Because of an increase in work it will be some time before an update comes. I'll try to get the next chapter ready before my exams but don't expect it.
Another thing I want to say, this one about Battlefront II, I think it's not a bad game (I'm not even starting with EA's fiasco) but that campaign started so well and dropped so low as it went on. Let me tell you this, Iden Versio and Inferno Squad will appear in this story. But she will not join the rebel scum!
Anyway, here's chapter 11.
Requiem
UNSC Infinity
Bridge
"Infinity cannot handle that kind of punishment… not again." Del Rio stated gravely while glaring at the AI and the Spartan who didn't budge.
"This isn't about us or this ship anymore." Cortana pleaded forcefully as she tried to convince the captain.
Chief joined in and told him, "Sir, we've seen what the Didact is capable of. If we let him leave this world, humanity will be at risk."
"Look… I understand what you think you saw." Del Rio said as he crossed his arms behind his back in annoyance.
"Think?!" Cortana cried out in anger and surprise at how the captain questioned her Spartan.
"With all due respect, sir… I know what I saw." Master Chief responded with more restraint than his rampant partner. He noticed her condition was getting worse and her outbursts more frequent.
Del Rio snarled and approached the Chief angrily as he spoke, "And with all due respect to you soldier, I'm not willing to jeopardize my ship because of the hallucinations of an aging Spartan and his malfunctioning AI." The captain stopped to look coldly at the orange visor of the larger man in front of him.
Seeing that the situation was turning in the wrong direction, Lasky quickly tried to make peacemaker between the two. A part of him told him that he should trust his commanding officer but the other and dominant part of him told him to trust the legendary Spartan.
"Sir… what if he is right? Even if the Didact is nothing but some hallucination, we still have Covenant forces here. Not only that but they seem to be working alongside these Prometheans. If we leave now they might gather more of these machines and attack a colony with them, or worse." Lasky said as he tried to change his captain's mind. Del Rio was silent and appeared to be thinking deeply.
Lasky looked over to Palmer who looked back at him. As their gazes met she saw the pleading in the man's eyes and decided to go with her gut feeling. The same one that not only kept her alive as a soldier but also told her that the Spartan II was right.
"Sir, I have to agree with commander Lasky and Sierra-117." She spoke up gaining the attention of the thoughtful captain. "The Infinity has seen a lot of damage but she's the navy's flagship for a reason. We have the troops for an attack and Spartans to clear the way."
"But the ship is in no condition to fight them head-on." Del Rio rebuked in annoyance.
"Let us go ahead then." Chief proposed. "We can deal with the Covenant and Prometheans with our ground forces while the Infinity attacks the Didact's ship."
Del Rio shook his head firmly. "We still have those covenant warships to worry about. Those cruisers will take advantage of our weakened state and sink the ship before we even get a shot at the Didact."
"What if we didn't have to worry about them?"
The four humans all turned to Cortana who had a thoughtful look on her projected face. She didn't seem to be suffering a rampancy attack, which was something the Chief was glad for. He also recognized that tone. Cortana had an idea, one that might be the foundation of their victory.
"Explain." The captain ordered as he kept his cold gaze on the AI.
"We're not the only ones here who have been suffering at the hands of the Didact and his forces. The empire still has ships left along with a large amount of fighter and bomber support. If we somehow made them attack the Didact while he is still on Requiem, we might be able to defeat them. Even he cannot ignore two parties that attack him." Cortana told them her idea. As ludicrous as it sounded, because there was no way the empire would agree to fight alongside them, it had some merit.
"An interesting suggestion." Del Rio admitted more relaxed now but still rather tense. "However, you do forget that the empire is our enemy as well. I fail to see how we can convince them to aid us. In fact, I'd rather not work with them."
"No one said we would ask them." Cortana retorted and her avatar slightly glitched. Chief noticed it but luckily it was so hard to see unless you had a Spartan's vision.
Palmer slightly frowned but stayed silent.
"What if we forced them against each other?" Lasky said with some hope.
"And how would we do that?" Del Rio scoffed as he crossed his arms again.
Chief pondered slightly on what the Didact's goals were and his personality. The Forerunner was hellbent on destroying humanity, arrogant and very dangerous. His goal was the composer, the machine he was going to use to eradicate humanity. The imperials on the other hand had little knowledge on him or the Forerunners. If this was their first Forerunner discovery then they would stay but get a message out.
"Do long range communications work from inside the planet?" He asked Cortana.
The avatar of the AI shook her head in response. "Only short range to ships around the planet. Why?"
"The empire will contact their fleet command. To do that they would have to leave the planet." Chief answered her.
Lasky picked up on his train of thoughts and added, "So in other words, they'll head towards the exit which is currently occupied by both covenant and Promethean forces."
Chief nodded in confirmation. Palmer whistled at the thought of her enemies fighting each other.
"So we don't have to do anything to get them to fight each other." The Spartan IV said. "But how do we know when they'll strike? Actually, whether they will attack the Didact at all."
Del Rio stayed silent for once as he slowly paced around the table deep in thought. Seeing that the man could be convinced, Lasky gave his own idea. This was his chance to help the Master Chief and he was not going to waste it.
"They don't know the Didact. They do know the Covenant. If they knew who he really is and the danger of the Prometheans then they would not attack so rapidly. Not even we truly know how powerful he is except for the Chief. Imperials are dominant and aggressive, they won't back down against their foes." The XO said as he gave his own arguments with passion. "It will only be a matter of time before they attack. If we do damage to the Didact's defenses it would attract the attention of the imperials. It's a fact that their officers are opportunists."
"That's true." Palmer agreed as she recalled her own experiences with imperial officers on the battlefield.
"Alright, let's say that the imperials will launch their own attack. They would still need coaxing as you say and as I have stated before, the Infinity cannot take another hit." Del Rio rebuked grimly.
Cortana almost threw her hands in the air, so to speak, at the man's stubbornness and ignorance.
"Sir, that is where the Spartans come in." The Master Chief stated though the thought of acknowledging the IVs as true Spartans was still something he had trouble with. "We can infiltrate the enemy's forward defenses and sabotage them. A few well-placed and well-timed explosions would certainly give the empire an opportunity."
Del Rio frowned in distaste as he kept his gaze on the visor of the large Spartan. There was animosity coming from the man accompanied with bitter resentment. Lasky looked almost pleadingly while Palmer also kept her gaze on the captain's back. The silence stretched on until the officer finally made up his mind.
"Very well Master Chief." Del Rio almost spat out the words. "You and a strike force will infiltrate and sabotage the covenant air and ground defenses. However, if the empire doesn't launch an assault on our foe then I will call off the operation and we'll escape on our own. Without chasing after this so-called 'Didact'."
"Yes sir." Chief replied automatically.
The captain nodded and turned to Lasky. "Since this is partially your idea, I will entrust the planning to you commander."
"Understood captain." Lasky nodded respectfully but with slight disdain that he concealed.
The doors of the bridge closed as the man left them alone. A short silence remained but it was quickly broken by an agitated Cortana.
"The nerve of that man! Does he even care? OF COURSE HE DOESN'T!" She ranted and glowed red at the end of her shouting.
"Cortana." Chief gently admonished as he looked at her.
The blue AI looked ashamed and gave a quiet apology. Palmer and Lasky exchanged worried looks but didn't mention what they just saw. Lasky sighed before using the table's projector to bring up a precise projection of the Covenant's current position.
"Well I guess we're lucky I sent out some of our drones to recon ahead." Lasky said as the terrain appeared in the form of a hologram. It showed a few mountains with snowy peaks and one large Forerunner construct in the ground between them. It was round in shape and looked like a cylinder. A group of covenant cruisers floated above it along with the Didact's satellite in the middle.
Palmer looked at the ships that were lazily drifting beside each other and snorted. "We'll definitely need the imps for this. The captain was unfortunately right about the ship's condition."
"We'll make it work." Chief said reassuringly even though his voice was as flat as usual.
"Our drones were unable to go far but the information they gathered, along with our scans, gives us a rough view of what our enemy has in store for us. They have positioned their ground forces at the two passages that lead towards the construct. Any other way would be by going over those jagged mountains. They placed towers, walls, barricades and other defensive equipment. There are three Tyrants placed deeper into covenant territory but luckily they placed them close to the mountains." Lasky said as he pointed at the various defenses that the Covenant had created.
"A strike force would be able to travel through the mountains, evading patrols, set explosives and get out safely." Cortana spoke up much calmer now.
"They'll have troops patrolling the mountains but they'll be small groups. Nothing that we can't take out silently." Palmer added.
Lasky nodded at their idea. "Once the charges are set we'll have to deal with those other defenses. One of the drones picked up the position of a covenant airfield not too far from the guns. They've landed Banshees, Phantoms, Seraphs and even a few of their new Liches. Causing havoc and eliminating their pilots would help us in the long run as well."
"Taking them all out will be difficult but we'll manage." Chief stated confidently.
"What about when the explosives detonate?" Palmer asked. "It'll take time for the empire to come after the Covenant when they're weakened. The Covenant will shake off their surprise and reorganize their troops for an incoming attack."
Lasky thought about it for a moment. "Well, we could create a distraction. We have some operational Mammoths left to besiege them. We also have enough marines and armor to protect them. The only problem I see is the fact that there are just too many cruisers. They'll barrage us and we will be helpless to stop them unless the Infinity provides long-range support. " The XO said and sighed deeply. "In the end, it's all about whether or not the empire shows up or not."
"They'll show up. Drone reports suggest that they are organizing an excursion of sorts. Their ships are dividing up into groups and their ground forces are gearing up." Cortana spoke up as she brought up live feeds brought to them by the unmanned drones. "Their assault might commence sooner than we even hoped for."
Lasky nodded as he took in the news. "Guess that's that. I'll work out the more specific details of the plan. In the meanwhile, Chief, you should head down to the armory and gear up for the op. Palmer will gather some of her best IVs to aid you."
Chief gave a short salute out of respect, something he hadn't done for Del Rio, and retrieved Cortana before he walked away. Lasky gazed at the form of the Spartan II before the legendary soldier left the bridge as well.
"So," Palmer spoke up while sending messages to her Spartans on a datapad, "is he like you thought he would be?"
Lasky thought back to when the Master Chief had rescued him from a certain death at the hands of the genocidal Covenant empire all those years ago. He remained silent for a few seconds as he pondered on his expectations. The answer was rather simple though.
"No, he is so much more."
Requiem
Covenant occupied mountains
Western ridge
Investigate the enemy's position and sabotage their defenses. Move in quietly and extract equally as quiet. Assassinate any officers you find and take if possible prisoners. – Operative Axis
"He makes it sound so easy." A trooper clad in black and yellow armor, while a white coat completely covered his armor so he would blend in with the snowy terrain, muttered as he recited the squad's orders.
"Tell me, why are we assigned to this nerfherder?" A woman in the same outfit asked sarcastically.
The third trooper turned away from the view of the darkened landscape they got from atop the mountain ridge and stared at them through the black helmet. The three individuals were the only ones with their distinctive armor while the nine storm commandos stayed on guard around them. Their armor was the standard black, modified scout trooper outfit. There were no noticeable changes except for the white cloaks they wore for camouflage.
The three nova troopers on the other hand had a few modifications.
The man who had just taken another look at their orders had a backpack of sorts. It was full with explosives of many kinds ranging from simple grenades to proton charges. There were a few extra yellow markings on his chest armor but aside from that there was nothing peculiar about it. He carried two blaster pistols with him, each strapped to a thigh, and in his hands a DLT-19D heavy blaster rifle. The weapon was usually associated with the secretive death troopers but not exclusive to them alone. His skills were most useful as a bomb specialist and a CQC specialist.
The sole female of the group was slightly shorter but equally imposing. The yellow lines on her armor gave off the impression that she had a skull for a face. An attachment was placed onto the right side of her helmet which aided her in using her weapon; a DLT-19X targeting rifle. The sniper wielding trooper also had an EE-4 blaster rifle strapped to her left leg while a 10 inch vibroknife was attached to the left side of her chest armor. On her left arm was a device similar to the UNSC's TACPAD and an ID10 seeker droid rested on her back. Her skills were most useful as a sniper and a tech specialist.
Lastly there was their leader. His armor remained mostly original except for the rangefinder attached to his helmet, a jump pack on his back and the extra shoulder armor on his left shoulder marking his position as a commanding officer. He was the only one to have a single weapon and that was the E-22 blaster rifle. He too had a vibroknife but it rested on his right shoulder.
"Because the brass ordered us to. No one likes him, not even the vice-admiral, but we'll have to bear his idiocy." Their leader told them. "Dusk two, what is your assessment of the terrain?"
The sniper of the team shrugged and said, "The ridge is stable enough. We can rappel down and make our way to that cannon they've placed."
And indeed, the Covenant had placed a large artillery cannon on the high ground of the mountain they were on. It had a good view over the large cylinder-like structure and the other structures. Because of this advantage, the Covenant thought it would be a good idea to set up the plasma cannon there. However, they had clearly disregarded the possibility of a small group sneaking up on them from above. It was only the cannon and two buildings though, both of them being barracks, and then a small barricade at the camp's entrance.
"Then we'll move out. Dusk three you will guide your team towards the cannon and sabotage it. Dusk two you will move with your own troopers towards the barracks and eliminate anyone in there. I will take care of the others at the front. Make sure you don't get spotted." Dusk one ordered.
The two nova troopers nodded and called for their assigned storm commandos while their leader gathered his own. The black armored commandos silently followed their officers to the ridge. Everyone grabbed their grappling hooks and secured them, doublechecking it as well so no one would fall down, before climbing down the mountain. They did so carefully as not to make any noise or cause accidents.
Dusk one slowed his descent as he neared the ground. There were only a few guards at the entrance and there were no other soldiers nearby which meant that they would not be missed soon.
The squad leader softly touched down as he landed and unclipped the line attached to his belt. The three storm commandos that were accompanying him landed only a few seconds later and did the same as he did. With a few silent gestures they coordinates with each other as they moved towards the barricades in a tight formation. Dusk one took the lead followed by two of the commandos and the last one who covered their rear.
Two Grunts were happily chatting away with each other some distance away from the main barricade. Their plasma pistols were holstered and they made extravagant motions with their arms as they flailed the appendages around. They were completely oblivious to the presence of the imperial infiltrators.
Dusk one motioned for one of the commandos to come with him and take the targets out. The imperial nodded in reply and together they sneaked towards the Grunts. The covenant soldiers were rather shocked to be talking with each other for quite some time and then to have suddenly four hands reach out from the darkness. Their cries were muffled as they were dragged behind the rocks and had their necks snapped in one quick move.
With the two obstacles neutralized, the four commandos continued onwards. There were two Jackal snipers, with each one of them having a watch tower all to their own, who were keeping an eye out from above. The passage towards the camp itself was blocked by three defense barriers and two plasma turrets. Most of the guards were Grunts, around six of them, then three Jackal marksmen and two Elite minors who were in charge of them.
The nova trooper observed them for a while longer before coming up with a plan. He turned towards the three waiting commandos behind him and quickly told them what to do. They nodded in confirmation as they spread out.
Dusk one silently walked behind one of the Jackals who was looking around. The alien twitched as he seemed to hear something. Suspicion being the Jackal's motivation, he spun around with his carbine raised. No one was behind him which relieved the guard of his worry. He didn't see the trooper creeping up at his side though and was unprepared when the nova trooper stabbed his knife in the alien's throat. The guard choked on his own blood before he died quietly.
Satisfied with the clean and silent kill, dusk one quickly dragged the body behind one of the many rocks before moving on. The two Elites were standing together as they talked with each other in their own native language. Dusk one simply regarded them while he reached three of the Grunts who were fast asleep. He snapped their necks fast and hid the bodies while staying hidden from the guards up in the watch towers.
The imperial picked up one of the plasma pistols, thinking it might be useful in the future, and passed the dead Grunts. He made his way past one of the barricades and neared one of the watch towers. He stopped when he was close enough before waiting. After some seconds that he spent staying hidden and on his guard, he received an acknowledgement from one of the storm commandos. He returned the message and stepped into the gravity lift at the same time as his subordinate did. The two imperial infiltrators ascended as they entered the watch towers. Both of the Jackal snipers were too engrossed in their work to watch out for any threats from far away that they didn't notice the ones right behind them. The two bird-like aliens soon died with slashed throats and their corpses rested on the cold purple floor of their lookout posts.
The sound of chattering caught dusk one's attention as he turned his gaze towards the way that it came from. He peeked over the tower's railing and spotted the two Elites. They were still talking with each other, their weapons in a relaxed position, as they neared the tower. Seeing a possible opportunity he quickly sent a comm to one of his troopers.
The two Sangheili warriors were chatting about their leader's new position as the revered Didact's second-in-command and since there was no way an enemy was nearby they thought they could spent their time doing this. Both of them were actually relatively young in Sangheili standards, their lack of attentiveness a result of that, and were just lowly minors. Dusk one didn't understand a word of their conversation but it didn't matter that much to him. The two alien soldiers stopped in front of the tower and stood there, continuing their little talk. It was when the nova trooper received a ping of his subordinate that he sprang into action, literally.
He carefully jumped off the tower and landed right on top of one of the guards. The startled and surprised covenant soldiers were too shocked to react immediately which was their downfall. The storm commando who had been hiding behind them moved in as well after his commanding officer's action. He pulled out his own knife and stabbed the still standing guard in the neck while dusk one did the same to the other, only stabbing this one in the eye. As the guard beneath the nova trooper died instantly, the other slumped to the ground and perished shortly after.
"Well done men. The area is secured." Dusk one spoke up when they confirmed all the targets were eliminated.
The storm commandos nodded in reply and waited for their new instructions.
The nova trooper pressed two fingers on his helmet's comm and contacted his squad. "Dusk one to dusk two and three, the entrance has been secured. What's your status?"
Dusk three was the first to reply. "All hostiles have been neutralized. I'm setting the charges on this cannon right now."
"Copy that. Dusk two?"
The only female of the group kicked a dead Grunt away as her commandos checked the building they were in. She sheathed her knife and answered the comms.
"The first building has been cleared. I'm moving on to the next." She replied while waving her subordinates over.
"Understood. Move in quickly, there's bound to be someone who will start looking. Dusk three you will continue setting those explosives. I'll stay here at the front gate." Her leader ordered her and the rest.
"Affirmative sir." She told him with a hidden smile as she sneaked towards the barracks.
Not a single guard was outside, all of them probably asleep inside, which made things much easier for her. Dusk two halted in front of the building's door and gestured to her troops to do the same. While they took positions to guard her she quickly activated her seeker droid. The droid's lone red optic turned on and it unhooked itself from the commando's back.
"Infiltrate the building and show me what's inside." She ordered the small droid.
It gave a hum of acknowledgement before it ascended into the air. It stopped at an air duct and hovered there while cutting it open. Once it finished the job it entered the narrow passage and continued its path. After a short while it found a hatch that gave a good view of the room beneath it. Just like the previous building, this one had a large room that acted as sleeping quarters for the lower ranked soldiers. Grunts and Jackals were resting on their cots while the Elites were most likely upstairs. There were two doors, one that would lead towards the mess hall and one that gave way to the staircase. Not a single Grunt or Jackal was awake which suited the imperial troopers' needs quite well.
Dusk two recalled her droid as she shut off the live feed. While the droid returned to her she shifted her attention to the commandos.
"They're all asleep. Just like last time, we move in fast and silently dispose of them. Be careful of any surprises." She instructed them.
"Yes ma'am." They replied in unison.
When the small droid came back and reattached itself to the nova trooper they opened the door and moved inside. Their steps were barely heard as they sneaked towards the beds that were occupied by covenant soldiers. The Grunts were making quiet noises like soft snoring or an occasional giggle caused by whatever they were dreaming of. Jackal soldiers on the other hand almost looked like they were dead, they made not a single noise in their sleep except for when they shifted their positions slightly.
Dusk two made her way to the left side with a commando in tow. She unsheathed her vibroknife and grinned as she found her first target; a Grunt major. The smaller lifeform was blissfully unaware of her presence and continued dreaming of happy places. Dusk two ended those dreams as she slit his throat. The body went limp as the life of the Unggoy was swiftly extinguished. The nova trooper didn't bother wiping the blood off since she had many more targets to go.
They worked silently and efficiently, killing any covenant soldier they found asleep. Only one of them had stirred up until now. A Jackal had somehow heard them and woke up only to see two black armored humans looking down on him. Before the soldier could even make a single sound he found his beak shut tight by one of the assassins. His eyes widened in shock and fear as the other one readied his knife. The corpse slumped against the cot as blood flowed freely.
Dusk two was just about to kill one of the last Grunts when one of the doors opened. She looked up and made eye contact with an Elite ultra who was flanked by two minors. The Sangheili warriors' mandibles flared in surprise before hell broke loose.
The Elites roared in anger and warning as they reached out for their weapons. The Grunt woke with a squealing noise but he was quickly silenced by the nova trooper. Unfortunately there were more Grunts who woke up along with two Jackals and while the smaller covenant soldiers were in disarray, the Jackal mercenaries were quick on their feet.
One of the storm commandos parried a punch from one of the Jackals by leaning to the side. The Jackal squawked at him but the commando simply rammed his elbow in the bird-like alien's gut. With a heavy grunt the mercenary took the hit but dodged a right hook from the imperial. Using the natural agility of his species, the Jackal swiped with his claws but it only scratched the black armor. Seeing an opening to strike, the imperial storm commando punched his foe in the face before pulling out his knife and stabbing the covenant soldier's torso. The Jackal cried out in pain before going limp and dying with the weapon still in his chest.
Meanwhile, dusk two rolled away as plasma bolts struck her previous position. She let out a grunt as she pressed her back to a bed and kept her head low. She gazed at the commandos and saw that the few Grunts and Jackals were dealt with. She switched her sniper rifle for her blaster rifle and rose from cover before firing a few bursts. An Elite minor yelled out in pain as his shields burst and a laser bolt slammed into his gut. The large imposing alien dropped his weapon and fell down on the violet floor.
The ultra roared in anger once more and fired at the nova trooper. She was forced to seek cover again while plasma flew over her head. The storm commandos returned fire with their own blasters but the two surviving Elites kept them pinned.
"Droid, shock them." Dusk two commanded swiftly.
The small droid on her back detached itself and flew past the bed she was hiding behind. It hovered towards its targets undetected as it prepared its tiny arms for the electrical discharge. The Elite minor kept on firing at the human infiltrators but spotted something on his left side. He turned his head around but didn't seize fire and saw a small machine with a bright red eye staring at him. Before he could even say something the droid attacked with its shock feature.
Shields overloaded as a result and the minor soon found himself twitching as the electricity coursed through his body. It took only a fraction of a second for the electrical discharge to pass on to the ultra who was standing right next to the minor. He too soon shook as his shields popped and his body spasmed. Their rifles were still clutched in their hands but were now silent as the owners groaned in pain.
Dusk two gave the sign to the storm commandos and all together they ended the two Elites with their blaster rifles.
"Dusk two, I heard something coming from your position. Are you compromised?" Dusk one asked over the comms while the female nova trooper walked over the still twitching corpse of the ultra.
"Situation has been solved sir. Some of the lizards came out of nowhere but they're dead now. Scans indicate the building is clear." She answered with the help of her droid's scan results.
"Understood. Grab any intel you can find and link up with dusk three. I'll be there shortly." Came her leader's response.
"Roger that." She replied and turned to her commandos. "Search for intel and bring it to me."
The troopers spread out as did she. They searched containers, personal belongings and even the fresh corpses. They found some sort of datapad on the ultra and another one upstairs in the Elites' quarters which should have at least some useful information on them. Aside from these two finds they managed to gather a few more things that had some use.
A few minutes later dusk two walked towards the large artillery cannon where dusk three was sitting on a Sangheili corpse. The alien's mandibles were wide open revealing the rows of sharp teeth but the facial expression was one of disbelief and shock, something that satisfied the nova trooper.
"Had enough fun with the hingeheads?" The saboteur asked as he examined a plasma rifle.
"A few of them spotted us. Just a stroke of luck for them though. It didn't last long."
Her team mate snorted and shook his head in amusement. "Of course it didn't."
"All right everyone, report." Their leader spoke up as he too joined them.
"I've got some datapads and other trinkets. Nothing else of notice."
"Cannon's rigged to blow at your command."
Dusk one nodded contently. "Well done. Prepare to move towards the extraction point. Vice-admiral Raduss will begin his attack shortly."
The other nova troopers complied and prepared to leave with their storm commandos in tow but suddenly their comms rang. The elite imperial troopers looked at each other in confusion. The vice-admiral had explicitly stated that having no contact with the fleet was paramount to the success of their infiltration. Why would their commanding officer suddenly change that?
Nevertheless they had to comply. The nova trooper team leader answered his comm as he pulled out his holocommunicator. A blue hologram of the vice-admiral soon appeared before him.
"Commander, we have a development of great importance so listen carefully." Raduss spoke up gravely and quickly gathered the attention of the two other elite troopers as well. "The assault force is approaching as we speak and will arrive shortly. Our probe droids spotted the UNSC heading towards the Covenant's position which means they'll launch an attack of their own. Operative Axis believes this is our time to strike as well."
"With all due respect sir, but isn't this a bit too hasty?" Dusk one respectfully asked.
"It is, but we have no choice. If the UNSC attacks on one side and we on the other then we'll be able to crush these pesky zealots. I despise having to agree with Axis but this is our best option. Destroying this fleet and its armies of mixed species soldiers and advanced droids takes priority." Raduss answered solemnly.
"Understood sir. What are our new orders?"
"Keep that cannon intact. Hold it until our engineers arrive so we can turn its destructive power against our foe." The vice-admiral ordered. "Stand strong troopers. For the empire."
"For the empire." The nova troopers all repeated as they steeled their resolve.
Requiem
UNSC assault force
Command Mammoth
Lasky stared anxiously at the screen in front of him. He was inside the command center of the Mammoth but it wasn't the only one they had. Five of them were deployed in total to support their attack on the Didact's position. Their mini-MACs would be invaluable in the battle to come. Aside from the largest UNSC land vehicle ever produced there were also Warthogs, Mongooses, Scorpions and almost every marine they could spare. They would have a lot of air support such as Pelicans dedicated to the role of gunship, Hornets and Falcons too.
Captain Del Rio would command everyone over the comms while he stayed on the Infinity. The captain had explicitly told him that the ship would only try to attack the Didact's satellite if it was safe to do so. That meant taking out all anti-air defenses and protecting the ship from the covenant cruisers. A task that Lasky found to be incredibly hard since they had only five mini-MACs to use against actual warships. It was a good thing that the imperial fleet was on approach or else.
All that Lasky could do was wait for the Chief's signal. Then he would commence his attack. He ran through his numerous strategies and tactics again to make sure he'd thought of enough scenarios. The last thing he wanted was to go to battle without having some good plans.
"The Master Chief has made contact! They're ready to blow up the enemy anti-air defenses." One of the crew members called out.
Lasky took a deep breath to calm his nerves. It was a thing he always did before a battle began. He gave a firm nod and looked at the tactical map seeing his forces.
"All units advance." He ordered and watched as the large convoy of UNSC soldiers moved forward.
The numerous transports and tanks drove over the cold and harsh terrain between the mountains. Their VTOLs and gunships hovered above them while additional troops on Pelicans remained in the back. A few Longswords and Broadswords flew overhead as well while the Infinity kept enough distance but followed nonetheless.
"Sir, covenant communications are skyrocketing. They are aware of our approach." One of the men at Lasky's side spoke up from his station.
"Give the Master Chief permission to detonate those bombs." Lasky ordered in return as his map showed covenant forces rallying.
Even through the noise of the convoy he could hear the loud explosions. Smoke rose from behind the covenant walls in great plumes. The enemy's cannons were officially no longer a concern.
"How is the Covenant responding?" Lasky asked out loud.
"They seem to be manning their turrets and battle stations. Numerous covenant armored units are approaching us along with a horde of Banshees." The dumb AI inside the computer responded dully.
"Send word to our fighter squadrons to intercept them. All rocket Warthogs will target those Banshees. Ready our tanks and gauss Warthogs to engage the enemy armor. I want our regular Warthogs to deal with the enemy Ghosts." Lasky instructed as a live feed appeared on his map.
The convoy rearranged itself just as Lasky wanted. The swarm of Banshees soared through the air before descending as they began their attack on the human convoy. Before they even came in firing position they found themselves being harassed by two Longsword squadrons. The UNSC starfighters opened fire with their guns and launched missiles as they intercepted the Banshees. Many of the covenant aerial units exploded in flames and wreckage as a result. They took evasive maneuvers but did not break off their attack.
Lasky narrowed his eyes as half of the Banshees broke through and began firing their plasma cannons.
The rocket Warthogs spread out while their gunners targeted the incoming Banshees. After a few antagonizing seconds the turrets launched their own rockets. Dozens of rockets flew through the air towards their targets who saw them coming. The covenant pilots took evasive maneuvers once more but because of the guidance systems in the weapons they were chased down by the rockets. Banshee after Banshee crashed as they were blown to bits.
With only a quarter of their original strength left, the Banshees finally struck the convoy with their fuel rod guns. Blobs of radioactive explosives barraged the UNSC convoy in a matter of seconds. Multiple Warthogs were blow apart or crashed when the explosives hit the ground next to them. The tanks were much more successful as their armor held out against the attack. Two Hornets went down as they too fell prey to the covenant assault.
The gunners on the Mammoths shifted their aim towards the Banshees and shot down the last of the covenant pilots who decided to crash themselves in a kamikaze way. Lasky gritted his teeth as one of the Banshees slammed into his Mammoth.
"Report!" He barked loudly.
"We lost a few of our Warthog transports and one of our Scorpions along with two Hornets. All surviving Banshees are retreating towards covenant lines." The AI replied.
"Sir, Wraiths at twelve o'clock!"
Lasky spotted the covenant tanks easily. A forward line of defense had been placed by the covenant army in which a row of Wraiths awaited their arrival. Some Grunts and Elites were there as well, probably equipped with heavy weaponry, while groups of Ghosts drove around.
"Call in our Broadswords to soften them up." Lasky told his comm officer who nodded in reply.
"Echo squadron this is ground command, requesting a bombing run on grid X-20 Y-57."
"Roger that ground command." The squadron leader replied over the comms. "Commencing bombing run."
Five Broadsword bombers flew past the mountains and over the covenant line of defense before their payload was dropped. The covenant soldiers cried out as a rain of death caused multiple explosions on their position. Bodies were either incinerated or eviscerated and the tanks blew up. An AA-Wraith fired back and hit one of the UNSC bombers. The pilot tried to get the controls back but his bomber spiraled out of control and crashed against the mountain range. Nevertheless, the covenant defenders were struck another blow.
But that did not stop them from retaliating. The Wraiths all started bombarding the convoy with plasma rounds. Large blue balls of plasma rained down upon the human attackers causing the Warthogs to explode if they did not watch out. The Mammoths shrugged off the plasma rounds but the Scorpions being less maneuverable were much more susceptible to damage.
"Once we're close enough we'll fire back with our own cannons." Lasky said as he saw that they were getting close and closer.
And they did. The Scorpions simultaneously fired at the covenant armor once they were in reach. Grunts screamed and flailed around as their defenses were obliterated by the cannons of the human tanks. The Wraiths valiantly put up a fight as did the Elite infantry but their tanks were turned into burning scrap metal and their soldiers were run over by the Warthogs. The marines cheered as they killed covenant soldiers by the dozens. They drove over the battered and broken bodies of their foes as they neared the final line of defense.
A purple wall had been placed along with smaller barricades but what stood out were the gun emplacements on the wall. Kig-Yar snipers scrambled to their positions as did the Grunt gunners all the while the Elites barked orders. Even though their air and armored assault failed, the covenant loyalists were ready to defend their god and his Hand against the human heretics.
"Mammoths Lizzy and Tiger, blow that wall to kingdom come." Lasky ordered over the comms.
Two of the Mammoths halted and aimed their mini-MACs. Lasky watched as the giant cannons targeted the purple wall in his way. Suddenly two simultaneous projectiles were launched, creating deafening noise and a shockwave of air. The covenant troops atop the wall were staring at the UNSC assault force, clenching their weapons in anticipation, until they simply vanished in thin air as did the wall. Other covenant soldiers watched in horror as two large chunks of the wall were blown away, the MAC rounds having cut them apart and ending the lives of the alien zealots guarding it.
Lasky grinned as two large holes were made for him and his forces.
"Sarah are you ready?" He asked Palmer over their private comm.
One deck below his command center the grey armored Spartan IV gripped the wheel of her Warthog tighter.
"Me and the fours are ready to go." She replied professionally but a tinge of excitement creeped into her voice.
Lasky smiled as he heard it. "Attention all forces, charge the enemy and break through those gates that our Mammoths made. Let's win this and go home!"
The entire convoy cheered loudly before splitting up as the Warthogs and Mongooses took charge. The Scorpions followed albeit at a slower pace but provided excellent support. The VTOLs in the air flew overhead and engaged the covenant air forces while some of the Hornets and Falcons raided the ground troops.
"Let's roll out Spartans!" Palmer said loudly as she drove off with the Warthog.
Two other Warthogs, each filled with Spartan IVs, joined her as they charged towards the covenant lines. Palmer could see multiple Grunts in the distance carrying plasma pistols and fuel rod cannons while the Elites restored order to their ranks. A few of the plasma cannons had survived and with the initial shock gone their gunners began barraging the humans. Drivers had to exercise extreme caution as plasma rounds impacted all around them.
Palmer steered left just before a blob of plasma hit the ground next to her. Her gunner was already firing away with the heavy MG at the covenant defenders. Grunts died as the heavy caliber rounds pierced their flesh and turned them into swiss cheese. The Elites noticeably grew frustrated as they roared war cries and obscenities at the human assailants.
"Vulcan 2-4 and 2-3 at your command ma'am. Courtesy of commander Lasky." A pilot told Palmer over the comms.
She looked up and saw two Hornets hovering above her. "Go after those cannons on the left side. That's where we'll push through."
"Affirmative ma'am." The pilot replied as the two VTOLs flew towards the wall.
An Elite major was shouting at his Grunt underlings to aim better but he stopped mid-rant when a faint noise reached his eardrums. The Grunts kept on cowering as they fired blindly at the human convoy but the Elite wasn't paying attention anymore. Instead he looked at the sky and squinted slightly as he saw lights coming closer. He looked a bit closer and then cried a warning as he jumped off the wall. The Grunts watched bewildered as the two Hornets swooped in and shot a few missiles at them. They all squeaked in terror before the missiles blew the cannons up in a fiery blue mess.
Palmer grinned as she saw the destruction lighting up parts of the broken wall. Multiple Elites rushed forward through the large gap but they halted and turned around as she and other Warthogs neared them. The marines and IVs cheered as they ran over the zealous Sangheilis. Palmer's Warthog hit two of the alien warriors and broke their bodies before driving over them.
"Follow me!" Palmer ordered her troops as she raced inside the covenant camp.
A dozen Warthogs of all kinds drove behind her while Hornets flew overhead. The defenders were putting up a valiant fight as they threw plasma grenades at the jeeps in an effort to thin the horde out and a zealous Grunt went so far that he himself jumped on a Warthog with two grenades primed. All gunners were busy forcing the covenant troops into cover which gave Palmer the perfect opportunity to go after their first target; the forward command post of the Covenant. It was a round structure with four platforms that all connected to a single building which acted as the command center of the small installation.
Plasma turrets swiveled around as they opened fire on the incoming horde of jeeps. Plasma burned through armored plating but the human-made vehicles endured the punishment while lashing out in return. Palmer steered her vehicle around a small rock formation and accelerated before driving off a rock that stuck out of the ground. The Spartan IVs that were accompanying her all yelled in both excitement and anxiety as they flew through the air. However, gravity was still in effect and they started descending shortly after. Palmer braced herself as she landed on one of the platforms and quickly made a sharp turn. The Warthog spun around knocking two Jackals off the platform as Palmer pulled out one of her magnum pistols and shot at the other covenant underlings.
"Disembark now!" She yelled and jumped out of the jeep.
Her fellow Spartans did as told and each one of them grabbed his rifle. The three of them opened fire on the enemies in front of them and eliminated them fairly quickly. This was because of the fact that their Elite officer had been crushed beneath the Warthog when it had landed. Palmer dual wielded her pistols perfectly as she scored headshot after headshot by placing bullets in her foes with amazing precision. Jackals screeched in pain and Grunts wailed in terror as they caused a storm of death.
"Enemy reinforcements coming in!" One of the Spartans warned his comrades as multiple Elites rushed out of the main building.
"Take them out Spartans." The lieutenant replied as she already got moving.
The Elites roared and started shooting with their plasma rifles and their carbines. Palmer's shields took a few hits but she shrugged them off and systematically wiped out any opponent that came closer. It became clear to the Sangheili renegades that their approach was not an effective way to kill the three Spartans but they pressed on. Palmer rose from her cover but was pushed on her back as an Elite ultra jumped on her. Her pistols were knocked out of her grip and she was forced to hold her arms protectively in front of her as the ultra delivered punches and swipes. The female Spartan IV grit her teeth as the talons slashed through her thick suit that she wore beneath her armor. It was made out of sturdy material but the alien's talons easily cut through.
"Get. The. Hell. Off!" She yelled and headbutted her foe.
The Elite did not see her attack coming and rolled away in a slight daze. Palmer got back up as did the Elite and both of them stared at each other. Their comrades were busy fighting their own battles, so the two of them were going to do this the old-fashioned way. Palmer drew her combat knife while the Elite brandished his energy knives. They remained motionless for a few seconds before they charged each other with their own war cries.
Palmer leaned to the side as the Elite went for a quick jab and she proceeded by slamming her knee in his abdomen. A grunt was all that she got for her effort since the ultra had braced himself for her attack. He retaliated by swiping at her with the two energy knives but all of his attacks missed. Palmer went on the attack and started slashing with her own blade. Now it was the Elite's turn to dodge as the sharpened metal came close to hitting him. He snarled but kept on dodging, looking for a weakness to exploit. His Spartan opponent was getting frustrated as well but she didn't let it get to her. Instead, she decided to do something different by throwing a kick in her combo. It took the Sangheili warrior by surprise but he recovered and adapted to her new moves.
The sounds of the battle that raged on all around them faded to the background as the two combatants focused solely on their fight. Neither was getting tired but time was of the essence. The Elite finally made his move by dashing forward and slashing in a cross like motion. Palmer dodged but only narrowly and it still cut her forearm armor slightly, the small cut now blackened and smoking a bit. She snarled and delivered a powerful punch to the alien's mandibles and heard a loud crack as her fist made contact. Roaring in pain the ultra staggered back and let out a wail of pain as the pair of mandibles on the right side of his face sagged. Rage filled the covenant soldier, his entire posture betraying his murderous intent, and he began attacking her with more vigor.
His moves were fast and brutal, something that Palmer noticed, but they were getting more sloppy as well. Palmer moved so fast that she almost danced around him. He was much more predictable now and she was taking advantage of it. The female Spartan ducked just as the Elite attacked her with both of his energy knives, a move that allowed her to get the perfect opportunity to end their fight. Before he could move away she lashed out by slicing her own knife across his vulnerable throat. Blood poured out of the large gash and splattered on her chest armor but she didn't care. The Elite ultra staggered back, his wide eyes losing their life and glazing over, before he finally dropped down on the platform.
Palmer sighed and grabbed her pistols as she left the bloodied corpse behind her. She had to give the hingehead some credit, he was one tough SOB.
Not much resistance was left and she claimed the command post alongside the two fellow IVs for their side. With the loss of it, the Covenant seemed to realize their situation and quickly fell back.
"Lasky, I have secured the command post. Any updates?" She asked over her private comm line that she shared with him while marines walked past her.
His response was fast and clipped. "Our forces are getting through. However, I just got informed that the Covenant is sending reinforcements. Their battlecruisers are breaking formation and we spotted their hangars opening up."
Worry soon welled up inside her as well at the news.
"What did the captain say?" She demanded and went back outside to see the small covenant fleet move.
"He won't risk the ship." Was Lasky's simple response. "The Mammoths are ready to fire, but they won't be effective against so many ships.
Palmer frowned as a Lich came closer, its typical organic-like frame glowing in the dark sky. The covenant ship was followed by a squadron of Banshees and by the looks of it it was going to strike them hard.
Just as she wanted to warn the others it shuddered as green streaks of light slammed against it. Palmer and the marines around her stared in awe as explosions erupted out of the covenant Lich. The Banshees broke off as the Lich seemed to descend slowly, dropping faster as it fell, before crashing down on the ground and exploding brightly. As flames rose from the wreckage, three imperial Arquitens-class light cruisers flew over the mountainous terrain followed by squadrons of TIE fighters that immediately engaged the covenant air units.
Multiple imperial warships soon appeared through the dark clouds as they engaged the covenant fleet in a vicious battle between two navies.
"Looks like imps showed up after all." Palmer muttered as she got ready to move out.
Next chapter will most likely be the end of the Halo 4 event. After this there'll be the UNSC counter attack, the rebels making contact and finally Thrawn's fight against the Sangheili under the Arbiter's command. I think we've all been waiting for these things to happen.
And who knows, maybe we'll finally get our Master Chief vs Darth Vader scene. Until next time!
