Discovery of an Enemy, Epilogue
Posted By: russ687<russ687@hotmail.com>
Date: 7 July 2004, 11:10 PM
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Epilogue
1543, July 21, 2552 (Military Calendar)
Aboard ONI Stealth Frigate Valiant Knight,
in slip-space towards Cole Protocol sufficient system
Gunnery Sergeant McCollum helped three other Marines load their CO onto a stretcher that was waiting for them in the docking by after the Blackspear made it in. The Marines were relieved to be back onboard, but all of them were still in confusion about what had just happened on the planet, and the added fact that the ship suddenly jumped into slip-space didn't help.
Kren looked around as he sat up on the stretcher, two medical technicians at his side taking more X-rays before they moved him off towards the medical-bay. He looked around at his men; tired, dirty, most splattered with alien blood. He watched as they silently finished getting off the Blackspear and file up roughly into their fire teams.
He sat there silently, looking around as the thirty five Marines moved around him. Some just sat down and rested against pallets, others talked quietly amongst themselves, some just stood there alone, thinking. He wasn't sure what to think about what they had just gone through, about the Marine they had lost, about the aliens they encountered or even the artifacts he came across himself. The confusion and disarray, added to by the pain slowly leaving his leg as the medical technicians gave him light doses of morphine, was thick upon not only him, but them all. How much of it had been luck? How much skill?
How much fate?
But through out it all, he knew one thing for sure. He was proud of his men, of the stuff they went through and the times they were put in harms way. Never in his commanding career was he content with the men who surrounded him right then and there.
They were ODSTs. They were Marines.
As for the questions the remained on the planet, the questions about the structure they had gone into, the creatures they had encountered, and the missing Covenant army reamined unanswered. Even when he had the ball these mysteries were not revealed to him.
He sighed; he may never know why.
The medical technician told him to lay back down as they did some last checks before they moved him off. Finally, he was off the planet.
McCollum watched silently. His facial expressions were grim and the fatigue showed clearly through his posture. Maybe now they could get their much warranted rest.
Kren closed his eyes and felt the area around him get bright and warm. He opened his eyes and noticed the docking bay was getting brighter. He sat up as everyone turned to face McCollum, who quickly detached the webbing bag that held the artifact. He held it for a second, then dropped it as it shone brighter, forcing everyone to cover their eyes. The process was strangely similar to the ball incidents on the surface of Milestone.
He covered his eyes and felt the warmth as the entire docking bay lit up bright white. Then suddenly, it stopped. The Marines and few ship crewmen in there immediately looked around. Kren uncovered his eyes and looked around them.
Before them was the sight of hundreds of Covenant vessels in slip-space. The awkward looking vessel traveled precariously close together through the dimension bending space. The sight of the ships continued on all around them, and the Marines and crewmen looked about in awe. It was so real yet distant at the same time.
Then the view changed. The Covenant ships exited slip-space. The entered the system near a bright star and continued along at full speed toward a distant planet. Hundreds of the alien ships appeared as the armada launched fighters and their plasma turrets heated up.
Ahead of the massive attacking force was a planet. Surrounding the planet were dozens of UNSC ships, orbital shipyards, and Super MAC platforms. The view suddenly flashed as the MAC platforms and UNSC ships fired. Small, bright flashes emitted from all over as the MAC rounds headed towards the Covenant fleet.
Then, the Covenant ships opened fire, letting loose hundreds of plasma balls that hurtled toward the planet and the ships guarding it. The sight was frightening as the MAC rounds and the hot plasma rounds passed each other, heading in to destroy.
Suddenly, the view disappeared around them. The docking bay went back to normal and the light disappeared. The Marines and crewmen looked around, questions etched on their faces.
McCollum stood there, eyeing the artifact cautiously. The entire docking bay was silent and no one moved, not sure what to do or say.
Kren stared down at the object, then looked up at his Platoon Sergeant.
"Reach won't be there when we get back."
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