Chapter 21 Rise of the Spartans Final.
Comfortably sleeping within the dark confines of the eight person bunk room Spartan Jade platoon Captain Alanna Bannister rested along with seven other Spartans of her platoon.
Silence and shadows rested over them as they recovered from the exhaustion of two days of near constant battle. Granted that most of it was at range but laying down for a long time while correcting aiming errors is still draining even for a Spartan.
With a restful mone Alanna rolled over, scratching her belly, enjoying her sleep. But all that ended when the door was gouged through by a organic blade that let in the light. The scraping noises woke the other Spartans in the room as the door was ripped open little by little as a familiar growling came from the outside.
"Shit a Zergling!" One Spartan exclaimed as said beast looked through the slash in the door.
The Zergling wasn't alone as the shrieks and growls of others of it's kind came from the outside.
"What the hell! how did Zerg get on base?"
"I don't know but let's kill them fast." a female Spartan stated" Captain, Captain," she yelled to the still sleeping Captain Alanna Bannister of Jade platoon.
It was at that moment the door gave way, the narrow room allowing just two Zerglings to enter at a time. One Zergling lunged at the Female spartan only for it to get a super soldier fist to the face breaking bones launching it back into the hallway. The female Spartan shook her bruised hand as another Zergling took its place.
By then the first Zerg had slashed at another Spartan but with his enhanced reflexes he was able to catch both blade arms. He planted a foot on the Zerglings head and pinned it to the ground while two other Spartans started grabbing it's blade arms by the base and with one good tug they ripped said blade arms off. The Zergling pushed up with all it's might while twisting it's head allowing it to get out from under the Spartans foot. It was free for a brief moment before Its head was turned into swiss cheese by another Spartans pistol.
More Zerglings flooded into the room as the two Spartans with the Zergling blades (as makeshift weapons) did their best to fend them off. Meanwhile Captain Bannister was still sound asleep despite THIS going on. Blood flew and limbs were severed as the Zerglings were killed by the blades of one of their own brandished by the Terrans as makeshift weapons. Four. Six, Eight died before they stopped coming in. Taking the opportunity the other Spartans armed themselves with the severed blade arms of the dead Zerglings.
In the next instant a spin flew into the room, then another and another as a Hydralisk stood outside the doorway. Spartans bleed from the spines piercing into their flesh but thinking fast the Spartans grabbed the Zergling bodies and used them as meat shields blocking most of the spines. But they continued to come at a steady rate as the five heads of the Hydralisk shot into the room.
"Shit!" the female Spartans exclaimed as the Spartan with the only gun fired at the Hydralisk from behind a Zergling corpse.
The shots unfortunately were not strong enough to kill the Hydralisk but still able to wound the thing by shooting out its eyes including those of the secondary heads and stun them for a brief moment. It was at that time Captain Bannister finally roused from her sleep and slid out of bed. She yawned looking to her left as her room mates hid behind a wall of zerg bodies.
"Huh?" she exclaimed tiredly half a wake as she tried to piece the situation together. She heard a growl come from her right and turned to the doorway.
"Captain! get to cover," the Spartans yelled as the Hydralisks recovered and shot a spine at Alanna's head.
The spine flew straight to it's target inching ever closer as the slower Terran moved. In the next instant the other Spartans watched as their Captain stood on one leg with her arms and one leg in front of her.
Alanna Bannister was fully awake now as the adrenaline pumped through her body from the near death experience. With gritted teeth she spat one spine out of her mouth and threw the other four she caught in her fingers back at the Hydralisk like throwing knives. All but two piercing the Hydralisks eyes again blinding it. The
Hydralisk shrieked in pain as Alanna sprinted at it slamming her shoulder into its chest cracking the armor plating with shere speed and force. Alanna and the Hydralisk flew into the hallway crashing into the wall, but without pause she grabbed the spine guns on the side of the main head and inverted herself planting her foot on the lower jaw and pushed with her whole body.
A satisfying snap was heard as the organic projectile launchers broke off and Alanna flew backwards. Landing on her feet she hit the ground running and with the speed of a bullet kicked off the floor jabing the two horne like spine guns into the soft flesh between the Hydralisks jaw and neck, ramming the spine guns into the real brain of the Hydralisk.
"Good thing I stayed awake for those Zerg anatomy lessons," Alanna Bannister thought as she stood up with a sigh as the Hydrakisk fell limp.
With a very annoyed face she turned back to her roommates. "Ok people hop to these bastards interrupted our beauty sleep so let's show them what the punishment is," Alanna shouted as the others saluted and quickly filled out into the hallway.
The group of half naked super soldiers ran down the hall to the next room where they found the torn bodies of five UNSC personnel, twenty Zerglings and one badly mauled Spartan who was still holding on to the severed arm of a Hydralisk. How the situation went down was a mystery and was irrelevant to the current mission of surviving and figuring out why and how Zerg got into the base.
Captain Bannister knelled before the dead Spartan retrieving his dog tags. She then slid her hand over the Spartans face closing his still open eyes. Grabbing the makeshift weapon that was a Hydralisks blade arm she and the others beat feet quickly marching through the Berrack's to the armory, encountering and ripping through Zerglings and Hydralisk with their makeshift weapons taken off dead Zerg and using their bodies as shields sometimes even live ones.
Eventually they reached the amory and suited up. The complicated and heavy Mjolnir armor was designed to be able to be put on by one person as the situation the Spartans were in at the moment was one of the scenarios Aliasse had thought up when the armor was first designed, so it only took the eight Spartans ten minutes to suit up and arm themselves.
Captain Bannister and her seven Spartans exited the Barracks into a war zone. Aircraft flew over head shooting off their guns and missiles. Tanks, Goliaths and APCs fired their heavy weapons at hords of Zerg trying to swarm them while Marines, Cyclops, Spartans and Simulants joined in the brutal fighting.
"What the *UCK is going on," Captain Bannister stated.
A moment later a explosion blew a inner separating wall to pieces allowing dozen Zerglings to charge through the rubble only to be filled full of hole by Bannister and her group. After reloading the captain contacted command.
"Command this is Captain Bannister of Spartan Jade platoon come in. What the hell! is going on and how do we help plug this shit storm?"
A few minutes earlier.
Aliasse rushed into her command room. "What's the situation!?"
Without turning around a officer replied. "We have Zerg drop pods landing all over the base."
Then another officer replied. "The pods are coming from Zerg warp gate portals over the base. Their the same as the Space faring Zerg but are deploying ground units."
"We have reports that half of our main bases are under attack all over the continent!" Yet mother officer stated in a panicked tone.
"In coming artillery barrage!" The first officer shouted urgently.
The command center shook and rocked as a heavy barrage of Ravager glaives landed directly on it. The command staff looked around as they thought they were in the after life.
"Everyone ok?" Aliasse asked as they glanced at her.
"I thought we were gonner's," one officer said as she picked herself up
"All systems read ok? it's like we weren't hit by that attack?" one officer stated in confusion.
"I expanded my Aura shield around the Command center." Aliasse explained to them. "I'm expanding it as much as I can. Tell our forces and noncombatants to gather inside of it. So long as they move through it slowly I can let them in while keeping out the Zerg."
"Uh yes ma'ma" one officer replied as he sent the orders.
Some minutes earlier.
Justin, Hibiki, Tom and the other two technicians ran out of the hanger meeting three Cyclops. All the Warthogs and other vehicles had been taken by the soldiers fighting back the Zerg invasion of destroyed.
"Hop on we'll take you out of here," one Cyclops pilot said as he kneeled down placing arm horizontally so Justin and Hibiki could sit on it. They obliged the Cyclops escort and sat on the exosuits arm. "Hang on tightly" the pilot's said as the exosuit stood up.
Once they were all on board the three Cyclops broke into a dead sprint running for the nearest shelter which happened to be close to the main command center. They passed wrecked Warthogs, half melted APC's and many blooded bodies some belonging to Simulent's and Zerg but most were Terran. Hibiki on reflex grabbed onto Justin's shirt and buried her face into his chest in attempted to avert her eyes from the blood and death that surrounded her.
As they rounded a corner the ground exploded as a pair of alpha Roach's showed its fanged maw and spewing their deadly acid. The three Cyclops barely dodged in time and unloaded their rifle's into the Roach's perforating them with holes and blasting a few legs off. Then a Group of Hydralisk pealted the heavy armor of the Cyclops from behind and this also got them shredded like the Roach's.
With the distractions dealt with they returned to their mission but as they did a giant shadow blocked out the sun light above. Justin looked up to see a massive warp gate at least a mile wide expanding nearly over them. It was mostly behind them but Justin could still see 1/3rd of it from his angle of view. Then a giant form appeared from out of it. Eight legs connected to a massive body.
In the sky close by the G-zero hovered showering the surrounding area with missiles. Some landing close by and others far away. The G-zero hovered there a moment as the massive Zerg landed on the ground with a great crash that created a shock wave.
"Brace for impact," the Cyclops pilots said as they stopped and kneeled wrapping their rifle arm around their occupants.
The shock wave slammed into the three Cyclops knocking them forwards on their knees but still they carefully embraced the noncombatants they protectively carried. The shockwave passed and the Group recovered. Hibiki and the rest gave a exhalation of relief as the Cyclops stood back up. But then there was a loud crash and something heavy and large landed near by smashing into a Vehicle factory caving half of it in. Hibiki and Justin stared at the familiar object for what seemed like forever in shock but the Cyclop pilots didn't wait for them to come to their senses and left. Tom glanced back at the object recognising it as one of the G-zero's arms.
With Selvaria
Selvaria groaned in pain as she looked at the massive new Zerg breed looming over her. It's psi-armor reinforced bladed tentacles waving menacingly in the air.
"Ah damn what the hell is that thing?"
[Unknown New Zerg organizam. Size and weapons suggest larger and more powerful land based version of Behemoth.] Vade answered as best it could just as some of the spine gunes on the Hivelisks flank aimed at the G-zero.
"Ok time to move," She said noticing the guns aim at her.
Selvaria acted in just the nick of time as a dozen spines impacted the ground where the G-zero was just seconds ago. Boosting away the G-zero turned around firing it's mac cannon at the Hivelisk. The high velocity rounds slammed into the thick carapace armor creating smoke and dust from the projectiles vaporising dew to their own speed and force. The smoke cleared revealing no damage had been done.
"Damn the thing must have high level psi-armor. The thing really is a walking Behemoth," Selvaria cursed. A beep took her attention as a screen blinked on showing the G-zero's left arm laying on top a Factory along with the mini valkof beam cannon.
"That should do something at least."
Selvaria boosted down flying over the ground and extended her aura through the G-zero and out the left arm stump forming a aure arm. The Hivelisk took more interest in the G-zero and fired glaives at it.
The G-zero rushed across the ground shooting of some intercepter mini-missiles. The glaives exploded as the G-zeros aura arm reached out grabbing the giant arm and the mini-Valkof. Selvaria quickly shifted her aura into the severed arm shifting it around so it once again attached to the G-zeros arm stump but held in place by the aura. Vade reconnected to the beam cannons firing systems via wireless connection and the weapon once again was online.
Giving a smile of hope Selvaria boosted around the Hivelisk aiming the weapon at the glaive launchers. The trigger was pressed and the beam fired cutting a swath of destruction across the Hivelisks back destroying a dozen glaive and spine cannons. Selvaria smiled again at the destruction she caused. But in the next instant all the weapons on the Hivelisk's back aimed at the G-zero.
"Evasion recommended," Vade said flatly with a tone of urgency.
"Shit," Selvaria exclaimed as a forest of glaives and spines launched at her.
The G-zero boosted up, down, side to side dancing through the sky taking pot shots at the mobile Zerg fortress between the flurries of attacks.
Meanwhile with Captain Bannister and her group of Spartans
Zerglings and Hydralisk along with Roach's charged into a parking lot now a junkyard covered in scrapped vehicles. Behind all the destroyed tanks and APC's Marines and Spartans fired from out of their cover dowing half the attacking Zerg but the rest got in close slashing and biting as they were blasted by shotgun fire.
As the melee continued Spartans rushed in breaking necks and crushing skulls, cleaving Zerg apart with their psi-blades. Captain Bannister jumped over a Scorpion tank landing on a Hydralisk back and with one strong slash bisected the ranged Zerg.
Command had told her to save some Marines in the are before getting to the dome shield but everything turned south as more Zerg just keep coming.
A instant latter a Roach blasted her with a acid shower. The burning liquid washed over the psi-reinforced armor like water off a duck's back but ate at the exposed gapes in her armor. But Alanna wasn't done yet as she reacted instinctively throwing her psi-blade at the Roach impaling its main brain. The Captain of Jade platoon then leaped on the newly created corpse jerking the psi-blade out and with a quick flick cleaned the blade of the gore covering it.
"Ahaaa," In a pained grown she breathed in and out as she started feeling the acid eat through her suits outer layer.
Gun fire continued blazing around her as dozens of Zerg jumped at her taking advantage of her moment of weakness only to be were cut down. Breathing in Alanna looked in the direction of the gunfire. Reinforcements exited the blue dome shield surrounding what was becoming the UNSC last bastion at the forward base.
"Captain!" Lindsay Upton shouted to his platoon captain as he and dozens of other Jade platoon Spartans rushed to their wounded platoon leader.
"Lindsay, *pained grown* I need anti acid coating now!"
Without hesitation Lindsay reached into one of his packs pulling out a tube of gel. Quickly twisting the top off as he reached Alanna he applied the gel on the parts of her suit that showed near breaches counteracting the acid before it could eat it's way any further.
While that was happening the reinforcements focused their fire on the Zerg pushing them back and dealing heavy casualties. This gave the other trapped Marines and Spartans in the parking lot time to fall back to the dome while Lindsay's group provided cover fire. As they passed through the dome the Zerg rushed at them but simply rammed against the dome shield clawing and shooting it.
"Damn what the hell. I thought the Zerg were on the defensive?" one Marine asked.
"Me too and now they bring out that damned giant thing," another Marine said pointing to the Hivelisk off in the distance as a blue blur shot at it.
"That's the G-zero right?" Captain Bannister asked seeing the mech fight the massive Zerg.
"Yeah but I don't think it will last to long on its own. Not against that thing," Lindsay replied.
Alanna Bannister made a irritated grown but then started thinking and then made a wicked grin as she turned to Lindsay. "Hay are the other Spartan platoons in here with us?"
Lindsay glanced at his captan. "Uh yes. I've seen members of Obsidian and Sapphire in here along with the member's of others. Why?" he asked hoping his captain didn't have another one of her crazy ideas.
Minutes later all the captains of Jade, Sapphire and Jade platoons were gathered in the the command centers command room with a strained Aliasse listening in. While the other Spartans of their platoons were out side still holding off the Zerg in other parts of the base and continuing to rescue trapped or stranded survivors.
"Ok whats this plan of yours?" Captain Hamilton asked.
Captain Bannister took a step forward. "It's simple. We grab one of those havok nuks and shove it down the big Zergs throat." The moment the words left her mouth everyone in the room started talking or shaking their heads.
That was almost all of them. Harriette Ness was the only one to speak for the plane.
"I like it. Simple and to the point."
"Are you nuts? Have you seen how big and well armored that thing is. Not to mention the flood of Zerg reinforcements pouring out from it's gut. "Christopher one of the new members in Sapphire platoon stated.
"Ok ok let's all act civil," Manfred Alduino stated cooling the tension.
"Before we decide anything more let's hear Captain Bannisters explanation on her plan." Captain Hamilton stated.
"Thank you." Alanna said as she used her neural implant to send a 3d image of the Hivelisk to the holo screen. "Ok we all know the big guy is way too strong to take on using normal means. Even the G-zero is having a hard time taking it on all alone. But like anything big it has a weakness." The image zoomed in to show the under belly from which more Zerg are coming. "That belly is wide open and perfect to lob a Havok into."
Hamilton hummed in thought. "I understand your plan but even if we get under it and fire a nuke inside that hole anything strong enough to destroy it will also destroy the base as well."
Upon hearing the one big problem in her plan Alanna sighed conceding the point.
Aliasse hummed in thought. "I think the Zerg reinforcements aren't coming from inside the new massive Zerg but are actually coming through a portal like the ones that dropped the first wave of drop pods. I can sense a psionic energy source emanating from inside that thing."
Everyone thought a moment, then Catherine Ashton another new member of Sapphire platoon spoke up.
"If that's the case we can strike at the heart of the Zerg hive cluster and take out their leaders. And I have a idea on how to do it. But it's really crazy. We'll have to use the prototype Ragnit-bomb."
Alanna nodded. "I can do crazy. What about you all?"
All the Spartans in the room glanced around knowing full well the potential. Some wondering what fresh hell they'er in for while others resigned themselves to the possibility of death through crazy plan. But it was still better than sitting in the dome waiting for it to drop.
All the Spartans raised their hands accepting the plan in it's entirety as Aliasse told her command staff to get the prototype Ragnit bomb from out from its lab in the Command center.
In orbit UNSC Infinity.
It was only a few minutes but in that time the war shifted its probable outcome as Zerg started appearing all over the place and right inside UNSC bases. Simulants were doing their best to stall the invasion of many bases but the suddenness of the attacks and those giant mile long land Behemoths whatever their called were devastating the defensive position's of the UNSC bases and their defenders. Luckily from reports on the surface and orbital scans there were only ten of such creatures. But that was enough to completely reverse the war.
"Fire!" Captain Pesaro ordered.
The ship shook as the port side Mac's fired. The rounds screamed through the atmosphere like a blazing astroid but yet again they we'er stopped by those giant Starfish that had moved into position ten miles over the new breed of Zerg. Blocking the fleet in orbit from using their most destructive weapons on them. The reports weren't looking good as a few bases were being overwhelmed and would fall in just a half hour if not sooner.
"Athena can we at least launch a missile barrage on them?" The captain asked not fully confident in the pinpoint accuracy of such an attack.
"We can but the explosive blasts from the warheads will have a larger damage radius then the Macs. If you don't mind shooting our own forces we can launch a full barrage. Also from the reports were getting the new Zerg can somehow summon reinforcements from a organ under its belly."
Captain Pesaro cursed under his breath lamenting the loss of communication with the admirals. He had to make a call that could be the death sentence for many UNSC personnel. Does he risk their lives over the chance to strike at the new Zerg breed or does he wait. The tension in the bridge was thick enough to cut. But he had to decide.
With a sigh he made his decision. "Fire on all the new Zerg breeds. Full missile barrage," the Infinites captain ordered in a tone of voice filled with regret.
The bridge crew hesitated but for a brief moment before carrying out the order.
Missile tubes all over the orbiting fleet opened up before ushering forth a barrage of guided death. While at full power the Mac cannons are far more powerful than missiles the velocity of the MACs can be changed lowering the destructive blast range of the impact point. But the warheads of missiles can't be changed like that so when they hit they hit at full power. This means a portion of the UNSC bases that many Terrans are currently fighting in will be destroyed. Or at least the areas around the new Zerg breed will be demolished.
Countless missiles fell like fiery raindrops from the heavens. All guided to their ultimate targates. The missiles rained down towards the clusters of Giant Zerg Starfish hovering over the Hivelisk's. The missiles swerved in between the Starfish as they avoided the Zerg defense line in the sky. Further down the missiles fell making final adjustments to their trajectory.
Like exploding rain the barrage of missiles impacted the ten Hivelisk spread over the continent.
"In coming orbital barrage!" Vade warned.
The G-zero banked hard right boosting to it's maximum speed for five seconds as the missiles impacted covering the mile long Hivelisk in a cloud of fire and smoke. Minutes passed as the cloud slowly dissipated. But looking onwards Selvaria cursed again seeing the structures on the beast's back were heavily damaged but the main body was still intact.
"Fuck!" Selvaria exclaimed as she noticed it wasn't completely protected my psi-armor.
A comm window showing Aliasse blinked on one of the side screens.
[Selvaria I want you to get inside the dome. We have a plan to take that thing down but we need you here] Aliasse stated as a order.
"Roger," Selvaria replied as she dodged more spine and glaive fire.
A few minutes later in the dome.
The Spartan platoons Captain's and Selvaria all stood around the landed G-zero as Captain Bannister told her of the plan.
"I see. So that's what you cooked up," Selvaria said remembering her part in the plane.
"Can you do it?" asked Captain Hamilton.
Selvaria hummed as she thought. "Hmmm. Yeah it's doable but can you guys handle the Zerg dropping out from the big guy's belly while I keep it distracted."
"Their are enough of us so it should work." Jonathan replied as the other Spartans around them readied their weapons.
"Ok it's done. Your all repaired and rearmed, " Hibiki yelled as she Justin and the other tech's finished reattaching the severed arm of the G-zero using MCV's and the Command centers fabrication systems.
Selvaria turned back to Hamilton with a question. "I could plant the bomb myself."
"I no doubt know that you can but we can't always rely on that Mobile suit of yours for every problem," Hamilton replied.
"Yeah and we Spartans have to pull our own weight as well," Mimi Rose stated matter factly as she beat her chest.
The silver haired valkyrur shrugged smiling. "Hah your right. I'll cover you as best as I can," she said as she formed two aura arms and lifted herself up into the cockpit.
The G-zero now fully repaired stood up and took a step forward as Marines and Spartans moved aside allowing the G-zero to walk to the edge of the dome. Outside thousands of Zerg clamored around the blue semi-transparent shield. Selvaria opened a comm window to Aliasse who looked very weak from exhausting so much of her power on the dome shield that now protected every surviving person in the base.
"You ok commander Irving?"
Aliasse gave a tired sigh. [Huh. Yes i'm fine. Maybe you should be more worried for your part in this operation.]
Selvaria made a false smile. "Haha. I'm good. Let's get back to earth and have some exotic food when were done."
[Sounds good your buying.]
Selvaria spoke to protest but stopped simply sighing. "Sure my treat."
[He he. I'll be waiting.]
The comm window blinked off and Selvaria readied herself. The G-zero started up it's boosters and hovered up a few meters before flying straight up. The top of the dome shield opened long enough for the mecha to fly through before closing again. As the G-zero ascended It's pilot looked down at the literal carpet of Zerg that covered half the mile wide dome that now protected the remaining base personnel.
"Ok let's do this."
Selvaria aimed both the Beam and MAC cannons at the Zerg covered ground below and fired sweeping the beam along the gathered Zergs left flank vaporising them just before some Impalers fired at her. The MAC shells slammed into the Zerg forces right flank like man astroid's blasting hundreds of Zerg into past from the explosive force of the impacts. The G-zeros third attack came in the from of a barrage of missiles that blanketed a wide area. Selvaria looked at her handy work satisfied at its completion.
"I hope the others are doing just as well," Selvaria though as she turned the G-zero to the regenerating Hivelisk still at it's original position. The damage from the orbital attack did a number on the Hive like structures on the back and the defensive weapons but in just a half an hour most of the damage had been repaired.
"Round two big guy."
The G-zero boosted forwards as the Hivelisk recognised a incoming attack and started shooting any of its available weapons. G-zero evaded flying up and evading left, down, right and up again while firing both MAC and Beam cannons. The shots landed along the left side of the living mobile fortress destroying most of the sacs containing the new glaive launchers and spine guns before they ever became a threat.
In response the Hivelisk fired the Glaives from it's other side. It took the glaives more time to fly around to the other side but they were a serious threat as their numbers forced Selvaria to retreat and fire anti missile countermeasures. But still a few glaives got through, two impacting the shield thanks to their sheer numbers. The damage was far more than what Selvaria expected as half the shield was ruined by the bio explosions and acid but still usable for a few more hit's.
"Damn if I didn't recover the shield I would have taken a lot more damage." Selvaria thought as she continued to evade the oncoming glaives.
On the ground the Marines and Spartans of Jade, Obsidian and Sapphire platoons along with the remaining Simulants were in the middle of a hectic melee. A group of Hydralisk fired on a group of Warthogs as their chain guns started roaring. The gun fire cut the Hydralisk down and then was focused on a group of Banlings detonating them prematurely.
A Marine jumped out of the way as a Zergling pounced at him emptying his clip into it's head. But there are always more Zerglings and ten more took its place as they charged at him full speed only for a barrage of grenades to explode around them. Impalers shot their spines at the Warthogs impaling them with their oversized spines.
Just as one Warthog exploded a pair of Simulant Ultralisks newly constructed charged into battle using their cannons and blades to cut a swath of death across the battlefield. Roaches exploded, Zerglings were crushed under foot, Hydralisks were beheaded by Spartans. Using the two Simulant juggernaut's as spearheads the Marines charged forward in controlled and planned formation's while the Spartans protected their flanks. Each soldier doing his/her best to counter the sheer numbers they were up against all to give the strike team time to get into position.
With Special strike group.
A small select group consisting of a dozen member's from the three Spartan platoons all the marched with the upmost stealth as they moved through the devastated base passing bodies of every type be they Terran, Zerg or Simulant. The elite group marched with purpose as a Zergling hopped onto a ruined Warthog and was promptly shot with a triple shot burst of silenced shot gunfire the silencer prevented the echo from traveling to far.
"Are we there yet," Harriette joked.
"No," Hamilton replied in a irritated manner.
"We still have 800 meters before we reach the target point," Reginald stated.
"More running less talking people. The faster we finish this the faster we all go home," Captain Bannister said motivating everyone to hoof it.
They rounded a corner and ran right into a mixed group Roaches, Zerglings and two Impalers. The Spartans reacted like lightning shooting the nearest targets in their weak points as others switched to their psi-blades to quickly cut the Roaches apart. The Impalers fired at the Spartans only to have their spines deflected by the blades. Four Spartans charged the Impalers swiftly dodging their lethal slash's but the Psi-blades swiftly cut through their arms and armor and in seconds and after the Impalers resembled chopped lobsters served on a platter only looking more haphazardly arranged.
The Spartans continued their way jogging passed destroyed Factories, empty Barracks, and through a airfield of forever downed aircraft as they neared their objective when Mimi Rose noticed a intact Scorpion.
"Hey guy's that looks usable."
"Zula check it out." Hamilton said.
Zula did as ordered as the others formed a defensive ring around the MBT. And it was a good thing too as Twenty Zerglings came running out from nowhere but were easily cut down with controlled bursts of gunfire. The Scorpions engine roared to life as it hovered a few meters off the ground. Without wasting time all of the Spartans jumped onto the Tank. Inside the control chair Zula smiled. She had always wanted to drive one of these in combat.
"Room for two," Harriette said as she took the gunners seat.
Thanks to the neural interface it only took one person to control a Scorpion and most other UNSC ground vehicles. It also acted as a security measure against anyone not in the UNSC and preventing the hijacking any of military ordinance.
The ride was smooth and fast as the hover tank glided over the wreckage of other vehicles on the roadway. After a brief trip they finally reached the blasted zone around the feet of the Hivelisk as they easily floated over the craters formed from the fleets attempt at destroying the Mobile fortress. Unfortunately that was also when the Spartans luck seemed to run out as the Zerg guarding the legs of the Hivelisk attacked. Hydralisk in the hundreds's shot a sustained barrage of spines while waves of Zerglings charged forwards their fangs dripping for blood and Roach's remained behind keeping to their purpose of defending the exposed underbelly of the Hivelisk.
And it was then the G-zero intervened blasting the Zerg ground forces with a barrage of full power shots from the mini Mac and beam cannon. The calamitous attack reduced the numbers of ground Zerg to less than one third their original numbers giving the Spartans on the ground a fighting chance.
The Spartans opened fire with all of their weapons as the Scorpion's main gun barked to life, once, twice three times ushering forth fire and lightning as it sent a high explosive rounds into the remaining Roaches ranks killing two dozen along with half that many Hydralisk. Zula felt the charging Zerglings were getting to close so she made a hard right after giving a proper warning. "Hold on to your asses!"
The Spartans held on for dear life as the Scorpion swarved right and accelerated with the stupidly fast Zerglings right on their heel's. Harriette turned the main gun around loading a high explosive defusion shell. She gave a pleased smile as she pulled the trigger.
In a wide area the ground behind the Scorpion MBT exploded making the tank buck from the blast wave. The Spartans looked back seeing half the chasing Zerglings leap out from the dust cloud looking even madder if that was even possible. The half the Spartans continued shooting at the Zerglings reducing the Zerglings numbers further. While the other half kept firing at the Hydralisks who were still shooting at the lone Tank as it neared the open ground below the Hivelisk. It seemed the orbital bombardment combined with Selvaria and the G-zeros two attacks from earlier had depleted the Zergs numbers giving the Spartans a opening.
But that was to easy. As if snatching victory from their hands a Ultralisk unburrowed right in front of the tank forcing Zula to make a hard turn throwing a few Spartans off. Katherine, Christopher, and Amber quickly hoped to their feet shooting down the Zerglings while the Ultralisk Chased after the Others on the tank leaving them alone for the moment.
*Gunfire* "Head for that building!" Katherine yelled as she blew a Zergling into two halves.
"That ruin won't provide much cover," Christopher stated as they broke into a dead sprint.
"It's better then standing out in the open," Amber noted as she shot down another Zergling.
The three rookies of Sapphire platoon jogged across the open ground taking pot shots at any Zerg that got in range. While they were running for cover Zula and Harriette were dealing with the Ultralisk on their backs.
*Loud thundering footsteps behind the Scorpion MBT.*
"It looks angry!" Harriette said as she aimed the main gun at the Ultralisks head and fired. The shell impacted the Zergs head exploding it's armored forehead but since the brain was farther in the body the damage was minor but the pain motivated the great beast to increase it's pace feeling the need to ground the Terrans into paste sooner.
"You think!" Zula exclaimed as she made another hard right then a hard left around one of the Hivelisks feet. The Ultralisk continued chasing them with absolute determination.
"Zula. Can you keep that thing distracted long enough for us to do our job?" Hamilton asked as he shot down another two Hydralisks.
"Yeah. Just make sure to send the Zerg a postcard for me," she replied.
Hamilton and the other Spartans gathered on the front of the tank as it neared the circle of Zerg that were defending the opening on the underside of the Hivelisk. Spines shot at them in a thick hail that pressed against their Psi-plating armor. Although the spines simply deflected off the Spartans armor the tank wasn't so lucky as it's surface not blocked by the Spartans was nearly saturated buy the spines sticking out of it. If it wasn't for the upgrades in armor the tank would have been destroyed a while ago but now at least it just looked like a hairy tank covering in many quills.
"Now!" Hamilton exclaimed as he and the others jumped off as the Tank was passing the remains of a building.
The Spartans hide while Zula and Harriette continued distracting the Ultralisk with more cannon for to the face. The Ultralisk roared in even more anger as it started firing it's spines but dew to the tanks hovering speed and Zulas driving skill they managed to avoid serious damage. Spines continued flying at the Scorpion tank as it weaved side to side firing again and again at the Ultralisk.
Meanwhile Hamilton and the others took out the Zerg guards in the circle from their position under cover. Katherine Christopher and Amber also joined in the attack sniping from the small building they were hunkered down in after dealing with the Zerglings. One by one the Hydralisks and Roach's fell until only a few remained but all of them needed to be taken care of before the Bomb was fired safely.
In the air Selvaria continued to keep the Hivelisk distraced blasting it's regrowing defensive structures one after the other while dodging a full barrage of spines and glaives from the ones that remain.
Boosting up and side to side Selvaria flew in a circle around the mobile fortress before boosting up over top it.
"Time to take a little off the top," Selvaria quipped maneuvering the G-zero over the neck while firing both the Mac and Beam cannons.
The shots focused on one spot blasted the psi-armor enhanced chitin away piece by piece until there was a opening in the main armor plating. Seeing the weak spot Selvaria unfolded the small shield blade and with the speed and swiftness of a bride of prey she descended quickly boosting left then right avoiding the deadly wiping tentacles and their blades.
The psi-plating reinforced blade collided with the wound cutting a gash through the Hivelisks neck but left only a meger cut. Shrieking in a ungodly cry the Hivelisk started wiping its tentacles around in a more furiously, striking piercing and lashing out at the fly buzzing around it.
G-zero was clipped on the leg just as it left the melee range jerking Selvaria around.
"Ah! Nice try but take this."
Stabilising in mid air she returned the favor sending a half dozen Mac shells slamming into the Hivelisks head.
Just then scores of Impalers appeared out from the base of the Hivelisks hive structures and took up firing positions along it's back.
[High number of Impalers present. Suggest evasion] Vade stated.
Just as Sevaria boosted left a hail of spines flew past where she was just a moment ago and continued zipping through the air as the G-zero evaded boosting up, left and around. The sky dance drew the spines all across the sky as the Beam cannon finished charging.
A beam cut across the Hivelisk back as the Spartans below continued their own battle.
Zula using the hover tanks ability to slide sideways avoided yet another spine that impaled itself into the ground. The tanks main gun fired once, twice, three times creating as many craters in the Ultralisks chest armor. With a pained roar the Ultralisk stopped chasing the much faster Terran tank around and focused its aim on the single target.
"Shit! hold on," Zula warned as she gunned the hover engine accelerating and changing direction even faster more than before.
Harriette held on for dear life as they slammed into the short forest of spines that the Ultralisk had left behind during their chase. The tank bucked and jared around as it slammed into the spines at high velocity one after the other as more spines landed ever closer as the Ultralisk got increasingly better at predicting the Terrans movements.
One spine clipped the rear hover track pod of the Scorpion sending them into a tailspin fore a few seconds before Zula regained control. "Ok you want to play hard ball let's play hardball!"
With her mind made up Zula turned the tank around and made a beeline for the Ultralisk. "Harriette shoot!"
Not having much choice she aimed at the same time the Ultralisk did. Spines and shells crossed paths midair as each flew for their respective targets. One, two three, four, five, shots rang out as the Scorpion tank fired away. A spine planted itself into the tanks left rear track pod as Zula slid the tank sideways left then right then left, left and right avoiding most of the Spines even with the slower response time. The velocity and force of the impacts threw the Ultralisk aim off allowing the two Spartans the time they needed to drive right under the beast.
The Ultralisk turned to the side trying to retarget the Terran vehicle but this just put it into the very position Harriette was waiting for.
The Scorpion tanks mini mac cannon fired four times in eight seconds blasting both the Ultralisks. Harriette pulled the trigger again and again sending shells slamming into the knee joints of the two right legs.
The damage threw the Ultralisk off balance dropping it to its knees and opening a window of opportunity that was not going to be wasted. Harriette continued firing as Zula maneuvered around to the back giving a unobstructed view of the under side of the Ultralisk armored crest right where it meets the spine.
*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*clik*clik*
The ammo on the main cannon finley ran out as the Ultralisk dropped dead a clear hole bored through it from the back to its front where the head used to be.
"Wow damn." Zula exclaimed breathing a sigh of relief."That actually worked."
"Ok can we get back to the others now," Harriette complained as she laid back in her set.
Back with Hamilton and the others.
Katherine, Christopher and Amber ran up to Mimi as she and the others gunned down the last of the Zerg defenders. Low on ammo and with a few wounds.
"Is it all over?" Amber asked.
"Not on your life now form a defensive circle," Lindsay replied as he reloaded.
Captains Bannister, Hamilton, and Jonathan all gathered around the havoc nuke launcher which was a modified missile launcher with one barrel. Alanna herself had the honor to aim the launcher at the underbelly of the Hivelisk but as soon as she did the underbelly opened revealing a circle of claws. The space between them rippled and glowed as a warpgate opened and spewed forth a green tide of banlings that instead of exploding bounced as they hit the ground. The pile of living bombs quickly ridded themselves and started rolling toward's the Spartans.
"We'll hold them off, just shoot that nuke!" Hamilton shouted as he and every other Spartans present shot at the rolling green tide.
With a sigh Captain Bannister deactivated the final safeties for the prototype war head and shouldered it. Gunfire and shrieking roars surrounded her as the sniper entered her zone of focus banishing all distractions from her mind. She aimed the launcher and placed her finger over the trigger. A breath left her lungs as she took one last moment to calculate the launch angle and pulled the trigger. The missile jetted out flying at the Hivelisk's undebelly and right into the warpgate.
Meanwhile in the Zerg core hive cluster.
Zavara stood on a balcony overlooking the vast dome of the underground hive cluster encircling the main Maw of the Swarm structures arranged in the center. She sensed a object fly back through the center portal sensing it also had a psionic presence, some of the Overseers in the domed cavern also detected radioactive elements and others that the Terrans use in their fusion bombs. Knowing that this is a bad combination Zavara ordered the evacuation of all Queens and Brood queens. All across the Core Hive cluster hundreds of warp gates opened linking back to the Zerg capital allowing the Zerg command breeds that were not as replaceable as the other fodder Zerg to evacuate.
This too had been a planned event as it was always good to have a escape plan in case something goes wrong or anything unexpected happens. And in this case a Ragnit enhanced mini fusion bomb had been sent through the two way warp gates from a Hivelisk to the center of the Swarms remaining super Hive cluster. A scenario that Ellen had thought up after the new form of travel was invented and after word had every brood queen practice emergency evacuation drills. Training that proved to be very beneficial in this situation.
A scenic overhead view of the remaining Super hive cluster showed a network of concentric circles consisting of a hundred chitin domes, each a mile wide and half a mile high and covered in defensive structures. Many thousands of Zerg gathered in the few flat areas between them and Mutalisk, Overseers, Overlords and other flying Zerg in the air over the Hive cluster.
*BOOOOM!*
In a instant a large portion of the Super hive clusters core zone was enveloped in a light that burned away everything. The Zerg were turned into burnt statues before being blown away by the shockwave. The domes not enveloped by the light were burnt black as the chitin was turned into charcoal and they too became dust in the wind as the overwhelming power of the Ragnit- Fusion bomb vaporized more than 78% of the remaining Super hive cluster.
The orbiting fleet of the UNSC bore witness to the first use of a weapon of absolute last resort as it remade the continent yet again.
Back with the Spartans for a brief second a massive blast of energy shot out from the warp gate within the Hivelisk a moment before it was destroyed sending the Spartans all flying backwards in a overpowering blast wave of superheated air. The Hivelisk gave a pained roar as it crumpled to the ground with a rather large hole in its torso. And high above the Starfish started falling out of the air.
Selvaria watched the scene playout from the sky. "Vade scan for survivors!"
A few seconds passed before the dumb AI replied. [All Spartans have survived but most are unconscious or severely wounded]
Selvaria gave a sigh of relief as she flew down to the ground. Using the G-zero she collected the Spartans up off the ground carefully placing them in one spot while a number of Falcons and Pelicans transports arrive some with red crosses colored on their sides.
[G-zero this is Evac-92 are their any survivors?]
Selvaria turned to the incoming air support on her screen. "Yes and they need medical treatment ASAP."
[Roger we'll zzzz]
Cutting Evac-92 off a tentacle flicked out from the Hivelisk smashing the aircraft out of the air as a ear piercing roar bellowed from the beast as it rows up onto it's legs. The beast started moving it's legs. Selvaria watched in horror as the mile long beast now started walking as if in slow motion lumbering towards Aliasse's Dome and the command center where all the survivors had gathered. Each step of its giant legs crushed multiply buildings under foot as it made its frenzied march towards its target.
"Damnt! It's gone feral," Selvaria said as she flew right in front of the marching land behemoth and started firing into it's head.
The shots struck the Hivelisks right eye making the monster roar even more loudly as it continued it's march for the dome. One step crushed a Hanger and two others flattened a group of Barracks and a third pancaked a group of Supply depot's as a cloud of dust and dabri blew behind the marching mountain.
A view screen blinked on the G-zeros display showing Aliasse. [Selvaria your the only one that can take that thing out.]
"I know that damn't! I just can't do enough damage before it hits you!" she shouted in a panicked tone.
[Yes you can. Just keep holding back and use your full power.]
"But. But. What if the G-zero can't handle it?"
Aliasse breathed in and out giving herself more confidence to give Selvaria more confidence. [Don't worry. Have faith in the machine your friends built. And yourself as a pilot and a Valkyrur.]
Selvaria gave a shocked face as calmed down and took in a breath of fresh and and breathed out. "Ok... here I go then," her voice still unsure of how this will go.
Selvaria flew directly in front of Aliasses aura dome and landed at the base facing the charging Hivelisk. She pumped more of her own psionic power into G-zero. The RN Drive glowed more intensely than it had ever had before as it's energy over flowed spilling into the rest of the humanoid frame. The excess built up in the G-zeros body increased the power level of it's Psi-plating effect by 2 whole levels going from level 2 to 4. This also had a secondary effect of making the G-zero glow red. With her own psionic energy over flowing through the G-zero Selvaria disconnected the Mac cannon and mini Valkof beam cannon from the back of the arms moving them around with her aura in front of the G-zero combining them together into a single frame made from her own aura. The MAC on top with the Valkof below.
"Ok let's see how you take this!"
The MAC shell in the barrel was infused with even more power then the armor so much in fact it that it would have broke down if it wasn't for the psi-plating reinforcing it. The mini-Valkof beam cannon became overcharged with energy glowing red as it started giving off excess heat and energy that was then contained in a sheathing of aura that reinforced the body of the Valkof. Selvaria put half of her total power into the two weapons and the rest into keeping them from blowing up as she formed aura handles on their combined frame and extended it around the G-zero forming four bracing legs to the side and behind. The bracing legs ancored the G-zero an it's new combination weapon into the ground as the barrel of the weapon wa elevated upwards to the quickly approaching Hivelisk.
The beast gave out another bellowing roar as its front left leg landed within a hundred meters of the dome. It's bladed tentacles continuing their maddened random strikes that pulverised the surrounding buildings.
Selvaria breathed in and out one last time sweeting as the strain of focusing on controlling her own power and that of the G-zero. Vade was spouting warning about system malfunctions and a overload but Selvaria let all of it wash over her as she focused on her one task. "Here I go."
Selvaria pulled the trigger just as she came into melee range of the rampaging Hivelisk and it's only remaining weapons the kaiser blade tentacles which were aimed and flying at her. In the next moment a few things happened.
The infused MAC shell flew out of the barrel at twice the velocity it would normally be limited too dew to the physics warping effects of Psionic energy.
And the Valkof discharged it's gathered power into a massive beam the was nearly the same width as the Hivelisk and quickl caught up to and hit the back of the MAC shell accelerating it even faster.
The impact from the MAC shell was so powerful it lifted the target up a few dozen meters as it and the beam impacted the Hivlisk right below its neck and between the two front legs at a forty degree angle and for a few mili-seconds the level two psi-armor reinforced Hivelisk held but was no match for the energy it was facing as the psionic energy in the MAC shell released vaporizing the shell and sent a psionic shock wave through the Hivelisk body shattering it's armor and bones. Then the beam slashed through the torso gutting it nearly stem to stern.
The Hivelisk stood for a few seconds silent as a statue even from the elevated position it was in. But as time ticked by gravity pulled it down making a rumbling noise as it descended. Landing in a momentus crash that shook the lands for miles.
As the Great beast fell the G-zeros improvised weapons fell apart or into melted slag heaps from the overwhelming energy that flowed through them. Even the G-zero looked melted in a few places as the aura bracing the G-zero dissipated allowing it to fall onto it's back as the heat radiated from it's body like a blast furnace. The chest popped open and an exhausted and burning up Selvaria stepped out rolling off the wrecked Mobile Suit.
"Ahhh hot! hot! hot!" she exclaimed laying on the ground in exhaustion and breathing heavily to cool off.
She laid there for a few minutes letting the heat escaped her body but before long she heard the sounds of a vehicle roll up to her. The sound of a concerned Hibiki and a frantic Justin calling out to her was the last thing she heard before losing consciousness.
In the shadow of Alpha Centuries moon a Tal'darim ship drifted over the moon scape as Amon and Narud watched the Terrans victory.
"This is a little concerning," Narud stated as Amon grumbled lost in thought.
"We will collect some of the Terrans tech so the war between them and the Covenant will not be so easy for them," Amon said already changing his plans little by little.
Narud steepled fingers as he turned from the screen showing the dead Hivelisk from a Observers point of view. "Shall I kill the two Valkyrur ?"
Amon gave a disapproving growl. "No. Not yet. We'll continue to observe for now. They may in fact be useful in the future. Especially the one called Selvaria. HE,HE,HE."
After the destruction of the First feral Hivelisk by Selvaria and the G-zero the rest fell soon after from orbital bombardment by the UNSC fleet who could now use their Mac-cannons now that the StarFish had drifted out from over them and crashed into the ground.
The Ragnit-Fusion bomb had leveled most of the Core hive cluster and the surviving Zerg now feral without leadership were easy pickings for the UNSC Marines and airforce.
A mouth passed as the survivors of what would be known as the battle for Alpha Centauri B became a memory and half the fleet returned to the Sol and Epsilon Eridani star systems in triumph. Celebrations were held for a week across the whole of Terran space even as corporations and governments scrabbled to start planning and negotiating for the colonization of the Alpha Centauri system and others around it. After two months a dozen Colony construction ships and a fleet of civilian transports started the first colonizing efforts in Alpha Centauri.
After two years the first city was completed on Alpha Centauri B with more being built along with resorts in orbit and on areas on the planet with a desirable view people would love to wake up to in the morning.
Ten years after the final battle on Alpha Centauri B Justin and Selvaria were married with Hibiki being the maid of honor and Aliasse being the man of honor (Don't ask why). After being married they retired from public view for a few years while continuing to work with Aliasse and Ellen Reid who a year later retired from NeoCortex. Afterward Aliasse took over for her as CEO of the company and started up the CB project continuing to plan for the future conflicts.
Twenty years after the battle of Alpha Centauri B a small fleet of four long distance supercarrier class colony ships were built by NeoCortex and crewed by a select group of people who would travel far out into the depth's of the Galaxy as apart of the first long range colony project ment to a colonize a part of the galaxy named the Koprulu sector. The four ships were each ten miles long and named the Nagglfar, Argo, the Sarengo and the Reagan. Each had their own AI but the main one in charge of the fleet while the crew were in cryosleep was named Atlas.
Even with the advances in slipspace drives the colony ships would take many years to reach their destination. A part of the galaxy destined to be the crucible of conflict that will decide the fate of all who call this plane of reality home.
But it won't be the only place to decide the fate of the galaxy for a lone world called Remnant will also play an important part in the conflicts to come. And perhaps the most important.
Chapter End.