Four Eighteen: Chapter One

Four Eighteen: Chapter One
Super Carrier

   Kelsey stood next to Ethan-418 and Alex-419 on the command bridge of the Jericho super carrier. One of the largest ships in the UNSC's fleet, it was almost as big as the Damascus, which went down around when the sangheli revolution happened in the covenant.
   The vessel had three launch bays, two on its sides and the third was on the bottom. The officer in charge of the ship, Admiral Lance Hill, was giving them a briefing on their latest mission.
   Ever since they had been field tested on a stealth mission, it had been one after the other. But this time, things were different. Now they wanted an open combat situation. Their MJOLNIR Mark VII armor was ready and they had all been fitted with it. A green metallic color shone off every plated part. Yellow-orange visors hid their faces from view, giving them a HUD, complete with a shield meter, biosigns, targeting recital, and so much more. With this, they were as effective as nine standard marine platoons. Open combat. Finally.
   "Alright," Lance said. "You will each be given a platoon of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers to command." ODSTs. Oh, joy. "I expect to see this go off without any problems. Any questions?"
   Dead silence filled the room. All of the bridge crew was quiet, save for the taping of commands on the keyboards. The ships A.I., Shadow, appeared and said something only the Admiral could hear. Even with their heightened hearing, no Spartan could make it out.

   An hour later, Kelsey set foot on solid ground. She studied the land for a moment. Eridanus II had become a wasteland. The dry, red dirt flew everywhere as Hornets and Pelicans dropped troops off and Warthogs were unloaded. A red sun, filtered by the few clouds of burned debris cast an eerie, red glow upon the land. She looked off the cliff she stood on, its walls blackened from explosions.
   She sighed. It used to be such a beautiful place. She was born here, she could remember that much of it. She put her helmet on her head and turned to face the three ODSTs who stood behind her.
   "You," she said pointing to the ODST on the left. "Take two warthogs and scout up ahead. Report back in one standard hour." She looked at the middle one. "Make sure to get all our com systems online ASAP. And you," she said to last ODST. "Get the base set up. I wanted it set up a month ago.

   Kelsey sat in her newly formed concrete bunker. Some of the fast drying concrete mix hadn't finished drying, too. The ODSTs had built a base in the side of the cliff and it stretched all the way to the bottom of it, where the garage was. A hanger was built too, and supplies had steadily been flowing in. The ODST scout team had come back with nothing strange to report, so it looked like today would be a quiet, uneventful one. She stood and looked out the window. She could just barely make out another base, built by Ethan. It was still being constructed.
   She headed outside to view the artillery emplacements. The ODSTs placed them so they could fire straight over the mountain right behind them, and also hit every square kilometer in front of them. Black clad ODSTs ran hastily back and fort around the top of the base, still setting armor plating. And then the last layer of concrete.
   Private Emmanuel Davis, an ODST, came up to her.
   "Ma'am? Sargent Willis Davidson wants to see you," he said. "He's waiting outside your quarters."
   "Tell him I will be right there," Kelsey replied. Before he could go, a loud explosion happened. The shock wave shook the entire base, making the people standing stumble for a few moments. Gunfire broke out seconds later as the rebels attacked the garage.
   "What the hell is going on?" Kelsey yelled out to Emmanuel.
   "This is what Willis wanted to tell you, we found them approaching on the last patrol!" He shouted over the noise.
   Kelsey ran to the edge of the building and looked over the edge. Flashes of exploding gunpowder popped up everywhere by the garage. Warthog tracers flew out and damaged scattered rebels. Grenades went off, followed by screaming. She looked back at the door she had used to get on the roof, then back at the ground.
   Suddenly she leaped off the roof, and spread her arms and legs out, slowing her fall. Before she hit the ground, she fired the diamond repelling rope. it caught in the elevator shaft's exterior and her arm was almost pulled out of its socket from the deceleration. She dangled for a few seconds, then detached the hook. She landed on the top of the garage. She ran off to the edge and jumped.
   Sailing clear over the rebel heads, they gaped in awe for a second, which was all she needed. She kicked one of them into another, shattering the first guy's ribs and breaking the second's legs. The third guy rushed her, wielding a knife. She ducked his first swing, and uppercut him in the chin. Blood spattered on her visor.
   She picked up his knife and threw it expertly, nailing another rebel in the head. She picked up an MA5F Assault Rifle and check the ammo supply. The counter read a half clip. It'll have to do, she thought, then sighted the nearest rebel and shot him. After ten minutes, the rebels were either captured or dead. Kelsey looked at the carnage afterward. She thought they were crazy for attacking. Only one man was killed, and he was the first one shot. Minor injuries claimed ten others, and only three had major ones.
   This is gonna be a long battle.