UNSCDF Chapter 12- Strong Attachments

Seattle, Washington, USA

UNSC Seattle Outpost

March 22, 2001

1545 Local Time

            A Pelican landed on platform Delta and Casey jumped out.

            “Let’s get some rest.” Casey waved the marines off the Pelican.

            “What about Zyrok, sir?” Nevarez asked as he looked at a sleeping Zyrok.

         “Let him rest Private. I’ll get the pilot to wake him up after he’s turned off the engines.” Casey replied.

            “I’ll see you guys inside.” Forester looked at Zyrok and then Casey.

            “Sure.” Casey smiled.

            Casey climbed onboard the Pelican and went inside the cockpit. Inside the cockpit sat a young man in early twenties with a boyish look.

         “Hey Pruett, give Zyrok a shake once you’ve shut the engines and exit the Pelican would you?” Casey patted the marine.

            “Yeah, sure thing.” Pruett nodded and flipped some switches.

            “Let him know we’ll be in the Mess Hall if he needs us.” Casey thanked and exited the Pelican.

            Pruett looked at the computer screen and then pressed one more button before leaving the cockpit. He walked up to Zyrok and gave him a gentle nudge.

            “Sir, Lieutenant Zyrok.” Pruett talked softly.

            Zyrok slowly opened his eyes and looked at Pruett.

            “Yeah?” Zyrok rubbed his eyes.

            “We’re here.” Pruett replied.

            “Where?” Zyrok slowly stood up to stretch.

            “The UNSC Seattle Outpost.” Pruett answered “I’m your new pilot.”

            “Oh.” Zyrok looked at Pruett’s outfit.

            “Lance Corporal Brandon Pruett reporting for duty, sir.” Pruett saluted.

            “Nice to meet to meet you Pruett.” Zyrok saluted and exited the Pelican with Pruett.

            “Casey said that they’ll be in the Mess Hall if you need him.” Pruett pointed at a building.

            “Oh, thanks. I’m going to find a place to rest first. My back still hurts.” Zyrok touched his back.

            “Not a problem, I can take you to see the doctor if you like.” Pruett offered.

            “Thanks, but I’m good.” Zyrok appreciated “You go on ahead without me.”

            “Understood, sir.” Pruett saluted and walked off.

            Zyrok stood motionless for a second and then walked to the Officer’s building. He took the elevator to the third floor and walked to his room. Zyrok places his hand on the hand scanner to open the door when someone tapped his shoulder.

            “Thought you might be here.” a woman spoke behind him.

            Zyrok turned around and saw Forester.

            “Forester.” Zyrok replied with surprise.

            “May I come in?” Forester asked politely.

            “Sure.” Zyrok let her inside and then closed the door.

            “You want to talk?” Forester offered help.

            “Talk about…?” Zyrok grabbed a seat as Forester sat on his bed.

            “Well, you seem troubled. I can tell something is going on in your head.” Forester pointed it out.

            “Well, my near death experience has brought back my past.” Zyrok explained as he took of his armor and placed it on his desk.

            “Does it have something to do with Sarah?” Forester blurted out.

            “Oh…Sarah…” Zyrok blushed.

            “Your wife?” Forester asked.

            “No, it’s a girl that I really cared about. I’ve been trying to find her since I joined the UNSC, but I can’t find her.” Zyrok replied uneasily.

            “Ah. When was the last time you saw her?” Forester studied Zyrok’s face.

            “I’ve never met her in person. We only talked on the web. I remember that exact date when I lost contact with her. July 18, 1999, yeah that’s the date.” Zyrok recalled.

            “Where were you and where was she?” Forester asked.

            “I was in Richmond, British Columbia and she was somewhere near Sydney, Australia. That day, we were being evacuated and lost contact after that.” Zyrok spoke with a solemn face.

            “I’m sorry to hear that.” Forester sympathized.

            “I’ve been trying to find her for two years.” Zyrok took out his wallet from his pocket and looked at a wrinkled picture of Sarah and smiled.

            “Can I see?” Forester asked as she stuck out her hand.

            “Sure.” Zyrok handed his wallet over.

          “She’s a pretty girl Zyrok. I’m sure she’s glad to have someone like you.” Forester examined the picture and handed back Zyrok his wallet.

            “She means the world to me.” Zyrok placed the wallet back into his pocket.

            “I’m sure she does. I’ll see if I can get more info on Sarah for you.” Forester stood up from Zyrok’s bed and flattened the sheets and headed for the door.

            “Hey Forester.” Zyrok called.

            “Yeah?” Forester quickly turned to face Zyrok.

            “Thanks for being here.” Zyrok smiled “Appreciate it.”

            “Not a problem, I’m here for you.” Forester smiled back and walked out the door.

            Zyrok walked to his bed and lay in the center and stared at the ceiling. Zyrok was still surprised that after all the years without talking to Sarah; he was still attached to her. Zyrok wondered for a moment if Forester liked him, but then told himself about the promise he made to Sarah and pushed away his thought. He tucked himself and went to sleep.

*          *          *

            Charlie opened his eyes and found himself upside down in the back seat of the Warthog. He noticed the vehicle was smoking and decided it was best to get out even though his body ached. Charlie saw three armed men approaching them down the streets and saw the marines groaning in pain.

            “This was an ambush.” Fay climbed out of the Warthog.

          “It’s the damn Scavengers.” Mack pulled out his M16 from the vehicle and looked at the three armed men approaching.

            “Who’s that?” Charlie asked as he took cover behind the Warthog.

            “A bunch of crazy people who think they own the city. Pretty much preying on the other survivors for their own survival.” Fay explained and cocked his M16.

            “What can they steal from us?” Our weapons and armor?” Charlie asked.

            “We haven’t told him, have we Sarge?” Mack steadied his M16.

            “Told what?” Charlie was confused.

           “We are transporting months of research of the infected on this.” Fay pointed at a datapad on his belt.

            “How did they know?” Charlie asked.

            “I think we just happened to be in the wrong place in the wrong time. We could have used an escort, but we didn’t.” Fay guessed.

            The three armed men approached into view and fired at the marines and Zyrok.

            “Fire!” Fay commanded.

Mack got out of his cover and fired. He took down two men when suddenly a sniper round hit his head. Mack collapsed to the ground and dropped his M16.

“Sniper!” Fay ducked as he saw Mack lying in a pool of blood.

Charlie decided to lend a hand and picked up Mack’s M16.

“Keep your head down. We’re going to need a plan to get out of here alive.” Fay peeked at the roofs.

“I see an alley we can enter. I can cover fire while you run to that alley. Then you cover me and I’ll regroup with you.” Charlie pointed.

“Sounds good. You’ve done this before?” Fay asked.

“Played a lot of video games and watched a lot of movies.” Charlie replied.

“Oh.” Fay scratched his head.

“Don’t worry, I know that it’s different in the real world. I won’t let you down.” Charlie reassured.

“Okay, it’s not that we have a choice anyways.” Fay looked as three more armed men walked towards them.

“Let’s go on the count of three.” Charlie suggested.

            “Ok.” Fay readied himself.

          “One…two…three!” Charlie shouted and got out of his cover and sprayed a light cover fire firing single shots.

            Fay ran as quickly as possible and safely got into cover behind the alley. Fay waved at Charlie and stuck up his fingers one by one. When the fingers counted three, Fay opened fire and suppressed the enemy while Charlie sprinted beside Fay.

            “Whoa, that was close.” Charlie panted.

            “Let’s keep moving. We’re just a couple of blocks from the outpost.” Fay pointed at a building in the horizon.

            “Yeah, we can do it.” Charlie encouraged.

            Fay and Charlie ran past a couple intersections when they saw a pickup truck with a mounted machine gun.

            “Shit, they saw us.” Fay crouched down as the vehicle reversed towards them.

            The gunner fired the machine gun at the general direction of where they were.

            “We’re pinned down. If we don’t leave this area, we will be cornered.” Fay looked as he noticed more armed men walking and shooting at them.

            “The outpost is another two more blocks east from here.” Fay reloaded his gun.

            “We can crawl our way inside that building and then escape from the back.” Charlie pointed at a department store.

            “Let’s do it. It’s a do or die situation now.” Fay flattened himself on the ground.

            “I’ll take point.” Charlie began to crawl under the cover of some cars.

            Suddenly two armed men jumped over the car behind Charlie. Fay fired and killed the first man, but the other man fired and shot Fay. Charlie quickly turned around and shot the man down.

            “Fay!” Charlie yelled.

            “I’m alright. Just a shot in the shoulder.” Fay winced at the pain.

            Charlie crawled inside followed by an injured Fay. Fay coughed a bit and spat blood.

            “Look son, I don’t think I can make it. Take this datapad and hand it to a Lieutenant Major Jerry Cole.” Fay handed Charlie his datapad.

            “Look, we’re going to get there.” Charlie said assertively.

            “I think the shot to my shoulder penetrated my armor.” Fay looked at his wound.

            “Let me give you a hand.” Charlie placed Fay’s arm over his shoulder and walked forward.

            “Ok, let’s go.” Fay walked slowly and coughed.

            Charlie picked up the pace as he noticed the armed men entering the store.

            “Hang in there Sergeant.” Charlie turned and fired his M16.

            Charlie pushed open the back entrance and walked out. The UNSC outpost was within their view.

            “We’re almost there Fay.” Charlie waved his hand.

Charlie approached the perimeter of the outpost and saw marines pointed turrets at them.

            Fay looked at the marines and waved his hand in a circular motion. The marines still trained their turrets towards them.

            “I don’t think they understood us.” Charlie stopped walking.

            The marines fired the turrets and the bullets flew behind them. Charlie and Fay crouched to see a group of armed men retreating down the streets.

            “We’re safe now.” Charlie lifted Fay to his feet. “We’re safe.”