Respective worlds belong to either Bungie or Bioware
Well I have no excuse; I wanted to make a Halo/Mass Effect crossover so yeah…I hope you guys will enjoy it.
P.S. Some things you will find are omitted. This is usually for a reason.
Please include any criticism (besides spelling checks as I am Australian and spelling differs from place to place) as it helps me get better (please note that I don't have a beta reader either so excuse the scrappiness)
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Shadows danced and twisted through the corridors, the steel grey and army green walls cold and unfeeling. Footsteps could be heard echoing throughout these lonely passageways, as well as the hissing of the doors opening and closing. Murmuring can be heard leaving the mouths of the marines and ship personnel with the most popular topic of discussion being the recent treaty signed between the New Covenant and the UNSC.
The New Covenant has already taken to calling it the 'Treaty of Redemption', saying how the treaty undeniably marks the start of the Redemption Era for them. Most of the older generations could be heard muttering in discontent about that, after a hundred and fifty years after the end of the Human-Covenant war, only now they decide that they want to make amends. The younger generations, however, could be heard whispering in barely contained elation about the possibility of working/training with or under some of the other species. Each species had qualities and styles that could outmatch the humans; the Kig-yar and their sharpshooting, the Unggoy and their piloting, the Yanme'e and their guerrilla warfare, the Huragok and their engineering, the Lekgolo and their teamwork, the San 'Shyuum and their political prowess, the Jiralhanae and their close quarters combat (CQC), and the Sangheili and their tactical expertise.
Metal soles of high military grade armoured boots clicking against the floor, and wearing a black and white standard issue ODST power armour with the helmet tucked under the left arm I thought back to codex entry on how the species of the New Covenant became unofficial allies to the UNSC. The Unggoy, Lekgolo, and Sangheili defected after the Great Schism; the Huragok after a number joint Human and Sangheili operations freeing them from remaining Old Covenant bases; the discovery of Jiralhanae packs that had broken away before their species became too integrated into the Old Covenant society; Yanme'e hives and their Queens that were found in various hidden underground caverns, presumably to hide from the Old Covenant before their species downfall; the remaining Kig-yar agreeing to lay down arms and join the New Covenant to help stabilize their economy; a faction of the San 'Shyuum that called themselves the 'Stoics' were found on their home planet, having little to no contact off world.
Mouth forming a thin line, right hand quickly messing my short black hair, I can't help but sigh at the amount of luck, whether it be good or bad, the species I'm apart of seems to have. On the one hand we almost get annihilated because of some power-hungry, manipulative bastards but on the other hand complete genocide of a species is not required because half of the species had 'underground' factions that didn't even agree with Old Covenant in the first place. All in all, no matter how I look or think it over it just all seems incredibly stupid. Hell I even heard a Sangheili Ultra comment with wry amusement at our seemingly 'infallible ability to be able to escape the clutches of death or, at the very least, able loosen the grip before finally succumbing to it' before his and a fellow Ultra's laughter bellowed throughout the corridors of the Forunner instillation. It was the second weirdest conversation, after the one about the 'barely suppressed sexual tension between the Jiralhanae and Sangheili' I once overheard from two Unggoy minors, that I had heard coming from a non-humans mouth. Of course that doesn't exactly say much at all if I was to be honest.
Emerald green eyes scanning each door passed, my mind starts to wander to the mission that my team and I are assigned to go on. Not a lot of details were given except that it was a joint assignment between the New Covenant and the UNSC as a sign of good will towards each to correspond with the treaty, and we were to be dropped into different locations of a ruin via HEVs or similar means in pairs. Any questions that we had were to be answered at the mission briefing.
Which brings me to my current situation; walking into the large room, doors hissing shut and locking behind me, lit by the centralised holographic display which was currently occupied by the squads AI, Asima. I take a quick look around the room, assessing my new brothers in arms, mentally sighing as I realise that I recognise none of the humans. I feel a tug in my chest as I remember how the whole squad, bar me and Asima, had been caught in some freak explosion that was triggered by some avid followers of the Old Covenant religion. Mentally steeling myself I look to Asima and give her a quick smile that she returns before I turn to the commanding officers of the mission; a Jiralhanae Captain Major by the name of Flakurus (Fla-kar-rus) and a human Lieutenant, Jonathan Thompson.
I study the Jiralhanae first noting the peculiar shine of the golden armour, giving away to the fact that he was just recently promoted and the assignment was to prove his worth as a leader. I could also see the dark brown fur starting to turn the silvery colour that marks their species as going into the final stages of maturity which means one of two things; 1. This mission is going to be extremely boring or 2. This mission will somehow cause a series of intergalactic revelations that will shake the very foundations of life as we know it…ok that's a lie but I need something for number two.
The human officer could be described as your average, old, grizzled veteran complete with greying hair, a scar on his left cheek, and, what looks to be, a permanent scowl on his face. He even had the cigar in his mouth and an old, worn pistol that had the name 'Lucy' etched into its hilt. Since this guy looks like he can pack punch too this could also mean one of two things…both of which I had already stated.
Snapping a salute, I feel the eyes of the room's occupants on me, "Sir, Sargent Marian Valaria reporting in."
The Lieutenant's scowl deepened and a growl rumbled from out from the depths of the Captain's chest, "May I ask why it took you so long to get your pansy ass here?" I open my mouth to respond before the Lieutenant raises his hand to cut me off. "Whatever excuse it is, I don't want to hear it anymore, so just sit down."
Making my way over to a free seat, only just realising now that it was arranged in a sort of semi-circle at the edge of the room, I make myself comfy, resting my helmet on my lap. The Captain snorts before crossing his arms and glaring at each and every person in the room. I take a quick glance at the other occupants of the room, feeling amusement well up inside from the nervous shifting of Humans, Elites and Brutes alike. It was easy to tell that, even though their prowess in battle was immense, they had no experience in holding their own against the pure iron beat down of the stare freely given out by those who were basically bad ass personified. It was lucky that my former commanding officer subjected my team and I to regular doses or I would be shivering in my seat like everyone else.
"Now that the final reject has arrived," the Brute started in the usual guttural tone of his species, sneering as he glanced my way, "we can finally start this mission briefing." Turning towards Asima, he nodded towards his human counterpart who in turn produced a PDA and began typing a few commands into it before turning to Asima and motioning her to speak.
She nods before addressing all present, "During the early stages of the Human-Covenant war, humanity unearthed an artefact of an unknown origin on the planet of Mars." Bringing her hand up, an object with various glyphs etched into it appeared. "At the time ONI had thought it was of Forunner origins as a few of the characters displayed on here can be found in some of their texts." Certain glyphs are circled, indicating which of the glyphs were Forunner. "However, at the time, they couldn't activate it without using resources in which were needed to be used for the war effort. It was only recently that they were able to activate it." A small video is played, showing a human laboratory as the artefact is activated, a computer like interface being projected before it cuts.
"During the brief period we have had to study it, human scientists have been able to gather that, even though the artefact is not Forunner, whoever built had come into contact with them before." A video is shown with two different texts being displayed from the object, one Forunner and the other unknown. "Many, in fact, believe that this species may have been allies with them, so much so that the scientists were able to glean co-ordinations to a joint colony." At this I could hear murmurs from various people before the low growl of Flakurus shut them up. Asima sighs a little "This takes us to our current position; as you all very well know, a discovery of this magnitude has got all the higher-ups all antsy about the amount of potential this place has so they want this place secure. Of course they can't exactly send in any of higher ranked squads, or even the lower, whole squads. As such they are sending us in for two reasons; a) we all come from Spec. Ops teams and b) we have no team. That makes us the perfect candidates."
I blink in surprise at the revelation, not exactly expecting the team I was to be posted with not having any experience with each other. I mentally slap myself in the face, remembering the fact that there were still remnants of the Old Covenant floating about and, while not very big compared our army, was still a force to be reckoned with and still required whole units to deal with them.
I quickly turn my attention back to Asima, once again feeling the echoes of loss inside of me as I gaze at my soft blue coloured friend. The memory of the day she was 'born' was forever carved into my mind. I won't go into any details but a chemical that her creator, also known as Asima, and her science team were studying had been leaking into the air in some of the rooms. They couldn't tell which ones but since I had worn my armour 24/7 since arriving there, I hadn't consumed it. Unfortunately Asima had and she knew my suit's scrubbers couldn't keep the toxin out forever so she managed to find a clean room and locked me inside. Things went from unfortunate to tragic as the room looked over her laboratory, forcing me to watch her as the chemical slowly began to eat away at her lungs, making her literally cough them up. I watched in horror as Asima used what was left of her strength to create an AI, although an incomplete one, to help rid the station of the toxin. She did this task, along with the stations original AI before she found me. I don't know what happened then but I do know this; whatever had happened, made us inseparable. So much so that quite a few Captains complained about how 'irrational the devotion those two exhibit towards each other is both infuriating and disturbing'.
"Sadly," I snap my attention back to the briefing "the word and, somehow, the co-ordinates had also reached the Old Covenant and while we were getting ready and sending messages to buddies and whatnot, they have secured the ruins for themselves." I groan quietly from my spot, now understanding as to why we were getting dropped in. "As such, we must comply by the rules of engagement and drop into the hot zones, kick their asses like good little Spec. Ops and secure the ruin."
Asima finished, crossing her arms and nodding towards the leaders of the mission. The Lieutenant took a drag from his cigar before releasing the white, wispy smoke, "Alright you pansy assed maggots; we'll be dropping into pairs at separate locations of the ruins. You'll each receive your co-ordinates an hour before the designated drop time as well as which hanger you'll be dropping from and who your best friend will be. Any questions?" Everyone shuffles but no one moves to speak, "Good, now get your anti-son-of-a-bitch gear on and prepare to drop in three hours!"
/-\
I look over my gear, checking the armour upgrades I was given were all in order. The shield battery looked fine, the jet pack was shiny, and the camouflage generator looked as it should. It all looked bran spanking new, which it was fortunately, and gave me the sense that somebody actually wanted me to survive. Quickly installing the active-camo into a hidden interface on the lower part of my chest, I turn to my 'best friend', an Elite Spec. Ops Minor by the name of Ivea (I-vee-a) 'Nicaavai (Ni-car-vai). Apparently getting him as my partner was a big deal though I'm not quite sure why exactly. Asima had once told me that certain suffixes at the end of a Sangheili's name had different meanings so maybe –ai held a special meaning to it or something.
"Can you help me get these installed?" I ask, pointing to the two remaining armour upgrades then turning around to indicate to the two empty slots that they go into.
Ivea snorts before moving to help, "Human, why did you wait 'till now, thirty minutes 'till drop time, to get these installed?" He grumbles, voice deep, clicking the two pieces of equipment in place before sliding the panel over the shield battery.
I roll my shoulders, feeling the shield creep over my body to create a second skin. Standing up from the bench, I grab my helmet and look at the black surface of the visor for a split second before putting it on. With a loud hissing and the high pitched beeping sound of the HUD booting up, I grab my sniper parts, placing them in the designated areas on my armour, a pistol and fuel rod cannon.
"Because then I wouldn't have anything interesting to do now, would I?" I could feel a smile tugging at my lips at the irritated twitch of his mandibles.
"Grab your construct and let us go. I do not wish to be demoted again because I was late." Ivea replied, huffing as he grabbed his energy sword, plasma rifle and carbine before stomping out.
"Well that was better than I expected." A voice snickered behind me. I sigh, turning to the pedestal and outstretching my hand, offering Asima into the suits network. Smiling, she touches my middle finger and disappears. "Let's go before Mr Moody starts brandishing his honour lectures." I shudder at the thought, remembering the last time I was at the receiving end of one of those.
/-\
I look into my pod, grinning at the assortment of grenades, portable equipment and the amount of ammo for my weapons in their slots. To say that I was pleased was the understatement of the year…I could solo this whole operation myself and still have ammo left over.
"Attention to all Special Operations personnel, drop will begin in less than ten minutes."
I hop in, watching the door slide over and the display light up, punching in the co-ordinates. Grabbing the controls, in case I go off course, I take a few quick breathes to steady my rapidly beating heart.
"Ready?" The question was simple, but even the most simple of questions could break a man.
I smirk, "I'm always ready."
With that my stomach launches up into my throat, pod dropping rapidly. As mine and Ivea's pods make their descent down, I could see a structure, not all that different to a tuning fork and around 100m away from our supposed landing zone, activate. I watch, mesmerised by the swirling blue core and an arm of electricity that snaps out and hits our pods.