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Memories of a Dieing Soldier
Posted By: Spartan Elessar<noel_wolverine@yahoo.com>
Date: 6 March 2006, 10:27 pm


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Memories of a dieing Solider

Prologue



August 30, 2552

Orbital Defense Generator

Planet Reach

Sergeant Logan Kelso, a thirty eight years old soldier, looked out of his drench. All he could see was a covenant cruiser hovering over surface of Reach and unloading its ground force. He eased back into his pit and switched on his radio.

"This is Alpha, come in Charlie team. I repeat, come in Charlie Team," he barked. Nothing but static filled the radio.

"I don't think they made it sir," said a young marine, who sat with him inside the pit.

"Don't give up your hope," he whispered. Even though he knew the young marine, Kelly, was right, he refused to accept it. The thought made his stomach to dive uneasily.

Ever since the Covenant forces found out the humans, they have been invading their territories. They glassed the planets from their orbits, without mercy. Soldiers have died, burned and decayed trying to repel the Covenant forces. But so far they have none succeeded.

Human colonies fell under the Covenants extermination like a fly caught on a spider's web. None of the soldiers had hope; however, none was ready to accept it. There was still hope.

Planet Reach was the Human's strongest hold. None dreamed that it will be attacked by the aliens. But no one is left to say the otherwise.

A huge Covenant armada landed on the planet's doorstep and started to bombard it with their high power plasmas. This is what they call as 'Glassing a planet'.

When they glass a planet, they shoot this high power plasma on the planet's surface. This will melt any living creatures that lived on the land. The rivers, lakes, seas and oceans evaporate under the heat, causing the temperature to increase and within days – no, within hours, the planet will be void of any living things.

The same thing is happening to Planet Reach, thought Sgt. Logan miserably.

"I don't see any hope sir," complained the young marine. His voice had no expression and his face had no light. He looked like a living dead.

Logan turned around and met the young man's eye and said, "What are you talking about? You are still alive, I am still alive…now that's a bad news to those Covenants," he forced a smile, "There is always hope. Find it."

Kelly nodded his head and looked at his assault rifle.

"Charlie team, do you hear me? Over," he tried once again. There was no answer. He threw his radio in frustration and guilt.

Guilt – that's the word haunts him. He sends his own team into the mouth of death. This very thought disturbed him.

The orbital guns, a very powerful machine also called as MAC guns, are stationed on a planet's orbit. They are the defense system of a planet. Planet Reach has these guns all around its orbit.

These guns can punch a hole on a Covenant battle ship's shield. They can reload within seconds and can play tricks on any alien ships that happen to be on its track. Too many Covenant ships have fallen to its onslaught and some others are punctured badly too.

Therefore, the covenant has sent multiple amount of Covenant drop ships to the surface, so that they can take down the Orbital Defense Generators, which powers the MAC guns.

So marines have been stationed on all the Orbital Defense Generators for one purpose, save it by all cost. If the Covenant manages to destroy a Generator, it is equal to destroy a MAC gun to pieces.

So Sgt. Logan Kelso and his men were stationed on an ODG, facility B-207.

When a covenant drop ship landed near the facility, Logan sent his Charlie team to take them out. However, he didn't see the flank the aliens have set on the other side of the road. When the Charlie team disappeared into the woods to clear the threat, they disappeared forever – never to return.

"I give up," muttered Logan. All now that is left of Alpha team is he and Kelly.

"We two can't protect the ODG, we need back ups. Call for re-enforcement," ordered Logan. His face was grim and tired.

Kelly picked the radio and did as Sergeant ordered. After few minutes, he gave Logan a negative answer.

"That's it, I am going in. I can't wait till they come and get us. I am taking the fight to them. Load up Kelly. We are gonna fight together or we die together," he smirked and loaded his MA5B Assault rifle.

The ammunition read full, he checked his own armory. They had two M90 Shotguns (Which is gas powered, and fires 8 gauge magnums), three M6D pistols (has 12.7 mm) and two SSM Rocket launchers, which has two high explosive 102 mm rockets.

"Take the rocket launchers, a shotgun, Fragmented grenades and extra clips for your MA5B," said Logan to Kelly, and he obeyed.

Logan took some extra clips for his Assault rifle, picked up a rocket launcher and grabbed some of the Covenant's plasma grenades. He checked his weaponries one last time and gave a move-out sign.

Sgt. Logan and Kelly jumped up from their pit and crouched to the nearby trees. The B-207 Facility is located inside a forest's clearing. So they were surrounded by trees, which once was green and lively. Mountains covered the background. The sky was unusually pale and air was hot.

Sweat dripped from Logan's forehead, the temperature increased every minute. This is not his first experience, he has been and seen Covenant's glassing before. However, he escaped, he was not so sure about this time.

Both the soldiers leveled themselves to the ground and watched the alien's battle cruiser through their binoculars.

The silver ship was hovering over a hundred feet above the ground and a huge purple light was connecting the belly of the ship and the ground. Troops were unloaded through the bright light.

Hundreds of them landed on the surface. Covenant warriors differed; they consist of Elites, Jackals, Grunts and the soldier's nightmare – Hunters.

They all formed a camp within their territory and waited, for what? Logan wondered.

"You see that shade soldier?" he pointed a Covenant's stationary gun, which was located near a tent. Kelly shifted his focus to it and nodded.

"That tent, near the shade, has Covenant weapons, I think. I am pretty sure they have loads of these Plasma grenades," he took one from his jacket and showed it. "If we shoot at the Shade, it will explode like a balloon and will cause a chain reaction to those grenades. That fire power can kill those pair of hunters," he whispered.

"Once we clear those guys, we are gonna use our remaining rockets to take down those immobile banshees. Then we move in and unleash a hell among them," he stopped and fixed his eye on Kelly's. "Son, I am not gonna say that we will make out of here alive. This is a one way ticket. Are you ready for this?"

Kelly took a moment to look at the sergeant's face and the Covenants. "Sir, I am with you. Lead the way," he replied briskly and gave a wearied smile. Logan returned a smile and turned away.

"On my mark!" Logan said and steadied himself. "Mark"

Kelly and he got up and shot their 102 mm high power rockets towards the Shade.

The rockets impacted the shade and blew it up into pieces. The explosion and fire did exactly as Logan intended, started a chain reaction. The Grenades blew in unison and knocked the pair of Hunters out of the action.

This sudden attacked startled the Covenant's ground force. The grunts and jackals looked around nervously. The Elites ran towards their banshee, unfortunately those flying machines exploded into plumes of fire, when another pair of rockets impacted.

Logan and Kelly threw their empty SSM Rocket launcher and divided into the mist of the aliens – mist of death.

Shards of needles and plasma hit the soldiers squarely on their chests. Both fell down the moment the needles exploded.

Kelly died on the spot, with a heavy plasma burn on his face and chest. Logan took the hit on his lower side of the stomach and fell down paralyzed.

Pain washed through his body. He could feel the burned skin and flesh but he couldn't move. His spine ran cold and his head ached. His mouth twitched as blood leaked out. The only thing that stirred was his eyes.

All he could see was the belly of the Covenant's battle ship. His vision faded for a second and came back. He could hear his low heart beat. Things seemed to move slowly to him. He felt disoriented.

White lights flashed in front of him. It flashed with every heart beat. He could feel his muscles tighten and relax.

The light was bright and it blinded him for a full second. He closed his lid and opened it, the light was there. The sound of the Covenant, the battle, the fire went mute. Everything was silent.

An unusual peace came over him and he was free of pain. How?

"...Someone once told me that before you die, you see your whole life in front of you. Is that what I am seeing now?...Maybe"





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