So I've been thinking… I've been into Destiny lately and was wondering, "What if I did a FanFic of Destiny; either by itself or in a crossover with something else?" No lol, that's not why I've appeared to be slacking on this story, moving again; and then vacation in PA to visit family and my sister's graduation, I don't have internet as of now (another excuse) and the last time I attempted to do Chapter 7 and I believe 8 as well (on my phone) turned into a mess that took me hours to fix. I'm not even sure I fixed everything either. If there are any Destiny fans out there, or people who are interested in a Destiny focused FanFic (if crossover, with what) let me know! (I'm definitely considering it). Anyway, I present to you Chapter 9. :)
Year 2526
One year into the Human – Covenant War (The Great War)
Location: Classified
Time: 1415 Zulu
A creature resembling that of a lizard, much like the Horned Devil of Earth, skittered across the warm sand of an endless desert. The dragon-like scales on the armored reptile opened and closed rhythmically, allowing the pores to release heat the body constantly obtained from the sun bathed desert floor. Its legs moved with a purpose: front left forward, rear left back, front right back, back right forward; this pattern continued smoothly across the orange sand at a moderate pace, never checking speed. Occasionally the lizard would stop, allowing its purple-blue tongue glide out then quickly back in, repeating this two or three times before moving on.
Various odors and chemicals hung in the air; translating to smell and taste the creature used to discern its environment. Rich with copper and iron the desert planet was nothing short of a hellish sphere. Water existed, but only to those that knew where and how to obtain such a crucial liquid; which was this creature's main purpose as dusk creeped over the dunes. From rock to crevice the lizard moved from shadow to shadow, testing the air and following that distinct taste and smell it was trailing for what seemed to be an endless time loop.
Pausing between two very large rocks overlooking a small valley, the lizard tasted the air again. There was an odd smell that invaded its senses. On the other side of the valley lay a cavern entrance that spanned 20 meters wide and 12 meters tall. Between them lay a 1500 meter wide valley, small for its size, cluttered with formations of iron and copper ore, eroded by the endless barrage of sand and salt from the southeast wind. Throughout those clusters teams of Grunts oversaw by groups of Sanghelios were mining away at the ore. The broken chunks and pieces were dumped into transports. The Shadow Transports, as the UNSC titled them, carried the chunks to the center of the cluster and dumped them onto a platform. Above that platform hovered a Covenant Corvette. A little over half a mile long, the ship was by no means large to the Covenant's standards. Recon and troop transport was what the UNSC deciphered its purpose to be.
As dusk drew closer and the sun hit the horizon the pile of ore on the platform grew larger and larger. Eventually a gravlift was activated aboard the Corvette and the ore was lifted into the ship's hull, disappearing from sight. The lizard overlooked with little interest in the activity, waiting for the light to grow dimmer and the shadows longer. After contemplating its route, the reptile sit comfortably amidst the rocks, waiting for dark to cross the valley.
Evening eventually overtook day and the desert was illuminated by a pale blue moonlight. Creatures of various forms emerged from hiding and began their nocturnal rein. Waking up from what seemed to be a nap, the horned lizard surveyed its surroundings once more; a snake snatching a rodent and squeezing its writhing body as the very air and life force exited the unfortunate creature; a six legged invertebrate dueling what appeared another creature of the same kind over an on looking female; a long legged bird skipping over the sand with three more trailing; and the odd, noisy creatures in the middle of the valley still destroying the rocks. Making a decision to traverse the valley to the cavern the lizard moved one leg forward before freezing. The large rock to its left, that secluded him till sunset, moved. Nothing that would immediately draw attention but the sand under the reptile's claws sifted ever so slightly. Tasting the air with its tongue the lizard investigated this alarming motion. The rock didn't move again but there was something in the air that caused tension within the creature. Something about that rock gave an aura of trouble.
"10-4" was the last thing he said over the coms before going radio silent. They had been tracking the Covenant for about two days, observing as they moved from one formation of ores to another. The original plan was to observe and report, but ONI sent new Intel 30 hours into the mission. Their new mission was to physically board the Corvette, insert the given A.I. chip, intercept communications and Intel from the Covenant, then sabotage the operation.
Across the valley, just barely cresting over the cavern, another figure was stationed. A slight movement showed that he was in the prone position, a scope-less sniper pointing toward the compound. The figure flashed a two finger gesture and sent a green blip to the large rock.
Reyes shifted in his crouched position, slowly adjusting his camouflage and activating the coms, "Elites are preparing for another gravlift" he said quietly. Another green blip appeared on his HUD display. "On my mark." Reyes looked around, ever so slowly rotating his visor left and right. He noticed a small creature to his right, between him and a rock he mirrored, sitting there. The Spartan contemplated the lizard for a moment. Decent in size the creature blended in perfectly to its surroundings. His skin, more like scales, had horn like fixtures protruding from its back and sides. I'm not the only one spying am I?
Sending a violet blip to his partner, the Spartan slowly made his way down the dune. Adjusting his armor slightly to the darkness, he quietly sprinted to a cluster of ores. Reyes gave a two finger gestor and pointed to two Elites then to a few rocks 15 meters to his left before slowly making his way through the compound toward the platform.
Quen noticed the gestor and aimed his sniper toward the rocks, waiting. As the gravlift was activated, simultaneously Reyes dashed for the platform as Quen fired an acid round at a large ore protruding from the ground. The suppressor covered the sound as the round impacted softly into the rock, releasing a sort of clear gas, instantly causing the ore to crack and sizzle apart. The sound caught the attention of the two Elites who annoyingly growled at the occurrence and walked over to investigate just as Reyes landed on the platform.
"I'm inside. Signal the Pelican in 3 minutes. Reyes out." A green blip flashed in response as Reyes quietly made his way out of the docking bay. Turning a corner he a caught a Grunt by surprise, who only remembered being startled by an intruder before his felt his throat sliced into and ripped out. Silently dropping the dead figure, Reyes made his way through a set of corridors, reaching the doors into the Command Center of the Covenant Class Corvette. The Spartan waited against a wall, dimming his white lights and neon glow. He never understood why the suits given to his team were fitted with these useless neon hues.
"It's mainly for identification and décor for moral" the Armory Sergeant had told him. "Direct orders from ONI in creating them."
Décor? Our job is to go unseen, not shout "here I am!" Reyes closed his eyes and let out a light sigh before pulling out his Magnum. Checking the clip he turned to the wall and slid right, activating the doors. In four quick successions, he punched two rounds into an unsuspecting Elite Captain and two Grunts, instantly dropping them. Stepping inside, Reyes pulled out the A.I. chip from behind his helmet and inserted it into the console. A male hologram dressed as a Greek Librarian from the ancient era appeared.
"30 seconds is all I need Lieutenant." He said, looking up at the Spartan.
"Make it quick." Reyes responded in monotone as he turned to other consoles. He inserted another chip, infecting the system with a timed virus, and then began planting small explosives on each side of the doorway.
"Done" the A.I. reappeared and waited for Reyes to approach. "Pull me."
"Not bad Plato". Reyes commented as he pulled the A.I. and reinserted the chip back into his helmet.
"Well, you did tell me to make it quick. I cut the time by 23.5%." Plato's voice felt like an echo in Reyes' conscience.
"That precise are we?" Reyes made his way back through the corridors and slapped explosives on each pillar he passed.
"Aren't you Spartans always precise?" Plato asked as if reminding him.
"More or less, I just tend to not overthink things. 23.5% just seems too precise for a time sensitive mission." Slapping on a few more explosives, Reyes found a thin armor plate leading to the outside and began spraying liquid on it. "I believe com silence can be officially broken now?"
Plato mentally nodded and activated the coms. "Lieutenant Quen, the light is green. Notify Evac now." A green light blipped in response. Lt. Reyes backed up and waiting 15 seconds, then fired a round into the liquid. The Corvette shook slightly as a gap was blown through its side armor. Tossing a beacon into the Docking Bay of the ship, Reyes dove out and rolled as he hit the ground. Two shots flew past his head as two Elites were ripped open and burned with API rounds. Reyes gave a two-finger salute and sprinted toward the edge of the compound. If the explosion hadn't alarmed the rest of the mining crew, the howling screams from the Elites did. The compound came to life as both Grunts and Elites charged at the Spartan in both anger and surprise.
Reyes activated his grenade and sprinted off a large rock of iron ore. Twisting as he leaped off the rock with one foot, he tossed the grenade and rolled. The grenade exploded in an electro static pulse that fried anything walking into it. Pulling out two knives Reyes slid toward three Elites. Blue plasma bolts flew past his visor as he threw both knives at two Elites, both easily sliding into the armor gap of their chests. Reyes planted his left boot against the knife in the nearest Elite, slamming it deeper while tossing the alien back. Still sliding, Reyes twisted, dig his boots in the dirt and launched himself backwards over the second Elite, pulling the knife out of his chest and throwing his feet forward so he facing directly the back of the angry Sanghelios. Yanking the alien around by his jaws, he pulled them apart as he used its body as a meat shield against the Plasma Rifle of the third Elite. Running toward him, the Spartan body slammed both against a rock. He quickly slid the knife into the screaming alien's neck as he quickly sprinted past and up the dune where a Pelican was waiting.
After dropping the two Elites, Quen called in Evac and stood up, tossing his sniper back against the magnetic armor and jumped off the cavern top. Dropping two grunts with his pistol, the Spartan lit a flare and waiting for his Commander. Pelican 05-1, more commonly known to his team as Fox Tail, approached to his location from the North, maneuvering very close to the peaking sand dunes.
"Team Ranger, this Fox Tail. I'm descending onto your location. What's your ETA?"
"ETA is now Fox Tail." Reyes responded as he jumped over two large rock clusters.
"Ok ok. No need to get all snippy. Was just following protocol." The pilot responded, quickly dropping the Pelican to ground level.
"No such thing as protocol with you Fox Tail" Reyes commented as he bumped Quen's fist and both pulled themselves inside. "We're clear for a go."
"Roger that Lt, we're taking off!" Fox Tail converted full power to his thrusters and lurched into the air, ascending quickly to the atmosphere. As they climbed Reyes watched the compound as the Covenant Corvette was wracked by small interior explosions. The ship lurched as if in pain from being gutted. As the mining crew was in a state of frantic anger a bright red and very fast object fell from the sky and slammed into the valley, digging into the desert and incinerating the sand around it.
"Good ol' MAC rounds!" Fox Tail shouted through the coms as he laughed and watched the scene take place. Reyes quietly watched as the MAC round replaced the valley with a deep crater.
"Leave something behind?" Plato asked.
"No… Just thinking about a little friend I made while sitting there." Reyes responded quietly. The back hatch of the Pelican closed shut and the cabin was enveloped in darkness.
The sun began to rise over the vast desert, illuminating it in a warm, yellow glow. The creatures that came out at night receded back into their domain. As the sun rose higher, the valley that was once filled with ore formations now smoldered with ash and charred sand. Rock and metal were splintered throughout the crater and a column of both smoke and dirt rose and bended with the morning wind from the north. The cavern had crumbled under the shockwave, the entrance blockaded by rock and sand. As the sunlight creeped over the dune, a small figure could be seen crawling out of the sand. As it crawled up the dune in a rhythmic pattern, front left forward, back left back; front right back, back right forward, the figure stopped and looked back, as if to contemplate the recent events. With a few flicks from its purple-blue tongue, it quickly shuffled away, out of sight.
This is my first attempt at using Microsoft Word. Let me know what you think!