HRP Second Story Chapter 1

I groan, waking up from my knock out drop.
First combat drop and things have already gone to shit...

"Hello? Does anyone read? My pod's jammed. Repeat. My pod's jammed."

I tried to raise contact with any of Dusk squad, hoping they'd hear.

=i hear Andrew over the radio. I send a message to the others=
I'm going to get Dusk 4. You've got about 15 minutes until whatever it is on my tracker is in your area.

=i reply to Andrew=
Dusk 4, this is Sierra Dusk. I'm on my way. Hold on.

=i look around until I see his waypoint, then start heading towards it, working my way through the debris and wreckage of burnt and burning vehicles, buildings, and corpses. It makes me angry, that lives were lost, but I channel it into getting to Andrew, instead of into my arms and hands and fists=

I hear voices outside, they're not human.

"Oh shit, covvies outside my pod, I need help now, Spartan."

I pull my silenced pistol from its compartment, getting ready in case the covenant got the door open.

Understood. I'm there yesterday.

=i picked up my speed. Vaulting over a car and then running into a building. I saw my motion tracker tick up very quickly with red dots. I started hearing Jackal voices and maybe an Elite as well. I ran up the building, going towards the sniper nests=

I'm in the building over looking your area. Standby for eyes on.

"Understood, Oh shit."

I saw a reddish Elite with a sword.

"Elite, he has a sword, you need to kill that fucker before he cuts this thing open."

=i make it up onto a floor with the walls facing Andrew blown away, making for a really good sniper's perch. So good infact, that a few Jackals decided to perch up here. I drew my knife, slowly planting my rifle on the ground, and crept up behind the Jackal. I grabbed it's rifle in one hand and stabbed it in the throat with the other, the point jutting out the front in a spray of purple blood. I drew the body back and aimed the rifle, triggering the scope. The pod leapt up into my vision, as well as the red-armored bastard standing near it with an Energy Sword. I settled the crosshairs on the split-jaw's face and and pulled the trigger, the bright lance of energy spiking out and burning into his shields=

=By now, Zuka and his squad had moved on from the area they were in. Orders came to meet up with the strike team about to head into one of the major cities, or get in there before they did. He gave only a moment of thought to it. They would be going in first, as usual. He and his warriors were strong, and they would be able to handle whatever was in that human jungle until the strike team arrived=

Krikrikri!

Garth wrote:

=i hear Andrew over the radio. I send a message to the others=
I'm going to get Dusk 4. You've got about 15 minutes until whatever it is on my tracker is in your area.

=i reply to Andrew=
Dusk 4, this is Sierra Dusk. I'm on my way. Hold on.

=i look around until I see his waypoint, then start heading towards it, working my way through the debris and wreckage of burnt and burning vehicles, buildings, and corpses. It makes me angry, that lives were lost, but I channel it into getting to Andrew, instead of into my arms and hands and fists=

=I nod, receiving the Spartan's message. I then rack a round into my rifle's chamber and flip the saftey off. I then head towards Way's position and click on my comm=

Dusk 3 to 4 and Sierra. I'm coming on your six.

I back my way up the overturned semi, still keeping a watch on the rooftops.

Good to see you.

I stay there, in a crouched position, scanning. It was too risky to chance turning my back yet.

"Understood Dusk 3, just get me outta this thing."

=I haul tail to Way's position=

Copy that, 4. Almost there.

=I round the corner of the building and sprint towards the pod=

I was almost panicking. Almost. I didn't panic though, we were ODSTs. The best of the best. But fuck, it was getting claustrophobic in here.

Ellie smiled, but Katie couldn't see through the polarized visor.
"Good to see you too." She said. "We are.going to hold this position until Sierra Dusk gets the rest of the squad. So, we better find a place to dig in. See a lace close by that is more defensible?"

=I arrive at the pod, and get by the outside door release=

Hold on there four. Door's opening in three...two...one...

=I intiate the outside release=

Fire in the hole!

The figure's energy cloak is completely gone now, revealing the 7ft creature. An Energy sword is in it's hand, a fuel rod gun on it's back.
It looks badly disfigured even if that's how it suppose to look. A hunch back, a long head coming out from the front of it,
it's shins are curved backwards and instead of a mouth, four pincers coming from the side of it's face. No chin. Just a hole where it should be.
Somehow, it stands as tall as me but with longer limbs. This.. what are they called? Elites? I think I know why.

The Elite roars at me before running forward, jumping right before it reaches me. Soaring over and landing behind me.
I swing around and use the butt of my rifle to hit it's hand, the one holding the Energy Sword.
Knocking the sword's course off just enough so I wouldn't get stabbed. The Elite swings his sword back towards me horizontally.
I duck underneath it and tackle it's legs, knocking it off it feet and unto my back. I stand up quickly which flips the Elite on it's back.

I point my rifle down at it's face and fire twice before it slashs the weapon. Melting it to a piece of scrap metal and spiking my shields.
The thing had just burned my left hand, I try shaking my hand to cool it off. Didn't help at all, plasma burns like hell.
With surprising speed, the Elite jumps up back on it's feet. It laughs at the sight of me and my burning hand.
"Aue yu kiy krorjka?"

I examine the buildings around us much more closely to check if anything would be good.

Any building would be decent Ma'am. But really, it's not worth chancing in case of a covenant presence.

=i watch as Dusk 3 and 4 get the pod open. I radio them once they get somewhat clear of the pod=

Dusk 3, 4. I have you covered. Be advised there are snipers in the area, so watch yourselves until I can take em out.

=with that I started moving towards the other Jackals, who were stunned by my shooting that they forgot to shoot at the ODSTs, and were too busy talking to each other to notice me coming up on them=

I ignore his strange words and equip my magnum while jumping backwards. I fire off three, four shots.
Three in the head and one in the chest, bringing his shields down. Again with surprising speed he dashes at me, swinging his sword vertically.
I sidestep to the right and throw a punch towards his head. He grabs my fist with his free hand and thrusts his sword at me.
I punch him in his forearm and hear a bone snap on impact. Sending his right arm backwards, along with his sword.

But I had my magnum in that hand so that's destroyed also. I pull my knife out of it's sheath and attempt to charge him.
He recovered from the last attack quickly enough to swing his good arm towards me. But I guessed what he was going to do.
I grab his arm with my left hand and twist his whole arm, hearing his wrist snap as I do. The Elite activates his energy dagger which cuts into my hand.

I release his wrist and grab him by the neck with the same hand, ignoring the burning sensation and throw him against the wall.
"Are there any more of you?"
"I would never tell anything to the likes of you!"
I squeeze his throat enough to break his neck, hearing yet another bone snap. I release his throat, his body slides down the wall in a bloody mess.

"Copy that Sierra Dusk. Moving out."

I raise my Silenced SMG and moved forward, taking cover behind a barricade.

=I nod to the Spartan, leveling my rifle. I then get on the comm=

Sarge, I've met up with Four and Sierra. We have enemy contacts nearing our position.

=I keep moving up with Way to keep him covered=

The street widened, leaving us with little cover.

"On my mark. 3, 2, 1... Mark!"

I sprinted down the street, aiming for an alleyway wherw we could take cover.

Ni’ oss ni’ hoah riok...

=Zuka and his Squad met up with one of the forward command posts, and from there headed into the city. They came from the North, where the hill overlooked the majority of the city. About a kilometer out, they encountered a Human on the ground next to an overturned vehicle. Warthogs, the humans called them. They approached cautiously. Zuka sent his second in command, Rylok, to check on the Human. He was alive, and regaining consciousness. Rylok flipped him over, and he grew a look of terror as he saw the Sangheili Warrior staring down at him. Zuka came over as the other three from his squad flipped the Warthog back onto it's wheels. He grabbed the Human by the neck and brought him close=

Hooman. Yu gno hao to pilot won ov thees?

=The marine nodded, his heart racing at a mile a minute=

Guud. Nhao, yuu ar koing to tayk us intoo th' sity, orr wee wil sblatter yor pyunii brainz ahl ov'rr the streetz. Uhnd'rstood?

=The marine nodded again in terror. Zuka dropped him and shoved him towards the Driver seat of the Warthog. It was a Transport 'hog, and would easliy seat all of them, though their size would make it a bit uncomfortable. The Marine took the driver seat and started the vehicle. The squad loaded up and activated their Camo. Zuka took the seat directly behind the marine, and Rytlok the passenger. Both of them had their pistols almost up against the already shaking marine's head. The hog began to move off the dirt and onto the road, and towards the City=

"Good. Book it to our location ASAP. Try and find some transport as well; I got a feeling we'll need to get into the fight fast."
Ellie turned to Katie. "Roger that. Then we'll have to hold here." She sighed, checking her rifle over. "Sierra, try and raise any survivors of the Rio. Could use a Pelican right now; even a Warthog would work."
She frowned. They were cut off and nowhere near their lines. What a great drop.
"Oi, Two. Did you see anything useful as we dropped?"

Understood, Dusk 1. Be advised, currently escorting Dusk 3 and 4 through a sniper's alley.

=i leapt onto a Jackal, tackling it and sending it's weapon skidding away. I jabbed my own rifle, the one stolen from the other Jackal into it's chest and fired. I doubt that did much, but it made me feel a hell of a lot better. I got up, and sighted down range, and looked for other Jackal targets. There was on, right next to a dead marine with a grenade in his hand. I smiled mischievously as I zoomed in for a good shot. The grenade went off from a burst of blazing energy which sent pieces of the alien bastard raining down into the street below. I radioed Dusk 3 and 4=

Move fast. Snipers are down, but I don't know for how long.

=i snapped the rifle against the corner of a wall with a few good swings and then ran back to get my own rifle, still laying where I left it. I took it up, and started running down the stairs while I opened up a radio call on a UNSC frequency=

This is Sierra Dusk 582 Nightmare. Any surviving personnel from the Rio please respond. Over.

I look around for a weapon of some sort, considering to take his Fuel Rod Gun. Mainly since his Energy Sword had disintegrated.
(( http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/Type-1_Energy_Weapon/Sword?useskin=oasis ((Third paragraph))
That's when I get a U.N.S.C. signal and tune in.

Code:

This is Sierra Dusk Nightmare. Any surviving personnel from the Rio please respond. Over.

I guess that's the ship above us then. The Rio. Which I should start worrying about it's remains falling on us.
I use a secure U.N.S.C. channel as he did.
"This is Sierra 077. I hear you loud and clear."

Sierra 077, what's your location, and can you see any other survivors from the Rio? We may need need transport as well. I've got a squad of ODSTs to protect.

"The outskirts of the city, somewhere northwest of the center. And no, I cannot see anyone. Although I think I have transport."
From the alleyway I'm in I see a warthog drive by. A transport Warthog with only one soldier in it, the driver.
Something about it seems strange, maybe the single person? Or the speed it was going at. Just something about it is odd.
I run out of the alleyway and start waving my hands but he doesn't see me. Or doesn't want me, whichever.

"Okay, scratch that. I'll look for survivors."
I cut my link to Sierra Dusk and head deeper into the city, looking for signs of a warthog crate or ODST drop pods.

Jeremy Hunter wrote:

"Good. Book it to our location ASAP. Try and find some transport as well; I got a feeling we'll need to get into the fight fast."
Ellie turned to Katie. "Roger that. Then we'll have to hold here." She sighed, checking her rifle over. "Sierra, try and raise any survivors of the Rio. Could use a Pelican right now; even a Warthog would work."
She frowned. They were cut off and nowhere near their lines. What a great drop.
"Oi, Two. Did you see anything useful as we dropped?"

=I follow Way towards the RV and contact Sarge=

Understood, sarge. I'll keep my eyes peeled.

=I scan the street as we move, looking for anything with four wheels and an engine=

I give the sky a check, using the Infra-Red on the sniper rifle to identify any targets.

I've got nothing but wreckage in sight. If something did survive, it would be difficult to track it without drone access.

Understood 077. Keep my posted. I got an ODST sergeant to keep happy. I'll forward you her comm.

=i radio Dusk 1=
Dusk 1, this is Sierra Dusk. I have another Sierra on the line. I'll patch you through to help keep you updated. He's searching for survivors just like the rest of us.

=i run out the building and towards the RV point, keeping an eye out for more covenant and any survivors=

=About 300 meters up the road from where they passed the Spartan, the warthog stopped. The driver got out and walked into a nearby tower building with the Sangheili squad. After a minute or so, the driver came back out, holding an Assault Rifle with no ammunition inside it. He went over to the driver side of the Warthog and stood there, looking around, and doing his best to mask his terror. The elite squad made their way up to the third floor and kept watch out the window over the Driver, the combination of their Active Camo, the debris, and their odd positioning making it all but impossible for someone to spot them. The Marine looked up the road towards where they came from, unassumingly looking for someone=

"Roger that Sierra Dusk." Ellie sighed. "Sierra Two, welcome to Dusk Squad. I'm patching the RV Waypoint into your HUD. We need to regroup; UNSC Rio De Janeiro's down, so we need to get to our lines. Does that conflict with any orders you currently have?"

Code:

Sierra Two, welcome to Dusk Squad. I'm patching the RV Waypoint into your HUD. We need to regroup; UNSC Rio De Janeiro's down, so we need to get to our lines. Does that conflict with any orders you currently have?

"Yes it does."

I look down the street in front of me, then down the street to my left. The streets are littered with abandoned cars.
The street lights are still flashing red and there's still a blinking police car near me. The city looks kind of deserted.
Except for the small dust cloud the Warthog left behind. I wonder why he left in such a hurry. Oh well, no big deal.
I make my way up the street the warthog was on. Going door to door which takes awhile and proves to be pointless.

Eventually down the road I see the warthog from earlier. Just parked in the middle of the road. I can't see the Driver though.
This is little bit strange. Keep your guard up.
I make my way over to the Warthog and find the Marine nearby. He looks shaken and scared out of his mind.
I turn on communications with Dusk Squad's leader again. "I might've found a survivor of the Rio De Janeiro."

"Give me a location. Sierra Dusk, we'll RV there. Give us a location Sierra Two; we're on the way."
Ellie carefully crawled out, covering the area for Katie.
"This day's pure epicness, ain't it Katie?" She said, punctuating with a bitter laugh. "Let's get moving. Sierra Two, make sure the area is secure. And am I cleared to ask what your standing orders are, or would you have to kill me?"

The family of three walked out of the small house with their bags ready to leave. I stood up from my sitting position and looked at them. They looked scared, except the little girl, who wasn't old enough to know what was going on. I truly felt bad for that family. The father hugged the mother, while the little girl tugged in the hug on the mothers leg. I motioned with my fingers for them to follow. As I turned around toward the road, I let my head fall down, as I looked at the ground as I walked. I could hear the loud cries from the family. I walked across the road while the family followed. I walked toward Matt, at the door of another family.

"Everything alright here?"

I looked back at the family I had brought.

"They'll need a few minutes to calm down."

I felt sick inside. Not the normal headache, but I actually felt sick to my stomach. The family reminded me of mine. Torn apart by hatred between siblings.

=I continue along with Way and spot a perfect vehicle=

Transport Hog...perfect

=I get on the squad comms=

Sarge, got us a transport Hog. I'll bring to the RV ASAP.

=Way and I get in the Hog, start it up and head to the RV=

=i checked the map on my HUD and replied to Dusk 1=
50 meters north. Two streets and buildings away.

I lower my voice down, making the comment more to myself.

If you get off on this sort of thing.

I make my way over to a car that had stopped in the middle of the road and crouch behind it, still checking around me.

We should check out some of these buildings too. Every Civilian we save makes up for the Rio.

I turned to look at the rookie. I just nodded to him and walked to the next building. I rang the buzzer and waited for a response. It seemed like another apartment building. Not many people have a home. lot's of apartments. or condos. I never bothered to remember the difference. Well, that's not entirely true, I knew the difference, I just didn't care. Civilian housing was the category I lumped them into. I didn't get a response from the buzzer, so I rang again.

Hopefully the transports will be on time for once... I don't get how they're always late. It's like... wait, it's like the time tables onboard the ships are messed up. Or maybe they are messed up for us.... I'd have to go to intel for that, but I have no evidence....

While I was lost in thought the door opened. I wasn't paying any attention, until the person spoke up, "what's going on?"

I recognized that voice.
Carligan?

"We're evacuating the city, Carligan."

He gave me this look, and I knew he wanted to say "fuck it I'm not leaving." but he looked outside and saw the other families we've evacuated. There was a lot of people filling the streets. some people were coming out just to see what was going on. we got the wheel rolling, and set it all in motion.

"A- alright. I'll start knocking on doors in the building."

I nod and follow him into the building.

I look at Matt, then turn around as he entered the building. I could see the family I had grabbed confused. I could hear mumbling, and some was loud, like they were trying to catch my attention. As I looked at how many other families were gathers, I saw the man I had taken from the house before look at me.

"Excuse me, Marine-.."

"Yes?"

"Why are we being evacuated?"

"I 'unno. I am just following my orders, which were to evacuate the civilians, and escort them to safety."

The man nodded, and hugged his wife again. I turned toward the building Matt had entered, and walked to the buzzer. I pressed it for about five seconds, before backing away from it. In the hope of alerting him and to hurry up. I could see the fear in each and every person.

"Check inside as we go, I'll keep watch for hostiles. Don't dawdle."
Ellie sighed sadly, scanning the area. This would be a shitty day. Ellie clicked her comm again. "Roger that. Nice to hear we have a 'hog."
Ellie tur ed her attention to the Spartans.
"Sierra Dusk, anything on your end?"

Negative, Dusk 1.

=i hear a noise=
Standby.

=i move over towards where it came from, a small office. The doors were closed and locked. The noise came from one of them, a closet. I moved over to it=
Possible survivors. Wait one.

Knocking on doors. Telling people what was going on. Repeat. That was the monotonous cycle I went through helping Carligan evacuate the building. I understood the importance of this task, it just wasn't very exciting. I probably could've done it in my sleep. If I could sleep walk. Everyone grabbed a few things, packed up backpacks of stuff they considered to be too valuable or too important to leave behind. some people had whole suitcases, some just had backpacks. Some of them probably had illegal firearms on them too. It wouldn't surprise me. It doesn't give me any comfort, but it doesn't surprise me.

I walked out of the building with Carligan and his hiking backpack or whatever it was. It was designed to carry about a liter of water. it had a bunch of pockets on it too. I guess it utilitarian. Like the military. Carligan was a business man, some sort of stock seller. a banker or something. He made a lot of money, I was a little surprised he didn't live in a better part of town.

"Why do you live in this apartment complex?"
That probably came out offensively.

Carligan looked at me. It was a funny look, "I like it."'

"But you're some type of banker, aren't you? you must make a lot of money."

He scowled. "Matthias, I make a lot of money, that doesn't mean I have to live in a nicer place."

I furrowed my eyebrow. "hm."

He sighed and walked over to the other civilians. Dante and Marik had evacuated the rest of the block. So now we had to escort them to the evacuation zones.

I looked around, confused as why we couldn't evacuate them by using Pelicans or Falcons, but we had to walk. I felt as if these people depended on me to lead them to safety -- Their lives depended on it. My heart sank. I didn't like the feeling. The empty streets and the sounds of screams and cries in the distance.

I hopped in the back of the hog, SMG raised as I scanned the street.

"I really don't like this... It's way too quiet, did we miss the invasion or something?"

=The marine went over to the Spartan to greet him. He still looked shaken up=

H-hello Sir. M-my squad got hit a few Kilometers up the road... I had to get away, fast... I'm the only one left, sir...

=The Elite squad up on the third floor watched intently at the scene. Zuka gave the signal to Rylok. He pulled out a small device about the size and shape of a Cigar, and hit the button on the top. The marine heard the sound of a slight beeping, and nearly shit his pants=

GET BACK, SIR!

=The marine dove back, away from the Spartan, and disappeared in a cloud of blood and flesh. The warthog was in no better shape. Zuka cursed under his breath. The Elites backed away from the Widow, expecting the Spartan to investigate the Marine's literal body-bomb=

Umbreon wrote:

I hopped in the back of the hog, SMG raised as I scanned the street.

"I really don't like this... It's way too quiet, did we miss the invasion or something?"

=I look around, sharing the same unease=

I don't we've missed it, Way. I think we might be in the thick of it.

=I keep heading down the street, eyes scanning the street=

"Then where are all the covvies...?"

I scanned the area again, half expecting to see the entire covenant armada.

"No, I wouldn't have you killed if I told you. I'm suppose to assist evac-"
The explosion from the Marine knocks me back a little. My shields take any scrapnel that hits me.
What in the world? Did he just suicide bomb something? But why would he even have that?
With a sigh, I wipe some of his blood off of my visor and make my way over to hi- what remains of him.
A pool of blood with limbs swimming in it, some standard Marine armor pieces and one of his eyes...

The warthog is toast though, it's engine is blown apart. Making it completely useless and now I have to walk.
At least he left his assault rifle because now I have a weapon. I take that from the ground. I check it for ammo.
No ammo? Who is this guy. And why is this mission so strange?
I look around me, in the buildings' windows and rubble for any Covenant. Nada. It wouldn't make sense if it were Rebels.

"Sierra Two, what just happened? Sierra Two!"
Ellie turned to Katie. "We gotta move. Something happened to Sierra Two."
With that, Ellie was off running.