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The Story of a marine; Chapter 4
Posted By: Ugly Wimp<uglywimp@gmail.com>
Date: 20 June 2007, 3:34 pm
Read/Post Comments
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Chapter 4
1100 Hours, May 24, 2545 (Military/System Calendar)
Oak Ridge Middle School; Room 245
Six Years Earlier.
Andrew sat at his desk waiting for the teacher to begin the next lesson. "Well students," their teacher said, "before we continue, the administration wants everyone to see the press release that the prime minister is making, so please pay attention. I know it's boring, but apparently you need to see it." Everyone groaned. UNSC press releases were notoriously long, and ever since the students had been forced to watch them, they learned that there was something more boring than studying.
The screen turned on, and the solemn face of Prime Minister Fiorentino, standing at the podium, appeared. "People of the United Nations, it is with pleasure I announce a project that has been taking place for years, and has been keeping you safe from the Covenant."
Andrew had to shake his head at that. Every month, it seemed a kid came into school teary eyed, and they went straight to the guidance office. Later that day, everyone would learn how there father, mother, aunt, uncle, or cousin was killed by the Covenant. It seemed even to be getting worse, sometimes there were two or three cases, and the news was always reporting on how another planet had been glassed.
"The SPARTAN II Program, has been going on for since 2525, and has been hugely successful. Spartans are chosen from the best and the brightest of the UNSC military, and given special MIJOLNIR armor, which can take multiple hits before even singeing. It also enhances the user's strength and reflexes, making Spartans nearly invincible. They played a large part in the recent victory on Outlook colony, and here is footage, taken in combat, showing Spartans in action."
The screen cut to a somewhat grainy image, showing several marines, taking cover behind a low wall at the top of a building. The building overlooked a courtyard, filled with civilians, surrounded by Covenant. They occupied the ground and the nearby roof tops, but had not detected the marines.
"Sir," one marine said in a whisper over his radio, "I don't see how any size force stop them from killing those civilians."
"Just hang tight," a voice replied over the radio, "help is on the way."
Then, there was a sudden hail of fire. All the rounds were those from a sniper rifle, and 16 Covenant soldiers, mainly Jackals and a few of the tall ones with shields. Three green shapes jumped up from places where they could never have been seen. When they landed, the ground shook, but they were in motion again in a split second. Their weapons fired, grunts and jackals fell to the ground, those who lived ran, arms in the air, obviously in sheer terror.
Everyone sat riveted, staring at the screen. There were no bored stares, nor sleepy yawns.
Five ghosts entered the courtyard. Four of the drivers were taken out by a sniper who not revealed herself. One of the armored figures jumped onto the vehicle, kicked the driver out and spun the craft around. Its plasma cannons let loose a stream of fire on the tall alien driver, who quickly fell, dead.
Three pelican drop ships landed, and began picking up human survivors. Not a single Covenant so much as twitched.
Andrew could not believe he was staring at these same Spartans. They told him and the rest of the marines to stay behind. Once the beings left, everyone talked at once.
"I can't believe they sent Spartans; we must be important."
"Damn, at least we don't have to worry about the Covenant anymore."
"I knew they tall but…"
They rambled on for a little while, then finally quieted down. They talked though, on what they had heard about the Spartans. The general consensus was that not a single Spartan was KIA, and that most Covenant ran at the sight of a Spartan.
After a while, there was a tremendous explosion. Everyone ran out of the bunker and saw a mushroom cloud over where Cote d'Azure was. The Spartans had nuked it, evidently, and with reports of a victory in space, the Covenant were all but out of the system.
A few days later, Andrew was watching the construction of new bunkers and the unloading of reinforcements. Then, a private, one of the few who had survived, walked up to him. The new general says we need to meet him in his office.
They walked up to the prefab structure that was serving as the temporary command. They walked in, and found the other survivors standing in front of the general's desk. "Everyone's here sir," and MP reported. The general was looking out a window at the construction. He turned around and saluted, as did all the marines.
"Well gentlemen, I would like to congratulate you on a job well done. I know that is an understatement, but there isn't much more I can say. Now, I am sure you can all figure out that now that the Covenant knows the location of this planet, they are sure as hell coming back. So, I would like some experienced men to help reinforce this place. But I received orders straight from ONI section 3 that you are to report to Reach for a special assignment. Well, good luck to you all."
There was silence. Everyone knew that ONI section 3 special assignments were suicide missions. Andrew would have liked to have said he would gladly die to save the UNSC, but he couldn't. He honestly would have rather lived than go on an ONI mission, but he didn't have much choice.
Over the next two months, Andrew got extra training in standard combat, but also a lot of zero-gee combat instruction. That was new. All UNSC trainees got some instruction in low gravity environment, but this was the kind of training that a specialist got. Finally in September, he learned where he was going.
"Alright marines, listen up," said the Master Sergeant who was briefing them, "I know you have all been through hell, but this assignment could mean the end of the war. I would just like remind everyone that this is classified information, and giving it away would be considered treason and is punishable by death. Now, you will be stationed on board the Pillar of Autumn, which will be sent on a special mission. All the remaining Spartans will also be aboard, and they will attempt to disable and capture a Covenant ship. The idea is to get a Covenant vessel to attempt a boarding action, so you will need to defend the Autumn, while the Spartans do their thing. I can't reveal anymore of the Spartan's mission, because it's classified, but the important thing is that you keep the ship from falling into enemy hands. Understood?"
"Sir!" everyone answered. But Andrew wasn't sure that he was ready. But, given the choice, he thought he might never be ready. But he had no choice; had to do it, and this might be the battle that would save humanity.
Afterward, the marines who would be aboard assembled, and Andrew saw a familiar face.
"Well I'll be damned, if it isn't Andrew Waldron. What did you survive so they put you on this outfit? I think we have a collection the luckiest marines in the entire galaxy," It was a friend of his from training, Joseph Walker.
"Well, the Covenant landed at Sigma Octanus, attacked my position. I was one of the few who survived, how about you
"Well, our ship was boarded by the Covenant, we fought them off, but very few of us were left."
"Well, with our luck, we might make it through this," Andrew said with a chuckle. They moved back to the barracks.
"Sergeant says we have to load up. We'll be getting on the ship tomorrow. We'll be leaving three days after that." Three days—Andrew thought. He didn't think that three days was a very long time. But now was not the time to be scared. He had to fight!
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