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PART ONE: The Same as Usual Takes a Turn

[1500 HOURS JULY 17, 2535 (MILITARY CALENDAR) ODST DROP SCOUTS]

The clouds shifted slightly reveling yet another drop ship filled with more fresh troops. They landed and dispatched the troops in the clearing below. Just then it started to rain making the air even more muggy and sticky. ODST Sergeant Laree “Fox” Foxture laid in the thick jungle mesh above the clearing. She repositioned her sniper rifle on the troops that dropped out of the ship.

“Psst…” Fox heard a voice whisper nearby. Then she heard someone lay down next to her. Fox took her eyes from the scope and looked to her right.

“Captain wants an estimate on the incoming troops.” Corporal Yong asked her. Fox returned her eyes to the scope and took a sweep of the troops. Then she turned back to the Corporal.

“They’re getting harder on us.” Fox whispered to him. “Not like they were giving a challenge before.” Yong boosted. Fox rolled her eyes then continued.

“There are half a dozen elites; four privates and the rest are veterans, about two dozen Grunts and Jackals each, and…” Fox took another quick look, “Geeze a Hunter pair.”

The Corporals eyes widened at the last part but he gave a nod and patted her on the back. Then he rolled, hoped up and headed into the woods. Fox then returned her eyes again to her scope, sweeping the valley below.

A few hours later the rain let up to a drizzle losing its grip on the muggy air and a cool breeze pushed out some of the warmth from the valley. Fox awoke suddenly to a friendly hand gently shaking her awake.

“Fox, naps over.” Corporal Yong whispered to her as he pushed on her shoulder.

“Soo…..what’s the Covenant troops been up to?” Fox asked with a yawn as she stretched. Then she crawled over to her sniper.

“Nothing really, same as last time.” Yong said with a shrug, “We have already killed half a dozen Grunts and three Jackals with the mines we set earlier.”

“Hmm” Fox thought out loud as she took a look through her scope. The valley where the troops were dropped was empty, only foot prints remained in the mud. She traced the prints to the base of the hill they were stationed on.

“So they’ve been following our trail.” Fox said looking at the Corporal.

Yong nodded, “Yeah, but after the first bunch of mines the Elites sent the grunts first and positioned Jackal snipers in the trees.” The Corporal said repositioning himself on the ground.

Suddenly an explosion could be heard down the hill. Fox traced the air with her sniper until she found the source of the sound. It was the Hunter pair shooting at something. She took a closer look. The hunters seemed to just be shooting the jungle foliage out of the way.

“What are they doing?” Fox questioned readjusting her sniper to look a little farther back down the hill. In the trees she saw two Jackal snipers swaying to and fro with the wind. Through the trees she could make out a dozen grunts and an Elite cladded in blue armor.

Fox turned to Corporal Yong, “Some are missing.” She told him with a hit of worry in her voice.

“Umm…what do you mean, like dead?” Yong asked readjusting his Battle rifle.

“I mean like they’re not with the Hunter pair.” Fox answered, “I think the groups headed to base are the decoys. The others are probably going in for an ambush.” She sat up and thought it over for a moment.

“Ok, Corporal Yong.” Fox said with purpose, “I need you to go down to base and warn the Captain. Then have him COM me with any further instructions.” Fox finished then reached for her pack.

“Yes, Ma’am.” Yong responded then headed off into the thick woods.

Fox watched the Corporal go until she couldn’t see him no more then turned back to the ridge and put on her helmet.

Fox watched the rain thicken as the night started to settle in. It hadn’t been long since she sent the Corporal away but she had begun to worry. Fox looked through her sniper at the group of Covenant trumping thru the woods. The Hunters and their cannons had cleared quite a path. Trees swayed along the path as Jackals jumped tree to tree keeping up with the group. Some of the snipers stayed back and started to fan out closer to her position.

Just then Fox heard some static fill the COM. Then a voice revealed itself.

“Sergeant Foxture, this is the Captain.” He said hurried, “I need the location of the decoy squad.”

Fox clicked the COM and responded, “They are about a click from your location, sir. Jackal snipers are fanned out quite a bit. There is a Hunter pair moving to your location.”

There was a pause then the Captain said, “Ok, I need you to scout out behind the base and try to find the ambush squad.” Then there was another pause. “Corporal Yong and Private Shore will meet you at Back Post One.”

“Roger Sir, out.” Fox replied clicking the COM once more. She sat up and started to pack her things. Before she slung her sniper she took on last sweep of the group below, the group had stopped moving.

Fox took a closer look and saw one of the Jackals perched on a tree in front of the Hunters with its odd sniper aimed down in the trees. A seconds pause then Fox saw the purple plasma fire down to the jungle floor. Then a pause and the click of the gun could be heard. Fox felt a sting of pity for whatever the Jackal shot; hopefully it hadn’t been any of her group.

She removed her eyes from the scope, slung the sniper over her shoulder, and headed into the deep jungle mesh.

After trudging through the wet jungle foliage Fox finally made it to the post. The Post was really just a clearing not too far from the base. Before Fox entered the clearing she crouched down and gave a low to high whistle. After a pause the high to low answer could be heard. Fox counted to three then entered the clearing.

Soon after she entered the clearing Fox heard movement over to her left. A moment later Corporal Yong and Private Shore entered the clearing. After a short silence pause Fox spoke.

“Ok, since this is a sneak and scout mission there will be no COM unless of an emergency, so turn them off.” She shifted and turned down her COM. “I’ll keep mine low incase the Captain has an emergency and to let him know of our progress. We will check in with each other in two hours.”

Another pause then everyone slung their weapons and trudged deeper into the woods.

An hour later Fox was startled by a noise in a tree near her location. She hushed and held her breath waiting for something to pop out of the tree. A second later a small bird creature hopped its way to the end of a branch and started to sing. Fox released her breath thanking it was just a bird.

Even in the night the forest seemed to thrive and come alive with noise. Fox thought of the Corporal and Private were doing. Since there hadn’t been any emergency COM or flash she assumed that they were doing fine.

Another hour passed. Fox was getting ready to check in with the others at the clearing when she heard a strange noise. She hid behind her tree and peered carefully around it. A bush shook and a growl sounded. Fox had heard that growl before and pulled her pistol out of its holster.

The bush took another violent shake then it split down the middle. Stepping on top of it was a Grunt, quite big compared to the ones she had seen before. It turned its head side to side taking slow raspy breaths from its respirator. Once it was satisfied that it was clear it continued its walk.

Fox carefully clicked the safety off of her pistol and aimed it at the Grunt. She thought quickly for the best place to shoot it for it would make less noise. She would have to shoot in the head but from the side so the bullet wouldn’t accidently hit the Methane tank it carried on its back causing it to explode.

Fox waited until the Grunt was right beside her then shot it. It hit the ground dead with only a small squeal before it died. Fox quickly covered the body with some shrubs incase more of its party came. Then she clicked her COM two times to warn the Captain, contact. A second later she got three clicks back, acknowledged. Just then a bright white light lit up the darkness on Fox’s left.

“Dam!” Fox said getting up. It was an emergency flash grenade and that meant that Corporal Yong was in trouble. She had to help him but before she left she gave a low to high whistle to see if Private Shore was near, maybe she saw the flash too. A pause later the high to low response rang then out of the bushes to her right came Shore.

“Ma’am, I saw the flash and hurried to your location as fast as I could.” The Private said as she approached.

Fox gave a nod then started off running thru the woods with Shore right behind her.

Not to much later, Fox could feel the heat intensify. “Plasma fire,” Fox thought as she dodged a tree, “not a good sign.”

PART TWO: “It never seems to end”

[0030 HOURS JULY 17, 2535 (MILITARY CALENDAR) ODST DROP SCOUTS]

Fox dove to the ground as soon as she entered a small clearing where Corporal Yong must have been. A plasma bolt passed over her head. The used to be scouting mission had turned to chaos.

A fire ignited as a blob of plasma struck a tree. The Grunts in front charged forward with their over- charged plasma pistols. Corporal Yong darted behind a tree then he stuck his battle rifle out shooting out the clip managing to drop a few Grunts.

“Yong!” Fox shouted over the screams and growls, “I’m coming to your position!” The Corporals wild-eyed face turned towards Fox and gave a shaky nod then he turned back to the battle.

Fox began to crawl but before she got too far she heard a shout from behind her and a big thump. She turned her head and saw Private Shore on the ground. Shore managed to prop herself up. A tree that had been struck by a plasma bolt had fallen in front of the Private and it had just barely missed her.

“I’m fine keep going!” Shore yelled as she ducked behind the fallen tree. Fox turned her head back towards the Corporal and started to crawl again.

Before she got far Fox had to roll out of the way of a charging Grunt then she turned and shot it in the back of the head. Fox pulled and threw a flash-bang grenade then got up and ran the rest of the way to Corporal Yong.

“Yong!” Fox yelled as she tapped him on the shoulder.

The Corporal continued to shoot and yelled, “Fox, I think we’ve killed all of the Grunts. I can see the Elites across on the opposite tree line and they are starting to send Jackals with shields!”

“Roger!” Fox responded and quickly thought, “Any snipers?” she then asked.

“Yeah, there are some Jackal snipers in the trees on the opposite side.” Yong answered.

Fox gave the Corporal two taps on the shoulder then she pulled her sniper rifle’s tripod out of her pack and set it on the ground. Fox un slung her weapon and laid herself on the ground. Fox gave Yong a tap on the leg then pointed to the tree line. He nodded then continued shooting.

She aimed her scope to the opposite side then skimmed the tops of the trees. Three Jackals were perched in some of the top most branches. Three shots, three dead fell from the trees. Fox took the forth bullet and put in it a Jackals head before it managed to pull out its shield. The rest of the Jackals grouped together and put up their shields covering their small bird like bodies almost completely.

Fox looked for an opening as she reloaded. There was a small in the shields formation so she took the shot. The Jackal let out a high pitched squawk as it struggled to get back up but before it could Fox put one more bullet into it.

Fox felt someone tap her shoulder then Private Shore laid down on the ground. Just then Fox got an idea.

“Shore.” She said, “I need you to run to that depression while I go to the left to that rise.” Fox pointed the locations out. “After I take a shot I need you to lob in a flash-bang into where the Elites are.”

The Private nodded then waited for Fox’s command. Fox quickly picked up her rifle and tripod then yelled to Yong. “Keep firing at those Jackals and keep their attention!”

“Yes, ma’am!” was his response as he threw a grenade into the Jackals formation.

“Now!” Yelled Fox as she took off to the rise. She quickly hit the ground and set up her equipment then took aim at one of the Elites. The Elites were tough with their shields but Fox knew the weaker sections and that two sniper rounds would down one it shot right.

Fox steadied her breath as she took aim. Two shots sounded then a flash-bang went off in front of the others. She quickly reloaded and shot another chip at the blinded Elites. Fox heard the last bullet exit the gun then she pulled a grenade and chucked it in at the remaining Elites. With their shields dead Private Shore finished them off with her battle rifle.

Corporal Yong threw another grenade at the last two Jackals. They scrambled to get out of the way but Yong gunned them down. There was a pause as the heat of battle started to rise off of the field. Smoldering trees creaked as burnt limbs fell from their bodies. Fox stood reloading her sniper rifle and slinging it over her shoulder then walked over to the others.

The Corporal gave a sigh of relief as he reloaded his battle rifle and gave the nearest corpse a kick. “That was a nice plan, Fox.” He said looking at her.

“Thanks.” Fox said as she took a look around. “Nice arm.” She said as she spotted the Privates bloodied arm and torn sleeve.

“Dam tree.” Shore said giving a shrug.

Just then she heard a voice over the radio. It was the Captain’s. “Sergeant I need you to report back to base ASAP.” He said.

“Roger Sir, out.” Fox answered then she turned to the others. “Captain wants us back to base ASAP. Let’s move.” Then she started off towards the base with both the Corporal and Private behind her.

Not too long later they made it to base. Smoke rose from farther down the hill where Fox presumed the decoy squad was terminated. Just then a Private ran up to them.

“Fox, Captain wants to see you. He is in his tent.” The Private said giving a gesture towards the tent.

“Thank you.” She said to the Private then she turned towards Yong and Shore. Fox gave them a nod and small smile then headed over to the tent.

“Thank you.” She said to the Private then she turned towards Yong and Shore. Fox gave them a nod and small smile then headed over to the tent.

“Sir, you wanted to see me.” Fox said as she entered the empty tent. All that was left was the Captains packing up some supplies.

“They are pulling us out.” The Captain said as he turned to face her.

“Why are they doing that Sir?” Fox asked

“You’ll see soon enough.” The Captain answered, “Get your group to pack up and be ready for dust off in 15. Pelicans will be down to get us off this rock.”

“Yes, Sir!” Fox said saluting then she turned and exited the tent.

Once back on the ship the ODST crew was in the mess hall eating some well deserved breakfast. Suddenly a Sergeant rushed in causing the room to go silent.

“The Covenant just glassed the planet.” He yelled, “The Commander wants everyone to prep for slipspace entrance. We’re leaving this system.” The Sergeant took a look around then left.

All was still for a pause then everyone got up and silently left the mess hall.

“One battle won, another battle lost.” Fox said quietly as she stood. “It never ends.”