Briefing room aboard a UNSC Frigate.
"Here are the mission parameters. You are going to drop in to a secure landing zone and clear the area of all Covenant forces, so we can land the main force to retake the planet." The captain explained as he looked at them from the screen above.
"What's the size of the Covenant forces that remain on the planet, Sir?" One of the younger asked as he looked up from his MA5 Assault Rifle.
Slowly the captain scanned the room, glancing at the ODSTs, checking to see which had their helmets on and the ones who didn't, before looking back up at the map, "We're seeing the amount of Covenant forces on the ground as manageable."
A few of the ODST's looked at one another and through their internal helmet coms, they talked quietly, "That means they have no idea."
The captain looked at all of them and bowed to them as a sign of respect, "Good luck Helljumpers and Godspeed."
The squad was dismissed as they all headed for their pods, their Glorified coffins, which would drop them to the planet below. Hopefully all would drop safely, but there was always the chance of a pod failing and the poor trooper inside being turned into chunky salsa.
"Saeko your pulse is elevated and vitals are racing, is there something bothering you?" A voice asked through her helmet.
The ODST stopped in her tracks and bowed her head, "Sometimes I wonder why..." She stopped in mid-sentence and looked at the screens. "There's something wrong Aura. I just have a bad feeling about this drop. You know as well as I do, that they are never wrong." She then drew the Katana from her waist and held it so the blade was resting in her hands.
"Why do you carry an ancient weapon like that around?" Aura wondered.
She didn't answer and sheathed her sword and walked to her quarters where she knelt down and entered a meditative trance. The sword had been passed down in her family for the last millennia, it was held by her family's warriors and carried as a sign of honor.
Fifteen years ago on a small Outer Colony world.
"Saeko hold the sword straight with both hands." Her father explained as he readied the training sword in her hands, as he looked up to hear sirens going off.
When without warning, the planet came under attack by the alien forces known as the Covenant. Thousands of fighters came down in strafing runs, burning all in their path. A few seconds later all of the defensive batteries opened up and the planetary defense fighters took off to engage.
Her father pushed her back towards the house. "Run Saeko!" Once they were inside he barricaded her in a corner and grabbed their family sword. He clicked it open and the familiar ring sounded in the air, as he drew the sword and prepared to defend his home and his daughter.
For a while it was quiet, but the sound of Covenant plasma fire drew closer and closer to their home. Suddenly the hissing crack of a half dozen Energy Swords being activated.
Her father kissed her forehead and replaced the barrier. "Shh, stay quiet and stay hidden." Slowly he walked towards the wooden door and slid it open.
Outside the house several Grunts were walking around sniffing the air and shrieking to each other in their high pitched voices as they breathed in the methane gases in their packs, before pointing at the door.
The Elite major looked up at the door and charged it and with a slash of his sword, he walked through it into the house as he noticed Saeko's father.
"Human prepare to die!" The Elite hollered in its deep guttural voice and raised its sword for the kill.
"Leave now or I will be forced to harm you!" Saeko's father said calmly as he readied his own sword defensively.
For several minutes the Elite stood there laughing, but then he turned to his subordinates, "Do not interfere, this is my fight. " With that order he charged the human with an uppercut.
Saeko's father brought down his sword to slash against the Elites chest but it was blocked with a defensive parry. Moving from the failed attack he spun around slashing the Elite's back, throwing him to the ground.
This human knows just as much about the ways of the sword, as I do. He thought as he swung the two-pronged sword in a 180 degree arc behind him to catch the human off-guard. To the Elites surprise, though his blade was blocked as the human caught his blade in between the two prongs. A split second later the human removed his blade and stuck it in the gap of his armor, the attack dropped him to one knee.
The Elite grunted as the sword was pulled out, "You have won human. He bowed and shouted to his forces and they left, as he followed slowly limping behind them, but he collapsed and they kept going without him
Saeko came out from behind the barrier and looked up at her father, "How did you win that battle? Elites are very skilled warriors and know the ways of the sword, just as much as we do."
He smiled at her and held her in his arms. "I won because of my smaller size and because I have lived and trained by the sword, since I was younger then you are now."
Fifteen years later, present day October 31st, 2552. Aboard the UNSC Frigate Hunter's Moon.
Saeko broke herself out of the trance and lifted up the sword, its dark silver blade was stained purple from the duel from long ago. "Father I will make you proud and uphold our family's Honor."
The intercom sounded, breaking her out of her memory as she looked towards it, "Five minutes till drop, all ODSTs to your pods."
Below on the planet's surface.
Large figures moved through the trees, their fur waving in the wind. The only sounds being made were the sounds of their heavy breathing and the sound of their feet crushing branches. The leader barked and began to speak. "Spread out you whelps, the humans will be arriving soon."
UNSC Frigate Hunter's Moon.
"All pods Drop!" With that order sixteen ODST SOEIVs headed for the surface at terminal velocity, their black shells heating up to a burning red as they tore through the outer atmosphere.
Saeko switched to an open comm channel, sighing before addressing them "Alright Helljumpers we're jumping into Hell today, what's our motto?"
At first no one answered but soon fifteen voices simultaneously shouted, "Feet first into Hell!"
She smiled to herself and closed her comm. They were falling in their Glorified metal coffins. Most ODSTs would rather die on the battlefield, but they all know they could die before even hitting the ground. It wasn't that it couldn't happen, it was just very rare that it did.
Planet's surface.
After a few minutes of rough turbulence all sixteen pods safely hit the ground with loud crashes. Saeko had barely gotten out of her pod when she heard, "Warriors Attack!" She reopened her comm and shouted, "Ambush!" as she opened fire with her silenced submachinegun.
Bullets, spikes, and plasma fire came from every direction as her ODSTs had landed into what seemed to be a planned trap. She saw two of them using one of the pods for cover but a bright blue flash went off directly above them and then they were gone, leaving only charred dirt and melted metal.
"Commander behind you!" An ODST shouted as he fired bursts into the trees, hoping for a hit or growl of pain.
She spun around with superhuman speed and brought her rifle between the Brute's eyes and fired a small burst, as brain, armor and flesh spewed from the back of his head covering the tree behind him.
"Frag out!" Another ODST hollered as he pulled the pins and threw them. After a few seconds the blasts from both grenades leveled a few trees and took out a few Brutes as well.
Across the LZ a few Brutes were firing as fast as their weapons would let them but their shields quickly failed and in a fury of anger they dropped their weapons and rushed forward. Not caring who was in their way as they smacked a couple of ODSTs into the trees, loud cracks following the impacts as the two troopers lay still.
She flipped her comm on and shouted, "This is Commander Saeko, I need immediate assistance, I'm running low on ammo and I am being overrun!"
"Let's go, the Commanders in trouble!" Four of the ODSTs screamed as they broke from cover laying down a wave of fire in front of them, sprinting to her location and crouching down in a diamond around her.
One of them handed her a few mags and looked at Saeko as she depolarized her visor, "Ma'am were all that's left." The marine said slowly and loaded another mag into her M6S Socom.
Saeko lowered her head speaking to herself, I've lost most of my marine's already... She was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of several MA5 Assault rifles firing in all directions.
The four other ODSTs were firing at what they could see while dodging slightly from stray plasma bursts and spikes. They threw grenades and dodged plasma grenades, leaving only charred ground behind them.
But once again her ammo ran dry, the only thing left to do was draw her sword and charge the Brutes. She jumped over a burst of plasma rounds and landed with her sword cleaving a Brute in two. Another came at her with its claws but in that instant time slowed down almost seeming to stop, what was known as Spartan Time. Saeko dodged the attack and brought her sword down across its chest and with her enhanced strength shoved her sword through its chest and lifted it off the ground throwing into several others who seemed to be standing still. Running as fast as she could, dodging their slower moving attacks and swiftly decapitated both of them. When time returned to normal she looked around and her surviving ODSTs were gone.
Saeko collapsed to her knees. "Saeko there are no other UNSC Signatures detected, I'm sorry they're all gone." Aura said sadly a holographic tear falling down the side of her face.
A wheezing voice came over the comm, "Com...Commander over...over here."
She got up and ran for the voice and crouched down beside her, "Alexis are you still with me?" Saeko wondered as she removed their helmets. A large gash was crossing Alexis' face from her forehead down to the base of her neck, with a burst of spikes resting in her thigh. She quickly pulled out her medkit and began to apply the Bio foam. "Aura give me her vitals."
"Her vitals are BP is 60/35, breathing 8 bpm, Pulse 40. She has suffered 45 percent blood loss and the wounds are hemorrhaging." Aura said calmly as she looked at the wounded ODST through Saeko's helmet.
Saeko nodded and began to wipe away the blood from her Alexis' face, when she started to gasp for air.
"She's going into cardiac arrest, start CPR!" Aura shouted.
Immediately Saeko started CPR, pushing down on Alexis' chest and applying mouth to mouth, before checking for any signs of breathing. After several minutes of CPR, Alexis didn't wake up and Saeko stopped trying as she closed Alexis' eyes and put her hands on her chest. "Goodbye Alexis you were an outstanding marine and a great friend."
She replaced her helmet and stood up, opening the comm to the ship, "Hunter's Moon this is Commander Akashiya do you read me?"
"Commander Akashiya this is Captain Archer, we read you loud and clear. What's the situation down there?"
"We were ambushed upon arrival. I am the only survivor, requesting a pelican with a fire team for body retrieval."
The line was quiet for a few minutes, "Is the area clear?"
Aura decided now was the time, "Captain the area is secure, no Covenant within a klick."
Five minus later a fully armed Pelican dropship landed in the clearing, with a fully armed fire team to provide security. Saeko helped the medics load the bodies while trying to keep her composure.
A young Sergeant walked up to her, "I'm sorry Commander."
"Thank you Sergeant, get them back to the ship, they are going home."
"Yes Ma'am" He saluted and ordered the marines back into the pelican and stood on the edge of the landing ramp as they lifted off.
Once the pelican was out of sight she continued on mission, heading deeper into the forest. It seemed familiar as she ran through, dodging rocks and fallen branches, leaping over dead trees. The forest seemed to never end as she moved through it, as she eventually reaching a ravine. Grabbing one of the hanging vines she swung over and landed on a ledge.
"There's a path to the right, it will lead us through faster than climbing the cliff." Aura stated as she placed a marker on Saeko's HUD.
Saeko nodded and followed the path right, hugging the cliff as she entered the cave. Switching visor modes and continued on, letting her HUD map the area as she walked. Stopping against a wall, she looked around for any signs of hostiles but there were none.
Eventually she could see a light and raced for it walking into the early rising sun's rays. But what she saw in front of her, she couldn't believe. There were bodies everywhere, but they weren't human, they were all Covenant. Most of them were bodies of Elites and of Brutes.
"Aura what the hell happened here?"
"I don't know, Saeko. There's a contact a hundred meters north in the building on the left but it isn't moving."
Saeko drew her sidearm and slowly moved against the wall, the marker on her HUD drew closer and closer and was eventually on the other side of the wall. She grabbed the handle on the door and pulled it open, rushing into the room, but inside lay only bodies. A dozen Brutes lay dead along with three Elites, but the marker was the Elite propped against the wall.
"He is alive but just barely."
She crouched next to him and looked around before turning back to the Elite. He indeed was alive but his breathing was slow and heavy and he had multiple wounds all over his body. "It looks like the Brutes turned on the Elites." Saeko said as she looked to his side and saw his Plasma Rifle or what was left of it anyway. An idea hit her and she grabbed the Elite under his arms and dragged him out of the building, to under a tall tree.
Saeko sealed up his wounds with Biofoam, which helped his breathing and then she buried his comrades and placed their swords on top as grave markers.
"What are his vitals?"
"They're low but he is going to make it."
Before she applied anymore medical care, she removed all of his remaining weapons. As she was applying bandages and removing shrapnel from his body, he woke up long enough to say. "What are you..." before passing out again.
The Elite woke up a few hours later and looked at her strangely, "Who are you?"
"Commander Saeko Akashiya of the UNSC, What is your name?"
"I am Ro' Vadam." He looked down at himself noticing all of the white bandages covering his body and again looked at her, "Did you do this?" He asked pointing to the bandages.
"Yes I did, I came over here to eliminate any hostile forces but when I arrived, I only saw the slaughter."
Ro' bowed his head, "Those vile beasts ambushed us. Hmm 3 on 12, an interesting fight it was. But in the end we won for I was last standing, but I thought I was going to die from my injuries. And for that I owe you my life." He managed to sit up and bowed to her, "I will follow and help you till death take me or you release me from my debt."
Saeko stood and bowed in return, "I accept Ro' Vadam."
He noticed the weapon on her waist and looked up at her, "Ms. Akashiya what is that weapon you have on your belt?"
She smiled, "Saeko please and it is a Japanese Katana, this sword has been handed down in my family for over 500 years and I have lived by the sword since I was very little."
He chuckled to himself, "Many years ago, I heard of a member of my Sangheili brethren being beaten in one on one combat by a human who used a sword like that, do you know of this story?"
"Yes I do, the man was my father and we were allowed to live because he won."
His mandibles clicked together as he said, "I am sure you are just as fine a warrior if not better."
She nodded and switched to her internal comlink, "Aura have you heard of this 'debt' subject with Elites before? It sounds awfully familiar to the Honor code of the Samurai."
"Yes it is very similar, to be precise it is almost exact and he will not break his vow, to break the vow is to lose his honor. He will follow you anywhere and do anything asked." Aura responded as if she had it memorized.
He won't break his vow, he'll follow me anywhere. Hmm well at least I'll have backup for a while. Where do we go though, this mission was supposed to be 16 men, not two soldiers but were going to have to get it done. Saeko's thoughts were all over the place as she looked over at Ro, he was simply sitting there with his legs crossed as if he was meditating.
What are your thoughts right now? She mentally asked as she watched him.
His thoughts were of his actions when the Brutes ambushed them.
Eight hours earlier while on patrol.
As they walked Ro looked at his brothers. Zar was their Major, he had fought in many battles and the smaller Elite was Shael. For only being a Minor, Shael was extremely skilled in the ways of the sword.
They walked their patrol as they had for weeks now. Rechecking each Human dwelling again and again until the area was secure.
Shael looked up at his taller brothers, "A Human vessel has entered the system."
"Soon they will try to retake this world and we will be ready for them, but one ship will not be enough." Zar responded as he checked a courtyard.
A rustle of leaves caused all three of them to turn and raise their weapons. Zar placed his Plasma Rifle on his hip and drew his Energy Swords, holding them defensively as the three inched closer to the bushes.
"Show yourselves!" Zar ordered as Shael and Ro got into position flanking the bushes ready to charge when the order was given. The bushes rustled as the only answer to his order, but they could see large figures moving behind them. The three Elites raised their weapons again and was going to open fire as a large group of Brutes walked out.
They were grunting with heavy breathes looking around them as their chieftain walked up to Zar, his gravity hammer in his hands. "Sangheili you are jumpy, do you not recognize your allies?"
Zar laughed, "Allies? You Jiralhanae would sooner remove us as you would anyone else in your way."
There's something going on here, there are too many Brutes for a patrol. Ro thought as he shifted his shoulders, raising his rifles, ready to fire if the order was given.
The Chieftain raised his hammer and barked, "The Prophets have ordered that the Elites be removed from the Covenant and the Galaxy!"
There was a few moments of silence before the pack of Brutes opened fire on the Elites, their shields flaring up as they were taking damage.
"Brothers defend yourselves!" Zar roared as he charged the pack, his swords cutting through bodies, slashing fur and flesh from their bones.
A barrage of Spikes slammed into Ro's shields bringing them down to 40 percent. His plasma rifles were scorching hot as they were releasing their deadly plasma, quickly busting through the Brutes shields and burring through to their bones.
The Brutes started a dozen to three but within only a few minutes there six of them left and we three are still standing. Are we that skilled or are they seeming to be so weak? Zar wondered as his sword carved its way through another Brute.
"How are you Elites beating us, we outnumbered you Four-to-One and we're losing!?" The Chieftain hollered as his Gravity Hammer slammed into the wall, taking out a huge chunk of permacrete.
Zar dodged another hammer strike, but as he spun around a Brute's brute shot blade slammed into his chest and the rifle in his other hand opened up, sending flesh and armor plating against the wall.
"Zar!" Shael screamed in anger as he charged a pair of Brutes with his bare hands. He swung his armored fist as fast as he could into the Brutes, they blocked as best as they could but the Elite's smaller form made him more agile as more and more blows landed at their marks. He jumped and spin kicked one in its head, a dull thwack followed suit as the Brutes neck snapped and the body fell to the ground limp.
But fighting with his fists would only get him so far as three of the remaining Brutes opened fire with their plasma rifles and spikers, Shael's shields were quickly overrun as they crackled out, leaving his exposed armor and flesh. But the armor did nothing to stop the hits as they impacted, leaving burns and spikes sticking out of his body. Shael dropped to his knees as he looked at Ro, Ro looked back noticing the tear fall from his eye as a Brute's blade ended his life.
Goodbye brother, you faught bravely. Ro thought as he drove his Energy Sword through a Brutes skull. There now remained only Ro and the Chieftain.
"Only one remains, you Elites are worthless fighters." The Chieftain chuckled.
"Worthless? You started with twelve Brutes now only you remain. I believe that gives us great worth. Now are you ready to die or will you run like a coward?" Ro laughed as he picked up Zar's fallen sword.
Raising them defensively, he backed up and looked into the Chieftain's eyes, but all he could see was pure hatred and anger. "Are you ready to die Jiralhanae?"
The brute shifted its shoulders and raised its hammer, "You are going to die and I will survive to tell the prophets of your heresy." Slamming the hammer straight down in front of them as he finished.
Shockwaves from the hammer spread out as Ro jumped into the air, his body curled up and swords close as he landed in a crouch. A sly smile crossed his face as he moved faster than the Chieftain had ever seen as both swords slashed up his back.
Gahhh, you'll pay for that you insect! The Chieftain charged again, slamming the hammer against the wall hoping to crush the Elite, but the attack was barely dodged as the shockwave struck his shields as they crackled out. "You're vulnerable...Now you will die!" He shouted and swung the hammer like it was as light as air. Ro dodged as many of the attacks as he could and blocked others that were too close.
Ro was almost walking around the Brute, even though they are roughly the same height he is smaller and faster which allows him to deliver quick slashes against the Brute's unshielded body. He moved to slow though as he was pushed against the wall by a massive fist. Looking up he could see the hammer being raised and he placed both swords in a cross above him to protect his body, but when the hammer fell the blast wave sent Ro to the ground and sent the Chieftain backwards.
Knowing the swords were useless he held up his plasma rifle to block the next strike. Watching as the hammer struck the rifle, all they saw next was a bright blue flash as they were engulfed in flames, Ro's shields taking most of the damage to only leave them crackling. But the Chieftain was dead with the front half of his body completely charred. It looks like I win, brothers your deaths have been avenged. Ro smiled and passed out due to his injuries.