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This article, James Denver, was written by EliteMaster117. Please do not edit this fiction without the writer's permission. |
- "Now's one of those times, pays to be the strong, silent type."
- ―Cpl. Taylor Miles, or Dutch, to James Denver, before the mission to New Mombasa.
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James Denver, service number 11282-31220-JD, known by his squadmates as The Rookie, is an 'Orbital Drop Shock Trooper in the United Nations Space Command Marine Corps, who grew up to an orphanage on Crisium City, Naniwa on the satellite Luna.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
James was born on November 20th, 2530 to an unknown family, and taken almost immediately after being released from the Hospital, to the Naniwa Regional Orphanage.
James became one of the first children to learn to speak at the age of two at the orphanage, and was praised by his teachers and caretakers.
When James became older, he was often bullied by others at the Orphanage. The other kids at the Orphanage looked down on James, because he was not athletic like the others, but was more intelligent than most. James was, in essence, a nerd. But James was persistent. He left the Orphanage every Wednesday for Mixed Martial Arts Classes, from 6:00 to 8:00, and did this for about six years. At the age of 16, the bullying, which was still going on, got to an unbearable point. No one was doing anything about it, and no fosters were coming for James. So, having no other choice, one time when the tried to verbally assault James, he struck back.
He was in his bedroom, working on a science project for school, when the typical bullies came in and wrecked it. He stepped up, at least a foot smaller than them, and struck out. They may have been large, but they were not strong.
James' skill prevailed over their brute strength.
The three boys ended up with broken arms and legs, fractured ribs, and various cuts and bruises.
For months no one came for James, and when he turned 17, he left to join the UNSC.
Training[]
- "So you can't talk, or you don't like to talk? It's confusing, because you never give me an answer!"
- ―A fellow ODST, questioning Denver.
Joining the UNSC on July 7th, 2547, Denver trained on the New Jerusalem Combat Center, undergoing rigorous procedures. James specialized with two weapons hardly ever recognized. The M7 Submachine Gun, and the M6G Sidearm.
James was an excellent marksman, known throughout New Jerusalem, James finally got what he wanted. Denver had friends, his procedures were passed with utmost efficiency.
Six months after training started, James was at the rank of Private First Class. Denver rocketed through the ranks, and just two weeks after becoming a PFC, he was promoted to Lance Corporal.
James was then situated in the 26th Marine Expeditionary Force, a Rapid Response Offensive Force.
O.D.S.T.[]
James realized his job in the 26th MEF was, boring. There was nothing to do but watch his post, as nothing ever happened on New Jerusalem. It had been that way in training, and it was still that way.
He saw a "note" hung up on a billboard in his barracks, stating,
We understand that you think, here at the barracks your life is boring.
We understand that being a standard issue duplicate of almost any other 20-40 year old out there is horribly and ridiculously embarrassing.
We realize and understand all these things! And you known whats a way to fix that embarrassing boredom?
BY JOINING THE ORBITAL DROP SHOCK TROOPERS!
The ODSTs are an elite group of Special Forces dropped in from orbit in pods so tiny you can only fit in them. The ODSTs rate of survival is not good. If you scared of heights, or you ride a scooter, this is not for you! But if you love the excitement and feeling you get when you see the war exploding below you, and the risks your taking right then and there, then join us today!
For signups, either sign below, or head to room B-1337, at the back of the base. We'll see you there, Helljumper!James signed up, and due to his high scoring skills, was accepted almost immediately. James was part of the ODST Section of the 26th MEF, which was much more exciting. He was well into his job, about 7 months in, when it happened. The Battle of New Jerusalem.
Battle of New Jerusalem[]
While the rest of the 26th REF was stationed down in New Jerusalem, James and a few others were far above the ground in a geosynchronous orbit with the base.
New Jerusalem hadn't been attacked in months, and everyone had their guard down. James Denver, his acclaimed name, the Rookie, was asleep near his pod. He often liked to sleep before and after his drops. But no one saw what came. An Assault Carrier jumped out of slipspace. It instantly attacked, dropping hundreds of forces into New Jerusalem. The small fleet above was destroyed, and James barely escaped unharmed. His squad was destroyed in the drop towards New Jerusalem, and James was the only one left when he had reached the ground.
James fought valiantly for New Jerusalem, watching his base, comrades, and everything else get "blown up".
Through all the chaos, James fought, but when an order was received that a MAC Cannon was to start firing, with no remorse, at the ground where the battle was taking place. The MAC would fire in 5 minutes, even if UNSC forces were still in the targeted area.
James, his armor undamaged, received the order, but every other UNSC Soldier in the area, who did not receive this order, which would have been transmitted to the base, which was now destroyed. James left the area quickly, and sat in the night sky, pounded with clouds of smoke, pools of blood, and cities of debris. His armor's set in timer ticked off, and he watched as his forces, along with the Covenant's, were destroyed. Large Red beams came from everywhere, firing downward, each human, Unggoy, Jiralhanae, Sangheili, Mgaelekgolo, Huragok, and Yanme'e get destroyed.
When the battle was over, James escaped in a surviving Pelican dropship, and radioed the last Marathon. He flew towards in it, and landed safely in its hangar bay.
That is when he met the squad.
The Squad[]
Aboard the same UNSC Carrier, The Rookie met the squad. This squad, including, Gunnery Sergeant Edward Buck, Corporal Taylor "Dutch" Miles, Lance Corporal Kojo "Romeo" Agu, and Private First Class Michael "Mickey" Crespo. The squad immediately took The Rookie in as one of theirs, and was officially transferred by the captain of the ship to this squad.
James was part of the squad now. He put an old picture of his fiancee, from Luna, and posted it on his pod, removing it on every drop, and putting it in his new pods each time.
James did this because he felt more open to this squad, who welcomed him. They were his friends. They were all that mattered to him.
Mission to Mars[]
- "You don't say much Rookie. But you know a lot. And with Buck, that's all that matters."
- ―Taylor Miles, to The Rookie, before the Drop to Mars.
The Mission to Mars was a routine drop. The squad would go into Downes (the city), take out the Covenant Forces setting up camp in the area, and kill them, find out any unknown information, and return to the carrier.
The drop went as planned, Buck entering with his common saying, "We are droppin' into Hell, troopers! Time to grow a pair!"
When they landed, the cloud of dust spread, the Covenant holding off at the centre of the city. Two warthogs were waiting, along with hundreds of Marine Forces, and a small battalion of Covenant.
The ODSTs each drove one, the first with Buck, Dutch, and the Rookie, the second with Mickey and Romeo. They charged through the city, shooting or splattering any non-human object or person in their range.
The squad continued on with this for about 25 miles, until they reached the City Centre, an Orbital looming behind the door.
A large fortified door separated them from the circular plaza, Orbital Elevator, and hundreds of Covenant inside.
Romeo reluctantly opened the door, sprinting back to the Warthog.
The first thing the squad saw, was dozens of detonators around the base of the Orbital Elevator, and a Covenant Bomb straight in the middle.
The squad called for reinforcements, and waves of UNSC Forces attacked the Covenant Fort.
It was a complete loss for the Covenant. But one Brute that survived activated the Detonator, primed and ready.
The squad made a narrow escape, the Orbital Elevator bursting in a purple flame.
The Rookie's first mission was a complete success.
Mission to New Mombasa[]
- "C'mon Veronica, what could be more important than that carrier?"
- ―Buck, to Captain Veronica Dare.
The squad, along with other ODSTs, were aboard the UNSC Say My Name, on a routine operation to destroy the Prophet of Regret's carrier hovering above New Mombasa, Kenya. The Rookie, at the time of the briefing, was asleep in his pod, waiting for the drop to begin.
The Rookie, asleep in his pod, before the drop.
ONI Operative and ODST Captain Veronica Dare was in charge of the operation, and something was wrong.
After the briefing, The Rookie was awakened rudely, by getting hit by the butt of a Sniper Rifle, by Romeo. Dutch, always taking the Rookie's side, pushed Romeo away, and gave the Rookie his M7S SMG. The Rookie put the SMG in his pod, watching it close over him.
The pod activated, Buck's face appearing on the left display, Dare's on the right.
At the moment, the Rookie was a bit perplexed on who the person to the right was, but like usual, asked no questions.
There was a slight countdown, and the pods began their descent. The Rookie was paying attention to the far left, where a picture of his Fiancee, Amanda White, was taped on. That was his only thought at the moment. That in every drop he was at a risk of not coming back to her.
The Rookie turned away from this picture when the pods fell through the clouds. Looming below, was an Assault Carrier. A massive carrier.
There was a flash, and radiation traveled throughout the ship.
Dutch saw the radiation, and suddenly there was a large hole in front of the ship, its size growing bigger every second. A slipspace rupture.
The UNSC 'In Amber Clad passed under the ship, as they both accelerated.
Dare's eyes widened. She shouted something, but was cut off as the Carrier jumped into slipspace, a white sphere entombing the city.
Some of the pods opened their chutes, but an EMP hit, and the Rookie, nor Mickey, couldn't open theirs.
Mickey's pod was hit by an pod opening its chute, and flew towards the Rookie, hitting him.
They both went spiraling out of control, the control panels red, all through the window a glowing white. Then the Rookie blacked out.
Mombasa Streets[]
6 hours after the drop, the Rookie awoke. He found himself alicve, in his pod, hanging 20 feet over a city block.
The Rookie looked around. His pod was jammed. He activated the explosive bolts, or the emergency exit, as it was known, and watched the pod's hatch plummet to the ground. The Rookie jumped too, bruising himself upon impact.
The Rookie had no choice. He jumped to the ground, discovering that he was in New Mombasa's City Centre, occupied by Covenant Forces.
There was someone there to help. Something.
The Superintendent. The AI running the city. It guided the Rookie to a small plaza with a ringing telephone. But crowded around in the plaza, were Brutes and Grunts.
The Rookie sneaked around them, and answered the phone. It downloaded the entire map of New Mombasa to his HUD, along with locations of objects of interest. When the Rookie turned around, he saw a Brute.
He fought off the patrols, and continued down the streets, fighting off two more patrols, onwards toward the first beacon on his map.
Tayari Plaza[]
It was a concave like Crater, with a drop pod in the center. Hovering above it, were two strange, pink, floating, squid-like creatures.
The Rookie went into the darkness, arming both his pistol, and shot them both. Their shields depleted, and James watched one open up strange flaps. It shook madly, then exploded into oblivion, hundreds of blue grenades bouncing everywhere. One hit the other squid, and it too, exploded, sending out the grenades. The Rookie watched one fly towards him, and it exploded, kicking the Rookie back.
The Rookie stood up, and went over to the pod, examining it.
The hatch had been pried open, and there was a thick slime covering each side of the doors. The Rookie realized it as Dare's pod, the woman he had seen dropping into New Mombasa.
James stood up, knowing there was nothing very important here. But then he saw a flickering light in a nearby building.
The Rookie ran up the stairs, into the building. There were dead Marines, dead Covenant, and strange symbols burned onto the walls. The Rookie opened all doors that he could, and encountered a Jackal Marksman duo in one. He ignored every door without a window, and he continued onto the top floor.
On the top floor, was a TV monitor. The Superintendent had tapped into this monitor, to where it said "ATTENTION", directing the Rookie towards it.
Wedged into the glass, was a Recon helmet, split in half down the middle. It was no doubt Dare's. The Rookie examined it, remembering what had happened hours ago, but what seemed like just seconds.
The Rookie examined it for a few minutes, then heard the whir of a Covenant Phantom outside. He put the helmet down, and continued out of the building.
Mombasa Underground[]
The Officer[]
Meeting Dare & Finding Vergil[]
Escaping the Underground[]
The Coastal Highway[]
A Narrow Escape[]
ONI Orbital Facility[]
Debriefing with Sergeant Johnson[]
Service Record[]
Full name: James Denver
Blood type: O+
Height: 186cm
Weight: 88kg
Rating: Lance Corporal (LCpl/E3)
Unit: 6th ODST Specialized Orbital Drop Squad/15th ODST Battalion
Service number: 11282-31220-JD
Enlistment date: 07/07/2547
Location: Crisium City, Naniwa, Luna
Born: Crisium City, Naniwa, Luna
Gender: M
Citizen: Lunar
Age: 22
Occupation: Student