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Earth's Last Stand by Jessica and romac1991
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The Last Encounter: Chapter 1: The Fall of Earth
Date: 10 July 2004, 4:35 AM
1343 Hours November 9, 2552 (Military Calendar)/
3 AU's from Mars
Sol System
Earth sat majestically, a blue sphere floating magically through the unending blackness of space. The picturesque scene was soon distorted. A gigantic ripple appeared near Mars, still invisible to the unknowing citizens of Earth. A sleek purple shape glided out of the ripple and was followed by dozens more. Flagships, Cruisers, Destroyers, Frigates Carriers, poured out from an invisible hole in space.
As the last titanic Flagship sailed out of the ripple, space was then returned to its normal blackness, and there Earth sat, innocent and unaware. The hundreds of ships slowly turned, then with an eerie silence, glided past Mars and on to the blue planet.
1345 Hours November 9, 2552 (Military Calendar)/
Orbital Platform 36, In High Orbit over Earth
Sol System.
Lieutenant Calvin Herndon sat with his legs comfortably kicked up on his workstation. He leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling, glad to have some rest. He started to close his eyes to get some sleep, when he was jolted awake. The Alert Alarm blared loudly as a red light flashed intensely at his workstation. He quickly looked over the various monitors and found the one in question. The Mars Space Station picked up contacts within thousands of kilometers of them. He opened a channel and spoke to them.
"This is Lieutenant Calvin Herndon, on OP 36, what is your status, over." Calvin listened closely, screaming was faintly heard in the background. "Repeat, do you read?" Calvin was now confused.
"...Oh...God...they're...here...Repeat...Massive Covenant Fleet is taking over Mars Colony They...took out the Orbit...Platform! Oh Jesus, they're gonna glass it! You gotta...help...us.. We.." The line went dead. Calvin called his superiors and frantically went to work at his station, trying to bring the platform to Full Alert.
The massive purple swarm arranged themselves around the Red Planet. There was a blinding flash, as hundreds of Plasma Batteries warmed up, lighting up the scene. The light ceased, and hundreds of balls of plasma were discharged and sent towards the helpless planet. The red hellfire burnt its way towards the planet. On the ground, people shielded their eyes as an ungodly intense red lit up the skies, not knowing what to do, a panic erupted and chaos broke out. The Hell touched the ground, and there was a silence as ground was glassed, buildings were wrecked, and people were brutally fried. Humongous columns of smoke rose up into space, only to disappear.
As the dust and smoke cleared, Mars appeared reborn. Where once stood a beautiful red sphere, only stood a gigantic mirror. It didn't reflect the pain and suffering that had just happened when billions of innocent lives were lost. The ships reformed, then started their march to Earth. The purple ships then viewed the proportionally small Human Fleet, and warmed up their Plasma Cannons. The people of Earth sent out their fleet, a respectable five hundred ships. But was literally dust under their feet compared to the Covenant Armada that charged towards them. This was their final encounter.
The black and purple masses raced towards each other, like charging Calvary in the Old Age of Earth. Hundreds of MAC rounds warmed up, then fired. There were hundreds of flashes as MAC rounds were spit out. About half of them veered of in odd directions and missed. The ones that did hit slammed into about a hundred ships. A hundred shields flared, then failed as Plasma burnt through their decks and gutted them bow to stern. The Covenant Fleet tried to regroup and fire back, they desperately fired off Plasma Torpedoes, hoping that they would distract the UNSC armada while they were charging up their Plasma Cannons. The Plasma Torpedoes did more than just distract the UNSC armada. It wiped out nearly 1/5 of their fleet. As battle-torn armada was trying to re-group, the Covenant Ships let their Plasma Cannons loose, and decimated the UNSC forces, leaving only a few heavily-damaged ships that escaped by doing a random slip-stream jump
The Human Fleet tried to regroup and fire back, they pulled off a few hundred MAC rounds and dismantled a hundred Covenant ships. Covenant Flagships warmed up, then released their lightning quick Plasma. The few hundred remaining ship's shields were bypassed completely as the white-hot plasma passed straight through them disable several more.
The scene was pitiful, the Human Fleet was in disarray, and the Human side was turned into a burning junkyard, full of hundreds of charred ship skeletons. There was a moment of silence, as the Covenant Fleet stood still, and the remains of the Human Fleet floated endlessly. The Covenant prepared to move into defeat position. They advanced forward and set their sights on Earth. Orbital Platforms sprang to life, and quickly shot out gargantuan rounds, which absolutely tore apart dozens of Covenant ships. For a few seconds, it looked as though the Humans might turn the tide of the battle, until the smaller and faster enemy ships pulled behind the Flagships and Platforms began to fall. Explosions ripped apart space as MAC rounds and super heated plasma were exchanged by the two forces. Dozens of Platforms began to fall and the Fleet moved in for the kill. The last three Platforms unloaded on the ships, giving no mercy as they ripped them open to the vacuum of space. As the Covenant warmed up their guns for the kill, a ripple in space appeared next to the Covenant Fleet.
Over a hundred Cruisers and Carriers poured out like water as the Covenant struggled to turn the right way. Thousands of Longswords were ejected outwards to the almighty fleet. MAC rounds hummed to life, and ships shuddered as white hot projectiles were spit at the ugly purple ships. The charging MAC rounds slammed into ships and ripped them to pieces. The Covenant was down to only three hundred ships, but they weren't done yet.
Plasma heated, and discharged towards the newfound Human Fleet. The Humans quickly performed evasive maneuvers, causing some to miss. Then, finally the Longswords reached the ships and began causing trouble. Covenant launch bays opened, and Seraphs poured out. But before they closed, thousands of missiles launched into them, causing a chain reaction of internal explosions. Carriers exploded from within and the Covenant numbers dwindled to a mere seventy-five. The remaining covenant ships heated up and released their angry red plasma upon the Humans, dozens of mighty ships flared and fell apart, leaving only fifty Human ships left.
The second volley of MAC rounds heated up, then hundreds of white-hot slugs slammed into the shields of Covenant ships. The follow up rounds then cut the ship into purple pieces, eliminating all but ten Covenant ships. Seraphs swarmed around Human ships, only to be ripped to scrap by the thousands of Longswords now dominating the space between the two Fleets. Some of the Flagships fired off rounds, and their super swift projectiles, cut through the decks of helpless Cruisers.
The third volley of MAC rounds, heated up. There was a unified shudder, as the ships moaned and creaked as the heavy slugs exited the ship. Hundreds of streaks of fire, raced towards the pitiful Covenant remains. Most of the remaining ships were unshielded, allowing the MAC rounds to smite them unmercifully.
Plasma blossomed along the hulls of the dying ships, and the battlefield fell silent. All eyes settled on the remaining ship, as it took its last breath, then exploded into scrap and plasma.
And all over the Sol System, to those who had been watching the final battle, there was a unified cheer. And even from space, it seemed you could hear the joyous uprising, as Earth was full of people laughing and smiling. The people of Earth let out the breath it had been holding for decades and finally felt at peace. The Covenant had thrown their best, and mankind had beaten them back. While the people of Earth were busy cheering and setting off fireworks, something unexpected happened.
On Earth, the Moon looked distorted and wavy, like something was distorting it. They realized it all too late.
Dozens of purple crafts poured out like ants. Hundreds more swarmed out creating an ugly purple bulge visible from the ground. As the hole closed, and the moon was visible, fifteen hundred Covenant ships stood there, menacing and ugly. The Human Fleet was destroyed in seconds, they didn't even have a chance to move. The plasma enveloped them before they could know what's happening. A junkyard remained where the Fleet once stood, proud and mighty.
The unified cheer abruptly turned into mass chaos.
The Covenant swarmed around Earth and settled into orbit. Armageddon appeared to be here, but that was not what the Covenant had in mind. Launch bays opened, and tiny purple ships swarmed out by the thousands.
On Earth, a Spartan looked up too see tiny purple crafts soaring down towards Earth. This was it, their last stand, the Last Encounter.
The Last Encounter: Chapter Two: The Battle of Endoria Fields
Date: 16 July 2004, 7:20 AM
1356 Hours November 9, 2552 (Military Calendar)/
6 Clicks outside of HighCom, Sydney, Australia
Earth
The Battle of Endoria Fields
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile. -"Henry V"-William Shakespeare-
A purple veil was pulled over Earth, as thousands upon thousands of purple crafts descended menacingly upon the Blue Planet. A worldwide darkness spread like a plague, as a faint purple tint now replaced Earth's magical blue skies. Thousands of flashes lit up the purple Earth, as Stationary MAC cannons sprayed their white hot slugs at the purple mass bearing down on them. The sky was now a mixture of purple specks, and white-hot streaks. Yet even as hundreds of Dropships fell and crashed into the ground, thousands more slipped through the web of fire being laid out. Dropships reached ground level, and the Invasion began.
In the darkness, six hundred figures stood side by side, on a dusty field in Australia. Everyone nervously eyed the dozens of Dropships that touched down three clicks from there. Two Spartans looked over their men; they had to do something.
Each and every single man in the army that stood there, on Endoria Fields, was to be judged on the very spot they stood. Some of the men stood shaking, afraid of the fate now approaching them. Although not a single man said a word, the Spartans could feel it, these men were afraid. Antoine spotted a lone quivering man, and approached him.
"Soldier! What is your name?!" Antoine yelled.
"Pr...Prrivate Wiilkins, Sir." The Private barely managed to spit it out.
"Are you afraid soldier?" Antoine said, as he looked him in the eyes.
He looked away.
Spartan 324 Antoine grasped Spartan 376-Melissa's hand. They stood in front of the army, looking into each man's eyes. Antoine thought of something to say, something, anything to inspire these men to fight for their planet. He then remembered reading something by a famous playwright. Antoine stepped forward, and looked up and down the ranks and rows of the men. He raised a hand, and the men grumbled. He then spoke.
"Men. Although I am not good with words, I do remember a speech, a speech someone wrote before to inspire troops. In almost the same situation, outnumbered and out of spirits. He wrote:
This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remember'd; We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition: And gentlemen in England now a-bed Shall think themselves accursed they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day."
Men thought and contemplated those words, and finally understood. The men grew louder, then someone yelled,
"We fight for Earth!" A cheer erupted from the lines and men raised their weapons and yelled.
Antoine smiled; he had inspired his men.
"Will you let them have Earth!?" Antoine yelled with vigor.
"NO!" The men yelled with a renewed spirit.
"And any Covenant, who shall survive this battle, will shudder at the thought of it. How we fought to the very bloody end, how we shed our blood as well as theirs, upon this lonely field, and how we made them pay with their lives, if they wanted Earth." Antoine yelled.
A cheer of approval erupted and all through the land, miles away, townsfolk quivering in fear heard the joyous uprising booming through the country, and were filled with a new hope. As the cheering boomed, a faint roaring sound grew in the distance, not heard by the Marines.
A kilometer away, a Covenant army of a few hundred charged. A few marines perked their heads up, and fell silent. The marines stared down the Covenant army. The two Spartans then turned around to face the oncoming Covenant.
"Men! We are between them and HighCom. We cannot fail!" Antoine said with his back to his men.
The large army cleared into view, and Elites could be spotted. The army reached the edge of Endoria Fields, and the Marines raised their weapons. Dust kicked up as the gap between the armies closed.
And through the chaos of the purple tinted sky, and the flashes infecting the Earth, a proud army stood strong.
Melissa stepped towards Antoine, and wrapped her arms around him gently. He put his arm on her armored back and rubbed it lovingly. Melissa then broke away, and raised her battle rifle.
"Men! Open Fire!" Antoine aimed his own gun, and jammed the trigger down.
Yellow flashes erupted from the human side, and empty cases littered the ground. Bullets hammered the charging Covenant and shields flared. Roars sounded and boomed through the dark valley. Plasma exploded out of the Covenant side and impacted on the human side. Marines fell to the ground in agonizing pain.
The Covenant got within meters of the army.
"Keep firing!" Antoine yelled. The men still laid out a wall of fire.
"Now CHARGE!" Antoine and Melissa, guns blazing ran forward leading the charge with plasma whizzing by them. The Marines stampeded forward with a fire in their eyes and determination in their hearts. Countless marines fell down holding gaping holes in their chests.
The Covenant and the Human sides were set to a collision course as both armies bravely charged forward. The two armies did not slow speed as they slammed into each other. Still firing, some Elites flew back, after having a clip of Assault Rifle hammered in their chest.
A melee broke out as the armies were mixed in a huge clump. Hundreds of Elite and Marine fights broke out.
Antoine slammed the butt of his Battle Rifle into an Elites temple and knocked it out. It fell to he ground as Antoine sent a three round burst into it's skull. Antoine jammed down his trigger, and bullets were spit out at an oncoming Elite. It was clotheslined by the hammering of the bullets.
Marines were no match for Elites in hand to hand, but the odds were dropped to negative after many Elites activated Plasma Swords. Antoine had to act quickly.
"Men! Regroup." Antoine ran to a spot thirty meters from the Elites. The marines broke out of combat and dashed to Antoine. Some were shot in the back as they ran in vain. Melissa did a quick count of men, about seventy-five left.
The Golden Sword Elites ran after their pray and charged at the human cluster.
"FIRE!" The seventy-five Marines opened fire upon the Elites. Bullets bounced off the angry Elites as they charged on. Dozens fell, but it still wasn't enough. The Elites reached the humans, and swung their mighty swords. Plasma ripped through Marines as they were sent flying. The Marines broke ranks as they fired at the golden giants that bore down in front of them.
Antoine set his sights on a charging Elite, and blew its brain out through the back of its head with a well placed burst from his Battle Rifles. A light clicking sound was heard as a round object rolled by Antoine and Melissa. Antoine looked up and saw the dead Marine that had dropped it. Antoine grabbed Melissa and dived away. THUMP! The grenade detonated and caught the Spartans in mid air, they were sent flying into the air and landed on the ground in a heap.
With the Spartans gone, the Marines started to fall, but not easily. The Marines fought to the very end, and took many Elites with them.
Antoine and Melissa got up and saw before them what remained of the army. Twelve Elites remained, and advanced on the Marines. Three Marines stood, firing into the Elites until they were cut into pieces. But what the Elites didn't see, was a human crawling on the ground picking something off the ground. When they did spot him however, a little quivering ball on the ground, he showed his true spirit. As they advanced, this man stood with a grenade in his hand, and dozens more at his feet. The Elites ganged up on him and raised their swords.
As the man stood, and primed his grenade, Antoine saw that it was Private Wilkins, the scared marine. With hands shaking, and eyes burning, Wilkins shouted out a cry, a cry which was heard throughout the land, and rang through the ears of the Covenant.
"For EARTH!" Wilkins screamed. There was a THUMP! Followed by a dozen more, as a fireball rose up twenty meters and engulfed the area around the Marine.
All was quiet on that dusty field, as the smoke cleared, and the dust settled. Not a single Elite nor Marine remained on Endoria Fields. All that remained of the brave Marine was a crater in the ground, filled to the top with pieces of flesh and blood.
Antoine and Melissa got up, and looked at the scene. Marines lay dead with as many as ten Elites surrounding them. Flesh still sizzled all up and down Endoria Fields. The field was stained with blue and red blood, and bodies were littered everywhere.
So much bravery in these young hearts, so much love for their planet, so much love for their race. Antoine knew, that these men would be, now and forever, eternal heroes forever remembered.
Antoine stood up, and removed his helmet. Melissa stood up, took off her helmet, and leaned against Antoine. Antoine kissed her beautiful head, and quietly mourned for these soldiers.
Melissa looked up at her man, and stared tenderly in his eyes. She inched forward, and kissed the man she loved so dearly.
"Melissa, we should head back to HQ, there's really nothing we can do."
Melissa nodded tenderly, and hugged him. They both turned around, and walked away. Endoria Fields stood silent, stained with blood and anguish, no one would forget The Battle of Endoria Fields.
Antoine looked back one last time at that field, and quietly said to himself:
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother..."
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