[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7GQOccN.png[/img][/center][hr]
Going over his equipment once again, Edward mumbled to himself as he went through his mental checklist. Seeing some empty space left in his backpack, he wondered wheat he should take. Extra ammo? No, Notso had two extra boxes of 9.5x40 with him. Instead, he packed extra water and a spare rangefinder battery. His equipment ready, he joined the rest of his squad for the briefing lead by Staff Sergeant Snipes.
[color=#0C9B00]”Alright kids, here’s the game plan: In five minutes, we’ll be dropping onto Oman. A marine platoon was supposed to secure our drop zone, but the Covenant presence turned out to be too much for them to handle. That means we’re going in blind under manual control. If the marines can secure a landing zone, they will deploy homing beacons for our pods to lock onto and land on autopilot. If they can’t do that, we’ll have to find our own place to land. Twitch, that’s you. Preferably on the Covenant’s flank.”[/color]
[color=#DB5700]”We’re relying on the marines? Ed, you’d better start looking for a good spot right away.”[/color] Defort’s Army origins were still apparent, but the comment earned a few chuckles among his peers and glares from the former marines in the group.
[color=#0C9B00]”Last reports mentioned Jackals led by Brutes. Once we land, Notso will concentrate on the Brutes to thin out their leadership, cause a bit of chaos in their ranks. When we clear that, we are to join the marines in their objective, subordinate to their platoon leader. I see no hands, so get to your pods.”[/color]

[b][u]Drop[/u][/b]

The events surrounding the landing on Oman were everything but according to plan. Things went to hell sooner than he thought they would as something hit his pod with a gut wrenching thud about a hundred meters above the ground. Whether it was AA fire, another pod or perhaps a stray banshee, it sent his pod sideways at a 45 degree angle, skipping across the ground like a rock on a pond, snapping trees like toothpicks before finally coming to a halt in a small forest. But perhaps it was this accident that saved his life. Whether the Covenant were preoccupied by different engagements or thought no one could survive that impact, they didn’t bother sending anyone to check the pod’s crash site. It was unlikely he would have been able to defend himself in his dazed state had they sent a squad over. It took the rest of Mako 6-2 twelve minutes find him. When they finally arrived, it took the combined efforts of Shepard and Rosenfield to pry open the hatch, bent out of shape by the numerous impacts, releasing him from his confined prison.
[color=#DB5700]“Don’t you think it’s a little bit weird that a guy who specialises in opening doors can’t even get out of his own drop pod?”[/color]
[color=#1F75FE]“Oh, sod it Defort. Where did you land and where do we stand?”[/color]
[color=#0C9B00]“Half a click that-a-way.”[/color] Staff Sergeant Snipes waved his hand in the direction Edward’s pod came from, [color=#0C9B00]“Not too good, but at least we’ve found each other. The marines have been wiped. The Stranger bit the bullet minutes after our drop. Debris is no doubt due to start falling soon, but where they’ll land is anyone’s guess. In the meantime, our objective is still standing. Let’s go, staggered column. Twitch, take point; Lineman, rear.”[/color]

[b][u]Thirteen hours later[/u][/b]

Edward didn’t dare peek from cover, the footsteps were still too close. After the ambush that decapitated the squad, they tried to disengage and lose their pursuers in an orderly manner, but with Corporal Nero’s crushed leg, it left only him and Toogood to cover their back as everyone else was busy carrying her. In a spectacular case of his brain failing, Ed told Ian to find a position further back while he held the ground. No longer than five seconds later, a grenade planted itself neatly in the tree Edward was hiding behind, giving him only a split second to act. Although he managed to save himself by jumping into a small crevice, the victory rang hollow as there was no way for him to get back up to his squad. He spent the next ten minutes in the woods playing a dangerous game of hide and seek with half a dozen Jackals that separated from the main force to hunt him down.

The sudden transmissions startled him. Much to his dismay, it wasn’t anyone from his squad. Taking a careful look around himself, he almost whispered, still panting for breath.
[color=#1F75FE]“Chariot 9-4-3, this is Mako 6-2-8, grid 4BFG 326 228, I think. Sure pinging your position is such a good idea, what if the Covenant catch it? Can you send coordinates or landmarks instead?”[/color]