S'ien relaxed on his chair as the jumpship Slipper Misfit slipped out of jump-space into near orbit of Earth. The ship immediately turned to avoid the ancient space debris field that circled humanities home "Slipper Misfit to tower I am inbound from Venus and am requesting landing clearance." He said as the small ghost that accompanied him everywhere appeared in the cockpit.
"Home sweet home" the ghost mused the Ghosts were an expansion of the Traveller light created to help find warriors that were capable of defending Earth when the Traveller could not.
"Slipper Misfit, you are clear for tower bay fourteen welcome back Guardian"
S'ien reached forward to input the commands when he noticed something odd on the display. "Ghost?" He said glancing at the hovering metallic being.
"Unidentified contact. It does not match any known profile." The ghost replied after a few moments.
"Let's look" S'ien said "Tower, I have spotted an unidentified contact and plan to investigate, Slipper Misfit to manual flight." He said without further thought he turned the ship onto an intercept course.
"You do know we have nothing to shoot with if we get close..." The Ghost said the Slipper Misfit was a combat class Jumpship with multiple weapons ports but it carried no ammunition. One of the things the Tower and humanities last city had been unable to produce was a steady ammunition supply for the Guardians ships.
"I have this" he replied touching his pulse rifle Bad Juju the weapon's barrel flaming even now despite its lack of use. The flames were completely artificial incapable of doing harm but they showed the weapon's 'desire.' Weapons were not supposed to have emotions but some tended to develop over time the technology that had created and once upon a time controlled them long since gone.
The Slipper Misfit came over the contact quickly it was a large craft painted in a deep grass green colour with wide wings and a large glass canopy. Under the nose was a large intimidating chain gun while the wings each had missile packs underneath. "There packing" S'ien commented "nothing to indicate they see us" he said as the Slipper Misfit came alongside the craft.
"There is barely an atmosphere or power registering" the Ghost said "I'd be surprised if anyone is alive."
"I guess I'll have to find out the hard way." S'ien said rising from his chair "drop me near the rear it looks like there's a hatch there." He said to the Ghost who could pilot the ship as well as do other things.
A few moments later S'ien appeared near the rear hatch the Ghost alongside him. S'ien was an Exo-Human created for some long forgotten war and had been created to live and fight in a variety of environments he did not need the air to breath his biomechanics stored plenty to keep him alive and his armour did the same further extending his time in open space.
After several failed attempts S'ien let the Ghost do his work on the lock infiltrating the systems. Within moments the ship cracked open the air rushing out. "Once more into the breach" the ghost said as S'ien moved in.
Inside the ships wide open cargo bay was a small 4x4 ground vehicle, 2 cryogenic pods and dozens of weapons. "Wow" S'ien commented reaching out to touch one of the guns. "Jackpot?" He said looking at the ghost.
"Still heading for the atmosphere away to die" the Ghost replied irritated. It was said that the Ghosts picked their Guardians but sometimes the Ghosts themselves didn't really know why this guardian or the next was picked.
"Right guns later" the Exo said drifting forward near the pods "both show life one has a really nifty looking suit of armour." He said "the other is real pretty" he said seeing a female inside the pod she had fair skin with blonde hair cut to a bob.
"Still crashing to impending doom" the Ghost said hovering flickering with light beside him.
S'ien moved into the cockpit which unlike his own ship would have easily sat 3 people. The systems seemed to be on auto as he slipped into one of the chairs. "Manual, manual, manual..." He whispered "Ghost?"
"These controls are ancient" the ghost said firing a burst of light into the console "there!" It shouted suddenly S'ien had control of the big heavy ship even with his enhancements it was difficult to keep it level how did people fly this thing?
"Tower, this is Slipper Misfit, I'm in control of unidentified craft two persons on board in cryosleep. I'm going to try and put it down in Russia." S'ien called out
"Slipper Misfit all understood good luck" the Tower replied.
S'ien continued to fight the craft as it hit the atmosphere his ghost continually hitting the controls with bursts of light. "Oh I see..." the Ghost mused "you're supposed to fly this with the computers tied in" it said suddenly activating the ship's systems. In moments the craft transformed from a falling brick into a gracefully deadly craft. The entire window in front of S'ien became a control interface like none he'd ever seen.
"This ship is cool" S'ien commented as he easily slowed it towards a landing at the old Russian Cosmodrome not his first choice but easy.
"It is" another voice said moments later S'ien felt the barrel of a weapon against his armour. "It's also ours." Glancing to the side S'ien saw the big green armoured figure from the cryotube.
"Trust me big guy you can have this bus back I was just trying to stop you ploughing into the Earth. We've got enough craters you know?" S'ien said angry that his efforts were under appreciated.
"Earth, we made it" the figure said sounding surprised "where are we?" He asked after a few moments.
"What's left of the Russian Cosmodrome" S'ien said as he brought the ship to a heavy landing among dozens of long abandoned aircraft. The screens in front of him followed by the systems suddenly shut off.
"Cosmodrome is this a UNSC facility?" The Chief asked not recognizing the name.
"A who?"
"The UNSC, United Nations Space Command" the figure said explaining the letters unfortunately they meant nothing to S'ien.
"Never heard of them" S'ien admitted it felt like a body blow to the Chief how could they have been forgotten all those lives lost in the Covenant War his comrades in arms" Look we can't stay here long the Fallen will be on us in no time."
"The Fallen?"
"Bad guys. Look my friend, trust me or not, the Fallen shoot then ask questions. I'm trying to help. Can you get this bucket in the air again?" The big figure moved quickly scouring over the controls.
"No" he admitted "Cortana may be able to"
"Cortana? The woman?"
"Correct" the figure said S'ien couldn't even see his eyes due to that gold visor. He moved from the cockpit S'ien and his ghost quickly following. Cortana was in the back looking over a pair of weapons she immediately raised one into her hands seeing S'ien the green figure raised his hand signalling to her it was alright. "Friends, we're on Earth, we've been gone long time, no UNSC, broken ship." He said in rapid fire.
"Damn chief, you know how to show a girl a good time miss anything?"
"Incoming hostile forces" he said without another word she tossed him one of the weapons which the armoured warrior expertly caught with a single hand.
"Let's get to work" she said nodding towards them S'ien stood watching in a little awe as the two seemed completely connected.
Several minutes later the Chief and S'ien were outside the ship while Cortana had remained inside repairing the ship. Watching her work on the weapons S'ien had little doubt that she could handle herself in a fight but without their armour she would be vulnerable. "What do you know about them?"
"The enemy?" S'ien asked looking at the unmoved Chief "Fallen House of Devils controls this region. The Fallen are a nomadic race of pirates that claim nobility, but they are barbarians, and they will kill anyone who isn't a member of their House" S'ien explained "Four arms two legs plenty guns, grenades and blades."
"Sounds fun" the Chief commented as a pair of hovering drones appeared from behind a wrecked aircraft long abandoned by humanity. They were both coloured red roughly a box in shape with sensors at the front and four fans spaced around the craft and at the rear keeping them aloft.
"Shanks" S'ien said identifying the robots. Moments later both opened fire missing both but spraying the front of the ship with white-blue bolts of energy.
"First mistake" the Chief whispered he'd wanted them to fire first now it was his turn pulling the trigger on his assault rifle. For a moment S'ien was taken aback by the roar of the weapon in the Chief's possession the bullets tore through both Shanks in seconds clearing the way for four black dressed Dregs and a pair of four armed Vandals armed with long range wire rifles. The Dregs attacked immediately filling the air with weapons fire and grenades while the two Vandals began sniping at them. One shot struck the Chief's left shoulder however the arc energy was deflected in a hundred directions as the suit's shield activated. "My turn" the Chief said weathering several more hits from the Dregs. From his back the warrior drew a two tube rocket launcher stepping into the field of fire the Chief first fired one between the Dregs scattering them then turned hitting one of the Vandals with a rocket taking both out.
"A one man army" S'ien commented his own pulse rifle shots seemed insignificant to the Chief's fire even though he'd finished off three of the Chief's wounded targets. Suddenly leaping over a boulder a four armed Captain jumped into the battle firing his short ranged Shrapnel Launcher. More than a dozen slugs slammed into the Chief depleting his shield. "Hang on!" S'ien called out dropping to one knee he triggered several switches built into his armour creating a bubble shield around them the Captain's fire bouncing harmlessly off.
"Nice" the Chief commented discarding his empty launcher pulling a shotgun from his back without a word he leapt out of the bubble kicking the Captain back before firing several shotgun shots into the big Fallen warriors torso and head. The last shot killed the Captain causing some sort of vapour to rush from the warrior's body as he fell.
"You can stick around" S'ien's Ghost said appearing beside them.
"Come with us to the Last City help us push back the darkness." S'ien offered "it's where all those that can fight go."
"Not without my ship" the Chief said suddenly hearing the engines activate fighting the urge to shake his head.
"Alert incoming airborne targets" the Ghost called out.
"Cortana do we have weapons?" The Chief replied over his helmet radio.
"Yes" she said after a moment. Without a hesitation the Chief left the Fallen bodies getting back into the ship S'ien following him.
"Fallen Skiffs, two of them" S'ien said. "We don't have the firepower beyond The City to stop them" he said watching the craft move over the area "the Fallen raiding teams can move without opposition out here."
"Let's oppose them" the Chief said slipping into the pilot chair "non-linear cannon online, targeting weapon charged, firing!" He said in rapid succession the forward mounted laser cannon tore down the side of the Fallen craft burning away it's weapon turrets and hull armour.
"Autocannon online" Cortana said
"Firing" the Chief said triggering the ship's other forward facing gun tearing through the Skiff's damaged armour shattering the craft.
"Damn!" S'ien said seeing the destruction wrought by the ship which was beyond anything the guardian's ships were capable of only the City had the weapons capable of holding back the Fallen in such a way. If more ships carried this firepower they may have a chance of forcing the Fallen off Earth.
"Let's find that city" the Chief said lifting the Pelican off the ground it was a new world.
Nearly twenty minutes later they were closing on signs of habitation with a large wall encircling a massive city which was bigger than any the Chief had seen. The size was not the most impressive feature nor was the massive needle like tower that dominated the skyline instead it was the huge sphere that hung motionless in the sky. Several parts of the sphere looked like they had been damaged but it remained steady a silent guardian creating a barrier between all who would approach the city.
"What the..." Cortana whispered through all she and the Chief had experienced this was nothing like any of it.
"The Traveller" S'ien said "its arrival sparked our Golden Age. Its sacrifice saved us from the Darkness during the Collapse."
"Well Chief you went looking for something" Cortana mused the Chief remained silent he'd gone looking for her alone without backup it had seemed like a good idea at the time. "We're not in Kansas anymore" she joked.
The Chief remained silent focused forward as he flew the Forerunner Guardians had created this Cortana from the remains of the Rampant AI he'd once known. Part of her had infected the Mantle's Approach, the Ur-Didact's ship that had hovered over Earth during his attack on Humanities homeworld, this fractured personality had activated communication systems and flung what remained of Cortana across the universe into the hands of the Guardians.
What exactly they had done to her he did not know it had taken him nearly a year to track them down finding her in her current form now as far as he knew she was fully human. It was as if every moment now could be the moment that he had lost her following the defeat of the Didact she was more vulnerable than ever. Now with no UNSC, no Navy, Marines or even ODSTs for back up he'd have to make sure he thought before acting.
As the Pelican rose over the Tower a pair of Guardian ships joined guiding them into the Tower's maintenance bay hopefully here they could find some answers about what had happened to them, to the Earth and perhaps answer to them who this Traveller was? So many questions requiring answers.
