User:Drone232/Survival Instincts

Survival Instincts October 3rd, 2561 UNSC Carrier, Trafalgar Orbit above planet Reach Corporal Wilson looked at the screen inside the HEV pod as his mission briefing appeared, he had just got out of his cryochamber and didn't have time to do much of anything let alone get debriefed before he had to suit up. He carefully read his mission instructions: As you know, Reach was undergoing recolonization before the Flood parasite made an unexpected attack on the planet. You are to be dropped into one of the main cities to search for possible survivors of the attack. You are then to radio back to the ship using the homing beacon installed into your HEV pod. Caution, it is highly possible that the Flood have already invaded the city you are dropping into, so be wary. Joining you will be Private 2nd Class Jacobs, Private Luke, Lance Corporal Maria, Private Marcus, and Private 1st Class Alex. We will expect you to radio in within the hour, if not then we will assume the worst. Good luck. Wilson heard the latches holding the HEV pod in place retract and felt himself fall as the HEV pod came loose from the ship and started to plummet to the planet surface. The view screen showed the planet's surface quickly filling up the screen as the HEV pod made its descent. Its interior started to heat up as the pod fell through the planet's upper atmosphere. The drop pod made a jolt as a small metal parachute burst through the top of the pod and it's bottom thrusters came on to help slow the HEV pod's acceleration toward the planets surface. Wilson holstered his flamethrower and braced himself as the drop pod crashed into the streets of a large deserted city. The front latch shot off the pod and plowed through the wall of a nearby building. Wilson cautiously climbed out and surveyed the his surroundings, he noticed the littered streets and damaged buildings. The motion tracker on the visor inside his helmet showed no signs of movement. He looked up and watched as several other HEV pods made their landings in the surrounding area. A few of them crashed into a building and sent it toppling into the streets. Wilson quickly ran up to the nearest drop pod and and helped Jacobs climb out. “This place looks like a ghost town”, remarked Jacob,” I thought there would at least be something to fight” Wilson looked into the distance and saw some of the other members of his squad running toward him. “ Are you all alright”, yelled Wilson. “We're fine, replied Maria,” but Alex didn't survive the drop. I took his extra ammo and supplies and detached the homing beacon from the inside on his drop pod but I wasn't able to carry the his rocket launcher or tools with me.”  Shame, but he was a bit odd, and I don't think we will have much need for a technician here. Wilson retorted,” come on, we better start looking for survivors.” They walked through the city, constantly checking their motion tracker for signs of movement and looking through the rubble and surrounding buildings. “This place is completely empty!” Stated Marcus,” we've been looking for ten minutes already and haven't found anybody, dead or alive.” “Thats never a good sign”, remarked Maria, slinging her shotgun over her shoulder. “What if their all just hiding”, questioned Marcus, “ or what if they all took refuge in some other part of the city?” “Then how are we supposed to rescue them if we don't even know where they are or if there are even any survivors left?” Said Marcus. Then, Lucas took a deep breath and yelled, “IS THERE ANYBODY OUT HERE!” The whole squad listened as an inhuman howl echoed throughout the city in response to his call. “ Picking up a lot of hostiles on the motion tracker, there all headed towards us, we,re surrounded”, said Maria. “Darn it Lucas, why did you have to do that for”, yelled Wilson. “At least we know we're not alone now”, remarked Lucas. Suddenly, dozens of mangled and infected human bodies ran out from behind buildings and rubble toward the squad. Everyone started firing in all directions as the creatures ran toward them. Wilson blasted his flamethrower at a nearby building as hundreds of small bulbous infection forms swarmed out in an attempt to infect the squad. The air was filled with bullets as Wilson yelled” Suppressive fire, Suppressive fire!” Two hulking beasts launched themselves off the walls of a building toward the squad only to be shredded by the by Maria's shotgun. “Is that all you got”, roared Marcus as he mowed down several groups of flood forms with his assault rifle. “Come on, give me your best shot”. In the distance, a gigantic Juggernaut flood form picked up a smashed car with its massive tentacles and hurled it toward the squad. Wilson yelled,” watch out,” but the car already landed on Marcus and skidded several meters away with Marcus now lying on the ground partly under it. “ I just got a flat line from Marcus”, yelled Maria, checking the teams health stats on the inside of her visor while firing her shotgun at a few human flood forms leaping toward her. The giant juggernaut flood form started running at full speed at Wilson. He leveled his flamethrower and set the behemoth aflame as it lunged toward him. The juggernaut fell to the ground with a great “thud” and the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. A distorted and infected version of Alex appeared on the top of a nearby building holstering a rocket launcher. It aimed the weapon at Lucas and fired, the rocket hit the ground next to Lucas and blasted him several feet away. “There are too many of them, we need to retreat now!” Yelled Wilson. Maria quickly hefted Lucas onto her shoulder and they both took refuge into a small building. Wilson burned a few infection forms hiding inside and forcefully shut the door behind Maria and latched it shut. Immediately, the sound of pounding and shrieks started to echo through the doors and walls as the creatures attempted to brake in. “He's got a few broken ribs and his right arm is severely wounded”, spoke Maria while she examined Lucas' limp body. She retrieved a some gauze from her combat pack and began to wrap up his right arm. “This will hold him up for now but if we don't get him some medical attention now he might not make it”, she stated as she injected biofoam into his right side. Lucas' eyes began slowly open, “what happened” he coughed as he spit up some blood. “Don't worry”, replied Wilson, “we'll get you some help. Jacob, radio command and tell them we need reinforcements and that there are no survivors”. “On it sir”, answered Jacob. Lucas began coughing up blood as his eyes closed and he passed out again. Then the pounding and shrieking stopped and the whole room went into an eerie silence. The whole squad listened but did not hear another noise other than their own tired breaths. “Why did they stop”, asked Jacob. “Do you think their still there”, questioned Maria. Suddenly, a tentacle burst through one of the windows of the building and started to lash out at the remaining squad. Wilson quickly hefted his flamethrower and burned away the tentacle and its owner. The other flood forms stayed clear of the flamethrowers blast and huddled together as they waited for the flames to stop. “Jacob, did you get a reply yet?” yelled Wilson as he fired the flamethrower, “this thing doesn't have enough fuel to stay on forever”. “Command says they got some problems of their own and will only be able to send us a single pelican drop ship”, replied Jacob. “Just perfect”, muttered Wilson as he grabbed an incendiary grenade from his combat pack and tossed into the crowed of flood that had gathered. They watched as the glowing grenade flew through the air and burst spewing molten metal and fire all over the flood forms. They screamed in pain and fell to the ground, the others slowly dispersed as the flames surrounded the window of the building. “That'll keep back at least until the fire dies down”, Wilson stated. “And what are we supposed to do until then?” Asked Maria. Wilson looked up at the ceiling, thinking.”On our way here I saw a plaza about about half a mile east from here, that would be the most likely place where the pelican will land. Jacob, how long since you got that reply”. “Its been about seven minutes now”, replied Jacob, “they could already be there”. “OK everyone, we're going to make a run for the clearing. I'm going to be in the lead, Maria, you grab Lucas and try to stay behind me. Jacob, your going to stay in the back and protect Maria and Lucas. Everyone got that.” “Yes sir” Jacob and Maria replied in unison. They both grabbed their gear and Maria hefted Lucas onto her shoulder. “Good, let's move out”, shouted Wilson. Wilson unlatched the door and kicked it open. The bright sunlight shone on their faces as they hurried out one at a time. A pungent and acrid odor hung in their air around them. Lucas heard a strange scuttling sound coming from behind, he looked over his shoulder to see hundreds of small infection flood forms hanging off the building they were previously hiding in. The infection forms immediately leaped toward Lucas who fired upon the creatures but it was to late. Wilson set Lucas and the infection forms on fire with his flamethrower just as they were infecting him. Inhuman howls echoed through the air as the other flood forms came storming out of their hiding places. Wilson and Maria sprinted eastward firing their weapons as the flood masses started to close in on them. Maria destroyed the flood attacking the squad from behind with her shotgun as Wilson tossed a grenade far ahead of them into a gathering mass of combat forms in front of them. “Look, the plaza, up ahead! Yelled Wilson as they came upon an empty clearing in the buildings. A large aircraft appeared in the sky heading toward their location as the waves of flood forms started to thin out. “Finally, looks like our lucks changing” Exclaimed Maria as she killed a couple of the combat forms remaining. The pelican drop ship deployed its landing gear as it began its descent into the plaza. The the roar of the pelicans engines almost drowned out the pounding footsteps coming around a nearby building. A monstrous juggernaut flood form rounded the building as it made its way toward the drop ship. It jumped high into the air and brought its massive tentacles down onto the pelican drop ship, completely smashing the cockpit. “What do we do now?” asked Maria despairingly while more flood forms began to convene on their location. “We fight!” Answered Wilson as he leveled his flamethrower and fired.