Halo: Reclaimer
Chapter: 11
To the Keeper of the Ark
Locke and team stand in their phantom. The elites have managed to convince the covenant of Storm that they are one of their patrols. This wasn't very hard as they have yet to alarm them they had been found.
"So as long as you don't have any of them take a good look at us we should be fine." The pilot says over the intercom.
"Sounds like they're from Hesduros. What a backwater place. Poor misguided ones. " Thon said speaking sanghilli.
"Misguided and stubborn. Our brothers will return to our path once they see the error of their ways." Usze replied.
"So what are you expecting Storm to do?" Vale ask out of curiosity.
"Turn from yet another liar…. Human how do you know our language?" Thon ask
"Stuck on a ship as a child during the war. It was either learn sanghili or be board. I chose the former." Vale replied
The phantom moves to join in a formation. It seems that Storm is using the Covenant's old playbook when it comes to formations. From the look of the elites, with Locke, Storm doesn't seem to be on the same level as the Swords of Sanghilios.
"Those ships don't look like standard covenant ships." Tanaka says seeing the oddly shaped ships that the Storm covenant has.
"Old ships. Mostly used for storage, cattle, movement and the like. They're very much like your Rebels. Storm is outclassed in numbers and with the Arbiter's changes to some of our armaments we have them out gunned." N'tho answers.
"Makes sense. Indies work with old freighters and civilian ships in their fleets I guess it isn't a stretch to think Storm is the same." Tanaka replies.
"Enough small talk listen up." Locke announces.
The ship breaks off. It flies along side with another.
"Storm is after the control room. I've been thinking about what storm has been doing here with the insurrectionist. They are likely after weapons to fight against the UNSC and Arbiter. " Locke announces. "The Ark was located at the Forerunner's last stand against the flood. It's likely that they stored their weapons and the like near this location."
"The indies we ran into were looking for something. That outpost was likely a resupply or rest stop location. They think something is on the Ark. Storm is loosing the battle to the Arbiter but forerunner weapons would be a game changer." Tanaka says agreeing with Locke's position.
"For now we try to blend in. Just as long as we don't bring attention to ourselves." Locke says scanning the room. First looking at his team then at the elites.
"Spartans what did you do?" The Pilot says somewhat concerned.
"Pilot what is the problem?" Locke responds.
"Storm says they're after Five Spartans. What did you do!?"
"Five? But there are only four of us. And we haven't done anything to draw their attention. … Oh." Vale says realizing their mission involved capturing a Spartan.
"Well that answers that question." Buck says "Another fireteam?"
"No, we're the only ones that are suppose to be here." Locke says wondering who they are.
The phantom beside them doesn't make any changes in its behavior toward them only continuing its survey of the land.
"Humans." The pilot says before taking a brief pause. "Storm just ordered a unit of Spartans to investigate."
"What?!" Buck says in surprise. "Defectors?"
"Buck we're all accounted for if someone defected word would spread." Locke says just as surprised by this news. "Pilot see if you can get any info out of our escort."
Silence passes before Locke remembers that the pilot wasn't the most agreeable.
"Human I trying not to reveal our identity. Getting them to believe this green phantom was one of theirs wasn't easy. We're on eggshells as is." The pilot replies.
"Got it."
The ships fly to a large forerunner structure. The pilot relays that the structure is believed to be some kind of vault. The ships go to land.
"Well what now?" Buck says noting that their cover will be blown on sight.
"Simple human we fight!" Henry says knowing they have no other options. "Spartans board the ship and kill the crew as fast as possible. We'll get you in."
The Storm ship lands and prepares to release its crew. Locke's ship overs above the Storm ship opening its side doors as fast as they can.
"Go before they can react!" The Pilot says knowing what will happen should they fail.
The elites and Spartans pour out of the phantom onto the enemy phantom. They tear open the side doors and begin to fight the crew inside. Tanaka makes it a point to attack the pilot first.
After a few moments of tension the gunfire ends with Tanaka talking to the pilot from the Storm phantom's cockpit.
"We've got it. Thon is looking at their plans for here. Storm didn't bother with encrypting. Figured that the location made things safe enough." She says.
"Humans. Storm is indeed after weapons. Your guess was correct. This location is for a key of some kind. The prize they seek is on that planet. They're calling it Requiem." Thon says after looking through the ship's mission log.
"Tanaka take this ship off their scans, we need to go underground." Locke orders
"Consider it done."
"Elites you will keep the original phantom. We'll keep this one. It will be easier for us to complete our missions with our own mobility." Locke says giving them the go to complete their mission.
"Our mission was to collect any useful technology from the Ark. A weapons cache fits that." Usze says meaning that they wont be parting ways just yet.
The ships land and the teams exit to enter the structure. Tanaka and the pilot stay behind to fly the ships and inform the teams of any changes.
"So this key thing what does it look like?" Buck ask as the others and himself enter the structure.
"Not falling for it human." Henry says
"You just fell for it." Vale replies
Inside the structure was an open room with a raised platform in the center. Ramps lead to bridges that line the room leading to the raised platform. In the center of the platform is a large holographic image of a planet.
"Cant say the forerunner didn't know how to decorate." Buck says looking at the ornate decoration of the floors and walls. "Even though everything is silver and blue."
Locke and the others reach the top and begin to examine the hologram. There is a red symbol containing a hexagon like shape within a circle near the bottom of the image.
The larger image depicted the planet nearest to the Ark.
Usze reaches up to touch the smaller symbol. "This says Beggar after Knowledge. What is that suppose to mean?"
The elite presses the button but nothing happens.
Locke went to touch the symbol knowing that his touch would cause some reaction.
Forerunner technology is known to be more accessible to humans than any other sentient being known. Forerunner AI tends to call humans reclaimers as though the forerunner specifically singled humanity out.
Once Locke touched the icon the hologram changed from the planet to another large hieroglyphic symbol. Three lights arranged in an upside down triangle adorn the image.
"LOCKE! Can you hear me?!" Vale says panicked from the ship's controls
"Vale what is the problem?" Locke responds, "What is happening out there?"
"I don't know what you did but Jul M'dama is here and he just ordered every ship to that requiem place. He said the Titan devils tomb has awakened." Vale says "The whole fleet is moving. Seems like those Spartans they were concerned about have kicked the hornet's nest."
"If you ask me whatever you did here might have done something." Tanaka says looking at the symbol.
The image lights up before displaying the Ark. The image then begins giving out coordinates to a place on the Ark. The location begins to blink telling them that something important was located there.
"Vale, where is Storm headed?" Locke says looking at the map and storing the coordinates in his suit's navigation computer.
"Where ever this Titan Devil thing is. It's located inside a planet? I don't know what Storm has been doing but they're after something inside a planet. Like maybe a large scale mining operation?" Vale responds "But whatever it is it isn't on the Ark and they're flocking to it."
"Well Elites we're better off splitting up. We don't know what Storm is after but we know where to go. If possible we try to meet up again. I'll let you decide which target you investigate. Both fit each of our objectives." Locke ask the elites.
They speak with each other for a moment.
"You activated this machine and it gave you a point of interest. See this route through. It is likely that only you can do that. We will find the weapons Storm seeks and inform the larger ships for a surprise attack against storm." Usze says
"Your gesture is not unnoticed. Glory and Victory humans." Thon replies before he elites leave the structure.
"Osirus Team we're investigating these coordinates. Vale I'm sending you the location." Locke says leading the team out.
