Halo: The Ark
Chapter 1 Beginning of The End
Mombasa, South Africa
12/25/2552 (Military Calendar)
UNSC Constitution
" What happened?" Commander Robertson an UNSC Officer said to one of his marines while looking at New Mombasa. The only thing that was left standing was the central tower and some buildings from Old Mombasa.
" Let's report to Oni they may want a visual, sir."
" Negative, marine we need to get closer. Get Pelicans in there now."
" Roger! Recon team Zulu you heard the commander get in there."
" Hmmm…" Robertson thought but was interrupted.
" Sir, hostiles are gathered around the central tower with three Scarabs recommend mission abort….They're firing in a flanking maneuver….Ahh!" The com-link was halted static hissed in the background.
" Obviously the Covenant are still here." Solipsil the AI appeared like a ghost.
" Solipsil should we go in?"
" No! We'll be slaughtered."
" We need to get back our territory, if we don't we'll be overwhelmed later."
" We need to live to fight another day commander!"
" Yes, but we need to limit their reinforcements. We're going in arm the MAC gun."
" Sir, with respect…."
" Just arm it!" Solipsil disappeared and the ship began to shake. A projectile sped toward the Scarabs, exploded, and debris flew in several angles.
" Huh….that's weird what's that….up there?" Solipsil said. And the commander looked above them. " A Covenant ship? No, It's Forerunner."
" Whatever it is blow it out of the sky."
" On it, sir!" Ensign Jose said.
" Fire!" A projectile sped towards the falling ship. The ship was engulfed by the projectiles explosion.
" We made contact." The ship kept falling gaining speed every second.
" It's going to impact the valley, sir." A lieutenant said.
" Brace for impact. In 5.….4.….3.….2.….1." The ship hit the ground and created a crater a mile, in diameter, larger than the size of New Mombasa and Old Mombasa combined.
" Covenant are pouring out of it. Grunts and lots of them."
" So what does that mean Solipsil?"
" I have no clue, sir. I've never seen anything like this." She stared at the view screen. "What the…."
Unknown Forerunner Ship
Earth's Outer Atmosphere
Bridge
" Noble prophet of Truth we've arrived." A honor guard that survived High Charity said. Most of the Elites we're left on High Charity, because of the rebellion. Those who were left remained with the Arbiter on Halo or was food for the Flood on High Charity. But some who stayed loyal to the Prophets betrayed their brothers and killed them.
" We have, I need to make an announcement to our troops." Truth floated in his pod toward an elevator. The elevator lowered into a giant room hefloated into the room surveying his army. The room was filled with thousands of Brutes.
" As you all know the Elites have betrayed us….. And if any should try to stop our might they will be executed without trial." A Brute stepped beside the prophet and whispered something to him.
" I was just informed that your Chieftain, Tartarus, has been murdered by our former Arbiter. As soon as we achieve our goal he will be executed with the rest of the remaining Elite heretics. Our Arbiter has betrayed us so we must stray from our religion and create a Brute Arbiter. This Arbiter will be the Chieftain's son who is the heir of the Brute legacy." The Brutes roared with pride as the Brute came and kneeled before Truth.
" Chieftain do you take this offer and become an Arbiter who will solemnly protect our Covenant."
" Yes, noble Hierarch, I will and destroy the incompetent human race. But I have one request."
" What is it?"
" When we are finished with this war may I avenge my Father."
" Yes, you shall as soon as the Ark is found…" He paused and sighed.
" This Arbiter is different than the Elite he will command our battles ahead…you will acknowledge him as your commander…those who disobey him will be killed…You may proceed Chieftain." The Prophet floated into the elevator. The Arbiter stood before his people and rose his rifle.
" I'm your Arbiter I will defend our Covenant from the dangers of our former allies. The Elites are now banned from our Covenant and any that are here will be captured and….be killed by me…do I make my self clear." An Elite in the back of the room jumped and tried to run from the surrounding warriors. They captured him without any effort and pushed him forward hitting him as he passed toward where the Arbiter stood. The Arbiter pulled a rod from his belt, and placed his rifle in its holster. He pressed a button and a red blade formed from his knuckles. It was an energy sword the noble sword of the Elites modified to meet the Brute standards.
" Please! No, I beg of you!" The Elite begged.
" It's too late for your kind." The Arbiter pulled his hand back and forced the blade forward then vertically into the Elites' skull. The Elite's body dropped. He died of a horrible fate.
Unknown Forerunner Ship
Earth's Outer Atmosphere
Cargo Hold
" Master Chief, do you mind telling what your doing on that ship." The General, taking refuge in the Cairo a multi-platform MAC gun in orbit, said.
" Sir, finishing this fight." Master Chief quickly stated in a dark area.
" Good time to decide that…get ready that vessel is going through the atmosphere."
" Yes, sir."
" Good luck, Chief, Hood out." He grabbed onto a rod running down the wall. The vessel crashed and sent him across the floor creating sparks below him. The Chief pulled himself up and heard a Grunt walk pass him chatting with another Grunt.
" Do you think the Arbiter is going to slaughter us next?"
" Was you in the Elite rebellion? Did you kill a Brute?"
" Yes, I was lucky to survive."
" You better hope the Arbiter doesn't find out." The Chief slowly got up trying not to startle them. He slowly stalked them until they came to a panel they pressed several buttons. A giant door began to open a bright light began to shine through the giant hole. The Grunts turned around and looked up to see the Chief.
" Demon…..Demon in the….." The chief took the Grunt picked it up and slammed it into the metal floor methane poured from its life support tanks. The other Grunt covered its eyes and cowered to the ground shaking. Was it in shock or was it just scared.
" Don't kill me…please don't kill me I'll help you any way I can."
" Since when don't you Grunts want to kill me?" The chief asked.
" Since the Brutes have taken over the Elites. We honor our Prophets, but the Brutes treat us like garbage."
" Are there other Grunts like you."
" Yes, several they are in the next room. I'll take you with me." The Chief followed it.
" Will they attack me?"
" I don't know maybe if you kill a Brute they will come kindly to you."
" How many Brutes are there?"
" Hundreds, maybe even a thousand of the monsters……They think that we are helpless beings…well ha! They have something coming to them." The Chief stared at the odd creature. They entered the room several hundreds of Grunts jumped and pointed their pistols at him.
" Don't shoot he's on our side he wants to stop the Brutes!"
" The Demon does?" A white armored Grunt said. The Grunts tilted their heads.
" Yes, we'll be able to help the Elite's come back to the Covenant too."
" Will you join the Humans….Grunts?" Chief said.
" We may…. If you do something for us."
" What?"
" Kill the Prophet of Truth and let the Elite's start a better ruled Covenant with no Brutes or Prophets. Your kind may join our forces if you wish."
" Wait killing the Prophets is a drastic measure isn't it commander."
" Yes…but It'll make the revolution easier to accomplish."
" Then it's agreed?" The Chief shook it's hand.
" Since their aren't any Elite's I'll command your group….."
" No… there are some captive Heretics that were due to be executed we can have them join up...I'll lead one group to them."
" Fine….This will be our lay out. Your Spec-ops Grunt will be the leader of Red team…You'll report in on thirty-two the frequency our core uses. I'll take Blue team the rest of you will follow me. Whoever feels comfortable with your leader go with him. We'll take a route to a weapons cache that you will guide me to." He pointed to one of his team members. " Your team will rescue the Heretics. If you take some heavy fire we'll have no choice, but to retreat and run out of the door that was opened earlier. If you're successful make your way toward the opening. "
" Roger…err.."
" Master Chief."
" Right," The Spec-ops Grunt said. He looked at his team of a few hundred Grunts. " Follow me!" They exited the room through two separate doors. Blue team walked through several corridors of the ship surveying each opening to make sure that they weren't discovered. Red team came to the prison and rescued the Heretics and they joined without fuss.
" Red team to Blue we have the prisoners….over."
" Roger… get to the rendezvous point…we're at the cache can you send some Grunt's to help us lug it to the opening."
" Yes, they're on their way now….Chief." Blue team pulled the cache through the corridor into the giant open room. The sun shone right through the hole lighting up the entire room.
" We need to go now!"
" Squad let's move double time." The giant squad moved outside into the vastness of the crater. The Chief searched the sky searching for some recon Pelicans. One was circling the central tower.
" This is Spartan-117 does anybody read me over?"
" Chief! Is that you?"
" Yes, and I've got great news. Bring as many Pelicans that are empty to my position. We have no time left...you need to hurry!"
" Roger…" Several Pelicans swooped in and hovered off the ground.
" Chief, why are those Grunts coming with us?" One pilot said.
" They're on our side now."
" Really? Well I can't complain we need all the help we can get."
" Hurry, soldiers pile in." The leading Grunt said. The Grunts piled into the floating Pelicans and strapped themselves in. A Pelican dropped down and attached the cache to it's cargo hold. The Chief looked into the cockpit and gave the pilot a thumbs up the birds took off out of the crater. They picked up speed closing in on a hovering UNSC ship. A door opened on top of the vessel and the Pelicans flew into the opening. Chief jumped out and approached an elevator door being followed by the Grunt who led red team. The door opened and they both stepped in.
" Is there more to why you wanted to join us?"
" Yes…. Well you were on High Charity right you saw how we fought the Brutes?"
" Yes, but what does that have to do with joining us?"
" The Elites are banned from the Covenant, we're all alone. " They exited the Elevator to come to the Bridge. Robertson stood at a panel staring at it. Master Chief walked to him.
" Robertson." Master Chief saluted.
" Welcome Chief….. This vessel is the Constitution named after the USS Constitution from the war of 1812." The commander smiled. " Normally I get the petty naval ships of ours as back up I'd never had thought of getting another Spartan……" Robertson looked at the Grunt standing beside Chief. " What now do we get pets?" The Grunt growled at the commander.
" No, sir! Treat them with respect they're going to help us in this war, and what was that about another Spartan."
" It was only a joke….god you Spartan figures are always uptight….especially that one Spartan and her companion Dr. Halsey. Even though Halsey isn't a Spartan she should have been one…."
" Kelly and Dr. Halsey where are they?"
" In the storage depot below this room."
" Thanks, sir!" Chief saluted him.
" Stay alert! We may be attacked soon if the Covenant decide to move."
High Charity
9th Age of Proclamation
Truth's Chamber
" Gravemind you bastard you did what!" Cortana yelled ferociously at the monster that controlled the flood.
" You must find that out on your own, for my answers still linger on. I may tell you if you supply me with my needs. MY ANSWERS!" The flood were ancient parasites that took complete control over their hosts body leaving the host to witness the rest of its life through their eyes not being able to move.
" What do you want?" Cortana asked.
" The answers to my questions don't you remember?" Cortana looked puzzled about what the hell it was talking about. " Are you saying that you are not who you once were."
" What?"
" Hmmm….if you don't remember then you're a fake..."
" A fake what? Gravemind speak!"
" Why did you make the ancients die?"
" What the hell are you talking about!" Cortana yelled.
" Why did you side with the project?"
" Are you trying to confuse me? Tell me now!" Cortana asked.
" I can't tell you Cortana you must retrieve that information yourself!" Cortana put her hand on her head closed her eyes and searched her memory looking for a file with any reference to "Ancients", but she couldn't find anything. Then she realized that she still had the transmission that she intercepted that contained Forerunner dialect. Cortana didn't know the Forerunner language, but she tried to translate it.
" That's odd its like human English….how can I interpret it?" She was puzzled beyond belief even beyond sanity. " Obviously a file in the Covenant data files translated it." She quickly said realizing that she knew the reason.
" Do you know the truth now? Do you know that you are what the Covenant seek? That you are the key to their Great Journey, and you'll destroy the Universe."
" I do…I see it….Lies…all lies!…Dr. Halsey lied to me she knew all along about the Halos…about the Forerunners and everything!….She led the Covenant to Harvest….she killed millions of lives…..she wants revenge…she wants…." An explosion shook High Charity making Cortana's image have a static change. " What the hell is that?"
Halo Installation V
Unknown Time
Control Room
" Why the Ark of course?"
" Where, Oracle, is that?" The Arbiter asked.
" I can't tell you It's forbidden in my programming." 343 Guilty Spark said.
" Only the…well I can't remember his name….he was…the ruler of the Forerunners for that I'm sure…he was put into a deep sleep on Terra, a Forerunner planet, to be conserved from the carbon and calcium destroying particles of the rings. He survived and is still sleeping there on Terra waiting for the right person to rescue him from his sleep. "
" So what's Terra…...where's Terra?" Commander Keyes asked.
" I can't tell you…" 343 Guilty Spark said.