Halo: A World's End
Chapter 1
1Sitting in the Forerunner ship's cargo hold the Master Chief was busily tapping into the ship's comm system. Hearing a dull tick indicating he was in, he quickly searched through the ship's data bases to find a link to the bridge comm systems, were he could listen to what they were planning. Finding it and slicing into the system he turned the receiver from audio only to the whole package, only taking seconds. His adversary, the Prophet of Truth, was in the middle of planning an attack with three Brute commanders, "But your holy one Earth's forces are encircled on this plateau here," he said indicating an area on the holo map. The plateau looked to be about a two square kilometers in area and had a castle-like structure in the dead center of the plateau. Section III headquarters. The Brute continued on, "If there are armed forces stationed on the plateau, which I might add our Intel has suggested they are, our armed forces would face overwhelming fire from the defenders. They would be utterly wiped out. Instead of decimating our forces for nothing, we should instead land over here," he said indicating a ridge four kilometers to the southwest of the plateau. "Once landed, we would be able to employ our Kig-yar snipers effectively. The snipers could take out some of the defenders before our Brutes have to enter the fray. Once the Kig-yar start sniping, the Brutes would be able to advance under their cover fire and then a short climb to the top and their there."
"While my colleague has a point holy one, if we crush their defenses early on they will have no chance to call in reinforcements and will be powerless against us," claimed the Brute directly across from the first one and closest to the Prophet. An older Brute, the one farthest from the Prophet finally spoke, "While both plans have their merits I believe a more conservative route should be taken. Our Intel suggests that three battalions of their warriors are stationed there. As well as three of these so called 'Demons'," His last remark was greeted by silence. As the minutes wore on a Brute navigator finally stepped forward, "Holiness we have five minutes till touchdown,"
"You must choose a course of action your honor," claimed the second Brute.
"Very well, I believe the Chieftain here is right. Land on the ridge," the Prophet ordered.
Sitting back and readying himself for battle the Master Chief took stock of himself. He had three clips for his BR55 rifle and thirty-six shells for his M90 shotgun. On top of that he had three M9 HE-DP fragmentation grenades and four plasma grenades. Right now he could dish out some serious pain.
The next three and a half minutes passed at a snail's pace. When he was about a minute from the LZ, three status bars popped up on his screen. Fred, Will, and Linda. Deciding it was time to tell them the plan he opened up a comm channel, "Heads up Spartans. I am in the Forerunner ship that is headed to the ridge southwest of the Castle. Do not open fire on this ship. An ass load of Brutes are going to attempt to climb the plateau face under the cover of Jackal snipers. Linda take'em out. Will I want you to lay out any Lotus anti-tank mines you have. Load them with as much shrapnel as possible. Fred you're in charge till I get there. Build up a sand bag wall around the Castle and dig a few holes that could fit a warthog or two in them. I want you to stick the warthogs in them so the barrels are parallel to the ground. If you have any Gauss hog's concentrate them around southwest corner of the Castle. Section III's secrets must not be discovered. Do not respond. This may be traced. Master Chief out," Not knowing whether or not they heard him the Master Chief waited till he heard the dull thump of the gravity lift activating. Hearing thousands of footsteps overhead he waited for them to recede. Finally hearing only a few footsteps over head he poked his head out around the corner. Clear. Using the downloaded ship schematics he proceeded to the bridge. He had to traverse three decks up and had to go over five decks. He met no one of his way there. Stopping outside of the blast door leading to the bridge he activated his IR filter. No heat signals. Never relying on technology the Master Chief inched into the room with him BR55 out in front of him. Nothing. Walking toward the center of the room he paused. Ever thing in here seemed vaguely familiar to him. Almost human-like. Heading to where the schematics said the weapons console was. Hitting a spear-like icon he activated the ship weaponry. Somehow managing to designate the Brutes and Jackals outside as enemies he fired. The cannons spat out plasma so bright the there wasn't a single shadow on the bridge. When the light cleared there was nothing but smoke. Using the ships infrared imaging he saw thousands of fires raging. Switching back to the normal spectrum of imaging he saw the smoke clearing. The ridge was gone. In its place was a giant glass crater. Previously the ridge had been four kilometers away from the plateau; now the plateau was now a cliff at the end of the crater. There wasn't a single sign of life anywhere.
Hearing a small rhythmic tapping behind him, the Master Chief prepped two plasma grenades and his M90. Turning slowly around he spotted his adversary, the Prophet of Truth, was just sitting there. Freezing upon seeing him and finally noticing the two hundred honor guard Brutes behind him, it all hit him. He had completely forgotten about the Prophet because he was tired. A months worth of fighting and little sleep had finally taken its toll. Standing there in shock he just couldn't bring himself to believe he had forgotten about that ugly alien SOB. Only a few hours worth of sleep and a battle stims here and there hadn't kept him battle ready. The worst thing though was where it had taken its toll. His mind. The stims, little sleep and his prejudice against the Covenant had dangerously narrowed his focus. Without having a broad focus he hadn't even been aware that the Prophet was on board. He had been oblivious to everything. The Prophet broke the silence that descended the bridge, "Well, well Demon you are a noteworthy opponent after all, aren't you?" Saying nothing the Master Chief gently eased toward the door. Priming two of his grenades and chucked them at the Prophet. Before the Brutes could react he tossed his frag grenades and the remaining two plasmas. Detonating and throwing shrapnel everywhere and creating confusion amongst the Brutes he checked the Prophet. To his disbelief and horror the Prophet was floating at the top of the chamber, readying his Fuel Rod Gun. Knowing instantly he was outmatched he ran. He quickly exited the bridge and jumped into an Engineer access shaft. Speeding along that and consulting the schematics he came across an elevator. Taking it down two levels to the starboard docking bay he jumped out. To his surprise there was and unguarded Banshee sitting in the corner. Jumping in and taking advantage of the shields being down due to the lift he sped out. Quickly skimming the crater he leveled out twenty meters above the plateau, "Spartans I am inbound on the Banshee. Prepare for a hot landing," three blue acknowledgment lights popped up indicating the understood.
Looking down and checking his motion sensor, the Master Chief say there were two drop ships and five banshees incoming he barked an order, "Spartans get those M19s out and take the drop ships. I'll distract the Banshees till the drop ships are out of the picture," Arming his Fuel Rod Gun the Master Chief did a one-eighty, coming out of the loop upside down he targeted the first Banshee. Hitting the firing studs, globs of plasma shot toward it. Catching of wind of the attack the Banshee flight turned and fired their main cannons. Bunching up they all fired their Fuel Rod Guns. Five globs of explosive energy raced toward him. Rolling left and boosting under the Banshees, Master Chief pulled up. Above and behind the Banshees he turned and let loose his Fuel Rod Gun. The energy glob arched and landed on the middle Banshee, obliterating it and damaging the two close to it. Checking his motions sensor he saw one drop ship down and the other with Jackhammer rockets racing toward it. Sensing his squad would soon turn their M19s in his direction he opened up with the main cannons. Targeting the Banshee closest to him, he shifted his aim to try and take out the anti-gravity pods. Taking just one out wouldn't take the Banshee out of the fight but, it would seriously impair its mobility. Taking the port anti-grav pod the Banshee tilted to the left, running into the Banshee next to it. Turning to target the remaining two, he opened up. Just as the first plasma bolts hit the one on the right side, the Jackhammer missiles hit them full on in the nose. Making a quick circuit around the plateau the Master Chief checked to make sure no more surprises would pop up. Nothing. Turning back and pushing his Banshee to max power he headed to the Castle and his squad.
Arriving shortly there after the Master Chief was greeted by his squad. Linda, Fred and Will all snapped crisp salutes. Fred stepping forward was the first to speak, "Master Chief the admiralty are waiting downstairs to debrief you. They also have a new mission lined up for us,"
"Thank you Fred. Good to see you all," saying nothing but all giving him the smile gesture he headed toward the far side of the Castle. The Castle was a marvel of engineering and technology. The architect had designed the giant underground facility with a maze-like series of crises-crossing hallways and corridors that could withstand a direct strike from an 80 megaton nuclear blast. The hallways were so confusing in the Castle that if an intruder were to break in he would be lost for days and or weeks before he found anything. Reaching the other side of the Castle he stepped up to the door. Taking off his helmet with a hiss of the seal being broken he opened his eye to the retinal scanner. Identifying him properly he was admitted. If anyone failed to pass that scanner no less than three 50mm cannons and one big surprise in the form on a Lotus anti-tank mine would great them. Walking down the hall he approached the Marine guards and handed over his credentials. Clearing them the Marines stepped aside and allowed him into the elevator. Barley feeling it dropping and stepping out thirty seconds later the Master Chief was sure that even with the fast ride they had dropped at least a kilometer below the surface. Helmet still in his hands he stepped up to the retinal scanner on his left. This scanner was a little different than the rest. Built specifically for Spartans it checked if this was his suit, checked his retinas, and tool some of his blood before it allowed him into the room next to the elevator. This room was a Spartans only room where only they could enter to store their gear, receive and install any upgrades Section III had come up with. Walking in and taking off the Mjolinir armor he looked himself over. He was a shade or two paler than last time and had received a new set of bruises and scars. Looking through a set of drawers on the left side of the room marked 117 he found his dress uniform and a scribbled on notebook. In that book were some of his best memories and some of the worst. Included in the book was a list of names. The names of his Spartans. All of the men and woman he had become so close to, gone. Included in there were his best friend Sam, and possibly the most daring Spartan of all, James. ONI wouldn't even give these men and woman the proper respect they had earned through blood, sweat, and even though they would never admit it, tears. ONI claimed it was all for propaganda reasons, keeping the public thinking they were immortal. To hell with that he thought. Remembering why he was here he turned and exited the room.
The conference room was two floors down and housed in one of the most secure places on Earth. He had arrived there twenty minutes ago. The secretary had told him to sit in the waiting room. Soon after, the admiralty finally decided to speak to him. Walking in and taking note of his surroundings he saw five figures arrayed around in a semi-circle around him. They were all shrouded in darkness. Probably trying to intimidate me he thought. Snapping a crisp salute he waited till they acknowledged him, "At ease son. We need you, in detail, to describe everything that has happened since the Covenant came to Earth," said a voice on the left.
"Yes sir, it's a long story,"
"Well we don't have all day so get moving," snapped a voice on the far right. Talking to them he felt like a little of the burden that had been pressing down of him had lifted. First he told of how he took the Covenant's bomb back to their ship and of how he was sucked into the Prophet of Regrets Slipspace field with the In Amber Clad. Second he told of how he had managed to kill the Prophet of Regret only to get captured by the flood leader, Gravemind. Third he told of how the Covenant had broken up with the
Elites, Hunters, and Grunts against the Brutes, Drones, Jackals, and Prophets. Then of how he had to leave the 'smart' AI Cortana behind to sneak aboard the Prophet of Truths ship. He then had to explain exactly why he left her behind, to blow Delta Halo all the way to Hell. Last he told of what had happened as soon as the Prophet had landed. Finishing he heard the admiralty bickering, "We need to find out if the ring was destroyed" said far right.
"I agree but maybe some ODST's should be sent," said the one in the middle.
"No. The smaller force the better," said the one on the left.
"Yes. Smaller forces but that are equipped with that new fighter they're developing," said far left. Finally with it up to the one on the right, "Yes I agree the smaller the better. I think the Master Chief and his Spartans should go. Plus I also have a pilot in mind for flying that new fighter,"
"I disagree with you Admiral. My ODST's and their new weapons should go instead of them," the middle one said his voice full of disgust.
"Alright this is enough. The Master Chief probably knows every single one of us by now and there is no use keeping him in the dark," With that the lights lifted.
"Admiral Shelby, General Markus, Colonel Ackerson, Lord Hood, and Admiral Asp. Good to see you sirs and ma'am. My Spartans upstairs said there was a new mission for us?" he asked probingly.
"You heard correct," replied Lord Hood. Lord Hood was probably the biggest supporter of the Spartan project in the military. "Your mission is two fold. The first part is to find out if Delta Halo was destroyed. The second part is to try and received flood DNA specimens. However sees how you're the only person with combat knowledge on the Flood we will take your advice before we start planning for your mission,"
"Yes sir. I and the Spartans will take any challenge you put forth to us,"
"I am aware of that Master Chief,"
"However the Flood are some of the most lethal life forms I've every fought against. They are near impossible to kill unless you shoot out the infection form that resides in their chest cavity. Normal troops without the Mjolinir armor would easily be over run by the Flood infection forms. With all that we would still take the mission but, I highly recommend against it,"
"Very well we will review your information and call you back. Meanwhile consider the next week vacation. Dismissed,"
"Yes sir," with that he saluted and turned to the door.
"One other thing Admiral Hood. If the Flood reaches Earth, the Covenant would be and irritating gnat compared to a Spartan. Keep that in mind when you review that part of the mission."
An hour later and waiting on the Section III runway Fred, Linda, and Will waited for the Master Chief, John, to finish with their clearance. They were heading for Sydney, Australia to train up for the new mission. They were going to meet the pilot of the new fighter there. Once they all arrived they would begin training for their mission. The Section III specialists had made a one of a kind Mjolinir suit for the pilot. Kind of. It doubled the pilot's strength, tripled his reactions and had a slot for his personal AI to fit in. The only reason why the techies hadn't started making tons of the suits was because they had needed to do so many tests on the pilot. Apparently they had had a specialized mission in place before this mission that required him to get down and dirty. The tests they had conducted took over three months, night and day to get the suit fit for his non-augmented body. The pilot in question was a Major Jacob Hecks, supposedly the best pilot there was. Another thing waiting for them in Sydney were a couple surprises they'd need on the mission. Noticing John walking up Fred snapped out of his reprieve. Crisply saluting as one they awaited their orders. Saying nothing John motioned behind them. Turning and looking behind them Fred spotted their transport arriving, an ancient C-77. With the ability to go Mach 2 it would take a few hours to get to Sydney from this barren Nevada desert. Sitting down next to his Mjolinir armor Fred waited for the plane.
Ten Minutes later they were on their way to hopefully a brighter future. Falling asleep John thought of the new mission and of what was to become of him and the remaining Spartans.
