Utgard

Utgard, Harvest (2525)

It was an usual, soothing morning — almost boring. The capital of Utgard was busier than ever, with weary workers heading to their jobs. Out in the countryside, it was calmer. The sky was clear, and the wind stirred the brownish grass.

A boy stood in an open field, with tall grass covering half his body. He held his hand above his eyes, shielding them from the intense sun as he gazed up at the sky. His hair was short and red; his beautiful eyes were as blue as the sky.

Cargo transport ships flew toward the capital, interrupting his moment of peace. In the heart of the city, a massive space elevator vanished into the atmosphere. It appeared to be active, as aircraft were flying inside it and leaving the planet shortly thereafter.

"Do you enjoy these little trips, Rick?" a woman said as she stepped out of a metal house in the countryside. She had a very ordinary appearance. The boy looked at her with a blank expression. "I don't see anything special about them..." he replied indifferently.

"Come on, don't you feel hemmed in when we're in the capital?" she asked. "All that noise, the lights, the crowds... everything is so cramped! Here, we can take some time just for ourselves and enjoy nature." The boy watched the farm next to the house, the wind brushing against his hair. "It's all the same to me..." he said. "Why can't we go to the metropolis?"

"We can't afford it, my dear..." the woman said, looking worried. She knelt down and stroked his cheek with a maternal touch. "And even if we could, I just told you the reason. The big city is too noisy and polluted... wouldn't you rather stay here and enjoy the peace?"

"I want..." the child left the sentence hanging, appearing lost in thought. "I want to go to other cities... and planets..." The woman smiled tenderly. "Don't worry, Rick, we're going to travel across the galaxy. But you're still too young for that, remember?"

"I'm already seven years old..." he remarked. "I can handle a space trip..." The woman stood up and stroked his head. "Let's do this: when we have enough money, we'll travel to other colonies — even if it's just for a vacation. But it's going to take a little longer now, since... you know..."

"Is Dad coming back?" the child asked innocently. "I don't think so..." she replied; "he hasn't returned from the mission yet, and I haven't received any news..." The mother looked back at the metal house with a serene smile, her brown hair swaying in the wind. "For now, how about we make the most of what he left us?" The boy nodded.

They were traveling by car, returning to Utgard, the capital. The vehicle didn't look expensive, but it was fast enough to get them to the city in no time. When the brass-like skyscrapers appeared on the horizon, that atmosphere of peace was suppressed. It wasn't exactly oppressive, but it couldn't compare to the natural landscape of the farmlands.

All the structures there were made of metal and crisscrossed with pipes connecting one point to another to transport goods. The space elevator was so tall and wide that it could be seen from anywhere. It looked almost like a set of gigantic corridors that made the most of the available space — both vertically and horizontally. Still inside the vehicle, the boy gazed at the skyscrapers, wondering how they compared to those of the metropolis... to those of Earth.

"It's no wonder people don't want to stay here for long..." the mother thought as she drove, drumming her fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. "The metropolises couldn't care less about their colonies... it's only a matter of time before living in one becomes unbearable. I suppose that's why the capital is called Utgard... it's too far from Earth; we're always being left behind." She sighed, overcome by negative thoughts. "You're right, Rick — we shouldn't stay here for long."

"Hm?" Richard looked confused. "Why not?" His mother stopped drumming her fingers on the steering wheel, lost in thought. She frowned, wearing a serious expression. "Mom?" the boy asked, snapping her out of her reverie. "Yeah, son," she replied, shaking her head. "I'll do my best, but if we can't move somewhere else... study hard so you can get a good job and earn enough money."

They entered the city center but noticed something strange: traffic was much heavier than usual. There was a traffic jam, with dozens of cars lined up and every lane packed. The mother observed the chaotic street, hearing the sound of horns and seeing people getting out of their cars to check the situation. "Another civil war?" she wondered. The child looked out the window, curious.

More and more people were getting out of their cars, while others further ahead tried to draw attention, pointing upward just past the bend. The mother unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door, moving somewhat hurriedly. "Stay here, Rick; I'll be right back," she said as she stepped out of the car. "What's happening?" he asked, feeling a sense of unease. "That's what I'm going to check," she replied, closing and locking the car. She walked to the spot where the road curved to the right and peered through the crowd, who kept pointing at a strange object in the sky.

It was round, purple, and floating above the clouds. Its tip curved down and back into itself, like a rake. The mother narrowed her eyes, curious. Then, another identical object appeared beside it, emerging from a blue portal. "New UNSC ships...?" she wondered, trying to recognize them. Next, smaller objects with more curved shapes seemed to be approaching. People began to run in terror. "Whatever this is, it can't be good!" She ran back to the car and unlocked the doors. "Rick, let's get out of here — now!" she shouted in a panic, jerking her thumb to signal him to get out of the car. "Huh?" the boy reacted. "We're going on foot?"

At the intersection of the two avenues, the curved object stopped, hovering a few meters above the street. It was predominantly blue and silver and shaped like a stingray. Its sides opened, revealing strange creatures that neither of them had ever seen before. Some were small and rounded; others, tall and armored; and there were also the robust ones. They leapt from the craft, wielding colorful tools and pointing them at the people standing there. Richard quickly got out of the car and grabbed his mother's hand. They ran in the opposite direction as fast as they could, while searing green beams cut through the crowd.

Panicked, they rounded the corner and saw a huge crowd pounding on a shop door. The mother peered through the sea of ​​heads: a man was holding the gate shut from the inside, preventing civilians from seeking shelter. "Let me in!" some of them shouted, their tone bordering on threatening. "I'm not risking my only source of income!" the shopkeeper coldly refused. Another ship hovered behind them. It was purple and U-shaped, with two massive prongs extending from a single point. Its walls opened, and more aliens leapt out, firing their plasma weapons at everyone in sight.

His mother hurriedly pulled Richard along as they walked through an alley. The area was already crowded, but they were relatively safe there. They stopped to catch their breath. "Mom, who are they?" the boy asked. "I have no idea..." she replied, panting. "Let's go home." She tugged at his small hand again as they made their way through the crowd. As they emerged from the alley, they saw dozens of human corpses on the street, bearing charred holes. The aliens were still there, but were heading elsewhere in search of more humans.

Richard shuddered, and his mother covered his eyes with her palm; frightened, he pressed his hand against hers. She took his other hand and silently led him across the street. In the distance, several hovering vehicles were firing bursts of plasma, but they didn't seem to notice the pair. A member of the nearest alien squad stopped, sniffing the air. Mother and son froze, trying to remain unseen. The gigantic creature turned and spotted them, aiming a dark, pointed weapon that featured two blades on its underside.

It looked like an immense gorilla clad in blue armor. His mother pulled Richard by the hand, and they ran as fast as they could, reaching a house across the street. The alien fired glowing spikes that embedded themselves in the walls, missing them. With a look of desperation, his mother quickly handed her son a key. "Get inside and hide in the closet!" she screamed, shoving him forward. "But, Mom!" the boy replied, on the verge of tears. Suddenly, blood began to gush from her mouth as two white-hot spikes pierced her chest. She became unresponsive.

Richard's survival instinct kicked in as he fumbled for his house keys and tried to insert them into the lock. Panic got the better of him, causing him to drop them. Just as he bent down to pick them up, he felt the ground shake and sensed something approaching from behind. He looked between his legs; the gorilla was walking slowly toward his mother, whose body still stood there, protecting him. Determined, he grabbed the keys, unlocked the door, and burst inside.

Glancing back to check on his mother, he saw her stomach pierced by the sharp weapon; the brutal creature's arm had run her through with ease, lifting her body off the ground. The boy fell backward onto the ground, overcome by despair.

The sound of strange energy intensified as a long, rounded purple object flew between the buildings, leaving a blue trail of propulsion in its wake. It fired a green projectile that exploded upon striking the upper floors of the wall-like building where Richard's home was located. The impact made the entire structure shake, and chunks of the wall fell onto the gorilla, blocking the doorway. Dust filled the air, making the boy cough.

Richard remained there for a while, trying to determine whether it was a nightmare or reality. He bit his own hand and felt the pain, confirming the harsh truth. After a few seconds, he heard the sound of stones shifting outside. He shuddered, fearing the creature might still be alive. He knew his mother's death could not have been in vain. He stood up slowly, wiping the tears from his face with a determined expression, and ran upstairs toward his apartment. As soon as he opened the door, he heard the sound of the front door being flung wide open. He didn't have much time.

He locked the door from the inside and ran to the bedroom, quickly hiding in the closet. Then, he could hear the sound of a very loud gunshot echoing in the narrow space.

The gorilla had survived the collapse of the debris, though his armor sustained enough damage to wound his body. The creature was strong enough to push aside the massive concrete blocks. Enraged, he removed the pieces of armor one by one and wiped away the blood trickling down his forehead. He kicked the door with all his might, sending it flying and tearing a hole in the wall. He walked slowly down the corridor, exhaling clouds of steam with every furious breath.

Someone crept up behind him, aiming a metallic weapon at his head. Without hesitation, the figure fired, blowing apart the back of the creature's head. The beast crashed to the ground, making the earth shake. It was a human soldier wearing medium protective armor. He stepped onto the gorilla's back and fired again, this time into its heart. After confirming the beast was dead, the soldier quickly scanned the corridor and stairs for other casualties. The area was clear, save for the body of that alien creature.

The man touched his earpiece. "Victor 39 to Victor Squad: area clear," he said over the radio. "Hey!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice echoing through the corridors. "Can anyone hear me? Are there any survivors? The coast is clear! I'm here to rescue you!" He paused to catch his breath. "We're heading to the space elevator! Come out — we have transport ready! And we don't have much time!" One by one, the doors began to open; frightened civilians emerged hesitantly from their shelters. Then, a boy appeared on the stairs, looking down at him and clenching his fists in fear.

"A kid?" the soldier thought, looking apprehensive. He smiled at the boy. "Are you hurt, kid? Come here." He held out one hand while the other gripped a shotgun. Richard slowly came down the stairs. The Marine hugged him, trying to calm him down. "Come on, let's get out of this hellhole. What's your name?"

The boy clutched the hem of his shirt, still trying to process his mother's death. "Is my mom alive...?" he murmured. The soldier remembered the pool of blood outside, buried beneath a pile of rubble. "That was your mom? Damn..." he thought, nodding. "I'm sorry, kid." The boy already knew the answer, so he responded with silence. "My... my name is Richar..." the boy let the sentence trail off as memories of his mother flooded his mind. "...Rick..." he said, lowering his gaze. "Come on, Rick, let's get out of here with the others," the soldier replied with a weary smile. "You can call me Buck."