Written by yours truly. A small scene from one of the levels in Halo 3.
*****
The country side is disturbingly calm. The vast jungles and lush forests that seem to make a boundary around this city deep in the heart of Africa are no longer home to the various animals that used to populate them.
Swirling clouds of dust and ash lift up from the city. Darkness covered most of the landscape as the sunlight failed to burn through the haze of smoke. Buildings collapsed while others completely cut in half. It looked as if the entire city had taken a hit by one of those nuclear bombs that used to exist more than 500 years ago.
There is complete silence in the atmosphere. Every now and then, distant sounds of small scale fire fights reverberated through the air, mostly lasting only a few minutes before slowly drowning out forever.
Another group of Marines annihilated.
The chief knew they were running out of time. His current predicament didn’t make him feel any better either. If the attack on the Crow’s nest was anything, the covenant were coming for him, they were hungry for his blood and eventually they would get him.
But he couldn’t let that happen, not at any cost.
There had been no radio contact with anyone since the attack on the refugee base, the only intel the chief got from Captain Miranda Keys was for him to get to the town of voi where a lot of the survivors are held up and a massive counter attack on the covenant is ready to launch.
The engine of the warthog continued to roar as the chief gave it full throttle. It’s Kevlar and steel reinforced tires spewed chunks of earth in the air as it made its way across the rough terrain of the outskirts of the New Mombasa. The chassis rattled rigorously, most of the armor plating had been burned off completely - exposed to direct plasma fire - and there was little ammunition left for the M41 LAAG turret.
The chief didn’t know where he was going, nor did he have a clue what to do. He had to get to Voi by any means possible.
Since he crash landed on earth, he has been on the run. He hated it. Spartans were never built for defensive measures; they were only good at one thing – Offense. He thought of his team, friends he had grown up, trained and fought along side with for years. Those were the people he could rely on with his life.
But they were all gone…and they weren’t coming back.
He didn’t even have Cortana, the super advanced AI by his side. She was always there for him when he needed her. She would watch his back in every situation, help with navigation and location of enemy units, suggest best possible ways to take them out and even hack into alien networks and clear paths for him.
Most of all, she was a good emotional supporter, something the Chief needed badly right about now.
Uncertainty ran through his mind. Enclosed in half a ton of the most advanced protective armor the UNSC has come up with, he felt lonely and vulnerable. He was out in the open terrain in a badly damaged Warthog and accompanied by 2 marines - Private second-class, Ashley seated in the passenger side and sergeant first-class, Jenkins riding shotgun.
The chief took glance at both of them. Ashley held her MA5C Assault rifle tight, kept looking straight and didn’t move. The mass slaughter of her teammates back at the camp had hit her hard. The sergeant however looked pretty collected. He smiled and nodded at the chief when he looked at him.
That was a good sign. Even if the sergeant was no Spartan, the chief had someone he could trust to follow his orders when the time came. But what could one Spartan and 2 marines do against an armada of covenant that stood between them and the town of voi? Those were impossible odds, and even though the Spartans have stood against and came through such odds, this was different.
This time, the chief was alone, without his team, without cortana and without proper intel…
“My convoy has been hit! I’ve…..”
The radio screamed to life. Sudden surge of warmth ran through the back of the chief. He eased back the throttle and concentrated on the incoming transmission.
“We’re on the Tsavo highway about……East of voi” It was gunnery sergeant Williams. “Some one, anyone please respond!”
The chief cursed.
The signal was very weak, probably due to the huge mountains that surrounded the entire region making it difficult to send and receive normal radio transmissions. Although the chief couldn’t get the exact coordinates that the gunnery sergeant was trying to convey, he got enough intel to make it to him wherever he was.
He had to get to the Highway and fast.
He knew the covenant would be waiting for him so he quickly ran over the weaponry he and the 2 marines had. Ashley equipped an MA5C Assault rifle and an M6D Magnum. Gunnery Sergeant Jenkins held the standard UNSC anti tank Rocket launcher with the last 2 rounds left. The chief had an Assault Rifle, Battle rifle and Trip mine equipment.
Between the three of them, there were only a few magazines of Assault rifle and Battle rifle and only a handful of grenades. Not a lot of arsenal considering they were up against the covenant stationed throughout the highway with heavy armored vehicles, larger force and superior fire power.
He thought if he could avoid contact with enemy patrols on the highway and push the pedal to the metal, he might have a chance. He had gotten lucky countless times before, may be his luck would see him through this ordeal.
“Covenant!” Ashley braked, “on the highway over there!”
The chief gripped on the steering wheel hard, his muscles tightened and his whole body pushed in the seat,
“Hang on!”
*****
To be continued....(If i get favorable comments that is
)
*****
The country side is disturbingly calm. The vast jungles and lush forests that seem to make a boundary around this city deep in the heart of Africa are no longer home to the various animals that used to populate them.
Swirling clouds of dust and ash lift up from the city. Darkness covered most of the landscape as the sunlight failed to burn through the haze of smoke. Buildings collapsed while others completely cut in half. It looked as if the entire city had taken a hit by one of those nuclear bombs that used to exist more than 500 years ago.
There is complete silence in the atmosphere. Every now and then, distant sounds of small scale fire fights reverberated through the air, mostly lasting only a few minutes before slowly drowning out forever.
Another group of Marines annihilated.
The chief knew they were running out of time. His current predicament didn’t make him feel any better either. If the attack on the Crow’s nest was anything, the covenant were coming for him, they were hungry for his blood and eventually they would get him.
But he couldn’t let that happen, not at any cost.
There had been no radio contact with anyone since the attack on the refugee base, the only intel the chief got from Captain Miranda Keys was for him to get to the town of voi where a lot of the survivors are held up and a massive counter attack on the covenant is ready to launch.
The engine of the warthog continued to roar as the chief gave it full throttle. It’s Kevlar and steel reinforced tires spewed chunks of earth in the air as it made its way across the rough terrain of the outskirts of the New Mombasa. The chassis rattled rigorously, most of the armor plating had been burned off completely - exposed to direct plasma fire - and there was little ammunition left for the M41 LAAG turret.
The chief didn’t know where he was going, nor did he have a clue what to do. He had to get to Voi by any means possible.
Since he crash landed on earth, he has been on the run. He hated it. Spartans were never built for defensive measures; they were only good at one thing – Offense. He thought of his team, friends he had grown up, trained and fought along side with for years. Those were the people he could rely on with his life.
But they were all gone…and they weren’t coming back.
He didn’t even have Cortana, the super advanced AI by his side. She was always there for him when he needed her. She would watch his back in every situation, help with navigation and location of enemy units, suggest best possible ways to take them out and even hack into alien networks and clear paths for him.
Most of all, she was a good emotional supporter, something the Chief needed badly right about now.
Uncertainty ran through his mind. Enclosed in half a ton of the most advanced protective armor the UNSC has come up with, he felt lonely and vulnerable. He was out in the open terrain in a badly damaged Warthog and accompanied by 2 marines - Private second-class, Ashley seated in the passenger side and sergeant first-class, Jenkins riding shotgun.
The chief took glance at both of them. Ashley held her MA5C Assault rifle tight, kept looking straight and didn’t move. The mass slaughter of her teammates back at the camp had hit her hard. The sergeant however looked pretty collected. He smiled and nodded at the chief when he looked at him.
That was a good sign. Even if the sergeant was no Spartan, the chief had someone he could trust to follow his orders when the time came. But what could one Spartan and 2 marines do against an armada of covenant that stood between them and the town of voi? Those were impossible odds, and even though the Spartans have stood against and came through such odds, this was different.
This time, the chief was alone, without his team, without cortana and without proper intel…
“My convoy has been hit! I’ve…..”
The radio screamed to life. Sudden surge of warmth ran through the back of the chief. He eased back the throttle and concentrated on the incoming transmission.
“We’re on the Tsavo highway about……East of voi” It was gunnery sergeant Williams. “Some one, anyone please respond!”
The chief cursed.
The signal was very weak, probably due to the huge mountains that surrounded the entire region making it difficult to send and receive normal radio transmissions. Although the chief couldn’t get the exact coordinates that the gunnery sergeant was trying to convey, he got enough intel to make it to him wherever he was.
He had to get to the Highway and fast.
He knew the covenant would be waiting for him so he quickly ran over the weaponry he and the 2 marines had. Ashley equipped an MA5C Assault rifle and an M6D Magnum. Gunnery Sergeant Jenkins held the standard UNSC anti tank Rocket launcher with the last 2 rounds left. The chief had an Assault Rifle, Battle rifle and Trip mine equipment.
Between the three of them, there were only a few magazines of Assault rifle and Battle rifle and only a handful of grenades. Not a lot of arsenal considering they were up against the covenant stationed throughout the highway with heavy armored vehicles, larger force and superior fire power.
He thought if he could avoid contact with enemy patrols on the highway and push the pedal to the metal, he might have a chance. He had gotten lucky countless times before, may be his luck would see him through this ordeal.
“Covenant!” Ashley braked, “on the highway over there!”
The chief gripped on the steering wheel hard, his muscles tightened and his whole body pushed in the seat,
“Hang on!”
*****
To be continued....(If i get favorable comments that is
)
