ALIENS: COVENANT
Disclaimer: The ALIEN franchise and all characters wherein are the intellectual property of 20th Century Fox, and their owner, 21st Century Fox.
Disclaimer: The HALO franchise is the property of Microsoft and 343 Industries.
Disclaimer: The number 7 is the property of all sentient life.
Also, as before, all Covenant species appear as they do in Reach and Combat Evolved Anniversary, except the Brutes, which look like they do in Halo 2 Anniversary. All Covenant armor and weaponry look and behave as they do in Reach and Combat Evolved Anniversary, except for the Brute weapons, which look and behave as they do in Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST. All Covenant vehicles look and behave as they do in Reach and Combat Evolved Anniversary, except for the Spectre and Shadow, which look and behave as they do in Halo 2 Anniversary, and the Banshee. The Banshee looks as it does in Halo 2 Anniversary, but behaves as it does in Combat Evolved and subsequently Combat Evolved Anniversary. This is because of my personal aesthetic preferences and because this story takes place in the same time frame as the Fall of Reach and the Battle of Installation 04.
The music I listened to while writing this chapter included the soundtracks for Halo: Combat Evolved (2001) by Martin O'Donnell & Michael Salvatori, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary (2011) by the Skywalker Sound Orchestra, ALIENS (1986) by James Horner, Halo Reach (2010) by Martin O'Donnell & Michael Salvatori, and Def-Con 4 (1985) by Christopher Young.
From ALIENS Complete Theatrical Score: The Complex, The Search, Ripley Enters Complex & Into Med Lab.
From Halo Combat Evolved: Library Suite, Suite Autumn, Alien Corridors.
CHAPTER 02
DATE: AUGUST 30, 2552
COVENANT CCS BATTLE CRUISER MIDNIGHT HARMONY, IN ORBIT AROUND LV-426 AKA ACHERON
Thol Jodamee looked on with approval as the troops in front of him began armoring up in preparation for their new mission. Because many of them had been hoping to participate in fighting the humans at Reach, any chance to engage in combat with the enemy was a welcome one to most of them, especially the Brutes. Fal had made it quite clear to him after a brief comminique that his troops were to keep as much of the Human colony intact as possible for information retrieval.
After slipping on the rest of his combat harness and helmet, the Ultra made sure to inspect the weapons and armor of his troops as well. The Skirmishers were already prepared with plasma pistols, needlers, needle rifles, and plasma rifles. Thol reluctantly allowed the higher-ranking Skirmishers to arm themselves with the blue weapons, seeing as there were only a few Skirmishers willing to use them anyway.
Having already acquired his own weaponry, including two plasma rifles and an energy sword, Thol made his way through the hallways and towards the portside aft shuttle bay. There, at least two Phantoms and two Spirits awaited their passengers. Walking down the center island between a spirits and a phantom on the middle level, Thol waited for the first of his troops to enter the shuttle bay. The first ones to arrive were the Grunts. At least twelve of them had been chosen for the assignment, given the small size of the human colony.
In the following order of approach were a single Ultra, followed by Majors and Minors. The Ultra was one that Thol recognized, despite his head-conceiling helmet, due to his choice in weaponry. His name was Bebop, and he was the only Grunt to carry a plasma rifle. The blue gun had been given to him as an award for his survival and kill count in prior battles, especially as Bebop was among the few Grunts to not run away a blubbering mess when his superiors had been killed. Granted, he'd also shown a willingness to dirty his hands by using the humans' own weapons as well, but his resilience and bravery were still recognized nonetheless.
Behind Bebop were the rest of the Unggoy. Three orange-armored Grunt Minors named Yip-Yam, Flip-Flop, and Mip-Fap, followed behind closely, all carrying plasma pistols. Following them was a red-armored Grunt Major named Dodab, who carried a needler. Behind him were three Grunt Minors named Bipbam, Mayo, and Bulb. They all carried plasma pistols.
Following those eight were the last four Grunts. They included one Major named Makam, and three Minors named Wazza, Vivo, and Manna. They all carried plasma pistols. And following behind them was an automated methane-refill unit, a large but portable multi-layered device which contained several small colonies of bacteria and gases inside of it that were necessary to continuously produce methane that could be transferred into the Grunts' back packs via detachable hoses in order for them to breathe.
Thol watched them approach, with his Sangheili brothers not far behind. He recognized two Majors, Orna Rasomee and Xano Karumee. The rest were all Minor infantry, with standard blue armor. Orna Rasomee was a standard Major, with normal red armor with white trim in certain spots, while Xano Karumee was an Officer, wearing orange and red armor, along with the crested headpiece of an Officer's helmet. Thol would be the only Ultra going on this particular mission.
Rasomee carried a plasma repeater in his hands, a larger and somewhat bulkier version of the plasma rifle with a better cooling system that prevented overheating, although the weapon could still vent excess heat after prolonged usage as a safety feature. Karumee, meanwhile, carried a simple plasma rifle and spare battery, along with his energy sword. Behind him, the Minors could be seen lining up alongside the grunts that they would be commanding in their lances.
Mel 'Kodamee carried a plasma rifle, while Koza Vadomee carried a needle rifle. Nodas Vatumee carried a plasma rifle, and was the last of the Sangheili going on the mission to enter the bay. All three of them had energy swords for close combat engagements. Following the Sangheili were the Kig-Yar, both the Ruuhtians and the T'vaoans. The Ruuhtians, or Jackals as everyone often called them and their much uglier Ibeshian cousins, wore simple combat harnesses. Their ranks were determined by the coloration and strength of their shields, with Minors having teal shields and Majors having orange shields.
However, not all of the Jackals had shields. Sev Lam, a female sniper, had no shield and simply carried a needle rifle. The lack of quills and the calloused plates on the back of her head and her arms made it clear that she was a female Ruuhtian. Behind her was a male Ruuhtian named Kod, who carried a focus rifle in his clawed hands.
The rest of the Jackals were split into two teams of two. One Major and one Minor per team, as was the usual practice. Team 01 consisted of a Major named Bok, who carried a plasma pistol, and a Minor named Wez, who also carried a plasma pistol. Team 02 consisted of a Major named Xam, who carried a needler, and a female Minor named Zik Pol, who also carried a needler. Interestingly, Zik Pol carried her shield gauntlet on her left arm as opposed to her right one, as most other Jackals did.
Behind the Jackals were the T'vaoans, or the Skirmishers, who were twice as fast and agile as the Jackals, and only half as frail. The leader of the group was a Murmillo named Kop Zim, who carried a needle rifle in his clawed hands. Behind him were two lances, consisting of four Skirmishers per lance. Both lances consisted of a single Major and three Minors each.
Lance 01 was led by a Skirmisher Major named Nol Jek, who held a plasma rifle. Following Jek were three Minors, two males and one female. The males were Mern Vik and Viz Kol, carrying a plasma pistol and a carbine, respectively. The lone female of the lance was Zol Vam, who carried a needler.
Lance 02 was led by a female Major named Lok Nel, who carried a needle rifle. Following her were three Minors, all males, named Tog Mal, Nob Vet, and Bon Tek. Tog Mal carried a plasma pistol, Bon Tek carried a plasma rifle, and Nob Vet carried a needler.
Carrying the rear were two Hunters, a bond brother pair named Ibano Zolo Mena and Onida Zolo Tora. The Hunters would be forced to hang back and wait for permission before engaging any Human forces on the colony, as their weapons were far too destructive for safe usage inside any data centers that would be found. A single stray shot from one of their arm-mounted fuel rod guns could easily wreck the mission's secondary objective of obtaining useful data from the humans' computer systems.
Therefore, behind the Hunters were the last group to join the mission, one that Thol personally was reluctant to work with, but had agreed to do so under orders from both Fal and Shem. Thol didn't much care for the Jiralhanae, or Brutes as they were often and rightfully called, and the Brutes didn't much care for the Elites either. In many ways, they were similar to the humans.
They were simian beings with hair on their bodies, although the humans had much finer and less noticeable hair everywhere except on their heads, between their legs, and under their arms, while Brutes were covered from head to foot, save for their faces. Both races used kinetic energy weaponry as their primary defenses, although the humans displayed a bit more finess by incorporating smooth surfaces and deliberate combinations of curves and angles into their gun designs, often displaying a sense of, dare he say, artistry. The designs and ammunition of the humans' weapons also varied, as there was usually a specific purpose for each weapon, while Brutes simply attached blades to their guns and called it a day.
Why? Why couldn't we have the humans on our side and the Brutes against us? Thol quickly banished the heretical thought from his head and reminded himself of why they were at war with the humans in the first place. They destroyed Forerunner artifacts without regard. They blasphemously try to use the Forerunner's technology without any blessing, and have almost no reverence for the ancient ones and the legacy they left behind for us! At least, that's what the Prophets of Truth, Mercy, and Regret have told us. They wouldn't lie to us, would they? No. No, they would not. What purpose would it serve to lie to us?
Still, Thol occasionally had his doubts as to whether all of Humanity needed to be eradicated because of the actions of a few. However, he would not dare to raise these concerns out loud, especially around the Brutes, who were quite devoted to the Covenant religion, in spite of their savage and primitive handicaps. Oh well. It's not as though I don't enjoy fighting an enemy, and the humans are as good an enemy as any to fight against, Thol thought to himself in consolation.
Within the small Brute pack that would be joining the team were five of the creatures. They were led by a Captain named Balkus, who wore the gold armor appropriate of his rank. The rest of the Brutes were Minors, having only partial armor in a cyan color, limited to shoulder pauldrons and a piece that covered the top of their heads.
Balkus carried a Brute Shot with him, along with a red plasma rifle as a backup. The other members of his pack included Mondo, Hurk, Bulliaros, and Ceasar. Ceasar was the largest of them, although he only carried a spiker as his primary weapon. He carried no backup, as he believed his entire body was plenty of backup if his gun should fail. Bulliaros carried a plasma repeater as his primary weapon, and a spiker as his backup, having discovered a personal fondness for exotic weaponry not shared by his brethren. He got along with the Sangheili only slightly better than his comrades did. Meanwhile, Hurk and Mondo also both carried spikers, but with red plasma rifles as backups. They were somewhat more intelligent than Ceasar, who was mostly dumb muscle.
Thol quickly ordered the two Hunters to enter the Phantom to his left and wait for everyone else. He then glanced at the Brutes, who were looking at him uneasily. He quickly gestured for Balkus to approach him.
Balkus walked up to Thol and reluctantly bowed his head in a show of respect for the Elite's authority. Thol, reluctantly, nodded his head respectfully in response. "The Minister of Curiosity has ordered us to take the computer systems in this Human colony intact. His orders are for all of us," Thol said.
Balkus nodded his head in understanding. "What are my pack and I to do?" he asked as he reached up and scratched his dark brown furred chin. Thol took a minute to think to himself.
"I will give you and your pack... a certain level of autonomy," Thol said carefully. Balkus tried to hide his grin. "Ultimately, you will still report to me and receive orders from me, but it is up to you to decide how to follow those orders and complete the tasks that I give to you. As long as you complete your objectives, I will give you breathing room. We are both under orders to work together on this mission, and I shall not disobey the orders of a Prophet," Thol said.
"Very well," said Balkus. "I shall follow your orders in the manner that suits my preferences, but I shall follow them nonetheless. I will not disobey a Prophet either," Balkus said in response.
Both leaders nodded their heads at each other in mutual respect. "Your team will be allowed to operate on its own, but I do still expect you to report back to me on whatever you find at the colony. The colony is mostly civilian, but there are Human warriors stationed there. Currently, their communication systems are down, but that could change at any time. Please, do what you can to maintain the element of surprise until we have secured the humans' communication systems," Thol requested.
Balkus nodded his head with a grin. "Of course. I did not become a Captain by destroying everything in sight," Balkus said. "I know how to capture persons and objects of importance," he added.
"Good. The Skirmishers will be sent in first to scout the area. They are the quickest and stealthiest of all of us. Until I receive their report, no one else is to enter the Human colony, not even my fellow Elites," Thol said, letting Balkus know that he was trying to be fair.
"I understand. Please let the rest of your troops know. My pack will be waiting for instructions wherever we are deposited," Balkus said.
"Good. You may enter that phantom over there, with the Hunters. You also have my permission to give them orders, but do not send them into the colony until I have given the order. That is all I ask," Thol said. Balkus nodded his head before he gestured for his pack to enter the inside of the Phantom and wait alongside the two Hunters.
Thol then turned to address the rest of the troops. "When we arrive on the moon, I want Skirmishers, and Skirmishers only, to scout the colony and ascertain the strength of the humans' defenses. Be swift and quiet. Do not fire unless fired upon first, to maintain the element of surprise. When the scouts have finished their reconnaissance, we will proceed to enter the colony and eliminate all Human resistance," Thol said firmly.
"We have orders from the Minister of Curiosity to secure the humans' computer systems intact so that we may use them to collect information later. So watch your shots and aim properly," Thol added with a glare, one aimed specifically at Nodas 'Vatumee, not that anyone could actually see his glare, but the tone and inflection of his voice conveyed his intent to everyonequite well. Nodas hung his head in shame briefly.
"The Brutes will be accompanied by the Hunters in a mission to secure the locations marked by the scouts as containing computer systems. I have already informed them of the Minister of Curiosity's orders. Now, let's begin assigning lances," Thol said.
"Bebop, Yip-Yam, Flip-Flop, and Mip-Fap will work under Orna Rasomee. You are Team One," Thol said. They all nodded their heads before joining each other in the Phantom on Thol's right.
"Dodab, Bipbam, Mayo, and Bulp will be with Mel Kodamee in Team Two," Thol began again. Mel nodded his head and glanced over at the Unggoy who would be under his command. Despite being the same rank as Nodas, Mel was considerably more restrained and often displayed a more calculating mindset on the battlefield than many of his fellow Minors. Thol believed that Mel would someday make an excellent strategist, or at least a decent tactician.
"Team Three will consist of Makam, Wazza, Vivo, and Manna. You will serve under Xano Karumee," Thol continued. Xano was an experienced officer, and Thol trusted him to keep the troops under him in line.
"Koza 'Vadomee and Nodas Vatumee will join me in Team Four," Thol said. The two Minors both nodded their heads and walked over to him as the other teams entered the Phantom together. "Nodas, don't take this personally, but I need someone who won't collapse the colony the moment we arrive," Thol said with a hint of humor in his otherwise firm voice.
"I... of course, Sir," Nodas said in understanding.
"What about the Jackals?" Koza asked Thol, tilting his head in their direction.
"Of course," Thol said. "Jackals, your lances are the usual pairs. Lam and Kod will serve with the Skirmishers as reconnaisance, but do not fire unless I give permission. Keep your weapons' safety features on," Thol said firmly. He could almost see the faintest hint of a frown on Kod's long mouth as he tried to hide his contempt for the order.
"Move into the Spirit over on the bow-side of the bay," Thol said, pointing to the Spirit that hovered next to the Phantom in front of him. A second Spirit was on standby as well, acting as a backup in case the primary transports had a problem. As the Covenant troops entered their transports, the vessels quickly sealed their doors tight and prepared to exit the ship, passing through the energy shield that kept the atmosphere inside the shuttle bay as its doors opened in space.
Once the three transports had exited the Midnight Harmony's portside-aft shuttle bay, the bay's doors began automatically closing, with the energy shield deactivating only ten minutes after the doors had already locked, to ensure that the bay's atmosphere remained uncompromised.
Meanwhile inside the dropships, the Covenant troops anxiously awaited their chance to engage the humans in battle. The colony would be a small one, as all startup colonies were, but the presence of human warriors meant that they could at least have some fun before securing the Forerunner artifacts detected on the moon's surface. So they at least had a purpose to their mission.
Inside the Deft Hand, the Phantom being used by Thol and his teams, everyone eagerly awaited their arrival on the moon's surface. The Phantoms and lone Spirit quickly aligned themselves as they prepared to enter the moon's terraformed atmosphere. The lone compliment that the Covenant could give to the humans was that they were at least smart enough to know how to terraform different worlds. Although, the humans' terraforming technology was rather primitive in comparison to the Covenant's own technology in that regard.
As the transports eventually began entering the atmosphere, the troops held within listened as their pilots relayed their trajectory and flight status over the interior speakers. The three transports soon entered a gray and blue sky, filled with clouds. They quickly descended further, bursting through the collections of water in the upper atmosphere before being caught slightly off-guard by high winds. This only lasted a few seconds, the transports automatically began compensating for the weather as they descended further towards the surface.
Inside the Deft Hand, Thol broke away from his troops and made his way towards the cockpit, marching up behind the Sangheili pilot and looking over his shoulder. "Can we get visuals of the moon's surface? If the humans' communication equipment isn't working, there may not be any signals for us to home in on," Thol requested.
"Yes, Field Leader," the pilot, a Major named Zosa Rakomee, said as he quickly used the ship's holo-panel to bring up a video feed collected by the transport's scanning equipment. It was similar in function to what the humans had on their own dropships, but with greater clarity in picture. Thol could see the craggy rocks and deep craters that marked the surface of the moon, called Acheron by the humans, or LV-426 initially.
It's still an odd name for a celestial body. Almost akin to a log entry in a journal, I suppose. Still, it must serve a purpose. If this Acheron was initially called LV-426, then what were the other Human colonies called before they were given proper names? If we find out, perhaps we can discover how many Human worlds there are after doing a comparison with the ones we've attacked. That could tell us how many we have left to find, and how much closer we are to eradicating the vermin once and for all, Thol thought to himself.
All the more reason to keep the humans' computer systems intact once we reach the colony. I have no doubt that they'll try to erase all of their data if they discover us before we're ready to attack. We MUST keep the element of surprise. Perhaps I should go in with my camouflage activated, just to make sure that the Skirmishers don't create any incidents, Thol mused silently.
Thol returned his focus to the view of the moon's surface. It hardly looked hospitable, despite the terraforming efforts to make the atmosphere breathable. Even to his own eyes, the surface had an alien quality to it. The only comparison he could make in his mind was to Balaho, the Unggoy homeworld, rich in methane and also full of harsh rocky landscapes. Of course, Balaho was also heavily populated and featured multiple cities, courtesy of the Covenant after the Unggoy were absorbed into the hegemony. Balaho even held domes with atmosphere for the other races to breathe when visiting. It was the one place where the Unggoy were firmly in the majority and held any true power, limited though it was in the grand scheme of things.
Soon, Thol noticed an outline in the misty air. "Pilot, do you see that?" Thol asked. Rakomee nodded his head. "It looks... almost Forerunner," Thol said as he noticed the angles and structural design. However, as the Phantom drew closer to the structure, Thol noticed something else.
"Impossible. The humans... copied Forerunner designs!" Thol hissed. The large circle of metal flower petals held lights on the top, while the larger conical structure inside had many lights of its own. "What is it, though?" Thol asked quietly.
Thol then noticed the hints of gases and steam being released from vents along the sides, and the vapor rising from the top of the structure. "I see now. It's their terraforming structure," Thol said. While he had heard about the humans' terraforming technology, he'd never truly seen any of it in person until now. He was greatly disturbed by the facility's resemblance to Forerunner architecture, and he wondered if he would be able to destroy it without hesitation if the need were to arise.
Just remember that it isn't true Forerunner technology. It's an imitation of their designs, Thol told himself mentally. But he couldn't help feel something stirring in the back of his mind because of this, something almost heretical and blasphemous. He quickly quashed the beginnings of these thoughts before they could truly take form, but he knew that they could rise again until he finally left the colony.
It would take restraint, but he would manage.
"Field Leader, up ahead, beyond the terraforming structure," Rakomee said, having heard Thol's words. "I believe we are approaching the colony," the pilot continued. Thol looked at the image on the holographic screen in front of them, nodding his head as he saw the Human colony almost two kilometers away from what he had mentally designated as the atmosphere generator.
"Begin scanning for monitoring devices. Cloak the ship and send a message to the other transports to do the same," Thol ordered the Rakomee. The pilot nodded, until something occurred to him.
"Field Leader, the Spirit is an older vessel; it may not be capable of cloaking," Rakomee said, causing Thol to narrow his eyes. "Tell them to deviate and begin slowly circling the atmosphere generator," Thol said in response.
"Affirmative," the pilot replied before sending the messages.
The Phantoms quickly began cloaking themselves, as their purple appearance would stand out among the drab grey and blue tone of the colony and the rainy sky. The Spirit quickly parted from the group and began to slowly circle around the atmosphere generator. "Now, begin a slow circle of the complex. I want to see what it looks like from above so we can map things out," Thol said.
"Understood," the pilot said with a nod. He quickly messaged the other Phantom to do the same. "Strident Cloak will follow our lead," the pilot said, referring to the other Phantom by its name.
"Excellent," Thol said as the Phantom began a slow circle of the colony complex. The structure appeared to be comprised of several separate buildings at first, but Thol soon noticed the enclosed walkways connecting the buildings to one another. There was a very modular design to the overall appearance of the complex, although certain sections appeared to have been made from recycled star ship parts, most likely from the very colony ship that had brought the colonists there in the first place.
The complex was a stark contrast to the structures and buildings Thol had seen on other Human colonies, which had very different designs, although those colonies also were located on much more hospitable moons and planets as well. The design and appearance of this colony, though crude, showed that the humans were intelligent enough to choose a durable living space over a frail one that simply looked nice. Thol silently allowed the humans a small bit of admiration for their foresight in that regard, although he would never voice the thought aloud.
"The windows of the buildings all have shutters covering them," Thol soon noted. "Lights are still on, but I don't see anyone on the ground outside," Thol noted curiously. "Then again, the weather outside is rather unpleasant, isn't it? Of course they won't be outside," Thol said out loud.
On the ground below, several large multi-wheeled vehicles were parked directly in front of what appeared to be building entrances. In front of one large set of doors, most like a vehicle garage, was a military vehicle that Thol recognized. It was a Warthog, and it had a chain gun turret mounted on the back. The feed belt connected to it looked empty, but that could have simply been due to the angle from which the Phantom's scanners were viewing the vehicle.
Still, on the ground next to the Warhog was what appeared to be an abandoned assault rifle. It looked a bit different from the ones that Thol was used to encountering. Even at a slow speed, the Phantom still wasn't staying in place long enough for Thol to really get a good look at the weapon.
However, another rifle could be seen nearby, one with a slimmer outline. It was a designated marksman rifle from the looks of it. "Curious," Thol muttered to himself. As the Phantom flew over more of the complex, Thol noticed what looked like holes in the roofs of a few buildings.
The holes did not appear to have been caused by weathering.
A strange feeling began to slowly develop inside of Thol as he took in the imagery. Most of the Human structures were intact, yet they had vehicles blocking their entrances. There were abandoned weapons on the ground, and holes in a few roofs. Something had happened prior to the Midnight Harmony's arrival in the system.
He had to wonder, though. Was the malfunctioning communication equipment truly caused by the weather? Or was there something else at play here?
He would find out soon enough.
As the Phantoms continued circling the complex, Thol could see no other signs of life. "Finish the pass and then put us down near the outcropping beyond the large wall over there," Thol said as he saw the storm wall in the distance. "Keep us cloaked and open only one of the doors to let us out. Relay this message to the other ship, and tell the Spirit to join us," Thol said.
The pilot quickly relayed the message to the other transports as he began his approach of the landing zone, continuing the slow pass over the colony complex as he did so. In the middle of one street, a Warthog could be seen lying on its side. Thol began to suspect that the humans had begun fighting amongst each other after their communication equipment malfunctioned.
And yet, even passing over the roofs with holes in them, there were no signs of Human activity to be seen within. Then again, there would be no point for a human to stay in a room with rain pouring into it. Still, aside from the lights on the outside of the buildings, the colony appeared to be deserted.
Soon, though, Thol found himself returning to the main holding area of the Phantom as it reached its destination. The starboard side door opened and Thol quickly ordered the Skirmishers out onto the ground below. "We will wait for you to perform your reconnaissance, and then we will depart as well. Forward, but stay quiet and hidden," Thol said firmly to the scouts as they disembarked and began spreading out on the muddy soil below.
Kop Zim quickly sped forward through the opening of the storm wall, his fellow Skirmishers close behind. The T'vaoan Kig-Yar speedily took cover behind various vehicles in the open courtyard area between the storm wall and the rest of the complex. Some of the vehicles had tarps covering them, held down by large metal stakes through the rings in their corners, while others had been left exposed to the elements.
Glancing around the front grill of a forklift, Kop looked around through the rain for signs of movement. Seeing nothing, he gestured for his scouts to move in behind him as they approached a large set of doors that were partially blocked by two large tractors. The Skirmishers leapt up onto the tops of vehicles and barrels as they took up flanking positions, before finally converging on the entrance.
The large set of doors was closed, but a green light on top showed Kop that it was not locked. Looking at a nearby control panel next to the doors, Kop shook his head. He glanced around at the other Skirmishers before ordering them to follow him through the dirt streets and alleys of the colony. They would return to the front entrance later.
The Skirmishers quickly danced through the streets of the colony, taking cover in alcoves and the shadows of alleyways as they stopped behind various vehicles blocking entrances. Near one vehicle, yet another Warthog, Zol Vam paused as she saw an assault rifle lying on the ground. It had a more skeletal appearance than most variations of the weapon, but it was still recognizable as belonging to the MA5 family. Looking closer, she saw the words MA37 printed on a section of the weapon, along with MA5 Mk. 1 just centimeters away.
Looking around the gun, Zol soon noticed several shell casings on the ground. As she turned to move, she felt something by her feet. Looking down, she saw more shell casings. There were several dozen of them littering the ground, all various sizes. Nearby, she saw an empty pistol on the ground, its slide opened to show that it hadn't been reloaded, although there was a full magazine lying on the ground near it.
Clearly, a battle of some kind had taken place throughout the colony, but there was still something missing. Looking around, Zol noticed that, despite the abundance of abandoned weaponry and signs of battle, there were no bodies to be found. There was almost no blood either, which was especially strange. If the humans had been engaged in a battle that involved firing their weapons at an opponent, then surely there would have been blood spilt on the ground.
The rain must've washed away whatever blood had been spilled. If this battle had indeed taken place more than a week or so ago, it would make sense, Zol thought to herself. Still, she found the colony's silence and lack of activity somewhat unnerving.
Moving up ahead of Zol and crouching by an alcove outside, Nol Jek and Mern Vik both looked around and scouted for signs of Human activity. Silently, Jek motioned for Vik to take a position over by a forklift. Vik quickly dashed over to the vehicle and crouched down behind it, looking at the door that the vehicle was blocking.
Slowly creeping through the space between the forklift and the door, Vik carefully checked it for a manual opening and closing mechanism. When he could not find one, he slowly made his way around the the forklift as the others continued their advance through the colony. The rain covered the sound of their feet on the ground, and the occasional bump against the side of a vehicle, yet the Skirmishers remained quiet.
Soon, the Kig-Yar approached a street corner. A Daihotai tractor sat parked in the middle of the street, its cabin door hanging open and its lights off, the engine having died weeks earlier after being left on for too long. Even the hardiest of vehicles required proper maintenance after a while, and without any at all, they eventually succumbed to time and the elements.
Viz Kol, carrying a carbine, swiftly sprinted over to the tractor and leapt up onto the small stepping platform, just wide enough for a person to lift themself up on, next to the door. The tractor itself had been set to have its cabin and living area lowered towards the ground, but still a couple of feet in the air. Clambering inside the cabin, Kol noticed how empty and dilapidated it was inside.
The wind and the rain had done a number on the portions of the interior closest to the door, while the rest of the cabin showed signs of abandon and neglect. There were candy wrappers strewn about, along with empty water bottles and soda cans sitting idly on the floor. Carefully maneuvering further inside, Kol soon noticed a pair of keys stuck in the ignition of the vehicle's steering column.
Kol sniffed the air cautiously, cringing slightly at the scent of sterile metal and plastic inside the vehicle. Looking further around, Kol noticed a crowbar lying on the floor, along with a hat and a a set of identification tags. Creeping towards the tags, Kol gently scooped them with his claws and held them up for further inspection.
There was a picture of a middle-aged male Human, with brown hair on his head and brown eyes, wearing a red and black checkered jacket over a construction uniform. His personal information was printed to the right of the picture. The card read 'HENRY BERKLE' in bold printed letters.
Looking around further, Kol soon found several unopened packs of food stashed in a drawer, along with a primitive sidearm, one that had a round chamber with six cylindrical holes for ammunition to be entered into. It was a revolver. From this, Kol could determine that the human had been hiding inside the tractor, but from who or what had he been hiding?
Finding no other useful items inside the tractor's interior, Kol returned to the rain outside, sharing his findings with Lok Nel and the others.
"We continue searching the outside. Once we've scoured the streets and outer walls, we'll find a way inside the complex," Nel said. The others all nodded their heads in agreement before they sprinted away, taking to the shadows and dark corners to keep themselves hidden as much as possible.
As the Skirmishers continued their mission, it soon became abundantly clear that they were the only ones moving around outside.
"Field Leader, this is Kop. The outer perimeter has been secured. We are ready to inspect the inside of the complex," Kop relayed.
"Are you sure there as no signs of Human activity outside?" Thol asked him over the advanced communication system built into his combat harness.
"We have searched high and low, Field Leader. We are all that move outside," Kop replied in a mostly respectful manner. He looked around as he said this, making sure that his words were true as he stood in front of a large door.
"Very well. We will begin inspecting the interior shortly. Wait for us at the starting point, by the wall," Thol replied over the comm.
As Thol and his troops rushed out of the Phantom and over through the opening in the storm wall, he expected to feel a rush of excitement flow through him, one that always preceded a battle. And yet, the Skirmishers' findings filled Thol with a slight sense of trepidation instead, as he now did not know if there would be a battle or not. He quickly made sure to relay his message to the Brutes for them to find an opening and make their way inside, before reminding them to have the Hunters stay behind.
Looking around at the abandoned vehicles in the courtyard and the streets beyond, Thol allowed his mind to wander ever so briefly. Where were all of the humans? Were they inside the complex? Had they already left the site earlier for reasons unknown and simply abandoned it?
Thol quickly pushed these thoughts aside as he neared the front door of the building closest to the storm wall. Kop was already there waiting for him and the others. Soon, Thol slowed his pace and eventually entered a casual walk as he neared the door.
"How many doors in the complex are unlocked?" Thol asked Kop.
"Many of them are too well blocked for us to reach them, but the ones we can reach are either welded shut or locked tight," Kop replied as he stepped to the side to allow Thol greater proximity to the large set of doors in front of them.
"Karumee, see if you can open this door," Thol said to the Officer. Xano nodded his head respectfully before retrieving a small kit from a panel in his thigh armor. It was a tool developed by various Oossoona over the years to allow for ease of access into Human structures. With careful precision, Xano propped open the cover of the door's control panel and held the device over the exposed boards and circuits underneath.
Without any hesitation, Xano quickly scanned the internal components and looked at a readout on the tiny screen of the device in his hand. He then replaced the cover and entered the code to unlock the door. "We should be able to open it now," Xano said confidently as he turned off the device and pocket it back into the compartment of his armor.
Thol quickly reached for the door's control panel and pressed a large green button, causing the door to begin sliding open. The other Covenant glanced at him curiously, except Xano. "It's usually a green button or something similar," Thol said as a brief explanation to his subordinates. When the door was fully opened, he quietly led his troops into the doorway, noticing the emptiness of the halls.
He quickly noticed that the floor was grated in most sections, and that many parts of colony's interior seemed to be a work in progress. "Stay quiet," Thol said quietly to his troops as they cautiously entered the complex. Thol quickly retrieved one of his plasma rifles from his side and held it in his right hand as he advanced forward, taking in the sight of the colony.
Much of the complex appeared to be in disarray. Work benches lay overturned on the floor, cables and wiring were exposed and even ripped up in certain sections along the walls and ceiling, and a few light tubes were broken on the floor. Various tools lay scattered about the debris as the Covenant troops slowly investigated the seemingly-empty colony.
Despite all of this, the lights were still on. It was eerie. Thol found himself becoming quite unerved by the unexpected emptiness of the Human compound. As the troops neared an intersection in the colony, Thol began dividing them up into their files and lances, sending them off into different directions, ordering most of the Skirmishers to join the lances in pairs. Three of them, however, were assigned to Xano Karumee's lance, and two of them were left to search the complex on their own.
The Jackals were ordered to stay put, however, before Thol finally ordered them to simply remain by the entrance until further notice, as a guard for their exit if necessary.
Looking back, Thol saw the Brutes bringing up the rear. "I want all of you to stay together, and be on the lookout for anything... strange. Something happened here, and it may be in our best interest to find out what it was," Thol said softly to Balkus.
Balkus looked around the dilapidated interior of the colony before nodding his head in agreement. "Yes, Field Leader. There was no way for the humans to expect our accidental arrival, so there must be another reason for their absence, if they are indeed all absent. We will keep everything that we find intact for later inspection by the Minister of Curiosity," Balkus responded with a mildly respectful tone.
Thol nodded his head curtly in a small showing of respect. "Search where you like, but remember to report it to me. I don't need anyone under my own command disappearing as well," Thol said before walking away from the Brutes and rejoining Koza and Nodas.
The Brutes soon turned a corner and made their way down a flight of stairs towards a sub-level of the complex. Meanwhile, the rest of the troops began their quiet investigation. Walking through the corridors, Thol felt a strange sensation as he noticed some of the damaged security cameras on the walls and ceilings. Some of them were still intact, but others had been ripped from their holdings or were simply torn apart and lying on the floor. Because of this, Thol found it extremely odd that he felt as though he was being watched.
Cautiously, Thol and the others moved through the seemingly abandoned structure. All throughout, there were signs of some kind of struggle. Wires and cords hung limply from torn-open electrical panels in the walls and ceilings, and the occasional UNSC firearm could be seen lying on the floor with empty magazines nearby.
Moving through a corridor, Thol came upon a sign overhead that read 'HABITATION BLOCK'. Thol urged Koza and Nodas to proceed quietly before turning a corner and walking down a corridor into the Habitation Block. Several doors were opened or closed, but none of them showed any signs of recent usage.
Thol ordered Nodas and Koza to each enter a separate living area on their own, with special orders to Nodas to stay his weapon.
Peeking into an opened doorway, Thol looked inside at what was a Human living area. The floor had carpeting of some kind on it, and as Thol walked into the room, he began to take in the sight of the wrecked home. Toppled-over picture frames lay on top of a large cabinet, while children's toys were spread out on the floor.
Thol reached out and picked up a picture frame, looking at the image of the smiling family held within its rectangular body. There were three humans, including two adults and an infant. Thol lazily set the frame back where he had found it and continued his search of the room, seeing dried blood stains on the floor and walls.
Entering the small kitchenette, Thol noticed a set of knives scattered around the floor, along with an industrial wrench and a hammer. The wrench had a corroded appearance to it, and cans of food littered the floor near an opened bag. Stepping closer to the bag, Thol saw several cans and other survival supplies stashed inside.
The humans had been preparing to leave when they had been attacked in their home, apparently. But, by whom? Who or what had attacked the humans? Surely they hadn't attacked each other, or there would have been bullet holes in the walls and more blood stains everywhere. Thol had seen what Human weaponry could do to an unshielded opponent, and what he was seeing right now did not seem to indicate Human weaponry being used against other humans.
Moving away from the kitchenette and over towards a small bedroom, Thol saw an empty play pen and a turned-over bed. Someone or something had lifted up the moderately sized piece of furniture and left it on its side, most likely to get at whoever must have been hiding underneath it, for there would have been no other reason to do so. Thol clicked his mandibles in frustration.
Not only were there almost certainly no humans to fight, but now there was the probability that if the humans had been attacked by a non-human entity, then they may have already wiped their computer systems clean as a precaution. The entire mission could end up being a failure because of that. Still, nothing had been confirmed, and the colony's operation center hadn't been entered yet, so there was still a chance at finding something useful.
Leaving the habitat, Thol soon saw Koza and Nodas both exiting their assigned areas as well. Thol quickily rejoined them in the middle of the corridor. "I have found no humans so far. What have you found, Nodas?" Thol asked the youngest of the two Minors.
"Nothing, Field Leader. Only broken furniture and a few blood stains. I think the humans had a fight with each other," Nodas said in response.
"No. I have seen the results of humans fighting each other before. This is different," Thol said, shaking his head in response. "Koza, what have you found?" Thol then asked the other Elite.
"An empty living area. Wrecked furniture, signs of struggle, torn up carpeting... Something happened here, Field Leader. But if the humans did not fight each other, then what did they fight?" Koza asked.
"Field Leader, this is Rasomee. My lance and I have found something of interest on one of the upper levels," Orna Rasomee said over the helmet's communication system. "There are melted holes in the floors. Large ones," Rasomee explained.
"Melted? Were they made by plasma weapons?" Thol asked curiously.
"I don't think so," Orna Rasomee said as he knelt down next to the large hole in the floor. He gazed down into it, seeing another hole in the floor below it, and one below that. This was not the work of standard plasma weaponry. Looking around, he saw a half-melted assault rifle on the floor nearby, along with a discarded combat knife and part of a boot. The boot was only partially intact, with most of it missing near another hole in the floor, albeit a small one compared to the one he was kneeling next to.
Looking back down through the melted holes in the floors below him, Orna felt a sense of wrongness permeating the hallway. Something was wrong, very wrong. Certain types of plasma weaponry could easily melt through thick layers of metal with enough time and persistence, but the way that these floors had been melted through, along with the lack of other signs typical of plasma scoring or even evidence to suggest other energy beam weaponry, indicated that something else had caused the damage.
And as far as Orna was aware, there were no other Covenant forces in the system, nor had there been prior to the Midnight Harmony's accidental arrival. This meant that there were no forces in the area that used plasma or direct energy weapons that could've caused this kind of damage. This unsettled him greatly.
Looking over at the Grunts in his lance, all of whom were busy checking various nooks and crannies along the rails and walls, Orna noticed a security camera slowly moving back and forth, a small red light on the top of it indicating that it still held power. With most of the security devices in the hallways being heavily damaged, if not outright destroyed, this lone survivor intrigued Orna.
Watching the camera carefully, Orna noted that the device held its place for seven seconds before turning again, holding for another seven seconds, and then turned once more. It followed this pattern without fail for three full minutes, after which Orna stopped monitoring the device. His suspicions had been allayed. The device was simply performing its programmed behavior, nothing more, and nothing less.
However, the presence of the functioning security camera had also given Orna and idea.
Holding his plasma repeater in both hands, Orna soon stood up and called out to one of the Skirmishers that had taken point near a junction in the hallway. It was a female Major, and he recognized the scar running along the right side of her beak. "Nel," Orna said, noting to himself that another female Major, named Lok, also had a similar scar on her face as well. Sometimes, he wondered if Lok and Nel were both the same individual, as they both shared the same scar and strikingly similar voices. But that was a question for another day.
"Yes, Major Rasomee?" Nel asked him with a respectful tone. She held the needle rifle in her clawed hands tightly, as the seemingly empty colony had begun to set her on edge. She had been quietly trying to piece together all of the clues she'd seen so far when Rasomee had called out her name, distracting her.
"Can you and..." Orna paused as he tried to remember the name of the Minor standing next to Nel.
"Mal," said the Minor standing next to Nel, who noticed Orna's gaze as the Elite stuggled to remember his name.
"Yes, thank you. Can the two of you find your way to the colony's security center? If the security systems are still intact, then perhaps we can determine what occurred here before our arrival," Orna said.
Nel nodded her head before leading Mal away from Orna's lance. Orna watched as the two Skirmishers disappeared around a corner, their light footsteps echoing only briefly before they became too far away to hear properly. Orna then turned to look at the Grunts as they inspected some bullet holes in part of a nearby wall, along with some more melted holes in the floor. They were small holes, almost akin to... splatter marks, as though they came from something being spilled, now that Orna took the time to study them properly.
Looking back over to the junction, Orna noticed a sign on the wall. It had a green arrow with white letters that spelled out 'COMMONS A' and 'COMMONS B'. On a wall perpendicular to that one, on the other side of the junction, a blue arrow had the words 'EDUCATION BLOCK' stenciled in white against it.
"Grunts, follow me," Orna grunted. The Grunts all stopped what they were doing and followed him quietly as they began another trek through the abandoned corridors of the colony. Well, most of them were quiet. Bebop, the lone Grunt Ultra, gave a few orders of his own to the others, careful not to contradict Orna's own orders in any way as he did so.
"Flip-Flop, watch the rear. Let us know if anything tries to sneak up behind us," Bebop ordered. Flip-Flop nodded his head in understanding as he turned around and began walking backwards with no awkwardness, a feat that caused Bebop to always give him said task.
"Mip-Fap... don't try to eat anything that you don't recognize," Bebop said.
"It was one time," Mip-Fap whined in response.
This earned a small chuckle from Orna up ahead, who sometimes listened to the chatter of the Grunts serving under him for his own amusement. Currently, he found their dialogue to be useful in lessening the tension and underlying sense of dread that was building up inside of him from the emptiness of the colony and the signs of battle that had taken place throughout it. Normally he would find such chatter to be annoying and a distraction, but today he found it calming. It provided him with a sense of "normalcy" that the abandoned Human colony so eerily lacked at the moment.
OPERATIONS
Stepping inside the main Operations center, Mel 'Kodamee silently gestured for the Grunts in his lance to stay back, before quietly ordering the two Skirmishers accompanying them to move forward and scout the room. The Murmillo and Minor, Kop Zim and Viz Kol, respectively, both quietly and swiftly entered the room, taking cover behind tables and peeking around corners without so much as a chirp or whistle to give themselves away. Mel watched quietly as the two Skirmishers dashed about the room, with only the occasional click of their talons against the floor giving them away as they bolted from desk to desk, computer terminal to computer terminal, and pillar to pillar, easily staying out of cable bundles and avoiding chairs nearby.
Eventually, the duo disappeared around a corner on the other side of a sloped center area with safety rails, where the primary controls were no doubt located, just meters away from a large window with the outside shutters sealing off the view of the outside world. Mel watched and waited for their return, silently glancing around the corridor and seeing a single functioning security camera slowly panning around the hallway. It figures that the only thing still moving in this place would be a non-living entity such as that, Mel thought to himself with a hint of humor.
Checking the motion tracker built into his harness, Mel tracked the movement of the four Grunts around him. They were all staying behind him, only fidgeting now and then to provide any movement for the tracker to follow. Glancing back at the four Unggoy, Mel noted how all of them seemed rather anxious as they quietly explored the corridor of the colony. He, too, felt somewhat anxious as he looked around, seeing no signs of any humans to fight, or indeed any living beings for that matter.
It was unsettling, if he were honest with himself. Holding his plasma rifle in his right hand, Mel quietly drummed the fingers of his left hand over its top cowling as he waited for the two Skirmishers to return. Eventually, he let out a sigh of frustration.
SUB-LEVEL 01...
Captain Balkus ordered his Brutes to halt their progress as they approached a closed door near a set of stairs. He looked up at the red stain over the top, with white letters spread out in a specific fashion. ARMORY, it read, causing Balkus to grin in anticipation.
An armory meant weapons and supplies.
Using the comm-link built into his golden helmet, Balkus contacted Thol. "Field Leader, we have located an armory here on the sub-level. I am proceeding inside with my Brutes to search for humans within it," Balkus stated.
"Very well. Balkus, I have been given reports from the others regarding what may be holes and burn marks caused by plasma weaponry. Let me know if you find any such weaponry inside the humans' armory, otherwise proceed as you please," Thol said.
"Of course, Field Leader," Balkus said before turning off the comm. He then marched over to the control panel on the side of the door and inspected it for clues to opening it. An armory would no doubt have some kind of security system to prevent non-combat personnel from accessing its contents.
Carefully pressing a single finger to the keypad, Balkus hit a large green button. The door began to slide open, much to his surprise, and he ordered his Brutes to stand back to the side. If there were any humans inside, they would be armed. Given the signs of battle throughout the colony, Balkus wouldn't be surprised.
When the door finally finished sliding open, Balkus peered around the corner of the frame and looked into the room, seeing shelves and gun racks lining the sides of the room, with an island of dual-sided gun racks in the middle, holding empty weapons. Balkus scanned the shadows inside the room for signs of humans, and when he could see none, he boldly stepped around the door frame and entered the armory.
He was only a foot inside when he felt the strange texture under his feet, and the metallic rolling below him. Glancing down, Balkus soon noticed the spent shells and brass bullet casings covering the floor. The sheer number of spent ammunition was almost overwhelming, stretching from the doorway all the way back to the first gun rack island. The bullet casings almost provided a metallic carpet over the solid floor.
"Bulliaros, cover the doorway. The rest of you, join me inside," Balkus ordered. Bulliaros waited until the others had entered the armory before he stepped in himself and started his role as a lookout, keeping his plasma repeater aimed at the floor but still ready to bring it up to bear at a moment's notice.
Mindful of the bullet carpet, Balkus and the other Brutes slowly advanced through the armory, taking in the sight of mounted weapons on racks and abandoned weapons on the floor. The gun racks held over two dozen MA37 assault rifles, a dozen MA5B assault rifles, a dozen M392 designated marksman rifles, three dozen M6C and M6B pistols, fifteen M7 submachine guns, a dozen M45E shotguns, and two M7057 flamethrowers. And yet, the numerous empty slots in the racks indicated that there should have been more weapons inside the room. However, the numerous signs of battle throughout the colony easily explained their absence from the room.
As Balkus stepped forward to inspect a rack holding the assault rifles, he felt a slight dip in the floor beneath his foot. Glancing downward, Balkus saw a small hole in the floor, blackened and warped, with a slight greenish-yellow stain surrounding it. He raised an eyebrow in curiosity as he remembered Jodamee's words from minutes earlier.
Walking around further, Balkus soon noticed a discarded helmet on the floor, surrounded by splotches of dried blood. An empty pistol lay on the ground nearby. The other Brutes soon announced their discovery of more discarded and half-empty weapons on the ground as they continued their inspection of the armory, along with a large open maintenance vent. Dried blood stains surrounded the opening of the vent and the dented grate that lay nearby on the floor.
Looking around, Balkus and the other Brutes soon noticed multiple bullet holes in the ceiling and walls of the armory, along with more burn marks. "What happened here?" Balkus heard Mondo ask rhetorically as they continued inspecting the signs of battle. No one had an answer just yet, but Balkus could feel a pit slowly begin to form in his stomach, and he didn't like it.
Xano Karumee slowly led his lance of Grunts and three Skirmishers through the corridors of Hadley's Hope. They passed numerous barricades and discarded weapons on the floor, along with several wet spots caused by rain entering through holes in the roof. Reaching a large door with the words 'CAFETERIA' stenciled in front of a blue rectangle, Karumee gestured for the others to stand back before he pressed a green button on the control panel to open it. The door slid open with an electronic 'vmm' sound, as did all of the doors in the colony, to reveal a deserted cafeteria and kitchen area.
Leading the lance inside, Karumee ordered the Skirmishers to take point and inspect the kitchen area to the left of their position. The three Skirmishers darted over through the open doorway and scoured the area for signs of any humans within. Meanwhile, Karumee led the Grunts through the multiple columns and rows of tables and benches, passing several automated food and beverage dispensers and trash cans lining the walls and corners of the room.
Various trays of half-eaten and forgotten food adorned a handful of tables, with with a few half-empty weapons on the floor. Shell casings could be seen near a jammed M45E shotgun lying on its side next to a bloodied helmet on the floor, as could a stained and partially corroded combat knife lying near a small hole in the floor. There appeared to be no locations in the colony where fighting had been avoided.
As Karumee slowly led the Grunts around the room, they began to quietly chat among themselves, mostly about the colony.
"What were humans fighting?" Vivo asked nervously as he looked around at the fallen trays of half-eaten food on the floor near a table close to him.
"Me have bad feeling about this," Wazza added as he took in the sight of abandoned weapons and utensils on the ground.
"You always have bad feeling, Wazza! You have bad feeling about morning food nipple!" Makam, the group's Major, said with a hint of annoyance. Still, he did not disagree with Wazza's sentiment, as he kept a firm grip on the handle of his needler as a precaution.
Only Manna remained silent, until he heard the sounds of talons on the floor and turned to see the Skirmishers exiting the kitchen. "Boss, Skirmishers come back," Manna alerted Karumee. Karumee nodded his head as he turned to look at the three Kig-Yar approaching them.
"What have you found?" Karumee asked the Skirmishers.
"Nothing," Bon Tek replied. The other two Skirmishers, Mern Vik and Nob Vet, both nodded their heads in agreement. Karumee clicked his mandibles in a frustrated response.
Stepping inside the security center, Lok Nel and Tog Mal both scanned for signs of life. All they found were dried blood stains, a few discarded pistols, a busted shotgun, and an empty MA5B assault rifle on the floor, along with multiple burn marks on the wall and a hole in the floor. "This... isn't right," Nel said with a growing sense of foreboding in her voice.
Mal nodded his head in agreement with her. "There are burn marks and holes everywhere, but no plasma weapons to cause them. Who or what did the humans fight before we arrived?" Mal asked rhetorically.
Looking further around the room lined with video monitors, Nel noticed how so many of them were turned off, while only a few remained functioning. "Why did that Sangheili send us to find the security center?" Nel asked as she reached down and picked up an M6C pistol from the floor, inspecting it for signs of damage before placing it back down and holding her needle rifle with both hands. Moving up to inspect the video screens, she saw that two of them were still working for the Operations center and the Med Lab, where she saw two other Skirmishers skulking about.
Looking at the Operations feed, Nel watched as Mel 'Kodamee and his Grunts stayed just outside in the hallway. Looking over at another working feed, Nel saw the Brutes collecting souvenirs in the armory. She'd have to remember to take Kop and the others down there before leaving to find stuff to smuggle back onto the Midnight Harmony so that they could sell them at various trading posts later.
Shifting her gaze to another working feed, she saw Thol Jodamee and his small team inspecting a room with multiple desks and chairs,.
EDUCATION CENTER
Looking around the Second Grade classroom, Thol took note of all of the tools used by the humans to teach their youth. He noticed the various measurement charts and mathematic formulas stenciled onto thin sheets hanging on the wall. He saw a large picture that was labeled as the 'Periodic Table of Elements' on wall of the walls, and multiple electronic devices for mathematic calculations.
Up on one of the walls, Thol saw over two dozen pictures of what had to have been the children who attended the class. At the very end of the line was a picture of an adult female with short blonde hair and glasses. Thol immediately guessed that she had been the primary education instructor for the children, before he looked at their pictures and studied the names under them.
One of them, a picture of a young girl with dirty blonde hair and a toothy grin, caught his attention with the placard underneath stating: Second Grade Citizenship Award, Rebecca Jorden. A citizenship award? What in the name of the Forerunners was that? He could only guess that it was supposed to be a motivational tool to make the children behave properly and cooperate with their elders and instructors.
Moving down further through the empty classroom, Thol noticed a small plastic object with golden hair on it. It was a doll's head, missing its body and covered in dirt and grime. Scuff marks could be seen on the floor nearby, until Thol noticed a busted ceiling tile on the floor. Looking upwards, he noticed a large rectangular hole in the ceiling, one of the few holes in the colony structure that wasn't surrounded by a burn mark or caused by bullets.
Behind him, Koza and Nodas both studied the room quietly, before seeing something on one of the walls. It was a picture of a planet, with the words 'Fight For Her' printed underneath it. There was no name attached to the planet, but Koza could guess that it was likely Reach, which the rest of the Fleet of Particular Justice was currently attacking without them, or some other world that may or may not have already been attacked by the Covenant.
On a nearby wall, Nodas noticed a diagram of the Zeta Reticuli system, with a small circle drawn around one little part of it, no doubt showing where the colony was located in relation to the rest of the system. Nearby, Nodas saw a table with a terrarium sitting on it, filled with woods chips and a colorful plastic habitat of some kind for what was no doubt a class pet. Walking over to the terrarium, Nodas noticed a small stain of dried blood on the wood chips, along with another, unknown dried substance of some kind.
The quiet of the room was soon broken, however, when Thol's comm came to life.
"Field Leader, this is Kodamee. The Skirmishers have found something in the Med Lab," Kodamee said. Thol tilted his head curiously.
"What have they found?" Thol asked over the comm.
"Creatures of some kind. I don't know what they are, but the humans have collected a large number of them in several containers inside the Med Lab. These things may be related to the humans' disappearance. I am not as adept at reading Human writing as you or the Minister of Curiosity, but there appear to be several medical logs in the room which could shed light on our current mystery. My lance and I will be waiting in the Operations center until you say otherwise," Kodamee reported.
"Good. Stay there until my team and I have finished our sweep of the Education block. We will arrive at the Operations center shortly. Don't touch anything until we arrive," Thol said.
"Understood, Field Leader. We await your arrival," Kodamee responded respectfully before ending the communique. Thol curtly nodded his head and clicked his mandibles. Finally, he would have some answers to his growing list of questions.
Author's Notes: And that's Chapter 02 of ALIENS: COVENANT.
Yes, the doll is Casey, Newt's doll.
No, Newt did not survive this version of the story.
If she did, then that would actually cause a whole heap of different problems for this story to work. First of all, I couldn't just have the Covenant try to protect her like Ripley and the Marines did in ALIENS. It wouldn't make any logical sense for the Covenant to protect a lone human child from the xenomorphs. I mean, this is the Covenant. These guys are waging a genocidal war against humanity, so... no, there would be no logical reason for them to protect Newt if they were to encounter her.
Just as well, I don't really wanna have the Covenant kill Newt either, as that would undo my attempts to make them even remotely likable or relatable. Basically, the best narrative solution is to have Newt already be a victim of the infestation, removing the need to have the Covenant kill her and make the story's protagonists more unlikable than they already are, and it adds to the sense of abandonment throughout the colony, creating a sense of mystery for the Covenant troops as they try to figure out why there are no humans at this human colony. So, yeah, Newt was taken by the xenomorphs at some point before the Covenant arrived. No, she will not be found by the Covenant during her final moments in the hive. She's already dead by the time they arrive on the moon.
Also, the poster of Earth with the words Fight For Her is taken directly from Halo: Combat Evolved. This poster is present in the first level, just before entering the Autumn's bridge, on a bulletin board. Way to keep Earth a secret, whoever put that poster up on a ship that was intended to go find the Covenant homeworld and would definitely encounter Covenant forces at some point.
As always, be sure to let me know what you think of the chapter and/or story so far in your reviews! They're always appreciated, no matter what you say in them.