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Discovery of an Enemy, Chapter Three: Part II
Posted By: russ687<russ687@hotmail.com>
Date: 28 May 2004, 5:05 AM


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1140, July 21, 2552 (Military Calendar)
System Designation Classified, Planet Codename Milestone

The six barrel's moved steadily back and forth as the six Marines made their way cautiously across the clearing. The foot long wet grass, covered completely by water from the rain, was the only thing in this clearing. It was completely void of rocks, trees, or anything else natural. It did, however, have its fair share of Covenant objects and structures. Thousands of them.

Kren spotted Third Squad's fire team moving cautiously across the clearing just under a mile to the west. And Second Squad's fire team was also about a mile to the east. He looked back but couldn't see any Marines covering them. They must have been camouflaged well, since they were less then 100 meters away and no trace of them could be found.

"We've got you covered, sir." Came McCollum's voice over the comm. link, reading his CO's mind.

Kren looked back down the sight of his M7A1. This was far too perplexing to make the situation nerve-racking. Curiosity kept him taking steps farther towards that structure, not his will to fight.

He put his fist up, bringing Fire Team Bravo to a halt, then crouch behind him. "We're going to check out some of these tents structures. Each of them have emitted some IR feedback, so let's at least clear one of them."

"Roger that, sir." Sergeant Brooks replied. "Lancer and Levens, cover us from the left. Sir, me and the rest will follow you in."

Kren nodded. There was a large tent 40 meters away, and the group moved towards it. Their feet splashed through the field, which looked much like a lake, as the clouds overhead continued to shower them with rain drops the size of their casing rounds. Was this weather year-round?

Kren got within ten meters of the entrance and halted, giving Privates Lance and Levens time to move around and cover the door from the side. This was going to be tricky, since the door appeared to be made of a hard plastic that swung aside. Not giving them much cover from plasma fire if anybody was hiding inside.

He inched up to the door, with Brooks right behind him, along with the remaining men from Fire Team Bravo. All their M7A1's were trained on the door as they came up to a halt. Kren looked back and gave the signals for a forced entry. The Marines lined up behind him, so close that they were almost hugging the back of each other, with Kren at the front. This style of entry was known as Stacking, and every Marine there was well aware of how to use this tactic.

Kren was looking right into Lancers eyes as he reached for the apparent level to open the tent door. He gripped it tightly, holding his rifle with one arm and ready to fire at the slightest movement from the inside. He waited for a second.

Breathe. This was simple.

He yanked the cover up with all his might, sending the flap up into the air, ripping it at the seams. He then lurched forward into the tent, his rifle coming to bear, scanning the room on the left side. Brooks came in, still hugging close to his CO, scanning toward the center, then followed by the rest, who scanned the right side of the tent.
Nothing moved.

Kren noticed a slight distortion of light in the corner. Camouflaged Elite?

His rifle came to bear as the silhouette of a large, vaguely humanoid form moved towards him. He made out the form of an Elite, as it lunged toward him, its appearance still vague and distorted. It looked like a ghost, halfway visible, halfway transparent. No sound was heard, despite the fact that it was running at him, the tent floor being pushed down as the weight of its feet hit. His finger pulled back on the trigger.

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McCollum watched through is scope form the tree line as his CO made his entrance to the tent, rushing through the door. There was suddenly northing, then the flashes illuminated from inside the tent.

The sound of subdued automatic gunfire reached his ears a second later.

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Kren yelled out, his rifle shouldered and firing at the half-transparent Elite that lunged at him. The casings ejected quickly as he fired his weapon at point blank range. The rounds did nothing to stop it. In fact, they didn't even hit it.

Kren heard the slight click of his rifle run out of ammunition. He dropped the rifle and pulled out his M6D, the process took less then one second as the barrel of the pistol came to bear. One round came out of the pistol and passed completely through the half-invisible Elite.

The Elite was now in the air, coming towards him for the attack. It had no weapons, but its fists looked threatening enough as the stretched out toward him. Kren's muscles tighten up but he didn't move; this Elite would be tackling him the hard way.

Kren lowered into a charging stance, throwing his weight forward as the Elite came at him. They were mere inches apart as Kern's fists came out, ready to impact on the Elite's armor. He blinked as the two made contact.

And he fell straight through the Elite and onto the tent floor, his M7A1 being the first thing to impact him.

Brook turned around and watched as something went crashing through the door outside, and also looked at his CO, crashing to the floor. He had just been checking the far left side of the room when gunfire erupted from his CO. The sound of a silenced M7A1, then the loud explosive shots of an M6D.

"What the hell...?" Brooks started.
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Private Lance was adjusting his helmet strap when a half-transparent Elite came stumbling out of the tent. He immediately brought his weapon to bear and fired rounds into as it got on its feet and stared down Lance. Levens joined in from behind, sending another array of .45 armor piercing rounds into the transparent Elite.

But without satisfaction, as the rounds went straight through like the Elite wasn't even there.

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Dieter focused his sights on the Elite. His finger flipped off the safety and and pulled the trigger in one smooth motion. The rain-draped silence was shattered as the 14.5 millimeter projective left the long barrel of the S2B. The round traveled and impacted with the Elite's head—only to keep going through, his tracer proof that it did not hit. That was not right....

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Kren stood up, and with his pistol drawn, bolted out the door. He looked to his right and saw Lance and Levens, both beginning the reload process after both firing thirty rounds each. He looked to his left and spotted the ghost-like Elite. It stood there and stared back, not moving. Then, without a single sound, it raised its arm and appeared to roar. Kren watched, his M6D aimed at the Elite.

Then, it disappeared completely.

Brooks, along with the rest of Fire Team Bravo, burst out of the tent, their M7A1's scanning the area back and forth. "Where, sir?" Brooks asked loudly, trying to find whatever everyone was shooting at.

Kren stood there in silence, slowly lowering his pistol. It was gone.

"What the hell is this place?"





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