Standing Alone

Disclaimer: I do not own Halo.

He smiled as the sun glimmered off his black armor. He was one of the Prophets proudest legions of warriors. He was Drauk. He was an Elite. Before him laid his squad. He had two grunts in the standard yellow armor. They breathed in their methane gas as they looked around. They both had plasma pistols. He also had a Brute who was willing to hurt anyone just for a fight. That would make him perfect for this battle. He also had several Jackals with him for defense. It was an important mission according to the Prophet. He was going to try and attack a ship that was being sent to a colony they were going to try and take over. The dropship dropped off two Ghosts with separate Elite's in each and a Wrath. How he loved to have heavy weapons at his side. They were the most convenient for wiping the floor with groups of humans. Oh how he loved to battle them. They could get dangerous when backed into a corner, but so far they were the strongest opponent the Covenant had faced so far. He made sure that the plasma rifle and pistol he carried had maximum battery power. He didn't want to go into battle with less than satisfactory killing. He didn't acre if he had to sacrifice his squad to do it either. He clicked a button on his wrist pad and he faded into the surroundings. He had a job to open the gate. His squad waited in a crater that had been made by a human explosive. He sent the Ghost and Wrath forward. The human base was thrown into a frenzy. He began running. The gate to the camp was open. He lunged. He hit the metal bars as it closed. He landed flat on his stomach. He was glad he did. Humans poked the barrel of their loud guns through the bars and opened fired. The Wrath couldn't do much. If it fired that close, it would take itself in the blast. The Ghost's fired. The blue plasma burnt through the bars. There was an explosion as the Wrath blew. The Elites in the Ghosts roared. They fired more plasma. Several of the humans fell. Their red blood splattered everywhere.
It even got on Drauk's armor. The humans looked at the floating blood. Before they could react, the Ghosts whizzed passed Drauk, the plasma cannons mounted on them whined. The plasma tore through their defenses. So much for slipping in to place a bomb in the facility. He turned off his camouflage and readied his plasma rifle. He barked an order. His squad came out of the crater and charged. The Grunts barked and whined.
"Shut up and fire you weaklings." The Grunts nodded and fired off their plasma pistols. He didn't see why he was assigned such weak creatures. They were only good in groups. With only two it was like having a plasma pistol versus a god. He turned to look at the Jackals as they held off the human weaponry.
"Good work. Hold them off longer. Me and Ragar will try and get to the human ship." Ragar, the Brute, and Drauk ran off. The human ship had "Raider 4" painted in black on its side. The Covenant would never have defiled their ships with such words. It was wrong to name anything that wasn't living. The humans would be dead, so why name them. He was proud as the Ghosts escorted them to the ship. One turned suddenly to fire on a group of humans. He recognized one of them carrying a heavy weapon. He had seen it before. It fired something that trailed smoke and exploded on contact. The Ghost fired its plasma cannons, taking a few of the human's lives. The human with the heavy weapons fired twice. The Ghost was thrown in the air, the metal torn to shreds. The Elite inside fell in a pool of its own blood.
"NOOOOO." The Elite rushed into the group of marines. There loud weapons bounced off his body shield. He didn't even feel it. He turned to the one armed with the heavy weapon. His plasma rifle whined as it pierced holes into the human who fell in a pool of their sickly colored blood. "Kill them all." Ragar flung the marines around like they were Grunts. He slammed them into one another and heard several cracking noises. Most of them screamed in pain. That didn't stop him from shooting them. It wasn't mercy. It was his hatred for them. He turned to the Brute. "Good work Ragar." The Brute nodded as it accepted the compliment. The second Ghost fired its plasma cannons into the ship and burnt through. Drauk took a look back. His squad was surrounding the hole the Ghost had made. They were going to protect him or face the prophet. Drauk's plasma rifle fired and took several of the humans down before they could take out their weapons. The ship was lit brightly.
He didn't like it.
"Let's find the engine and blow this ship. We don't want to have to face the Prophet."
"If we do, it's your fault for killing everything you see and wasting battery," Ragar commented. The Elite was beginning to hate the breed they had just taken over. The Brutes lived for battle, but had no courtesy for their commanders. Even the Grunts respected their commanders like good soldiers, even though they were basically their to distract the humans. He looked at one of the signs planted on the wall. He couldn't read the scribble that the humans called writing. It looked messy to him. He took a guess at what it said. It showed an arrow.
"This way."
"Have the Prophets not taught you the human language. If they did you'd know that says Bridge. We're looking for the engine. Now tell me how the Bridge will lead us to the engines." Drauk felt his grip tighten around handle of the plasma rifle. How dare Ragar talk to him like that? He had chosen Ragar for this mission thinking he would be an asset. The Brute tossed several humans against the walls. He could hear the human's spinal cords crack as they slammed against the wall hard.

Nagag looked at the oncoming humans. He fired his plasma pistol and watched humans fall like the small flying creatures they had on the marsh like world. How he longed to go there again. The Elite in the Ghost barked commands. The Jackals were ordered forward. It was a while before all stops attacked. He barked in his happiness. He overlooked what was in the distance. Three figures shadowed as the sun lay behind them. Then they heard a bang. The Elite in the Ghost fell out. He had a smoking hole in his helmet. One of the Jackals picked up what the humans called a bullet. It had been turned into a small cap. One of the Jackals climbed into the Ghost. He wasn't suited for this kind of thing but it would learn, hopefully. Nagag barked as the three figures in the distance fired. There was the familiar roar of the human's fast firing weapon. There were two unfamiliar gun shots. Those guns shots tore through the flesh of the Jackals. Nagag barked along with his friend Bwawa. The two ran into the hole the Ghost had put into the ship. There was another unfamiliar gunshot and Bwawa fell next to him. Covered in a pool of his own blue blood. He would've stayed to mourn but he had his own life at stake. He ran deeper into the ship, not knowing where he was going. He heard the whine of the Ghosts cannon and then a human gunshot. The whining stopped and Nagag ran faster.

Ragar and Drauk crept down the hall further when they heard the roar of human guns. The bullets bounced off Drauk's body shield. Several bullets pierced Ragar and threw him into a frenzy. He charged. He could hear the humans cry out as several them fired into Ragar as he picked two humans up and swung them around. Their buddies continued to shoot Ragar. It wasn't like he was sad though.
"Good bye Ragar. I knew you well." With a smile he ran off. His plasma pistol clacked as he ran. He hoped that his squad was doing good to secure the exit. It was the only way off this ship or commit suicide. He looked at another sign. Without Ragar, he was on his own. He could here heavy footsteps of boots as the humans in the ship ran around. It would be a matter of time before they found him. He couldn't read human. He knew there was no hope of reaching the engines now. All he could was stand his ground. This is what several of the Elites called Standing Alone. They had done it many times before and had become guards of the Prophet. Maybe he would receive such an award. He saw the humans and began firing. Several of the humans fell. He felt his plasma rifle shiver and stop firing. He checked the battery to find it wasted. He took up his plasma pistol. He wouldn't let the humans take him alive. He saw their shadows. Out of no where he heard the familiar sound of plasma being fired. He held up his plasma pistol in case it was a human trick. Some humans could be like that, making plans that not even he could be prepared for.
He heard the cries of humans. Drauk's plasma pistol was at ready. He wasn't gonna take the chance of a human armed with a plasma weapons coming around the corner. Instead of a human, he saw a Grunt. It was Nagag. He could tell by the way he trembled after killing someone or something. Nagag approached Drauk.
"Are you okay sir?"
"Yes Nagag, I am fine. Now why are you here? Why aren't you with the squad?" Nagag hesitated a moment. His hesitation was all Drauk needed for an answer. "Let's get off this ship and get back to our base. If we don't the humans will overrun us." Drauk led Nagag what he thought was the way back. They faced off against several groups of humans armed with their common rapid firing weapons. He would be surprised if they could make anything else. They had reached the hole. Drauk took a peak. Purple-blue blood was spilt everywhere. His squad lay scattered everywhere. It was unbelievable. The humans had done this. He took two shields from the Jackals and slapped them on Nagag's arms.
"What are these for sir?"
"Well we're gonna make a run for the Ghost. It seems to still be operational and functioning. While on it, you're going to protect my sides."
"What about me sir?"
"What about you?"
"Well I was wondering how I was gonna protect myself if I'm protecting you." Drauk was annoyed with all this ignorance.
"Listen here Grunt. Isn't it better to die for the Prophets proudest or for your own selfish reasons?" Nagag knew not to answer. Before he knew it, he was swept off his feet and placed on the back of the Ghost. He stretched his arms and turned on the shields. The cockpit of the Ghost was now fully protected. Drauk turned on the systems. One of the Ghosts mounted plasma cannons was dysfunctional. He would have to deal with that loss. He started it up and rushed it forward. They were near the gate when four humans emerged. Nagag recognized three of them. The fourth one must've been the one hiding that had killed Bwawa. Anger filled him. He looked at the Elite and then to the humans. Either way he was gonna die. He jumped off the Ghost and turned off one of the shields. He reached for the plasma pistol. By the time his stubby fingers touched the handle, a roar went off and he found himself in the methane gas filled marsh world that was his home world. He had wanted to be here for so long. Now he had reached it.
Drauk looked back.
"Fool." Now his sides were unguarded. He pressed the Ghost forward. There was a roar of gunfire and the Ghost engines blew. Drauk flew from the cockpit. He picked himself up and hid behind the Ghost. He fired from beside and stopped as they fired. He wouldn't last long like this. It was only a matter of time before they got him. "Damn them all. May the gods smite them with their power and let them become the slaves of the Covenant at my sacrifice." He let out one last battle roar and charged. His plasma pistol fired rapidly at the humans. Every shot seemed to miss. He swung at the closest one. It moved swifter than any human he had ever seen. Then he heard the click of a gun being pointed at him. One of the humans spoke.
"Remember this Covenant. Remember the day the Furies took your life. Let this be a message to your kind." There was gunshot and Drauk found himself in a big white space. What had happened? He looked down. He could see the grassland where he was last. The Ghost lay unhurt. He could see his body hanging limply out the side of the Ghost. Purple blood streamed and stained the grass. He knew what had happened. He had come so close to his mission yet had failed. Hopefully the gods would forgive his failure.