Chapter One


Day One, Hour One
UNSC Halcyon-Class Star Cruiser Pillar of Autumn, The Armory
JONATHAN




I awoke, and groaned in pain. My neck and back felt like I’d fell five feet onto raw steel. I slowly sat up, and rubbed the back of my head. I saw Tori and A.C. rise slowly as well.

“Where... are we?” Tori asked slowly.

I looked around; the room was roughly rectangular shaped. In the walls were numerous shelves, where boxes marked ‘120mm Rockets’, near several large double-barreled Rocket Launchers sat. On the several pillars cutting the middle of the room, racks with dozens of Assault Rifles, Machine guns, Semi-Machine Guns, Pistols, and other assorted goodies, alongside dozens of boxes of Shotgun Shells and Bullet Clips, with Grenades cliped to rings hanging on racks. “Heaven,” I mumbled and got up.

I pulled a Shotgun out and cocked it; it felt easy to aim. I took a nearby knife and broke open a box of shells. I insterted a shell- they felt high-caliber- and it clicked. I nodded, satisfied, and slung the Shotgun on my back. I took several handfuls of shells and put them in my pockets.

“Uh Jonathan... why are you collecting guns?” Tori asked. I quickly replied, “Beacuse we have no idea where we are, why we’re here, and what’s waiting for us. I hope you didn’t forget what happened last time something like this happened.”

I then took twin SMGs and loaded them. They were easy, even for me, to hold in one hand. I took a belt, and clipped them to it. I also attached a ring of Fragmentation Grenades to it, and twin Pistols. I took lots of clips into a backpack, along with an Anti-Tank mine. I filled the pack with more shells and a Machine Gun.

I looked over to Tori and A.C. Tori had a Sniper Rifle in her hands, and was assembling equipment on it. “Destruction makes me happy,” Noted Tori. I nodded. A.C. had a Rocket Launcher on her shoulder, and was collecting boxes of rockets.

I waited for the other two to finish their weapons collections, then I pointed to a door. “Let’s take a look around.” When we approached, it slid open, revealing a metalic hallway with pillars lined with keyboards and screens all around. A pillar was knocked on it’s side, and the screens sputtered sparks.

Suddenly, around a corner a person in weird armor, and wielding an automatic rifle, appeared. He stopped us, and said, “What are you doing here? C’mon; Engineering is under attack,” He noted.


We glanced at each other. “Um,” Tori said, “Who are you?”

The man blinked. “I’m FPC Jenkins, You know, the new guy. Now come on; the enemy is attacking!” As if to add emphasis to his final statement, the deck rumbled under our feet for a second.

“Follow me!” He ordered and started off around a corner. We shrugged and followed him.

As we passed another hallway, a door exploded on the right, and Jenkins exclaimed, “Take cover! Incoming Covenant! Security to Deck Eight, section 3-B!” And rolled out of the way.

Green packets of energy sizzled onto the walls, melting little patches of Tritanium-A. I took cover, but glanced at this ‘Covenant’.

A seven-foot six inch tall alien monster in a metalic blue suit of armor stepped out of the doorway and roared. In one hand he had a strange device which spewed blue bolts of Plasma.

He was followed by half-a dozen five feet tall aliens; they wore orange armor and slowly waddled out, holding their strange energy weapons.

The Marine peeked over his cover to fire; he sent of stream of Armor Piercing Rounds into two of the little aliens. Blue blood splattered across the floor as the aliens fell. The other aliens panicked in high-pitched voices.

A.C. peeked up and sent a rocket into the doorway. The other aliens went flying in all directions.

“What were those things!?” Tori breathed.

“Covies,” I said, suddenly understanding.

“What?” A.C. said.

“I’ll tell you on the way,” I said and got up. I ran for the other end of the hall. The Marine, Tori and A.C. followed.


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Chapter One complete.