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Chapter 2: The Battle of Sigma Octanus IV
7/17/2552, 11:34am Headed toward Sigma Octanus IV, Kilo Team
The pelican started its descent from Cargo Bay 3, and diminished from the UNSC Gettysburg. The top secret mission to remove hostiles from Sigma Octanus IV had officially begun. With the Spartans as cargo, they were able to feel every small shift and thrust from the Pelican. The aircraft levitated itself out of the cargo bay and slowly accelerated out of the Gettysburg, almost flawlessly. The pelican then drifted for a short time and suddenly shot off like a rocket. Their destination: battle.
When the pelican propelled itself forward, all of Kilo Team jostled about inside their restraints. Without the restraints, the Spartans would be crushed against the rear door, all piled up messily along the interior. Akira's head shook inside his helmet, probably from the turbulence, but he wasn't sure. He scoured the other Spartans whom shivered as well. Torin was tightly gripping the two bars that were featured in his restraint. They locked down vertically. The bars provided some shock-absorbance from the fierce shaking. Dante was holding his shotgun, and Akira knew that he was antsy just holding it. It was easy to predict that he was pumped to kill some aliens. It was never hard to predict Dante. Aaron, in his primed brown armor, remained still. He stared straight. Akira assumed that he was preparing himself mentally for whatever hell awaited them on solid ground. Finally, Akira repositioned his visor to Kimberly. He was dazzled by what he saw. Kimberly was in fact, glancing at him even before he looked in her general direction. As soon as her shiny, vertical visor came into sight she immediately drew her attention to her assault rifle. What could she have been thinking? Was she day dreaming? Akira had no clue. This brought him back to their old days as friends, before they were teammates. Those were the good days where things were much simpler. They were only kids then. He flashed back.
?/?/2531, Planet Onyx, Spartan Training
"What do you think you're doing? You're actually supposed to jump OVER the mud pit!" Kimberly sassed Akira as he plunged into the cold mud after failing his first leap. "You're so useless A!" One snicker was heard from the starting side of the pit. Kimberly had already made the leap. She made it on her first attempt, unlike Akira. "Get out of there! Our team is losing!" Torin shouted. Akira paddled through the thick muck. The mud coated his entire body. It was even coating his thin, shiny black hair. Torin extended his arm and Akira grabbed on. "Come on, hurry up! We're falling behind!" Akira forced himself over the ledge and kneeled down trying to catch his breath.
Spartan training was insanity. He was only six, rather all three of them were. Normal kids at six would ride their bikes around the neighborhood, or draw amusing pictures with chalk on the sidewalk, but nothing like this. They had rigorous training, every day of the week. Then again, they weren't NORMAL kids. They were Spartans in the making.
Torin stepped back and made enough room for him to clear the pit. His formation looked like one a kicker would use before the opening kickoff. Once he pulled himself together he made the leap of faith. The other two six-year-olds watched as he came down on all fours. Once he landed he shook off the landing like it was nothing. Akira was amazed but not surprised. Torin was one of the most athletic Spartans in Alpha Company. Actually, he probably was the fastest. "What the hell are you looking at A! Jump! Jump!" Akira stood up, responding to Kim's enthusiasm. For some reason, he felt that it was important to make Kim think highly of him. He wasn't sure why that was. He cleared his mind and focused on the chat she provided him, then, he jumped. He felt like a bird, until he felt his limbs crumble from beneath him.
When Akira landed he felt a surge of pain run through his right hand. Upon landing, he collapsed and grunted fiercely. He immediately bowed his head down and attempted to get back on his feet. All of his limbs squirmed, and he then fell again. Torin and Kim looked down at him. "What are you doing?" Torin asked. "I-I think I'm hurt." He responded. Kim sighed. "What good are you? You have the brains, you do, but you're so incredibly weak!" Akira felt the words go through him like a cannonball slamming against a wall. Except, in this case, the wall lost. He was tired of hearing her mouth run. He forced himself up, with a yelp of pain here and there. He staggered sideways and leaned forward a bit, with his right eye squinted. Kim ran her mouth again. "Now what, you're okay? Well, that's nice. Too bad ever y team probably finished already. How are YOU a Spartan?" Akira had enough. Torin backed away, he didn't want involved whatsoever. "Listen, you controlling freak. . .I've had enough of your complaining." Kim's jaw dropped and Akira stumbled closer to her. "You're fast, and I have brains. Together they form one functioning machine. People usually call that a team. You know, teamwork? So shut the hell up, and let me lead the way." Kim choked on her words. She was unable to get a sentence out, clearly. Torin smiled and giggled a bit. Akira glanced at them both and began following the path that led onward. Kim stared at Akira from down near the pit still. Torin and he were already headed into the woods. "Hey! What gives? Are you coming?" He asked. "Y-yeah. Be right there Akira. . ." He shrugged and continued walking. He turned around once, and he swear he saw her blushing as she chewed on her hair. The shell was broken.
7/17/2552, 11:52am Circling around Sigma Octanus IV, Kilo Team
The pilot startled the team when she suddenly spoke over the loud speaker. "Spartans, we're now entering our planet. Things will be a bit bumpy, hold on." Akira watched through his visor as he saw everyone brace as they entered the planet. Things began to shake and weapons would slide around. Dante's assault rifle jumped out of his hand at one point. It slid onto the ground and bounced across the seating and landed beside Kim. "Damn it Dante, what the hell? Dante's expression couldn't be seen but it was felt. "What the hell yourself, woman! It's not like I lit you up with a magazine then threw your corpse out the back of this bumpy-ass ride." Kim laughed. "Save your remarks for the Covenant. I'm sure as hell not interested." Akira was smiling, but no one could tell. The rest of the ride down to the planet was quiet.
7/17/2552, 12:12am, On Sigma Octanus IV, Kilo Team
The pelican's thrusters died and the machine fell to a stop on the planet's surface. The door in the rear of the pelican began its descent, and Dante was eager to feel soil touch his oversized boots. "Aaahhhh…. Now this is what I'm talkin' about." He inhales. "I can taste those bastards." Dante picked up his fallen assault rifle and flung it over his shoulder. Aaron scooted out of the rear as well, followed by Torin, Kim, and lastly, Akira. Kilo Team formed a "V" shape and looked out over countless trees and wildlife. The sight was beautiful. They could see a ravine, but mostly forest. Kimberly took in a breath as well. The pilot crawled out of her cockpit, and walked over to the giant Spartans. Akira wondered what they looked like from way down there. They stood over six and a half feet tall, easily. Kimberly shifted her hip left bound. "Let me get this straight pilot. . ." Akira found his rude and ironic, rude because Kimberly just referred to their ride here as a pilot, rather than her official ranking; and ironic because Kimberly flaunted the Pilot helmet, like a pro. "We're here to kill covenant forces in . . ." She grabbed Akira's arm and looked at the lieutenant commander's tactical pad. ". . . In the region codenamed AWOL? There's mention of not letting the Covenant reinforce the town of . . .Côte d'Azur. I can only assume that's where the Spartan II team is holding out." Kimberly adds. "Affirmative, Commander. There are direct orders to not interfere with the Spartan IIs." The pilot includes. "Shit Commander, this is a top secret mission. No one's supposed to know we're even here." She grabs Akira's arm as well. Akira wasn't sure if he liked two aggressive woman holding onto his wrist, the very wrist he broke in Spartan Training. He didn't forget. Yet, here he was with Kim gripping THAT very wrist. "Just like old times". He mentally noted. At this point, all six of them were peering over the tactical pad.
The pilot used the mapping device and pointed out Côte d'Azur. She outlined the small town. She moved the map westward and then tapped over an even smaller town. "Bingo. Codename: AWOL." The Spartans made sure they got a good overhead look of their fighting zone. AWOL was straight across from Côte d'Azur, in fact, all that separated them was four miles of forest. Torin pointed out a small ravine splitting the two land masses apart. "Probably a bridge of some sort keeping the towns apart, can't think of another way over from here." Dante spoke. "That's good. AWOL isn't too far from here. We just need to head north a mile or so." Kimberly said in an ecstatic voice. The pilot zoomed the map out a bit so the entire grid was in site. She pressed and held a button and the map locked into place on the pad. "There. Now good luck you five. I'll be heading back to the Gettysburg now. I really don't want to get shit from another Admiral for being down here." The pilot saluted and walked back to the cockpit.
Kimberly stretched her arms behind her head and flexed her spine, she then yawned. "Keep the coffee pot hot." She smirked through her visor, but it was invisible to everyone. The pilot laughed, and shut the window. The thrusters were then activated. All of Kilo Team watched as the pelican went through the stages of lifting, taking off, and disappearing.
Kimberly wasted no time. As soon as the pelican was out of sight she grabbed Akira by the wrist again and pulled him toward her until they bumped chest plates. "YOU have the map Akira. So you will be tagging right beside me the entire way there." Dante laughed. "Haha, I feel sorry for your white ass." Kimberly was looking directing into the lieutenant commanders visor. He stared right back. They couldn't see each other's expression, but they just stared. It had to be at least a couple of seconds. Akira felt the other three Spartans glares. "Go in any closer there Commander and this will turn into a make-out session." Aaron and Dante laughed like hyenas. Kimberly pulled her Pilot helmet off and blew a single strand of hair away from her face. Most of it was tucked away. Akira pondered this. "A make-out session? Reallllllyyyy?", she said in a sexy voice. "Do me a favor there Warrant Officer Dickless, and take your boy toy Aaron there, and scout ahead." Dante felt his blood pressure rise. "As you wish Cah-Man-DER!"
"The sass isn't appreciated." Dante turned on his overhead flashlight, "As if I gave a shit to start". Aaron trailed him as they walked onward and eventually over a hill, out of sight. Torin glanced at Kim and received the message to scram. He took off after Dante and Aaron. Akira took off his precious helmet as well.
"Kim, shouldn't you be scouting ahead? I don't get it. . . why are we standing back here while our bottom three are advancing. Don't you understand this is a war? "Yes, Akira I do. Now shut up. . ." She places her hands on her cyan coated hips. "Hey. . ." she said ever so gingerly. "Uh-uhm. . Yes?" Akira was confused. She took her hand away from her hip and carefully placed it on the side of his face. Why was she doing this? What has gotten into her? "Do you happen to remember that time back when we were eight?" "Well, that depends. What time would that be?" "It was my birthday . . . remember? We snuck out of our room and went outside. We went into the woods, and sat down next to the blueberry bush. Remember?" Akira began to sweat. He knew EXACTLY what Kim was talking about. He stuttered. "U-um. . . yeah. I remember. I mean, why wouldn't I. Right?" He paused. "It was a special night. . ." Kimberly bit her bottom lip and rubbed the side of Akira's face. "Kiss me again. . .you fool. . ."
Akira couldn't believe his ears. What was this? Kim wanted him to KISS her? She had to be crazy. "But- I thought we both agreed that-" "Shut up. I told you to kiss me. . ." She added in a cute tone, "A". Akira dropped his precious Recon helmet and placed his hands around Kim's waist. Kim leaned in to the right and closed her eyes slowly. Akira delayed for a split second and leaned in to the left. Right before their lips touched, they heard a blood-curling scream.
The two of them broke their grips from each other and grabbed their helmets from the soil. Kim coughed and winked at Akira. "Later. . .kay?" She smiled and placed her helmet on as she was running toward the scream. Akira smiled too. "Maybe she came around." He said to himself. He threw on his helmet and booked it, following his commander. When he made it to the top of the hill he heard voices that weren't human. He hid in some bushes and turned up his volume inside of his helmet. He heard the continuous screaming, which sounded like it was Aaron. Another second passed and he heard the clear sound of plasma ripping through the air. This was bad. He came out of cover and slid the whole way down the hill.
On his way down the hill he detached his DMR from his back and swayed it to his front side. He tapped the right side of his utility belt and felt his magnum. When he reached the bottom of the hill he rolled and saw a Grunt 50 meters downfield. He scoped and let a bullet rip. Headshot. The grunt spewed it's blue-ish purple guts all over the dry ground. He then searched left with his eyes, and then right. Where there was one Grunt, there were more. Suddenly, he heard the screaming again. He full out sprinted into the direction it was coming from. He jumped over a rock, then noticed that there was no ground beneath his leap. He shouted from the inside of his helmet and braced himself for the thirty foot drop. He dropped his DMR and folded his hands over his chest. He then glided on his back down the rocky hillside. On his way down his legs caved from underneath him, causing him to flip and roll down the hill instead. He smacked off the bottom so suddenly that some of his shields depleted. He grunted as the DMR hit in him in the side of the leg. Dazed, he looked up to see Kim fist-fighting another Grunt. She kicked the plasma pistol out of its hand and it did a little dance. She then punched it in the face consecutively until it fell to the ground. When it was defenseless she breathed heavily and placed her foot over its crotch region. She picked up her magnum and shot it three times in the head. She lowered her arm and removed her leg from the Grunt. She saw Akira slumped on the side of the hill. "Akira! Get off your ass! Aaron is dead!" Kim shouted. "What! How did he-". He then watched as a blue orb floated for countless yards, and soared into the air. "Stick grenade!" Akira screamed at the top of his lungs. Kim somersaulted into a heavily wooded area and Akira dived to his left. He covered the side of his head with his hands. BZZZZTTT—BMMFFF. The grenades explosion sounded like thunder, up close and personal. Over the COM he said. "This is lieutenant commander S-A078, Kilo Team respond!" He lay hidden in the tall grass, listening to his surroundings, listening to his COM. After twenty seconds of waiting he repeated his demand. "This is lieutenant commander S-A078, Kilo Team respond, Damn it!" He received an immediate response. "PSST, this is S-A037, over. I appear to be on higher ground than you. Shit, I just saw one of those Covenant grenades go off on the hillside below me." Akira jumped into the conversation. "Yeah well, fuck. Aaron is KIA. That grenade barely missed Kim and I!" The COM buzzed. "This is S-A093. Akira, are you okay?" Akira breathed heavily. "Thank god you're okay Kim. Oh thank god. . ." Kim replied after a delay. "I'm fine A. Don't have to worry about me, I'm a big girl now, ha". "Guys have you seen Dante, I haven't had any contact with him ever since our initial departure down the hill". Kim added. "Torin what exactly happened when you guys were going down the hill?"
"I was father behind Aaron and Dante but I saw them descending down the hill. They were just walking it. I remember Dante pointing to the north-west and Aaron looked at him funny. Dante gave Aaron a little push and Aaron pulled out his magnum. I watched him disappear into a dense brush, but I saw his outline push forward. Then, suddenly, it vanished and I heard screaming. Dante went in after him. After that I just started firing at Grunts downfield! There were a ton of them!" Kimberly responded. "I saw Aaron dead up there. . .I haven't seen Dante. I ended up firing my assault rifle like a crazy woman, trying to kill everything that moved up there." Akira crouched in the dense brush. "I don't hear anything over by me. And if Dante hasn't responded to us by now on an open COM, chances are he's dead too. Kim sighed into her microphone. "I'm coming down guys, gimme a minute." "Alright Torin. I better call this into command, they'll w-" Akira heard Kim's end go dead. "Kim?" Nothing. "Kimberly! Respond!" Still nothing. Akira listened for any sound coming from where he guessed Kim was hiding. He heard the sound of an Elite shouting. He threw himself up without hesitation and charged toward the sound. He listened closer and heard Kim's armor clashing against another set of armor. He continued to run and listen, run and listen. Finally, he heard no more sound. At that time his body fell out of the brush and he saw a monster, standing directly in front on him. He reached for his magnum and instantly shot the Elite in the hand. The Elite growled and kicked Akira in the torso and he flew into the trunk of a tree. His armor depleted some and his helmet's HUD flickered. He brought his head back up to the Elite who was zeroing in on him. As the Elite got closer he could see a red patch of blood in his left chest plate. Kimberly.
Akira screamed and charged toward the Elite. He snatched his combat knife from its sheath as the Elite plowed his left leg forward. Akira juked to his right and stuck his blade in-between the creature's knee and lower leg. The creature was officially pissed off. Akira rolled between its legs as it threw its arms up into the air. Just then he saw Torin running in a direct collision path. Akira rolled once more and Torin jumped over top of him, landing on the Elites back. He unsheathed his knife and repeatedly stabbed the monster in the spine. The monster reached for S-A037 and snatched his arm, pulling him over his head. Torin used his left hand to pull the pin off a grenade and tossed it directly underneath the Elite. "Not today, pal". He stabbed the Elite in the hand and he rolled to the front of his enemy. The Elite held onto his hand, as Torin jumped into a nearby bush. He heard the grenade explode.
Akira heard the grenade go off just as he found Kim. She was lying on the ground with her helmet, turned over beside her. Akira took off his helmet and put it beside her as well. His nose was bleeding and he could taste iron in his mouth. He bent over top of her. "Kim! Please, Kim!" He neck very slowly moved his direction. He couldn't see he face before. When he saw it, he felt a tear form. "Dear god, Kim. . .Kim. . . we'll make it Kim. You'll make it". He promised her. She grabbed his hand with a smile on her face. "Akira. . .dear. I shouldn't have been kinder to you. You see. . .I've always like you Akira. Ever since the first day I met you. I've been jealous of how smart you were. I liked everything about you. Your hair, your rare smile, all the way down to your shy exterior." She touched his wrist. "Can I have that kiss. . .Akira?" One of his tears fell onto her chest plate. He read her Spartan ID imprinted on her broken shoulder. S-A093. He stared into her eyes. "Yes. . of course." They both closed their eyes and gently touched lips. The short kiss passed and Kim smiled once more at him. "Say, Akira. . .do you know what AWOL stands for?" He paused. " I do not. . ." She giggled, but it only made her cough. "Kim!" She stopped him. "It means away without leave." She smirked, and then paused. "That's how I want you to remember me Akira. . .please do?" Akira wrapped his arms around Kim's cold suit of armor. "You're forgetting something. . ." Kim made a high pitched sound. "What's that?" He smirked as his eyes watered. "Spartans never die. They just go missing in action. . ." Kim smiled and held onto Akira's hand. He watched her smile until he saw her head tilt right and her hand went limp. He then looked at her helmet and picked it up with two hands. "I'll remember you Kim. . ." Torin walked over and patted Akira on the back. Akira tucked Kim's helmet under his arm and picked up his Recon then held it in his other. He stood up and looked at Torin. "Let's get the fuck out of here. . .Let her rest in peace".
7/18/2552, 9:45am Onboard the UNSC Gettysburg
Akira sat on his bunk staring at his locked storage container. Torin was doing sit-ups using his bunk as support for his feet. Akira emptily stared at the floor, not permitting memories to fill his head. They heard a knock at the door.
Torin glanced at Akira then thrusted himself up and walked over to the door. He opened it and there stood Vice Admiral Whitcomb. Akira stood up and saluted, just as Torin did. The Vice Admiral invited himself in, and placed himself directly in front of Akira. He held with him a clipboard.
"Son, your last mission to Sigma Octanus IV resulted in utter failure". "Sir, yes it did sir." Whitcomb stared him in the eyes. "However, if I'm not mistaken, you performed flawlessly." "Sir?" The Vice Admiral elaborated. "You did what you were told to. Your Commander made the wrong calls and wound up getting two of her men killed, not including herself." Akira went quiet. "Lieutenant commander, I guess what I came here to say is that I'm promoting you to Commander. You will fill your deceased Commander's spot. However, there is a catch". Akira was puzzled. "A catch, sir?" "Yes, the catch is that you must form a brand new team. From now on you and S-A037 will abandon Kilo Team, and you will form a new team. Understand?" Akira was speechless. "Sir, yes sir. A team manned by five. How do I know who to recruit?" Whitcomb smiled. "Thus, this clipboard. It has the name of every Spartan III known. It lists all of remaining Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. It will be your job to choose three more Spartan IIIs to accompany you and S-A037. Also, you must choose a team name." Akira thought of how he was replacing Kim, how much of an honor this was. She would be proud. He wished he could have spent more time together, an infinite amount of time with her. Akira's head snapped up. "Sir, I believe I found a name for our Team." The Vice Admiral raised an eyebrow. "Already now? What shall it be Commander?" Akira was sure of this. From now on, he fought to make Kim proud. He fought to avenge his fallen comrade, his dearest beloved. This was just getting personal. "Sir, I will command, Infinity Team." "Hmm. . .Infinity huh? I like that. Very well Commander. I will leave you to your choosing of Spartans. Good luck." And like that, he was gone. Akira flipped through the pages of the chart. Torin sat down on the bunk next to him. Akira lightly laughed. "What's so funny, man?" Akira closed the clipboard and looked at Kim's helmet sitting on his shelf. "There are currently ninety-three Spartan IIIs from Alpha Company still alive." He paused. "Irony's a bitch."