Halo: Front Lines [BOOK ONE]

Epilogue

UNSC Colony World: Eridanus II
Current population: 50,134
Former population: 5,000,975
Status: Glassed, resettlement in progress by rehab pioneers.
Year: 2556

Twenty-Five Years Later...

Captain Joseph Gray raised a gloved fist to halt the military convoy. Five Warthogs, including his own, and a Scorpion tank came to an abrupt halt amidst the melted ruins.

Elysium. The former capital.

He stepped out of the passenger seat of the lead vehicle and unslung his BR-75 semi-automatic battle rifle. Roughly a hundred meters away, a Sangheili Kaidon stepped out of his own vehicle. The alien chose to keep its plasma rifle magnetically attached to its thigh as it confidently strode away from its own escort. The two, each with a small compliment of hand picked soldiers accompanying them, met in the middle.

"So, you are the warrior they call 'Black One-Zero'?" The Elite asked, its tone elegant and deep. "The leaders of your clan speak highly of you."

Gray stayed silent, choosing only to grimly stare at the four-jawed beast before him.

"I would like to offer an olive branch. For the good of our colony." The Elite said.

"You're mistaken." Gray growled.

"About?" The alien inquired.

"About it being ours." The Captain let his finger noticeably slide to the trigger of his rifle. "This is a human colony."

"We have rightfully settled-" The Elite began.

"After you murdered everyone who originally lived here. We were here first." Gray coldly interrupted.

"Until you weren't," The Elite jabbed. "Must I remind you that we came here to agree on a solution?"

"Talk, not agree." Gray retorted.

After a long moment of silence the Elite asked: "What is it you desire? What do you want out of this?"

"I want your skin as my rug," Gray hissed, his voice becoming shaky. "I want your head on my mantle."

"We are permitted to stay here by the UNSC." The Elite said, completely aghast. "Where will our women and children go, if not here?"

"You seemed to have it all figured out during the war." Gray jabbed. "I'm sure you'll think of something."

"And if we don't?"

"Then do me a favor and die." Gray said. A silence fell over the land. Both groups knew the consequences of being denied would be an almost certain death. Instead of activating its personal shield, the kaidon reached for his plasma rifle. Gray promptly shot it in the throat with a three round burst from his battle rifle.

The rest of the Marines opened up and gunned down the alien's cohorts in the first moments of confusion. The Warthog gunners opened up on the alien convoy and the Scorpion tore apart every alien vehicle it hit with gruesome efficiency. All in all, it took forty-five seconds to eliminate the entire enemy presence. Gray hoisted the smoking barrel of his Battle Rifle in the air and rested the stock in the crook of his arm.

"Fireteam Black!" He called out to his soldiers. "Dispatch the wounded, then advance to the enemy settlement for immediate termination!"

With that, he stepped on the Kaidon's neck and prepared to shoot it in the head with his handgun. He stopped, taking a moment to think, and pulled out his combat knife instead.

Gray slowly cut off the alien's head as it screeched and screamed for mercy, before holding it high for all to see. The rest of his Fireteam cheered and fired their rifles into the air in celebration. The Captain shoved his fingers into the kaidon's eye sockets and used them as handholds.

When he finally did arrive at the enemy settlement, he wanted to show all the former Covenant there what a real genocide looked like.