CHAPTER ONE

 The new recruits

    Battle for Jericho

The warthog roared past the corner of the old city hall and ploughed into a large gathering of grunts. Bones crunched as the massive tyres grinded them into the ground. “Nice driving Gavin!” The gunner named Ricardo yelled. The passenger was a corporal called Phillip. Both new members of alpha squad. They were to rally with the other two members Henry and Francis and meet up with the 31^st ODST division. Tougher than it sounded because it involved heading through a zone swarming with covies and then holding off 4 assault waves alone. Ricardo opened up at a convoy of ghosts and knocked 3 out straight away. The other 8 turned and fired their plasma cannons. Plasma boiled away the bumper as Gavin swerved left out of the way of the ghosts. 2 miles till he met up with the others. He gunned the hog as fast as he could and let Ricardo loose. He killed 2 drivers and disabled a third. Only 5 ghosts remained. One pulled up level with the warthog. An elite was driving it. He pulled an energy sword up and stood on the edge of the ghost. The ghost swerved everywhere with the absence of its driver. The elite jumped and grabbed hold of the remains of the bumper. Its shields shimmered incredibly bright as it took a lot of beating from the paved road. Ricardo stood over it and meant to bring his boot down on its head. The elite instead thrust the energy sword into Ricardo’s chest and used him to lift himself onto the warthog. The elite threw Ricardo off the warthog and left him for the grunts.

“I got this ***!” Phillip yelled. He stood up and fired his assault rifle point blank. He only fired three shots before the elite slit his throat. Phillip gave a gasping cry and he fell off the warthog and smashed his head on the road. Gavin had had enough. He stood and threw his knife at the elite. Straight and true. The knife went through the slits and entered the elite’s eyes. It fell back, blood gushing from the wound. The warthog swerved. Gavin fell into the driver’s seat and knocked the wheel. He hit a building and everything went black.

Memories. So many memories. Each one passing by faster and faster each time. There was pain first. The day his mother died. The funeral. The open coffin.

Happiness. The day I got married. My wife.

My country England and the day I joined the UNSC. The way the flag waved as I stood at attention on graduation day from the military academy.

these were the things that went through Gavin’s mind as he awoke. Haziness at first and then a light. This didn’t recede but continued to grow. He saw the warthog imbedded in the wall of a building. The flames licking at his gun. The debris from the crash everywhere. The blood. He wiped some of it away and realised his helmet had fallen off. He stood fast and realised it was a mistake as he went dizzy. He found it. Put it on and picked his assault rifle up. He put a magazine in and walked out of the building. It was time for the covies to pay for what they did.

  CHAPTER TWO

ON THE DEFENSE

The ghosts roared over the edge of the hill and sprayed the defensive position the marines were hiding behind. They wouldn’t last much longer at this rate. A marine by the name of Sgt. Ahmed fired his rocket launcher and blew a chopper speeding up the hill at them. “Yeah! First kill!” Ahmed yelled.

“Metcalf fire on that wraith!” Ahmed ordered.

Metcalf threw a grenade at the driver side of the wraith. It exploded sending shrapnel through into the elite’s face. It’s shield shimmered as the shrapnel bounced off. Metcalf lunged at the elite with his rifle and repeatedly smashed it in the face with the butt of his rifle. The elite was bleeding now as its shields broke. As Metcalf went in for a last swing the elite grabbed the gun and twisted it out of his grasp. It clattered to the floor. Metcalf yelled in pain as his arm broke. The elite gave a roar of triumph as it levelled the plasma rifle to his face. It was about to fire when it heard the roar of a vehicle approaching. It turned its head to see a scorpion tank aiming at him. He dropped Metcalf in surprise and tried himself to run. But the scorpion was too fast and the first shell it fired incinerated the elite in a shower of purple blood. Metcalf scrambled to his feet and ran behind the hill. The tank slowed to a halt in front of them and he driver got out. It looked like a marine out of alpha squad. The captains insignia on his arm made the other marines stand at attention. “Cut the bullshit.” The marine said. “Where are the rest of my squad!?”

Ahmed nervously walked up to him. “Sir, we saw them last defending the hill from the eastern position. We don’t know what happened to them sir.”

“***!” Gavin yelled. He ran up the hill and stooped to observe the charred remains of a marine. He picked up the dog tag. The name on it read: “Pvt. Alastair.” He threw the dog tag to the side and observed even more bodies. A Corporal named Langley approached and saluted. “Sir, someone’s asking for you sir.” Gavin walked up the hill toward where Langley was pointing. 2 marines were stood there with their ODST helmets visor up. “Gavin, good to see you sir.” It was Henry and Francis. They had made it after all. Ahmed yelled. “Oh *** more covenant approaching, give ‘em hell marines!”

The battle had begun.

                                                            CHAPTER THREE

                                                             JERICHO LOST

Grunts in waves ran up the hill toward the human position. Assault rifle blasts blew chunks out of the approaching grunts. Many clawed at limbs shot off hoping that they would somehow reattach. The humans started taking heavy plasma pistol fire that killed a few unlucky privates who were changing cover. The scene Gavin could see was horrible. He knew the aliens were waiting for this side of the defence to go help the other side so that they could flank us. From what Gavin could see the humans were taking terrible losses now. Wounded were left where they dropped. They couldn’t move them back to the hospital tent without them being shot. Gavin had in his squad now: Henry, Francis, Ahmed, Langley and an overeager Private called Thorley. Thorley had the sniper. He was firing rounds non stop. He was a terrible shot. After he missed a wounded grunt, Ahmed grabbed the sniper off him and shot an elite square through the eye. “That’s how to do it rookie.” Ahmed growled. He handed the sniper back to the Private and resumed watching the battle which was pretty even sided. Every time the aliens charged up the hill, they were slaughtered, while the aliens that stayed back were able to inflict the most casualties. A grunt wielded a strange purple weapon with glowing pink spines sticking out of the top of it. The grunt aimed at a marine with an MA5B and fired a burst from the weapon. Pink needles swarmed toward the marine. They imbedded themselves in his chest. He flinched as they hit. He fell backward down the hill. As he rolled to a stop, the needles exploded in a hazy pink mist. All that was left of the marine were meaty chunks.

“Crap, we need to help them.” Ahmed sighed.

“No. as soon as we move, the real invasion force will come from the trees down there.” Gavin pointed towards the tree line where occasionally you would see a glint of purple armour or a sudden blur of movement. Gavin tapped the shoulder of Thorley and grabbed the sniper off him. He aimed down the scope and saw through the many trees a jackal. It had its head bowed as if crouched. This *** was his.

The humans had wrecked the covenant assault force. And they couldn’t hold out much longer. The humans wouldn’t budge from their defensive position. If they could hide a few minutes longer, the humans would move to reinforce the defending army and then the way would be clear for a victory. At least, this was how the elite vorum’ antarkee saw it. He had a jackal next to him with a needler. The jackal looked at Vorum and turned away. As it settled its gaze back at the tree line, its head exploded.

Gavin lowered the sniper an inch and whispered “Gotcha.” 

The grunts were scrambling over the bodies of their fallen and wounded comrades trampling each other in the process while they tried to get away. Elites were shooting the retreating grunts for their cowardice. The humans threw masses of fragmentation grenades at the huge cluster of aliens. As the grenades detonated, aliens yelled and died as they were torn apart by the initial explosion or finished by the extra sharp shrapnel that flew into their faces. A victory for the humans. The aliens who had been hiding in the trees thought that it was now or never and so they burst from the forest and took alpha squad and the 100 marines there with them by surprise. Someone yelled “Open fire!” everyone complied and the first wave of the new attackers were shredded almost instantly. Elites engaged their camouflage and snuck up on the hill. They clambered over and set to work assassinating the humans. They disengaged their camouflage and shot long bursts at the massed humans. Many fell and died from plasma burns. The marines had just turned to engage this new threat when they realised that the aliens who had just retreated had been faking the massed panic. They instead resumed their charge at the now heavily disorganised human forces. Stray bullets and plasma blasts flew everywhere hitting intended and unintended targets. This was no longer a battle. It was a massacre. A squad of grunts scrambled over the hill and tore a lone private to shreds. Gavin took down an elite and a squad of grunts with a grenade. A jackal fired a lucky shot and hit Gavin in the arm. He yelled in pain as the plasma burned through his armour and scorched his skin. He brought the gun up one handed and fired a full magazine at the exposed jackal from the hip. Its ribs flew outward and its guts tumbled out as the armour piercing bullets tore through the alien. The gun clicked empty. Gavin dressed his wounds quickly while the marines held the aliens off for a few seconds. He then reloaded his gun and set to work on a wounded jackal.

Ahmed thrust his combat knife through the eye hole of an elite’s helmet and grinned with maniacal glee as the blade penetrated through its weak shields and imbedded itself into its brain. The elite let out a blood curdling scream as it shuddered violently. Then it lay still, gave one last shudder and a gasping breath and then died. Ahmed left the knife in its eye socket and fired short bursts from his assault rifle. Grunts and a few jackals went down from his rifle. But that’s when he heard the whine. The whine of a vehicle which had become his nightmare. The whine of a ghost. A squadron of ghosts blasted through a squad of marines, decapitating a few with their wing tips. A few badly placed rockets roared after them only to hit their own men or fly into a group of grunts. Plasma cannons opened fire on the marines. Why hadn’t they had the order to fall back yet? Ahmed heard his headpiece crackle and the voice of the commander came through. “Get the hell out of there you idiots! Why didn’t you run 5 minutes ago?! Air support coming in, get out of their before you get fried. Over and out.”

Ahmed heard the approaching aircraft from a mile off. That gave him about 10 seconds to hoof it. He saw most of the marines scrambling over dead and falling flat on their faces, taking energy swords in their backs. This was anarchy. Alpha squad were ahead of him by 30 paces. He knew they would survive. He sprinted faster than he had ever sprinted in his life. He heard the shortswords go over his head and that’s when he dived onto the ground. He covered his head with his hands as almost unbearable heat washed over him. The last thing he remembered were hands picking him up by the arms and hauling him up from the ground.

                                             CHAPTER FOUR

                                   ABOARD THE LEONIDAS

The UNSC heavy battle cruiser, Leonidas was one of the fastest ships around. It was a good thing it was there to get the survivors off Jericho. Among the survivors was Sgt. Ahmed. He had suffered heavy plasma and fire burns during the battle. It was a magnificent stroke of luck that he had survived the airstrike almost landing on him.

On the bridge of the ship was Gavin, talking to the captain. He had found out there new destination. A colony world unknown to the public. Only to select units in the whole military. It was known as Solus. The ship was one of 100’s heading to the military planet to stave off a large scale covenant attack. It was rich in ancient alien artefacts and that’s what the brass thought the aliens were after. They hadn’t glassed the planet yet. The fleet was tasked with destroying the orbiting covie force of about 25 ships. The UNSC had a fleet up to the challenge. “Exiting slip space in 12 minutes.” The announcement was clear. It was time to gear up.

Many of the medics had tried as hard as they could to revive Thorley.  But he was eventually given up on. He had refused to run when the call came in.

“No way am I letting these bastards through!” Thought Thorley. He shot his assault rifle directly at a grunt. It was ripped in half and its blood sprayed everywhere. The noise of the shortswords was getting closer. Now it was time to run. He jumped and rolled down the incredibly steep hill and tried catching up with Ahmed who he saw a few paces in front of him. He sprinted faster than ever. The bombs were dropping. He knew it. He tried to dive on the ground but was instead roasted alive as the flames engulfed him. He was still vaguely aware of his surroundings as he waited to die.

CHAPTER FIVE

OPERATION LIBERATION

The banshee’s screamed overhead and unleashed their deadly fuel rod blasts. They impacted on the teams only warthog and flipped it over. The gunner was killed. This was what life was like for the 44^th special operations division. They were secret, unknown to the public and made at the discovery of Solus. They were over 50,000 when the covenant arrived, now they were fewer than 20,000. This battle was a massacre on a global scale. All over the planet engagements were rife. The dead littered the battleground as Lucas crouched behind the warthog and blind fired a group of jackals. One of them fell while the others formed a phalanx and shot from behind their shields. One plasma bolt hit a young Corporal in the face. His helmet visor smashed into his eyes. He screamed as blood frothed from his helmet. The plasma had boiled away a part of his face and the glass had stuck in his eyes. He clutched his face and wept on the floor as the blood seeped from his clutched fingers. A second plasma bolt to the head finished him off. Lucas crouch ran to the rest of the team and crouched next to his sergeant. “Sir, we’re hit pretty badly; I don’t think we can hold out much longer.” Plasma blasts from an Elite strafed the debris they were hiding behind and burned away some of Lucas’s armour. “*** OFF!” Lucas exclaimed as he lobbed a grenade at a gathering of grunts. They were shredded as the grenade detonated. Lucas sat back down and sheltered form the newest wave of plasma. “As I was saying sir, we have a fallback point about 600 meters back. We get there; I guarantee we can hold out longer.”

“Ok Lucas, but this better *** work boy. COVERING FIRE MEN!”

The pelican carrying alpha squad and a few regs including a Private Jones, a Sgt Ahmed, Captain Barrigan and lieutenant Morrey, dropped them off at a near clearing. Gavin spoke. “Ok men, set up forward. I want the sandbag bunker set up ASAP, you clear on that soldiers?” A chorus of “sir yes sir!” rang out.

The marines ran out from the cover of the debris and sprinted low around the distant street corner, but not without losing 3 men under heavily organised plasma fire. “Return fire now!” MA5B shots rang out and stopped an elite dead in its tracks. “Keep up the fire you bad ass motherfuckers!” The sergeant yelled. A marine fell dead from a plasma bombardment. “***! 30 rounds left sarge, then I’m out!”

“Then use them to good affect private!” The sergeant fired a burst at a jackal, splitting it in half.

“Sarge, look over there!”

Alpha squad emerged from the billowing smoke and setup near the fatigued marines.

“Reinforcements sergeant, RV with the rest of your platoon is about 2 miles through the covie line. Suggest we push them back!” Gavin yelled as his assault rifle tore chunks out of a jackal.

“Ok squad move out!” The sergeant yelled.

Ahmed moved from cover to cover, firing shots at the aliens as he ran. This kept them suppressed and possibly saved Ahmed’s life. Ahmed crouched behind the old warthog and fired over the top. A plasma grenade sailed over and stuck to a lone marine searching for cover. “GET THIS THING OFF ME! GET IT OFF M-!”

The marine exploded before he could finish the sentence. Ahmed was showered in gore as the remains of the soldier landed around him.

CHAPTER SIX

THE RV

“MOVE MOVE! Don’t let those bastards cut through!” A marine dropped dead with a loud thud as plasma burned through his face. “Crap, cover the left flank!” A group of marines responded to this by crouching behind a charred pile of corpses and firing over them. “Good job, now get rid of that Elite!”

An Elite had broken through with a group of wide eyed, squealing Grunt’s. The Grunts were firing in every direction. The Elite had chosen to concentrate his fire. But in the end it didn’t save him as he and his Grunt squad were riddled with bullets. Before the Elite died, he rolled a plasma grenade at a wounded and disabled marine and the medic helping him. The medic ran and tried to drag the marine along with him. The grenade detonated and ripped the marines legs off. The medic dropped him as he was sliced in half by plasma fire.

“Men, reinforce the centre, only a few more of them to hold off!” The Commander fired his sniper and blew the head off a Jackal. The grunts around it flinched and ran as they were covered in its blood. He fired another round and blasted an Elite straight through the chest. It exited through his back and hit a grunt in the face. Hot ***! Two with one shot!. He fired another shot, it blew a grunts head up like a melon. He fired the last bullet in his magazine and blew a jackals leg off. He reloaded and continued his sniping.

“Men, fall back to position Bravo, you are being overrun!” A marine was grappling with a Jackal for his gun, the Jackal kicked the marine and aimed the gun at his face. The Jackal was knocked back suddenly as blood sprayed from a gaping hole in it’s chest. The Commander was sniping. He had saved Ahmeds life. Ahmed stood back up, hefted his AR and fell back with the rest of the 200 marines left. There was mass chaos as the survivors fled up the hill en masse. Many of the marines furthest back were being cut down by heavy torrents of plasma. The Commander however continued to snipe as many targets as he could find. At the top of the hill, the small bunkers were put to good use. The turrets inside them were a good defence against the incoming covenant onslaught. An Elite was shot through the throat by a sniper round. Now the covenant had come up the hill, they were an excellent target for the Alpha squad sniper Gavin. The covenant only had about 200 troops left now. The turrets and the waiting marines cut down anything that poked it’s head over the hill and the sniper’s were eagerly popping heads of multiple aliens. The roar of pelicans descended over the battlefield. The pelican’s opened up with their chin turrets and pushed the covenant back heavily. They were dwindling fast. Then eventually the only sounds that could be heard were the calls of the dying and wounded. Another battle won. Ahmed threw his helmet up into the air and smiled broadly. Solus was safe. Only a few thousand covenant remained. After the fleet was destroyed the covenant had no supplies or reinforcements. They would save this planet.

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE LAST COVENANT

The barracks of Solus, 5 miles in all directions and set out like a city. Buildings and houses. But the UNSC had been taught one thing. Street combat was dangerous. And it gave the remaining covenant attacking an advantage. The covenant were outnumbered but they were lethal in fights like these. The Warthog Gavin was perched on had no turret, but an extra part added onto the back that had extra seats. With him was Henry and Francis, Ahmed, Metcalf, Langley and Morrey. Moving deeper into the wreckage of the combat zone of the barracks, there were dead humans and aliens alike. Charred remains of a ghost, 3 wraith’s, 2 banshee’s and even a Spirit were strewn all over the place. Warthog wreckage was plentiful here too. All Gavin would be moving in with was a scorpion and 3 warthogs. A mortar round landed dangerously close to the vehicle. Shrapnel viciously ripped through Metcalf’s leg, severing it. His screams pierced the air around the soldiers and caused Langley (the driver) to swerve. Morrey was a medic. He set to work on Metcalf’s leg. “Your gonna be ok buddy, just hang in there for Christ’s sake!” Metcalf’s screams got louder. Langley hadn’t been paying attention to where he was going and found himself under attack from a horde of grunts and elites. The marines fired and killed a few. A plasma grenade stuck itself to the tyre of the warthog and spun wildly. Langley screamed. “Oh ***!”

The grenade exploded and sent the marines flying out of their vehicle.

“Woot, Woot, Woot!” Langley was hauled to his feet by a pair of Grunts. He looked wildly around. He saw the warthog wreckage. The dead body of Metcalf who had his chest ripped out by the explosion. Gavin unconscious on the floor, Morrey with a large gash on his head, Ahmed was awake with a plasma rifle pointed at his head, Francis was being lifted up by a group of Grunts and carried into a nearby building and Henry was being beaten by an Elite wielding his plasma rifle as a club. It repeatedly hit him on the head. Each hit was met by a cry of anguish and despair. When Henry collapsed to the floor, the Elite yelled in triumph and fired a 2 second burst into Henry’s face. He had no time to scream and when he fell back dead, all that remained of his face was a smoking hole. A Grunt laughed and kicked the dead marines chest. Gavin tried to break free of his captors. The Elite holding him let out a gasp as Gavin elbowed him in the groin. Gavin rolled forward, passed a surprised Elite and grabbed hold of the grunt by the neck. Gavin ripped out it’s plasma pistol from its holster and aimed it at the black armoured Elite. The Elite slowly dropped its weapon and nodded at the Elites holding the others. Langley was roughly pushed forward. He joined Gavin along with Morrey and Ahmed. Gavin yelled at the black Elite. “Get Francis down here now!” The Elite nodded at a Grunt. The Grunt an inside and emerged with an awakened Francis. “Gavin, how are we gonna escape?” He said once he was next to him.

“I have a plan.” Gavin slowly moved backwards and brought the Grunt with him. The roar of a vehicle approaching eventually became audible to the aliens. Behind the marines, a scorpion Tank emerged from behind a hill of debris and swung is turret around to face the Elite. “ATU-!” The Elite got no further. It was blown in half by the shell. The other aliens rushed into action. The Grunt Gavin held began to squirm wildly. He shot it in the face with its own plasma pistol and ran behind the tank. It blew a Elite to smithereens and wounded two Grunts near him. Grunts poured from the building where Francis had been held. They were met by machine gun fire and very soon large rivers of blue blood flowed down towards the tank.

“Cover the left! No the right! Damnit, where the *** are Alpha squad, sergeant?”

“I don’t know Sir!” Said the Sergeant as he fired a burst from his AR. A shell whizzed over the heads of the platoon and slammed into a ghost. The ghost wreckage sliced a grunt in half and killed an Elite. Gavin dismounted from the tanks treadmills and moved forward through the street. “Covering fire!” Bullets ripped through the air around Gavin. He sprinted for a nearby wall and pressed himself flat against it. He peeked around the corner and blew a Grunts head off. The tank rolled across in front of Gavin and blew a sprinting Elite to pulp. Gavin ran after the tank towards a retreating covenant force of Elite’s and Grunts. They would be hunted down by a large force later today. As for Gavin and Francis. They were recalled back to the Leonidas. The ONI brass wanted them. Ahmed would accompany them as well as Morrey and Langley. Today had been tough for the marines. But the next week would be even

worse.

CHAPTER EIGHT

THE DEMISE OF FRANKY BEANS

Gavin had returned to Reach to debrief and prepare for his next mission. Ahmed, Langley, Morrey and a Private called Franky “Beans” Shawcross. Their next mission would be the liberation of a city in Holland from a professional group of rebels known as the Freedom army. *** radicals had declared a Holland city as theirs and publicly executed the Mayor. Alpha squad and a large group of armoured infantry would be assaulting following a large pelican raid which alpha squad would take part in. the rebels however weren’t to be messed with. They had a large amount of tanks and warthogs and a few shortswords to use in bombing raids. And a fleet of pelicans which were ordered to be saved. The Leonidas took them and a few hundred other marines with them back to Earth.

Alpha squad boarded their pelican and set off with an additional 30 fleets. On board the pelican with alpha squad was a group of 6 ODST’s. The squad leader was Staff Sergeant Obreiski. The other 5 were Sergeant Jasper, Corporal Zanovich, Corporal Hassey, Private Legget and Private Allen. The Pelican rattled as it came under AA fire. They were right over the combat zone. “Dropping in 3, get ready soldiers.” The COM clicked off and Gavin stood.

“Ok guys, we have an AA position about 2 klicks East of our drop zone. That is our target. The Rebels are heavily organised. And I hate to say this but I wont be seeing some of your faces when this all over. So take a good long look at the man next to you. This might be the last time you lay eyes on each other. Now, check your weapons and ammo, were going in.” The pelican swerved to avoid the AA rounds as it rapidly dropped towards the ground. The Pelican hovered a few feet up from the ground and everyone disembarked.

“Ok Obreiski, you take your squad to the right and I’ll take mine to the left. We meet up at the LZ and push on in to the city and we take it. And remember, there are still civilians here so watch out.” The ODST’s ran through a small forest and disappeared from sight. Gavin marched his squad down a narrow lane. They were crouching around the edge of the road, when a small troop transport Warthog drove down the road towards them. Gavin made a hand signal telling them to whisper. “Ok, Beans, fire the launcher.”

The launcher used in this battle was a small anti-armour manta ray. Its rounds were weak but they were enough to disable a tank. No need to waste precious rocket rounds. Franky fired his Manta and hit the left side of the hog. Smoke poured from its engine and 3 soldiers were torn apart by the blast. The survivors were disoriented and were shooting at each other. The confusion wouldn’t last long. “Open fire men!” MA5B rounds tore through the Rebels and reduced them to bloody corpses. “Ok, move out.” The marines moved silently through the road. They cam to a pillbox. Inside were about 2 LMG’s and a mounted grenade launcher. 3 soldiers manned them.

“Ok Beans, fire your Manta at that grenade launcher. The rest of you, follow up with a barrage of grenades and lead. Ok? Go!” Beans fired and killed the Rebel and the rest of alpha squad blew holes out of the gunners. “Storm the box!” They charged and killed a radio operator. “***! Did he send an SOS off?” Gavin sighed.

“Yes Sir. The reply is reinforcements are on their way.”

“***, looks like we better hurry to the AA. Then we can meet up with the invasion force.”

2 HOURS LATER…

They had finally stumbled upon the AA gun after 2 hours of going in circles and nearly running into 5 squads of reaction forces. It was reloading. Gavin threw a grenade and blew the leg off a Rebel. As he lay there screaming, the others quickly tried to take cover but were hit by an assault of MA5B rounds. 4 fell and the other 2 were wounded. “Quick, kill the survivors and plant some HE on that gun.” The orders were quickly carried out and the gun was destroyed.

AT THE LZ…

Gavin and the ODST’s arrived at the LZ roughly around the same time. Now the invasion could commence. Tanks and warthogs sped forward with different squads. The ODST’s and alpha squad would be working together this time. When they were secluded from the rest of the army, they found themselves up against a machine gun nest and a group of Rebels. “Oh ***, Obreiski, move your men around the flank, we’ll distract them.” The ODST’s ran around a large group of fences while alpha squad fired at the Rebels. The distraction proved a good move as the ODST’s were able to grenade and shoot the remaining Rebels. The day was going as planned. They had to fight for one more day and then they would face their worst attack yet.

HOLLAND, NIGHT TIME.

The day before. Franky had found love with a Dutch girl and now he had run off to find her. In the middle of a Rebel counter attack. Gavin had gone off to find him on his own…

Gavin had run right into an abandoned Hospital. It was occupied. He carefully walked down the corridor towards the operation room. Inside were 2 snipers. One of them shot and smiled grimly. He then took out his knife and scratched another line for his tally. Gavin was filled with rage. He silently walked up to them and shot the second sniper in the back of the head. Before the first one could turn, Gavin was upon him. He thrust the knife into his spine and twisted it. Deeper in it went and then he pulled it out. While the Rebel was twisting around on the floor, Gavin shoved a grenade into his mouth and viciously pulled the pin off so it cut his gums up. He then calmly walked away and took cover behind a hospital gurney and felt the pieces of meat bounce off his cover. He heard gunshots sound off and a girl scream. He ran towards the sound. A girl in a white dress was lying dead with 4 bullet holes in her chest. She had dropped a soldiers helmet on the floor. Frankie’s helmet. He fired 6 rounds and killed both the Rebels who had shot her. He ran up a flight of stairs and found Franky finishing off a wounded Rebel.

“Franky! Stop! You have to leave her! You cant die over this!”

“Captain please! I have to save her. Just please let me save her!”

“Franky! No!”

“Please Sir?” And with that, he turned and ran forward through the debris of a concrete wall.

“Franky wait, there’s something I have to tell you!” But Franky ignored him and kept on going. Gavin ran after him and after 30 minutes of chasing, found him. Lay against a wall with a pool of blood around him. He had holes in his stomach and chest. He was wheezing. Gavin crouched next to him. “Franky, look at me Franky! Your gonna get out of this. I promise you Franky.”

“No…Sir” He coughed and spit our a lot of blood. “I’m done. The bastards got me… Just tell me, did she get out…Ok?”

“Franky, she got out fine.” Gavin turned his head away and Franky knew he was lying.

“Liar!” He spat this word out.

Gunshots rang out from behind Gavin. He turned to see a Rebel rolling down some stairs with a gaping hole in his back. Ahmed was stood at the top of the stairs with a smoking gun. Gavin nodded at Ahmed and stared into Frankie’s eyes.

“Franky, look at me now, FRANKY!” Frankie’s arm drooped and his eyes rolled back into his head.

Gavin ripped his dog tag off and held up to his face.

“Gavin, are you gonna be ok?”

“He was only 17 Ahmed. He was only 17...” Tears welled up in Gavin’s eyes as he remembered his fallen comrade.

2 DAYS LATER…

He was back on the Leonidas after losing Obreiski from sniper fire, Zanovich in a bombing raid, and Legget and Allen were killed by a hail of gunfire from a Rebel warthog. But the death that hit him the hardest, was that of Franky. He would never forget Franky. And how young he was when he died. He didn’t think he could take the death of one more team mate. Especially not Ahmed 2 weeks later…

CHAPTER NINE

HALLUCINATIONS

“Im worried about Gavin. When we were escaping from the hospital, a bomb dropped. It knocked him to the floor and he raised his pistol. I ran to him when I heard the crash. He was shooting at the wall. He later told me he had seen 3 Rebels stood right in front of him. I think he is going insane.”

“Your crazy Ahmed, how many of us wouldn’t be here if not for that son of a ***? Maybe he hallucinated from the shock of the explosion. Just keep an open mind.”

GAVIN’S BUNK: THE LEONIDAS

“Franky, is that you?”

“Yeah it’s me Cap, I just wanted to say something.”

“I’m sorry Franky. I should have saved you. It was my fault.”

“No Cap, it doesn’t matter. I probably would have died anyway.”

“No Franky. You wouldn’t…”

“Cap, you shouldn’t blame yourself. Just remember the happy times. If you beat yourself up over just me, you will become more and more insane.”

“What do you mean Franky?”

“I mean im dead and your talking to yourself.”

Gavin blinked rapidly and realised he was on his own. He had certain suspicions of a certain gun. This gun had belonged to Marsh. His old squad mate. Then it had belonged to Ricardo. Then Metcalf, and finally, Franky. Now Ahmed had it. There was a superstition going around that anyone who had the gun would die. It was a curse. Even Ahmed was weary with it. Gavin heard an announcement telling them that they would be leaving in 10 and so he pulled on his special black and green uniform and marched out of the bunk.

SOLUS, SECOND COVENANT ATTACK

Gavin and his team were stuck on the planet after the Leonidas was destroyed and the survivors had fled, leaving them stranded. He had reported to a camp and was standing before the major.

“At ease Captain. We have vital information leading to a covenant base being established. But they might have set up a mortar position. So I need you and your team to at-” A loud explosion rocked the tent. Gavin sprinted outside and saw a large amount of plasma falling. The mortars were in place. He looked around and saw a marine. He was covered in blood and his right arm was a bloody stump. Gavin ran over to him and stared at his face as the storm of blue exploded around him.

“Ahmed… No.”

“Gavin… is that you?”

“Yeah its me.

“I’ll say hi to Franky for you.”

“NO! Don’t you dare leave me. You aren’t leaving this world man. You are staying here. With me.”

“Gavin, you have to learn to let some people go. Now then, get out there and win this fight. As for me. I’m done.”

“Don’t say that Ahmed. Your getting out of here fine. MEDIC!!! MEDIC!!!”

Ahmed closed his eyes and left the realm of the living. Gavin slumped over Ahmeds body and wept while all around him men died and screamed.

Gavin stood up and gently picked up Ahmed and carried him towards the aid station. He isn’t being further defiled by a mortar round. He was lowered and straightened out. Gavin took the cursed gun. Recently named Matthew. And walked calmly outside. He walked through the valley the camp was set up in and strolled through the plasma rounds. A soldier lay burning at his feet. He didn’t have time to help him to help everyone. He kept on walking until he eventually reached the edge of the forest the mortars were coming from. He struggled up hill until he saw movement. He didn’t change his stance. Instead he raised the gun and fired at the moving creature. It squealed and dropped. He kept on walking. He saw an elite gathering a group of jackals. he threw a grenade and cut the jackals to ribbons. He then fired round after round into the elites chest even after it was dead. He saw a mortar after 10 minutes of walking. He stood out in the open and fired. Calm, never flinching even when he was almost seared by the plasma. Grunt and Jackals died together. At least they all died. He was stuck in this mental torment called life. A plasma bolt struck his arm. He was knocked sideways but he quickly brought his gun up and ripped an elite to pieces. He ran out of bullets. He dropped the gun. He rolled toward a jackal. He shoved his knife through its throat and dropped it there. A grunt was sliced up by his knife. He imbedded it in the heart of a sheildless elite. And the rest retreated. They were beaten by a lone human. He collapsed on his knees and yelled as loud as he could. He had got revenge. Ahmed’s murderers wouldn’t go without punishment. He dropped the knife and sat there. After 10 minutes, a force of 30 marines broke through the clearing the covenant had retreated from. That was the reason they hadn’t come back. A fellow Captain came up to him.

“Are you alright soldier?”

“Don’t *** touch me. You have to earn that right. I lost all my brothers in arms over the past 2 months. I don’t know if I can go on.”

“Ok buddy don’t have to get so emotional. I know what its like. I almost killed myself over it. I held one of my men while he died. But you have to stop being friendly. don’t think of them as friends. That way it isn’t as painful.” The captain walked off and Gavin was hauled onto a warthog after refusing to move. He was taken back to the camp and lay down in the field hospital. He looked to his right and saw Ahmed sat there.

“Well well, this looks familiar.”

“Ahmed, don’t.”

“Don’t what? Die!”

“Shut up, SHUT THE *** UP!”

“Cap, I think you need to calm down.” Frankie’s voice sounded loud and clear.

“Franky, please don’t die…”

“Im already dead Sir.”

“No your not! Im talking to you aren’t I?”

“No, your talking to your conscience Sir.” Gavin lifted up the cursed gun, Matthew and held it to his head.

“No Cap. I know you too well. You wont do this.”

“I will Franky. Don’t push me.”

Ahmed came back. “Do it, it was all your fault anyway.”

“Shut up! I did all I could…” Gavin broke down in sobs. “I did… All I… Could.”

“Well then Gavin, you have made it through hell, tell me how you feel about snow.”

The apparitions disappeared and Gavin dropped the gun onto the floor. Snow? What could that mean? Winter was starting in Solus tomorrow. Maybe that was a clue. He lay down and had a well deserved sleep interrupted by visions of the dead.

CHAPTER TEN

VISIONS OF THE DEAD

“Gavin was seen talking to himself on more than one occasion and there are growing concerns for his safety here in the squad. We believe he may be going into shell shock Sir.”

SOLUS- DEFENDING A LINE OF TRENCH

Gavin fired the cursed gun at a squad of grunts. They were mown down by the guns deadly barrage. Sometimes during a lull in the fighting, Gavin would get a glimpse of a dead marine that looked like Ahmed or Franky. And sometimes, even Metcalf. His latest kill was an overzealous Elite. Spurting blood from an ugly wound on its head, it collapsed. A wraith drove over the hill. They were in trouble now. They had nothing to fight it with. The apparition of Ahmed, back in the hospital tent. The words played back across his mind. “It was your fault Gavin. Your fault we are dead.” Something inside him snapped. He gave a ferocious roar and stood boldly on top of the hill. He fired the gun wildly at the wraith and anything that got in his way. “YOU WANT ME!? FU**ING TAKE ME! TAKE ME!” The world flashed purple and blue. He felt as though he was flying. And then, a crack as he landed. There was no pain. He closed his eyes and welcomed the silence that followed.

“Well, well. Look who decided to join us.” Ahmed was sat on a chair in a land of white.

“Not you again.”

“Yes Gavin, it’s me. And I have to congratulate you on your attempt at death.”

“What do you mean attempt?”

“Your not dead Gavin. Just unconscious.”

“Then wake me up.”

“No, I think me and you had an uninterrupted talk.”

“About what?”

“About how it is all your fault.”

“It isn’t. I never killed them. I tried to save them. I tried to save Franky but he didn’t listen. I tried to save you but you were hit by a mortar. How am I supposed to stop that happening?”

“Just admit the deaths were your fault.”

“Why?”

“Because it makes the pain go away easier.”

“Fine, it was…my fault.”

“Very good. Now, wake up sleepy head.”

Gavin gasped as he came to. It was night now. He was lying in the same trench. A medic was checking the bodies and the wounded. He finally reached me. He gasped in shock when he found out Gavin was alive. He had a broken arm and 3 broken ribs, a large gash covered most of Gavin’s forehead and drenched him in blood. He had a few small wounds in his chest and stomach. But the amount of blood that poured through made it look more serious than it was. He would be air lifted out. The pain did go easier. He still felt bad about the 2 soldiers whom he considered his friends. Those poor souls. Ahmed had no defence against what was coming while Franky, only 17 had rushed after a Dutch girl he had shared his first kiss with and was brutally killed by the Rebels. While in the pelican out, he saw a marine with glasses. The face of Franky flashed for a second and then disappeared. The glasses looked exactly the same as Frankie’s. He banished the thought and fell asleep to the roar of the engine.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

GREAT WINTER OF SOLUS 2541

The cold was unbearable. The blizzard was terrifying. But thank god for the thermal suits. Gavin was kept at normal body temperature under the extreme cold. The covenant however hadn’t the suits needed to keep themselves warm. They had about another week to go until the UNSC arrived with a fleet. The covenant wouldn’t stop coming. They had recently set up a series of mining sites. Apparently, the artefacts here were of great value to the covenant. Solus was valuable to both factions. And the UNSC would be damned if they were gonna give up that easy. The replacement for Ahmed was a Corporal called Nathan. He had a good combat record, Gavin was happy to have him with the squad. Francis was still with him, as was Langley and Morrey. The other squad member was a sergeant called Danny.

“So Gavin, how long till the kill zone?” Langley had recently become the inquisitive type.

“About another 10 minutes or so. Check your bloody guns, no one dies today.” Clicking rang out as the soldiers took apart their guns and put them back together again. The transport hog was slow. The extreme cold had messed up the engines of most vehicles apart from the Scorpion. This hog was different though. It had 2 very small anti infantry guns. One on the front and one on the back. The hog drove past a cluster of frozen Grunts and an Elite. The cold had also stopped the covenant Hunters from being used. That was a godsend. Hunters had come down in the first few days of Winter and inflicted around 700 casualties. But now they were sent back to the ships to keep warm. A Ghost was imbedded in a wall of ice. A frozen Elite body was still in the seat. They rounded a building covered in snow and found themselves face to face with a scarab.

The behemoth had failed to see them however and stepped right over them. “Oh ***… is that thing heading for the kill zone?” whispered Morrey.

“I think so. I don’t think its safe to link up. Not with that *** walking around.” Gavin sounded frustrated.

Langley’s face darkened. “Well Sir, the only way to get rid of something…”

“Is to kill it.” Danny finished the sentence. But how? They would need a way up. They would follow it.

“Ok guys, looks like were walking. Park the warthog somewhere we’ll remember and walk after it. Im not risking that thing hearing us.”

Nathan who was driving complied and turned around. He spotted a large alleyway and parked the hog inside. He scratched a large SH into the wall outside the alley and walked after the squad. The monstrous vehicle picked up speed and they soon had to run after it. Thankfully, it stopped soon. This was their chance. “Nathan, climb up the leg, I don’t know how long we have so make it quick.”

Nathan silently complied. He shimmied up the leg using the rope he always carried around his abdomen. He was just at the top when the machine whirred into life again. “***! Cap, I’ll climb to the top, I’ll wait for it to stop again. ***!” Nathan struggled p the rest of the way. Alpha resumed running after it. On the way, they came to a marine fire team. They were hiding behind a large piece of debris. The Scarab spotted them. It had to stop to engage them. This was their chance. Gavin quickly ushered everyone up. Nathan had hid behind a wall. When everyone was up they quickly headed towards a ramp that led down into the cockpit. They were especially quiet about it. Gavin went first. He saw a few silver armoured Grunts. The Scarab shook as it loosed a deadly beam of plasma. Gavin took 2 quick steps forward and shoved the knife through one of the Grunts neck. It fell to the ground gasping. Another had its throat slit as it turned to face him. The last one aimed at Gavin’s face when a loud bang rang out. Its head exploded and it fell back. Nathan lowered his gun and signalled for Gavin to run back up. They waited around the corner of the ramp. Then they heard quiet slow footsteps. When the alien was about half way up the ramp, they all threw in a grenade. A helpless roar rang out for 2 seconds and then BOOM! Blood splashed out from the ramp and a dismembered arm flew past. Alpha squad pushed in. Gavin pulled out a shotgun and was thrown against the wall by an invisible assailant.

He dropped the shotgun. He saw the Elite de-cloak and try and shove an energy cutlass in his chest. He grabbed it’s arm and twisted. The Elite resisted and kicked him in the ribs. He gasped and fell back. The energy cutlass went through his stomach. The Elite let go and punched him in the face. Gunshots could be heard from the rest of alpha squad. An Elite crawled across the floor in front of him trying t hold in it’s own entrails. It eventually collapsed and lay still. Gavin couldn’t sit up or stand. It was agony to even attempt. He had to lye there and listen to the sounds of battle. Eventually a throaty roar sounded and all went quiet. Nathan walked in front of him and called Morrey over. Morrey injected him with morphine and all the pain went. The cutlass was pulled out carefully and his wound was sealed by (I cant remember the name of the stuff that the Spartans used so im just gonna call it something else, again I am sorry.) seal foam. He rose slowly and picked up Matthew. The aliens were dead and the only wounded were Gavin, Morrey and Langley. “Ok team, lets blow this *** up and figure out how to get back down.” Gavin planted some HE explosive all over the cockpit and ran outside. He sent Nathan down with the rope. “Secure it to something and we’ll zip wire down.” Nathan nodded and climbed down the leg. Gavin had hold of the rope. Nathan found a piece of a concrete wall and attached the rope to it.

“Ok guys, come on down!” Gavin was first. He spread his gun across the rope and soared down it. Everyone else did the same. When they were a safe distance away. Gavin pressed the detonator and blew up the Scarab, he shielded his eyes from the dazzling blue flames.

“Ha! That thing wasn’t so tough after all.” Everyone laughed at Danny’s comment.

CHAPTER TWELVE

SOLUS KILL ZONE

Gavin had retrieved the hog and was heading toward the kill zone as fast as the *** thing would carry him. They had picked up the only survivor of a Grunt charge along the way. He was put inside the cramped vehicle. “Thanks you guys, I didn’t think I would last the night. So, where are we heading anyway?”

“Were going to the kill zone.” Replied Francis stiffly. The first words he had said all day.

“What!? Why are we heading there? There is a camp 3 miles back, hot food and rest. What the hell is wrong with you people?!”

“Shut your goddamn mouth marine! You wanna know how many of our brave, good men we lost over the last week here so that YOU! Can live another day? Show some goddamn respect idiot.” Francis was really hot headed today.

“Sorry… Sir.”

“*** right, now maintain silence. We have to get to the marines. Without us, they are ***!” Langley, Morrey and Nathan grinned and chuckled at each other over the embarrassed look of the marine sat next to them. Langley grinned as he leant over to the Private.

“So, you been showing Ahmed and Franky disrespect? Those people died for you. They were killed trying to help people like me and you.” Morrey quietly said Metcalf’s name. Metcalf had been his best friend. Gavin felt his anger rising as Langley continued to mention their names.

“Ahmed must be turning in his grave right now!” Gavin slammed the brakes and the hog screeched to a halt.

“You ever mention their names again like that. I’ll kill you Langley. I will slit your FU**ING THROAT!” Langley snorted. “Oh yeah? They are dead Captain. I don’t think they care what I say about them. So why don’t you sh-” Langley got no further as Gavin’s fist slammed into his face, breaking his nose.

“What the *** man?! You ***! *** you!” Langley pulled out his M6D sidearm and pointed it point blank at Gavin’s face. Francis grabbed the gun and whacked him between the eyes with the butt of the pistol. He fell backward off the Warthog. He stood up quickly and ran off. Soon disappearing in the swirling blizzard.

“Morrey swore loudly. “Should we go after him Sir?”

“No, he can *** die for all I care.”

Francis spoke gently. “Gavin, do you really want another death on your hands?”

“No… Ok, after him guys.”

“*** assholes don’t appreciate me. Well they are gonna fail without me. I am way too valuable and now I’m gone. Sayonara *** heads!” A throaty roar cut through the howling wind. Langley reached for his MA5B and realised it was on the Warthog. He felt something hard slam into his chest and he flew back 5 metres. He shakily rose to his feet only to be met by repeated blows from an invisible fist. As he was on the ground whimpering, A large weight came on his chest and he couldn’t get back up. An Elite materialised from the sheet of snow and ignited an energy sword. It pointed the blade at Langley’s throat and spoke in its native tongue. It lifted the sword up for a downward thrust. The Elite spread it’s mandibles in what he assumed to be a smile and ended Langley’s life. Just as a shocked Captain Gavin came around the corner from an ice covered building.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

A FAMILIAR FACE

Gavin roared a challenge at the Elite. “Come on you split lip ***!” The alien turned and thrust the energy sword in his direction. It charged with a roar as Gavin sidestepped the blow. He brought the butt of his rifle down on its arm. Its shields shimmered brightly and deflected the blow. He fired a burst from the gun before the alien could turn around. Its shields started sparking. He jumped backwards as the energy sword came within inches of his face. The air turned searing hot as it passed over. He landed on his back. The Elite went to deliver a fatal blow like it had done to Langley but Gavin tripped it up as it prepared to strike and had recovered the energy sword from the snow covered ground. The Elite stood but was speared through the ribs by Gavin. It let out a cry that would wake the dead but it was lost in the swirling blizzard. He pulled it out and delivered a blow that decapitated the Elite. Purple blood sprayed from the headless body and covered Gavin in it’s warm, sticky embrace.

He walked over to Langley’s body and closed the dead mans eyes. A warthog engine sounded faint and after a while, the rest of the team came in the warthog. Morrey was the first one out. He ran to the body and spent a long time just staring at it. He turned to the dead Elite and spat on it. He then resorted to kicking the body and shouting at it. Gavin didn’t stop him. It was the only thing that would keep him from losing his mind. Morrey eventually stopped and stumbled over to the team with a blank look on his face. He had now gone into shock. He ripped the special patch alpha squad bore from Langley’s shoulder and stuck it on his MA5B with a bandage. “Let’s go.” Morrey sounded stiff and angry.

“Don’t you want to-” Francis started up softly.

“NO! I don’t want to do anything. Just get out of here…” Morrey stormed out to the hog and started it up.

“Well? We going?” everyone walked up to the hog. Gavin carried Langley back and sat him up on the back seat.

“I am not leaving him here to be frozen. He is going back with the wounded. He deserves nothing less. So, how far until the kill zone lieutenant?”

“Not far Sir, a few more miles. I just hope the battle isn’t over…”

KILL ZONE OF SOLUS

“Cover that Scorpion!” The Scorpion was camouflaged rather well but the covenant were starting to realise where it was now and were bombarding it with fuel rods and grenades. The tank fired a shell and destroyed a speeding Ghost. A marine was firing at an Elite that had managed to climb up the hill with a trio of commando Elite’s. the Elite kicked the marine in the chest and stabbed him in the back with an energy sword as he tried to get away. The tank fired and hit the ground near the Elite and tossed it into air like a doll. It landed in the huge sheet of snow and was buried quickly by the blizzard. Although he wasn’t dead, he would soon freeze. The other commando’s were successful enough to kill a few marines before they quickly succumbed to their wounds.

Rtas’ Vadumee was buried under the snow. The Human scum had defeated him. He felt the cold creeping into his body and knew he would freeze if he didn’t act quick enough. He felt for his energy sword. He felt a searing hot pain in his elbow and knew he had found it. He reached out until he could feel the handle. He swiped the sword upward and burned away the snow. He climbed up and saw the destruction around him. Frozen and wounded comrades lay in the snow. He found a plasma rifle and fired at a Human with its back to him. The Human fell with a scream and lay in a pool of its own blood. He turned and shot a Human in the face before rushing a fleeing Human with his energy sword. It was like hunting swamp rats back on his home planet. He felt an impact as primitive Human weaponry projectiles deflected off his shielding. He turned and saw the Human run to hit him with the gun. He neatly slashed diagonally with the energy sword and decapitated the charging Human scum. A plasma grenade flew by his head and stuck a Human with a primed grenade. He ran around wildly thrashing and screaming until he was engulfed by the blue plasma. A large horde of Grunts and Elites charged up the hill with a few beam rifle Jackals for support. He flagged down a Ghost and gave the Elite driving it his plasma rifle for a plasma pistol. The Elite thanked Rtas and charged with his comrades.

He sped the Ghost up the hill and rammed into a Human. He was sliced in half by the vehicle. Rtas fired his cannons and strafed a few Humans that had converged inside a nearby shell hole. They were burned and killed as the plasma impacted on their frail armour. He saw the camouflaged Human Wraith fire and kill a group of Grunts. He was heading for it at full speed when a Human stepped out with a rocket launcher. He knew it would kill him. A purple beam flashed past Rtas’s head and the Human was knocked back into the snow with a hole in it’s chest. The snipers were keeping an eye on him it seemed. He climbed out of the Ghost and ran at the Tank. The machine gun opened up now that the targets had gotten close enough. Bullets zipped past his head as the inaccurate gun fired at him.

Marsland had seen an Elite rush the Scorpion. He turned to engage it. It was the commando Elite from before that had broken through the defences. He fired a clip at it. The Elite turned and fired a plasma pistol accurately at him. He was hit on the arm and stomach. He fell down and coughed up blood on his visor. His vision blurred and he had to strain to keep his eyes open. The roar of an approaching Warthog sounded. He couldn’t move his head to see. The Warthog stopped. He could hear hurried footsteps coming over. He felt his head being lifted up and a warm tasteless fluid was forced down his throat. He coughed and spluttered but the persistent fluid kept coming. He felt his body shudder. The pain subsided. He could move again. He sat up and found himself face to face with a Lieutenant. He had the alpha squad badge on. And he had another bandaged on his gun. The Alpha squad member pulled him up and shoved the gun in his hands. “Up there Corporal, engage those Grunts!”

“Yes Sir!” The Lieutenant ran after some other soldiers and Marsland fired at a gathering of Grunts near a wrecked Ghost.

Rtas felt a few bullets hit his shields. He turned and strafed a Human. He went down and was lost in the snow. Rtas turned and felt more bullets hit him. This time from the Tanks gunner. He threw a plasma grenade and stuck the Human. There was an explosion and a shower of red as the Human was obliterated. Rtas leapt onto the tank as the turret swerved to engage him. He ripped open the hatch and pulled a Human up by his helmet. The Human screamed and punched him. He felt nothing as he fired an overcharged plasma pistol into its helmet. The screams stopped abruptly as blood streamed from the hole in the visor. The Humans were pulling back heavily now. He saw a Human in some special black armour charge at him. He turned to fire his plasma pistol at it but was instead caught off guard by a grenade blast that disabled his shielding. The Human fired and penetrated his already weakened armour. Blood frothed from a small wound in his ribs. He ignited his energy sword and roared a challenge at the scum. It fired again and he was hit in the chest and arms by the Human. It then charged him with the gun. He lifted his sword to kill it but the Human had dived underneath the blow and had hit him as hard as it could in the kneecap with the butt of the gun. He let out a roar and kicked the Human across the battlefield. It hit a wrecked Warthog and was coughing up blood when Rtas plunged the energy sword in its stomach. It let out a cry and grabbed his arm. Its grip eventually slackened and its arm fell as it died. Rtas smiled at the kill. He heard a Human talk. “Hey ass hole.” He looked up and stood on the Human transport was another of the black clad Humans. “you are dead!” It fired a shotgun point blank into his chest. He flew backward and slammed into a building. Blood poured from the wound. He felt the cold creep back into his body. He closed his eyes and awaited rescue.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:

CAVALRY ARIVES

ORBIT OVER SOLUS…

“Captain, we have come within firing range!”

“Fire those *** guns! None of them make it out alive!” The Leningrad fired its MAC and sent a Covenant frigate spinning out of control with massive breaches in its hull.

SOLUS…

Gavin recovered Morrey’s dog tag and had regrouped with Danny and Francis. They were firing at a large gathering of Grunts and Jackals. A Grunt gurgled out its last breath as bullets ripped through its weak armour. The others were splattered with its blood as they too were gunned down.

“Francis! Get in the fu**ing Hog!” Gavin screamed as the latest wave of covenant attackers plus a few Ghosts, crashed through the scattered remnants of the once great UNSC army. The Warthog roared into life as Francis pulled up in front of Gavin. “Sir, we have to go. NOW!”

“Right, Danny, get in the back with the rockets. I’ll use the passenger turret. Now drive!” Francis sped away from the Covenant as they got closer to the bulk of the UNSC defenders. They still had a few Tanks and Pelicans. The Pelicans were taking wounded out. Gavin carried Langley’s body towards the last Pelican and strapped him into a seat. The Sergeant turned to complain but was silent when he saw the Captain insignia. The door was shut and the Pelican lifted off with the body of Gavin’s former comrade.

Rtas shakily rose to his feet. He saw a large group of Humans being questioned and executed. His comrades had begun setting up a military base here. The battle wasn’t even won and they were already building here. The Prophets were underestimating the Humans. A Minor Elite walked up to him and pointed towards a small little tent that had been set up. Rtas nodded at the Elite and walked over to the tent. A Zealot stood inside over a holopanel, the image on it was that of the Prophet of Truth.

“My Master, we have trapped the Humans like Rats. We can move in now and crush them! We shall have this Relic!” The Zealot was clenching it’s hand into a fist as it spoke. Truth considered this and spoke.

“Now now Ista. We must not get too hasty. Even the weakest of creatures is dangerous when it has it’s back against the wall. And these Humans are no exception. They can kill us. If you charge in blindly shooting everything that moves, you will lose the battle. They are stronger than you think. They have managed to hold this Planet for 8 months now. If not for the Relics I would have ordered it glassed by now. Be careful. I have given you command of a whole battle group. Use this to your advantage. Now, I have more important matters to attend to.” The holopanel switched off and the Zealot turned to Rtas.

“I have a favour to ask of you Spec ops. I have lost contact with our Fleet. I want you to take the group of swift redemption with you to the communications centre. We fear the Humans have destroyed it.”

“I would be honoured to lead them into battle. They are our best. I shall make sure they succeed Master.”

“Good, they await you outside. Meet with them and take a Spirit out.” Rtas walked out with a smile. The Swift Redemption strike team are the best soldiers the Covenant has to offer. Rtas saw the 5 Elites waiting for him. The leader, Hyhs, had a Beam Rifle. The suppressionist of the team, Inma, had 2 Plasma Rifles, the Grenadier of the team, Udda, had a Carbine and a Grenade belt, the demolition expert of the team, Ryta, had a Needler and the final member who was the scout. Wielded a Beam Rifle also. His name was Treh. They boarded the Spirit and so did Rtas. The vessel lifted into the icy cold air and sped towards the communication centre.

Gavin had gathered 2 men to help him in their next mission. A Pelican had been sent especially for him and his team. Nathan had been found, wounded but alive. Gavin, Nathan, Danny, Francis and the 2 Marines named Brandwood and Franky. Gavin saw Frankie’s bloodstained body flash in front of his face for a second. “Hey Franky, are you related to a Private Robert. O. Franky?” Gavin cautiously asked.

“Yes sir, I’m his Brother.” Gavin closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

“Well kid, I let your Brother and many other people down. But I promise you will get out of this mission alive.” Gavin looked over at Francis. Francis smiled warmly at him and then started to check his gear. Gavin soon did the same.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

SHOWDOWN

The Pelican hovered above the icy landscape and its inhabitants jumped out. The Pilot looked at his Co-Pilot and said to him. “They fall in line, one at a time, ready to play.” The Co-Pilot shook his head and closed the Pelican doors. The Dropship blasted into the air. Gavin looked around at the men with him. Nathan. Had been with him for a few days and had proven himself an excellent scout. Francis. The oldest member besides Gavin here. Danny. He had grown on Gavin over the days he had fought with him. Brandwood. A Corporal. He had seen a little action on Harvest and spent a few years in hospital. Franky. After he received the news of his brothers death, he rushed to join. He was accepted and sent into Solus on the Leonidas with Gavin. Although Gavin never knew of this.

“Alright men, no time to lose. There may be survivors here. We’ve got to move. Brandwood, steady your hand.” Brandwood stopped shaking and moved forward after the rest of the team.

Rtas had seen them. He deactivated his Thermal goggles and motioned towards them with one hand and made a cutting motion with the other. The Group of Swift Redemption with their Camouflage activated, hurried after their targets. Hyhs yelled when he drew behind some cover. “Fire your guns!” The Elites all fired heavily at the exposed Humans.

Gavin heard a roar behind him. He turned to see plasma hurtling at him. He dived to the floor and fired a burst at the Aliens. One of them ducked and the others did the same. Gavin quickly rushed with his team towards a bullet riddled wall. They crouched behind it and tried to devise a plan. “Sir, I know I’m just a Corporal but hear me out. The Aliens attacked 2 hours ago and killed everyone. There may be survivors. These Elites look like cleanup crews to me. Nothing to worry about. We just keep on moving while hiding within the complex and gathering any survivors we can.” Brandwood finished.

“Ok Brandwood, we’ll go with that. Move it men! Its time to run!” Alpha Squad quickly ran out from behind the wall and sprinted for the nearest door. It was open and blood soaked the walls around it. Gavin felt a scorching heat melt the snow around his foot and counted himself lucky. He dived through the door after his team and pushed it shut. “Head count. Danny, Francis, Franky, Nathan, Brandwood. Where’s Brandwood?!” Gavin heard screams come from outside and a cruel laugh sounded out. He listened in horror at the torture the Aliens put him through.

Brandwood was at the back of the group. He tripped over something. He lost his footing and fell face first into the snow. Before he could get up, he heard something heavy slam. He looked around and saw a once open door, shut. He picked himself up and rushed towards the door. A roar rang out and he was knocked off his feet. He turned and screamed as a weight crushed his throat. The weight was lifted and a laugh rang out from the invisible assailant. It revealed itself. The Elite drew out a short knife and began cutting Brandwood up. Blood trickled down his uniform as he screamed. His foot was severed by an Energy Sword and hi fingers were pulled off one by one. He gurgled blood onto his visor and he couldn’t see out of it soon enough. He became numb as the Aliens continued their torture. He heard a song in his head. Beethoven. Moonlight Sonata. He listened to the sad mournful tune as his throat was cut, and his head severed as a trophy.

Gavin shook all over. He had ripped his helmet off and was grabbing his hair viciously. He gasped sometimes and occasionally, a tear would drip down. Blood had seeped in from underneath the door and was making its home there. The Aliens were banging on the door and everyone was nervous. They were waiting for Gavin to move. Francis walked over to him. “Patrick, there is absolutely nothing you could have done. His death wasn’t your fault. Don’t start this again Patrick! I know he died! I know you feel its your fault! But buck up, stand up and most importantly, suck it up!” Gavin looked at Francis fiercely. He was red faced. Snot and tears dripped from him. He stood up and punched Francis square in the stomach.

“YOU HAVE NO *** IDEA MY FRIEND! YOU! HAVE! NO! GODDAMN IDEA WHAT I GO THROUGH! *** off!” Francis charged into Gavin and punched him repeatedly in the face. Gavin rolled Francis off and kneed him in the groin. Francis groaned and took a fist to the face. Gavin spat on Francis and kicked him in the ribs for good measure. “YOU WANT ANOTHER GO YOU *** MUG!” Francis spat out a tooth and shakily rose to his feet. “Bring it you English ***!” Gavin roared at Francis and tackled him. Francis connected with the wall and had the breath knocked out of him. Gavin booted Francis in the mouth and punched him in the face over and over. He didn’t stop until Francis was covered in blood. The other soldiers were too scared to step in. Danny took a step forward and brought the butt of his rifle down on Gavin’s head. He fell with a grunt. Francis hyperventilated and screamed. Blood seeped from a wound on his head. Danny helped him up. “Are you ok Francis?”

“Yeah I’m… Fine.” Francis looked down at Gavin’s unconscious body. “Carry him with us. The Covenant will break through any second.”

Rtas had heard sounds of struggling going on. He thought they were turning against one another. The door wouldn’t budge so they had got Ryta to plant a plasma incinerator on the door. He pressed the detonator and the door was blown apart. They rushed inside, covering every inch of the room in plasma fire. They stopped and realised the Humans had moved on. Rtas examined a body. He had been killed in the battle hours ago. His body was covered in frost and dried blood surrounded him. Rtas saw a blood trail. A fresh blood trail. It led through a corridor. He signalled the group and they pursued.

Francis had been bandaged and was moving at the head of the squad. Danny and Nathan were carrying Gavin between them. He groaned and spat out some blood after a few minutes of walking through twisting corridors. Every room contained a fresh batch of dead Human and Covenant soldiers. Francis and Franky collected as many dog tags as they could. Their pockets were full by the time Gavin awoke fully. He started icily at Danny and looked as though he was going to kill Francis for a second. Gavin took a step toward Francis but stopped when he heard clanging behind him. They all turned and pointed their rifles towards the noise. There was silence, broken only by the breathing of the group. It seemed to be getting colder. Gavin made a hand motion signalling his team forward. They cautiously advanced towards the noise. Franky was jumpy, he was constantly shifting his eyes and looking behind them. Gavin kept looking forward. He saw something move. It was a sudden movement, it caught him off guard. He turned his gun and fired while he was turning it. Bullets pinged off the walls as an invisible hand grabbed hold of the weapon in mid turn. Gavin groaned as he struggled against the unseen assailant. The rest of the team opened fire at something behind them. Gavin felt the gun click empty as the magazine went spent. A disembodied laugh sounded from in front of him and he thrust the gun into it. This move was unexpected. The weight lifted from his weapon and he saw a blurred shape standing in front of him.

Ryta tried to lift his Needler but the Human vaulted into him. He flew backwards into the wall. The Human smacked the gun into Ryta’s head. He slumped to the floor with a yell. The Human tried to do it again, but Ryta was ready this time. He grabbed the gun and twisted sharply. He heard a snap and the Human screamed. He kicked the Human back and grabbed his Needler from the floor. He levelled it with the Humans face. He smiled as he thought of the promotion that awaited him for this prize. The leader of this special forces Human squad was just as wanted as the Demon. He pressed the trigger lightly and felt his stomach explode. A buzzing filled his ears. A pain of which he had never experienced coursed through his body. He dropped the gun into a pool of stomach acid, entrails and blood. He smiled as light filled the room, the pain subsided and he saw paradise.

Gavin popped his shoulder back into place with a roar and exchanged high fives with Franky. “Ooh rah kid, ooh rah.” Franky smiled as he dropped the bloodied chainsaw and brought his MA5B back up. The rest of the team were in a heavy fire fight with a group of Elite’s. Nathan chucked a grenade and started on the radio again. “We have found no survivors, but we have come under heavy fire from hostile forces. The com centre is in danger of being taken by the Covenant! Requesting reinforcements! Is anyone reading me?!” Nathan blind fired a burst over the metal table he was hiding behind. He spoke again. “I repeat, we have come under attack by hostile forces, no survivors found but we fear that the Covenant have control of the building again! Hello? S**t!”

Francis was crouched behind a wall with his gun blazing towards the plasma fire. “F**k them Nathan, just shoot!” Francis went behind the wall to reload. Nathan fired at an alien stood close to his cover. Its shields collapsed and it fell to the floor bleeding profusely. Nathan reloaded and set his sights on a new target.

Inma felt bullets deflect off his energy shielding. He couldn’t find the source of the fire. He fired his plasma rifle wildly until his shield broke. He felt pain as bullets thudded into his ribs and chest. He felt a bullet slam into his shoulder and he toppled. He bled heavily. His comrades tried to reach him, but were beaten back by Human fire. He finally felt hands grab hold of his legs and drag him back. The world dimmed around the edges and sound distorted occasionally. He eventually found himself dropped. He looked around and saw Hyhs crouching over him with concern in his eyes. “Sir, did I do good?”

“Good? You did brilliantly! I only wish you could have lived to see your victory…”

“But sir,…” Inma coughed up blood and felt his eyes closing. “I’m alive… Aren’t I?”

“Yes, now sleep my friend. You will need your rest to be ready for paradise.”

“Indeed. I do feel tired…” Inma closed his eyes and left the world behind. Hyhs clenched his fist in anger. He knew which Human had killed him. He ran back to his team.

Nathan fired at a new target, but this one didn’t deter at his bullets. It just kept walking towards him.

“Umm guys, I need help over here!” The Elite reached him and wrenched the gun from his grasp.

“guys!!” He turned as a fist slammed into his face. He fell back and was lifted into the air by the Elite.

“I will make you bleed vermin!” The Elite growled as it said vermin. Nathan spat on its face.

“Kiss my ass inbred ba**ard!” The Elite felt bullets ping off the wall near him.

“My brothers, we fall back! We will finish them later!” The Elites backed off. The leader carried Nathan with him. Gavin breathed heavily for a few seconds. He trembled as he tried to fathom what just happened. He looked up suddenly and ran after the aliens as fast as he could. The rest of the team followed. Francis yelled after him. “Wait! Gavin wait!” Gavin turned angrily.

“Don’t get in my fu**ing way!”

“Gavin, where are you going?!”

“I’m going after Nathan.” He slapped a fresh clip into his MA5B. “We have a chance to actually save someone this time. I’m not going to let that chance slip. Everyone else died because we couldn’t get to them. But now we can. Just follow the blood.” Gavin turned and sprinted into the darkness.

“You crazy mother… Aww Damnit! Come on guys, Nathan needs us.” Everyone nodded and ran after the 2 greatest soldiers the UNSC had ever seen.

END OF PART ONE…

NEXT TIME…

Nathan awoke. He was suspended on a rope. It was tied to a steel girder. He struggled to get the rope off his hands. He was kicked and punched viciously for this. The Elite de cloaked itself in front of him and held a knife to his throat. He yelled as it shoved the blade into his stomach repeatedly. Blood dripped from his mouth as he gasped in pain.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:PART TWO

THE CAVALRY ARRIVES

Nathan awoke. He was suspended on a rope. It was tied to a steel girder. He struggled to get the rope off his hands. He was kicked and punched viciously for this. The Elite de cloaked itself in front of him and held a knife to his throat. He yelled as it shoved the blade into his stomach repeatedly. Blood dripped from his mouth as he gasped in pain.

Gavin rushed through the corridors. He was desperate not to let anyone else die. He found yet more frozen, dead and bloodied bodies both Alien and Human from the initial battle. He followed the blood trail for a long time until he eventually found it seeping from underneath a door. He kicked it open and looked around with his MA5B. There was no movement. The room was dark and there was a horrific smell coming from the middle of the room. Gavin saw Francis’s bloodied face appear next to his.

“Gavin, turn on the lights, we have to see this.” Gavin flicked a light switch and almost threw up at what he saw.

Nathan was suspended from a rope and had his guts lying on the floor in a heap. He had his whole torso ripped open. His organs were all missing and his tongue and eyes were gouged out. Gavin saw something move quickly to his right He strafed the area with bullets. “Men, it’s a trap!” Danny was thrown backward by an invisible force. Before Franky could lift his weapon, it was wrangled from his grasp and he was knocked to the ground with a blow that broke his nose. Francis fired and hit an Elite. It decloaked in front of him and tried to fight him. Gavin ripped a shotgun off his back and took careful aim at the Elites head.

“GAVIN! FIRE!!!!!” Gavin fired a shell and flinched as blood sprayed in fountain from the mess that was once the Elites face. A burst from a plasma rifle sounded and hit Francis twice in the back.

“Eat ***!” Gavin fired shell after a shell after the blur that sped away from him. A shot got lucky and the Elite was knocked off its feet. He thought it was dead and turned his attention to the rest of his team. Danny was lying in a pool of blood. The Elite decloaked and pointed an energy sword at Gavin. It lunged toward him, swinging wildly. He dodged strike after strike until he saw an opportunity. He fired at its unexposed stomach as it took extra time to try and decapitate him. It feel backward with a cry of surprise. Gavin stood over it and fired a mercy shot into its head. Gavin knew there were still 1 Elite left. He was determined to kill it. He saw Francis. He was not moving. “***! Francis! Don’t die on me man! Come on! Wake the fu** up!” Danny stood, clutching a hole in his ribs.

“Cap… I think…” Danny slumped to the floor. Franky got up shakily and spat out some blood.

“Sir, I think we should move. Francis is still alive, look. He is breathing still. Danny is hurt. We need to bandage him up and move out.” Franky was right.

Rtas had been hit badly by the Human. He looked at the squads vitals on his eyepiece. They were all dead apart from the leader, Hyhs. He opened a private communication link to him. “Hyhs, I have sent a distress signal. From the radio traffic, it sounds as though more Humans are on the way. We must leave these pests.”

“Never! I have a mission to complete. You may leave. Either way, I will die tonight. I will either die trying to kill this Human or I will be killed by their reinforcements. You leave.” Rtas closed his eyes and stood wearily. Blood trickled from the opening in his leg. He limped towards the extraction point with a heavy heart.

Hyhs looked at the Human approach him from around the corner. It hadn’t seen him in the shadows. He silently moved in. As he drew behind it to strike with his Energy sword, the Human dived and a loud bang sounded. His eyes were filled with the brightest light he had ever seen. He was blinded and there was a terrible ringing in his ears. He clutched his head and fell to his knees, writhing. He knew he was dead. Pain shot up his leg suddenly. And then in his arms. Then the most agonising pain in his torso. He

screamed.

Gavin walked away from the carcass with a smoking shotgun. He supported Danny with one arm while Franky hauled Francis on his back. It was time for them to leave. A voice crackled through their com.

“Hello, this is Epsilon group Delta, does anyone read me? Over.

“This is Captain Gavin of Alpha Squad. We read you. We have cleared the threat from here. We just want to go home.”

“Well that may be sooner than you think Sir, Our ships have just gave a beating to the Covie fleet. They picked up one last group of dropships and then they jumped put of the system. Solus is ours once more. Your going back home Gavin.” Gavin gave a smile of relief as he came outside. He saw the mess of Brandwood’s body. He crouched down and paid his final respects.

EPILOGUE

21^st November, 2591. The museum of Humanity.

“And so, this concludes our tour of the Alpha Squad memoriam. Any questions?

“What happened to Gavin?”

“He survived the war and the great Erath rebellion and died of natural causes 10 years ago. He was 81 years old. Strangely enough, this is his birthday. It is now 10 years since he died. That is why we have spoken so highly of this memorial in particular. Any other questions?”

“Do you think we will ever see anyone like him again?”

“I don’t know. But as for Patrick Gavin, he truly was one of a kind. Now if you will follow me to the diary of Francis. It was a book written after the war from Francis of alpha squad. In it, he tells us his experience of the war and how he was left disabled after Solus.

THE END

Authors notes: Finally, she is done. I have worked hard on this and I am sure you will all like to see me continue writing. I will. But first I would like to say thank you to my loyal fans and I hope I see you at my next fic. Goodbye everyone.

CHAPTER SIX

THE RV

“MOVE MOVE! Don’t let those bastards cut through!” A marine dropped dead with a loud thud as plasma burned through his face. “Crap, cover the left flank!” A group of marines responded to this by crouching behind a charred pile of corpses and firing over them. “Good job, now get rid of that Elite!”

An Elite had broken through with a group of wide eyed, squealing Grunt’s. The Grunts were firing in every direction. The Elite had chosen to concentrate his fire. But in the end it didn’t save him as he and his Grunt squad were riddled with bullets. Before the Elite died, he rolled a plasma grenade at a wounded and disabled marine and the medic helping him. The medic ran and tried to drag the marine along with him. The grenade detonated and ripped the marines legs off. The medic dropped him as he was sliced in half by plasma fire.

“Men, reinforce the centre, only a few more of them to hold off!” The Commander fired his sniper and blew the head off a Jackal. The grunts around it flinched and ran as they were covered in its blood. He fired another round and blasted an Elite straight through the chest. It exited through his back and hit a grunt in the face. Hot ***! Two with one shot!. He fired another shot, it blew a grunts head up like a melon. He fired the last bullet in his magazine and blew a jackals leg off. He reloaded and continued his sniping.

“Men, fall back to position Bravo, you are being overrun!” A marine was grappling with a Jackal for his gun, the Jackal kicked the marine and aimed the gun at his face. The Jackal was knocked back suddenly as blood sprayed from a gaping hole in it’s chest. The Commander was sniping. He had saved Ahmeds life. Ahmed stood back up, hefted his AR and fell back with the rest of the 200 marines left. There was mass chaos as the survivors fled up the hill en masse. Many of the marines furthest back were being cut down by heavy torrents of plasma. The Commander however continued to snipe as many targets as he could find. At the top of the hill, the small bunkers were put to good use. The turrets inside them were a good defence against the incoming covenant onslaught. An Elite was shot through the throat by a sniper round. Now the covenant had come up the hill, they were an excellent target for the Alpha squad sniper Gavin. The covenant only had about 200 troops left now. The turrets and the waiting marines cut down anything that poked it’s head over the hill and the sniper’s were eagerly popping heads of multiple aliens. The roar of pelicans descended over the battlefield. The pelican’s opened up with their chin turrets and pushed the covenant back heavily. They were dwindling fast. Then eventually the only sounds that could be heard were the calls of the dying and wounded. Another battle won. Ahmed threw his helmet up into the air and smiled broadly. Solus was safe. Only a few thousand covenant remained. After the fleet was destroyed the covenant had no supplies or reinforcements. They would save this planet.

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE LAST COVENANT

The barracks of Solus, 5 miles in all directions and set out like a city. Buildings and houses. But the UNSC had been taught one thing. Street combat was dangerous. And it gave the remaining covenant attacking an advantage. The covenant were outnumbered but they were lethal in fights like these. The Warthog Gavin was perched on had no turret, but an extra part added onto the back that had extra seats. With him was Henry and Francis, Ahmed, Metcalf, Langley and Morrey. Moving deeper into the wreckage of the combat zone of the barracks, there were dead humans and aliens alike. Charred remains of a ghost, 3 wraith’s, 2 banshee’s and even a Spirit were strewn all over the place. Warthog wreckage was plentiful here too. All Gavin would be moving in with was a scorpion and 3 warthogs. A mortar round landed dangerously close to the vehicle. Shrapnel viciously ripped through Metcalf’s leg, severing it. His screams pierced the air around the soldiers and caused Langley (the driver) to swerve. Morrey was a medic. He set to work on Metcalf’s leg. “Your gonna be ok buddy, just hang in there for Christ’s sake!” Metcalf’s screams got louder. Langley hadn’t been paying attention to where he was going and found himself under attack from a horde of grunts and elites. The marines fired and killed a few. A plasma grenade stuck itself to the tyre of the warthog and spun wildly. Langley screamed. “Oh ***!”

The grenade exploded and sent the marines flying out of their vehicle.

“Woot, Woot, Woot!” Langley was hauled to his feet by a pair of Grunts. He looked wildly around. He saw the warthog wreckage. The dead body of Metcalf who had his chest ripped out by the explosion. Gavin unconscious on the floor, Morrey with a large gash on his head, Ahmed was awake with a plasma rifle pointed at his head, Francis was being lifted up by a group of Grunts and carried into a nearby building and Henry was being beaten by an Elite wielding his plasma rifle as a club. It repeatedly hit him on the head. Each hit was met by a cry of anguish and despair. When Henry collapsed to the floor, the Elite yelled in triumph and fired a 2 second burst into Henry’s face. He had no time to scream and when he fell back dead, all that remained of his face was a smoking hole. A Grunt laughed and kicked the dead marines chest. Gavin tried to break free of his captors. The Elite holding him let out a gasp as Gavin elbowed him in the groin. Gavin rolled forward, passed a surprised Elite and grabbed hold of the grunt by the neck. Gavin ripped out it’s plasma pistol from its holster and aimed it at the black armoured Elite. The Elite slowly dropped its weapon and nodded at the Elites holding the others. Langley was roughly pushed forward. He joined Gavin along with Morrey and Ahmed. Gavin yelled at the black Elite. “Get Francis down here now!” The Elite nodded at a Grunt. The Grunt an inside and emerged with an awakened Francis. “Gavin, how are we gonna escape?” He said once he was next to him.

“I have a plan.” Gavin slowly moved backwards and brought the Grunt with him. The roar of a vehicle approaching eventually became audible to the aliens. Behind the marines, a scorpion Tank emerged from behind a hill of debris and swung is turret around to face the Elite. “ATU-!” The Elite got no further. It was blown in half by the shell. The other aliens rushed into action. The Grunt Gavin held began to squirm wildly. He shot it in the face with its own plasma pistol and ran behind the tank. It blew a Elite to smithereens and wounded two Grunts near him. Grunts poured from the building where Francis had been held. They were met by machine gun fire and very soon large rivers of blue blood flowed down towards the tank.

“Cover the left! No the right! Damnit, where the *** are Alpha squad, sergeant?”

“I don’t know Sir!” Said the Sergeant as he fired a burst from his AR. A shell whizzed over the heads of the platoon and slammed into a ghost. The ghost wreckage sliced a grunt in half and killed an Elite. Gavin dismounted from the tanks treadmills and moved forward through the street. “Covering fire!” Bullets ripped through the air around Gavin. He sprinted for a nearby wall and pressed himself flat against it. He peeked around the corner and blew a Grunts head off. The tank rolled across in front of Gavin and blew a sprinting Elite to pulp. Gavin ran after the tank towards a retreating covenant force of Elite’s and Grunts. They would be hunted down by a large force later today. As for Gavin and Francis. They were recalled back to the Leonidas. The ONI brass wanted them. Ahmed would accompany them as well as Morrey and Langley. Today had been tough for the marines. But the next week would be even

worse.

CHAPTER EIGHT

THE DEMISE OF FRANKY BEANS

Gavin had returned to Reach to debrief and prepare for his next mission. Ahmed, Langley, Morrey and a Private called Franky “Beans” Shawcross. Their next mission would be the liberation of a city in Holland from a professional group of rebels known as the Freedom army. *** radicals had declared a Holland city as theirs and publicly executed the Mayor. Alpha squad and a large group of armoured infantry would be assaulting following a large pelican raid which alpha squad would take part in. the rebels however weren’t to be messed with. They had a large amount of tanks and warthogs and a few shortswords to use in bombing raids. And a fleet of pelicans which were ordered to be saved. The Leonidas took them and a few hundred other marines with them back to Earth.

Alpha squad boarded their pelican and set off with an additional 30 fleets. On board the pelican with alpha squad was a group of 6 ODST’s. The squad leader was Staff Sergeant Obreiski. The other 5 were Sergeant Jasper, Corporal Zanovich, Corporal Hassey, Private Legget and Private Allen. The Pelican rattled as it came under AA fire. They were right over the combat zone. “Dropping in 3, get ready soldiers.” The COM clicked off and Gavin stood.

“Ok guys, we have an AA position about 2 klicks East of our drop zone. That is our target. The Rebels are heavily organised. And I hate to say this but I wont be seeing some of your faces when this all over. So take a good long look at the man next to you. This might be the last time you lay eyes on each other. Now, check your weapons and ammo, were going in.” The pelican swerved to avoid the AA rounds as it rapidly dropped towards the ground. The Pelican hovered a few feet up from the ground and everyone disembarked.

“Ok Obreiski, you take your squad to the right and I’ll take mine to the left. We meet up at the LZ and push on in to the city and we take it. And remember, there are still civilians here so watch out.” The ODST’s ran through a small forest and disappeared from sight. Gavin marched his squad down a narrow lane. They were crouching around the edge of the road, when a small troop transport Warthog drove down the road towards them. Gavin made a hand signal telling them to whisper. “Ok, Beans, fire the launcher.”

The launcher used in this battle was a small anti-armour manta ray. Its rounds were weak but they were enough to disable a tank. No need to waste precious rocket rounds. Franky fired his Manta and hit the left side of the hog. Smoke poured from its engine and 3 soldiers were torn apart by the blast. The survivors were disoriented and were shooting at each other. The confusion wouldn’t last long. “Open fire men!” MA5B rounds tore through the Rebels and reduced them to bloody corpses. “Ok, move out.” The marines moved silently through the road. They cam to a pillbox. Inside were about 2 LMG’s and a mounted grenade launcher. 3 soldiers manned them.

“Ok Beans, fire your Manta at that grenade launcher. The rest of you, follow up with a barrage of grenades and lead. Ok? Go!” Beans fired and killed the Rebel and the rest of alpha squad blew holes out of the gunners. “Storm the box!” They charged and killed a radio operator. “***! Did he send an SOS off?” Gavin sighed.

“Yes Sir. The reply is reinforcements are on their way.”

“***, looks like we better hurry to the AA. Then we can meet up with the invasion force.”

2 HOURS LATER…

They had finally stumbled upon the AA gun after 2 hours of going in circles and nearly running into 5 squads of reaction forces. It was reloading. Gavin threw a grenade and blew the leg off a Rebel. As he lay there screaming, the others quickly tried to take cover but were hit by an assault of MA5B rounds. 4 fell and the other 2 were wounded. “Quick, kill the survivors and plant some HE on that gun.” The orders were quickly carried out and the gun was destroyed.

AT THE LZ…

Gavin and the ODST’s arrived at the LZ roughly around the same time. Now the invasion could commence. Tanks and warthogs sped forward with different squads. The ODST’s and alpha squad would be working together this time. When they were secluded from the rest of the army, they found themselves up against a machine gun nest and a group of Rebels. “Oh ***, Obreiski, move your men around the flank, we’ll distract them.” The ODST’s ran around a large group of fences while alpha squad fired at the Rebels. The distraction proved a good move as the ODST’s were able to grenade and shoot the remaining Rebels. The day was going as planned. They had to fight for one more day and then they would face their worst attack yet.

HOLLAND, NIGHT TIME.

The day before. Franky had found love with a Dutch girl and now he had run off to find her. In the middle of a Rebel counter attack. Gavin had gone off to find him on his own…

Gavin had run right into an abandoned Hospital. It was occupied. He carefully walked down the corridor towards the operation room. Inside were 2 snipers. One of them shot and smiled grimly. He then took out his knife and scratched another line for his tally. Gavin was filled with rage. He silently walked up to them and shot the second sniper in the back of the head. Before the first one could turn, Gavin was upon him. He thrust the knife into his spine and twisted it. Deeper in it went and then he pulled it out. While the Rebel was twisting around on the floor, Gavin shoved a grenade into his mouth and viciously pulled the pin off so it cut his gums up. He then calmly walked away and took cover behind a hospital gurney and felt the pieces of meat bounce off his cover. He heard gunshots sound off and a girl scream. He ran towards the sound. A girl in a white dress was lying dead with 4 bullet holes in her chest. She had dropped a soldiers helmet on the floor. Frankie’s helmet. He fired 6 rounds and killed both the Rebels who had shot her. He ran up a flight of stairs and found Franky finishing off a wounded Rebel.

“Franky! Stop! You have to leave her! You cant die over this!”

“Captain please! I have to save her. Just please let me save her!”

“Franky! No!”

“Please Sir?” And with that, he turned and ran forward through the debris of a concrete wall.

“Franky wait, there’s something I have to tell you!” But Franky ignored him and kept on going. Gavin ran after him and after 30 minutes of chasing, found him. Lay against a wall with a pool of blood around him. He had holes in his stomach and chest. He was wheezing. Gavin crouched next to him. “Franky, look at me Franky! Your gonna get out of this. I promise you Franky.”

“No…Sir” He coughed and spit our a lot of blood. “I’m done. The bastards got me… Just tell me, did she get out…Ok?”

“Franky, she got out fine.” Gavin turned his head away and Franky knew he was lying.

“Liar!” He spat this word out.

Gunshots rang out from behind Gavin. He turned to see a Rebel rolling down some stairs with a gaping hole in his back. Ahmed was stood at the top of the stairs with a smoking gun. Gavin nodded at Ahmed and stared into Frankie’s eyes.

“Franky, look at me now, FRANKY!” Frankie’s arm drooped and his eyes rolled back into his head.

Gavin ripped his dog tag off and held up to his face.

“Gavin, are you gonna be ok?”

“He was only 17 Ahmed. He was only 17...” Tears welled up in Gavin’s eyes as he remembered his fallen comrade.

2 DAYS LATER…

He was back on the Leonidas after losing Obreiski from sniper fire, Zanovich in a bombing raid, and Legget and Allen were killed by a hail of gunfire from a Rebel warthog. But the death that hit him the hardest, was that of Franky. He would never forget Franky. And how young he was when he died. He didn’t think he could take the death of one more team mate. Especially not Ahmed 2 weeks later…

CHAPTER NINE

HALLUCINATIONS

“Im worried about Gavin. When we were escaping from the hospital, a bomb dropped. It knocked him to the floor and he raised his pistol. I ran to him when I heard the crash. He was shooting at the wall. He later told me he had seen 3 Rebels stood right in front of him. I think he is going insane.”

“Your crazy Ahmed, how many of us wouldn’t be here if not for that son of a ***? Maybe he hallucinated from the shock of the explosion. Just keep an open mind.”

GAVIN’S BUNK: THE LEONIDAS

“Franky, is that you?”

“Yeah it’s me Cap, I just wanted to say something.”

“I’m sorry Franky. I should have saved you. It was my fault.”

“No Cap, it doesn’t matter. I probably would have died anyway.”

“No Franky. You wouldn’t…”

“Cap, you shouldn’t blame yourself. Just remember the happy times. If you beat yourself up over just me, you will become more and more insane.”

“What do you mean Franky?”

“I mean im dead and your talking to yourself.”

Gavin blinked rapidly and realised he was on his own. He had certain suspicions of a certain gun. This gun had belonged to Marsh. His old squad mate. Then it had belonged to Ricardo. Then Metcalf, and finally, Franky. Now Ahmed had it. There was a superstition going around that anyone who had the gun would die. It was a curse. Even Ahmed was weary with it. Gavin heard an announcement telling them that they would be leaving in 10 and so he pulled on his special black and green uniform and marched out of the bunk.

SOLUS, SECOND COVENANT ATTACK

Gavin and his team were stuck on the planet after the Leonidas was destroyed and the survivors had fled, leaving them stranded. He had reported to a camp and was standing before the major.

“At ease Captain. We have vital information leading to a covenant base being established. But they might have set up a mortar position. So I need you and your team to at-” A loud explosion rocked the tent. Gavin sprinted outside and saw a large amount of plasma falling. The mortars were in place. He looked around and saw a marine. He was covered in blood and his right arm was a bloody stump. Gavin ran over to him and stared at his face as the storm of blue exploded around him.

“Ahmed… No.”

“Gavin… is that you?”

“Yeah its me.

“I’ll say hi to Franky for you.”

“NO! Don’t you dare leave me. You aren’t leaving this world man. You are staying here. With me.”

“Gavin, you have to learn to let some people go. Now then, get out there and win this fight. As for me. I’m done.”

“Don’t say that Ahmed. Your getting out of here fine. MEDIC!!! MEDIC!!!”

Ahmed closed his eyes and left the realm of the living. Gavin slumped over Ahmeds body and wept while all around him men died and screamed.

Gavin stood up and gently picked up Ahmed and carried him towards the aid station. He isn’t being further defiled by a mortar round. He was lowered and straightened out. Gavin took the cursed gun. Recently named Matthew. And walked calmly outside. He walked through the valley the camp was set up in and strolled through the plasma rounds. A soldier lay burning at his feet. He didn’t have time to help him to help everyone. He kept on walking until he eventually reached the edge of the forest the mortars were coming from. He struggled up hill until he saw movement. He didn’t change his stance. Instead he raised the gun and fired at the moving creature. It squealed and dropped. He kept on walking. He saw an elite gathering a group of jackals. he threw a grenade and cut the jackals to ribbons. He then fired round after round into the elites chest even after it was dead. He saw a mortar after 10 minutes of walking. He stood out in the open and fired. Calm, never flinching even when he was almost seared by the plasma. Grunt and Jackals died together. At least they all died. He was stuck in this mental torment called life. A plasma bolt struck his arm. He was knocked sideways but he quickly brought his gun up and ripped an elite to pieces. He ran out of bullets. He dropped the gun. He rolled toward a jackal. He shoved his knife through its throat and dropped it there. A grunt was sliced up by his knife. He imbedded it in the heart of a sheildless elite. And the rest retreated. They were beaten by a lone human. He collapsed on his knees and yelled as loud as he could. He had got revenge. Ahmed’s murderers wouldn’t go without punishment. He dropped the knife and sat there. After 10 minutes, a force of 30 marines broke through the clearing the covenant had retreated from. That was the reason they hadn’t come back. A fellow Captain came up to him.

“Are you alright soldier?”

“Don’t *** touch me. You have to earn that right. I lost all my brothers in arms over the past 2 months. I don’t know if I can go on.”

“Ok buddy don’t have to get so emotional. I know what its like. I almost killed myself over it. I held one of my men while he died. But you have to stop being friendly. don’t think of them as friends. That way it isn’t as painful.” The captain walked off and Gavin was hauled onto a warthog after refusing to move. He was taken back to the camp and lay down in the field hospital. He looked to his right and saw Ahmed sat there.

“Well well, this looks familiar.”

“Ahmed, don’t.”

“Don’t what? Die!”

“Shut up, SHUT THE *** UP!”

“Cap, I think you need to calm down.” Frankie’s voice sounded loud and clear.

“Franky, please don’t die…”

“Im already dead Sir.”

“No your not! Im talking to you aren’t I?”

“No, your talking to your conscience Sir.” Gavin lifted up the cursed gun, Matthew and held it to his head.

“No Cap. I know you too well. You wont do this.”

“I will Franky. Don’t push me.”

Ahmed came back. “Do it, it was all your fault anyway.”

“Shut up! I did all I could…” Gavin broke down in sobs. “I did… All I… Could.”

“Well then Gavin, you have made it through hell, tell me how you feel about snow.”

The apparitions disappeared and Gavin dropped the gun onto the floor. Snow? What could that mean? Winter was starting in Solus tomorrow. Maybe that was a clue. He lay down and had a well deserved sleep interrupted by visions of the dead.

CHAPTER TEN

VISIONS OF THE DEAD

“Gavin was seen talking to himself on more than one occasion and there are growing concerns for his safety here in the squad. We believe he may be going into shell shock Sir.”

SOLUS- DEFENDING A LINE OF TRENCH

Gavin fired the cursed gun at a squad of grunts. They were mown down by the guns deadly barrage. Sometimes during a lull in the fighting, Gavin would get a glimpse of a dead marine that looked like Ahmed or Franky. And sometimes, even Metcalf. His latest kill was an overzealous Elite. Spurting blood from an ugly wound on its head, it collapsed. A wraith drove over the hill. They were in trouble now. They had nothing to fight it with. The apparition of Ahmed, back in the hospital tent. The words played back across his mind. “It was your fault Gavin. Your fault we are dead.” Something inside him snapped. He gave a ferocious roar and stood boldly on top of the hill. He fired the gun wildly at the wraith and anything that got in his way. “YOU WANT ME!? FU**ING TAKE ME! TAKE ME!” The world flashed purple and blue. He felt as though he was flying. And then, a crack as he landed. There was no pain. He closed his eyes and welcomed the silence that followed.

“Well, well. Look who decided to join us.” Ahmed was sat on a chair in a land of white.

“Not you again.”

“Yes Gavin, it’s me. And I have to congratulate you on your attempt at death.”

“What do you mean attempt?”

“Your not dead Gavin. Just unconscious.”

“Then wake me up.”

“No, I think me and you had an uninterrupted talk.”

“About what?”

“About how it is all your fault.”

“It isn’t. I never killed them. I tried to save them. I tried to save Franky but he didn’t listen. I tried to save you but you were hit by a mortar. How am I supposed to stop that happening?”

“Just admit the deaths were your fault.”

“Why?”

“Because it makes the pain go away easier.”

“Fine, it was…my fault.”

“Very good. Now, wake up sleepy head.”

Gavin gasped as he came to. It was night now. He was lying in the same trench. A medic was checking the bodies and the wounded. He finally reached me. He gasped in shock when he found out Gavin was alive. He had a broken arm and 3 broken ribs, a large gash covered most of Gavin’s forehead and drenched him in blood. He had a few small wounds in his chest and stomach. But the amount of blood that poured through made it look more serious than it was. He would be air lifted out. The pain did go easier. He still felt bad about the 2 soldiers whom he considered his friends. Those poor souls. Ahmed had no defence against what was coming while Franky, only 17 had rushed after a Dutch girl he had shared his first kiss with and was brutally killed by the Rebels. While in the pelican out, he saw a marine with glasses. The face of Franky flashed for a second and then disappeared. The glasses looked exactly the same as Frankie’s. He banished the thought and fell asleep to the roar of the engine.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

GREAT WINTER OF SOLUS 2541

The cold was unbearable. The blizzard was terrifying. But thank god for the thermal suits. Gavin was kept at normal body temperature under the extreme cold. The covenant however hadn’t the suits needed to keep themselves warm. They had about another week to go until the UNSC arrived with a fleet. The covenant wouldn’t stop coming. They had recently set up a series of mining sites. Apparently, the artefacts here were of great value to the covenant. Solus was valuable to both factions. And the UNSC would be damned if they were gonna give up that easy. The replacement for Ahmed was a Corporal called Nathan. He had a good combat record, Gavin was happy to have him with the squad. Francis was still with him, as was Langley and Morrey. The other squad member was a sergeant called Danny.

“So Gavin, how long till the kill zone?” Langley had recently become the inquisitive type.

“About another 10 minutes or so. Check your bloody guns, no one dies today.” Clicking rang out as the soldiers took apart their guns and put them back together again. The transport hog was slow. The extreme cold had messed up the engines of most vehicles apart from the Scorpion. This hog was different though. It had 2 very small anti infantry guns. One on the front and one on the back. The hog drove past a cluster of frozen Grunts and an Elite. The cold had also stopped the covenant Hunters from being used. That was a godsend. Hunters had come down in the first few days of Winter and inflicted around 700 casualties. But now they were sent back to the ships to keep warm. A Ghost was imbedded in a wall of ice. A frozen Elite body was still in the seat. They rounded a building covered in snow and found themselves face to face with a scarab.

The behemoth had failed to see them however and stepped right over them. “Oh ***… is that thing heading for the kill zone?” whispered Morrey.

“I think so. I don’t think its safe to link up. Not with that *** walking around.” Gavin sounded frustrated.

Langley’s face darkened. “Well Sir, the only way to get rid of something…”

“Is to kill it.” Danny finished the sentence. But how? They would need a way up. They would follow it.

“Ok guys, looks like were walking. Park the warthog somewhere we’ll remember and walk after it. Im not risking that thing hearing us.”

Nathan who was driving complied and turned around. He spotted a large alleyway and parked the hog inside. He scratched a large SH into the wall outside the alley and walked after the squad. The monstrous vehicle picked up speed and they soon had to run after it. Thankfully, it stopped soon. This was their chance. “Nathan, climb up the leg, I don’t know how long we have so make it quick.”

Nathan silently complied. He shimmied up the leg using the rope he always carried around his abdomen. He was just at the top when the machine whirred into life again. “***! Cap, I’ll climb to the top, I’ll wait for it to stop again. ***!” Nathan struggled p the rest of the way. Alpha resumed running after it. On the way, they came to a marine fire team. They were hiding behind a large piece of debris. The Scarab spotted them. It had to stop to engage them. This was their chance. Gavin quickly ushered everyone up. Nathan had hid behind a wall. When everyone was up they quickly headed towards a ramp that led down into the cockpit. They were especially quiet about it. Gavin went first. He saw a few silver armoured Grunts. The Scarab shook as it loosed a deadly beam of plasma. Gavin took 2 quick steps forward and shoved the knife through one of the Grunts neck. It fell to the ground gasping. Another had its throat slit as it turned to face him. The last one aimed at Gavin’s face when a loud bang rang out. Its head exploded and it fell back. Nathan lowered his gun and signalled for Gavin to run back up. They waited around the corner of the ramp. Then they heard quiet slow footsteps. When the alien was about half way up the ramp, they all threw in a grenade. A helpless roar rang out for 2 seconds and then BOOM! Blood splashed out from the ramp and a dismembered arm flew past. Alpha squad pushed in. Gavin pulled out a shotgun and was thrown against the wall by an invisible assailant.

He dropped the shotgun. He saw the Elite de-cloak and try and shove an energy cutlass in his chest. He grabbed it’s arm and twisted. The Elite resisted and kicked him in the ribs. He gasped and fell back. The energy cutlass went through his stomach. The Elite let go and punched him in the face. Gunshots could be heard from the rest of alpha squad. An Elite crawled across the floor in front of him trying t hold in it’s own entrails. It eventually collapsed and lay still. Gavin couldn’t sit up or stand. It was agony to even attempt. He had to lye there and listen to the sounds of battle. Eventually a throaty roar sounded and all went quiet. Nathan walked in front of him and called Morrey over. Morrey injected him with morphine and all the pain went. The cutlass was pulled out carefully and his wound was sealed by (I cant remember the name of the stuff that the Spartans used so im just gonna call it something else, again I am sorry.) seal foam. He rose slowly and picked up Matthew. The aliens were dead and the only wounded were Gavin, Morrey and Langley. “Ok team, lets blow this *** up and figure out how to get back down.” Gavin planted some HE explosive all over the cockpit and ran outside. He sent Nathan down with the rope. “Secure it to something and we’ll zip wire down.” Nathan nodded and climbed down the leg. Gavin had hold of the rope. Nathan found a piece of a concrete wall and attached the rope to it.

“Ok guys, come on down!” Gavin was first. He spread his gun across the rope and soared down it. Everyone else did the same. When they were a safe distance away. Gavin pressed the detonator and blew up the Scarab, he shielded his eyes from the dazzling blue flames.

“Ha! That thing wasn’t so tough after all.” Everyone laughed at Danny’s comment.

CHAPTER TWELVE

SOLUS KILL ZONE

Gavin had retrieved the hog and was heading toward the kill zone as fast as the *** thing would carry him. They had picked up the only survivor of a Grunt charge along the way. He was put inside the cramped vehicle. “Thanks you guys, I didn’t think I would last the night. So, where are we heading anyway?”

“Were going to the kill zone.” Replied Francis stiffly. The first words he had said all day.

“What!? Why are we heading there? There is a camp 3 miles back, hot food and rest. What the hell is wrong with you people?!”

“Shut your goddamn mouth marine! You wanna know how many of our brave, good men we lost over the last week here so that YOU! Can live another day? Show some goddamn respect idiot.” Francis was really hot headed today.

“Sorry… Sir.”

“*** right, now maintain silence. We have to get to the marines. Without us, they are ***!” Langley, Morrey and Nathan grinned and chuckled at each other over the embarrassed look of the marine sat next to them. Langley grinned as he leant over to the Private.

“So, you been showing Ahmed and Franky disrespect? Those people died for you. They were killed trying to help people like me and you.” Morrey quietly said Metcalf’s name. Metcalf had been his best friend. Gavin felt his anger rising as Langley continued to mention their names.

“Ahmed must be turning in his grave right now!” Gavin slammed the brakes and the hog screeched to a halt.

“You ever mention their names again like that. I’ll kill you Langley. I will slit your FU**ING THROAT!” Langley snorted. “Oh yeah? They are dead Captain. I don’t think they care what I say about them. So why don’t you sh-” Langley got no further as Gavin’s fist slammed into his face, breaking his nose.

“What the *** man?! You ***! *** you!” Langley pulled out his M6D sidearm and pointed it point blank at Gavin’s face. Francis grabbed the gun and whacked him between the eyes with the butt of the pistol. He fell backward off the Warthog. He stood up quickly and ran off. Soon disappearing in the swirling blizzard.

“Morrey swore loudly. “Should we go after him Sir?”

“No, he can *** die for all I care.”

Francis spoke gently. “Gavin, do you really want another death on your hands?”

“No… Ok, after him guys.”

“*** assholes don’t appreciate me. Well they are gonna fail without me. I am way too valuable and now I’m gone. Sayonara *** heads!” A throaty roar cut through the howling wind. Langley reached for his MA5B and realised it was on the Warthog. He felt something hard slam into his chest and he flew back 5 metres. He shakily rose to his feet only to be met by repeated blows from an invisible fist. As he was on the ground whimpering, A large weight came on his chest and he couldn’t get back up. An Elite materialised from the sheet of snow and ignited an energy sword. It pointed the blade at Langley’s throat and spoke in its native tongue. It lifted the sword up for a downward thrust. The Elite spread it’s mandibles in what he assumed to be a smile and ended Langley’s life. Just as a shocked Captain Gavin came around the corner from an ice covered building.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

A FAMILIAR FACE

Gavin roared a challenge at the Elite. “Come on you split lip ***!” The alien turned and thrust the energy sword in his direction. It charged with a roar as Gavin sidestepped the blow. He brought the butt of his rifle down on its arm. Its shields shimmered brightly and deflected the blow. He fired a burst from the gun before the alien could turn around. Its shields started sparking. He jumped backwards as the energy sword came within inches of his face. The air turned searing hot as it passed over. He landed on his back. The Elite went to deliver a fatal blow like it had done to Langley but Gavin tripped it up as it prepared to strike and had recovered the energy sword from the snow covered ground. The Elite stood but was speared through the ribs by Gavin. It let out a cry that would wake the dead but it was lost in the swirling blizzard. He pulled it out and delivered a blow that decapitated the Elite. Purple blood sprayed from the headless body and covered Gavin in it’s warm, sticky embrace.

He walked over to Langley’s body and closed the dead mans eyes. A warthog engine sounded faint and after a while, the rest of the team came in the warthog. Morrey was the first one out. He ran to the body and spent a long time just staring at it. He turned to the dead Elite and spat on it. He then resorted to kicking the body and shouting at it. Gavin didn’t stop him. It was the only thing that would keep him from losing his mind. Morrey eventually stopped and stumbled over to the team with a blank look on his face. He had now gone into shock. He ripped the special patch alpha squad bore from Langley’s shoulder and stuck it on his MA5B with a bandage. “Let’s go.” Morrey sounded stiff and angry.

“Don’t you want to-” Francis started up softly.

“NO! I don’t want to do anything. Just get out of here…” Morrey stormed out to the hog and started it up.

“Well? We going?” everyone walked up to the hog. Gavin carried Langley back and sat him up on the back seat.

“I am not leaving him here to be frozen. He is going back with the wounded. He deserves nothing less. So, how far until the kill zone lieutenant?”

“Not far Sir, a few more miles. I just hope the battle isn’t over…”

KILL ZONE OF SOLUS

“Cover that Scorpion!” The Scorpion was camouflaged rather well but the covenant were starting to realise where it was now and were bombarding it with fuel rods and grenades. The tank fired a shell and destroyed a speeding Ghost. A marine was firing at an Elite that had managed to climb up the hill with a trio of commando Elite’s. the Elite kicked the marine in the chest and stabbed him in the back with an energy sword as he tried to get away. The tank fired and hit the ground near the Elite and tossed it into air like a doll. It landed in the huge sheet of snow and was buried quickly by the blizzard. Although he wasn’t dead, he would soon freeze. The other commando’s were successful enough to kill a few marines before they quickly succumbed to their wounds.

Rtas’ Vadumee was buried under the snow. The Human scum had defeated him. He felt the cold creeping into his body and knew he would freeze if he didn’t act quick enough. He felt for his energy sword. He felt a searing hot pain in his elbow and knew he had found it. He reached out until he could feel the handle. He swiped the sword upward and burned away the snow. He climbed up and saw the destruction around him. Frozen and wounded comrades lay in the snow. He found a plasma rifle and fired at a Human with its back to him. The Human fell with a scream and lay in a pool of its own blood. He turned and shot a Human in the face before rushing a fleeing Human with his energy sword. It was like hunting swamp rats back on his home planet. He felt an impact as primitive Human weaponry projectiles deflected off his shielding. He turned and saw the Human run to hit him with the gun. He neatly slashed diagonally with the energy sword and decapitated the charging Human scum. A plasma grenade flew by his head and stuck a Human with a primed grenade. He ran around wildly thrashing and screaming until he was engulfed by the blue plasma. A large horde of Grunts and Elites charged up the hill with a few beam rifle Jackals for support. He flagged down a Ghost and gave the Elite driving it his plasma rifle for a plasma pistol. The Elite thanked Rtas and charged with his comrades.

He sped the Ghost up the hill and rammed into a Human. He was sliced in half by the vehicle. Rtas fired his cannons and strafed a few Humans that had converged inside a nearby shell hole. They were burned and killed as the plasma impacted on their frail armour. He saw the camouflaged Human Wraith fire and kill a group of Grunts. He was heading for it at full speed when a Human stepped out with a rocket launcher. He knew it would kill him. A purple beam flashed past Rtas’s head and the Human was knocked back into the snow with a hole in it’s chest. The snipers were keeping an eye on him it seemed. He climbed out of the Ghost and ran at the Tank. The machine gun opened up now that the targets had gotten close enough. Bullets zipped past his head as the inaccurate gun fired at him.

Marsland had seen an Elite rush the Scorpion. He turned to engage it. It was the commando Elite from before that had broken through the defences. He fired a clip at it. The Elite turned and fired a plasma pistol accurately at him. He was hit on the arm and stomach. He fell down and coughed up blood on his visor. His vision blurred and he had to strain to keep his eyes open. The roar of an approaching Warthog sounded. He couldn’t move his head to see. The Warthog stopped. He could hear hurried footsteps coming over. He felt his head being lifted up and a warm tasteless fluid was forced down his throat. He coughed and spluttered but the persistent fluid kept coming. He felt his body shudder. The pain subsided. He could move again. He sat up and found himself face to face with a Lieutenant. He had the alpha squad badge on. And he had another bandaged on his gun. The Alpha squad member pulled him up and shoved the gun in his hands. “Up there Corporal, engage those Grunts!”

“Yes Sir!” The Lieutenant ran after some other soldiers and Marsland fired at a gathering of Grunts near a wrecked Ghost.

Rtas felt a few bullets hit his shields. He turned and strafed a Human. He went down and was lost in the snow. Rtas turned and felt more bullets hit him. This time from the Tanks gunner. He threw a plasma grenade and stuck the Human. There was an explosion and a shower of red as the Human was obliterated. Rtas leapt onto the tank as the turret swerved to engage him. He ripped open the hatch and pulled a Human up by his helmet. The Human screamed and punched him. He felt nothing as he fired an overcharged plasma pistol into its helmet. The screams stopped abruptly as blood streamed from the hole in the visor. The Humans were pulling back heavily now. He saw a Human in some special black armour charge at him. He turned to fire his plasma pistol at it but was instead caught off guard by a grenade blast that disabled his shielding. The Human fired and penetrated his already weakened armour. Blood frothed from a small wound in his ribs. He ignited his energy sword and roared a challenge at the scum. It fired again and he was hit in the chest and arms by the Human. It then charged him with the gun. He lifted his sword to kill it but the Human had dived underneath the blow and had hit him as hard as it could in the kneecap with the butt of the gun. He let out a roar and kicked the Human across the battlefield. It hit a wrecked Warthog and was coughing up blood when Rtas plunged the energy sword in its stomach. It let out a cry and grabbed his arm. Its grip eventually slackened and its arm fell as it died. Rtas smiled at the kill. He heard a Human talk. “Hey ass hole.” He looked up and stood on the Human transport was another of the black clad Humans. “you are dead!” It fired a shotgun point blank into his chest. He flew backward and slammed into a building. Blood poured from the wound. He felt the cold creep back into his body. He closed his eyes and awaited rescue.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:

CAVALRY ARIVES

ORBIT OVER SOLUS…

“Captain, we have come within firing range!”

“Fire those *** guns! None of them make it out alive!” The Leningrad fired its MAC and sent a Covenant frigate spinning out of control with massive breaches in its hull.

SOLUS…

Gavin recovered Morrey’s dog tag and had regrouped with Danny and Francis. They were firing at a large gathering of Grunts and Jackals. A Grunt gurgled out its last breath as bullets ripped through its weak armour. The others were splattered with its blood as they too were gunned down.

“Francis! Get in the fu**ing Hog!” Gavin screamed as the latest wave of covenant attackers plus a few Ghosts, crashed through the scattered remnants of the once great UNSC army. The Warthog roared into life as Francis pulled up in front of Gavin. “Sir, we have to go. NOW!”

“Right, Danny, get in the back with the rockets. I’ll use the passenger turret. Now drive!” Francis sped away from the Covenant as they got closer to the bulk of the UNSC defenders. They still had a few Tanks and Pelicans. The Pelicans were taking wounded out. Gavin carried Langley’s body towards the last Pelican and strapped him into a seat. The Sergeant turned to complain but was silent when he saw the Captain insignia. The door was shut and the Pelican lifted off with the body of Gavin’s former comrade.

Rtas shakily rose to his feet. He saw a large group of Humans being questioned and executed. His comrades had begun setting up a military base here. The battle wasn’t even won and they were already building here. The Prophets were underestimating the Humans. A Minor Elite walked up to him and pointed towards a small little tent that had been set up. Rtas nodded at the Elite and walked over to the tent. A Zealot stood inside over a holopanel, the image on it was that of the Prophet of Truth.

“My Master, we have trapped the Humans like Rats. We can move in now and crush them! We shall have this Relic!” The Zealot was clenching it’s hand into a fist as it spoke. Truth considered this and spoke.

“Now now Ista. We must not get too hasty. Even the weakest of creatures is dangerous when it has it’s back against the wall. And these Humans are no exception. They can kill us. If you charge in blindly shooting everything that moves, you will lose the battle. They are stronger than you think. They have managed to hold this Planet for 8 months now. If not for the Relics I would have ordered it glassed by now. Be careful. I have given you command of a whole battle group. Use this to your advantage. Now, I have more important matters to attend to.” The holopanel switched off and the Zealot turned to Rtas.

“I have a favour to ask of you Spec ops. I have lost contact with our Fleet. I want you to take the group of swift redemption with you to the communications centre. We fear the Humans have destroyed it.”

“I would be honoured to lead them into battle. They are our best. I shall make sure they succeed Master.”

“Good, they await you outside. Meet with them and take a Spirit out.” Rtas walked out with a smile. The Swift Redemption strike team are the best soldiers the Covenant has to offer. Rtas saw the 5 Elites waiting for him. The leader, Hyhs, had a Beam Rifle. The suppressionist of the team, Inma, had 2 Plasma Rifles, the Grenadier of the team, Udda, had a Carbine and a Grenade belt, the demolition expert of the team, Ryta, had a Needler and the final member who was the scout. Wielded a Beam Rifle also. His name was Treh. They boarded the Spirit and so did Rtas. The vessel lifted into the icy cold air and sped towards the communication centre.

Gavin had gathered 2 men to help him in their next mission. A Pelican had been sent especially for him and his team. Nathan had been found, wounded but alive. Gavin, Nathan, Danny, Francis and the 2 Marines named Brandwood and Franky. Gavin saw Frankie’s bloodstained body flash in front of his face for a second. “Hey Franky, are you related to a Private Robert. O. Franky?” Gavin cautiously asked.

“Yes sir, I’m his Brother.” Gavin closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

“Well kid, I let your Brother and many other people down. But I promise you will get out of this mission alive.” Gavin looked over at Francis. Francis smiled warmly at him and then started to check his gear. Gavin soon did the same.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

SHOWDOWN

The Pelican hovered above the icy landscape and its inhabitants jumped out. The Pilot looked at his Co-Pilot and said to him. “They fall in line, one at a time, ready to play.” The Co-Pilot shook his head and closed the Pelican doors. The Dropship blasted into the air. Gavin looked around at the men with him. Nathan. Had been with him for a few days and had proven himself an excellent scout. Francis. The oldest member besides Gavin here. Danny. He had grown on Gavin over the days he had fought with him. Brandwood. A Corporal. He had seen a little action on Harvest and spent a few years in hospital. Franky. After he received the news of his brothers death, he rushed to join. He was accepted and sent into Solus on the Leonidas with Gavin. Although Gavin never knew of this.

“Alright men, no time to lose. There may be survivors here. We’ve got to move. Brandwood, steady your hand.” Brandwood stopped shaking and moved forward after the rest of the team.

Rtas had seen them. He deactivated his Thermal goggles and motioned towards them with one hand and made a cutting motion with the other. The Group of Swift Redemption with their Camouflage activated, hurried after their targets. Hyhs yelled when he drew behind some cover. “Fire your guns!” The Elites all fired heavily at the exposed Humans.

Gavin heard a roar behind him. He turned to see plasma hurtling at him. He dived to the floor and fired a burst at the Aliens. One of them ducked and the others did the same. Gavin quickly rushed with his team towards a bullet riddled wall. They crouched behind it and tried to devise a plan. “Sir, I know I’m just a Corporal but hear me out. The Aliens attacked 2 hours ago and killed everyone. There may be survivors. These Elites look like cleanup crews to me. Nothing to worry about. We just keep on moving while hiding within the complex and gathering any survivors we can.” Brandwood finished.

“Ok Brandwood, we’ll go with that. Move it men! Its time to run!” Alpha Squad quickly ran out from behind the wall and sprinted for the nearest door. It was open and blood soaked the walls around it. Gavin felt a scorching heat melt the snow around his foot and counted himself lucky. He dived through the door after his team and pushed it shut. “Head count. Danny, Francis, Franky, Nathan, Brandwood. Where’s Brandwood?!” Gavin heard screams come from outside and a cruel laugh sounded out. He listened in horror at the torture the Aliens put him through.

Brandwood was at the back of the group. He tripped over something. He lost his footing and fell face first into the snow. Before he could get up, he heard something heavy slam. He looked around and saw a once open door, shut. He picked himself up and rushed towards the door. A roar rang out and he was knocked off his feet. He turned and screamed as a weight crushed his throat. The weight was lifted and a laugh rang out from the invisible assailant. It revealed itself. The Elite drew out a short knife and began cutting Brandwood up. Blood trickled down his uniform as he screamed. His foot was severed by an Energy Sword and hi fingers were pulled off one by one. He gurgled blood onto his visor and he couldn’t see out of it soon enough. He became numb as the Aliens continued their torture. He heard a song in his head. Beethoven. Moonlight Sonata. He listened to the sad mournful tune as his throat was cut, and his head severed as a trophy.

Gavin shook all over. He had ripped his helmet off and was grabbing his hair viciously. He gasped sometimes and occasionally, a tear would drip down. Blood had seeped in from underneath the door and was making its home there. The Aliens were banging on the door and everyone was nervous. They were waiting for Gavin to move. Francis walked over to him. “Patrick, there is absolutely nothing you could have done. His death wasn’t your fault. Don’t start this again Patrick! I know he died! I know you feel its your fault! But buck up, stand up and most importantly, suck it up!” Gavin looked at Francis fiercely. He was red faced. Snot and tears dripped from him. He stood up and punched Francis square in the stomach.

“YOU HAVE NO *** IDEA MY FRIEND! YOU! HAVE! NO! GODDAMN IDEA WHAT I GO THROUGH! *** off!” Francis charged into Gavin and punched him repeatedly in the face. Gavin rolled Francis off and kneed him in the groin. Francis groaned and took a fist to the face. Gavin spat on Francis and kicked him in the ribs for good measure. “YOU WANT ANOTHER GO YOU *** MUG!” Francis spat out a tooth and shakily rose to his feet. “Bring it you English ***!” Gavin roared at Francis and tackled him. Francis connected with the wall and had the breath knocked out of him. Gavin booted Francis in the mouth and punched him in the face over and over. He didn’t stop until Francis was covered in blood. The other soldiers were too scared to step in. Danny took a step forward and brought the butt of his rifle down on Gavin’s head. He fell with a grunt. Francis hyperventilated and screamed. Blood seeped from a wound on his head. Danny helped him up. “Are you ok Francis?”

“Yeah I’m… Fine.” Francis looked down at Gavin’s unconscious body. “Carry him with us. The Covenant will break through any second.”

Rtas had heard sounds of struggling going on. He thought they were turning against one another. The door wouldn’t budge so they had got Ryta to plant a plasma incinerator on the door. He pressed the detonator and the door was blown apart. They rushed inside, covering every inch of the room in plasma fire. They stopped and realised the Humans had moved on. Rtas examined a body. He had been killed in the battle hours ago. His body was covered in frost and dried blood surrounded him. Rtas saw a blood trail. A fresh blood trail. It led through a corridor. He signalled the group and they pursued.

Francis had been bandaged and was moving at the head of the squad. Danny and Nathan were carrying Gavin between them. He groaned and spat out some blood after a few minutes of walking through twisting corridors. Every room contained a fresh batch of dead Human and Covenant soldiers. Francis and Franky collected as many dog tags as they could. Their pockets were full by the time Gavin awoke fully. He started icily at Danny and looked as though he was going to kill Francis for a second. Gavin took a step toward Francis but stopped when he heard clanging behind him. They all turned and pointed their rifles towards the noise. There was silence, broken only by the breathing of the group. It seemed to be getting colder. Gavin made a hand motion signalling his team forward. They cautiously advanced towards the noise. Franky was jumpy, he was constantly shifting his eyes and looking behind them. Gavin kept looking forward. He saw something move. It was a sudden movement, it caught him off guard. He turned his gun and fired while he was turning it. Bullets pinged off the walls as an invisible hand grabbed hold of the weapon in mid turn. Gavin groaned as he struggled against the unseen assailant. The rest of the team opened fire at something behind them. Gavin felt the gun click empty as the magazine went spent. A disembodied laugh sounded from in front of him and he thrust the gun into it. This move was unexpected. The weight lifted from his weapon and he saw a blurred shape standing in front of him.

Ryta tried to lift his Needler but the Human vaulted into him. He flew backwards into the wall. The Human smacked the gun into Ryta’s head. He slumped to the floor with a yell. The Human tried to do it again, but Ryta was ready this time. He grabbed the gun and twisted sharply. He heard a snap and the Human screamed. He kicked the Human back and grabbed his Needler from the floor. He levelled it with the Humans face. He smiled as he thought of the promotion that awaited him for this prize. The leader of this special forces Human squad was just as wanted as the Demon. He pressed the trigger lightly and felt his stomach explode. A buzzing filled his ears. A pain of which he had never experienced coursed through his body. He dropped the gun into a pool of stomach acid, entrails and blood. He smiled as light filled the room, the pain subsided and he saw paradise.

Gavin popped his shoulder back into place with a roar and exchanged high fives with Franky. “Ooh rah kid, ooh rah.” Franky smiled as he dropped the bloodied chainsaw and brought his MA5B back up. The rest of the team were in a heavy fire fight with a group of Elite’s. Nathan chucked a grenade and started on the radio again. “We have found no survivors, but we have come under heavy fire from hostile forces. The com centre is in danger of being taken by the Covenant! Requesting reinforcements! Is anyone reading me?!” Nathan blind fired a burst over the metal table he was hiding behind. He spoke again. “I repeat, we have come under attack by hostile forces, no survivors found but we fear that the Covenant have control of the building again! Hello? S**t!”

Francis was crouched behind a wall with his gun blazing towards the plasma fire. “F**k them Nathan, just shoot!” Francis went behind the wall to reload. Nathan fired at an alien stood close to his cover. Its shields collapsed and it fell to the floor bleeding profusely. Nathan reloaded and set his sights on a new target.

Inma felt bullets deflect off his energy shielding. He couldn’t find the source of the fire. He fired his plasma rifle wildly until his shield broke. He felt pain as bullets thudded into his ribs and chest. He felt a bullet slam into his shoulder and he toppled. He bled heavily. His comrades tried to reach him, but were beaten back by Human fire. He finally felt hands grab hold of his legs and drag him back. The world dimmed around the edges and sound distorted occasionally. He eventually found himself dropped. He looked around and saw Hyhs crouching over him with concern in his eyes. “Sir, did I do good?”

“Good? You did brilliantly! I only wish you could have lived to see your victory…”

“But sir,…” Inma coughed up blood and felt his eyes closing. “I’m alive… Aren’t I?”

“Yes, now sleep my friend. You will need your rest to be ready for paradise.”

“Indeed. I do feel tired…” Inma closed his eyes and left the world behind. Hyhs clenched his fist in anger. He knew which Human had killed him. He ran back to his team.

Nathan fired at a new target, but this one didn’t deter at his bullets. It just kept walking towards him.

“Umm guys, I need help over here!” The Elite reached him and wrenched the gun from his grasp.

“guys!!” He turned as a fist slammed into his face. He fell back and was lifted into the air by the Elite.

“I will make you bleed vermin!” The Elite growled as it said vermin. Nathan spat on its face.

“Kiss my ass inbred ba**ard!” The Elite felt bullets ping off the wall near him.

“My brothers, we fall back! We will finish them later!” The Elites backed off. The leader carried Nathan with him. Gavin breathed heavily for a few seconds. He trembled as he tried to fathom what just happened. He looked up suddenly and ran after the aliens as fast as he could. The rest of the team followed. Francis yelled after him. “Wait! Gavin wait!” Gavin turned angrily.

“Don’t get in my fu**ing way!”

“Gavin, where are you going?!”

“I’m going after Nathan.” He slapped a fresh clip into his MA5B. “We have a chance to actually save someone this time. I’m not going to let that chance slip. Everyone else died because we couldn’t get to them. But now we can. Just follow the blood.” Gavin turned and sprinted into the darkness.

“You crazy mother… Aww Damnit! Come on guys, Nathan needs us.” Everyone nodded and ran after the 2 greatest soldiers the UNSC had ever seen.

END OF PART ONE…

NEXT TIME…

Nathan awoke. He was suspended on a rope. It was tied to a steel girder. He struggled to get the rope off his hands. He was kicked and punched viciously for this. The Elite de cloaked itself in front of him and held a knife to his throat. He yelled as it shoved the blade into his stomach repeatedly. Blood dripped from his mouth as he gasped in pain.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:PART TWO

THE CAVALRY ARRIVES

Nathan awoke. He was suspended on a rope. It was tied to a steel girder. He struggled to get the rope off his hands. He was kicked and punched viciously for this. The Elite de cloaked itself in front of him and held a knife to his throat. He yelled as it shoved the blade into his stomach repeatedly. Blood dripped from his mouth as he gasped in pain.

Gavin rushed through the corridors. He was desperate not to let anyone else die. He found yet more frozen, dead and bloodied bodies both Alien and Human from the initial battle. He followed the blood trail for a long time until he eventually found it seeping from underneath a door. He kicked it open and looked around with his MA5B. There was no movement. The room was dark and there was a horrific smell coming from the middle of the room. Gavin saw Francis’s bloodied face appear next to his.

“Gavin, turn on the lights, we have to see this.” Gavin flicked a light switch and almost threw up at what he saw.

Nathan was suspended from a rope and had his guts lying on the floor in a heap. He had his whole torso ripped open. His organs were all missing and his tongue and eyes were gouged out. Gavin saw something move quickly to his right He strafed the area with bullets. “Men, it’s a trap!” Danny was thrown backward by an invisible force. Before Franky could lift his weapon, it was wrangled from his grasp and he was knocked to the ground with a blow that broke his nose. Francis fired and hit an Elite. It decloaked in front of him and tried to fight him. Gavin ripped a shotgun off his back and took careful aim at the Elites head.

“GAVIN! FIRE!!!!!” Gavin fired a shell and flinched as blood sprayed in fountain from the mess that was once the Elites face. A burst from a plasma rifle sounded and hit Francis twice in the back.

“Eat ***!” Gavin fired shell after a shell after the blur that sped away from him. A shot got lucky and the Elite was knocked off its feet. He thought it was dead and turned his attention to the rest of his team. Danny was lying in a pool of blood. The Elite decloaked and pointed an energy sword at Gavin. It lunged toward him, swinging wildly. He dodged strike after strike until he saw an opportunity. He fired at its unexposed stomach as it took extra time to try and decapitate him. It feel backward with a cry of surprise. Gavin stood over it and fired a mercy shot into its head. Gavin knew there were still 1 Elite left. He was determined to kill it. He saw Francis. He was not moving. “***! Francis! Don’t die on me man! Come on! Wake the fu** up!” Danny stood, clutching a hole in his ribs.

“Cap… I think…” Danny slumped to the floor. Franky got up shakily and spat out some blood.

“Sir, I think we should move. Francis is still alive, look. He is breathing still. Danny is hurt. We need to bandage him up and move out.” Franky was right.

Rtas had been hit badly by the Human. He looked at the squads vitals on his eyepiece. They were all dead apart from the leader, Hyhs. He opened a private communication link to him. “Hyhs, I have sent a distress signal. From the radio traffic, it sounds as though more Humans are on the way. We must leave these pests.”

“Never! I have a mission to complete. You may leave. Either way, I will die tonight. I will either die trying to kill this Human or I will be killed by their reinforcements. You leave.” Rtas closed his eyes and stood wearily. Blood trickled from the opening in his leg. He limped towards the extraction point with a heavy heart.

Hyhs looked at the Human approach him from around the corner. It hadn’t seen him in the shadows. He silently moved in. As he drew behind it to strike with his Energy sword, the Human dived and a loud bang sounded. His eyes were filled with the brightest light he had ever seen. He was blinded and there was a terrible ringing in his ears. He clutched his head and fell to his knees, writhing. He knew he was dead. Pain shot up his leg suddenly. And then in his arms. Then the most agonising pain in his torso. He

screamed.

Gavin walked away from the carcass with a smoking shotgun. He supported Danny with one arm while Franky hauled Francis on his back. It was time for them to leave. A voice crackled through their com.

“Hello, this is Epsilon group Delta, does anyone read me? Over.

“This is Captain Gavin of Alpha Squad. We read you. We have cleared the threat from here. We just want to go home.”

“Well that may be sooner than you think Sir, Our ships have just gave a beating to the Covie fleet. They picked up one last group of dropships and then they jumped put of the system. Solus is ours once more. Your going back home Gavin.” Gavin gave a smile of relief as he came outside. He saw the mess of Brandwood’s body. He crouched down and paid his final respects.

EPILOGUE

21^st November, 2591. The museum of Humanity.

“And so, this concludes our tour of the Alpha Squad memoriam. Any questions?

“What happened to Gavin?”

“He survived the war and the great Erath rebellion and died of natural causes 10 years ago. He was 81 years old. Strangely enough, this is his birthday. It is now 10 years since he died. That is why we have spoken so highly of this memorial in particular. Any other questions?”

“Do you think we will ever see anyone like him again?”

“I don’t know. But as for Patrick Gavin, he truly was one of a kind. Now if you will follow me to the diary of Francis. It was a book written after the war from Francis of alpha squad. In it, he tells us his experience of the war and how he was left disabled after Solus.

THE END

Authors notes: Finally, she is done. I have worked hard on this and I am sure you will all like to see me continue writing. I will. But first I would like to say thank you to my loyal fans and I hope I see you at my next fic. Goodbye everyone.