Last Defence (Part 1: The Siege Has Begun)
Date: 17 May 2004, 2:07 AM
-It's been too long since I last wrote...
The Covenant have us surrounded!"
Lieutenant Smith just stood there, absorbing what Private O'Connor had yelled. Of course the Covenant were surrounding the base. It was obvious since the sound of plasma striking metal came from all directions. Smith had expected a predictable frontal assault on the base, but definitely not a siege.
As he stood on top of the most Western bunker of Base Alpha, many thoughts roamed his mind. Why the hell, he thought, would the Covenant plan a siege on a base a mile from one of Earth's major cities? It would be easier to just pass us by.
"I'm thinking that they want to kill everything that even remotely gets in their way," Corporal Lawrence said as if reading Smith's mind.
Smith glanced over his shoulder at the Corporal. "I think that's the case. But we might as well teach them to never pick every fight they see."
Several explosions shook the ground throughout the last defense to a major Earth city, Los Angeles.
"What the hell?!" O'Connor yelled as he lost his balance. As Smith steadied himself, he asked the same question. What would cause him to lose his balance while standing on top of a bunker? Well, with the Covenant, almost anything explosive.
The Lieutenant was about to get his answer. Sergeant James Riley ran over to the bunker, his arms cradling a sniper rifle. Riley was the leading officer of the snipers squad at Base Alpha. The one thing he could not lead was the chain of command.
"What is it Sergeant?" Smith said calmly.
"Sir, the bastards are surrounding the base's outer walls and are throwing those grenades on it by the hundreds. I think you know what that means. The walls won't hold out much longer."
"Take your men try to spot anything else they're doing to try to kill us," Smith said. Then, turning to Lawrence, he said, "Take your men and head for the turrets at the inner walls, and call of the men by the outer walls. Take positions by the turrets."
Lawrence nodded and saluted. "Yes sir."
As both Riley and Lawrence ran off to do what they'd been ordered to, Smith checked over his battle rifle. This is going to be something big, I can feel it. Better show those bastards what they're dealing with.
* * * * * * * *
"Sir, a large Covenant force is taking positions around Los Angeles near Base Alpha and is laying siege to the base."
General Krov listened carefully to what Simmons was saying. He did not want Los Angeles to be attacked by those aliens. He especially didn't want them to attack Los Angeles because he was in L.A.
"Can you reach them?" Krov asked.
"I'll try sir." After a few moments Simmons announced, "Got them."
"Base Alpha, this is L.A. Command. Come in. Over."
A few moments of static and then a voice came over the comm. "L.A. Command. This is Lieutenant Richard Smith. Why do you want to talk on this fine day?"
Krov picked up a headset with a mike and slipped it on his head. "There's a large Covenant strike force in your area. We don't know if there's a lot of them. Please verify their numbers and if you need reinforcements."
"I'd say that there's about a thousand of them in all directions pounding on our doors and we're not letting them in."
"Alright, we're sending in reinforcements to get you and your men out."
"With all due respect sir, I advise you not send reinforcements."
"What do you mean, Lieutenant?"
"I have a plan to make sure these Covenant don't attack the city, and they're too far from one of their cruisers to escape."
"Okay, give me your plan."
You pull all your troops to defend the city. Then we stall the Covenant to the point where you call a strike force in and blow the hell out of them with a small bomb."
"You do realize that you won't be receiving any help, that you've all lost your lives."
"I do sir, and it's a price I'm willing to make."
"Then God help you. From now on, you're all alone."
Then a voice broke through all the silence. "They've broken through the outer walls! Repeat: They've broken through the outer walls and are working on the inner ones. Prepare to defend the base!"
"Well General," Smith said with his odd calm tone, "the siege has begun.
With those words, Krov set his headset down and faced Simmons. "Well," he said. "Make the call."
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