The Fall of Echo One

<Center>The Fall of Echo One</center>
August 30th 2552
“Sir we need to get going now, are you ready”, The ODST Sergeant said to Colby. Colby looked at the trooper before grabbing his shotgun and replying, “Yes, the mission detail wasn’t sent to my Tac-Pad, brief me”, he said as he put on his Gold coloured Mark V (A) helmet and magnetized the shotgun to his back before picking up an MA32. “Sierra A266 and objective Raptor are pinned down at Castle base, we have to perform a hot zone evac and my squad will assist”, the trooper said. Colby climbed into the Pelican and sat down, thinking about the rest of Echo Team, Roger, Sarah, Franklin, Lara and Raul, all lost to the wrath of the covenant, even in the team though he felt like an outsider, as the only Spartan Class II in the team he was considered to be more of an Old war hero than a current soldier on the battlefield by all the younger class III’s, his thoughts were interrupted by a question from a particularly chatty ODST. “So what’s your rank anyways Spartan?” “I’m Naval Captain Colby 191”, Colby said without looking at the trooper. “Wow Jesus what is that like Colonel in the Army”, the ODST said with a kind of wonder in his voice. “Yes it I…..” suddenly the intercom blared “LZ’s too hot, your gonna have to jump and clear it out so I can put her down and get us the hell out of here” the pilot said. The back hatch opened and the ODST’s lined up to go, Colby stepped up and commanded them to jump after he landed before leaping out of the hatch and falling to the LZ, as he hit the ground he slammed his fist into the ground causing his armour to go into lock up while the other ODST’s landed all around him. Colby quickly saw Sierra A266 desperately trying to protect Raptor, who Colby recognized as his “mother” Dr. Catherine Halsey. The other Spartan was about to be taken from behind by an invisible elite with an energy sword when Colby quickly pulled a knife from its holster on his shoulder and flung it at where the elite`s head was, distracting it enough for the other Spartan to quickly bash its skull open. ``Thank you Captain, My name is Jun, and we really need to get the hell out of here``. ``I know, we have to clear an LZ for the Pelican to land``, Colby said. ``Colby it’s a pleasure to see you again, if only it were under better circumstances``, Doctor Halsey said. ``If only mam``, Colby said, saying this making him flash back to his days in Spartan training, and to Cassandra. When Colby was 16, only a year before his augmentation, Cassandra, Green Team`s marksman was sent to Gold Team, of which he was the commander, at first she argued with his orders until she started to see the wisdom in them, but it wasn`t until he saved her from some green team members who thought of her as a traitor that she really started to look up to him. She quickly earned Colby`s trust by quickly completing any tasks assigned and she soon became his second in command, as well as best friend, it wasn`t until the Battle of Euphoria, a small mining world in the outer territories and Colby’s home world, Gold Team had to blow up a generator powering a secret wraith building plant that was covertly set up on the barren region of Euphoria, Colby had given the order to breach and clear, a decision that would haunt him forever, as soon as the wall into the facility was blasted four hunters stepped out, knocking Gold Team’s Demolitionist into the river sweeping him away, and critically wounding Cassandra, Colby grabbed the demolitionists Rocket Launcher and quickly dispatched of the hunters, after grabbing the det packs, which had luckily fallen off of the demolitionist along with the detonator. Colby quickly set the charges while the others went to find the demolitionist. After he ran over to Cassandra and removed his helmet, after trying to convince her she would live she consoled him in her death, before she passed on she gave him a small kiss, this kiss would forever haunt Colby with memories of his lost love. Colby quickly returned to reality and pulled out his shotgun blasting a grunt away, more and more covenant kept pouring in until Colby finally ordered the Pelican to set down. “Get the hell out, I’ll stay and make sure you can get away”. Jun nodded as he, Dr. Halsey and a few remaining ODSTs boarded the Pelican, as it flew away Colby was struck through the heart by a Needle Rifle Round, slumping to the ground, his thoughts turned to Cassandra, to the one he looked forward to seeing again, finally his gave out and then his body turned to glass, but his sacrifice allowed Jun and Doctor Halsey to escape, he became a hero.