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The Revelation of War, Chapter Three: Part I
Posted By: russ687<russ687@hotmail.com>
Date: 23 July 2004, 8:39 AM
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Chapter Three: The Entrance to Hell
1245 hours, September 19, 2552 (Military Calendar)
City of Rocere, East Side, 12 kilometers from City Center
Imbari System, planet Imbari V
Private First Class Levorie crept up to the corner of the large former-commercial building and peered around it. He looked down the wide main street that led straight for the City Hall, along with the downtown commercial block of the city. The paved street had craters and burn marks scared across it, the buildings lining the street were either heavily damaged or reduced to large piles of ruble. The nice trees that once lined the side-walks were mostly burnt crisps with few green leafs on them.
A small car burned in the middle of the street ahead, and the smoke rose into their air; its flames blowing swiftly in the light wind that poured down the silent street. Trash blew slowly across the former main street of transportation, leaving the entire view before him rather depressing.
He waited silently and tried to hear anything over his own breathing, but the only sounds ahead of him down the empty, rubble-laden street was the breeze and the hot flames from the car. He didn't like it, everywhere there were windows that could suddenly harbor an enemy, rubble to hide in, alleyways that had clear shots of the street; the situation had too many uncertainties.
Had any situation he'd been in not had any uncertainties? He blinked and wiped the sweat of his forehead, remembering the days, months, he had spent on this planet, fighting an enemy that was relentless in their pursuit to kill him. As part of the first liberation force to this planet, he had seen the big camps of the Covenant, the numerous fighters circling overhead, the ships in orbit that would slaughter his comrades. But now, after making his way to this city, things had changed for the quiet. No longer were there hordes of enemies assaulting him, ships circling overhead, mortars tearing away at their positions. Now it was rather peaceful, with quiet being the only thing that dominated the air around him.
But that very peace, that very silence was the one thing that ate away at him.
He took one last sweep of the street, then pulled back into the war-torn building and walked cautiously into the main room, a former office of some lawyer. Papers and trash were scattered about, the oak table flipped on its side, the light fixture from the ceiling shattered. Levorie held his rifle tight as the two Marines cautiously looking out a broken window held up their arms.
Levorie looked out the broken window from across the room into another side-street that intersected with the main road. He gazed up into the blue, cloudless sky overhead, the sun blazing down on the city. If only this would end.
"Road clear?" Corporal Berkley muttered, chewing silently on some gum. The Marine was now their commander, being the highest ranking among the three of them, and the two Marines on the second floor above them. Levorie didn't mind him; the Corporal had lasted this long, but he lacked the significant enthusiasm to encourage the other Marines. He could not blame him, though, none of them showed any enthusiasm.
Levorie nodded, kicking some trash across the room. "Looks clear, awfully silent out there."
His new squad leader nodded slightly and brought his MA5B to bear and looked out the window again. "Can't stay here forever. Jenson: get Warner and Morris down here."
The young Marine nodded shakily and moved for the stairs.
Berkley walked away from the window. "Second Squad says their moving up two hundred meters east of us. We need to secure this road and their flank."
Levorie nodded, but didn't care whether or not they could do that. The only thing that mattered was having a full clip and something to shoot at. He sighed and slung his rifle, scratching his scalp, feeling the uncut three-month old hair. He wished he had a helmet to cover it up with, but nothing was perfect.
After on and off fighting throughout the country-side and small towns, and now this city, he was beginning to feel it. His muscles ached, his arms were tired of hauling around the heavy rifle, his body called for sleep but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't close his eyes long enough without seeing memories. Memories which he wished he'd never see.
Jenson appeared from the stairs with Warner and Morris in tow. The three Marines looked at Berkley and awaited his orders. The Corporal looked them over and spit out the gum, fatigue being the most recognizable feature on his face.
"We're going to secure the next two-hundred meters of road for Second Squad," Berkley said, looking back and forth among them. "Levorie says its clear, but expect some resistance."
Levorie shook his head; he had never said it was completely clear.
"Move," the Corporal said, his voice flat and devoid of emotion.
The five Marines brought the rifles to bear and headed for the door to the main street. Levorie followed closely behind Jenson, his rifle shouldered. The young Marine in front of him eased around the corner into the sunlight and darted across the side-street to the a five-story building on the other side. He looked around for a second, then motioned for them to cross.
Levorie looked up the main road, then down the side street. His gut told him that they weren't alone, but his mind told him they were fine. He started across the road when the sound of rubble sliding caught his ear. The Marines immediately looked around and spotted small fragments of a building down the side-street roll out into view. A high-pitched squeak emitted from behind a blown open wall.
Levorie made it to Jenson and sighted his rifle on the small alien that came tumbling out into view. The Grunt squealed and tried to get on its feet, but rifle fire quickly punctured the aliens breathing apparatus. The alien twitched briefly then stopped.
The was a sudden sound and a hot green ball went flying out from inside the building down the side-street. The explosive plasma shot hit well above them, but sent large pieces of rubble raining down on them from above.
"Covering fire!" Berkley yelled, pointing at the building fifty meters down the street.
The Marines took aim and fired into the building, sending fragments and pieces of concrete flying everywhere. Some growls were heard, as well as a deep booming voice; the unmistakable orders from an Elite.
Levorie cursed silently as two Grunts edged up to the corner and poked the weapons out, firing wildly down the street toward them. The green plasma rounds were not accurately shot, and the Marines did not try dodging them. Jenson laughed nervously as the small aliens cowered, their heads poking out from around the corner.
Rifle fire quickly speared across that wall, sending dust into the air. The aliens moved back into safety as the rounds shattered the silence in the city. Levorie stopped to reload when he heard movement. He walked to the edge of the building and peered down the main street, Jenson firing bursts at the building.
Ahead of him was the burning car, and silently moving towards them were three Jackals and an Elite. Their weapons were charged and they looked directly at him, their steps quiet and slow. They saw the Marine's head from around the corner and the Jackals brought up their shields; the Elite fired and rolled to the side. The hot plasma rounds hit the side of the building and sent fragments out from the charred building.
"Four contacts, main street, twenty-meters!" Levorie yelled and jammed a clip into the MA5B.
The Marines still on the other side of the side-street spotted the small group of Covenant and opened fire, slowly pulling back into the building they had just come from.
Jenson didn't notice what Levorie had just said, and continued firing at the building down the side-street, his eyes hysterical. Levorie cursed loudly as Berkley and the two Marines with him stepped back out of sight into the lawyer's office building.
He peered around the corner and saw the group of Jackals and their Elite leader moving up on them, their bodies casting long shadows across the wide main street. He leaned out and fired, the rounds impacted and bounced off the Jackals' shields. The Elite fired at him again and hit the building; Levorie could feel the heat from the plasma.
"We've got to get out of here," he said quickly. Jenson pulled down the trigger and sprayed rounds at the building down the side street, oblivious.
Levorie grabbed the young Private's shoulders and shook him. "Jenson, we've got to go!"
The Private laughed and looked at him. His pupils were dilated and he had a smirk etched across his face. The Marine turned and fired again at the building.
Levorie looked up at the far off building as another green orb went flying out towards them. He bent down and leaped away from the building into the side-street as the round hit squarely five meters above where he once was. He looked back to see the green explosion engulf Jenson, who screamed loudly.
He felt the heat wash over him, then looked back to Jenson, who slumped forward face first into the sidewalk, his body black and charred.
Levorie stared at the sight of the smoking Marine less then five meters away. What was going on? He looked around in confusion as rubble from the building fell on him from the blast. His vision began to get tight as his heart rate doubled. He grabbed is rifle and fired wildly to where the Grunts were, the rounds aimlessly impacting around the area. Plasma fire erupted from ahead and behind him.
He had survived months of war on this planet, only to come to his demise in a street on some city. He fired again and watched his round impact harmlessly on the ground in front of him. What am I doing?
He breathed heavily and stumbled to his feet, depressing the trigger which emptied his clip into the street at his feet. He stared obliviously down the street, his mind going blank. He closed his eyes as an explosion nearby threw him to his face on the charred cement. He opened his eyes to find a blurry scene; he couldn't focus.
He let go of his rifle and brought his knees up to his chest and laid in the street, shaking. He closed his eyes.
The image of his Platoon Sergeant filled his mind, then the rounds of plasma that tore through his chest, splaying blood over him. The his mind flashed to a scene where a Pelican drop-ship came flying over him, then it took a direct his from a Covenant fighter and careened out of control and impacted into the ground, sending mud and dirt into the air. He stared at the images as the fuel tanks exploded and flames engulfed the ship; screams of Marines trapped aboard filled his head.
The screams of death. He opened his eyes and heard a yelling noise. He squirmed quickly in the street and looked around, the scream still resounding. He felt his body over, then touched his face.
And realized he was the one screaming.
He looked to where the Grunts were in the building and saw nothing, he turned around quickly and looked to where the Jackals and the Elite were supposed to be on the road. He saw four bodies in four pools of blood on the cratered street. He looked around wildly and wiped the saliva from his mouth.
The sound of a craft filled his ears from over head. He stared up into the blue sky as a large black craft circled and came in low, its rear door open. He stared in silence as dust and small fragments began flying away as the downwash from the craft send debris everywhere. He looked up and saw two long rifles sticking out from the rear, long scopes attached to them and some figures in green-gray fatigues expertly holding them, sweeping back and fourth.
He watched as two ropes were thrown out from the rear door and land five meters to his left and right. Then figures grabbed onto the ropes and slid expertly down the twenty-meter distance from the black craft to the street. The first one hit the street and immediately brought a long rifle out to bear. The figure swept up and down the street as more slid down the ropes to the street. The figure then slung its rifle and crouched over to him through the downwash of the craft overhead.
Levorie stared into the black, sleek visor that came down from the helmet. The man settled next to him and grabbed his shoulders. Levorie stared at his own reflection in the visor.
"Name?" The man asked forcefully.
Levorie stumbled with the words shakily. "Private First Class Raymond Levorie."
The figure spoke into a comm. microphone, then motioned for another Marine to come over to them. The second Marine ran over and knelt down, slinging his rifle.
"Private, are you okay?"
The words echoed in his head as he stared into the second Marines black visor; his reflection haunting.
"It's okay, you're safe now."
Lieutenant Kren and Sergeant McCollum grabbed the shaken Marine by his arms and pulled him to his feet. The Marine required assistance to stand, so they both stood there, holding the man up under the downwash from the Blackspear hovering overhead.
Kren looked the man in his eyes through the tinting of his visor. "Who's your commander?"
The Marine stared around them shakily. "The Lieutenant's dead, fucking dead, he was blown apart and we tried to save him but it was too late. The Covenant swarmed around him and the drop-ship left..."
McCollum looked over at Kren and shook his head.
Kren activated the comm. link. "Secure the street. Delta Four-One: remain on air support station. Corporal Ryder, scan all frequencies and try and contact any Marines around here." The Marines acknowledged his order.
McCollum and Kren walked the Marine over to the side of the street and set him down. The Marine was a mess, and was in shell-shock. He would be of little help to them now.
Kren brought his rifle out and looked down the main street leading to the down-town area of the city. Smoke rose form several different locations, and debris and trash littered the area. The Covenant had obviously made their presence known.
Now they would.
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