ODST Lead the Way Chapter 3
Posted By: Helljumper<PittKlipse@aol.com>
Date: 4 March 2004, 8:19 AM
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First squad reached the road junction. Davis signaled for his men to take up defense positions in the forest facing the road and pulled out his data pad. "We're right where we're suppose to be." He thought to himself before his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of feet impacting the paved road. He turned to his right and made eye contact with the squad's sniper. He completed a series of hand signals. Davis nodded as he read them. Two Jackals were making their way up the road to the Helljumpers' position.
Davis held up his fist and covered it with his right hand. This signaled the Helljumpers to take cover and conceal themselves into the forest. The Lt sat with his back against a large tree and looked over his right shoulder. He could make the two aliens as they walked side by side. They spoke to each other loudly in their alien language that sounded more like bird chirps than actual words. The Jackals passed by Davis's tree, the ODST officer turned his head slowly to the left to follow the alien's path away from the T intersection.
If they continued, they would run into second squad. With the dead silence of night, the slightest sound of gunfire would echo for a long distance. Davis made the decision to neutralize the threat. He signaled to Corporal James, who lay prone behind a tree five meters from Davis. The two marines quietly slung their rifles and crouched out of the forest. They stepped softly as they crept up behind the two aliens.
Davis and James produced combat knives from their sheaths, strapped to their ankles. They approached the Jackals who continued to chat. One of them let out what could be described as a laugh. Davis held his knife with the blade pointing down and raised his two arms evenly. Corporal James raised his left arm and held the blade in his right hand with the point facing up.
The Lieutenant struck first. He grabbed the creature's beak with his left hand and forced the blade down at an angle into the spinal cord of the Jackal in between its neck and shoulder. The knife sliced right through the vertebrae and cut the spinal cord killing the alien instantly.
The second alien noticed his comrade's death, but before it could react was grabbed around the neck as James pushed the combat knife into the alien's back. The Jackal started to shake for several seconds before it stopped and went limp in the Helljumpers arms.
The two Marines dragged the lifeless bodies into the forest where they were dumped twenty meters away from the road and covered with vegetation. Davis knelt next to the alien he had just killed. He disconnected the portable shield band from the creature's arm and examined it. It was then connected to his own arm. It snapped on extremely tight causing the blood flow to his hands to seize. He struggled to get the device to loosen. The shield band relaxed and sat comfortable on his arm.
Davis walked back over to his men and produced the data pad from his equipment belt.The clock on the pad read 5:31. In twenty minutes second squad should arrive and in an hour, the invasion would begin.
While his men lay prone or knelt in the safety of the forest, Davis stood up and walked out into the road. It was paved and very wide. He walked into the middle of the T intersection and looked all three ways. As far as he could see in all three directions was darkness. The Lt. looked at his data pad. According to FLEET-INTEL, the Covenant had a base set up two klicks to the east. Orbital bombardment would soften up the base for the marines of the 68th Division to attack. Retreating enemy forces would come this way. His platoon's orders are to trap this retreating force until the 68th catches up to finish them off.
Davis found his way back to his men. He signaled for them to gather around him.
"Ok listen up Marines. We'll set up an HQ fifty meters into the forest. Drop off all extra equipment. Williams, I want you to set up the COM gear and contact the Fleet to let them know we are in position. Heavy weapons team will set up the SAW across the road facing east and long with one of the Jackhammers and extra rounds. The Covies might have armor. Set the other Jackhammer up on this side of the street. Take two riflemen to cover you. Sniper and Spotter proceed a hundred meters east and find yourselves a nice firing position. Do not engage the enemy unless instructed to. I want to know everything that comes down that road. Corporal James, you're with me at all times. Lets move Marines, the war isn't gonna wait for you."
Second squad arrived right on time and began to set up their positions. Fox holes were dug into the forest facing the road along with additional defensive positions. By 0600 hours, the Helljumpers were embedded in their fox holes. It was still dark and the only light available was the dim shine of the moon.
Davis stood in his fox hold checking the bolt on his AR. Some dirt had gotten into it and he wanted to make sure it was ready for the battle to come. Satisfied with his cleaning he pulled back the bolt loading a round into the chamber. He was nervous, but he was use to it. Before every mission he felt the same feeling, but once the action started, his training took over and he functioned on pure adrenaline.
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