The Tale of Marcus: Broken but still strong

UNSCResolute
Sol System

*Never thought I'd make it till today. Always thought I would die at any point as an ODST. Never mind the fact that I lost a lot of good men on my watch.*

*At Jericho VII, I saw my entire company, bar me, die at the hands of the Covvies. My commander died with blade in his gut, and I felt my entire world shatter.*

*After that I traded units like a guy does beers, all within a month of each other. At Jericho, I was with the 42nd ODSTs;and I was, what my gunny called me, 'a new comet.' It was my first and last mission as part of the 42nd ODSTs, A Company...*

Flashback

Jericho VII
A Company, 42nd ODST
'Hell's Domain'

Gunny, I'm three minutes out. What's your status?

Oscar Kilo now. But hurry it up Trooper, the Covvies are gonna be on our asses fast.

Hold them till I get there, ETA 2 minutes 30.

Alright, Trooper, we'll hold them for as long as we can.

(Two minutes later...)

(Tense and urgent) Murdan, where is that support?!?!? We're down to four men!

Hold on, I'm comming up fast.

(Panicked and Agitated) Hurry up Trooper! Where is that supp.....(fades to static)

Gunny, are you there? Say something!

(sees the scene in front of him)
Oh my God. (Elite holds Gunny and takes out its sword) NOOOOO!!!
(Elite stabs Gunny, and roars in triumph)

(sees Marcus in the clearing)
Kill the Demon.

(Mutters) You killed my comrades, my commander, and my fellow Marines. (unlimbers SPNKr) I'll see you all in Hell. (Fires)

(30 seconds later. All Covenant, except the Elite and 20 Grunts, are dead.)
(Elite orders to hold fire. Picks up Marcus)

You fight well, filth. But you have caused me a great deal of trouble.

(Sarcastic) Get used to it, asshole.

(Pissed off) How dare you talk to me like that, VERMIN! Puts sword handle to Marcus's face Then die along with your pathetic race!

(Smirking)And you can kiss my ass, too, split-jaw.

(Annoyed, but curious) You face certain death, yet still fight? Why?

(in Romanian) Atita vreme cit eu inca viu, ma voi lupta pina la ultima suflare. (Unclips grenade, pulls pin, and tosses it) See you in Hell.

(Elite looks away, and Marcus kicks it and runs to the evac point)

(Elite sees prey has slipped away)
==Roars in anger==

(Evac point)
(Pelican appears)

(radio) Trooper, where's the rest of A Company?

(Crestfallen) What 'A Company'? I'm the only one that's left.

Alright then, Trooper. Haul ass on this bird. We have order to evac all UNSC personnel, even you.

(Firm) Come on then. (depressed) Take us home.

(Pelican leave surface of Jericho VII)


(Now...)

*I look at the incident and still wonder Why me? Medic says it all part of 'survivor's guilt' and that it will fade away. No it hasn't faded away. My motto is now engraved on my helmet, as a reminder of who I served with and lesson to not fool with a comrade's life.*

*As a veteran, that's not likely to happen again.*

(irritated) Stand still Sergeant, you aren't making this any better.

(annoyed) I hate waiting. So whatever you're doing, doc, make it quick.

(pieved) You're a piece of work aren't you.

(irritated) Just get it done allready.

(finishes) All right Sergeant, you're all patched up. Just don't exacerbate the injury.

(smiles) You know you're telling that to an ODST, right?

Right. (annoyed, but kindly) Just don't make it worse, OK?

(sarcastic) Alright, I promise not to blow up anything too close to me.

*Finally, a doctor that doesn't want to look at my psyche.*
*Damn it gunny, you should have seen his face at how f**ked up I was!*



(keep your extended bio on one thread please)

Note by MsSgt Murand to his ODSTs in Bravo Company:

//start file

I've never told any of my previous squads this story. Its about my experience at Jericho VII. No soldier, even an ODST like you guys, should have to go through what I did.

My company had orders to defend what we called "Hell's Domain," a hill that had seen a previous engagement with the Covenant that day. Our orders were to defend that position at all costs, even if it meant we had to lose every last man. My company commander had called for airstrikes to help defend the position, but got none due to the action in orbit.

That's where I came in. I was the company's resident heavy weapons specialist. I was an artist with high explosives. But there was a problem: I was too far from our company's position and we were running out of time.

I made it three minutes too late. The entire company had been killed and my company commander gutted like a pig. I took out what was left of the Covenant squad and left the position with my life. I evaced along with the rest of the UNSC ground force at Jericho VII, knowing full well that I cost the company the objective and their lives.

The only reason I leave this note is that is that I will not be here the next day to see you on the next drop. But whatever happens, you will still be my boys and you will have a special place in my heart. I may not like HIGHCOM, but I always be with you no matter where I go. Good luck boys and Semper Fi.

MsSgt Marcus Murand, commander, Bravo Company

//end file//