The Halo RPG: RPG Thread (Story Arc 1)

[llau]

[I'm a little rusty with Halo RPGs, but here goes]

Captain Mitchell Pierce groaned, blinking his eyes opened and found himself sitting upside down in the escape pod. Still strapped securely in his seat, he sluggishly reached around to check and see if any limbs were broken before unbuckling the straps, and then falling down onto the roof of the escape pod he shared with his squad. First thing that came to his mind was how long he'd been unconscious as he grabbed for his battle rifle, and looked around. Of course, the next thing that came to his mind was where was his squad?

Before pressing on his communications device, he cautiously moved out of the pod to see if all three, if any, had secured their landing zone; but to be only greeted by the crisp, cold air of the planet. He surveyed his surrounding, and noticed footprints in the snow, but were mostly faded by the blowing snow. Sighing, he crotched down to a knee, touching one of the visible footprints.

'At least they're human,' he thought, 'They must have been in a hurry to find better cover elsewhere.' Who could blame them? Perhaps they only had time to make sure he was alive before the enemy came. He didn't know for sure.

He cautiously took off his helmet and put on a light gray balaclava to shield his skin from the cold, or tried to at least, and then put on the pair of shaded goggles he'd kept strapped around his belt just in case to protect his eyes from the snow glare.

After putting back on his helmet and securing the strap underneath his chin, he pressed on his communication unit, and said, “This is Captain Mitchell Pierce from the First Battalion Infantry, Delta Squad. Position: Unknown. Time while unconscious: Unknown. Currently looking for my squad members who are MIA – presumed KIA..” He paused for a few moments to wait and see if his squad would respond. Hoping they would respond with some sarcastic remark to try to lighten things up. Cursing silently when none came, he continued, “Can anyone hear me? Over.”

He really did hope his squad-mates were still alive, and just too damn busy in a fire fight to respond. If not, then well...he shook his head to clear his thoughts. Time to look for them before the Covenant looks for him. He'd been in there for who knows how long, and he needed to get away from the crash site. The Covenant were bound to have seen the crash site since it was near the Crimson Morning, and would probably send some over to investigate.

He went to grab the extra ammo scattered around in the pod and headed out. About ten minutes later, Pierce could hear battles off in the distance, and could see the Wraiths firing at random places as he quickly moved on. He'd have to keep a wide girth from their blast radius, as well as avoid them at all costs until he could gather enough support to destroy them all. He glanced up as he went through the snow and icy terrain as fast and as carefully as possible. He could see the Crimson Morning, and when he scanned his eyes over the crashed ship from the hill he was standing on, he suddenly dropped to his stomach when he noticed a group of Covenant. He pulled out his binoculars and raised them to his eyes to gain a better view at the enemy.

'Is that where they are?' he wondered, thinking about Sergeant Randell and the Corporals, Regan and Weis. He held his breath as he continued to scan the enemy down there, but mostly was interested in spotting his squad.

“Sergeant Randell...Captain Pierce,” A familiar voice came into his earpiece with a little static.

Pierce breathed out the breath he'd been holding since scanning the group of Covenant Forces, and responded, “This is Pierce. State your situation, Randell?”

“Sit...tion...s...grim, Capt...n,” Randell replied. Again his voice came in with static, but Pierce understood it enough. “Weis...badly injured with...multiple...”

Pierce couldn't catch the rest. “Repeat, Randell,” he ordered, “You're coming in with a lot of static over the com. Give me status on Corporal Weis again.” He frowned, wondering if he too was coming in with as much static as his squad member.

“I...peat,” Randell responded, but his voice seemed more frantic, “Corporal -” His voice was suddenly cut off with static until it stopped with a silence Pierce was dreading.

“Sergeant Randell?” Pierce frowned. “Sergeant Randell!”

“Shit!” whispered Pierce. So, they weren't at the Covenant base down there, but where were they? He needed to know to send help if there were anybody else near where they were. He couldn't move from his position at the moment. No telling if there were any Jackals with snipers keeping an eye out for them.

Pierce put his binoculars back into one of his pouches, and pressed his hand over the communication device again.

“This is Captain Pierce,” he asked, “Can anyone else hear me? I repeat. This is Captain Pierce, can anyone hear me? Over.” While he waited for a response, he grabbed his rifle tightly in both hands and maneuvered himself until he was feet first down the hill, and cautiously slid down the snowy incline until he successfully reached the bottom.

No time to wait. He had to do something. He rolled to a crouching position behind some cover, and peeked through a crack between two of the methane tanks the Grunts used, and wondered what he could do as he looked around for something. Presumingly something to blow up to get their attention. He pulled out some explosives from another pouch that he was able to carry.

'These methane tanks will do,' he thought with a smirk.

Pierce attached the explosives to one of the tanks with a strong adhesive, gave it enough time for him to run to take cover from the blast. After setting up the countdown, he quickly ran, running low to the ground as he could, and did a baseball slide behind a large boulder and covered his head with his arms and waited for the explosion.

5...

4...

3...

2...

1...

He counted down in his mind. Then he heard a faint beep that was followed by a large explosion, that managed to set off an even larger explosion from the methane. He grinned. That'll give them something to do to keep them occupied. He got out from his hiding place, and cautously sprinted off.

[wtiger]

(OOC: and i thought that Lieutenant was a good low rank for my character)
"SERAPHS INBOUND!"

Mark's cigarette was halfway finished in his mouth, the stairs were tilted making them difficult to traverse even with hits from the wraiths shuddering the ship. Tony was still following him, having the same difficulty as his senior officer.

Though the air was still cold, it seemed colder as Mark entered into the bridge, people were moving about, running to terminals and typing in figures. Only a few were staying at one terminal, the windows had been blown out, the cliffside infront of them desolatly white in the light filtering in.

Mark tried to figure out who was in charge, seeing the rank on the back of a helmet he tapped the soldier on his shoulder. The man turned, Rico labeled neatly on the collar, obviously miffed from being inturrupted.

"Sir,-" Mark nodded, stiffening his body and giving a quick salut, his voice becoming somber and serious, "- Mark Nuchetti, Lieutenant. If we get through this, i want you to know that we have injured out there hiding on the other side of that hill you see outside. If they arn't contacted they will head north. i'm telling you this so our superiors know and can pick them up if we dont make it."

He closed his eyes drawing another pull at his cigarette, letting it go slowly, calming his nerves. He opened his eyes again smiling,
"Are there any orders that i havent heard over the speaker system, or should i get out there and kick some Covie ass?"

[legion]

//I'm haven't done this in a while, so I'm not great at it, but here goes nothing//

Samuel was trying to sleep.

He enjoys sleeping, people don't bother him when he's sleeping, and he can relax and ignore the world around him.

This however, was not the time to be sleeping, so the Drop Trooper groaned and crawled out of the remains of his pod.

He checked his equipment, sidearm, knives, everything was still in working order... except his rifle, the barrel had bent 20 degrees upon impact.

"Well damn" He growled, dropping his sniper rifle clips. no point in carrying anything you couldn't use.

He clicked on the radio, "Theo, you lazy bastard, you out there?"

The reply he got was full of static, but it was definitely Theodore.
"Yeah I'm here, hang on one sec, I'll meet you 2 clicks south of your current position in twenty. Out"

Good to his word, the private linked up with his commander twenty minutes later, and the two ODST moved out. They passed several burned out escape pods, either empty or full of KIA marines.

Until they finally bagan to pick up radio chatter.

"SERAPHS INBOUND!!"

The two looked at eachother, and immediately picked up the pace.

However, before they crested the hill, Samuel signaled to stop, and pointed to Theodore.

There was a patch of blood on the ground, definitely human.

Theodore whispered "Should we look for him? He might still be in the area."

Samuel shook his head, the radio signals were coming from over the hill, most likely the ship, so that's where they would go.

And with that, Samuel was running for the crest of the hill, with Theo, his spotter, right behind him.

[SurvivorX]

The explosion washes over us, and I see 'Kaezodee's active camouflage disappear as the force of the blast disrupts the field. Growling, I wait for the worst of it to subside, then run towards the flames and smoke as the faint afterwinds start to pull air back in towards the explosion.

I run in, rushing past through the smoke, and finally come out the other side, coughing and sputtering, though my shields kept the worst of the smoke out of my eyes. I look out, and see a Human running away.

"You think you will disrupt this battle so easily?" I say as Nitroxus walks through the smoke, holding the Warthog's machine gun at the ready.

I grin and take it from him. "Go support the others - that Warthog is bound to return."

As he disappears through the smoke again, I hold up the machine-gun, and pull the trigger, the triple barrels rotating and spinning as the bullets start to shoot out towards the Human...

[caster]

=========
CPL. LEON CARSON
FOX COMPANY, 5TH BATTALION, 9TH MARINES, 1ST MARINE DIVISION - ODST FIRE TEAM 3

DATE/TIME ANOMALY, ESTIMATED YEAR 2543

ABOARD THE CRASHED CRIMSON MORNING, STARBOARD SIDE - THE DAMAGED HULL THE ENEMY IS CHARGING

UNKNOWN SYSTEM/LOCATION
=========

They had taken positions along with the few Marine regulars, and another group of ODST's in a horseshoe around the opening. Anything coming in would take fire on all sides. So far only the few stragglers that had made it past the auto-cannons had filtered into the deathtrap. Now, the rest of the charge mounted. Carson checked his weapon. He tapped the magazine hard to make sure it was seated properly. He then looked down the barrel, his targeting reticule hovered around the large jagged hole. The rest of the fire team was positioned around him, Renters had his weapon set up on the edge of some debris. He would be the one that gave them the most surprise for sure.

Carson had time to take a couple of deep breathes before the first snarling Brute came around the corner. Even before Carson could squeeze his trigger, the deafening drone of Renters squad automatic started up. The brute didn't seem fazed, it roared and swung its spiker around and began firing wildly, it was in vain though. Only milliseconds after Renters the rest of the fire team started in. The brute didn't have time to howl, it's legs gave out. It crashed to its knees then over itself in a half roll before stopping. Several grunts filtered in behind, it wasn't as hard to take them down when they saw the dead brute. They started to fire but quickly broke ranks. When they turned their back, a few of their methane tanks sparked rocking a couple of explosions.

Carson, dropped his spent magazine and quickly loaded another. He hadn't been taking the time to target, acquire, then fire. He simply held the trigger down and sprayed the area. With his next breath he remembered to stay focused, in control. Samson's voice came over the comm. "Lieutenant, they're pressing in hard. We can hold this hole for now, but if there are any other little holes on the ship better send a team to secure it."

Carson remembered the one Seraph that Renters had taken out. It had kamikaze into the side of the ship, and who knows maybe that was now an entrance.

=========
LIEUTENANT ALLISON M. WESTBROOKE - "SUPER SIX-ONE"

DATE/TIME ANOMALY, ESTIMATED YEAR 2543

NORTH OF THE CRIMSON MORNING CRASH SITE, ASSAULTING ENEMY WRAITHS

UNKNOWN SYSTEM/LOCATION
=========

Allison brought the pelican over the ridge in a hover. She saw that Conner - and ODST off her boat was standing in front of a tank. Craig chimed in. "Target acquired." The seventy thumped just underneath the cockpit. The high explosive rounds started tearing into the forward metal on the craft. It wasn't long before Craig walked the fire along the armor to the actual plasma mortar. The mortar area was on a joint and therefore not as easy to armor. A long stream of tracers (along with the rounds you couldn't see) shredded into it. There was a small series of blue puffs before the wraith exploded and fell to the ground.

Allison turned on her y-axis and brought the other tanks into line. She looked to her left, she was to far away to see the Seraphs attacking the Morning. "Paul, most of Super was deployed to start the tech-thieving. No telling where each of those boats are right now."

Allison was the only one that hadn't been fully prepared when they exited slipspace. One of the reasons she didn't have a scorpion or warthog on board.

========
ULTRA ZUKA'ZANZAMEE

NINTH AGE OF RECLAMATION

SACRED RING OF THE FORERUNNERS

EASTERN FORTRESS
========

Zuka had been monitoring the field of battle and listening to his seraphs communication. So far, they had only lost one pilot, which was greater odds than Zuka had anticipated. Indeed, coming in on that steep approach was wise.

"There, part of the super-structure! Tear it down!" The seraph leaders voice filtered through.

Zuka clicked his lower mandibles, excellent. The armor had already been boiled away. It surely wouldn't be much longer before the ship started falling in on itself, with the ribs and the spine of the ship being hit with plasma.

Zuka turned his attention to the wraiths that were now being attacked by human forces. One of the Brutes had stated the attack, probably the dumb apes way of asking for reinforcements. As far a Zuka was concerned they had served their purpose and were expendable.

[maxii1]

Pilot: Paul Nikon
Rank: Captain
Craft: Hornet
Call-Sign: Hotel Two-One
Location: Near to the Crimson Morning Crash Site.

Nikon was helping in the Wraith tank's destruction, he was nimble in the Hornet and was relatively confident that he could dodge any incoming fire.
"Thanks Allison, forgot that the old birds flew the nest! Must be getting too old for this" Paul laughed over the radio, he had been requested to stay onboard the ship to wait for a passenger of great importance, a passenger which never showed up.

"Damn right old timer" spoke Layton back on the Crimson Morning.
"You can talk" retorted the chuckling Nikon, knowing that Layton was at least Fifty, he then added "What's 753's Status?"
"Waiting for Orders sir, we've asked for any Cargo to be brought up and loaded, so far we've had a few crates of gear"
"Okay, Tell Gibson to get the hell out of there, you ride shotgun Layton, A Covenant Air Strike looks imminent."
Lydia Gibson radioed in "Paul! Shouldn't we wait for some Marine's to get aboard?"
"It's too late for that, we warned them, asked them to make their way to the pelican bay, Looks like their in for a long walk outta' there"
Nikon spoke with regreat in his voice, he didn't like leaving people, but what could he do. That air strike would take out the whole ship, Any survivors could be picked up at a later date.

Maybe they could fly in and pick up Hallam's Squad, Hell if it was only the Lt. and his men they could surely fit in two Pelicans and a Hornet. "Hey, Westbrooke you stay with those Wraiths, try and keep outta the way of those Covenant Aircraft, same for you Gibson"
------------------------------------------
Name: Richard Reilly
Rank: Private
Location: Crimson Morning

The barrage had just begun, the whole ship shock and it felt like a whole load of plasma was being pumped into the ship. Explosions Ensured.
"The Ship's Structure can't take much of this!" Shouted Frank Umber the Engineer from his cowering location, he held his pistol tightly.
"Jackson! Get Hallam on the Radio soon as mate!" shouted Reilly. "Okay, so this is the situation; we got infantry moving towards us and a covenant bombardment going on overhead, Gentleman it's time for for a disappering act"
Reilly smiled as though he had stated the obvious.

"What? You think some Magic trick will save us?"Spoke Dimitri from his slumbering state.
"Those Ice Caverns the ODST's found, they could be our way out of here, I'm pretty sure we can get to one through the Vehicle Depot, we can grab whats left and drive it to safety."
"Under the Ice?" said a doubting Medic
"Under the Ice" Reilly uttered.
______________________________________________________________
OOC: Rico, Hallam, when/ if you want pick up just radio in to Nikon and we'll do a quick board and run thing. Also where is that wounded ODST and his Medic? Do want me to go and grab them?
Also the LAST Pelican is leaving the Ship, it may just stop and wait for any polite squads. So ask nicely

ALSO Reilly is suggesting that all at Rally Point: Alpha fall back to the vehicle depot rescue what vehicles they can and then drive through those ice caverns. Sounds like a plan eh?

I'm not trying to god-mod but when the attacking forces are posting more often than the Commanding officers then well the enemy get closer and closer whilst we wait for someone to post some orders.

[Administrator]

OOC//Sorry guys, finally got onto the ground I see \\

"Well shit." I mutter as I see Conner take fire at the wraith. While successfully destroying it, It sure as hell pissed off the other ones pretty good.

"Take Cover!" I yell as I dive to the left, Scrambling to avoid the Anti Personnel laser fire.

Landing hard, I flatten myself against the cold ground, making myself as invisible as possible to the enemy, hoping their line of sight isn't all that great.

As I lie prone, I notice a rocket launcher hastily discarded to my right and notice that it has a full ammo capacity. So I quickly make a decision, roll to the right and snatch up the rocket launcher.

Quickly coming into a kneeling position, I look down the sights and spot my target, a wraith that's in a rear guard position. Taking aim, I inhale, and then as I slowly exhale, I pull the trigger and send in a rocket and curse as it only managed to dent the hatch.

As I go to send another rocket at my target, the lead wraith turns, and fires a huge glob of plasma in my direction.

"Aw shit" I yell as I once again, dive for cover, but as I dive, a laser pulse catches my shoulder, and burns away the armor, but luckily did not burn all the way through my shoulder, only causing burns.

"Erg" I Grunted, bearing my teeth as I rolled away. "This is Dave Kabruski" I radioed out, "is there any backup coming in soon?"

[maxii1]

Nikon heared Kabruski's question.
No-one answered.
"Ah, Hell" Nikon thought. It would have to be him.
During his years of service he had never used a Hornet to take on a Wraith, let alone a whole bunch of them.
Nikon Radioed in "I'm gonna move in, recommend that you guys on the ground take that time to move to a better location"
"Couldn't have asked for a better distraction" quiped one of the Marines on the Ground.
Nikon was not happy, who had thought that a half dozen men could take on a Wraiths.
Ah well, who was he to think that one Hornet could take on a Wraith.

He neared one of the Wraith's, it had just received a Rocket to it's rear end and was in the process of turning around. Perfect.
The Hornets Missile System locked on and Nikon fired two at the Wraith.
He waited before firing anymore, wanted to see what the effect was on the Covenant Craft before using any more precious ammunition.
The Missile's slapped the Craft from both sides, eating away at the Central Unit. It might still be operational, but it wasn't going to be combat effective.
In fact he saw the crew of the craft run out.
Nikon would have used the machine gun to silence the crew but instead something else caught his eye. A Bright Blue Flash.
He quickly jolted his joystick to the Left and just avoided a Plasma Projectile.
It had been arch-ing down and would have taken Nikon by suprise had he not been fixated on the one Wraith Tank.
Nikon shook his head, that was one and already he was vulnerable up in the sky's.
No-Cover to utilise.
Then the Wraith Light Plasma Turrets started aiming upwards at the Hornet.
"Bugger!" Nikon swore as the Glass Canopy first cracked and then disentigrated.
The UNSC Craft moved side to side, but the Turrets where just as quick.
The Right wing that had been damaged earlier by the Banshee's was now more or less non-existant.
Nikon had that 'sinking' feeling. He knew that the Hornet was going down.
In the last few moments he did two things.
The first was to pitch the Hornet forwards, so the wreck would crash into the Covenant.
And the Second utilised the Ejector Seat.
________________________________
OOC: I don't care if you've never seen a Hornet have an Ejector Seat, But it has. Because I say so.
And that sums up the battle. The Covenant sheer numbers are overwhelming the marines.
Look Reality in the Face and Lick It!

[caster]

=========
CPL. LEON CARSON
FOX COMPANY, 5TH BATTALION, 9TH MARINES, 1ST MARINE DIVISION - ODST FIRE TEAM 3

DATE/TIME ANOMALY, ESTIMATED YEAR 2543

ABOARD THE CRASHED [CRIMSON MORNING, STARBOARD SIDE - THE DAMAGED HULL THE ENEMY IS CHARGING

UNKNOWN SYSTEM/LOCATION
=========

Multiple casualties had been accrued holding back the charge, and there was no orders coming down from the bridge. A lot of the marine regulars had taken hits and been carted off into the bowls of the ship.

Samson finally came over a general comms channel. "Alright, we're taken to many hits. Fall back!"

The marine regulars started to displace their positions around the opening into the ship. The area was smoke filled and mostly just wrecked slag from the incoming plasma they were seeing. Carson and the fireteam held their position to give covering fire to the retreating marines. They would be the last ones out of the area.

After only a few moments Samson started out, with Dennison and Renault behind. Renters and Carson were the last ones, since Renters had the larger weapon. Carson spun and ran in a crouch to the nearest cover behind their position which was a fallen titanium beam. Carson began suppressing fire on the swarming enemies. There seemed to be a bit of confusion in the enemy as they finally began making way into the ship itself. The smoke, debris and fire seemed to give Carson and Renters a bit more cover. Renters low ran back past Carson out into one of the Crimson Morning's hallways. Carson turned and followed out.

As Carson came into the hallway he hooked around the door and took cover against the bulkhead. Samson was standing at the control panel for the doors. He smashed the doors controls causing them to lock down with heavy bulkheads. That would buy them some time before the Covvies found peripheral maintenance accesses.

Samson's voice rang on the comm again. "Lieutenant, covenant have bordered!"

Samson motioned for the Marine Sergeant in charge of the regulars. "You get yourself, to the armory. Get all your grenades together and start booby-trapping the maintenance corridors leading out from this bay."

The Sergeant nodded and took his weary looking marines with him.

There was suddenly a super loud screeching of metal folding in on metal. Carson looked around before Renault chimed in. "The super-structure is buckling!"

Samson keyed a wide comm channel. "The ship is falling apart, all UNSC forces pull back to the ice caves. Grab what you can carry and move into the caves!"

Samson motioned to his fire team. Carson checked his weapon as he followed his squad mates down the corridors towards the rear of the ship. Where the drop pods would be.

When they arrived they entered the ODST armory. It held harder hitting and quieter weapons. Things the first boots on the ground would need in order to surprise, and suppress the enemy in order to take a hold of whatever tech they had.

Each of them loaded up on what they could carry. Carson himself, grabbed a case of C12 High Explosive Ordinance, two rifles, two silenced submachine guns and a couple of bandoleers of ammunition. It was a lot to carry.

Carson followed the team as they each grunted and struggled to carry all the shit they were holding. They made it into the ice caves and were met with the navy personnel who were getting everything stowed away on the remaining vehicles. Carson quickly opted to drop his extra crap and let someone else deal with it. They had made it, and they watched as more and more people filtered out of the ship into the relative safety of the opening to the cavern.

Carson pondered their predicament. This was no longer a normal battle. This was irregular, guerrilla fighting. Luckily the ODST's were trained for this sort of thing. Direct Action, and Unconventional Warfare. Most of the regulars hadn't gone through that training, and Carson would be surprised if many of the brass had either.

The ODST's could hold for a long time, especially with what they learned (and have put to use) from LRLRS. How could the Marine Regulars, and Navy, and even the brass be quickly brought into the frame of mind any ODST would be in, in this situation?

=========
LIEUTENANT ALLISON M. WESTBROOKE - "SUPER SIX-ONE"

DATE/TIME ANOMALY, ESTIMATED YEAR 2543

NORTH OF THE CRIMSON MORNING CRASH SITE, ASSAULTING ENEMY WRAITHS

UNKNOWN SYSTEM/LOCATION
=========

Allison watched as a blob came toward her bird, and just as in training she drifted to the left and it sailed past without hitting. It wasn't hard to dodge the large blobs, it was the anti-infantry plasma cannons mounted on the front you had to worry about. As the craft leveled out Craig started the seventy thumping. The rounds shredded and exploded into the armor, but that burst wasn't enough to actually destroy the tank. The gunner though, which sat unprotected on the front of the tank had been thoroughly neutralized.

Blue streaks slammed into the nose of the craft, then crept up and to the left searing the pelican. "Craig!" Allison shouted as she jutted the bird to the right to make it out of the firing line.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Soon that gunner was shredded away too, then the next one.

While it didn't destroy the tanks, at least the cannons weren't pecking away at the pelicans armor. Allison then began flying around the wraiths, the first one didn't seem to focus on her, instead it lobbed another blob of plasma at the ground troops. As they came about behind the craft the seventy opened up. The seventy shredded into the rear of the craft and after three long sustained bursts the craft, dropped on its left side, sputtered then exploded.

Allison brought the craft around and started to circle the last wraith. This driver was a bit more wiser to what Allison was trying to do. It started spinning on its axis, making sure to keep the front of the wraith equal to the front of the pelican. It continued to lob plasma towards the craft which was in-vain since the wraith wasn't leading her craft.

Allison keyed the comm. "He's distracted anyone got anything left to blow it up down there?"

========
ULTRA ZUKA'ZANZAMEE

NINTH AGE OF RECLAMATION

SACRED RING OF THE FORERUNNERS

EASTERN FORTRESS
========

Zuka had prepped a special operations team, and they were standing by at a phantom for his arrival. Zuka monitored the field of battle, the enemy infantry had invaded the humans ship. Those warriors were not under the command of Zuka, and so they would die under the fury of his seraphs bombing run. The super structure both at the spine and the ribs of the ship had been turned into molten hot slag, and the ship was starting to buckle in on itself. Zuka continued to have the Seraphs work at each section of the ship. He desired there to be nothing recognizable as a human ship. Just a pile of metal, welded together into a cancerous mass.

Zuka started towards his waiting phantom. His plan had worked.

[maxii1]

The Drop was too shallow, Nikon had known that before he had jumped.
But what choice had he had?
He couldn't land the Hornet, it was dead.
It collapsed onto one of the Wraiths and as it exploded seemed to destory most of the wraiths armour.
By the time Nikon hit the ground he really didn't care, if the sole Wraith was still operational then the Marines would deal with it or Westbrooke.
"Did my Hornet destroy it?" He radioed to Super-Six-One.
As he waited for an answer he cut himself free from the parachute and tried to get up on his legs.
He yelped in pain and fell back to the floor.
The Jump had been too shallow, his legs where bloodied and probebly broken.
As the pain subsided he called for help, medical or otherwise to get him to the other retreating forces. Maybe one of the pelicans could pick him up, or there was always that last hornet he joked to himself.

He pulled out his service pistol and scanned for the enemy; none.
One thing was for sure, he wasn't walking anywhere for the time being.

[conner553]

FLIGHT LIEUTENANT JAXEN COREN 'SUPER TANGO SIX'
DATE: 2552
TIME: 0745
STATUS: IN C709 LONGSWORD INTERCEPTOR, FLYING OVER ARTIFICIAL ALIENT RING CONTRUCT

Flight lieutenant Jaxen Coren flew his longsword interceptor above the surface of the strange ring contruct orbiting the planet Threshold. The ship had come out of Slipspace, in the middle of a covenant armada. He had taken his fighter out into the void to hold of marauding seraphs, and now he had no idea were anyone was. his squadron, Super squadron, had gotten scattered, but reforemd, minus him. He had been chased by a twin seraphs down into the ring, where he killed the engines, let them over shoot, and took them both out. But pulse laser blasts had hit his cyro tube and penetrating the cabin armour, leaving him unable to go back into space. So now he was heading towards the crash site of the Morning. He had tried to raise UNSC forces on his radio, but nothing happened. Some radiation from lasers must have fried it, or maybe some effect of the ring. He checked his radar, and saw nothing. A flight of banshees chased him, but in a chase, longsword beats banshee by alot. They eventually gave up. This was boring, nothing was happening, despite the alien fleet in orbit. He had expected a scarab, or a fleet of ghosts, or a-

A blue sun sizzled by him, thirty meters away. Even at that distance, He could feel the heat from his cockpit. He looked down, and one hundred meters or so below him, was a canyon, with a group of wraith mortar tanks in it. He increased magnification, and saw a group of marines fighting them. He knew from experiance, this would be a massacre. So, he decided to level the odds. Tilting his ship into an attack angle, he spotted another incoming mortar round. He ducked under it, and aquired a targer. There was about three wraiths still firing. A crashed hornet flier was on one, smoking. Poor bastard. He locked onto target, and pulled the trigger for his 110 mm cannons. They powered to life, and his ship vibrated as a cloud of depleted uranium slugs flew at the tank. A few bounced off, but the majority of the dense rounds tore through the armour, and the whole tank ignited into flame. He pulled up on thrity meters, and gained some altitude. At four hundred meters, he turned around and locked onto the remaining tanks. His fighter carried four ASGM-10 missiles, and he fired two at the tanks. They both struck nearly simotaniously, destroying the last two tanks. He pulled up, and made another pass, and made a vertical landing. Opening the hatch, he climbed out, and with a voice amplifyer, shouted out.

"Ahoy there mates, anyone need a ride?"

[maxii1]

"Ahoy there mates, anyone need a ride?" Nikon turned to the speaking figure and reliased that it was Coren, a pilot of some skill and wit.
"Lt. Coren! Over here matey" called Captain Nikon, he liked being in charge of 'Super' Squadron. Most of it's members where cheerful and loved flying, it was these kinds of people that Nikon liked and reffered to their first names during combat.
"You didn't have to land it for me, but thanks!" grinned Nikon who then remembered that it wasn't just his Squadron up in the air, but also Covenant.
"Jaxen Matey, Seraphs are still bombarding the Ship, Your an easy target down on the ground!" Nikon warned through his radio.
Paul was in no position to help, his status of WIA made him virtually at the mercy of his fellow men. He watched what the young Pilot did next with intent intrest.

[conner553]

Jaxen looked and saw his squadron captain, captain Nikon, calling out. He snapped to attention and saluted smartly. He heard over his radio, a cheerful reply, and a warning about covenant seraphs in the air, and telling him he was a perfect target on the ground. Realizing that the wraiths could have sent out a message to covenant aerial units, he contacted his CO.

"Sir, wondering if you want a lift out? I've got plenty of room inside of mah bird."

ODST CORPORAL CONNER HERONS

Conner was running, waiting for his life to end in a blue heat wave, when the wraiths just exploded. Conner looked, and said.

"What the hell just happened?" Then, he heard engines humming and looked up. A longsword fighter landed, and a pilot stepped off the ramp. He appeared to have a breif conversation with Captain Nikon, and then went on a open channel.

"Come on aboard mates! Plenny of room!" Conner waited no longer, and ran towards the black flying wing fighter. He ran to the ramp, and saluted.

"ODST Corporal Herons, requesting permission to come aboard?" The pilot flashed a white smile, and shook his hand.

"Permission granted, I'm flight lieutenant Jaxen Coren, was your first name mate?" Conner was slightly uncomfortable with this rather slack pilot, but he had saved his life.

"I'm Conner. Pleased to meet you, nd, thanks."

"No thanks needed, now, get in there and grab a seat, if ya can find one." Conner saluted, and ran inside. He found a metallic chair inside, and collapsed into it.

[elando]

The ship creaked and bent under the strain from the constant plasma fire. "Come on!" I shouted, pushing another marine into the hole which led to the ice tunnels below. "You wanna live forever, move your asses people!" There were still a few straglers aboard, scooping up anything they could and hauling ass to the tunnels.

I stood near the entrance, making sure everyone made it. Lt. Rico had already gone through to organise the base in the ice tunnels, as had the rest of my squad except for Corporal Styles who was helping with the evacuation. Private Dimitri was still badly injured and had to be carried down to the caves.

"Thats the last one, Randy." Said Styles as he pushed the last marine down the tunnel entrance. I grabbed a duffle bag I had loaded with ammo and another loaded with food and medical supplies and finally entered the tunnels as sheets of molten metal started to fall from the cargobay's roof.

The whole ship was comeing down around us. The escape tunnel were looking a little worse for wear too, the heat from the plasma was now melting the tunnel walls. "Move!" I shouted to Styles. "Move or we're dead!" We scrambled down the icey tunnel, sliding most of the way. We landed at the bottom and I handed off the bags to a marine who was guarding the tunnel.

"We're that last ones through." I said. "I want this tunnel sealed, but keep it discreate. We don't want the covenant to know we're here just yet..." Just then, I heard chatter over the radio. It sounded like some numbskull had just landed a Longsword somewhere nearby. I opened up the channel.

"Lieutenant Coren are you completely out of your bloody mind?! There are Covenant air and ground units everywhere and you decide to land and have a tea party with your mates on the ground?! Either get the fuck back into the air, and shoot those bastards down, or get to the frigging ice tunnels immediately. You are a sitting duck out there. A black, 70 meter long hunk of airforce shit on a white landscape isn't going to be hard to find now is it?!" I was truely astounded by the pilot's decision to land, just to pick up some of his mates...

[SurvivorX]

I fire my machinegun nonstop at the Human. It swears, and I see it get hit in the arm, slip on a patch of ice, and drop down onto the next lower level. Grinning, I walk towards it, keeping the gun barrels spinning. It appears to be wounded. I approach the target, remarking on how surprisingly effective this Human weapon is. I should give some of the others a try. Ironic, how some of the best weapons for Human-killing is Human weapons.

I can hear it moving around – seriously, fabric armor? Who thought that up? - and settle in, preparing to fire at it once it reveals itself. It pops out, firing a burst from its rifle. It sends a flurry of lead slamming into the shields on my head, driving my head back a few inches and knocking my aim up several feet- just long enough for him to get back into cover before I can get my aim straight.

Growling in anger, I hurl the machinegun aside, and draw my Carbine.  Deal with this, I think as I charge down the wall towards him.  If he reveals himself, he gets a carbine shot to the chest.  If he doesn't, he gets the butt of said carbine in the nose.

Either way, I win.

I jump down towards the human, firing my Carbine at it. The human backpedals, screaming, as my Carbine rounds penetrate the left half of its torso. I see it drop, thinking it dead...then it sits up, and before I can get my Carbine up, it starts to unload its clip at me, firing fully-automatic.

Swearing, I realize I've overreached myself. In a near-panic as my shields deplete, I leap aside in an effort to dodge the bullets...and I swear again as I go right over the edge landing in the freezing water.

It's freezing. I snarl in rage that the Human outsmarted me, and claw my way to the surface, breaking through and pulling myself up onto the snow. You're in for it now, Human, I think as I look around for my Carbine. It's probably sinking to the bottom of the water, I think. I pull out my only remaining weapon, my energy sword, as my shields recharge to full.

I look over at the Human, seeing it scanning the water's edge. I know I can't get to him before he drops my shields again, so I run aside, taking cover behind the structure. I make plans as I do so. I will go around, and this time I will not underestimate my foe.

This time I bring 'Kaezodee and Nitroxus with me.

I arrive at the others' position. Bleadaron looks at me, bewildered. “Tramis? What is happening?”

“This human is proving...recalcitrant. No matter. 'Kaezodee, Nitroxus, come with me. We will stamp out this human.”

"Are you sure that is a good idea, 'Talamee?" aks Nitroxus, from where he is perched, looking over the area with his Beam Rifle.

"Do not question my orders, Brute!" I hollar.

"I ask, because there are more Humans coming with the other Warthog."

I turn rapidly, and see the Warthog coming, chaingun blazing.

"COVER!" I hollar, knowing full well the other Human will use the opportunity either to escape, or press his advantage.  I look across the wall and see the machinegun laying unused.  I must get that machinegun back, before the Human does...

I run flat-out towards the machine-gun, and see the Human running towards it from the other side of the area. It raises its weapon and shouts, “What do you think you're doing, split-lip?”

Snarling as the battle-rifle's bullets start to whittle away at my shields, I reach the machinegun, but rather than waste time getting situated to fire it, I simply grab it by the barrels (thanking the Gods that the weather is so cold, otherwise the hot barrels would probably not have cooled enough by now and would have burnt my hand...) and I swing it at the Human like a great club, closing the last of the distance as I ignite my energy sword with my off-hand.

The human ducks the machinegun, but not completely. Its helmet is thrown completely from its head, and its head is jerked aside as it connects. The human falls hard on his side, and looks up at me as I stand over it, sword in hand. It raises its handgun, firing blindly, dropping the last of my shields. I let the machinegun drop, kicking the sidearm completely out of its hand. It rolls over onto its side, and I look over at it, as it stands, shakily, into some sort of fighting stance, holding up a knife.

How laughable! A knife, a short length of metal against an energy sword. I swing up, intending to sever its arm at the elbow, but it dodges aside, circling me. I growl, losing patience, and glance over at the battle unfolding by Bleadaron. He and Nitroxus are keeping the Humans in the Warthog plenty busy at the moment, but I must hurry. I notice something by the ground, and grin as I crouch to pick up the Human's sidearm, and raise it up to fire, then notice that the Human has pulled out a grenade. It pulls the pin and rolls it towards me.

“Who do you think I am, split-lip? Some new marine who doesn't know what he's doing?”

I raise one eyebrow. “Apparently,” I retort derisively. What a genius, I think sarcastically as I just kick it back at it.

It dodges aside in an attempt to lose the majority of the blast, but its armor is torn apart and it is badly burnt. I'm surprised that its legs aren't blown off, but it's still mostly in one piece, amazingly. It pulls itself up. I stand there, flabbergasted. This human will not fucking DIE!

“Why don't you drop your freaking sword and fight me hand-to-hand?” he said as he struggled to get to his feet. “Huh? Why don't you? Unless you're some scared shitless to fight a weak little human like me without a damn weapon.”

I spit, lifting my energy sword.  The human's tenacity and sense of honor appeals to me, but in all honesty, to toss aside my sword and fight him hand-to-hand would be ridiculous.  He is injured, bleeding, near-unconscious.  He should be dead already.  I, meanwhile, remain unharmed, and even were he in top condition, I would still be more than a match for him in a hand-to-hand contest.  To offer him the illusion of a fair fight and then snatch it away when I destroy him would be dishonorable and cruel.  And to go easy on him is simply out of the question.

I lift my energy sword for the decapitating stroke.

The human charges in screaming, apparently eager to go out in one final blaze of combat. This human would have done better to be born as an Elite. He would have gone far, I think as I prepare to swing and cut it down.

I hear a crack, and I am thrust forward as my only just-recharged shields are torn apart by a sniper round from behind and above. I grab at the Humans' shoulder, intending to gut him with my energy sword, but then a second shot rings out, and I feel the round go through my shoulder, hurling me to the ground. The Human and I both slump to the ground, and I feel the heat as my energy sword's failsafe activates, deactivating the magnetic field and letting the plasma escape into the air, singing my leg.

---------

'Kaezodee watches as the Warthog runs right over Pilnil and Lizleem, crushing them underfoot.  He hurls a plasma grenade against the hood of the vehicle, but even as it detonates and the vehicle is torn to pieces, he recognizes as the sniper's rifle cracks across the structure that the battle is lost.  Tramis and the Human appear to have near-killed each other, the snipers are wreaking havoc, and he can see a Pelican inbound.

Nitroxus prepares to take out the sniper, but while he does so, 'Kaezodee calls for a Phantom to pick them up as Bleadaron goes to retrieve Tramis.  It is time to call it.  This battle is done.

[Deleted]

Brute Captain Major Rictus

“Command, this is Brute Captain Major Rictus, a human ship has landed in the open, and I want an airstrike on its position,” Rictus roared through the COM, anger fuming at the loss of so many covenant, and he wasn't going to let this ship get away from him.

“We shall send them Captain,” Came the reply.

The piercing sound of beam rifles rang out as jackal snipers killed off any of the stragglers. Even with the loss of so many troops, the Covenant had managed to push the humans back, and they weren't going to get away now. The cold steel of their ship now a prison.

Soon enough, the great purple Seraphs came screeching through the area, marking there target with there first pass, and turning circling for a second run. Again they came screeching past, dropping there deadly cargo. The black ship was consumed in a great sphere of blue fire. The sound of the blast was deafening and accompanied by the fragmentation of twisted metal. The ship was now gone for good, and hopefully its passengers.

“Tarkus, take Actimus and Barthamulus and make sure no one escaped the explosion,” Tarkus nodded before grunting two the other two, and moving to the ship.

[elando]

Brute Captain Magnus

Magnus and his squad climbed over the ridge leading to the downed human ship. Over the radio he could hear chatter from the battle, various things about humans retreating and blowing up ships. It didn't matter as long as he got some of the action.

“Command, this is Brute Captain Major Rictus, a human ship has landed in the open, and I want an airstrike on its position.” Came a voice over the radio. Suddenly, a little way off there was a huge explosion. "Thats where we're going..." Growled Magnus, starting to run and gesturing to the rest of the squad to join him.

As he bounded towards the wreckage he could see small figures in the distance, some on the ground and some wandering around apparently dazed. “Tarkus, take Actimus and Barthamulus and make sure no one escaped the explosion.” Came the same voice again. It was Rictus, another brute captain.

"Silence Rictus." Magnus growled. "These humans are mine..."

[Deleted]

Rictus ground his teeth at the response, it was Magnus, an arrogant brute, "Watch your tongue brother, I wouldnt want us to have any problems. But I will honor your wishes, show the humans no mercy."

Tarkus started to retort, but Rictus quickly silenced him, "Get together, this will be over soon and we need to be ready to return to the base, I hope they aren't having any problems with the humans." Fortunately none of Rictus troops had been hurt, and they all looked ready for another fight, which would be soon to form.

[caster]

=========
LIEUTENANT ALLISON M. WESTBROOKE - "SUPER SIX-ONE"

DATE/TIME ANOMALY, ESTIMATED YEAR 2543

NORTH OF THE CRIMSON MORNING CRASH SITE, AT THE SITE OF COREN JAXEN'S DESTROYED LONGSWORD

UNKNOWN SYSTEM/LOCATION
=========

Allison was keeping the last wraith busy when some missiles streaked in and destroyed it rocking her pelican back. The longsword was capable of engaging targets well outside of the pelicans scope. Allison was forced to pull off and down into the ravine just east of the rise. When she was stable she came back up again and saw Flight Lieutenant Coren. She was flabbergasted.

"Craig! Is he daft!?" Allison shouted to her copilot.

Craig just watched the deal unfold without saying anything. Allison watched not only as the craft landed but as Coren himself walked down the ramp so non-chalantly. She had never liked the man, personally. He wasn't even a Navy Pilot....He was some slack jawed Marine Pilot that just happened to end up in the 32^nd. He was too slow, and he deserved to have his boots on the ground, not his ass in the air. Allison watched as the Seraphs streaked in from orbit, bombarded the hell out of the longsword then streaked out of the area just as quickly. They probably hadn't noticed her in the ravine moving at super-sonic speed....Hopefully they didn't. Allison looked at the carnage surrounding the longswords destruction.

"Oh, you damned fool! We could have used that Longsword!" Allison shouted at Coren, although her communication equipment was not broadcasting.

Allison moved into the area quickly and hovered above the ground.

"Switching weapons control to your station, now." Craig stated. His voice was calm and he was operating efficiently. Allison knew he was shaken. That's how he got. After a moment her visor had a built in weapons targeting reticule. She moved her head from right to left, and the quick check of the weapons showed her they were online. Craig exited the cockpit in the back of the Pelican. After a moment he heard Kelly's voice come in on the shipboard pa system. "Navy Personelle on the deck!"

"Roger that, Golf-Six-One." Allison replied. Golf-Six-One was the callsign for her crew of they were on the ground. Allison had to stay focused. They were falling back on their training. In this scenario her crew would disembark and start gathering up the wounded for dust off. Luckily Kelly was still with them, after that little escapade with the banshees. She was the one that had the actual medical training.

Allison's job was to orbit their position and provide enough hellfire to allow them to do their job. However, she had no support on her ship. She had no one actual eyes at the rear of the pelican, and no one at navigation or fire control. She had to be on it to make up for that.

Luckily STARS was still active, which took a load of her logistically. It pinged incoming ground targets. They were a ways off, but they were definitely moving fast.

"Golf-six-one, be advised. Enemy infantry bearing down on your position. Inbound from the south." Allison put out, trying not to worry about the people on the ground. She had to be focused on her job right now.

Kelly sent the acknowledgment and after a moment of hesitation Allison spoke again, this time though, she used a narrow-band-point-to-point transmission directly to Kelly. "Kelly....Get Paul...."

There wasn't an acknowledgment, but she knew Kelly heard her. She switched her communications gear back to general broadcast. Allison looked at the enemy squad coming across the tundra. She wouldn't let them take the few wounded down there that was still alive. She gave them as clear a message as she could, universal. She fired a long stream of HE rounds at them. She watched it pepper and explode in front of them. She hovered lightly keeping her pelican facing them. The message was simple:

"Stay away, or get dead."

-----

Kelly ran up to Paul and slid on her knees toward him. She set down the CRASH medical bags. Emergency medical kit that was on board each pelican. She looked up to him. "Morning, Captain." She said trying to stay calm. She was the second closes thing to a ground soldier the Navy had. The other one was Combat Medic in the Marines. Technically they were Navy Corpsman.

Kelly looked at his legs, only one of them was compound fractured. Not bad considering his drop. The other one looked to have definite soft-tissue bruising, perhaps he pulled some tendons in his knee. Kelly took out a small plastic pack. It had a sharp needle on one end and some amber liquid in a plastic part on the other. She removed the needle cap and thrust the needle into Paul Nikons thigh. She squeezed the plastic part and watched as the liquid entered his blood. The morphine would take away most of the pain.

She removed a straight brace and unfolded it and locked it into place. She looked at his broken leg, which was off center do the impact. She grabbed the upper part of the bone, and the lower part and after a moment pulled them apart. When she did they fell back in line correctly, minus the fracture itself. She used biofoam on the actual wound, which would disinfect and seal it. She wrapped it with sterile bandages, then placed his leg in the brace and strapped it on. That would keep it from receiving anymore trauma.

"Once we can get you to an actual Medical Team, you'll be back up in no time." Kelly said as she looked him in the eye. Kelly picked up the pack and slung it over her shoulder. She removed a small crude looking medical device. She unhinged it then screwed it tight quickly. It was a very crude crutch. "If you have to move, use this under the same arm as your broken leg. No weight on it, if you can. I'm going to the next person, we'll be out of here soon." She stood up and moved to the next wounded soldier. Craig meanwhile had come across a lot of KIA, but he had dragged two survivors to the dust off point, which was probably only fifteen meters from where Paul was. (49 feet)

=========
CPL. LEON CARSON
FOX COMPANY, 5TH BATTALION, 9TH MARINES, 1ST MARINE DIVISION - ODST FIRE TEAM 3

DATE/TIME ANOMALY, ESTIMATED YEAR 2543

ICE CAVERNS, BENEATH THE CRIMSON MORNINGS WRECKAGE

UNKNOWN SYSTEM/LOCATION
=========

The team stayed near the door, Staff Sergeant Hallam was on the other side. They kept waving people into the area. When they were clear Hallam ordered them to seal this part of the caverns as discrete as possible. Carson still had the C12, he took two bricks and placed them on opposite sides of the cavern walls. It wouldn't be the detonation so much as the shock wave that covered their tracks. With the caverns weekend the snow and ice above would slide down in an avalanche. From the outside it would probably appear as though the plasma damage, shifted the weight of the cruiser causing the above hill to slide forward.

Carson gave Sergeant Samson a thumbs up as Samson appeared to be getting breifed by Hallam. After a moment everyone cleared the area. Carson would detonate it, when they were further away, so as not to be crushed themselves.

========
ULTRA ZUKA'ZANZAMEE

NINTH AGE OF RECLAMATION

SACRED RING OF THE FORERUNNERS

EASTERN FORTRESS
========

The ship had been turned into nothing but slag. His mission had been accomplished. He was summoned to the Prophet of Ideation's chambers. He lowered his head as he entered. The projection already floating in the middle of the room.

"Ah, Zuka'Zanzamee. Good work. Your plan was well executed....Well conceived. Although your tactics were a bit.....Aggressive, it none the less achieved my objective, and with no apparent lasting damage to the artifact. Tell me, Warrior. If you were in charge, what would you do now?"

"Our Huragok technicians have managed to decipher the one message sent from the downed enemy ship. It was strong enough to encompass the ring. Although it is only partially decrypted it appears that it was from their leadership, instructing all units to rally at the crash site. No further boosted communications came after that. Therefore, we can assume that all human forces will slowly, but surely converge on the wreckage. They would not know it's been completely destroyed yet. I believe at this time, it would be appropriate to let them come to us." Zuka paced over to a holographic representation of the battle space before continuing. "If the humans find out that their rally point is destroyed. They will likely scatter, and like cockroaches they will scatter into deep and dark places, where it will take a lot of extra time and resources to find and eradicate them. So, we should use this advantage. We have a rough perimeter set up. along all the approaches to the crash site, therefore any large forces will be pinged and engaged far from the wreckage.

Just in case we missed any stragglers near the ship, I suggest that we place a communications dampener on the site of the crash itself. Therefore, there would be no way to warn incoming humans of the trap. I would place special operation teams on the crash-site itself. If smaller units slip through the outer perimeter, first their communications will go out, then the invisible special operations teams will kill them on site. They wouldn't likely come from a space vector since our fleet is still holding over the area, along with several seraph patrols in low orbit."

Zuka turned from the holographic screen and looked upon the Prophet, who was stroking its chin before it nodded lightly. "The Fleet Master is impressed with your ability and actions thus far. We are in agreement. At this time we are promoting you to Master of Operations, you will report to the Field Master only."

Zuka lowered his head humbly. "I will accept this with great honor, Holy Prophet." The prophets view simply faded away. Zuka exited. He was now sub-master; outstanding. He moved to the armorers quarters. His shields were recalibrate to effect his new status. His shields could now be active when his visual cloaking was active. Although at reduced capacity. His IFF would also reflect his status to other troops in the field. There would be no question now.

Zuka entered his Phantom which lifted off shortly. He had a copy of his plan uploaded to the Covenant Battlenet. His orders would be issued at once. Zuka was concerned about Zamis' men. Last reports showed a large column of humans approaching. Zuka had already dispatched a flight of banshees and some reinforcements to Zamis. Hopefully the blundering fool could handle it. He was very head-strong. Rushed into things far too quickly.

Zuka's phantom moved towards the crash site. He wanted to personally inspect something, it was just suspicion, but he had to be sure.

Zuka's private battlenet echoed. It was the field master. ".....Zuka'Zanzamee."

"Noble Field Master." Zuka replied.

"I will have my eye upon you."

"Perhaps, if your eyes and attention had been placed on the humans. I wouldn't have had to do your work." Zuka replied. He terminated the connection. He had lost respect for the elder sangheili's bumbling ways. The Field Master may have strategic control, but Zuka had the Tactical control. It was his hands that moved the soldiers. To bad not earlier. A lot of forces had been wasted storming that ship, when it had just closed in on them and crushed them.

No worry, that dishonor belonged to the Field Master, so blind and set in his ways to be ignorant to the obvious and most superior tactics available.

[monkeyjoe14]

I had rode in on a warthog with a fully loaded rocket launcher raring to go. As the warthog plowed through Grunts and Jackals I aimed my launcher at a group of Brutes and fired a round. Bits of meat flew into the air along with smoke. Suddenly a ghost had started to trail us and I had difficulty putting my sights on it. "Screw it" I said and fired at the ghost, the missile impacted the ground and I was shocked to see the ghost flip into the sky and land upside down in a heap. "Ha suck it you deformed gorilla" I shouted as it roared in anger at me for his broken arm.
Suddenly we were flipped do to a nearby explosion from a stray plasma grenade.
I was lurched out and landed only a few feet from the same Brute I had dealt with earlier. He grinned at the chance to get rematch with me. "Come get some I said taking out my side arm" the Brute charged forward and I unloaded my entire clip into him but he did not fall. He swung at me with his good arm but missed and I gave him one good punch to his broken arm and he howled in pain. "Hurts like a bitch don't it" I was suddenly greeted with a punch to my gut. I buckled under the as the Brute laughed maliciously as I layed there.
The Brute hoisted me up and laughed in my face his breath smelled of rotten flesh. "Your breath is rank like ass have a mint" I said and took a grenade from my belt and shoved a grenade into his throat while he laughed. The Brute was surprised and dropped me quick "Aww hard to swallow ha ha ha" I said and rolled out of the explosion's wake just in time.

Somewhat better, but again, fix your grammar and spelling, this isn't an english class but we do expect it to not burn our eyes when we read it... -SX

[maxii1]

Captain Paul Nikon

Captain Nikon had been in a lot of pain, he had grimaced at the sight of what had happened to his legs.
If that hadn't been enough he had unless his head was playing with him, seen Coren's Longsword been blowed up.
Maybe it was his head.
Nikon hoped so.
If that bird was down then so was any hope of mounting an 'offensive' air attack.
As Kelly did her magic, Nikon watched with mild amusement.
The Morphine was taking effect.
"Hey Mitchell, don't tell Layton. But your the best Crew Chief that Super has" Nikon limply spoke.
"Where's Westbrooke going to pick us up from?" Nikon asked, trying to get up.
He failed.
His upper body strength had vanished.
Content to just wait where he was, Nikon watched Kelly walk over to her next case.
If Nikon was sane and able he would have helped her, but he was in no condition to offer his services.

He cursed silently and thought back on his previous accidents and incidents which had resulted in him being injured or incapacitated, there where far too many of those occurances.
----------------
Pvt. Richard Reilly

Reilly had with the rest of the UNSC forces fallen back into those chilly but promising Ice Caverns.
The wreckage that constituted the remnants of the Crimson Morning was obliterated in a loud explosion.
Richard hadn't seen the explosion but the lack of any visual aid was not altered his prognosis; the ship itself was KIA.
From Rally Point: Alpha, Richard had seen the wrecked Hornet crashing into a Wraith, had seen a landing Longsword LAND and be destroyed.
Reilly shock his head, maybe it was from viewing all that carnage. Or the knowledge that more carnage of that sort awaited him and his fellow fighters.
Speaking of which he saw Lt. Rico and Sgt. Hallam together, Reilly neared and nodded hello.
He wanted to know why there had been a communication lapse with RP: Alpha during the secondry (attempted) incursion and the Seraph and Wraith Bombardments.
Reilly wasn't nickpicking, this was serious, Deadly Serious.
Even a plain Private could see the vital importance of communication.
Reilly also wanted to be seen to be active in the field of battle.
Richard was eager for promotion, to be able to alter certain short comings in what he had seen during his time in Echo Platoon.

At least Lt. Davis wasn't here to cause havoc.
Neither was the few Chosen Men from Echo Platoon who had been 'volenteered' for the Crimson Morning 'Tech-Thieving' Mission.

----------------
OOC: I apoligise for the poor nature of this post, I have been a bit busy with other stuff and thought that it was better to hear from my characters than not

[wtiger]

Mark dropped his duffle that he had been handed, Tony likewise beside him on the cavern floor. Their breath was again thick clouds before their faces.

Before he could say a sarcastic remark, Mark was caught in a coughing fit. He was hunched over seemingly hacking a lung out, Tony whacked him on the back looking concerned. Mark waved him off bent over, feeling like he would throw up.

He closed his eyes and forced himself to stop the fit. Deep breaths..... deep breaths, he gulped as the fit ceased. The silence around him ment that they had stopped to stare at his fit of coughing. He really needed another cigarette.....

OOC: He followed Rico and his men, just to make sure th everone knows.

[SurvivorX]

In the safety of the Phantom, Nitroxus grunts. "There were too few of us sent in. We anticipated a few Warthogs and a dozen or so Humans - not the thirty-odd soldiers or sniper or air support that they had."

'Kaezodee nods in agreement. "Our intelligence was poor. We must advise the Field Master regarding sending in our troops next time."

Bleadaron nods, as he goes up to the cockpit, looking over the screen ahead of him. His eyes open wide.

"By the Gods, 'Kaezodee, come look at this."

The Assassin Elite walks in, and peers over Bleadaron's shoulder. "The ship...it's totally obliterated."

Bleadaron's hand grips tightly. "Did we glass it? Tell me we didn't glass it..."

"We didn't," said the pilot. "A flight of Seraphs bombarded it with about a million attack runs. It's now little more than slag."

Bleadaron grunts. "Very well. At least we had the presence of mind to deactivate the reactor while we were onboard...otherwise their primitive powersource might have gone critical. If that had happened, the whole ring might have been fractured."

"A terrible fate indeed," I comment, as I stagger in.

"You should be resting, Tramis," said Bleadaron as he pushes me back into the main passenger bay.

"I will rest when I am dead. Until then, this Human scourge must be cleansed. I am not hit too badly. Get the Field Master on the radio."

"Y-yes, Tramis," says 'Kaezodee as he gets on the Phantom radio.

Nitroxus chuckles, and pulls out a small book, with Human letters on it. Paper pages and everything. Amazing how they can do so little with so many resources. " 'I will rest when I am dead'. You would have made a fine Brute, Tramis."

"You may take that as a compliment, Nitroxus, but I do not. Say that again and your head will be liberated of your shoulders."

"Very well, calm down, don't anger your wounds."

'Kaezodee returns. "Tramis. I cannot get ahold of the Field Master, though I did manage to contact his new second-in-command, Zuka 'Zanzamee."

"Second-in-command, eh," I say. He has risen in ranks, evidently. I patch into the transmission. " 'Zanzamee, this is Tramis 'Talamee. I request additional troops and intelligence information, that I may renew my assault on the humans opposite the lake. If they have regrouped in such great numbers as I am led to believe, they may pose a viable threat, unless we stamp them out quickly."

"Very well, Tramis. We will be able to send you forces soon enough. For now, I am sending your pilot coordinates. We will use that point as a staging area. Then you must strike them hard and without mercy."

"That is how I always strike," comes my reply. "And this time, a reckoning is upon them as well."

This marks the end of the first section of the RPG. To recap, the ship has been evacuated of nearly all usable resources; a complete inventory will be released with the next section. Though the Covenant have been driven back from the lake structure, the Humans have evacuated into the caves and have sealed themselves away to prevent the Covenant from pursuing. The Human force has occupied the lake structure, and has found the area to be fairly defensible.

The next RPG section will have a somewhat modified look and feel, and will be in two sections: One that encompasses the lake structure and the area west of the ship, and one that follows the escaping UNSC forces as they exit the ice tunnels into a new section of the ring. Stay posted. This thread will be locked for now, as we reorganize the RPG section, but we will continue as soon as we can get the next mission up.