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The Jump by Stefano Scalia
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The Jump, Part one in a Series
Date: 9 August 2002, 6:30 pm
The trip hadn't been fun. He always thought of joining the Marines, but never wanted to actually fight. He loved the weaponry, especially the standard issue Assault Rifle. He always had high scores in Marksmanship and Outdoors combat. What he didn't have was a solid gut.
"Pass the damn motion sickness preventative." Motioned private Scalia.
"Here, remember: only one private, or else you'll be of less use to us than a fucking beanie baby." said Captain Roberts.
"Yeah Yeah, Sir." Replied Scalia.
Private Scalia always hated space travel; zero gravity always got the best of him. The ships' inertia dampeners and gravity generators couldn't be on within 100,000 miles of earth. They had about 20 more minutes of travel time at their current speed. Private Scalia gleefully cleaned his weapon, marveling at the spring-less design.
"How do you like the new rifles?" said private Kenwood, who was strapped in across from Scalia.
"Incredible gas system - can't wait to shoot something with it."
"The thing is, it needs to be completely fired in a vacuum before you can change the clip, or the whole thing will implode." Replied Kenwood.
"That's good to know, thanks." Said Scalia.
The ship jolted, and ground to a halt. The ships gentle female AI voice announced:
"Launching into slipstream. Secure weapons and all hatches. Prepare for full battle status once we exit the slipstream."
Everyone sat ready.
"You heard the lady, get your shit together Marines! Once again, I am not here to baby you little fruits! I could care less if your mother didn't hug you enough when you were a child - you will follow my orders to the point!"
"Sir, Yes Sir!" Droned the group of marines.
Scalia turned to see Marines securing their belts for travel. He always kept his on, remembering the days of his childhood spent in the Jumbo Jets of yesteryear.
"Entering slipstream in 30 seconds, destination of scrap-planet Reach. Estimated Time of Arrival, 4 days, 22 hours, 12 minutes, 2 seconds."
"Prepare for gravity generator and inertia dampeners engagement."
Private Scalia felt the movement of the ship reverse suddenly, as if it had stopped and reversed direction instantly. He then noticed his armor and boots become heavy, and felt for a split second a feeling of being strangled. Now things settled down. The faint sound of soldiers throwing up echoed in the cabin.
"All systems normal, prepare for jump in ten seconds."
The countdown continued. "6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...."
The ship accelerated infinitely faster. The inertia dampeners could do nothing now. Private Scalia was pressing against the harness to the point he thought his ribs would crack. He could feel his eyes roll back in their sockets. The edges of his vision were now enveloped in black. He started to black out, then suddenly - silence.
Private Scalia and the others pulled down their hibernation masks and connected the intravenous solution pack to their armor. They'd be asleep for the next four days, and then ready to patrol the outer reaches of space - to Reach and beyond.
(Continued in Part II - Failures and Malfunctions, Oh my!)
---
The Jump, Part II - The Sudden Stop
Date: 25 November 2002, 6:59 am
Thousands of men and women sat in suspended animation, with their faces
partially covered in their hibernation masks. They looked so much alike -
men and women - that one could argue they were the same. Perhaps this was
true, for they had only one purpose; to fulfill a mission.
Already three days into the slipstream, the ship was being run purely by its
perfect artificial intelligence. Nothing could stop it as it tore through
the very fabric of space and time itself, replacing light-years with just
days, hours, and minutes.
Then something went horribly wrong.
One hundred thousand small gas explosions rocked the titanium hull of the
ship. The hibernation masks were being propelled off the faces of their
occupants, while the IV attached to their armor shot powerful stimulants
into their bloodstreams.
"Warning, external ship detected less than 30 seconds from current position.
Recommend imitate maneuver." Droned the ships AI.
"Make it so," said Captain Miller, who had been abruptly awoken as well,
along with the rest of the crew. He ran to the forward bridge, as his
quarters were just a corridor away.
"Immediate contact with outer hull in twenty seconds. Engaging emergency
maneuvering thrusters, forward momentum decreasing at %120 rate."
"Sound Collision!" shouted Captain Miller. A member of the senior crew ran
to the back of the bridge, broke a safety glass covered wall niche, and
pounded a red button.
Hazard lights flashed all over the ship. A siren blared. The rows and rows
of marines quickly seated themselves as small bars popped up on their seats.
They were quickly harnessed in.
"Unknown vessel approaching on port side. Recommend immediate evasive
maneuver." Droned the AI, abet with some immediacy in its tone.
A counter flashed on the view screen. It was counting down the seconds to
collision. It neared 10 seconds, and as it did, it went red.
"Warning, collision imminent... collision in ten seconds."
It counted down.
5...
4...
3...
"Right full thrusters! Reverse starboard engine!" screamed Captain Miller.
The crewmates relayed the message through the bridge as it echoed through
the hull.
"Reversing starboard engine! Firing thrusters!" said the two navigators in
unison.
The ship lurched to the side and tilted off kilter to the right. They were
turning at incredible speeds. They had just exited the slipstream seconds
ago and were expending fuel at an exponential rate.
"Warning, hull integrity compromised - failure of superstructure during
collision doubled. Fuel reserves open. Engaging solid fuel thrusters." spoke
the AI.
The captain had now grabbed onto a pair of aid bars that had fallen from the
ceiling of the bridge when the collision alarm had sounded. They were the
only restraints available to the crew on the bridge. Others were seated.
Many had taken off their HUD headsets, fearing the end.
Suddenly the view screen cleared. A huge, iridescent ship loomed outside the
5-foot thick plexititanium carbonate window. Its hull was lit up by
thousands of lights.
The ship was also maneuvering itself away from Captain Miller's vessel.
"Mother of god." Whispered Captain Miller, under his breath. He let go of
his aid bars as his vessel and the ship drifted closer and closer.
The ship was unmistakably Covenant.
(Continued in Part III: Collision is a possibility.)
To Ken: Friendship is forever. Fight for Freedom.
The Silent Cartographer: Part One
Date: 13 April 2003, 1:59 AM
The alarm blared to life and Master Chief slammed from his sleeping position and hit his head on the upper rail. "Ow god damnit! Stupid ass developers! They just have to put a damn rail over my freakin' bed!" "Shut your ass up!", screamed Cortana, "You'll get our asses fried for capping on the developers of the POA!" "Oh really my bad! So what's on the agenda today Corty old girl?" "I swear to god.. You call me that again... And i'll kick your ass..." "Ahh screw you. So any way, what's on the agenda Corty?" "Okay. Today we must find the Silent Cartographer." "Awww I don't like that place! I wanna go see the Truth and Reconciliation!" "Hell no! Last time me and you went their you took the damn ship for a joyride, crapped all over the floors, pissed your name on the walls, and even posed nude in the bridge area!" "Fine then Corty. I hate you... You're no fun..." "Ahh shut up."
NOW TO THE SILENT CARTYOGRAPHER!
"Wow! Lookie at there Cortana! Island! Beach! Sun! Ba-"
"Shut up we're on a mission for the Silent Cartographer!" "Fine." Master Chief looked around the drop ship and spotted the Marine directly in front of him. "I love what you did to your skin! Fabulous!" "Uh Foehammer! Can I move a seat over away from Master Chief?", asked the marine nervously. "Naw just sit their! We'll hit dirt in five!", Foehammer screamed. "Alright!" answered the Marine. "So uh Chief. I uh see you got a new MA5B rifle. Uh it's uh nice..." "Can I run my fingers through your hair?", asked the Master Chief happily. "God no!" The tormented Marine sat in terror as the three other leathernecks looked at him and brought their rifles up shielding their smiling faces and laughter. Foehammer came onto the Comchannel and told the leathers 3 to dirt and for Pvt. Jenkins to cooperate with Master Chief's requests. "Fine...", answered Jekins blankly. He took off his helmet and revealed his crew cut of brown hair. "OHHHHHH! Brown me just like!" Master Chief then poked at the crew cut and then started to pet it. Wallace, the squad commander pissed his pants from laughing so hard. And as Jenkins let MC pet his head, he injectedhimself with over 7 medical stems to ease his humiliation.
ON THE BEACH
"The LZ is hot, real hot!", called FoeHammer, "Hit em' boys!" The four UNSC soldiers jumped from the troop hold area and made his way to the central Covenant assault group. Echo 314 finally unleashed her troops. The 8 Marines ran toward the assault group with guns blazing. Master Chief settled into a Grunt with a three round burst of his assault rifle. He then spun around and spent the rest of his clip on an Elite. Jenkins tossed a frag into the Jackal defensive square while Wallace mopped up the remaining few that survived the blast. MC slapped a fresh clip into his assault rifle and equipped his M6D pistol. With the 2X scope he picked off several of the Grunts that initiated blind fire at the 8 Marines. "Area secure!", said Lieutenant Hikowa into her mike. Just then Foe sailed overhead. "Did somebody ask for a Warthog?", she asked. "Hey I didn't know you made house calls Foehammer!", a Marine cried happily. "You know our motto, we deliver." She dropped off the Warthog and flew off. One Marine manned the gun while another propped himself in the driver seat. MC jumped into the driver seat and drove off.
Wilcox, who was the passenger of the Wart' turned around to look at Master Chief as he sang along to some Beach Boys song. "Hey uh Master Chief? Could you possibly change the station or put in a different Cd or something?" "Yeah sure. Anything for a man, hee hee." Donland the gunner nearly vomited as The Best or Bread jammed to life. "Oh hell no Master Chief! Turn that shit off! I maybe be a human, but I can kick your ass for sure!" "You dirty motherfu--", MC jumped from the driver side to beat up Donland. "Watch the damn wheel Chief!" The Warthog spun out of control and slammed in to a rock stuck in the sand. "Ahh shit." Wilcox jumped out and examined the totaled front. "Great job Master Dumbshit!" You totled the Warth' and now we need another spark plug! I oughta---!"
NEXT TO COME:
GETTING A SPARK PLUG FROM A HUNTER
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