Halo:Bravo, and Encore/Unforgotten

October 26, 2552: 1532 hours GMT: New Mombasa, Kenya

New Mombasa looked like hell on earth. Artillery-formed craters and burned-out vehicles covered the ground out into the horizon. The cry of a Marine caught Logan's ear. He was shouting for his mother, but increasingly more quietly. Within a minute, Logan could hear him no more.

The Spartan ran and leapt across the fissure created by a split bridge. Reaching the other side, he scanned the area to see if any Covenant were near. He saw none, and hopefully his camouflage kept them from seeing him. He sent two quick bursts of static in the team's COM. On his motion sensor, four green dots moved up to his position. Turning, he saw three blurs which only the trained eye could detect, and one Spartan-II standing tall in his armor- Justin-057. The Spartan had been assigned to Bravo upon their arrival on Earth, and so far he'd lived up to the S-II reputation of quick, efficient killing. Logan had decided he wouldn't mind having this guy around.

"I'm picking up faint transmissions from Marines in the area," Justin said. "Seems like they're pinned down by some Covenant armor. A Scorpion column is moving in to assist, but it'll be another ten minutes before they can get through all this." He waved a hand to indicate the burning and destroyed cityscape.

Logan nodded. "Alright, we'll move up to assist. Justin, I suggest you draw their fire while you three," he said, pointing to the other Spartan-IIIs, "pull around and flank the Covenant position. I'll hang back and take out the Elites."

Billy looked at Logan, who could tell that the other Spartan was smiling under his helmet. "I seem to recall this plan," he said. "Luckily, I'm not the one drawing fire this time."

Logan made a quick Spartan smile with thumb and forefinger. "It worked last time, didn't it?"

Justin coughed, attempting to get Logan's attention. "Logan, don't get too hasty when you're fighting the Covenant. Just follow my lead and we'll get this done." He looked at all of them and whispered, "I don't want my cousins to die." I can't lose anyone else, he thought, his thoughts drifting back to Emmalyn-002 and Jasper-113, Emmalyn dying from augments and Jasper falling in the Battle of Romulon.