A/N: I don't own anything from halo.
Halo 4 Chapter 12
The group stopped again for the second time in five minutes. It was slow going through the forest. Hnsa scanned the forest around them for any signs of movement. Fred moved up beside him and looked around them. "What is it?" he asked a bit worried that the elites were being overly cautious. They weren't moving half as fast through the forest as they should have if they were going to be any good to the other soldiers.
"There are racks here of brutes, they've been patrolling through here," Hnsa answered. "That means that they likely have a camp around here. It might mean a ship that we could use."
"How likely is it that they'll have a ship?" Fred asked. "I don't want to waste our time with a useless attempt to get a ship that doesn't exist."
"That is why I suggest that we send a few people ahead to see if there is or is not any ship. We will not be wasting as much time or our lives if we have it scouted out first," Hnsa explained. "Elka, come."
The second in command elite moved up to join Hnsa and Fred. "What is it, my commander?" The elite asked.
"Take a team and follow these tracks and find their camp. We're looking for a ship. That's your main priority," Hnsa ordered.
"We will move swiftly and silently," Elka replied motioning to the other two elites and then moving off.
"What are we going to do while we wait for them to return? We shouldn't stay out in the open like this if there are patrols around," Fred reasoned.
"We'll have to find cover while we are waiting. One soldier will wait here for the others to return but the rest of us need some sort of cover," Hnsa agreed. "There was that fallen tree a little way back that we could use as a shelter until the others come back."
"That would be a good place to stay for now. Who's going to stay behind and keep an eye out for the others returning?" Fred asked.
Hnsa looked at Fred for a moment as though he didn't understand thhe question. "Your Spartan Olivia will have to do it. All of my soldiers are off scouting the camp," Hnsa pointed out.
Fred motioned to Olivia who moved over to them. "You're going to stay here and wait for the elites to return from the camp. Signal us when you spot them," Fred ordered and Olivia nodded. "All right Spartans, we're falling back a bit to some cover while the elites scout out for a ship for us." Fred informed them. "The Spartans flashed green lights and he nodded to Hnsa. "Go ahead and lead the way."
Hnsa moved through the forest back part of the way they came. The tree he had spotted was a large one that had fallen among some rocks. It made a small opening that they could use to hide in. The elite slipped in checking it over for any natural animals that may be a danger. "It's clear," Hnsa reported and the humans followed him in.
"We'll use this to hide and if there is a ship we can use it to hide while we come up with a plan," Fred said moving to take a seat as they got comfortable. Linda sat with her back to all of them watching the entrance. "What do we know about what the covenant has found here?"
"We don't really know anything about it. They found it in some sand somewhere north of here, that's all," Mendez answered.
"We know nothing about this item but six of our soldiers have run off to find it," Dr. Halsey summarized. "That seems like a rather large risk to take."
"No one ever said that team Katana used logic when they chose their plans," Ash pointed out. "Something like running head first into enemies with basically no information seems like something they would jump at."
"From the information though the Arbiter is a rather sound minded soldier. Why would he go along with it?" Halsey asked.
"The Arbiter's duty is to defend our people. That often means searching out and destroying Forerunner artifacts that are dangerous. It was his duty to keep whatever the loyalist found out of their hands," Hnsa explained.
"Even with no information about what the object that was found is?" Halsey asked a bit surprised. "I suppose this all is covered under your code of honor."
"Everything is covered under our code of honor," Hnsa informed her. "We live by that code every second of our lives. You cannot say that these Spartans don't live by some code of honor."
"We live by a chain of command," Fred stated. "I suppose that may be similar to your code of honor. We follow the commands of our superior officers and try to stay alive."
"We follow the commands of those above us but survival is not always a priority. It is an honor to give ones live on the battle field and die honorably killing the enemy," Hnsa said. "Of course surviving is a greater honor. As long as one does not get injured and die in shame from those wounds outside of battle."
"Sounds a bit like the old ancient warriors of Earth. They lived by honor codes that focused around honor on the battle field," Halsey commented.
"Sadly much of our honor code has been thrown into question. Following the word of the prophets and the great path was the basis of the greatest forms of honor. Now they have become our greatest source of shame. Following the killing of our council and the betrayal of the prophets many honor guards who once protected the prophets found no other way to redeem themselves than to take their own lives. This has been seen as the only honorable path for those that have defended the prophets in any way. At the moment my people are still finding a new path. For now the only honorable thing that we can do is stop the brutes from getting their hands on any other Forerunner technology."
"I did not realize that your society was so bound to the Covenant religion," Dr. Halsey admitted. "What of the other species of your Covenant?"
"The ones you call Jackals are dangerous when they are not part of the Covenant. There are some that have split off from both us and the loyalist to return to their pirate ways," Hnsa answered. "The grunts for the most part still work with us but many of them have returned to their home world. The drones have gone off on their own way though some of them have stayed with the brutes. Not all of the jackals and grunts though have abandoned the path and have followed the brutes as you can probably guess. We are all trying to pick up our lives after the realization that everything we knew was a lie. So many figures of the past that were labeled traitors have been vindicated."
A green light flashed on Fred's HUD. "Your team is back from the camp," He reported so that Hnsa knew and so that Linda would be aware that they were making their way toward the hiding spot.
It took them only a few minutes to arrive and the Spartan and three elites moved inside. "They have a phantom that I think we could steal rather easily. There's also three banshees near the phantom," Elka reported.
There was a pause before Hnsa replied. "I think I have a good plan as to how we can get that ship," he said quickly outlining his idea. They agreed on it and moved from their hiding space and toward the camp.
Ten minutes later the soldiers were all in place ready to set the plan into action. As soon as they were sure everyone was in place Fred signaled Kelly. The fast Spartan moved out into the camp striking out and killing the sentry grunt on a turret before it could realize what was going on. This though was enough to catch the attention of the other aliens. Kelly stayed just long enough for them to get a look at her before she ran off back into the forest. With the loyalist distracted Hnsa, Elka, and Asho moved into action easily climbing into the banshees and powering them up. The familiar screech of the banshees filled the air as the elites took off taking aim at the brutes that were caught as to what to do. The elites opened fire sending constant plasma fire.
While the brutes were busy the rest of the Spartans and Ersh moved into the phantom. Ersh took the controls and quickly powered up the ship. The phantom lifted up off the ground and steadied. "Get back here rabbit, we're in the air."
"Roger that Lieutenant." Kelly replied turning and moving back toward the camp. The loyalist were too busy trying to attack the banshees that were circling overhead to notice the Spartan running across the camp. Kelly easily made it to the gravity lift and landed inside the ship. As soon as she was inside Ersh took off lifting up into the air. This caught the attention of the loyalist and the brutes roared out orders. The phantom took off moving over the trees slowly gaining altitude. The banshees turned and followed after it.
When they were several miles away from the camp the banshees one by one moved up under the phantom and the elites used the gravity lift to enter the phantom. Hnsa moved up to the front to speak to Ersh. "See if you can get a link up to the other phantom or at least locate it. Search for the radio signal of the Arbiter to see if you can make any sort of contact with him and the Spartans."
"Yes Commander," Ersh said moving to the task scanning for any sign of the phantom or the Arbiter's signal. "There's some chatter on the loyalist radio but I can't find the signal of the phantom that the Arbiter was using. I would have to guess though that they made it to the site."
"What would make you think that they made it there already?" Hnsa asked not a big fan of assumptions.
"There's a planet wide call for all phantom to converge on one point. The reports say that a group of daemons and the Arbiter have found their site. They sent the proper coordinates," Ersh answered.
"Very good, take us there. See if you can transmit the orders to our ships as well so that our phantoms are aware. With every phantom heading there we'll need their help," Hnsa ordered before he moved back to join the other solders. "We have located the Arbiter and the other Spartans. They have reached the site but the loyalists are converging around them. We are hoping for backup but it may be a while before any of our people can show up. The honor of our ancestors will be our best bet for trying to make it through this fight," The Spartans were quiet as they listened. "We will destroy the loyalists with our strength."
"We will free the universe of the prophet's lies," The elites chorused together standing up just a bit taller than before.
"We will destroy whatever Forerunner artifact that has been found," Hnsa stated moving along the rows checking over his soldiers.
"We will defend the universe from the dangers of what they made," The elites said together watching the commander as he moved. It became very apparent that this was a sort of bonding that the soldiers did to unify them before battle. It made Fred feel a bit out of the loop and alienated from the elites.
"The honor of our ancestors long gone shall see us through the battle," Hnsa said taking his spot in line ahead of the elites.
"We will bring honor to our family and we shall fight till there is no strength left in our bodies," The elites said.
"Prepare yourself my brothers. Unless others arrive we are all that the Arbiter has to count on. Today we bring honor to our families and protect all we have," Hnsa said though it seemed more like a side note.
"Yes commander," The elites replied.
"Very fascinating," Halsey muttered interested in what seemed to be a ritual of the elites. She hadn't had any time to study them at all before she'd come to Onyx. It was interesting to see something this important to them up close and personal.
~End chapter 12~
A/N: If you've noticed an improvement in my spelling, grammar, and all around writing, thank Martienne who became my beta reader.
