AN: Got Thursday War and read it! Pretty good read… aside from the Halsey bashing returning from Glasslands, but overall decent read that ties into Halo 4 quite well in some subtle and others not so subtle ways. More so near the ending.
Now I am in a bit of a pickle, see I want to start showing more stuff on the Halo side of things, more background or just other characters, but I would have to then spoil all of Thursday War or at least it's major points.
Please answer in the reviews with specific responses. No matter what I will include stuff that will spoil The Thursday War, but depending on people it will be either soon or later.
Also I am going to edit the timeline a bit, by that I mean, currently I have it so Jastis left the Halo verse in 2557 in July. The events of Halo 4 begin July 21st and since both universe moves at the same time pace, and then I am not given much room if I want to include events of Halo 4 and if I want to build up stuff in the Halo side, I am not given much time.
So as of this writing, the other posts should be edited to say July 2556 and not 2557.
Also one other thing which I will have to address, originally I stated that Jastis in his armor is 1000 pounds, in the MJOLNIR IV, V, VI, this would be correct, but being the GEN2 and lighter, it maybe around more like 800 pounds or even 600. Thursday War sadly didn't go into depth on the GEN2 armor.
June 9th, 2191 – Omega Nebula – Sahrabarik – Omega – 1730 Hours
Jastis and his squad moved out into Omega, "First time here?" asked Fastina to the Spartan.
"No, I was here two days ago before my arrival at the Citadel. Did a job for the Alliance, saved some captured soldiers from the Blood Pack."
Rent looked at the Spartan and stopped moving, "Then should we be worried if they come attacking us? You're pretty distinctive."
Jastis stopped in his place, "We will have to be on the lookout. I didn't see any camera's in the complex I attacked, but I wouldn't doubt the news of my raid already out. If they come we will handle them." The Turian nodded in agreement, he liked the idea of that, but he knew they were after the Reapers Children, and not the Blood Pack.
He turned his head to continue walking but then was greeted by a Batarian, "Welcome to Omega, Spartan, Aria saw that you were coming and wants to know why an Augmented Super Soldier would come here."
"Aria?"
Rent responded before the Batarian could, "She is sort of the leader of Omega, queen more so. Even if there is no real definite leader. An Asari."
"Go meet her at Afterlife, you can't miss it," the Batarian turned and left.
The three turned to each other, "Aria already?" Rent commented, "I would have assumed we would need to cause some trouble first, but I guess news travels fast."
"Should we be worried?" Fastina asked.
"Only if you get on her bad side, I met her couple of times, doubt she remembers though. I would say it would be best to get to Afterlife, she probably even knows something about the Reapers Children."
Jastis nodded and they continued out. They exited the small corridor and a door opened up to their right. The Batarian had been right, he couldn't have missed it. Afterlife's big letters plastered the building with a strange purple neon light above it with people dancing on it in loop. There was a line with an Elcor directing it.
They passed the line and went up the steps to the entrance where a Batarian with a data pad was standing, as the door opened he said, "Aria is expecting you." Once more they were in a corridor tinted red with holographic flames on the sides. People were sitting around and chatting, many turning their heads at the sight of the hulking soldier. Once more the words: Afterlife was on the other end of the corridor with a door below it.
It opened and let them into the nightclub, it was weird to him, and no Spartan had ever been in one before. He wasn't sure he liked it. Rent looked disappointed and told the Spartan, "Last time I was here was before the war, and this place still looks the exact same as it did back then. Though they would have changed it."
In the center was a large pillar of purple lights, and around it woman pole dancing, to his right was the bar with people around it. Knowing the way, Rent directed the Spartan to where to meet Aria. They took the right path, and passed the bar, there was a Batarian standing on guard who stared at them as he passed them. Up the steps they went with more guards above, and then he saw Aria sitting with her legs crossed and arms out over the edges of the couch. As he approached her a Batarian stepped in his path.
"I need to scan you first," his Omni-tool active and a hologram of himself appeared with various red bleeps over it. "You're clean." He finished and walked out Jastis path. Aria smirked and gestured for the Spartan to take a seat, Jastis looked back at Fastina and Rent and they simply shrugged.
He then sat down, "So you're the Super Soldier Spectre from another dimension. Spartan I hear you go by."
"And you're Aria?"
"That's right, I bet your Turian friend, Rent, told you about me."
Rent was surprised, "Surprised you remember me."
"I don't forget, so Spartan, why are you here on Omega?"
Jastis leaned forward and put his hands together, "I am here looking for the Reapers Children that according to my Intel are here. My goal is to stop them."
"To the point, I like that. The Reapers Children, those psycho's even mentally deranged consider mad. I know of them, been causing trouble for me and the various mercenary groups."
"So they're here?"
Aria nodded, "Yes, they have been in the Yezen District, anyone who has gone in hasn't come out."
Sounds like a job for a Spartan.
"What can you tell me about the Reapers Children?"
She assumed he knew much, but answered anyway, "They're a cult, dangerous, and psychopathic. They believe the Reapers were gods and that we as sentient beings failed to ahead to them in the war."
"What can you tell me about their operation here? Aside from what you said earlier."
"To be honest we don't know much, they just arrived one day and went down to Yezen district and set up shop. Behind their barricades is unknown to us. Like I said, I tried to get people in but they didn't come back."
"Thank you," Jastis stood up.
"Get rid of them," she simply stated and the Spartan went down the steps with Fastina and Rent.
Just as they got out of her hearing range Rent spoke up, "You handled yourself pretty good."
"Thanks, I will admit, I have fought in many battles in my dimension, never have I had to sit down and chat with someone like that."
"You did well," Fastina agreed, "we can take a shuttle to the district."
"Right, let's move on."
OMEGA – AFTERLIFE – 1750
Mariika sat there brooding over what to do, even for Omega; she couldn't find a simple ship. Even with her money, Omega had some standards, even if they were lower than the rest of space. The lights of Afterlife made her a bit dizzy, she couldn't really find a reason to stay but she still just sat there at the bar. She wasn't even drinking, her helmet was still on.
Well… Guess that short lived hope of working with the Spartan is over…
The Asari Mercenary sighed, she best get out there and do some more jobs to help people. She turned in her chair and that's when she saw him. It was just like the picture she saw, tall, hulking armor in white and red. Like her, he was wearing his helmet.
Lucky!
She wanted to move and approach him, but she didn't know how to. Simply walking up to him and asking to join him would result in nothing, she needed to naturally appear. As she thought it over she turned away so to look more natural and they stepped out of the nightclubs main room. Then she got out of her chair and began to follow them at a distance. She exited the nightclub altogether and was back in standard Omega, and saw them walking towards the shuttle.
Where were they going?
They got into a shuttle and flew off, shortly after she got into her own shuttle and followed them. After a short ride it was clear that they were heading to the Yezen District, she wondered why and began to think about what was going on there that might interest a Spectre. Nothing came to mind, although she did recall something about Aria's men and some Mercs going in and never returning.
JASTIS
They landed and got out of the shuttle, Yezen District; it was dark compared to the other parts of Omega he saw, little to no lights but just enough that they could see where to go. Each of them took out their weapons and readied up. "No hostiles spotted yet," he turned on his VSIR and nothing came up, "flashlights up."
Each of them turned their flashlights on and revealed more of the area. Only thing he could see were benches and overturned tables with scraps of food lying all around. Lots of dry blood on the walls but with no signs of any bodies. It was all silent, until something jumped out and grabbed onto Jastis back.
Rent ran over and butted what was on his back and it crashed into the ground, just as it hit Rent took out his M-358 Talon and shot twice killing the thing. Jastis turned to look at it flashing his light on it. "What is that?"
"A husk!" Fastina yelped. "What the hell is a husk doing here? Didn't they all die?"
Rent put his pistol away and took out his Revenant, "They were supposed to have, safe to assume that it's connected to the Reapers Children."
"Let's keep moving," Jastis opened the Codex and brought up the Husk and quickly read over it, they were Humans transformed by the Reapers via Dragon Teeth. Well not all Human, but the one that attacked him surely was.
After moving a bit further in to the District they began to make their way down small streets, it was completely abandoned. A red ominous tint overtook the darkness and they turned off their flashlights. As they moved Jastis eye caught something moving on a catwalk above them, but when he turned head nothing was there. "Keep your eyes peeled, we aren't alone here."
"Someone help me!" He heard a muffle voice in the building to their left, it was a house. Jastis quickly ran over to the door, it wouldn't open. He grabbed the side of the door, and began to force it to open.
They were amazed at the sheer strength of the Spartan as he pulled the metal door to the left forcing it open. He ran into the room and saw no one and moved into the bed room, there was a Human man on the bed and a Husk rushing at them. Before the Husk even got to the bed, the Spartan grabbed the Husk and swung him into the wall and then bashed its head in.
He then turned to the frightened Human, "Are you alright?"
They got off of the bed slowly, "Thank you… It got in through my vents."
Fastina and Rent joined them, Jastis looked at the vent. "Did the Reapers Children do this?"
The man nodded his head, "Yes, I was one of the few they didn't take. They arrived here a couple weeks ago and began to take people into their main base. Since then many crates have arrived and screams from people could be heard. Almost like old horror movies on holo vids."
"Where is their main base here?"
"Just continue down the street, you can't miss it. There are large barricades. Now I will be getting out of here," the man passed the three and left the room. He didn't take much time to looking the place when he first rushed in, but looking at it now showed it was very trashy, drinks spilled, trash on the ground, bed sheets lying about.
The three left the house and continued down the street, moving up and down until the barricade was clear in sight. Suddenly before the round from a sniper even got close to them, Jastis moved them to the cover they had and then the round clashed against the ground. "Identify yourself!" They heard a loud voice coming from the barricade.
"Sure you should respond?" Questioned Rent low enough that the shooters couldn't hear.
"No," he pulled out his Javelin and aimed down its scope, and within a second shot it directly hitting the enemy sniper in the head killing them instant, "we're going hot!"
Jastis and his squad moved up from their cover and more of the Reapers Children began to flow out. Their armor was different then from other soldiers he had saw recently, it was purple with red stripes, its helmet had two spikes going at the ends, and overall very sharp armor. But it didn't matter; they would die like the sniper did.
Rent spoke, "Fastina! Use your biotics to lift that one!" On her HUD it highlighted the soldier behind cover that neither of them could shoot. She charged up and began to glow all around her arm was brought down and then she jerked it up and the man suddenly flew up and was still in air as purple energy surrounded him.
Both Rent and Jastis blasted at the man killing them before the energy ran out. One of them rushed at Rent with two Omni-blades, he took his Talon and shot directly at them and they fell over. More continued to come and they took them down one by one. Jastis vaulted over his cover and rounds began to drain his shields but they held still and he was able to reach to another enemy and use his claymore on them. He then turned and shot another with the Claymore as it tore through their shields and straight past their armor. The Spartan then turned to another enemy who was on a buildings balcony, he ran over to it and ran against the wall for a moment to give him momentum and he jumped once more and grabbed onto the balcony.
He lifted himself up and landed next to the Reapers Children soldier, the enemy turned with his avenger assault rifle, but Jastis was able to roll out of the way and got behind the enemy and twisted his neck easily breaking it. Getting back into cover, he was now higher than the barricade but not past it, he saw more enemies coming from behind. Taking a grenade he tossed it over the barricade and it exploded in a group of the soldiers. Rent and Fastina hurried to catch up taking out soldiers themselves.
Fastina had to admit, she had never been on something like this before, she had gotten used to the idea of killing, but she never had to do it en masse like she was now. Rent on the other hand from being in the military and doing other things was already used to fighting this many. Jastis got out of cover and got a running start and then ran in the direction of the barricade, he brought his leg up on the balcony walls and that gave him a jumping boost. So much that he was able to grab onto a pipe above and swing himself even further past the barricade.
He brought his body forward as he hit the ground and rolled out even hitting a guy in the face with his leg in the process. Jastis got his balance and began to fire upon those still left behind the barricade. Then there was no one else, he contacted them over the COMs, "Fastina, Rent, are you guys good on that side?"
"Yes," Rent responded, Jastis went over to the barricade, it was quite tall and they would need a boost to get over it. When he was at the top of it, he reached his arm over it and both of his squad mates took that as a cue to grab it. Fastina was first she did similar to what Jastis did to get up on the balcony and Jastis lifted her up with ease, she could almost feel the immense strength from him. He then pulled up Rent.
"Damn," he stated, "never seen anyone do anything like that before. You truly are a Super soldier."
They leaped down the other side of the barricade and continued on their path. The main building they were held up was just across a court yard. It was a stark contrast to other parts of Omega, it was well lit and had tree's growing, its ground was marble and looked like it should belong on a planet like Earth. The squad was alone in the court yard, which made Jastis worry; nothing came up on his VISR.
Mariika
From the distance she watched the squad as they passed through the district, she was in awe at the Spartans abilities, and he was exactly what she was hoping he would be. On the catwalk she continued to watch them until she had to exit the catwalk, she almost got hit by stray rounds but was able to dodge them.
She then remembered what she had heard about this place, the Reapers Children. The Asari smiled under her helmet, it was a noble deed already that the Spartan was on. Something that would at least rid Omega of some more bad doers.
After they had passed the barricade she used her biotics to lift herself up and over it. Mariika saw them arrive in the court yard and hadn't passed through it yet so she went into cover. The Spartan stopped moving and his squad mates followed suite. "Someone is here," he stated.
"Of course, the Reaper Children are-" Fastina spoke but was cut off by the Spartan.
"No someone else, ever since we exited Afterlife," he turned and faced the direction of the barricade.
Shit. Already discovered?
He moved forward a bit, "Come out of hiding! I know you're there!"
Mariika sighed, "Alright," she stated so the Spartan could hear, she stood up and moved out of her cover, "you found me." Everyone stared at her through their visors. Her arms were raised up to show that she had no weapon in her hands but they all saw the weapons around her.
Jastis aimed his Vindicator at her, "Who are you? Why are you following us?"
"I am Mariika Venist, an Asari Mercenary former Commando. I have been on Omega for the past year trying to help people out. It hasn't been too successful. So when I heard about you being from another dimension and becoming a Spectre to help people, I wanted to help you out. So I followed you."
The former Commando reminded him of how Rent was former Turian Military. He wasn't sure to trust the Asari, she seemed honest, but for all he knew she could be hired from the Blood Pack. "How can I be sure to trust you?" the Spartan asked, "you follow us and claim your good. In a place like this, trusting can be hard."
"Spartan, I am going to be frank; I don't think even if I wanted to, I could even kill you. How about you let me help you take down these Reapers Children? Maybe that will prove something."
Jastis turned to his squad, "thoughts?" he asked them.
Fastina folded her arms, "I can't say, the name Mariika Venist doesn't ring a bell. That doesn't mean she can't be good though. I say we let her help, if she is trouble, we kill her."
Rent nodded his head, "my sentiment exactly Fastina."
"Alright," he turned to the Asari Mercenary, "you may come. You must follow all of my orders."
She bowed, "thank you so much. I am also a biotic like your Quarian friend."
The Spartan liked the sound of that, two biotics could be a big help. "Good, let's go."
AN: Yay! Finally got this out, wanted to get it out earlier but I failed to. D: Well it's here now. Hope you enjoyed it; first part of the Reapers Children OMEGA Part is done. :D See you next time.