Heroes’ Unsung Chronicles part 1: Convey
Posted By: Helljumper 552390
Date: 20 December 2007, 9:07 am
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1000 hours/UNSC Crow's Nest installation/East Africa/
Evacuation procedures in progress….Estimated overrun time 0130 hours.
Corporal Wallace A. Hicks looked at the warthogs that lay in their small storage place with utter distaste. Already he felt his stomach churn and his face screw up as the marines flooded the room. Lieutenant Hawking walked over and glared at him.
"What is it soldier?" Usually Hicks would shrug the question off and offer a neutral reply to his commanding officer but the way this war was turning out Hicks was positive that either he or his blue blood Lieutenant would be dead before any suitable punishment could take place.
"Sir this is bullshit, these warthogs ain't gonna get far without air support. I say we stay put in the Crows Nest and make our last stand here. Backs against the wall and going down guns blazing, not being mowed down by Covenant fliers across the Savannah as we try to run." Hicks knew it was a bold statement but if it was one thing he had come to learn, it was that men who usually fled were hunted down or killed another day. Why not die with some dignity taking as many alien scum as you can?
"We'll I'm glad your not our CO then corporal! Get in the damn hog and man that turret. We're going to make a supply run for Voi!" Hawking smirked at Hicks then climbed aboard the passenger seat of the nearest warthog. Hicks ran to the warthog and pulled himself up onto the back. He grasped the cold steel handles and made sure the turret was operating normally.
"Hey Kito" He caught the attention of one of his fellow marines. Kito was a young wild eyed African and Hicks assumed he knew his way around his own continent. "How far away is Voi?" Kito just answered in a low laugh which didn't assure Hicks one bit.
"Think we'll make it Corporal?" Kito asked Hicks.
"Yeah, we'll we're gonna find out." Hicks focused back on the warthog and he noticed that Hawking was hurrying marines to their positions.
The entire hangar was awash in a sea of panic as marines scuttled to climb aboard the warthogs. The pelicans had taken on all the wounded and available marines on the higher levels and taken off. Commander Keyes had ordered all marines to pull out of the Crow's Nest. Most Covenant forces had been scattered when the bomb had detonated but in true Covenant style they had returned in greater numbers to conquer what was left of the old installation.
The remaining UNSC personnel had taken to the bottom of the facility and were in the process of evacuating with the warthogs and supplies to Voi. The marines piled into the warthogs and Hicks noticed that the oversized loads would be dangerous. The personnel carriers were full and most warthogs had been packed with ammo and supplies for UNSC forces holding out in Voi.
There was a slim chance they could make it to Voi but it was their best bet. Hicks looked down at Hawking and noticed the incompetent leader was hollering for Sergeant Stacker.
"Sergeant if you don't show your face-!"
"I'm here sir!" Sergeant Stacker walked out from loading a warthog and approached Hawking.
"Sergeant, hop on that warthog and get this convey moving! The Covenant are going to be right on top of us!" Hicks nodded to Stacker and he grinned back at him. Sergeant Stacker had become somewhat of a legend among the men. He had been present in most of the battles in UNSC history. He hadn't played a big part like the Spartans or Naval commanders but he had been there to fight along side them and in the end that's all anyone could have asked for.
The amazing fact that the sergeant was still alive was not so surprising when one witnessed him in battle. During the fight in the Crow's Nest Hicks had managed to see Sergeant Stacker in action. He displayed excellent combat tactics, courage and a sense of care for his fellow soldiers. Hicks knew that the sergeant alone was holding the rest of these marines together. As with most marine company's it was the NCO's that the men trusted to see them through. He was unsure of the Master Chief's position but he sure wished that he was present during this fight.
The warthogs roared as the hangar doors opened and Hicks looked out at the blaring sunlight. His eyes adjusted from the dank, dark bunker to the scorching, African sun. The warthog's wheels spun and Hicks jolted as they sped out of the hangar. He took a deep breath of fresh air and felt a sense of relief as the cool breeze kissed his face.
"Alright marines, we're saddled up and good to go. Watch the roads and the sky, Commander says that these supplies are needed in Voi and that's where they're going to go." The small convey of six warthogs roamed across the Savannah at enormous speeds. Hick's felt his jaw drop as he saw the Covenant's effect on the landscape. The orbital elevator had been smashed and now its rings we're scattered everywhere.
He had been in the Crows Nest for too long, he had almost forgotten what Kenya's landscape was like. The tranquil land reminded him of what he was fighting for and filled him with a strange sense of heroism.
The land was covered in a lush green grassland and rolling hills. Then he began to see how the war had taken its toll, metallic rings lay sunken into the ground. Far off he could see the large crater that the Covenant seemed to be glassing. He noticed that the roads had been cut off at certain areas so he was sure that they'd have to take alternate routes to Voi.
Covenant battleships hovered around a crater that they kept glassing but that's not what Hicks was amazed at. Something was in the crater, Hicks could just see the surface of a metallic object that the Covenant were digging around.
"They found something!" A marine's voice exclaimed on the comm. Hawking took a glance and huffed.
"Never mind that, keep your eye out for hostiles soldier." Hicks didn't know what to think but before he could get a good look at the strange structure in the Earth they disappeared behind a hill. Hicks looked around noticed that the warthogs were heading towards the Tsavo Highway. It would take them to Voi but Hicks knew that it would defiantly take them to the Covenant.
"Keep heading this way, Voi's not far off!" Hicks swivelled in the gunner position and looked around for any fliers. They had been extremely lucky, no banshee's or dropships had appeared. Then as if to answer his thought a terrifying wail of a Covenant flier could be heard being carried by the wind. Hicks got on his mike and contacted the platoon.
"Does anyone else hear that?"
"Roger, Corporal I think we have an incoming assault group, we should find cover." Sergeant Stacker was rarely wrong about these things and Hicks could see that their driver Private Crawly had sped up. Hawking got on his mike and sneered.
"Sergeant that's insufferable, would you put the lives of others at risk on your gut feeling? Convey, proceed towards the highway, these supplies need to reach Voi pronto!"
It was clear that the fight for power was coming to a climax between Hawking and Stacker. Hicks agreed with Stacker it was impossible for them to have gone this far and not to have been spotted. It was only a matter of time before a search and destroy party found them. The Tsavo Highway had no cover and a narrow strip for them to ride down. It would bottle neck their forces and create a chokepoint in which any Covenant armour or fliers could easily pick them off. Simply put, it was suicide.
Hicks couldn't take it any longer, he wasn't going to stand idly around while their CO was issuing the orders for their death warrant.
"Sir, I think we should take the lower pass by the highway it would provide air cover and a wider are for the convey." Hicks made sure that this was an open channel conversation so the whole platoon could hear.
"Negative Corporal, sit back and watch our rear!" Suddenly the entire platoon burst open in radio chatter all of it directed at Hawking.
Hawking yelled into the mike and appealed for order,
"I'm the commanding CO here! We are taking the highway, it's the only direct route to Voi!" A marine protested Hawking's statement.
"We can take the country side and you know it!" Hawking began to crack under the pressure and Hicks could almost see the rage building up inside of him.
"We are taking the Tasvo Highway!"
"Sir this is a bad idea!" Hicks added, "We should head down the side of the pass and try-" Hick suddenly froze as two heat signatures appeared on their radar with no UNSC tags. Hicks swivelled the large gun to the rear and aimed at the grassy hills. His eyes strained to track any movement but there were no hostiles. Then a menacing figure flew out from behind cover. The flier past the convey and circled above them.
Hicks stared at the illuminated flier for a split second before jamming his finger down on the trigger. The kickback smacked into Hick's shoulder and he tried to handle the immense recoil.
"Contact!" Hicks ranged the target at a hundred meters but the landscape was deceiving and he wasn't sure how close it was.
"Banshees!" There was a spark as one of them sped up and the wail of its engines echoed in Hick's head. He screamed and tried to see through the large mussel flash that the turret was creating. The Banshee quickly veered and avoided his anti-air fire. It corrected its position and aimed down at them.
"incoming!" A green projectile connected with the ground near their warthog and dirt flew up and blew into Hick's face. He flinched and looked to his left. To his horror he found that the banshee had a partner who was hitting their flank. Hicks turned and lined up the second banshee. Two of the fliers had targeted the convey. Hicks knew that he was one of only four gunners among the convey that had firepower capable of destroying them.
"Light 'em up!" Hicks pulled down on the trigger and the gun began to fire numerous rounds towards the banshee. The recoil kicked back into his shoulders and Hicks swore as the banshee gracefully swirled past their fire. Hawking suddenly yelled into his mike in a panicked attempt to regain command.
"Fire damnit, concentrate all firepower on the first banshee bring it down!" Chaos broke out among the ranks and Hawking failed to control it.
"Sir, that plan doesn't make sense, that leaves us as sitting ducks to the second banshee!" Hicks screamed at Hawking. Crawly looked at him and cursed.
"Sir! We need to make a decision do we take the pass or the highway, we're closing on it!" Sergeant Stacker was yelling orders to the marines and called to Hawking.
"Hawking, choppers are inclosing from the right flank what do we want us to do?"
Hicks didn't believe his eyes but the Lieutenant began build up tears in his eyes. The Banshee's closed in for a kill and plasma streaked down from the sky and came raining down upon the warthogs. A marine in the back of a personnel carrier took a hit and screamed as he was thrown into his comrades. The unlucky marine seemed alive. He thrashed about in the back of the warthog as marines tore his burnt armour off to apply felid dressings.
"I don't know! I…" Crawly looked at the radar then at Hawking.
"Sir please clarify that order!" The Lieutenant broke out of his trance and yelled at Crawly.
"We will take three warthogs down the pass and we'll take three up the highway and regroup at Voi!" Hicks fired at the banshees fruitlessly then looked back at Hawking.
"Sir that's suicide!"
Hicks took control and lent back and ripped the Lieutenant's helmet and comm off before he could make the order official and announce it to the platoon on an open comm channel. He got on his mike and contacted the rest of the marines.
"Sergeant I'll draw the banshee's fire and try to distract them while you take the lower pass to Voi!" Crawly shook his head and grunted.
"I always knew that you were going to get me killed you dumb bastard!"
"Roger that Corporal, you're one hellova soldier!" Hicks laughed,
"Can the lovy dovy stuff Stacker, we're no dead yet!" Hicks fired at one of the banshees and wasted all his ammunition not even letting his finger lift off the trigger for a second. He was rewarded with a bang as he landed a shot at the banshee's grav-stabiliser. It soared into a flat spin and crashed into the nearest hill.
"Its working!' Two of the four choppers broke off and headed towards them. The remaining banshee took pot shots at them, scaring the highway around them. Crawly now had the warthog speeding so fast that the choppers were struggling to keep up. Hicks began to believe that they might actually make it to Voi.
Hicks felt something grab him from behind and pull him down. "You traitor, violating a direct order and treason is punishable by death!" Hawking had him grappled by the head and they crashed down into the warthogs frame. Hawking pulled out his M6G pistol and held it to Hicks's head. Hicks punched him in the face and Hawking recoiled back into the front of the hog.
"You stupid chicken shit, you're gonna kill us all!" Hawking growled and aimed at Hicks. Hicks was overwhelmed with rage, he was bigger than Hawking but a M6G changed the situation a little. Crawly was trying to keep up the speed but Hawking kept swaying the warthog. Hicks launched himself at Hawking and grabbed the pistol. It discharged and Crawly yelled and tired to kept them on the road.
Hicks looked past Hawkins's cringing face and he saw a large green plasma projectile come crackling through the air. Hicks closed his eyes and felt the heat burn his skin. The warthog flipped off the highway and they all screamed as the heat enveloped them.
Hicks opened his eyes and looked around. Everything was blurry but someone lay beside him, shaking his head.
"Buddy wake up, C'mon Hicks!" Hicks groaned and the marine sighed and rested his helmet on the dirt. He regained his sight and noticed that a flaming wreckage of twisted metal lay around them.
"What the hell happened?" Crawly grinned and looked at the flaming wreckage.
"I…I don't know, the covenant flier hit us. We flipped and fell down below. The warthog toppled off the cliff into the crater. We landed on this small plateau and I think the brutes over hyped sense of pride saved us. They left and after circling the flaming hulk of the warthog down in the crater they must have taken us for dead.
"What about Hawking?" Crawly shook his head he pointed to a charred corpse with a smashed in head.
"Had a little tumble and hit his head, its kind of ironic you know. The entire time I wanted to rip off his helmet so he could stop issuing orders but I just couldn't. I wasn't brave enough.
"Then just like a hero out the UNSC legends we hear about back at base you ripped that sucker off. You cared for our men and he didn't. He wanted to order us on a suicide mission but you stopped him. In the end it wasn't the plasma or the fall that killed him, it was himself. You saved those men and me."
Hicks grinned and looked down at his body and noticed that his armour was burnt and his fatigues had melted to his skin on his right side. He lifted himself up and noticed that Crawly had been burnt also. Hicks placed his arm around Crawly for support and drew his M6G pistol from his side.
"How long have we been here?" Crawly asked, Hicks shook his head.
"I don't know." Abruptly Hicks comm crackled and Sergeant Stacker came through.
"This is Sergeant Stacker, the Master Chief has managed to set up a rally point at the Traxus Factory Complex 09 in South Voi. We're going to try and eliminate anti-air batteries so Lord Hood can engage the Covenant fleet." Hicks looked at Crawly and laughed.
"They made it, we'll looks like we're gonna have to leg it from here to the rally point in Voi." Crawly looked at Hicks with an expression of confusion.
"How far is that?" Hicks shrugged,
"Not sure, but we'll find out." He said with a hint of humour in his voice. They began limping with Crawly and headed towards South Voi.
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