''Today we honour not only a hero of the UNSC but a hero of humanity itself, Sargent Troy 'Ghost' Higgins had gone MIA due to his actions against the invading forces of the Covenant during the battle of Algolis, giving the civilians and Marines time to escape while he fought bravely, even when overwhelmed the Sargent had come out on top destroying the enemy forces, and for this deed the UNSC high command promote Troy 'Ghost' Higgins to a honorary Colonel of the UNSC!'' With that General had stiffened up and saluted to a picture of Ghost followed by hundreds of other formal dressed soldiers of the UNSC.
''Warning! Warning! Warning!'' A mechanical pre-recorded female voice repeated making Ghost open his eyes slowly to see a bright sky above him making his eyes widen in surprise at the sudden change in lighting seeing as it was night a few minutes ago. ''Where the hell am I?'' Ghost asks himself sitting up looking around. His eyes suddenly widen looking down to see his arm and leg were once again attached and the HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL Mark I Prototype Armor Defense System was still with him and working perfectly fine besides the artificial oxygen tank being broken, and seeing as he wasn't dying he'd say he was safe for now.
Taking in his surroundings Ghost stands up having found himself on a dirt road in a large open area with the occasional tree here and there, it looked like earth, it had the same tree's that were unique to earth and none of her colonies making him smirk taking in a breath of the surprisingly clean air. ''First things first…figure out where the hell I am.'' Ghost mutters as he looks at both sides of the road before nodding to himself and making his way North. 'Could have sworn…no I know I died back there it even says that the self-destruct was activated to why am I still alive?' Ghost says in his head ignoring the heat blasting at his armour.
Much to Ghosts surprise his built in radar blip to life getting his attention showing that three vehicles were heading his way moving between a large group of people, they were amber in color meaning the sensors believed they were of neutral or human origins making him turn to indeed see three armed military vehicles escorting a group of people and wagons coming his way making him activate his T261 Lucifer AMGG mounted Gatling gun and grab the trigger with his other hand and aim it at the vehicles taking a comfortable stance so the weapons kick wouldn't hurt too much and waiting for them to get closer or to see if they engage first.
Ghost stood waiting as the vehicles stopped over twenty meters ahead of him, the soldiers suddenly scrambling into action readying their weapons and those in the vehicles mounted weapons aiming them at him both sides in a Mexican standoff waiting for the other to make a move. Ghost tenses readying the Gatling gun causing it's rotating barrel to spin as the door to the lead vehicle opens showing a mid-aged man get out with his hands up wearing a green camo BDU that helped him little to stay hidden in their current location.
''Identify yourself!'' Ghost shouts towards the uniformed man making him gulp nervously having a Gatling gun pointed at him. ''Second Lieutenant Itami Yoji, JSDF!'' The now identified man shouts making Ghost frown. He was aware of what the JSDF was, the Japanese were the last country to join the UNSC almost sparking conflict in their lack of joining for so long. ''Sargent Troy 'Ghost' Higgins. UNSC marine core of engineers.'' Ghost states his rank and name lowering his weapon slightly as the man makes his way towards him with his hands raised.
Looking at the man in front of him Ghost could tell he was indeed Japanese and nervous, a large battle suit armed to take on armies tended to do that to a person. ''Explain to me where I am Lieutenant.'' Ghost demanded looking down at Itami who nods and begins his explanation of how and why the JSDF were here making Ghost nod slowly. ''So this isn't earth then.'' Ghost mutters making Itami give him a funny look while looking around himself and then at the sun seeing a large shadow form around them.
''The sun normally doesn't do that…'' Ghost says looking at the large shape getting closer and closer making him ready his weapon and authorizing the suit to activate all weapons. ''Dragon!'' Itami shouts in fear and shock seeing it fly past knocking up dust as it makes its presence known with a loud roar shaking the area around them somehow. ''Ready up, defend the civilians at all costs, I'll distract it!'' Ghost shouts aiming his weapon at the overgrown lizard and opening fire pebbling it with 20MM HE rounds getting the dragons attention on himself and quickly using the jetpack to slide across the even ground away from the dragon as it headed towards him.
Ghost knew the bullets were hurting seeing as they could shred even wraith armor with ease, though it wasn't enough the rounds were too small to have a large impact unless he shot it with thousands upon thousands of rounds, which he didn't have, quickly changing his Gatlin gun out he placed his hand on the M149 Magellan RCL shoulder mounted weapon guiding it towards the fast approaching dragon and firing lunching a 105mm HE round towards it going straight into the dragons armor before exploding causing it to scream out in pain a large hole where flesh and scales used to be.
Ghost growls as the dragon quickly turns around after blasting fire towards him that his DLDS quickly blocked with ease. Quickly following the dragon as it headed towards the JSDF escort attempting to get its attention once again with his Gatlin gun but to no use as it rained fire down on the panicking people killing those unlucky enough to get caught in the blaze, stopping Ghost's locking system finds the dragon and he fires several missiles from his LAU-1810/SGM-151 launcher firing guided armor-piercing missiles at the dragon and hitting it's wing's temporarily grounding the large monster allowing the JSDF to take action and use there mounted weapons on the dragon as well as readying a rocket launcher.
Ghost gets himself behind the JSDF LAV's as the circle the dragon as it lets out a roar attempting to scare them off seeing that it was fatally weakened and it a bad spot not being able to get close enough to the sudden 'Pray' as they kited the large beast keeping to far away as it attempted to assault them. ''Fire a rocket towards a weak point!'' Ghost shouts prompting the man atop the LAV to nod seriously and ready the rocket launcher, Ghost had the sudden need to punch him as he did a standard shoulder check prompting everyone even Ghost to shout ''JUST SHOOT!'' with a startled shout the soldier takes aim and fires just as the LAV hits a bump on the road causing the rocket the lunch of course making Ghost growl out at how idiotic the man was.
Suddenly his anger was gone as the dragon suddenly staggered as a large halberd landed in front of it causing the ground to shatter with a lightning bolt and redirected itself into the missile completely destroying it causing the dragon to scream out in agony and take flight seeing as it was no match for the small predators it had come face to face to. ''What the hell was that?'' Ghost shouts as Itami and a few others leave the LAV looking at Ghost. ''It was a drag-'' Itami attempts to speak but his cut off as a metal allow finger presses into his chest. ''I know what a dragon is I mean what was that Halberd and how did it do that?'' Ghost asks looking towards the girl atop the LAV who was staring back at him with a smirk. ''She's some sort of demi-goddess in this world apparently…'' Itami explains making Ghost huff out a small laugh. ''Don't bullshit me, god's don't exist.'' Ghost says looking at the girl who raises a brow and smirks even wider at him but remains quiet leaving Itami and the JSDF to the wraith of the armored titan.
''What about the dead?'' Ghost says after a small pause calming himself down and forgetting about the missile thing for now as he looked at the flaming remains of some of the carriages surrounded by the dead and injured. ''All we can do is bury them…'' Itami says sadly looking at the people gathering those who had fallen and had already begun to prepare graves for them. Night had fallen all too fast as the JSDF and villagers had gathered in front of the graves of the fallen giving silent prayer, the only noise was the sobbing of a little girl that Itami quickly managed to calm down giving her comforting words.
''They're leaving them behind?'' Ghost asked shocked looking at the kids and single old man standing in front of the Humvee with grim looks on their faces. ''Sadly, the villagers are heading towards other villagers or towns and to relatives, but they sadly can't look after the children, after that attack they don't have the supplies anymore.'' Itami explains with a sad look on his face watching the villagers leave. ''What do you plan to do for them?'' Ghost asks looking back at Itami. ''Simple, I'm going to take them with us back the HQ.'' Itami explains making Ghost nod. ''Well we are human we can't leave them to fend for themselves.'' Itami adds making Ghost smirk slightly remembering a certain marine that helped him become human.
''How're you going to explain them never mind me.'' Ghost says as he uses his jetpack to keep up beside the LAV and humvee's making Itami chuckle nervously. ''I never really thought of that…'' Itami says nervously making Ghost sigh. ''For now I guess I could say I'm a recon unit from another gate that was destroyed not long after I came through it.'' Ghost explains fabricating a somewhat believable lie making Itami nod. ''It could work, seeing as your civilization seems a lot more advanced they'll probably want to talk to you about it.'' Itami explains prompting Ghost to nod seeing as it would make sense they'd do that.
With a quick radio check Itami had slowed the Humvee down to a pace that Ghost no longer needed to use the jetpack to keep up anymore allowing him to walk beside Itami's Humvee and hope he wasn't shot at on sight considering his imitating power armor. And was proven right as a round bounced off his armor like a pebble, probably a private who jumped in fright seeing him walking towards them, with a quick radio in to clear things up the soldiers at the gate lowered their weapons having being told not to fire at the armored figure.
Despite the peacefulness of the place the higher commanders were not very understanding of Itami. ''WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S FROM ANOTHER GATE AND JUST A SCOUT? HIS SUIT LOOKS LIKE A WALKING FORTRESS!'' Itami's commanding officer shouts looking at the HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL Mark I Prototype Armor Defense System in shock from the window and the small crowd of soldiers around it and the refugees before looking back at Ghost who was dressed in his standard marine BDU besides the helmet that he'd taken off and placed at his side under his arm standing in attention in front of the JSDF commanding officer.
''If I may sir, I was sent here as a scout for the UNSC as the Gate had appeared on one of our research frigates above Jupiter and was informed to scout the area but it would seem the research facilities gate had been destroyed as when I came back the gate was in ruins.'' Ghost explains his lie shocking the JSDF OP commander and Itami. ''J-Jupiter?'' Itami says looking at Ghost. ''Yes the UNSC has colonized hundreds of planets within the milky way.'' Ghost explains making the commander face desk in shock. ''J-just stay with Itami for now…he'll be looking after you until then…'' The commander says slowly trying to wrap his head around the situation.
''Seems the refugees are getting on well.'' Ghost explains walking out of his tent provided by the JSDF having a fine night's rest for the first time in a few days, his back hurt like hell but he'd have to ignore it for now, it'd ease on it's own with time and if that didn't work he'd just ask for some form of medical checkup just to be safe, he had died not long ago, so it's better to be safe than sorry. ''Itami where the hell are you?'' Ghost says aloud looking around at the JSDF trying to spot him. ''I'm right here.'' Itami says for Ghost's side making him turn to see Itami in his BDU.
''Mission?'' Ghost asks raising a brow as Itami nods. ''Seems we've become a delivery service; command wants us to head to the trade checkpoint called Italica and sell the scales from the dragons we'd killed when we first came here and set up some relations with the city.'' Itami explains making Ghost nod. ''I'll be coming then, just let me suit up.'' Ghost says walking back into his tent that had his HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL Mark I Prototype Armor Defense System and began to ready up to move out with Itami's squad.
''How does that thing work anyways?'' Itami asks walking into the tent watching as Ghost places on the armor plating of his BDU and placing his helmet on before opening the suit up from the back and walking inside it and allowing it to close in on himself and sealing with an audible hissing noise.
''I don't really know myself I was in a bad situation and needed to help out my soldiers and the civilians and had been ordered to destroy this by the higher ups but instead I used it to kill as many of the enemy as possible to let the others escape before I lost consciousness and ended up here.'' Ghost explains as they walk towards the Humvee's and LAV of Itami's recon team. ''Let's just hope there's no dragons this time, I need to keep as much of my ammo as possible before I figure out how to make more.'' Ghost says making Itami nod. ''We might have something for your assault rifle but I don't know about the weapons attached to that…thing…'' Itami says scratching his cheek as he stops in front of the LAV causing Ghost to smirk and chuckle slightly. ''I'll manage.'' Ghost says watching as Itami got inside the Humvee.