Halo: Survival
Halo: Survival is a fan produced audio drama following Rhino Squad as they attempt a routine mission on behalf of the Office of Naval Intelligence. When things go sideways, the Marines find themselves stranded and must fight to survive.
To listen to the audio of this transcript, you can find everywhere this show is hosted here, or you can listen on YouTube below.
01 - Extract
The valley was a beautiful natural vista – with vivid green pine trees reaching high into the sky, and plants and vegetation of every description adding life and colour to the landscape. In the distance, water lapped at the shoreline of a small lake, and on the horizon rocky hills and mountains climbed towards the hills. Deep in the depths of the valley, an assortment of boxy structures sat – looking beaten and torn up. Plasma scorching decorated the walls of the buildings, and smoke and fire appeared to be eating them up from within. UNSC logos had once adorned the structures, but they were now blurred and distorted by scorch marks and debris. Amidst all the destruction it was clear that a fierce fight was raging – with gunfire and explosions raging as a small group of humans inside the middle of the compound attempted to repel an alien force rapidly approaching them.
“Wisner, two Brutes moving in on your six o’clock – suppressing fire!” Sergeant Maria Holt, of the Office of Naval intelligence, shouted.
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Sarge, but there are Brutes everywhere!” Private Matthew Wisner bit back.
There was an explosion as Wisner discharged two rockets from a SPNKR Rocket Launcher which was in his hands, before he placed the weapon on the floor and unslung an MA40 Assault Rifle from his back – spraying suppressing fire in the direction he had fired the rocket launcher.
The Marines were embedded within the centre of the compound – taking cover behind Jersey Barriers. In the centre of the compound, a man in a UNSC Science field uniform was attempting to attend to some kind of large metallic device which looked like an emitter of some kind. He was ducking between plasma fire and typing into a control console when a Needler round hit him in his shoulder.
“Aarrrghhhh” He screamed.
“Talbot has been hit!” Captain Chris Cooper, the oldest and most gruff-looking of the Marines, shouted, firing a couple of rounds from a designated marksman rifle before reaching for a comms device mounted to his chest plate. “O’Neill, Vorstock, we need the warthogs here, now!”
The man on the ground sprawled in a pool of red blood, screaming as his field uniform became drenched in a dark crimson on his shoulder.
“He…help!” He cried. “I can’t…I can’t feel my shoulder.”
“Hang on!” Holt replied. “We’re going to –“
There was a small explosion as a round from a Fuel Rod canon struck the emitter and it collapsed onto Talbot. He yet out another yelp of pain and then fell deathly silent.
“Damnit, if we lose Talbot then she’ll be all over us in no time! Holt, Wisner – cover me!” Cooper shouted, sprinting out from his cover. He hauled the collapsed emitter off of Talbot and slung the DMR over his shoulder – dragging Talbot out and into cover. “Where the hell are those Warthogs!”
There was an alien hum as a couple of Ghosts began to appear at the far end of the compound and peppered the position the Marines were holding with plasma fire. Hot plasma tore through concrete and metal, shredding through their cover and quickly destroying what little protection they had. The Marines realised their position was no longer attainable – and they needed to move.
“Holt, Wisner – we’re leaving.” Cooper said, hauling Talbot’s limp body up and over his shoulder as rounds continued to fly. “Provide cover fire. We’ll exfil via the South side of the compound.”
“rog – Wiser, on me!” Holt replied, continuing to fire her BR55 in the direction of encroaching alien forces.
Slowly, the group of four humans pulled back through the compound. They retreated past burning builders, overturned storage containers and bits and pieces of scattered and broken UNSC equipment as they approached the perimeter fence of the small compound. The fence had seen better days – with longs stretches collapsed, and other pieces burnt through with plasma. As they continue their retreat they tried their best to return fire at the alien forces who were closing in on every side – with plasma rounds and explosions tearing at the ground at the feet, and piercing through the buildings on either side of them.
Whilst Cooper ducked through the fence and hauled Talbot’s body through it, Wisner and Holt crouched down in front of him, alternating between targets as they continued to engage the enemy.
“Sarge, Jackal Sniper – eleven o’clock!” Wisner shouted, crouching as Holt twisted around and fired the BR55 over the Marine’s back.
“Good spot!” She retorted. “Grunt, four o’clock!”
“He’s toast!” Wisner replied – almost gleeful – as a burst of fire from his MA40 put the enemy down.
The Marines then followed Cooper through the fence. The Captain hauled Talbot off of his shoulder and set him down – propping him against the fence as he pulled the DMR off of its back mount and reloaded it. The other Marines began to do the same – taking stock of the ammunition they had left after the intense firefight they had a temporary moment of reprieve from.
“I’ve only got a few rounds left – how’re you looking?” Cooper shouted over the cacophony of sound.
“Two AR Mags left, sir!” Wisner replied. “SPNKR is gone – dropped it in the compound.”
“One Frag Grenade and One Mag” Holt added. “I’ve also got two mags for my sidearm.”
“Damnit.” Cooper replied – the grim situation becoming clear. “Where the hell are – “
Cooper was cut off as a pair of M12 ‘Warthog’ LRVs tore over up the grass next to the compound and skidded to a halt in front of the small human team. The vehicles were the workhorses of the UNSC Ground fleet – and were used for everything from reconnaissance to CASEVAC – which is what they were being used for in this case. Their exposed driver and passenger compartments meant that the squad could see their companions inside the ‘hogs as they pulled to a stop.
The Marine in the front convoy vehicle, Private Dan O’Neill, cocked a smile at Wisner as the Marines began to move towards the vehicles.
“Jeez, Wisner, you ain’t a looker – but even you look like shit!”
“I might not be a looker, but at least I know how to get somewhere on time!” Wisner retorted.
“Stow it, Marines.” Holt stated – helping Cooper to lift Talbot up into the passenger seat of the first Warthog.
Wisner climbed onto the light Chaingun mounted on the back of the front vehicle’s chassis. Holt and Cooper then sprinted back to the second Warthog – where a silent Private Natalie Vorstock sat behind the wheel. She nodded to the Captain and the Sergeant, and the Captain hopped into the passenger seat whilst Holt climbed onto the Chaingun turret and cocked the weapon.
“Let’s move out, Marines.” The Captain shouted “Get us back to the ship.”
The Warthogs quickly gunned it away from the compound, and in no time at all, both Holt and Wisner were opening up the chain guns mounted on the back of the vehicles to pick off their Ghost pursuers as they proceeded to head deeper into the woodland surrounding the compound. Eventually they lost their tale and continue to head deeper across the landscape – climbing higher into the mountains where the landing zone they had established was hidden. As they climbed the mountainside, the sprawling landscape around them became more and more pronounced. Interesting structures appeared to float in the sky, and bits and pieces of the landscape almost felt modular – feeling assembled by scratch, but not quite finished, as jagged edges and square corners twisted upwards.
The most interesting thing, however, was the long horizon which climbed upwards and slowly began to curve into the sky – reminding the Marines that they were, in fact, on a Halo Ring.
