Author Topic: Halo: TODAY
Sanctimoniously 
Registered: Dec '05
44306_A-Wing Crash into Star Destroyer
Date Posted: 4/13 4:42pm Subject: Halo: TODAY
Earth.

Present Day.

Space bursts into a bright shimmer. It burns brightly for several moments, then resolves into a very sleek and dark shape. It is a shape that few have seen, mysterious and dangerous. A glow emanates from its aft sections as it glides through space, toward Earth.

Behind it, more ripples and rifts appear. From these, more dark shapes slide into space. After a moment, these shapes quickly make their way toward Earth.


This is an RPG about what would happen if the Halo: Combat Evolved-era Covenant were to mount an invasion of Earth in modern times. The governments of Earth have advance warning (as Deiskrad will explain), and have taken some precautions, such as developing new weapons systems and clandestinely increasing the size of their defence forces. For simplicity and coherence, we'll stay in the United States for the beginning of the game. You can play as a member of the US Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, or a National Guard element.

Rules:

1. Keep the swearing and violence to a minimum.
2. Keep the OOC to a minimum.
3. No godmoding.
4. Keep your characters realistic. The height and weight limits are 6'3' and 235 pounds, and none of those "pure muscle" descriptors if you come close to either maximum.
5. PM your character sheets to me for approval.
6. Mine and Deiskrad's word is law.
7. Have an enjoyable time.

Character Sheet:

Name:
Age:
Service:
Military Occupational Specialty (MOS):
Rank:
Weapons:
Bio:

Deiskrad will elaborate a bit more.

 

-----signature-----
Post Reply | Quote Reply | Active Topic Notification | Private Message | Post History
Deiskrad 
Registered: Sep '04
Date Posted: 4/13 6:02pm Subject: RE: Halo: TODAY - Date Edited: 4/13 6:03pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Deiskrad
Here is a quick timeline of the lead-up to the Covenant Planetfall.

January 9th 2008: An unidentified flying object lands in the badlands of Montana. It sets down to perform repairs, and picked a spot in the middle of a violent snowstorm to conceal itself. However, the silhouette of the scout was picked up at the SETI Installation in Northern California. POTUS and the defense department is notified.

For many years, a special response team has been ready in case of an extraterrestrial Touchdown in the United States. They are mobilized and sent in to Montana. They initiate Hostile first contact with the Extraterrestrials and are able to capture several of them and their vessel more or less intact.

January 10th 2008 (early hours): The captives and their vessel are taken to an undisclosed location where the Extraterrestrials are interrogated and their Technology is to be analyzed

A Gag order is issued to SETI, preventing them from disclosing knowledge of the landing to the press.

January 14th 2008: with the cooperation of Linguists and the cooperation of several of the aliens. It is learned that Aliens are from an aggressive multi-species civilization called the Covenant. Based around an expansionistic religion, the Covenant seeks out relics of “lost gods”and is xenophobically intolerant of infidels. The Extraterrestrials inform their captors to expect an invasion force within 18 earth months. They boast of it’s power.

The President of the United States quietly convenes the Ambassadors of all the major world powers. Including Russia and China.

January 15th 2008: To further legitimize the efforts of the mostly NATO nations, a special session of the UN Security council is convened to discuss the problem. Total secrecy is enforced.

February 1st 2008: The first of five massive Call-ups of former US Armed Forces personnel is initiated. The Draft is not seriously considered at this point of being politically viable. Other first-world nations do much the same.

February 2nd 2008: Watchdog groups question the sudden dramatic increase in Defense Department spending. The Defense department stonewalls the questions.

March-November 2008: Armed Forces Train, expand, receive new equipment and participate in wargames based on the information gleaned from the captured aliens combined with data pulled from their weapons.

American Thanksgiving Day, November 2008: The President of the United states goes public with the information regarding the imminent alien invasion. The rest of the Major nations of the world follow suit.

December 15th 2008: the last of the panicking riots are ended. Universal Conscription begins. Humanity tensely awaits.

February 23rd: The Covenant make Planetfall. The War begins.


Operational and Technological Changes

Information on Covenant armed forces are extremely limited to what has been extracted from Covenant prisoners, the hostile contact between the Covenannt troops and the task force that captured them, and Lab testing of Covenant weaponry. From this, Scientists and Strategists have made a number of educated guesses as to the operational capabilities of the Covenant armed forces.

It is obvious that the Covenant make extensive use of ionized plasma as a weapon. Such weapons are many generations further advanced than any on earth. However, this does not mean that they cannot be beaten. Covenant shields and armor can be penetrated by modern weapons. And their Plasma-based weaponry can be somewhat defeated with modifications to existing weapons systems. It is known, for instance, that the Plasma toroids emitted from Covenant small arms weapons release all their energy in an intense blast of heat as soon as it makes contact with a solid object. This has little penetrating power against armor, and multiple blasts are required to burn through armor.

To combat this, Ordinary plate steel is being welded onto tanks, IFV’s, APC’s and other equipment. The plate steel is positioned some inches out from the main armor, and secured in place by rails. Thus, when the plasma rounds hit, all of their energy will be transferred to the sheet steel, rather than to the vehicles armor, thus allowing the vehicle a chance to return fire. It is projected that fighting vehicles may get as much as 20% more survivability in combat situations.

This also will somewhat nullify the effects of the enemy’s Plasma Grenade, which has a limited AI to recognized enemy targets and adhere to them. Again, all the energy will be expended on the steel skirts, and although there may be spalling inside the vehicle itself form the shockwave, the plasma burst will not penetrate the outer armor. Multiple Plasma grenade adherences will be required to destroy a fighting vehicle.

Doubtless, further tactical and technological discoveries will be made, and will be compiled into an Operational Compendium which will be available on request. PM me for it.

 

-----signature-----
Sic vis pacem, para bellum.
"hahahahahaha. Is that all you got you Pansies?" -Marv, Sin City, The Hard Goodbye
"An old man dies, a young girl lives. Fair Trade." -Sin City
Post Reply | Quote Reply | Active Topic Notification | Private Message | Post History
CryoDragoon 
Registered: Jan '06
Date Posted: 4/14 8:35am Subject: RE: Halo: TODAY - Date Edited: 4/14 8:38am (1 edits total) Edited By: CryoDragoon
OOC (well... duh...)

Wow.. This certainly has caught my eye.

Yep... I'm in! Expect a CS soon
(also: I'm not that good at all those terms you use (for one: I'm dutch, and above all: I'm no military person)... 'service'? What's that? Military Occupational Specialty?? (Okay I've got an idea with that, but no concrete example, which would be nice).

So: If you could only expand and explain the stuff in your character creation-bit, maybe a few examples of the stuff we could choose from, I'll post a CS soon enough, k? ^^

 

Post Reply | Quote Reply | Active Topic Notification | Private Message | Post History
MandalorianLegecy 
Registered: Mar '08
14723_Jedi Pikachu
Date Posted: 4/14 1:16pm Subject: RE: Halo: TODAY
I In expect soon....

 

-----signature-----
Apprentice to SilverFighter
Writer, Artist, and RPer
-
-
See more in Profile
Post Reply | Quote Reply | Active Topic Notification | Private Message | Post History
NickLitYouAFlame 
Registered: Feb '07
43231_Chiss Ewok
Date Posted: 4/14 4:56pm Subject: RE: Halo: TODAY
So, this sheet is approved and everything. Admire the craftsmanship wholeheartedly, young RPers.

Name: Charlie Burris
Age: 19
Service: Marine Corps
Military Occupational Specialty (MOS): MOS 0311
Rank: Private
Weapons: M16A4 rifle, M9 pistol, M4 Carbine, M1014 Combat Shotgun
Bio: Charlie was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He is of Irish descent and has a Bostonian accent. His father left when he was six. It most likely attributed to his violent childhood. He was the bully of his neighborhood.

A handsome boy, Charlie had no trouble finding respectable girls to date. He had problems keeping them. He was angry and obsessive. When he was 16, he started dating a girl named Ruby. Ruby was essentially a female Charlie Burris. She was the first girl he loved.

His senior year, he got angry and slapped Ruby. She had promised not to say anything. She understood his anger and how easy it was for Charlie to lose control. But, he couldn’t bear being anything like his father, who had beaten his mother.

He left Ruby and joined the military, hoping to lose himself in the war in Iraq. He served for a year there, further proving his capability for brutality and rigidness. He showed a side of loyalty that was unparalleled. He showed a huge skill with weaponry and boosts his skills constantly.

Charlie’s superiors see him as an exemplary soldier, who never eats, never sleeps and is constantly aware. Charlie is always trying to work harder, but he is scared ****-less of combat.

When the United States announced the imminent invasion, Charlie was pulled from his second campaign in Iraq, to fight on the frontlines. He carries a picture of both Ruby and his mother. He is constantly smoking cigars and is deadly precise with everything. He constantly cleans his weapons, because he always fears that one day, the trigger will stick.

 

-----signature-----
Legal Adopter of dab.
Fear the beast I shall shape.
Post Reply | Quote Reply | Active Topic Notification | Private Message | Post History
Deiskrad 
Registered: Sep '04
Date Posted: 4/14 5:50pm Subject: RE: Halo: TODAY - Date Edited: 4/14 5:51pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Deiskrad
Name: Joseph Olsen

Age: 38

Service: United States Marine Corps, 1st Tank Battalion, 1st
Marine Division

Military Occupational Specialty (MOS): Armored Battalion Commander

Rank: Major

Weapons: M1A2 Main Battle Tank. Qualifications for M4 Carbine w/ M203 Grenade Launcher, SAW LMG, M2 .50 caliber Machine Gun, Beretta 9mm.

Bio: Born July 22nd 1969, the son of a Marine deployed to Vietnam. Joe never met his father, as he was killed in action in 1970, but his mother spoke so often of him, even after she re-married, he decided to go into the Corps to honor his father, and enlisted in 1987 at age 18. He found that he took well to the Esprit de Corps and discipline. He scored exceptionally well in leadership and armor tactics. Olsen was admitted to officer school and graudated a 2nd Lieutenant. In 1990 he participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Iraq. Upon returning home, he married his longtime sweetheart. Olsen remained in the Corps, but still had time to become a family man. 3 children would be born over the next decade. Olsen was promoted to Major in early 2001. His next major deployment was in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He had completed two tours as Commander of the 1st tank battalion, when he and the battalion was inexplicably and suddenly shipped home in March of 2008. He then began participating in strange war games involving enemies with Directed energy weapons. His suspicions were confirmed at Thanksgiving dinner of 2008 when he learned of the forthcoming Invasion of earth. He is resolved to do his duty by his family and country, no matter where that may lead.

 

-----signature-----
Sic vis pacem, para bellum.
"hahahahahaha. Is that all you got you Pansies?" -Marv, Sin City, The Hard Goodbye
"An old man dies, a young girl lives. Fair Trade." -Sin City
Post Reply | Quote Reply | Active Topic Notification | Private Message | Post History
Sanctimoniously 
Registered: Dec '05
44306_A-Wing Crash into Star Destroyer
Date Posted: 4/14 9:14pm Subject: RE: Halo: TODAY
CryoDragoon posted:
OOC (well... duh...)

Wow.. This certainly has caught my eye.

Yep... I'm in! Expect a CS soon
(also: I'm not that good at all those terms you use (for one: I'm dutch, and above all: I'm no military person)... 'service'? What's that? Military Occupational Specialty?? (Okay I've got an idea with that, but no concrete example, which would be nice).

So: If you could only expand and explain the stuff in your character creation-bit, maybe a few examples of the stuff we could choose from, I'll post a CS soon enough, k? ^^


Service is which branch of the armed services. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. As for Military Occupational Specialty, that's just the job you're doing in the military. Infantryman, combat engineer, tank driver, etc. A Google search would come up with some good examples. happy

 

-----signature-----
Post Reply | Quote Reply | Active Topic Notification | Private Message | Post History
Deiskrad 
Registered: Sep '04
Date Posted: 4/18 7:38pm Subject: RE: Halo: TODAY
OOC:

Folks, don't give up on this RPG. We'll be starting very soon!

 

-----signature-----
Sic vis pacem, para bellum.
"hahahahahaha. Is that all you got you Pansies?" -Marv, Sin City, The Hard Goodbye
"An old man dies, a young girl lives. Fair Trade." -Sin City
Post Reply | Quote Reply | Active Topic Notification | Private Message | Post History
CryoDragoon 
Registered: Jan '06
Date Posted: 4/19 10:20am Subject: RE: Halo: TODAY - Date Edited: 4/19 10:21am (1 edits total) Edited By: CryoDragoon
GM APPROVED!


Name: Dominic Jonathan “D. J.” Adams

Age: 20

Service: Army

Military Occupational Specialty (MOS): MOS-0311B1 (infantry rifleman, private, skill level 1)

Rank: Private

Weapons: M16A4 Assault Rifle, M9 Pistol, M67 Fragmentation Grenades

Bio: He has lived a pretty normal life: he went to school, did karate, played the guitar and had a girlfriend. Until he was 20 years old and the imminent Covenant attack was announced. He decided to enter the army on his own volition, ignoring the pleas of his parents, his protective nature for the six-billion people on the earth being greater than the wishes of just two people. He followed a very small emergency training along with the other recruits, and realised that as the date for Planetfall neared, they came closer and closer to their own deaths. They were the cannon fodder. And thís is why he is scared to death to enter the field of battle. There is a conflict going on inside of him, however: at one side he is very scared to die, and thus reluctant to enter battle, while on the other side, he has seen the countries and the peoples of the earth unite under one single banner with the threat of extinction right in their face, and therefore has experienced world piece for the first time in human history, which he wants to protect as best as he can.


(Sorry folks, I don’t feel like writing a huge bio… I don’t really have the inspiration to make it interesting either. So you’ll have to be happy with this little thing.)

 

Post Reply | Quote Reply | Active Topic Notification | Private Message | Post History
MandalorianLegecy 
Registered: Mar '08
14723_Jedi Pikachu
Date Posted: 4/19 9:29pm Subject: RE: Halo: TODAY
APPROVED
Character Sheet…

Name…Alan King
Age…28
Service…Marines
Military Occupational Specialty…Special OPS Commander
Rank… Lieutenant Colonel
Weapons…M4 Carbine,OKC-3S Bayonet, USMC Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR), M40 Sniper Rifle
Bio...
Alan had worked with the military since 1st grade. He had been in Military school all his life, due to his father being a General in the Army. When Alan grew up to the age of twenty-two he became a genetic scientist. They were able to clone a human in an artificial womb, or a circular chamber. Inside it had Oxygen and nutritional water substance that would be effective like the womb of a genetic mother. The project on the boy had started when Alan was 15. The boy inside the chamber came out at the age of ten, without a bellybutton. He took on the boy as his son, and named him Kyle. Two years later, terrorists invaded the laboratory and killed Kyle. Alan had gotten out on time, unable to save the boy. Swearing revenge he entered the Marines and his dad made him a superior rank. Alan did have talent and trained to become a Soldier all his life. He became a Marine at 24 and has been for the other 4 years. But now Aliens have arrived, and Damn we are in Trouble.

 

-----signature-----
Apprentice to SilverFighter
Writer, Artist, and RPer
-
-
See more in Profile
Post Reply | Quote Reply | Active Topic Notification | Private Message | Post History
Bulldog54 
Registered: May '07
13621_Yoda Dream Big
Date Posted: 4/21 2:28pm Subject: RE: Halo: TODAY - Date Edited: 4/21 2:29pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Bulldog54
GM APPROVED

Name:James Caleb Russell
Age:26
Service:U.S Air Force
Military Occupational Specialty (MOS):Aviator
Rank:Captain
Weapons:F-18E/F Super Hornet, Lockheed F-22 Raptor, C-47 Chinook Helicopter, M6G Pistol

Bio: James grew up in Virginia, he was one of six kids and he was the eldest, so a lot was expected of him. With 3 younger brothers and 2 little sisters, he had to set a good example for his siblings to follow. So at the age of 18 he went to ROTC and became a Second Lieutenant in the U.S Air Force. He quickly became one of the best pilots in the Air Force. Even at a very young age, he was an amazing pilot. His first missions were in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was apart of a squadron that glassed over 13 WMD depot's and factories, not to mention responsible for over 900 confirmed enemy kills. Somehow, this info never made the 6 o'clock news!! James just returned from a Top Secret mission in which the objective was to airlift some Marines out of North Korea, as the mission was Top Secret, James didn't ask why U.S troops were in North Korea in the first place. Luckily all 33 of the marines were safely lifted to a South Korean Air base. James received the distinguished service medal for his bravery. Not only so, James was put Second in command of his Squadron. James is in the barracks with his the rest of The Red Pegasus Squadron when there commanding officer relays the news of the covenant invasion.

 

-----signature-----
"In order to be walked on, you have to be lying down" Tim Russell
"Fame is fickle, money spends, love is eternal," Me
"You miss 100% of the shots that you never take" Wayne Gretzky
Post Reply | Quote Reply | Active Topic Notification | Private Message | Post History
Sanctimoniously 
Registered: Dec '05
44306_A-Wing Crash into Star Destroyer
Date Posted: 4/21 4:32pm Subject: RE: Halo: TODAY
Name: Elric Kalinich
Age: 19
Service: US Navy
Military Occupational Specialty (MOS): Intelligence Specialist (GG-0132)
Rank: Petty Officer Third Class
Weapons: Springfield Armory XD Compact, chambered in .45ACP
Bio: A former slacker who DEPped into the Navy when he was barely seventeen, deciding that it was about time to do something with his life. He suffers from a severe lack of self-confidence, which he writes off as a preventive measure to keep him from actually screwing up. It may just be working out for him, as he excelled in boot camp and 'A' school. When the Covenant invasion ensued on 23 February 2009, he was promoted to the rank of Petty Officer Third Class and assigned to a position aboard the USSJohn Paul Jones, which took up a defencive perimeter around the stricken city of New Orleans, Louisiana.

 

-----signature-----
Post Reply | Quote Reply | Active Topic Notification | Private Message | Post History
Sanctimoniously 
Registered: Dec '05
44306_A-Wing Crash into Star Destroyer
Date Posted: 4/21 4:47pm Subject: RE: Halo: TODAY
23 February 2009, 11.19

The question of whether or not humanity were alone in the universe had been answered.

Even in the ship's "vault", as the high-security room aboard the John Paul Jones was named, I could smell the strong odor of ozone and smoke that covered everything. Much of the area to the west of the city of New Orleans had been glassed. Baton Rouge, LaPlace, Houma: All destroyed in an eyeblink. Time would only tell how long it would be before New Orleans itself met the same fate. The thought sent a shiver down my spine. I returned to work.

My work had become the only thing that could keep my mind away from the thought of death. I knew about the forthcoming invasion ever since I started 'A' school. I wasn't too sure any more if my excellence had gotten me into a good position or not.

But here I was, in the vault of a destroyer, piecing together tactical information for the US forces currently preparing to invade the city. Things were real now. Force Recon was being sent into initiate first contact with the hostile forces in the city center, while an armada of Naval ships stood on station in Lakes Pontchartrain and Borgne to provide long-range bombardment and a way out. Fighter support would be standing by in nearby Slidell to attack the Covenant landing zones in the vicinity of Des Allemandes. Later, armored units and infantry would move northwest up the Mississipi Delta to attack the city from that direction.

The sounds of battle raged in the distance.

It was real now.

 

-----signature-----
Post Reply | Quote Reply | Active Topic Notification | Private Message | Post History
Bulldog54 
Registered: May '07
13621_Yoda Dream Big
Date Posted: 4/21 9:52pm Subject: RE: Halo: TODAY
IC:Captain James Russell

Red Pegasus Squadron, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana

"I still don't get it sir, you're telling me that the covenant have glassed an entire area near New Orleans???" James was incredulous

"That's right Captain, and they have already began landing there troops on the ground, we received orders, our Squadron will fly in and haze over the area, and give our boys on the ground some air support, and watch yourself, we don't exactly know the size of the force we're facing. Get the men ready, we're leaving for Slidell ASAP, Understood??" Major Dave Killroy (Commanding Officer) said and with that he was gone.

James thought to himself, "we just got back from our mission in North Korea, our boys have had little rest, and were promised 2 weeks leave, this is definitely gonna kill the mood." James made his way to the barracks, some of the pilots had dozed off, some were playing pool, and others were just kicking back and relaxing, nothing was supposed to happen today, just 2 weeks of freedom. Well deserved after that pickup into North Korea.

A chorus started as James walked in the baracks.
"Hey Sir, how's it going?",
"Hey Cap'? Where you going for your 2 weeks?",
"You know where I'm going for my leave cap??"

James was well respected, although most of them didn't call him Sir at times like this, they all respected him as a fine pilot, and leader, better than there own CO, Killroy had a tendency to be a little too much by the book, and over anal about regulations.

"Actually I'll spend it here in Louisiana, and unfortunately ya'll will be too, your 2 weeks leave has been revoked gentlemen. Word is that we have covenant landing outside of New Orleans, and the Leathernecks on the ground could use some air cover," James was cut off by Airman Mike Simpleton

"And we're the closest squadron right?" he said with half sarcasm and half disgust.

"That's right Airman, now gear up boys, we're a go in 20 minutes, NCO'S, GET EM' MOVING'"

The Red Pegasus Squadron was geared up and ready to go in less than 15 minutes, and then the pep talk from Major Killroy came just before take off. After about 2 minutes of what seemed like an eternity Killroy ordered for them to get airborne.

James took this short moment to address the squad before they got airborne. "Listen boys, I ain't crazy about going back up this soon either, but we take care of this one, and the government should give us some serious compensation for services to our country, and plus, I'll put in for 4 Weeks R & R for out flight, everybody do your jobs, watch each others backs. We don't have all the facts, and we ain't sure if we'll be facing any air resistance.

James thought to himself as he revved up the engine, "ok, relaxed, sharp, alert, I'm ready, if my time is to come, let it come, I am here to serve god, and my country to my fullest, lets roll." He made that same prayer before each mission, no matter how small or insignificant it was.

The 10 F-18 Super Hornets were airborne and on there way the the rendezvous point,

"Less than 5 minutes boys, get ready," James said as the Squadron pierced through the sky like 10 knives riding the wind.

As the pilots just reached the point where they could get a visual Captain Russell try to get someone on the ground to acknowledge,"Ground Hog 1 this is Pegasus 2 go ahead, say again, this is Pegasus 2, over"

Just as Red Pegasus squadron reached Pearlington, they started to pickup a response.

TAG:Anyone


OOC:I know we said keep OOC to a minimum, but I'm just gonna explain that all radio chatter will be done in Italics with me.






 

-----signature-----
"In order to be walked on, you have to be lying down" Tim Russell
"Fame is fickle, money spends, love is eternal," Me
"You miss 100% of the shots that you never take" Wayne Gretzky
Post Reply | Quote Reply | Active Topic Notification | Private Message | Post History
Deiskrad 
Registered: Sep '04
Date Posted: 4/22 5:31pm Subject: RE: Halo: TODAY
IC: Major Joe Olsen , Belle Chasse Lousiana. With 1st Tank Battalion, 1st marine Division

"Up! Out! Mount up and crank the tracks! GO!" Olsen yelled himself hoarse as he emerged from the bunker. The men of the 1st Tank battalion rushed forth to their vehicles.

Joe Olsen was hoarse, but it only half had to do with his yelling. The other half was due to the smoke and the tang of ozone. he looked to the east to see billowing smoke. Secondary fires from the plasma bombardment east of New Orleans. He saw hazy shapes in the air. Indistinct, purple, they hung in the air. These, he knew, were Covenant Warships.

The stink of Ozone was nearly overpowering. Even here in belle Chase some miles from the bombardment.

In the weeks before the invasion, combat-ready battalions had been spread out throughout the United states in a sort of "penny-packet" mentality. Since no one had any idea where the aliens might land, Washington had decided to try to defend everything. Local units were to cause as much damage as possible before proper units could assemble and make a real counterattack.

Olsen grimly recalled Frederick the Great: "He who defends everything, defends nothing."

Pressing a handkerchief to his face, Olsen ran to his Command track and mounted up.

From there, he could see the area that had been bombarded.

It was black glass.

Black glass as far as the eye could see. The edges were tinged with orange fires, but the center was shiny black glass. A pit of cold fear dropped into his stomach when he thought of the weapons he would have to face. but he'd made an oath by his country and his family to do what was necessary, he intended to keep that oath. Sliding into his commanders position in the tank, He kissed his fingertip and placed it over the photograph of his wife.

"Form by Company. Recon Platoon to the Fore." He studied his digital map, attempting to create a plan on the fly. He flicked the Battalion Channel on his radio and spoke in the clear to the men.

"We will advance to Behrmann Memorial park and make final assembly there. We'll then assault across the Crescent City Connection after Recon makes contact and reports what we're up against. Let's Roll."

He'd carefully made no mention of the horrendous odds they faced, nor the fact that they were effectively going in blind. They were Marines and would do the job unto death if necessary.

He adjusted his headset and stood up in the Cupola, allowing the ozone effluvium to assault him once more. But if he was going into desperate battle, he wanted to go in facing the enemy with his own eyes.

He keyed his intercom switch.

"Driver, Forward."

With a lurch, the tank was on it's way. They knew not what lay ahead, but Olsen determined that they would meet it as the best that Humanity had to offer.

TAG: Sanc. Any Marines who might be in nearby units.

 

-----signature-----
Sic vis pacem, para bellum.
"hahahahahaha. Is that all you got you Pansies?" -Marv, Sin City, The Hard Goodbye
"An old man dies, a young girl lives. Fair Trade." -Sin City
Post Reply | Quote Reply | Active Topic Notification | Private Message | Post History
CryoDragoon 
Registered: Jan '06
Date Posted: 4/23 8:27am Subject: RE: Halo: TODAY
IC: Dominic Jonathan Adams

A multitude of sounds waded above the bunker Dominic waited in with his brigade. Overhead one could faintly hear the people who could not be evacuated anymore screaming, commanders shouting, and the distinct alien sounds of their airplanes wailing, bombs hammering and the sweeping jet-like sounds that could only be their weapons, screaming and thundering.

The fear of what was going on and what could happen later gripped his guts, not unlike everyone else, and all they could do for now was wait. Until the orbital bombardment was over.

After half an hour or so – they couldn’t really know as the lights had failed – the sounds had largely vanished. A woman screamed, a child cried, but the bombardment had stopped. In stead, there was now a faint crackle that filled the air. The doors of the bunker opened and a military commander began shouting orders at those who were inside. Dominic didn’t really hear what he was saying, but he got the gist when suddenly the whole platoon started moving outside. And he got swept along with them.

A humming sound filled the air. The stench of ozone was overwhelming. And this, combined with the thick, almost blinding, rancid smoke made him cough, like all other soldiers. The light crackle he had heard inside got louder, ear shatteringly loud. And as he reached to cover his ears he looked above… and noticed what the sound was.

It was a large, silvery, curvy shape, quickly descended from the atmosphere, flames licking as the air friction heated the metal to an apparent enormous amount of degrees. The large shape descended slowly, a reasonable amount of kilometers away.

As his squad was commanded to the tank division waiting ahead the commander’s muted shouting became more clear as the crackling stopped and the flames disappeared from the shape, still unclear from the smoke. And as the craft descended to the side and the back of another nearby one, it began glowing. Countless lines of purple light illuminated the bottom, and a loud humming sound shouted out as the craft stopped abruptly, as though it had slammed the emergency break. It was now hovering in the air silently, like a huge helicopter without blades, humming faintly, yet with a ferocious sound.

The smoke cleared slowly, and the purple shape could be seen opening a large hole on its downside. A huge amount of crafts descended from the hull like a swarm of bees, and came buzzing to the city. It could take a while before they would reach their already-secured landing site the commander had mentioned just before.

Commands were given, the voices of the officers coarse because of the gasses and the smoke in the air. Dominic understood the mission was to escort the tanks to the battlefield and provide fire-cover for them as they would try to hold the battlefield until the air support would arrive, from as much as he could hear – his ears were still ringing from the earlier alien noise.

And it seemed easy enough to even boost the morale. But as the platoon came rolling and marching through the thick fog of smoke, and the temperature started rising, it became apparent that this was not going to be easy at all.

Glass. Half of New Orleans was reduced to glass. Buildings were toppled over and melted to form mountains of glass, roads were cracked and broke up, and were melted similarly, forming volcano-like shapes where the matter expanded when it was liquefied. Trees and dead people were strewn about, still burning, their ashes blowing about coloring the glass black, as well as the smoke.

Fellow-soldiers started to vomit when they saw the sight, and Dominic himself almost panicked, and started wiping the soot of the dead from his face, blown there by the smoke and the wind. Soldiers started to panic and cry, and the commanders tried frantically to calm them down.

Fear gripped him, and he grasped his rifle close to him, clenching his hands around the weapon until his knuckles turned white. The adrenalin made him woozy, and he feared he would faint and die.

What was going to happen? Would he get away safe and alive? Or would he perish, like the rest of the human race?

The platoon marched on, keeping up with the tanks, to the distance, where the aliens landed their hover-crafts and dispatched their own troops.

Yes… The battle for the earth’s survival had finally begun.

This was real now.


TAG: GM, anyone else.


OOC:
I know… I took a bit of creative freedom in there… But wasn’t it cool? :P

 

Post Reply | Quote Reply | Active Topic Notification | Private Message | Post History