Location: UNSC Reach, Beta Four Barracks
Date: April 3, 2531
Time: 0300 Hours
The blaring of the alarms ripped through the barracks, jolting me awake in an instant. The familiar hum of Reach was replaced by flashing red lights and the sound of klaxons echoing through the base. My heart hammered in my chest as I shot up in my bunk, reaching for my M392 instinctively.
"Reach is under attack!" Ramirez shouted, his voice a mix of shock and urgency as he scrambled out of his bunk.
"What the hell is going on?!" Doc yelled, already pulling her boots on and grabbing her medkit.
I could hear the chaos outside—shouting, the rumble of vehicles moving fast, the heavy clanging of armored footsteps echoing in the distance. My mind was racing, trying to process what was happening. We had been on Reach for less than a day, and now it felt like everything was unraveling.
Slink was up and moving fast, already throwing on her armor with quick, practiced motions. "No time to think—get your gear, Casper! Now!"
I didn't need to be told twice. I grabbed my helmet, slamming it onto my head as I pulled on the rest of my kit. My heart was still pounding, the adrenaline surging through me as the alarms screamed in the background.
Allen was the last one up, but even in the chaos, he was calm, his eyes sharp as he motioned for us to move out. "Beta Four, form up! Move fast, but stay sharp. We don't know what we're dealing with yet."
Location: UNSC Reach, Base Perimeter
Date: April 3, 2531
Time: 0310 Hours
We sprinted out of the barracks, joining the surge of ODSTs and Marines flooding toward the perimeter. The base was alive with movement—vehicles speeding past, dropships hovering overhead, and the unmistakable crackle of radio chatter filling the air. It felt like we were in the middle of an invasion.
I could barely keep up with what was happening. Everything was moving so fast—soldiers shouting orders, alarms still blaring, and the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Allen led the way, keeping us in tight formation as we moved toward the command center. "Stay with me! No one breaks formation."
I kept my eyes forward, gripping my rifle tightly as we passed through the outer sections of the base. It looked like a war zone already—explosions in the distance, debris scattered across the ground. My mind was racing. How had the Covenant reached Reach so fast? Hadn't we just been debriefed on a clean mission?
We reached the command center, and just as we approached the entrance, a new voice crackled through our comms.
"Beta Four, this is Sergeant Major Rawlins. All units are to fall back to defensive positions at Grid 12-B. Repeat, defensive positions. Prepare for an assault."
The tone of his voice was serious, no room for argument.
"Roger that," Allen replied, his voice steady. "Beta Four moving to defensive positions."
We changed direction immediately, heading toward the defensive grid near the edge of the base. My pulse was racing as we moved—every muscle in my body ready for combat, every sound amplified by the chaos around us. The possibility of death was suddenly very real, hanging over us like a dark cloud.
Location: UNSC Reach, Defensive Grid 12-B
Date: April 3, 2531
Time: 0315 Hours
When we reached the defensive grid, everything seemed too quiet. The chaos that had surrounded us on the way there was suddenly gone, replaced by an eerie silence. The perimeter was set up, with other squads already taking positions behind barricades and manning turrets, but something about it felt off.
"Set up a defensive line!" Allen ordered, and we quickly moved into position, finding cover behind the barricades.
I glanced around, my instincts telling me something wasn't right. Where were the enemy forces? Where was the Covenant? The alarms were still blaring, but there was no sign of the attack we had been preparing for.
"Something feels off," Slink muttered next to me, her eyes scanning the horizon. "Where's the enemy?"
Before I could answer, a familiar voice crackled over the comms again—Rawlins.
"Stand down, Beta Four. The drill is complete."
For a moment, I didn't register what he'd said. A drill?
"What the hell?" Ramirez barked, lowering his weapon as the realization dawned on him.
"Are you kidding me?" Doc muttered, her face scrunched in disbelief.
My heart sank, the adrenaline in my veins suddenly feeling like it had nowhere to go. It was all a drill—an orchestrated exercise set up by Rawlins. There was no attack, no threat. We'd been running through the base in full combat readiness for nothing.
Allen let out a low breath, his eyes narrowing as he activated his comms. "Sergeant Major, was this a training exercise?"
"That's right, Staff Sergeant," Rawlins replied, his voice calm but with that familiar edge of authority. "Consider this a readiness test. I wanted to see how quickly your squad could respond to an unexpected threat."
I could hear the frustration building in Allen's voice as he replied. "Understood. Beta Four standing by."
The comms went silent after that, but the tension in the air was thick. We all felt it—the frustration of being yanked out of our bunks in the middle of the night, thinking Reach was under attack, only to find out it was all part of Rawlins' latest drill.
"Damn it," Ramirez grumbled, slinging his SPNKR back over his shoulder. "Of course it was him. Who else would think it's funny to wake us up like that?"
Doc sighed, rubbing her temples. "I should've known. This has Rawlins written all over it."
Allen stood up from his cover, his face hard but controlled. "All right, pack it up. Back to the barracks. We'll debrief in the morning."
Location: UNSC Reach, Beta Four Barracks
Date: April 3, 2531
Time: 0400 Hours
Back in the barracks, the mood was heavy. No one said much as we peeled off our armor and stowed our gear. The sudden adrenaline rush of thinking we were under attack had left us all feeling drained, and the realization that it had all been a drill only added to the exhaustion.
Ramirez flopped onto his bunk with a groan. "You gotta be kidding me. I thought we were actually getting hit. My heart's still pounding."
Slink sat on the edge of her bunk, shaking her head. "Rawlins has way too much time on his hands. Waking us up for a drill like that? What's he trying to prove?"
Doc sighed, laying back on her bunk. "He's trying to make a point. That we're always supposed to be ready. But damn, he could've chosen a better time."
I sat down on my bunk, still feeling the lingering effects of the adrenaline. My mind was racing, thinking back over the past few hours. I hadn't hesitated this time—I'd moved with the squad, reacted fast. Even though it was a drill, I'd done what I needed to do.
Allen stood by the door, watching us quietly. His face was unreadable, but I could tell he was processing the same things we were. After a moment, he spoke up, his voice calm.
"Rawlins may be an ass, but he's right about one thing. We don't know when the next real attack is coming. Could be tomorrow, could be a month from now. But when it happens, we need to be ready."
We all nodded, even Ramirez, who grumbled something under his breath but didn't argue.
"Get some sleep," Allen said. "We'll talk more in the morning."
As the lights dimmed and the barracks fell quiet again, I lay back in my bunk, staring at the ceiling. My heart rate was finally starting to settle, but the lesson from the night's drill stuck with me.
In the ODST, you're always on edge. Always ready for the next drop, the next fight. Whether it's real or not, the threat is always there, hanging over you like a shadow.
And after tonight, I knew one thing for sure—we'd be ready when the real fight came.