August 17th, 2552

20:43 (Local Time)

Off road from Valhalla Highway 16

En route to New Alexandria.

'Any luck?' Brutus asked as he snapped a large portion of a tree branch of said tree.

The Elite held his hand on his temple...but shook his head a minute later. 'No.' Vhar'Vadamee replied.

The Brute sighed as he snapped the thick tree branch into pieces as if it was a twig. He threw the pieces down on the ground.' Now a fire...'

Vhar held out his plasma rifle and fired just above the wood, sparking a warm campfire.

'Effective.' Brutus commented.

'It is.' Vhar replied and sat down near the fire.' We will continue on tomorrow.'

'I'm surprised none of our brothers have picked us up by now...' The brute sat down as well.

'Mine or yours?'

'Either.'

The Elite took some biscuit shaped ration from his pelt. He took a bite out of one as he offered another to Brutus. The Brute gave a small nod and took it.

'Wonder how we are doing.' Vhar asked.' I heard this is the homeworld the demons come from.'

'So if we conquer this world, we have conquered the demons?' Brutus asked.

'Apparently.'

Once more Brutus laughed.' Oh, my mate and pups will love this back home...'

The Elite looked up. 'You have children?'

Brutus nodded and took out a small egg shaped chrome object from his armour. He flicked it open, showing a hand drawn portrait on each side of the egg.

The left showed the bust of a female brute, who no doubt in their culture was probably attractive, and to the right two smaller children hanging on a tree branch.

'My mate, Herga.' Brutus pointed to the female.' Herus and Flar, my two sons.' He smiled proudly. 'I drew this myself.'

'You are talented.' Vhar admitted.' And I'm certain your family must think of you with great honour.'

'They are glad I am doing my part for the Great Journey.' Brutus admitted.' Though...I still miss them.'

'I know how you feel.' The Elite said.' I miss my wife to.'

Vhar took our a small flat chrome object and pressed a button. It showed a holographic image of a female Sangheili in a long white robe.

'Hann.' Vhar said. Brutus nodded.' Any pups?'

'Yes, we had several...but they are with the children of other family members, we do not raise our children ourselves.'

'What, why?'

'My family line is well known to have spawn great commanders and warriors, but we had to earn it on our own then by heritage.'

'That is still no excuse to give up your children. I love my pups, I would snap the backs of a thousand men to protect them.'

'Your courage and love for your children is admirable.'

'I love my family...just as much as I love my clan. I honour them both by being here.'

'Well let us make this a swift victory then, so we both can go back to our spouses.'

'And produce many more offspring!' Brutus laughed loudly.

The elite could not help bit smirk.

When he looked at Brutus, he could not help but feel a kinship with him. Their races were warring for decades now, if not for their allegiance to the Covenant they would've gone to war. He was taught Jiralhanae were oafish, brutal creatures, still living in caves.

He met plenty of them during his years as a warrior, but not one like Brutus. Despite his hideous features and questionable smell...he was a honourable warrior, just like any other Sangheili. He was no monster, no caveman. He was just like himself, fate just decided he was born on Doisac instead of Sanghelios.

Brutus stretched out and led out a heavy yawn.

'Right...who does first watch?'

'I will.' Vhar volunteered.' I will wake you if I see any humans or it is your turn.'

'I hope it is the former.' Brutus laid down.' I wish to best you in a fair firefight...'

'You keep dreaming, Ape.' Vhar smirked.

'Goodnight Lizardbreath...' Brutus quipped before he went to sleep.

Brutus thought before he slept. For reasons unknown to him he found himself liking this Elite. His people had a strong dislike for the Sangheili. They thought themselves superior to the rest of the Covenant species, save the giant Mgalekgolo and the Prophets themselves.

Arrogant, to 'Elite' pardon the pun for combat.

Vhar'Vadamee was not like that. He saw him command in battle, he seemed to care about his troops. Even the lowly grunts deserved a degree of respect from him, highly uncommon for Sangheili and Jiralhanae alike. He was also the first Sangheili who trusted a plasma grenade to him. Who knows, perhaps their species would know peace after the humans have been wiped out.

Maybe...

August 17th, 2552

21:00 (Local Time)

Henry's Gas station , Valhalla Highway 16

En route to New Alexandria.

'Need ammo!' Lisa cried out.

'Here!' Will shouted and threw a clip of his handgun over. Lisa grabbed the clip and slammed it into his pistol before she resumed fire on the incoming grunt tide.

They were settling down for the night when George, being his Spartan self, immediately ran outside and opened fire. His red alloyed MJOLNIR armour took the plasma rounds and needlers easily, but he was indeed no fool.

He drew their fire away from the gas containers as he ran to a small boulder outside. Will and Lisa opened fire from their safe spot, picking off the Grunts one at a time. Thankfully the small idiots didn't see the two humans inside and assumed that the casualties were from the Spartan.

'No Elite!' Lisa observed.

'I know, must be more scavengers from the city!' Will shouted over his own rifle rounds.

'The hell did they get so far?'

'Must be from that crashed dropship that we found earlier!'

The Grunts kept firing but slowly began to retreat. Lisa saw a red coloured Grunt barking out orders.' Gotcha.' She smirked and pulled the trigger. The red grunt fell down to the ground as several pieces of brain flew around. The mob went into a hysteria and flew to all sides, disorganised.

'We need to kill them all, they might tell their friends about us!' William shouted.

'Got it!' Lisa shouted and ran outside.

'Lisa!'

The pilot quickly jumped in her warthog and slammed her foot down on the pedal. The tires screeched and drove off. With expert driving she run over every grunt she found. After a big swirl, which took out the last three, she smiled satisfied.

She drove back to the gas station where George and Will were taking all the plasma grenades they could get.

'Missed none of them.' Lisa said as she got out.

'You could've been killed you crazy bitch!' Will said.

'She did the right thing.' George said.' I never would have gotten them all.'

'Suck up...' the ODST snorted.

'Now now boys, you don't have to fight over me.' Lisa grinned and walked between them, shagging her hips as she went.

The two soldiers looked at her bum as she walked by and into the building.

'Damn...' Will said.

'I know...' George replied.

'Right...i'll go...fill up the Warthog again and some jerry cans, long route.' Will walked over to the vehicle.' And think of my wife while I do it...'

George shook his head with a smirk as he took his helmet off and went inside as well. In a separate room he took his armour off, which was quite a bother, and sat down. He was still tall despite his armour, about two meters, but had a very pale skin, due to the time spend in the armour.

He had short brown hair and a friendly looking face, despite the scar across his cheek from a previous Hunter/ Mgalekgolo encounter he barely got out alive from. He wore a sleeveless black shirt and a baggy army pair of trousers.

'Knock knock.'

George turned to his right, and smiled as he saw Lisa come in with two cups of coffee.

'Thanks.' George took a cup.' You're a life saver.'

'You got that upside down George, you saved me remember?'

'Least I could do...' George took a sip.' How is your head?'

'Better.' Lisa admitted.' Still quite soar...'

'I can check for a concussion if you like.'

Lisa nodded and placed her cup on the table as she knelt in front of him. The Spartan looked at her eyes.

'You hear any ringing?' he asked as he took out a small flash light and inspected the eyes.

'Nope.' Lisa replied.

'Head ache, blurred vision...?'

'Nope.'

George switched the flashlight off. 'Well, I don't see any symptoms, so your good to go.'

'Good...' Lisa said. The two sat there in uncomfortable silence, until George wished to break the silence.

'Well..i think we-'

He stopped at Lisa lunged forward and kissed him deeply. The Spartan quickly returned the kiss as years of longing finally gave in. They have known each other for years as by some twist of fate they mostly served on the same ships the past few years.

It wasn't smart to have a lover in this profession, could spiral one into a depression if the other would end up killed.

Both didn't care about that protocol and gave in.

Their clothes were off in less then ten seconds as their naked bodies met each other. Lisa groaned out in pleasure as she began to ride him, calling out his name.

George held on her hips and moved with her. He loved this woman. Her hair, her skin, her laugh, what made her well...her. He dreamed of this moment for so long, and she probably did as well.

As his climax came he warned her, but she was lost in her own ecstasy. He couldn't help back anymore and let his climax claim her core, much to her delight.

She rested on his chest as both tried to regain her breath.

'I love you...' she kissed him afterward.

'I love you to...' he replied and returned the kiss.

August 17th, 2552

21:00 (Local Time)

Quezon

Entry to Valhalla Highway 16

'Well...According to this map...' Kohta switched the GPS on his wrist computer off.' We're on the right track to New Alexandria.'

The group were standing in front of a sign labelled 'Valhalla highway' where they greeted by the half operating street lights and burned out car wreckages. Thankfully there were no corpses to be seen...

'How far is it?' Alica asked.

'It says seventeen hours by car...'

'And on foot?'

'...three days, maybe four. Heh.' He scratched the back of his head.

'Four days!' Alica shouted.' The covenant will have caught up by then!'

'We need a car...' Henry suggested.

'Cant drive.' Kohta said.' Seventeen.'

'I only had theoretical exam...failed.' Alica said.

'Well..I can drive.' Henry said.' Me and my brother George owned a car back on Earth.'

'Your from Earth?' Alica raised her brow.

'Yeh, me and my brother joined the Navy and the Army after what happened to Harvest.'

'Where is your brother then?' Kohta asked.

'Don't know, after bootcamp he was send off, haven't spoken to him since. Special mission of some kind.'

'Fair enough...we...-'

'Oooh! Kohta shouted and ran on the highway and took a rifle off the ground. 'A SRS99C-S2 AM!'

'A what?' Alica asked.

'A Sniper rifle, these babies can hit a target 2300 meters away!' he loaded a magazine into it's chamber.' I don't know who dropped this, but I love him or her already.'

'Kohta is an rifle fan...' Alica whispered to Henry who silently nodded.

'Cool, nightvision to!' the asian smiled like a kid on Christmas. However the smile faded almost immediately.

'Guys...we got Elites after us.'

'Elites?' Henry asked.' How many?'

'Three of 'em...their armour looks sorry for wear.'

'Right, everyone take cover behind the wreckages of these cars and take aim.' Alica said.' Kohta you take the furthest, Henry you pick the car to the fight, I take the lorry.'

The trio split up and took cover behind the cars quietly.

Henry didn't know anything about tactics, he was trained how to fly ships the seize of a small city, not coming up with tactics.

She seemed like a marine, giving each person a target while Kota would pick them off from a distance.

'Just keep shooting Henry, it'll flare up their armour, leaving them easy pickings for you Kohta. You miss once, we're dead, understood?' she whispered.

'Don't you worry Alica..' Kohta grinned.' Those aliens will have wished they called home...'

Henry held the pistol in both his hands and placed it down on the car's hood, aiming it at the incoming Covenant patrol. He could feel cold sweat on his back, he wasn't trained for this damnit!

He felt for the disk in his pocket...and found new courage. He made a promise to the captain, and he would keep that promise.

'On my mark...' Alica held the assault rifle to her shoulder as she took her aim.

The trio mustered as much courage as they could as the countdown began.

'Three...'

They clipped the safety off.

'Two...'

One final prayer, god they look ugly up so close!

'MARK!'

They all squeezed their triggers and fired.

TBC