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Fallen Angels by Cpt Crapper



Prelude
Date: 27 May 2003, 12:32 AM

Operation Safe Haven


2 miles off South Africa
3201 hours

"Commander, all of our forces are in the assembly area. No enemy sightings in the perimeter." Commander John Walker looked out from the UNSC Fallen Angels. The ship was the lead flagship of the 17th UN defense force in Southern Africa. Ever since the invasion of the Covenant forces in the area, the UNSC forces were bitterly fighting against the bulk of the Covenant.

"Tell the fleet to execute Phase 1." John told one of the ensigns near his large data screen. The ensign began to type in the access code to the other UNSC ships in the area to execute Phase 1...

***

"All UNSC Sky Hawk fighters get to your stations immediately! Repeat, all UNSC Sky Hawk fighters, to your post! Operation Safe Haven Phase 1 is on go!" The intercom was heard while hundreds of pilots were running to their designated ships. Captain Jeff Augustrad ran to his Sky Hawk, the Black Arrow. He smiled as he climbed the small maintenance ladder and felt the familiar controls of the Sky Hawk. He then began pressing the engine buttons and watched as his fellow pilots began to exit the hangar bay. Two Sky Hawks were out of the hangar bay while Pelican dropships began to descend low to the waves to evade any opposition while Jeff and his fighters loomed high above the waves in a tight formation.

"All UNSC Sky Hawk fighters, this is Commander John Walker. We are going to execute Phase 1 of Operation Safe Haven. In order for this operation to work. We need you to clear any Covenant heavy weaponry on the beach. Try to take out the infantry too. And when all of the heavy weapons are gone, keep a descent around the beach until the dropships unload our forces. Good luck and Godspeed." John told his UNSC Sky Hawk fighters as many of them were making prayers in their cockpits as they heard the Commander speak. Jeff bowed his head and looked at his picture of his family, who were killed from the Covenant forces that tried to push up through the Caribbean Sea.

"Alright boys and girls. Let's rock and roll!" Jeff yelled over the COMM channels as he saw the beach. Hundreds of Covenant infantry forces and weaponry were poured all over the beach as two Sky Hawks began to accelerate and let loose a napalm bomb on the Covenant forces. Hundreds of blue streaks were seen in the air as the Sky Hawk fighters evaded the large hail of return fire from the Covenant forces that were on the beach. Jeff then ordered his squad to go low on the water and try to scatter their forces from their frontal assault from the eastern side of the beach, where the beach ended.

BTTTTTTT! Jeff held onto the machine gun triggers as he flew through the Covenant ground forces with his AA guns blazing. After a tense 50 seconds of skimming through the beach, Jeff pulled out of the fray and saw the result of his squadron's assault. A large smoke was over the beach and it seemed that most of the Covenant forces in the area were fleeing behind the destroyed heavy weaponry. Jeff then turned his fighter around and saw a Sky Hawk fighter descending with smoke from its engines.

"Hey L 5. Are you alright?" Jeff asked as he ascended his Sky Hawk out of the remaining forces in the area.
"I'm falling! Noooooo!" The Sky Hawk crashed into the beach with a large haze of smoke coming from its engine before it exploded in an orange fireball. Jeff turned away and descended back into battle. It seemed that two other Sky Hawk fighters crashed on the beach and one of the Sky Hawks crashed in the water. Jeff then saw that the pilot jumped out with a standard MA5b and started firing back at the ground forces in the area. But it deemed that he was soon dead in a couple of seconds as a stray grenade bounced next to him and then it seemed after five minutes of intense air strikes, the beach was under most of the UNSC fleet's control. John Walker smiled as he heard the beach was taken, but he then turned into sorrow as he heard the casualties.

"From our scanners, there were at most 800 infantry forces that died, and 500 vehicles that was destroyed in the beach also. But there were at least 5 casualties of Sky Hawk Pilots. Their deaths were not in vain..." John Walker told the fleet again as the Sky Hawk fighters began to return back to base. Jeff smiled as he saw the hangar bay and he decelerated and landed into the bay. He jumped out of the Sky Hawk and saw the solemn faces of the other pilots... it had been a regular day in the 17th UN Defense Fleet...

***


"Alright boys. We're almost at the LZ." Pelican pilot Mary Charles told Sergeant Mendoza and his squad. It had been 2 minutes since the Commander gave his speech of the Phase 1 and it had been a success. The beach was littered with bodies and debris of the Covenant that defended the beach. A large haze of smoke was still in the area and small flames were still in the area as the Pelican descended at the beach, and opened the cargo doors...

"Let's move! Go around the area and regroup after evaluation near the crashed Sky Hawk!" Sergeant Mendoza told his squad as his men jumped out first and he locked his Ma2b and loaded a large magazine round and jumped out of the Pelican and felt the sand and saw that an overturned Wraith was right in front of him. He quickly ran toward it, being aware that there may be still snipers in the area. He stooped and saw that a mangled Elite body was on the ground next to him. He turned away and turned on his IR goggles. It was nighttime...

"Sergeant Mendoza! What is your status?" Captain John Whitford barked over the COMM channel.

"No Covenant infantry on the beach anywhere, sir." Mendoza told the Captain as his squad began to run back to him. It seemed that all of the Covenant infantry were gone and it seemed that the Pelican forces could deploy 17th fleet's forces in the area.

***

"The patrol squad reports that the beach is clear and they have set a perimeter around the beach." John looked at the data screen and saw that Phase 2 was about to be executed. The large force of 17,000 marines, 3,000 vehicles were under his control. It seemed that he could push through Southern Africa and try to find any UNSC marine forces that still lived in the area. The Covenant forces had landed in the Middle East and the tribal leader had led an assault against the bulk of the Covenant forces, but was destroyed in fast time and the Covenant forces pushed through Africa, taking out most of the UNSC outposts in the area. Rumors were that the last Spartan had arrived from the Ring world of Halo, and it seemed that he was in Africa among the remaining forces in the area...

Authors Note: This is the prologue to my new Fan Fiction project called the Annals of the Angels, noting to the large push of UN marines under the control of John Walker to regain control of Africa and help scatter the large tide of Covenant forces in the area and stem the tide. I hope you enjoyed this prologue...



Chapter 01: Fallen Angel
Date: 27 May 2003, 12:34 AM

Annals of the Angels or Fallen Angels


1203 hours
17th Fleet Base Camp

"Commander, your forces have successfully landed in South Africa. Phase 3 of the Operation is still in preparation." Ensign Cameron Briggs told John Walker. It had been one day since his fleet had crushed through the Covenant beach and his forces were fully deployed. His first priority was to reestablish contact with one of the distant UNSC outposts in the area. He would have to send a small detachment of Spec Op marines in the DMZ to reestablish contact.

"Ensign, tell Captain Jake Mendez to assemble his forces." John told the Ensign who was looking up the data bases of the geography of Africa...

***

"Ok, sir. Tell the Commander that I'll be ready in one hour." Mendez told the Ensign over the COMM channel. He turned around and ordered his squad leaders to assemble their forces near the Pelican dropship area zone. If his forces were to reestablish the closest UNSC outpost, they would have to storm out the Covenant camp two miles nearby. He would have to land his forces all around the perimeter of the outposts.

***

"Let's move. Keep it low and if you see any Covies, take them out clean and fast." Sergeant Mendoza told his squad members as he jumped off the Pelican. He saw that in the distance that the other Pelican dropships landed in the area. Due to the Pelican's coordinates, Mendoza and his men were at least 1 mile away from the UNSC outpost. He could clearly see the outlines of the buildings. He motioned his forces to put on their Night Vision Goggles. It was nighttime and Mendoza led his men silently under the jungle.

"Mendoza, this is Romeo 60. We're at the base already. We can see you clearly. Watch out for Covenant in the clearing. Wait for our signal." Mendoza nodded as he saw a large squad of Elites, Grunts, and Jackals running toward the base. Mendoza then lifted his Ma2b and adjusted the angle. The crosshairs aimed at an Elite's head. FTTTTTTT!

"SWORD 21! FUCK! SWORD 21! THERE ARE BANSHEES IN THE AREA! GET DOWN FOR COVER!" Mendoza's squad heard the frantic yell, but didn't need the warning. They could clearly see the silhouette of the Banshees. Mendoza then ordered his rocket man to send out a round at one of the Banshees to break their formation away from the outpost. His rocket man nodded and aimed the M19 SSM up and let loose the rounds. Mendoza then motioned his men to move. BOOOOOM! The rocket caught the Banshee square in the cockpit. The Banshee descended and soon turned into an orange fireball.

"Good shot. Let's move!" Mendoza ran while firing at the Covenant infantry that were stealthily moving toward the outpost. The loud rounds of the Ma2b caught the Elites off guard and one of Mendoza's men threw a grenade and watched it explode. Mendoza didn't even look at the mangled bodies as he finally ran into the outpost. He saw that two Covenant dropships landed in the clearing in the middle of the outpost. He quickly ran toward an alley way and saw that at least 10 Elites were there with 6 Jackals. Mendoza then saw an open door and went toward it. His squad followed and quickly closed it. As Mendoza walked through, he saw that a lone marine was peering out of the window with an Assault Rifle. Mendoza went toward him and saw that he was a PFC.

"What the hell happened? Where are the reinforcements?" Mendoza heard him mutter and Mendoza saw that two Elites were walking toward the building. The marine yelled and started firing at the Elites, missing most of the shots. The Elite clearly saw where the marine was and lobbed a grenade. Mendoza and his squad ran out of the room and ran near the door. A large explosion rocketed the whole building. As Mendoza walked up to the room, he saw that the marine was dead and his body was mangled. Mendoza took the dog tag and put it in his pocket.

"Ok. Right now, we have to make sure that none of the Covenant gets into the building. Rodney and Tom, follow me. The rest of you, find a good firing area. Watch out for the Elites from inside. Let's move!" Mendoza walked out of the area and crept up the stairs. Rodney crept up and put his back up the wall as Tom kicked the door open and saw that two marines were in the room, dead. Mendoza came in and saw out of the window that another dropship landed in the clearing and more Covenant infantry had landed in the area.

"Mendoza! What's your status?" barked Mendez over the COMM link. It had been 10 minutes since the Covenant dropships had landed and Mendez's other squads were already circling the perimeter of the outposts.

"Sir, the UNSC outpost is under their control. The only thing we see in the building is that there is nothing but bodies. How are the other squads?" Mendoza asked as he opened another door and saw another dead marine. It seemed that there was a loud firefight before Mendoza and his squad came. Bullet holes were all over the room as Mendoza walked in.

"They're good. Now for the Covies in the area, you have to take them out head on. The outpost has an armory in the southeast building. Load up there and see if there are any survivors."

"Yes sir." Mendoza saw that there was a light in the next room in the hallway. He opened the door and saw that four marines were in the room, loading up on weapons. Mendoza lowered the Ma2b, and told his men to get up to the armory. The survivors were found. The marines were the last marines in defense of the outpost when the Covenant overran the Congo Basin two days ago.

"Reinforcements! We're saved!" jeered one of the marines as Mendoza told them of the 17th fleet's arrival. He then ordered his squad to load up. The two Phantom dropships were still on the ground. This is how Mendoza's squad plan was laid out. Mendoza and his squad will get out of the building and take out the guards patrolling the Phantoms. The other marines will get the hangar bay and get a Warthog and clear out the entire Covenant in the area, which were at least 30 at the moment. Intelligence showed that four more dropships were on the horizon, bearing toward the outpost.

"Let's move." Mendoza turned back on the Night Vision Goggles and reloaded his Ma2b. He crept out of the door with his squad and saw that at least 3 Elites were patrolling the Phantoms and 10 Grunts were near the building. Mendoza then ordered his men to put on their silencers and take out the grunts. Mendoza aimed with the crosshairs and let loose a round in one of the grunts. Soon after 20 seconds, the grunts were all dead and the marines were running around the grunts bodies toward the hangar bay.

"Sir, we have found the survivors. We have already taken out the grunts in the area. We need to only take out the Phantoms." Mendoza told Mendez, as he took out a safety pin off a grenade and threw it behind the Elites. BOOOOOM! The Elites were caught off guard and Mendoza heard the loud rounds of the LAAG as the surviving marines arrived, taking out the remaining Covenant in the area. The Phantom dropships exploded as Mendoza threw a grenade between them. Finally, a door opened and the other Spec Op squad came out of the building, with an Elite dead on the ground behind them.

"Covenant came through our building. No casualties though." Sergeant Louis told Mendoza as he came out of the door. Mendoza smiled. The UNSC outpost was under their control without any 17th Fleet losses and the Covenant were caught off guard. In the distance, Mendoza saw eleven Pelican dropships coming in the clearing and Mendoza saw Mendez jumping out of the passenger area...

***

"Commander, Phase 3 has been accomplished. We have reestablished contact with the UNSC forces in the area. No casualties in the Phase. The Covenant outpost is gone and the UNSC outpost is on full alert." John sighed in relief as he heard that Phase 3 was accomplished. The outpost would help him in taking out the remaining Covenant forces in Africa, and the remaining Spartan II that survived Reach was seen at the outpost...



Chapter 02: Fallen Angel
Date: 29 May 2003, 2:03 PM

Annals of the Angels
2030 hours
UNSC Strike Base Charlie

"Commander, there have been sightings of a Spartan II near the Congo Basin. It seems that a Covenant cruiser is in the Eastern Provinces. It seems that a small detachment of marines are in the area. " Cameron Briggs told the Commander John Walker from his post. It had one hour since the reestablishment of the UNSC outpost and he would have to postpone Phase 4. John looked out at the map of Africa and saw that two Covenant cruisers were on the ground and at least 2000 Covenant infantry and vehicles were in the area. It would have to take stealth and destruction of the Covenant cruisers to take out the ground forces in the area. But he had to find the Master Chief.

"Ensign, tell the 2nd and 4th Companies to get ready and advance to the Congo Basin." John told the ensign.

***

"Chief! Covenant dropships are inbound!" Cortana told the Spartan II. It had been three days since the Master Chief was pushed back into the Congo Basin. He was commanding the main UNSC outpost in front of the Congo Basin and he arrayed his forces. But his force of 1,000 marines and 50 vehicles still couldn't even stem the tide of the Covenant forces. Beaten back with heavy losses the Master Chief was beaten back into the Congo Basin.

"Cortana, is there any UNSC marines in the area?" The Master Chief aimed his SMG at the small phalanx of Jackals and started firing. BBBBTTTT! The Jackals were caught from behind as the Spartan broke the phalanx of Jackals, and more Covenant forces came out of the dropships and the Master Chief took out his M6D pistol and let loose 3 rounds into an Elites head.

"Chief! There are two companies of UN marines advancing toward the Congo Basin! It seems that they are under the 17th UN Defense Fleet's control. You have to hold out for four hours until they arrive." The Chief nodded as he smacked his pistol at a grunt that strayed too close and fell on the ground. The Chief let loose a round and threw the pistol down. There were no more rounds.

BTTTTTTTTT!!!!! The Spartan let loose the SMGs in his hands and watched as the remaining Covenant infantry fell to the ground dead. The Creeps began to ascend in the air while the Master Chief let loose the last of his rounds and as a parting shot; he threw a plasma grenade at the hull of the ship.

"Nice stick." Cortana murmured.

"Thanks." The Spartan replied, and saw that the dropship now exploded and its fragments littered all over the ground.

The Chief looked at the bodies and saw that a needler was on the ground with small cartridges of ammo next to it. He kicked the dead grunts body next to the Needler away from the weapon. The Chief picked the Needler up and loaded it up. In the distance, he heard gunfire in the distance. The Chief then walked out of the clearing and saw through the IR sensors that six marines were pinned down behind a rock. A small platoon of Elites was firing toward the pinned marines and the Chief let loose the whole cartridge at the lead Elite.

"ARGHHHH!" The Elite yelled as the crystal needles impacted its chest and exploded. The Elite fell on the ground dead as the Master Chief threw another plasma grenade and the platoon soon was on the ground dead. The marines thanked the Master Chief and told him that there was more marines pinned down in the southern area ever since the battle at the outpost. There were still at least 400 marines surviving and soon the two companies that were advancing toward the Basin would reinforce them.

***

"Alright boys. We're almost near the Basin. Just an hour left." The Pelican pilot told Major Anthony Gomez, who looked at his 6th Platoon of the 2nd Marine Company. It had been three hours since the 4th and 2nd Marine Companies had departed from the UNSC Strike Outpost Charlie. There was no Covenant resistance in the area ever since the Covenant outpost was destroyed.

"Gomez! Are you there?!" Commander John Walker barked over the COMM link. Gomez looked at the radio and put his mouth toward it.

"Sir?" Gomez answered. He fingered the custom Ma5b in his hand.

"Get ready to land right now. You and your men have to get down and take out a Covenant convoy moving toward the outpost." John then ordered the Pelican dropship to land in the clearing of thickets and tumbleweed. He had just found out the reports of the Covenant convoy near the outpost. Only Gomez and his squad would have to land and take out the explosives in the head of the Convoy.

"Yes sir, pilot. Land the Pelican in behind that small stream." The Pelican now began to descend. The Pelican soon landed on the ground and Gomez and his men jumped out and Gomez saw that the convoy was at least two miles away. The Pelican dropship began to ascend and go back toward the base.

"Alright men. Our mission is to try to take out a Covie convoy. If we don't succeed, we have to return to base on foot, and defend it to the end. Intel reports say that there are explosives in the front, middle, and the back of convoy. Try to stick grenades and fire at them. They'll detonate and probably scatter the convoy. From there, take them out head on." Gomez briefed his men as the Covenant convoy came into the clearing. Only five minutes to get his men into position.

"All units, ready?" Gomez's voice ripped from each of his squad mate's radios as the convoy was in the road. Gomez looked out from behind a rock on top of a hill. His other men were all around the convoy, waiting for it to get into the middle of the road. The Covenant convoy began to climb down the hill. It had at least 100 Covenant infantry defending its flanks and a small squad of Ghosts patrolling in the front. Finally the whole convoy reached the middle of the road.

FWTTT! Gomez threw the plasma grenade and watched as his men threw the plasma grenades. At least 2 of the grenades stuck on the middle explosives vehicle. Gomez then threw a regular UNSC grenade and watched it land in the squadron of Ghosts. BOOOM! The Ghosts were cluttered around the first explosive vehicle. He watched as the middle explosive video exploded while the plasma grenades erupted. Then Gomez opened fire in the haze, hoping that he would at least take out most of the infantry. His men finally came in with more grenades in the convoy and a hail of lead. As the smoke cleared, the remaining Covenant retaliated. They aimed blindly, since they were caught off surprise. Most of the convoy was gone and the all of the explosive vehicles erupted and all that was left were small groups of Elites, Grunts, and Jackals hiding behind the vehicle. Two Brutes were looking around dumbly, trying to find where Gomez's squad was.

FTTT! BOOOM! Gomez let his last grenade fly and reloaded the Ma2b. After two minutes of intense gun fighting, Gomez looked to see that there were no more survivors of the convoy. He smiled, since he had no casualties from his squad. Finally after two minutes of waiting in the ruins of the convoy, reinforcements began to arrive. It seemed from their news that the Master Chief was found and was transported back into the recaptured outpost in the north. The 2nd and 4th Companies were reinforcing the outside of the Congo Basin, while the Master Chief and his remaining forces were at the southern outpost.

It had reached sundown as Gomez felt the concrete in the recently recaptured outpost in the Congo Basin. He looked at the base and saw a lot of marines running about, into Pelicans. Most of Southern Europe is under the 17th Fleet's control, but Gomez knew that the Eastern Provinces would be harder to eliminate since there were two cruisers in the area...

***

"Commander, the Congo Basin is under our full control and the remaining Covenant forces in the area are destroyed. The Master Chief and his forces are ready to take out the cruisers while we wait for the 19th's fleet's deployment from Britain." The Ensign told John as he walked up to the main command post. His fleet would have to wait for the Covenant small fleet to assault the northern outpost before he can send more men into the field. But the Eastern Provinces seem hard put to it, but it will soon be cleared since the Master Chief would be there to destroy the cruiser...







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