Icarus- A Halo OC Backstory

Icarus, all in one place.

        The skies above Earth are littered with clouds of flak rounds, missiles, and fighters shooting each other down. Purple, grey, and yellow dots are strewn across the night sky trying to gain aerial strategic advantage. Above the sky, in space large flashes of yellow can be seen frequently. In space, a variety of fighters, bombers, and ships can be seen fighting a desperate battle. A large pillar like ship class named Halcyon class light cruiser holds the line against the covenant onslaught. They were supported by a multitude of last generation Stalwart class light frigates and Halberd class destroyers. The net of defensive M.A.C stations riddle covenant ships with a hale storm of fire from their super M.A.C coil guns. Charon light frigates provide A.A.A support along with the duties to support both space and land operations. As the battle in space, the skies and space continued on, the battle in the city had long begun.

        Icarus; a young pilot dressed in Marine fatigues flies a Pelican drop ship with a battalion of eight Pelican insertion ships. Through a year of pilot service, Icarus had become accustomed to the sudden thump that is applied to the drop ship upon reentry. As the battalion entered the atmosphere, panic and confusion arose from all eight pilots as covenant fighters closed their distance with covenant plasma flak. Two Pelicans bursted into a cloud of dust, debris, and fire as plasma strikes their hulls. Some less prepared Marines can be seen flung out of the bursting Pelican’s cargo holds, panicking as they plummet to their death. An imperialistic, stern, dark, yet familiar voice can be heard from Icarus’s Pelican cargo computer. “...now Allison, do keep yourself safe out there. I can’t raise our child alone, nor does she deserve to be alone.” a man says. One of the female Marines stands in front of the computer and replies “Don’t worry Leonard, I’ll be fine! I’ll be home before you know it, now I have to go now, don’t want to be late!” Before this ‘Leonard’ can reply, the Marine shuts the monitor down. “Seats please! how are you not falling due to this sheer amount of inertia?” Icarus asked as he prepares for horizontal flight. The Marine takes her seat near the rear of the Pelican, then lowered and locked her safety braces. “Prepare yourselves! Immediate vertical stop in...five….four…” Icarus says as the Marines impatiently await for the painful stop. “two….one!” Icarus says with a slight groan as he ‘slams on the breaks’ and forces the Pelican into horizontal flight.

        A gringy old man’s voice can be heard over the battalion’s radio channel “All Pelicans who survived planet fall, check in NOW!” As his sentence ends, four frantic voices sound off mostly on-by-one. “Here, Pelican two!” a female voice yells. “Pelican four check’n” a stern older male voice yells. “Pelican three planet side.” Icarus stated somewhat calmly. Two other voices try to state their presence but cut each other off. One of the voices cuts to static as a Pelican slams into the African soil. “Oh shit! I think that was Pelican eight, Frank O’!” a panicked pilot exclaimed. “Then your Pelican seven, good. At least a few of us fly guys made it down here, eh?” the battalion commander said as his Pelican barreled past all the other Pelicans to lead. “I want all Pelicans in a standard holding pattern before we land at site A!” he said. The five remaining Pelicans flew fast and low through the tundras to reach their destination on the outside of New Mombasa. “One thousand meters from drop point, Marines load up, get ready, just do whatever you guys do!” Icarus said to his load of Troops. The troops checked their gear one last time before replying with a yell “We’re way ahead of you on that one pilot! All good back here!”

         The ships are now 500 meters out and, could start seeing the fire fighting around the outposts. Phantoms are seen dropping a mixture of Xenos onto a large structure containing Marines and civilians. To the left of the building, in a field, a few wraiths use their large plasma cannons as artillery to pummel a U.N.S.C armor column that was on it’s way to reinforce the Marines in the building.“100 meters out, prepare to drop!” Icarus yells as he nervously pilots into a hellish landscape. Unseen plasma auto cannons open fire on one of the Pelicans flying on the right side of the formation.”Taking fire!.....AH!...” Yells a female voice before the pilot’s cabin fills with fire and smoke. Banshees catch wind of the under-manned Pelican battalion and start engaging as the AA plasma cannons re-target. The Pelicans drop into a nearby fault to avoid anymore AA cannon fire. A group of Brutes with jet-packs were recently dropped off on a recently destroyed U.N.S.C outpost at the end of the fault. As the Pelicans exit the fault, the brutes jump for them. Most miss, bounce off, or hit the Pelicans too hard. Two of them manage to land on Pelican one and start to tear it apart.  One of them landed on the cockpit and started firing at the pilots. The other manages to rip off the main right wing of the Pelican. It and the Brutes fell to a fiery grave, but the rest of the battalion flew on strong.

        The Pelicans were now hovering over their designated drop points. Their drop point was a U.N.S.C grizzly tank production facility that had been abandoned, and looted throughout the covenant war. All but Icarus’s Pelican was able to land and deliver troops via ramp due to the limited landing space, so Icarus ordered the Marines to Repel down.”Repel down, it’s the only way for you guys to land, go, go, go!” Icarus yelled. As the last Marines started walking to the rope, an unfamiliar sound could be heard, it was some-what terrifying to Icarus. Insurrectionist forces started firing white phosphorus mortar rounds to try and take out this small force. Pelicans tried to take off, but were hit before they could. Screaming could be heard from the radio as white phosphorus rounds hit the cockpit of one of the grounded Pelicans. All Marines safely made it inside the factory with only minor burns, scratches, and scrapes. Icarus tried flying off, but his cockpit was struck by one shell. It exploded in mid-air once the shell was inside. Icarus tried shielding his face with his left arm but was only able to cover the left half. The shell knocked him out leaving the Pelican without a pilot. The co-pilot did not protect himself from the shell, and was cover in the white phosphorus. The Pelican spiraled to the ground with no pilot at the controls.

        Icarus awoke to the smell of burning flesh, smoke, and an upside down Pelican. Amazingly, even though his Pelican drop ship had flipped onto its back, it had not crushed the cockpit upon impact. Icarus also finds himself in pain. He unbuckled from his chair and slammed onto the broken Pelican canopy. “Ouch! Didn’t think that this would hurt that bad!” Icarus said as he flipped himself upright and crawled towards the no closed back ramp. “Lucky I wasn’t crushed by this large lady!” Icarus said. Other than the wreck, the battlefield was oddly silent. As he slowly crawled out of the cockpit, new sounds could be heard outside. “That’s odd, the rear hatch was not closed during our flight.” Icarus states. As he gets halfway through the cargo hold, scratching can be heard from the rear hatch. Icarus draws his magnum and awaits his inevitable covenant death. The door is pried open and blinding light shines in. Out of the blinding light, a human figure can be seen, and some other humans come rushing in. His gun is kicked out of his hand, and a male Marine can be seen aiming an assault rifle to Icarus’s head. Another Marine, a Medic rushes in and shoves the other away. As this happens, Icarus passes out.

        Icarus awoke to a soft green light, some moaning, and pain. He looks around before getting up. He lay on a military grade stretcher bed in a large green tent. The immediate area he lays in is a classic medical white curtained room. It is furnished with two fold-able chairs near a slit in the curtain, medical equipment are strewn around the area, and a table with his gear on it. Two men sit in the two chairs, one Marine fast asleep with an assault rifle, and the other is a white Caucasian in a dirty tuxedo. Icarus gets up from his bed, bloody bandages are wrapped over his left arm, and right side of his face. “Ah, you’re awake. Tyler is it? It’s interesting the way some people keep fighting for their cause. The U.N.S.C is fighting an ever growing desperate battle to save Humanity and yet people keep rebelling. When their home world, and home country is being invaded, they continue to fight us of all enemies.” the Tux man says. “I go by Icarus in the Navy. Who are you, and why the guard?” Icarus asks. “Sorry, I should have started on a solid foundation before laying the metaphorical bricks. I’m, let’s say Lynch for now, or you can call me by my title, Oni Operative. As for this guard, he found your area to be the most secluded area where he can rest in. He is supposed to be on guard duty in this wing, but you can see what he thinks of his job. ”Lynch said sarcastically. “Oni Operative? What does Oni want with a battered pilot?”Icarus asks quietly. “Oni is interested in your career, we want to hire you. I’ll give you more information as it becomes readily available if you accept.”Lynch said with a quite, serious tone.

        The Marine shrugs, and rolls over in his chair hugging the rifle as if something disturbed him. He still lies in deep sleep. “Tell me this ‘Icarus’, is it true you took a white….” Lynch tried asking but was interrupted by an entering doctor. “Good, it’s good that you’re awake a...er..” the doctor says hesitantly as he flips through his clipboard’s files to find Icarus’s name. “Icarus...no... Tyler is it?” he proceeds to ask. “You’re correct doctor, I am Tyler, Icarus is just my Navy code name.” Icarus said with a calm tone. “Ignore the well dressed man, he isn’t supposed to be here. As for the guard, he isn’t either….”he says as he kicks the guard’s foot awaking the guard. “What, cove’s invading?!” the guard says as he gets up in a startled manner. “No, you're lucky I don’t report you, now go guard whatever you're supposed to be guarding er...Guard.” The doctor orders. The guard proceeds to leave through the curtain slit. “Do you know what happened to you exactly Tyler?” the doctor asks. “I think I have a basic idea of what happened.” Icarus said. “I took a mortar round to the cockpit, and then was knocked out by it. I wouldn’t be surprised if you knew more than me, or had a more detailed version of that. I suppose what I’m now asking is, can I see that new detailed description?”Icarus says and asks quickly. “Sure!” the doctor says while he flips his paperwork to the proper page and hands Icarus the clipboard. The report reads as follows:
:Report Begin:

        Four Pelicans located at this site, all grounded by human mortar fire. They landed near the factory entrance, no pilot survivors so far, but every Marine is accounted for and not injured too badly. They are being redeployed to another front. One pelican is flipped over, another blown apart, and one took heavy plasma fire to the cockpit region. Three Pelicans were easily searched, and no survivors were found. In the flipped Pelican, a surviving pilot was found alive, even wielding a magnum trying to defend himself. The co-pilot looks as if he took heavy amounts of white phosphorus, then caught on fire. It was a miracle that the Pilot didn’t catch a flame or suffocate from this. All survivors transferred to respected areas, and wounded were sent back to the New Mombasa outskirt F.O.B. The one surviving pilot had massive amounts of burn marks thanks to the white phosphorus, plenty of cuts and bruises to complement those injuries as well. Large gashes were found along his right arm, while his left was severely burned. Thanks to some quick reflexes, he saved half of his face, but the right side was burned. He is officially blind in one eye and can no longer fly any Pelican. His wounds may heal, but massive scarring on his body will stay, plus the blind eye. To add, his chest and stomach region where protected due to many factors. His armor, and console saved his mid region, his helmet saved his scalp as well. Though massive amounts of glass cut his legs.

:Doctor’s Edit:
We have patched him up to the best of our abilities. But as the field report stated, most of this won’t heal, or will need to be replaced. Along with that some man clad in a black tux and wearing a bulletproof vest can walking in looking for him. I showed him where to look, but I had told him he could not stay for long. He is recovering for now, he has been out for two days now. I’ll keep updating this log for U.N.S.C medical standard procedure.

:End Log, for now:

        Icarus hands the clipboard back to the doctor and thanks him. “If you need me, I’ll be attending to the other patients. But if you do need something, a nurse is standing by at the main hub in the middle of the tent. As for this man (he looks at the Oni spook), he will be leaving now, with me free, or with a guard in shackles.” the doctor says in a serious and stern tone. “That won’t be necessary doctor….?” Icarus gestures toward the doctor as if he were asking a question. “Frank, or you can call me Dr. Fern. Either name works for me Tyler, or should I call you Icarus?” Frank says and asks. “Either will do, whatever is easiest for you to remember. Anyways, I have some unfinished business with the man clad in black, and you your patients. Have a great day Dr. Fern, er… Frank. And thanks for patching me up.” Icarus says. “No problem Tyler, I’ll be off now.” Frank says as he leaves. “Now that he is gone, I want to make a few demands before I join Oni.” Icarus says quietly. “Name them, and I’ll see what I can do Icarus. Just know this, if you accept this Oni Pilot job, they will replace your eye, and mend your wounds. For the most part anyways, scars will persist without some bodily surgery. But make your list, I have my pen and paper ready.” Lynch says as he pulls out a small note book and black pen. “First, I want O.D.S.T armor instead of this clothe uniform, and you can see why.”Icarus says as he gestures to his current uniform. “Along with that, I want my own Pelican, fitted with a super computer to my specifications. I also want an O.D.S.T silenced S.M.G, and silenced magnum. A shotgun as well just to have the full three weapon combo.” Icarus says with some glee. “I will, um, see what I can do. I suppose we should shake on that after I finish writing that little list down.” Lynch says as he finishes writing the list of demands, and proceeds to shake with Icarus to make it a deal. “When do we leave for Oni, or whatever you have in store for me?” Icarus asks. “Right now, get dressed and I’ll meet you outside.” Lynch says as he gets up, and then walks out the slit in the curtain.

        Icarus starts to painfully put his old ragade uniform on, which takes him a little over ten minutes to do. With full gear, Icarus leaves without telling the doctor or nurse. As Icarus leaves the makeshift hospital, he is greeted by the glaring sunlight. As his eye adjusts, a quick look around the area gives Icarus somewhat of an understanding of where he is. Parallel to him is what looks to be a barracks with plenty of idle marines. Down the road to his left lies an armory on the hospital side, and a supply depot/landing pad parallel to it. A vehicle maintenance bay lies next to the landing pad with plenty of mechanics hard at work repairing mostly warthogs, and one grizzly. To his right is a security office next to the hospital, and the road takes a left turn parallel to the office. Looking further down the right road lies the main gate. It is split into two to allow single lane traffic. The outskirts of the bas have concrete blocks with platforms on top as walls, and fencing with barbed wire on top right in front (on the outside of the F.O.B) of the concrete blocks. Wooden guard towers are placed in each corner.

        Lynch awaits next to a civilian warthog tossing the keys into the air. Icarus walks over then gets into the passenger side. As lynch walks over to the driver’s side, a spartan walks out of the security office and hops into the rear of the warthog, next to Icarus. Two warthogs come out of the vehicle maintenance bay with extra armor plating and fully loaded with spartan super soldiers. One warthog has simply a gatling gun with a Marine in black armor driving. The other has the same kind of driver, but a different gun. Instead of a gatling gun, the turret mount is a missile turret. “Why is there all of this firepower going with us? I thought most of the spartans died on reach or were fighting in New Mombasa.” Icarus says and asks Lynch. The spartan next to Icarus looks over and see the scars of war, proceeding to take his DMR and start cleaning it. “Whomever wants you is higher up. They have to be a head manager or something. I do not understand why all of these spartans are guarding us, but hey, better us than some politician am I right?!” Lynch jokes as the convoy moves out.

        The spartans can be observed moving their heads and gesturing like they are talking, but nothing but silence comes from their helmets. The F.O.B is next to an elevated highway which provides the fastest, but most dangerous area of travel. Most U.N.S.C use it as cover and drive underneath it. The convoy takes an onramp onto the abandoned car riddled highway. “Where are we going?!”Icarus asks while yelling. “To an old shipping site that Oni has used for many years to smuggle anything quietly around!” Lynch yelled back. “These spartans know where we’re going as well! Isn’t that right?!” Lynch yells at Icarus and the spartan in the rear. The ride to the site was nearly uneventful. The highway cut through a steep hill, where a battle between insurrectionist snipers and covenant snipers took place. Both sides humiliated their respective title with their accuracy. While we drove through, the Insurrectionists started using mortars again, and Icarus started to freak out. They looked as if they would hit the warthog, so Icarus inclined on nearly jumping out of the warthog. The spartan pulled him back in, then proceeded to give him a subtle sedative.  

        Icarus awoke when they were nearly to the site. They took an off ramp that led to a dirt road. This road led to what looked to be an abandoned facility that had not seen activity in over a decade. Three buildings lied staggered in  a line. The building to the left and right were two story buildings covered in dust and sand. The right building had armor plating bolted onto areas, and an old war flak gun on top of the building as well. The middle building was a five story building with plenty of dust and debris covering it in the first two levels. The road led to the front of this building where a two garage wide garage door was shut. The convoy stopped in front of it and awaited its opening. The door opened with bright lights glaring at us. The convoy moved inside. As they moved inside, many defensive structures could be seen. near the entrance lied two scorpion turret emplacements built into the floor. A catwalk held three gun centers, two gatling gun, and the middle a gauss cannon. The garage ramped downwards into two areas, one a storage area/parking lot, and the other a launch bay for S.S.T.Os. The convoy found parking spaces, then headed for the elevator near the end of the room. It protruded from the wall while taking up three parking spaces worth of room. They press the only button available and wait for the elevator. “What exactly is Oni protecting here other than smugglers Lynch?” Icarus asks. The elevator arrives, and lynch answers as they enter the elevator. “Nothing I can give you information about.” Lynch says. The elevator ride is strangely long, but unsurprisingly boring. Icarus stood waiting, silently looking around. The Spartans looked as if they talked, but again without making any sound. Lynch was reading a book which was chained to his jacket. The elevator was slower than any modern car lift. It acted as if it was carrying nearly 10,000 pounds worth of equipment. While no one knows the exact weight of a spartan, around one thousand pounds sounds correct with all their gear. By the time the elevator made it a quarter of the way above the third floor, the power went out, and a massive rupture can be heard. Glass that overlooks the courtyard behind them shatters with the arrival of the sound. Outside, a Covenant cruiser could be seen hovering over New Mombasa. Small dots, almost meteor like substances were dropping from the sky. They were soon realized to be drop pods. The drop pods pierce the grey, dusty sky above the cruiser. the gained great speed as they hurdled towards the ship. As the pods dropped around 1000 meters from their target, the sound appeared to happen again. This time, a massive portal grows in front of the cruiser, and the ship begins to enter at a high speed. The pods miss, and following the closing of the portal, a massive explosion of sorts goes off. This ruins the structural integrity of the seen space elevator, and it begins to fall. By this time, the explosion reached, then dissipated after hitting the Oni transport station. The elevator stops a third of the way up to the fourth floor. It slides back down to the third floor and makes an emergency stop to allow safe passage off the elevator. After realizing this had happened, Icarus looked back at the elevator doorway. The entire spartan team was already at a door parallel to the elevator waiting for both Lynch and Icarus. Lynch is halfway to the door before Icarus starts heading their way. The door led to a tight stairwell that was poorly maintained before, and after the human wars. The entire group ran up the water eroded stairs to a closed red metal door that had its window tinted pure black. This was the fourth floor containing all of the equipment needed to get off Earth. *Lynch is panting from running up a flight of stairs* “Open this door, it’s going to be locked, so you’re going to kick it in. That’s an order.” Lynch says. *One of the spartans walks up to the door, and simply opens it normally* “Locked you say?” A red spartan said sarcastically. “Lucky, let’s get a move on, the pelican should be out to our right.” Lynch said as he brushed past the Spartans, shoving some of them out of the way. Icarus follows Lynch closely, as to not lose him. As the team enters the room, Icarus gets a moment to observe the room as the Pelican is prepped. The room is large, wires hang from balconies, the Pelican is being fueled, and a small cargo of important looking people/supplies is seen being loaded into the rear compartment.

*Ends abruptly*
That's where Icarus ended a year ago unofficially. To tell the truth, I never finished writing it!