halo.bungie.org

They're Random, Baby!

Fan Fiction


Escape
Posted By: Mr Bill Jr V<mr_bill_jr_5@hotmail.com>
Date: 05 October 2001, 6:11 am


Read/Post Comments

The entire ship shook. A bulkhead snapped. Fire suddenly exploded, pouring droplets of flame form the roof of the cargo bay. The cargo bay control window drew the attention of the crew. Shouts where heard, then plasma fire torched the entire command window. Blue explosions shook the cargo bay. The window shattered, tossing glass and more fire onto the cargo bay deck.

"Lets get out of here, commander!"

"I think you make a good point soldier, running seems to our best option at the moment."

The deck worker raised his voice and shouted to all who remained in the cargo bay.

"Lets go! Were leaving the ship!"

The aliens began to fire directly onto the cargo bay deck. Two crew men, were hit and tossed by the lasers, their blood thrown across the deck. The other workers needed to see no more. They ran for the nearest exit, grabbing what ever weapons they could get their hands on. The aliens in the control room continued to fire, tearing apart crates, and other pieces of equipment. The marine took the initiative and ran for the exit door, stopping only to grab an MYC Mark V heavy pistol from one of the weapons racks. He ran into the hall, quickly being joined by three other marines.

"Right, lets get to those drop ships."

"Fastest way is straight through here," the marine gestured with his hand,
"We follow deck five all the way to cargo bay three. There's a launch terminal there."

"Lets move out!"

Having just finished his sentence, the marine speaking was hit by a piece of flaming metal. The door directly beside the marines exploded. The chunk of metal took the head clean off the trooper, a river of blood flooded out from the marines neck. An oxygen pipe was blown free, forming into a sort of prevented snake, tossing cold plumes of air from its tip. All three marine spun and fired simultaneously down the corridor. The thunder of breaches slamming filled the corridor. Blue blood landed thick on the walls, four dead Covenants falling to the ground. The marine realized that he had no clip in his pistol. Taking to the advice from the other marines, he crammed a clip into the breach, pulling back on the release. The gun's flashlight turned on, tossing added light into the corridor. Stepping around the rubble, the marines made their way down the corridor.

"Dammit, the switch is totaled."

The marine pushed his comrade aside, and took a look at the simple door clamp switch. It was indeed 'totaled'.

"I got an idea."

The marine pulled a grenade from his belt. The other marines, quickly realizing the troopers intent, backed away from the door, shielding their faces. The marine pressed down, and held onto the starter devise. The grenade made a quick humming noise, then began to smoke.

1,2,3...

"Fire in the hole!"

The door was now open. Flaming debris where scattered liberally around the ensuing corridor. The door was bent forward, most of it now several feet down the hall.

"Hey guys, shut up for a second."

"Yah I hear that too..."

The marine motioned for his comrades to stop moving, and then walked ahead of them slightly. Coming to a 'T' intersection in the corridor, he peaked around the corner.
Three Covenants had a human crew member pinned against the wall. They were waving their pulsating weapons under his nose, and laughing at the shrill shrieks and screams that he produced.

Oh, now you've pissed me off...

The marine composed himself, and then spun around the corner, weapon blazing. The breach thundered, shell casing glinting off the ground. One shot blow the first Covenant's head off, the second put a hole through his chest. The aliens weapon flew out of his hands, the alien then collapsing onto the ground. The second Covenant pulled his weapon into firing position, but found that he had no arm to hold it with. Another shot took half of his chest off. The final Covenant was still laughing when three rounds punched through his torso, tossing him down the corridor. The marine ran towards the crew man; ejecting and reloading his pistol.

The crew man shouted profanities at the dead Covenants and proceeded to kick them, as if he was exacting revenge upon still living aliens.

"Soldier, we have to get to the escape pods. You got any idea how we do that?"

"Yah... we go down the corridor here, and then take this door, and then we turn left, and then we go over here..."

The crew man trailed off when he realized that he had completely lost the marine.

"Look, just follow me!"

"Now that I can do."

The marine leaned around the corner and called up his comrades. A short run brought them to cargo bay two, and its launch terminal. Several marines and some crew men where engaged in a vicious fire fight with Covenant troops. The Covenants must have reached the cargo bay first.

"Report!" The marine asked form one of the troopers fighting near the first access door.

"They got, maybe ten heavy Covenants in there. There giving us one hell of a time."
The trooper paused to hit the hatch access switch. As the door opened, he turned to face the Covenants within. His riffle crackled, and two Covenants fell. The door closed, leaving the Covenant return fire to bounce off it's armored hide.

"Make that eight," The trooper replaced his clip.

"Alright we'll get you guys in there," promised one of the marines comrades, "Hold em off for a second longer."

The trooper called over one of his men.

"When I open this door, these boys are going in. We give em some covering fire, understand?"

The trooper being addressed nodded. The door release switch was pressed. The marines rushed inside, peeling off to the wall, as the two troopers on the other side of door opened fire. The aliens ducked behind the 'T' intersection that led into the cargo bay. Bullets bounced off the corridor wall, with no effect. The marine pulled out a grenade. The grenade's trigger was depressed. Humming.
Covenants were blown across the corridor. Three landing against a bulkhead in front of the marines. Blue blood was pasted against the walls. Breaches shuddered. The marines rushed around the corner, finding one badly wounded Covenant trying to pull himself to his feet. One kick from the marines pistol put an end to that. Another four Covenants suddenly jumped out form behind several large crates, and spread the corridor with blue flame. Shells spat across the cargo bay. Two aliens fell, both missing large portions of their heads. Both troopers where blown apart by the return fire, leaving only the marine. His pistol shuddered twice, resulting in two aliens being blown across the cargo bay.

The marine spat on one of the alien corpses.

"Bay clear!"

The crew men, accompanied by three marines, rushed into the cargo bay. They noticed the considerable carnage, but pressed on. Blue blood mixed with red, leaving streaks of dark green on the floor.

"Lets get to the that terminal. Are you coming commander?"

The marine shook his head. Shook his head at the same time that the entire ship shuddered. A large coolant pipe exploded, tossing flaming nitrogen onto the deck. The crew members nodded their appreciation to the marine and made their way towards the escape pods. The marine turned and pushed himself back into the corridor.

Cargo bay three...

A short run brought the marine to darkened hallway. The lights flickered. He could hear Covenant voices. He pressed himself flat against the corridor wall. Two small, rather fat, orange colored creatures ran past the marine. Once they had rounded the corridor, he set out down the hallway again. The ship's power supply was dieing fast. Few lights, except for the red tinted emergency bulbs still ran. The marine turned a corner, and almost walked into a door. On the door, large scorched black letters spelled out, "Cargo Bay Three."
Six or so crew men could be seen fighting behind crates through the transparent glass of the door. Just as the marine pulled back on the access switch, one of the crew men was hit by a laser bolt, tearing his chest apart. He was shot backwards with such force that it actually throw him out the door which the marine had just opened. Wasting no more time, the marine rushed into the cargo bay. The dark red lights flickered. He slid and landed behind a crate, facing a terrified human worker. The worker was trying, with no success, to load a clip into his pistol. The marine grabbed the pistol, and loaded the clip.

"How do we get past the aliens, commander?"

Another crewmen was hit as he tried to reload his shotgun. The shotgun spun up into the air, and was quickly grabbed by the marine. The wounded crewmen, fell to the floor, dieing from massive blood lose in less then a minute. The marine turned to the worker.

"Like this--"

The marine jumped to his feet spinning the shotgun forward. The shotgun exploded into life, blowing chunks out of the walls, the Covenants, and anything else that got in its way.
The worker was almost mystified as the marine emptied round after round into the aliens.
Finally when the gun ammo supply was exhausted, the marine vaulted himself over his hiding crate.

"Room clear! Get to those escape pods!"

At this point the speaker system activated. A voice recording was played,

"Complete destruction in thirty seconds."

The workers needed no more coxing. They rushed towards the terminal. The voice stated that ten seconds now remained. The workers and the marines rushed into the nearest escape pod. Punching in a quick set of commands, the marine buckled himself down. The workers followed his example. A pressure lock could be heard disengaging. A set of three metal bars, turned and locked the pods rear door closed. The voice was muffled just after it announced that five seconds remained. The pod rocked slightly, as the clamps de-locked, allowing the pod to float free for a second. Then the engines kicked in. All on board where pressed against their seats, blue ion trails propelling the pod with incredible speed. The pod was blown free of the, "SCS Pillar of Autumn," never to see it again.

"Two...One...Zero."





bungie.org