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The Ghosts by grylsy



1st Special Forces group
Date: 6 April 2003, 8:29 AM

1st Special Forces group (the Ghosts)

The sleek black fighter floated gently in space, slowing moving towards the Stationary Covenant Battle cruiser. The fighter was running silent. The pilot of the fighter spoke into his headset.
"Ok, Ghosts, we will reach the cruiser in 30 seconds, please answer me with your reply." Five rough and worn voices were heard over the radio,
"Let's rock!"
"Damn straight!"
"Cocked, lock and ready to rock!"
"Ready as I'll ever be!"
"There better be some tough covenant on broad that ship, I'm sick of all those pansies we've been fighting!"
The voice ceased. The 1st Spec Ops were the UNSC's closest thing to a SPARTAN IIs without the high costs, they were highly trained marines who had fought many battles and only lived to smell the smell of cordite and the sounds of bone and sinew. The most elite group were known as the 'Ghosts' as their uniform was almost completely undetectable in darkness allowing them to sneak up onto their targets, the 'Ghosts' were the first of hundreds of Spec Op troop yet these were the most elite unit in the Special Operations Division.

The 'Ghosts' uniform was completely black, sleek and mean, if you saw one of these soldiers you'd probably shit yourself! The uniform consisted of completely black fatigues with black combat webbing, to hide their faces the marines wore black balaclavas and had a high-tech night vision head set sitting gently on their heads for easy reach and could be turned on in a second, black gloves hid the marines hands and kept them warm from extreme cold temperatures. They had a motion tracker OpSat HUD on their left arm, they had many pouches and pockets on their load carrying vests, they carried extra equipment such as abseiling ropes and Flash Bang non-fragmentation devices when they needed to take out an enemy without lethal force. Their weapon wasn't a MA5B Assault Rifle, but they used a very simular weapon, an MA5A rifle, basically it was 5.56mm ss (sub-sonic) version of the MA5B, it's sub-sonic ammo meant it could have a surpresser/silencer attached to the barrel and the only sound that could heard when the gun was fired was the sound of the bolt of the gun ejecting spent cartridges. The 5.56mm ammo meant that the spread (when the weapon is fired on full auto the areas where the bullets hit is a smaller area) is tighter and accurate, the size of the bullet also meant that 70 bullets could put into one magazine. Along with the SAW as soldiers nicknamed the MA5A because of it's high rate of fire and seemed to cut through the enemy. They also used M6D pistols, but instead of the weapon being around 7 ½ inches long it is changed to about 15 inches as a silencer is added for use by Special Forces aka the 'Ghosts'. One of the five 'Ghosts' in the passenger area of the fighter had a MA5B2, it was still a 7.62mm weapon though, the gun had only a 20 round clip and fired in semi-auto, it has a 8X zoom scope on it and it's barrel was extended from barely being an inch long was changed to 6 inches and made it accurate and was favoured by the 'Ghosts' as it was also silenced and can kill a Elite in one shot to the head.


The men in the passenger seats were readying themselves for the breeching manoeuvre to take place in boarding the Covenant Battle cruiser and retrieving any information about the disappearance of the Pillar of Autumn and it's crew, even though the SPARTAN and the AI said it was because of some enemy they called 'The Flood.' The High command thought the Covenant might have intercepted some messages about this enemy and that humanity could learn more about it and use it against the Covenant. The superiors wanted planets, star systems that contained this enemy found so they can try and harness their power, even though the cyborg tried to tell them the Flood could kill all life in the galaxy the pleas feel on deaf ears. And this what the 'Ghosts' were here to do, board the vessel obtain any information about the flood and then look for any targets of opportunity such as information on the Covenant home world or anything also valuable they may even get to disable the cruiser!

The leader of the 'Ghosts' Lieutenant Shane Flanders was in charge of this operation. Flanders spoke into his throat mike
"Ok team, when the smoke clears switch to NV and use laser sights to help aim and don't let anything get away, we must maintain the element of surprise 'cause we can get killed pretty easily if they know we're here, so Muller" said Flanders pointing to Corporal Hans Muller, the sniper with the MA5B2. "I want you and Akira to take out the power generator and then we will show these covenant bastards how real marines fight!" Ress Akira took this in and continued back to putting bullets into magazines and then placing the full magazines in his pouches.
"Lighten up laddie!" Yelled the Burly 'Ghosts' siting next to Akira, his name was Earl Enfield, Earl just had a SAW and a M6D.
"Whoa?" said Akira turning up from his pouches.
"Don't look so scared, you've done this thousands of times in the simulator the only difference is that the Covenant will be using live plasma bolts!" replied Earl.
" Yeah true, Enfield."

"Impact in 5 seconds get ready!" Called the pilot's voice over the radio earpieces in the 'Ghosts' ears.
"I didn't sign up for this!" yelled the last marine of the group, Chris Duncan gripping his SAW tightly and kissing his good luck charm which was his M6D which had saved him on numerous occasions.
BAMM!
The Fighter hit the Covenant ship, hard causing a loud thump to echo in the fighter's interior. On the fighter it had a large cylinder shape on it's top for use by the 'Ghosts' to enter ships. Shane climbed the ladder up to the cylinder and initiated the cutting sequence and a slight hum could be heard cutting away at the cruiser's airtight hull, soon a light flashed green and Shane called back down to his men.
"Alright guys com'on up!" The men scrambled off their seats and were ready to rush up the ladder into the ship. "
Ok, I'll go first, Earl second, Akira third, Chris fourth and Muller last. Ok let's hit it marines!" Whispered Shane slowly opening the hatch and stepping silently in the hole made by the laser. A technological 'brum' sound could be heard as the Night Vision goggles were switched on, it surprisingly still very dark on the Covenant ship already, but even the most well sited Elite could see a black shape half-running towards it with an silence Assault rifle. Shane looked around in his NV goggles they were the kind which make viewing seem in black and white, he saw nothing in the room except bare walls and a few battered ghosts sitting on the floor.

"Team move up!" Informed Shane to his squad. In a few seconds a man looking the exact same as the first moved right next to Shane and then a third and a forth and finally a fifth the only exception was he had another rifle on his back and snuck in larger strides then the others. Shane pointed to a door and three of the men broke from the group and ran half-crouch, guns up to the door, one of the men gave Shane the thumbs up and Shane and the 'Ghost' with the extra rifle came trailing along after him. The men opened the door and they stepped silently into the corridor it was a little bit darker here and Covenant voices could be heard, one of the men pressed his back up against the wall and leaned around the corner and brought his MA5A to bare on an Elite walking towards the group, the elites shiny blue armour reflected off the dim light.
THWAT THWAT THWAT were the sounds heard when the marine who was Akira fired a three round burst at the Elite's head, thud, the Elite's limp body hit the ground only 15 metres away from where Akira fired the shots from. Muller broke cover and snuck gracefully to the still warm corpse and heaved it over his shoulder and snuck back with the body and dumped it back in the room they entered the ship from. The only exception of the room was that there was now two fully armed 'Ghost' pilots lying down with their MA5A trained at the door and NV goggles on their heads. Muller gave a gesture to the pilots '60' minutes and then after that the pilots were to lift of with or without the other 'Ghosts'. Muller rejoined the team in the corridor and continued to the end of the corridor every now and then the noises that could be heard would be THWAT THWAT THWAT, thud the body hits the ground and the 'Ghosts' hide it and this went on till the 'Ghosts' made it too the control room of the ship on the same floor which they landed on.

Duncan moved slowly to the door, which lead into the control room. He opened the door and he saw the most magnificent room he had ever seen beautiful light purple walls with the dim light reflecting off it's surface then he finally noticed the shape that would end his life, the shape of a stealth Elite running towards him. Duncan gave a scream as the Elite turned on his plasma sword, Akira and Muller both saw this, Akira raised his MA5A and Muller un-holstered his MA5B2 and trained it's sight on the Elite no less than 3 metres away from Duncan. Duncan let fly with a entire clip but hit nothing but air as the Elite ducked and side stepped away from these, the Elite moved back out of sight, Muller gave a curse.
"FUCK! How did you miss that Duncan, for Christ sake now we can't even see him any more he'll be right at home in this darkness!" Muller stopped looking at Duncan furiously.
"I didn't see you guys trying to help! Hey where's Eric?" Everyone looked around for Eric he was no where to be seen, only four black clad soldiers were standing in the doorway now.
******************************
Eric moved silently through the control room, he had just gone in here as Muller started going off at Duncan. Eric had his MA5A held tight up against his shoulder scanning the dim floor around him.

The Elite just stood there looking around for any humans to kill it had it's plasma sword holster and was just standing there staring at the door, where the marine tied to shoot him. The Elite didn't notice it, but one of the humans had snuck around behind him and was about to pounce, the last thing the Elite saw and felt was the icy cold metal silencer pressing gently into it's temple, the Elite sighed.
"Dodge this mother fucker!" Yelled Eric as he pulled the trigger, the Elite; even though it was in it active camouflage had not tricked the experienced marine as he just looked for the shiny reflective surface which indicated the camouflage; toppled over, the look of defeat was in it's dead eyes which could be seen as the camouflage deactivated as it's user was now dead. Its body hit the ground with a thud. Muller spoke into his throat microphone.
"Room's clear move up!"




That is the end of the first part of this story, please comment what you think of it!



1st Special Forces group part 2
Date: 10 April 2003, 7:33 AM

1st Special Forces Group (The Ghosts) Part 2

"Room's clear move up!" informed Eric as he cleaned the purple blood of his M6D's silencer barrel and scanned the room for any more stealth Elites. The four 'Ghosts' who were Duncan, Shane, Muller and Akira moved through the door and entered the room.
"Holy shit, will you look at that, Eric nailed an Elite," cried Akira.

"Yeah least he can!" Muller gave Duncan a bad look then turning back to the dead Elite on the ground.
"Enough!" Shane stepped over to Duncan,
"Don't worry everyone stuffs up every now and then we're only human."
"Yeah that's why we're loosing the war," said Muller under his breath not daring to look at his angry commander. Eric had left the group again and had walked over to the centre of the room it was weird, their was a circular hole in the deck and suspended above it was another circle which housed the ship's controls and instruments.
"You guys might wanna take a look at this!" Eric looked at the multiple holograms and screens showing the ship's status and speed, which was 0 as it was repairing a damaged fusion core.
"They won't leave this place unattended for long," so Duncan got to work typing fast and looking at the screens trying to find some files about the flood and any information about the Covenant home world.
"Gotcha," exclaimed Duncan as he pointed to one of the screens.
'What does it say numb-nuts? Not all of us can read Alien you know!" Muller traded Glances with Akira after he had said that.
"It says 'Flood files found 3' you want to watch what we're risking our necks for?"
"Might as well," said Shane looking around the room, if the Covenant do come they could hold this ground easily and escape to darkness by jumping down into the circle shape and hiding in the shadows.

Duncan hit some keys and a high-resolution tape started to play.

"If anyone hears me," a rough and worn face of an African American Marine was staring at the camera on his helmet. He was sweating fast and constantly looking around, he held a M6D in his right hand and the helmet in his left. The marine continued.
"Don't come here, death lives here, I do not know where the rest of my squad are, most likely those things took them, yet I cannot confirm this, I see some mangled corpses of my brothers-in-arms in the enemies ranks.
"At first I thought this was the Covenant's doing but eventually I notice dead Elites in their ranks so I, Corporal James Logan of Fire Team Zulu, came to the conclusion that this enemy is some sort of parasite it takes dead bodies and uses them against us, I can't see any but I can here them." The marine looked around he was surrounded by snow and was hiding behind a rock, they slight gurgle sound could be heard.
"Hear that? That's the sound they make, it's how they communicate, and some of these mutated bodies I've seen have been... eaten and I cannot explain why, I only know that these things are after me, I can sense them and they are very close. I feel trapped, like this entire ring has been overrun with these things, it's been hour since I've heard other voices, yet I can't stop thinking about the voices of my friends and fellow marines over the radio, the voices stopped a little over an hour ago." The helmet in the marine's hand turned towards the sky and the magnificent ring could be seen. "See, that's the ring I am on, I tried to call someone to answer me but I only hear static, I only have a few clips left and then I'm out of shells," the marine started to cry, "I don't think I'll make it out of this, well I think I'm the only one left, I think even the SPARTAN that I heard men talking about on the radio is dead, because if he wasn't dead wouldn't he try and save me? Well this menace draws ever closer to my position and I can not tell you anything more about this enemy yet, I'll give you some close ups up of them, when I'm dead, I'll wear this helmet and drive the Warthog which I saw only 20 metres away and I'll drive that to were I first saw this enemy..."

Then without warning a green coloured mutant jumped over the rock the marine was hiding behind, it was twisted and eaten as the marine said, it had a MA5B in it's clutches and now the marine had put the helmet on and you could see from his point of view, Logan raised his pistol and fired 5 bullets into the monster, the bullets went straight through it but it did fall down, dead, again. The marine picked up the dead thing's rifle and ran from cover, he had also been right about that they were chasing him, hundreds of the mutants could be seen waiting dor him to break cover, he ran to the Warthog, he made it and drove off in the Warthog, then suddenly, the camera went jolting forward and the Warthog slowed down to a halt. It became clear that he had just been killed, for several minutes through the marine's camera pictures of the mutants could be seen, firstly lifting his body out of the car and then, little green squids started to jump on his body and dig into his corpse. Then after a hour of tape, which Duncan had fast forwarded to, the marine started to move again the men watching the tape were stunned, then without warning the entire area on the screen went white and then the camera went blank.

"Holy shit! Did you see that!" exclaimed Duncan, eyes fixed to the screen.
"Yeah I did, and I wish I hadn't now," Muller said.
"Want to see the other two sir?"
Might as well it seems our Covenant friends are having trouble," Shane refereed to the screen on the left with the flashing lights saying 'newly inserted fusion core is unstable and needs replacing'.

Duncan Clicked on the second record, this was also in human format.

One weird thing though was that it was a human recording, it belonged to a Private Wallace A. Jenkins. (That's right the one Chief watched and I will just put what HBO put down as it is easier to understand then my wild writing!) It seems Chief was sending this live so the remaining marines could see what they were up against and the Covenant must have picked it up as well.

MENDOZA: Why do we always have to listen to this old stuff, Sarge?
SARGE: Watch your mouth, son. This "stuff" is your history. It should remind you grunts what we're fightin' to protect.
MENDOZA: Hey... if the Covenant wanna wipe out this particular part of my history, that's fine by me.
BISENTI: Yeah... better it than us.
SARGE: You ask 'em REAL nice next time you see 'em Bisenti. I'm sure they'll be happy to oblige.
DROPSHIP PILOT GS1: LZ looks clear! I'm bringing us down!
SARGE: Go go go!
FFW
PLAY
(The squad advances through the swamp towards the same structure Chief was in then)
SARGE: Stay close Jenkins!
(They reach the entrance and sweep their weapons across it, wary)
SARGE: Mendoza! Move it up!
(Mendoza advances in a crouch, gun at the ready)
SARGE: (To Jenkins) Wait here for the Captain and his squad, then get your ass inside.
JENKINS: Sir!
SARGE: Okay, let's move!
FFW
PLAY
(The squad stands around a dead Elite. Its stomach is torn open)
MENDOZA: -which is weird, right? I mean... look at it. Something... scrambled the insides.
SARGE: What's that? Plasma scoring?
MENDOZA: Yea... I dunno. Maybe there was an accident. You know friendly fire or something?
(Captain Keyes approaches the squad)
KEYES: What do we have, Sergeant?
SARGE: Looks like a Covenant patrol. Badass elite units, all KIA.
KEYES: Real pretty. Friend of yours?
MENDOZA: Na, we just met.
FFW
Play
(The squad, along with Keyes and his own squad, stand around a locked door-the one chief has just come through)
KEYES: Right. Let's get this door open.
MENDOZA: I'll try Sir. But it looks like these Covenant worked pretty hard to lock it down.
KEYES: Just do it, son.
MENDOZA: Yes, Sir.
(Mendoza removes a device with a keypad on it from his pocket and sticks it to the door. He punches a few keys, and the door opens. He waves the squad through. Jenkins takes point through the door, and the rest of the squad fans out around him)
BISENTI: I got a bad feeling about this...
SARGE: Boy, you always got a bad feelin' about SOMETHIN'.
MARINE GS2: (Over radio) Captain, Sarge... can you hear me?!
KEYES: What's going on, soldier?
MARINE GS2: We've got contacts...lots of them...but they're not covenant...they're just tearing through us...what the!...ooooohhh...nooooo!!
SARGE: Corporal? Do you copy, over? (No response) Mendoza, get your ass back up to Second Squad's position, and find out what the hell is goin' on.
MENDOZA: But, Si-
SARGE: I don't have time for your lip, soldier! I gave you an order.
MENDOZA: Sarge! Listen!
(An odd hissing noise grows louder and louder)
BISENTI: What is THAT?
SARGE: Where's that comin' from, Mendoza?
MENDOZA: Everywhere... I don't-there! Mira!
(Mendoza points to a nearby door, which has just exploded outwards. Small squid-like creatures pour from it)
BISENTI: Ahh... augh! Get it off!
(Bisenti lies on the ground, one of the squid-like creatures attached to his face)
MENDOZA: Hold still, hold still!
SARGE: Let 'em have it!
(The Marines open fire, to little effect)
KEYES: Sergeant, we're surrounded!
SARGE: Goddamnit Jenkins, fire your weapon!
JENKINS: There are too many, Sarge!
SARGE: Don't even think about it, Marine!
MENDOZA: Yo this is loco!
KEYES: Get back here, Marine! That's an order!
SARGE: Jenkins!
(Squid-things attack Jenkins and block his helmet cam. After a moment he falls over, and the screen blacks out. After another moment, words flash in red)
Unexpected Halt X (WND/INCAP/KIA/#'s)
End Record View (#'s)



"Whoa, Duncan copy this to a disk, we don't have time to watch it we gotta go we only got 26 minutes to get back to the Ship" said Shane shaking his head coming back to the present.
Duncan copied the files and then the marines moved out. Then with out warning the dors on the left and right of the circle they we're standing on open to reveal the ship's captain and his crew coming back. Shane had totally forgot to check the screen about the fusion core on it again, it now said 'fusion core operation.'
"This ain't good!" exclaimed Eric cocking his Assault rifle.

The ship's captain, who was a Golden Elite, growled at the five black clad soldiers, it seemed he didn't know that these were humans. Duncan gestured to Shane, the dim lights; Shane nodded his head not daring to reach for his Assault Rifle. Duncan slowly started to type on the keyboard, he was searching for files 'light generator' he found two, it seemed one was for the lower levels and one for the higher.
"Ah, sir, which one?" Duncan asked Shane,
"Both of them!"
Duncan hammered down on the confirm key and all the lights on the Battle cruiser went blank.

The Elite barked something as Duncan smashed the holo-keyboard's controller and it went dead. All the 'Ghosts' had their night vision goggles placed on their head and were already running to the door, the Elites and Grunts had poor vision in the dark, yet the Jackals could see them because of their thermal imaging. Muller stopped and shoulder his MA5B2 and fired off three rounds at the Jackals and killed two of the three and wounding the last one, Akira turned and threw a M9 DP grenade at the Alien ranks. The grenade detonated killing the Captain and his five Elite bodyguard, the remaining Grunts and the Jackal ran out of the room squabbling at each other.
"Ok, let's get moving!" Yelled Shane as he led his men out of the room.



That is the end of this part as well, hope you enjoyed it, and please tell me what you think.



1st Special Forces Group part 3
Date: 22 October 2003, 11:22 AM

1st Special Forces Group (The Ghosts) Part 3

The Ghosts ran out of the Command Centre and ran back the way they came every few steps Akira or Duncan would turn around and fire a long burst form their assault rifles at the Covenant pursuing them up the long dark narrow corridors. They ran for nearly 200 metres then Shane stopped suddenly, raising his hand with his fist clenched; the stop single. The team stopped at once, Shane looked around closely, and he knew something was not right, he changed the magazine in his MA5B Assault rifle, the magazine hit the floor with a thud, it was sound even though not very loud, but it stood out in the dead silence of the huge covenant battle ship, it was a sound which would have awoken the dead if they were on board...

The massive beast moved slowly up the corridor followed by another on its kind, huge metallic shield held over its body like a medieval knight, its lance was a fuel rod gun, its green battery packs illuminating its tiny eyes which were basically white dots. They were some 50 metres behind the human party; they were big but fast for their size. The second 'Hunter' as they were called slipped on some spent assault rifle casings, a slight thud followed by the rattling of empty cartridges was enough to make Akira look back up the corridor.

Shane notice Akira looking up the corridor,
"What is it soldi..."
"SHHH!" hissed Akira, "there's something up there". Shane flicked his head forward causing his NV goggles to slide of his face, he turned on his goggles and notice two huge objects walking slowing up behind them,
"FUCK! HUNTERS! EVERYONE TO GROUND!" Yelled Shane, the marines obeyed hitting the floor hard to hide themselves from the hunters view.

The first hunter looked ahead, darkness, constant darkness, not even a slight dim just pitch black. It was a disturbing tho8ught, your enemy could be 8 feet away from your face and you'd never know it. The only source of light the light green dim of the fuel rod gun battery packs.

Shane could see two sources of light, most likely the battery packs for the hunters' weapons, the Hunters continued their advance.
"Ok men get up and walk very quietly towards the cargo bay." Shane explained moving extremely fluidly, the men followed him, only a few hundred metres to go, they hoped.

Walter Hughes and Jack Brown lay prone out side the hatch into the jet black fighter plane, they looked constantly at the door, its hinges glowed a dark red showing the door was closed, they waited, hands gripping their rifles until their knuckles turned white with pain, this was dangerous, Shane and his team should have been by now, it had already passed the fifteen minutes Shane had allowed but they heard gunfire and explosion every now and then so they knew they were alive and coming back, hopefully with something useful.

"Hey Walter, I'm going to check the door again, OK?" Asked Brown
"Sure" replied Walter, Brown got up moving slowly to the door. He moved to the door just as the red trim changed to a white, SOMEONE WAS OPENING THE DOOR! Brown jumped to the left behind one of the ghosts, the door opened 3 figures stood there, Shane's back thought Walter slowly standing up waving his hand, one of the figures, head turned to one side looking at the moving silhouette with great interest.
"Get the fuck down Walter there Covenant!" Yelled brown who had a better view, the three Elites' red armor gleamed in the white dim light, Brown was about to open fire when a familiar voice boomed down the corridor, the Elites stood there taking in the words,
"Are you going to sue those guns or whistle Dixie?" yelled Shane down the corridor, the Elites looked up the corridor to where the voices came from,
"Ah, well fuck you too!" yelled Muller down the corridor, then suddenly laughter broke out from up the corridor,
"That was a good one Muller!" replied Akira,
"Stuff the formal shit lets just do our job men!" yelled Shane. The Elites still thunder stroked, just stood there wondering what had just happen when five MA5B assault rifles open up and started spitting red hot lead at a frightening 1200 rounds per minute at the three elites, like killing a daddy long legs with a sledge hammer, you kill them but what a mess! The three Elites dropped to the floor in a mix of curses and blood filled throat gurgles. Brown and Hughes just lay there looking at the dead aliens, when suddenly five figures of smaller build than the elites moved into the room, their weapons searching the room for targets,
"It is ok Hughes its Shane!" yelled Brown standing up, a childish grin no his face,
"You guys really know how to make an entrance you know?"
"Tell me about it" replied Duncan, "Ok can we please go home now?"
"Yes Duncan, we can!" Replied Muller already walking towards the airlock, everyone else followed him. Soon they were all inside the fighter and speeding away from the Covenant warship, they were safe, they had done what they set out to do and now they could return home with honor. Duncan pulled out the disk throwing it to Shane,
"HQ better like it cause we aren't going back!" said Shane placing the disk in his left breast pocket. So ends another Successful mission of the Ghosts. And that's the end of that chapter!

Thanks for waiting so long to read this, been really busy, just got new pc and started playing Counter Strike, Unreal 2, UT 2003 and an old game Original War and totally forgot about my stories, and I fully intend to finish my long time gone series, it may take some time but it will happen! So tell me what you guys (and girls) think...





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