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Liberties Bell: Part 1: The crossing by Elitehunter676
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Liberties Bell:The Battle that changed Draco 3:Part 1
Date: 12 July 2004, 4:03 AM
This story is about one of the largest battles ever fought during the Human-Covenant War. It takes place at the intersection of two rivers, the Tendril and the Blue River. In one of the largest cities ever bulit. It expands across a 40 mile wide radious and has a population of over 7.4 million people. It's name Zaur'Mo-Calus, which in the native tounge means liberty. To the Marines, Helljumpers and pilots who shed their blood here it was known as Libery City.
0600, West Block 7, Marine squad 106
Jennson! Yes sir, The shaky private snapped around as if an Elite had sat down next to him. Bring up the flares. The Captain turned back away from the trench full of Marines to the opposing canal bank. The city had thousands of Canals running through it to channel the river flow, and since the begining of this.....God awful mess they had to fight for every one as if it was heaven itself. Here sir, Jennson said in a quivering voice as he handed the flares to the Captain. The Captain looked at him and felt pitty and guilt, he and his men had been through a lot and he was about to send them into hell. It's okay son, just keep it steady and remeber. No fear. Sir yes sir! He said in a high whisper. Now back to your post double time the Captain said quietly as he watched the private return down the makeshift trench made of rumble from destroyed buildings. He knew he couldn't save the Marine or comfort him much but he could give him hope. Sir ready to go on your order, the stocky Sgt. whispered from down the line. Right, alright Marines listen up! He said in a high whisper, on my signal I want you to make those Covenant Sons a Bitches whish that they had picked a better race to screw with, understood? Sir yes sir! They all replied in unision. Sergant! Yes sir? Are the rafts ready? Sir inflated and ready sir! He pointed to a set of 12 inflated rubber rafts sitting near the canal edge. They were standard issue and the Captain hoped they would make it to the other side of the canal, under fire. Ready, he raised his hand and all 32 of his men tensed. This was it....the moment of truth, would he lead them to victory or death, but no matter what, he knew they would follow him into the jaws of hell itself if he ordered it, and that filled him with pride and...Hope.
GO!! All 32 Marines sprang from the trench MA5B assault rifles ready as they rushed down the enbankment towards the rafts. The Captain lead the platoon, his adreniline pumping. Keep moving! Sargent suppresing fire now! The Sergant and his 8 men went prone and began firing their rifles across the canal. Not but seconds later the Covenants answering fire returned, forcing the Sgt. and his men to brake and scramble for cover as crystal like needles and plasma peppered their position. The night sky was now awash with plasma as the Covenant began laying down a litte suppresing fire of their own. The Captain sprinted down the bank rushing for the nearest raft, as he reached it he immidently pushed it into the water and screamed, 7 men here now! Seconds later 7 Marines dove into the raft and began paddaling across with the small plastic oars. Next seven go! Another raft in the water. Next seven go! Another, finally he and seven men where all that was left, quick now! He screamed as he dove headfirst into the boat. He rolled over and looked up to get his view when suddenly, a plasma round screeched past his head, he turned and suddenly everything moved in slow motion. He watched the plasma round as it burned the hair on his nose passing mere inches in front of his face. Then it seemed to speed up to it's next target as it slammed into the Marine standing behind the raft. He stumbled and gazed at the Captain for what seemed like eternity. Jennson! The Captain screamed as the man fell onto his back dead. The Captain wanted to leap from the raft, comfort Jennson help him, but he had a duty and his men needed him. He tore his gaze away from the now dead private, and to the other six men on the bank, you, he pointed to a young looking private, get the Sergant, the rest of you, let's go get some payback. The five men boarded as the sixth rushed to the Sergants position. The enemy fire had finally died down and as the Captain began pushing off with one of the oars he wondered, should it of been him who died. No he pushed the thought out of his mind his men needed him. But one thing still haunted him, the gaze on Jennsons face.
Liberties Bell:The Battle that changed Draco 3:Part 2
Date: 13 July 2004, 10:16 PM
Okay I'm new so go easy on me in the comments section, I'll do the best I can. I'm open to any advice.
The water was dark and deep. The Captain could see his reflection in the faint moonlight, he stared at it, haunted by the gaze of Private Jennson. He finally looked up at the opposing bank, he constently had to remind himself of his duty to his men. "Walker," he said quietly as he turned to face the gruff looking corpral sitting next to him in the raft. "Yes sir," he replied in a low whisper. "Make sure those flares don't get wet," he ordered as he looked down at the box of flares, a smug look on his face. "Yes sir," Walker replied. "Hey sir." The Captain looked up to face him. "It wasn't your fault Jennson got it, it's just war, plus he was the only one to go down, we made it with almost full strength." A smile touched the Captains lips, as the corpral turned back to the opposing river bank.
Walker was right, he couldn't let Jennsons death interfear with their mission. He turned and faced the opposing river bank, he knew the covenant were dug into that bank. What he didn't know was how many their where or if they had armour support. He'd asked for air reconnisance but covenant anti-air support had been to heavy, so he was going in the dark.
Suddenly the silence was pierced by a sound that resembled that of a birds' screech, followed by a sound that resembled that of a fire sizzling. He looked up into the night sky. There was Draco 3s' moon and another moon, a bright purplish blue moon.
"Mortar!" he screamed. The plasma mortar splashed down in the canal causing a wave of steam to engulf the raft. "Evasive manuvers!" he screamed. He quickly reached down and grabbed the spare plastic oar and began paddiling to the right. "To the right!" he yelled to the men in his raft. They all began paddiling to the right, as a second mortar round screeched through the air and landed harmlessly in the water causing another wave of steam to engulf the whole company.
He looked off to the left, the steam clearing, to yell at the rest of the company when the raft next to his dissapeared under a plasma round. His eyes widened in terror, seven men dead."TO THE RIGHT!" "FLANK TO THE RIGHT!" he screamed. He turned to face the bank as plasma mortars streaked into the sky. They had wraiths. "Keep moving to the right!" he screamed repeatedly.
The covenant on the bank began to open fire at the oncoming company of marines. The Captain turned to face his men, and watched in horror as another raft to a needle round on the starboard side. The needle pierced the raft deflating it instantly. The marines on board were flung into the water as their raft sank like a brick. He turned to his men in the boat, "lay down a suppresing fire." His men leveled their assault rifles at the bank and opened up with their AP(Armour Piercing)rounds. He then turned back to the men in the water, as they tried to scramble aboard another raft,too much weight,it began to sink slowly as more men piled on. "No no no!" he screamed. But it fell on deph ears. As he screamed at his men another plasma mortar streaked into the sky. The Captain looked up at it and traced it's path down. To his greatest fear it slammed down on top of the overweight boat. He flinched and looked away.
Tears began to well in his eyes, he sucked them back and stared forward. Stray plasma rounds began zipping towards the source of the suppresing fire, he ducked as one flew close by, all the while the bank growing closer and closer. The remainder of his men were now past the artillary screen, and approaching the bank. He turned and faced the men in his raft. "When we hit the bank brake off into a squad and lay down a second screen of suppresing fire until the other rafts hit, then wait for my signal to commence the attack." "Yes sir," they all replied in unison.
The Captain turned back towards the bank as the enemy fire began increasing. They where coming into view of the enemy, he could see alien shapes moving around a makshift barricad of destroyed buildings. He couldn't save the men on the canal, but here he could. And he was going to make sure that he did his best to get all his men out of here alive. "Walker get the flares ready," he said still staring straight ahead. "Yes sir," Walker replied.
There was a crunching sound as the raft slide up the bank. They immidently began to take fire as plasma rounds zipped past them in every direction. The Captain lept from the raft and felt solid ground. He was ready.
Liberties Bell:The Battle that changed Draco 3:Part 4
Date: 20 July 2004, 10:53 PM
Hey, I'm back. This should be the best chapter so far, so fasten your seatbelts. Also, I've figured out the code so this should be better in that sense to.
The Captain moved towards the cliff edge cautiously. As he neared it, he craned his neck and peered over the edge.
It was about a twelve yard slide down the cliff, then flat terrain cluttered with rubble extended to a group of near by buildings. They were small and crumbled from artillery strikes.
He took all this in. Know the terrain and know your enemy. He looked back down at the base of the cliff, and traced it to the left. Sitting there was a large pile of rubble and some stone slabs jutting from the ground. "Sir."
The Captain gave a slight jump, then turned to face the private who had spoken. It was McDanials. "What is it?" he asked quietly.
"Sir, we've got friendlies coming in," he said gesturing toward the path they had followed to reach the cliff. The Captain stood slightly from his crouch and looked toward the path.
Suddenly he saw a shadow move, then a tall figure emerged from the darkness. The Captain keyed his mike. "Lieutenant," he said softly.
"Yes sir," a young voice answered back.
The Captain remembered giving lectures to the young Lieutenant Hall for trying to be a hero, and as most people know, another word for hero is casualty. "Move your squad to the right and taking up a position on my flank, got it."
"Got it sir," Hall replied. "Moving out."
The mike then clicked as Hall unkeyed his comm. The Captain then watched as the tall figure of Hall move off to the right, followed by a squad of men. He counted them. Sixteen in all. He hoped it would be enough. He turned back and faced the path as he rekeyed his comm. "Walker," he whispered.
"Yes sir," Walker replied hoarsely.
"Walker I want you to take your squad and link up with me, understood?" the Captain asked.
"Yes sir," Walker acknowledged, as he keyed off his comm.
Minutes later the Captain watched Corporal Walker and his squad approach from the path and join the his small unit.
Walker ducked walked to the Captain, trying to stay low. "Sir, what's going on?" he asked.
"Well," the Captain replied. "We need to secure those buildings," he said pointing towards the buildings laid out before them. "And the only way to do that is by going down." he finished gesturing towards the cliff.
"Yes sir," the gruff Corporal said studying the terrain below them.
The Captain breathed deeply as he looked over his men. Most of them were young men, yet, they looked as if they had seen it all. The thousand yard stare is what they called it. As he looked at them he felt pitty and guilt again, for these young men, who's lives were his responsablity. He keyed his comm to all frequencies. "Alright listen up," he said into the comm his eyes never leaving his men.
"On my signal, we're going to move down this cliff and sweep through those buildings, the Lieutenants squad will move to the right, while I take my men to the left." he ordered quietly. "When we reach the buildings, we will link up the two squads into a rough delta formation and clear out the buildings, understood?" he asked plainly.
"Yes sir," all the men said in unison. He looked at them, and they looked at him. At that moment, all the fear he had, vanished. He turned and faced the cliff edge."Move!" he shouted into the comm.
His men leapt into action instantly, moving toward the cliff edge. The Captain hesitated for a brief second then leapt over the edge. His boots contacted with the cliff as he began to slide down the steep incline.
His eyes fell on the large rubble pile as he slid toward it.
Suddenly his boots contacted with solid ground as he landed at the base of the cliff, he looked up towards the rubble pile, and came face to face with the tri-barreled nose of a shade. His eyes widened in terror as he saw a purplish light collect inside the barrel. He shook himself out of the shock and took action. He rocked himself back on his heels as hard as he could as purple light filled his vision. He fell onto his back as the shade fired, heat washed over him as the round passed a mere foot above his body.
He wiped the terror and shock from his mind and rolled to the left, then leapt to his feet.
What he had thought to be a rubble pile was actually a long rectangular, concrete bunker. It seemed to jut out from the cliff, and with rubble carefully piled on top it was excellently camouflaged. He followed it's length. It was solid concrete except for a small square window, and form out of that poked the barrel of the shade.
He watched the shade as it turned and began firing at the marines still moving down the cliff. Anger grew in him as he ripped a frag grenade from his web gear and prepared to prime it. When suddenly he heard the sounds of rifle fire, coming from inside the bunker. He quickly moved toward the bunker, his assault rifle cradled in his right hand, the frag clutched in the other. As he neared the bunker, the rifle fire ceased, and the shade fell silent.
He eased his head around the corner, assault rife raised. Inside stood two figures crouching on either side of a kicked in metal door. He recognized them instantly. One was Lieutenant Hall, the other was Private Anderson. Both of them had their assault rifles raised at the shade that sat at the other end of the bunker.
Slouched dead over the controls was one of the stocky, grunt, troops and laying at the base of the shade was the corpse of a dead jackle. Both bodies had bullet holes pock marking their bodies. The Captain turned back to his men, releasing his death grip on the frag. "Nice job marines," he said lightly. They both turned and faced him startled.
"Oh, thanks sir." Hall answered. The Captain smiled. Suddenly a loud explosion erupted from the buildings. The Captain whipped his head around. Dust and rubble flew from one of the buildings as a wraith tank burst from it's hiding place. It was followed by, ground troops who also burst from hiding.
"AMBUSH!" one of the marines screamed. The Captain turned back to the cliff and realized that his entire squad was on the ground spread out along the rubble. He keyed his comm. "Walker, get those yellow flares in the air now!" he screamed.
"Yes sir!" Walker acknowledged.
The Captain turned and faced the oncoming enemy counter attack. "Take cover!" he screamed at his men. But as he motioned toward them, the wraith fired. It's projectile arched high into the air, and began to descend towards the bunker.
Ha, Ha, Ha. I love those drop off endings, and for all of you who were disappointed about the lack of action, I promise that's all the next one is, is action. See ya and hoped you liked it.
Liberties Bell:The Battle that changed Draco 3:Part 5
Date: 26 July 2004, 9:33 PM
Hey guys, sorry it took so long to get this one to you. I had it written, but when I looked it over, it didn't sound as good as it could so I deleted it and rewrote it. I hope ya enjoy it.
The Captain watched the plasma round arch high into the air, casting a sickly purple light over the terrain below. He then watched it begin to decend towards the bunker.
His head whipped down to face Lieutenant Hall, and Private Anderson, who stood in the bunker, unknowing of what was coming towards them. "Get out!" he screamed at them.
They both faced him, worry begining to form on their face. They both turned to face the door, and vanished in a bright flash of light.
The Captain was rocked backwards. He stumbled and tried to regain his balance as heat filled the air around him. He braced himself with his feet and raised his hands to his eyes. Spots filled his vision, and he could feel them watering as he rubbed them with his hand.
He blinked the spots from his eyes as he raised his head to look at the devistation.
The end of the bunker was no more than a smoldering crater, coated with smoking concrete. A smooth glassy surface topped the black spot on the ground, where Hall and Anderson had stood, not moments before.
He then looked back towards the wraiths position. The tank sat there motionless, apparently warming it's mortar to fire again. He snapped his head around, searching for cover.
He scanned the area. His marines were scattered out amongest the debris, ducking low, waiting for the wraith to fire again. He then looked back down, and found his cover. A large I-beam jutted from the ground at an angle, and propped up against it, was a small stone slab.
He rushed for it quickly, crouching hastily as he reached it. He propped his back up against the stone, and turned his head to peer over the edge.
Near the wraith, small shapes moved everywhere, and even from this distance the Captain could make out the creatures. The small stocky grunts, with their high-pitched barks and squeals, the jackles with their glowing energy shields, and then the Captain spotted another creature. It was tall, very tall, it stood at least a half a meter above the rest of the aliens, and it moved much quicker, ushering the other creatures around as if it were some kind of commander.
The Captain reached for his helmet and keyed his comm, "Walker," he said into the mike, "Where are those flares?"
"Sir," Walkers gruff voice answered, "Their coming sir."
"Good," the Captain replied unkeying his mike. He knew that at this point the flares weren't to halt the advance, since all the marines had already stopped. But they could be used for observational purposes.
The Captain continued to watch the covenant movement untill suddenly a bright yellow ball of light shot straight into the sky, illuminating the area like a tiny sun. The whole area was laid out before the Captain.
He watched as the covenant troops began taking up positions in front of the wraith, the larger creatures barking orders to the grunts and jackles. He stared in awe, there had to be at least a hundred of them, moving from the buildings.
He continued to watch as the first flare faded and the second one shot into the air. The covenant seemed to all be gathering in the center of a large and debris covered street that lead through the buildings, but what were they waiting for.
Suddenly a loud explosian thundered from the buildings. The Captain turned to face the source of the noise. And in the fading light of the flare, watched in terror as a second wraith tank burst from the cover of a building. Debris and dust flew from the side of the building as the wraith emerged.
That's what they'd been waiting for. The wraith turned and proceeded down the street to take up a position alongside the other wraith. They were forming a combat formation, the troops gathering in front, the tanks in the rear. He turned and faced his marines as the flare faded out. The same expretions on their face, awe and terror.
He looked them over, and felt guilt. He had brought them here and got them into this, and now he had to get them out. He keyed the comm on his helmet, "Okay, listen up," he ordered, in the firmest voice he could manage, "The squad under my command needs to check ammo and and get your frags ready. Those bastards are going to try a frontal assault, so when I give the signal you open fire and cut as many of them down as you can," he ordered into the mike still trying to hold his firm voice,"Then once they get within grenade range, you send them to hell in about a hundred pieces, do you read me?"
"We read you sir!" they all replied steadily.
The Captain nodded then keyed his comm to the Lieutenants squad. "Okay you men who were under Halls command," he flinched as he said the Lieutenants name, "You wait for my signal, then you come in on the enemys flank and you cut them up real good, you get me?"
"Sir we get you sir!" came their reply.
The Captain lowered his hand, and looked at his men again. So young, and yet so willing to give their lives, he was proud of them, proud to serve with them, and would be proud to die with them. Suddenly a loud roar pierced the silence. His head whipped around to face the source of the noise. One of the larger creatures stared at the marines position, it let out a second blood curdiling battle cry, it's fists gesturing the enemy colum forward.
The enemy had formed into a rough colum, with the grunts at the head, then the jackled bringing up the middle, followed by the large, commander creatures. And as the large commander creature roared, the whole colum seemed to surge to life, all of them moving forward, crawling over debris but not slowing. The Captain watched them move forward as the wraiths mortars warmed and fired two large plasma rounds towards the marines.
The Captain raised his rifle. It was time.
The Captain took aim on one of the nearest grunt creatures as it scrambled through the debris, nearing the marines position. He let out a deep breath, and squeezed the trigger, hoping the rest of his squad would get his signal.
The rounds lept from the barrel, as the Captain let loose a ten round burst from his rifle. The small creature reeled backwards under the force of the rounds. It tried to regain it's balance but was sent tumbling backwards as the rest of the rounds slammed into it.
He then turned his rifle and sighted in on another of the grunt creatures, and fired another burst from his rifle. The rounds impacted on the creature causing it to stumble, but before the Captain could fire again, he heard the dry click of an empty magazine. He looked at the ammo counter, 00, is what it read.
He ducked behind the stone, his back propped up against the stone. He quickly ripped another clip from his web gear as he thumbed the clip release on his rifle, the empty clip falling to the ground as he slapped the full one into the recevier and rammed the bolt home.
He prepared to turn and face the enemy again as he heard a statico of gunfired rush towards the enemy. He smiled as he turned and propped himself up on the stone slab, but it quickly faded as he watched the plasma mortar rounds quickly decend towards the marines position.
Ha, Ha, Ha. I still love those drop off endings, hope you liked it.
Liberties Bell:The Battle that changed Draco 3:Part 6
Date: 31 July 2004, 8:17 PM
Hey guys, first I'd like to apologize for my 5th chapter(I wasn't to proud of it.)But this one will be better I swear.
The Captain stared at the bright projectiles as they grew closer. He quickly reached for his helmet and keyed his comm, "GET DOWN!" he screamed to his marines over the comm.
He then quickly ducked down behind the stone slab and covered his head with his free hand, as he curled his knees to his chest.
Two dull, thumps, rumbled the ground beneath him. Followed by to large explosians. Dust cascaded over the Captain, along with chunks of debris. He waited for the debris to stop falling, then slowly raised his head.
Two large, black, glassy looking craters had formed not but a few meters from his and the marines positions. He stared at them, knowing how close they had come.
Plasma rounds zipped up the hill as the enemy troops grew closer. The Captain shook his stare away from the plasma impacts, and faced the enemy colum. They had grown closer, still pushing through the debris and rubble toward the marines.
The Captain tracked their movements as he raised his rifle. He soon found his target, one of the large commander creatures. The Captain shouldered his rifle and took careful aim. He then slowly eased the trigger back, and fired a ten round burst towards the creature.
The rounds sped toward the creature, then reached it. There was a sudden moment of rejoice as the Captain watched the rounds impace, but it didn't last long. The rounds seemed to simply, bounce of the creature. There was a sudden flash of whitish light, then it faded. The creature had some sort of, shield, surrounding it.
The Captain stared in astonishment then fired again. The rounds simply didn't penetrate the shield, they seemed to just be deflected. The creature, quickened it's pace and raised a large arm towards the Capains position.
The Captains eyes widened as plasma rounds whizzed towards him. He quickly ducked behind the stone slab, looking at his ammo counter. It read, 41. The Captain couldn't believe he'd fired so many rounds at the creature, and yet none had pierced it's shields.
He looked back up over the slab, and terror filled him. The enemy colum was near the marines position, and closing fast. He keyed his comm, "Alright, you men under my command, get those frags ready and wait for my signal." he ordered quickly as he looked down to grab a frag.
But before he could, his eyes fell on a single grenade, lying on the ground. It was the one he had had to clear the shade bunker, just before Hall and Anderson had been.....
He flinched, and remebered the ambitious Lieutenant Hall and the wise-ass, Private Anderson. This one was going to be for them.
He keyed the comm again, "Alright you men on the right, you get ready to come in ####### my signal, got it?" he asked.
"We got it sir," they said quietly. The Captain could tell they were nervous. And so was he, if he didn't time this right, the whole right squad would come in to soon, and get blown away with the covenant.
He watched carefully as the enemy drew near. For an instant he looked back and saw the enemy wraiths warming up to fire again. He then retured his gaze to the enemy troops, and thought of all the men who had died to get here. Jennson, the men on the river, Hall, and Anderson. He had to make sure that their sacrifice hadn't been in vain.
He sat his rifle down on the ground, keyed his comm to all frequencies and pulled the pin from his frag.
"NOW"
The Captain, swung his arm around, and let the frag loose, bending his wrist at the last moment to direct to the enemy troops. It sailed through the air, losing hight as it neared the now close enemy colum.
His frag was the only one in the sky for a brief moment, when suddenly, more appeared as his marines sailed their grenades into the enemy colum.
Some of the enemy troops screamed and dove for cover, but to not much evail. A chouros of dull, thumps, followed by large clouds of dust and echoes of explosians ripped through the covenant colum.
The Captain snatched his rifle off the ground and prepared to key the comm. He watched the covenant soldiers, wide eyed and confused, rush around in circles, seeking cover from the rain of grenades peppering them.
The Captain rasied his rifle and sighted in on the nearest creature he could find. A jackle seem to land right in his line of fire. He squeezed the trigger, letting lose about sixteen rounds from his rifle. The rounds raced towards the jackle as it swung it's shield around.
The first few rounds slammed into the shield, bouncing off harmlessly. But the rest of the 7.62mm rounds impacted along the jackles flanks, near the niches in it's shields. The bird like creature reeled backwards, then collapesed on it's back.
As the Captain saw the jackle die, he moved his rifle to another target, when suddenly, rifle rounds flew at the covenant troops from the right, tearing into their flanks like butter. The Captain smiled, as the Lietuenants old squad cut the covenants right flank down to size.
He then sighted in on another of the jackle creatures, it's blue glowing shield distorting it's already ugly features. He let out a low breath and fired. The rounds flew at the creature, but upon reaching the creature the rounds simply bounced off the jackles shield. The Captain held the trigger down, watching the ammo counter quickly decend.
The jackle braced itself, hiding behind the shield. It quickly raised it's glowing plasma weapon to the niche in the shields side, and fired.
The Captain ducked quickly, as the charged plasma round slammed into the stone slab, causing it to smoulder. He thumbed the clip release on his rifle, as he looked at the ammo counter, 04, it read. He watched the near empty clip fall to the ground with a clack.
He quickly ripped a loaded clip from his web gear and rammed it into the reciever, and slammed the bolt back.
He then looked up and faced the firefight now raging. The covenant troops had spread out and were returning fire with high ferver. He prepared to take aim again as plasma and needle rounds sailed through the air madly, each seeking a target, when he noticed the two large plasma rounds arch into the sky just beyond the fight.
Oh no, he thought to himself as the mortar rounds arched into the air and began to decend towards the marines position. The Capain quickly keyed his comm to all frequencies, "Spread out and find cover!" he ordered to his men loudly over the comm.
He looked back at the firefight and watched the as covenant soldiers prepared to advance again. He quickly took action, standing quickly while bending his knees, he dove into a run. He ran as fast as he could, toward the chared remains of the bunker, as he neared it night became day. Heat blistered his back as he was thrown forward into the ruins of the bunker. A loud explosian echoed in his ears as one of the mortar rounds hit directly on top of the postion he'd just been crouching at.
The Captain landed head first in the rubble of the now destroyed bunker. He rolled once and landed on his back with a, thud.
He laid there motionless, his breath gone untill he found the strenght to roll over.
Before him was a scene of devistation. The marines postion was now a burning pile of rubble. He watched as a marine, his arm on fire ran into the open and was quickly gunned down by plasma fire.
The rest of the marines scrambled for cover as the covenant troops laid down a heavy suppresive fire. The Captain flinched, warm tears running down his cheek. This was his falt, and he had to do something. He slowly stood, pain stabbing at his body, he keyed his comm, "Walker," no reply came from his call, "Walker do you read me?" he called again.
"Yeah, I read you sir." came a weak reply.
"Walker, the Captain said into the mike, "Get that red flare ready."
There was a long pause, then the comm clicked, "Yes sir." Walker replied slowly.
The Captain turned to face the edge of the half destroyed bunker and was suddenly knocked backwards onto his back by a brilliant blue flash. He tumbled to the rear of the bunker. He opened his eyes, spots filled his vision, but something else filled his eyes.
The armoured leg of one of the commander creatures stood not but a few feet in front of him.
Hope this one was better, please post comments.
Liberty City: Part 1
Date: 31 December 2004, 8:53 PM
Authors note
Ok I know I've started a lot of projects in the past that I never finished, but I mean to finish this series and the new Rites of Passage series, come hell or high water.
Prologue
About this story
This story is going to be a little different than what everybody is used to. This is a documentery on a battle that took place on Draco 3 that began on August 5th 2532 and lasted for six months. It is the battle of Liberty City.
This story I thought of writting not only to add flavor to my Rites of Passage story which takes place around the same time frame, but also to add a new flavor to the site.
I hope you enjoy it.
September 23 2532
Military Calander
0630 A.M.
The mist curled away from the city lazily, slowly revealing what had once been a marvel of human engineering. Where once massive towers had looked down upon grand courtyards and plazas. And where once wide bridges had crossed the beatiful sparkling water of the Liberty River and it's various canals. And where once massive office buildings had provided a constant hub of trade and buisness flowing in and out of the city.
But as the mist faded and the city was revealed its' true form was exposed. Massive craters pock marked the once beautiful white streets and courtyards. The once massice towers stood cut off at the middle by days and nights of heavy artillary bombardment. The once proud buildings either lay in a heap of rumble, or stand roofless with jagged holes and craters masking locations for hidden enemy snipers.
Three days after operation Liberty began, the UNSC Air Corps had carpet bombed the city with flights of Longswords carrying scorpian high-explosive missles. But it had not been enough to drive the Covenant from the city. And now, as operation Green Machine began it was clear that this was going to be no easy fight.
The operation had been thought up by FleetCom brass, who of course only had to worry about the PR (Public Relations) department giving them hell about it. It consisted of five major Marine Corps regiments, the First Marines, the Third Marines, the Fourth Marines, the Sixth Marines, and the Fifth Marines.
The plan was to mobilize the Marine regiments into the city after two days of heavy bombing by the Air Corps and three days of artillary pounding by the armoured divisons. And then clean out the city via house to house fighting. It was a simple plan, one that even if successful was going to cost a number of Marine lives, but it was no skin off the Brasses nose, they'd just increase the draft rate.
The story behind Liberty City was simple. The Fleet had scored two major victories in the Colons system, one at Aatari 9 and one here at Draco 3. Because of that victory the Covenants Fleet presance had been decreased by a fair margin, and since they didn't have the forces to glass the planet, they landed their ground forces in an attempt to conquer the planet old fashioned style, and keep the UNSC from evacuating the civilian populace.
And of course, their first target had been Liberty city. Luckily the city was the first thing to be evacuated and the civilians were saved. But the Covenant decided to make the city their new home base, and of course FleetCom could not allow that and thus began this little epic struggle. Everyone knows that it has more or less turned into a big morality struggle. The Covenant believe that if they can win and throw the Marine presance back out of the city, it will crush moral and thus increase theirs giving them a tactical advantage. And FleetComs' view on it is more or less the same, if the Marines win, TV programs and newspapers all across the inner and outer colonies will be blaring the propaganda of the stunning human victory over the Covenant.
And thus the Battle of Liberty City was underway.
Lt. General William Hathoway stood upon one of the lush green hills over looking Libery City. It was one of many hills that expanded across the wide river valley in which the city was built, yet none of the hills interupted the flow of the river. The mile wide Liberty river flowed through the hills, cutting a smooth swath across the land, and flowing straight for the city.
But as it reached the city it was dissected into a series of canals and channels that flowed throughout the city. All of it would have been a breathtaking sight, if not for the bombed out, desolate look of the city. Gigantic colums of thick black smoke rose from the city, small orange dots pinpointed the locations of thousands of small fires sparked by the almost ceaseless bombing and arillary barrages.
The General turned and looked down the incline of the hill to his troops. Hundreds of faces looked up at him, young faces. The General knew what had to be done, yet he hated doing it. He opened his mouth, thousands of things rushed through his head, what to say and how to say it. But in the end he could say nothing, no words could tell what he wanted to say. Instead the General clicked his heals and raised his arm to his face in a salute.
Hundreds of Marine troops, young and old, high rank and low, immidently stood and returned the salute. "Semper Fi" came the cheer from the back and immidently it was joined by more, until it rose, like thunder.
"Semper Fi!"
"Semper Fi!"
"SEMPER FI!"
The General turned to his second in command a Lt. Colonel Richard Warrack.
"Move them out Colonel."
"Yes sir," the Colonel replied with a salute.
Two hours later four colums of Marine soldiers marched forward down the Hardale road, one of the only roads left intact after the Covenant attacked the city. Beside them road a single colum of M12 Troop Carrying warthogs and two colums of M12A1 LAAV's and a single three colums of M12 LRVs'. And bringing up the rear was a colum of M12G1 LAAVs'.
All of this consisted of the Fifth Marine regiment, which was only one fifth of the total Marine attack force. With all this and a total of two hunderd seventeen Marine pelican dropships on station at the Marine Air base in Canton, a small Marine controled town to the west a few miles, and the Fleet above, how could the Marines lose?
Authors note
Well I hope you liked this one, because I really like doing this one, and I hope it also helps you understand my Rites of Passage story. If you have any questions about this story or Rites of Passage just ask in the comments section.
Thanks for reading and I hope you like the next one too because by God I'm going to finish these two stories if it takes my entire life to do it.
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