Chapter 32

Location: Miranda Colony - Outskirts

Date: April 10, 2533

Time: 0930 Hours

The Pelican rattled as we descended through the thick atmosphere of Miranda. Outside the small windows, the sky was a roiling mix of dark clouds and flashes of Covenant plasma fire that lit the horizon. This colony, like so many others before it, was already burning.

The ramp lowered with a mechanical whine, revealing a landscape scarred by battle. Smoke billowed from distant structures, and the sounds of gunfire and explosions echoed from the heart of the colony. The outskirts, where we were dropping, were still relatively untouched, but that wouldn't last for long.

"Move out!" Doss barked as the Pelican touched down, his voice cutting through the noise.

Beta Four disembarked quickly, the rookies spreading out to form a perimeter as we moved into position. My boots hit the ground with a thud, and I raised my rifle, scanning the area for immediate threats. The tension in the air was palpable—the quiet before the storm.

"Stay sharp," I muttered to Bravo Fireteam, my voice low but firm. "This place is about to get a lot hotter."

The colony itself was a mixture of small industrial outposts and sprawling civilian complexes. The UNSC had set up defensive positions along the outer perimeter, but the Covenant was already closing in. We could hear the distant sounds of battle—the sharp crack of human weapons mixed with the electric hum of Covenant plasma rifles.

Alice fell in beside me, her eyes scanning the horizon as she motioned for Alpha Fireteam to hold position. She was all business, as always, but I could see the same weariness in her that I felt. We'd been through so many of these battles that they were starting to blur together.

"Looks quiet for now," she said, though her voice carried a note of caution. "But that won't last."

I nodded, my grip tightening on my rifle. "We hold here until we get further orders."

Location: Miranda Colony - UNSC Defensive Perimeter

Date: April 10, 2533

Time: 1000 Hours

The quiet didn't last long.

Within minutes, the first Covenant scout patrols appeared on the horizon—Grunts and Jackals, moving quickly across the open terrain toward our position. Their energy shields glowed faintly in the distance, and the unmistakable sound of plasma weapons hummed through the air.

"We've got incoming!" I shouted, signaling Bravo Fireteam to take cover.

The rookies reacted immediately, dropping behind the low walls and debris that lined the UNSC perimeter. I raised my rifle, firing off a few rounds toward the lead Jackal. Its shield flared, absorbing the first shot, but the second round punched through, sending the alien sprawling.

Alice was already coordinating her fireteam, her voice calm but urgent as she directed their fire toward the advancing Covenant forces. Plasma bolts filled the air, sizzling as they streaked past us, but we held our ground, returning fire with disciplined precision.

"Stay on them!" I called out, shifting my aim toward a group of Grunts that were trying to flank our position. They fell quickly, but more were coming.

The Covenant wasn't going to make this easy.

Location: Miranda Colony - Evacuation Route

Date: April 10, 2533

Time: 1045 Hours

The battle escalated quickly.

Covenant forces were pouring in from multiple directions now, their infantry supported by Ghosts and Banshees that screeched through the sky above us. The UNSC defensive line was holding, but barely. Every second felt like a struggle just to keep the Covenant at bay.

"Ghosts on the west flank!" Alice shouted over the comms. "We need anti-armor support, now!"

I gritted my teeth, watching as the Covenant vehicles barreled toward our position, their plasma cannons blazing. The heat from the blasts seared the air around us, leaving scorch marks on the ground as we ducked for cover.

"Barnes, get that launcher up!" I ordered, motioning to the rookie who had been lugging an M41 SPNKR with her.

She nodded, quickly setting up the rocket launcher and firing off a round toward the nearest Ghost. The rocket streaked through the air, hitting the Ghost dead-on and sending it careening into the side of a building in a fiery explosion.

"Good hit!" I called out, but there was no time to celebrate. More Ghosts were coming, and the Banshees were circling overhead, ready to strike.

Doss's voice came through the comms, sharp and commanding. "Hold the line! Reinforcements are en route, but we've got to hold this position until they arrive!"

I fired another burst from my rifle, dropping a Jackal that had been creeping toward our flank. My heart was pounding in my chest, the adrenaline surging through me as the battle raged on. But in the back of my mind, a different kind of tension was building.

For a brief moment, I thought about Sam. She was safe, far from this chaos, but the distance between us felt like a weight I couldn't shake. I hadn't heard from her in a few days, and that gnawing worry in the pit of my stomach was growing. She was strong—I knew that. But the war had a way of pulling people apart, and I couldn't help but wonder when, or if, we'd ever get the chance to be together again.

But there was no time for that now.

I shook the thoughts from my mind, refocusing on the battle. The Covenant was pushing harder, their forces pressing against the UNSC line with relentless determination. We had to hold.

Location: Miranda Colony - Inner Perimeter

Date: April 10, 2533

Time: 1100 Hours

The fighting was brutal. Plasma fire and explosions filled the air, the ground shaking under the weight of the Covenant assault. My rifle was nearly empty, and I could feel the fatigue setting in, but we couldn't stop. Not yet.

"Cass, we're getting overrun on the right!" Alice's voice crackled through the comms, her tone urgent.

I turned, seeing a group of Elites leading a charge through the shattered remains of a building. Their energy shields glowed brightly, deflecting our rounds as they advanced, and the rookies were struggling to hold them back.

"Bravo, on me!" I shouted, pushing forward to reinforce the right flank. My heart pounded as I fired at the lead Elite, watching its shields flare before finally collapsing. I aimed for its head, squeezing the trigger and dropping the alien before it could get any closer.

But more were coming.

We were outnumbered, outgunned, and running low on ammo. The thought of retreat crossed my mind, but I pushed it aside. We had to hold this position. We had to.

As I reloaded my rifle, I caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of my eye. A Banshee swooped down low, its plasma cannons glowing as it lined up a shot on our position.

"Get down!" I shouted, diving for cover as the Banshee fired.

The explosion rocked the ground, sending debris flying through the air. I hit the ground hard, my ears ringing from the blast. But I was alive. Barely.

"Everyone still with me?" I called out, my voice hoarse as I pushed myself to my feet.

"Still here," Silva replied, though his voice was shaky.

Alice's voice came through the comms next. "We're holding, but barely. We need those reinforcements."

I glanced at the sky, willing the Pelicans to arrive sooner. The Covenant was closing in, and we were running out of time.