck pivoted, and set off, sharply beckoning for Dekker to follow him. The Aussie, meanwhile, had already heard what he'd been told to do, and immediately sprung into action, seamlessly falling in step with the NonCom on the aforementioned left as Buck made his way along the empty sidewalk.
" Copy that, Gunny. "
" Moving as ordered, Gunny ".
Having reassembled the squad, the ODST led them on down the street, making sure that he kept them off the road- last thing they needed was the ever-present risk of a Jackal being on station with a Beamer...becasue if the feathered freaks weeren't running security for a Wraith, then they'd likely be sitting pretty ( figuratively speaking ) up on some rooftop, ready to absolutely plug anyone they saw with a stream of white-hot plasma right through the skull.
Well, if their maddened squawking didn't give themselves away, that is...
" Romeo, we're oscar mike. ". Buck spoke as he strode. " Check your city map grid- there's a plaza due..."
" Hang on a second..."
" Take your time, Gunny..."
Ignoring the stab ( for now ), Buck brought up the HUD map again, and consulted it long enough to find...
Aha !
" Got it...got it. Plaza's called ' Savannah Circle '. ' Savannah Circle '. You see it ? "
Blink off the map, and...
There was a brief pause, and then-
A second or so more-
" Yeah, I see it alright. You want me to RV with you and the boys there ? "
" Roger that. And do it on the double, Lance Corporal. That, and stay hidden. "
" Can on on both counts, Gunny. Romeo out. "
Well, at least he can still be a team player, Buck reflected, as he disengaged his own end of the comms.
Can't shut his mouth when he should overall, though...yet
Anyway...now to let the squad know.
He raised an arm, and clenched it to a fist, then made a " circle up " motion with a raised finger.
Turning 180 as he did, he faced the other Marines, with both still in formation, as they dutifully paused, and then angled toward him, cradling their weapons as they watched him with expectant expressions.
Right on task, boys
So, he got right down to it. Cradling his MA5 securely with one hand, he did exactly that.
" Alright, listen up ! ", the NonCom began.
Gesturing roughly to his right, down the road that they'd been marching along, Buck continued. " Ok. Down that way, is where our RV point with Corporal Agru is. That's next on our agenda...followed by hammering out a plan for how and when we're gonna track down the rest of Alpha-9. "
Just as he'd finished saying 9, though, there was a thunderclap somewhere off in the distance. Well, not an actual thunderclap, needless to say, as the sky was perfectly clear ( save for a horizon to horizon pattern of clustered up cottony white clouds ), but it was close enough...
...because it was the unmistakable sound of a heavy plasma salvo hitting a building. One that'd promptly collapsed like a dropped dish towel from the rumbling echo that had rolled over the rooftops to reach the Squad, leaving just rapidly diminishing sound waves to show that something had gotten smashed out there...
Heads turned by pure reflex toward the roar.
"...Jesus. Did ya hear that ?! "
" Think I didn't, Chips ?! "
" Both of you..! ".
Buck silenced them both with a suitably authoritative hand flick.
" Quiet down ! ", he ordered, as he focused his hearing on the way-off , but nearly completely died off ,blast.
It was just about back as things were before it had now...
Just about.
He scanned the rooftops, electricity running up and down his spine as his hunter's, for another few seconds, on the watch for any wisps of smoke that might give away where the demo job might've taken place. But...there was nothing.
Just the sky. There were a few Banshees on a flight path headed left to right, but they absolutely didn't have the level of firepower needed to knock down a solidly built structure of a Mega-City.
" Gunny ! Hey, Gunny , something just got blasted to smithereens ! Must've been a couple of blocks from both of us by my reckoning...! "
" ...See any hint of what it was ?! " , Buck responded to Romeo's observation. " Because I got nothing over here..."
" Send some traffic if you got it, Romeo ! "
No Wraith did that...no way.
I know Wraiths..
" Gunny...oh, damn, Gunny. We got some Seraphs ! A flight of Seraphs just shot past..."
" Sending again...we got Seraphs in play ! "
..A Seraph ?
A Seraph ?! They've brought THOSE up ?
Jeez...that ain't good.
Buck's molars clenched- " Not Good " was putting freaking mildly when it came to Seraphs. Each of those things was essentially a flying battery of Wraiths...and that was just one of them.
If the Covies have rolled their bombers over here...
Damn, damn..
"...Copy that, Romeo. Track 'em. Let me know if they're coming back...and we're gonna have to step up that RV. Confirm ? "
" Confirmed, Gunnny. I got the drops. ". The smart-mouthed LCpl could really switch on " by the book " mode when it was called for...along with his own brand of it, of course.
Good enough though.
And besides...
" Hey, Gunny...".
It was Dubbo speaking up now. " Did they just waste our RV ? We gota shift it, or something ? "
Buck removed his gaze from the high rises, and slowly shook his head. " No, Private...but they will if we don't hustle. "
" That was a Seraph flight. Covies are bringing out the heavy artillery, Marines. This grid- heck, the city- is getting hotter than the Sun by the minute. "
He glanced over his shoulder at them, then jabbed a finger toward their detestation. " We are getting to our RV point, though ! From there, we'll form a real plan. One to get the rest of my Alphas, and you both, out of this town. "
Buck didn't need to project any steel through his voice for those words; it just came along as easily as breathing. He was an ODST NonCom, not just any NonCom, and that carried its own weight of command. He could see it, reflected in both the other Jarheads.
It'd been more than enough- to rally them all the way back at Tayari Plaza, and compelled them to keep on keeping on. Orders may be orders from any superior, but from an ODST Sergeant who'd been around the block a few times, well...rank and file marines definitely respected that.
...Right behind a Spartan, that is. Not that there was on handy.
Or that Buck needed a Spartan's help. That would be great...but he'd get by.
He always did.
Well, here they were... at last.
The fabled Plaza...or at least it had been for the past 10 minutes or so, after getting designated as the meet-up spot.
It wasn't much to behold- at least, not at the moment. Currently, the circular area was utterly drained of either the flow of cars, trucks, motorcycles and so on that would be going in literal circles following its roundabout layout, or the pedestrians that mimicked that behavior on the adjoining sidewalks. None of the public comms terminals that were dotted around the place had anybody using them, and there was no constant overlapping hubbub of engines, conversations, horns honking, or heated arguments.
...It was...empty.
Completely empty.
Nothing and nobody to be found...
Deserted and abandoned.
Buck surveyed the solitude as the squad trickled into the circuit, boots clacking on the sidewalk, stepping on and over abandoned trash. They walked under the rising columns of fire and smoke from where the aliens had used nearby buildings as target practice, spewing bright orange molten metal and ashy dusted duracrete onto the road. The flickering flames danced overhead, as the Marines marched on, lighting up their surroundings right cheek to cheek with the sun.
He saw...the usual. The City, was deserted. Everyone had fled like a herd of stampeding rhinos the second the first Covenant ships had FTL'd into the low atmosphere below the cloud deck. From the appearance of things, anywhoo...that seemed to have the been the case.
Dubbo swore , just loud enough to hear. " I hope these cars are all empty..."
" Everyone got out before the plasma hit, right ? "
" ..Covies also use Needle guns, remember ? " , Dekker reminded. " Fuel Rod Cannons shoot that radioactive stuff..."
" Yeah...that's right. They got a real wide arsenal. What I'm saying is- "
" You don't have to, Chip. You could, but I got it. "
"...Thanks. "
Buck did not intervene; partially, because it hadn't gone on quite long enough to be a distraction from their scanning, but also because...it was what he was thinking as well.
Because why not ? They were fighting for these folks. They were fighting for the citizens of the UNSC- and, overall, everyone else, save for the Insurrection cells.
For every one of them the Covenant harmed...
Even if...even if there was no visible signs that the Covenant had pulled a Reach on the Plaza, it wasn't as if that needed to be the case for something within the ballpark of that to have happened. There may only have been all manner of vehicles scattered haphazardly across the place, with their doors ( mostly ) open, and nothing else...but-
- some, where slagged.
" Romeo...we're on station ".
" Copy ? "
Buck was mostly talking to himself, staring at a street lamp that resembled a chocolate bar that'd been microwaved, right beside a pair of that'd gotten similar treatment.
As he witnessed the aftermath of the Covenant's rampage, cold fury began to manifest from Buck's core, like a volcano preparing to erupt. He could feel it in his legs especially so, making them feel like they were pressurized to explode.
The smoldering and charred wrecks of what the locals had abandoned lay all over the place...and the ODST NonCom couldn't tell if they were empty.
He'd have to know, though, before leaving this place. He prayed they were.
Screw the aliens...
They go and rant, and rant, about how freaking ' holy ' they are, and how we're ' heretics who need to be purged '. For what ?! We're not their followers of that hokey religion they follow so fanatically. We're just dealing with our own issues as best we can, and that's all we wanted. But, no...
These purple-blooded scum, just rocked up out of the void, and began burning planets. Burning planets ! Because we offended them- and only by not following their made-up mantras and faith !
Dozens of worlds...all gone. Dozens...just glass balls now. Even Reach...
And now, they're coming to do the same to Earth. Just straight up massacre us, till there's nobody left. And then they'll say " Yea, we've purged the heretics ! "
...Over. My. Dead. Body...you hinged-head scum. I'll leave you dead on Earth's dust.
" Reading ya loud and clear, Gunny... ".
The sound of clacking and thumping sounded over the radio, and momentarily pulled Buck from his mental rant.
The sniper was on the move.
" A few seconds out 20, give or take. Check your right, up high. I'll be comin' in. "
" Solid copy. "
The ODST let his teeth grip his lower lip as he signed off. A hissed exhale went along with it...
It filled his helmet. He knew he was mad...though it was for the right reasons.
" Hey, Dek ? Think Melbourne ended up like this ? "
Dubbo's from that town, eh ?
Didn't know about that..
" ..Haven't heard anything about it. Haven't had a chance to find out, either. "
" Better not to dwell on it, man. Focus on the here and now, till we get some breathing room. Its just gonna drive you up the wall otherwise..."
" That's what counts. Don't know about you, but I'd rather remember my successes ,than failures. Failing's worse. "
Buck 180'd, head orienting toward the Corporal.
For such a low-ranked Leatherneck, Dekker seemed to be wise beyond his years...and that wasn't actually all that surprising. Between him and Dubbo, he'd actually been off-world, as he'd admitted back at Tayari. Granted, he wasn't a ODST Sergeant who'd loped across dozens of worlds over the past 10 years, but then again, he had been on planets that were more than few lighyyears away from Earth than say...Mars, of course.
He understood things. About the Covenant. About fighting them. About how vital it was, and how much it was worth.
Maybe just being a Jarhead overall. There were important lessons there as well.
In all honestly, that kind of wisdom was more often found with Sergeant, or higher, as Buck had found it. For someone like Dekekr to have it...
Marking him down for a promotion for sure...soon as we know where the brass actually is.
He'd right for it.
No doubt about that...and all the more reason to watch out for that Marine.
He let go of his lower lip, and nodded minutely. His mind been made up on that long ago- well, as long as a few hours could be called, anyway.
Long enough, though.
But, what wasn't long, was when Romeo said he'd show up- and it was at right about now, that it ran out:
Up, way above and on the 6:00 of the helmeted forms of the other Marines, a man appeared. He was dressed in ODST armor, and was brandishing an SS-2 sniper rifle..
...but, he wasn't silhouetted. Buck had spotted him just the same, of course, but it'd only come from being aware of what to look for. Not to mention years of repeatedly sending the marksman off to roam on his own, yet sticking close enough to provide support, and then having him reappear when all was said and done.
Buck would recognize that armor anywhere, and here, on the top of that building over there- some kind of grocery store/living quarters complex with half its lower floor frontage blasted away- was no exception.
There was no mistaking that helmet, with its optical enhancement attachments wrapping around its front. A smirk- a real one-tugged at Buck's mouth.
And then the sniper spoke to him.
" Gunny...! "
" Got eyes on your 20. "
" Deja Vu, eh, Gunnery Sergeant ?! "
Romeo must've been smirking behind his faceplate, as he performed a perfect fistbump with the NonCom. His rifle was no risk of falling, as his free hand was grasping it with an iron grip.
Yeah...
Tayari all over again. Think I'd forget ?
Buck nodded firmly, though he didn't say anything. Nor he did he depolarize his faceplate...and reading that, Romeo did the same.
I already know your face, Corporal.
Rather only see it when I need to.
That's not now...
" Corporal Agru ? "
Dekker had stepped forward in the background, calling out to the sniper. Nearby, Dubbo was doing his thing of being the rearguard, though he did send a quick head twist toward Romeo, almost as if he needed to confirm to himself that the other ODST was actually there.
Must not have seen that many...
" Trooper ! You got any spare clips ? "
" We're scraping the barrel over here on 7.62mm .Also 12.7... "
Romeo turned his way at that...and shook his head.
Aw, that's exactly...not what we needed right now.
Should've seen it coming...
" Hate it to say it, Dekker, but all I got is what I can't hand off. Didn't find any 7.62mm either...rooftops are pretty depleted of anything other than holes, and scrap metal. "
"...Alright, Corporal Agru. Thanks for watching out. "
The expression of the other Corporal, and his tone, said more than the words. Buck got the gist nonetheless, however:
He was concerned, Dekker. Not worried, but...he didn't have many bullets at all to fight with at all. Neither did Dubbo, or Buck, or Romeo, for that matter. None of them did...
...and still hadn't found any more, let alone any explosives. What could they do without any, once they finally ran out ? That didn't need to be said. Yet-
- well, then again, they'd finally got themselves some free space. The Covenant hadn't found them here...
Again though, yet.
Ok...
ok...still no ammo. Still...
...Only thing I can think of is...we got to think of where we might have a real shot at getting some of it. B-Net is still dead, so we can't coordinate with friendlies..
Scavenging been light around here. Too light. We need to aim for...
Wait...
...Aha !
" ..Tighten up , Marines ! ", Buck finally called. " Dubbo, stay on the 6 !. "
" Rally up- we've got a hike to plan out. "
They did as he said, as usual, with Dubbo carefully backpedaling his way along. Helpfully, Dekker warned him when he was about to run into the side of a ditched SUV.
" Woah...! Thanks, man. "
" Sure thing-"
Abruptly...he stopped, mid-sentence.
The Corporal, was staring through the fully tinted windows of the vehicle that Dubbo had nearly bumped back-first into.
" What the...? "
I was thinking the same thing, Corporal !
Of course Buck had spotted it, although he'd begun to face back to Romeo right as he did. Not being observant was a fatal flaw out in the field, and for an ODST, it was even more so.
Automatically, he did a double-take, also now paying attention to the abandoned car. Romeo, needless to say, caught that movement, and knew at once that something was up.
" ..Hm ? See something, Gunny ? "
" Yeah, actually..."
Stepping around him, Buck shouted another order; the only one that he could: " Hey, Corporal Dekker ! Whatever you poking around over there can wait. Get over here ! "
What is with that kid...?!
We need ammo, not spare change or a Chatter someone forgot to grab !
" Dek. Let's go, the Sarge is waiting..."
" I know- but..."
" God. Quick, help me get this open ! "
Dubbo had already 180'd to see what the Marine next to him was focused on, and he was no less preoccupied. The Aussie actually leaned in, cupping both hands to the glass, having slung his weapon across his back.
" Jesus...Dek. You weren't fooling around.."
" Yeah, I know. Now give me a hand here...! "
The other Corporal didn't bother tugging on the car's door handle; he knew it'd have to be locked. Dubbo, on the other hand, did anyway...and was rewarding with an ( unsurprisingly ) locked door.
" No, no...come on. We did this before, remember !? Back when we blew up that Jackal tower...? "
" Yeah...but...worth a shot, right ? "
" Marines ! "
Buck arrived then, MA5 braced within the crook of one arm and shoulder. He deliberately de-polarized his faceplate, allowing the other Jarheads to see his visible annoyance.
What. Were. They. Doing !?
We're screwing around here...
And we can't afford to.
" Corporal Dekker ! Private Dubbo ! ", Buck growled. " Did I give you an order, or didn't I-?! "
Tschh-crk !
And, out went the SUV's leftside window, as Dekker's MA5 was temporarily repurposed as a club and slammed corner-first into it. Shards of glass spewed every which way...
" For God's sake...! "
The ODST NonCom finally got to the car, and was a hair away from really reaming them both out, when...
" Ahh ! "
...Someone yelped from within !
It was more sudden and unexpected than a Beam Rifle shot- a yelp. A frightened, high pitched...
..civilian yelp.
A civvy...!
And, a woman as well !
Buck's previous ire was still there, but now...immense confusion had flash-appeared alongside it, to mix and muddle it. He was still not pleased that they'd gotten distracted while he'd given them direct orders, though...
They'd...they'd found someone ?
What ?
..A...survivor ?! They found a survivor ?
...Did they ?
" Are you serious...wait,no no..!."
" Easy, easy...! "
Dubbo was one arm through the window already, undoing the lock...
" Gunny..! "
Boots on the tarmac off on Buck's left announced Romeo had come running, thought he ODST raised a hand to stop him.
" Wait a second, Corporal Agru...!"
Jeez...
That was definitely a woman...
Buck pushed his way though, elbowing to the center of the pack as Dubbo hauled the door all the way open..
...and revealed something-someone- that Buck had not expected to find. Not even close.
It actually made the Corporal and the PFC seemingly going off a salvage spree worth it...because as it now was clear, that hadn't even remotely what they'd been up to anyway...
Lord...
As Dutch would say.
"...Ahh ! Oh...Oh my God..."
" UNSC...? You're UNSC...! ", gasped the lone occupant of the SUV.
Buck was now looking down at- just as he'd thought-a lady.
One who was about 20's, or so. She was round faced and pretty, with sand-colored hair that that fell around her head. Her blue eyes were wide open, fixed on the Marines as they stood there across from her hidey spot- the opposite side of the SUV's passenger seat, curled and tightened into as an unnoticeable as possible.
Had she been here...all alone ?
Well...not entirely alone.
Because, what really had Buck's sense of " We just uncovered what we can't leave or ditch " going full steam...was...
...She was pregnant.
No doubt, at all. Not chubby, or pudgy- the roundness and contours of her belly said only one thing:
She was pregnant.
The Marines...had a lone pregnant woman on their hands.
And the city around them was crowded with Covenant.