The Rabbit and the Wolfe
Number 10 and still going strong! First off, thank you all for the support as I continue to give you guys and gals wonderful chapters to seat your hunger for Halo fanfiction. As to this specific chapter, more Covenant slaying action! Hope you enjoy!
Note: Before I forget, most of this chapter is loosely based upon the Halo 5 mission 12: Battle of Sunaion.
10. Assault of Sunaion
Sanghelios
Surface (Vadam Keep)
The plan was simple: Push through the heavily fortified capital of Sunaion to the 'Satinee Keep, eliminating any hostile forces in between. The Infinity had sent down Sarah Palmer and a small detachment of SPARTAN-IV's to bolster the troops lost in the defense of the Vadam Keep. A few Pelicans were also authorized to ferry supplies to the surface and bring the more critically wounded to better medical facilities. Commander Palmer was currently overseeing the preparations of the joint strike mission.
"Listen up Spartans!" She barked, a DMR in one hand as the other cradled her helmet. The twelve or so Spartans that had joined her on this mission turned their heads to her, some still prepping their gear or checking their weapons. "The Arbiter was kind enough to give us in invitation to very exclusive party he is hosting. Problem is, between you and all that Sangheili wine is a battalion full of Killjoys ready to spoil our fun. So grab yourself a dance partner. It's time to tango." She cracked a small smile as some of her Spartans chuckled at her humorous briefing. Some of the Sangheili even gave her a nod of respect.
"Ma'am," One of her Spartans spoke up. "Is she an available partner?" She followed his pointed thumb with her eyes as she donned her helmet. The Spartan in question was none other than Sandra Wolfe, currently perusing a mixture of Human and Covenant heavy weapons. Her helmet was tucked under one arm and was throwing glances between the stockpile and a Lich. Doubt it. A smirk crossed the Commander's unseen face as four SPARTAN-II's stepped out into the dull violet lighting of the hangar.
"I don't think so, Harrison. She doesn't need a babysitter, unlike you." He turned around and his eyes widened in astonishment. Grumbling something that Sarah couldn't hear he walked off, closely followed by Palmer herself. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the much shorter woman talking to the others about something, but she was too far away to pick out any words. Something tells me Lasky was right when he placed her with Blue Team. A brief smile crossed her face again before she shook her head to clear the extraneous thoughts from her mind. She had a mission to complete.
Sanghelios
Surface (Lich-In Route to Sunaion)
Sandra shifted her shoulders again to try to relieve some of the discomfort all the weight of the extra gear was putting on her body. Thinking back, yes, it was a stupid decision to carry six weapons on her armor. But, damn it, she wasn't going to allow anyone, not even Spartan-058 make fun of her! In the hangar Linda had teased her about not being a SPARTAN-II by offering a plasma pistol while picking up an assault rifle for herself. Letting her frustration get the better of her, she piled on the ordinance, even at the discouragement of her teammates. Although she had biologically strengthened muscles and bones, carrying almost 135 lbs. of weapons was not her idea of fun. When the Lich had taken off, she immediately shoved her body in the nearest corner and activated her mag-boots, rooting her to the deck of the craft.
Over the course of the flight, most of the Spartans and Sangheili moved to other parts of the craft, either conversing with each other or mentally preparing themselves. Even Blue Team had left their overburdened teammate to her own thoughts, shuffling over to a corner eclipsed in shadow. That was fine with her. It gave her time to think, mostly about her landing and what she could do to somehow hopefully rectify this situation. She wasn't top heavy per se, but her foolishly large payload would definitely slow her down, making her an easy target for snipers. Figure I should lose the Fuel Rod first. That's at least a good 40 or 50 pounds I won't have to lug around. This SPNKr could give a Hunter quite a nasty bruise and- her thoughts came to a halt as she felt a slight bump on her shoulder. Shifting her body into a more reclined position, she glanced at the person who bumped into her. It was Kelly. And considering how much time the SPARTAN-II's spent in their armor, there was no such thing as an 'accidental bump' with them. She wanted something and Sandra was pretty sure of what it was. Quickly flashing a finger in the purple Spartan's vision, Sandra understood Kelly wanted a private conversation.
"No." Sandra said as soon as their private channel opened.
"If you miss, you'll drown."
"Then I won't miss." Even though her tone was flat, Kelly could feel the playful air to it.
"The thrusters aren't made to handle that kind of weight." Kelly didn't know why, but for some reason, being around her shorter comrade made her more talkative. She was going to blame it on her failed hormone suppressing implant.
"The thrusters will be fine. Why are you so concerned anyway? I mean, it will be my fault if some Covie sees fit to lodge a bullet in my skull because I can't keep up with the rest of you." The com was silent for the next few moments as the two Spartans looked, unmoving, trying to read the other based on subtle movements. Kelly was tempted to accept what Sandra had said and just go back to her preparations. But as she opened her mouth to speak an image flashed through her mind: One of the purple Spartan, dead at the foot of some Covenant Elite a smoking hole in the middle of her visor and an energy sword in her spine. The shiver that she almost failed to suppress left a nasty swirl of emotions in her chest. Sadness. Loss. Anger. Hopelessness. Pain. Emptiness. And… Longing. She catalogued this away in the very back recesses of her mind to ask Dr. Cassidy about at a more opportune time. For now, though…
"We know you can hold your own." Kelly held out a hand. Slowly, as if she was watching a wild bear, Sandra turned her back to the scout.
"Take your pick." Without a second thought, Kelly unclamped the SPNKr Rocket Launcher from her teammate. Hefting the heavy weapon with practiced ease, she gave Sandra a quick nod before attaching it to the one of the magnetic strips on her back. Kelly ended the private channel, striding back to her brothers and sister.
Sandra had to admit, having some of the weight removed eased the stress on her shoulders and back. Readjusting the Fuel Rod to a more centralized location for better balance, she squeezed back into the corner and closed her eyes, thoughts swirling in her head. Are they warming up to me? After only two ops? Doubtful. But Kelly is certainly making an effort to construct some sort of relationship, at least concerning how SPARTAN-II's and IV's work together. These thoughts were suddenly derailed by another, more curious one: Why? Why is 087 making an effort while the others maintain their distance. Not that I don't understand the detachment. I would react the same way if my CO stuck an unwanted addition into my family.
An exhausted sigh escaped her lips though no one else heard it. Or if they did, there was no outward inclination of it. Being a team player isn't really my thing. I never had to deal with these things back when I was with the Wolfpack. There was a sense of family, but in no way to the extent of the SPARTAN-II's. I guess it's something to think about, but not now. Glancing to the timer that was ticking down to the time of drop, Sandra saw she had enough time for a short nap. As she reclined in the shadows, one last thought crossed her mind: Maybe Admiral Hood was right. This team thing might work out after all.
Sanghelios
Surface (Sunaion)
The first explosion jolted Sandra awake. After a few frantic glances around the cabin, she remembered where she was. She relaxed slightly and pulled the M739 SAW into her arms. She could hear the wind rushing past the bay door, like the howling of wolves. Blue Team was waiting for their final member, as evident by four polarized visors aimed in her direction. Pushing through her embarrassment at being caught napping, she moved quietly through the other troops moving around the cabin.
"120 seconds, Spartans. Prepare yourselves." One Elite called out as John made a circle with two fingers in the air. That was the signal for armor inspection. Fred and Linda quickly inspecting each other's, giving a green light when they passed muster. Sandra stood there awkwardly, being the odd one out at number five. Kelly and John's lights soon glowed green as well. Sandra's attention was studying the approaching city when she felt a few quick taps and touches on the back of her armor. Sandra's momentarily froze at the unexpected touch. Her limbs moving on their own, she made her way to the edge of the door, crouching down as four pairs of feet came to a stop behind her.
The lich rocked and swayed as the explosions pounded the hull. The anti-air turrets were making it difficult to approach, but the pilot pushed the large vessel through the dotted sky. Soldiers below fled for cover as the numerous plasma turrets from the lich and other Sword craft cut them down. Every muscle in Sandra's body tensed for the upcoming landing. As the craft slowed enough for the Spartans to make a relatively safe drop, John's voice burrowed through all the other noise around them to issue one order:
"Fall out Blue Team."
With a little effort, Sandra leapt from the Covenant craft into the frantic air around her. For a brief moment as she dropped towards the landing zone, she believed her thrusters would actually not be able to handle the extra stress placed upon them. As if insulted, her armor activated its thrusters to automatically slow her decent. With a loud thud, she landed in a crouch on the floating platform. Her current position was advantageous because she instantly rolled behind a sculpted pillar to avoid a hail of plasma fire. Hefting the Covenant Anti-Armor weapon to her shoulder, she sighted in the nearest group of enemies as the vibrations of her landing teammates signaled their arrival. Two dull 'whumps' echoed around the drop zone as two green blobs sailed over her Spartan teammates to detonate in green flashes as the rods connected with the limbs of her enemies. Fred and John's rifles barked as they poured hot lead into some of the grunts that were scrambling to escape the twin explosions. Their bullet-ridden carcasses tumbled to the ground as cyan blood sprayed the surrounding area. Linda took cover behind a similar pillar, using the distraction of her teammates to eliminate Elites with expert precision.
Sandra really didn't want to carry around the heavy weapon any longer than absolutely necessary, so she quickly let another 3 rounds fly into the disorganized forces. Brutes, jackals, grunts, and elites all met explosive, green endings as Sandra inserted the only other magazine she had brought with her. Blue Team pushed their way up the steps when the first AA turret entered their sight. The bright plasma cannons gave off a soft blue glow, with bright flashes when it fired. During the briefing back in the Vadam Keep, these 'Shrikes' needed to be disabled or destroyed in order for the ground forces to receive aid from the air. As the rest of Blue Team cleaned up the remaining soldiers around the turret, Sandra launched the entire clip into the front plating of the Shrike. Five green blobs exploded in rapid succession, blowing apart the armor that protected its internal systems.
Though it's was clearly damaged, it was still functional. Frustrated, but not deterred, Sandra moved the spent Covenant launcher to her back and jumped up, her hands grasping the edges of one of the holes in the armor. Hauling herself upward, she leaned over at the waist, her legs the only limbs sticking out. Dropping the launcher unceremoniously into a gap between two coils, she reached for a plasma grenade clipped to her belt. She was nearly thrown out when the turret suddenly swiveled in another direction, tracking an unseen target. This thing is becoming a pain in the ass. With a growl, as if challenging the Covenant artillery, she dropped two live plasmas into the hole and pushed herself out. Tumbling down the set of stairs, Sandra landed in a heap as a brilliant green and blue flash lit up the sky as a humongous explosion echoed across the platform.
Untangling herself, she glanced upward to seen a tan armored glove reaching out to her. Taking it, she was hauled effortlessly to her feet.
"Never seen someone take out a turret like that before." Linda's tone was as neutral as ever, though Sandra could barely make out something of a smile hidden within its depths. With a shrug, the two Spartans jogged over to their waiting teammates. Finally free of most of the extra weight, Sandra could actually fight unobstructed. The five Spartans made their way through the ornate doorway and made their way through a series of open paths lit only by violet fires and the starlit sky.
LINE BREAK HERE
The brute let out a gargled cry of pain before it slumped to the floor, drowning its dead comrades in his blood. The Master Chief slammed another clip home as he observed the progress of the other members of his team. They had destroyed another three AA Shrikes and were on route to take down the last two on their assigned platform. His team was performing like they always had, even in spite of their newest, and slightly unwelcome addition. He made his way up a short flight of stairs just in time to see Blue 5, Sandra Wolfe, mow down a group of jackals with her SAW, the Full Metal Jacket rounds tearing through their thick skin, splintering their hollow bones. Purple blood blended in with the metal platform below, only discernable by the avian creatures slumped over the pools. A grunt tried to throw itself from the platform above, but was met with the hailstorm of lead from the Chief's rifle. Its corpse hit the ground, tumbled down a sharp incline and fell into the swirling swells far below. Linda's status light winked green three times, letting John know the area was clear. Wordlessly the armored humans made their way to the small ornate hallway that led to a door at the other end. Beyond that door lay the final two turrets that impeded the Arbiter's fleet from providing further assistance.
Stacking up beside the door the Master Chief gave them a countdown to breach, holding up five fingers, ticking off the seconds.
4…
3…
2…
As his second finger curled inward his HUD blared with a message from the Infinity labeled URGENT. He dropped his arm and keyed into the message, patching in the rest of Blue Team:
"This is Sierra 117."
"Master Chief? It's Lasky. I just got word from the Arbiter's forces. Apparently their intel was not as solid as they thought. The only way to cross the rest of the bay to the other side is via a series of light bridges. The controls of which are located below you. An elevator located on the platform before you will take to the undercity. From what I was told, it is a series of platforms that tether the larger ones together.
"What is stopping the Arbiter from directly ferrying us to the keep itself?" Fred's voice to the form of Chief's unspoken question.
"Heavy AA defenses protect the Keep from aerial attacks. The only way through is on foot, at least until the guns are down. The Arbiter will meet you at the beginning of the bridge once you have activated its controls. Good luck, Spartans."
"Understood. 117 out." Lasky ended the transmission. As soon as his team was ready, Master Chief initiated the countdown once again. When his final finger formed a fist, his hand shot to support his rifle as the five Spartans rushed through the door. His rifle rattled in his hands as its sights found a brute who was standing too close to the door. With a howl of pain, he dropped dead. Taking cover behind ornately designed walls, Master Chief threw his two remaining fragmentation grenades at a group of grunts led by an elite. Their squeals were silenced as the explosive detonated, followed quickly by a howl of rage as the Elite zealot charged through the smoke, his blue shields flaring. Firing his rifle at the closing elite his shields pulsed as they absorbed the bullets, but did not break.
His rifle clicked empty as the zealot closed in on him. He tossed it to the side, bringing his fists up and shifting his body into a fighting stance. He learned early on that fighting an Elite in hand to hand combat wasn't the smartest option, but it could be done. Unfortunately, this fight was different from engagements that he had taken part in before in the fact that it was quite open and littered with other hostiles who would be more than happy to put a bullet in the back of his skull. He shifted slightly as the saurian tossed away his carbine and ignited his energy sword. He both admired and hated the ornate weapon. It was excellently designed and created by master craftsman. It had the capability to kill its targets in one well-placed swipe. Efficient and deadly, the perfect close quarters killing tool. His hatred for them stemming from the thousands of humans slain by their wielders during the last three decades of war. The blade came down in an arc, but was stopped halfway when a similar weapon intercepted it and a purple boot slammed into the alien's side, sending it reeling.
"I'll handle this one, Chief." The purple Spartan's voice filled his helmet as said human lashed out at the towering soldier, already putting it on the defensive. Casting Blue 5's engagement from his mind, he scooped up his assault rifle and slapped the final clip in its housing, pulling the bolt into the correct position before spraying the nearest Covenant with lead. Sandra's free-for-all kept most of the Remnant Sangheili otherwise occupied, Master Chief and the other members of Blue Team made short work of the smaller troops. Especially after Fredrick commandeered a Shade turret, the superheated plasma pummeling shields and melting through tissue and bone.
Kelly used the SPNKr launcher to great effect, removing both turrets with one rocket each. The power cores were no match for the high explosive warheads of the Jackhammer missiles. Linda sought fit to excavate the brains of her enemies with her armor piercing rounds of Nornfang from her perch, especially those who tried to tried to sneak up on her Spartan teammate engaged in heated swordfight. The zealot finally dropped as Sandra plunged the blade hilt-deep in its throat. His mandibles twitched once before finally falling still. She only extinguished her sword when Kelly gave the 'All clear' signal. She shifted and flexed her muscles as they regrouped on the elevator. As Master Chief hit the holo panel to start its decent, Fred commented on Sandra's movements:
"You good?"
Sandra nodded silently before decoupling the shotgun from her back. The only human weapon still in her arsenal, having run out of rounds for the SAW and magnum long ago. The rest of the decent was encompassed in silence. As the doors at the bottom of the shaft opened, Fred took point. Sprinting across the short bridge and easily managing the small gap thereafter, he used his thrusters to smash through a grate as the remaining members of Blue Team clambered up nearby obstacles. Startled by the sound, a few grunts looked in the Spartans direction, squealing at the sight of the human intruders. The bark of Fred's DMR signaled the others to open fire. Armor-piercing rounds aplenty tore through the small creatures, causing more than a few methane tanks to leak and subsequently combust, bathing their wearers in greenish-yellow flame. Their cries of pain were silenced with grenades and bullets from the Spartans' sidearms.
Maneuvering their way through the uneven chain of platforms, bullets soon gave way to a two-sided plasma match as the Spartans slowly ran out of ammunition. Even Kelly, loathe to do it, had to begrudgingly switch out Oathsworn for a carbine she yanked from a jackal's now-broken fingers. Unless she wanted to be mowed down by plasma fire, that is. The Spartan-II's of Blue Team lived up to their legends, wordlessly slaughtering every Covenant soldier that stood in their way. Sandra was right with them, punting the occasional grunt into the swells below.
Leaping onto a yet another platform, Kelly and the others came face-to-face with an intricate arrangement, interconnected with slanted bridges. Between them and their objective though was a pair of hunters, who awaited them with angry, green glowing weapons. As if an unseen timer ticked down to zero, the humans sprinted into action, bathing their armor in a blue glow as thrusters activated. Linda was forced into a slide as one of the green objects sailed only a foot above her and crashed into the pillar behind her, obliterating it in a glowing detonation. The other one flew through where the Spartans were moments before, exploding harmlessly on a nearby wall.
"Rockets?" Came Linda's question over TEAMCOM.
"Spent." Kelly's reply did not bode well for Blue Team. Rockets and grenades were a Spartan's best friend when dealing with the organic behemoths. Needles, plasma, and caseless projectiles bounced off their hardened blue armor, angering them further. Fred and Kelly took the left outlook as the Master Chief and Linda copied the same approach on the right. Realizing they were being flanked, the Hunters raised their massive shields to protect their midsection and turned their backs to one another, their footsteps rattling the Spartans bones.
Bringing her Storm Rifle to bear, she fired bursts of plasma at the creatures trying to get their attention. Splatters of orange sprayed the ground as the creatures flinched, the worms that composed their bodies wriggling in pain as they were burned away. Frustratingly, they ignored the fifth Spartan, focusing their cannons on the other four that were pinned down on either side of her. Sandra pushed down her growing anger and fired the Covenant assault rifle till its vents were automatically forced open to cool the weapon. Theses hunters still didn't consider her a threat. What?! Am I not good enough for you, huh!? Her resentment for the lumbering creatures reached a fevered peak as she hurled a plasma grenade into their midst. Her visor polarized to avoid blinding her, but that didn't stop her heart rate from increasing slightly as the two now very angry beasts turned on her. Oh sh-
Sandra had basically been at a standstill when the Mgalekgolo had been focused on the other members of Blue Team, but was now sprinting and leaping between cover as the green orbs hounded her like hyenas. Master Chief emptied an entire clip of the pink spines into its exposed back as Linda fired the scatter rounds of her Plasma Caster at its feet. Pink and blue explosions cloaked the beast as a pained rumble was lost in the chaos.
When the light pink cloud dissipated, there wasn't much left of the bond brother. Even at a massive 5 tons, the fleshy worm colony was ripped apart when the needles exploded. The scatter rounds only added insult to injury as its legs were ripped from the main body. The massive cannon lay limply at its side, only a small string of burnt flesh connecting it to the rest of the body. Its mate roared in enmity, charging the Master Chief with surprisingly speed. The two veterans ducked, rolled and backpedaled as the furious ogre tried to pulverize the shorter humans with his massive shield. The others sent plasma straight into its exposed back, but in its bloodlust, it merely ignored the smoking holes in its shifting gestalt.
Sandra maneuvered until she was right behind the raging creature. Adrenaline was pumping furiously through her veins and her heartrate was climbing steadily. This is such a stupid plan, she told herself, wildly showering its head in green plasma. It roared again, shoving itself backwards, intending to spear the meddlesome human on the pillar she had caught herself between. Rolling out of the way in the nick of time, her shields flared considerably as one of its spines grazed her leg. It howled in pain as the unyielding column snapped said spines like twigs. Lungs heaving from overexertion, she pushed her exhaustion down to the pit of her stomach, Sandra grabbed a spine and leapt onto the hunter's now spine-free back. She rammed the hardened spike into the orange, plump neck repeatedly. Luminescent gore sprayed everywhere, soaking the floor and blanketing most of her faceplate. It staggered back and forth as the humans placed shots into exposed areas that weren't covered by their newest member's flailing limbs as she desperately hung on for dear life.
Having enough of the purple Spartan, he reached over his shoulder, grabbing her head with three stubby fingers hidden within backside of the shield, and tried to throw her off the platform. He would have succeeded to, if he wasn't leaking blood everywhere. Sandra skidded to a stop just before the curvaceous edge, which would have taken her over into the ocean below. With a weakened, rumbling bellow, the hunter charged one last time. Much slower than usual, Fred was able to stick another plasma to its back. The explosion sent the lumbering, dying behemoth staggering. Finally taking its last steps, its five-ton frame toppled onto the exhausted purple Spartan.
With a choked grunt, she braced herself against the mammoth body with her hands and feet. Reaching under its arms, she hauled its massive frame over her head, sending it rumbling down the lip of the platform before plummeting into the murky waters below with a loud splash. Heaving herself back to her feet with a grunt, she tried to wipe the orange coagulant from her visor, but only ended up smearing it. Allowing it time to clean itself, Sandra took an outstretched storm rifle from Fred. Moving with practiced synchronicity, the made it to the final room located beyond. Brightly lit in blues and purples, there were no discernable shadows. Linda flashed the 'All clear' signal. Chief and the others followed her through the door. The elevator, a circular pad, similar to the one they had come down on was located to the left of the well-lit chamber. The majority was encompassed by a towering, translucent cylinder in the middle, holoscreens of all shapes and sizes surrounded it. Their flashing symbols and glyphs cast an entrancing flow of colors that momentarily caught Sandra off guard.
"Spartan Wolfe, get to work." Fred's orders echoed in her ears as she moved about the room. Her suit rapidly translated they glowing symbols as she tried to find the right panel. Eventually, she came across one labeled 'Bridge Control'. Kind of simple, isn't it? Pushing such thoughts away, her fingers quickly tapped the symbols. After the entry of the final one, a deep hum, almost a rumble, reverberated through the room. Sandra instinctively backed up as a beam of light blue energy tore raced past them, safely encased within the magnetic field in the cylinder. Checking a few readings to ensure the beam was flowing smoothly, Sandra craned her head, nodding to the Master Chief.
"Arbiter, this is Sierra 117. The bridge is operational." The channel was quiet except for the constant element of white noise before the Sword Commander's voice broke through.
"I see it Spartan. Well done. Rendezvous on the surface. Our task is far from finished." Chief ended the transmission and joined his team on the elevator that would take them back to the surface. The hum of the bridge mechanics had reduced to a dull hum as the elevator rose in silence. Kelly took these few precious moments to observe her teammates. John, Fred, and Linda were their usual selves, no worse for wear. Pushing their health status from her mind, her gaze turned to Blue Team's only SPARTAN-IV. Physically, Sandra was relatively fine, a few new cuts and bruises, but nothing of concern. She wanted to open a private channel, but thought it might distract them from the mission on hand, so Kelly ignored it.
As the doors opened, orange and red peeked over the horizon, signifying the arrival of dawn. Their armor bathed in its golden glory as they stepped out into the makeshift camp. Grunts and jackals scurried around like ants as their taller commanders barked out orders. Pilots works on their Banshees, tweaking them with tools unfamiliar to the Spartans. Five heads turned to the sound of heavy breathing. A portly Marine, just on the shy side of 30, stopped to catch his breath. The veterans waited patiently as the red faced soldier regained his composure, straightening up, and clutching the Battle Rifle protectively to his chest.
"Chief, the Arbiter is waiting for you in the command tent. Down the hill, section B-1, only red one there." With a quick nod, he dashed further into the camp. A myriad of glances followed the soldiers as they sauntered down the grey ramp to a smaller bluff of orange rock. The mixture of human and Sangheili tents, green and purples mixed together with the reddish-gold of the dawn created a collage of colors that would make Van Gogh squeal with delight. The two Sword guardsmen standing outside the dusty maroon marquee eyed the approaching Spartans with a mixture of respect and curiosity. As Blue Team were within a few feet of the fabricated structure, the guards wordlessly held open the flaps for them to enter.
"It is good to see you unharmed, sister." Raha's smooth voice greeted Sandra as the flaps fluttered closed behind her. The maroon zealot stood next to a slightly taller member of her species, this one clad in black armor. He gave her a curt nod which she returned. Commander Palmer stood beside the table, seemingly observing the conversation intently. Raha rose to speak again, but the leader of the Sangheili cut her off.
"Now is not the time for introductions, Zealot." She closed her mandibles and crossed her arms with a huff of annoyance, to which the others ignored. He gestured to a holographic display on a table in the middle of the small space.
"The Keep is protected by heavy Anti-Aircraft emplacements, preventing our fighters from assisting the ground troops. The only way across the bay is via a series of energy bridges, here, here, here, here, and here." He pointed to five different bridge-like structures that spanned the massive gap. Three of them formed a straight line as the final two branched off and formed a fork, providing two different entrances into the keep. Red circles highlighted the objects as he continued.
"Snipers shall cover the columns of armor as they advance, flanked by Spartans and Sangheili alike. This will be followed by the majority of the ground troops after their lines have been broken." The hologram displayed a simulation of the keep and what the attack would look like. Green and purple figures were shown charging across a yellow bridge to meet similar miniature figures, colored red.
"Following that-" He was cut off as an earth-shattering rumble shook the soldiers. Dust and debris sprinkled the different colored armors, adding even more dirt to their grungy look. He blinked in surprise a few times before settling back into his confident expression. His mandibles moved to speak again, but another rumble rattled them, this one much closer. Sending one of his guards outside to see what the matter was, he turned to the members around the table when a resounding BOOM echoed through the bay. The ornately decorated leader stabilized himself using his strong body. The Spartans were not so prepared.
Palmer's hands shot out from their resting place at her sides to grip the table with a vicelike grip. Fred and the Chief also dug their hands into the holostand, while Linda was able to grab a support beam, twisting and crumpling the light frame. For once Kelly wasn't fast enough. Her feet were too close together, upsetting her balance. She was too far away from the table to stabilize herself. As she began to fall backwards, a hand latched onto her shoulder, halting any further movement. Quickly shifting her feet slightly to give her a sturdier posture, she nodded to the only other member of Blue Team. Sandra had her knees bent in a slight crouch, arm reaching up to steady the Spartan scout. The purple gauntlet retracted like a bolt of lightning, after waiting just a moment longer than necessary. Nods were exchanged and the turned to face the Arbiter, amusement clearly evident in his amber eyes.
The atmosphere was broken when a series of explosions resounded outside the tent, almost overshadowed by a low, piercing rumble. An elite with blue armor floundered through the tent, almost caught up on the folds of fabric before coming face to face with the golden armored elite,
"Arbiter… the… heretics…" His labored breathing and pale grey, almost white skin, were clear signs of distress as the poor recruit tried to get his vocal cords working. The frantic footfalls of soldiers scampering for safety only confused the elite leader more. Before he could voice these thoughts, a figure clad in the black armor of an ODST screamed one word that none of them hoped to hear ever again:
"SCARAB!"
Come Back Next Time!
This chapter was quite fun to write! The following one will be the assault on the Keep itself. Or it would be if the Master Chief and the rest of Blue Team didn't have to deal with a scarab first. Like that is going to stop them. I know I said this before, but I'll say it again: school has started, so my updates will be more spaced out. I hope you will understand and forgive me. Don't forget to review, follow and favorite! GO BLUE TEAM! Till next time: Peace out!