User:Spartan-G117/Halo: Proving Grounds

Prologue
Earth is under attack by the coalition of alien species known only as The Covenant. The Covenant's agenda has always been shrouded in mystery, but a recent escapade by Spartan-117 has shown that the Covenant wish to activate a series of doomsday weapons, known as the Halos, to go on some "Great Journey" to join the Forerunners in paradise. They have since found Earth, and have been attacking an area of Kenya, seemingly looking for something. The invasion has been going on for a few weeks now(Well, currently there are simply a number of Covenant resitance pockets). A Frigate that had been crippled in the asteroid belt had finally limped back to Earth. It was preparing to disgorge it's complement of ODSTs to the area surrounding the wreck of the Orbital Elevator. Among them is L.Cpl Derek Marin, a young rookie who was selected for the Shock Troopers due to his sheer ferocity in combat. He will struggle with his past and his superiors, all while he fights for survival.

ODST L.Cpl Derek Marin, on board the UNSC Fires of Humanity, in Earth orbit, Mission time 3483 hours
Derek turned his helmet over in his hands, checking for impurities. He inspected the green stripe down the center, touching up with a marker where needed. Satisfied, he pulled out a stencil and began carving his callsign, "Charge" into the reinforced sections of his helmet. He finished, pocketed the stencil, and donned his helmet. Derek walked over to the weapons wall and pulled down a Sniper Rifle and a Battle Rifle, having already grabbed an Automag. Derek stocked up on munitions and rations, aware that they could go for weeks without support. Derek put the gear in his pod and began to strap in.

As he finished, the ODST anthem's first chord played and Captain Walker spoke, "You know the music boys. It's time to dance." The troopers began to bustle about, grabbing weapons and supplies. As they strapped in, the Captain checked their harnesses and equipment. As Walker stopped at Derek's pod, she whispered in Derek's ear, "I stuck my neck out to get you this position, now prove me right, okay?" Derek stared at the Captain as she walked over to her own pod. The hatch on Derek's pod latched shut, jolting Derek back to his present location. As the pods slid into final launch positions, Walker stated the oft repeated phrase, "Troopers! We are mean, and very, VERY green!" She finished speaking just as the pods' thrusters sent them rocketing towards orbit.

Five minutes later, Derek was breaking through the clouds. Derek spoke into his COM unit, "This is Charge, all Troopers prepa-" Derek didn't finish the sentence, because a nearby pod exploded, sending rubble and body parts flying. Unfortunately for Derek, a large amount of shrapnel impacted on his pod's hull, sending him spiraling off course. "This is Charge, the Covies captured AA batteries, I'M HIT, I'M HIT!" Walker's voice came over the COM, "Marin, stay calm, I'm going to-" Just then Derek hit a building, shearing the hatch off his pod. Derek's harness held for a few seconds, but a piece of shrapnel tore the strap on his chest, sending him flying. Derek saw his pod crash in the middle of a Covenant camp, but Derek went flying through a window on the fifth story of an apartment building, crushing a Jackel sniper who had taken position there. Derek tried to prop himself up, but fell unconsious.

Derek Marin, unconsious in a building, New Mombasa, Mission time 3501 hours
Derek's body was incapacitated in a building, lying on the corpse of a Jackal sniper, but his mind was wide awake, over nine years in the past, on the planet known as Sigma Octanus IV. Derek dreamed of times before the covenant, before all this crap started happening.