2554, Installation 03, the Khaphrae system.
Lieutenant St Clare marched onto the bridge of the Veto Power with the Sargent and Taylor behind him. "I'm reclaiming control of this vessel, withdraw from the integrated network at once".
The Observet turned away from talking to Corporal Rog. "On who's authority?"
St Clare drew his Whiplash and aimed it right at the Observet's head. "I am authorizing myself to claim the job of upholding the Mantle of Responsibility. You proved your negligence by taking no active role in preventing the Grand Marshal from creating a new body or from escaping us and thus you are being removed from power".
"Well done, sir. You remembered every word to the letter. Invoking superiority is the only way to get her cooperation now", Nautilus Seven buzzed in his ear.
The Observet was motionless but appeared to stare at St Clare from beneath her helmet. "I was right, humans are worthy of upholding the Mantle of Responsibility".
St Clare lowered his weapon. "You mean that you wanted us to prove to you that we could be responsible by doing nothing?"
"Indeed, I believe that you are capable of protecting the galaxy now. I release my control of the vessel to you".
"Well that went smoother than expected", Taylor said but the Sargent clapped him over the head with his hand.
St Clare moved past the Observet and checked a screen. "We need to come up with a plan to stop the Grand Marshal. I have no ideas exactly but the final option is to nuke the Halo from orbit after evacuating it".
"Sir, by the process of elimination, I can conclude that the Grand Marshal seeks the activation index", Nautilus Seven said.
"Where is the index?"
"At Heraklion Base, sir".
"Oh shit", the Sargent swore then left the bridge with Taylor close behind.
"Corporal Rog, set a course for Heraklion base, now!"
"Aye, sir!" Rog replied then leaped into the helm seat.
"Sir, it will take me a moment to regain full control of the Veto. Please insert the chip into the controls", Nautilus Seven said and the Lieutenant complied.
"How exactly will he take it? Walk straight into the base?" Rog asked. "Can he do that?"
"No idea. Observet, what's the greatest amount of punishment that the Grand Marshal can take before his body is destroyed?" St Clare asked.
"Fortunately, humans, he is no longer flesh and blood therefore he does not possess adaptive armor like I myself wear. He is a Promethean construct and so he is susceptible to energy based damage. If he were to wear adaptive armor, he would be nigh invincible, like the Didact. The Grand Marshal has a very similar body to the Warden Eternal's".
"Who?" Everyone asked at once.
"The Warden Eternal, the keeper of the Domain".
St Clare waved his hand dismissively. "Alright, I don't care anymore. Let's focus on getting to Heraklion base quickly".
[#]
"Ancilla, I must say that you are coping well after the extraction of the Grand Marshal's geas", the Observet said as she drifted around the bridge of the Veto Power while they were in transit.
"I'd say that I didn't have the time to think about it, but in A.I terms, two years have passed since it happened", Nautilus Seven replied and projected himself onto the deck. "Also, I want an apology for purging me from my own ship".
"Leave it, Naut", St Clare said with a dismissive wave of his hand. He sat in his command throne at the back of the bridge and was reading a data slate. "Sarge and Taylor, how's repairs going on the scorpions and do we have enough equipment and men to help defend Heraklion base?"
"Repairs are almost complete, and we have enough to help. The falcon needs a new engine though which we don't have", Taylor replied.
"We can get one from Heraklion base after we've stopped the Grand Marshal", St Clare replied then turned off the data slate.
"Sir, I'm picking up radio chatter but I don't understand the language. Heraklion base has also picked it up", Nautilus Seven announced.
"Keep scanning, then...", St Clare began then glanced out of the window to see multiple aircraft literally phase into existence with a large flying machine in the center of the cluster. "The hell?"
The Observet looked out of the window as well, at the aircraft that were keeping pace with one of ONI's best starships at full speed with the new Forerunner upgrades. "Humans, activate your shielding, I have upgraded it further by inserting new experimental algorithms. The Grand Marshal approaches".
St Clare jumped out of his seat then ran to the window. "What are those?"
"Those are Phaeton Atmospheric Craft and in the center is a Warsphinx".
Nautilus Seven's avatar pulsed red quickly in slight panic. "I heard Warsphinx, activating emergency slipspace jump!"
"No, don't! If we don't fight him here, he'll reach Heraklion base", St Clare replied. "All personnel, prepare to repel!"
[#]
Taylor and the Sargent looked around at the pulsing red warning lights and St Clare's order. "Shit..."
"Un-cuff me and I'll help you again, humans", Moriggamee grunted.
Taylor looked at the Sargent and he nodded. "Are we being boarded?" The Elite asked.
"I don't know but be ready", Taylor replied.
The Hunter only stopped pushing the Scorpion tank into bay three after the Sargent slammed his fist on his shield a few times to get his attention. "Oi, big guy, we need you on hand!"
"Grregg-huit-frarrll-verrm", the Hunter replied by vibrating its body. He then laughed in a somewhat menacing manner.
"The fuck he say?" The Sargent turned to Moriggamee and asked.
"He said: 'you push this tank then'", the Sangheilli replied then clacked his mandibles together.
"He ain't afraid of anything, is he?"
"Well, he did get into a fist-fight with a Forerunner with no shits given", Taylor said.
"Point taken".
[#]
A Phaeton flew close to the bridge and then turned its weapons to face them. "It's inside the shielding, get down!" Corporal Rog exclaimed then leaped to the ground but the Observet waved her hand and disabled it in an instant, it fell behind the Veto and got incinerated by the engines on the way back.
St Clare hauled the corporal up and threw him back into his chair. "I'm taking the Falcon and..."
"The Falcon needs a new engine, sir. Nor is it fast enough", Nautilus Seven said.
"I'm taking the Pelican gunship and I'll draw their attention away from the Veto", St Clare corrected himself then left the bridge and ran down the hall. "Taylor, prep the gunship for me and get ready, we're taking the fight to him". St Clare stopped then ran back to the bridge and snatched the A.I chip from the database then inserted into the back of his helmet and left again.
"Aye, sir. Are you piloting?" Taylor replied then jogged over to the gunship. A few minutes later, St Clare ran into the hangar then leaped the railings and thundered onto the deck. "I'll take that as a yes".
"Where are my weapons?"
"Over there, sir", the Sargent said. "I took the liberty of opening the experimental weapons unit in the ship's vault after seeing how the Whiplash did jack shit to that Forerunner". He walked over to the gun cabinet and took out the Lieutenant's DMR then threw it to the Spartan. He then unclipped a black cover case and hauled it out of the temporary storage locker.
"What's that?" St Clare asked then took the black case while placing the DMR on his back.
"That, sir, is the Arclight. An experimental railgun in the early test phases. It packs a bigger punch than the Whiplash or the standard Railgun".
St Clare took it out of its case then turned it over, its freshly painted white, green and red pattern shone in the light of the hangar bay. "I like it, thanks".
"Use just like a normal Railgun except it takes longer to charge, you can hold it down indefinitely though and each sabot is high explosive".
St Clare nodded his appreciation then jogged over to the Pelican gunship. "Good luck, sir", Taylor said. The Lieutenant ran to the cockpit then powered up the engines after Taylor got clear. "Naut, use the AA guns to clear the airspace around the hangar".
"Aye, sir".
The Pelican's engines flared into life then it rocketed out of the hangar bay and into the atmosphere between the sides of the Halo ring. It flew beside the Veto Power then began to fall behind a bit so St Clare hit the thrusters and fired up the after burners to catch up. The AA guns on the right side turned to face the Phaetons and gunned one down, it exploded in luminous purple light then its debris fell in all directions for there was no center of gravity in the middle of a Halo.
"Spartan, you may find it interesting that the hard-light color of a Promethean depends on that of their commander", the Observet said out of nowhere.
"Um, alright", St Clare replied then accessed the autocannon controls. He aimed the main gun at another Phaeton then shot its rear end up and it erupted in dazzling light. He flew to the mid section of the Veto then powered up the Spartan Laser mounted on the nose of the gunship to try and gun down two perfectly lined up Phaetons at once. He released the blinding red laser but the two Forerunner aircraft both evaded it instantly, one phasing to the right and one to the left.
"You can dodge lasers now?" He checked the scanners and glanced to his right then realized that the Warsphinx was no longer within the cluster of Phaetons. "Naut, where did the Grand Marshal go?"
"No idea, sir. He is no longer... oh, wait. He's behind you now, sir".
St Clare's eyes widened beneath his helmet then he almost ripped the joystick out of its socket as he forced the gunship into an emergency barrel roll. A colossal beam of searing energy whooshed passed him by mere inches and disappeared into the atmosphere.
"Holy..." The Lieutenant pulled the control column back then flew up and around so that he was now flying even beside the Warsphinx. It's legs were tucked under its body and its arms held out like wings. The cockpit was not like a standard human one but more like that of a face. Anti aircraft shells thundered against the Warsphinx but they hit a shimmering hemisphere and failed to damage the craft. The Forerunner didn't even pay the guns any attention.
"Naut, did you see that?"
"Of course, sir. It was me who fired at him".
"I don't know if we have the power to take him out".
"Of course we do, sir. Lead him to the front of the Veto, about a kilometer will do".
"I like your thinking. Alright, don't miss".
"I can't, sir, I'm perfect at everything".
"That sounds a lot like what Black Box would say". St Clare shook his head then flew past the Warsphinx and it followed after him. Its arms moved to the side then it unleashed a hail of hard-light missiles which screamed towards the Pelican gunship.
"Flare's won't work, sir. The Observet has an idea. I hope MJOLNIR is whiplash resistant".
"Whatever it is, do it quickly".
[#]
"I can not guarantee that this will work at such ranged, but I must try", the Observet said then held both of her hands out straight and pointed them at the Pelican flying past the bridge. Her armor pulsed with light and the air shimmered. The Pelican was literally ripped out of transit and pulled towards the right, within the Veto Power's shields via the Observet's constraint fields. The homing missiles pattered against the invisible barrier and failed to penetrate.
"Sir, I trust that you're alright? Your bio readings seem okay".
"My head is stuck in the window", St Clare mumbled through his radio.
"I hope that's a joke, sir". The clatter of glass rang faintly through the radio and St Clare grumbled to himself then rubbed his neck.
"We need a new cockpit window, Naut", St Clare said then powered up the Gunship again and blasted off into the atmosphere once more after shaking off the whiplash. "That was some smart thinking though".
"He's a tough one", Corporal Rog said then returned to his station.
The Warsphinx pursued the Pelican and charged up another energy beam. St Clare reached the front of the Veto then flew to the left to get directly in front of it which forced the Grand Marshal to power the weapon down.
"Observet, is the Warsphinx capable of penetrating the Veto Power's defenses?" Nautilus Seven asked.
The Forerunner turned away from the window and to the hologram of Nautilus Seven. "Indeed, however he would never harm a fellow Warrior Servant, his honor still seems to be intact, even if his mind is not".
"That makes me feel a lot safer", Nautilus Seven replied.
"Naut, you can't even die properly", Rog said and turned his head slightly.
"It's true, part of me is in Sydney talking with Black Box and Parangosky. Oh, but don't worry, they don't know what we're doing. I decided that this is too top secret for even the head of ONI and I've imposed a total communications blackout on Installation 03".
"You're kidding me, right?"
"Nope, I am fully authorized to do so. We're ONI after all, devious bastards to the devious bastards and all. They'll find out after we win this".
"How can you be so sure?"
"Way to stay positive, Rog", Nautilus Seven replied then his avatar faded away.
Back in the atmosphere, St Clare raced ahead of the Veto as the frigate slowed its engines to allow him to get in front. "Naut, is it ready?"
"I'm always ready, sir".
"You weren't ready for a Warsphinx".
"Yes I was, I wanted to activate the Cole Protocol, sir".
"I call it an overreaction".
The Warsphinx blasted through the air and flew in front of the Veto but behind the Pelican Gunship. Three Phaetons caught up as well and began firing on the bridge to distract the crew.
"Have no fear, humans. The Phaeton's weapons are designed to destroy organic life forms, specifically the Flood, as all Promethean weaponry are. They are ineffective against this vessel".
"Yeah, but that Warsphinx is more than capable of taking us on", Rog replied. "Lieutenant, we're approaching Heraklion base, one hundred kilometers directly ahead, or below, I don't know, this is a Halo".
"Got it", St Clare replied then strafed to avoid a hail of missiles from the Phaetons. "Alright, lining up the Warsphinx".
"Sir, you'll no doubt be hit as well", Nautilus Seven protested.
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine".
The Pelican Gunship and the Warsphinx shot through the atmosphere at thousands of miles per hour with the Veto Power thundering though the upper clouds behind them. "Naut, I'm veering off slightly, we can't accidently hit Heraklion Base".
"Aye, sir".
St Clare tapped some commands into the control panel then locked the joystick and unbuckled his seatbelt then left the cockpit. He jogged into the crew compartment and grabbed a jetpack off of the wall. He fastened it to his back and got his weapons ready.
"Alright, let him have it!"
"Affirmative sir, powering up the forward MAC. I hope he likes the big stick", Nautilus Seven replied and the front of the Veto Power began to glow blue. St Clare punched the door controls and the back hatch opened with a hiss. He took one glance at the Warsphinx's unsettling face then leaped out of the Pelican and into the air.
An earthshattering boom echoed throughout the Halo as the MAC cannon fired at a percentage of the speed of light. The hypersonic slug smashed the Warsphinx to pieces and carried on going, passing straight through the Pelican Gunship and blowing it to bits then slamming into the continent below which lit up the mountains and left a massive crater in the bedrock.
"We got him, sir. Warsphinx neutralized", Nautilus Seven declared.
St Clare glanced up as he was in free fall along with the remains of the Warsphinx. He saw the figure of the Grand Marshal blink to one of the Phaetons so he drew the Arclight and charged it up. He unleashed the sabot and it struck the nose of the Phaeton and flipped it upwards with incredible force, it lost power then collided with the unstoppable form of the Veto Power where it was obliterated on its shields.
"He's not dead yet!" St Clare shouted through his radio as he continued to plummet. He replaced the Arclight to his back and saw the Grand Marshal fall towards Heraklion Base but he was controlling his trajectory in order to land there.
"There's nothing we can do from up here, sir".
"Then I'll do it myself", St Clare replied then flipped himself around and activated his jetpack. He soared through the air in pursuit of the Grand Marshal who was oblivious to the approaching Spartan.
"There he goes again..." Nautilus Seven said to himself. "I'd say it's an uncalculated risk but I've already ran it through my simulations two hundred thousand times".
"No need to show off, Naut", Corporal Rog replied. "The MAC shell landed just ten kilometers off from Heraklion base by the way, are you sure ONI can get away with that?"
"ONI can get away with anything so long as you wave the badge", Nautilus Seven replied.
[#]
"Forerunner, it's time we tried this again!" St Clare announced then collided with the Grand Marshal with the force of a rocket. The impact was great enough to smash pieces of his body off.
"WARRIOR, YOU ARE A TROUBLESOME ONE!" The Grand Marshal replied then spun around but St Clare had grappled onto his neck despite being unable to choke an inorganic being. He drew his combat knife then began stabbing the Forerunner in his hard-light skull beneath his helmet. "AAARGGHH!"
"I hope you enjoyed the MAC!" St Clare retorted then ripped the knife up and inwards so that it was fully lodged in the skull with all but the end of the handle visible. The Grand Marshal's face began leaking a purplish fluorescent substance and roared in fury. The Forerunner shook the Spartan off then back-handed him away which cracked his visor.
"Do you know how hard MK V scout visors are to come by these days?" St Clare snarled then flew back with his jetpack and used the extra momentum to crack the Grand Marshal upside the jaw with his fist then he reached into his face and pulled the combat knife back out again then turned and severed one of the floating vertebrae connecting his neck to his body.
"HOW DARE YOU, IMPUDENT CREATURE!" The Forerunner roared in fury then sent a wave of energy in St Clare's direction but missed due to his quickly diminishing sight.
St Clare removed his jetpack and fastened it around the neck of the Grand Marshal then stabbed his combat knife into where the straps and vertebrae met to secure it. He then pushed off with his foot from the back of the Grand Marshal and drew the Arclight.
"From humanity, with love", St Clare said beneath his breath then released the sabot which connected and detonated both its explosive and the jetpack fuel. The Grand Marshal exploded in mid-flight and pieces of his body were blown off in all directions, one of which struck St Clare's visor again and made the crack bigger. The main body fell down to the ground but his head turned back to face the Spartan.
"I'M TAKING YOU WITH ME!" The Grand Marshal reached out and grabbed St Clare with his constraint field and dragged him down as well.
"Sir, you have lost your jetpack".
"I know, Naut", St Clare replied. "I'll survive".
"Two hundred meters and closing until impact, sir".
The Grand Marshal stared at St Clare as they fell, their trajectory lining up with the center of Heraklion base. "NO HUMAN IS A MATCH FOR ME, NOT FORTHENCHO, NOT YOU!"
"Time to find out", St Clare replied then activated armor-lock just before impact. In a split second, the Grand Marshal smashed into the tarmac of the runway in the center of Heraklion base then almost instantly after; St Clare collided with him which destroyed a large portion of a nearby Hornet as well.
After the dust and smoke settled, the Spartan stumbled out of the crater and collapsed onto the runway. "I hope I got him this time", he said with a cough.
"I hope so too, sir. You did hit him at over a thousand miles per hour whilst in armor-lock".
"Just an average Tuesday I guess".
"It's Friday, sir".
"YOU THINK THAT YOU HAVE ME BEATEN, YOU ARE WRONG", the Grand Marshal declared in an ominous voice then a hand gripped the edge of the crater and crumbled the tarmac. He hauled himself back up and onto the runway then he reared to full height. His armor was in pieces but little things were buzzing around him and he was glowing more now than ever.
"Sir, he has nanobots that are repairing his body".
"COME THEN, LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN, WARRIOR", the Forerunner stepped forwards and the Spartan drew the Arclight.
"Naut, I don't think I can take him again", St Clare said then readjusted his aim. He began to charge up the Arclight and held it there with the rail glowing profusely. The Grand Marshal waved his hand and knocked him to the side effortlessly which released the sabot and it smashed into an office window and blew the insides of the room out.
"Yeah, I can't do this solo", St Clare said then tried to stand back up.
"You don't need to!" A sniper's bullet crashed into the Grand Marshal's face followed by a hail of SAW rounds, a battle rifle burst then finally a Spartan Laser blew the Forerunner's head apart and he fell to the ground in pieces. St Clare looked around and saw Spartan Black Team jog up to him. Black Three held out his hand for the Lieutenant to take and he gratefully accepted it.
"Thanks", St Clare said then picked the Arclight back off the ground. "That guy just doesn't die".
"YOU WOULD BE CORRECT!" The Grand Marshal gurgled and his body stood back up. His head began to repair itself and his body knitted back together.
"We can beat him", Black One said then aimed his battle rifle. "Two, go back and snipe, Four follow suite with the laser. Three, with me".
"Let's take him down".