Chapter 2 - Defensiones
September 1st, 2544 (16:40 Hours – Military Calendar)
Ulterin System, Miridem
Matin Province, Continent of Vitre
Provincial Capital of New Memphis
:********:
Thunder resounded across the city as the dark rainclouds finally pulled in overhead. The heavy showers spilled down the gutters of buildings and filled the streets below, transforming them into canals through which 10 inches of rainwater streamed through. Because Montague Square was slightly lower than the surrounding area, the water gathered around the lower rings and swept away the layer of ash that had covered it.
Rain dinged off the helmets of Bravo Company ODSTs now manning the square. They'd rebuilt the defenses as best they could afford to under such short notice. Their ranks had been divided up into 3 subsectors meant to handle the 3 main highways that connected to Montague from the west, forming a semicircular defense.
While other platoons were assigned to watch the Southwest and Northwest Highways, the observation of the Western Highway fell to 1st and 4th platoons. The 1st manned a lower ring while the 4th manned a higher one behind them.
Duncan peered over the wall to check on the highway again. Though the rainfall cutdown his range of vision to about 100 meters, he could still spot the bodies of fallen Covenant dominating the space. The lighter Jackals noticeably floated around like boats on stormy seas while the heavier Grunts with their gas tanks and Elites remained anchored like islands within a moving ocean. Otherwise there was no sign of movement.
To his right, Hector used one of the several M41 LAAGs that they'd been able to scavenge from a few disabled Warthogs. He slowly swiveled the gun from side to side, checking for targets. To Duncan's left, Deaks did the same with his sniper. Of course, the latter had the best view out of everyone and would be the first to know if something was on its way. So far, he was quiet, as was everyone else.
"Hey 1-Actual, when do we get shore-leave, cause I'm kind of bummed out just being here?"
Almost everyone.
"1-Actual to Ep-7, in case you haven't noticed, this is our shore-leave. Better enjoy it while it lasts because it ends once the Covies get here."
Zack groaned over comms. Duncan saw him crouching further along the wall between the Staff and Nova, bouncing on his heels. He knew the radiomen wasn't wrong for griping. He could practically feel the frigidness of the rain through his own armor. The only difference was he wasn't willing to complain about it, at least not openly. Neither was anyone else.
"Ep-1s got a point though 1-Actual, this weather sucks."
Almost anyone.
Rico was next on the griping list and he actively glared over the lip of the wall with his M319 Grenade Launcher in hand. He was practically ready to take on a tank on his lonesome and looked tense enough to actually try doing just that. "How are we even supposed to see them coming through all this? The rain's making my visor fog up every time I wipe it."
"The weather's a double-edged sword, Ep-6." Harper answered. "Think of it this way, if we can't see them, they can't see us. The advantage is that we've got the high ground."
"Yeah." Deaks said under his breath. "Zulu Company probably thought the same thing too, for all the good it did them."
"But we're not Zulu." The Staff cut in. "We're Bravo. It'll take a lot more than alien napalm to take us out."
Deaks suddenly tensed, his grip tightening on his rifle. "I hope you're right, Staff, 'cause we've got incoming."
Everyone was back on their feet and peering over the wall, weapons drawn. The troopers of 4th platoon behind them did the same.
"What do you see, Ep-3?" Harper asked.
"We got about 20 Elites, 30 Jackals and…man, at least 100 Grunts, 90 meters out and closing. Looks like a small army. And they're seriously calling these guys a scouting force?"
"It 'is' the Covenant after all. We shouldn't expect any less. ODSTs, focus on your preestablished fields of fire. Remember, keep them from passing the transit shuttle, that's our 20-meter-mark. We don't want close quarters under any circumstance."
"Hey 1-Actual." Zack called in. "I just checked in with Goliath-9 and Viking-4. Looks like they're going to hit us from all three highways at the same time."
"Good." Harper declared. "That means we don't have to play whack-a-mole in trying to figure out which route of attack they'll use."
Hector yanked back the charging handle on his LAAG and let it slide a new round into the chamber with a satisfying clack. Rico's fingers impatiently tapped against his grenade launcher like piano keys. Deaks reshouldered his rifle's stock and eased his stance.
Duncan felt the weight of his frags and kept his attention partly on them and partly on his rifle crosshairs aimed down the misty highway.
The first of the aliens to appear were a line of a dozen scrawny grunts that waddled through the mist, heading for the square.
"Open fire!" Harper ordered.
All at once two platoons of ODSTs brought down the line in a cacophony of different caliber bullets that shot them literally to pieces. Their blue blood filtered through the water less than five seconds later.
"They're falling back." Deaks reported. "Looks like they just wanted to test our strength."
While everyone else was busy reloading, he hadn't wasted his magazine on the lesser fodder and homed in on a pair of large shadows moving through the mist. He froze the moment he realized what they were.
"Wr-"
"What is it?" Harper asked.
The words the sniper was trying to say didn't reach them before the sound of something being fired in the distance. They could hear it rurring through the air, almost screaming but not quite. After several seconds, a blue comet of plasma burst through the mist, streaking towards them like a falling star.
"Wraiths!"
The troopers took cover, all except Duncan who found himself so caught off guard by the sight that he froze in place. Hector grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him down just as the plasma impacted just five meters short of their position. As they got back up, they found the collection of water it had hit had evaporated into a cloud of sizzling steam that temporarily obscured their view.
"This is 1-Actual to Neptune-Actual, we've got Plasma Mortars coming up the Western approach, over!"
"I hear you. They're doing the same thing on the other highways. I'm sending up Goliath's RPG team to assist on your end. Hold your ground until they get there."
"Copy that! Ep-6 get a range on those Wraiths! I want them paralyzed yesterday!"
Rico nodded just as another plasma mortar whooped into the air. It landed 7 meters away, boiling water and blasting floating Covenant corpses apart. The troopers shot back with suppressing fire in the general direction of the mortar's origin. That didn't stop it, or rather they, from bursting through the mist.
The two sleek, yet massive and bulbous assault carriages were dark purple and thickly armored. Their two wide stabilizer fins raked up waves of rainwater as their thrusters propelled them forward. Scores of Covenant soldiers came up behind them. Duncan could hear the bloodlust in the battle-cries of the Elites. Shield Jackals and Grunts followed their lead.
The troopers opened fire, focusing on the ground infantry using the tanks as cover. The more heavily armed Hector, Rico and Deaks paid their attention solely to the Wraiths. Hector slowed them down by raking their frames with high caliber bullets while Deaks honed-in on the Grunts manning the Plasma Cannons. They had little time to actually fire back at them before he replaced each of their right pupils with a 14.5 millimeter round.
"Gunners are out." Deaks said, reloading.
"My turn." Rico growled, an icy chillness entering his voice. He angled up his grenade launcher, waited until the two Wraiths were neck and neck then pulled the trigger. A torpedo-like ordinance THUMPED out of the muzzle. It arced through the air then disappeared in the waters ahead of the two craft. The moment they passed over it he released the trigger. The explosion barely damaged their large frames but released an electrical magnetic pulse that momentarily knocked out their systems. Their hovering capacities winked out and they crashed down onto the submerged tarmac.
But one of the Wraiths managed to shoot off a last plasma mortar that wailed as it soared towards them.
"Move!" The Staff ordered. He, Nova and Zack dashed away. The mortar landed a mere 2 meters from where they'd been standing, close enough to shake the ground and blow a 5-meter crater into a section of the wall.
Rico growled, popped the launcher open, thumbed another projectile into the chamber then snapped the weapon closed. He fired at the Wraiths, watched the grenade land between them and waited for the tanks to reactivate. When they did, he released the trigger, letting the EMP paralyze them a second time.
By then Goliath's 4 through 6 had arrived, armed with SPANKRs. They took up positions on the level above 4th platoon and fired. Their rockets whistled forward and slammed into the Wraiths. Tanking six of the explosions caused one to erupt in a spout of silvery blue fire. The other survived, although its armor was left crumpled and burning in places.
"Not good." Duncan noted, seeing that the rocket team were busy reloading. The second Wraith could still-
It fired. The energy mortar sailed across the air, moaning as it went. 4th platoon tracked its trajectory and ran out of the way. Goliaths 4,5 and 6 didn't move an inch and kept reloading. Duncan held his breath, watching them until the mortar slammed harmlessly onto the abandoned second ring.
Goliath 5 fired first. The rocket flew straight and true. The resultant force of the detonation pushed the Wraith back a full meter as it flowered through the craft from the point of impact, transforming it into a smoldering wreck.
The wreckage didn't stop the ground forces from swelling past them, however. Elites emerged first and fired their plasma rifles in their headlong charge. Scores of Grunts followed while Jackals moved ahead of the Elites to setup moving phalanxes of blue and red energy shields. Bullets had little affect against the handheld barriers. Instead the ODSTs turned to their grenades.
Duncan and Zack tossed frags in their direction while Rico fired his launcher beside them. The grenades detonated together, blasting through the phalanx and sending dead Jackals and severed limbs flying. Hector exploited the holes in the formation with his machine gun by mowing down swaths of Grunts and buffeting the energy shields of Elites. Deaks picked out Elites with weakened shields to fire high-caliber rounds clean through their armored foreheads, sending officers and minors alike tumbling into the water. The Staff, Nova and Yuri pulled the trigger alongside the rest of 1st and 4th platoons. With their commanding position and cover, something the other side lacked in totality, they stopped the advance cold in its tracks.
In under five minutes of fighting the Western Highway was given a refill of Covenant corpses. Now they had dead enemy armor to add to the collage of death whose enflamed hulls slowly dampened under the rain.
Then as if someone had turned off the faucet in the heavens, the rain ceased. To add to that, the few scanty Grunts that remained were panicking and retreating with hands raised. It was a welcome reprieve.
"Looks like we cleared them out." Duncan sighed.
"Ep-7 to 1-Actual, looks like the attack's been broken across the square. We may be in the clear."
"Don't let your guard down just yet." Harper scolded. "From what we heard, Zulu was fighting down here almost the whole night. We'll-"
Harper stopped when she heard it. They all did. It was a resonant BOOM that shook the Earth repeatedly, too sporadic to be artillery but too artificial to be thunder.
"Earthquake?" Zack asked.
Harper shook her head. "Earthquake's don't sound like footsteps."
Over the course of ten uncertain seconds the origin of the noise remained a mystery. Then it revealed itself as a building two hundred meters down the Western Highway broke apart then collapsed. A single, insectoid leg emerged from the debris cloud. It crashed into the street, creating another BOOM as it crawled forward.
At first Duncan thought he was looking at a horrifically oversized beetle. Then the veil of smoke pulled away to reveal a heavily segmented body, a purple sheen and four legs connected to a central carriage that resembled something of a Scorpion. The space between its front mandibles pulsed with sickly green energy, the same that occupied the rear AA turret staring them down.
"Scarab." Deaks breathed out.
"Yeah." Harper said. "So we better move. Move! Go! Go! Go!"
The ODSTs scrambled to get out of range.
The Scarab unleashed a guttural roar that sounded like hundreds of voices shouting as one. A moment later it spewed a tendril of menacing green energy from its frontal turret that droned forward.
The plasma baptized their section of the square, scorching the surface. While most of the troopers got out of the way in time, Duncan saw four from 4th Platoon disappear beneath the deadly blast. Any hopes that they were somehow still alive faded once the rear turret fired several bursts of emerald energy that incinerated the space where they'd stood only seconds earlier.
Both platoons plunged down into the street circumventing the square. They rushed through the ankle-deep water that had been heated by the constant plasma barrage. They split up and took cover behind the nearest buildings to the left and right of the highway.
The Scarab's intermittent steps thundered, indicating its advance.
"1-Actual to Neptune-Actual, we've got a Scarab on the Western Approach, over!"
"I see'em." Garrison said with astounding calm. "Is Goliath's RPG Team still with you?"
Harper glanced over at the trio of SPANKR users that were hustling through the watery street towards her. "Yes sir!"
"Good. I've already called in Longswords. They'll be here in 40 seconds. Have Goliath's 4,5 and 6 take out its AA turret before they reach."
"I copy." Harper relayed the orders to the rest of the platoon as well as Goliath's RPG Team. The rocket-trio nodded in turn and got into position near the corner, using the steam rising from the road for cover.
"Ep-7, eyes up, you're running this fire mission."
Zack snapped off a one-fingered salute and jogged up just behind the Goliaths to peek around the bend. The Scarab was only a hundred meters away and closing with each mammoth step it took. The SPANKRs beeped and whined, locking on.
Goliath 4 gave the thumbs up. "On your go, 1-Actual."
Harper gave the order. "Fire!"
Six rockets shot out of their chambers with a THUMP. They wisped through the steam and down the street. Two of the rockets veered off sharply from the Scarab, exploding harmlessly into the surrounding buildings due to the steam's interference with their heat-seeking. But the other four soared over the thoracic carriage to deliver a devastating series of explosive uppercuts to the AA Turret. The gun erupted into a glowing explosion that vented exhaust from its crumpled form. The frontal gun prepared another burst in reply. Seeing it coming, Goliath retreated behind the building. As they turned the corner the craft gave a thunderous roar and unleashed another stream of superheated plasma that steamed the highway. It travelled up and into the side of the building, spearing through from one side to the other. Debris rained down over them, although thankfully not enough to injure them.
"AA's down." Harper declared just as the rumble of aircraft engines came to ear. The ODSTs looked back to see a squadron of five Longswords soaring towards their location in an arrowhead formation. The leader of the swords came in over comms, sounding unexpectedly casual like a waiter about to take an order.
"This is Reaper-5-1 to Bravo, state your target, over."
Zack carefully stepped back to the corner to peek out at the Scarab. "Reaper-5-1, target is a Scarab advancing down the Western Highway 90 meters west of Montague Square and closing. Requesting fire mission danger close, attack coordinates 30 degrees North by 78 degrees West. Recommend you drop your payload close to the rear AA, over."
"Copy, fire mission danger close. Standby for delivery."
The troopers watched the Longswords file in behind each other. As they soared overhead, the lead fighter fired a pair of ASGM-10 missiles down at the Scarab before veering off. The rest of the squadron mirrored Reaper-5-1's actions. All ten missiles flew into the assault craft, peppering its central carapace with flames. Emergency sirens blared. The Scarab slowly lowered onto its haunches, its lights flickering. The sirens continued to wail for several more seconds until the craft gave a final, guttural cry.
In an instant, it disappeared in an eruption of harsh blue light that lit up everything within a kilometer radius with silvery blue illumination. The explosion tore it apart, limb from limb, leaving nothing behind except a blazing carapace and a crumbling frame.
Zack cheered over comms. The others joined him as they looked at the wreckage. Duncan stepped out to observe the sight with everyone else. Though no one was letting their guard down, they laughed in victory. Seeing the dead body of the smoking titan resting amongst the throng of Covenant dead, he couldn't help laughing himself. A win was win after all. At least for now, they'd won.
:********:
With Montague Square currently secured, Lieutenant Colonel Garrison wasted no time sending out 1st platoon and two others to secure forward observation posts further down their assigned highways.
1st Platoon was to secure the Saint Adelemus General Hospital about half a kilometer west of Montague. The building was an H-shaped structure ten stories tall. It had a good commanding position over the highway which made it perfect for the job.
Captain Harper led her team to secure the Left Wing while Sergeant Joels led Echo into the Right. The lot for the Central Hub fell into Epsilon's lap.
The Staff had them break out into four binaries to search different parts of the hub. The Staff and Nova went to check out the Admissions Department near the front. Deaks and Hector went to the Cardiology Department while Zack and Rico checked out the General Surgery arena. The Intensive Care Unit to the rear fell to Duncan and Yuri.
The last two quietly stepped down a darkened hallway. Multiple double-doors lined the walls. Duncan carefully checked through the windows of each one on one side while Yuri checked on the other. So far there was nothing of note save for the expected empty patient beds and therapeutic equipment. They stepped over the detritus of spilled medical apparatuses and turned-over wheelchairs that hinted towards a hasty evacuation.
"Think they got out alright?" Duncan asked, peeking into another room.
"Doubt it." Yuri replied. He kicked a fallen heart monitor out of his way. "Chances are we'll find person left behind by good for nothing doctor trying to save own skin."
"I hope you're wrong."
A squelching noise further along the hall caught their attention. They refocused their rifles on the way ahead.
"I think I'm right."
The two troopers cautiously strode further down the passage. They came up to a corner and turned it at the same time.
The creature ten meters further down the hall was half obscured in shadow. It was absolutely massive with bands of muscles partly hidden beneath a thick coat of gray fur, easily a head taller than an Elite but far less armored. It must've heard them coming because it turned to face them.
Duncan's first thought was that it was the missing link between man and ape. It looked like an evolved guerilla with blood-soaked canines that dug greedily into a severed human arm. Behind its feet was a gory mishmash of organs, limbs and fragments of patient dressing that looked like it had once been a woman, and behind its eyes glinted an unholy union of higher intelligence and bestial hunger. Its nostrils flared, taking in their scent.
The shock lasted only a moment. The ODSTs beat it to the draw and opened up on it, hitting it in the back with three round bursts. The alien howled but didn't go down, whipping out a Spiker. Duncan threw himself behind a set of supply crates as the first spikes glanced harmlessly off his shoulder.
Yuri wasn't so lucky. A pair of white-hot spikes pierced his armor and slid into his ribs before he could dodge. He fell over, screaming in pain but still firing back. He kicked down a nearby crate, causing it to fall in front of him. He crawled behind it and used it for cover against the hail of spikers zipping down the hallway. Then he laid his head against the wall and slid back, unmoving.
"Yuri!"
He didn't answer.
Duncan comm'd the rest of Epsilon. "This is Ep-1, we're pinned down by a Brute up on the 4th floor of the ICU! Yuri's hit!"
"On our way." The Staff replied. "Hold tight."
More spikes thumped into the crate at his back. The Brute had huddled behind a larger set of containers on the far end of the hallway for its own cover. Duncan took whatever opportunities he could to keep it occupied. He couldn't let it get away and run into anyone else or even worse, advance. He'd occasionally glance at Yuri. The Helljumper still moved. His chest raised unevenly with what must've been strained breathing. He had to get him out of here soon or not at all.
At a full minute and three spent magazines later, the door beside the Brute suddenly flew open. The creature turned to face the barrel of the Staff's shotgun. It reeled back as a blast ripped through its skull and spewed out flesh and bone. Yet it surprisingly stayed on its feet, growled then howled at the new combatant. The Staff didn't give it the time to bring up its rifle. He rushed out from the door and pumped a second round into its face at point-blanc range, punching out more brain matter. It was enough to finally make the alien topple back. The Staff stepped on its throat and pumped a third round of buckshot through its face for good measure.
"Clear!"
Nova came out behind him. They spotted Duncan and Yuri and came running. Deaks and Hector followed up from a separate hallway. They all gathered around Yuri. Nova crouched down to examine the cooling spikes and the blood seeping out of his trembling chest. He was struggling to breathe. They could hear it over their comms as he fought to inhale and exhale.
Nova shook her head. "We need to get him back to the square, sir, fast."
"Isn't there anything here we can use?" The Staff asked urgently.
"We're no medics. It wouldn't do us or him any good to find anything here."
The Staff nodded. "Alright, Ep-8, you and me are carrying him back. Ep-3, you'll cover us. Ep-2, you're in charge while I'm gone."
The troopers winked their acknowledgement lights, save for Yuri who could do little more than cough and wheeze.
The Staff and Duncan carefully wrapped one of his arms over their shoulders and held his limp form between them. They dashed towards a nearby flight of stairs. But as they went, Duncan looked back and saw only Nova and Hector following.
Deaks stood there, staring down at the body of the Brute. His hand reached for the meat cleaver sheathed on his shoulder, slowly, almost hesitantly.
"Ep-3!" The Staff called back.
Deaks stopped mid-reach. He turned and jogged after them. It looked like it had taken a real effort for him to do so.
As they started down the stairs, Yuri's breathing grew more ragged. "Ep-8, keep talking to him. Do not let him go unconscious."
Duncan heeded the Staff's warning and started talking up the Russian, trying to get a response out of him to keep his attention. He was hopeful when his coughing and wheezing stopped, then grew worried when he did nothing else.
"Yuri…Yuri...YURI!"
Defensiones - Defenses