User:Agreon/Halo: Courage

Forward
Throughout the 28 years fighting a genocidal enemy in what has become known as the Human-Covenant War, some have shown courage beyond measure. In the face of death at the hands of a gruesome enemy, some make the decision to stand and fight. Through those 28 years, some of the best examples of courage are
 * Johnson and Byrne having humanity's first glimpse of the Covenant, standing and fighting.
 * Sergeant Forge and Red Team's heroic defense of the FML drive on the Shield World.
 * Keyes destroying four Covenant vessels alone above Sigma Octanus IV.
 * Admiral Cole's Last Stand.
 * Humanity's defense of Reach.
 * The Pillar of Autumn denying the Covenant Alpha Halo.
 * Six genetically modified super-soldiers destroying 500 Covenant ships in Operation: FIRST STRIKE.
 * Humanity's final defiance of the Covenant on Earth.
 * And those who entered the howling dark and did not return

But what is Humanity but a story of courage? The courage of all soldiers in the face of adversity and impossible odds and stand to fight to their last breath. Some out of their minds, fighting without reason other than to kill. Some for the hope of humanity, fighting with vigor in their hearts and the goal of survival in mind. And yet others fight for the survival of humanity, fighting in the face of death. The Christian Crusades - 1400s. The colonists defying the British - 1776. Soldiers of many nations setting aside their differences to fight the Nazi control of Europe - 1944. The Stars and Stripes being raised on Mt. Suribachi - 1945. Neil Armstrong making "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" - 1969. Humans permanently settling Luna - 2080s. The defense of the Covenant siege of Reach - 2552.

The defense of Reach, however, stands out among those. That is the only one where humanity "lost". But when someone thinks about this, Reach shows best humanity's combined courage. Humans defied a more powerful enemy for three months. An enemy on a genocidal campaign with one goal in mind - destroying humanity. And so close they would come on 10/20. But had it not been for the heroes of Reach, where would humans be? Extinct, I believe, because if it were not for the souls that defended Reach to their last breath, Cortana would not have found Alpha Halo. Many of these brave men and women would perish - Jorge, Kat, Carter, Emile, Six, Stanforth. Others would live - Frederic, Halsey, John, Jun, Holland. And it is with these brave men and women that the human race lives on. Reach was when the Covenant and the UNSC were pitted against each other for three long months. Humanity--outnumbered, outgunned, and facing a more technologically advanced enemy--would fight the Covenant, many to their last breaths, to defy them of the ultimate prize. Earth.

Stories
I present seven stories of courage through the Battle of Reach.

Flight
The final flight of Bravo Two-Six.

Scorched Earth
A scouting operation into the Covenant position.

Beneath
The escape of the UNSC Mist of Dawn.

City
Blue Team seeing to the escape of UNSC Storm of Night.

Escape
The escape of 6 Echo 2.

Ambush
Four UNSC Frigates fighting a Covenant Assault Carrier.

Completion
ODSTs trying to survive in space.