Prologue

Drop Into Hell


November 21st, 2560

Location: UNSC Lexington

Orbiting: Installation 07 (Zeta Halo)

ID: Private Jacob Kubrick

Occupation: ODST


Explosions. This was something that Jacob was used to. He was an ODST, these were run of the mill. Not here however.

Their ship, Designation UNSC Lexington, was under fire by the Banished. Her engines were blown out and were rapidly overheating.

Jacob stumbled through the room when they would be launched out of their pods. Jacob saw his team already in their pods, waiting on him to get in his to get the hell out.

They were a three man team. Other than Jacob, the team consisted of two other members. First was Cassie, the hot headed one. She enjoyed using explosives and heavy weaponry. Then there was Marcus. He was their sergeant. He had a preference for using both a bolt action sniper rifle and, only to the UNSC, a Double barreled shotgun.

Jacob was more used to either mid range or close combat. He had a custom made combat knife. He preferred using the standard silenced SMG and oddly a M6D magnum. He said that one day he took down two hunters with one shot each from it and that day he always had one. Not here though.

Jacob got into his pod, the black metal coffin was cramped and dark. He secured himself in as they began the preparations for launch. As they were they were getting launched, an explosion went off in the Lexington.

This caused a malfunction in the launching of Jacob's pod. When his pod was shot out, the malfunction had caused his pod to spin out of control when it was shot out.

In response to his pod spinning like a bullet, Jacob started yelling profanities.

"Jesus, Fuck, Shit!"

The pod's comms beeped to life as Cassie's voice rang through the Pod's inside.

"Having a fun time there, Jacob?"

"Cassie! Not the time!"

Suddenly Marcus's voice rang through the intercom came through, interrupting the two's banter.

"Will you two cut it out! We're about to land back on the ring. Prepare to land feet first into hell!"

The two replied back, "Sir yes sir!"

The Lexington had arrived to pick up any survivors on the Halo Ring. However, when they were scheduled to leave, a half hour after Jacob's team reached the Lexington, the Banished had located the Lexington and began their assault.

Jacob was shot out of his thoughts as he heard a roar ring out through the space they were in. A banshee.

"Marcus, We got a Banshee!"

Cassie decide to shoot back with a sarcastic remark, something she would do regularly.

Thanks for your observation! Thought it was a wraith!"

Marcus sighed through the intercom

"it's just a Banshee, they likely won't be threat to our pods"

How much of a bitch Murphy's law was.

Since Jacob's pod was spinning like a fan, he couldn't see out of the window of his pod. But from the intercoms from Marcus and Cassie, they weren't in the greatest situation.

A banshee had come upon their pods still falling towards the Ring. It was... odd. The banshee looked similar to how every other Banshee does but it seemed to have been built for maneuverability in space and air alike. It had appeared that the Banshee was in a free fall with the pods

The front of the Banshee turned towards Cassie's pod as its underside glowed. Fate had seemed it wanted to fuck with Jacob as in this moment, his pod had stopped spinning. Allowing Jacob to watch in horror as he and Marcus helplessly watched as the Banshee shot its charged up Banshee bomb at Cassie's pod, the pod engulfing in flames as it blew up. Cassie's agonized scream rang through the intercom for only a half second before it cut out.

Both Jacob and Marcus were stunned, sitting in silence as the banshee slowly turned towards Jacob's pod. Jacob watched in horror as it slowly charged up its bomb.

Jacob had already accepted his fate when they heard the roar of another vehicle. Suddenly, a broken wing of a pelican had flown and shot through the banshee. The banshee fired the bomb, just barely hitting the top of Jacob's pod, throwing him off course. The pod was spinning again at a much higher velocity.

The intercom was just barely functioning as Jacob heard the last couple of words Marcus said before the Comms were cut off.

"Ja... aim f... ordinates 514... see... ou there!"

The comms were breaking up before completely shutting down. Jacob knew Marcus was trying to give him coordinates. Jacob could feel his pod entering orbit as his pod fell through the clouds.

He closed his eyes as he embraced for impact. A single tear rolled down his cheek before the Pod came crashing into the Ground.