𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐬-B304 [MIA]

—— 10:00 P.M.

The man standing outside the hotel lit a cigarette. After a long day of guard duty he finally had a chance to relax. Savoring the first puff made it all feel worth it. That was some comfort before something he couldn’t see snapped his neck.

A single arm tore off the bolted door-

#ʙᴇʟᴀᴛᴏʀ

Picking peaches for his passenger.

You can’t turn back time…

told be scared of since she was little killed her father right in front of her. She was too young to understand why. Maybe she never would.

Doesn’t matter.

If he can get her home, it won’t be for nothing..

Without a word she went back to her spot under the tree. Curled back up and seemed to fall back asleep.

Marcus thought that she was warming up to him. And it made him feel uneasy. Even though he was doing this to get to her family.. he’s still the one who killed her dad.

A boogeyman she was-

spot a moment then shook her head.

Marcus let it be for now and went back to lookout.

“..Are you warm?” she asked softly.

“Yeah.” He could feel her eyes still on him, puzzled. “My armor is heated inside.”

After a few minutes of silence he ‘felt’ her tiny hand on his backplate.

“What’s wrong?”-

the logo for the office of naval intelligence ALT: the logo for the office of naval intelligence

> 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚜

> 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚎𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝

> 𝚂𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚗 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐

[𝙿𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝙰𝚆𝙾𝙻 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚜]
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For: @mutedspartan.bsky.social

[𝙰𝚛𝚖𝚘𝚛 𝙻𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝙼𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚊𝚐𝚎]

[𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚎]

> 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝙴𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝙾𝚗𝚕𝚢..
> 𝙶𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚔..
> 𝙱𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚜𝚘𝚘𝚗..
> 𝚆𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚌𝚔 𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝙸'𝚖 𝚘𝚞𝚝..

DMR. She was just waking up still, wrapped in a thermal blanket. She slept a little less than she should have.

“You should go back to sleep. We’ll get moving in an hour.”

She rubbed her left eye. “.. I can’t.”

“Want more layers?”

“..What?”

“More clothes. For warmth.”

She scooted about in her-

Crossing the wilderness was the only easy part of this. Everything was going to be harder when this was over.

Maybe they’d at least give him some clemency for the aftermath. It was a huge gamble either way.

“..Marcus?” asked a tired Laura.

He looked back over his shoulder from the scope of his-

—— 11:43 A.M.

No sign of any patrols since daylight. The innies were limiting their patrols until night time. They had a history of experience in guerrilla warfare to draw on. It kept them a few steps ahead of the UNSC out here.

The campaign was still concentrated in the major cities.-

Didn’t they admit to ONI sanctioned pegging—

them ironically.

“Hey. I’m gonna get you there.”

She didn’t smile at that. But she did look hopeful for first time since he met her.

“C’mon. We got a long march.”

……..

She didn’t protest, but he felt like she wasn’t grasping entirely what he had planned. It would have to wait.

“Feel like getting on the trail?” he asked standing up.

Laura looked back toward the dim city lights. A low light curfew was in effect by the UNSC. It made slipping away a lot easier for-

He pointed to the northern region of the displayed landscape. Laura nodded.

“Good. We’ll get there in a few days. We’re gonna have to move fast okay?”

She looked up at him skeptically.

“I’ll carry you for a few hours. Then we’ll rest somewhere safe. Repeat that until we get there.”

“..Okay.”-

be a real tedious journey.

“..Thank you,” Laura said quietly.

It made him smile, just a little. She probably thought he didn’t hear it.

“Let’s double check the destination.”

He knelt back down beside her and displayed the continent map on his tacpad.

“Your aunt and cousins live here.”-

gum?” Laura asked.

“No. You’re welcome to try making one.”

She said nothing. Just started chewing it while zipping up her heavy coat.

Marcus stood back up to full height. Taking his makeshift harness off the branch he double checked it. If it couldn’t support her weight like intended it was-

——— [ 1:23 A.M. ]

“Gum?”

Marcus held out the piece to Laura between his prosthetic fingers. The girl studied the piece a moment, then sheepishly accepted it.

It felt like something out of UNSC recruitment flyer. A fully armored Spartan offering a piece of food to a little kid.

“..Is it bubble-

the logo for the office of naval intelligence ALT: the logo for the office of naval intelligence

> 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚜

> 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚎𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝

> 𝚂𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚗 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐

[𝙿𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝙰𝚆𝙾𝙻 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚜]
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> 𝙳𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝙽𝚒𝚗𝚎

> ▫️𝙶𝚘 𝙰𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚕

> 𝚆𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊𝚗 𝚞𝚗𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐.

> 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚖 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚜

>▫️𝙲𝚘𝚙𝚢 𝙰𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚕
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>▫️𝙰𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝚠𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚍𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚎 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐

> 𝙲𝚘𝚙𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝

> 𝚂𝚒𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚊 204

> 𝚂𝚒𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚊 204

> 𝚂𝚒𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚊 204 𝚍𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚘𝚙𝚢?

> 𝙰𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚕

> 𝙻𝚘𝚜𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚌𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 204

> 𝚂𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚗 𝚞𝚗𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛..

[Alert Status]

#ʙᴇʟᴀᴛᴏʀ

Having just realized he directly made someone an orphan and indirectly tormented them over it while trying to comfort them. Meanwhile everyone else on TL just vibing 💀

#ʙᴇʟᴀᴛᴏʀ

I’M NUUUUUUCLEAAAAR!!

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> Confirmed KIA.

> No known location for the Mother.

> Last known…

> Maerash District.

> Boming run at 0400..

> Expected amongst casualties..

a green screen with the words monstrous screaming written on it ALT: a green screen with the words monstrous screaming written on it

#ʙᴇʟᴀᴛᴏʀ

My boy rn:

“Standby to fire.”

> 𝙻𝚒𝚎𝚞𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚊𝚗𝚝
> 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚊 𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚐𝚎

“Copy. Sergeant, I’ll take the lead.”

Taking a knee he looked out across the parking deck. He sighed to himself.

“STOP THERE!”

His rifle lowered enough to convince the cornered Insurgent that he wasn’t going to shoot him. It was deceptive. As he soon as he had a clean shot he would.

“Drop the weapon.”

Sweat painted the man’s face. His elbow gripped tightened around the neck of his human shield.

“Let the-

#ʙᴇʟᴀᴛᴏʀ

The saddest thread I’ve ever made.

explained it the best way he could for her.

“If I didn’t do it, that man would have hurt you more. Your mom and dad.. they wouldn’t want that.”

Before his eyes, her fear and anguish became even more apparent. Before he could ask she said in utter despair,

“That man was my dad..”