Well, here's chapter 12. Enjoy, and please review (good or bad).


(Hanger of the CAS Truth and Reconciliation)

The once quiet hanger was alive with small arms fire. All of the commotion in the detention level had quickly caught the attention of the Covenant security forces. Kra'ake found herself taking cover behind one the dropships as an ODST tried to open the hangar door. She quickly slapped another magazine into the battle rifle she had been stuck using. Leaning out, she emptied most of a magazine on an elite on the second level catwalk. The next couple were spent on a grunt to his right.

Having to shoot the rifle, she was growing a new fondness for the laser based weapons back home. These were great for grunts and jackals, but would be crap against a lot of the beings she had dealt with and fought before.

"David. How long until you get that door open?" Sergeant Johnson demanded.

"I am almost done. Just a minute," David reported.

"We don't have a minute. Two hunters just entered the room," Rex interjected.

With that they group immediately started firing on the elites, trying to keep their attention.

"Got it," David finally reported.

"Good. Get your ass down here. We're leaving, now," Sergeant Johnson ordered.

"Yes sir."

With that the doors hissed opened, as everyone climbed into one of the ships, with the exception of a few ODSTs that would, with Cortana's help, fly and pick up Cody and the men.

Climbing in, Sergeant Johnson say the doors shut, just in time to hear plasma rounds slam against the outside. With the doors sealed, the ships exited the hangar bay with Sergeant Johnson's ship breaking off for their target.

On the way down to the bay, Cortana had filled them in on the ring, the flood, and the fact that the Covenant were currently retrieving the index needed to fire Halo. That left the men silent for the majority of the trip to the drop site.

It was then that everyone started processing Captain Key's death. Most of the ODSTs with him, knew the man in some way. For Sergeant Johnson, it hit him in the gut. Captain Keys had given all he all he had to fight for Humanity, and the only thanks he had gotten was an execution, more than likely in the form of an energy sword to the chest. Sergeant Johnson clenched his fists as his imagination played the scene across his head. A loud thud echoed as he slammed his fist into the wall. Wordlessly, he regained his composer, locked his jaw, and glared daggers at the wall in front of him. further down the line, Jackson watched as one ODST deactivated his visor just long enough to wipe away a couple stray tears, quickly reactivating it when he noticed Jackson see him.

Being in another part of the ship, Obi Wan couldn't see the ODSTs, but he could sense the pain, and anger swell up through the force. However, he could also sense their determination rise too. He was surprised to find that, unlike most, their moral didn't drop, it changed. Optimism was quickly replaced determination, and resolve. In that way, they were starting to remind Obi Wan of Anakin toward the end of the war. They it dawned on him.

They've dealt with this too much to let it affect them. Obi Wan thought with a shiver.

It took a lot to do that to someone. Even the battle hardened Mandalorians and veteran clones he had met or knew weren't like this. The only person he knew that was close to this was Anakin, and that was due to his natural temper, and the fact that he had, basically, been bounced from hell hole to hell hole during the course of the war.

However, a new dark presence caught his attention. He hadn't felt something this dark since his fight with the Son on Mortis. It was that hive mind he had sensed earlier, but it had gotten thousands of times worse. Obi Wan, also noticed a secondary current of fear and panic.

"We're arriving on the drop sight. This is closest I can get. Any closer and it gets too hot," the pilot announced.

"Understood. Stay on station in case we need a quick pick up," Sergeant Johnson ordered.

"Yes sir."

There was a subtle thump as the dropship set down. Immediately after, the ship doors flipped open. Everyone stepped out, rifles leveled, and scanned the area for threats.

"Clear," Rex finally called from his side of the ship.

"Clear," Sergeant Johnson confirmed.

With at everyone started moving toward the last confirmed place of the index. Again Rex found the setting fitting of the mood. The swamp had given away to a dimly lit jungle of sorts. The foliage and thin layer of low hanging mist completed the picture.

Obi Wan opted to momentarily submerge himself in the force. Almost immediately, he felt thousands of interconnected, ominous beings. He immediately felt sick, as he sensed them. However, he noticed something different about them. They definitely held a dark side presence, but, it didn't have the tempting undertone that he was use to. Their force aroa was straight malevolence.

"Be careful. We may be clear, but we aren't alone," Obi Wan advised, turning an obviously more pale shade.

"He's right, the Covenant in the area are all doing something resembling a retreat, toward the Truth and Reconciliation," She reported, "The flood are nipping on their heals, and from what I hear, have your area well within their control."

"What do you mean 'resembling'?" Rex asked suspiciously.

"Well, tucked tail and running, isn't the usual style of retreating," Cortana replied.

"Rex, duck!" Obi Wan yelled.

Immediately, Rex ducked, followed by a horizontal slash from Obi Wan's lightsaber. Looking down Rex saw what was left of a flood infection form.

"We've got more. Blast it! They'll be coming off both the right and left side," Obi Wan stated.

"We can't stay here though, we'll be overwhelmed," Sergeant Johnson added.
"You heard him. Let's move." Rex ordered.

With that, more infection forms appeared. Everyone started shooting as more of flood started to surround them. Everyone soon found out how right Sergeant Johnson had been. Even on the run, there were issues with the numbers. Rex blasted four infection forms, only to have a combat form nearly take him out with a plasma pistol. Rex turned to blast him, only to have Obi Wan force blast two infection forms who went for his neck.

Suddenly there was a loud cry from behind him. A series of gunshots soon followed.

"We lost Pavlov," Stated one of the Marines.
"Get his dog tags and keep moving," Sergeant Johnson yelled over the weapons fire.

The response was drowned out as Sergeant Johnson emptied the rest of his magazine into, what was once, a jackal. As they moved up a hillside, Obi Wan, as with everyone else, noticed that the flood slowed their assault. There was always a few, but never the numbers they had been in.

Rounding up on top, Rex suddenly crouched, and motioned for everyone to stay low. In the valley below were several grunts and jackals sprinting toward the general direction of the Truth and Reconciliation.

"Huh. Cortana wasn't kidding when she said they were running for the cruiser," Sergeant Johnson commented as he came in beside Rex and Obi Wan.

"I think I see why now," Rex answered warily.

Well, if we head down that trail, we shouldn't have issues with them," Obi Wan suggested, while pointing at a game trail that ran parallel across the side of the hill.

"Alright. Do we have a headcount?" Rex asked next.

"Yes. We each lost two," Sergeant Johnson answered.

"Alright. Well, I guess we'd better get moving. That index won't stop itself," Obi Wan concluded, heading for the trail.

(Halo's firing room)

Cortana watched the scene unfold before her, with growing anger. A small, spherical robot of some kind, named Guilty Spark, had arrived and tried to get them to let the ring be fired. However, the conversation had escalated and was now a standoff of sorts, with multiple weapons leveled at guilty spark.

"That ring isn't getting fired," Cody snapped.

"The only way to control this infestation is through the activation of this installation," Guilty Spark stated before turning to the Chief, "Remember all of those years ago, when I asked you If you could do what needed done, should the time come? My answer hasn't changed, but, obviously yours has. All I ask is that you don't interfere with those who will do it."

"Look. You have exactly ten seconds to leave, or else I'll deactivate you in such a way that you won't power up again." Rokar threatened.

"I see. It's come to that. Very well then, I have much to do in preparation," Guilty Spark concluded before flying away.

He was immediately replaced by two, more threatening, flying bots, which Cortana called Sentinels, that hovered between the five in the room, and the exit. Suddenly a yellow beam shot out from it. Sergeant Bell jerked to the left, just in time to avoid getting hit. Almost immediately the room lit up with weapons fire. A marine was hit, nearly disintegrating him. Cody and Sergeant Bell focused on the one to the left while Rokar and the Chief focused on the right.

"Cover me," Cody ordered.

Barely waiting for a nod, he sprinted for the sentinel, while drawing a droid popper. He leapt off his last step, hands latching on to either side of the sentinel. It dipped and momentarily stopped firing as it tried to compensate for the added weight. Taking advantage of the pause, Cody jammed a droid popper into the eye, before throwing himself away from it. The sentinel went down as its circuits were melted.

The Chief and Rokar settled for the more traditional approach of shooting it until it finally died and fell into oblivion.

(Entrance to the Library)

Rex was more than a little worried. The flood had done them a favor by killing the Spec Ops team carrying the index. It was secure but the ODST controlled dropship had gone dark.

"Skyler, do you read me? Over," Asked Jackson, desperately hoping for a reply.

After a brief pause, he looked up and shook his head.

"Damn it," Sergeant Johnson swore.

"Now what?" Dagger asked.

"We make like the Covenant and get the hell out of here," Sergeant Johnson replied, "All while seeing if Cody can spare a dropship to pick us up."

"Well we'd better make it quick. They'll be on us soon enough," Rex added. He could say this was one of the few times he felt true, unquestionable, fear before a task.

"Then let's go," Obi Wan concluded heading for the door.