User:Justanothergrunt/Necros: Freecloud/Volume I

Listed below are Chapters I-IX of Necros: Freecloud, as well as its Prologue.

Prologue
The young boy sat their, huddled up on the leather seat, his hands clasped and squeezing his legs, that he’d pulled up to his chest. He’d just sat their, not moving or responding to the two UNSC officers, who now appeared somewhat out of ideas for communicating with the boy. His hair hung low over his eyes, so they weren’t clearly visible, and even that seemed to refuse to sway, despite the air-conditioning in the room. One of the UNSC officers, somewhat older than his companion, pulled the other aside, as a somewhat disapproving frown spread across his face as soon as he knew the child couldn’t see it. “Are you certain he’s in a stable psychological condition for this?” “He seemed fine when we brought him onboard sir, I just, don’t know, maybe we gave him too long to think about what has happened to him.” “Maybe…he is the only one left; I suppose what he’s been through, he’s lucky to still be alive, and sane still to say the least.”  The two officers turned back to the boy, whose head had tilted slightly to stare through the window to his side, into the darkness of space. Shakily, one of the Officers approached him, taking the seat before the boy, and opened his mouth, “Adam, I know you’re time on Freecloud must’ve been trying for you, but we need details on the events that occurred there, to stop it from happening again, to stop it happening ever again.”

I
Isabelle opened her eyes to the sound of her alarm ringing. An outstretched foot, seemed to delve out from the blanket covering her, and waddled around in search of the high pitched ring. The foot upon finding it, seemed to caress it briefly, to make sure it was the right thing, before delivering a hard kick, that sent the device flying into the crack covered wall opposite the room, and halting the annoying noise. Isabelle’s long deep purple hair flowed around her gracefully, as she far less gracefully rolled off the mattress she’d occupied for the past four years of her life. Bottle of Brandy in hand, she pulled herself up to her chair, the only other piece of furniture that occupied her room, if the cubicle could be called such. This was how many individuals living on Freecloud continued their existence; the 128 storey space-station had been turned into a refugee camp not long after the start of the war with the Necros, and not long after the death of Isabelle’s parents. She, along with millions of others fled their worlds, finding refuge amongst those in a similar position onboard the station, and as it was manned by the UNSC, many felt it more safe than moving to another back-water colony.

The mop of Purple hair shone despite the dim and breaking lights that spatially covered the lower levels, referred to as the “slums” by most, and it was here that Isabelle had been living, amongst the foul-smelling mob of humans and Aliens, many of whom appeared covered in grit despite the lack of dirt on the station. Isabelle made her way through the mazelike system of corridors, yelled at by several Vendors attempting to sell somewhat suspicious looking meat and drinks to passerbies. Isabelle eventually reached the even more crowded flights of stairs, and slowly made her ascent up through the noisy mob.

Isabelle eventually came out to a far less packed level, here the improved lights revealed several benches, spaced across a wide path of grass, though either side of this path was the familiar sight of the locked doors of people rooms. Isabelle glanced around briefly, though she heard what she was looking for before she saw them. Her friends sat crowded around a bench around the corner from the stairways, and Isabelle made her way towards the group. “Hey IZ!” Jess, blonde girl shouted, ending the sentence on her typical high note, as though she’d asked a question. Isabelle nodded and muttered a hey or hi to several of the group, and slowly walked around the bench to try and catch a glimpse at what the others were looking at. A Young man with Blond and black streaked hair sat in the middle of the bench, proudly showing off his Magnum pistol to the others who looked on with awe. “So that’s when I claimed it was all some mis-understanding, I’d never meant to get on that level, and they just made me leave, didn’t even check my clothes for this baby, pocketed her straight after I picked her up and no one realized, so much for the Marines detection skills.” Another teen, surprisingly short for his age made something of a mumbling noise, before hopping off the bench and turning to his companions with a shout of “Right, ‘nuff of that let’s hit the pubs!” An Elite, who’d until now been standing from a slight distance, growled his approval, though the Majoran on the bench scrambled for his translator, strapped to his neck, “C’Mon, I hate that place.” The short man turned his head “Shinjit, you only hate that place ‘cause you can’t enjoy it, you can’t drink, we can, we enjoy, so you can bugger off, or come with, but we’re going.” Shinjit lowered his head, and made his way after the group as they started to walk off.

II
Private Kenneth Roman walked side-by side with his fellow marines to the door labeled UNSC Personnel only. His Assault rifle slung across his back, his gloved hand reached for the handle, and the door he opened revealed a grey, dead looking corridor. This was the starboard arm of the station Freecloud, here were the Barracks, armory and communication systems for the entire UNSC force stationed their in its numbers of roughly 120. Ken and the two marines behind him had just gotten off sentry duty, manning the slums. The Slums were renowned as probably the worst area for said duty, as large fights often broke out; being the only area of the station a marine had been killed by intent. Today had been smooth though, the people stank, and the yelling could have turned you deaf, but there was no violence bar a Voren who was angered at what he claimed to be a shove from an elderly Jackal, and even that was quickly sorted out.

The Marines walked through a door, painted the same as the walls, so to a casual eye it may not even seem there. This was the mess room, laden with pool tables, couches and soda, and here the marines collapsed, sinking in a little into the cushiony sofa. A soda came flying over a pool table, as Ken raised his hand, the two colliding, with the soda fumbling in the air a bit, before coming to rest as Kens second hand grasped around it. They could spend hours here, doing nothing was the thing to do, when you’re stuck babysitting the homeless, instead of out in the middle of a full-scale war, it makes you appreciate being able to do nothing.

After an hour of pool and talk about nothing in particular, Ken grabbed his Assault Rifle from the corner of the room, and walked back into the grey corridor. Ken could hear the beeping and churning of the machinery as he neared the com room. The shouts and mutterings of the “Techies” as they were referred to became more audible as he entered. The room was a large sphere, at the end of the arm, several stories high, but the floor was grated, so you could see straight down, or up. The Techies were hard at their work, far more-so than usual, and Ken could’ve sworn if the room was flipped upside down now, there’d be a knee deep puddle of sweat collecting at the bottom. “What’s going on?” Ken asked, somewhat amused by the stress visible on the Techies face. “We just lost contact with the Sun Child” “The Assault Ship?” The Techie nodded, before glancing over his shoulder, and sprinting for a seat and frantically speaking into a microphone. Ken slowly walked over to him. “So? They probably just forgot to send their sitrep, or their com’s been knocked offline.” “And if their com has been knocked offline then what do you think may have done that? Hmm? No, we have something headed our way… we’re gonna call in a fleet.” Ken took a step back, his knee giving way, and he collapsed behind the Techie, “Wait, you think…you think we have Necros heading for us?”<BR> “Let’s hope not… now get lost, I’m trying to get this shit ready.”<BR> Ken grabbed hold of the Techies chair and nodded before heading back towards the door, only to find his way blocked by Captain O’Reilius, head of troops on the station. Sharply dressed in his uniform, his figure seemed almost geometrically built of squares and rectangles, bar his pointed chin which quivered, seemingly ready to jab out Ken’s eye. “You, Private, what did he tell you.” Ken gave the salute, though his voice faltered and his eyes wandered down to his feet, “Sir! That-at we may be in…hostiles may possibly be incoming.” The Captain nodded, before walking towards the Techie Ken had talked to, signaling for the marine to follow, “Hari? In your conversation with this private, did you forget about our rather strict restrictions on this topic?” The Techie, Hari, glanced over his shoulder at the mention of his name, springing to his feet with a Sir! Though instantly his mood fell as he realized what had happened. The Captain glared upon the two, “Hari, I’ll deal with you later, you Private, under-no circumstances are you to reveal any of this to any of your fellow soldiers, we’ll inform them when we feel it is necessary, no need to create unneeded racket until we have solid evidence, I trust you understand?” Ken nodded, as suddenly the lights on the mountains of machinery before him flashed, and the hideous crackling of white noise came over all the speakers simultaneously. All the Techies stopped their scrambling and ranting and stayed still, for a few seconds, though it seemed like a year, before an eruption of swearing broke out among the Techs. Some just stayed still and cowered, others tried to take it with an air of nobility, whilst the majority flexed their vocal chords like a choir, wailing profanities. Ken looked around confused but dismayed, he knew the news wouldn’t be good. He turned his puzzled expression to the Commander, whose stern look remained un-changed, “I see they’ve blocked our communications…so they are coming for us after all, open a channel with the Empty Theatre and Backward Sun!” Hari’s pale face turned to face the Captain, “We can’t reach either of them, the ships, they’re meant to be orbiting us…we can’t reach them.” Captain O’Reilius lowered his head, “Then they’re close… what an hour away?...” The Captains neck snapped, as his eyes focused on Ken, “Private, go to the Mess, grab the marines there, I want to see them all lined up and ready in five.”

III
The Brute slammed down several mugs of weak beer, the light yellow liquid sloshing around with the motion, as if threatening to jump out of its container, "We don't serve Elites now." The Brute barkeeper barked in a gruff manner that made several of his possible customers edge away. <BR> "This is the first I've heard of that." Grumbled one of the shorter humans of the group.<BR> "New Management, now order something or bugger off." The Brute responded as he turned his back, revealing numerous scars only partially covered by fur. Another close escape, Isabelle thought, Freecloud station had many and from what Isabelle had seen this Brute had been lucky, most who'd' actually come face to face with the Necros on this station were either missing half their limbs or mentally unstable, it seemed herself and this Brute were the exception, but Isabelle tried to shake herself off this train of thought before memories of her what happend on her homeworld returned to her.

Ricky moved back to the counter, the blonde in his hair highlighted by the dim lights at the bar and with a smile he ordered drinks for the others, obviously choosing his words carefuly so as not to cause conflict with the Barkeeper double his size. Shinjit laughed and nudged Kiate the Elite, "Told you we shouldn't have come to the pub.", to which the Elite simply shrugged. Jess motioned the group over to a table, as Ricky waited at the bar for their drinks.

"That's a side of bad luck, eh Kiate?" Jess said, almost solemnly as she sat next to the Elite, accidentally sitting on his deep teal toga like outfit. Many of those who came to Freecloud were, due to their circumstances often desperatly poor and Kiate was no exception, being forced to take the curtains from Isabelles room to maintain his dignity. The Elite again just shrugged and put his mandibles in his hands.<BR> "So what are me and him meant to do whilst you lost get yourselves pissed stupid again?" Shinjit asked demandingly, his head rattling as he spoke.<BR> "How about you join in on the conversation peacefully, how does that sound?" Isabelle said, barely turning form the window next to her. The space seemed odd today, there were no stars. Isabelle continued to peer out into darkness as the drinks landed on the table, and she was nudged from her meditation by Rick.<BR> "Hey Iz, you allright?"<BR> She stared at him, her blue eyes wide and watery from her lack of blinking. She tossed her purple hair out of her face and turned back to the window, "I think they're here." she whispered, and with that alarms started to sound.

IV
The Day Before

“I can’t believe we’ve been reduced to this.” The marine grumbled, as he watched Ken, leaning on one of the numerous bins dotted across the park, spin his pistol around his index finger.

“What did you expect? They’d send out the failed marines to slaughter? The press would kill the survivors, and heck even the Captain’s a loser, Jack.” Jack stared back at Ken, puzzled. They’d been on the space station for the past two years, serving as guards and this was the first time Jack had heard Ken defend their position. “You knew, O’Reilius was at Kanna right?” Jack shook his head without looking at Ken, “He was in charge of cutting off Brute retreat from the Rice Line, got his men slaughtered, which is why he’s now in charge of this shit-hole.”

“A shit-hole it is.” Jack nodded, not really understanding most of what Ken had just told him.

“Oi! You two!” A marine shouted from across the park, startling the pair, “Have you been here the whole time?”

“Our shift just started! Why?”

“The station serials got another point!”

“Shit!” Ken shouted, moreso to keep up the impression he cared. The Station Serial referred to was a case that had been going on since Ken had arrived on Freecloud, and Ken couldn’t give a damn about it anymore. Someone else would sort out the murder cases, as far as he could tell he was just being paid to stand still and look intimidating.

“Any leads this time?” Jack yelled, keeping up the façade Ken had erected.

“Not one, the slimy barstard.” The marine said, having approached the two enough to not have to raise his voice.

“Kilo-2 this is Homebase Charlie, We have fist-fighting down on level 86.” Crackled some techie through the marines Comm, and Ken nudged Jack, pointing out that even communication officers had gotten too laid back to use proper military communication procedures.

“Ok.” The marine replied the signal with a yawn before turning to the other marines, “You two had better come with me to keep this thing in check.”

Ricky watched the marines walk off, as he finished off his Slurpee Slushie. His attempt to throw the empty cup into the bin went wide and the cup bounced onto the grass. Rick moaned as he walked over to pick it up, and went to place it back in the bin when a metallic shine caught his eye. Lying ontop of the garbage was a pistol.

V
The Siren blared. Isabelle was dragged from her seat by Ricky, as the small group mobilised from the bar, leaving several half-empty glasses on their table. George, the shortest human of the group, sprinted off, whilst the others stared around in a mixture of bemusement and fear.

“That noise means go to the escape pods right?” Jess said, tilting her head as she spoke, though no one answered her. The group broke out into a sprint to follow George up the stairs, the closest escape pods being at least twelve levels up, but the stairway was packed full of people with similar ideas of survival. The alarm sirens were deafening, the stench of sweat was overpowering and everyone looked confused. The small group attempted and failed numerous times to push themselves into the throng of bodies that slithered up the staircase, and when they did matters only worsened. People were being crushed in the chaos. An Unngoy lay on the floor, a stiletto heel lodged in its head, likely having been trampled to death earlier. Though it was mostly concealed by the living, Isabelle squinted in disgust as she tried to carefully step over the corpse, only to be pushed forward by the mob, her foot landing on its back. It felt hard and squishy at the same time, like a year stale cake and Isabelle felt the brandy she’d drunk earlier make a re-emergence.

“Alright, you may now allow the escape pods to be deployed, C’mon people we want to save as many civilians as possible!” Captain O’Reilius yelled out over the persistent ringing of alarm sirens at the techies swarming below him. Sweat dripped off his almost triangular chin, falling through the grated floor to land on Hari, who was too busy searching for the files on previous Necros attacks on space stations to notice.

O’Reilius smiled as he saw the first escape pod launch, which was quickly followed by several others. The station seemed almost to burst out of a shell as dozens of escape pods shot out, then seemed to evaporate as a mass of laser canon fire shot out from the darkness surrounding Freecloud. There was silence as Techies stopped to gawk and stare at the wreckage that flew by the windows. A bloodied jackal smeared across the window next to Hari, who fell backwards as if in response to the Kig-Yars empty stare. There was the occasional mumbling of disbelief, but as a whole the Techies just stared out the thick windows separating themselves from the dead.

“What the fuck just happened?” Captain O’Reilius shouted, his voice steadily rising, though he didn’t need to wait for an answer, indeed he didn’t even need one. The captain already knew what had happened, the enemy had arrived early, and what he saw appear in space only cemented that knowledge. The space infront of them, what had seemed so empty to the point that the stars had disappeared, revealed a ship. Its form was monstrous, easily dwarfing even the station. It’s mechanical frame was chugging forward, with what seemed to be an endless stretch of guns lining the ship. These guns continued to churn out shots at the few escape pods that still remained unscathed, as more ships started to appear, though these were far smaller by comparison. O’Reilius watched as several drones flew by, obviously having allowed themselves to be sucked into the vacuum in order to make a hasty escape, but even they were targeted by the barrage of lethal shots, and the Captain could only watch the insectoids outside vaporise as the Necros weaponry blasted through them. O’Reilius shuddered, only to fall on his back as the station echoed its Captain, shaking as its MAC armaments were torn off before they could even aim at the foe.

“Looks like these barstards have pulled a number on us eh lads? It’s been fun working with you lot but it would seem our finale is approaching. These ass-wipes don’t take prisoners, which is why I order the lot of you to grab every scrap of weaponry you can muster, if we fall at least we’ll show these sons of bitches that the races of this galaxy are no pushovers!”

“Sorry, but all the escape pods have already been ejected, can all remaining civilians please proceed down to Level 115 through to 120! Can all civilians please proceed down to levels 115 through to 120! Thank you!” A marine was yelling through a loudspeaker at the crowd assembled before him. The marines seemed to have a calming effect over most of the mob, turning the previously rambunctious rabble of mixed races into an orderly procession. They may have missed their chance of escape but many felt assured the soldiers would keep them safe.

“Where’s George?” Shinjit asked, as his pushed his way over to Isabelle.

“I think he made it.” Isabelle smiled, and the Majorans head swivelled back, their races equivalent to the gesture.

“At least one of us made it out.”

VI
Isabelle, Ricky, Jess, Kiate and Shinjit kept together, still unaware of the fate that had befallen those who made it to the escape pods, as they made their way down to the lower levels of the station as part of the huge group that slowly managed to fill up the five empty storage levels till they were full to bursting. As far as the eye could see on all sides were Jackals, Elites, Brutes, Grunts, Voren and even a few Majorans, Machina, Drones and Hunters.

“We’re sealing the area off now sir.” Hari said, motioning at the monitors that revealed the levels to O’Reilius, “Marine are placing barricades at all docks and as our MACs have been removed power is being diverted to shielding.”

The captain nodded as he slowly paced infront of the screens. “Are the Marines all ready?”

“From what I understand all 120 of them are, with the majority already at work, plus the thirty of us technical officers have our pistols at the ready.”

“Good. Now I want the docks barricaded.”

“Sir? You’ve already ordered that.”

Some Barricade Ken thought, eyeing the pile of benches and bins that had been thrown around behind the reinforced doors. The private moved out of the way, as some more marines came over dragging out a mattress that they stood up next to a bench, “so we’re being protected by our beds.” Ken said, elbowing Jack as he wiped his sweat on his collar.

“Guns’ll blow right through this…we’d better grab some more.” Jack scratched his double chin, causing it to wobble slightly, before hefting up a stained plastic chair that lay by his feet and throwing it onto the pile as Ken looked on.

“Somehow I don’t think that it will still stop them.”

The Necros super-carrier continued forward menacingly, as the smaller vehicles zipped by, hunting down any organisms outside the space station that had escaped the earlier assault. The monstrous ship did indeed appear to those observing, to be some great monster, as it’s front peeled open, revealing the remains of the UNSC ships meant to be guarding Freecloud. The maw of this beast slowly converged on the station and steadily ingulfed it. The only assurance those on Freecloud now had was that they wouldn’t merely be blown up, they were going to be boarded and have to confront the Necros face to face.

Isabelle found herself stumbling as darkness engulfed Freecloud. Though it was tightly packed the shaking of the Space Station as the Necros Super-Carrier “swallowed” it had split her from her companions.

“Ouch!” A kid yelled as Isabelle fell onto her.

“Oh, I’m sorry I’m sorry.” Isabelle said through clenched teeth as her hands made useless motions as if they were going to comfort the little girl.

“Erica, are you alright?” an elderly man approached the girl and picked her up.

“Yes Mr Owsowski…” The little girl mumbled into his liver-spotted neck.

“That’s good, that’s good,” Mr Owsowski turned to Isabelle, whose pupils had dilated to accommodate the darkness, “Terribly sorry if she ran into you…this whole thing seems awfully exciting to them.” Isabelle went to apologise for herself, only for another kid to interrupt.

“Who’s she Mr Owsowski?” Said a small boy, as he tugged the geriatric mans shirt.

“Oh, I don’t know, teriibly sorry miss, but I haven’t introduced myself, I’m Michael Owsowski, the only teacher on Freecloud, and you are?” Owsowski said, outstretching a hand to Isabelle, whilst his other ruffled the child’s hair.

“I’m Adam and I’m ‘sefen and I live with my teacher Mr Owsowski.” The boy, Adam, interrupted again, mispronouncing his age through a lisp.

“I’m Isabelle, it’s nice to meet you Adam.” Isabelle said, leaning down to the boys’ height to talk to him.

“Iz! Over here!” Jess shouted from somewhere in the crowd behind Isabelle, who turned in response and pushed her way back towards her friends, as the kids waved goodbye.

VII
Ken watched on in anticipation, through a hole he’d left that went through his barricade, as the door before him seemed to crumple. The barricade the marines at this dock had made was a full semi-circle around the door and may have been made from ramshackle objects, but it was thick and there were several barricades that continued from this level’s docks to the staircase. Ken bit his lip and tightened his grip on his rifle as the door fell away, a marine yelled something causing the anxious soldiers to loose a volley before they even spotted the enemy. From the thick smoke that swept through the doorway after the barrage of bullets a red light shone, which was quickly fired upon by the marines. The red light shattered as a bullet’s smashed through it, though more lights now appeared in the smoke and edged forward together. The marines again started shooting, only now the enemy responded in kind with firepower that tore through the first barricade, the mattress placed earlier was shredded, benches splintered under fire and a marine fell gurgling blood with the side of his neck missing.

“Shit! Next Barricade!” Kens Corporal yelled, as the marines stumbled backwards over the to the next pile that was supposed to protect them, which was far larger than the first, firing at the now easily visible enemy. The Necros, despite their black shade of colour, managed to catch the shine from the light due to their steel frame, the non-organic bodies walking forward fluidly, bar the occasional jarring movement, as their bodies twisted to wade through the garbage that was the first barricade, pushing through it rather than climbing over. Their formation, that had originally just seemed to the marines to be not to different from their own, a random mess as each marine moved for themselves, soon became apparent as a mathematical parabola formed from the Necros troops that stormed forward. Every move they made seemed calculated as the garbage pushed out of the way as they walked past not only cleared their path but also helped guard their flanks from the few marines at their sides.

“A little worse than the drills.” Ken laughed as Jack jumped over the barricade after him.

“I’ve nearly wasted a clip and I don’t think I’ve taken down one of these fucks.” Jack swore, wiping the blood off his rifles barrel, before getting up and letting loose another burst, that dented in one of the Necri’s chest. “Gay.” Jack said the closest Necros turned to him and fired, breaking the wooden bench the made up the front of the barricade Jack and Ken were now behind, sending a splinter into Jacks arm. Jack screamed in anguish as he collapsed next to Ken.

“Oh shit…fuck, you’ll be ok Jack.” Ken said, patting the portly marine, before getting up and shooting at the Necros who had just assaulted them, breaking through its metallic skull. Ken cheered, as more of the steel foot soldiers came at him menacingly, Ken continued to fire, though he failed to bring down another enemy, before hopping back down to reload. A metal fist burst through the barricade next to Ken and the marine opened his mouth in surprise, though no noise emanated from it. The arm pulled back as a marine ontop of the barricade shot at, what Ken supposed, was probably the body. A figure leapt at the marine, breaking his neck purely by the force of the blow, sending them both tumbling over the barricade next to Jack and Ken.

“What the hell is-“ Jack started, pointing his gun at the twisted unarmed Necros, that seemed more rubbery than metal.

“Vamp!” Ken shouted, firing at it, though the Necros Vampire, which, despite being unarmed, looked incredibly formidable, and proved so as it was far too fast, flipping itself into the next barricade, which it proceeded to burrow through in a worm like fashion, with incredible speed, avoiding the Marines poorly-aimed shots.

Several of these "Vampires" as they'd been dubbed, had since sprinted out from the crumpled doorway to assist the foot soldiers, bounding over the barricades to tear at the defenders. “Next Barricade!” someone yelled, though it wasn’t the corporal from earlier, who had been left gutted on top of a garbage bin.

Ken dragged Jack up, and started to heft him over the third, barricade, when a clawed hand shot out from beneath them, shattering a plastic swivel chair as it burst out, grabbing hold of Jacks leg, which it proceeded to crush quickly, snapping the bone like it was a twig. Jack bit his lip as his eyes watered, before steadying his rifle at the hand, and breaking it apart with a quick burst of shots. Jack hissed as the hand collapsed and allowed himself to be dragged over the top of the third and final barricade by Ken, landing with a flop on the ground.

The Vampire again burst out of the barricade, sending bits of it flying as it burst out. Its hand still dangled from its wrist and it seemed almost like a feral dog in its lunge, except that a feral dog probably doesn’t lunge headfirst into the barrel of a gun. Ken fired and the Necros collapsed in mid air, it’s body now limp. The foot soldiers had just finished pushing through the second barricade, but now remained in the high-sided gully they’d created and as a wall, fired at the defenders directly infront of them, the sheer number of shots managed to penetrate the barricade, though by the time it had the majority of the Marines had moved to the sides, the Necros then moved out, though the wall they made seemed to remain the same thickness even as it split up and started to fire either side, steadily breaking through the sides of the barricade. Several marines screamed as Necros weaponry tore holes, both through the barricade and themselves. Ken again pulled Jack to his feet, and with a nod of agreement, they made for the nearest staircase.

“Our men are retreating from docks B, C and E, all reporting casualties of up to forty percent. “ Hari said as he pointed out the areas of the station to the Captain.

“We’ve just lost contact with those retreating from Dock E!” Someone shouted from beneath the shiny grated floor.

“Here,” The Captain said pointing at the map of Freecloud, “The retreating forces should all be able to navigate through to the hospital levels here, the labyrinth on the way there should keep the Necros at bay for a reasonable amount of time whilst the other units arrive. We can then form defensive lines that should protect the stairways to here whilst you work on breaking their jam on our signals.”

“Yes sir, though that might open up the passage for the Necros to assault the lower levels.”

“Aren’t they sealed, with guards too?” Hari nodded, “Well then, the Necros are hot on our heels, what fools would give up the opportunity to assault a supposedly weakened and fleeing enemy to attack unarmed non-combat civilians? Hari, you stay hear with four good technicians and keep working on getting out a distress signal.” O’Reilius turned to the other technical officers infront and below him, “the rest will escort me to the medical levels.”

VIII
Isabelle turned at the sound of screaming. A door had been blasted open above them and there was the unmistakable sound of gunfire. Isabelle’s mind raced back to her homeworld, Rushebull. Mum, Dad… “Isabelle?” Jess asked, shaking her, “We need to get out of here!”

“Wha?” Isabelle half-mumbled, still somewhat dumbstruck.

“Can’t you hear the screaming? The Necros have broken in, they’re coming down here!”

“Where the Fuck are the marines!” Isabelle heard Rick shout, though she couldn’t see him.

“They’re coming from the starboard stairs, so the portside might still be safe.” Jess said, again pulling at Isabelle.

“Wait, there are kids down here!” Isabelle yelled, forcing Jess’s hand off her own, and pushing her way back to where she last had seen the kindly teacher of the few children on Freecloud. “Mister Owsow-something!” Isabelle yelled, as she heard the sound of children crying.

“Hello Isabelle.” Said Adam as he stepped out infront of her.

“Hey, where’s Erica and the other kids?” Isabelle said, leaning towards the boy so she didn’t have to raise her voice, though Adam just shrugged, before pointing behind himself, “There’s Mr Owsowski.” pointing out into the thick forest of people. Isabelle strained her eyes to see the boys’ teacher and guardian, who now had dull red lights on either side of him. Isabelle grabbed Adams arm and spun around as Jess shouted out for her.

“Hurry Iz! Wait…who’s this?” Jess said as she ascended the stairway to Adam, when Isabelle pulled him over to her.

“Hello, I’m Adam and I’m ‘sefen and I live with my teacher Mr Owsowski.”

“Hi Adam, now please hurry the fuck up.” Rick’s head shouted as it popped in from around the corner.

Isabelle caught up with the rest of the group, as they sprinted upwards, around them still was a thick crowd of people, and again the chaos seemed to be prevalent as panicked civilians screamed and stumbled up the staircase. Then people started being pushed back down as the members of the crowd who were higher tried to run back down.

“What the hell? Go forwards you idiots!” Shinjit yelled as he clambered through the people running back down, eventually being forced to the ground. The Majoran cursed in his native tongue as he crawled through the mob, eventually freeing himself from it, only to be greeted with the view of corpses skewn across the stairs ahead of him and the gun of a Necros aimed at his face.

Ricky pulled out his pistol and fired several shots at the two Necros soldiers some way away, though they all went wide as he was pushed to and fro by the mob around him, before being splattered in blood as the man infront of him was shot. Rick took his chance with a clear view and finished his round with two shots going into one of the Foot-soldiers head, bringing it down. The other Necros on the stairs swivelled to aim its gun at Rick, only to lose both its hands to a swift blow from an energy machete. The Necros pulled back as the machete next swooped up chopping off the front-half of its head to reveal the mess of wires and equipment that was inside. The lanky man holding the energy machete laughed, before turning to the crowd, flicking his black ponytail out of his face as he stepped over a Jackals body, grinning, “There was only the two here, probably got separated from the others a level or so below, c’mon.” He motioned for the crowd to follow him, which it did, continuing it’s mad dash for survival. The crowd surged past Ricky, who pulled Jess, Kiate and Isabelle, who inturn was still clutching a child, out of it as they started to pass. Rick motioned at Shinjits body, which he unceremoniously tapped with his foot to show he wasn’t alive, Jess put her hand over her mouth and the Elite growled, whilst Isabelle and Ricky stared at the blood splattered body.

“Wait a minute, what’s this?” The man said, halting the crowd as he read a sign, “medical centre, this sounds good, anyone injured?” He yelled out, getting a few mumbled responses, “There’s drinks here!” He yelled again, and someone opened the door from the staircase and stepped through, before stepping back through with a smile plastered on his face.

“Marines are here!” he yelled, before the lanky man grabbed him, having sheathed his machete, and dragged him back through the doorway again. The hospital was slightly musty but its floors retained its squeaky-clean look, behind counters and hospital beds marines pulled their rifles on the two intruders.

“Who are you and why are you up here?”

“I’m Will, the Necros have broken in downstairs, we have numerous escapees in the stairway here.”

“They’re attacking the civilians?” one of the marines paused, “let them in, we’ll take them to the Comm rooms…shit we need to contact the Captain, uh… I’m going to need some details, so bring some other guys with you to sort out what’s happened.” Will nodded and disappeared back into the stairway, causing silence amongst the people there, “Don’t worry! The Marines will safeguard you all! I just quickly need the guy with the gun! Can he please come up here!” One man started cheering, before stopping as the sombre atmosphere convinced him the idea would be poor. Rick managed to push through the mob and waved his gun to Will, who grabbed him and pushed him through the door with him. The other civilian on the other side of the wall smiled to Rick as he came in, “Just the three of us should do eh?” Will said to the marine standing by the door.

“Uh yeah, hold on…you can follow me, I’ll take you to the Captain.”

The walk didn’t take long, the four humans made their way up another level before going through a door that said UNSC personnel only that led into a seemingly abandoned walkway. Then the red tint on the ceiling caught Rick’s eye. It was crawling along the ceiling, it’s joints bent at odd angles as it dug its claws into the roof, the Vamps head twisted, so the red glow seemed to be aimed at Rick directly who stuttered before raising his pistol at it, having forgotten he was out of ammunition. The Vampire acted fast, leaping down from the roof, landing feet first ontop the blonde and black haired human, who was crushed down like a full can of soda, his body practically bursting from the pressure, as it was forced down into a far flatter size. The Vamp quickly grabbed the nearest human by the head, which it quickly forced through a wall before galloping at the Marine, whose flurry of shots seemed to have little effect on the Mechanical creature. There was the whistle of Wills energy Machete as it unsheathed and he ran after the Vampire, lunging ontop of it he wrapped one arm around it’s underside to keep himself bring dragged along as the Necros started to chase after the now fleeing Marine. Will stabbed frantically at the Vamp, which eventually collapsed, sending Will somersaulting over. Will laughed as he got up and patted the blood soaked Marine on the back as he returned.

“Thank you,” The marine panted, “but…ha…what is…why does a…civilian have an energy weapon?”

Will glared at the Marine, before shoving his machete into his gut and pulling it up to his neck so the Marine looked like something had started to pull him apart. Will let him flop to the ground as several armed non-marine personnel appeared at the end of the hall. Will quickly concealed his weapon as he noticed the rank of the man the now very shocked technicians were escorting, Captain.

IX
“The escape pods were attacked?” Jess hissed at of the marines who’d just explained the situation to them, having escorted the crowd out of the stinking staircase into the medical level.

“George?” Isabelle whispered, tightening her grip on Adams arm.

“Yes they were, we don’t know how many if any made it, as we’re now actually inside a Necros Ship, but as soon as we get through to a UNSC Comm Line they’ll send a fleet over and then we’ll all find out.”

“So for all we know they could all be dead? What if we can’t reach outside? And what about the people still in the bottom floors! Are you just going to leave them?” Jess shouted, which was followed by similar yells of support from many in the crowd.

“Jesus, I don’t know I’m a grunt…no offence to the grunts that are here, but the Captain’s working on something. Just let me assure you it’s our priority to keep you all safe.” Ken said wishing this pissy bitch had stayed downstairs, they’d saved them hadn’t they? He now had to protect all these civilians whilst fighting for his own life on numerous fronts against a force that greatly outnumbered them. Fuck.

“Fuck!” O’Reilius shouted as he looked over the mess that filled his hall, a marine lay dead, with a gaping gash from which blood still pumped out, covering over half his body. Some random idiots body lay limp with his head caved in and there was some other guy who now looked almost like a pancake filled with spikes as the splintered bones poked out from the skin, and the blood that came from that sucker now made up a great puddle that had covered most of the hall. Then there was a Necros all busted up and some other guy he’d never seen who just stood blood-soaked before him. “What the Fuck happened here?”

“Uh…Hi, sorry about all this, a Necros had snuck in, it attacked us and the marine sacrificed himself to kill it after it had killed my companions.”

The Captain nodded, his mouth still open slightly, “and…who are you?”

“Oh, I’m Will, I came up from downstairs cause the Necros have broken in down there, so I grabbed as many survivors as I could and brought them up here.”

“I see…Oh shit!” The Captain said with sudden realisation, “You,” he said clicking at one of the technicians, “Take this man and escort him back out of here, I need to speak to the Sergeant!” O’Reilius’s heart was pumping. The civilians were being slaughtered beneath him and as a Necros had made it into the Medical levels and the Necros had what was in essence a hive mind than it was likely the enemy now knew the layout of their defences as the thing that lay dead before him must have snuck straight past numerous marines and strategic points just to get to this corridor.

A Technician motioned for Will to follow him back down the hall, as the Captain walked over to the Vampires body. A Technician kicked it, and was flung down the hall by the Necros’s powerful gangly and still functioning arm. The black steel soldier raised itself upright and lumbered at the Captain with suprising speed, its clawed hand reaching out for him. O’Reilius stumbled backwards, pushing a technician infront of himself, which received the jarring blow, causing the technicians’ head to dangle over his back to stare with glassy eyes at the captain. The remaining twenty-four UNSC Personnel in the hall had drawn their pistols and were now shooting at the Vamp, which now started to sway from the barrage of bullets that dented and eventually tore through its casing. The Vamp made one last dash at O’Reilius before collapsing, a Technician made sure the Necros was done for, firing three bullets into its head.

“Shit I thought it was dead before, you alright Captain?” The technician asked. The Captain nodded, as he tried to rub the blood off his uniform.

“Guess he didn’t kill it.” Will said from further down the grey corridor.

“Shit, Shinjit and George…scary right?” Jess said, letting her shoulders hang loose. Kiate’s jaws drooped as he scratched the back his neck.

“What are you talking about?” a high pitched voice piped in.

“Uh…you can run off now Adam, you’re safe with here, try and see if you can find any of your friends.” Isabelle said to the boy, turning back to her friends as they solemnly remembered their dead.

“Ok, thanks Isabelle.” Adam said as he put his hands into the pockets of his patchy red jacket. Adam walked off into the midst of the floor, as Marines ran about him, some moving things, others seemed to just be running around.

“God what I’d give to hit that.” Jack said as he leaned against the wall, motioning to the blonde chick next to the Elite, as he took a swig from his canteen.

“Nah, too whiny, I’d go with grape flavour.” Ken said from his seat on the polka-dotted floor.

“The Purple haired chick?…Why’s it purple?”

“I dunno…who cares. So how you holding up?” Ken said, slapping Jacks heavily bandaged leg.

“Ow, Damn it Ken, that’s the stick thing they jam in, smashed right into the soft spot…”

“You mean the splint?”

“Yea…the splint, damn it where are the doctors?”

“Most were downstairs, only got a few medics and there was too little shit for too many, you’re going to have to stick with that splint for a minute…or the rest of your life.”

“Right…those Necros thingys…they’ll be here soon right?”

“Within the hour.”

The two sweat and blood-soaked marines sat in an uncomfortable silence as Jack passed the canteen, and his grime covered companion took a mouthful.

“Shit that’s strong.” Ken said, blinking heavily as he forced it down.

“Last day bud, broke open my personal supply for this, drink up.”

Ken laughed, all this time the effort hadn’t seemed that doomed, sure there were the pessimists amongst the Corp here, they’d had a few officers knocked senseless by privates scared shitless, but it had all seemed too surreal to Ken for these to really be his final moments, like something out of some cheesy fan-fic story or something.