- commander tempu
- |
- Noble Member
"Life to you stepson and everlasting glory. " Thifes World.
Task Force Hues arrived just a half a mile from the bridge with out incident two hours later. Captain Richard Hues had much to think on during the trip. Athena tried to lighten the mood with a few dirty jokes or Anecdotes. Yet Richard agonized over every loss during this war starting with the more recent. His memories were filled with many men and women he served with over the years that gave the ultimate sacrifice so others can live. Was he a outdated relic in this war ? Or was he a survivor living with the guilt that wracked him constantly. Answers were not forthcoming.
He knew that the Convent won't give up easily. Athena gave him tactical updates on the status of the bridge on his displays. Her voice sounded sad as she spoke. " The engineers are having difficulty working on it due to two Convent bombarding them. Combat teams are trying to suppress the Convent but they are taking losses to snipers and Renovates." His tactical displays changed as a recon drone flew over on his Topographical map over the bridge before getting shot down.
" I am detecting two large objects approaching from behind us. possibly Scarabs Captain. Also the enemy has Banshees engaging our air cover for the Engineers. Situation is desperate. Estimates for for the Scarabs are two hours behind us. This does not give us much time to suppress the enemy. I am marking targets as we approach Captain." Athena highlighted targets on the cameras as red boxes.
They were in visual range of the bridge. Richard keyed up the com. " Bravo Four to all units. Combat units are to fallow my lead. X-Ray units are to stay out of sight. until we have suppressed enemy forces so we can cross the bridge. He could see several Falcon Gunships engaging Banshees over head. A Pelican sat on his side of a bridge serving as supply point for the Engineers. Engineers were hanging off the underside of the bridge wearing harnesses setting charges or trying to reinforce the support structure.
Richard could see the remains of two Warthogs burning on the bridge. Four Reinvents wreathed the bridge with plasma bombardments attempting to hit a Engineer. Jackals could be seen trying to snipe the engineers behind cover of other Jackals with shields. Return fire from UNSC Troopers covering the engineers was swift. That was all about to change. He centered his Gauss cannon on a Reinvent. It exploded killing the two Elites crewing it. His tanks fired there shells destroying all but one Renovate.
Both Warthogs raced ahead one firing salvos of rockets blasting Jackals to what ever hell they believed in. More heavy fire drove back remaining Convent forces or they were blown to pieces by his task forces heavy guns. They approached the Pelican when a sergeant approached the side of his tank. Task Forces Hues remaining vehicles moved forward to cover the Pelican. Banshees retreated as well leaving the skies clear for now. Falcons landed near the pelican to conserve fuel.
Popping the hatch he watched the young trooper climb on his tank. " Sir i am glad you showed up when you did. Those Covy's dropped in a light force to deal with us. Right now the engineers are fixing the bridge to get you across." waving a hand at the bridge with dead bodies on it. " You have two hours to get it ready because two Scarabs are right behind us." Richard nodded at the sergeant. Who hoped down off the tank now to speak with his men.
It was a long wait yet Richard had much to do. He sat down in the tanks soft seat with the hatch open letting fresh air in the cockpit. First of all he had suspected the Covys were chasing him for a very good reason. Asking Athena about it she evaded his questions. " Why are the Convent trying to stop us. ? " Her imaged shrugged. " They are using allot of resources to stop us sir." He got angry. " Don't play me Athena, you are not telling me something." He stabbed a finger at her with his good hand.
" Captain i have sensitive information that needs to get back to Command." He shook his head in disbelief." So were expendable.? Those Covys are going to be on us before we get across the Bridge. This information must be Classified above top secret. So I'm initiating Protocol Zero. Tell me what kind of information you have."
Athena Hesitated. " I need a password to Initiate Protocol Zero." Captain Hues said it aloud. " Delta three Zulu nine six six." Athena's tone went flat." Accessing Data." Then her tone went back to normal. " Sensitive information on Special Warfare Command. Training, Operations. R & D, Medical Files, Troops on Deployments and Combat Operations. Per Protocol Zero mandates i am to ready my self for extraction. Before i do, you have access to an air strike. The systems here will give updates."
Captain Hues took the A.I. chip out of his tank. Climbing off the Gauss Scorpion he looked up at the late afternoon sun with a sigh. Then walked over to the Sergeant he spoke with before.
" I want you to get this A.I. to the Pillar of Steel. Fly directly to it once the engineers evac with you. We don't have much time get my men across. Get those engineers out of there have them get those experimental vehicles before we try the tanks. You have till the Convent show up to blast us to hell."
In a short time with the Engineers help, most of his forces were across. Scorpions waited the go ahead. Engineer signaled a Scorpion to move foward. The first one went across slow as made it with out any problems yet the bridge groaned. As the Second one moved across the Convent showed up in Drop Ships. Three Banshees banked in firing deadly plasma bolts. One struck a Falcon on the ground. Two fired at the Scorpion blowing it to pieces. Soldiers piled into the Pelican as the second Falcon lifted off engaging Banshees.
It seems the Bridge had enuff abuse. Metal twisted as support beams fell fifty feet into the river below leaving a fifteen foot gap in the middle. too large for a Scorpion to jump. The Pelican VTOL jets lifted it off the ground as Richard fired shots at the Banshees giving it time to take off before the Covies decided to blow that up also. He opened a Channel. " Bravo Four to Task Force Hues keep going. Don't stop for anything. Blow the bridge soonest." Both Scarabs arrived as Task Force Hues moved off heading to the ship. Richard had been waiting in his tank for this moment. " Sir We cant blow it i think some how the demo got disconnected when the bridge fell."
He changed channels to those reserved for air strikes. " This is Bravo Four to whom ever is squawking on this channel i need an Air Strike now." Few seconds past as he fired at the Scarab His Gauss shell blew a hole in the leg armor. One Fired at him with the Ultra Heavy Plasma Cannon. His tanks armor melted like hot wax. His panels exploded. Popping the hatch he ran for it as both Scarabs blasted his tank. He fell from the explosion. " Bravo Four we need coordinates." He painfully rolled over as the Scarab's were moving past. " Dammit.! Echo five Zulu X-ray niner." Repeating what his Scorpion's read outs had shown before its destruction.
As Each Scarab was making it across the Bridge four Long Swords fired on them with both guns and missiles collapsing the bridge, Sending both Scarubs tumbling down fifty feet into a river. All Richard could do was lay there watching. As the air strike flew off in the distance. He lay there a long time watching the Covenant fly over head before being surrounded by Covenant troops. One Elite in Golden Armor approached him. He was able to tug off his helmet. " Finish it." He closed his eyes clutching his sister picture. Yet no death blow came. He was taken prisoner by this Golden Elite.
He was luckily able to walk to the waiting drop ship that would ferry him to The Dark of Intent. They interrogated him for information. He learned that they failed in stopping his Convoy. Also that Pillar of Steel made it off planet. Some unfathamable reason the Golden Elite would come to stare at him in his cell, once a day for a hour then depart.
He was proud of what he accomplished. Saving his unit from utter destruction. Why he was still alive was a mystery. Perhaps the Elite had seen what he had seen. He could tell that this one was different some how. A Veteran for sure from the look in his eye. Yet the only thing that bothered him was that was he a Survivor or a Victim of this conflict.? Probly both. Apparently the scars of war run deep in both races. Perhaps the Elites are not as infallable as most belived they are. Wracked by the guilt of being alive yet scared with the memories that will last a lifetime.
[Edited on 10.04.2011 3:08 PM PDT]