Chapter Twenty-One: Battle Plans

Siderian Control Tower, Guirel
September 10

"Okay, so what we now know is this," President Keyes motioned to the holotable in front of them. Displayed on it was the layout of Sigers. "The red figures standing here represent Giovanni's forces. Right now, I can send all troops that I have to spare, and the fight would be pretty even."

Ashley cocked her head to the side. "Even? I though that this was the most advanced city in the Sidera, and you're sending in every last man available. If it's an even fight, how strong would that make Giovanni's troopers?"

"They are strong," Miranda said, stepping in to defend her father. "We don't even know how to classify them. We'd place them somewhere between Guirel's Marines and well...there's really nothing above that."

"So they're stronger than you?"

President Keyes' face turned a shade of lightish red. "Giovanni had the luxury of being able to steal his technology from other realms. I had to work with what I had here. Had I had access to the same things Giovanni did, then I would've been able to out match his troops by a thousand times."

Shadowblazex22 decided to step in. "Let's just focus on the problem at hand," he suggested, pointing to the hologram, hoping to prevent an argument to erupt. "How are we going to go in, and how do we plan to beat Giovanni?"

Ashley lowered her head. Had she been the only one to accept the truth? "We can't beat Giovanni," she said. "At least not in a fight. I've seen him stand up against impossible odds and still come out on top. There has to be another way to take him out and rescue Luke alive."

"If I may make a suggestion, although it might not be helpful," said Joe. "It is spoken of only in Forerunner myths. There are said to be beings that act as a final defense in case of invasion. In my position, I am technically the only one that can awaken them." He looked over to Keyes to see if he was permitted to continue.

President Keyes motioned for him to continue. "They might not exist, but it very well could be our last option." That was how dire this situation was. The fact that the President of such an advanced city was even considering relying on something that might not exist definitely said something.

"They are called Titans," explained Joe. "Essentially, they are large, bird-like Prometheans. The weapons are them are far superior to my own, and the ones here in Guirel."

"Where would they be?" Miranda asked. "It's definitely worth a shot. I'll assemble a team and see if we can't hunt them down."

"I would have to go with you," Joe said, turning to the door. "They would be laying at rest in the Plains of Yodds." Miranda led him out of the room, while radioing in transport.

"Miranda," Keyes said, stopping his daughter in his tracks. She turned back to look at him. "Please, be careful." She nodded, and continued on her way. "Well then," Keyes turned back to the holotable. "We estimate that Giovanni has about 50,000 troops in the area."

Tucker let out a low whistle. "50,000? That's overkill in my book."

President Keyes shook his head. "Not in Giovanni's book. This is what he has been striving towards for a long time. He's going to have as much defense as possible." He pointed back to the holotable. "there's about 5,000 in the city itself, while all the others have formed a perimeter around it. We'll have a hell of a time pushing through like that."

Bill, who had been standing quietly in the corner watching suddenly made his presence known. "We can't send any of your troops in, Jacob," he said. "That would only cause Giovanni to do something rash. And he has their friend Luke."

Everyone just stared at him. "Wait wait wait," Ashley said, throwing her hands up in the stop motion. "Are you saying that we just go in alone? The three of us against 50,000? I know I'm good in a fight, but not that good."

"I know," Bill said, "but you're forgetting one last vital piece of information. Who has the last of eight keystones?" He pointed at Ashley. "So long as you have it, there's no way that he'll want to kill you. He'll need you alive to get the last stone."

President Keyes nodded. "He has a point." He turned to Bill, his exasperated face gave away that he had been up for hours. First holding off an invasion, then prepping for one of the largest crisis in the Sidera's history. "Well then, what do you propose?"

Bill bit his lip, and sucked in a bit of air. "Well, it's very risky. Send the troops to Yodds to set up a defensive perimeter, and then Ashley, Tucker and I will go to Sigers and attempt to barter the keystone for Luke, and there's something else that he has that I need that I might be able to get out of him. Chances are, Giovanni will go for it."

Everyone stared at him quizzically, confusion across their faces. "So, you just want to give him what he wants? And not even consider all of the problems that he'll cause in the Prime World?"

"That's where it gets risky," Bill explained, running his hands through his hair. The author had been screwing with them for long enough. "God, Mr. White's going to get it when the FF get their hands on him," he muttered. "Anyway, once we have our objectives secure, we haul ass out of there, preferably in a Falcon or some other air vehicle."

President Keyes looked intensely at him. "And what would that change?"

"Once we're on our way, I suggest that we get Guirel's orbital MACs to open up on Sigers," Bill said, slamming his fist on the table. "If we can't take out Giovanni, we'll have to take out the well that will accomplish his goals."

The occupants of the room looked over at each other. "That might work," Ashley agreed. "But what if something goes wrong?"

"Then we'll simply have to improvise, without the guns. Even if it means following him into the Prime World," Bill said, voice dropping to a gravely tone. "I can't let him continue to hold one of the most important things in my life."

"No Bill," Ashley shook her head. "That's not an option. Should something go wrong, we'll have to call in the strike on ourselves. We have to give everything to stop Giovanni. I don't care if I live or die anymore, we need to prevent Giovanni from getting to the Prime World."

"I don't think that you understand," Bill interjected, slightly raising his tone. "He has something that I want back, and I want it back in one piece. It's far more important to me than anything else in the world. I can't simply let her die."

There was a solemn silence in the room. No one was expecting something like that. All their plans were currently crap, and they were running out of plans. Right about now, they needed a miracle.

"Okay, how about this? We go in, the three of us, all or nothing. The guns are primed to strike only when we give the order. That order might never come, but we'll need to play it safe. Bill, I'm sorry about whatever Giovanni has, but this is far more important," Ashley said. She folded her arms. "I don't think we'll be able to pull this off."

Bill reluctantly nodded. "I don't like it, I don't like it. But we don't have much of a choice now, don't we?"

Ashley shook her head. "No, we don't." She looked over to the teal non-Spartan. "Tucker, understand the plan?"

Tucker coughed. "Well, I'm not really partial to dying, not yet at least. But, we don't really have another option. I guess we have to go for it." Everyone could tell that he was simply putting on his brave face behind his helmet, and was actually scared to death inside.

"What if Giovanni opens the portal?" President Keyes asked, his hands clasped behind his back. "What would we do then?" There was the slighest glimmer of hope in his eyes, and that was all they would need. Faith the size of a mustard seed. But, it was pretty dire at the moment.

Pulling her shotgun off her back, Ashley pumped it. "We'll go after him, and take him out one way or another. It's all or nothing."