Watcher

Shane-148 analyzed the tactical map on his MJOLNIR Power Armor's heads-up-display from the troop bay of the Pelican dropship, surveying his team's landing zone. The 3D projection showed barren, rocky terrain with solar panels scattered throughout. He received a tap on the shoulder and closed the display. His teammate, Poppy-A118, offered him his MA5C Assault Rifle. He nodded at her and grabbed the rifle, placing it on his lap. Alongside Poppy, he had two other teammates, Nowell-B016 and Sylvia-A010. All three were third-generation Spartans. He'd only known of this "SPARTAN-III" program for two months, and it still perplexed him. None of his fellow Spartan-IIs were aware of it, not to his knowledge, he was the only one. He wasn't sure why he, out of all the available options, was selected to lead a team of them. He didn't bother to question it, not out loud. 
The pelican's pilot spoke to them over their helmet comms, "Get set back there, you drop in five." 
Shane took another look at the tactical map. Their pelican was set to drop them at a solar station on the planet Awakening. Its dry, rocky surface was devoid of life, and it didn't look at all like the agricultural world he had heard it described as. But beneath the layers of dusty rock, Awakening had an ample supply of water and solar energy from a blistering sun. Now under Covenant invasion, Awakening was inescapable. Its larger spaceports were all but wiped out, anything that remained was inaccessible. Rescuing civilians was not their mission objective, but he hoped that he and his team would at least be able to draw pressure off of them. Shane and his team, Watcher Team, had to recover an ONI asset buried underneath the planet's crust in an underground facility. Upon landing, they were to link up with a small Marine force holding down the solar station, and descend further from there. Determining that there was nothing of interest, he again closed the map and stood. His armor's integrated computer estimated 20 seconds to their dropoff location. He grabbed his MA5C rifle and locked it magnetically to his back. His teammates stood behind him, also making their final preparations. He watched as the status indicators in his HUD assigned to each team member shifted to green. 
The ETA timer's 20 second countdown had passed, and five seconds later than expected the pelican's troop bay door opened. The Spartans were hit with a blast of dust and debris, paying it no mind as they leapt out onto the rocks below. He didn't bother having a weapon ready, this region was determined free of Covenant activity. 
Shane turned to watch the pelican take off and spoke into the TEAMCOM communications channel. 
"Poppy, see if you can raise the Marines." 
Shane watched the pelican ascend into the thick dust clouds above and turned back to Poppy, who nodded in acknowledgement and began to carry out her orders. It was a short walk to the solar station, only about two minutes. Throughout the journey, Poppy alternated between channels and frequencies, attempting to contact the marines on post at the solar station. 
"No luck, boss. Marines aren't answering on any of the channels." 
Nowell chipped in afterward. "Possible comms outage?" 
"It's a possibilty," Poppy replied, "A storm came through this area a day ago, but they'd ought to have something running."
Wanting his team focused, Shane hushed them, "We'll see when we get there. eyes up, stay on mission."
Nowell and Poppy acknowledged, as Watcher Team finished the approach on the solar station. The station came into view, a small concrete building built into a rock face, antennas and an array of sensory equipment jutting out of the half-exposed roof. Shane approached the door and opened the door, which slid open with a groan indicating poor maintenance. In an environment like this, it wasn't unexpected. Shane entered the room, ducking his head down as not to hit the compact doorframe. Immediately, Shane noticed that something was wrong. The marines were nowhere to be found. Chairs by the monitoring equipment were out of place, one knocked over. 
At the opposite end of the room, a door was half-opened, with noticeable dents and protrusions. Shane signaled Poppy to advance, and she raised her M7 submachine gun, stepping carefully down towards the door. As she approached the door, the other side grew dimly lit with a sporadic, flickering light. A large shadow loomed over her, as she quickly raised her weapon to fire. Poppy heard a deafening boom as the visor of her PILOT helmet was splattered with purple. 
Poppy quickly ducked into cover, the corpse of a Covenant Elite falling in the doorway behind her. The elite's head was now a mangled mess of bone, brain matter, and teeth as its mandibles contorted and shuddered. Shane and the rest of Watcher Team quickly advanced with weapons raised, as Poppy wiped the elite's deep purple blood from her visor. 
Shane recognized the sound of an assault rifle much like his own as sparks danced off the door and its frame. When the gunfire came to a pause, Shane activated his armor's voicemitter. 
"Friendly!" Shane yelled as he stepped out into the short hallway beyond the door. At its opposite end stood a marine in the process of awkwardly reloading her assault rifle. 
"It's about time!" The marine yelled, lowering her rifle. Catching her breath, she walked forwards, planting her boot on the elite's back and looking upward at the Spartans. 
Shane motioned Poppy aside, surveying the hall before walking up to the marine, "Marine, you alright?", he questioned. 
She sighed and looked upwards at Shane. "I'm fine. Can't say the same for the rest of my guys." 
Shane surveyed the marine. She was covered head to toe in standard body armor, with a balaclava and goggles obscuring her face. The only identifiers he could make out were a sergeant's rank insignia and the name BROWN stenciled onto her chestplate. 
Shane continued to question, "Where is the rest of your squad?". 
"I'll show you." The Sergeant motioned for the Spartans to follow her down the hall, leading them through to a closed door. She stood beside it and motioned then in. "Here, this is what's left of them." The room was smattered with blood both human and alien, each wall marked with plasma burns and bullet holes. On the floor lay three bodies. Two were human, the other appeared to be a Covenant Jackal, none were particularly recognizable. In the corner was an indiscernible mess of gore and scorch marks. 
Shane tilted his head, "Just these three?" Marine squads were typically at least nine people, he didn't want to prod, but he deemed it acceptable given the circumstances. 
Sergeant Brown inhaled and looked around the room. "Four. Down in the corner was Hernandez and Miller. Then there's...", Brown paused, looking away, she took a few deep breaths, and then continued, "then there's Young and Parker." 
Category:Story
Category:Stories