New Kind of Human by Forerunner's Advocate
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Solo with a Spartan-Chapter 1: A new Agenda
Date: 30 September 2004, 2:07 AM
(authors note:I'm still a little shaky on the code so if anyone could post that for me after you read this I'd be grateful. enjoy F.A.)
It was 0700 hours when someone stepped into the room. "Corporal... Captain Keyes wants to see you on the bridge." "Ok, I'll be right up. Did he happen to say what for?" "I think it is some kind of new assignment, but I am not a hundred percent sure." "Ok. Thank you private."
Corporal Lance Campbell strode easily from his quarters to the lift at the end of the hall. He was 6' 1" and with his UNSC issue combat boots he was easily 6'3". He had a commanding presence though not because of his rank but because of his war record. He fought beside two of his friends and had become accustom to never leaving their sides on the field of battle. As he stepped into the lift his mind turned to his friends.
Henry Watts was his first friend in the service. He (in his own words) is the "Best sniper the UNSC has got!" He is about 5'11" and 200lbs. of pure muscle. He likes to say he could put a hunter in a submission hold and make it cry.
Then there was Adam Morgan. He was roughly 6' tall, and 190lbs. That guy could do things with the covenant weapons that they could only dream of doing. He gave us all a new respect for their technology. He could out shoot a covenant pulse rifle with a plasma pistol. I've seen many Elites burned to steamy chunks by a couple of plasma pistols in the hands of Morgan.
I myself prefer the good old fashioned shotgun or rocket launcher (if I can get my hands on one). And grenades... Well let's just say many covenant scum have been blown to fleshy ribbons by one of my well placed plasma grenades.
As the doors to the lift slid open his mind turned to other things. "Glad you could make it Campbell" said Keyes. "I have a special mission that I thought was right up your alley."
"Well as you know my team and I are willing to accept whatever you have for us" stated Campbell coolly.
"Well this isn't for your team, this is a solo mission."
"What? You know that I don't do solo missions. My team comes or I don't. It's as simple as that" said Campbell coldly.
"Just hear me out Campbell. You have heard of the Spartan-II program have you not?"
"Of course I have Sir."
"Well a man called Spartan-117 or Master Chief has been assigned a special mission and he needs one comrade. You are the best of the best and rumor of your skills have traveled even to his ears. He has chosen you, with my permission of course, to accompany him. And since he is possibly the only remaining Spartan you would be the best candidate for the job." Keyes said as an afterthought.
"When do I leave?" Asked Campbell.
"0900 hours. I expect you will be ready by then?" asked Keys jokingly.
"I'll be ready Sir." Corporal Lance Campbell saluted sharply and turned on his heal to leave.
"Oh and Corporal... Be careful, it would be a shame to lose you."
As Lance stepped into the soldiers quarters he was hit with a barrage of questions.
"What the heck is going on?!" asked Watts angrily. "Ya whats the deal with you gettin' sent on a mission without us. What the hell you gonna do out there without nobody watchin' your butt?" asked Morgan."Well I wont exactly have nobody." said Lance cooly. "I will be providing working with a Spartan, the last living Spartan to be exact. All I can say is that it's gonna be interesting."
"Good Morning Corporal, I hope you slept well." Said Keys, and without waiting for a reply he went on "This is Spartan-117 or Master Chief. He will be your partner on this mission or you will be his. It makes no difference to me."
Lance walked up to the Spartan and was at a loss for words. The man was at least a foot taller than Lance. Lance stuck out his hand and was again surprised by the size of the hand that reached out to recieve his. It was nothing less than massive.
"Glad to meet you Chief. I hope I will be able to fulfill your expectations." said Lance. If the Spartan was upset about such an informal greeting he made no sign. "You have nothing to worry about corporal. " said the Spartan. "I have thoroughly read your files and you are just the help I need. You are as close to a spartain as they come." With that they parted company and prepared for the mission ahead.
A new Breed of Spartan:Chapter 2: Off the Beaten Path
Date: 4 October 2004, 4:22 PM
"Sir may I ask you a question?" asked the Corporal over the roar of the modified Pelican's engines.
"Go ahead Corporal," said the Master Chief emotionlessly.
"Well..." said Campbell hesitating. "I wanted to know your name. If we are going to work together I think it would be prudent to get to know each other."
"My name?" the Spartan had not even used his own name since Reach had fallen. "My name is John."
"It is a pleasure to meet you John." said Lance. Knowing the Spartan's name made him a lot more comfortable. It somehow made the Spartan seem more human to him.
"Doctor Halsey; It fills my heart with joy to see that you have survived the disaster at reach," said Captain Andrews beaming. "I do wish to hear the story of how you did it when we have more time."
"It was the Spartans. I owe my life to them. They were... never mind. We must concentrate on the task at hand. I have looked through your files and I have chosen three other candidates for the program. They will be go through the augmentation process if all goes well with Corporal Campbell."
The U.N.S.C. drop ship, a modified Pelican, switched over to it's nearly silent and non-heat emitting backup engines. It slowly dropped toward the surface of the planet Haythim XI. The O.D.S.T. or Orbital Drop Shock Trooper and the Spartan-117 jumped from the ramp and landed softly on the forest floor. They watched as the Pelican swiftly but quietly took off toward their faraway ship.
Lance watched as the Spartan slid a magazine into his modified
S2-AM Sniper Rifle. On this mission he was told that keeping his head down was the most important thing. The Spartan's armor could take an extreme amount of punishment but his on the other hand... Well let's just say a few well placed plasma rounds could turn Lance into piece of charred carbon. But he didn't intend to let any covenant live long enough to get a shot off. He also slid a magazine into his rifle and chambered a round.
"Okay, COM check. Do you read me Campbell?" asked John in a whisper.
"Loud and clear, let's make sure none of those covenant faggots live through the night," said Lance coolly.
They had been given sound and flash suppressors for their S2-AM rifles. They would certainly be put to good use. They began to slowly make their way through the mist that blanketed the nighttime forest floor. John motioned for Lance to stop.
"I am picking up multiple enemies on my motion tracker. Let's slip up over this ridge and try to take as many out as we can without being spotted."
"Roger that. Lead the way," whispered Lance trying to hide his excitement. He had always felt this way when he was about to engage the covenant. It was a mix between excitement and dread. They crested the hill and could see a line of twelve grunts break through the foliage there were two jackals bringing up the rear.
"Fire on my mark. Take out the ones bringing up the rear first."
"Roger." As the two soldiers took aim Lance noticed that they were stopping. "Sir wait," he said quietly as he watched two grunts set down a crate that they were laboring over. They started babbling in what Lance presumed was their native tongue. He could barely hear them.
"What is it?" asked the Master Chief.
"Do your censors tell if there are any covenant close enough to hear a plasma grenade?"
"Negative, there aren't any covenant that near.
"I have an idea. If I shoot a plasma grenade carried by one of the grunts it should create a chain reaction and set off the other grenades carried by the covenant. Plus the methane tanks will add to the explosion. I will shoot into the tightest group. You are probably a better shot than me so you can start with the clean up while I recover from the flash."
"Affirmative. Let's do this while they are still clumped together. Fire at will."
Lance quickly aimed at what he thought would give him the most effective radius and squeezed the trigger. The rifle kicked against his shoulder as the gun fired a one hundred, forty four millimeter projectile toward his enemies. FWOOM!! The grenade burst into a cloud of blue hot brilliance. It was just a matter of enjoying the show after the initial explosion. A mix of covenant flesh and blue blood flew in all directions as grenades exploded and methane tanks burst into flame.
"Good call Campbell. That worked better than we could have hoped. Let's move on."
The next half hour went by uneventful. Lance was just about to speak when John made the signal for him to stop and retreat slowly. When they were at a safe distance from what they were trying to avoid John spoke.
"There are two hunters guarding the gates into the complex that we are heading for. Have you had any prior experiences with these monsters Campbell?" asked the Master Chief quietly.
"Ya, but I had a jackhammer so I am not exactly sure how to take them out with what we have."
"Okay, the only place that our rifles will be able to do any damage to them is that orange patch of skin on their backs. I think it would be better for me to deal with them. Follow me to a point where you can watch," said John as he turned to walk away.
Lance followed until he could see both hunters. If Lance had thought they were huge when he had fought them it was nothing compared to when the one on the left stretched to its full height and popped the vertebrae in its back. It had to be at least 12' tall. Then Lance saw a white streak blur across his vision. It went into the back of the nearest hunter blowing a hole the size of water melon as it exited. John had switched to ballistic rounds and the slug had burst into a thousand shards of metal then exited his back ripping his spinal chord to pieces. Another white streak and orange blood pasted the ground as the remaining hunter fell to the ground in a heap.
"Gate clear. Let's go save those marines Corporal. Meet me at the gate," said John over the COM system.
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