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A Soul of Steel: Part 2
Posted By: The Scribe<nero@cinci.rr.com>
Date: 14 September 2003, 4:42 AM
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It was on a sunny Sunday morning that I stepped from the white, pure sand of Hydron and onto the Tyrant, a small transportation vessel to Polaris. Knowing that this would be my last time probably seeing a foreign planet's ocean, I stood in silence for a few minutes, taking in the sound of the tide and the gentle breeze coming from the sea.
After the last of the equipment and every rookie Marine was loaded onto the Tyrant, the doors slammed shut and it took flight. As it rose, I looked out of one of the ship's windows. The ocean's waves and details became more and more dull and simple until, finally, stars surrounded the ship and Hydron was just a blue ball with a few green islands on it.
A fellow, who I didn't much care for, stepped up to me.
"Hope you can hold your ass together out there, Wells," he said.
"Hey, Kingston, I think I can goddamn remember how to keep it going in combat. Let's not forget who made it to squad leader," I responded, beginning to stand up.
"Cool it, hotheads," Captain Jergen appeared behind Kingston. "Cut the bullshit or I'll be sure you get the stale piece of the pie as far as my personality goes."
Kingston and I both shut up and I sat back down in my seat along with all of the other Marines.
The Tyrant looked more like a Boeing Jet from the Atomic Age about five hundred and fifty six years ago. The seating was how pictures had looked in our text books. There were aisles and there were large rectangular groups of seats put through the ship in an organized manor.
Hundreds of us sat and talked loudly as the Captain approached the front of the ship. Suddenly, static crackled over the loudspeaker. Captain Jergen's voice came loud and strong.
"I've heard that most of you are new to combat, and are just rookies, but I have faith that you will do your best to defend Earth. If you don't, then your name will probably end up in a memorial service. I have fought these Covenant many a time, and let me tell you—mercy and sympathy is the last thing on their minds. So, if this ship should ever come under hostile attack, don't piss your pants and run around like a chicken shit. Fight like you mean it."
I thought about the Captain's words and then drifted off to sleep. Bootcamp memories swam in my head and suddenly...I was there.
"Pick up the pace, pussies!" Drill Instructor Erickson shouted. "You! Wells! Get your amateur ass over here!"
I ran over to the Drill Instructor. The veins on the top of his left hand bulged as he squeezed around the handle of his shock rod. Erickson touched the rod to my quad and it zapped. A sharp stinging sensation went through my leg.
"Run faster, damn it!" he shouted. "Set an example for these boys, squad leader!"
So, I picked up the pace and began to run towards the track to join the rest of my squad members. Sweat soaked my shirt and I could even smell the body odor in my mind.
Then, suddenly, Covenant troops came sprouting from the ground, and began slaughtering recruits. An Elite ran towards me and jabbed an energy sword through my face, and I awoke, sweating a cold moisture.
"What's the problem?" my friend, David Wrangler questioned.
"Nothing," I answered, rubbing my temples. "...Just a nightmare."
David reclined his chair slightly and closed his eyes.
The Tyrant was made for short distance travel and the distance was short. Polaris was a neighboring planet very close to Hydron. I was able to drift back off to sleep and awoke many hours later to find everyone shifting around.
Jergen's voice came over the intercom once again.
"We're about to enter the planet's atmosphere. Fasten you belts and sit tight."
The ride down was a rocky one because of the Tyrant's small size. The ship cleared the white clouds and then the ground came into view. Although we were about thirty thousand feet up, I could see that the ground was a bluish white. I figured that the blue would have to be frozen water and the white was, of course, snow.
After a few more minutes of bumpy riding, the ship then came to slow decent. The Tyrant's belly-jets came to life and the small vessel landed gently and easily. From the window, I could see landing crew scampering here and there, their orange uniforms bright against the white snow.
We all slipped on our F-Jackets (freeze jackets) and stepped down the ramp and onto the snow covered ground. I walked off of the landing pad, and with my backpack full of belongings, made my way to my barrack building.
The inside was warm, and after a few minutes of unpacking, I rushed back outside and got in line with my fellow Marines for a small word from the outpost's Sergeant.
We stood in the frigid air, waiting. Suddenly, the Sergeant showed up and took position in front of all of us. He was an Asian man with stern eyes, and a square face...very military like.
"Hello and welcome to Outpost 7. My name is Sergeant Chang or, preferably, 'sir'. As you may know, Polaris is not in a good position. The Covenant are wanting to take the planet from us and use it as a testing facility for one of their newest weapons. But, fortunately for us, our ground located defense cannons have been causing a problem for their ships and small vessels. When I say that you will not leave here without seeing combat, I mean it. I know that this has been said many a time, but I will say it...most of you will die here."
The words hit me in the chest like a fierce punch. It was all I could do but to hope I wouldn't become one of those people to die. The Sergeant turned his back to us and shot his right hand forward, and pointed his index finger towards what appeared to be steel half-bubbles planted on the ground.
"See that?" he asked. "When we press a special button, those steel bubbles open up and defense cannons shoot out of them. The cannons are then programmed to fire at certain coordinates. That is way you are here. You will defend those three steel half-bubbles with your God-given lives, and our Outpost is a top target for Covenant forces. So, sleep lightly, because when that alarm wails, pull that loaded MAB5 out from under your pillow and get your ass here to this very spot for farther orders, unless the Covenant haven't already breached our defense walls."
After the Sergeant had spoken, silence settled upon the long line of rookies standing in the cold. Only two hours after Sergeant Chang had spoken, it was lights out. I did[ sleep lightly, and did keep a loaded MAB5 under my pillow. As the wonderful feeling of sleep weighted my eyelids, I dozed off. Although I was asleep, my mind sat and waited for that well-known sound...the sound of an emergency alarm.
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