Book of short stories

The Final Moments (Kelly X OC)

   Ryan sighed and collapsed onto the couch. Another hectic deployment, another desperate attempt to avoid Cortana's guardians and still carry out the duties of the UNSC. Ryan was sick of it all, and for once he was debating retirement.

   Kelly was already asleep. Ryan was just, exhausted. But his life was so much better. He had a wife now, a stronger relationship with his father, and it got a bit better each day. All it took was for Ryan to make an effort, show that his dad still mattered. Especially now that Kelly was genuinely considering starting a legitimate family. Of course, Kelly didn't know if they needed to adopt or not yet, but Ryan wouldn't mind either way.

   But the hard-ass hell jumper chapter of his life was coming to an end. His military life wasn't, in fact, Ryan was still in his prime as a soldier. But he had a real-life now, real family. He didn't owe the UNSC everything now. It scared him, truly. Once a soldier, always a soldier. He couldn't get it out of his head. He couldn't watch zombie movies, it reminded him too much of the flood. He only sometimes could do anything with loud bangs, he was always ready to kill.

   Ryan was still learning how to switch off. He saw no issue with it on deployment, since it was expected. An ODST who switched off in combat was a liability, and a downright hazard to have around. He could get help, sure, since the human-covenant war just ended and there were millions of veterans still dealing with the horrors of fighting alien species who held every advantage for 30 years.

   Ryan would try self-help, first. He'd take time to reflect, rather than shove everything down. He owed it to Kelly if anyone. She'd disclosed everything she was allowed to, and Ryan felt like he needed to be as clear with her as she was with him, if they were to have a healthy relationship, and family.

Four Years Ago

   "Come on, Private! We got a war to win!" The sergeant yanked Ryan up off the ground. Ryan was still dazed by the plasma mortar round that'd thrown him over. They were fighting over a small canyon on some planet Ryan had never heard of before. All he knew is there were thousands of civilians trying to leave, and the 10th ODST division was going to cover them. Hoorah, right?

   The once beautiful landscape was now glass, mud, blood, and bodies. The trees had long since been burned down by plasma bombardment, even the stocks turned to ash and the ground to glass. The bodies of UNSC and Covenant alike littered the battlefield, turning the ground to grey mud created by blood.

   The Sergeant rallied a cry, and Ryan's platoon charged once again. Ryan felt like it was world war 1, aimlessly charging the enemy just to kill. He didn't care though, he'd seen enough men killed before Ryan could do his job. All he wanted was to watch the Covenant bleed, to see them coughing blood at his feet.

   The first grunt the got in the way stood no chance. The Covenant had partial fortifications, to cover their artillery. The construction had been interrupted by the 10th's arrival a week earlier, however. They ran into a small pillbox of sorts, manned entirely by grunts. It was an emplacement for plasma cannons, more to cause some damage than actually protect the artillery. There were another few lines of defence for that.

   One of the grunts spun around, only to get flung back by a burst from Ryan's battle rifle. The rest of the crew didn't even get a chance to pick up a weapon, two full squads of ODST's ran in, firing and stabbing at will. Ryan even bashed a grunt's head in with his rifle stock, the blue blood coating his armour. Reminded him of the Scottish war paint Ryan's father had talked about when he was just a kid. Ryan had long since lost his Scottish accent, though it was still sometimes noticeable. His father still sounded like they'd never left the highlands.

   The squad moved fast. Ryan glanced around, watching as the entire defensive line collapsed under the ODST attack. "Come on, you want to live forever?!" Ryan's sergeant once again grabbed Ryan, throwing him forward. Ryan immediately started sprinting again. No air support, no armour. Just a hell jumper and his rifle, charging to his death. Ryan jumped into a trench, sweeping both sides. He was thrown onto his back, and he skipped across the mud until he slammed into the trench wall. Ryan groaned and looked at his attacker. An elite, clad in golden armour with a blazing energy sword in its hand.

   Ryan reached for a rifle that wasn't there, his hand just sliding over mud. All around the two, Elites, Jackals, and Grunts battled with ODST's that were pouring in. The elite growled as it approached, the plasma blade hissing in intensity. Ryan pulled out his knife and stood shakily. The elite uttered a guttural chuckle and quickly began to bound towards Ryan. Ryan stood his ground, knife poised in a fighters grip. The elite never arrived, however, being dogpiled by ODST's. It growled in rage, though was cut short when a soldier emptied her entire magazine into its back, neck, and head. Ryan just stared, catching his breath.

   The ODST's resumed their charge, still blindly attacking towards the Covenant artillery. Ryan slid his knife back into its sheath and picked up his BR55HB. He scraped the mud off of it, and checked the ammo counter. With that, Ryan clambered over the trench walls and began running again. His thighs and calfs protested, burning with effort. Ryan had been fighting since the night before, after all. Plasma rounds echoed across the field, and Ryan watched as soldiers clad in black fell all around him, dying simply so that many could live. Ryan smiled ruefully, watching an ODST run through the charge, faster than almost everyone else. They weren't carrying any weapons, just an iron rod with a flag on it. He recognized the red base, and golden edges immediately, not even needing to read the text of 'Feet First into Hell'.

   And the day was won. With one last surge, one last cry of determination, the war-weary and crazed veterans fell upon the alien invaders, killing left and right, showing no mercy to those who had taken so much. No rest for the wicked, as the old saying went. While Ryan would never forget the incredible sacrifice, the rallying war cry, the victory that'd saved thousands, he would also forever be plagued by the sight of hundreds of fallen soldiers, their blood spilt, faces blank, the armour was torn. Uniforms that were once pristine were now burnt and torn, black visors now cracked and shattered.

   Ryan woke up to see Kelly lying across his lap. She'd been on the front for 30 years, Ryan less than ten. She was peaceful now, her breathing even. It clicked in his head what it'd all been for. To give humanity another chance, to protect every family too weak to protect themselves. So that people could still enjoy the company of their loved ones, watch their kids grow up and grow old with the one they cared about most. It was all about giving everyone some final moment of respite, happiness, love, whatever. It was then Ryan decided the final moments of all his fallen comrades had never gone to waste, would never be forgotten.

This one is short, barely a third the length of my still in works Halo one shot. But it told a story I think needed to be told, but more importantly, I wanted to show some fighting. Halo is an FPS, eh?