J. Bittersweet::with Eekyip in her lap:: -Hey everybody. We've made it to yet another exciting chapter of Unggoy are from blah-blah-blah.

Eekyip::squeals joyfully::

J: HAHAHA! Within 2 weeks, I said! Oh, man... sorry about that. -See, Eek? 13 reviews. They love you.

Eekyip::smiles cutely:: I love them too!

J: And if it weren't for me you'd still be in the dark recesses of my busted up old DELL. ::picks Eek up Simba style::

Eekyip::looks confused:: If it weren't for you I wouldn't even exist.

J: Yep, that too. So go get me an energy drink, ya ungrateful brat. ::drops him::

Eekyip: Yes, mommy.

J: Now then, about those reviews:

Razorblade Love: I liked your story very much! (this much ::holds arms out::) I hope you write more.

Eekyip::from the kitchen:: I liked it too!

Darth Baka: Thanks. I hope to write more of it. ::grin::

Metal Mangalarga Marchardor: Aw, that's too bad. ...god I hate screaming children. I guess I'm a bad person. Thanks so much, I'm glad you like it!

Amy Majin: lmao I love your story so much, you are crazy::rereads awesome super-long review:: -Ya hear that, mofo?

'Ebamee::polishes his plasma rifle like he isn't paying attention, but you can totally see him smiling::

She says your hawt! -Yeah, he knows. Iko, give her your phonenumber!

'Ebamee::smirks and ignores her::

Heehee.

Man, I don't know about Yayap, cause he seemed pretty smart, but in my expert oppinion::puts glasses on:: 'Zamamee was definitely crushing on the grunt. Like when he was all "wort wort wort- and then I'll deal with that tiresome Yayap wort wort-" what he really meant was, I'm gonna take him back to my place, light some candles and, you know...wort wort wort. ::takes glasses off:: lol

AccidentalSuicideBomber: Hey, yourself! Where's chapter 2 of Love and War at? I'm waiting for that! ...I know I haven't reviewed that yet, because I wrote on the back what I was gonna say... so you can expect a review...if you don't see it in two days you should stab me...in the jaw. Yep, that's what I would do.

Drodjan: Thank you very much! I'm glad you like it.

Animaeus: I know, I'm trying to read you're story, but I guess I'm gonna have to print it out if I want to actually finish reading. Hope I remember to review.

Zim fan 101: I am working on toning the wierdness down (but I will probably not succeed -) I hope you like it, took me long enough trying to get it right.

RIP: Hahaha! Yes, you are not alone. And when I find some more Grunt/Elite stories I will tell you guys.

-

Eekyip: brings Tab

Thank you, sweetie.

Eekyip::climbs on to Bittersweet's lap::

Okay! Without any further blathering from J. Bitta'sweet, (see closing for blathering)-

---o---

Chapter 3 : Warming Up

---o---

Niplip tripped over a half-buried stone and stumbled, but he kept running. In a blue-white flash, a plasma grenade exploded. The Minor cast a worried look over his shoulder.

"I hope Eekyip will be okay!" he said helplessly.

When no reply came he turned back around. A bullet skimmed off his combat harness bringing his attention sharply back to his own well-being. Rigreek was in front of him, scurrying away from the sounds of battle in a very un-heroic fashion. Niplip looked confused, but he followed the more experienced soldier. Ahead, Rigreek had taken cover behind an overturned Warthog. He primed a plasma grenade and blindly tossed it over the edge of the vehicle.

Niplip took a hurried step towards him, but a sudden impact on his left shoulder sent him spinning to the ground. There was a split second of intense pain. After that he simply couldn't will himself to move. The human LRV exploded and Rigreek leapt away. Niplip was dimly aware of footsteps coming towards him and then a battle rifle being pointed at his head.

"Help...Rigreek―"

"Rigreek, wait!" Eekyip cried out, uncurling completely from his sleeping position.

In his peripheral vision, he saw the SpecOps Trooper staring at him in shock.

Eekyip turned away from him. He squeezed his eyes shut, his face flushing indigo. When he opened his eyes, he jumped, realizing he'd fallen asleep on the edge of a cliff face. He crawled backwards away from the ledge. As he tried to regain his composure he heard Rigreek snickering and whispering to one of his companions. The Minor carefully peered over the edge of the ridge. It wasn't a terribly long way down. In the valley below, the Elites were busy pitching their sleek, warm tents.

We're going to be here for awhile, he thought.

He scanned his own Grunt section tiredly. Rigreek sat in front of two bored looking SpecOps Troopers. One was larger than Rigreek and one who was almost as small as Eekyip. He grumbled about the standard infantry Grunts being a disgrace, waving his rifle about for emphasis. Eekyip rolled his eyes. Farther up on the plateau, a circle of red-armored Grunts chatted or nodded off with weapons in their laps. They looked unhappy and Eekyip wasn't particularly interested in their disdain. Past them, he spotted the warrior Grunt, and struggled to remember his name.

Rigreek had introduced him to the quiet SpecOps Trooper cordially―and he had been less than friendly―but he had demonstrated the correct use of an energy rifle. Eekyip also remembered the warrior had placed himself in Rigreek's path right after he'd hit the bastard...right after―

...Mitmeer, that's what it was. Eekyip stood, deciding that Mitmeer had showed him more real kindness than anyone else around, and walked towards him.

Mitmeer began to stray from the group of chatty soldiers. Eekyip waddled up behind the imposing Grunt. Mitmeer peered over his shoulder at his follower.

"Take me with you," Eekyip urged him, recalling how Mitmeer had evaded him before. Mitmeer's eyes narrowed into a skeptical stare.

"Why?" he asked slowly, his tone revealing that he didn't trust the Minor. He remained still and watched Eekyip carefully. Eekyip took a step towards the loner; Mitmeer almost reflexively stepped back, but stopped himself. "You're barking up the wrong tree, kid. Stick with your hero, Rigreek the Wonder Grunt, or whatever the hell he's calling himself these days..." He started to turn away.

"You taught me how to use a rifle―" the Minor argued.

"Now, I didn't―" the SpecOps Trooper started to protest.

"―And it saved my life..." Eekyip said gratefully. "If anybody should be my hero, it's you. Take me with you this time. Please." Mitmeer considered this.

"...No...You've got the wrong guy." He turned his body from the smaller Grunt but couldn't tear his gaze away. "I'm not like Rigreek...I won't promise―"

"Good. With respect, Mitmeer, I'm not looking for a hero, I'm looking for a teacher." The SpecOps Grunt's eyes widened fractionally. "I hate how weak Grunts are," the Minor muttered bitterly. Mitmeer's eyes quickly narrowed again.

"We weren't always." His voice was laced with annoyance. "Why me?" Eekyip looked confused at the question.

"What do you mean?" he asked, tilting his head.

"If Grunts are so weak, go get 'Ebamee to keep you alive. It works well enough for Rigreek," Mitmeer said, attempting to dismiss the newcomer―but Eekyip had made up his mind.

"I don't want to be like Rigreek! I. Want. To. Be. Like. You." The Minor was exasperated; Mitmeer was almost amused.

"Why's that?" he asked with a newfound patience.

"...I want to be good―good enough to make a difference. I know I'll never be as good as you, but I'd at least like to know what I'm doing―"

"Have you checked your weapon today?" Mitmeer asked suddenly. Startled, Eekyip peered down at his pistol or, rather, Niplip's pistol. He had lent his to a wounded Elite in need of yet another weapon.

"Examine it, quick-like, and have it ready," the Commando advised. Mitmeer continued on his path. "Always have your weapon ready to fire. Always." Eekyip looked his pistol over and shoved it back into his harness, scrambling down the path after the warrior.

----

The two Grunts walked silently through the thick underbrush.

"Pay attention," Mitmeer said.

"But...you weren't saying anything." Eekyip was slightly annoyed by the unexpected correction, but it didn't show.

"Pay attention to your surroundings," Mitmeer said calmly. Eekyip cautiously scanned the sloping terrain.

"Birds, trees, rocks, rocks, rocks..." He inhaled deeply. "Rocks..." Mitmeer sighed again.

"And...?" he prompted the smaller Grunt.

"...the sky―?"

"Backpedal," Mitmeer cut him off. "What about the rocks?"

"There are many?" the Minor ventured.

"And that means?" the SpecOps Grunt asked. He stepped over a branch that Eekyip had to duck under. He composed himself and found his train of thought. Eekyip strained mentally for a moment before his mind began to work.

"Oooooh! There could be, um..."

"...humans," Mitmeer provided.

"Hiding in them! ...Right?" Eekyip looked hopeful. Mitmeer nodded, a bored look on his face.

"There ya go."

"Sooo, someone should check it out," he suggested. Mitmeer sighed.

"That's what I'm doing."

"You―" Eekyip looked stunned for a moment. "Who told you to do that?" he said in mild disbelief. Mitmeer looked confused.

"No one, it just needed to be done," he explained simply.

"Sooo...what do you do if you find any?" Eekyip asked the warrior.

There was a sudden rustle in the bushes left of their position. Eekyip raised his plasma pistol in an erratic manner.

"Hopefully"―Mitmeer charged his own pistol expertly―"I kill them." He cautiously approached the suspicious bushes. The dark, thick foliage could have concealed anything. Eekyip was getting very nervous.

"Hopefully...? But...you would normally kill them, right?" he inquired anxiously. Mitmeer growled.

"Yes, Rookie, normally I would, unless I am being followed by an extremely talkative rookie, and then they normally kill me," the Commando hissed.

Hearing the sudden outburst from the stoic SpecOps Grunt, Eekyip's wide eyes widened exponentially.

"Wait...If they'd killed you―"

"Shut up!"

A four-winged butterfly-bird shot out of the bush. Eekyip successfully withstood fainting and breathed a sigh of relief, but Mitmeer continued to stare at the coniferous bush warily.

"Rookie..." Mitmeer gestured at his overcharged plasma pistol. Eekyip gulped and raised his pistol to eye level again. He pulled the trigger and held it down so that the energy gathered at the mouth of the weapon. It glowed green and trembled in Eekyip's nervous hands.

The bushes quivered fractionally and Mitmeer's eyes narrowed into slits. He could feel waves of anxiety rolling off of Eekyip. Stress was a good thing, but the Rookie wasn't focused, just terrified.

"This is one of the things that killed your friend," Mitmeer said in a hushed tone. Eekyip's eyes widened, then narrowed into a dangerous glare. His hand shook fiercely, whether from fear or wrath, Mitmeer wasn't entirely sure.

Snap!

A branch cracked behind the foliage. Three humans sprung, firing their BR55 battle rifles in the general direction of the two Grunts. Mitmeer's boiling green plasma bolt hit the first one in the forehead, the impact throwing him to the ground. Eekyip's bolt hit the second target in the throat, burning a hole through his neck. The human gagged and spat blood as he fell to his knees. The third human didn't stand around waiting for the pistols to stabilize. He fired his weapon at the yellow-armored Grunt.

In a blur, Mitmeer shoved Eekyip aside, snatching his forgotten energy rifle. He took the clump of human projectiles in the shoulder and blue blood gushed from the wound, but he didn't flinch. He brought up the rifle, barely wincing as another swarm of bullets slashed at his neck, and fired a rapid stream of ghostly blue plasma that struck the third human under the chin and knocked him on his back. Mitmeer's weapon tracked him as he fell. The human's leg moved and the SpecOps Grunt fired another burst into his chest. He didn't move again. Mitmeer calmly glanced at his motion tracker.

"No human presence detected..." he said in an even, almost artificial tone. The trooper dropped the rifle in front of Eekyip. He bent to retrieve his own pistol and secured it at his waist. Eekyip watched the black-armored Grunt in astonishment. His left arm hung uselessly at his side, neon blood dripping from his claws. He pressed his good hand over his other wound. Eekyip was concerned about the bullet wounds on his neck, but Mitmeer was so strangely calm.

"Come on, Rookie," Mitmeer sighed and took a look around before starting back in the direction that they had come.

"Will you be alright?" Eekyip asked quietly, his voice trembled with lingering adrenaline. Mitmeer held his neck tightly, an exhausted expression suddenly on his face.

"I'll be fine...once we get back."

Eekyip scooped up the plasma rifle cautiously and followed Mitmeer closely.

It had all happened so fast. Mitmeer had saved his life, but he had almost been killed in the process. He could have died. Why?...What happened?

All the way back to camp, not once did his attention stray to clouds or birds. He never took his eyes off of the injured warrior, and the look of worry never left his face.

----

Back at base camp, Mitmeer's wounds were cleaned and bandaged, and he was given a drink and a capsule to swallow that would speed the healing process. Mitmeer calmly reported that they had encountered a small human patrol who had fired on them. He had killed two of them, and the Minor had eliminated the third threat. Officer Bora 'Mozomee clapped Eekyip fiercely on the back.

"Another close combat kill," Officer 'Ebamee nodded in approval. "This one has potential, Mitmeer...he rather reminds me of you when you first joined us," 'Ebamee had said, eyes gleaming with subdued mischief. 'Mozomee stifled an obvious chuckle.

"Oh, why thank you, Excellency," the SpecOps Trooper had replied quietly, sarcastically―and then buried his snout in his drink, sulking.

As the Officer's departed, Rigreek lagged behind them. He looked Eekyip square in the eye and smirked. He was almost a head taller than the Minor and Eekyip's sunny yellow-armor was the polar opposite of Rigreek's intimidating black.

"I guess you think you're a Commando now, huh, Rookie? 'Cause you killed a human?" His tone was dangerous and taunting.

"Two," said Mitmeer.

Rigreek cut his eye at the injured Grunt. Mitmeer was leaning against a porous boulder, his neck craned back in a pose that aimed for relaxed.

"Come again?" Rigreek said flatly.

"He's killed two humans..." said Mitmeer. He opened one eye to look at Rigreek. "To my knowledge…"

Rigreek brushed him off.

"You know you can stop makin' googoo eyes at 'Ebamee any time now. Unless they made you an honorary Elite when I wasn't looking, he doesn't give a damn about you."

Eekyip's eyes narrowed and he cast an uncertain glance at Mitmeer, who sipped his drink. He fought for control of his legs, they wanted so badly to put as much distance between them and Rigreek as possible...but Eekyip was proud of himself for the first time―as far back as he could remember. He hesitated a moment.

What the hell?

"You sure you're not just jealous?" Eekyip said coolly. "I don't think I've ever heard Officer 'Ebamee praise you." He thought he heard Mitmeer choke, but Rigreek's reaction demanded his attention. The Trooper lunged for him, his hands in angry fists.

"You're not gonna be around long enough to hear another word out of him, you cocky little―" He froze. Somehow, without either of them noticing, Mitmeer had swiftly placed himself in front of the yellow-armored Grunt. "Mitmeer," Rigreek growled in irritation glowering at him fiercely. Not intimidated, Mitmeer gave him an appraising look. A moment passed and Rigreek disengaged. He hobbled off in the direction the two Officers had gone, casting a glare at Eekyip as he went.

Mitmeer calmly settled back in his seat, as though there hadn't been an incident. Eekyip felt like he should thank the warrior, but Mitmeer looked exhausted, so the Minor held his peace.

----

Eekyip fell face first in to the mud.

"Get up, you pathetic―" an Elite trainer barked at him.

Hungry and out of breath, Eekyip scrambled to a suitable position and started off again. He wasn't trying to get beaten up again like yesterday―not ever again. He winced involuntarily.

A dark red-armored Elite watched over the Minor Grunts. Instructor 'Daseemee was well enough resp ected among the lowly Elites assigned the laughable task of training Grunts for battle. But he was miserable, and every Grunt in the facility knew it all too well. He was violent, cruel, and perhaps mentally unstable; accordingly, Eekyip was petrified of him. During his time spent at the facility, Eekyip had been kicked, thrown, strangled, clubbed, and electrocuted under the command of the Instructor.

All around him Grunts had fallen, unable to run anymore. Eekyip couldn't understand the purpose of this exercise, but they were made to do it everyday. He tried to come to terms with it. Oh, well, he reasoned, it wasn't like they were going to kill him if he stopped. He started to sink to his knees.

"Don't give up!" came a welcome, squeaky voice. "You're doing great, don't give up now!" A Grunt his size urged him. "We're almost done, keep running! Um...it's always darkest just before dawn! That's what my mom says." Unlike the majority of Grunts at preparation camp, Niplip didn't even look sad when he talked about his family. He only seemed to remember them fondly. Eekyip thought he probably even expected to see them again. Poor guy. He stood up unsteadily, and they ran until Instructor 'Daseemee yelled for them to sit down and meditate on how useless they were, like he did every morning.

"Ah, the motivational speaker," Eekyip said and collapsed in a heap.

"So," Niplip began, taking in a deep breath. "Why do you think 'Daseemee makes us do this every morning? We never get any better at it..." Eekyip sat up and smiled, despite his fatigue.

"Probably because he's flipping crazy," Eekyip said half-seriously.

A disciplinary metal rod came crashing down on his head―

Eekyip awoke with a start, shivering and rubbing his arms. The rocky ledge provided no shelter from the raging wind. He rocked gently back and forth as he stared longingly at the Elite camp below. He wished Niplip were there to take his mind off of the cold. Eekyip wasn't fond of cold weather, he'd been brought up in a mild climate, and that's what he preferred.

To his left, Rigreek had dozed off―but Eekyip had to commend him for trying to look alert, unlike the rest of the squad, curled up in a ball. Looking past Rigreek, Eekyip saw Mitmeer. He seemed to have fallen asleep with his eyes open. Deep in thought, he didn't notice the smaller Grunt inching towards him, rubbing his arms. A chill ran up Eekyip's spine and he shivered violently for a moment.

He was suddenly so unbearably cold.

And he thought maybe the soldier wouldn't notice.

If...

...he...

...just―

"What the hell are you doing?"

Eekyip winced and looked up. Mitmeer was suddenly very aware of the Minor snuggling into his side. His eyes were deep, dark green, and, like the harsh weather, chilled Eekyip to the bone. The Commando looked annoyed but not necessarily angry, so Eekyip pushed.

"I was just really cold and I couldn't slee―"

"You're really what?" Mitmeer asked flatly.

Eekyip's gaze dropped. If he wanted to impress Mitmeer, admitting that he couldn't take the cold was probably not the best way to do it. He leaned back on his hands and began to crab-walk away, but fell over the Trooper's surveillance equipment. Mitmeer pulled Eekyip off the delicate equipment and allowed the yellow-armored Grunt to lean into him. The soldier wasn't much warmer than the ground beneath them, but at least his body shielded Eekyip from the constant wind.

"You're not supposed to be sleeping anyhow..." the larger Grunt mumbled and cast an irritated glance at Rigreek. The Trooper had fallen over and was snoring. "Of course nobody's really setting a good example..."

Eekyip shuddered and pressed closer to Mitmeer.

"I'd rather follow you're example," he breathed. "That way at least I know I'm doing something right." Mitmeer looked down at him with an expression that was nearly unreadable in the dim pre-dawn light, and looked away. A moment later Eekyip considered he might have embarrassed the reserved SpecOps Grunt.

Mitmeer exhaled sharply in a show of disdain.

"If he heard Iko 'Ebamee coming, he'd sure as hell perk up."

Rigreek snored loudly. Eekyip didn't try to supress a small laugh.

"Yes, you're most Excellent one!" Mitmeer squealed in his best Rigreek impersonation. "I kept a careful watch throughout the night, but no human dared come within a hundred leagues of your magnificence," he finished dramatically. Eekyip giggled at Mitmeer's uncharacteristically playful sarcasm.

"That's what he'll say?" Eekyip asked.

"...yeah, something like that," Mitmeer said, looking off into the distance with a distracted smile lingering on his features.

"Hey," Eekyip began. "I forgot to thank you―"

"I don't need 'Ebamee in my face because I let Rigreek kill his little prodigy." Mitmeer made short work of the potential conversation. Eekyip frowned. He wasn't sure he liked Mitmeer's choice of words. As if sensing this, the SpecOps Grunt smoothly added, "And besides that, the only back up I can get my hands on."
"Really?" Eekyip asked.

"Yeah," Mitmeer confirmed. "You think I go on patrol by myself because I like the solitude?" He asked. Eekyip pondered saying yes before Mitmeer decided to save him the trouble. "Well, yeah, maybe―but that's not the main reason."

"What's the main reason?"

"Well, I'm sure Wonder Grunt wouldn't mind, but...he's a terrible shot," Mitmeer said with a pained expression, as though it hurt to think about Rigreek's aim.

"Rigreek can't shoot straight?" Eekyip looked interested. Mitmeer literally looked down his nose at the Minor. Then he smiled.

"Rookie, there's only three Grunts in this whole damn valley that can shoot straight. One of 'em is way over there." He pointed to the ridge on the opposite edge of the valley. He turned back to Eekyip. "You're lookin' at one, and I'm lookin' at one." He then looked off over the hills. Eekyip stared at him, replaying the words in his mind.

"Me?" he squeaked. Mitmeer grinned absently.

"Thatta boy, Rookie." He patted Eekyip on the shoulder a little roughly. "That's problem solving."

Eekyip looked out over the cliff ledge, trying to see whatever Mitmeer found so interesting. They sat there for awhile just staring...Eekyip occasionally became distracted with the stars―much more benevolent than clouds, he decided...

Finally, Eekyip saw something―a dust cloud rising up over the ridge.

The silent SpecOp Grunt's eyes narrowed.

"What is it, Mitmeer?" Eekyip was entranced by the swirling trails of earth-colored smoke.

"A vehicle," Mitmeer said flatly. "A big one."

The equipment behind Eekyip started to beep at an increasing volume and pitch. Mitmeer rose and pulled a clear, glowing lever on the violet-colored machine and in the valley below, a deep warbling alarm stirred the lounging Elites from their tents.

"Wake up, Rigreek," Mitmeer growled, nudging the Grunt firmly with his foot.

Rigreek jumped up in response. He first scanned the sky and then the camp below for any threat. When he found none, he cast Mitmeer an accusing look. Mitmeer gestured over the ridge and Rigreek's eyes widened as they fell on the dust. False heroics abandoned, he skittered about raising the sleeping Grunts urgently.

"Rigreek!" came a deep rattling voice from the bottom of the slope.

Mitmeer leaned over the edge and called down.

"Sir, human heavy assault vehicles on approach," he told Officer 'Mozomee calmly. 'Ebamee jogged up behind his partner and pointed to the growing dust-cloud.

"Are they alone?" 'Ebamee yelled over the alarm.

"Unknown," Mitmeer said, his face grim, and awaited his orders. 'Ebamee frowned.

"Man the plasma turrets and give us some cover. Keep your fire on the tanks," he told the level-headed Grunt.

"Yes sir," Mitmeer replied. The Officers turned to leave.

"Rigreek!" Officer 'Mozomee yelled over his shoulder. The Trooper scurried down the path after the two Officers.

"Alright, man the Shades! Cover the Elites!" Mitmeer waved for Eekyip to follow him.

"Man the what?" said Eekyip.

"I'll show you," the other Trooper said over his shoulder.

----

At the top of the ridge, Eekyip sat up in his Shade mounted plasma turret, squeezing the firing yokes lightly the way Mitmeer showed him. Through his holo-graphic targeting screen, he watched the Scorpion battle tanks crawl into view. With their long-barreled guns and sluggishly rotating treads, they looked like lazy monsters coming to devour the Covenant camp. He lined up his shot with the nearest target and waited for the tank to come into firing range. Mitmeer stood beside him―his injury prevented him from operating a Shade. Eekyip found himself glancing frequently to his right, to Mitmeer, for reassurance.

Vrooooooommmm!

A human reconnaissance vehicle zoomed by in the passage below.

!

The chain-gun mounted on the back of the vehicle unleashed a deafening volley of razor-edged projectiles. A mix of troops had formed a phalanx at the entrance to the valley, but their combined energy shields would do little against the speeding vehicle and its chain-gun.

The gunner to Eekyip's left took a trio of bullets to his face and did a back flip. Eekyip watched in horror as a new Grunt, immediately and without remorse, replaced him.

According to Mitmeer's instructions, he kept his turret trained on the closing Scorpion tank. When the floating triangle indicator glowed crimson, he yanked down on the firing sticks and blue-purple lights splashed over the tanks armored extremities. A pumping zirr from his left alerted him that the fresh gunner was well suited for shade operation. His lance of violet plasma sliced through the scorpion's long gun.

The injured Mitmeer smiled.

"C'mon, Nailay find something more challenging!" Mitmeer yelled over the shade-fire. Nailay jumped in his seat. "The Rookie can handle the tanks―you take care of the quick little bastards down there slicin' up our infantry!"

"Acquiring target!" the neurotic Trooper replied. He tracked a racing LRV as it weaved in and out of the line of sluggish tanks. With a quick jerk, he sent forth a stream of violet plasma that sliced straight through the front of the vehicle, killing the driver and passenger, another quick burst impacted on what remained of the oncoming vehicle, melting the tires. The LRV flipped end over end, tossing the gunner free before the chain gun crushed in to a protruding rock. Nailay immediately sought a new target.

Mitmeer lobbed a plasma grenade over Eekyip's head and the Minor whirled around to track the energy bomb as it sailed off. Under his facemask the Rookie's mouth fell open. He couldn't throw half as far or as straight as the injured SpecOps Trooper. The grenade finally found a target just below the long, imposing gun of a human tank. Even the shocking explosion seemed dwarfed by the vehicle's size. The hatch under the cannon burst open and a coughing human was revealed. Then a stream of purple light sliced through the dust-clouded air, and the human disappeared back into the metal monster. The tank swerved sideways and smashed in to a passing Warthog. The two ex-vehicles flashed into red and orange balls of flame.

Eekyip had never seen the decimating purple beam on the field and turned to Mitmeer for answers. The injured Grunt smiled knowingly and nodded over Eekyip's shoulder. The Minor turned and searched a moment. From a ledge overlooking the pass, Bora 'Mozomee was surveying the battle. With Rigreek as his spotter, 'Mozomee was taking advantage of the enemies every mistake. He held up his hand in a gesture to Mitmeer and went back to work. He handled his particle beam rifle expertly and Eekyip watched him fire several shots in succession without the weapon overheating.

Eekyip went back to his task. After relentlessly firing upon it, the Minor slagged a Scorpion tank's left treads and the thing slowed to a halt. Plasma fire rained down on the helpless target from all directions. He then caught sight of yet another tank. It was closer than any of the others had been.

Mitmeer sized up the approaching threat. The tank was headed straight for the shield team. He couldn't pull his comfortable long-range trick. He'd have to take the sliding behemoth out right where it was. He gripped the Minor's wrist with his good hand.

"Aim for that tank. Keep your fire on the left treads and don't hit me for the love of Balaho―" He broke away and swiftly hopped down to the next ridge.

Mitmeer was suddenly scurrying about in the pass below and Eekyip struggled to recall his directions as his adrenaline picked up. While he watched Mitmeer weave between burning remains, Eekyip followed his route with the shades targeting reticule.

Mitmeer reached the target and, with some effort, hoisted himself over the roof of the massive assault vehicle and ducked under the long barrel of the Scorpion's cannon. Crouching low for stability, he brought up his plasma pistol and fired three shots at the hatch before kicking it open. A shocked human face looked up at him, exposed, just as he primed a plasma grenade and dropped it into the narrow opening. He leapt from the tank and landed roughly on the ground. The human's screams were drowned out by the violent explosion of the Scorpion tank.

The sight of the separated and tilting cannon was enough incentive for Mitmeer to move his injured body. He lunged forward and rolled seconds before the massive parts slammed into the ground next to him and sank partially into the hard-packed dirt.

A flaming warthog came straight at him. The combined fire of Eekyip and Nailay took out the driver and slagged the controls. The vehicle rolled to a stop, inches from Mitmeer's face. When the gunner came to his senses, he took careful aim at him―and was sliced into three or four pieces by the concentrated fire of the two shade guns.

Mitmeer sighed and lay down in the dirt.

Eekyip wiggled out of his seat and scrambled down the path to his friend's side.

"Mitmeer! Mitmeer!" he squeaked. "Are you alright?" He kneeled next to the fallen Grunt. "That was a big jump for an Unggoy," he said incredulously.

"I'm fine," he grumbled and took Eekyip's hand. The Minor allowed the black-armored Grunt to use him as a crutch.

"I'm not a medic or anything, but I think you should take it easy for awhile," Eekyip said with a warm smile. Mitmeer looked down at his arm, dripping with blue blood from where his bullet wounds had re-opened.

"Yeah I guess..." Mitmeer replied―and lost consciousness.

---o---

...So that was chapter 3. Chapter 4 will be out very shortly, which in Halo/bungie terms is, like, - before next fall. But for real. About a week, okay? I'm gonna set high standards for myself and say I'm one third done with it...what I have of it so far is like the size of chapter 2, so I've got more work to do.

-do you guys ever get confused reading this? Because if I didn't know exactly (well, mostly) what was going on, I would be like Seriously what does that even mean? What the hell is going on? ...(I do say that sometimes, but still-) ...my bad, I guess.

-

Yo, who's read the Halo Graphic Novel?

Is it just me or does the Commander have a super nice ass.

Seriously check it out.

I might have to change my penname to bootylicious half-jaw. lmao

...wtf, seriously? What's wrong with me...?

Thanks for reading!