Prologue

August 25 2525

            Li stood at attention as his drill sergeant stood in front of him. He made sure not to move. Today was the first in a long line of Orbital Drop Shock Trooper training, the most brutal in all the UNSC. Li was only the age of nineteen. He was sent to ODST training because of his marksmanship, along with a few other things.

            “Sanchez! What are you looking at? Do you think I am your girlfriend? Because I sure as hell am not your girlfriend!” Two seconds of silence followed. “Answer me Marine!”

            “No sir I do not think you are my girlfriend sir!”

            “Well then why are you looking at me soldier!?”

            “Because sir, you are standing in front of me sir, and if I wasn’t staring in front of me I would be ordered to run six miles, sir.”

            “Good answer Marine. Now everyone since Sanchez was being a smart ass you all get to run six miles, move out!”

            As his group started to file out the drill sergeant started to follow. Then all of a sudden a girl ran up next to Li and punched him in the face as hard as she could. Li started to stumble then recovered.

            “Feel good ***?” Said the girl. “More where that came from if you make us run like this again.”

            Li ran mystified at how hard she could punch. He’d never met a girl like that.

            Then the Drill Sergeant ran up and said, “She’s feisty huh?”

            “Yes Drill Sergeant.” Li replied.

            After that no one said a word for the rest of the six miles. Then slowly they approached a courtyard. All twenty of the recruits stopped and three of them started to pant. So the Drill Sergeant told them to leave, they could not be ODST’s.

            As Li looked at how easy it was to fail he stood at attention. Along with the seventeen remaining recruits.

            “Well men and women. Now you will test your shooting skills.” Announced the Drill Sergeant.

            Li walked up to the firing range and grabbed an MA5B assault rifle. The standard weapon issued to UNSC soldiers. Li lifted it up off of the table and aimed down the sights. He targeted the dummy farthest away from him; 300 yards. Accounted for wind and distance in his head and fired. It went into the dummies head and it fell.

            The Drill Sergeant stared in disbelief at what he saw. An 300-yard shot was hard with a scoped weapon let alone a weapon without one.

            “Nice shot kid.” The drill sergeant said. “I think that was luck, do it again.”

            Li raised his weapon did the calculations in his head, fired, and hit the dummies head again.

14 weeks later

            Li stood at his graduation from ODST training, and received his award for marksmanship. He looked and saw his squad, Michael Todd, John Davis, Reece Griffis (the girl that punched him) Mathew Coram, and Corey Hunt. They were all graduating. After Graduation they were to be transferred to the Cruiser Vehemence. From there they didn’t know what was going to happen. It would change all of their lives forever.

Part 1: Harvest

Chapter 1

October 1 2531

Li sat in his HEV waiting to be launched from the Vehemence. He’d never been in battle before now. His HEV launched and he felt his stomach go into his throat.

Then he heard on FLEETCOM, “Admiral there are only 40 ships. Sir we have over 120 ships, this should be easy.” Then Li heard static from that ship and simply thought the antenna on his HEV just came off.

Li rode down for five minutes until his shoot came out and slowed him down. He looked around his HEV and saw his SRS 99D AM Sniper rifle and his MA5B, his weapons, his life, his symbol, basically his right to live.

His HEV slammed into the ground, he burst out to see a devastated forest and ash below him. He lifted his boot and looked at it. There was nothing but ash. He pulled out his Sniper rifle and looked through the scope to see a HEV about ¼ mile away from him. Then he saw Michael get out of it hefting his M41. 

He looked on his TACMAP and saw they were twenty miles from the city of Andersonville, no one would be there since the planet was evacuated but it had buildings. Which meant shelter and not a barren wasteland like this. So he jogged to Corporal Michael Todd.

Michael greeted him with a fist in the air, waiting to be sent the same message. Li greeted him with the same and said, “Hoorah,” in the coolest of voices as if he had no emotion. Li just entered himself into a state of no feeling.

Li and Michael both turned a round to see their squad walk up to them, Fire Team Charlie. They were all there, Private John Davis, Private Mathew Coram, Corporal Cory Hunt, and Sergeant. Reece Griffis. Li looked at his team and nodded.

“Guys we are to go rendezvous with Fire Teams Foxtrot and India. Is that clear?”

Then as one unit they all shouted, “Hoorah.”

After walking for two hours they were greeted by India and Foxtrot. They told them that the battle upstairs wasn’t going well and that their new orders were meet up with the entire 13^th ODST division in a valley and attack Andersoneville to the north being held by the Alien forces.  As soon as they were told this, a flight of Pelicans flew over and picked them up. They were flown to the staging area a mile and a half from the Valley there they saw the entire Division preparing for battle almost everyone there was a war veteran except for his fire team.

He walked to the Command tent and entered to see Colonel Cason yelling into the radio, “What do you mean no Armor? If we don’t have any Armored support we won’t get all the way into city tonight.” The Colonel slammed the radio down so hard it shattered on the table. The Colonel turned and saw Li standing there. “Ah Staff Sergeant Sanchez just the young man I was looking for, Sergeant you and your fire team will be spearheading OPERATION BLACKHAWK.”

“Yes sir. How many platoons will be at the front sir?”

“Ten sergeant, you will be in the front.”

At that Li walked out of the green tent and saw his fire team leaned against a Pelican all eating M.R.E.’s (meals ready to eat).

Reece walked up to him and handed him an MRE, he looked at it and said, “MMMM vacuum packaged food!”

When everyone heard that they started to laugh. Li looked around and saw the division start to mobilize. “Eat quick guys, the division is mobilizing.”

1 hour later

Li’s division had been moving down a road for the past thirty minutes when finally they reached a sign that said, “Welcome to beautiful Andersonville!” Li thought ya right, maybe last year.

 As his company walked to the edge of town Li noticed a rock from a 4 story-building fall down. He thought that it could be an ambush. So he raised his fist in the air to tell his squad to halt. He then raised his sniper rifle up at the building and sighted the roof. Nothing moved.

Li heard a faint whistle and on instinct dove to the ground he looked up to see a green blob fly past him, and 7 meters behind him it connected with a soldier. That soldier disappeared in a cloud of green along with 2 others. Nothing was left. Li stood up in anger and looked at the creature that fired the green blob. It shrieked and started to run. So Li decided to give chase, he ran full speed at the creature, pulled out his combat knife and stabbed it through its skull. Then he yanked it out and bluish blood started to squirt out of it.

Li looked to his left and saw that in an alley there were around 20 of those things. They all looked into his visor and growled. So Li armed a grenade tossed it down the alley and dove. He heard a muffled explosion and shrieks of pain. He stood up brushed himself off and saw his squad run up to him.

“Li you alright?” Reece questioned.

“Ya I’m fine I don’t know about those guys though.” He pointed towards the alley.

They all walked to the alley and saw shredded bodies of short little creatures, and a few that were still alive were trying to drag themselves away.

 Cory walked up to one of the creatures. As it was dragging itself away he pulled out his sidearm and killed it.

“Cory don’t kill anymore…let them suffer.” Li announced.

“Yes sir.” Cory answered looking at the creatures.

“Everyone move out.”

As the squad started to move someone on the radio said, “We’re being attacked by some sort of alien it looks kinda like a bird! AHH!” then the COM went dead.

Li then heard an explosion go off not to far to the north. “Move out!!”

Li and his team started to run and emerged from an alley into a massive firefight, there were bodies everywhere they looked, Human and alien alike. Li and his team ran towards their fellow Marines and jumped into a large crater.

“Who’s in command here” shouted Li.

“I think you are sir!” said a Marine.

Li popped his head out of the crater and looked at the aliens, they weren’t that tall but they were carrying oval shaped colorful things. He grabbed his Sniper Rifle off his back and sighted the creature’s head. It barely stuck up over the Oval thing. He fired, and the thing collapsed. He then aimed at one of the things he blew up in the alley, and fired. It exploded and wiped two others.

Li then heard on the COM, “Airstrike coming in on street marked by smoke in 30 seconds!”

Li looked ahead and saw a green smoke canister not thirty feet away from him. “Everyone move! Get out of the street! Now!”

All the soldiers in the street scrambled into the buildings around him. He and his squad did the same. Then he saw an injured Marine in the street. With ten seconds left he ran back into the street and hefted the man onto his shoulders, and ran as fast as he could to the building. He started to hear the whine of the shortswords engines. He dove into the building, scrambled and drug the soldier behind the window sill. Then everything went dark.

Chapter 2

October 2 2531 (inside UNSC vessel Hopeful)

Li woke inside a white room. He sat up and looked around to notice Marines covered in bandages and casts. He got out of his bed and walked around. He saw doctors and nurses running around the massive room.

He approached one of the nurses and asked, “Where am I?”

“You are on the UNSC Hopeful.” Then she just walked away.

Li found his gear next to the table and put it all back on except for his helmet. He walked all along the room and saw hundreds of people on beds. Doctors were performing surgery in the open. It was all a mess; blood was everywhere, screams echoed throughout the room. He looked up to see a massive curving window on the ceiling.

“Li!”

Li turned around startled to see his team standing there. “Hey guys, what happened?”

Reece replied, “Well after you saved that guy in the street, the building we were in partially collapsed. It knocked you out cold. We pulled you and that guy out. Then we fought for about thirty minutes with those things. We started to hear a rumble from the street then those things started to scatter. All of a sudden a Rhino Tank started to go buy the building firing its cannon, along with a few Scorpions. Then some Warthogs started to come by so we all loaded up. We were picked up by some Pelicans after that, and taken here to the Hopeful. That’s about it,”

“Wow I missed a lot didn’t I?”

“Oh and the Space battle didn’t go well, the Vehemence was destroyed along with around 80 other ships. The division held up though we only lost a little over 300 men so we are at about 17,700 men.” Said Michael.

“This Admiral Cole, The fleet is moving towards the Alpha Centari system to the planet of Centari VII in eight hours.”

“Well guys what ship are we going to be stationed on?” Asked Li.

“The carrier Manila. We came here to get you.” Cory said.

“Okay lets go then.”

The team walked to the Hopeful’s hangar bay and got into a Pelican with teeth painted onto the nose.

Li and his team sat down inside the Pelican along with three others.

“Welcome to Pelican airlines, I am Lt. McKnight callsign Trooper. I will be your pilot today. If you feel queasy there are throw up backs under your seats. Please don’t throw up in my Pelican. That is all.”

Li hooked his weapons on to the holding racks above his seat and strapped himself in. Everyone else there did the same. Then Li heard the hiss of the drop door closing, after that he felt the lurch of the Pelican leaving the Hangar bay. Li then looked out the mini window in the back of the Pelican. All he could see outside was the destroyed remains of ships outside. Also bodies thousands of bodies.

After that a man across from Li said, “Were you guys down there during the fight?”

“Yes we were. Why?” Replied Li.

“I was too, I was just wondering. I am Renkin, Jacob Renkin. My whole platoon was killed. Bobby Saunders, Philip Hanson, and me are the only survivors.”

“Sorry to here that man. I’m Li, that’s Reece, Michael, Cory, John, and Mathew. We’re all in Gamma Company. What about you?”

“We’re in Alpha.” Replied Renkin.

“We’ll probably see you out there then.”

“Ya maybe.”

As that was said the Pelican landed inside the Manila’s hangar bay. Then the Drop doors slowly opened. They all walked out of the Pelican into the Hangar bay. All around them were Pelicans, Shortswords, Longswords, and Dragons, That and all the men and women attending to those machines.

Then on the COM, “All 13^th ODST Division soldiers your bunks are on E deck.” That message repeated three more times before it stopped.

“Well see ya Renkin.”

He nodded as a reply. Li and his team started the long walk to their bunks. After 10 minutes of walking they finally got there. They all set their gear down and laid down on their bunks, except for Li he left to go to the Weight room. They would be at Alpha Centari in one day.

Li left the weight room two hours later. When he got to his bunkroom everyone was asleep. So he pulled out his sniper rifle and disassembled it, cleaned it and loaded it. It made a satisfying click. He then laid  down and slept.

12 hours later

Li awoke to the ring of alarms and the COM.

“All men report to battle stations, we will be at Alpha Centari in 40 minutes. All soldiers prepare for deployment!”

Li put on his gear along with the rest of his squad. Then he hefted his weapons and started the walk to the HEV room.

After 20 minutes of walking he finally got there he hooked his gear into the HEV and reported to the briefing room. He and 40 other squad commanders sat down in the room.

“Hello men, we got a report yesterday that Centari VII was attacked but they repelled the attack. They are down to two ships. We will be helping them. If the Covenant is there already you will be going in on the HEV’s. If not then by Pelican, but we suspect they are there already. Your objectives will be these cities.” As Colonel Cason said that he pointed toward cities on a view screen. “Is that clear Marines?”

Everyone in the room replied “Sir yes sir!”

After 10 minutes waiting to find out which route they would take to the planet. The COM announced, “All ODST’s report to your HEV’s!”

They were going feet first into hell.

Part 2: Siege

Chapter 3

October 3, 2531

“All HEV’s prepare for launch in 3…2…1…”

Li felt the lurch as the thrusters in his HEV hurdled him towards the planet. He knew this was going to be a bumpy ride down. The city he and 2000 other Marines were supposed to defend was a city called Damascus. It was the capital of Centari VII. Placed on a large hill the city could be easily defended.

Li’s HEV chute warned him he was near the surface of the planet. As he waited he looked at the gear he brought with him, his MA5B assault rifle, SRS 99D AM Sniper Rifle, and an M99 Stanchion Gauss rifle. All his gear was stowed on the sides of his HEV. After a one minute wait the HEV slammed into the ground.

Li’s HEV hatch flew off and he burst out to see the city of Damascus. It was in chaos. Banshees zoomed overhead firing those green blobs at buildings. Li raised his Gauss Rifle; aimed. Let his weapon charge then he let the.21 caliber round fly and disintegrate the back of one of the Banshees. Li was a ¼ mile away from the cities buildings. He started a full out run, but with all of his gear he didn’t go very fast. Then a Banshee turned from attacking the city and started to dive at Li.

He thought he was a goner, but then he heard the exhaust of a SAM missile, then the explosion of the Banshee careening toward the ground. He looked to his left while still running, it was Michael hefting his large M19 SSM Rocket launcher. Standing at 6’6 Michael looked pretty intimidating carrying over 80 pounds of explosives, plus his weapons.

            After a minute and a half of non-stop running they finally reached the first buildings of the city. Li looked all around buildings were partially burned, torn down, destroyed, and melted.

            Li looked around and realized his squad was not there. “Fire team Charlie rendezvous at this location.” Li then marked a point in the middle of the city as the point. Li then received three acknowledgement lights. Only three? Li knew there should be four, but he put that into the back of his mind.

Nine Miles away from Li

            Reece panted as she, Cory and Mathew stopped for a breather. They had landed in close proximity of each other, but since then they had been chased by the things most marines called grunts. John was with them but he was shot in the neck by a purple needle shard, it exploded and decapitated him. They had just gotten word where they were supposed to meet Li and Michael, but that was 18 miles away.

            They had all gotten into the outskirts of the city fine except for John of course.

            Mathew looked at his M240 light machine gun and said, “Hey guys I only have about 1000 rounds left for this thing.”

            Then Cory looked at his Shotgun and said, “Ya, I only have about 40 rounds for this.”

            “Well guys make it last because we have 18 miles to go.” Reece replied looking at them.

            Then they started a long jog towards the NAV marker.

Li’s location

            Li looked at Michael and said, “Michael come on we have to start moving.”

            Michael nodded in agreement. Then they started a run towards a small 3-story building. As they got there they heard gunfire from across the street. They looked down and saw a squad of marines hiding in a building. They were firing wildly into the street as about 50 grunts marched down the street. Li and Michael looked at each other and nodded. They both armed two grenades and tossed them into the street. They heard the clank of them hitting the ground, then the explosions.

             They both looked up and saw the remains of about 30 grunts. Then Li and Michael stood up and poured lead into the rest of the grunts. All was silent except for gunfire some distance away. Li ran into the street followed by Michael, there they met the ten marines that were holed up in that building.

            “Hello Sergeant.” Said one of the marines. “This is what’s left of Zeta Company of the 38^th expeditionary unit. Man we are glad we ran into you guys. I am Corporal Bacon. Ya I know it’s funny but that is seriously my name.”

            Li and Michael snickered under their helmets. “I am Staff Sergeant Sanchez and this is Corporal Todd. We are from the 13^th ODST Division, Gamma Company. Have any of you seen any other ODST’s?”

            Bacon replied, “No you guys are the first ones we’ve seen. Would you guys mind if we tagged along with you?”

            Li stood and thought, “Where are you supposed to be?”

            “Our Pelican crashed before we could get into Downtown. Are you going that way?”

             “Ya we’re going that way you can tag along.” Li knew these guys were greenhorns. They wouldn’t last long in a heavy engagement.

            He then looked at his clock in his helmet, 2029 hours. It was starting to get dark so he and Michael activated their Night vision on their helmets. It was going to be a very long night.

Reece’s location 10 miles from their NAV marker

            Reece, Mathew, and Cory all activated their Night vision as it started to get dark. They looked around all around were the bodies of Marines and grunts. It was a bloody mess.

            “Guys look for ammo!” Reece whispered on their squad COM.

            As she said that she saw lights in the distance approaching them.

            “Take cover, now.” Reece said in urgency.

            Mathew took cover in a building with some pillars holding it up and Reece and Cory took cover in a building opposite of Mathew. As the lights neared they noticed that it was a convoy of Warthogs. Reece ran into the street waving her hands.

            They now had a ride to their destination.

Chapter 4

October 3, 2531, 8 miles from Downtown Damascus

            Li carried his SRS 99D AM, for the past hour they had been repeatedly hit by small squads of grunts. Out of the ten soldiers that were with him and Michael an hour ago, only three remained. Corporal Bacon, Private Corleone, and Private Miller. Li was surprised they had lasted this long.

            Li lifted a single fist into the air to signal everyone to stop. They were standing in an alley, and in front of them was a large street filled with the charred remains of a column of Warthogs.

            “This Admiral Cole, to all UNSC personnel on Centari VII. We are retreating. We will come back for you.” Then the COM ended.

            Li knew that was bad, very bad. The space battle didn’t go to well he guessed. He and Michael looked at each other. They knew what had to be done.

            “Trooper are you there, over?” Li said into the COM.

            “Roger that, this is Trooper. What do you need Sergeant?”

            “We need pick up on the double.”

            “Roger that. ETA ten minutes.”

            Li needed to know where Reece, Mathew, Cory, and John were so he radioed them. “Reece do you copy, over?”

            “Li? Man are we glad to hear from you! We are in downtown, where are you?”

            We are eight miles out. We’ve been repeatedly attacked by Grunts lately. We will be there in ten minutes.”

            “One more thing Sarge, John’s dead.” An eerie silence followed.

            “How?”

            “Grunt got him with some kind of needle shooting device. It exploded and took his head off.” Silence followed yet again. “I’m sorry Li.”

            “It’s okay we’ll get those bastards back!” said Li with a determined voice.

            “Okay Li I have to go. It’s a war zone over here.”

            “Okay, see ya in 10.” Li replied.

            Li took it hard when he found out John had died. He’d known him for six years and now, he was just gone.

            As Li thought Private Miller stood up and started to walk into the street. As soon as he cleared the alley everyone heard a weird thrum. Li then looked at Miller, one second later he was sent 20 feet into the air by some purple small little machine.

            Li then stepped into the street and pulled out his M99. As soon as it was charged he aimed at the thing and fired. It blew the entire back of the thing off and little pieces of grunt started to fly up into the air. Michael then noticed the thrum was still there and tackled Li. Where Li had been standing one second before one of those things flew by. They both stood up and looked around, all around were those things, just sitting there.

            As soon as they started to see a glow on the front of the things, chain gun rounds flew over their heads and started disintegrating the things. All of the things attention turned on McKnight’s Pelican and started to fire blue plasma. It was no use though the Pelican then started to fire rockets off of its wings. All the things were then destroyed.

            “Happy I’m early?” said McKnight into Li and Michael’s COM’s.

            “Yes we are McKnight!” Li replied happily.

            The Pelican started to land and the survivors just started to pile into it. As they lifted into the air they saw the devastation the city had sustained. Buildings all over the city were on fire. Explosions went off every now and then and grabbed the attention of all in the Pelican.

 As they started to get near the ground McKnight said, “Everyone prepare to be dropped off in 3… 2… 1… Go! Go! Go!”

Li and Michael jumped out of the pelican along with Bacon and Corleone. All around Marines were firing down the street as Grunts and those vulture they now called Jackals charged them from the streets around.

Colonel Cason walked up to Li and said, “Sergeant, Get in that Building and kill us some of those Jackals. They’re murdering us out here!”

That building was about six stories high, the perfect sniper perch. Li ran to the building and started to run up the stairs. He kept running until he got to the fifth story. He ran down a hall and kicked a door down. He grabbed his sniper rifle off his back and set it on a windowsill.

He put his head on the stock of the rifle and began to sight his targets. First he spotted a Jackal hiding behind its shield. Aimed at its head and fired. Its brain blew back onto a grunt, that grunt started to run while screaming covered in jackal brains. Next he spotted a grunt not paying attention with his methane tank facing Li.

Li muttered to himself, “Bad move.” Next thing that happened was an explosion as a Methane tank ignited from Li’s bullet. Little pieces of grunt started to rain down.

As Li was firing from above Michael was carrying his Mark XVIII Grenade launcher. He was cackling evilly as he fired grenades into scattering grunts and Jackals.

Reece was not too different, her, Mathew, and Cory all were sitting behind some sandbags as grunts charged them. Mathew unleashed untold amounts of lead into grunts, Cory let grunts get close enough to lose their heads from his shotgun and Reece just poured clip after clip into grunts that charged them.

All was good until they got a transmission from McKnight. “Mayday I repeat mayday! I am going down near the South east of town. Repeat the southeast of town!” Then there was static.

Li knew what was to be done. He and Fire Team Charlie were going to save McKnight.

Chapter 5

0300 hours, October 4, 2531, Downtown Damascus.

Fire team Charlie along with three other Fire teams ran along a stretch of sidewalk when they came to a halt.

“McKnight if you are still conscious, can you tell us where you are?” Li said hopefully.

Nothing came.

“Damnit! Li frustratingly said. “Everyone we are moving to the South East of town. All UNSC elements out here are supposedly dead. Therefore we will not have reinforcements.”

Li was in command of all three Fire Teams. As they proceeded Li knew McKnight probably wasn’t alive. They still had to try though.

 All around them were the carcasses of civilians ripped apart by the Grunts and Jackals. Li knew they would pay, not just for the civvies but for John also.

Out of all the Fire Teams Only Li’s was made of ODST’s. Corporal Bacon was promoted to squad leader for Fire Team Indigo, Corleone stayed in his squad. The other squad leader was a woman named Sydney Petteway. She was short and skinny but her CO said she had one hell of a temper.

As they walked they started to notice Covenant Ships start glassing the planet. Li wondered why they weren’t glassing the city. As Li thought that a blue beam flew by his head and killed one of the Marines with them.

“Take cover!” Li shouted.

As Marines and ODST’s started to scatter Li ran into an alley between to four story buildings. On one of the buildings was a ladder to the roof. Li knew where that round came from, about a thousand meters in front of them. Li got to the top of the ladder and sighted to the building where the shot came from. He saw it, one of those Jackals. It had some metal thing on the top of its head. Li aimed and fired, its brains flew back into the wall behind it. Then cheering came from the Marines below.

As Li heard the cheers he heard an explosion, he and the marines all turned to see the place where almost all the UNSC forces were destroyed. Only nine miles away everyone was shocked as a Covenant carrier unleashed untold numbers of seraphs that just decimated that area. Li stood in shock, all of those people just died. For all he knew they were the only surviving UNSC forces in Damascus.

“Everyone, move!” Li and everyone else took off they ran toward where McKnight’s Pelican would be. After ten minutes of nonstop running they converged on a crashed Pelican lying in the street. Li and Michael ran towards it and jumped into the passenger bay. There were dead marines inside along with an ODST.

“Bacon check to see if any of them made it.” Li said to Bacon.

“Yes sir.” As Bacon said that he walked up to the marines and started to check if they were alive.

Li saw that the Pelican cockpit door was locked so he and Michael rammed their shoulders into it, snapping the door off. When they looked inside McKnight was unconscious but alive in the Pilots chair. Michael hefted McKnight onto his shoulders and carried him outside of the Pelican. Then leaned him against it.

All the soldiers were dragged out of the Pelican onto the road. Li saw the extent of some of their injuries. One had a missing arm; another’s arm was broken at the joint. It was horrific.

“Sir?” Bacon said as he walked up.

“Yes Corporal?”

“The ODST is alive.”

“He is?” Li questioned.

“Yes sir he is. He came into consciousness when we pulled him out.”

Li walked up to the ODST and saw it was the man he met on the Pelican a few nights ago. It was Jacob Renkin.

Li had no time chat with Renkin. As soon as he looked up he saw some huge autonomous spider.

“Take cover!” Li shouted as he and the marines took cover anywhere they could. The thing was about a mile away but it still shook the ground.

Li turned to Michael and said, “Michael do you have some thing we could use to grapple ourselves to that thing?”

“Yes sir, but with all do respect why would we want to do that?”

“Because marine, it is a menace, we’re going to destroy it.”

As the thing they were starting to call a Scarab approached, Li, Michael, Reece, and Bacon were attaching themselves to grapples. As soon as they were attached they gave the thumbs up. The Scarab approached and as soon as it was within 20 meters Michael fired the grapple, it stuck to the scarab and pulled them all onto it. As they all held on, they pulled out MA5B’s. They then hoisted themselves onto the top, which was a platform. Silently they all were pulled up.

Li then found an entrance in the middle of the Scarab, which went down a corridor. As they all silently crept down it they heard the weird noises of Grunts and something else. Li then poked his head around the corridors end to see an eight-foot tall being facing away from him. Li pulled out his Sniper Rifle and sighted the things head.

Right before he pulled the trigger his COM activated, “All UNSC personnel on Centari VII we are back.”

The thing turned and looked right into Li’s facemask. Li fired, but with amazing speed the creature moved and saved its life by being shot in the shoulder. Then Michael came around with his Mark XVIII and pumped three rounds into the inside of the Scarab as he did that he must have hit a vital system because the Scarab made a strange noise then an explosion went off on the outside of it. Everyone ran to the top of the Scarab hooked themselves to the grappling hooks and repelled down. As soon as they hit the ground then ran behind the nearest building, and heard a Monstrous Explosion.

Chapter 6

0700 hours, October 4, 2531, City of Damascus

Li and Michael walked around the building they hid behind, It was obliterated on the side the Scarab had been. All around were pieces of it, along with pieces of flesh.

“Cory radio the ships overhead to come and pick us up ASAP.” Li announced

“Yes sir.” And as he said that he was already radioing them. “Li, they said they’d be here in 30 minutes. We have bad news though. Covvies are all around us they said, thousands of them.

“Oh ***, everyone get into that building over there!” When Li said that he pointed towards a 6-story building near them that wasn’t touched by the Scarabs explosion. As they all ran to the building Reece stopped and looked down the road. All she could see were grunts, tons of them. They all broke the door in to get in. When they were inside everyone ran to the top 3 stories.

Li posted on the roof, along with Reece. Michael hit the 6^th story, Cory hit the stairway leading to the 4^th story, and Mathew posted on one of the windows with everyone else. They all were looking down on the street when Jackals instead of grunts marched out. In a phalanx they marched toward the building no one opened fire except Michael he popped out with his Mark XVIII and blew holes open when he did that the entire group opened up on them. All but eight were killed.

Li aimed through his scope and sighted one of the Grunts methane tanks. The thing waddled toward a group of shooting Jackals. Then Li fired. The resulting explosion blew away and annihilated the Grunt. Li then pulled out his M99, sighted jackals and opened up. Time after time Li blew legs, arms or heads off of whatever unlucky *** was put into his sights.

At one point a Banshee screamed overhead and almost shot Li. As Li was laying on the ground he sighted the thing as it turned and blew a hole clean through the side killing the pilot.

Mathew just sat in one spot in a window pouring led into the oncoming aliens. Wave after wave charged their position, and were cut down.

As Reece poured clip after clip into the aliens below she started to run out of ammo. As she loaded her last clip she said, “I’m almost out!”

All over Marines would poke their heads up and receive plasma in their heads. All over there were dead bodies. At one point Bacon stood up to shoot but was then stuck by a plasma grenade. Determined to take them with him he dove out of the window and fell into a crowd of grunts as the grenade detonated. Sending body parts flying in the process.

Over the next few minutes all the marines were out of ammo or dead. When they ran out of ammo they were running to the rooftop. Slowly everyone ran to the top of the building. All but nine were dead and out of those only four had ammo. With a minute left until the Pelican would be there everyone started to throw grenades over the building ledge.

Finally the Pelican came upon their position raining lead down onto the aliens. Everyone started to pour into the Pelican as Grunts crawled over the walls and started to shoot at them.

Everyone was in except Mathew. As he turned to get in his face went pale and emotionless. A needle had flown into his back and severed his spine as it detonated. He fell onto his back as Cory jumped out and tried to grab him. Then a plasma bolt flew into his Achilles tendon. He collapsed onto a knee showing his agony.

Right before Li jumped out to save him the Pelican started to lift into the air. He watched as Cory fired his shotgun into the charging grunts and slowly was overcome by them. Then Cory lying next to his friend and comrade primed a grenade. As the grunts started to bite him and Mathew’s carcass the Grenade blew up disintegrating them and thirty grunts crawling on top of each other.

 Li watched as his fellow soldiers as they were eaten then destroyed. Over the last day he had lost three of his closest friends. Right then and there he vowed to never become friends with his fellow soldiers, because it was too much. From then on he no longer made friends.

2 hours later aboard UNSC Manila

            Li sat in his bunk typing the report on what happened in Damascus and the reports he had to send to Cory, John, and Mathew’s families. Why they hadn’t glassed the planet to the untimely deaths of three of his friends. While he typed he mourned his friends passing. He cried for the last time that night.

            Later he had to recommend new soldiers to his squad. He thought of Jacob and decided to recommend him along with 2 new recruits, Private Dalton Ray and a Cody Murphy.

            Li’s COM crackled to life and announced, “Staff Sergeant Sanchez you are needed in the General Nylund’s quarters at 0900 hours.”  Li looked at the time it was 0800 hours so he had time.

            As he thought about his life in the rural parts of the Philippines on Earth he ran his hand through his Black buzz cut hair. All the people he knew were gone, killed in an attack by the URF. That was the reason behind his joining the UNSC.

            After changing into his dress uniform Li walked out of his room to see Reece standing outside his door.

            “ I came to see if you were all right.”

            “Yes I’m fine Reece.” Li replied.

            “Are you sure Li? You looked really bad when that happened”

            “Yes I’m sure Reece, I have to go the Generals quarters now.” After that Li burst past Reece.

            After a 5-minute walk Li was at General Nylund’s door. As soon as he walked in he was at attention.

            “At ease Sergeant, I just read your report on Harvest and Centari VII. You are being promoted to Gunnery Sergeant for your actions. I am also recommending you for the Congressional Medal of Honor.” The General said.

            “Sir I do not deserve the Medal of Honor.”

            “Soldier yes you do, you saved that Marines life, and the marines in your squad from certain death.”

            As the General said that Li’s Mind flashed of Cory and Mathew’s deaths. “Sir I didn’t save my squad half of them are dead.”

            “Yes but without you they would all be dead from the thing you called a Scarab.”

            Li knew it was of no use arguing with the General, “Yes sir.”

            “Now leave Sergeant I have work to do.”

            “Yes sir.” After that was said Li stood up and walked out of the room. As he walked he saw McKnight.

            “Hey Sanchez, thanks for coming to get me.”

            “Your welcome McKnight.” When Li said that he walked to his bunk and laid down to think and sleep. He needed it for all he had just went through.

Part 3: The Inner Colonies

Chapter 7

 After years eleven of fighting the Covenant on the Outer Colonies the UNSC had received countless casualties. The UNSC had brought back its heaviest ships to defend the Inner Colonies. During this time the 13^th ODST Division had received massive casualties. At the beginning of the war they were 18,000 strong, now they are at a debilitating 2,469. The Carrier Manila has seen over ten engagements with the Covenant. After sustaining heavy damage over the battle for Jericho VII they are sent to Reach for repairs. Taking the 13^th with them.

1300 hours, January 3, 2536, ONI’s Castle Base, Reach

            Li walked down the hall with his team to the briefing room. As they walked down the hallways of Castle Base Li noticed that there were very few Marines here. As Fire Team Charlie walked into the room a man was sitting at the far end of a long table.

As they all stood at attention the man said, “At ease. I am Colonel Ackerson. You are here because of a new technology created. It is called Fuel Cell Powered Stealth Armor or F.C.P.S. armor for short.” As he said these he pointed toward specs on the armor. “It is the same as your standard armor but with an layer of angular shifting camouflage, and a Fusion cell to power it. Note that this is experimental. That fusion cell is as volatile as a fusion core so if it is disrupted it will blow up. This armor can fool night vision, infrared, and the naked eye. You and another team of six will use this for the first time. At 0000 hours the Prowler Countless Nights will leave this system to the Theta Octanus system. That system is suspected to be attacked by the Covenant. There will be a fleet of twelve ships there. You are to place a Fury Tactical Nuke at a Tritium mine on the planet. Pack your gear you leave soon.”

As soon as the Colonel said that Li and his team walked out of the room to another room to receive their armor. As they were fitted the armor automatically blended to the environment and they became basically invisible.

“I’m going to do a number in this.” Said Cody Murphy the team’s smart-ass.

“Please don’t *** yourself again!” Reece commented.

“Hey that was only once! It was my first time fighting okay!”

Everyone chuckled as they remembered the moment.

“Whatever you say Cody.”

3 weeks later in the Theta Octanus system, Octanus III

Li bounced in his seat as the Warthog hit a bump in the road. As the four heavily armored transport Warthogs headed to their destination over 30 miles away, The COM broke in, “All UNSC forces this is the A.I. Thor, The Covenant are over Octanus III.” This message repeated two more times before stopping.

Then several large fireballs showed up overhead. Then one blue showed after that. Li cocked his new BR55. The new standard weapon used by NavSpecWar teams and the 13^th. As he did this everyone did the same because he heard the familiar clack of the round going into the chamber.

After ten minutes of driving with no noise the familiar thrum of a spirit dropship appeared. Michael was the first one to see it. He unhooked his M19 and fired, blowing the cockpit of the thing clean off. The Spirit careened into the woods twenty yards from them.

“One for me zero for the rest of you.” Michael announced happily over the team COM.

“Michael shut your yap. If I remember the last battle correctly it was 23 you and 29 me.” Li argued.

“So? I’ll beat you this time.”

“That’s what they all say Corporal.”

As they hit the 10-mile mark the lead Warthog was hit by a Fuel Rod from a banshee, and flipped onto its side blocking the road. Everyone in the hogs jumped out and ran to the flipped vehicle. As Gunnery Sergeant Connors crawled out of the vehicle followed by two others he stood up and almost disappeared from sight because of the new armor.

Out of the twenty soldiers they started with two were already dead. Li initiated a COM silence so they wouldn’t be detected. After a minute of running they came to a moonlit clearing infested with grunts, Hundreds of them. As they emerged at the tree line the teams took defensive positions and waited for Li signal.

Li gave the signal by firing his Stanchion, which blew all the foliage around him away. Then lead rained down upon them. Grunts left and right were ripped to shreds while they panicked not knowing where the fire was coming from. When they finally figured where the fire was coming from. It was too late. There were only about 30 left. Then they decided to try and run but it was to late.

All around were the little 4-foot carcasses of the grunts and their limbs.

“Well that was easy.” Said the commander of Fire Team Indigo.

“Don’t get cocky Marine.” Replied Li.

“Yes sir.”

As they proceeded to their objective they encountered little resistance. Until they reached the mine.

“Holy ***!” said Connors.

All around the mine there were those Scarab things three of them in total. Along with Ghosts and the Spirit Dropships.

There was only one way they could get into the mine. A few buildings on the side of the complex. As they started to think of a plan one of the worst things that could’ve happened, happened. 

A Grunt approached them unknowingly and walked into branch and fell. The cause of him screaming grabbed attention in the area. Which brang all kinds of  grunts into the area.

“Everyone we are going to run towards the buildings in 3…2…1…GO!!” Said Li.

Everyone ran full speed towards the buildings. But one of the Marines fell and tripped. Which snapped a branch, grabbing the attention of a nearby ghost. It shot him with its plasma cannons.

Then one of the Scarabs turned and blind fired in their direction. Which caught all of them except twelve.

Li watched as his fellow Marines were atomized in front of him. As they hit the entrance to the mine in the buildings Li called for a SitRep.

“Michael here.”

“Cody here.”

“Jacob here.”

“Dalton here.”

“Li waited for Reece but there was no call. She survived he saw her. Where did she go?

Chapter 8

2300 hours, January 24, 2536, Tritium mining complex, Octanus III

            Reece awoke to see Grunts standing guard in front of her. She went for her gun but realized it was not there. She looked around and saw that there was nothing she could use. All she could do was sit and wait.

Li’s location, entrance to tritium mine

            Li walked down the tunnel to the mine with his team and the remnants of Indigo, Foxtrot and Hotel. Gunnery Sergeant Connors led what was left of the other fire teams. Connors was a native to earth like Li, except he was from Canada not the Philippines.

            Out of the remaining twelve soldiers only two had shotguns, Dalton and a Private David Shan. They all proceeded down the tunnel to a large open cavern about three miles in diameter. In the center was a large open area where the mining equipment was. All around the equipment were Grunts and Jackals.

            As they emerged from the tunnel to see this a grunt waddled out of a room to their right. Their armor prevented the thing from seeing them, but they saw it. As it proceeded to some thing on the wall Li pulled out his knife and slit its throat.

Then they all ventured down the tunnel the grunt came from they saw two others standing in front of a Titanium door. They walked over and broke their necks silently.

There was nothing to see through the door so they pressed a button that said open on it. On the other side was were two grunts facing towards them. The grunts fired and shot Private Shan right in the leg. As he fell and convulsed in pain all the marines opened fire on them and shredded their bodies.

Also on the other side was Reece. Her camouflage system wasn’t working, but she was there. She stood up and nodded towards Li and the rest of her team.

“Everyone those aliens down there just heard us shoot those S.O.B.’s. So we need to arm the Fury and get the hell out of here.” Li said to everyone.

“Hoorah!” Everyone replied.

As soon as Michael set the Fury down in the room where Reece was in some jackals ran into the hall.

“Open fire!” Li shouted as the Jackals rounded the corner.

All the fire teams opened fire and shredded them. Michael armed and ran to the others. Li hefted Private Shan onto his soldiers and started to move as fast as he could to the end of the hall.

As they all emerged from the tunnel Li could see all of the aliens start at them. “Move! They’re coming!”

Plasma flew into the rocks above the soldiers. Debris rained down upon them as they ran. Li pulled out his BR55 and blind fired towards the aliens. The others ran and did the same.

As they neared the entrance to the mine Michael looked at the Fury’s timer, 15 minutes.

“Everyone we have fifteen minutes!” Michael shouted to the rest of the soldiers.

Li responded, “Renkin call for evac!”

As soon as they all neared the mine entrance Li raised his fist for everyone to stop.

“Take cover, the scarabs are still out there we can’t go. Just take up the best positions. We will hold out till evac arrives.”

Everyone nodded and found cover in the tunnel. All along the walls were crevices where they took cover. Boulders in the tunnel also provided cover.

“Evac will be here in five. They’re sending Dragon drop ships.”

Li knew the Dragon’s could take the scarabs. They had Machete anti tank missiles, along with 3 40mm cannons.

As the first grunts came into view the soldiers fire cut them down. More and more kept coming though. The familiar 3 round burst rattled throughout the tunnel as the 4-foot tall creatures charged their position and were killed.

Michael shouted over the gunfire, “Fury goes off in 10 minutes!”

“Evac will be here in 1 minute.” Renkin announced to everyone.

“Move everyone outside!”

The marines all ran outside but the grunts fire cut down 2 as they turned to leave. As they got to the entrance Li heard the familiar sound of missiles firing and impacting.

Li ran outside with Shan on his shoulders along with the rest of the marines. The scarabs were being bombarded by missiles but weren’t even flinching. One of the Dragon’s came to their position and set down in front of them.

Then grunts started to pour out of the mine but were decimated by the Dragon’s 40mm cannons. All ten of the remaining marines poured into the Dragon’s hold. Swiftly the drop ship lifted off the ground barely missed one of the Scarab’s main guns.

All of the soldiers breathed heavily as the drop ship lifted higher into the air. Out of the 3 drop ships that confronted the Scarabs only one returned. After 5 minutes in the Dragon the Fury detonated and caved the ground around it in. The Marines gave a loud cheer as the complex caved in on itself.

“Man that was intense sarge!” Cody said to Li.

“Yes it was marine, but remember we lost 10 good men today.”

Cody’s expression changed as he remembered the men in front of him get atomized. “Your right sir, I’m sorry.”

After a minute of silence in the Dragon a loud thump was heard and the dragon lurched to its left.

“Hang on, anti air fire!” The pilot said over the COM.

Li looked out of the back of the dropship and saw the other Dragon explode as an enormous needle flew into it and detonated.

“Holy ***! What was that?” One of the marines near Li shouted.

Li then heard an explosion off of one of the wings when one of the Needles exploded near the dropship.

“We’re hit! We’re goin down!”

Li held on as he felt the Dragon spin and get nearer to the ground. He looked and saw all of the marines do the same, but one near the door was sucked out. All he could hear was the wind ripping past them. Then he felt the ship careen into the ground for a split second, and then it all went black.

Chapter 9

0300 hours, January 25, 2536, jungle on Octanus III

Li awoke to the pain of two broken fingers and the whine of the Dragons engine still going. He slowly stumbled and got up. He looked at his fingers grabbed them in his other hand and put them back in place. He felt the pain and put it into the back of his mind. He looked around and saw that he was the only one awake. He checked the team’s vitals and saw that Dalton was dead along with three others. Connors was the only one alive that wasn’t from Charlie. Li looked and noticed the only reason his team and Connors were alive was because they were in the back of the Dragon. The entire front was crumpled because of the crash.

Li looked at his TacMap and noticed he was only three miles from the closest city. As he was waking the survivors up he scrounged ammo. When the survivors were wakened they all counted up their ammo.

Li announced, “Everyone report on all your ammunition. I have four clips for my BR55 and three clips for my M99. My Sniper rifle is no where to be found.”

Michael replied, “ I have three clips for my BR55, eight pounds of C-7, and six rockets.

“I have five clips for my M6 and two for my AR, that’s it.” Said Reece.

“Connors what about you?”

“Three clips for my Battle rifle.”

“Cody you?”

“Two for my BR55 and three for my M6.”

“I have six clips for my M7, nothing else.” Said Renkin.

“Okay everyone move out we have a three mile hike to the nearest town.” Ordered Li.

After walking through the woods for an hour they neared the town. Everywhere there were dead carcasses of civilians, and marines, along with the remains of destroyed warthogs and civilian vehicles.

In shock Connors asked, “What the hell happened here!”

“Covvies got here first.” Li said, “That’s what happened. Lets go look for ammo. Watch your back covvies are bound to still be here.”

Everyone was proceeding to the town when plasma ripped over head.

“Run!”

All the soldiers went into a full out sprint to the town as plasma ripped by boiling away the ground near their feet. Li pulled out his BR to blind fire but realized they had almost no ammunition.

Reece looked back and saw that only a few grunts were firing at them so she pulled out her M6 and sent bullets into the grunts skulls while she dove backwards.

She then scrambled to get up when plasma came from a different direction. As she kept running a piece of plasma flew into her gun and blew it out of her hands. “Holy ***! That was close!”

They all got into the closest building near them. Where they found a grunt looking through a window apparently searching for them. Li walked up to it and snapped its neck with a satisfying crack.

Then they heard a human sniper rifle go off not to far away.

Li looked at everyone. “Guys where did that come from?”

Reece responded, “I think it came from a few blocks away, it sounded close”

“Move out if he’s alive he needs our help.”

Li and the others burst out of the building they were in and ran to the side of a building to take cover. Then they heard another shot, but they saw it this time. It was on the top of a four-story building about six blocks away from them.

They got to an intersection where some jackals were firing on the unknown snipers position. In three seconds they received either broken necks or knives to the skull.

After that Li picked up the jackals shields and handed them to his squad. “Use these only when we are in a firefight they light up like spotlights, if we turn them on they see us. Copy?”

Everyone grabbed the shield generators and said, “Roger that sarge.”

“Move to that building on the double”

They all nodded and took off running. As they neared the building the sniper rifle went off three more times. Li looked up and thought that the person on that gun was not to smart staying in that same spot.

Plasma flew into the rocks right next to Li disrupting his thought. On recoil Li turned and sent three rounds through the grunts skull.

“Hey Michael there’s another I’ve gotten and you haven’t.” Li said snickering.

“Hardy har har, you’re only five ahead right now.”

Li shrugged. “I’m still ahead of you.”

As they were twenty feet from the building around a hundred grunts ran to the building and started to climb the sides. Li pulled out his BR and opened fire killing eleven grunts before reloading.

The grunts then turned to their new threat, Fire Team Charlie. Some jumped down while others kept climbing. Everyone started to shoot the grunts when they landed. As a group landed in close proximity to each other a rocket flew down from the building and incinerated them.

“Holy *** he has a rocket launcher!” Michael exclaimed with gleeful emotion.

Slowly the grunts were all slaughtered from Charlie and the person on the building. Li then ran to the buildings entrance and used his shoulder to break the door down. He then ran to the stairs of the building that’s when he realized it used to be an office, because he saw all the overturned chairs and portables.

As soon as he got to the stairs a civilian ran down and said with urgency, “Come with me the marine wants you to hurry.”

Li and the others then ran up the stairs to the fourth story. When they got there they saw that there were around thirty civilians around the room. Some of them were children with their parents.

The civilian that brought them there then barricaded the door with a couch and some chairs. “Follow me the marine is on the roof.”

Li followed with everyone in tow, but Connors who stayed to see if all the civilians were all right. Li emerged onto the roof to see a Marine holding a smoking MA5C covered in blue blood.

“Hi I am Private Rob Hendrickson.”

“I am Master Sergeant Li Sanchez and this is my team. Do you have a long range radio?”

“Yes but it’s broken. Its with the civilians.”

“Renkin go fix it and tell FLEETCOM to come pick us up.”

“Yes sir.”

“Private, we are in for one hell of a morning.”

Chapter 10

0510 hours, January 25, 2536, Office building in unknown city

Reece paced the roof with Michael and said, “Hey Michael How do you think it’s going up there?”

“Reece I have no idea. That’s why I joined the Marines, so I didn’t have to deal with space stuff.”

“True, true.” Reece looked over the roof and saw grunts down below, around forty of them. “Li we have incoming!”

Li woke up from his nap and grabbed his M99. “Where are they?”

“Reece pointed below her when she said, “Right down there.”

Li looked over the ledge and aimed his M99 over the roof at a grunts head. He fired then the grunt below exploded in a blue mess along with the ground below it. The others looked up to see the soldier then ran.

Li looked up at Michael and smiled.

“Ya ya I know that’s another one. Don’t even say anything.”

Li heard a weird noise that he knew. He looked toward the noise and saw a banshee squadron coming near him. Li aimed his M99 at the lead banshee and fired, caving the front of the banshee in.

Michael lifted up his rocket launcher, locked, and fired. The missiles exhaust shone through the night as it streaked toward its target. It collided with a banshee sending the remains to the earth in a heap. The five others then fired fuel rods at them.

Li fired one more shot at a banshee before running to the fourth story with Michael and Reece. As he got there he felt the explosion reverberate throughout the building as the Fuel rods hit.

“Renkin please tell me you fixed the radio!”

“Give me one more minute!”

Li turned thermals on for his M99 and sighted another banshee through the wall, fired and heard the round connect with the banshee’s hull. As the round destroyed the banshee Li heard the building shudder from the fuel rods, but this time it blew a hole open in the wall next to him, throwing him back into a wall. Li started to get up then fell down from the pain ripping through his leg. It was broken at the shin. When he looked at it he could see little splinters of bone poking out.

“Son of a ***! Three broken bones in a day! What the hell?”

“Renkin announced the radio was fixed and called in for pickup. As this happened Michael popped out and aimed at another banshee through the hole in the wall. When he fired Li could see all the dust on the walls lift off as the exhaust pounded into it.

Renkin shouted, “Evac will be here in five!”

Reece leaned out a window and fired down. “Grunts are climbing the building!”

Civilians screamed in terror from all that was going on. Li aimed through the floor with his M99 and blew a grunt clear off the building, well at least what was left of him.

Connors stood up and fired as a grunt poked its head out of the hole in the wall. “Sarge we’re running out of ammo here!”

Everyone civilian and soldier alike huddled in a corner with the marines in front. As the grunts tried to pour in through the hole, Michael threw a fragmentation grenade in front of them. When it exploded it blew a hole into the floor and sent pieces of grunt in multiple directions. One piece flew into a little girl and she screamed in terror.

Li repeatedly fired his M99 through the floor until it was out of ammo. When he threw it aside he pulled out his BR55 off of his back and fired single burst into grunts skulls as they flowed into the building the others did the same. Connors stood up but a grunt popped out and shot him right into his arm melting it off from the elbow down. He screamed but kept firing his Battle Rifle.

Li was firing when he heard the worst possible noise, the click of his gun on empty. One grunt emerged from the hole and charged Li, but received a knife into its skull at three feet away.

Cody threw Li his M6 and kept firing at the numberless grunts. Li picked it up and fired into the onslaught.

When the sun peaked over the horizon Li heard the familiar noise of a Pelicans engines. Slowly the amount of grunts slowed.

 As Michael ran out of ammo he charged at the remaining grunts punching one so hard it lifted into the air and went off the building. Another ran at Michael and was picked up and thrown out the window. Michael screamed a war cry so frightening the remaining grunts retreated.

“This is McKnight to Sanchez I am on the roof of your building waiting to pull you guys out. Over.”

“McKnight this is Sanchez we have civvies down here also.”

“We heard there are four Pelicans out here. We have you covered.”

Li pulled himself up by using the wall. As he got up Hendrickson walked over and helped him. Li limped with Hendrickson at his side up to the roof. When they were there Michael picked Li up and set him onto a seat in the pelican. Li groaned as his leg grazed a seat.

Michael helped people into the pelicans as fast as he could. As soon as McKnight’s Pelican was full he took off. Li looked out the mini window to see Michael, Reece, Cody and Renkin helping Civilians into the Pelicans. Li looked to his left and saw Connors getting mended by Hendrickson. Li looked at his leg and guessed it would be a few weeks before he could be fighting again.

“Sanchez, want me to take a look at that?” Asked Hendrickson.

“Sure Private.” He winced when Hendrickson touched his leg. “I am recommending a promotion for you. You went beyond heroic by saving all those civilians.”

“Thank you sir.”

“What happened to your unit Private?”

“They were killed when the Covenant first got to the city.”

“I am sorry to hear that.”

Li didn’t speak as Hendrickson inspected his leg, but thought about the war. He was 27 in October and had fought since he was in adulthood. He decided to fight the war until it was over or he was dead.

Chapter 11

1000 hours, 21 March, 2536, Reach orbit, UNSC Manila

            Li looked around the hangar bay. Hundreds of recruits stood in front of him. “Men, today you will be joining the Elite.” He looked around at the men and women who would fight and die in front of him. “I am Master Sergeant Sanchez. This is my squad.” Li raised his hands as Charlie was behind him. “I will tell you now in this war you will fight…and die.” Murmurs echoed through the room. “I have seen what happens to you when you are shot. It is not pretty. You will cry, scream and other things. You will take it though. If you stop fighting in the middle of the firefight I will shoot you myself. Is that understood?”

            The ODST’s all looked at him like he was crazy, but responded with, “Sir yes sir!”

            General Nylund walked up to him and nodded in approval. “Men this is one of the most experienced soldiers in the division. What he’s telling you is the truth. We are the only division on this ship. Now at 12,000 strong, we will be going headlong into battle against the Covenant. Is that clear marines?”

            “Sir yes sir!” The recruits said while looking at the soldiers on the platform.

1900 hours, 21 March, 2536, UNSC Manila, Slipspace

Li sat in the mess hall eating while going over the new recruits bios. There were over 5000 new men and women in the 13^th. Some were only 18 years old. Right after boot camp sent to ODST training. Hundreds would die in their first engagements. Li tried to forget that though.

As he was eating Michael walked over and sat across from him. “Hey Li who are we going to have to replace Dalton?”

“New guy named Ivanov, Yuri Ivanov. He’s from Russia.”

“I can tell. What weapons is he issued?”

Li grabbed the bios. “Um, the M240 and the MA5B.”

“Oh one more question. What system are we going to?”

“The Epsilon Aurigae system. The planet is called Zeus. Very Mountainous, covered in forests, few cities, and snowy, a paradise for snipers. The Covenant aren’t there yet but command thinks that they will be there soon. So they’re sending the entire Battle Group, all thirty one ships.”

“And we don’t even no if the Covenant is even gonna show up? Geeze!”

“Ya I know. Either there is something extremely valuable their or the CO’s are going nuts, but hey that’s my opinion.”  After he said this Li stood up and went to throw his trash away.

Then the COM echoed, “Sergeant Li Sanchez please report to the bridge.”

He looked at Michael and nodded.

When he started to walk to the bridge Li remembered his past.

At the age of 8 his little brother, Jonathan had died from a new disease called horacia. A cure was quickly found, but not fast enough for his little brother. Li had taken this pretty hard.

1940 hours, 21 March, 2536, UNSC Manila

Reece stood in her bunk and pounded the punching bag for ten minutes straight. After this she walked over to the wooden table next to her bed and picked up a water bottle and drained its contents.

Silently she laid down in the bed and thought of her life. All she had been through.

Growing up she had been fine. Born on Harvest, Reece had lived in Utgard. She lived a life of luxury, but she had gotten tired of it. So she ran away when she was 17 and had met a man named Zane, Zane Godwind. A year later they had been engaged. Then the Covenant showed up. As they were being evacuated they were separated. Then the elevator he was on had fell, and he died.

This had crushed her and made her join the Marines. She was determined to get back at them.