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The Fall of Rye: Part 6: A New Enemy
Posted By: teemus<teemusligg@hotmail.com>
Date: 16 May 2004, 5:58 AM


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I'm back, sorry about the wait people, my computer crashed and I couldn't write, I hope you enjoy. Leave a comment.

-teemus




July 2nd, Rye system

      The Covenant dropship lurched to the side as it hit an air pocket and sent loose equipment tumbling around. Jason looked out of the view port in front of him and saw the rest of the unit trailing behind them in Warthogs and Scorpions. He took a glance in front of him and saw the Human Power-plant looming up and over the horizon, it was much bigger then Jason had thought. It was like an over sized cube surrounded by barbed wire gates and watchtowers. It was Marine green; the same colour the UNSC painted the Pelicans. There were also large windows every few meters.

      "All clear, doesn't look like there's any patrols, go ahead and deploy troops on the rooftops," said the stern voice of the Major.

      "Yes sir, moving to deploy now," replied Morris. The troopship picked up speed and headed straight towards the power-plant.

      "Alright boys, gear up, we hit the dirt in five!" barked the Corporal over the noise of the engines. Jason loaded a fresh clip into his Battle Rifle and checked the pins on his grenades. Once every man in the squad had issued a ready, the dropship doors fell open with a soft hiss and the ODST's ran out shouting ready to shoot anything that wasn't human. The yelling stopped as fast as it had started, the Helljumpers charged out onto the rooftop and found nothing; nothing but the dead bodies of Covenant.

      Jason quickly turned around and watched as the Phantoms doors closed and it lifted higher and left towards the horizon. "What the hell happened here?" asked a confused Helljumper.

      "I dunno, you think it was friendly fire?" replied Russlle as he poked the body of a dead Elite.

      "Must've been," said Jason as he turned back around, "The bodies were riddled by plasma."

      "Then how the hell do you explain this?" said the Corporal as he pointed to one of the Shades that were on the rooftop. Jason moved closer and almost vomited at what he saw; the Grunt in the operators' seat was laying motionless at the controls and had a giant cavity in its chest. It looked as if something had tried to burrow its way into the Grunts' body.

      Jason turned his gaze away, but his eye caught something else, it was a greenish liquid stuck to the ledge of the roof. "Sir, I think you better look at this," said the ODST.

      "What the hell is that?" asked the Corporal as he stood next to Jason and eyed the greenish liquid.

      "Beats the hell out of me," replied Jason.

      There was a sudden burst of static as the COM burst open and out came the voice of a panicked Marine, "This is squad Zulu! We're being attacked... can't hold on much longer!" There was a pause in which gunfire continued and people were shouting, "They're not Covenant! Take That SOB down Holland! Need back u---can't ho---ahh--get it of—me---hel—"

      "Come in! I repeat, come in Zulu!" barked the Corporal back into the COM once it had gone dead, "Fuck! Piece of shit!" he yelled as he ripped the COM off and threw it across the rooftop. "Jones, give me your goddamn COM."

      "Yes sir," replied Jones as he took his COM off and handed it to the Corporal.

      The non-com grabbed it out from Jones's grip and placed it over his head, "Major, do you read me?"

      "I read you, what is it?"

      "Did you hear that transmission from Zulu?"

      "I did. And no Corporal, I have no idea what it is that attacked them."

      "Alright sir, I also wanted to report something strange up here on the roof."

      "What is it?"

      "Sir, we met no resistance. Instead we found the remains of a Covenant squad..."

      "We ran into the same problem, we found the remains of a Covenant Patrol party, but continue on the mission; any further problems... then radio me, over and out."

      "Yes, sir, over and out," the Corporal took the COM link off and handed it back to Jones. "Alright ladies, we are to continue on mission and defend the Reactor Core, follow me, and keep your guard up, who the hell knows what's in here."

      Jones moved up to the roof access door and pulled it open, he was motionless for a little bit before he vomited. Jones came running back and vomited some more over the ledge of the room. "What happened to him?" asked Russlle in disgust as he stared after the still-vomiting Jones.

      "That's what happened," said another shaky Marine who stared into the hallway. Jason moved up and stared in horror at the scene in front of him. There was purple and green blood all over the walls, as well as torn apart bodies of Covenant.

      "There's no way in hell that this was friendly fire," said Russlle.

      "Stop staring and let's go," barked the Corporal as he stepped over the body of decapitated Jackal, and then hop scotched his way through the rest, the rest of the squad followed.

      They traveled for about ten minutes with their guard always up but there never was any resistance. Every once in a while they would come across a dead body, but other then that it was all quiet. Jason relaxed a bit and thought that maybe this would be a milk run, but just as the thought exited his brain, the Corporal ordered the squad to a halt.

      "What is it boss?" asked Marty.

      "Listen," replied the Corporal, he held up a hand and looked around cautiously.

      The squad went quiet as Jason strained his ears for a sound, but there was none. Just as they were about to give up, there it was; it was like the sound of a thousand insects scrambling over each other at the same time, it sounded sickening and amazing at the same time. There was a sudden shout and a blast of gunfire, Jason turned around and saw Jones shooting a group of small squid-like objects. "What are you all waiting for? Fire your goddamn weapons!" barked the Corporal. The squad turned and began firing at their unknown enemy. If the Helljumpers hit one of the creatures, it would explode and take two more with it, but soon after four more would come up to take their fallen comrades place. There was another scream and Jason watched in horror as one of the infectors jumped onto Jones's chest and drove a needle-like penetrator into his flesh. Two more jumped on and Jones soon fell under a wave of the creatures.

      "Run! Make your way to the Power Core!" shouted the Corporal. Jason didn't even look back, but instead just turned around and took off as fast as he could with the rest of the squad hot on his heals.

To be continued...





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