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Sergeant Vick by Helljumper
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Seargent Vick: Part 1
Date: 4 April 2004, 3:00 AM
Two Pelicans flew into the docking bay of the Covenant cruiser. The ion barrier, that separated the void of space from the internal atmosphere of the alien vessel, formed itself to the shape of the Pelicans and washed off as they cleared it. The dropships turned 180 degrees and hovered two feet off the deck. The troop bays opened and twenty heavily armed Helljumpers landed on the alien surface.
Staff Sergeant Vick formed his ten man squad into a semi circle to provide covering fire for the Pelicans to land. His shotgun scanned the area in front of him but found no targets. The COM clicked on and the familiar voice of Lieutenant Sanders spoke into Vick's earpiece.
"Sergeant, move your squad and take up defensive positions by the two doors that enter this room."
"Roger that sir." Vick opened his COM to second squads' channel. "Corporal Powell, take Fire Team Delta and set up at the right door, Fire Team Charlie with me on the left door. Let's movie Marines,"
A young Marine with a red bandana showing under his helmet stood and ran towards the right double doors followed by four others. Vick signaled with his left arm for his unit to move out. Keeping his shotgun pointed towards the door he reached a stack of the enemy's purple cargo crates. Fire Team Charlie set themselves up in a semi-circle formation facing the door. "Charlie and Delta are in position."
"Roger that Corporal, first squad moving up."
Warrant Officer Michael Jones began to power down his Pelican's engines. He could hear and feel the whine of the engines decrease and then stop. He turned off the rest of the systems and un-strapped his seat belt. Removing his flight helmet, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. The adrenaline in his blood began to subside and the pilot realized that he was breathing very heavily.
This is fucking crazy. Its one thing to make combat drops onto a hostile planet, but flying towards a Covenant cruiser just sitting out in the open is just nuts. So what if the scanners declared that the ship's engines are offline and its generators are running on minimum. The Covenant doesn't just abandon their cruisers. The Captain is crazy for sending us out here. We are on a ship full of aliens that want to kill us.
Jones had to force himself to clam down. He released his chair and swung around to face the troop bay. His legs were lazy at first but he stood up and stretched. Pulling his M6D pistol from its holster on his hip, he stepped onto the alien deck. In front of him, the Marines were securing the docking bay
Lance Corporal Singer followed Lieutenant Sanders pass second squad's defensive positions to the double doors on the left. First squad stood by the door as Sanders spoke to Sergeant Vick. Singer liked to be involved and know everything that was going on. He purposely stood close to his platoon leader and platoon sergeant.
"Vick, I want you and your squad to stay in the docking bay and set up defensive positions. We might need to Evac ASAP and I need our pilots alive and these birds ready," the Lt. paused. "I'll take first squad and see if anyone is home. We'll make our way to the Bridge. I don't know what the Covies have planned or why they just left this cruiser here out in the open. The fly boys of Longsword Squadron Alpha said there weren't any external damages and the fact that we made it in here means their shields are down. If they abandoned this ship and we can take control of it, think of all the technology the ONI can get. The UNSC might fuck around and find the coordinates to the Covenant home-worlds."
"Yes sir,"
"I've leave the defensive plans in your capable hands Sergeant."
"Good luck sir,"
"We don't use luck in the Corps, we use bullets."
Sergeant Vick waited for his CO to lead first squad through the double doors before beginning to set up the docking bay's defenses. The Covenant's purple cargo crates were moved thirty meters from the two doors and laid on their sides in a semi-circle position. A second row of crates were moved in front of the Pelicans to protect them from stray fire.
The task took twenty minute, and Vick was wondering why the Lieutenant hadn't checked in yet. Maybe they were ambushed? Maybe they're COM gear wasn't working so deep into the ship. These questions flooded his mind.
His thoughts were broken by the sound of the double doors sliding open. He looked over towards the door expecting to see first squad, but was surprised to see a blue armored Elite and two Grunts. The Elite was holding his side as purple blood flowed between its fingers. The alien looked surprised to see the Helljumpers behind the cargo crates and before it could even think about responding, it was cut down by a series of three round burst from MA5B assault rifles. Vick only watched as the dieing Grunts twitched and then stopped.
Regaining his composure, he signaled for Fire Team Charlie to move out. He led the four other men of the unit in a crouch towards the dead bodies. They reached the door and scanned the hallway with their weapons. Vick examined the Elite's body. The wound on its side started in the middle of its torso and ran around to the middle of its back. Private Jones moved over to Vick.
"Damn, something cut the shit out of him."
"You could say that again Private."
"Do you think it was done by a combat knife from one of the guys in first squad, Sarge?"
"Couldn't be, the cut isn't even."
"Maybe a plasma sword,"
"Wrong again Private, the heat from the sword would have left burn marks." Vick said pointing around the edges of the wound.
Their conversation was cut short by another Private in Fire Team Charlie clicking the COM twice getting everyone's attention. Vick looked down the hallway to see a figure emerge from a side passage. It moved slowly in odd, uncoordinated steps. From the side view, it was clear that it was a Marine but it was different.
Private Jones said, "Hey its Billy," but it was clear that he wasn't talking to anyone in specific. The Private stood up and started a jog to his friend. The staggering Marine was forty meters down the hall and Jones stopped his jog and started walking when he was about ten meters away from Billy.
Sergeant Vick: Part 2
Date: 21 April 2004, 12:20 AM
The four other Helljumpers of Fire Team Charlie watched as Billy turned to face Jones. His body contained numerous long, deep gashes. The blood that poured out the wounds was green but the dried blood on his uniform and the remains of his armor was red. Internal organs were visible and Vick could have sworn that he saw something move around inside Billy's torso. Without warning Billy leaped into the air covering the distance between him and Jones. A deformed right arm came down on Jones, slashing him across his face and chest. Jones let out a loud scream of pain before falling to the deck. Billy continued his assault with another slash until Jones stopped moving.
Vick didn't know what to do as he watched one of his fellow Marines kill a member of his squad. He raised his shotgun and the others followed his lead. Billy stood over Jones's body and looked at Vick and his men. He made another leap and landed twenty meters away from Fire Team Charlie. Vick pulled the trigger on his weapon and shot Billy down. The former Marine's body twitched several times before stopping.
As the sound of the shotgun blast echoed through the alien vessel's hallway, it started to decrease. As if in response, the air was filled with another sound. Vick tried to make out the noise. It sounded like hundreds of metal knives stabbing at metal. It grew louder until numerous small figures filed out of the hallway that Billy had came from. The creatures looked like overweight squids with many tentacles. They crawled along the walls, ceiling, and floor of the hallway. Vick could only assume that there were hundreds of them as they raced towards the docking bay and the ODST Marines.
Sergeant Vick regained his composure and turned to Private Derrick Chisman. The Private was lost at what he was seeing. Vick shoved Chisman's shoulder getting his attention. The Sergeant shouted, "Frag 'em!"
The Private slung his AR and pulled a grenade from his equipment pouch.
Chisman pulled the pin, pulled back his right arm and extended his left arm in the direction of the creatures. He released the trigger on the grenade, "cooking" it. He counted to 3 seconds in his head and launched the grenade. He shouted "Frag out."
Vick slammed the palm of his hand into the control panel for the double doors and watched as they slide close. There was a loud BANG as the grenade exploded. Vick stood two meters from the door's control panel and raised his M90 Shotgun. He pulled the pump action back causing the empty 8 gauge shell to be ejected and pushed the pump forward loading a fresh shell. The shotgun was pointed at the door's controls and Vick fired at it. Sparks flew from the exposed and damaged wires.
Vick looked at the horror in the faces of his men, and noticed that Fire Team Delta had watched the whole scene from behind their defensive positions. He lead his men quickly watch to their positions as the sound of metal scratching again metal grew loud and engulfed the room. The platoon sergeant clicked on his COM to first squads' channel. "This is second squad to first squad, do you copy?"
Lance Corporal Singer ran as fast as he could through the alien corridors. Sweat dripped from his forehead, and blood poured through the wound in his right leg. His mind was filled with the images of those green creatures attacking his squad. He could still hear their screams mixed with the sound of gunfire. The thoughts blocked his judgment and all he could do was run.
The corridor the Marine was running in came to a dead end. Singer slowed to a jog and then a halt as he tried to catch his breath. He didn't know how long he was running for, or which direction he was heading. He looked around confused as if it was impossible for there to be a dead end. To his left were several holo-panels and to right was what seemed like an outline to a door. He stepped towards it and felt along its surface for a switch or something to open it. His hand must have triggered something because the door slide open revealing a rather small room the size of a closet. Something moved inside the dark room and he pointed his MA5B Assault Rifle at it. The screeching voice of a Covenant Grunt spoke, "Don't kill me."
Singer heard the sound of those small green creatures as they approached in the distance. He turned his head down the corridor but didn't see them. He stepped into the room and kicked the Grunt to make room for himself. He looked for a switch to close the door and was surprised when it closed by itself. Looking at the terrified alien, the Corporal said, "lock it."
The Grunt reached for something on the wall and then Singer heard the sound of a locking mechanism. He kept his gun pointed at the Grunt and sat so that his back was against the door. The adrenaline in his blood started to decrease and he became fully aware of the pain coming from his wound.
One of those little green squid things had latched unto his leg and stuck its knife like tentacles into his right thigh. The Lance Corporal had shot the creature and pulled the tentacle out of his leg. He saw a clearing among the creatures and his struggling squad members and ran.
Static filled his COM earpiece and then he heard the words of his platoon sergeant, Staff Sergeant Vick. The first message the Sarge had sent, he didn't quite catch, but the static decreased when the message was repeated, "This is second squad to first squad, do you copy?" Singer fondled the COM gear's controls while keeping his AR pointed at the silent Grunt.
"This is Corporal Singer, Sarge... We were ambushed by these fucking green creatures. Everyone is dead." Singer waited for a reply.
"Roger that Corporal. What's your situation?"
"I'm in a small room with a Covenant Grunt as my prisoner. I'm wounded in my thigh, and I'm losing a lot of blood."
"Roger, do you have a medical kit with you?"
"No Sarge,"
"I want you to interrogate your prisoner. Find out what the fuck is going on in this ship."
"Yes, sir."
"Sit tight we're on our way. Keep your COM on so we can follow the signal."
"Aye, aye sir."
Sergeant Vick: Part 3
Date: 26 April 2004, 4:56 PM
Warrant Officers Michael Jones and Carly Harrison sat on a purple cargo crate between their Pelican dropships. Jones held his M6D pistol his hands and turned it over examining it. He knew ever part of the pistol and was a good shot with it. All UNSC Pelican pilots were required to be qualified with the weapon. He had never had to fire the weapon in combat but felt confident that he could. Harrison's pistol was still in its holster on her pistol belt. Both carried three extra 12 round clips for their pistols.
The two pilots were unaware of the situation that the Helljumpers were facing. They had heard the shotgun fire and the grenade that exploded. From their position behind a wall of Covenant cargo crates, they couldn't see much, but they were safe.
Sergeant Vick appeared around the left side of the crate "wall" followed by Private Chisman. Both had their weapons pointing down at the deck and their fingers on the trigger. The Marine platoon sergeant walked up to the Warrant Officers and interrupted their conversation.
Jones listened attentively as the Sergeant explained the situation. Things had clearly gone from bad to worst quickly. Here they were aboard an enemy cruiser infested with these alien creatures. First squad, along with the platoon leader, is KIA and a friendly is stuck somewhere unknown. He thought for a second that Vick would suggest that they evacuate the Covenant cruiser, but he was wrong. The fucking Helljumper wants to play hero and save this trapped Corporal. That's all good with me, if they die, Harrison and I'll will just fly out of this death trap and report what happened.Jones was shocked when the Sergeant ordered him to join the search and rescue team. This damn Sergeant has just given a Warrant Officer and order.
"Listen to me Sergeant, I'm a Warrant Officer in the United Nations Space Command's Navy. I do not take orders from you! And another thing, when you address me, you will use the honorific of sir." That will set that damn Leatherneck straight.
Jones sized up the Marine. Vick was easily five inches taller and 30 pounds heavier. That extra weight came from larger muscles and a larger build. The pilot was taken by surprise when the ODST Sergeant stepped right up to him and grabbed the collar of his flight suit. Jones was pulled closer to Vick to the point that the two men were staring each other in the eye.
"Now you listen to me, sir! This is a combat operation and with the KIA of my El-tee, I am in charge of this operation. Now I have a man stuck some where on his fucking ship and you will assist in his rescue."
All Jones could do was nod. Vick released him and the pilot stumbled off the cargo crate unto the deck. He stood up quickly. Vick turned to the chuckling Warrant Officer Carly Harrison.
"Ma'am, could you stay here with your dropship and make sure you'll be ready for immediate dustoff. If things get hairy, we'll have to leave at a moments notice... Please send a communiqué back to the Pontiac and inform the Captain of our situation and intended course of action."
"Sorry Sergeant, we already tried sending a message. Something in this vessel is blocking our signal."
"Keep trying ma'am."
Staff Sergeant Vick returned to his squad followed by a reluctant Warrant Officer Jones and Private Chisman. Once he arrived, he met up with Corporal Powell, leader of Fire Team Delta. The men knelt in a circle to plan out their next step. Vick's COM clicked twice getting his attention and he heard the voice of Lance Corporal Singer.
"Singer to second squad, over,"
"Roger Corporal, second squad here."
"Sarge, I got some intel from my prisoner..."
The whole squad listened as the wounded Marine from first squad repeated what the Grunt had told him. These things were called the Flood. They came in three basic forms: infection, combat, and carrier. Vick concluded that Billy had been turned into a combat form and that the little squid like things that crawled around outside the docking bay doors were infection forms. They hadn't seen the carrier forms yet and hoped that they wouldn't. According to the Covie, the ship was infested when they picked up a dropship from some planet. The Ship Master lost contact with the soldiers in the docking bay and then other areas of the cruiser. He ordered a search and destroy unit to secure the docking bay and surround area. They too were no longer heard from. The Assistant Ship Master led another unit to the docking bay. After the initial contact with the enemy they retreated to a near by supply bay. The Grunt worked on the bridge and listened to the communications and believes that the rest of the Covenant are holding up in the supply bay. The bridge was taken by the Flood and the Ship Master was killed. The Grunt made it out the battle and hid in this small storage room.
Sergeant Vick: Part 4
Date: 7 May 2004, 5:26 PM
Lance Corporal Singer slid from the door to the opposite wall of the small room. He leveled his MA5B at the door as the sound of footsteps became louder somewhere outside of the room. He hadn't heard from the rescue team in five minutes but was sure that whoever or whatever was moving around outside was not them. The footsteps were not normal. They were uncoordinated and slow and fast at different rates. Singer couldn't tell how many there were but was almost positive that they weren't Human or Covenant.
The Helljumper accidentally brushed up against his Grunt prisoner. It inched away from him while letting out a low volume but high pitched sqeek. Singer poked the alien with his elbow signaling for it to be quiet and it did, but continued to shake and cower away from the Marine. Whatever was outside the door must have heard the Grunt because the footsteps started to get closer.
Sweat began to pour under the Corporal's ballistic helmet and down his face. He nervously held the assault rifle against his shoulder, aimed at the door. The footsteps stopped outside the door. The silence was broken by loud "Thuds" hitting the door. Singer and the Grunt both started to panic. The Grunt screamed out, "We're going to die!" The Marine tried to use his legs to move him backwards as if there wasn't a wall behind him.
The "thuds" resulted in huge lumps being formed in the door. Singer didn't know how much longer the door would last but he was confident that whatever was on the other side would receive a chest full of 60 7.62 armor piercing rounds. The "thuds" continued for a good minute before suddenly stopping. The fucking door held. He nervously lowered his assault.
Large tentacles erupted through the door and grabbed a hold of it. Singer bought his weapon back to his shoulder and aligned the targeting circle on his Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) with the center of the door. The Grunt was speaking incoherent words that the Marine could only assume was a prayer. Singer had never been religious but started to wish he was.
The tentacles pulled on the door and it gave away. Light raced into the dimly lit room and washed over the occupants. The large figure standing in the doorway threw the door as if it was a sheet of paper. Singer squeezed the trigger of his weapon. Bullets raced from the barrel and entered the chest of the creature. The Marine took the recoil of the full automatic rifle before he released the trigger.
The creature fell backwards and sprawled out on the floor. Green blood and pieces of flesh were left all over the walls and floor. Singer noticed that he was not breathing and had to force himself to do so. He started to get up from the floor. His muscles were weak and he slipped on the still hot, empty bullet casings. Once on his feet he inched his way towards the door.
The Helljumper stood over the body of what was once an Elite. Its physical build was the same but the body had been mutated. Singer kicked it once to make sure it was dead. He checked the ammo counter on his rifle. It read 29. He hadn't realized that he had fired 31 rounds into the creature and it took all of them before going down.
Staying in the room was no longer a good idea. The Corporal changed his magazine and signaled for the Grunt to come out. It did so nervously. Singer pointed at the dead body and asked if the Grunt knew who it was?
"Yes, that be Ship Master."
"Shit, it was Ship Master." The Marine replied. He felt more confident. "Take me to the docking bays."
"No, Flood be in docking bay."
"They aren't in the one I came in so lead the way."
The odd couple started their walk down the corridor. Singer's leg had stopped bleeding but he was sure that he had lost a lot of blood. With luck they would link up the rescue team and they would have bio-foam.
Platoon Sergeant Vick led Fire Team Charlie through the alien hallways. They walked in two tactical columns with Vick and Private Chisman on the left. On the right were Private First Class Gordon and Private Grey with Warrant Officer Jones bring up the rear. The rescue team moved with their weapons shouldered except for Jones who had his M6D in its hostler to show his disagreement with the mission.
Vick was on point, that's the way he liked it. He believed that a leader should be willing to do anything that he would order a subordinate to do, even if it meant being on point. Lieutenant Sanders had always hated when Vick did this, but he understood the Sergeant's philosophy.
Fire Team Charlie approached an intersection. Vick signaled for the team to halt and slowly crouched up to the beginning to the next hallway that started to the right. He leaned into the hallway quickly and backed out. He moved away while keeping his M90 Shotgun pointed in front of him. Once back to the unit he gathered them in a circle.
"There is a squad of Covies down that hallway. There is no way that we can sneak pass them so we'll have to engage them. Chisman and I will frag 'em. Once I start firing join in. I want coordinated fire starting with Elites, then Jackals, and then Grunts. They don't seem to be moving so I'm assuming that they are holding the hallway, so let's take it from them."
Vick and Chisman approached the intersection followed by the others. They slung their weapons and pulled grenades from their equipment belts. Chisman stood with his back against the wall by the opening to the next hallway. Vick stood across from him facing towards the enemy held hallway. He pulled the pin on the grenade, squeezed the trigger and released it. He "cooked" the frag and counted to 3 seconds in his head.
The Marine Sergeant took two leaping side steps into the opening to the hallway and threw the frag and didn't stop till he cleared the hallway. Chisman followed right behind him. Vick withdrew his M6D pistol from the holster strapped to his thigh. The safety was already off and a round was already in the chamber. Helljumpers left their bunks combat ready.
The grenades exploded followed by the sound of bodies hitting the ground. Vick stepped into the hallway's entrance, knelt, and targeted the last standing Elite. He fired three rounds into the alien before it went down. The rest of the rescue team joined in firing. The Jackals and Grunts were completely caught unaware, and with the death of their Elite leaders they were unorganized. Few returned fire and with precise three round burst, the Helljumpers killed the enemy squad.
Satisfied that the Covenant were dead, the Helljumpers took a moment to reload their weapons. Vick stood and replaced his pistol to its holster. He looked around at his men to make sure that no one was wounded. He noticed that Warrant Officer Jones hadn't even fired his weapon. It was still in its holster and he was standing in the back.
Vick ordered his Marines to secure the area. He marched up to Jones and invaded the flight officer's personal space. His left hand reached forward and quickly pulled out the M6D pistol from Jones. He stuffed the weapon into the front of his belt. "If you don't want to us your weapon then you won't have one."
Jones was scared of Vick and didn't try to resist. "What am I suppose to do to defend myself."
"I suggest you stay close to someone who does have a weapon and is willing to use it, sir." There was a certain amount of sarcasm and disgust for Jones in the Sergeant's voice.
Singer limped down the hallway following the Grunt. He kept his rifle pointed at the alien and his finger on the trigger. It wasn't because he was afraid the alien would try and harm him, but it just felt right. The Corporal kept a good 4 meter distance between him and the Grunt. He could hear it speaking to itself in its native language. "Hey hold up there."
He was weak from the lost of blood. The Grunt stopped and turned to face its human master. "We move now, the Flood are everywhere."
"Just give me a minute."
"What's a minute?"
Before Singer could even attempt an answer, an air vent in the ceiling above the Grunt broke open. A dozen Infection forms landed on the Grunt. It screamed out in pain as the green creatures stabbed at it with their knife like tentacles. Eventually the Covenant dropped to the ground from the Infection Forms combined weight and stopped resisting.
The Corporal raised his rifle and began firing. The Infections Forms popped easily but as he continued to kill them, more dropped from the ceiling. Firing in short controlled burst, Singer started to walk backwards as the creatures advanced on him. One jumped into the air towards him. He fell backwards and shot the creature in mid air. He scrambled to his feet and continued firing. He changed his magazine, cocked the bolt back loading a round into the chamber, and allowed it to slam close. He continued firing. There didn't seem to be an end to the Flood.
Singer's back hit against something solid. He assumed it was a wall until he felt it going up and down. He turned to face a Crimson armored Elite. The Elite's mandibles were open in what Singer could only image was a smile. It bought its plasma rifle down on the Marine's collar bone forcefully. Singer collapsed for the blow onto the deck.
The landing was almost as painful as the blow. Singer opened his eyes to see the Elite and three Jackals begin firing their weapons down the hallway. His vision began to blur and he tried to move his legs. I can't feel my legs. Ahhh... I can't feel my arms. He realized that the Elite had crippled him. All he could do was watch as the Covenant squad turned and ran down the hall away from him. The sound of the approaching Infection Forms filled his ears. He tried again to move but couldn't.
He felt the numerous stabbing pains along his legs, then back. He couldn't tell how many were on him. His mind began to cloud with ever stab. Lance Corporal Singer felt the life escape from him. He closed his eyes and hoped it wouldn't be much longer.
Sergeant Vick: Part 5 and End
Date: 26 May 2004, 11:07 PM
The rescue team found the body of the late Lance Corporal Singer. Vick approached the body as several Infection forms were busy digging into his back. The platoon sergeant raised his M90 shotgun and gentle squeezed the trigger. He absorbed the recoil and then lowered his weapon. Vick knelt next to the body as the rest of the team moved up. Singer was a good Marine. Next week, the now deceased Lieutenant Sanders was going to present the Corporal with his Sergeant chevrons... What a lost? The Staff Sergeant's grievance was interrupted by PFC Gordon.
"Hey Sarge, we should start heading back to the landing bay." There was a strong sense of urgency and fear in the Helljumper's voice. Gordon held the motion tracker out for the Sergeant to see. Red blips started appearing one by one until half the screen was filled with contacts.
Vick cursed to himself and stood up. He pulled the plump act back, ejecting the empty shell, and pushed it forward thus loading a fresh shell in the chamber. "Let's get the fuck off this ship Marines," he said backing away from Singer's lifeless body.
"How far out are the contacts Gordon?"
"Thirty meters Sarge,"
"Private Grey you're on point, double time back to the docking bay. Let's go Marines!"
Fire Team Charlie broke out into a run as Infection forms started dropping from air vents in the ceiling. The air became filled with the sound of footsteps as Combat forms emerged out of side passages. The Marines fired their weapons as they ran.
A Combat form leapt into the air only to be met by an eight gauge shell from Vick's shotgun. The loud sound of assault rifle fire cut through the air followed by the scream of Private Grey as an Elite Combat formed emerged from a side passage and tackled the Marine. The creature bought its deformed right arm down on the Helljumper's head, crushing his skull on contact.
Private Chisman held the trigger of his MA5B and spat twenty six 7.62mm armor piercing rounds into the creature that killed PVT Grey. Stopping for only a second to grief over his friend, he continued running as PFC Gordon and the unarmed Flight Officer Jones passed him. Chisman struggled to change his magazine as he ran. The adrenaline in his blood caused him to run faster until he caught up with Gordon and Jones.
Sergeant Vick was slower than the others as he turned to fire at the Flood forms behind him. He lost count of how many shells he had fired. He turned again to fire but the shotgun just clicked. Fuck! He tripped over the dead body of PVT Grey. He landed and slid as his ballistic armor scraped across the deck. He turned over onto his back and instinctively reached for his M6D pistol with his right hand and Jones's pistol with his left.
Three of the closest Combat Forms received two clips of 12.7mm semi-armor piercing high-explosive rounds from twin pistols before dropping to the deck in their own green blood. Vick climbed to his feet and ejected the empty clips. He replaced the pistols to their locations and grabbed his shotgun off the ground and continued running. At the end of the hall were the surviving members of Fire Team Charlie. They knelt and leveled their assault rifles towards Vick.
He instinctively made a tactical drop to the ground, using his shotgun to break his fall. Bullets passed over his head. He rolled onto his side, pulled a grenade from his belt, pulled the pin, and threw it toward the rushing Flood. The grenade exploded as Vick started to crawl under the hail of bullets to the rest of his team.
Pelican pilot Jones knelt behind PVT Chisman and PFC Gordon. The loud roars of their assault rifles were hurting his ears. He wanted to move away from them but was scared and weaponless. All he could do was watch as the Flood absorbed the bullets and continued forward. They were getting closer. Fear started to over take him and he started to panic.
The MA5B bullets were soon answered by plasma bolts. Jones could see that several of the Combat Forms had plasma pistols and rifles. Blue and Green superheated energy bolts started landing around the two Helljumpers and the Warrant Officer.
Jones started to panic. He stood up and turned left then right trying to decide where to run. A plasma bolt hit him square in the chest. The force pushed him against the wall. He started to feel weak and hot at the same time, but there was little pain. His back slide down the wall and left a trail of crimson blood on the purple, Covenant wall.
A grey haze filled the pilot's vision. He looked down at his blood soaked hands. The plasma stilled glowed green as it burned through his organs. Jones began to choke and cough up blood. With each cough, he felt weaker until he didn't feel anymore.
Corporal Powell, leader of Fire Team Delta, knelt behind the purple, Covenant cargo crate. He shouldered his MA5B assault rifle and aligned the targeting circle displayed on his Helmet Mounted Display with the group of Grunts coming into the docking bay. He squeezed the trigger in short controlled bursts as green bolts of plasma flew around him. Several plasma blasts impacted the cargo crate. The supercharged heat from the melting crate washed over Powell. His body counteracted the heat by increasing the Corporal's perspiration. Sweat developed along his forehead and absorbed by the red bandana tied around his head.
A Grunt with a Needler braved Powell's 7.62 rounds and fired its weapon. The young Marine ducked behind the crate as the razor sharp projectiles impacted the crate. He looked to his left at the two dead members of his Fire Team sprawled out over the crates they were hiding behind. Another Helljumper was wounded and the squad's medic was seeing to his wounds.
A sharp pain erupted in the Corporal's side. He turned to his right to see a faint stream of pink that curved around the side of the crate. Looking down he saw the pink crystal like Needle sticking in his side. Instinct kicked in and he shielded his face with his arms as the single Needle exploded.
The large amount of pain flooded his nerves causing them to go numb. Powell couldn't feel the pain and forced himself to look at the damage. A fist sized chunk of flesh and bodily tissue laid in a pool of his own blood. The site caused him to scream.
"Doc" Paley tried to calm down the wounded Private in his arms. PVT Kant had received an overcharged plasma bolt to his chest, and the Marine's ballistic armor did little to stop the shot. Paley already knew that the blast had punctured Kant's left lung. With the Private trying to scream and his constant twitching, Doc had no way to treat the wound.
PVT Kant held tightly to Paley's arm as he gasped for air until he suddenly stopped. The Marine exhaled his last breath and released the medic from his grip. Doc stared at the dead man. Not another one. He crossed himself and recited a quick prayer.
Corporal Powell's loud scream caught the medic off guard. He turned to see his fire team leader holding the side of his torso as crimson blood poured though his fingers. The sound of gunfire had stopped and the only sound was that of Powell's screaming. Doc ran over to Powell. Arriving at the young Marine's side he pulled his medical pouch in front of him and started searching through it. Finding his last bottle of bio-foam, he took it out, disconnected the cap, shakes it, and started applying the white foam over the wound. The morphine in the foam caused Powell to stop screaming and he began mumbling inherent words. The bio-foam was followed by a white medical gaze pad and bandages. At least I saved one.
Platoon Sergeant Vick reloaded his M90 Shotgun as he jogged. Following close behind were PVT Chisman and PFC Gordon. Down the hallway he could see the door to the docking bay along with the dead bodies of Covenant soldiers. Bullet holes in the walls and floor mixed with the bright colors of the different alien bloods. He entered the docking bay as a Grunt with a Needler was trying to seek around the side of the cargo crate fortification. Vick quickly ended the creature's life with an eight gauge shell.
On the other side of the crates he found "Doc" Paley treating Corporal Powell. The medic looked up at Vick.
"He's fine for now, but he lost a lot of blood. We need to get him back to the Pontiac's infirmary for a blood transplant."
"Okay, but where are the others?"
"Over there," Paley pointed to the other dead members of Fire Team Delta.
"What happened?"
"Three Covenant squads tried to take the docking bay."
"Let's get the fuck off this ship."
The D77-TC "Pelican" dropship, piloted by Warrant Officer Carly Harrison, shook slightly as it landed aboard the Pontiac. Staff Sergeant Vick helped Corporal Powell to his feet as the rear ramp of the dropship started to open. The fluorescent lights of the landing bay washed into the troop bay. The Marines filed out of the Pelican expecting to be met by a medical team.
Standing outside of the Pelican were three Marines in green plastic bio-hazard suits. Over their suits were the standard issue body armor and equipment belt. MA5B assault rifles were slung over their right shoulders. The bio-hazard full face mask contained a hose running from the front across the chest and around to the back where it met an air filtering unit. The Marines on the left and right wore MP bands around their left arms while the man in the middle had a Captain insignia on the front of his helmet.
Vick led his Marines forward. The Captain held up his hand signaling for them to stop. The platoon Sergeant struggled with Powell's full combat weigh. "This man needs to be taken to the infirmary ASAP sir." Vick said staring at the Marines blocking his way. The Captain spoke through the bio-hazard suits mask. The voice was distorted but still audible. "Take these men straight to quarantine." The Military Police at his side moved forward and confiscated the Helljumpers' weapons.
No one resisted. An officer gave an order and they followed the MPs through the landing bay. Vick could see a company of Marines in bio-hazard suits in formation standing in front of several squadrons of Pelicans. He hoped that they weren't being sent to the Flood infested cruiser.
Captain Locke watched through the bio-hazard face mask as the MPs escorted the ODST away. He hated having to do this but it was standard UNSC procedure and the Major had ordered it. Walking over to his company, Locke was met by his XO Lieutenant Morris and First Sergeant Williams. The trio walked over to the assembled company of 150 regular Marines. They positioned themselves in front of their men and stood at the position of parade rest along with the rest of the company.
Out the corner of his eye, Captain Locke could see the man approaching from his left. Without looking he knew who it was, Major Ackerson. He snapped to attention and called the company to attention. Major Ackerson positioned himself in front of Captain Locke. The Captain saluted and the Major returned one. Ackerson was dressed in the standard green, Marine officer dress uniform with the tan shirt and tan tie. He had an extensive amount of citations above the left breast pocket and his Major ranks glistened in the soft white light. Captain Locke spoke first.
"The surviving Helljumpers are on their way to quarantine sir."
"Good, just like I requested... Now for your mission briefing, it's quite simple. I want... I mean the UNSC wants this Covenant cruiser. We were premature for sending in only a platoon of ODST but that's beside the point. We know that the ship is infested with these parasitic organism referred to as the Flood. I don't care if there were ghosts and demons aboard that ship, I want it. My suggestion is to establish a CP in the docking bay that the ODST went in and then send a full strength platoon to the bridge and another one to the engine room. Once those areas are secured, we'll send in another company to start eradication swipes throughout the ship."
"Aye, aye sir."
"Oh and Captain another thing."
"Yes sir."
"ONI would appreciate it if you could capture a live specimen of the Flood for research."
"Consider it done sir."
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