Matt-038 (Halo Fanfiction)

Chapter 24: By Dawn's Early Light

Author's Note: If you have any tips writing tips, please feel free to comment.

Again, I gratefully accept constructive criticism as a means to help me develop my skills further as a writer.

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Chapter 24: By Dawn's Early Light

Location: Sigma Octanus system, Sigma Octanus IV, grid nineteen by thirty-seven

July 18, 2552

1800 hours

"Chief, you better get up here," the pelican pilot called out. In the back of the dropship sat three teams of Spartans, Blue, Red, and Green. Their objective: to eradicate the Covenant in the city of Côte d'Azur.

"Bad news," said the Chief after he returned from the cockpit. "The Marine's base is history."

"So much for plan A," said Matt.

"There's a signal flare from the base so there might be survivors, we're going in anyway. Get your gear together," said the Chief.

The Spartans quickly got out of their seats and scrambled around the pelican getting their weapons and equipment. Matt grabbed a case from the front of the Pelican and inspected its contents, his job was to safeguard their HAVOK nuke. He took out the small half sphere shaped device and inspected the weapon for any signs of damage. He felt a little uneasy as he held the device, this was an honest to god nuclear weapon after all.

Matt put it back in its case and secured the latch, then Linda came over hand handed him his drop bag. Inside were his modified MA5B and several extra clips, a combat knife, an M7 submachine gun with two spare magazines and finally a single lotus anti-tank mine.

Strapped to either of his shoulders were his kukri knives. He deliberated on bringing his SRS99C-C2 AM, but he decided against it at the last minute. The mission he would be embarking on would be more close quarters instead of long-range combat, so he brought the M7 as a substitute.

"Nervous?" Linda asked Matt as he finished sorting out his gear.

"How would you feel if you had protected something that would eventually be used to destroy an entire city?" Matt replied.

"Good point," said Linda.

The Pelican touched down inside the ruined base and the Spartans disembarked. The Chief took the lead and walked over to a Marine who just emerged from a fire bunker.

"Master Chief, sir," said the Marine as he snapped off a salute.

"Corporal, at ease" the Chief replied. "Get your men together and we'll get to work"

"Sir?" the Marine asked. "I've got a lot of wounded here. What work will we be doing, sir?"

"We've come to take back Sigma Octanus Four from the Covenant," the Chief said calmly. "To do that we're going to kill every last one of them."

"Inspiring words," Linda said to Matt over a private COM channel.

"We're going to need more than words to win this," said Matt.

"Post a guard on the dropship and put three on patrol," the Chief said to Kelly. "Take the rest and secure the LZ."

"Yes, sir" Kelly replied. She made three quick hand jesters and Red and Green teams dispersed. Kelly signaled to Matt and the rest to follow her. They searched through the remains of warthogs and the ruined buildings for any sign of survivors, all they found were the bodies of marines and Covenant alike.