Oxen squad: part one.

It's insane. Like most battlefields. The other trooper and I take cover in the forest. Just watching, knowing if we tried to help we'd die.
I mean, I'm a medic. He's wounded. What could we do? Go out there guns blazing? Seems that most other people are.

Bontempo had been shooting randomly in the forest, trying to keep the other sniper in cover, even if they didn't know where it was. Ben spoke over the comm, "You hear that Helljumpers!? Wyatt is gonna blast that AA, keep your heads down." Once Wyatt was clear of the fallen soldier, detonator in hand, Ben and Bontempo took cover a couple of trees, waiting for Wyatt to detonate the C-12. They were gonna be out of the initial blast radius, but they were keeping cover from the debris that would be launched out from the gun.

The valley was quickly lit in a bright blue, even if the sun was still out, the gun's generators were some powerful batteries. The light faded quickly and the gun was left in scrap. "Nice job marines!" Ben said, then continued, "but we still got a sniper in that forest, along with a few friends I imagine. Let's see if we can't flush 'em out." Ben and Dominic held their position while the other ODST checked the treeline. "Anyone find our missing Helljumpers?" Ben asked over the squad comm channel.

Wyatt was unsure of Felix's postion he had not heard from him for a while. "Felix if you can hear and you are near by start tending to the wounded. If you know need any asstiance let me know I am trained in basic battle field first aid. But if you don't need my help let me know that too so I can find something else to do." Wyatt looked over at the dead marine 'If only I could have been faster I could have saved that man's life.' he thought to himself "Durrett what should I do with the body? Prep it for transport or bury it?"
((Sorry for the shortness))

((Felix's character name is: James Freon, Wyatt. Not a big mistake, he types in first person so it's understandable.))

(((Sorry about that. It's just more comfortable in first person. But I can try third person if asked.)))

"Depends on how many are wounded Wyatt. If any at all."
I step out of the tree line while carrying the other wounded ODST. We head over to the rest of the Squad.
Once we get there I let him rest on a fallen log. Then use the Squads' comm channel.
''Straight down to business, is anyone wounded? Injured in any way?"

(((I'm sorry too for the shortness. I don't have much to write about.)))

Durrett stepped into the clearing, smoke from the explosion blew in one direction, masking that part of the open area. Some purple and blue flames still burned at parts of the now destroyed anti-aircraft gun. "We'll be lifting out of here Wyatt." Benjamin said and walked over to where the other ODSTs were located. Ben looked to Freon, "Looks like it's just the soldier you got with you there, and well... Varga, who was shot and killed."

Ben turned around and spoke into his comm, "UNSC Clearidas, this is lieutenant Durrett of ground team, over.' There was a short pause, but then a voice responded, "Ground team, this is the Clearidas. You got good news for me, lieutenant?"
"Both AA guns are eliminated, sir. Ready for extract."
"Not so fast Durrett. We've intercepted communications between one of the Covenant ships and a building in the close-by city. We weren't able to get much from it, but they were saying something about Earth. If there's a civilian spilling the beans on Earth's location, your team has to stop it at all costs. I'm sending you a drop ship now."
"Understood sir, but we're going to need two dropships, we got a couple soldiers down, down here."
"I'll send a medical-Pelican also, lieutenant. Clearidas, over and out."

Ben turned to his squad. "You all hear that? We're going on a high-value operation. Get your big-boy pants on, 'cause we're gonna be walking right into the hornet's nest." Loud screeching sounds came from above and two Longswords whipped across the sky. A rumble could be felt in the ground as an explosion was heard in the distance. Ben was lost in thought. The battle has just begun.

Wyatt nodded his head "Alright so now we are going knee deep into enemy controlled territory? Sounds like trouble, how are we to "deal" with the civie who might be talking? Do we rescue him or will it be death by sniper rifle?"
((sorry for shortness.))

"If there is a civi, then we'll have to take him back with us, let the higher-ups deal with him." Ben paused and looked to the sky. Dozens of pelicans and other airships descended from above, this was gonna be a long battle, and even after hundreds of soldiers die, Verent will fall just like every other planet. It's almost not worth fighting. Ben looked back at Wyatt, "Though I'm sure no-one will complain if we have to subdue a snitch."

A loud roaring sound was heard next, like a Pelican, but ten times louder. Out from over the trees an AC-220 Gunship hovered and lowered itself into the clearing. A women's voice broke over the comm channel, "All aboard the Master Blaster!" A second vehicle descended below the trees. This one being a Pelican with white boxes and red crosses painted on its wings.

"Honestly Sir, I'd prefer we avoid killing any of our own here."
I say very casually while pulling the injured ODST over to the medical pelican. Once he was safely inside I made my way over to the other, more dead one.
And pick his body up. Then carry it on over to the same Pelican.

Wyatt grabbed his scattered weapons then assisted Freon with the body of their fellow marine. Once the body was secured he sat down, strapped in and then began to clean his BR. "I have to agree with you James. The UNSC should protect it's citizens but if a civie is about to risk Billions of lives just by relaying Earth's coordinates to some hinge head and we can't evac him out or stop him. Well as cold hearted as it sounds the only other option is to take him out of the equation. But that should be our last resort." after Wyatt had voiced his opinion he switched off his radio and external audio output and began to record his audio journal about the occurrences of the day.

Benjamin walked to the gunship and entered the back hatch. He took a seat closest to the front. "If this person is talking, then I wouldn't call him one of our own, Doc." Ben felt that was probably a bit cold, but he thought it to be true. "But... if we can, I'd rather we take him alive." Ben didn't like killing other humans, but if it was necessary, then he wouldn't hesitate.

"Is the gunship really necessary?" Ben said off the comm, not really at anyone in particular. However a voice did respond, "It is if you don't feel like blowing up." A small flicker came from the short pillar at the front of the personnel seating area. A moment later a luminescent women appeared. She glowed yellow and wasn't even a foot tall. She was the Artificial Intelligence aboard the Clearidas. "There's atleast one Covenant Cruiser hovering the city, so we need something that is both; fast enough to avoid any shots from them, and something powerful enough that can take out the Banshees along the way." Ben looked at the AI known as Claudia. "What do you mean by 'we'? Why do we need you on this mission?" Claudia crossed her arms, then held one up as she explained. "Well... The messages we intercepted showed that whoever was communicating with the Covenant ship, were using a computer. Something you may know that us AIs are quite proficient with. So I could make your job a whole lot easier."

"So the Captain is risking the ship's AI for this mission? seems a little ballsy." She tilted her head. "Do you really need to be told just how important it is that your team completes this task?" "No... he's right. It's a necessary risk."

When the AI showed up Wyatt stopped recording his journal and switched his external audio back on. "So... we are teamed up with an AI for this mission as well huh? Then the UNSC must be really worried about this guy. By the way I thought most normal civies didn't know the coordinates to Earth. Well not the exact coordinates any way." Wyatt shifted his weight a bit then turned to Durrett "If they are willing to risk this AI to get this civie then he has to have had access to the coordinates for Earth right?" Wyatt turned his attention back to the AI and said "So tell me how did this civie come across this info did he just come upon it?"
((Should we establish some kind of order so we know who's turn it is.))

The AI tilted head over toward the Spartan. "We know not if the person communicating with the Covenant ship is a civilian or not. The message we intercepted was an encrypted text file. For all we are aware, this could be an Elite spy who was sent to a human planet to discover the location of Earth. We could only make out that the message had something to do with Earth's coordinates, though we couldn't find them in the message itself. The captain made the decision that it wasn't worth risking Earth's coordinates, to test if the Covenant actually had them or not."

She then put her holographic hands on her yellow hips. "Besides, it was my idea to tag along."

Durrett was checking his weapons as he listened to the AI speak. He put his rifle on one of the racks above the trooper's heads, then grabbed an MA5B assault rifle from the rack. They were gonna be fighting in close quarters and a Sniper rifle wouldn't prove useful at that range.

A voice cracked over the old gunship's speakers. "Entering the city's outskirts, get ready boys and girls."

((All right, how about the posting order is Me, Felix, Wyatt. That good with ya'll?))

"Hate to interrupt, but are we going to kill the guy when we find him?"

I say to nobody in particular. Maybe somebody will answer? Anyway. I see Durret switch out his weapons and think to myself.

Not a half bad idea.

I put my SMG on the rack and pick out a shotgun. With this there's no stopping me.

Wyatt looked over at James and answered "If it is a civie hopefully it won't come to that but we will have to do whatever is needed to be done. If it is an elite spy we may need to bring him in for interrogation." Wyatt turned his attention to Durrett and asked "Am I right in my assumptions sir? As long as it dosen't endanger our own safety we should bring in the informant for interrogation." Wyatt checked and rechecked his shotgun and BR to make sure they were combat ready. "So Claudia it was your decision to assist us on this mission? I guess it will be good to have an AI on this mission considering what is at steak. And I don't mean to be rude but exactly how do you plan on helping us?"
((Sorry for late response I gave been very busy with finals.))

Benjamin nodded to Wyatt. "If he doesn't give us too much of a struggle, subdue him. But, if he so much as goes for a firearm or weapon of any kind, you have permission to eliminate the target." Ben felt he was being a bit callous, truthfully, if it was a human communicating with the the Covenant, and it was up to him, then he would shoot the traitor on sight. But something like that could be viewed negatively and may even be seen as a crime.

"So Claudia it was your decision to assist us on this mission? I guess it will be good to have an AI on this mission considering what is at steak. And I don't mean to be rude but exactly how do you plan on helping us?"

"Well..." Claudia held her hand out in an explanatory manner, then continued, "... No one in this squad exactly excels in Covenant tech, and the computer used to contact the Covenant ship will more than likely have a great deal of Covenant firewalls and other programs blocking us from the computer's core. I am here to decrypt any firewalls that may be in our way."

The voice filled both the ship's speakers and the squad's comm again, "'Bout, thirty-seconds to touch down. Oh shit.... Hold on to your butts, Athens. We got incoming Banshees." The ship's weapons fired with powerful and loud thuds. Some explosions were heard outside of the ship.

Why would he give out earth's location anyway? I mean. Isn't he loyal to his race?

I sigh as I think about it. Oh and the whole 'hoping to God we aren't blown out of the sky' thing. That would kinda horribly suck.

The ship began to shake back and forth as if it was encountering high turbulence. Wyatt could here the explosions from outside the hull of the ship. He had one more question for Claudia "So your going to get in contact with the enemy ship and decrypt the message. How are you getting in contact with it? I mean would it be easier for you if we some how made a physical connection with some of the covies transmitters an linked you to it? I'm just trying to speed the process up so we can get in and out fat as we can." There were a few more explosions from outside one sounded larger than the rest. He hoped it was a banshee rather than the ship being hit.
((Sorry I forgot to mention the order. Yeah it sounds good.))

"I should be able to establish a connection with the ship, using the computer that contacted it earlier. If however, the computer is no longer intact, we will have to use your plan: finding a Covenant computer of some kind, that I can connect to and upload a virus unto their systems."

Benjamin felt his stomach drop, as the ship took a quick dip downwards. The gunship never shook viciously, so that should mean it had yet to be hit. After the sound of missiles being fired from the ship, the female's voice sounded on the speakers and their communicators, again, "That should hold back for awhile. Coming around to touch down." The hatch opened up as the ship still flew around the large apartment building, they were going to be landing on.

"Alright, the computer we're looking for is on the seventy-first floor!" Ben said over the comms, to the squad, then continued, "We'll be going down fourteen stories, from the top." Ben looked out the hatch and saw a large area of the building that was like a huge window, that took up three stories and almost half of each of the floors. Durrett figured it was some sort of garden, or park, for the building. Must cost a bit to live here.

The large ship slowed, as it began to hover over the building's roof, about five feet up. "Wyatt?" Claudia said, "You're the only one who has the armor to hold my chip... You mind?" She smirked and crossed her holographic arms.

I look outside to the LZ, which looks rather expensive, and nudge Durrett.
"Looks like we're crashing some rich guy's party."

Wyatt starred at the Claudia he had heard of Spartans being parted with AI before but he had never had such an opportunity. Then again he didn't like the idea of having something besides himself inside his armor. But he didn't have time to argue "Fine get ready to go so... pack your bags or something then tell when your ready to go" Wyatt waited for the ok from Claudia then he walked over to her and pulled out her chip and inserted it to the port in the back of his helmet. "Ok so is that it are we ready for action?"

((Ok so where do we go from here?))

Claudia nodded as Wyatt ejected her chip and inserted it into his helmet.  She could tell through the neural interface that Wyatt wasn't too comfortable with this situation.  "Hey..." she said, "I'm not too big of a fan of being in here either."  "Let's doit!"  No-Croak yelled as he jumped from the gunship onto the building's roof, landing with bent knees then quickly getting to a knee to cover the rest of the squad to jump.  Ben stood at the side of the open hatch, assault rifle in his hands.  "Oxen! go! go! go!"  He yelled and waved the squad out the hatch.  Once they were all clear of the ship, Ben jumped down, hitting the hard roof.

He rose his rifle to the door that lead off of the top of the building.  "Somebody get that door open."

"Aye aye sir."
I step up to the door, shotgun in hand. I hold up three fingers and count down to zero. Then kick the door open and aim inside.
The door had lead to stairs. Nothing was in here, it was empty.
"Clear!"

Wyatt jumped from the ship onto the roof cracking the cement a bit when he landed. As adrenaline pumped through his veins he helped clear the rest of the floor. "So far so good, what do you think Claudia is anyone else on this level?"
((Sorry for shortness I am busy getting ready for a trip.))

Ben moved to the door that James had cleared, letting a couple more Helljumpers move in before he did.  The door lead straight to the stairwell, that went far down to the bottom of the building.  "Nothing on the motion tracker."  Claudia responded to the Spartan.  "Alright..."  Ben began, "We got fourteen stories to move, we'll be taking the stairs the entire way, figure you guys could use a little exercise.  Keep your weapons ready, intel says Covenant have been seen entering this building, probably going exactly where we are."

The squad moved down the long flight of stairs, watching every door they passed, knowing that an Elite or another Covenant soldier could be hiding behind it, waiting for the ODST to pass then shoot them in the back.  Thankfully, though, that didn't happen.  They made it to the door on the level they needed.  The Covenant on the other side knew of Oxen's presence, and were getting ready for the ODST to move through the door, taking up positions in the apartment door ways, after they had laid explosives on the stairway door.

As the Helljumpers got to the door, Claudia spoke on Wyatt's external speakers, "Motion tracker is picking up multiple blips, seemingly moving into formation."  Durrett leaned against the wall next to the door.  He signed a couple marines to move up the stairs a ways, so they might get a shot from there.  It was gonna be hard to fight these Covenant in the cramped stairwell they were in. "Everybody stack up. This is gonna be a tight one."

"That's just great. Perfect even."
I cramp up with the other squad members, ready for a fight that could easy mean the end of us. Just one plasma grenade...
"You sure about this Durrett? Er. Sir."

Wyatt stacked up as Durrett ordered as he stood there though he realized that he should probably be in the front in order to protect the other troops. But if he did that and died the covies could get their hands on Claudia or worse the close quarters would make it a killing zone. The hallway would become a massacre even if he could take all the hits and get most of them through the battle would be deadly. Then an idea hit him he opened a secure line to Durrett so he could hear his plan "Claudia can you access the floor plans and see if there is a room directly above the covies. I'm thinking that with some grenades and det charges I could make a hole in the floor above them and reign down fire upon the covies. Their attention would be drawn to me and the few marines I would take with me. During the confusion Durrett and his team could breach the door and get safely in and take them out. Once enough fire has been drawn off me and my team I could drop right into the hornets nest and start dealing punishment. What do you Durrett sound like a plan?"

"Hell, Wyatt, that's better than my plan of tossing a flash-bang and hoping for the best.  Permission granted, see what you can do.  Daniels, George, Pepper, you move with Wyatt.  We're all out of C-12 but George you have some det charges, right?"  Durrett said, then George Gray nodded, confirming Ben's question.  "Good, get moving, we'll wait for your cue."  Claudia spoke to Wyatt, to him it would sound like her voice was in his thoughts, rather than his helmet's speakers.  "There's an identical hallway right above the hostile one, Lieutenant Durrett and the rest of Oxen are waiting to breach into."

When Wyatt and the other Helljumpers made it to the floor above, Claudia set multiple waypoints on the Spartan's HUD.  "Marked enemies last known locations on your HUD, so you know where to best plant the explosives."  Back on the lower floor, Ben looked to James. "You ready? this could turn into a shitfest real fast.  I need you ready to pull some people out of there quickly if things go badly."

Wyatt looked at the spots Claudia had marked on his HUD. "Well I really don't need set charges all tge way around just enough to blow a large chunk of cement on top of the covies." Wyatt pinpointed a few key areas seven to be exact that would do the job. "George and Daniles I want charges in these locations." Wyatt put a few waypoints in the spots that needed charges. "Pepper I need you to Scrooge up all the grenades you can here are my two. When you get them put them in a pile out of tge blast radius." Once everything was in place Wyatt told his team the rest of his plan. "Once the charges blow and the debri is clear pull the pins from all eight of our grenades and throw them down there. Hopefully with a few covies being crushed by cement and then having explosives falling all around them it will give us the edge we need to lay down supressing fire for the rest of us to move in. Once the covies settle into postion I will jump down into the frontlines and begin rooting out the rest of them. When I do this I want you three to stay up here and kill any stragglers that might try to get away through our hole." Wyatt's team nodded their heads in agreement. Wyatt opened a connection with the Rey of the team "Ok, in three two one." Wyatt detonated the charges sending a shockwave throughout the building shattering what little glass that was left. Wyatt heard grunts screaming and yelling as well as a few elites trying to give orders. Then he and his team threw their grenades into the hole causing even more panic. Wyatt ran up to the hole and began laying down supressing fire his team followed suit. "Now is your chance Durrett breach that door!"

There was about two minutes of silence as Durrett and the rest of Oxen waited for Wyatt's crew to breach.  Ben's breath was the only thing he could hear for that time, trying to keep it slow as his heart was trying to escape his chest.  Suddenly the building shook as the det charges blew and Ben aimed his rifle at the lock of the door, as another series of explosions rattled everybody's teeth again.

"Now is your chance Durrett breach that door!"

Durrett nodded to No-Croak who was across the door as his fired his weapon into the lock and kicked the door in.  Ben and the rest of the squad moved into the room, firing weapons as they all spread out into the hall, suppressing the enemy as they moved to the closest pieces of cover.  There were Covenant bodies torn apart on the floor from the explosions but there was still a few elites and grunts left.  Ben was focusing his fire on one of the seemingly higher ranked elites, his bullets glancing off its shields.  The Sangheili roared as it activated its energy sword and began to charge the second breach squad.

Wyatt couldn't see much through the dust that had begun to settle. But through the sound of gun fire and plasma bursts Wyatt heard a very familiar and unwelcomed sound. An Elite had powered up an energy sword, which was bad news in close quarters. "I'm going in keep the covies off my back!" Pepper acknowledged his command and Wyatt jumped through the hole onto the next floor shotgun in hand. There was an lower ranking elite right in front of where Wyatt landed. It was crouched down next to another elite that was crushed under the debris from its lower half down. As the elite raised its head it met was met by a storm of shotgun pellets that shattered the Allen's sheilds. Wyatt slammed unloaded another shell into the elite's head which exploded like a watermelon. The spartan was about to run off when he noticed something on the ground an inactive energy sword. He picked it up and the blade sprang to life, away from his body thankfully. Racing out from behind cover he saw the an elite rushing towards the squad with an identical weapon. He sprinted towards the elite as plasma fire whipped past his head a few round connected though which weakened his sheilds. Another elite roared out and the one holding the energy sword turned around.

Wyatt swung at the elite breaking the its shields but not making contact. His opponent stabbed at Wyatt as he tried to dive out of the way but the sword broke through the Spartans sheilds then through his right arm right at the bicep. Wyatt howled in pain as the elite kicked him over and pulled out his sword. The spartan returned the favor and raised his wounded arm and drove the sword through his enemy's leg right at the knee cap and down he went. The sword had grazed his bone but thanks to his spartan augmentation it did not break. Once the elite was on the ground wyatt rolled on top of it and drove his blade through the thing's wrist severing the hand holding its energy sword. The elite roared in pain grabbed hold of a large piece of concrete and smashed it against the Spartan's head. Without his shields Wyatt felt the full force of the blow which knocked him off of the elite. They had switched positions and the alien was now chocking a dazed spartan with its good hand. In his daze Wyatt had dropped the energy sword and was now trying to get the elite off him with little sucess. He could feel the pressure around his neck begin to increase as the elite threatened to crush his windpipe. He started to pull at the elites arm but to no aviL the creature was just too heavy to remove with an injured arm.

Ben had saw Wyatt wrestle the charging elite as he peaked from his cover.  It seemed the fight turned to the Elites favor and it was over Wyatt wrapping its hands around the Spartan's neck.  It would take too long to drop the elite with his assault rifle, so Ben talked over the squad's comms as he pulled out a flashbang, "Close your eyes Wyatt."  He pulled the pin from the device and looked to a close ODST, "Covering fire!"  He yelled as he stood from cover and tossed the grenade right at the two on the ground.  It landed right next to Wyatt's right arm before detonating in a disorienting bright flash.  The Sangheili fell back in a blind confusion.

Ben couldn't get a shot on the Elite without risk of hitting Wyatt, so he gave covering fire for the super soldier to finish it off.

When Durrett called out for Wyatt to close his eyes Claudia polarized the spartan's visor so that it was pitch black. During which he heard the sound of the flashbang going off right after his visor returned to normal. Following the elite's example Wyatt grabbed a chunk of cement and bashed the alien over the head with it. But instead of trying to choke his oppent to death Wyatt just smashed the rock against the covies' head. Dark blueish purpleish blood splattered against the spartan's brown and gray amor. Even through his helmet filters he could smell something a kin to new tar which could only be the blood of the elite. Once the alien's head looked like purple ground beef Wyatt let the rock fall from his hand. The spartan's shields started to recharge as he moved behind cover next to Durrett "Ah!" Wyatt sucked in a breath through clenched teeth "Did we get all of them yet? I could kinda use a breather right about now." Wyatt had been clutching his wounded arm which was still bleeding a bit. "We'll what are your orders Durrett?"

((Sorry it took so long to get this to you I didn't know my first attempt didn't make it through.))

Durrett looked at Wyatt who had just taken cover beside him, then after a few more moments of hearing gunfire Ben looked over his concealment and saw one of the Helljumpers putting the last few rounds into a split-jaws throat.  "Area clear!"  No-croak yelled out after going through the open rooms in the hallway.  "There."  Claudia spoke through the squad's comms and set a waypoint on everyone's HUD to a closed door towards the end of the corridor.  "That's where the signal came from."  Durrett stood up and said "Oxen! on that door!" he then turned to Wyatt, "You can stay back on this one Wyatt, have Doc take a look at you."  Ben moved into the formation around the door,  Bontempo already having a breach charge set up.

((All good, man.))

Wyatt nodded his head as Durrett moved the rest of the team to the door save one medic. "Well looks like the muscle has been severely wonder and the bone has been weakened by the blow. But whatever they did to you in those labs has kept it all in one piece. After I stop the bleeding and administer first aid your body should do the rest. Still I would recommend that you see a specialist once we are back in the ship. Maybe get a few medical scans there can be more damage that I'm not seeing. Best to cover all our bases." Wyatt thanked the Doc and waited further back than the rest of the squad just in case they needed him.

There were a few moments of silence as Bontempo started counting down the seconds to detonate with his fingers.  After the last finger folded in on itself he made a squeeze motion as the door exploded inward, sending shrapnel through the room.  The squad moved in unison, clearing all corners of what seemed to be living quarters for someone.  "Clear."  One of the Helljumpers exclaimed over the radio.  The soldiers were standing in the living room of the apartment.  Ben signed the squad to move into the small hall that contained three more doors in it.  They all took position around different doors.  Ben, with one word triggered the simultaneous breach, "Go."  The doors were kicked in and Durrett found himself in what looked to be the bedroom.  The bed was against the far wall while a computer was on Ben's left.

He walked over to the computer that was turned on and had a bunch of Covenant lingo that Ben couldn't read.  "Sir?"  No-Croak said, looking behind the bed where a dead civilian was laying, two burn marks that appeared to be energy sword punctures.  Ben knelt down, next to the body, checking for something that could identify him.  Around the deadman's neck Durrett found a pair of dogtags.  "Lieutenant Colonel Mark Carmine.  UNSC Navy...  Shit."  Durrett stood up and walked back over to the computer.  "What did the Covies want with this guy, LT?"  No-Croaked asked but didn't get a response.  Ben switched his comm on, "Wyatt.  If your good to move, I could use Claudia at this computer."

Once Claudia was connected she wasted no time to translate the files.  Ben started reading the messages.  "This a message between the Lieutenant and a Covenant ship.  It says they're coordinates for Earth, but...  They aren't even close.  These are fake.  Why the hell was he messaging Covies?"  Claudia's hologram appeared and her face seemed a little distraught.  "A Covenant carrier is making its way over to us, lethal intentions expected."  Ben thought for a moment.  He knew there was no way they were gonna climb fourteen stories fast enough, then he remembered the large window in the building that contained some kind of courtyard about seven stories down.  He spoke over the comms, "Master Blaster, this is Durrett, I'm gonna make you an LZ inside the building.  Be ready to pick us up.  Over."  The woman's voice crackled over the radio, "Whatever you say, Louie.  I'll be there."

Durrett walked into the living room area.  "Get your climbing gear out, Oxen!"  He yelled before putting a burst of fire from his assault rifle into one of the large windows of the apartment, shattering it.  He clipped his rope to the sturdiest thing he could find then wrapped it around a barstool chair that was attached to the floor.  He turned to his squad before saying, "Follow my lead."  He stepped his heels out the window and let himself fall until he was completely horizontal.

As Ben started to propel down, he saw in the reflections of the windows, a city behind him burning and to his side was a large Covenant ship, moving in the direction of the skyscraper.  On the other side of his vision, in the distance Durrett could see the gunship that would be extracting them.  The rest of Oxen started to also propel down behind Ben.