M5: Rumble in the Jungle

[Cabel]

[Task Force 77: Alpha Platoon, Alpha Company, First Lieutenant Mark Seamus “Spade” Sorelson: Tropical Planet: Southwestern Column and Flank: Currently: Airborne]

I think the Covenant are mad, he realized dodging incoming blue plasma bolts to radioactive boogers or at least that's what they reminded him of. Here, I thought I was a likeable guy.

Maneuvering the grasshopper away from each bolt of boiling flak, there hadn't been any doubt in Mark's mind the Covenant wanted him dead and by the looks of it had planned for a barbeque with a certain First Lieutenant as a main course. Knowing he couldn't call in support from the Oblivion Flight of Pelicans without the pelicans being taken out by the growing umbrella of flak, the marine had been left to his own wits and devises. Though there had been an odd benefit to the Covenant's growing interest in the lack of his well being that the attention of the Covenant defenders had lessened on keeping the marine assault forces pinned, and that meant the marines' combined assault could penetrate the Corvette's trenches. Some historians or even students might look back on Mark's airborne assault as tactical brilliance, but if it had been up to the marine nicknamed Spade his feet wouldn't have ever left the ground. Sometimes, the best tactics and strategy in the field came from improvisation.

The thought had crossed his mind along with strategical value that he could remain above the Covenant trenches drawing their fire and allowing the ground forces to push through their lines, but he even knew Covenant gunners weren't inept. If he remained buzzing around, the Covenant gunners would eventually narrow their range of fire and he'd be left in a world of hurt if not from the fall alone. The Corps taught more than anything a marine had to stay alive as long as possible using their wits since a dead marine only filled a plot six feet deep and three feed wide. A trio of boiling blue plasma bolts lashed ahead of him across the grasshopper's path which despite the flying insect's instincts to bank to the right, Mark forced the grasshopper to bank to the left into the field of fire. Spade knew a target crossing into the path of fire rather than the predicted path which would have allowed the gunner to lead the target, it forced the gunners to readjust their aim allowing the target that much more time to slip out of their threat range. Forcing himself lower against the grasshopper's thorax to reduce drag and to provide a lower profile, the First Lieutenant kept his thoughts on surviving and in evading capture.

[Deleted]

(NOTE: Makdap is the sole survivor of his lance, as they were killed during the defense)
Unggoy Minor Makdap

Makdap watched helplessly as his fellow lance members were killed my the human assault. Soon his Sangheili leader was killed and his Unggoy fellows panicked and got shot in the open. Instead of freaking out, Makdap searched for another Sangheili to fight alongside, and Saw Major Q'ai, though he didn't know him. He approached Q'ai while there was a break in the fight and asked "Is it ok if I fight alongside you? The rest of my lance died". Makdap then looked forward with his pistol drawn as he awaited a response.

[Huka]

Major Q'ai 'Muramee
Covenant Trenches

After surviving another wave of humans, Q'ai slowly leaned back against the wall of his trench, putting a arm out across its edge so he didn't have to sit. His muscles were burning, lungs were starting to burn as well, and he felt his legs starting to get abit weak. How long have they been out here? While he could last weeks out in the desert without complaint, it felt like this world haven't moved a inch and his eyes looks up at the falling sun to the planet's horizon. Still seemed nightfall had many units to do...and he was abit afraid to what would come out in that time. 

Looking at his lance, they sat or leaned here and there, still close to their leader while able to keep to themselves, except for the Unggoy who huddled abit. He looked at them for a moment. Always together and need one another for support, possibly one of the most sociable members of the Covenant. Well...considering their fast reproduction, society would be important for the little tribe-folk.

Glancing over to the Kig-yar, who looked over the closer human bodies. Searching them as if hoping to find something of great value like the scavengers that they are. Yeg hissed out of his fanged beak and poked at one of the bodies with his talons, plucking its silver necklace from its neck. The mercenary's bulbous eyes gleamed intrigued at the pair of identification tags that dangled from the chain and put it with his growing collection. Having been in one of the Kig-yar's little black markets in the darker parts of the ship, he knew that they traded the humans' tags off for a good amount of credits. Scoffing abit, Q'ai usually took something similar as respect to his enemy and regarded it as a trophy. So far, he had fourteen, which he kept under the left breast of his thoracic cage. Checking on Pim, he was surprised to see the avian folding one of the bodies' arms and gave a small prayer. 

 Finally, he looked over to his file commanders, Labus and Jhao. Labus was standing in a kneeling posture while his plasma repeater sat on his lap and head slowly moved like a bird of prey, looking for anything else to kill. Jhao sat on a piece of makeshift barricade to reload some of his remaining ammunition into his carbine. 

 Nodding in approval, the Sangheili major sighed and looked down at his boots, where a small but thick river of multi-colored blood ran across like a tiny ravine. His eyes could just see all of the ingredients of the mix; mostly Unggoy blue with Human scarlet, Sangheili and Kig-yar purple. Quickly flipping out, he watched the river run along. His eyes traced up and saw a lonely Unggoy approach him. From the look of him, the loner was a survivor of the Humans' assault. Was he a runner for him from another commander? 

 Then the little creature asked him if he could join his lance with a odd calm politeness. Tilting his head abit in confusion, maybe he was in shell-shock from losing his entire lance. Q'ai was about to send him to the corvette before he heard his Ultra's commands. A human on a bug? This battle is certainly taking its toll on the defenders and the humans were just so annoying adaptable. 

 "Very well, Unggoy. You may join us..." Q'ai finally answered before standing up, putting his discomfort aside and pulled out his beam rifle, seeing it had a few more shots left. "Warriors to me, we are going hunting." 

[Deleted]

Makdap, Unggoy Minor

Makdap looks over to O'ai confidently and happy he accepted him. He decides to introduce himself, knowing it will make it easier for Q'ai to call him over. "I'm Makdap by the way" he introduced himself as he prepared to follow Q'ai to hunt for humans. After searching the area, He finds a lone marine nearby, probably got separated from the rest of his squad, which is probably dead. "I'll get him" he tell Q'ai as he sneaks over to the marine. Once he gets close to the marine, the marine notices the Makdap, but its too late as Makdap shoots him at close range with his plasma pistol many times. the wounds eventually kill the marine after multiple successful hits on him. Makdap walks over to the body of the marine, and kicks it to check if its dead. It was Makdap's first kill on the battlefield.

Makdap then noticed a silver necklace with identification tags on it. He didn't know what it was. He picked it up and carried it with him as he walked back to Q'ai. "I got my first kill" he told Q'ai and continued, "but I found this shiny thing on his body, what is it". Makdap shows Q'ai the identification tags, hoping to get an answer. He also awaits for any orders Q'ai could give him.

[Huka]

Major Q'ai 'Muramee

Q'ai nodded to the little Unggoy with a slight click of his mandibles as he held his rifle in both hands, "Welcome to the Acolyte Creche, little one." He said with a smooth, almost dry voice, common tone amongst his clan, and jerked his head towards the inner territories of the Covenant defense. "Onwards." he commanded before taking lead.

Walking through the ruined battlefield littered with the bodies of comrades and enemies, Q'ai saw a human in the distance and Labus was already preparing to shoot it down until Makdap volunteered to kill it. Amused by this, the Major quickly put his hand on his subordinate's weapon. Labus looked at his commander and seemed ready to protest when Q'ai looked back at him with a gold eye and shook his head slightly. Submitting, the Minor lowered his repeater and watched the new soldier sneak towards the human. Jhao, being the precautious one, lifted his carbine ready to blast a clean hole through the heretic if the attack failed.

To Q'ai's personal interest, it didn't and Makdap managed to kill the human. Watching the Unggoy check on the body and pull a tag from it before returning, the major spread his upper mandibles with a deep chuckle. "That is the humans' way of identifying themselves or their dead." He answered before continuing his walk, "Congratulations, you've earned yourself a place under Labus' command." He said. 

Labus' eyes widened and stepped after the major, "B-But, Major..." The Muram simply slowed his stride and looked back to his first officer, "Any objections, Labus?" He asked with his pupils narrowing into fine slits. Knowing that look like a child with a scornful hunt-trainer, Labus hesitated and shook his head, "N-no, sir. I'll keep him safe." "Good, now hurry up. I want that human dead by the unit's end." The Major said, smoothly returning back to his march. 

 While the lance continued their trek, the senior of the Unggoy-a scarred Major named Widil-walked up to Makdap and gave him a pat on the back, "Good work, recruit." He said with a hiss of his methane apparatus. 

---

Field Master Til Je'at Ra'ha 'Muramai

The Imp squirmed and clawed at Til's arm but the taloned hand didn't loosen, its eyes bulging from under its visor and legs kicking wildly, managing to kick his armored legs or waist a few time. The Field Master was catching his breath from chasing this one's file for a good rook but he slaughtered them all, leaving this one for last. 

 Moving his outer thumb, he rubbed its talon against the heretic's throat, starting to press at the top of its windpipe until he took the time to check on his fellows' progress. Humans still attacking...a large benemoth attacking. Sighing, he applied pressure to the human's throat, and until he decided to end its life by the sword, in respect to its good run. 

 Flicking his wrist, he summoned his pale energy sword, and starting to find its struggling annoying, slammed his caught prey against the bark of a nearby tree, stunning it for a moment. Pulling his sword arm back, Til growled and about to impale when his attention was caught by Ra'ah's report. He blinked once at this news. "What?" He asked, mostly to himself. Then he tightened his grip even more on the Imp when his mind registered the information. Tibur is dead...again! 

 With a spread of his armored mandibles, Til roared out loud enough to see the vibrations and spit leaving his maw before stabbing his blade through the air, the smell of burning flesh, clothes, armor, and wood was inhaled into his nostrils as he slowly sank his blade through body and bark. His eye looking at the human as it twitched once or twice. 

 "The fool finally got his death wish." He growled, twisting his sword once in one direction, then twisted in another. Ripping his sword out, Til looked at his reflection in the Imp's visor before letting its body drop. "Sorsa, it seems our comrades require our assistance." He said through his comlink before his own visor flashed green as he checked on his harness' systems and immateralized via his camouflage.

[Deleted]

Makdap feels happy to get respect from his new comrades, Including Q'ai. He keeps his ID tag he found as a trophy. Makdap is still pretty happy about his first kill. He walks up with Q'ai next to him. He thinks that this unit isn't so bad. After a while of walking the group still doesn't see anything. Makdap is unsure of what to do, since the local area seems clear. He looks at Q'ai wondering what they should do next.

[Huka]

Major Q'ai 'Muramai

Hearing the blasting and noticeable buzzing, Q'ai looked to his left and saw the plasma firing through the rising fog of war. "Finally." He muttered to himself in his clan tongue. "Major!" Pim called out to get his attention. Turning back to the Kig-yar, his sight followed the pointing talon to see the odd creature flying through the air with a human on it. 

So it's true! The Sangheilian major felt respect and awe to the human's adaptability but he had to cut that off quick they'll lose the advantage here. "Don't fire until I make the first shot." He ordered before flexing his mandible and lifted his beam rifle. His eyes watched the odd pair flying about to evade the trench soldiers' firearms. Looking through his weapon's scope, Q'ai narrowed his eyes and waited until he had the flying insect in his sight and firing a deadly beam. 

[Cabel]

[Task Force 77: Alpha Platoon, Alpha Company, First Lieutenant Mark Seamus “Spade” Sorelson: Tropical Planet: Southwestern Column and Flank: Currently: Ground side]

You'd think they'd at least send me a fruitcake laced in arsenic or a thank you note for making sure their time on this humid planet's almost over, Mark mused before a grouping of plasma bolts of blue and green passed overhead. The plasma had passed close enough he'd been able to smell the burning ozone in its wake, and even heard the water in the camel-back water-bag boiling a bit. That was a little too close for comfort.

He'd only forced his body lower against the grasshopper's thorax when a jolt passed through him followed by a splash of hot liquid against the back of his neck and shoulders. The grasshopper bucked in pain giving off what Mark could only describe as a screech prompting the marine to look both to his left and right to find rather than his own red blood streaming back it had been the grasshopper's own green blood, but only a few meters behind where the marine sat a hole of ragged flesh and nerves had been punched through the grasshopper's abdomen. I think it's a good time to land now, he realized trying to get the screaming grasshopper over the last of the Covenant's outer trenches. Trees rushed up towards them both while Mark tried his best to keep the grasshopper steady enough to make a fairly comfortable landing until a plasma bolt tore the grasshopper from beneath him leaving him gripping the wings, and praying he'd be able to find someway down without killing himself or maiming himself in the process.

Gripping both ends of the wings in each hand while holding them above his head, he'd managed to make a make-shift parachute or at least a parasol of sorts. Kicking off the branches of trees racing towards him, he felt the parasol slip from his hands or rather torn from them before Mark slammed into a massive branch. Pain erupted through his body as his chances of having another kid vanished, as Mark had landed on the branch at a certain peculiar angle with his legs apart. Gritting his teeth while biting back the scream, he'd find he'd rolled to the side off the branch onto the ground less than six feet below while cupping that part of his anatomy with his hand followed by a shower of dinner-plate sized leaves burying him. Finding he hadn't been bleeding from the impact and that his assets were in place, he leaned back in pain. The MA5C had remained strapped to his chestplate as had the CH52 Standard issued field helmet, but the marine lay there buried under the mound of leaves blending in with the rest of the jungle floor in place hoping no one had seen the embarassing landing.

[Huka]

Major Q'ai 'Muramee

Q'ai trilled excitedly as his beam sliced through the insect and seemed to wound its rider. "Yes..." He purred out and Labus roared before unleashing his own barrage of plasma, followed by the rest of the lance. The hunter watched as the pair fell out of the sky with a trail of green blood falling from the insect's thorax and growled, "Hold your fire!" 

On a instinct, they did, and the Major lowered his own weapon, "Excellent..." He purred to himself before accessing the battlenet to Ultra Vinza'za 'Wodamai, "Commander, the insect is exterminated and its rider grounded." 

[Deleted]

With the giant insect downed and the rider nowhere to be found. Makdap jumps up and down in celebration. "Nice shot sir," he said to Q'ai as a compliment. Makdap looks at Q'ai happily. Even though the two just met, Makdap can sense a friendship with Q'ai. Makdap then started looking around to see if he could find the rider (and finish him off). After a while of looking around the area where the giant insect landed, he did not find the rider, but he did find something useful. It was a small green pack. It had a strap on it, and Makdap could easily hold it with the strap on his shoulder. Makdap knew this might be useful to him, because he has no pockets in his armor to hold anything. He put his ID tag from his first kill inside and walked back to Q'ai. "I couldn't find the rider, but I found this," Makdap says as he shows him the small green pack. Makdap continued, "I think this will be useful to me. I could use something to hold extra stuff in." He then looks up at Q'ai, hoping to get a response and receive more orders to follow.

[Arbiter124]

Hunter Knight

E-1 Private

Getting his ass handed to him

"I said the right, Hunter!" The Corporal's voice screamed over the sound of gunfire. Hunter grunted, but he couldn't hide the smirk that came on his face at the realization that he had messed up his left and right. His MA5B swiveled to the right this time, and spotted two glowing blue shields. Hunter pulled down the trigger quickly, sending an inferno of bullets towards the two. The bullets seemingly bounced off, and they returned fire, sending much more accurate volleys of emerald plasma. Hunter snarled and ducked down behind the massive root, reloading his assault rifle. He looked at Riley, who was also reloading as Andre covered them.

"What are those things?" Hunter screamed over gunfire, referring to the two shieldies.

"They're called Jackals. Avian, birdlike species. Highly accurate. Highly dangerous." She replied.

"They look really scrawny." Hunter peeked out of cover to get another look at them.

"Yea. So?" Riley questioned the random observation.

Hunter shrugged. "I just think that maybe we should call them Scrawnies."

"They're called fucking Jackals, Hunter."

"Yea, well, I'm gonna' call them Scrawnies."

"You do that."

"Kay." Hunter concluded the conversation, and rose out of cover, aiming down on the two scrawnies. He pulled the trigger down, and roared out, the bullets exploding on the ground, shredding leaves, and ricocheting off of the brightly colored shields. Suddenly, Hunter noticed that the shields were turning a different color. Only slightly. Hunter pivoted to focus on just one of the Scrawnies, pulling down the trigger and letting the last of his ammunition go. He saw the shield turn a weak red color, and finally fizzle and dissolve. The Scrawny squawked, and leaped behind a tree, right as Hunter went back behind the tree.

"So, enough fire power takes down the Scrawny's shields!" He said to himself over the gunfire. Good to know.

[BasedGoody]

Unggoy Ultra Yaddap

Yaddap yelped as another shot glanced the crate that served as his cover. His pointed his Needler out and fired a volley. He didn't pay attention as to where it went. The team of humans were starting to advance and the Ultra was beginning to get worried for is file. He knew he needed to pull a stunt to get them out of this sticky situation. Sticky... Yaddap spun around to Judded and locked on to the Plasma Grenades attached to his belt.

"JUD! THROW!" He yelped.

Judded understood and whipped a grenade in the direction of the enemy infantry.

[Arbiter124]

Hunter Knight

E-1 Private

Learning the Ropes

"Shit! Scrawnies are being assholes!" Hunter yelled out towards Andre as emerald shots of superheated plasma scorched his cover. Andre looked at him and smirked.

"Scrawnies?" He questioned Hunter's wording.

"Don't ask." Riley chirped in, which earned a laugh from Hunter, who raised his assault rifle and fired blindly. The adrenaline from the fight was filling his youthful body, pushing him on. He was thrilled, not afraid. Thrilled. It was exciting, the heat of battle. The best part was how bad he was doing. He hadn't earned one kill through this entire fight. Hunter raised his MA5B and lifted himself out of cover, firing his weapon towards the shields. One bullet grazed the ankle of one of the Jackals, and the thing staggered. Hunter's eyes widened, and he stared in awe. 

He had done that.

He had shot something, and actually landed a hit.

The thing recovered, and Hunter missed his chance at a kill. It fired another volley of shots, and Hunter yelped, ducking behind cover again. He stared at the ground, and then looked up, to see the disapproving look of Chaz, who sat several feet away with his DMR. Hunter smirked, and shrugged.

Chaz closed his eyes and shook his head, standing back up to fire at the enemy.

Hunter did the same.

[BasedGoody]

Unggoy Ultra Yaddap

The grenade landed right in the middle of the group. All four dove out of the way, leaving them wide open to Unggoy fire. Yaddap unleashed his Needler and fired at one human struggling to get up. Three Needles shoved into his chest and he was thrown back. Before he could get up another sliced through his skull, killing him. Judded did a mini-cheer before opening fire with the Ultra. One more Marine took a Needle to the leg but the rest managed to get back into cover.

"KEEP FIRING!" Yad yelled.

Green bolts of plasma and purple needles ravaged the trees they hid behind. The Unggoy were going to win!

[Arbiter124]

Hunter Knight

E-1 Private

Hunter sat behind the root as the plasma from the Covenant blasted the root, chipping pieces off and boiling right through certain places. He felt Andre's hand tap his shoulder, and he turned to him.

"T'sup?" He yelled over the gunfire of one thousand allies and enemies. Andre cocked his head towards the rest of the fireteam, who were rushing through the brush, switching cover apparently. Hunter's eyes widened.

"Fuckberries, let's go." He yelped, hopping to his feet and running in a low crouch, blue and green plasma flying passed him. He returned fire blindly with his assault rifle, inaccurate shots splattering on the ground near Covenant soldiers. He kept on sprinting, when something tackled him. He flew to the ground, and looked up to see some tiny gray thing on him, fists raised. Hunter couldn't stop the laugh from coming out.

"You look like a retarded baby!" He laughed at the gray creature, who returned the laugh with a huge fist into Hunter's nose. He groaned from the punch but three more came at him quick, these ones less accurate. Hunter brought his arms up to stop the creature from wailing on him. Suddenly, blue blood flew into the air and the thing writhed awkwardly, sliding to the ground beside the Private, dead. Hunter looked to Andre, who held his SAW, the muzzle smoking. Hunter jumped to his feet and finished the sprint towards their new cover.

"Well... That was different." Hunter muttered.

"Yea, Grunts generally aren't that aggressive."

"They're called Grunts?"

"Yea, Hunter."

"Nah Andre. Toddlers. They looked like toddlers."

"I don't see your point."

"I'm calling them toddlers."

"What... I don't... Whatever Hunter."

Hunter smirked and nodded, aiming his weapon towards the general direction of Covenant, firing upon them.

[Jakob]

Private First Class Wen Cuu

The fireteam ran forward, Cuu swatted away yet another huge mosquito, the bug as big as his fist. Lopez led them through the jungle, the battle raging around them. The radio was exploding with reports about Covenant and bugs and god knows what else, the killing made Cuu feel a bit of happiness inside. The signs of battle were all around them, and Lopez cursed again as they fell further and further behind the main assault.

"Why are we not with them god damn it..." Lopez groaned as they moved deeper into the jungle.

"Maybe it's because we're walking so slow." Replied Benoit, a scowl on his face as big as the mosquito bites.

"Maybe we should leave someone behind." Cuu added, he glanced at Rachel, who saw his stare and averted her eyes. Mostly from fear.

"Shut up, both of you." Lopez replied, Benoit apologized, Cuu just snickered.

The sound of plasma became clear from in front of them, and a flash could be seen through the brush, Lopez ordered them down as they crawled through the bushes.

When they looked through the underbrush, they saw a large tree with huge roots, a marine laughing in fear as a grunt beat the shit out of him to the side of it. Cuu cackled and raised his weapon, aiming at the man's side, then swaying to the grunt and back. So many choices...

He didn't get to make it as the grunt flew off the side of him in a spray of blood, another marine taking it out with his machine gun. Cuu frowned when two more grunts appeared out of the brush, he dropped the first one in a moment, its head exploding in blue gore. The rest of the fireteam opened up on the second, who took six bullets before collapsing in a heap. The marine they helped save running to new cover.

Lopez ordered them after him, and within a minute they were sliding into cover with the other marine fireteam.

"Nice job, kid" Cuu said as he landed next to him, smiling. He could feel his scar stretching a bit as he moved his lips, and he eyed the marine like meat for a meatgrinder. Cuu wondered what he would look like dead.

[Arbiter124]

Hunter Knight

E-1 Private

Hunter looked at the Marine who landed next to him, and smiled at his comment, likely of the situation with the Toddler. Hunter let a small laugh escape his mouth, and brushed his shoulder in a theatric gesture.

"Well, you know, I aim to please." He joked, before reloading his MA5B and peeking above the root.

"Name's Hunter Knight." He added in, before taking another look at the Covenant's position.

Three toddlers charged forward, but were forced into cover as the two fireteams overpowered them. Then, from the brush, something else.

It stood at at least eight feet, with legs that reminded Hunter of a dinosaur. It had an upper jaw, but the lower part was split into several different sections, kind of like the pincers of an ant. What were those things called? Mandibles. The creature had mandibles. And those eyes. Those furious, blood red eyes, looking for something to kill. It stood straight up, and threw its head back, howling into the sky. An animal like roar, low and rasped. Inhuman.

"Shit..." Hunter muttered under his breath. He tapped the marine next to him.

"What the fuck is that thing..." Hunter barely was able to spit the words out, too much in shock and in awe at the beast. Four more toddlers and four Scrawnies came from the brush to join in the fight, and that... that thing aimed its weapon. A red firearm, Hunter didn't know exactly what to call the gun.

Two shots of red plasma came from the weapon. One sailed over Hunter's head, but the other one splashed just in front of the cover, sending a fair sized explosion that sent the Private flying back, through the brush. He landed on his back, skidding on the ground a few feet. He moaned, and looked up. He needed to get back into cover. He rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself up, running back towards the root. Two more shots sailed passed him and he leaped back behind the root.

"Shit... Lost my gun." Hunter snarled in anger, bringing out his M6D instead.

[Jakob]

Private First Class Cuu Wen

Cuu listened to the name and took note of it in his head, he could have some fun with this one... so much fun. The marine peaked out of cover and saw something, when Cuu leaned out too, he saw the elite and cackled. The kid seemed scared of it, Cuu could feel it, he liked it.

"It's a squid! A splitjawed squid!" He laughed and raised his rifle, he lost any fear of squids a long time ago. He couldn't even remember a time when he was truly scared of them. He was about to use his grenade launcher when the explosion hit the root of the tree, he stumbled to the side and almost out of cover. He could feel burns along his arms and the side of his head, and he cursed at the pain. He better not have to reapply his tattoos.

The marine was stumbling back to cover, probably still dazed from the explosion. Cuu shoved off the tree and ran towards him, he quickly grabbed the man by the breast plate and threw back into cover, hearing a thump as he slammed into the ground. Cuu fell in after him. His team was staring at him, blinking in confusion, it was the first time Cuu had helped another human being. Cuu smiled back, he wanted to fuck with the kid, he wasn't going to let the Covenant kill him yet.

"Keep your head down dumby, unless you want the squids to eat you. They ate my friend Cross you know, ate him so much that no one could see the marks." He raised his rifle over the the trunk, Lopez frowned at the comment but raised her rifle as well when he called for them to fire on the elite. Benoit aimed his light machine gun and all three of them fired.

The elite yelled in anger as its shield flared and popped before it jumped behind a tree. Cuu raised his rifle a bit and pulled the second trigger, the grenade flying out. The elite screamed so loud that he could hear it from cover, its blood spraying the forest floor as it collapsed on its side. Two grunts also flew out from the explosion, and he saw flames licking up the side of the tree where it struck.

The fire was spreading on the floor and on the trees, smoke began to push up from the Covenant position. Another tree caught and so did the gathered branches and leaves on the jungle floor. Two grunts ran out of cover as theirs burst into flames, and were swiftly cut down. Another ran out of cover a bit later, flames catching along his body, he was dropped as he screamed in fear. Cuu frowned at that, he would have liked to watch it burn.

[BasedGoody]

Barry Barrington
Marine Private

Barry walked through the jungle, stepping over large roots as he went. Donald was right behind him, strangely silent. Mike was whistling some song as he walked, gun slung over his back. After him Harold spun his Magnum on his fingers, eying the environment. Lastly Gerald held the back with a cold blank stare. Barry coughed quietly and listened intently to Mike's tune. The beat seemed familiar so the Private hummed along with him. Donald smiled and laughed, singing the song that went with the beat. It was some old country song. Harold clapped to it, bobbing his head to it.

"Stop." CPL. Goodwin said and raised a hand in the air.

Being in the back, nobody heard him. The singing went on.

"STOP." He said louder. Barry heard him and stopped short. Donald bumped into the Private and stood in attention. Harold spun to the Corporal, but Mike had his eyes closed and was singing too loud. He didn't hear Gerald, and he didn't see the Jackal. The Carbine shot hit him in the shoulder and he flew back into Harry who fell as well.

He screamed out loud and Barry dove behind a tree. Donald stood frozen but Gerald tackled him to the ground before the next Carbine shot smacked into the dirt. Harold dragged the wound Mike behind a fallen tree and scrambled for his Battle Rifle. Barry opened fire at the Sniper's position but could not get close enough to hit him.

"SHIT!" Donald yelled and sprayed with his Assault Rifle. More Carbine shots pierced the ground.

"We need a medic." Harold said, keeping pressure on Mike's wound. "Now."

[Arbiter124]

Hunter Knight

E-1 Private

Getting shown up

Hunter pushed the other Marine off of him, and smirked.

"Yea, I'm sure. They can try to eat me, if they want their asses beat." Hunter taunted, rising out of cover to see the 'Squid' dead, with two Toddlers laying down as well. He looked around, slightly confused. He looked to the other Marine, who stood with some sort of grin, of complete enjoyment, but not like Hunter's. This guy's was sadistic, scary.

That's one fucked up Asian.

Emerald green plasma flew by more, and Hunter snarled, ducking back behind the root. He looked at his pistol, and breathed in, and then out. He lifted himself out of cover, and brought his M6D up, pulling the trigger three times. The sights landed on a lone Toddler, and the three shots exploded on the torso of the creature. Blue blood erupted out of the thing's skin, and it collapsed on the forest floor. Hunter stared at it, and laughed.

"I KILLED IT!" He shouted out in victory, only to see the Toddler stagger to its grubby little feet and hop behind cover. He stared, dumbfounded. 

"God dammit!" He yelled out, ducking back behind cover.

He still had no kills.

Just fucking great.

[Ward, J.]

"Where the hell is the close air?" bellowed PFC Allens.

Ward ducked down behind a large stump as plasms fire sizzled by overhead. The Covenant had managed to stall the company's advance through a combination of withering fire and close air support from the Banshees above. A few of the rocket jockeys managed to take a few out of the sky before being either killed or forced into cover.

So far Oscar Company had taken heavy casualties. First platoon was nearly gone and second platoon was at half strength. The company commander had ordered third platoon to move up the line to reinforce first platoon while remained pinned on the left flank. The original plan was to conduct a pincer maneuver and back the Covenant up into a corner. Unfortunately, so far, things hadn't gone as planned.

"No idea, PFC," Ward exclaimed over the drone of the enemy's weapons. "I've heard nothing over the comms."

An overcharged pistol shot exploded against the tree Private Krieg was hiding behind, causing wood splinters to soar through the air on all directions. The Hungarian cursed in his native tongue and emerged from behind the tree long enough to dispatch the Grunt wielding the weapon. He ducked down lower as plasms pelted the tree, further degrading the Marine's cover.

Ward muttered an expletive under his breath and keyed his radio. "Oden Two-One, this is Alpha, we're fucking pinned. Where the hell is that CAS at?!" Ward inquired angrily, ditching proper radio protocols in favor of bluntly getting to the point.

The annoyed tone to the Harvest born southerner's voice was not conducive to his morale at all. "Two-One Alpha, do I look like a friggin' mind reader or somethin'? C2 ain't respondin' over the comms 'n... SHIT! Banshees comin' round for 'nother pass!"

The Corporal's eyes went to the sky. Sure enough there were five bulbous purple aircraft on a direct approach. Ward screamed for his men to hit the deck and then dropped to the ground, placing his hands over the back of his helmet. An explosion, likely from a fuel rod bomb, rocked the environment and kicked up dirt in the air nearby. Following it was the whine of its plasma cannons which elicited panicked screams from the many Marines in the line of fire. After the Banshees shrieked by overhead, the chorus of screams for corpsmen echoed through the area.

"This is gettin' really shitty, Corporal!" Allens exclaimed as he let loose with his '247 on a lance that was attempting to move up.

"Yeah, Jonny, we seriously need some air support and fast." Lance Corporal Furby said.

Ward nodded his head. "I know, I know," Jonathan growled. "Oden Two-One, be advised: we aren't gonna last much longer without CAS to take out those damn Banshees!

Stone's response was near instantaneous. "Gimmie a minute, Goddammit!" the sergeant barked. "Oden Two-One t' Two Actual, I'm losin' Marines. Git C2 on the horn 'n tell him t' quit dickin' around!"

Like Stone, Lieutenant Durant didn't sound too pleased. "Standby, Two-One!" Ward shook his head. Waiting was only going to cause more Marines to lose their lives. "Oden Two Actual to Tornado X-Ray, come in! Be advised: our unit is pinned down by heavy Covenant resistance and enemy air support. Requesting immediate CAS strike! How copy?!"

[MrKill]

Lieutenant Colonel Riley Duffman (NPC - Staff Approved)
Task Force Seven Seven; Executive Officer
Battalion HQ

"All call-signs be advised: UNSC Air Assets do not have air superiority and are engaging the hostile banshees. We are unable to task a CAS strike at this current time," Duffman said, "I'll work on a solution, but in the meantime you're on your own. Tornado X-Ray out."

The Lieutenant Colonel never liked leaving men to fend for themselves, but it had to be done. They were all expendable if it meant capturing the elite that ran the Covenant Military, and according to intelligence this specific elite held a higher rank than some of the 'prophets' the UNSC had heard about.

"Get me a naval ship," Duffman said. "Any one of them will do!"

It took a few seconds, but the battalion HQ staff worked quickly. "A link has been established with the UNSCS Kilimanjaro, sir!"

"Admiral Vardy, this is Lieutenant Colonel Duffman. We are in need of some air support. Roughly ten Banshees have engaged and destroyed two of my three Pelican gunships and the last one is taking some heavy fire. We need longswords to clear the air, sir..."

Lieutenant Joey Winchester
Oblivion One-One
Engaging Banshees

"Flip us around!" Idelz said, the gunner of Oblivion One-One. The Pelican had been hit twice from banshee attacks runs and the control surfaces weren't responding as well as they could. It was difficult to operate the rear right vectoring pylon - and the computers read that a control cable had melted, leaving only a few left to raise and lower the smaller engine.

"I can't!" Winchester stated.

He yanked on the control yoke and brought the pelican into a steep climb, above the field of battle. To his right, out the side window of the canopy we saw the burning wreckage of Oblivion One-Two and One-Three - they had been destroyed by Banshee fliers, and now they were getting pestered. The big, bulky pelican's really weren't proving a match for the quick banshees.

Yeah, sure. The pilots of Oblivion Flight had scored three kills already, but three out of fifteen known banshees was not good - and it was resulting in failure. Oblivion was tasked to support the Marines, but now the pilot could only assume what the Covenant defenses were doing to the ground teams.

A warning beeping through the canopy. The left front engine pylon had been hit and was loosing power to the 'trust' mode on the engine, but the computers didn't detect a problem with the 'VTOL' mode.

"Christ!" A voice shouted. "We've lost the right rear pylon, sir!"

The computers lit up with errors, the complete pylon was highlighted and red. The pelican immediately started pulling to the left, where more trust was being generated. Winchester had no choice but to take the pelican lower, where their was more air between the frame of the pelican's 'lifting body' mechanics and the ventral trust from the rear left pylon would stabilize their flight.

They could fly forward with a rear nacelles gone, but hovering was a completely different story and with a with a damaged main engine... Well hovering was their only option. Winchester prepared for the worst as he pushed his joystick down, towards the ground.

He leveled his pelican just above the canopy.

"Incoming, sir! Bring us around ninety degrees to the left so the seventy can get it!" The co-pilot said quickly.

Winchester engaged the VTOL mode and not two seconds later the dropship started arching down towards the right, since that was where less thrust was being generated.

"We're going to stall in ten seconds!" The co-pilot warned, and the audio beeping sounded. "STALL, STALL, STALL."

Winchester maxed the trust out of the right engine while dropping the forward left engines output while increasing the left vectoring pylons. The pelican stabilized, then another warning shot across the display screen in front of Winchester. "OVER HEAT... OVER HEAT... OVER HEAT"

"Give me a mother fucking break!" Winchester shouted, but it was too late.

The right engine vibrated violently before the pelican lurched back towards the right, crashing through the canopy of the thick jungle. Winchester swore, hit the ignite button and the right engine fired up. The flight was stabilized for now and the pelican was cutting through smaller trees, but they weren't that lucky.

Winchester swung the tail around and clipped a thick tree, which tore off the tail from the rest of the pelican. The bird, now tail-less, begun to spin to the left uncontrollably - the rear of the pelican getting closer and closer to the ground.

"Oblivion One-One is going down, I repeat: We are going down." Winchester said. "Mayday, mayday, mayday. We are projected to crash at gri-"

More snapping of tree branches and the pelican collided with another three, the right main engine being torn free. The bird dropped aggressively after that, landing upside down in a burst of flame as the leaking fuel from the tail ignited. The pelican skidded down a small hill and came to a rest, have covered in dirt as the noise plowed into the soft ground. Above the ground came free and covered up the fuel trail, and the flames from the burning leakage didn't follow.

Winchester coughed once before falling unconscious.

[Cabel]

[51st Marine Assault Regiment: Alpha Platoon, Alpha Company, First Lieutenant Mark Seamus “Spade” Sorelson: Tropical Planet: Southwestern Column and Flank: Currently: Ground-side]


Rolling over onto his side, the marine managed to get his knees beneath him before rising to his feet. While his assets still hurt the pain hadn't been as quite as severe as it had earlier, but the liquid pouring down the back of his leg caught his attention. Looking down, he'd knew he'd been certain he hadn't lost control over certain bodily functions though the growing puddle at his feet had been a little disconcerting. Catching four cloth straps from his shoulders that had previously been attached to a field-pack and the camel-back water-bag, Spade knew exactly what the liquid he'd felt pooling around his boots had been. The plasma barrage he'd evaded during the last moments of his airborne adventure must have destroyed both his fieldpack and the camel-back water-bag, but the passing plasma had left the skin on the back of his neck and shoulders with a bit of a burning sensation. Out of all of the combined tours during his time of service, he hadn't been shot a single time and yet he'd sustained a near miss from a plasma barrage. The other reality set in that without a fieldpack with its perishable supplies along with the lack of a water-bag, he'd been left to fend for himself in finding a safe source of food and a clean source of water. The stinging from the skin on the back of his neck and shoulders from the near plasma miss stung, but he couldn't back out of the engagement now and had a duty to perform. Pain had to be savored, or so an old Drill Instructor he had used to say and with that Spade did his best to block out the pain.

"Oden Two Actual, hold your position. I'm on my way," he said, over the frequency to Oden Two Actual after unclipping the MA5C. Finding the magazine had remained locked in place with a round chambered, Mark took off at a pace run towards Oden Two Actual's position.

He'd barely started off towards the pinned down company's position when a sound every groundpounder feared had been heard rapidly approaching his own position, and instinct overpowered decades of hardcore training forcing Mark to not only leap out of the way but to roll out of the way. A pelican careened out of control with several of its engines on fire complete with a hull marred by carbon-scoring from plasma impacts, and after it struck the tree the First Lieutenant had managed to crash land in himself had torn one of its engines off along with a wing. Watching the dropship slide down a small hill gouging out a trail behind it in the jungle floor before coming to a rough halt, Mark knew he'd been the only one closest to downed bird to render assistance. Taking off in same direction he'd come, he'd scan the area first with the MA5C for any Covenant or local fauna before carefully approaching the downed bird. Taking care of the leaking fuel and the inferno that had started to envelop the severed tail a short distance beyond the aft-ramp of the infamous bloodtray, he'd head around to the side to one of the crewdoors. Checking the door first with the back of his hand, he'd find while it had been rather warm to the touch it had been a bit cooler than the severed tail. Taking a firm grip on the hatch's handle, he'd grit his teeth and pulled. It took two seperate attempts before he'd been able to pry the door open and carefully ducked due to the dislodged gear the pelican had been transporting. Looking around, he'd find the cockpit and the partially wrecked hatch leading to it.

"If anyone on this bird's conscious, make a sound. If you can help in prying this hatch open from the other side, I could use the help," Mark shouted before finding a crowbar in a dislodged crate that had fallen on the bloodtray's ceiling now turned floor. The fire engulfing the tail hadn't helped with the heat, but Spade knew the lives of the pelican's crew hung in the balance. Taking the crowbar in hand, he'd wedge it between the wrecked hatch and the hatchframe before putting his back into it. "Talk to me. If you're conscious, talk to me,"

Not getting a response or hearing a moan from beyond the wrecked hatch, the marine placed one boot on the bulkhead next to the hatchframe for greater leverage. Putting his back into it a bit more, he'd hear the wrecked hatch slightly groaning from the effort. Despite his efforts between fighting his own injuries and in trying to pry the wrecked hatch open, the hatch simply wouldn't budge farther. "Tornado X-Ray, to any friendly units nearby. Assistance is requested. We have a downed bird. I repeat; we have a downed bird. Zero in on my position," he said, into the battalion-wide frequency. He'd resume the efforts in yanking the wrecked hatch open and in the process made a little headway with the hatch opening a little more, but the plasma burns on his neck and shoulders forced him to take brief pause to catch his breath before continuing with the crowbar. He'd been past his prime for at least two decades and perhaps when he'd been younger a twisted hatch wouldn't have posed much of a problem, but he'd found himself in the middle of a humid jungle fighting genocidal aliens bent on the destruction of his kind and he'd been injured on top of that. The downed Pelican with its unconscious or dying crew had become his responsibility, but with more exertion following a lack of water his body had started to feed on itself. "A marine never leaves a man behind. A marine never leaves a man behind," he'd recite the Marine mantra followed by the marine code of Honor, Courage and Commitment in an attempt to keep himself conscious while keeping the marines trapped on the other side of the hatch company.

[BetaWülf]

Jiralhanae Captain Garatus

When he reached the source of the roar he had heard it was already too late. He watched wide-eyed as the Arbiter ignited the holy flare, a bright blue flash and he was gone.
"NO!!!" he howled as he dropped to his knees, he reached out a hand towards the clearing smoke as tears welled in his eyes knowing there was nothing he could do.

He stayed slumped on his knees for a long time as the tears rolled down his cheeks, splashing gently off his breastplate. The Arbiter was the living embodiment of his faith and now he died, saving the others near him, a terrible pain lingered in his chest as he brought his head up again to look at the Arbiters remains. There wasn't much left of him, he didn't know how long he'd been there but any who were near before were gone now.

He approached the chunks that littered the ground, he lowered himself into a cross-legged sitting position beside them and began to pray for the Arbiter who had inspired him so.
"Amen" he said raising his head and opening his eyes. He took the Human skull he had on a cord around his neck and unsheathed his combat knife, he began carving on the forehead. when he was done the glyph for "Faith" was present but was not easily identifiable, Garatus noticed this and sought to rectify it. He took shrapnel from the Arbiters armor, embedding it in the carvings to make them standout, he found it fitting since the Arbiter was in his eyes faith in a living form.

He put the skull necklace back on, proudly bearing the new symbol he stood slowly. He headed for the comms tower where he left his pack, they would need each others support to get through this terrible battle. He started running through the forest with a new vigor, honor for the Covenant, death and retribution would be dealt by his hand this day.

[Deleted]

Sangheili Ultra Vinza'za 'Wodamai
Trenches

The smell of burning flesh, metal, and foliage filled the Ultra's nostrils. Had he not been bred a warrior and hunter, the unpleasant stench surely would have made him sick. Dead bodies littered the battlefield, and puddles of blood could be seen all around. A slight haze covered the area from fires that had sprung up due to downed vehicles and flaming plant life. Vinza'za panted, mandibles flared as he looked around at his Creche. The beleaguered soldiers had fought well, but the prolonged fighting was taking it's toll. Not even their fervor could prevent the onset of exhaustion. They couldn't hold out much longer under the continued assault by the Human's. The 'Wodam hunter stood, raising his Carbine with burning limbs.

The Ultra ignored rounds glazing his shield's as he put a round through the throat of a Human. He shot five more radioactive bullets before the magazine shot out. Two sent dirt and leaves flying about, but the other two managed to hit a Nishum in his midsection. Before the Ultra could duck away and reload, a rocket exploded on the crest of the trench, sending flames and shrapnel licking at the Ultra's white armor. He slammed into the back wall of the trench, before involuntarily falling into a puddle of blood. For a moment he lay there in shock and pain. He soon came to his senses as some untapped reservoir of adrenaline pulsed through him. He pushed himself up onto all fours with some effort. For a moment shock still gripped him, and he didn't know where he was. It quickly passed as he rose to his hind legs.

He examined his wounds. It was hard to differentiate what blood was his and what wasn't, but after a few good wipes he was able to see get a better view. His shields and thoracic cage had taken the brunt of the damage. The flesh wounds hadn't pierced deep enough to do any real damage, but shrapnel and burns had grazed the left side of his body. After some brief testing of his body he was still fully functional although his left side now hurt with certain movements. Fortunately, he would be able to swing his sword arm without too much trouble. He picked his carbine out of the gore, wincing and growling from his fresh wounds.

It was a good thing, too, as another Human column was pressing towards Acolyte Creche's position. Supporting fire from the trees was helping to keep the Creche suppressed, but Vinza'za was happy to see a flurry of plasma scorching the approaching Human's.  The 'Wodam clansmen reloaded his weapon with the last clip he had and added to the barrage.  The Mgalekgolo were doing damage as well, but the Nishum had distanced themselves from each other so the Hunter's attacks were diminished.  One of the Mgalekgolo avoided several rocket and sniper rounds, but his bond brother wasn't so lucky.  Two rockets sailed past the hulking mass, but a sniper round managed to pierce the fleshy orange worms.  The Hunter flinched before several more rockets tore through his armor and sent him crashing to the ground soaked in his own blood.  His still living, and now irate brother let loose a roar that actually sent a shiver down Vinza'za's spine.  By this time, the Human's that had survived the weathering fire had reached their lines and were leaping into the trench.  

The Ultra had his blade at the ready by the time Human's had reached his position.  A file of the little hellspawns had leapt into the trench far too close to him.  With several large bounds, Vinza'za was upon them.  His shields flared as a wide sweeping arc cut the first Human in half.  The second held down the trigger letting his weapon unload into the Ultra's shield, fully automatic.  A leap combined with a second back-handed strike left a deep gouge in his chest and he fell to the ground wide-eyed from shock.  The other two Nishum had begun retreating from the Ultra, but they were quickly felled by several radioactive bullets.  His joy was quickly squelched as a whole file of Human's surrounded him from outside the trench and begun firing on him.  He fired back, but he knew it was in vain...before the Human's quickly averted their attention.  

This puzzled Vinza'za momentarily, before a gigantic behemoth of a figure-the distraught Mgalekgolo-barreled at them.  One sweep of his shield sent three of the Human's flying, but had left him vulnerable.  Bullets cut through the Hunter's midsection.  He seemingly shrugged this off, blasting several more into bits with his arm cannon and crushing another Human from head to toe with a downward swing of his shield.  The Ultra attempted to dispatch the remaining Human's, but it was in vain.  They brought the gigantic Hunter down, who collapsed onto another Human with finality.  

Vinza'za quickly killed them, keying his battlenet, "This is Ultra commander Vinza'za 'Wodamai, Acolyte Creche has done all it can; we are falling back, we can no longer hold the line!"

He did his best to assist his remaining soldiers, commanding all soldiers of his creche to throw their plasma grenades and make the retreat.  He greatly disliked retreating, but for the sake of the Imperial Admiral he had to salvage what was left of Acolyte's fighting capabilities.  Fortunately, most of the Human's that had advanced on the trenches were now dead, but they could not be underestimated.  He wouldn't leave until most of his Creche was on the move back to the last line of defense.  

[Ward, J.]

The bloodcurdling scream of a Marine meeting his end reached Jonathan's ears. He cursed violently as he reloaded his MA5B, slamming a fresh magazine home and wrenching the charging handle to chamber the first round out of sixty. The Covenant were continuing to make progress thanks to the support lended by the Banshee fliers. Half an hour ago the UNSC had been on the offensive, but now the tables had turned in the Covenant's favor.

The radio squawked to life with the voice of Lieutenant Colonel Duffman, the acting commander of the UNSC forces planetside, it seemed. What he said put a fire in the young Corporal's eyes.

"Did he just tell us to fuck off?!" PFC Allens inquired, the tone to his voice suggesting he was in the same boat as his team leader.

"Sounded like it," replied Furby.

Allens looked as if he was preparing to rebuttle when a glowing orb landed mere inches away from him. "GRENADE! ALLENS, LOOK OUT!" Ward exclaimed frantically.

The young PFC released his grip on the '247 and jumped to his feet. As he did this the plasma grenade started growing steadily brighter by the passing millisecond. Panicked thoughts filled Ward's mind as Allens darted away from the grenade. The grenade became a miniature star before detonating, sending a wave of heat out that washed over anyone nearby.

Ward opened his eyes directly after the explosion and searched for his machine gunner. For a split-second he panicked, believing he'd lost the PFC. But then, out of the corner of his left eye, he spotted movement. Jonathan craned his head towards the movement and spotted Allens moving to a near position of cover, an M6C drawn from its holster.

"That was too close!" the machine gunner bellowed, firing several shots at a file of approaching Grunts.

The squawk of the radio yet again drew Jonny's attention away from the battle. This time it was the company commander of Alpha Company, requesting assistance at the crash site for a downed Pelican. Ward used his HUD to hone in on the officer's coordinates and then keyed the SQUADCOM.

"Oden Two-One Alpha to Two-One, be advised: requesting permission to provide assistance to Assassin Actual, over."

"Goddammit, Alpha... permission granted. Help out those boys 'n then git'cher ass back here."

Corporal Ward nodded and looked to his team. "Alright, Alpha. We've got a fallen angel to the west of our position and it looks we're gonna be helpin' the CO of Alpha Company bail out the survivors... if there are any. Furby, take point. Krieg, watch our ass."

The Marines immediately moved into a column formation and then Jonathan uploaded the coordinates to his team. As they moved out, Ward clicked the 'talk' button in his radio. "Assassin Actual, this is Oden Two-One Alpha, we're oscar mike to your twenty. ETA one-five mikes. How copy?"

[Cabel]

[Task Force 77: Alpha Platoon, Alpha Company, First Lieutenant Mark Seamus “Spade” Sorelson: Tropical Planet: Southwestern Column and Flank: Currently: Ground-side: Downed Oblivion One-One Pelican Crash-Site]

"Tornado X-Ray to Oden Two-One Alpha, transmission acknowledged. I'm with the downed wreck, and have been trying to wedge a hatch open. The area's clear of Covenant activity, but I don't know for how long," Mark said over the battlation-wide frequency to Oden Two-One Alpha. "Be advised, avoid the burning tail section aft of the bloodtray. The tail snapped off on impact," Catching his breath again while sweating buckets from the humidity, the marine gripped the crowbar firmly and felt hot liquid followed by something popping on the back of his shoulders and neck yet he kept trying to wrench the hatch free. He knew the hot liquid on the back of his neck and shoulders hadn't been water, but his own blood.

The burn blisters had ruptured, but with the lives of the flight crew at risk the old Lieutenant kept at it. Either from the combination of heat and humidity to the popped blisters, the stinging sensation had given into a fiery pain and his vision started to swim. Wiping his eyes with the sleeve on his left forearm, he channeled even more of his own will into the crowbar and the last thing he'd heard before collapsing with his back against the bulkhead separating the cockpit from the bloodtray had been the hatch giving off the loudest groaning. He couldn't move without his body crying out in protest, and try as he might to keep his head off the bulkhead it rested back against it. He'd retain consciousness knowing marines had been on the way, but he honestly wanted more than anything to be out of the blasted heat. Get up, Mark. Those boys aren't going to step out of that cockpit and hand you a cold one, he told himself. Through sheer willpower, he'd pushed off the bulkhead and took hold of the crowbar again in an attempt to pry the hatch from the frame. "From the Halls of Montezuma, to the Shores of Tripoli..." he'd start reciting the Marine Hymn from memory to where he'd lost count of the verses. He knew he couldn't leave the marines in the cockpit behind, and would drag them out one way or another. He owed his brothers and sisters in the Corps that much, and knew they would do the same for him.
 

[Jakob]

Private First Class Cuu Wen

Cuu smiled as more of the forest caught, the forest fire was truly spreading at this point, and the Covenant were either charging out or breaking and running. Some marine teams would be overrun by the retreating Covenant, others were pressing forward as they gunned down the retreating forces, the fire spread. Another elite ran out and fired again, he heard a creaking and a tree collapsed, the trunk smashing the one he was using as cover, just to his left. Woodchips sprayed him as he covered his eyes.

Everyone was screaming in confusion, he saw a pelican go down through the smoke, and did some guesswork of where it landed. Everyone was confused and dust from the trees and smoke were blocking any vision a few feet in all directions.

He turned off his radio and ran towards the wreck. He was getting sick of the flames, and sick of the fight. Mind as well do something else for a change.

He tore past a jackal who was screaming as his skin melted and burned, jumped over a grunts body and shoved past a confused elite. The fire was around him now, trees creaking and animals retreating as the jungle turned into a scene from hell. Another grunt burst from the brush in front of him, trying to pat a fire off of his arm, Cuu swung his rifle when he saw the creature, the weapon giving a satisfying crack as it broke the grunts jaw from behind the rebreather.

He ran and ran, jumping through and over flames. He could feel some burns on his face, but he didn't care much. They could heal.

The fire was slowly going behind him now, replaced with the warm trees of the jungle, the fire would reach it soon. He could smell the burning fuel now, see more flames in the distance, he followed it, glad the Covenant didn't have this area covered. He wondered how long that would last as he ran up to the pelican.

He saw a marine struggling there, choking out the boring old hymnn. He frowned, jogging up.

"You look like you could use some help, sure as sure."

[Cabel]

[Task Force 77: Alpha Platoon, Alpha Company, First Lieutenant Mark Seamus “Spade” Sorelson: Tropical Planet: Southwestern Column and Flank: Currently: Ground-side: Downed Oblivion One-One Pelican Crash-Site]

"You look like you could use some help, sure as sure," a voice came from surprisingly within the Pelican. Slowly looking out the corner of his eye, Mark made out a young marine with the chevron of a Private First Class on his steel.

"I need help in getting this hatch out of the way. There are marines on the other side, the flight crew. I haven't heard a sound from them," Mark said, his voice growing raspy from the smoke inhalation and that his throat had gone dry. "I've been at it for a while..." he began before rushing out to the other crew door and hurling outside. Holding onto the hatchframe to keep his balance, he'd nearly double over a few times. He'd recognized the signs of heat exhaustion, and worse heatstroke. He hadn't been aware he'd allowed himself to get that bad, but he'd been through worse or at least he liked to tell himself anyways. The shoulder armor, and the back of the standard issued M-Fifty-Two-B armor had been burned away leaving his shoulders bare. Looking back inside over his left shoulder, he'd catch sight of open crates with waterbottles though before he'd been able to take even two steps towards the crate felt his legs give way only to fall onto his side. "Water...What's your name, son?"

Reaching for one of the open crates the Pelican had been carrying, he'd managed to snag a bottle of water and twisting the cap off chugged it. Normally, he would have chewed out any recruit for chugging it that quickly yet he'd been in shock for a while. He had to combat it, and in the process bring his core temperature down. "Put your back into, but pace yourself. Damn this heat," he swore grabbing a few more bottles from the crate and tore his left sleeve for a rag. Taking the open water bottle, he'd drench the cloth before placing it his forehead being careful to avoid the back of his neck and shoulders. Blood had dripped onto the ceiling turned floor of the bloodtray and had dripped down the back of his uniform. "How many are with you? Did you run across Oden Two-One Alpha or any other teams? They were only one-five mikes out. The first time out of my entire service, and I get burned by the Covenant. How's that for irony..." he'd begin to laugh before wincing from the pain in his back.

[Jakob]

Private First Class Cuu Wen

"Water...What's your name, son? How many are with you? Did you run across Oden Two-One Alpha or any other teams? They were only one-five mikes out. The first time out of my entire service, and I get burned by the Covenant. How's that for irony..." The man then began cackling, Cuu glanced around for a moment, confused. Then he got angry, was he laughing at him? He peered over for a moment until he realized the man was just coocoo. Still, he didn't like being called son.

"Call me Cuu," he said, walking up to the hatch, he found a suitably long rod of metal and smashed it against the hull until the side was dented in, and then wedged it into what little space there was of the door. "Only me, others probably dead in the inferno, or lost in the jungle being eaten by mosquitos. Sure as sure" he grunted as he pushed, the muscles in his arm bulging from the effort. Something in him wanted to listen to the men burn, but he wasn't stupid, and he wasn't completely twisted. In his sick and twisted view of twisted at least.

He took a step back for a moment before prying the door with all his might, there was a popping sound as it slowly began to budge.