I never expected this to happen, hell, we never even expected the Covenant.
The UNSC had been at war with the Covenant, at least, that's what we called them, for several years now. I had enlisted, much to my family's distress, just before Reach was invaded. I trained to be a Navy pilot, I had always wanted to fly Pelicans. It looked so damn easy, and fun. Damn was I wrong. I mean yeah I passed through training with flying colors, was even asked to fly Longswords for the UNSC Marines, but I turned down the offer, really liked my Pelican. Point is it wasn't easy, or fun. Well, that's not entirely true, it definitely was fun, even when it was boring, though it was hell during a mission, but when you came back, damn, you'd laugh your ass off at all the ridiculous things you thought. I mean, nothing is more exhilarating then to be shot at without result. And then you'd get all somber and quiet, especially when you were the first back. You'd be sitting there in the hangar bay for several minutes, each one like an eternity, waiting for your wing men to come in. Sometimes, they didn't, and that made you all the quieter. Last mission we went on was quiet, all hush-hush, Navy didn't even tell us the whole damn story right about ten minutes before we left. And even then you knew they were leaving things out, important things.
They had been calling it a routine mission, but fuck it, everything is routine until the bullets start flying, once that happens, nothing ever goes by the book. The brass had told us to suit up, make sure our birds were in fine order, fueled up and loaded. Said we were going to drop a contingent of Marines at a nearby OP. Then when I was just about to load up into my Pelican I noticed there were 5 Spartans in the Hangar bay, all quiet, sittin' there, keeping their thoughts to themselves, one of 'em was sharpening a knife, like he was working off his nerves. But I had never thought of Spartans as being human, so I couldn't fathom him trying to work off pre-battle nerves. I shook my head at the thought and kept walking to my bird. When I looked up I saw my buddy Ken standing outside my Pelican in his flight suit. He tilted towards the Spartans.
"You think we're transporting them?"Ken asked.
"Damn, I hope not." I replied looking over to the five Spartans.
"Yeah? Why's that?" He inquired.
"Fuck Ken, if I got shot down and my bird didn't make it, killed all five Spartans, I might've just lost the war for us." I said.
"Shit, you really think these Spartans are that good, huh?"
"Have you seen them fight?" I asked. "I was flying this here Pelican as Air support, saw one of 'em, ONE of 'em, damn near kill an entire company of Jackals. Tell me that if we lose these five guys there won't be serious implications."
"Alright, you've made your point, only thing you've done though is made me nervous."
I laughed at that, "We've got nothing to worry about I'm sure, we'll be behind friendly lines the whole damn time."
"That's another thing I wanted to ask you about." Ken said.
I was a little intrigued, Ken scratched his left forearm, where he had this really pale white scar. He'd crashed during flight school and a piece of the console almost tore his arm apart. He only ever scratched his scar when he was nervous. And hell he was scratching it now.
"You think-" He started, "I-We-You think they're telling the truth? I mean, first they tell us that we're taking a small group of marines to the frontlines. Which I thought was legitimate, but shouldn't they be here by now?" He leaned forward, "I mean we're due to leave in fifteen minutes. Not to mention that there are five Spartans sitting in our Hangar Bay right now. Shit Kieran, our Pelicans are the only two aircraft not in repairs or stored below deck. Now tell me something's not going on." He leaned back against my Pelican arms crossed.
I thought about it for a moment, looked around, noticed, for the first time, the bay was empty, 'cept for those Spartans and our Pelicans.
"Ok, you may be right," I said "But comon the brass wouldn't lie to us, maybe they just slipped up the message, wrote 'Rines stead of Spartans."
Ken turned around and stared out the hangar bay into the world beyond, "Damnit, you can't accpet the facts huh." Ken laughed.
I chuckled to myself, "I guess not, let's call it blind obedience?"
Suddenly I heard a slight cough behind me, Ken and I whirled around to see the five Spartans standing right beside us. I felt my heart beating much faster than normal. I stared in shock, how could five men and women, wearing armor that weighed about as much as my Pelican walk so silently?
"Shit! What the fuck man! What's with the silence!" Ken yelled.
"I'm sorry, we didn't mean to alarm you," one of them said. "You about ready to go?"
"Uh, y-y-yeah," I stammered, "L-let me just grab my helmet."
I ran over to the work bench picked up my helmet and put it on, running back I saluted. "Ready to go sir."
He returned the salute and followed me into the Pelican. I shook my head as I remembered I had just saluted someone of a lower rank. Then again, these guys had so many medals, their chests were practically covered. Then I realized something. I stopped in front of the troop bay door and turned to face the Spartan. "Wait, why two Pelicans?" I asked "You only need one to take you five to the front. So what's the point?"
Then out of nowhere four UNSC marines showed up. "Hey, don't forget us!" One of them shouted as they jogged across the expanse of the Hangar bay. I looked over at Ken and smirked.
"What'd I tell you Ken, The Brass don't lie to us." I teased.
"Aw Shut up Kieran." He said.
The lead Spartan turned to me "Who do you want to fly to the LZ?" He asked.
"Marines," I said almost instantly, "No offense sir, I'd just be nervous flying you five to the front."
The Spartan went to scratch his head, then remembered his helmet was in the way and lowered his hand to his side. "They didn't tell you yet? We're not goin' to the front, you're taking us behind enemy lines."
I sighed "I don't want to hear it Ken," I said as I put my hand up.
"Alright, but I did tell you."
The Spartan nodded to me and walked over to Ken's Pelican as Ken climbed into the cockpit. I looked over to the Marines, they had just showed up, and paused a moment to catch their breath. Then one of them looked up, "Cpl. Williams, sir." He saluted. I returned their salute and climbed into the cockpit, the Marines followed me into the Troop Bay and strapped in. I gunned the engines up and turned my mic on.
"Welcome to Reach International Air, I'll be your pilot this afternoon. For those of you with our frequent flier program you'll be getting two hundred points this afternoon. I also want to remind you that the UNSC designates this as a Smoke-Free Pelican. Please buckle in back there and lift your trays up, as we'll be taking off shortly."
I smiled as I heard the marines laugh in the back. I eased up on the throttle and lifted the Pelican off the Hangar Bay deck. I looked across at Ken as he did the same, he looked over and waved at me, we turned simultaneously to face the hangar bay exit. I led the way out as Ken followed. I heard the comm system beep in my ear as Ken opened a channel between us.
"Hey Kieran, just wanted to point out you owe me a fucking c-note when we get back."
"Fuck Ken, touch my wallet and I'll kill you."
"Roger that Phantom."
"Shut up Ghost and watch what you're doing."
"I see my altimeter Phantom, I know what I'm doing."
"Yeah, right, you're just about five feet off the Hangar deck."
"Just lead us out of the bay."
In response I pushed the throttle to the max and left Ken behind. Laughing as I watched Ken's Pelican struggle behind me, we had upgraded our birds separately. I had gone for speed and control, he went for the dual nose gun and reinforced plating. I left him behind in the Hangar as I exited the Carrier and entered Reach's atmosphere. I looked around for hostiles, even though I knew it was unlikely seeing as I had just left a UNSC carrier, but hell, you never knew, right? As I looked around the chin gun on my Pelican moved with me.
"Hey, Ghost, where'd ya go?" I asked.
"Phantom, make one more joke about my Pelican being slow and I will ram you." He replied.
"Yeah, if you can catch me." I laughed into the intercom.
"Damn you Phantom."
Out of nowhere I heard a screech as a Longsword passed by extremely close on either side of me. Rocking my Pelican a little bit. I heard a feminine voice over the channel as one of the Longsword pilots connected. I heard Ken curse silently as he fought to steady his craft.
"Morning boys, what brings you out of the Hangar on this fine day?" chimed the Longsword pilot as she came back up on my right.
"What the fuck Anne?" I yelled. I heard the marines laughing in the back, they were in the channel too? When'd they join?
"Dammit Anne, I'm still trying to steady my plane!" Ken shouted.
"What, I can't have a little fun?" Anne asked. "Besides, it's your own damn fault for adding two times the amount of armor. Makes your pelican damn heavy, and hard to maneuver."
"Thank you!" I exclaimed.
"Dammit Kieran, I'm going to hit you so hard when we get back in." Ken said.
"Hey Anne, who's the other guy?" I asked.
"Who, her?" she replied, " She's the new girl, say hello to you best friend Kieran, she'll be following you around all of the time."
"I already have a wingman," I pointed out, " as slow as he is."
"Dammit Kieran!" Ken interjected.
I heard laughter over the comms as the other Longsword pilot laughed.
"Pleased to meet you Kieran, name's Jess." She laughed.
I looked over to my right and saw Jess wave at me. I nodded to her and looked forward again. Checking my mission clock I saw that we were only five minutes out. Damn, we had a long way to go still.
"Kieran, don't you have manners?" Anne asked.
"Wha-, oh sorry Jess, I just realized how much further we have to go. Kinda wished it got a little more exciting." I said.
I looked back over to my left and saw that Jess had gone. I looked around, straining to find her to no avail. Then I found her as she roared overhead, shaking my Pelican then looping back around underneath me and rolling to my left. I struggled to steady my Pelican and I heard Ken cursing over the comm channel.
"You just had to complain didn't you?" Ken said. I turned to look at him and I saw his craft shaking. I started laughing along with the Marines in the back. They hadn't stopped laughing since we left Ken behind in the Hangar. I smiled, then remembered the Spartans, they hadn't spoken, or laughed during the entire flight. Damn, they were almost inhuman.
Suddenly I got a dot on my radar. My systems weren't tagging it as friendly. I started straining around to see it. But there wasn't anything besides us four up in the sky at that moment. I shrugged it off and logged it as a phantom dot.
"Hey Kieran, you got a reading on your radar?" Ken called in.
Shit, Ken had seen it too, what are the odds of that if it were a phantom dot?
"Damn, I was hoping that it was a phantom do t but now that you got it, I'm a little worried." I replied.
"You boys have got to quit worryin'. You've got two of the Navy's best Longsword pilots on your six, you're fine." Anne reassured.
"Little confident there, aren't you?"Ken asked.
"Well when you're the best you're the best, right Anne?" Jess chimed in.
"You got that right Jes-" Anne began, "Kieran look out you got a bogey on your six!"
"Evasive maneuvers!" I barked into the mic. "Hang on back there!"
I swerved my Pelican to the left as a string of plasma streaked across the sky towards me. I rolled the Pelican to dodge the next salvo.
"Jess! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!" I screamed.
"I can't get a clear shot Kieran, if I miss you might be the one on the ground!" Jess yelled.
"TAKE HIM OUT DAMMIT I CAN'T SHAKE HIM!" I yelled frantically.
I rolled the Pelican to the right and then made dove. The banshee on my tail followed suit.I swerved to the right trying to shake the bastard and he just mimicked me. Another string of plasma raced towards me as I got perilously close to the ground.
"Kieran, now'd be a good time to pull up than any." Ken said worriedly.
I rolled again to dodge the plasma and watch them streak by, temporarily blinding me. I clenched my teeth and started to feel the Pelican shudder as I tried to hold the dive. The marines in the back were silent now. I looked back behind me and saw the banshee was closing in.
"Jess if you don't take the shot he's going to rake my bird!" I yelled.
I pulled the Pelican out of its dive, the gee's pushing me back into my seat.
"No can do Kieran, I don't want to risk it." Jess replied.
"Fuck it, if you won't take him out, I will!" I shouted back.
"That's a transport craft, you can't-" Anne said.
"Watch me!" I yelled.
I looped over and back behind the banshee. The elite flying the banshee tried to mimick what I did but before he could even pull his banshee up I depressed the trigger on my joystick and watched as the banshee began to flame and plummeted to the ground.
"YEAH! That's right you fucker!" I shouted. "What! You want to mess with me? Well fuck you!"
The marines in the back laughed in relief, and the corporal came in over the comm.
"Sir, as fun as that was, let's not do that again, you almost made me throw up." He complained.
"Damn, why don't you fly Longswords?" Jess asked.
"Don't want to." I answered "Thanks for the help by the way."
"Sorry, but I might've killed you." She responded.
I eased up on the throttle and headed back to Ken and Anne.
"You guys are a big help." I said as I returned.
"You're welcome." Ken waved.
I heard a chime in my headset after about fifteen minutes, signaling that someone was entering our channel.
"Who the hell-" Ken started.
"Listen up, we need those five Spartans at OP BRAVO ECHO NINER. Do you copy? Over." a voice said.
"On who's authority over?" Ken asked.
"Admiral Whitcomb's, authorization code SENDER GREEN. Over."
"Shit, that's got to be real." I said to Ken.
"Roger, OP BRAVO ECHO NINER." Ken said.
"What the fuck?" I spoke aloud.
"What?" Ken asked.
"Check OP Bravo Echo Niner on your Nav system." I said.
"What the fuck?"
"Right? What the fuck happened to behind enemy lines?"
"Why can't the Brass figure out a mission before they send us on one?"
"Ken, I have no damned clue."
"Well, at least that's where we were headed in the first place."
After plugging in BRAVO ECHO NINER into my NAV system, it had overlapped with my preset NAV point. Meaning that the five Spartans were being dropped off at the Outpost where we were supposedly dropping off a small contingent of marines. It made no fucking sense, but I guess that's just it, right? FUBAR, fucked up beyond all reason.
The rest of the flight was quiet, nothing happened, besides Ken and I making fun of each other's Pelicans. We got to the outpost with no problem, refueled, I was the only one who had to rearm. The Marines got out of the Pelican, thanked me for not getting them killed and went to find their CO. The Spartans left without a word. Left Ken's Pelican as soon as the hatch opened and walked away, not another word.
"That was odd." Ken said.
"Well, like I said, it's just a simple routine drop-off." I said.
"Yeah, and there was only one," I said. "Kinda makes you think, don't it? Why would there be only one banshee? And I know the Covvies are big one bravery, but that was just plain dumb."
"You think too much Kieran." Ken laughed as he strapped his helmet on. "Alright, let's get out of here."
"Right behind you." I said as I jumped into my cockpit and pulled my helmet over my head.
"Jess and Anne are in the air already," Ken said. "They're waiting for us."
He pointed up to the two Longswords circling over head. I warmed the thrusters up and brought the craft off the ground. Soon as I was clear of the buildings that made up the outpost are gunned my Pelican into the sky.
"You girls ready to go home?" I called.
"Kieran, we should wait for Ken, he's not off the ground yet." Teased Anne.
"Soon as I get back I'm getting rid of this armor, stop making fun of me." Ken replied.
We were ten minutes out when I spotted a few blips on my radar.
"You going to tell me those are phantom dots again?" I asked Ken.
"Hell no, I can see 'em." Ken replied, "There's five coming up on your 7."
"Hey Jess, wanna go say hello to our friends?" Anne asked.
"Sure thing Anne." Jess replied as they sped past us and broke off in either direction.
The banshees started closing in as I looked around for Jess and Anne. I strained my head in either direction. I looked over my left shoulder and saw the banshees racing towards Ken and I.
"You feeling a little lonely?" I asked Ken.
"Yeah, and a little grateful I got this armor." He responded.
I felt a cold sweat coming on. I mean yeah, I could get one banshee, maybe two, but Ken and I were sitting ducks right now, no clouds, nothing just open sky. Some might call it a beautiful day, but to me, hell there was nowhere to hide. I looked over my shoulder, man those banshees were ugly. Worse was, they were spitting plasma at us now.
"Ken roll to the right!" I commanded. At the same time I pulled my joystick to the left and rolled in the opposite direction. The plasma bolts raced by. Ken and I both dove for the ground and we held our Pelicans low to the ground, denying the Elites a shot as best we could. We both snaked our way around small hills and some isolated trees.
"Where the hell did those two go?" Ken shouted.
As if in answer we heard an explosion as one of the banshees was worked over by the Longsword pilots. Then another exploded as the other fighter walked her rounds into the enemy craft. Leveling out behind the three remaining banshees Anne opened up on the lead craft as Jess fired one of her missiles into the middle of one of the banshees. The third craft rolled to the left and narrowly dodged Anne's rounds. The craft leveled and the Elite gunned the throttle gaining on Ken and I. When it was about two hundred yards behind us it opened up again. Anne and Jess had started firing on it but neither one score a hit. Plasma bolts started streaking by as I rolled to the left. I felt a shudder and alarm started blaring in my helmet.
"Kieran! Kieran! You're tail's somking, you alright?" Ken shouted.
"Fuck this!" I shouted back.
"Talk to me Kieran, what's going on in there?"
"I don't know power failure, he hit something critical, looks like he cut one of the main lines. Ken, I don't think I can bring my girl home." I responded.
"Don't say that dammit, don't say that!" Ken yelled.
"This is Echo-1-7 signing out." I stated flatly, I was surprisingly calm.
I was losing altitude, and fast. The cockpit was flashing red, alarms were wailing in my ear and the Pelican was shuddering.
"Kieran, shut the fuck up, you'll be fine!" Ken yelled.
"It was an honor serving with you Ken." I said.
"Fuck!"
I was struggling with the controls, trying to find someplace that was flat, a place where I might survive the crash, though with the failure's and a gas leak, I knew I was dead if I touched the ground. I turned around to look at the bastard that did this to me. The Elite that took my life from me. I saw the enemy banshee speed up again and he was right behind me when he entered...slipspace? Whatever it was it tore a hole in the fabric of space and time and I fell right through. The alarms fell silent and the lights in the cockpit dimmed. Then they started blaring again, louder than ever. The warning lights came on and began to flash red. The Pelican was vibrating so badly. My teeth were chattering. I put a strip of cloth in my mouth and clenched my teeth hard. I closed my eyes and prayed to God that I'd make it through, somehow forgetting my calm acceptance from before. The Pelican came to a jarring stop. I felt contact with something hard. The craft skidded along...metal? Some sort of floor?
I opened my eyes and looked around. I had definitely crash landed somewhere. But where? I had never seen anything like this, it looks like I had crashed in a park. Which made no sense, I had been flying over sparsely wooded areas. And then it dawned on me, I had landed inside something.