ONI Black Ops Part Eight
Posted By: Havok<snayperskaya@hotmail.com>
Date: 23 May 2003, 11:41 PM
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The human battle group reached orbit over the Covenant planet. Three battlecruisers, the Warspite, the Executioner, and the Stiletto took up random patrol routes around the system. The other three remained in a tight orbit around the planet to provide fire support. Hundreds of drop ships streamed down through the atmosphere. The research tea sat riveted to their seats as they watched a monitor display the landing action.
The lead ship took heavy ground fire. The plasma weaponry melted the nosecone of the ship, killing both pilots. The ship dropped like a stone the last thirty feet. The soldiers in the back crawled from the wreckage, stunned but alive. The other ships made it down and disgorged their cargo. The ODST troopers hopped to the ground and lay down a heavy grazing fire, cutting the knees off of their closest adversaries. More and more ships landed, and marines poured out, overwhelming the covenant reaction force with sheer weight of numbers.
The Marines established a perimeter and lay down fields of fire, cutting down grunts, jackals, trees and bushes. Jackhammer missiles streaked out from the human lines, cutting up the covenant infantry. The perimeter was extended with every new drop ship that landed. Plasma fire slackened off, and then halted altogether as the last of the aliens were sought out and destroyed.
Once a rudimentary firebase was established, the larger troop transport moved into the proper position in orbit and commenced the deployment of the marine armored division to bolster the firebase's defenses. Huge transports loaded with Scorpion tanks and Warthog light recon vehicles slowly entered the planet's atmosphere and dropped through the skies toward the ground.
The reinforcement division made it to the ground with few losses and immediately got caught up in fierce fighting as a large Covenant counterattack splashed against the human forces. Military bases elsewhere on the planet had organized a strike with ground troops and ghosts, along with banshees for close air support. The Scorpion tanks performed excellently, downing fully a third of the banshees before they reached optimum weapons range. The air was white with the choking exhaust fumes of jackhammer missiles as the pounded the attacking covenant forces. Vapor trails streaked toward the alien lines as snipers picked off elites and hunters with deadly accuracy.
Within twelve hours of hard fighting, the marines on the ground had, with light losses, taken and maintained a beachhead on the surface. The covenant forces had withdrawn to the far side of the planet under a steady hail of cannon fire from the orbiting warships. Phase two of the black op was coming to a close, another success.
The research team packed its equipment for the trip to the surface. Vladimir brought a spare armor suit from storage and packed it, just in case. Monitoring equipment was checked and double checked, and then checked again for good measure. The third phase of the op was expected to proceed as planned, and hopefully exceed expectations.
Vladimir had learned long ago never to hope blindly. He had put his sweat ad blood into perfecting this armor. Now would be the time of judgment, to see whether his labors had been worth it. This armor would be the key to more and more victories on the ground. His work could save the lives of the Spartans, and also the lives of potential millions of civilians.
The master chief was waiting for Vladimir at the back of the drop ship, clad in his shimmering green armor. Vladimir loaded the final load of equipment, and then turned to the Spartan.
The master chief looked at him for a long moment, his helmet in the crook of his right arm. Then, "I'll see you on the ground sir." And saluted.
Vladimir returned the salute, strange though it was for him to do such a thing. The Spartan slid on his helmet and clicked it into place, then turned on his heel and walked to his own drop ship where he climbed aboard with a contingent of marines. The drop ship ignited its engines and floated off the deck. It spun around and slid to the airlock, where it cycled through and blasted off toward the surface.
Vladimir watched the ship depart, and then turned back to his own ship. He strapped down the last of the equipment and climbed aboard. He strapped himself in to the last seat, next to Dietrich. The hatch sealed and the pilots started the preflight sequence. The engines roared to life and the drop ships rose of the deck, cycled through the airlock, and started off toward the planet. Phase three of the mission had begun.
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