10.06.48
COLONY: TALOS
CITY: SPERIA
COVENANT ASSAULT ON WESTERN FRONT
ARROW SQUAD SENT TO ASSIST SHIELD SQUAD
The city of Speria had been breached by two covenant cruiser class ships only minutes ago when the last of the UNSC destroyer class ship perished in an orange inferno.
Most of the civilians were running for their lives from the covenant bomber banshees which swooped down, taking out groups of terrified civilians. Those who were able to survive didn't seem to be as lucky. Behind the banshees was a platoon of covenant made up of elites and grunts. They attacked just as ferociously as their brothers had inside the banshees, but killed their prey at a much slower rate, making them suffer as they believed that they had earned it.
As the slaughter was taking place, several pelicans flew overhead. One of them containing Arrow squad plus an extra two marines. Being held in place by the pelicans powerful magnetic clamps was a standard M12R Light Anti-Aircraft Vehicle. Or as the marines preferred, the rocket hog.
The pelicans scattered, each taking at least one marine squad to either assist with evacuation plans or to delay the advancing forces of the covenant. For Arrow squad however, they had been tasked with assisting a pinned down recon unit known as Shield who were under heavy fire according to their last message only three minutes ago. Their radios had been silent since.
Arrows pelican landed just outside a nice little restaurant which was only several streets from where Shield was meant to be. The marines jogged out once the back hangar had opened up.
Three marines lined up on each side of the pelican. The area seemed clear and untouched by the heavy mortar fire taking place further within the west side of the city. Hopefully there was no chance of running into that type of covenant armor. But just in case, the pelicans pilot released the rocket hog a few feet of the ground. As it landed, its tires caused it to bounce once before it became as still as a statue.
From the group of Arrow squad, there were four members. Forest, Buzzard, Hammer and Rust. The other two marines were considered additional support. Their job was to guard the area so that the pelican could re-land without worrying about a hot LZ. Rust began to go over the assigned roles with his own squad.
"Ok people listen up. We haven't got much time before the fighting spreads. Hammer and forest will take the Rocket hog and destroy any and all light armor that the covenant have over at the Plaza north of here. That way we won't need to worry about the covenant calling in nearby units to assist them in case we're compromised. The Marines will stay here and keep the area from falling into covenant control in case we need a fast ride out of here. Buzzard and myself will head into the hot zone and assist Shield. Once we have completed our primary objectives, we will meet back here to this location and prep for evac. Remember we only have a twenty minutes on the clock. After that this area will be overrun by the covenant. Are your objectives understood"?
Every marine shouted "SIR YES SIR" before saluting, making Rust give a small grin.
"Mmhm. Glad to damn well hear it. Now move out! Double time"!
Each group of marines immediately begun their missions. Forest and Hammer climbed onto the rocket hog, Forest driving and Hammer shooting, and sped off round the corner, ready to encounter whatever the covenant was ready to throw at them. Rust and Buzzard jogged round the corner leaving the other two marines all alone.
Only two minutes into their objective, Rust and Buzzard had made it down the street and reached their second corner. But before they advanced, they heard something talking. It wasn't human. It sounded more along the lines of... an elite.
Rust peeped round the corner and true enough, two elites stood halfway down the street. One an officer and the other a minor. It was hard to see what they were doing but the officer had its energy sword activated. It looked as though it was holding something in front of it with its other hand but the massive bodies of the sanghelios warriors made better doors than windows.
Suddenly, the officer swung its weapon in front of itself and was followed by a scream. The officer then threw what it held to its right. A human body fell lifeless onto the cold concrete road which was followed by both aliens laughing.
"Those damn bastards". Rust muttered to himself, though Buzzard was able to hear him.
"Orders Sarge"?
"We'll need to play this carefully, stay here and be ready to take out the blue one. I'll sneak up behind and kill the major".
"Roger".
Buzzard pulled the sniper rifle he had taken for the mission off of his back and aimed at the minors head. Rust stayed to the right side of the street, letting the shadows mask his approach.
As soon as he was convinced he was close enough, the left the safety of the shadows and crept into the middle of the street, five meters away from the eight foot tall monsters. Rust put his main weapon, an assault rifle, onto his back and pulled out his knife from his flak jacket.
The minor elite stared at the human body for a little while longer before it found itself distracted by the pitter patter noise coming from behind it. The minor turned round and as it did, Rust broke into a run, still focused on the major.
The minor warrior aimed its carbine at the human and shouted something in its own language before a shot rang out and the minor was blown backwards with a hole in its head.
The officer saw the body of its brother fall to the ground. But before it had the chance to do anything else, Rust jumped onto its back causing it to stumble forwards and yell. Rust then grabbed onto a bulky part of its armor and drove his knife though the back of the elites neck. The force of the blow was enough to overload the majors shields and pierce its scaly skin at the same time, giving it a more painful and slower death than its brother.
Rust swished his knife around to try and get some of the blood off the knife. Droplets of purple flew all over the pavement.
However, a lone jackal a few blocks away on top of one the buildings on the left side of the street noticed the human and sought to avenge its masters. It aimed its beamrifle at Rust until it was convinced it had a kill shot. Then...
*BANG*
The jackal sniper dropped its weapon and fell from the building and onto the ground with a big thud. Rust looked back to Buzzard to see smoke coming from the barrel of his weapon. Rust nodded as to say thanks and both continued down to the next street where Shield awaited. Or what remained.
The last transmission from Shield squad was believed to have come from the location where Rust and Buzzard now stood. But they hadn't expected the sight to be such a bloodbath.
Concrete had been ripped up, Destroyed cars still burning. The bodies of human corpses covered in so much of their own blood, it was had to see the white of their armor. What ever had happened, it had been a massacre.
Buzzard reluctantly stepped forward and looked past into the distance. An empty sniper rifle with no ammo casing lay on the ground. Whatever attacked, it must have been one tough behemoth.
Rust heard the shuffling of rubble to his left. He pulled the assault rifle from his back and went to investigate while Buzzard continued his own search. Rust walked up to the source of the disturbance, aiming his rifle, it came from behind one of the cars that hadn't been completely demolished. Rust aimed his rifle and turned the corner of the car to see a marine. One barely hanging onto life as he seemed to be holding his chest and coughing violently.
Rust crept down to face the soldier properly.
"What happened here trooper"?
"We- we were attacked... I. I can't"... The marine struggled to speak. Rust noticed this.
"Don't worry trooper, just try to rest".
This rescue op seemed to be taking a bad turn. Only one member of Shield still alive, and in terrible condition, out of five. But what?
"RUST, BEHIND YOU"!!
Rust turned behind him, seeing a giant boot raise up and try to crush him. Rust got out of the way just in time. The injured marine, not as lucky who screamed as the massive boot came down upon his face, crushing the poor soldiers skull into very small fragments.
Rust looked back at his attacker to see a twelve foot hunter. Bullets had left slight dents in its shielded arm which meant that this was the monster responsible for attacking Shield. The gargantuan creature roared as it charged for Rust. Then...
*STATIC*
"Damn it"! Rust shook his helmet. The video had seemed to malfunction. Shame too, it was just about to get to the good part. He checked the camera feed, it seemed fine a moment ago.
"I don't think I can fix the recording feed just now". He apologized to Twilight. However, Twilight couldn't help but stare in fear at what she had witnessed. Such violence and death. It was horrible.
"Rust"...
Rust turned to face the unicorn. Tears flowed from her eyes.
"I... don't think I can watch anymore. please don't make me".
Rust sighed and switched off the camera feed. The static visual ended.
"Look, Twilight. I know you may think that"-.
"It's okay Rust". Twilight looked Rust in the eye. "I know you did it to protect your own kind. If I was put in you position, I would have to do the same thing. To protect my friends and family". Twilight then offer a small smile.
"...Thanks for understanding". Rust smiled back.
Twilight sighed and stood up, realizing that it was time to go.
"So, you ready to meet the Princess"?
"Sure. I'm curious in knowing how she was already aware of my presence".
With that, both of them got up from their seats and got ready to round up the other elements of harmony.