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FICTION
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"Cole's Dare Devils"
December 17 2525 - Hour 1453
CPL Logan 'Log' Sutton
Utgard, Edda, Planet of Harvest
It's been two weeks since the loss in Alpha Corvi II and... I was actually stunned by the record.
By what I could remember, the Covenant weren't supposed to recover the artifact, mostly because the rebels occupying the mines where the device was held should have pushed them back for long enough for an intervention. That proved to not be the case. The timing of entering in action and retreating had been impeccable. I could see ONI's big shots facepalming at the missed opportunity of having the Spartans play a relevant role in this operation.
Still, it wasn't a big loss. Not when we were about to give a kick right where the bastards were going to feel it the most by retaking Harvest with the big fleet Cole got to lead. Differently from the canon battle, we were definitely going to have the upper hand with the lack of the Super-Destroyer, but I knew that we were still going to face some damage if not a loss or two while handling the space garrison over the orbit. The battle started at 1000 Hour, with my orders being to get ready by the hangar once 'the scum was weeded out from our old lawn'. The Pelican was already ready to move once the sky was clear, and within the vehicle I saw some familiar faces.
"Corporal, sir," An incredibly excited Grace greeted, followed by calm nods from Joshua and Daisy. Their team formation remained the same from the looks of it, perhaps the operation in Chi Ceti IV had given ONI a clear understanding of which chemistry was better to keep as such and which to reorganize.
Our lucky trio. What a surprise.
More like ONI trying to bank in with a successful idea, which was giving me Spartans to 'leech off' some of my success. I knew the soldiers weren't ordered that, but I knew ONI, and I could tell they really needed more proof that they didn't waste money trying to prepare a generation of super-soldiers that wasn't prepared for the current planetary crisis. I knew the Spartans could, but it was too early to make any calls just yet.
"093, 023 and 029. It's been a while," I replied happily. "I hope you are all ready for the long mission."
"We're prepared for it, sir," Joshua replied without hesitation, with Daisy keeping quiet as she decided to give more attention to the bear keychain that she had set on her M6.
"Glad to hear that," I hummed, sitting right beside Joshua, giving a quick look at the BR54/GL, a weaker version of the recently-deployed BR55 but with a grenade launcher accessory installed. Something that packed heat and precision in an affordable bundle of joy. I had thought about another main gun, but I stick with a Magnum for the time being. I didn't have the luxury of going out only with the best weaponry. Not always, at least. There wasn't much said as we waited for the battle to unfold.
Instead of the forty warships that were banded together in the canon battle, there were just thirty, but the lack of a big-ass heavily-shielded Covenant ship gave us an impressive advantage against the garrison. Three hours of intense skirmishing led to a total annihilation of the space fleet prepared by our foes, and gave us the chance to effectively start the main focus of the operation.
Get on Harvest, capture the vital points all over the planet, and then help engineers to place down heavy-grade anti-ship weapons to turn the planet into a fortress. Considering the lack of substantial losses within the allied fleet, the complete effort was feasible within a week of intense working.
The Pelican committed to the jump as soon as other vehicles were ready to join in the swarm. All teams had various objectives, with mine having a single goal that was nothing to scoff at: 'Retake the vital sectors of the capital'. Easier said than done, the first issue came in the form of actually landing on the planet.
Utgard was heavily fortified with AA cannons, and we were almost shot down together with a couple of other pelicans if not for the UNSC Waterloo offering support by 'softening the outer sections of the defenses'. Which literally translated into raining hellfire on the bastards until there was nothing but fire and destruction afterward.
It was good because it avoided further deaths on our side, but it limited the means of passing through the available path to the city due to the lasting fires coming from that kind of barrage. Once the Pelican reached ground level, it was time to get deployed and start moving to the completion of the level.
"Sir, I found something," said Grace as she continued to rise in my list of favorite Spartans by highlighting what looked to be a mostly-intact M850 Grizzly that had been dropped by one of the crashed dropships. Truly a lucky day.
"Can you drive it?" I asked, almost grinning like a moron the moment I saw the girl just rushing already towards the vehicle before saying a quick 'yes sir'.
So, she really is your favorite.
It was more of a 'finders keepers' situation than anything else. Plus, I wanted the one that was supposed to know how to handle heavy firepower to man the bloody tank. We sat by the reinforced tracks' upper protections while the bomb-specialist had a field day using the dual 120mm cannons to pierce through any Covenant remnant between us and the gates of the city. The vehicle was a general update of the M808 Scorpion and it packed greater firepower than its older counterpart.
There were a few brutes beyond the gates and those actually proved to be a bit more resilient to take down due to their numbers. Still, the tank shredded the threats around us with ease. We advanced into the city and we started to go through our job: clear out any skirmishes, help other squads get through with their goals, and then reach the Parliament Building. The last objective was perhaps the most difficult as packs of Brutes had set up sturdy defenses that couldn't be destroyed by the tank and could only be bypassed by the infantry.
"And the ride is over," I announced, jumping off from the vehicle. "Time to pack up and get going on foot."
Grace made no sounds of disappointment, but her posture briefly suggested that she wasn't that happy of being forced to part way with her heavy-grade armored vehicle. The Spartans took a compact formation as we ventured into the courtyard of the building complex. The Parliamentary Building was considered Harvest's representation, mostly because the garden was a miniature version of the Botanical Gardens by the outskirts and because some of the rooms were made from resources recovered from the planet itself.
As we attacked the compound, we noticed that it had been turned into a defensive post by the multiple ugly apes that were really putting on an effort to not be dislodged by that section of the city. I wasn't sure if it was because they knew it was important or because it 'looked' important, but they sure caused a lengthy skirmish that took a while to conclude. There were a few chieftains running around with War Hammers, a weaker and more traditional version of the Type-2 Gravity Hammer as the item had yet to gain relevance and be produced at a higher rate than the current one.
The clash was vicious, but there wasn't much intelligence put into the defense and grenades were enough to dethrone the large contingent from its foothold. The massacre concluded only when the last surviving Brute was put down by Joshua's shotgun. We were slowly making our way into the building's entrance when Sif spoke up through the squad comms.
Be warned that the Brutes' commander is still inside the building. I'm not sure why he didn't join the battle but... he is currently holding up in the Governor's room.
"That's... odd," I commented quietly, "Still, keep your eyes open. This might be an ambush."
There were no visible energy patterns, but I wouldn't have been surprised if the Covenant had set down any traps in the form of land mines or other kinds of explosions. But as we delved deeper, the only thing that became apparent was that the leader had completely missed the fight because... he was in an actual one. With a struggling individual that was getting... 'manhandled'.
I managed to hijack a camera. The Brute Commander is assaulting someone, female by the looks of it.
Fucking hell.
"Up with the pace," I barked, picking up speed as we reached the closest elevator to arrive at our current destination.
I didn't like what I just heard and I really hoped it wasn't what it sounded to be. That was really the last thing I needed to find in the middle of a battlefield. The ride was fast as the elevator was surprisingly intact considering other damaged sections of the building. Soon we were at the doors of the office, and we breached just in time as the victim of what looked to be a rape in the making was failing miserably in crawling away from the enraged bastard, gashes and wounds all over her mostly naked body. Not human... a brute. A female one at that. slightly slender, smaller, but still bigger than normal humans. The armored leader looked ready to seal the deal when he suddenly realized how deep in shit he was. He looked up to us and I said a single word that put an end to his disgusting existence.
"Fire."
The ape-like behemoth fell down after getting drilled by multiple bullets of different calibers. A solid thud saw the beast fall backward, well away from what would have his victim. I cautiously approached the shivering and barely-conscious Jiralhanae, crouching down to check on her better. "Team, secure the room."
Green lights were soon lit on my visor, and I got a closer look on the situation.
"Hey you, what's your name? Stay with me, don't let go just yet," I spoke strongly, shaking the weakened Brute a bit and... gaining an annoyed groan from her.
"Alba," She dully said, "I'm... thank you."
Her eyes closed and she fell unconscious. In her condition, she was far from critical, but her wounds had to be treated at once.
"Sif, contact Cole. We need a critical medical evac for a possible injured and unconscious collaborator," I shifted my attention to the AI, hearing her hum.
Any particular reason why we're taking prisoners? Just asking.
"If it helps with anything, from cracking the shield situation to actual Covenant info, then it's a worthwhile effort. They tried to do something unpleasant to her, and she has a good enough reason to backstab them if we treat her properly as a 'humane prisoner'."
Gotcha. Will contact Cole ASAP.
There wasn't much else done on the spot, beyond waiting for the reinforcements, the supply drops to start setting up defenses and the medics that were called to retrieve 'Alba'. There was a hint of surprise in some of the men taking care of this case, but they were quick to nod it off when I mentioned why this individual was important and how we managed to get hold of her. The Pelican with the unconscious brute left shortly after, leaving me, the rest of the team and a large group of engineers to restore the power grid in the area, fix some of the broken sections of the building and set up various cannons and MGs, from ground-only purpose, to AAs and even Planetary defenses plans such as a massive MAC Cannon just outside the building.
With the severe glassing destroying most of the planet's once luscious fields that fueled the local agriculture, the only purpose that Harvest now held was a strategic fortress and forward base. Of course, it would take a while for the UNSC to learn of the real reason behind this planet being the first contact with the Covenant, mostly due to the thick layer of solid ice hiding the Forerunner facility away from detection and making it difficult to truly get a clear path to it.
It would take a while but... we had an advantage, and while we were clearing up Utgard and other major cities, the planet returned once more under the UEG's domain.
We finally struck back, now it was time to see what the Covenant were planning to do with this response.
AN
A brief Q&A to clear out any mistaken view on Alba:
1) Who is she? OC created by JustSideRube/Rube. I'm using this as a reference since it's canon that female Brutes are smaller compared to male ones;
2) Is she a sex-only character? No. Sexy times is a possibility, but her role will be... a more combat-centered one. Can't tell you more right now, but it's going to be fun;
3) Why she exist? I have a bit of a plan about the project the MC is tied to. Trying to 'broaden' the membership so to speak.
And that's all... I think. I will answer any other comment if asked.
P.S. Next two chapters will not be in Log's POV. I think one is expected, another not so much.
REVIEW Q&A!
Ninja65: There's a possible harem, but nothing that comes within the war. Not with the war being in the middle of it all.
otto: Dunno.