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The Cradle of Life by Insomnia, Mark Lieberg
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The Cradle of Life, Prologue
Date: 26 October 2005, 1:11 am
Ninth Age of Reclamation, The moment of truth/In southern continent "Africa", human structure remains
Caliph Ala 'Omnamamee glared at the torn, battle-massacred landscape around the region that once housed a proud human city. Blasphemy. How could they ever think of themselves as prowess beings with inferior structure capabilities? Adding to this statement, humans were herded and ripped apart of an evening meal for the hungry lower cadres of the forces. He jestured a smile as the ensuing carnage dropped and stained the mangled landscape.
Seraph forces mopped up enemy fighters that managed to make their way down into the lower atmosphere, proving support to the guerilla Human forces, but the obsolete structure method they relied upon was their disadvantage. He watched in pride as three Seraph fighters chased down a Longsword fighter that crashed into a structure in a spiraling wave of smoke. Before this impact, the pulse lasers had managed to cut through the metal on it's hull, and bisect the enemy single-ship fighter, from stem to stern.
'Omnamamee reviewed his objectives. The human space force was wiped out within minutes. 'Omnamamee led one thousand ships with upgraded weaponry into the planet, and the fleet, with minimal casualties, eradicated their force within minutes, literally. Bursting with pride, stage two commenced. Hundreds of cruisers touched down, and millions of Covenant infantry poured onto the heathen occupied landscape. The objective: to wipe out all Human settlements. The objective was nearly complete within the hour. One final objective was still being sorted out.
A video feed popped up in his personal notepad revealing a gold armored Sangheili. He noticed the figure as 'Amomee, a loyal officer to him.
"We've found it."
"Good. Signal the Instrument of Retaliation to move to the point of salvation. Soon, the moment of truth will begin.
October 12, 2552,
It has been nearly two days since the war for Earth started. No one knows how, they, found us, no one knows why they are only focused in one spot on the planet. Our Commander in Force briefed us that there could be something underground. Under-ground, meaning something dug up under the old city of Old Mombassa. However ever since the explosion in New Mombassa, things have gone chaotic, people dying, riots starting, buildings falling, burning and getting destroyed.
I wish they would leave, but war is hell as my father had put it like his father had and so on. My Company, well what's left of it, more like a squad, had assembled last night. We're now moving into what's left of Old Mombassa, in a double titanium armored truck with enough firepower to blow one of those Covenant tanks into a tin can.
I don't know if we'll survive the night, the following day, or the week. But one thing is for sure, my squad, my team, my brother and sisters who have been waiting for this moment will fight. Their ready, we're all ready. We'll die to the last breath if necessary to stop them from finding whatever the hell they are here for, and to save humanity.
My name is Mark Lieberg as friends call me Mak. I'm NCO of Gamma Company now in command of 2nd Squad. They are my fellow soldiers, and now we ride into battle as I once have dreamt in the time of darkness.
"Check your ammo and weapons. Store an MRE or two in your pouch if you can. Grab as much clips you need too, we might be staying for a while without EVAC." The Sergeant Major stated grabbing five clips for his battle rifle and placing them in their pouches while the truck shook hitting a speed bump. The boxes in the middle of the truck were filled with weapons, ranging from a grenade to a sniper rifle. Everyone started filling their pouches with whatever they could stash and checked their rifles and gear.
"Sergeant Lieberg, we'll reach your drop zone in three minutes. Hope your squad are built for this kind of action, because the last scout team never reported back in." the driver of the vehicle said as he watched the road careful not to drive too fast while watching for any enemy presence.
"When we're they suppose to check in?" Mak replied looking at the small window to his right where he could see the driver.
"Three hours ago."
"Jesus…"
"But don't worry! Commander Wolf has also informed me there will be a scheduled air raid at oh-four hundred."
"Squadrons being pulled off from the fight above?"
"Negative. The Commander radioed any remaining pilots from first Echelon after their battle above. However I think he found out ten survived their run. Lucky bastards don't you think Sergeant Major?" the driver said chuckling as he turned a corner prepared to stop near a half broken stop sign. An eerie screech was heard as the two-ton truck came to a stop.
Yeah…lucky, "Thanks for the hospitality sir. Stay safe you hear?" the Sergeant Major ordered while his squad jumped threw the back door and ran to the nearest cover, which was a wall all smudged with black residue and bullet holes.
"Ten-four. Hoo-rah!" the driver yelled as he gave some gas to the vehicle after the Sergeant jumped out of the truck.
Lieberg watched the truck speed away hearing its rumbling engine vanish by the continuing sounds of firefights throughout the city. He looked around him, saw his squad, and then had a sudden feeling to look back where the truck was. The squad continued to kneel silently waiting for an order to move out, but the Sergeant Major had a weird feeling go down the back of his spleen.
In the corner where the truck had turned driving away, an unsuspecting thing happened. A circular object began to roll the opposite way. It rolled half way and then sort of spun slowly to a stop flipping to its side. Smoke started to rise from the object and then four figures walked through the cloud of dark air.
The Squad watched too, worried by what they saw, one spoke up, "sir? Permission to find cover?" Lieberg watched the tallest figure turn its head towards him. Its mouth opened showing the razor like jaw of the enemy.
"Why are you asking me Private? Common sense is to run and hide so the enemy doesn't see us. Too late now don't you think?" the Squad Leader asked to his Private as he raised his Battle Rifle and let out a trio of rounds towards the four figures. The sound of screeching metal rang in Lieberg's ear while he watched one of the smaller figures tumble backwards. The taller creature quickly raised its arm and fired plasma at the group.
The Squad then quickly ran to the other side of the wall and behind two flipped over vehicles on the main street. Lieberg ran backwards continuing to let out sustained burst of fire towards the taller figure while it too fired sustained plasma fire. Once the Sergeant Major hit the ground he looked at Corporal Greywalt and his Sniper Rifle.
"Greywalt, I want you up that building on the second floor. Take the best shot possible at that Elite standing in the middle of the street. I want a fucking whole in its head for shooting at us okay?" Lieberg ordered as Greywalt nodded and ran up the stairs to the building on their right. Plasma continued to hit the car they were getting cover from as they waited.
The building to the right of the squad had its window cracked and broken. The Corporal knew it was an ideal spot to shoot the target in the head so he set up his rifle and scoped the targets head into the crosshair. "Bye, bye you tall mother," the Sniper Rifle gave out a loud noise as one of its 14.5mm round penetrated the skull of the alien soldier. It gave out a loud wail while jumping off the ground and flipping over due to the force of inertia to the body.
"Bulls Eye." The Corporal whispered to himself as he shot last two Grunts on the street who were wailing with their arms up. He mounted up and then walked downstairs hearing the compliment from his Sergeant. Lieberg smiled and then looked at Private Brown, their Communications Marine
Brown looked at his Sergeant Major and then heard Lieberg order, "Call in for any units still in the area. Find out if they got a prepped Pelican still in one piece."
"Roger that sir." Brown replied as he knelt down pulling out his phone calling in, "This is Gamma-Bravo calling any units still in New Mombassa to respond over," then he repeated, "This is Gamma-Bravo calling any units still in the area of New Mombassa to respond over."
Silence took over after he ended his calling to anyone that was still in the area. Static rose over the silence, then it broke off and a reply came threw, "This is Echo-792 responding to Gamma-Bravo's hail. What might I be of assistants?"
"Perfect," Lieberg said chuckling a bit happy for they're to be a pilot in the area still. Lieberg grabbed the microphone and then spoke, "This is Sergeant Major Lieberg of Gamma-Bravo. Is there anyone else with you and is your bird prepped for flight over?"
Static rose again and a few seconds passed by. Then ended, "I'm sorry Sergeant Major. The bird got hit after a lucky Grunt got a chance to chuck a grenade in its wing. The thing stuck like it always would to anything and blew a pretty big hole. As for anybody else, I've got a Sergeant and a Private fixing the 'hog."
"That's sad to hear Echo-792. Where is your location? Our supply truck got hit and we already ran into a scout group that probably called for assistants. We would really appreciate some more UNSC controlled grounds here." Lieberg replied.
"Roger that. Our position is inside a movie hanger. Covenant hasn't gotten to us yet. Its an old place."
"I don't know if that will help Soldier."
"Sorry sir. Just a moment," the pilot said as static rose up. It ended as he came back, " the Sergeant says our location is in Grid Kilo-20."
Grid Kilo-20…that's just thirty kilometers from Kilo-23 where the Master Chief vanished, Lieberg thought, "Roger that. We'll be there shortly. Gamma-Bravo out." He handed the phone back to Brown and then took off his helmet and rubbed his hand threw his hair a bit thinking.
"Okay. They're at Grid Kilo-20. Where is that? Anywhere near where we are?" the Sergeant Major asked as Corporal Hank pulled out a map he managed to grab.
"Sir, its two miles from here. I don't know how we'll get threw any armor if we run into them."
"You're right, we have no idea. We'll have to go threw building to building till we get there." Lieberg put his helmet back on his head and stood up. "Lets get moving."
Jogging across, building-to-building between debris from buildings for cover, was the most exercise the Squad have had in the past week. Smoke and fires have been seen for the past five minutes, but the number of scouts encountered since their last little battle was none so far.
Privates Blanc and Kim have been whistling old military tunes for the last minutes and a half or so. Changing from Army, to Marines, then back to the Army seeing the Air Force integrated with the Marines.
The city surroundings were becoming worse and worse from their drop point. Light poles would be broken in half; cars flipped over or destroyed, fires and piles of rubble everywhere. War as they knew it couldn't get any more worse then this, except…Grid Kilo-23. That Grid has been literally whipped off from the face of the planet due to the interplanetary Slipspace rupture in the city.
Everyone and everything had died from that rupture. The Sergeant Major thinks that there were probably people still in the buildings that disappeared into the Slipspace rupture and wherever they were now, they were probably dead.
Right now, the Squad was passing through an unlit hallway inside a motel. Wires were hanging from the walls the carpet was wet and moist. Then when they went out, they immediately dropped to the ground under the three feet pile of rubble leading towards the next building. Reason being for dropping on the ground was because of the five Elites patrolling the street.
Two on both side while the last one in gold armor watched them. The Sergeant Major didn't like this, and he was sure they could even smell their stench, but he was going to have to pray he was wrong.
They then started to crawl forward, hoping the Elites never heard or saw them after Lieberg signaled the Squad to continuing moving in silence. Crouching in silence isn't always easy to do, especially if there's some pretty tough, top notch, ugly Elites patrolling the area.
Crawling halfway to the building, the whole squad stopped hearing some strange rumbling sound bounce off the walls in the city streets. The Elites looked up but the Gold one started shouting something out as the Sergeant Major peaked to take a look. Small pebbles started to shake and then move. Whatever the thing was, it was big. Around the corner something gray and battle stricken drove above the concrete. First it was a long cannon, and then a huge body appeared.
Then, the Sergeant Major smiled.
Flashes of light wisp pasted the alien guards and tossed their lifeless bodies aside for more wreckage. A loud, sharp blazing noise was heard for only a second as the huge vehicle launched a heavy round into a building of a runaway Covenant. The wall shattered into tiny bits of rock and flew out to the ground. The Scorpion Tank drove forward ceasing fire due to its sensor readings of registering nearly thirteen UNSC Neural Implants.
Once the tank drove within five feet of the Sergeant Major, the cockpit of the vehicle flung open and a Green Armored Figure emerged.
Ninth Age of Reclamation, The moment of truth/In northern taiga, human planet "Earth"
A legion of white plasma flares flared through the choked sky as the Covenant Flagship, the Instrument of Retaliation, docked roughly one hundred meters off of the northern taiga. One task in mind was for this covenant workforce. To find the Ark.
Three Covenant Sangheili stroked through the pine choked terrain; plasma rifles in hand, instinct and will in the other. Wearing black armor, they were idolized as symbols of angry retribution of the gods. The lead Sangheili growled and sniffed strangely acidic air. They were getting closer.
Three hundred units away, two figures met, shadows covering their scowling features. Mandibles clicked as an angry harmony strung out of each mouth in succession; laden with hate.
"Leave nothing alive."
The gold armored figure turned to his lesser, and with three motions, an entire fleet of Wraith mortar tanks began lobbing mortars in rapid succession, bringing death to the thousand year old forest. Explosions dotted the landscape as turrets and plasma grenades rained down onto the trees, that immediatly crashed into burning cinders. An angry flash of lightning lit up the black sky.
The trio of deathly professional covenant soldiers advanced quickly and silently through the twisted, knarled terrain. A black shadow ahead of them parted quickly into the woods. The leader stopped, and smelt the same, strong, low PH substance drift into his smell. The made a quick gesture to the others to move faster. They were gaining on their prey. The leader tapped a knob on a handle, and a white hot triangle of energy was lit.
Rapid footsteps in sloshy mud quickened as the Sangheili trio ran faster. The shadow darted from one side of the wall of conifers to the other. The leader tightened his grip, and made ready for the pounce.
The shadow darted again, but in a different pattern. It made no difference to the Sangheili. The splatter of clay increased as they ran faster towards the creature.
Abruptly, the shadow ceased darting from tree to tree. The lead Sangheili halted. With direct precision, the trio grabbed their weaponry and pointed it in flanking angles.
The shadow moved infront of the pack, breaking the silence with a bloodcurdling roar. The group opened fire with automatic plasma. The suffocating stench of burnt flesh filled the air as the white hot bolts impacted on the creatures flesh. The leader, who waited for his opportunity, found it; and ceased it by lunging the blade into the creatures abdomen, and lashed out with a kick, breaking it's humanoid pelvis.
The creature was silenced when the lead Sangheili arced the blade up through it's spine, and bisected it. It fell to the mud in a heap.
"We found its weakness."
The Platinum armored Sangheili was content when he recieved the news. "Excellent work, 'Xafomee. Bring your squad back to the ship." He turned and motioned to his first officer. "Why hasn't the forest been burned?"
The other answered with haste: "Something alive is in that forest, sire. Something ancient. We cannot burn it down; something is protecting the trees, leaving them intact. 'Omnamamee, it's risky, but we could try pulse lasers."
The other known as 'Omnamamee answered with a growl. "No. Bring in artillery. I want that forest completely eradicated before we search. You know the legend, 'Amomee. Those who can destroy the forest without melting the soil can reach thou ark."
"Of course my lord. I will get scarabs down here at once. Anything else?"
"Yes. Kill every single human on this planet. Make sure of it."
Screams and cries killed the air as Covenant legions moved into towns of old, burning every human alive. Babies were held by cobalt Sangheili, and strangled until no more breath came out of them. Mothers were beaten. Fathers were eradicated. Families were erased. Smoke was lifted into the air full of human tissue, alight in unison with cinders, brightening up the pitch black sky.
'Xafomee watched this horrific scene with pride. The human race. They were finally suffering for what all of the dead Unggoy had suffered for the Covenant. He watched as a pack of Kig-Yar devoured a group of men like angry pirahnas. He hated the disgusting birds, but their prowess sniping abilities made up for it. He watched in awe as a Woman's head exploded under a pink beam of compressed energy. A beam rifle bolt knifing through the air.
The Sangheili smilied as human families were grouped together and slaughtered by the carneverous Kig-Yar. He thought one true thing during this extinction.
The Covenant is at its fullest. Nothing can stop us now.
0339 Hours, October 12, 2552 (Military Calendar)
New Mombassa, Kenya/ Unknown Location/ Near Grid Kilo-23
Found a Spartan, now all we need to do is get to our Objective.
The Spartan stood up out of the cockpit. Its green reflective armor shined the sun into everyone's eyes so the Squad has to help cover the suns light with their hand over their eyes.
"Thanks, I thought it was an enemy mortar moving positions. Guess I was wrong." Mak stated to the Spartan as the armored figure saluted his ranking officer.
"Sir, Spartan-104 reporting unsuspectedly sir!" the crisp salute from the Spartan was nothing but a morale boost to the Squad, especially to Laser Eyes. Corporal McFarley thought about ditching the Squad once a few hours ago before arriving at the drop off point, but meeting Spartan-104 changed his motives a whole lot.
The Sergeant Major smiled and returned the salute. He looked at the tank and the long elongated cannon then asked, " New Modification?" he pointed towards the welded part of the cannon that increased the length of the barrel.
The half human-half machine stepped out of the tank and walked on the ground walking towards the Sergeant Major and noticing where he was pointed. The Spartan smiled and said, "Yes sir. My team's best demolitionist has some modifications to the M808B Scorpion Tank. Her plans and modification designs were more then great sir."
Mak nodded and then added, "That's great, where is she now?"
The Spartan hesitated at this reply, he was never used to talking about any members status and why they obtained that status. So all he could say was, "KIA sir."
Silence was very uncomfortable right now, and even the guns fire around the city had stopped for a few seconds. The Sergeant Major looked down and then up, "I'm sorry for her loss. Im sure she did her duty. Those Covenant bastards don't know what its like to be us, so that's why we're here. To make them pay for all our loved ones and friends."
The Spartan nodded and then said, "Sir, I was headed towards a transponder beacon I've registered into my neural link. Five Marines are apparently trapped in an intersection with a squad of Elites and other species of aliens. I wish to continue my mission to help rescue them sir."
Mak walked around and then replied thinking, "Roger that. We'll tag along. We'll stay on your tail and once we get there engage any enemy insight. How far away are they?"
"Nearly about a mile from here. We'll get there in a few minutes." The Spartan said turning around and going into the cockpit of the tank.
"Roger, okay men and women. Lets get saddled, we have soldiers to save!" Mak ordered as the Squad, including himself, ran behind the Scorpion tank as it drove off into the streets filled with debris and bullet holes.
Somewhere in New Mombassa's Intersection
Situation: HOT
"Baker, take out that Ghost speeding towards us! Quickly before it gets in range!" Sergeant Garcia yelled to the man with the double barrel rocket launcher. Plasma and Bullets fire raged for a while the past ten minutes. There was always another alien to shoot at, and if not one then ten. This worried the Sergeant much watching out for using too much ammunition.
"Got the sucker sir!" Baker replied pulling the trigger of the Jackhammer Launcher. Two rockets streamed towards the purple tinted vehicle, which was mounted by a Blue Armored Elite. The first rocket spun missing the Ghost by a few mere inches. However that didn't matter for the second rocket spun right into the nose of the vehicle and exploded with a loud boom.
Bits and pieces of metal scattered across the street while a column of Grunts were blown away by a series of bullets from two privates. The aliens dropped one by one and even when they were running, all it took for the privates were a few luck shots to put them down for good.
Garcia reloaded his Battle Rifle and let out a sustained burst at a Grunt mounting up a stationary plasma turret. Luckily a shot taking off its right arm saved him and his men, but for the Grunt, another shot to the head ended its failed attempt to kill its enemy.
After the Grunt rolled over backwards three blue energy shields emerged behind a large upside down truck. Jackals with their shields held up at a perfect protecting posture and plasma rifles in hand they marched slowly towards the group. The Sergeant smiled seeing as they were bunched up, he tapped Baker, "Grenade on three."
The Jackals reached nearly five meters before getting blown to bits by the two grenades tossed at them. They didn't even have time to break for a run seeing as they were bird like and couldn't run worth a damn.
Baker returned to his side and shot a Grunt running towards them with a grenade in hand already ignited and seeing as it was unprotected the Marine shot it in the leg. He watched it topple over in a roll and stare at its own grenade arming itself for the final countdown. Five seconds ticked by and the body of the disabled alien was blown apart by the fierce energy.
On another corner of the intersection a tall gold figure walked across with a long weapon of some sort. When the Elite raised it, Corporal Mesela saw it he yelled, "Shit, Elite with a-" A loud sharp energetic noise was heard just a millisecond before the Corporals headless body dropped to the ground.
Garcia quickly ordered, "Get down!" and right after the last man dropped to their stomach a purple energy beam cut across the sky right where Baker was last standing. They breathed quietly until the ground shook. Shit, the Sergeant thought as he saw a pebble move on the concrete. Next came a sharp noise that sounded very familiar to a M247 Machine Gun Turret.
A roar was heard followed by a few squeaky noises and sounds of bodies dropping. Then the noise stopped. He heard a language yell across in the air, a human language.
"Spread out and search for the Marines, their bound to be around here somewhere if that Elite was sniping at somebody!" a loud instructive voice rang into the Sergeants ears and he stood up quickly to find a Squad, a Spartan, and a Scorpion Tank.
Movie Theater Warehouse in New Mombassa
"Thanks again for rescuing us Sergeant Major. After Mesela got hit, I didn't know if we'd be alive for any longer." Garcia said looking at Mak. Once the tank and Lieberg's squad reached the outnumbered Marines, they drove all the way to rendezvous location. The men and women got a ride from the tank and the way over to the warehouse was clean and clear of any enemy presence. The Sergeant Major also had a small chat with the Pilot and the two Marines with him before talking to Garcia.
"Sergeant, you shouldn't be thanking me. If it weren't for this Spartan here," Mak smiled and gestured towards the tall armored figure, "we wouldn't even be having this conversation without him. And as a matter of fact he rescued us too."
"So what's the news outside and topside?" the other Marine, Sergeant Michael, asked to the Sergeant Major glancing at the Spartan.
"Well, I just got off the phone with Tactical Head Quarters and they said the scheduled air raid at oh-four hundred will still take place. Meaning Grid Kilo-18 threw 22 are going to be bombed." Mak said with a sigh while Corporal Greywalt pulled out a map and laid it on a crate Private Baker brought.
The Sergeant Major took out his green highlighter and circled the grids being bombed. Everyone looked at the massive area. Strangely Sergeant Garcia thought, why would HQ be bombing nearly eight miles of nothing but rubble if the Covenant isn't focusing on this area anymore? And why would they do it so quickly when there is no strategic plan in bombing the area? This all confused the Sergeant into asking Mak, "Why do they want a Squadron to bomb nearly eight miles of worthless land? There aren't even enough Covenant left in this retched city to fill a barracks sir."
Garcia is right, Mak thought. He looked at the map confusingly and asked himself this, why would HQ be bombing nothing but worthless land? Then the answer just suddenly popped up.
There could be something important hidden in the city that would be vital to the Covenant. But then it could also benefit the UNSC so why again. Why would they? The Sergeant Major looked at his Squad sitting on the stack of boxed on the ground and saw a few on the tank. Damn it, he thought as he checked his watch. It was oh-three-forty-five right now. They have five minutes to get to a grid not marked for bombing, and they had to go fast.
"We need to leave now, Spartan!" the Sergeant Major called out.
Unknowing that the Sergeant Major calling for him, the Spartan just stood there watching the men, and women talk. He didn't pay attention to the Sergeant Major just now, and thought about where his other team was at, and where Kelly was at too. He thought of all the things that had happened in the past few days. Earth has just been attacked by the surprise attack of fifteen Covenant Capital Ships. The Prophet and the Master Chief disappeared to god knows where, and he was stuck here without communication unknowing what Linda and Will were up too.
He just hoped they were all right.
"Spartan?" Mak asked again as Garcia cut in.
"Spartan, by god man do you have a name?" Garcia asked the giant figure. The Spartan focused back to reality and heard what the Sergeant was asking and pulled out his bayonet checking it for no particular reason. No, he had a reason. His name was etched into the blade three days after he had been given it by his drill instructor Sergeant Mendez.
Sergeant Garcia stared at the knife when the Spartan finally replied, "Fred. My name is Fred."
© 2005 Cradle of Life Team (Insomnia, Mark Lieberg, Commander Demitri Wolf, Zombie)
The Cradle of Life, Chapter I
Date: 11 November 2005, 6:43 am
0400 Hours, October 12, 2552 (Military Calendar)
New Mombassa, Kenya/ Unknown Location/ Near Air Raid
Lights and thunder flashed across the morning sky as dozens of explosive bombs were thrown and scattered across eight miles of city streets exploding on impact. Huge balls of red and yellow flames enveloped small, medium, and large sections throughout the city. Well…that's what Sergeant Major Lieberg was seeing through his eyes. It wasn't a site to remember. Explosions like the one happening in New Mombassa hasn't happened since the formation of the UNSC.
Mak was just pleased they weren't air raiding the whole country. A small portion is enough to tear one's mind apart. Destruction and grief over things built in past times destroyed in a matter of seconds. All because of this Human-Covenant war going on, and the UNSC has some secret files somewhere within the eight miles being bombed right now.
His squad, the Spartan, and the other tag along Marines continued to watch in disbelief. They knew this is what happened in war, but they didn't know this could be so gruesome, so brutal, and such a violent picture that shouldn't ever be remembered. Fred, the Spartan however, has seen this many, many times. More than anyone he knew. All his brothers and sisters fighting in the war, all the training he's had, and battles. He couldn't imagine what John, the Master Chief, had gone through at Halo.
John said that the destruction of Halo ended a whole lot of things, and started something new. It created walls around his memories, and barriers to block out emotion. He even told him that when Captain Keyes died, it was a painful death, one that no one could resist. Not even Cortana could find a way to return him to his normal state of…human form. The Master Chief gave us a report on the alien parasites after they had bombed the Covenants Main Fleet that was prepared to jump to Earth.
Then again, Fred couldn't talk about it, and neither the others, because it was sealed as Top Secret and Classified as Top Priority Level Five. Seeing this destruction of New Mombassa was nothing compared to the Fall of Reach. His home planet was gone in a few days. He lost so many brothers and sisters splitting up the team, but he knew what he did was right. He had to send a team to protect the power generators that powered the MAC Guns up above, and also send a team to head quarters. But since it failed, he left it all behind him.
Now, right now at this very second was what he had to focus on, and watching this air raid wasn't what he had in mind. He wanted to save lives, and kill as many Covenant as he could. A million for each brother and sister they had killed and taken away from him. He was going to give a wanting of revenge on the aliens, and he was going to do it soon. He knew he was going to.
Flames lowered, and the air raiders plotted a course away from the burning, destroyed city of New Mombassa. Sergeant Major Lieberg turned around and pulled out a box of cigarettes he had brought with him. He told himself if things got hot, he was going to start, but this…this wasn't the beginning. He didn't want to smoke, because he wanted to live. Live to see the end of a new beginning after this war. Then he decided not to start, so he took the box and crumbled it into a small ball.
He walked towards his communication unit, and motioned him to come forward. Private Brown unhooked the phone from his back and handed it to his Sergeant Major. Fred looked at Mak and then turned around towards the Scorpion Tank. The Pilot, Sergeant and Corporal just waited inside the 'Hog they managed to repair before the Sergeant Major's team made it in and the rest of Mak's squad were standing up straight watching the flames from the city vanish revealing the destroyed buildings.
The Sergeant Major nodded and Brown signaled in for Commander Wolf. Static filled the end of the line for a second and then a recognizable voice was heard.
"This is Commander Wolf piloting Sky Hawk Squadron reporting. Whom may I ask am I speaking to?" the reply came from possibly up above. Lieberg smiled.
"This is Sergeant Major Mark Lieberg reporting in sir."
"Well, well Sergeant Major. How've you've been? Like the demonstration First Echelon gave you what is it now? Five minutes ago?" the end replied with a hint of amusement after a sharp crackling noise was heard through the other end.
Lieberg nodded and then looked back, " Sir?"
"Just some Mortar Fire, continue on Lieberg."
"Yes sir, it was…peaceful. Sir, I've got some other tag along, friendly of course, and a Spartan. Any orders you got for me sir?"
"Yes Sergeant Major, the matter of fact is that there is a Covenant Cruiser; a gargantuan one, positioned just above central Asia. Intelligence suggests that its down on the surface giving troops supplies. THey are searching for something very important. We want to take that thing out as quickly as possible." The Commander stated as he waited for a reply.
"Sir? Why can't FleetCom just send a tactical warhead?" Lieberg asked.
The Sergeant Major heard a sigh and the Commander began, "The fight above isn't that well. The Covenant have obliterated our lines and have begun landing all over the entire planet. But strangely something's different. We think they're searching for something, but we don't know entirely what it is they are looking for. Right now, we want you and your team including that Spartan and the others to head over to these coordinates, and to blow that ship out of the sky or take possession of it if possible."
Jesus Christ, Mark thought.
"Ten-four sir. Stay Safe and we'll report back within a few days." He ended as the Commander radioed out.
"We'll give you cover support until you reach the Covenant Cruiser. Now you stay safe all right bud? See you soon. Commander Wolf out."
The Squad and the tag along Marines looked at the Sergeant Major. They were waiting for what to do next and curious what they had to do. Lieberg didn't know how to break it to them, but Fred. He turned around facing the Marines, cocked his Battle Rifle and said only two words, because he heard every single word in the conversation.
"Lets Go."
Demitri shot his SkyHawk through the amber clouds and burst out the other side and into hell. Miles below him streaks of blue and red merged into blotches of pain that marked out the dozens of firefights and explosions that now ravaged the East African Protectorate of New Mombassa.
The Commander nudged the joystick before him and his plane gracefully spun a full revolution and entered a hundred and eighty degree drop straight down, leveling out three hundred feet above the tortured landscape.
He swung back into the front phalanx formation of ten other jets behind him as the radio in his helmet pinged and an identification tag of the calls source flashed onto his eyepiece, Sergeant Major M. Lieberg.
"Yeah?' the Commander answered and smiled as the voice of his old friend replied.
"This is Sergeant Major Mark Lieberg reporting in sir." Mark, he thought, haven't heard your voice since Reach…
"Well, well, Sergeant Major, how've you've been? Like the demonstration First Echelon gave you what is it now? Five minutes ago?" he smiled slightly as a Wraith mortar came shooting up through the air, Wolf lazily spun the Hawk out of the way and guided it back to its original bearing, the ball of plasma continuing in a downward decent towards the ocean.
There was a pause on the line and then Lieberg's voice came back over the line, "Sir?" he asked and Wolf stared determinedly forward for a moment before replying.
"Just some mortar fire, continue on Lieberg." Wolf chinned the team-wide freq; he wanted his squadron to hear the orders too.
"Yes sir, it was," Lieberg searched for words, "peaceful. Sir, I've got some other tag along, friendly of course, and a Spartan. Any orders you got for me sir?"
Commander Taylor tapped his display and a schematic of a huge ship made of five bulbous sections; a Covenant ship with enough gut to gut twenty warships. "Yes Sergeant Major, the matter of fact is that there is a Covenant Cruiser; a gargantuan one, positioned just above central Asia. Intelligence suggests that its down on the surface giving troops supplies. They are searching for something very important. We want to take that thing out as quickly as possible." Wolf waited on the line while Lieberg took in the information.
"Sir?" The Sergeant Major questioned, "Why can't FleetCOM just send a tactical warhead?"
Demitri sighed, the grim reality was that there was no one who could launch the missile at the moment, "The fight above isn't that well. The Covenant have obliterated our lines and have begun landing all over the entire planet. But strangely something's different." Wolf had seen many Covenant invasions, as he spoke his mind wandered quickly back to Reach.
"We think they're searching for something, something very important, but we don't know entirely what it is they are looking for. Right now, we want you and your team including that Spartan and the others to head over to these coordinates, and to blow that ship out of the sky or take possession of it if possible."
"Ten-four sir. Stay Safe and we'll report back within a few days." He ended as the Commander radioed out.
Wolf kept the team freq on and spoke to his men and women, "You know what you have to do, prioritise targets and shoot to kill, Wolf over-and-out." Ten blue acknowledgement lights lit his HUD, with a moment to think by himself Wolf thought of the Covenant, and the pain they had caused him.
It was because of the Elites that his brother wouldn't see another day; the Hunters had stripped him of his father, the Jackals and Grunts ravaging the bodies of his friends while his mother was murdered by the Drones.
He himself had suffered at their hands, and had – ironically – lost his own; his right hand was prosthetic, severed above the wrist by a plasma sword. Wolf crunched the hand into a tight ball as he thought of the ones behind all this; the Prophets. And knew what he would do if he ever had the pleasure of meeting one.
With that thought locked firmly in his mind, Wolf sighted a trio of Covenant Banshee's, "Hold position," he ordered over the team frequency, "they're mine," his SkyHawk broke formation, chasing down the lead craft.
A ping sounded in his ear, missile lock, holding his thumb over the joystick he drew a circle in the air, "Yippy-kai-ay, motherfucker!" With a sadistic grin he plunged down.
The wrecked purple chassis of the Banshee crunched hard to the ground three seconds later, to be joined shortly after by the smouldering wrecks of three more, tracer round entry and exit holes peppering their once sleek frames.
On the road beneath his squadron, a Scorpion MBT slid over the wreckage, heavy calibre rounds rapidly shooting from its long barrelled cannon, cracking and destroying several Ghosts that tried to get to it. Inside, a single green armoured figure sat hunched over its controls, one of the few songs he knew playing over in his head.
The guitar riffs came in harsh groups of three and the Spartan sent off shells in time, he skipped the verse and headed straight into the chorus as the tank rolled from the road and onto the suspension bridge that lead to the heart of New Mombassa.
Fred nodded his head and whispered softly to himself, "I'm on the Highway to Hell."
1124 Hours, October 12, 2552 (Military Calendar)
Near the Ural Mountain Chain of Eurasia
The weather up in the northern part of the eastern side of the world was beginning to get colder. The Ural Mountains were always snowy with ice caps on the mountains nearly every month of the year. The Group of Marines that were ordered to head towards the set of coordinates were nearly a mile away from their location, and by the looks of it, there was no Covenant Cruiser to be seen. No Banshee patrol aircraft, no troop movements no nothing. Not even the sky was covered with blue plasma fire.
Sergeant Major Lieberg was beginning to think if Intelligence has gotten inconclusive now. And if they were, they were in a heap of trouble because they traveled for nearly eight hours to get to the coordinates without air support. He wanted to contact Commander Wolf and ask him to verify the target's location but he was going to walk the last mile to find if it was there. There was not a bird in the sky as well. So they continued to walk on.
When they reached the Ural Mountains, it was a chain of rocks that continued from left to right, and it blocked the sight of the other side, which would be flushing with forestland and animals. Hopefully nothing bad was happening.
The Squad continued onwards threw the mountain. It took another two hours to get through and when they reached the edge, the Spartan signaled the Sergeant Major to hold position.
Mak looked at the super soldier curiously and was puzzled by why, so he ordered the rest to wait so he went with the Spartan. Fred didn't like the idea of tagging along with Marines, but if John could do it at Halo, he knew he could do it as well. He had to start trusting other soldiers to cover his back in a fight, so he let Mak follow up. When they reached the jagged edge of the Ural Mountains they peaked over the corner.
Expecting to see a flushing green forest and animals and a large lake. They found a huge, massive ship nearly a thousand feet above the trees. The Sergeant Major looked at it; horrified noticing the enormous vessel. Staring at random spots, he could see flashes of plasma throughout the forest. But with surprise nothing was destroyed. Not a single thing was damaged or burned, so that rose more questions leading to ask why. Fred observed the area, enhanced his view and noticed the Gravity Lift under the ship. A huge line of Covenant artillery bombarded the forest with utmost precision...and not a single tree fell.
He smirked and then moved back with the Sergeant Major and towards the waiting Squad.
Mak knelt down as the Spartan did the same. He looked around and spoke.
"There's a Covenant Cruiser just as the Commander said there would be. But this ship isn't in the sky above; it's nearly a thousand feet above the top of the trees. I'm sure the Spartan here has located the Gravity Lift and already has a plan?" the Sergeant Major looked at Fred as the Spartan smiled.
"Yes, there is a Gravity Lift centered under along the belly of the ship. Shouldn't be hard to miss. The beam is a very violet color and you'll see Covenant technicians working on building a temporary base. That's what I saw. There are fifteen Mortar Tanks guarding the area, but are bunched up from the east side so they're facing the mountainside. Which is bad because if they see us, we can be gone in a matter of minutes. So, I'll go and take them out. There is a Ghost patrol circling the Gravity Lift that I noticed speeding between trees.
"So I would like the Pilot, Sergeant and Corporal on the 'Hog taking it out when they encounter it. Sergeant Major, you and your squad will be the main attack force. There is a weak spot coming from the west facing the Mortars. So once I take that out, you and your squad should be able to clean the rest up. Most of the troops down there are Grunts and Jackals. There are a few Elites watching the tanks so I'll take them as well. Watch for enemy snipers. Any questions?"
Sergeant Garcia spoke up, "What about our tank? Can we use it in some way from up here to target those tanks down there or to help take out some troops?"
Fred nodded in response, "Yes, you most certainly can. You and your three men stay here and watch the tank. If you see any Banshee Patrol craft flying above, take them out. But I can't guarantee if you fire the first shot that the enemy tanks might have enough time to locate and destroy your position."
"We'll take the risk." Garcia said nodding to his squad.
The Sergeant Major nodded and looked at his squad, "Very well. If that's it, lets get this over with." Lieberg stood up prepared to leave until a loud noise reached everyone's ears.
Ninth Age of Reclamation, Holy Ark/ In whereabouts of the holy Ark, northern human continent, "Earth"
The Covenant Caliph exited his tent with a sharp flick of the wrist; leaving a comfortable sanctuary, and entering "hell".
He glanced around. Plasma flares and streaks of lightning painted the sky an unnatural blue, illuminating the night and allowing him to see far ahead. A line of Artillery was formed ahead, Wraith mortar tanks and Plasma Artillery Cannons, firing as fast as their charges would let them, casting deafening explosions down into the forest below.
Three seraph fighters soared over him at hypersonic speed, corkscrewed, and dropped around twenty plasma bombs on the ridge overhead. The sky was white with the overwhelming illumination of white-hot particles.
The blast cleared, and where rock hard mountain had once been, there was nothing except vaporized rock.
"Holy Caliph," a voice cried over the distance. Field Master 'Amomee ran towards him with haste. "I have news my lord."
The Covenant Caliph glanced at him. "Report." and cast his gaze back at the line of artillery.
'Amomee replied. "Yes, of course. If you would allow me into your tent, I can explain with evidence."
'Omnamamee glared at him, and gestured him to come inside.
Inside the tent, gone was the hellish landscape, and there was a warm illumination. Human trophies and other instruments of pride were ordained neatly over the Caliph's desk.
'Amomee took out a projector, and it activated, showing them the landscape.
"'Omnamamee, we have made this landscape into hell. As I know, human forces are staying far away from here. A few stragglers have been managed to be found, but were quickly disposed of on sight.
I've recieved word that Grand Field Master 'Nexteromee is supplying us with two million fresh troops and artillery. They have cast a path of destruction on their way here, burning down every human settlement they have found.
However, there is bad news. Twenty squads have dissapeared. In some of the images of the last video records we have recieved, they have originated from this area." His golden armored hand pointed at a heavily dense area of the forest. "They carried energy swords."
'Omnamamee sighed. "Hot water, 'Amomee?" as he strode over to a mug of boiling water. He drank it smoothly, and his mandibles relaxed.
"No thanks, sire. It's truly an honor, but my faith lies with serving you, not-"
"Please." 'Omnamamee said.
"Yes.." 'Amomomee said, with a staggered voice. "Herbs would be nice my lord, but this really isn't-"
"Nonsense, Field Master. After the work you have contributed, I find it deserving that you are properly rewarded. Now, how many Seraph fighters do we have in the air on this planet?"
"Several hundred thousand-"
"Then why hasn't the human air support been obliterated? That is your first concern. It could leave us highly vulnerable to attack. I don't want the Instrument of Retaliation to suffer a deathblow. That is unacceptable." 'Omnamamee said, as he handed the Field Master his cup.
"Excellency, a thousand apologies. I have been working as hard as I can to find the Ark within the forest. The artillery isn't helping."
"I understand, Field Master. Pull the squads out of the forest, and use every single piece of artillery we have to bombard those trees until they are vapor."
"Sire, what of the creatures? How did they obtain energy swords?"
"Patience. They are no concern to us, unless they break our concealed infantry lines numbering seven hundred thousand, correct?"
"Yes, of course excellency."
"Now you know what you must do."
'Amomee nodded, knowing his task must be fufilled.
© 2005 Cradle of Life Team (Insomnia, Mark Lieberg, Commander Demitri Wolf, Zombie)
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