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Good Friday by HellBreaker
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Chapter I
Date: 14 November 2008, 8:40 pm
Private Sam Sweeny watched the man seated on the track in front of him as the convoy rolled along. Even the heavy armor of the scorpions tread track sagged under his weight. They where retreating from the northern front to regroup at central command. The covenant had been hammering them for two days and in the dead of night the 6th armor company had slipped away. He felt a twang of regret for those men who had stayed behind to cover their retreat. Sam had been stationed on Prometheus III for a year now, three months of which had been devoted to holding off the covenant on the ground. They had expected them to glass the planet weeks ago but so far nothing.
The last few days had been filled with hard fighting as the men and tanks of the 6th armored company had attempted to hold a small ridge in the farming provinces of the planet. During the first day the covenant had launched a vigorous attack and the marines only held out because of the actions of a new arrival. The man sitting in front of Sam now.
This solider puzzled Sam, he had seen him single handedly take on two squads of jackals and grunts at once, most with what appeared to be some sort of claw on his left gauntlet. No one not even the sarge could do that without being turned to glass, this man was truly a super soldier. Even when they had been hopefully outnumbered and moral was shot he charged into the field and killed five times that of which a normal squad could. However something struck Sam as odd, this man was not human by any means. No he moved to quickly, was to strong and could read the tide of battle better than any commander. Sam had heard tails of something like him, if he remembered correctly they where called Spartans, yes that was it. These Spartans where unstoppable, rumor was that they were immortal and couldn't die, although some went missing sometimes. But a Spartan here? It just seemed too farfetched.
"Take a picture kid it will last you a lot longer" said the figure in a grim voice.
"What?" he hadn't realized it but he had been staring at the man for a while now.
"Then again, anything to do with me will get you killed so you're better off just forgetting"
"I'm sorry I didn't realize I was staring" Sam fumbled
"No worries I'm used to it" he said as he unhitched a strange weapon from his back and began to clean it. It was a vary odd weapon like nothing Sam had ever seen before. It looked nothing like covenant weaponry but defiantly wasn't human either. It had a round middle grip with a large bore muzzle and a wicked looking blade attached to the bottom of the man grip. The blade curved around the whole and was nearly as big as the weapon itself.
"Where did you get that?" he asked
The figure looked at him, his visor a golden orange "I ripped it from the hands of a monster" he said solemnly "same with these." He indicated the twin blades welded on his left forearm.
"What do you mean a monster?!"
"That's classified however if you see a big hairy thing fighting along side the grunts and jackals, promise me this"
"What sir?"
"Promise me you will run, you stop shooting and just run, run, don't look back."
"I'm no coward sir" Sam retorted. This sparked a spine tingling laughter from the man, it was almost bone chilling and yet somehow reassuring.
"Its not about cowardice soldier, it's about surviving to keep fighting"
"I don't understand?"
"I told you, so promise me"
"I can't promise something like that" Sam remarked. The golden coloring in the mans visor slowly cleared revealing his dark eyes, and a multitude of scars. "Promise me" he said. With no other choice apparent to him Sam promised. The tank rolled on, as did the two tanks in front of it and in back. The last five scorpions of the companies original twelve. The sun was setting and central command still had yet to come into view.
"Excuse me sir" the young man said to the old "are you a Spartan?"
"That's a hard question; officially yes I am a Spartan. Morally no I wouldn't place myself in with the heroes"
"Heroes never call themselves that sir"
"No I suppose not, never the less I don't think I quite qualify for the position"
"How much longer do you think it will take us to make it to" The marine said trying to change the subject.
"I am not sure my clock is still set for our first objective but here I have a way to pass the time" He pulled a MA5B clip, when he unlatch the first round a deck of cards sprung up.
"Have you ever loaded that mag by mistake sir?"
"Ha-ha, yes but only once now I keep it in the back. But it sure as hell screwed me because I had to bead the Jackal to death instead of just shooting the dam thing. Since we don't have a table I have a more convenient game, tell me private do you know how to play war?"
"Yes sir me and my brother used to play back at boot camp" Sam replied as the Spartan handed him half the shuffled deck. Each of the cards was marked with a large green 13 on the back.
"You ready? Draw" They both pulled a card, the Spartan had pulled a three of hearts, and Sam had a two of spades. For some reason this sparked another burst of laughter like the last but it had a sorrowful tone to it.
"You know I was saving this for a special occasion but I have a feeling you need it more if you can actually loose to me" He reached into the magazine again and pulled out another card, which he handed to Sam. The marine turned it over in his hand, it was a Joker a wild card and taped to the front was a four leaf clover. Sam stared at the card a puzzled by the gift.
"Thirteen this is Company commander Likens we need you up here now there have been some developments" Fry's radio spurted. He looked at the soldier still flipping the card over in his hands. 'Best of luck to him' he thought.
"Sorry kid I gota run" He said as he grabbed the deck and slid the two haves back into the clip. As he prepared to hope off the tank Sam said "you never told me your name sir"
"Everybody just calls me Friday" and with that the Spartan sprinted off at speeds unreachable by normal men.
Sam watched the character speed by the tank and over the top of the hill. 'Friday huh' he thought as he focused on the back of the card again. Looking out at the sun as it went down he tucked the card inside his breast pocket and wondered about this strange fellow.
Good Friday: Chapter II
Date: 5 December 2008, 8:27 am
Chapter Two
A few hours after sundown the 6th pulled into Prometheus III's UNSC central command to reorganize and recoup. Regiments from the 3rd Semi Mechanized Infantry Battalion where also regrouping after a defeat on the eastern front, so the main ground was buzzing with activity. Damage warthogs and tanks littered the vehicle depot, while the screams of the wounded filled the air.
Central command was nestled in a small valley with a large mountain to its west providing cover from attacks. To the south the thorn river brought in fresh water and acted as another natural boundary. The eastern hills where heavily forested and were bristling with hidden AA guns and other defenses. The northern side was the only truly open entrance to the facility and as such was watched day and night by outposts and sensors.
Most of the civilian survivors had made camp along the river. Because any hope of leaving the planet had long since been lost, most had either joined the UNSC or where living their lives as best the could. Though the nearby farms where to small to provide for an entire army base, the people gladly donated what they could spare to the military personal. However without reinforcements and a steady stream of supplies the best estimates of time where growing shorter with each setback.
Being one of the few able bodied men around Sam soon found himself drafted for reconnaissance. At half past one the hogs rolled to a stop and the driver cut the engine. The six men piled out of their vehicles and fanned out. The team was two kicks to the west out side of the defense grid. They where investigating a sight where a three Spirit Drop ships had touched down earlier in the day.
"Ok Marines I want a five by five spread, thirty minuet sweep of the area. You see anything think don't shoot first, and radio in every ten minutes. You got that?"
"Yes Sir"
"Ok move it out"
The team disappeared amongst the trees, Sam unclick the safety on his silenced ceaseless sub machine gun. The weapon wasn't reliable at anything longer than close range but it was a lot lighter than carrying around an assault rifle. He also had two frag grenades and a red flair just incase. However their mission was stealth and recon, all attempts where to be made to ovoid a firefight.
He slowly proceeded deeper into the black woods; every shadow was unnerving for they could hold peeping eyes. The two moons where vary dim this evening and so it was nearly pitch black, only his night vision goggles kept him from stumbling over tree routs and stray rocks.
"Second squad this is five over" the radio whispered
"Five this is one we hear you, what have you got" The sergeants voice answered
"We have them a whole division worth of equipment being set up here sir"
"Roger that sit tight, ok all squads move to fives position"
Sam drew up the map on his helmet's display lens. Five was sixty yards to his north west. He moved quickly but quietly, forty yards to go. Something moved! He froze, fixated on the spot. There was something there, but it wasn't there, a sort of distortion of light. A ghost? The mere thought sent shivers down his spine, no there where no such things as ghosts. It moved again, there was defiantly something there he could hear its footsteps. The thing began to move away, once it had left sight Sam waited half a minute to be sure. He needed to report this, the covenant might know they where here, he was about to speak when a twig snapped behind him!
Sam whirled around leveling his rifle as he heard the crack of an energy weapon. Wham! Something hit him in the gut hard, he stumbled backwards as an invisible figure lunged at him energy blade aimed at his heart. As he stumbled he lost his balance and tripped, during his fall the blade slashed through his breast pocket, sending its contents furling in the air.
"This is it, I'm done for, I couldn't even get word to the squad" he though as he hit the ground.
In what were certainly his last moments Sam watched a small peace of paper fluttering in the air for a second. Then a grey armored hand snatched it. Sam lifted his head, the ghost was an Elite and it was looking at the back of the card the Spartan had given him. It looked at him, and he at it, then it looked back at the card. Sam searched for his weapon, but it was out of reach and he dared not make for it. Something happened; the alien made a frustrated growl and slammed its weapon into the trunk of a nearby tree. Sam watched to scared to move or look away. The Elite stepped over him looked him in the eye and then extended its hand.
'Of all the blessings the Gods could have bestowed within me I got honor and pride. But I will repay my debt, even to a demon'
Sam looked at the extended arm like a man stairs at a viper poised to strike. He couldn't think this was all to odd, then the thing said "Get up"
"What!?"
"Get up human" it said again. The voice though still undoubtedly an elites had an unusually quality one that almost no member of man kind had ever heard before. His attacker was female.
"Do not test me human get up now or I will kill you" she said. With that Sam toke the hand and she lifted him to his feet with ease.
"Um thanks?"
"My debt is repaid, now run" she said. Sam looked blankly back at the alien in its sliver armor.
"I will not tell you again, run or the Brutes will catch you" she growled. Not wanting to find out what a brute was Sam slowly backed away and then bolted into the darkness. When he looked over his shoulder for one last look at the alien woman all he saw was a shimmer.
After a few moments of running through the woods Sam remembered his radio, and his still unwary squad. He quickly found the talk switch and flipped it on.
"This is three to all squads; we have been compromised repeat fall back"
"What this about private?" The sergeant's voice barked
"I have made contact with th…" He was cut off by a loud howl like roar. Immediately an image of a big hairy wolf with a large bladed weapon formed in the marine's mind.
"Well you heard the lad, that aint no puppy dog fall back now double time!"
As he rain Sam watched the green triangles on his screen, though he had a head start nobody was too far behind. He broke through the tree line into the clearing where the two LRV's where parked. A second later the sergeant came crashing through. He hopped into the driver seat and started up the vehicle.
"Private you're on the gun, now!"
"Yes sir" Sam replied as more of the soldiers scrambled out of the forest. One man was still missing but they needed to go, Sam could hear the rumble of something large heading their way when suddenly the last man came tearing towards them.
"Go go go!" he yelled as he hoped into the side seat, both drivers floored it. Wheels spun and engines revved as they pulled away. Watching the tree line Sam swore he saw a large hairy figure stop just before the trees ended.
The jeeps hurried on their way, as for their passengers, they where just glad to have been lucky enough to make it back alive.
Good Friday: Chapter III
Date: 7 December 2008, 12:13 am
Chapter Three
"It seems your hunt was unsuccessful Tholes" The Sangheili in golden armor said dismissively to the hulking black Jiralhanae.
"Nay War Priest, we made all due hast towards the humans but their advantage was too great for my worriers to overcome" Replied the Pack Leader, his silvering mane still prickled from adrenalin.
"That is a shame, the humans will surely know of our endeavors here we must move before they retaliate" The Priest said calmly.
"Pray you do not lay the blame solely upon us for my stalkers where prepared to attack. It was the breeder who the blame lays upon for th…" He was stopped by the seven plasma swords now active. One of which was level with his throat held by the War Priest himself.
"I do hope that you will never address one of the Prophets holy Seraphim with such a foul title again" The alien leaned in low, its mandibles clenching in tight with anticipation.
"My deepest apologies War Priest and to you Sul'a Lazuli of the Seraphim. However, the fact still remains that had the call gone out sooner the humans would not have escaped." He said pulling away from the hissing blade with a grunt and an angry sneer.
"What is done is done Tholes, gather your worriers and prepare for evacuation. That is all"
"Yes War Priest may yours and the Prophet's will be done"
As the Brute bowed and left the small prefab that served as the War Priest's quarters the Priest's bodyguards turned to leave. The six of them where clad in silver armor decorated with dark blue engravings and highlights. But matters still remained to be discussed.
"Lazuli, stay I must speak with you on this matter" his voice now carried a serious tone, one he reserved solely for members of his own race. For you see, when you carry a high title you are expected to act in certain ways. Given the tension between the Sangheili and the Jiralhanae many officers showed courtesy to their own race that they normally wouldn't when a member of the other was present.
"War Priest Du'rovn I..."
"Silence! Though I despise the hairy wretch I will not overlook your failure! As a member of a Seraphim you are honoring your gender and family with a chance few receive, but that makes your mistakes all the more costly. Your inability to act has cost us time and a valuable opportunity to remove the humans from this world. I do not know what happened tonight but I guarantee you I will watch you more closely from now. A demon slayer your title may be but you still come up short there as well. Even a single human left alive is a stain on the world and a threat to the Holy Covenant."
"With all due respect my lord, it was a nervous mistake I was engaged by one of the humans and in the heat of battle I miscalculated my timing" She replied solemnly
"Your choice of words interreges me, I ask you Lazuli why are you nervous? Surely the news of the armored demon's appearance on the battle field has not spooked a demon slayer such as yourself" he said with a cunning smile "or perhaps there is another reason for your preoccupation? Could it be you are distracted with thoughts of removing this threat and redeeming yourself in the eyes of your fellow worriers?"
"I, uh yes lord War Priest. I understand I will personally hunt down this threat to our faith." Lazuli was unsure of what the preacher was planning, and that made him all the more dangerous. However she couldn't let this chance to return good favor to herself slip away or she was as good as plasma slag or worse one of the Priest personal concubines.
"Elevation fifty five, check? And Fire!" Shouted the artillery commander. In unison five large howitzers let loose their devastating ordinance. Sam watched as a large black cloud of earth, wood and smoke erupted from the forest. The sun had barely risen by the time the hogs had pulled into Command. It had taken roughly twenty minuets to rally the artillery crews and their CO. What the gunners and the UNSC personnel watching didn't know is that in the time it had taken for the strike to be organized the Covenant forces had evacuated the area. But it was still good for moral to see something being done.
After a volly of four rounds the guns went silent. Though the forest was reduced to barren earth in the vicinity of the recon patrols sweep that night, the massive guns had struck nothing besides trees, rocks and what few animals the brutes had not eaten. The morning was silent, off in the distance a local bird called out.
"Private Samuel Sweeny huh?" said the lady behind the desk in the main compound.
"Yes ma'm, I would like the transfer please" Said the enthusiastic Marine.
"You got some kind of death wish kid?" she said with a concerned look on her face. "I know war can be hard on one but there are people you can talk to. Don't just go throwing your life away!"
"Excuse me?" Sam said surprised "I just want to be transferred to the Spartan Friday's squad"
"You're serious?"
"Yes?"
"Ok who put you up to this because I don't have time for practical jokes soldier?"
"This is no joke ma'm, why does this bother you so much, is there something I am missing?"
"First off Spartans don't work with Marines, secondly this one in particular doesn't even like to work with a squad"
"Yes I know that but I need to speak with him, its kind of urgent, however he is beyond reach at the moment and the only way for me to get to him is to join up with the ODST meeting up with him this afternoon via pelican drop off. Since I am not ODST the only option available to me is to transfer to his unit."
"And you have the Commanders permission?"
"Yes right here" he said pulling out a piece of paper with the base commander's signature on it.
The secretary let out a sigh, then began to type on her computer. "Ok kid your all set. Best of luck to you" though she smiled at him, it was a smile give by those who know they will never see you again.
Sam walked to the barracks feeling rather down, however he needed to speak with the Spartan about what had happened in the forest, about the elite and now about this paranoia surrounding him. He packed his gear; Sam had been assigned a more accurate Battle rifle rather than his normal MA5B. Its single or burst mode allowed it to be more accurately handled than the Assault rifle at a range. He also still had his Silenced smg for backup and close quarters combat. After saying a few good byes he hurried to the waiting pelican. Six Hell Jumpers where already seated and prepared for lift off onboard the dropship.
"You just made it" Said the pilot as he threw away the butt of a cigarette. After loading up the pilot looked back and said "Ok please keep all hands arms and leg attached to your body when fighting the covenant. And friendly warning form the captain, don't get shot!"
"OOH-RAH!" was the reply from the soldiers as the hatch closed.
The pelican lifted off as the sun reached its peek, on both sides it was flanked by two hornets loaded down with ammunition and rations. Off in the distance a bird let out a mournful cry.
Good Friday: Chapter VI
Date: 12 December 2008, 4:36 am
Chapter Four
"But I just got here?" argued the Marine urgently.
"I don't care, you get your ass back on the bird now!" Ordered his new squad Capitan, Friday the Spartan. Sam had not seen the man without his helmet in their last encounter and now that he had it just sparked his curiosity even more. The man's right cheek bore a crystallized scare, undoubtedly caused by plasma. He was baled and wore a green dew rag to keep the sweat out of his eyes. His helmet was tucked underneath his left arm while his right pointed at the awaiting pelican.
The ODS Troopers were already unloading supplies from the hornets. Five crates of ammunition, weapons, rations, water and other items needed for the survival of the teams. Though they had been told otherwise, Friday had been awaiting them at the drop zone. Whatever enjoyment he had held at getting some much needed equipment had evaporated when he saw the young Marine hop off the pelicans gang way.
"You are leaving with that pelican private, and that's final. You said it yourself I have jurisdiction over you now, and that means get in the dam bird." He was now enraged at finding out Sam had been transferred to his unit. Not to mention it had been authorized by the base commander himself.
"Sir the reason I went though all this trouble to get here is that I need to speak with your privately" Sam pleaded, he had no intention of trying to argue with this man now. He just needed to make him self heard and he knew the Spartan would listen, something just told him so.
"I don't care if you saw a grunt shit out a god dam grenade…" Fry was interrupted by a cocky Trooper named Buzz when the ODST shouted out "I have Sir!" which earned him a backhand across his neck from his Sergeant. Sam seized the momentary cease in the shouting to whisper to the Spartan "I ran into an elite who…" he too was cut off as a heavy armored fist clenched around his mouth. When he saw the look on the Spartans face Sam sincerely regretted ever being born.
"Private, follow me now!" Friday ordered in a grizzly tone. Now officially frightened of his new Capitan, Sam had no choice but to follow. This was not the man he had met on the tank.
'That just figures, just my god dam luck' Fry thought to him self. Things couldn't get much worse, then she shows up, and now that he had to look after this dam kid. He accepted he only had himself to blame. And from what the soldier had said he guessed that he probably also saved the man's life, or sealed it. Fry looked out from the tree line at the six men working on unloading the supply crates, lost in thought.
"Um sir?" Fry shot up a hand to silence the kid, he needed quiet to think. Sam waited.
"Private" he finally said.
"Yes sir?" Sam answered a little apprehensively.
'I am going to regret this. Isn't that right guys' Friday thought, causing a millisecond of sadness washed across the Spartans face. "Vary well, you Private will not be leaving so salvage what you need from the drop off and lets move out, we are burning daylight." Friday said with a slight frown. "I have one rule though".
"What's that sir?" Sam said without wanting to know.
"Rule one is that you are of no use dead, do you understand?"
"Uh, yes sir" he said downhearted, then he turned and headed for the ODSTs still loading up their packs.
Friday waved off the pelican, it was no longer needed. While the great bird broke off the second Hornet pulled away to tail it, however the first still stayed grounded waiting for the team to finish restocking.
Inside one of the crates marked High Explosives Sam found a strange belt of what looked like modified grenade rounds. There where four of them attached by a metal linking system similar to machine gun belts. Puzzled but still interested in finding some normal frags he dove deeper into the crate when something was thrown at him. He looked down to see a large knapsack.
"Load it all up rookie" Buzz said humorously "just don't blow your self to bits now." Laughing to him self Sam began to load up what was left in the bin, except for the linked grenades; he wanted to look at them more in a minute. He never got that chance. Friday, now fully armored scooped up the belts and shoved them into his large sack with little effort then heaved up a SPNKr without so much as a grunt. Sam looked at his own small pack, now filled with fragmentation devices, and felt a little ashamed. However to his relief the Hell Jumpers each sported the same size packs. The Spartan now carried at least triple of what any one man could. '
It's a wonder the covenant are still winning the war' Sam thought as the last hornet lifted off.
Fry felt he needed to make himself clear that this was a stealth approach and they needed to make it to the cave he had set up as a base camp unnoticed by the frequent jackal patrols. 'Here goes' he sighed.
"Ok listen up; we are covering roughly eleven miles tonight so keep up. If you fall behind, you are left behind. If you give away our position, either the enemy will kill you or I will. We are running silent and fast so none of that dog panting, if you throw up you burry it, but don't fall behind. Understood?" He said grimly, Fry was determined to keep them alive if he could. And the best way to do that was to make sure they didn't screw themselves over. To his relief they all answered with pride in their voices, although he detected a bit of apprehension from Private Sam. He would have to watch that kid.
"OK follow me and don't make a sound" The Spartan ordered.
Four three hours they ran, the sun was setting when Friday signaled for them to stop. Thankful to have a chance to take off his pack Sam wasted no time in finding a log to sit on. A few of the ODST removed their helmets, they where drenched with sweat as was he. "Ok water, drink it slow and drink only enough to tide you over" Said the Spartan still standing. Did he ever get tired? Sam toke back his earlier assumptions. This man simply looked human, but he was something else entirely. As the armored figure turned to look at something in the greenery Sam notices three sets of faded numbers painted in white on his left arm. He hadn't noticed these before. The sets where like the big 13 on his right, but he couldn't make them out because of the wear on the man's armor plates. Now that he rely look at him, Friday was a mess 'was he like that before and I didn't notice?' Numerous scrapes, dents and plasma burn marks scared his armor. The only thing that seemed still slightly intact was his helmet, which Sam could tell was newer than the other components.
Five minuets later their officer ordered "Ok breaks over, we need to move the patrols only get heavier at night." Even the ODST Sergeant seemed reluctant to get up when the command came. Once everybody was all set they took of at a medium pace. At least the night air was refreshing. Sam craned his ears as a long drawn out bird call went out. He had done a little research on the animals of Prometheus III. There was one species of lizard capable of flight on the planet that toke the place of the birds. It even sung into the night to attract a mate. They where even said to mate for life. It was that soothing melody that filled the air that night.
Every now and then the Spartan would break off, telling them to go strait for a while. When he returned most of the team would hardly notice him for a minute. He was like a ghost of the forest, constantly melding into the trees and then reappearing again for brief periods. How he was able to do this Sam hadn't the fantast idea.
They ran on into the night. Sam had no idea how far they had come but the going had been rough these last few miles. They where moving though rocky terrain near the base of one of the great mountains in the range. Each step seemed to echo off into the darkness. Sam wondered about landslides or what creatures could be lurking out there. Suddenly Friday held up his hand, everybody froze. Sam's ear piece quietly whispered "A Jackal patrol everybody stay down they haven't seen us" the Spartan said.
Everybody inched their way forward, sure enough through the tree line a pare of the birdlike creatures stood studying the forest. Sam looked to see what the Spartan had planed but he was gone, as he looked around there was a small thud back towards the aliens.
The soldiers stared in wonder as Friday now stood where the two had been before. But he was the only living soul there. He had killed both of them soundlessly in less than ten seconds. When Sam got a chance to look at the aliens he found that they had large puncture wounds behind the basses of their skulls. Purple blood dripped from the claws on the Spartans gauntlet. He picked up a plasma grenade and said "Move on half a klick north and you will find a cave, I have to make this look like an accident."
As Sam and the ODST hurried on their way he heard a distinctive explosion. A few moments later the Spartan caught up with them and hurried on ahead.
The cold hard nature of the man surprised Private Sam. He hadn't expected him to be like this, not after their friendly game of cards on the tank. Maybe he was just being nice because he thought I was scared? Sam thought as he followed the man in front of him. Or could he possibly just be like this on missions? He didn't know; all he knew was that if he wanted to get out of this alive he needed to stick close to this man.
From the mouth of the cave Fry listened to the lizard's song. He smiled a true smile, something he hadn't done in what seemed like a long time. The others had already gone to sleep; he had volunteered to take first watch. As he listened to the melody he ran his hand over the three white numbers, then to the scar on his cheek. The smile faded and replaced by a tear. He didn't know that another listened to the song as well that evening. An elite in silver armor brushed her hand across an old bullet wound on her shoulder as she looked up at the stars.
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