Chapter IV- Running on Thin Ice
October 5th, 2552. 0155 Hours. UNSC Frigate Forward Unto Dawn. Drop Pod Bay 2.
“Alright, we have a little surprise for you all’ I began. “These are the new HEV Pods. We will be taking them for a test ride. This is their first simulated combat test, so be gentle with them”
The men chuckled.
“Alright, gear check!”
“Six okay!” Rogers yelled over the pods doors hissing as they opened.
“Five okay!” Roundhouse yelled as the hissing stopped.
“Four okay!”
“Three okay!”
“Two okay!”
I turned around to my squad. “One okay! Jump in!” I barked as I signaled for the marines to enter the drop pods. As they did so, they stowed there weapons in the proper compartments.
“Sergeant.”
“Go ahead Commander Keys” I replied over the com channel.
“We have to launch early. We will be arrived over Section 1B of Canada a little early”
“How long?”
“43 seconds.”
“Alright commander, thanks for the warning.”
I switched my com to my squad. “Alright, we are dropping in 39 seconds! Com checks, go!”
The squad checked in, no com problems. Perfect.
“Remember the operation, remember your training, and I promise you will make it through this.”
“Sir, yes sir!” The marines replied.
We waited for only two seconds when a buzzing noise was heard and the green light flicked on. We began to drop.
A mere few moments had passed when we hit the atmosphere. My pod began to shake in every direction, more and more. I began to rise off of my seat as our speed accelerated. I was held down by my safety belt around me.
“Sir, is it supposed to be like this” An extremely shaky voice came over the came.
“This is a first run for these pods, so most likely!”
The pod was shaking violently now. My helmet began to bounce around on my head. Another red light went on.
“Alright, who else sees the red light?”
“I do, sir!” The replies came.
“Good, when you hear the buzz again and the green light go on, wait 1 second. The pod door will blow off.”
The com channel remained silent.
I suddenly felt a thud as the pod stopped. The buzz came on and the green light began to shine. Two seconds later, the pod doors blew off and we all ran out.
Gun fire was all we heard. Muzzle flashes were all we saw. Roundhouse fell, paralyzed.
“Everybody, find some cover! Move, move, move!” I ran and ducked behind one of the HEV pods.
“Sir, Roundhouse is down!” Yelled Welsh.
“I’m aware of that Welsh.”
“Sir, what are we going to do? Any suggestions?” Asked Dunham with a abnormally calm voice.
“Good question trooper. Alright, everybody, suppressive fire!” I commanded.
I dropped to one knee and let loose a burst from my BR55. The recoil of the rifle kicked into my shoulder, and I re-readied myself to fire again, and again. The enemy was impossible to see. They were dug in all around us. The training rounds were pinging off of the HEV Pods and the snow creating a white fog.
“Regroup!” I barked over the intercom. I fired another burst from my Battle Rifle and fell back to where Welsh was located.
“Sir! Wellington and Rogers are hit!”
“Where are they!” I yelled over the sound of gunfire all around us.
“Good question!”
As Welsh slapped the magazine of his Battle Rifle out of the magazine well he yanked another mag from his magazine pouch on his right shin. He then yanked back the charging handle, and slammed the new mag into the proper firing position as the spent magazine hit the snow. He smacked the top of the Battle Rifles receiver and the charging handle sprung back into position. He stood up and took cover behind the pod as he let loose 6 bursts.
“Damn it!” He yelled. He switched the firing selector to full auto and emptied the mag at the enemy positions.
A barrage of bullets hit just beside his helmet. I grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him down out of the way of fire.
“Sir!” I saw Wellington run up to me and jump into cover just as a grenade went off behind him. “Wellington here, sir!” He crawled to a near by drop pod and sat with his back against it.
“Report Private!” I barked.
“Sir, Rogers is down. I ran out of there just as soon as I could get some fire off of me. The situation is FUBAR. I’m are low on ammo, and I’m sure you guys ain’t doing any better.”
“If Welsh keeps on being trigger happy, we are all cooked.” I turned my head to Welsh. “Damn it Welsh, save some ammo!”
“Sir, yes sir” Welsh replied with a large amount of attitude in his voice.
“Alright, do you know where Dunham went?”
“Sir, I saw him. He ran like a mad man into their direction.”
“Alright, thank-you Wellington.” I switched my com channel to a private channel with Dunham.
“Dunham, check in!”
“Sir, I have gotten into their trench system and eliminated one firing position. The trench keeps going.”
“Ok, where are you. What direction.”
“Sir…Head North-North East. I can see you from my position.”
“Alright, were on our way.” I turned the com. Channel back to public.
“Alright, Wellington, Welsh, on me. Dunham has gotten into there trench system. When I signal, run like hell and keep firing.”
A few moments later I signaled for us to go. We all ran out of cover, guns blazing trying to suppress the enemy’s fire. As I ran, I quickly switched my firing selector to Full-Auto, and emptied my whole magazine at the enemy positions. I clicked the magazine release button and let the spent mag fall to the ground. I slammed another one into the receiver and kept firing during the whole 70 meter dash across open land.
I dove into the trench, rolled, grabbed my M7S from my thigh and pointed at one side of the trench at a time.
“Clear!” As I yelled Welsh and Wellington slid into the trench just as an explosion went off behind them.
“What the hell was that!?” Wellington yelled.
We heard a bang, then a whistle and a few moments later a shell exploded right beside us destroying a trench wall.
“Scorpion!” Dunham yelled as a white, snow covered, beast of a tank climbed into view.
“Take cover!” I yelled as we heard another shell tear through the air and hit the snow just in front of us. Snow kicked up everywhere as yet another high explosive, powder filled shell blew just a matter of feet away from our position.
“Sir, what do we do. I mean, what the hell do we do know sir!” Wellington cried over the com channel.
“Calm down soldier! This isn’t real yet!” I yelled back at him as I smacked his helmet.
“Sorry sir, I--”
“Save it private. Alright, any bright ideas?”
The men were staying still. Another shell exploded right beside Welsh. They both jumped, flew through the air and landed right beside me.
“We could confuse it somehow.” Dunham thought out loud.
“How do we do that?” Asked Welsh.
Another shell exploded just outside of the trench.
“We could charge the other gunning positions. If it thinks we were still here, possibly we could flank it somehow.”
We heard a grunt, and then saw a black and white figure pull itself over the edge of the trench and into cover. It was Rogers.
“Holly cow, what happened to you.” I asked as I pulled him into cover.
“Well, a tank shell exploded right beside me. The snow that was kicked up shielded me from the training shell explosion. I crawled over here, and here I am.”
“Alright great, now where are you hit?”
“Hit sir?”
“Are you hit?” I asked slightly annoyed.
“No sir, I’m fine.”
“Great, now here’s the plan.” I began as I patted his shoulder twice signaling great job. “Welsh, Wellington, and I will go along the trench and take out whoever we can. Hopefully the Scorpion will continue to concentrate its fire on this position. When it figures out our plan, Rogers and Dunham will flank the tank, and take it out. Is that clear?”
The marines replied in unison. “Sir, yes sir.”
“Alright, lets move!”
I ran through the trenches while staying low as Welsh and Wellington followed closely behind. I heard the tank fire again. The shell exploded just in front of us. I dropped my Battle Rifle as the shock wave of the shell knocked me down.
“Damn it, its tracking us!” I yelled as I rouse again while picking up my Battle Rifle.
I caught a quick glimpse of the ammo counter. 02 Rounds left. I shouldered the weapon, and stuck my head an the rifle above the top of the trench. I acquired a target, held my breath, and fired. He dropped without a sound.
One of the enemy marines looked over and noticed his friend wasn’t there. He looked down,
“Jones is down! Helljumpers are in the trench! Raffy, shift fire, left!” The marine screamed out.
I ducked for cover. I heard the Scorpion fire again. It barely missed and the shell took out a large chunk of the snow trench as the enemy marines yelped.
I went to grab another magazine for the Battle Rifle. I was out. I snatched the C7S SMG off of my thigh plate. I flicked off the safety, and popped my head over the edge of the trench. I was met with a barrage of fire.
I signaled for Wellington and Welsh to throw a grenade. They pulled the pin, squeezed off the safety latch, waited three seconds , and whipped it over the trench wall to the machinegun nest. The marines didn’t have time to react as the second the grenades landed, they exploded in a haze of white powder.
Wellington got up and went to round the corner to rush the remaining marines.
“Wellington, get down!” Welsh yelled after Wellington, but it was too late. The scorpion fired another round. We heard the whistle of the shell tear through the air, then silence for a split second before crashing into the trench wall just beside Wellington.
Wellington was thrown off his feet as the shell exploded and white powder blew everywhere.
As the powder cleared, our hopes were revived as Wellington, while using his left leg, kicked himself into cover.
“Man, that was close” his voice finally came over the intercom.
“Damn it Wellington, don’t be a hero!” I yelled at him as I helped him into cover.
“Sir, I couldn’t resist.” He chuckled.
“Yea, well next time, that could be a live round.”
“Sir, yes sir” Wellington replied with all sense of joking around gone from his voice.
“Okay, Wellington, how’s your mobility?”
“Sir, not good sir. My right leg is out.”
“Alright, get onto that machinegun and put some suppressive fire down for us.”
“Sir, glad to sir!”
Welsh and I helped Wellington to the machinegun.
Bullets were flying everywhere at us. The tank didn’t let up on its fire either. Wellington managed to slow some of the fire from the next machinegun nest over, but we were having a hell of a time with the rest of the nests.
We ran though the trench, every second we could get we would pop our guns over the top of the trench and fire back at the enemy. Every now and then we would drop one or two of the enemy marines.
We continued through the zigzag trench dodging fire as we went, popping our weapons over the edge and squeezing off a few rounds as we were able to. We ran, hoping the scorpion wouldn’t get the best of us. We remained a few feet away from each other at all times, to insure if we were hit by one shell, we wouldn’t both be down.
Another shell came whistling in.
“Get down!” I yelled. We both hit the ground hard as the shell passed over us. We heard an explosion and a bunch of screams.
“Where did that go?!” Welsh asked in complete confusion.
I popped my head over the edge of the trench, my SMG leveled. Another tank round fired, and exploded as a pile of marines went up and out of the trench trying to dodge the fire. They all fell, paralyzed.
“Holly cow, we have that SOB so confused its firing on its own troops!” I yelled with excitement and in awe. “Wellington! What’s your situation?”
“Sir, the Scorpion, its firing at the marines!”
“Excellent! Now, lets go, pour it on ‘em! Concentrate all fire on the other marines!” I then switched my com to Rogers and Dunham. “Rogers, Dunham, check in!” I barked.
There was a bunch of static as I heard broken words coming through.
“Sir--Dunham--We--Down”
“Check your frequency soldier!”
“Sir, is th--better. Sir, is this better?!”
“Good, now talk to me.”
“Sir, we are pinned down. The marines have a full trench all the way around this. There just running into us. We managed to take some of them out, but we had to retreat! Their coming for you. There on your flan--Repeat, there coming up your left flank and there closing fast on us and you!”
“Roger that Dunham.” I flicked the com channel back to public. “Welsh, on me, were heading back. Dunham, shift your fire to our left flank. Dunham and Rogers are coming quick, and they have company. Were coming to reinforce you!”
“Sir, yes sir” Came the replies.
Welsh and I ran and kept staying low. The Scorpion continued firing at the enemy positions, and the occasional scream of a marine followed by gunfire was heard. The thudding of weapons were dying down, but the blasts from the tank were not.
We came up to Wellingtons position within a minute. We could see the heads of multiple marines as they chased our two brave comrades through the trench.
“Welsh, lets go give these bastards something to cry about.”
We continued through the trench until we met Rogers and Dunham taking cover behind one of the walls. One of the enemy marines came running and screaming holding a grenade in his hand.
“Drop him, now!” Dunham yelled. We all open fired on the marine, he fell, and dropped the grenade.
“Crap, it’s a live one, everyone, out of the trench!” I hollered as we all either dived behind a wall or jumped out of the trench. The grenade went off, and Dunham screamed.
“You bastards!” Rogers screamed. He jumped down from the top of the trench and open fired taking down three marines. He then heard a series of clicks as the SMG had emptied and was useless. He threw it at another remaining marine, tore his helmet off, and threw that too. He then charged at him and tackled him into the trench wall.
“Open fire!” I yelled as me and Welsh fired at the remaining marines. They all dropped as out magazines emptied.
I looked over at Rogers as he was hitting the marine over and over again with the marines own helmet.
“You sick, twisted, sadistic bastard!” He yelled. “Why would you do that! Why!” He began to sob as he continued hitting the marine, who was helpless on the ground.
I ran over to Rogers and threw him off the marine. He was just a kid. 17 at the most. His nose was bleeding, and he was sobbing and still covering his head. I pulled off my helmet and began to check his wounds.
“Hey. Hey!” The kid looked up at me with tears in his eyes. “You’ll be fine. Toughen up, and help me over here.” I dragged him over the marine who dropped the active grenade.
“Who is this!?” I asked as I showed him the twisted remains. The marine only stared at the body. “I said, who the hell is this!”
The marine cleared his throat. “That’s Private Winston. Was Private Winston.”
“Did he just Winston, sir?” Welsh asked.
“Yes, he did.” I replied.
“Private James T. Winston?”
“Yea.” the marine sobbed.
“Crap…”
“What?” I asked as I looked over at Rogers tending to Dunham.
“I used to go to school with that bastard. He had a problem with me. We fought a lot.”
“So, do you think this action was deliberate?” I asked.
“More then likely, sir.” Welsh replied while looking at the mutilated remains the KIA marine.
“Ok, cover him up. Rogers, how is Dunham doing?”
“He got a few in the butt, but nothing bad. He’ll make it.”
“Great. Welsh, you have the most medical experience. Rogers, On me. Kid…”
“Read.”
“Read, you help Welsh in whatever way possible.” I looked over at Rogers again. “Grab the M41, we’re going to take care of that tank.”
“Sir, yes sir! But, there Is one problem. The M41 is still in the HEV, sir.”
“I hope your joking Private.”
“Sorry sir, but its true.”
“Alright, I’ll chew you out later. Lets get that damn thing now. Lets get out of this trench, make a mad dash for your HEV Pod, grab the gear, and run back. If you have a better idea, put it out in the open now.”
“No sir, that’s all I can think of as well.”
“Okay, just stay on me, and keep running. If that Scorpion catches us, were toast.”
Without a word we jumped out of the trench, and hauled butt to Rogers’ HEV Pod. The whole way, we were dodging fire as I sent magazine after magazine of ammunition down range at the enemy. Wellington kept on the turret and kept up a solid streak of fire, but it didn’t make much of a difference.
At the last second, the Scorpion fired. The shell tore through the air and blew up in between me and Rogers. I flew forward almost ramming into Rogers’ HEV Pod. Rogers kept running threw the explosion and dived right beside me. He scrambled for the M41 and a cast of two extra rockets, and threw them to me. He then dived back into cover as another shell exploded behind him and bullets tinged against the drop pod.
“Alright, you take the rockets. I will take the M41.”
“Okay. Now, as soon as that Scorpion fires again, run like hell for the trench!”
“Sir, yes sir!”
We waited no more then two seconds when the nest Scorpion tank shell landed at me feet. It was a dud.
“Holly Sh--” I grabbed the rockets and ran like hell following Rogers. I passed him, and kept running as I fired my SMG from my hip. The trench was only six feet away from me as the next shell exploded at me heals. I jumped into the trench, and landed hard against the back wall upside down. A few moments later, Rogers tumbled into the trench behind me.
“Damn, that was close!” I yelled over to Rogers.
He gave me a thumbs up.
“Alright, now lets take out that tank!
We jumped out of the trench and began running at it head on. It fired at us, but missed. It was a 60 meter sprint to the tank, but machinegun fire was practically hitting out boots. We kept running, Rogers Just trailing me caring the M41 on his shoulder. We took a sharp turn to the left to avoid another shell. It hit the ground in out previous location with a thunderous crash.
I began to fire my SMG at the gunner of the Scorpion to suppress him. He ducked, and we jumped out of the tanks firing zone, but to our dismay, were nearly gunned down by a squad of marines. We began to retreat to find some cover from the merciless thunder of the tank, and the sparks of gunfire from the marines small arms.
The tank revved and began to drive towards us. Rogers held the M41 at the ready.
“Now Sergeant?”
“Wait for it…”
“Sir, now?”
“Wait for it…”
“Damn it Sergeant, I always knew you would get me killed!” Rogers screamed as the Scorpion went over a snow bank. Its underbelly became exposed.
“I al--”
I tapped him on the shoulder and yelled. “Fire!”
The M41 kicked back and the rocked soared and exploded against the belly of the tank. The tank suddenly came to a stop, and began to tip forward.
“Move!” I yelled.
The tank continued to tip forward, and suddenly the barrel slammed into the snow in our old position. The Scorpion was now disabled.
We kept running back to the trench. Gunfire at our heals. The second we jumped down into the trench, Wellington, Welsh, and Dunham, who was on his stomach, all open fired at the remaining four marines. They all dropped.
I exhaled heavily.
“We did it sir!” Welsh exclaimed.
“Yep, we sure as hell did.” I switched my com channel to a private channel with Colonel Bradley. “Sir, ready for evac. Dunham has been hit and needs medical attention ASAP.”
“Roger that Sergeant Furlong, we have a pelican dropship on its way you and your squad.” Colonel Bradley responded.
“Thank-you Colonel.” I turned the channel off.
“Alright, lets go retrieve Roundhouse. it’s a shame he missed all of the action.”
“Yea, a real shame…” Dunham said annoyed as he looked over at his wounds now packed with medical expanding foam.
We walked over to Roundhouse, who was still face first in the snow. I removed my clove, and pressed it against his left shoulder plate. A small scanner scanned it, and Roundhouse was relieved from his paralyzed state.
“Damn it, did I miss all of the action?” Roundhouse said as he turned his helmet and began to stand up.
“Sorry marine, but I’m afraid you did” I replied as I offered him my hand.
He took it, and I helped him up.
As he stood and grabbed his Assault Rifle, the pelican dropship came in. the drop doors opened, and Colonel Bradley stepped out. He looked around.
“Damn, it looks like you had one hell of a fight.” He said in awe.
“Yes sir, we sure did.” I took his hand and shook it.
“Well, your done for the day. Congratulations. Your second training operation couldn’t have went better.” He smiled and shook the hand of each marine.
“Sir, shouldn’t we of had to do the rest of the mission? We weren’t briefed for this.”
“Exactly. This was a bad intelligence operation test. You all did extremely well for not know what was going on.”
“Thank you sir!” Rogers said. The marines snapped to attention and saluted the Colonel. He saluted back.
“We have medics for your wounded man. As for the rest of the marines you took out, we have pelicans coming for them.”
“Alright, everybody on the dropship!” I barked as I stepped aside for the marines to get on first. As they all filed in, I began to climb in, but the colonel stopped me.
“Sergeant, you did one hell of a job. This is the first time we have tried this exercise, and you and your men did one hell of a fine job.”
“Thank you sir!’ I snapped to attention and saluted the Colonel. He saluted back, and go into the pelican. I followed.
The pelican began to take off, and as the doors closed, I couldn’t help but notice the amount of damage we caused. That was one hell of a training exercise.
