Prologue
Unknown, 2557, Forests of Qikost
"Stop." said William-B322 as he raised his hand up. "Needle mine over here."
The Spartan looked down at the mine embedded with sharp purple crystals. There's no way of disarming it, other than setting it off, William thought.
"We'll have to find another route."
"Might as well dig our way there." replied Tiberius, another Spartan.
The HeadHunters took cover behind a large tree.
Tiberius had his weapon up, swaying it from the left to the right, scanning for sentries. William crouched down and placed two fingers on the side of his helmet.
"William-B322 to Bear."
"Bear copies, you two reached the point yet?"
"Negative, too many mines in this area. Requesting alternate route, over."
"Copy, give me a few seconds."
Seconds later, a dotted path appeared on both Spartan's heads up displays. The path egressed to the east of their position.
"B322, you should see a new path on your HUD. It'll take you to a ridgeline closer to the factory. Bear out."
William looks over to Tiberius. "Let's pick up the pace. Watch for sentries."
The two HeadHunters move in a column formation, William covered the front whilst Tiberius covered the rear. The Spartans had to move quick, a supply ship was in-bound to deliver weapons-making material to a nearby factory. The factory was responsible for 60% of the weapons production for the Servants of the Abiding Truth. Its destruction would ensure victory for the Arbiter's forces.
William halts. "Sentry up ahead, levitation pad. Take him out?" He looks over his shoulder and sees Tiberius already converging on the sentry. Like a lion stalking a deer he thought.
"Next time you sneak off, warn me." William said over the radio.
"Now that beats the point of sneaking off, doesn't it?" Tiberius replied.
"You must have been your mothers favourite."
He chuckles, "Yep, that's why she sent me to Military school."
"And?"
"I made lots of friends."
"Heh, I bet."
Tiberius laughs. He was now meters from the levitation pad, close enough to hear the humming sound the pad emitted. The angle was just enough for Tiberius to see the Sangheili minor's head.
The suppressor muffles the sound as the bullet discharges from the barrel. The Minor stumbles and lands on his side.
"Another one bites the dust." whispered Tiberius.
"Judging by the angle of the shot…he bit depleted uranium." replied William.
"You know what rounds I carry?
"I read your file when I was notified of your transfer."
"Did it have my A-Level scores on there?"
"You and I both know you never sat your GCSEs."
"Alright alright, you know a lot about me."
"Sit tight, I'm moving to you."
William taps Tiberius on the shoulder and they continue moving. The Spartans kept watch of their sectors as they moved through the forest. Patrols were going around and sentries stationed high above. Awful amount of activity near a factory, they thought. Their HUDs indicated they were a hundred meters from the point. The marker highlighted a ridge overlooking the factory. Perfect overwatch for the Spartans. Tiberius crawls to the edge of the ride and takes his binoculars out.
"Shit, we're late. They're already unloading the materials." said Tiberius.
William, who was sat next to a treestump, asks, "What are we expecting?"
"Not much, quite a few workers and about two dozen gators. Most of them are inside the factory, well-armed."
"Strom Gators?"
"Yeah, no Commanders."
"Alright, good. Active camo on. You know the plan; I'll set charges around the cargo-ship and the containers while you plant them in the generator room."
"Heh, leaving a Spartan-IV to deal with all the gators?"
"I'm a Spartan-III, I'm faster, more agile, better trained, shall I continue?" William shot back.
"Nah, sounds about right."
Both Spartans activate their active camo, rendering them invisible. They split up, Tiberius slides down the ridge while William sprints into a treeline leading into the factory. His active camo was still on, thanks to advances in technology. "In position," Jesus Christ that Spartan's fast, thought Tiberius.
William leans against a large purple container with a M7 SMG in his hands. Typical HeadHunter weaponry along with the M6C/SOCOM. He sticks two metal explosives on the side and peeks around the corner. Two minors standing around, both armed with a needler. William turns around and sprints towards the cargo-ship under the cover of darkness. He plants a larger explosive on the ship's engine and retreats to a safe distance.
"Right on their doorstep." whispered Tiberius.
"Wait for the signal." William takes out the detonator. "Clear."
The charges on the containers detonate, followed by the one on the ship. The explosion ruptures the engines and the ship bursts into flames.
Tiberius throws three grenades into the factory entrance, they vaporize everything in close proximity. He swings around the door and rolls inside. Tiberius at makes short work of the the gators stunned by the force of the grenades. He proceeds further inside and throws a couple more grenades into an assembly room, the workers inside scream as the grenades go off.
By now, the remaining guards outside have noticed Tiberius. The lead guard roar pointing at the factory door. At the same time, William steps out of cover. He squeezes the trigger, releasing a barrage of bullets aimed at the guards running inside. He slips back into cover, releases the mag, and slots in a new one. The Sangheili guards return fire from open cover, the plasma melts away the Spartan's cover. William rolls behind a container, stands up, and throws a grenade. The grenade lands in the center of the group. The explosion send shrapnel deep inside two of the guards. The last one steps back and picks up his fallen comrade to use as a meatshield. It doesn't help.
The Spartan emerged from cover again. He fires two shots at the Elite's ankles. The Elite drops his meatshield and roars in pain. Through instinct, the Elite bends down and clutches his leg. William fires another round, this time, landing inside the Elite's head. The Elite stumbles back, it lies face-first on the floor.
"Outside's clear." said William on the comms.
"Copy, still cleaning up." replied Tiberius. "This place's larger on the inside."
"Roger, need help?"
"Nah, I got this."
Tiberius round-house kicks a Minor in the face, sending the seven and-a-half foot Elite flying into a wall. He rolls to the right, dodging fire from another Elite. He shifts out the roll and sprints towards a rifle laying on the floor. The plasma depletes the Elite's shields as he stumbles backwards, loosing balance. The rifle is hurled at the Elite's face, at the same time, Tiberius tackles him, they both come crashing into the floor. The Spartan-IV recovers quicker from the trauma thanks to his implants. He unsheathes a kukri and lodges it deep inside the Elite's neck.
Tiberius pushes himself off the floor and looks around, seven dead Elites and dozens of workers. All laying in their own pools of purple blood. He starts planting charges around the generator and the energy tanks. He makes one last check before dashing out of the door.
"Charges set."
"Roger, get out of there."
Tiberius linked up with William outside.
"Everything good?"
Tiberius shows him the detonator. "Charges planted around the engine room, it'll make one hell of a boom."
"Aye. Let's get out of here."
The two Spartans sprinted into the woods. William looks back, seeing piles of dead bodies and ash. The cargoship was ruptured with parts scattered around the complex, it was still leaking fuel. They stopped 500 meters ahead, both Spartans went prone behind a large tree bark.
"You should have seen the explosion." William said.
Tiberius humorously replied, "I definitely felt it." The HeadHunters climbed on top of the tree bark, went prone, and waited.
Minutes later, the scream of a Banshee is heard. QRF had arrived. The Spartans looked ahead as Wraiths started dropping squads of Storm Sangheili inside the compound. Each of them had no idea there were idle charges laying around. Three Warriors, accompanied by a dozen Storm Sangheili stormed inside the factory while the rest searched the perimeter. The Banshees circled above the factory, while the Wraiths hovered with turrets aimed at the door.
William glances at Tiberius who had the detonator in-hand. "Detonate."
The factory explodes, erupting streaks of purple and crimson flames. The top half of the building is propelled into the sky. The Wraiths and Banshees are caught in the flames, adding to the destruction.
Mission success.