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Earth's Wrath by Steven Carson (aka Ninja Steve)
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Earth's Wrath: Chapter 1 - Ruins of Earth
Date: 22 April 2004, 8:42 PM
Earth's Wrath
Chapter 1: Ruins of Earth
The sky exploded in plasmatic energy. This time, however, it was not a Covenant bombardment or assault. They were fleeing. Matt Cauthon watched from the ruined streets of New Glasgow as misshapen, purple alien craft fled the Earth's atmosphere, and left the system, probably to regroup for another attack. For the moment, Matt was simple glad for a short while of peace. Letting his empty battle rifle fall to the cracked, beaten, and in some places fiery road, and walked towards the local museum at a casual pace.
Fortunately he had suffered very few personal injuries, though the fact that his best friends Calum and Euan were currently headed to the army medical bases did not go unregistered to him. But there was nothing he could do-for the moment at least. They had fought bravely, and Matt was just relieved they were not among the many who had died in the defense of humankind's first and last planet.
Matt found his pace quicken. Much of New Glasgow was, to put it one way, in tatters. Before being drafted back into the military, he had owned and run the museum, spent thousands of Euros purchasing ancient paintings, weapons, and armor. If he found a flat slab of concrete where his big old castle should be, he would personally tear the head of every Covenant scum he could find in the galaxy.
As he drew near, fellow marines and army soldiers shouted greetings, well dones, and orders at him. The orders he ignored. All the uninjured were busy running errands or helping the wounded. Matt got the shock of his life to suddenly walk into a wall of metal green and black.
"Hello Master Chief" he said, walking backwards and rubbing his head. Master Chief, Spartan Super-Soldier 117 had just turned the corner. But Matt blamed himself for not paying attention.
"Matt. Are you okay?" Matt had only met the Spartan recently when the whole month of defending Earth started, in New Mombasa. He had shot a group of plasma-sword wielding elites who had threatened him on River Bridge. They made a good team. But both were too busy for pleasantries. Matt assured the Chief he was fine, they talked for a while more, then headed in opposite directions.
Finally Matt reached his Museum. It still stood. But by the lack of doors and the many plasma burns around where they should be...the Covenant had broken in.
In the main hall inside, everything seemed fine. The paintings seemed fine. The gift shop was the mess he had left it in. The Egyptian and Dinosaur halls were fine, complete with expensive displays without a scratch (except those visiting children and tourists made). Feeling confused but relaxed, Matt checked the Ancient Warfare rooms. And nearly had a heart attack. Swords, guns, armor, and bows had all been either taken away or shot to such a degree they no longer had any physical form. But they were harmless. The Covenant couldn't possibly believe that thousands of years old muskets and chain mail could be of any use or threat. Matt was confused, startled, and above all, angry. That was millions of euros of old trash! He wasn't sure how much he had lost, since he wasn't sure anymore how euros converted to British pounds, but he knew it must be bad. He sighed and went to sit down for a while. He had a lovely, comfortable seat in the center hall. Soon, he distantly heard the echoes of his phone ringing, mixed with the sounds of many passing tanks and jeeps outside.
He let the phone go dead. If it was important, he would phone back. If it wasn't, he could phone back later. If it was Bungie Division asking him to report to HQ...well, he didn't feel like fighting again yet. They might come hunting for him, but not yet. It wouldn't be their priority to find one missing soldier in the millions missing and dead. Perhaps billions. There was too much going on. Silently he watched the long, endless snake of a convoy run through the streets like a serpent through the woods. The sun briefly shined through the think layer of clouds and smoke. Only then did Matt realize his head of brown hair had been bloodied red, and his green combat armor splattered with blue and orange alien blood. Little of the blood on him was his. Much was from fallen, nearby comrades. The Covenant blood...well he was sure he had at least twenty confirmed kills that day alone.
Silently, Matt let thoughts enter his head he hadn't let enter his head since he had retired from the army years ago. He was back in now. He had lost some friends. The fates of others were still to be decided. He did not know why his museum had been attacked. He did know why Earth had been attacked. He hated the Covenant, lived in fear of them. Now he felt no fear. Only anger. He knew Section 3 would be planning something good against the Covenant. Millions were dead. Cities, everything ruined.
Those dammed aliens would not get away with this. Matt knew Earth would soon unleash her wrath against its enemy, after too long a time suffering painfully in this 'holy war'. Matt was ageing. He had retired for a reason. He had wanted a peaceful life, to be a civilian again. He guessed he would have to wait a bit longer for that.
Oh yes, Earth would have her wrath. And Matt intended on being there when she did.
Coming Soon: Chapter 2-Halfblood
Excerpt: Matt looked in wonder at the man. Tall and strong he stood. He was human in appearance, but had blue/red skin, and an almost animal like bone-structure and posture. He still could not believe that he could be what they said he was. Covie Elites and humans couldn't have children could they?
"Olleh, Doolbflah llac yeht eno eht ma I."
"Hello, I am the one they call Halfblood" he said.
Earth's Wrath: Chapter 2 - Halfblood
Date: 25 April 2004, 11:42 AM
Earth's Wrath
Chapter 2: Halfblood
A military escort took Matt to the bridge of the Osiris, an Egyptian UNCE Destroyer. The sounds of battle echoed dully through the ship, the nearing sounds of the Covenant's attempt to gain control of the ship. Matt, however, did not fear these sounds. For a long while the Covenant had tried to gain control of the Earth and her orbiting forces, but had never really recovered from the first time they were driven back. The attacks were almost futile now. Soon all sounds of battle in the ship would fade. Matt was escorted by two heavily armed ODSTs, and they ran through the silver and gray corridors of the ship, headed towards the bridge.
As they neared, the battle did also. From occasionally seeing a squeling grunt and a pursuing marine, Matt and his escort eventually became stuck in a hot battle for control of the lower levels. In a large square hallway, human and Covenant forces had taken positions behind overturned metal tables and crates. Matt found himself surprised at how quickly his old training cam back to him. Soon the veteran was weaving and jumping around and behind cover, as alien plasma energy, green, blue, and pink, flew around him. He fired his battle rifle, sending bullets into the heads and chests of a trio of Covenant Jackals, sheids raised, who guarded a staircase to the uper levels. He called to his allies for covering fire as he made his way up the stairs. He had reached the top when a needler round caught him in the thigh. Grunting, he pulled it out, and made his way further towards the bridge. Soon he was back in human-controlled territory, and was offered medical assistance for his injury. He declined, and half-limped to his destination.
The bridge was the same tones as the rest of the ship, but full of monitoring equipment, computers, status screens, and busy personnel. He approached Captain Locks, and saluted. The captain saluted in return. He was guarded by what appeared to be a mix between a Spartan and an ODST.
But Matt knew what this was. This was Ackerson's work. A closely protected secret, which few of the Brass even knew. Matt had not thought it was true - surely it was just a rumor? But no, now he saw it standing there, he recognized it. Even before it removed its helmet, and turned to face him.
Sergeant Stonejon ran through the heavy woods. He heard behind him the sounds of plasma fire, and the sound of automatic fire when one of his squad members fell behind, and decided to give hell to the Covies before he or she died. Stonejon thought he saw a second, blue sun in the Earth's sky for a moment, but soon saw it was a ball of mortar fire flying off into the distance in front. Immediatly behind the sergeant were three marines carrying a large black box. Inside was a mysterious artefact, one which he had been ordered to get before the alien scum did. But hell if he knew what it did. Soon he and the remaining twelve team came to a large grassy opening, in he middle o which sat a low grey base. As they entered the clearing, human turrets and rifles began firing. Bullets flew over human heads, to slam into the huge pursuing Covenant force. Screams of death in alien tongues could clearly be heard in the still morning air, with the sun beating down pleasantly. A door opened for the cargo and its escort, with marines firing Serpent turrets covering from the base's roof. As the covenant surrounded the base, a pelican dropship was called for, and the remaining humans waited atop the base. The rescue ship had to come before Covie artillery did, or they were all dead men. The thunder of gun shots fired down into the amassed aliens below, and a single warthog sat in the middle of the plateau, with a gunner firing a LAAG into circling Banshee craft. Soon Echo 245 called in, the survivors and artefact were loaded in, and they took off. Stonejon watched as the base and aliens shrunk beneath them, untill the whole German continent was visible. The back hatch closed, and the ship flew towards FleetCom HQ.
Matt looked in wonder at the man. Tall and strong he stood. He was human in appearance, but had blue/red skin, and an almost animal like bone-structure and posture. He still could not believe that he could be what they said he was. Covie Elites and humans couldn't have children could they?
"Olleh, Doolbflah llac yeht eno eht ma I."
"Hello, I am the one they call Halfblood" he said.
Matt, Halfblood, and Catpain Locks stood in front of the central view screen. Alien ships were slowly being repelled, and Longswords and the new Covenant Corsair fighters danced swiftly around each over, fighting for control of space. Matt had been told Halfblood's age. It dated years before the war started. He didn't need to be told the creature's story; this was the origional that Ackerson was basing his new Super-Elites around. Near he beginning of the war, Alien Elites used to rape women they found on any colonies they didn't glass first. There was a 40,000 to 1 chance of the woman becoming pregnant, but one time it had. Rumor said he had been sent to Section 3 as soon as he was born, and had been raised a soldier. His mother had, apparently, also been a UNSC soldier. Matt had no doubt Halfblood here was an equal match against a Spartan. Captain Lock spoke.
"Matt, my old friend. Meet Halfblood. He will be in your new team."
Matt looked puzzled. "Who else is in it? What is our mission?"
Locks smiled. "You will have time to meet the others. Your mission? To win the war."
Earth's Wrath: Chapter 3 - One Ringworld to Rule them All
Date: 26 April 2004, 6:51 PM
Earth's Wrath
Chapter 3: One Ringworld to Rule them All
Standing atop Ben Anlachdon, Sergeant Auron felt as if he was watching a fireworks show. Except looking downwards. The fields of the Silicon Glen exploded in flashes of green, blue, pink and gold, as the Battle for the Cormallen continued. It hadn't taken long for the impotant defense of Northern Scotland to receive a name, not that that bothered Auron at the moment. Sick of the ten day battle on the fields, he had climbed the most suitable mountain he could find to check the Covenant command post. Mortar fire from afar had killed the rest of his team, but they had all taken out every shiny bastard they could. Soon the rest of the invading forces would crawl away, hopefully for good. The Sarge had to give the Covies this - they had did an excellent job of getting ground control of Earth. Here in the North-West it had been a particularly annoying struggle to get the buggers out. Even the Romans of ancient times had not managed to get further north than the fort-town of Milngavie. Away to the west, from across the 'pond', allied reinforcements were coming by sea from Canada. Landers would bring more troops, and by then most of the Western world would be clean of the Covenant filth. Untill they returned.
Matt watched the central viewscreen in the briefing room. It was busy that day, full of marines, ODSTs, technicians, medics, and all sorts of combat personnel, including pilots and drivers. The UNSC and UEG also had officials there, who watched the screen with particular interest. Slinking away, Matt left, not caring about the tedious chores being given out to high ranking personnel. Some secret mission, he had been told, was on the menu, but that would come later. When later did come, and Matt had returned, he gaped at the plan. Only then did he notice Halfblood had joined, and several others in MJOLNIR-esque armor. An image of a ringworld was now on a screen. UNCE was up on the screen, with the explanation: United Nations Combat Enders. A special, he supposed, designation for the mission and crew, then remembered seeing it on the side of he ship, now in a calm Earth orbit. Fleet Admiral Churchhill was speaking, and several captains, including Locks, stood near him. Matt listened in awe to the plan.
"While Dr.Halsey and her Spartans are off chasing the One Ring or Starhammer or whatever they called it, we are going to do something to end this war. Some of you, i know, have questions, which will be answered later. Now here's the plan..." If Matt were to sum up the plan in one word? Suicide. They planned to use a specially equipped fleet to locate and gain control of another Halo. They would send it as far as the could into the heart of the Covenant Empire. Then they would activate the main weapon, as Spartan 117 had described, and get the hell out of there. Again, suicide. There were too many things that could go wrong. And what this about the Spartans going after a special ring? Matt was reminded of a very old book he had liked, but put the thought to the back of his mind. Shaking his head, he listened to the rest of the plan. Something struck him then; as mad as this was, with only Earth and Mars remaining to support mankind, this could be their only hope.
Unless, he thought, Halsey hadn't gone as nuts as popular rumor believed.
"Sam! Watch out!"
Sam swung the warthog, as Steven had asked, out of the way. A giant ball of mortar fire hit the gravel hill path where they had been headed. Now they were heading straigt down the side of the grassy hill, forest blurring by to either side. They reached the path again, but immediatly came under fire from Ghost hover vehicles. Steven shot a single bullet out of his sniper rifle on the side seat, hitting the grunt pilot of the closest pursuer in the face. The now driverless craft hit into a natural stone wall and went up in flames. Chris P. Lettuce, their newest friend, fired several shots from the chaingun on the back into the bulbous alien stalkers. Quick blue plasme shots from the ghosts hit his legs, and he fell tumbling to the ground. Neither Sam nor Steven had time to turn and see if he was dead yet. "Can you go straight for a second?" Steven asked Sam, and he slowed slightly and made for the straightest path the upcoming split of the road could offer them. Steven swung himelf into the heavy gun on back and strapped himself in, just as Sam took a sharp turn to the left to avoid flying mortar shots, coming from uphill alien tanks. Two more Ghosts behind exploded. Good, Steven thought. Only a hundred odd left. The hillsides had turned purple with them. "I sure hope HighComm is grateful for this. I'm tellin ya', this cargo better be worth it!" Sam exclaimed, having to shout over the loud roar of human and Covie engines. Steven looked to the locked box chained to the back platform, which contained another of the highly prized Forerunner artifacts. Sighing, unheard in the noise of battle, Steven returned to his work, and had to agree with Sam.
Emni Ninadee watched over Combat Forces Designation Wave 7. Hundreds of thousands of Elites, Jackals, Grunts, Hunters, Brutes and a new alien the humans had not yet seen. The sky was heavily dotted with transport ships, fighter ships, and in orbit, many cruisers and destroyers. And one extremely large Super-Destroyer. The humans thought they had done an admirable job defending their pitiful home planet, did they? The black spec-ops elite continued observing the vast army, possibly, for some of them, seeing the Covenant Capital Planet for the final time. Armies such as there were in their billions, and ready to invade Earth. Soon the Great Journey would begin, Ninadee thought, as he watched the Great Prophets advance towards him. Yes, the Great Journey would be very soon. And let nothing in this Universe impede our progress.
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