Halo Valley of shadows Chapter 14 Betrayal

New Australia, Bravo zone

28th April, 2551

Daniel was the first to jump out of the Falcon as it landed. Shepard, Garrus, Javik and Wrex. The Krogan was very excited about leaving the Normandy for some possibility to fight and kill. Shepard could understand him a bit. He had spent a decent time on board the ship while most of her teammates had been with her, fighting the Covenant. From a Krogan perspective, that was all kinds of boring.

A dozen marines accompanied them as support.

"Wow," Garrus voiced as he looked at the terrain around them.

The beautiful mountains that stretched towards the sky was overrun to a gorgeous bed of green fauna that stretched in every direction of the mountainous valley.

"We have to go down to reach our goal," Daniel told them.

"We remember," Garrus told him.

"Should get going, Commander," Daniel suggested to Shepard, ignoring Garrus reply.

She nodded.

"Let's move out people. We got a crater to watch."

"That sounds so much less exciting that fighting aliens did before," Wrex commented. "Let's stick to the concept of finding the aliens below and shooting some."

Shepard smirked slightly.

"If it makes you feel better, Wrex," she said.

"It does," he grinned. "Hehehe."

The five started their walk down towards the impact zone with the marines in tow. The marines was under the temporary command of a Helljumper, rank Gunnery Sergeant.

The black armored helljumper marched with firm and light steps across the grass covered ground. She walked behind the aliens, and at point of the marines. These marines were from a Company who had lost every single officer of significant rank. The remaining fourth of the men had a Corporal to share amongst them. So until further notice they were put under the command of none-marines. Having an ODST as unit officer wasn't something they complained about. No way. No way. And working with a Spartan was even greater. Something to brag about in the barracks later on. The marines felt invisible at this very moment.

"My uncle had a house in a similar mountain valley," one of the marines said. "Just as gorgeous as this place."

"Pretty magical, isn't it?" A feminine voice agreed.

"I'd love to live here man," a third voiced.

"This areas likely crawling with Covenant troops," Javik said aloud. "They shall kill you on sight human."

"W-well, uh, I was just thinking out loud."

"Cheerful as ever I see," Garrus glanced at his Prothean friend.

"Talking about things that will never be is pointless, ignoring facts will get him and his fellow soldiers killed," Javik uttered flatly.

The ODST smirked under her helmet.

I like him, she thought.

"You're a shining star in the darkness of a universe of chaos, Javik," the Commander said.

Javik raised an eyebrow.

When Garrus muffled a snicker, he arched his eyebrow even higher.

"They're fifty thousand years younger than you," Shepard reminded him with a smirk. "Give 'em a break."

The marines stared in awe. Was that alien over fifty thousand years old?

Someone whistled within their numbers.

"Stow it marines," The ODST Gunnery Sergeant ordered. She spoke in a beautiful French accent. There was a bit of elegance in every word, but also authority.

The thick green canape was quick to cover up the sky from their eyes as they marched amongst the trees, down towards the crater representing Bravo zone.

If she hadn't be a career military officer Shepard could see herself maybe living in a place liek this. Back home obviously. Go giant space stations or cities. Just a house and an amazing view. Just her and nature. She threw a glance to Garrus. Well, maybe someone else than just her.

Daniel stopped and turned to Shepard and stopped.

"We should split up in smaller fireteams," he suggested. "Circle around in case there's a Covie present here."

"Alright," Shepard agreed. "Three per fireteam." She turned to the others. "Gunnery Sergeant Reed. Divide your men, two Wrex. Sphinx four, with me and you. Garrus with Javik and a marine.

"Yes, sir," Reed replied in a low but stern voice. She turned around to her men.

"You got it, Shepard," Garrus said. He looked at Daniel, but managed to keep his wish to glare back. Daniel was as likely as the others to have shot Riley and Jade. It might as well be Pierre, Phoenix or their Commander, but in the Turian's mind, Daniel was the best suspect. He had shown that he disliked aliens quite badly already since they met the fireteam.

Shepard's trio were the ones that made their way straight down as the other moved out on the left and right flanks.

Reed walked behind Shepard and Daniel, keeping an eye on her surroundings and one of Shepard. All she knew was that she wasn't from the UNSC and the aliens were their allies. Which didn't make sense. Neither of it. A human that wasn't from the UNSC? Was she from the Outer colonies that hadn't been destroyed? But that armor wasn't even close to resembling anything she had seen before. Her weapons wasn't familiar either. She had never seen or heard of any of the other aliens before. She was pretty sure she would have heard if new aliens had been spotted.

"You got a question, Gunny?" The Commander asked.

She stiffed slightly. The Commander hadn't even turned around to face her or look at her. Plus she was looking through her helmet.

"Uh, sorry sir," she apologized. "Permission to speak freely."

"Go ahead," Shepard allowed.

"I'm here to work with some humans that ain't UNSC, and aliens who's allied with us but aren't former Covenant soldiers, so, eh, I don't like being so out of the loop in battle, especially when it comes to the guys who is supposed to have my back."

Daniel looked over his shoulder.

"Classified," he said stoically. "Over your head, Gunny."

Shepard glanced at the Spartan III.

"Afraid the Lieutenants right, all that's classified by HIGHCOM. But I can tell you that my people is on your side and will fight the Covenant as long as they can hold a gun."

Gunnery Sergeant Reed was silent for a few seconds.

"Yes, sirs."

It was clear to Shepard that she had some resentment against Spartans.

Shepard took a step closer to Daniel.

"Heard anything new from the orbiting fleet?" She asked.

Daniel sighed inwardly.

"Not really. We're waiting for reinforcements, praying the Covenant won't get a major fleet here first. They we're screwed."

Shepard nodded slightly.

If they could hold N.A then it could be a good start for humanity to to keep the Covenant from advancing and slowly grounding them down. In space the Covenant overpowered the UNSC greatly in technology and numbers, but if on ground their troops dented to rely on sheer numbers to prevail. Human projectile weapons was effective enough and when faced with a heavily defended position, the Covenant often suffered heavy casualties.

After watching Earth burn already, she wasn't going to allow a religious Conglomerate to burn it again. Not as long as she was alive. She wouldn't allow it, no matter which universe. Never again.

"Sir, we're in position," a marine said through Daniel's com-link.

"Report," he ordered.

"No covies in sight."

"Copy, keep an eye out for our missing marines."

"Yes, sir!"

"Hey, Shepard," Garrus reported in.

"Go, Garrus," she responded.

"We can see the crater from here. Some, uh, one hundred meters away now but we can see if through the forest. Lot of trees knocked down," he said. "No life in sight. Marines or Covenant."

"Understood."

"Any idea who it could be?"

"No."

She mused it could be a wreckage that was thrown here with them but she really had no way to know until they reached the crater. If anyone had survived someone should have spotted them already. This brought up where the marine Platoon had gone too? It indicated whomever it was, they weren't very friendly. She wouldn't mind a Company of Krogan.

Chuckling at her own idea, she really hoped for an army of Krogan. As unlikely as it were. They would be hiding in their ship.

Daniel informed the others over radio that they were approaching on the crater and ordered all others to follow in the advance. He gestured for the French accented Gunnery Sergeant to move out of the right flank.

"Commander," he almost whispered and stepped closer to her. "I believe we should assume the missing Platoon dead at this point."

"We haven't seen any evidence for that yet, Lieutenant," she reminded him. "They could still be alive, but their comms might be jammed. If they are inside the presumed crashed ship, it could be shielded."

The next seconds went by quickly. Shepard had fast reflexes, but the Spartan was faster. His combat knife was cracked through the N7 armor and ripped through flesh. A gasp escaped Jane's mouth, with pain and agony shooting through her body. Slowly, she looked down. The blade had pierced just above her waste and gut. Daniel was leaning in against her and whispered.

"Sorry Commander," he spoke in a cold voice. "But orders are orders. This is for the good of humanity."

He drew the combat knife out a stream of blood followed. Shepard put her hands on her bleeding wound to try to stop it, but there was too much blood to do with her hands.

She reached for her Omni-tool to get the desperately needed medi-gel, but a kick to the head knocked her to the ground. It all started going blurry, and the blurry tunnel vision was quickly turning into darkness as a puddle of blood formed in the grass.