Halo Valley of shadows Chapter 12 Let's have a drink
New Australia, Military HQ
2551, April 27th
Geraldino was looking over a strategic map of the system. They had bought some time by taking down the flagship. Well, disabling it at least. But the Covenant would soon be pushing forward again. He expected them to have reinforcements on the way. But so did the UNSC. It just depended on who got there first. If they could win the space battle, they could hold New Australia against any Covenant ground forces already planetside.
He gave a moment to think over the Normandy situation. He disagreed to the extreme with Warfield's decision to give the human-xeno crew a slipspace drive. Handing over that kind of technology to an unknown element was, a terrible idea, at best. Now he couldn't deny they were effective in dealing with the Covenant in the Anju Forest. Thank god. Fireteam Sphinx commended their performance, their fighting spirit and mental abilities-or biotic powers, as they called it. An impressive sight apparently.
He wasn't sure if he believed that the powers couldn't be…harvested or copied in some way. ONI certainly didn't buy it. Colonel Prescott wanted proof and an investigation into the biotic talents of Normandy's combat team. Since no one else had time for that-with an alien invasion and all that-every notion of pursuing the issue was shut down. Geraldino had better things to consider. Even if Commander Shepard was lying, they didn't have time to prove she was. She was an important part of defending New Australia in the coming days, weeks. However long it took to push the Covenant back, or at least force them to pay for every piece of the planet.
Something else he agreed to on the other hand, was Warfield's decision to help the Normandy upgrade their personal barriers. They couldn't risk losing half of them because of bad shields. He was considering Warfield's request to help them with strengthening their ships shields too. But he wasn't sure yet.
Sparta appeared on the holotank beside him.
"Hi," she said with a concerned look.
He glanced to her.
"Sparta. You have an update from the marine Platoons?"
"Sort of. Well, more like the opposite I suppose," she answered. "I've lost contact with the other two now. Last report was that they were moving in and the other was trying to clean up the Covies in the vicinity of crash zone Charlie."
Geraldino tilted his head and sighed.
"Damn. No idea what happened?"
"No, admiral."
"Rats," he muttered. "Wasn't just some junk. Something else from the Normandy's…universe perhaps."
Sparta arched her eyebrows and smirked.
"That means you believe their story?" She asked hopeful.
He glared at her.
"Not the time," he berated.
She shifted her blue holographic feet and raised her spear towards him.
"Then perhaps we should speak to Commander Shepard about this!" She declared vehemently. "Her team may have some insight, once they see what it actually was." She titled her head and relaxed her stance. "Sir, General Warfield requests to deploy Fireteam Echo immediately and send Fireteam Sphinx to protect the Normandy until it is fully repaired."
"A Spartan team on protection duty?" Geraldino inquired. He shook his head. "Sphinx is an elite team. More missions on their record then a marine can count."
"Given the increased Covenant presence in the region, a Spartan presence could be prudent," Spartan suggested. "May I suggest Apollo?"
He thought of it. Fireteam Apollo was a newly arrived team of Spartan IIIs. They didn't have any real mission experience. Only one mission under their belt. Carried out with precision and excellence, but they weren't as experienced as Echo or Sphinx. If anyone should be spared to protect a ship, it should probably be them. All this said, being Spartans made them excel regular soldiers in every capacity.
"Send Apollo to Normandy's location," he decided. "Dispatch Echo to location Alpha to investigate the object and the missing marines. I want Sphinx sent to fight the Covenant at Warfield's pleasure."
"Affirmative!" She clapped her spear against her round shield and stood at attention.
New Australia, Falcon Tango 40
2551, April 28th
Apollo One wasn't appreciative of their first role on New Australia. After two months in a freezer to get here she had looked forward to a short briefing on their mission and then to carry it out effectively. But instead they finding out the Covenant was invading when they were brought out of cryo. She had then expected to be deployed immediately. Instead they had been squandered by a day and a half at HQ and now deployed to the sidelines. Or protection detail, as the Admiral had explain in the short briefing. She was a bit disappointed at all of this. Wasn't a group of regular soldiers better for this then Spartans? Spartans had proven time and again their abilities. Even many of the doubters and haters often had to agree they were the best at killing xenos.
Either way, she felt they were squanders by this mission. She wasn't going to argue it off course. If the Commander-an-chief of all UNSC forces on N.A wanted them at Point Normandy, it was his prerogative and he clearly had a better picture of everything going on than any of them. Although it felt like overkill, she wouldn't complain or let anyone else do so. They would kill this mission their all.
"Only a few minutes to the landing zone," the female pilot told them.
"Copy that," she responded.
Her four teammates was gathered in the Falcon with her. Two was beside her and three and four across from her.
Three was putting her MA5 together after taking it apart.
Apollo one was wearing a Mjolnir GEN2 Powered Assault Armored, colored in black and silver. Her teammates use the same armor, but different color schemes. The Spartans were quite. They had all voiced their objections to their assignment already. Now they were focusing on carrying it out. The biggest problem was cooperating with xenos. She expected a few minor statements of displeasure but nothing else. Personally she didn't mind xenos. If they could kill Covies, it was enough for her to accept and work with them.
"How many xenos in this crew?" Three asked.
"Irrelevant," Apollo lead responded.
"Respectfully boss, I disagree," she said.
She looked at the Spartan sternly.
"As long as they are on our side, Mira, it doesn't matter." She stared at her for another moment. "Remember that when we land, Mira."
Mira nodded firmly.
"Won't be a problem. I assure you, Jaguar," she said as she finished her rifle.
"Question boss," Apollo two, Lee spoke up. "Once we land, you in command right?"
Jaguar was a bit confused by his line on questioning.
"Why do you ask?"
"I mean this Commander gal," Lee explained in further detail. "Admiral didn't give any details to the rest of us. We're not taking orders from him right?"
"Do you have a problem with that? Presuming she's in command?"
With only one mission together, Jaguar didn't have a feel for her teammates yet. She didn't have the knowledge to predict their mind sets and actions yet. They would get there soon enough.
Lee shifted his yellow, red and black armored frame slightly and leaned forward.
"I'll follow you to hell and back boss," Lee assured her. He leaned back, ending his part of the conversation.
"Landing, sir," the pilot informed.
"Thank you," Jaguar said.
The Falcon landed and the Spartan IIIs walked out. Jaguar looked at the army troopers spread out around the area. She saw Fireteam Sphinx coming up to meet them with two humans in strange armor. She presumed one of them was Commander Shepard. She didn't know who the man beside her was, but it could be her second in command.
Jaguar stopped and saluted the other Spartan.
"Commander."
"Two-zero-six," Becky acknowledged. She saluted back.
"Relieving you, sir," Jaguar said.
Becky nodded and gestured for her team to get inside the Falcon. She then turned to the presumed Shepard.
"Commander Shepard," she said.
"Good luck Sphinx one," the crimson haired woman responded. "Don't hesitate if you need us."
"I'll keep that in mind." They shook hands. "I'll leave you in Apollo's very capable hands."
She walked towards the Falcon to join her team and Shepard turned to face the leader of the fireteam. Jaguar snapped off a salute to the commander and Shepard saluted back before offering her hand.
"Commander Shepard, CO of the Normandy," she introduced herself pleasantly. She gestured to the man beside her. "Major Kaiden Alenko."
Jaguar gave the armored hand a glance over before accepting it politely with a firm grip.
"Petty Officer two-zero-six, Apollo lead," she replied.
"Got a name?" Shepard asked.
Jaguar looked plainly at her for a moment. It was the first time since leaving Earth anyone asked for her name. Rank and number was always enough.
"Jaguar. Pleased to meet you commander, major." Her eyes stuck to a purple carapaced xeno in the background. She had never seen her species before. It looked pretty much like what the Admiral had told her. "We'll make sure the Covenant doesn't get to your ship before it's functional."
"I have no doubt about it," Shepard said.
Lee was counting four xenos in view, this far. They looked friendly enough. At least they weren't shooting at them, always a good sign. A few of them didn't look very friendly though. There was a carapaced female-presumably-with tentacle hair, and surprisingly a trooper was sitting with her. A pair of lizard looking things paced about, and the last was a frog-looking guy.
Apollo four-Dominic-came up on his side. He wore a blue armor compared to Lee's red, yellow and black one.
"Didn't expect seeing an alien not shootin' at me," Dominic said.
"You don't say," Lee mumbled in response.
Dominic made a mental note that the troopers didn't seem to have a problem with the xenos. They weren't exactly interacting-apart from one-but he didn't seen any suspicious or dirty looks thrown around. That's what he loved about the lower ranks. They just floated about and accepted what the brass tossed in their faces.
"Troopers seem okay with all this," he told Lee.
The fifth member of their team came up to stand beside them, putting Lee in the middle.
Apollo five aka Luke. He was the only member with a Semi Powered Infiltrator armor. It used a grey color scheme. He was the teams heavy and despite his regular size-for a Spartan-he packed a hell of a punch.
"Check that guy out," Luke said, motioning to the larger of the two lizards. He had a set of heavy red armor and seemed to sigh at the slightly smaller lizard. "But he could rip a brutes head right off."
"I bet anything short of a tank is history if it gets in his way," Dominic chided in, ending with a light chuckle.
"Same could be said 'bout us," Lee muttered dryly. "We're Spartans, not babysitters. Assign another Platoon of marines or troopers. Hell, they think two dozen guys weight more than five Spartans? That's damn insulting."
"Brass think it's important to ensure these folk as safe to get their ship flying again," Dominic said. He eyes Shepard. "Commander looks kinda badass."
Lee looked at him and Dominic just looked back at him.
"Command trusts 'em," the Spartan reminded.
Lee raised his right hand.
"Look, if command says they're our buddies, fine. I'm just gonna roll with it, but we know jack about them."
Luke gestured forward and started walking.
"So ask 'em," he said simply.
Dominic and Lee looked at him for a moment. Jaguar finished up with the commander and joined the three, with Mira joining in too.
"What's up boss?" She asked.
"For now, sit tight. Not much to do but prepare for a potential Covie attack," Jaguar told her team. "The commander offered to get me up to speed on their exact situation, you get a look around, find defendable ground. Lee."
Lee straightened slightly.
"Boss."
"Got a ledge looking over the valley below over there-" she nodded in the direction. "Get over there and check it out."
"On it."
With a final nod, Jaguar finished the conversation and walked after Shepard. Lee marched off to the ledge out in the woods. That left Mira, Luke and Dominic standing alone.
"Come on," Dominic said, starting to walk.
Inside the Frigate Jaguar looked around as she followed Shepard to the CIC. It was an impressive design. Hell more colors then on a UNSC ship. Not that colors made much difference, but it felt more comfy, is all. Kaiden was walked beside Jaguar and Shepard.
"Looked better before the crash," he told her.
"I can imagine," she said simply.
"Hey, Shepard," Garrus chided through the comm.
"Yes?" Shepard asked, reaching for her comm.
"Got a situation in the lounge, wanna get down here?"
"What kind of situation?"
"Eh, better you just come down," Garrus promptly suggested.
"Be right there," she turned to Kaiden. "Start without me, ok."
He nodded.
"Understood."
"Sorry, hopefully it won't take long," Shepard apologized to the Spartan.
"No need, commander," Jaguar told her. "See to your ship."
Shepard took the elevator down, musing what the problem might be. And why in the lounge. If her mind hadn't been racing constantly about the situation, the enemy and her crew, she might have come up with an answer before getting there.
When she entered, she saw Garrus standing by the bar, pouring up a pair of drinks. Shepard furrowed her eyebrows. There was absolute no one else here. Clearly no situation of any kind.
"Garrus?" She asked demandingly.
He smiled at her.
"Yeah, sorry about the presumed deception, Jane."
"Presumed?"
"I said we had a situation, could really be anything," he argued his case. He waved her over.
She sighed but complied with the Turian.
"We need to talk. Not a lot. Just a few words really," he explained in a gentle tone. "We started a conversation back in the forest, remember? I think we need to finish it."
Shepard crossed her arms over her chest with a disproving look.
"I don't have time for-"
"Then make the time," he interrupted carefully. "We're having this conversation, if you want to or not." He pushed a glass of unknown liquor her way and gestured like a proper gentleman that she should sit down.
Doing so, she kept a sigh in. looking down at the glass, she grabbed it and emptied half of it in a single motion. Garrus sipped down his entire glass at once and grabbed the bottle with blue liquid to refill in. he filled his own and turned to Shepard. She took down the last in her glass.
"A refill?"
"This is probably a bad time, but…"
The Turian arched his eyebrows.
She looked into his eyes for a moment.
"To hell with it," she decided. "Pour."
He smirked and filled her glass and then his own.
"Turian brandy is sitting just fine after the shitty week we've had," he mentioned. "First Earth and the Reapers, then dimension hopping and a new enemy. Religious fanatics who just happen to also wanna destroy Earth, not to mention humanity all together."
Shepard grabbed her glass and leaned forward slightly, putting her left arm on the table.
"Calling it a, shitty week, is a light word," she added somberly.
"No argument," he agreed.
He continued with emptying his second glass, moments before Jane did the same.
"Something I'm better at you at," he noted. She arched an inquisitive eyebrow. "Downing a glass."
She snickered.
"Don't be so sure. Pour another."
He complied and filled both their glasses.
"Ready? On one," he decided. "Three…" Jane gripped her glass. "…two…one."
They both started emptying their glasses simultaneously. But Shepard's glass hit the table two seconds before Garrus's.
"Sprits," Garrus muttered with a smirk. "Guess not, huh."
When Jane smirked he leaned over the table.
"Jane…" he said just over his breath. She locked eyes with the handsome Turian. "…I love you." He gently took her hands in his.
Shepard dropped her barriers for a moment, let her emotions out.
"I love you too," she replied sincerely with all her heart.
