I'm making this "preview" short, to not reveal too much about the direction I plan to take with this "installment".  Note that this part I'm previewing is subject to change... it isn't even close to being final, since Pt. 12 itself isn't close to being done.  Anyway, enjoy & post comments/suggestions!

Oh, and I apologize for the bad spacing -- that's the forums fault, not mine :P (seems to happen to everyone elses' as well).  Just have to deal with it I guess...

Undoubtedly, Lieutenant Wilkens and his squad were facing camoflauged Spec-Ops Elites; with energy swords, no less. 'There's no way we can make it out of this alive...', he thought to himself. Three Marines against six or so Elites normally would be a tough, if not an impossible situation to win. The Elites of the Covenant class were known for their unbearable strength, intelligence, and brutal battlefield tactics. Couple that with the fact that this particular group arrayed around Wilkens squad were near invisible with the cloaking generators they sported, and carried the most deadly, intimidating weapons in the Covenant arsenal, and survival seemed to be the least likely outcome. 'If I'm going to go down, I'm gonna go down fighting', he thought to himself.

The creatures were circiling around Wilkens and his squad in low combat stances, just waiting for the order to massacre these "infidels" cowering in front of them. Wilkens slowly clicked off his safety, and sighted carefully. With any luck, these Elites didn't have shield generators -- often times these Spec-Ops types didn't, Wilkens wasn't sure why. Maybe some sort of pride thing, or for stealth operations; either way he wasn't sure. Might have even been a mix of both for all he knew.

Taking aim at the nearest shimmer, he aimed a little high, just above where it's head was. He'd learned this tactic on his previous encounter with cloaked Elites on a now long-glassed planet. Aiming a little above where the Elite's head should be gave Wilkens the advantage of being able to adjust the burst of the rifle to whatever direction the Elite ducked. Hearing the initial shot, or even before, the Elite may duck either left or right. By aiming either above, left, or right of the Elite's head, he'd be able to essentially spread the three round burst over a larger area, thereby giving him a better chance of taking the Elite out, granted he didn't sport a shield generator. If he had simply fired a burst where he believed the head was, the Elite may have ducked, and already started the lunge to slice through the Tyler Wilkens' battle armor easily. This way he'd essentially have three chances of blowing the sucker's brains out instead of one.

Just as he started to squeeze the trigger, an explosion rocked the ground in front of the Elite Wilkens was targeting. A shower of alien blood, guts, and something indistinguishable erupted forth, finding a home on the ground of the entire group, both Wilkens' squad, and the Elites.

There was nothing left of the Elite -- save a few chunks of armor, and the blood that now covered the nearby rocks as if a gorilla had taken a paint can and just lobbed it at the boulders. The other Elites in the squad started emitting a low growling noise, and the one to Wilkens' left leapt towards him, ready to impale him with his glowing blade. Wilkens turned and put two bursts into the Elite, soon realizing that his shields were up, and the rounds harmlessly bounced off the Elite's body. He kept firing, but the Elite was closing fast. The Lieutenant stumbled to the ground and started pushing backwards with his feet, still firing, trying to get away. His fellow Marines were preoccupied with the other now-attacking Elites, and hadn't noticed Wilkens stumble. He quickly glanced to his left -- they were farther away from him now, no longer back-to-back. He cursed aloud as his gaze came back to the Elite; and his ammunition counter on his BR-55. Only about three or four bursts left, and the Elite was only maybe ten yards away. He cursed again, 'I'm a goner..", he thought to himself as the final burst of 9.5mm fire cut it's way through the air toward the oncoming Elite. That's when another explosion rocked the ground right in front of Wilkens a mere two yards away. The Elite was gone again -- nothing left. The shear heat and dazzling light from the blast caused Wilkens to shield his eyes, and bury his head in the sand just as alien blood and bone showered him.

Private First Class Mitchell fell forward at the explosion toward his rear. "What the hell is that?", he asked frustratingly, though glad that whatever it was, seemed to be helping them in the battle.

Stumbling up, attempting to reload his rifle the entire time, Wilkens replied, "I don't know, just keep firing."

The aliens seemed to compose themselves after being rocked with two of their squadmates' deaths, and now came at Wilkens and his squad full force. If anything, they seemed more angry, and fought more ferociously. Brandishing their energy swords high, and charging forward to be met with hails of bullets, a few finally succumbed and fell before the barrage or bullets and the explosions that continued to pick off Elites here and there. The battle started to fall down in scale, the remaining Elites fleeing behind the coastal rocks.

Only having two enemies left, Wilkens was confident now they would survive, and he might be able to save Richards somehow. But he'd have to deal with the Elites first. One Elite tossed his energy sword, either out of anger or an obscure tactical reason Wilkens wasn't sure, after having his shield depleted by a near-miss rocket. He seemed to prefer distance weaponry now, as he pulled out his sidearm; a plasma rifle, and started blind firing over the protective rock he was taking cover behind as he waited for his shield to recharge.

Remembering the burning red-hot hammer sensation that had impacted the Lieutenant recently, and seeing the same orbs of firey death flash by, Wilkens grabbed hold of PFC Mitchell and Private Andrews by their combat armor and pulled them to safety amongst the nearby rocks.

"Take up firing positions! Don't let the bastard slip away!", he ordered, and the Marines opened up. That's when Wilkens realized it had to be a trick. The Elite did not have his camaflouge generator on, and seemd to be offering covering fir- He glanced to his left, then his right. Yes, there, off to the right was a shimmer! He cursed aloud, and fired two bursts into the advancing Elite. The Marines, now noticing what had occured, turned to fire upon the shimmer as well. A few BR-55 bursts from the squad later, and a loud, unforgettably grotesque death cry was screamed from the shimmer and the Elite's camoflauge generator failed as he died, and revealed it's mangled host.

Turning again to where the other Elite had taken up position, the squad heard what sounded like a rocket hissing by, and then there it was again, another explosion, and yet another shower of alien innards.

/End Lieutenant Wilkens Entry