Chapter 2
2549 – December 17 – Draco III – 11:25 A.M.
It was a sunny day in Dragunia’s ruins, the covenant was unusually quiet today, but the marines were cautiously exploring the area. While they were searching for survivors; as they were scouting the area, they found an alien transport ship so they went to check it out and see what they could find. As the marines walked inside the alien corridors, they found what seemed to be a storage device lying on the floor, but they didn’t have the equipment to crack it, so they took it to the HQ right away.
Elsewhere in Dragunia’s plaza, Charlie’s squad was on a surveillance mission. ‘Peter, go and check that area, we need to make sure that there are no more threats here’. The environment there was depressive, but Charlie was used to it, so he wasn’t bothered at all.
As Charlie walked through the plaza, he started to remember…
2548 – March 23 – 1:26 P.M.
‘Listen marines, some of you will be fighting the alien for the first time, but remember, they’re living beings, that means they can feel , so we must make them suffer as much as possible’- Major Hugo said to his company who were preparing to hot drop into the battlefield.
Since the aliens first attack on Draco III, Charlie and his friends enlisted to the UNSC and helped rebuild the city; the covenant attacked again in 2548, but the UNSC was prepared this time.
‘Well, at last we will get revenge for the death of our parents’ – Frank said – ‘Yeah, but remember, your feelings must never interrupt with your actions on the battlefield’ – Charlie reminded them.
‘Go go go!’ – Hugo shouted as the pelican landed into the battlefield. They joined forces with the marines that were already there. Charlie and his friends were together at first, but got separated by a plasma grenade that fell next to their cover. ‘Josh, Frank, are you ok?’ – Charlie asked as only Josh answered him – ‘I’m ok Charlie, just taking cover somewhere else’ – Frank said over the radio. A grunt was closing in behind Josh, but a sniper got him before he could do anything. Charlie saw a warthog rushing at the aliens; it managed to hit a pair of grunts and a jackal, but got overwhelmed by enemy fire. Banshees were shredding marines but so were the scorpions backed up by some wolverines. More marines were joining the battle as the time flew by, but so did the aliens. ‘Don’t let the bastards get past this point!’ – The major said over the radio. A plasma grenade fell in the major’s cover – ‘Jump!’ – a marine screamed as they managed to get away from the explosion; the major however, did not made it in time and got badly injured – ‘Call for transport, we need to take him to the HQ’s infirmary right away!’ – a marine shouted – ‘ But its ETA is about 20 mins he won’t make it in time’- Frank pointed – ‘You’re right, I’m taking him in a warthog, you’re coming with me!’ – ‘Roger!’ – Frank said.
‘Guys, I’m leaving the battlefield, the major got injured and we’re taking him back to the HQ’ – Frank told Charlie and Josh over the radio – ‘Roger that, we’ll tell you how it ends in here’ – Charlie answered him. An explosion threw Charlie about 4 meters away from his cover and fell next to a medic healing an injured marine; when he raised his head, he saw a banshee flying after Frank’s warthog. ‘Hey, do you how to drive a warthog?’ – He asked the medic – ‘yes I do’ – ‘Good you’re going to drive and follow that banshee while I try to take it down’ – Charlie explained to him – ‘but I’m helping this-’ – the medic said as Charlie interrupted – ‘That’s major Hugo on that warthog, just do as I say’. The banshee and Frank’s warthog were still a bit far from each other, but they had gotten really far as Charlie prepared the warthog. Finally Frank saw the banshee as it got into position and started to shoot him – ‘I’ll take care of it!’ – Frank said as he took the turret.
Charlie could see the banshee shooting at Frank’s warthog but he was not in range yet – ‘Hurry up, I’ll get the rocket launcher ready. Ok… just a few meters more… Gotcha!’ – Charlie shouted as he fired the rocket launcher. Just before the rocket hits the banshee, it managed to shoot its plasma cannons at Frank’s warthog. The warthog rolled, the marine managed to react in time and take the major out of it before the hog crashed into a tree 27 meters away from the HQ… Frank was nowhere to be seen. ‘Frank do you hear me, Frank!’ – Charlie said while looking for him through the bushes and tall grass. ‘C- Charlie… is that you…?’ – Frank said with a dying voice – ‘Frank! I’m glad you’re alive!’ – ‘where’s the major… is he alright?’- Frank asked – ‘He’s alright… but you are injured too I’ll take you to the infirmary!’ – Charlie said to him – ‘N-no… I won’t make it in time… but the major still has a chance… take him… back. . .’ – Frank said with his remaining breath – ‘ No! Frank, don’t die!’ – Charlie said as he saw his childhood friend die. Unable to do anything else at that moment, Charlie decided to stay and give him a proper burial. The other marine and the medic took the major back to the HQ leaving Charlie there.
After burying Frank, Charlie headed to the HQ; he had some minor injuries, nothing to serious. ‘Hey, your name’s Charlie right? I’m sorry about what happened to Frank too…’ – the marine that was with the major said to Charlie – ‘Mmm? How do you know about him? – He asked – ‘I didn’t think you would remember me… my name’s Tanith, I was your neighbor before the covenant attacked the planet ’–she told him–‘Oh, I see, so… uhh, how you are doing? – Charlie asked – ‘don’t worry; you don’t have to act like you remember or anything’ – Tanith told him as she left the infirmary.
Again back in the present.
‘Ok guys, this area is secure, we should be going now’ – Charlie told the squad. ‘At ease’ – Tanith told the squad as they saluted – ‘Here’s the report lieutenant’ – Charlie said.
After that, Charlie and his squad went to the barracks; Tanith however had a meeting. ‘So, Tanith, have you managed to get any information out of the storage device we found? – a high ranked marine asked her – ‘Yes I have, but I’m afraid they’re not good news…’
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Chapter 3
2549 – December 20 – Draco III – 4:20 A. M.
It was early in the morning; the UNSC was preparing to assault the covenant citadel.
The data they have gathered showed that the covenant were going to glass the planet, so the UNSC prepared both an assault on the covenant citadel and called for reinforcements for the space battle. ‘Charlie get your squad ready!’ – The lieutenant orders as Charlie is preparing for the assault. The HQ was a mess, everyone was preparing for the better or the worst but they all knew one thing, this day the battle would finally meet an end. ‘Are you ready?’ – Charlie asked Josh – ‘I was ready for this since the day I enlisted in the UNSC.’ – He answered – ‘Then, shall we go? To meet our destinies…’
6:00 A.M. – Covenant ground operations base
‘Ok company, as you already know, this might be our last mission, many will die, you should already know that, but you must not fear death, no, today you will have to defeat death!’ – The lieutenant told her company. All the marines were excited just waiting for the order to advance. Everyone had their reasons to fight, and whatever those reasons were; they would be fulfilled in this battle.
As the lieutenant was getting a message through the radio, marines were ready to jump into the battlefield without hesitation. ‘Understood; ok marines this is it, in 30 seconds the assault will start’ – the lieutenant told her company. ‘Charlie this is it; are you ready?’ – Josh asked him – ‘Yeah I’m ready’ – He answered waiting for the remaining seconds to pass. ’21…20…19…18… (Mom, dad, Frank I will finally get my revenge)… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Now run for it marines!’ – The lieutenant shouted as the time came.
Marines were all around the citadel, the covenant didn’t took long to react, jackals started to take down marines from afar as grunts weakened them for the elites. Blood spilled all around the battlefield but no faction was willing to give up. Banshees started to appear while spirits dropped in more alien reinforcements; hornets didn’t take long to appear and start wrecking infantry. Wraiths were shooting from behind; marines, grunts and elites were falling left and right. Snipers were shooting as if they had infinite ammo; grenades flying forward and backwards; warthogs and ghosts killing endlessly like ancient cavalry; shortswords dropping bombs all over the battlefield. As the battle raged, covenant brought up hunters, but UNSC had scorpions too and neither of them was easy to take down.
‘Take cover!’ – A marine screamed as the explosion blew away a warthog that was being used as cover by grunts; elites however managed to dodge it and hunters just shielded from it. ‘We’ve got to take care of those hunters; they’re shredding us!’ – Charlie said over the radio – ‘Listen marines, we just got Intel showing the citadel’s shield generator is supported by four reactors inside; you’ll have to make four groups of six marines each and destroy the reactors!’ – The lieutenant ordered over the radio – ‘I’ll go!’ – Charlie agreed along with other marines – ‘Good. We’re preparing an airstrike to open up a path for you; Charlie will be leading this operation’ – Tanith explained over the radio.
‘Charlie, when you see three shortswords flying in from the north, start running’ – Tanith explained him – ‘Copy that!’ – Charlie agreed.
‘That’s the signal! Run!’ – Charlie ordered as the four groups started to run. As they were running the shortswords got intercepted by banshees; a shortsword was hit – ‘*** it, I’m going down! – The pilot shouted. ‘Keep going, we’re almost there!’- Charlie said as they got intercepted by a group of elites and two pair of hunters – ‘Keep going! I’ll help you the only way I can now!’ – The pilot whose shortsword was going down said as he crashed into the group of elites and hunters – ‘What are you waiting for! The guy just gave his life so we could get in; don’t let his efforts go to waste, keep moving!!’ – Charlie shouted as they finally managed to break into the citadel – ‘Lieutenant, we’re inside; where should we go now?’ – Charlie asked her – ‘According to our intel; you should follow straight from that point to a gravity lift that will take you to the operations center; there you should find console; crack it and look for a nap of the citadel; contact me when you have gotten the map’.
Since the covenant was battling outside, this area was barely protected by a squad of grunts. ‘Lieutenant, we got the data’- Charlie told her – ‘good; now you should look something with the shape of a sphere connected to the four reactors, split up and follow the paths shown in there’ – She explained him – ‘Ok then; everyone memorize a route and follow it’ – He explained them – ‘Understood!’ – They agreed.
On their way to the reactor, they got ambushed by a group of jackals – ‘Andrews, cover me; I’ll take care of the ones behind us!’ – Josh told him – ‘Focus your fire on the side of their shields!’ – Charlie pointed. A grenade explosion killed the jackals; not long after that they got intercepted by a group of elites – ‘*** it, take cover!’ – Charlie ordered as he took cover behind a wall – ‘Josh, throw a grenade at them!’ – He told Josh – ‘Roger!’ – He answered throwing the grenade; Charlie rolled over, opened fire and took two elites down – ‘Great, two more to go!’ – Josh said while covering. Everyone, open fire now!’ - They managed to take down the remaining elites.
‘Lieutenant, we’re inside the room with the reactor’ – Charlie reported – ‘Good; now you will have to destroy the reactors simultaneously’ – She explained him. The door opened behind them but they didn’t saw any alien; as they were about to destroy the reactor, a marine screamed and they saw the elite – ‘***, it’s an honor guard; spread! – Charlie ordered – ‘Don’t let the *** get close to you!’ - He told them while thinking how to kill it. ‘Josh, I’ll distract him, while he’s facing me, you must get close enough and stick a plasma grenade to his back’ – He whispered to Josh over the radio – ‘But you could get’ – ‘Just do it!’- Josh said as he got interrupted by Charlie. He opened fire at the elite and he started to run towards him – ‘Now Josh!’ – He shouted as Josh threw the grenade at him – Jump!’ – Josh screamed. Finally they killed the elite and communicated with the other groups to destroy the reactors.
The shield generator went down. ‘Good work Charlie’ – She told him – ‘But don’t celebrate yet, you gotta get out of there’ – The lieutenant told him – ‘Understood’ – Charlie acknowledged. As he ordered to the other groups to escape, he felt as the base started to fall apart. ‘***, we got to hurry!’ – He told the groups. Since most of the covenant infantry were either dead or fighting outside, they didn’t found any threats… but they had to escape before the UNSC destroyed the citadel. ‘Keep moving, don’t stop for anything!’ – Charlie shouted as they ran through the alien corridors. An explosion knocked one of the marines while a pillar fell right above him – ‘Don’t stop! This thing is falling apart!’ – Charlie kept reminding them. ‘There’s the exit!’ – Everyone claimed as they reached it. When they came out, they rejoined the battle; but they were in enemy territory, they were in great danger – ‘Charlie, some hornets will pick you, just hold on a few minutes!’ – The lieutenant told him – ‘I wonder if we can survive just a few minutes…!’ – Charlie thought while he spent his last clip of ammo…
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Epilogue
2549 – December 21 – Draco III – 4:00 P.M.
‘Today we are honoring the death of those who gave their life so we could win this battle. Their names shall not be forgotten, for their sacrifice was not wasted’ – It was a quiet afternoon with crimson clouds and a golden sky. All those who gave their life in the fight were being buried in this memorial hill. This is a day off for the marines but tomorrow they shall start to rebuild along with the citizens.
‘Charlie… I always thought we’ll be celebrating this day together like we used to in the past…’ – Josh talked in front of Charlie’s grave – ‘I still remember how the three of us used to have fun’ – He kept talking – ‘At least you’ll be happy to know that you didn’t died in vain. This world is at peace now… thanks to our efforts…’ – He finished and left the graveyard.
2553 – March 4 – Draco III graveyard.
‘Charlie, you would be happy to know that our efforts were not in vain; the marines just announced that the war is finally over… Oh yeah, I retired from the UNSC you know, so I could raise our child peacefully…’