DISCLAIMER

The following is a fan-based

FICTION

All Installations of Halo are all owned by 343 Industries and Xbox Game Studios.

Please Support the Official Release!

"To lead is fun, to win is funnier"

April 25 2526 - Hour 1412

PFC Alba

Corbulo Academy for Military Science, Pompeius, Planet of Circinius IV

A chief that commands loyalty through mere voice and respect.

That was a concept Alba had learned through her childhood when it came to the warrior culture her species was tied to. The idea of a sole leader being able to muster so much power through action and orders was enough to reinforce the notion that all groups have an Alpha. It wasn't an 'always' situation, but there were times where that sort of leadership existed and everything with a solid brain could understand it. It wasn't an idea born of mere culture. Every species had leaders, but only a few recognized the notion that, in the heat of the moment, only those with the qualities to be one can really make the difference. And when it comes to Logan Sutton, Alba could smile in relief as she was given confirmation he wasn't a wimp. Far from it.

She had a taste of it when they first met. Or even more when they trained. But training was such a flimsy thing- it was preparation. It wasn't a battle. It would never amount to a real fight between life and death. The same judgment extended to the others. They looked strong, but only a real brawl could determine their worth and... a month of training sure were cemented when hostile ships entered the planet's orbit. Cruisers, about six and a couple of Heavy Corvettes. The orbital defense was going to hold until reinforcements from nearby bases were going to help and beat back the invasion force, but for now it was a matter of holding the ground.

A month can translate into two outcomes when it comes to training: 1) A small addition to one's experience; 2) An overhaul of what was already known to fit flawlessly within the discipline that already existed.

For the students of the Academy, it soon became a matter of the latter. Training was intense, but 'gradually' difficult so to keep them on the edge but never on the breaking point. Logan was stern, but still listening to legitimate complaints. He gave them 'permission' to use 'special lingo' to get orders fluently through with minimal disturbance. Nicknames for the Covenant species were adopted, and a few of those stuck to Alba as deeply amusing, even when it came to her species. It would be a lie to say that Jiralhanae didn't resemble Earthly Apes. They had so many factors in common, with the most glaring differences being a lack of drive for warfare and the fact these apes lacked mental capacities to handle proper conversations and other meaningful things 'Brutes' were known to deal with ease. Even though there were some members of her species that truly fit the title of 'Ape' more than 'Brute'.

With the 'drilling' proving to be as effective as planned, there was indeed an increase of participation and an improvement from the students' normal standards. Alba was no expert and 'military academies' were a novelty for her after having been trained by a 'teacher' or master of arms that was capable of laughing the new generation with the fighting theory needed to handle the rest on the field. The extensive study here for humans felt... better planned. It was still 'clumsy' before her eyes. It felt extremely unnecessary for normal fighting, but, then again, Sif told her that the purpose wasn't just to handle normal fights. It taught how to use vehicles, how to use secret codes and commands, and also how to handle specific situations through the equipment dispensed by the military.

Truly an interesting month, and one that eventually caught up to now. The Covenant troops had just landed around the premises of the academy, setting up outposts to allow an easier landing for new troops while 'Pelicans' came from the UNSC ships to drop specialized troops. Alba had never seen an ODST unit before now, and she had to say that she could see the 'inspiration' that the doctor back 'home' had used for the suits. Very clumsy-looking, but flexible enough to handle the necessity presented by the harsh environment they were going to be subjected to.

Caches with ammo and new guns were dispatched, and that made Alba look down at her gun. The 'M739bis' Chain-SAW was the primary weapon she had been equipped with. While the denomination felt close to the standard M739, the difference was tied to its proportions. It was bigger, the round cartridge it used was packed with 8.53x69mm rounds instead of the standard 7.62x51mm FMJ rounds, and the recoil was something she learned to manage.

In 'simple terms', it was a long-distance drill that didn't care for shields so long as the fire rate was steady and aimed at the correct spots. And it was hers! Alba never thought that there would have come a day where she would have loved a gun, but when she first used the Chain-SAW, the result had been enough to make her fall hard for it. And this was a nice place to verify its true firepower on live targets.

There had been some bickering from what Alba had the chance to hear. Some of the 'high command' wanted the students out through the orbital elevator and evacuated from action. The majority of the leadership behind operations on the ground and the garrison itself rebuked such a plan, admitting that the elevator was, as Logan had put it many times, not a reliable way to evacuate troops. Not when the Covenant's presence was in orbit was proving to be too much to handle a full blown evacuation.

With the defenses set up, she was sent with Gage and Felicia to secure one of the sections of the base. Since the academy was massive, it was decided to split the team during the defenses. The female brute was, rightfully so, annoyed by the notion of being paired with Gage, but found Felicia's presence something of a soothing element due to how chatty and moderate the woman was.

The large perimeter they were defending was holding three defensive lines. Each had some covers that had been deployed on the spot, with MGs, and even some short-range mortars employed to turn the even field somewhat less of an issue to defend against vehicles. AT equipment was dispatched too, but nothing that was meant to last beyond a few hours. And what ensued that day was a full-fledged assault. It was a bit surprising when it became apparent that the invasion of this planet wasn't one to probe their defenses. The Covenant wanted this planet at all costs. And they had sent special troops to try and get this done with.

At first there were the standard troops, nothing that would imply anything big being planned during the attack. But then there was a sudden increase of hardened invaders with stronger shields after just a couple of hours. Vehicles increased in quantity too all over the academy, forcing a few bombers off the attacking of the ships and help with this new issue. Things intensified some more as time passed, but none of the lengthy lines around the academy faltered. And Alba had to say it sure felt odd being in charge of people in her first operation. And it was... exciting. Actually no, it wasn't the mere fact she was in charge of others. The exciting factor came from the fact her subordinates listened to her orders without questions and were handling the pressure with cool minds. It sure meant something if most of her squad was made of cadets with no field experience.

Still, that achievement wasn't without a price. There had been some losses among the students, but those had been restrained and expected. An unavoidable circumstance since the Covenant were finally dropping in serious foes on the battlefield. It wouldn't take long for actual Zealots to stand close to other troops to reinforce and provide direct commands. Roaring and barking, tasks were given, the heat doubled overtime and soon it became clear they would be overwhelmed if they didn't measure the amount of pressure that was coming her way. Through her rear entrenchment, Alba faced the least out of the assault, and yet the attacks were nothing to scoff at. Soon it also became needed for her to move in to reinforce others as one of the flanks was collapsing.

A yelp of pain, a quick glance confirmed that some of the Zealots had overwhelmed Gage's perimeter. Alba bolted, leaving the others to keep guard for any surprises as she went to 'clean that mess'. Her pace was as quick as usual, with her gun's rear slamming with ease over the back of a Zealot's head and providing one of the marines the chance to end his life with a burst from their Assault Rifle. Soon her eyes narrowed on the source of trouble- Gage was struggling to fend off a particularly feisty Zealot. Turns out that he wasn't exactly having fun in dealing with a close-quarter fight with someone wielding an Energy Sword.

Sadly for the winning side, Alba was around and not in the mood to waste time with swordplaying. One of the nice things her special suit had was a special 'claw mode' which the Doctor had installed to permit an easier time to 'squeeze' foes. It had been a request from hers, and she didn't expect to be given that as a 'gift'. The Zealot didn't get a chance to complete the downward strike, both clawed gloves she was using slamming with ease through his weakened shields and compressing chest and back at the same time. The foe screamed in pain as his ribs were crushed and the sharp digits dug into his heart and left lung. I quickly pulled outward and completed the job, the Sangheili crumbled like wet paper. But as Alba turned to glance at the recovering teammate, her senses perceived trouble in her proximity.

"Squid, duck!"

The shriek came just before Gage leveled his shotgun's barrel at her skull, forcing the female Jiralhanae to push her head down as the blast passed over it and- slammed onto the shielded skull of one of the Zealots that had snuck behind her. The shield cracked, the impact was so intense that the bastard recoiled before he could land a hit on her. She rotated her body, her clawed glove scratching and mauling a good part of the Sangheili's face. The foe roared in pain, but his suffering wasn't long. Not when the second shotgun shell shredded his upper head and put an end to his existence.

"Good shot," Alba muttered and Gage sighed.

"Good claws," He replied sheepishly and she offered a masked smile at that.

It wasn't the 'thank you' she had expected, but, then again, she should have given him one too. So, they were 'even' to an extent. Two more hours would pass before the assault would cease. New ships had arrived and the invading force was pushed into an hasty retreat. It was a costly escape for the Covenant, and Circinius IV held against the full-front assault.

Losses? Regrettably unpleasant to count. Light losses were, but most of those were young warriors that were pushed in a fight that they hadn't been fully ready for. Their deaths would be 'honored' as Sif told her. High military regards in that matter. Meanwhile, the headmaster saw fit to actually provide some interesting commendation during the fight praising a couple of cadets, officially promoting some to join the Marine Corps at once and then... he provided their team with a promotion.

Alba was confused by the circumstances, but was told to merely nod and accept the reward. The 'valiant behavior' and impressive gallantry translated into a rise of rank. Alba was now a 'Corporal' and... still the least ranked from the rest. She didn't mind. Her contribution had been as 'excellent' as the others and she could tell that this entire situation had been particularly 'fun' to experience. Also, it gave her a few ideas on future requests to forward the doctor. She just had a feeling that close-quarters could be improved.

Maybe a retractable sword or something like that.

AN

Corbulo stands strong and Alba is still learning how the Human Military works. It's a fun way to pass her time if she isn't training or shredding punching bags.

REVIEW Q&A!

Guest (Chapter 24): In the Balmung information chapter there is a reference to the current appearance: CryNet NanoSuit 1.5 USMC.