Donald Markov

Staff Sergeant Donald "Virus" Markov (SN: 05074-84052-DM) is a human who served with the during the Human-Covenant war and later post war conflicts. Virus was trained as an elite Orbital Drop Shock Trooper. Serving in Hadúr Company of the .
==Biography==
Donald Markov was born on the 4th October 2530 in New Paris, Mars to Gardner Markov and road-train driver Elizabeth Markov. Growing up on Mars attending school up until graduating high school then enlisting in the UNSC Marine Corps and being trained as an .
===Early Life===
While his father was serving in the outer colonies, Donald was raised by his mother, brother and other family members, though his father sent weekly-monthly video messages to his sons and sometimes separate video messages for his wife detailing what had happened recently while maintaining not to reveal highly classified details. Growing up on Mars Donald enjoyed his life with his mother and father, when he could get appropriate leave time. Enjoying his time at primary and secondary school, sometimes being on the road with his mum enjoying the sites out the window as the countryside past by; often falling asleep while staring at the blue circle of Earth in the night sky. 
Sometimes spending time with his Uncles, most of which were engineers, learning many things from them and showing an interest in possible becoming an engineer like them. After finishing secondary school with a very high aptitude in computers, Donald went to the UNSC recruitment center to enlist as a marine, after convincing his mum for several hours even roping in his brother who had become a police officer in New Mombasa to help him.
=== Military Career ===
==== First Drop ====
After his first year and a half as a serving front line marine, sending video messages back home to his family as well as others to his father also on deployment, Donald knew he was capable of doing much more for the war against the Covenant and to do so he had to become an ODST since they accepted serving volunteers while the Spartans, he thought, hand picked their members. Having picked up the nick name Virus in his first few months of service after showing his skill with computers: not only being able to hack into local computer networks but partially into the covenant battle-net to help him and his teammates survive on the battle field.
Once completing the grueling months of training Virus knew he was ready for his first drop, days after finishing he was assigned to a that was part of a group of ships sent to repel a Covenant invasion of a distant colony. The adrenaline rush he and his fellow new troopers felt as they got set for their first combat drop, checking their gear and strapping into their pods made all of his worries vanish as the battalion commander bellowed over their radios what their job was his fireteam, call sign Red-5, leader Dent afterwards telling Halzer, Soap, Rusty, Quagmire, Canary (one of many girls in the battalion) and Virus their landing co-ordinates and their orders; to help clear an abandoned building to set up a ground base.
As soon as his pod's hatch blew open Virus was thrown into the battle, realizing his pod had somehow landed in the wrong area away from the objective building and that he was also separated from his team. Running across the battle field following the compass marker on his HUD, taking out enemies as he ran, eventually he reached the building and regrouped with his squad at the marker point, they too landing further away than intended. While the other ODSTs pushed the covenant back from the LZ, his fireteam cleared the building from their entry point while another did the same from theirs.
Hours later after the two teams cleared the building and the covenant pushed back from the surrounding area, as some of the ODSTs set up the command base with pelicans and other transports landing and unloading vehicles and supplies, fireteams buried their dead comrades, got some needed rest and food; one of the more larger rooms quickly filled with makeshift bunks and the other turned into a mess hall with empty oil drums and other flat objects being used as tables.
Virus and his team did both, having suffered no loses the team decided to rest and see what kind of grub they had started serving while their squad leader discussed with the battalion leader. Virus had a quick nap while the others brought hot food back from the mess hall then joined in playing cards, checking gear and arguing what the food was supposed to be during which the squad was rejoined by Dent, who informed them of the rotating shift of guard duties and that the food was supposed to be lasagna, sausages and mashed potatoes. Virus and Rusty traded comments on how the almost charcoal before them was not sausages that is until they ate them. 
:"Ah seems the chef follows the school of burn them to a fine crisp so the meat inside is really cooked"
:-as Virus slowly wolfed them down
The following morning the battalion commander issued the companies orders from command, that they were going to help the remaining UNSC forces inside the capitol retake the city from the dwindling covenant forces as the UNSC ships above the planet had destroyed the covenant ships with reinforcements arriving in-case of more hinge-head ships coming back. With the convoy of warthogs, scorpions and being loaded up, the command centre being transferred to inside one of the Elephants, the Gunny had Virus and his squadmates grab a since it was going to be a long trip. The others got comfy in the back Dent took up the passengers seat leaving Virus to drive.
:"Rise and Shine Ladies, that's the city right ahead so get those eyes moving and those weapons ready!"
:-The Gunny as the convoy reached the edge of the capitol
As Virus matched the speed of the convoy as it slowed down when entering the city, the others in the back got their weapons shouldered and their heads panning round, Quagmire needing to be shoved awake first. The convoy was split up, the command elephant, a few warthogs, scorpions and the pelicans carrying equipment and troops would carry on ahead to the headquarters inside the city while the rest of the battalion was sent to engage the covenant in the downtown area. Virus gunned the warthog to the location along with all the other drivers, itching to finally do something.
:"Hey Virus, mind if we get there without seeing breakfast again?" -- Canary
:"Would you rather Rusty drive?" -- Virus laughing as he drifted the warthog round the last corner
:"At least he wouldn't toss us around back here!" -- Halzer as the squad started opening fire on targets
The team started opening fire on targets covering the streets, some of the ones in the middle of the streets Virus just ran over. The battle didn't seem to last long to the squad when it was actually 2 and half hours long but eventually all remaining Covenant in the city were dead, no prisoners taken because the Battalion Commander deemed none needed. During the celebration of their first mission, Virus and Canary had a one night stand and made sure not to tell any of the others. The battalion spent the following weeks re-building the capitol while the civilians returned to normal life. When Virus got a free moment he sent a video message home describing his squad-mates, first drop and mission; also getting a chance to speak to his father via live video chat after helping restore one of the satellite dishes at HQ.
==== Losing Gunny ====
Virus and the squad spent the rest of the war deploying on several drops together. For a year or so they suffered no casualties but several injuries until one mission. They were pinned down in a crater they turned into a makeshift foxhole during a seven hour firefight when unarmored brute charged and jumped into the hole head first into Gunny. Even though the squad were able to restrain and kill it, the thing still managed to severely wound him. While Halzer, Soap and Quagmire quickly returned to firing on the enemy position, the rest of the squad tried to save Dent. Rusty and Canary tried the best they could to stop the bleeding and seal the wound while Virus tried to raise anyone in the area when Dent grabbed his collar, removing his helmet and pulling him face to face.
:"Markov listen to me" gargling blood "Get the squad out of here! I'm dead no one else needs to be!"
:"Gunny we can save you! Just hold on!" Virus trying to stay calm "ANYONE Copy! Anyone hear me please respond!"
:"I said listen to me!" pulling him closer "Your Corporal now! Take them outta here and go!!"
Virus nodded spinning round to face the squad, quickly giving orders for Soap, Canary and Rusty to run to the forest tree line while the rest provide cover fire and return the favor when they ran over. Before Virus ran to the tree line he had Halzer and Soap give him all their explosive charges, setting them up and arming them, the Gunny nodded to him taking the detonator and giving Virus his dog tags. Virus started running to the tree line while the Covenant rushed the foxhole, the last thing Virus hearing before the charges went off:
:"COME ON YOU F@~KS! COME N' GRAB A SEAT BY THE FIRE!!!"
:—Gunnery Sergeant Richard J. Dent's last words
When the battle was over before being debriefed, the squad made their way back to the crater of their foxhole and made an impromptu battlefield grave after finding Dent's helmet.
==== Going Home ====
Whilst other Troopers were heading off to possibly end the war, companies from the 19th were deployed onto Mars to take it back. With little to no time to reassign another leader, Markov was given command of the squad. Informed of the plan to drop squads into every major city with orders to kill all enemy combatants, rescue and evacuate any civilians found. Markov and several fellow Martian squad leaders requested to be dropped into New Paris, their home and birthplace, looking into their faces and their eyes the CO agreed stating,
:"I know exactly what you're feeling... the covies attacked my home years ago, and they sent me to the other side of the galaxy. So you get your boots on that ground, take everything that's hurting inside of you.. put it in your rifle, put it in your fists and use it to kill everyone last bastard one of them."
:"SIR YES SIR!" every trooper declared back to him before saluting and filing out.Category:ODST
Returning to the squad, Markov told them they would be dropping into the city alongside several other squads Canary asked if he was alright Markov simply said he was fine and to just get ready for what they might be dropping into. Once locked into his pod, he silently prayed to himself and whoever was listening upstairs that his family had made it someplace safe and were okay. Dropping into the surprisingly intact city, the squads of troopers starting searching block by block.
Several troopers, including Rusty and Halzer, were starting to get creeped out by the silence and emptiness. Searching and clearing streets and buildings as they made their way through the city finding lots of death but no covenant opposition. Reaching the central main square, the squads decided to divide and spread out checking the whole city. Just as they were about to split covenant remainers attacked, Jackal snipers up high in ledges and skyscraper windows immediately taking out a third of the troopers before they could find cover.
Brutes and grunts bursting out from the surrounding buildings. The intense firefight lasting seemingly forever Markov and the other squads starting to get overrun when support arrived in an unusual fashion, a road train driving straight through the enemy forces, squashing several whilst marines and civilians opened fired from the trailers. 
Markov was shocked seeing this especially as he realized both his parents were in the cab, his father leaning out the passenger side blasting away with a shotgun whilst using the door as a shield. The lorry came to a screeching halt into the middle of the square with all the marines and civilians disembarking and reinforcing the squads as they pressed forward eliminating their covenant attackers.
Pushing forward he ended up fighting side by side with his dad, kicking a grunt running up behind him right in the face then double tapping it to make sure it stayed down. 
"Good kick son" grinned Gardner "nice of you to make it back home too""Ha! thanks old ma... Sergeant Major" Virus laughed back.The remaining covenant now killed or running for the lives every trooper and marine regrouped next to the lorry, Markov reunited properly with his mom and surprisingly a few other family members that were riding in the trailers awkwardly hugging a few in his semi blood stained armor and introducing them to his squad. Then after seeing the pelican fly over head and land nearby accompanied his dad and the other squad leaders to meeting with the Lt. Colonel to discuss on everything happening on the planet.
The next few weeks were spent re-securing not only New Paris but several other major cities and UNSC facilities before being granted shore leave and returning home to help out with his family, the squad coming with the guys especially after hearing all the stories about Elizabeth's home cooking.
==== Post-War ====
Markov continued to serve in the 19th after the war. Stationed back and forth between Earth and home on Mars for a few years. Reconnecting with his extended family, being happy that his father survived to retire from the corp to come home and be with Elizabeth, and exploring a possible relationship with Canary before being assigned to the brand new the UNSC Muhammad Ali after being promoted to Staff Sergeant.
== Personality and Traits ==
Markov is a usually quiet person, unless he really knows someone whom he can laugh and share with or has been provoked and made angry. People he befriends he tries to befriend for life, he still keeps in relative good contact with some old friends from school and boot. After the time they've known each other and what they've been through he trusts his squad and like them deeply morns the loss of Gunny Dent, wishing he could of done something different feeling he isn't ready to lead the squad.
Like other members of the 19th Battalion he has a mixed lineage, of Scottish and Hungarian, leading him to be able to understand the rough and battle hardened drill sergeants as they would switch between both Hungarian and English in boot camp.
== Equipment ==
His original customized armor featured a yellow/tan coloured chest piece which had a semi-permanent rank emblem stuck to left side and an odst helmet overlapping a drop pod silhouette design in the middle. He also had an ODST-HS Combat Helmet, which is equipped with extra metallic reinforcement to protect from head trauma. He had the helmet painted with a khaki stripe across the top and the upper half of a jaw bone right below the visor. He also used a Hardcase backpack with extra ammo pouches on the sides. 
He originally solely used the M7S and M6C/SOCOM he was issued with before the SMG was literally shot out of his hands and picking up a MA5K, from then forward switching between the two reliable weapons whilst continuing to use the Automag as his sidearm. He also has a combat knife sheathed on his back under his backpack.Category:UNSC Marine Corps Personnel