| abstract
| - The world came hazily into focus for George. His breath loud in his ears, and the world oddly muffled. An explosion was set off to his right, and threw him back to the ground. A Warthog chassis fell to the ground next to him, creating a crater in the snow, the frame melted and twisted. His vision tinged with red, and a dull, throbbing pain emanated from his left wrist. Another explosion rocked his teeth, and shattered the windscreen of the already crushed Warthog. The sounds slowly came into focus, the dull explosions and rapid-fire sounds of a hundred machine guns firing at the oncoming horde of Covenant warriors. His right arm was pinned, but his fingers managed to close around his Silenced SMG. His ODST visor was cracked in 3 places, and a long gash went straight through the middle. He could barely see, so he discarded the helmet into the snow, that quickly covered it up as a blizzard was settling around the two engaging armies. His face was bitten by the extreme cold, and he could still feel the pain in his left arm. He looked down the length of his arm and saw that his wrist was twisted at an unnatural 70 degree angle. His shorn blonde hair was being ruffled in the wind, and his Right arm was still pinned. He looked at it, and saw the corpse of his LT, a Kevin Donavan. He pushed the corpse off of him, his vision finally returning to normal, so he could finally take in the battlefield around him. A trio of marines had taken cover underneath a crashed Pelican dropship, and a Tank was on a crest of snow, firing into the Covenant swarm. Another Marine ran past him, then another. The third one stopped, and stared at the ODST on the floor. George looked at the young Marine as he stood up, bracing his hands on an ice wall. The Marine took one last look at his squad running to the front, and rushed over to help George. 'Come on' The Marine said, placing George's left arm over his shoulder, and George and the Marine began a slow limp over to the UNSC's side of the Canyon. They were on the remote colony of Gamma IV, one of the UNSC's main scientific sites. It was also where most of the Titanium was mined from the dense crust of the planet. The Covenant had landed yesterday at 12:00 hours, and had immediately attacked the UNSC's main drilling station at one of the planet's poles. It was a canyon, with the drilling station spanning the whole length, with a drop off cliff into a -30 degree sea, with an ONI funded oil rig. No one really knew why ONI was so interested in the rig, but as long as the workers made their quota, the spooks would keep funding. George managed to limp over to the first-aid station, that was already filled. A Scorpion fired, rocking George to his bones, and he heard a distant explosion, coupled with another blast as a Wraith exploded. George was left outside, sitting on a stool, along with at least 30 others. One had a clump of snow pressed to his face, another was bandaged so much he looked like a mummy, and another one had his head in his hands, and blood was trickling through the fingers. One of his eyes was missing. George waited, while the Marine that had saved him went in and got another ice pack and a temporary cast for George's wrist. Another explosion echoed through the Canyon, that was separated into two parts. The Covenant controlled one side, and the UNSC controlled the other. The UNSC were slowly being divided and pushed either to the cliff's edge, or right to the door of the mining station. George and the Marine stayed there, every minute another wounded Marine limping, crawling, or being carried to the first aid station. An LT limped over, His arm cut from the top of his wrist to his shoulder, but it was burnt and cauterized, no doubt by a Covenant Energy sword. 'Officer on the deck!' George yelled, and those that could stand did, but the ones that were too severely wounded just gave him a knowing nod. The LT managed a weak laugh at the sorry sight of 30 saluting, wounded Marines 'At ease' He said. 'I've come from the front lines, where the UNSC has become entrenched, Literally, just 2 miles from this position. The Covenant are using their Wraiths as Impromptu artillery, and we're using the grenade launcher on a Wolverine as the same thing, and peppering them with Scorpion rounds' He finished, looking at each of them in turn. 'I need a volunteer to lead a scouting mission into enemy territory, and rescue a battalion of Marines Entrenched on the cliffs' George raised his hand, and the Marine that had helped him raised his hand as well. George's wrist wasn't feeling better, but he could still use a weapon and use it without too much strain. The LT sized them up, and said to them 'Thank you' Then walked into the tent, his Arm looking worse by the minute. The Marine gave him a gentle bump on the shoulder 'Just us two then?' George looked at him, and managed a smile 'Yep. I'm George by the way' He held out his good hand, and the Marine shook it 'Leeroy' He said, releasing his grip on the ODST's hand. They both looked towards the trenches, and saw tiny explosions of blue, white and crimson dancing over the crest. 'Think we can take them?' Leeroy asked, and the ODST grabbed his weapon from below his stool, that was already filled by a Marine without an arm. George cycled a bolt into his gun, and looked at Leeroy. 'Only one way to find out' He said, and ran towards the explosions. Leeroy sighed, and sprinted after him, his MA5C slung over his shoulder.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)