Three King Raven Choppers roared overhead, zipping by after another pass at the war zone below. The combined force of three active Raven choppers, several gears below, and a number of unidentified robotic objects were apposed a seemingly unending wave of locust.
The Choppers were sure to pass quickly, unleashing short, but devastating blasts over the field of battle as they passed, not letting the locust get a fix on them. Hit and run was working.
Below, the two squads still struggled to keep the advancing lines back. Emergence holes had not appeared yet, but the numbers never seemed to end; constantly applying pressure to the six still in combat.
"Marcus!" Dom shouted as he turned to his comrade. Marcus too turned, and found himself almost face to face with a charging drone, its chainsaw bayonet raised and its face snarling.
"Shiit!" he expertly raised his gun up, revving the chainsaw as he did, just in time to parry the incoming attack. The drone, which had a missing eye, howled in anger, pushing him as they both began a chainsaw tug-of-war. Marcus returned the howl with a forceful grunt, and found the moment.
He shoved harder and quicker, and the grunt was forced back. Stumbling back, and around, he revved his chainsaw even further, and then brought it down on the creatures spine. In a blood curling war cry, he literally shredded the locusts back until it was unrecognizable.
"Now dat's how its done!" Cole said. He stood momentarily, shooting several grunts across the field of battle, and then quickly fell back. "These mutha's just wanna feel the pain!"
"The pain is the only thing we'll be feeling if we don't stop this!" Howard said, glancing at his clip, then to his pack. "Now on my last clip!"
"Same up here!" Baird shouted through the intercom. The three up ahead had so far been devastating to the numbers of the locust. Even as more marched down at them, they stilled unleashed more. But they were running dry.
"Any ideas? I really can't see us beating them away with our pistols!" Marcus shouted, checking his own munitions. He was down to two.
"Grenades-less up here," Dom called from ahead.
"None over hear dawg." Cole added.
"I got a smoke grenade, but that really wont do us much, unless we want to make a run for it," Howard said to Marcus, glancing briefly at the now moving Sergeant Agron behind him, protected by the tree. "Sergeant?"
Mark groaned, but lifted a hand to the intercom in his ear. "This is Sergeant Agron requesting immediate lift-off; we're running low in ammo over."
"Stay down!" Richard shoved him back to the ground, and proceeded to shoot over the protection of the fallen log. Buzzing returned in their ears, as the lead raven responded.
"Sonny, if you can get us a damn opening, we'll get our troops down there and mow them to the earth!" The unmistakable voice of Colonel Hoffman sounded back, the whirring of the helicopters in the background. "We can't land unless you give us a clearing!"
"Sir," another chopper responded, more to the Colonel than the others," I could try a sweep and seat, sir!"
"Are you asking for cover boy?!"
"Yes sir!"
"We'll provide support, just get more men down here and we can take this battle!" Baird shouted, looking up as he did, almost shouting at the chopper as it zoomed past them.
"Alright. One concentrated sweep, and you will drop down on center stage. Don't you dare get shot down!" Colonel Hoffman responded. "Make the pass, go!"
The choppers whipped past, just above the massive frigate.
"Where are they going!?" Richard shouted as he found himself holding down the trigger only to hear clicks.
"They're coming around!" Baird said, shouting as he reloaded what seemed to be his last, clip looking angrier than ever. "Standard Sweep and seat- they quickly clear the area and land, preventing locust from recovering the lost space."
"How does he get this much information in his thick head…?" Mark groaned, just above his breath.
The Locust continued their attack, marching steadily, assured in their victory as now only five guns were firing back. One went silent, and the horde focused their firepower further on the still firing weapons. The mass the gears were up against was too much.
Finally, the guns went silent. And the remaining gears watched in horror as the grunts walked on, firing still.
The only thing left were the five sentinels still hovering above the advancing crowd, each one individually cooking a selected locust. But they weren't doing enough. Even though they were doing a good job of avoiding damage, they couldn't distract nor kill enough locust to cause a change in movement.
"Hoffman!!" Marcus screamed into his headset, just as the return of the choppers roared above them, each one poised for maximum damaged, slowed to a near halt just above the edge of the wreckage.
"Engage, now!" the order was given, and six troika chain guns roared. The destruction concentrated just in front of the 'bunker', the locust was being torn to pieces. Not waiting for another chance, the three in the ditch ran for cover, retreating to the log and piece of ship still partially intact.
Two choppers soared past, while one slowed even further, landing parallel to the ship. Instantly, seven soldiers jumped out, weapons in their hands. Four jumped out to face the direction of the locust, while two ran for the remaining squad.
Similarly suited as the two squads, the first one approached. "We don't have all that much time, so get over here and get this stuff loaded!" The six still and capable of fighting all ran for the chopper. "Get armed!"
"'bout time." Marcus grabbed several clips of what he could, and a secondary shotgun. "Looks like life isn't that cruel."
"We're still here aren't we?" Baird almost spat at him.
"We got something!" one of the chopper's captains shouted over the radio. "It's- taking evasive action!"
"Talk to me!" Colonel Hoffman responded to the desperate shouts.
On the ground, the ground trembled for a moment. A moment later, a second deep sounding 'boom' shook the ground. The eight gears all looked into the trees on the others side of the chopper. Something was making the largest trees snap like twigs.
"Brumak located moving due north to U.C.O. and gears squadron Alpha- Alpha and Alpha-Delta! It's a big one!"
"Get in the air, now!"
The soldiers quickly ran back into the chopper, not giving enough time for the gears to either re-arm properly or jump aboard. And the chopper just got a foot in the air, as the Brumak burst into view, crashing trees down on either side.
The Brumak was one of the many weapons of sheer terror the Locust used. Average ones stood at over twelve meters tall, and weighing over ten thousand pounds. Brumaks were perfectly described as a dinosaur from hell; standing slightly upright, hunching over in either its massive weight or the fact that it carried a massive cannon on its back, it was one of the most terrible things infantry could come across. A troika turret attached to each arm, it was armed for not only close killing but for long range combat. It's head was round, similar to bloated dragonfly's, with many eyes glowing eerily yellow and its mouth screaming rows of unorganized razor-sharp teeth.
The term 'a big one' was a serious understatement. It was almost seventeen meters in height, and had larger weapons to accommodate the size. It's skin, which Brumaks were notorious for having thick skin, looked impenetrable, as there were burn marks on either arms, and one side of it's 'face' seemed scarred by two large gashes.
"Get in the air." Hoffman couldn't force himself to yell.
"Move this thing-" The Brumak watched the Chopper come dangerously close to him, and in it's aggression, tried slashing at it with one of it's claws. The chopper, while being comparatively fragile compared to the beast, was knocked away, spinning almost out of control, and skimming the tops of trees before it stabilized and soared away, gaining distance as the Brumak turned to it, hissed, and fired it's cannon.
"Get to cover!" Marcus yelled, firing at the weaponry on either side of the beasts arms.
"WHERE IS THAT!?" Baird screamed as he too opened fire on the creature, however he paid little attention to what he aimed at. The beast, noticing the bullet impacts, turned and roared at the running men.
Even as they got cover, Marcus saw past the Brumak, and there were still many locust waiting behind the attack. Not charging forward as usual, but rather staying back and watching. Marcus had never seen that happen before; locust always sent what they had at them. "Why aren't they attacking us?"
"I disagree my friend," Mark said, getting behind the thickest section as fast he could," I really do."
The Brumak growled, directed his arm for the covering squads, and the weapons sprayed bullets like a hose.
"Fu-uck me!" They all got even further down as the actual rain of bullets started chipping away at the log. "This is not good. No it is not!" Mark shouted over the log as the beast, growled, spying above the ship.
"Shut up, we got this… somehow!" Richard shouted back at him, staring at Carey. "You think you could pull off-"
"Impossible." The dark man said, staring still at the Brumak, who had turned, and started to fire at the two remaining choppers in the area, who were busy dodging the bullets. "Skin's too thick. Armor strong as it is."
"Where is that damn robot-alien," Mark spat at the others," super-soldier when you god damn need him!?"
Baird glared at Mark. "Calm down."
"Wh-" as much as mark thought it were outrageous to be told 'calm down' by a man who spent half his time shouting, a new buzzing sound returned. The sentinels, who had gain distance at the arrival of the Brumak, had returned, and were now orbiting the massive being like satellites.
The Brumak only noticed them when their rays started burning at it's skin. Distracted and annoyed, it started roaring at the small robots, who each switched positions as the creature tried to swipe at each, missing in their evasion.
"Now?" Dom asked hypothetically.
"Now!" Marcus responded, and they all stepped back out, and returned fire on the Brumak, who was getting angrier and angrier with the small bothersome flies of Sentinels that were singeing its skin. It took a moment for the Brumak to again turn for the soldiers, and fire a moments attack; by then they had taken cover.
"That thing's going down man!" Cole said optimistically as they readied for another attack. Only, as he did, the attacking Brumak successfully struck one Sentinel. It flew in the air, and smashed into the side of the hull, not shattering but falling, and looking dead as sparks flew from its odd shape.
The Brumak seemed to detect the hope in the men, and wove one of its arms to them, and again rained death at them.
"Chief!! WHERE ARE YOU!?"
"I'll be there in a second." The others seemed stunned that he instantly responded.
"Chief!?" Marcus shot," where have you been!?"
"Salvaging. I'll be out in a minute."
The Chief stood in the Armory, by one of the weapons lockers. Reaching in one, he withdrew a massive, rectangular package. It Read on the side-
Galilean Nonlinear Rifle: Warning! Use with extreme caution! Heat generated from weapon cool down may cause badly harm if exposed directly to open skin.
"Yeah. I know that much." He said to the package, fully aware of what it would do.
"Chief, you know I hate have to rush you, but I love to rush you," Cortana said hurriedly," they're not having a fun time out there, I think you should get out there and help!"
"Yeah. that's why I'm packing this. And you contradicted yourself." Removing the package, he withdrew a long, armored weapon. The 38 inch weapon shiny plating on top, multileveled cover, hiding a long cylinder which was the weapon. A grip at the end of the weapon was ready, along with the shoulder grip. Checking it's sights, he glanced down the scope.
"Looks ok." Slinging it over his shoulder, and picking up his inactivated plasma sword, he marched, and started running out, ready to end the fighting.
"Move over there! There!!" Marcus pointed to the plated piece of hull, still partially intact. "That can provide some protection." The Sentinels had retreated, and the Brumak was doing a good job of keeping the choppers away from the area. It currently was firing down on the men, who had taken refuge in a shield-bubble made by Baird. In a split-second decision, he had charged over, dragged the partially intact Sentinel over, and used it to harness a one-sided temporary barrier that would stop most bullets coming their way. But it was growing dim.
"Why does everything this guy bring with him," Baird growled at the dying light of the shield," have to have some kind of limit!?"
"Colonel, we might be able to distract the damn thing while you come in for a sweep!" Mark negotiated with the leader in one of the choppers via comlink.
"If you have a guarantee, we will come! But it doesn't seem like that's going to happen!"
Click. Buzz. Whirr.
The entirety of both squads turned to face the direction that the sudden strange sounds came from. A small beam of red light was being projected from the broken through hull. The whirring was getting louder. And the beam got thicker. The Brumak could never see the small red dot in the center of it's chest.
With a hidden countdown done, a massive surge of light, sound, and energy burst from the dark opening. The Colonel clearly shouted 'Whoa' over the com, while the others ducked in fear of what had happened. The short blast of light struck the Brumaks chest, and it howled unlike any human had heard one before, bellowing in pain and agony. A clear heavy burn just under what could have been it's collar bone.
"Chief!" Dom shouted at the Spartan, who was now walking slowly out of the ship, the Spartan Laser raised, and aimed for the beast. The Brumak hadn't been knocked over, but was still grasping at its chest in pain, and looked up just in time for it to receive a second blast to its shoulder. It bellowed again, stepping back further.
"Colonel, if you wanted an opening-" Mark shouted in desperation as the others got up, not needing to discuss the validity of the opening, and started shooting at the Brumak.
"We're coming in, Strike Attack Prism," Hoffman replied. The two choppers, which had been flying off, keeping distance, both flew far behind the ship, ready to gain momentum for attack.
"Yeah, Yeah!!" Richard screamed as his rifle spewed bullets like the eight others.
"Now, open fire!" Hoffman again shouted. And four streams of troika fire were unleashed on the Brumak, who was starting to loose balance, tipping back, but still screaming in anger. Just as the two choppers passed by it, each zooming to the left or right, the beast began to gain it's footing, just in time to find it's forehead the target of the small laser pointer, and then a massive red flash.
The Brumak never made a sound as its top section of skull was ripped clean off. Its cannon burst into flames, quickly falling apart as the beast fell down, dead. The corpse rocked the ground on impact.
The nine men all stared in disbelief. The weapon the chief carried took a Brumak down in three shots. Granted, with the help of two choppers and two squads of men, but two shots and the last was clearly the fatal strike. And the chief simply walked past the smoldering body, looking into the forest of trees, as the drones stared back.
The Chief raised his gun, charging it for another attack, while the grunts just watched. It perplexed him so much, that he paused, and lowered the gun. A moment after, the horde turned, and started running off, leaving their dead behind. Master Chief lowered his Laser weapon off his shoulders, and carried it back to where the two squads still stood, amazed.
"What was that?" Baird asked, not looking at the chief as he spoke. The Spartan walked past, dropping the Laser at the man's feet, and walking past to both Sergeants.
"Sorry for taking so long."
"You took out both Berserker, and Brumak?"
The two Sergeants turned back and the Chief looked past them. One of the Choppers had landed, and the grizzled man, Colonel Victor Hoffman was walking right up to them. Quickly nodding to both Sergeants, he sized up the tall, green armored man before him.
"I take it you are the Spartan I have been informed off?"
"Sir, Master Chief Spartan John 117 reporting, sir." The chief said, expecting it to explain itself. The Colonel just nodded.
"Before I begin presenting you with various awards of bravery, courage, valor, and what not, I need to ask your some questions." The Colonel motioned him to follow, and the Spartan did, walking to the Chopper.
"Colonel!" Mark shouted to the senior officer," what about the locust?"
"They're gone. Ran off," The Chief stated briefly. Rather than asking, the Sergeant frowned, and ran past the dead body of the Brumak to check if what he said was true. Hoffman continued to the chopper, and turned to face the Spartan, which he found difficult to feel higher in rank above due to the size and awkward nature of looking into a visor without knowing what was on the other side.
"Now, I want the truth, and nothin' but. Understand? You may not be a Gear, but you are a soldier."
"Yes."
"Good. First of all, who do you officially work for? I think it's been made clear that you are either human or choose to ally with humans."
"UNSC, the United Nations Space Command of Earth, Sir." The Chief considered that since no one else had understood what Earth really was, he doubted that this man would know the name of Humanities Government. At least from where he came from. The Colonel nodded.
"Earth? Never heard of it." The Chief had heard that before, but something told him the man before him knew otherwise. The cold eyes had locked onto the face plate of the helmet. "Second, are you aware of the year?"
"Twenty five, fifty three, sir."
"Incorrect. The Year is thirteen twenty seven."
"…Yes Sir."
Again, the Chief was perplexed. Of all things the chief knew, in the year 1327 earth was a pre-industrial medieval slaughterhouse. Religions, hierarchies, and crusades were prominent in this year, but not wars with alien races with brutal weapons close to his own technology. It didn't seem to click.
"Third, why are you here? I doubt very much that the ship was simply made to appear or just happened to land on our planet, let alone with what looks like half a section missing."
The chief could not find an answer he saw that would explain it. He was sure that it still was 2553, and that only three days ago, he had destroyed the arc and ended the Flood and the covenant. But that all seemed like a different life for him. Yet he landed on a planet, in who knows where in the universe, with a warring civilization of humanity fighting yet again an alien race. It seemed like he just wound up exactly where he had during the first halo mission began.
"Sir, you need any help you can get your hands on. I offer help."
"Is that it? You just want to help us hu?"
"Sir, yes sir!"
The Colonel again gazed at him with the cold eyes, like he was being scanned. "Well, if that's it, I think you can help us out yet again." He held his hand up to his left ear, and called into the comsystem. "Alpha Squad and Delta, you are to report to Chopper Sparrow-3 for re-assignment."
"What?!" retaliated a whiny Baird.
"Now means now son!" he lowered his hand, and returned to look at the Spartan. "Although we don't usually see coincidences as good signs, we can accept them. Do you swear on oath and what honor you have to serve the Coalition of Ordered Governments until we can properly assign you a position?"
"Yes sir."
The Colonel extended a hand. "Welcome to the war son."
"I think I got to know it a while back."
Breaking the handshake, the other two squadrons arrived, each re-armed and suited. Just as they stopped their running, the two other choppers landed, and the groups of soldiers started jumping off, scanning the area.
"Congratulations men, you have taken a useful spot in the war. We can use this as a new outpost, and what we can gain from this-" he pointed at the ship," can prove to be more than simply effective in our war against the Locust. Normally we would tell you to take a break, but we need you to investigate the appearance of the horde without use of emergence holes."
"Where we going?" Marcus asked briefly.
"Westlance Weapons Facility number 25. Abandoned during Emergence day, it's the closest hollow ground underground facility that the locust could use against us. While it's obvious now that Locust have been able to remain stable despite our lightmass bomb attack, we are curious of their new activities. We will transport you," Hoffman said, jumping onto the chopper," directly outside of the building."
"What about the ship?" Mark saw several other Ravens flying over the horizon, obviously heading straight for the crash sight.
"After this successful mission, we are by no chances loosing this gain. It will be fortified with what we have to spare, and if not, more."
"Understood. Lets get going." The squads followed the Colonel, and got situated in the larger version of the King Raven Chopper, able to hold a larger number of men. After a moment, they noticed the Spartan still standing on the ground. "Chief, let's go."
"How much weight can that thing carry?" the Spartan said, pointing to the chopper.
"About two thousand max, why?"
Glad the helmet hid his concern, the chief stepped lightly on the chopper, and it to his surprise held tight. He grabbed one of the fasts, ready for the bumpy ride.
"Colonel Hoffman!" A soldier came running up to the chopper just before takeoff. "Message from Command!"
"Damnit boy!" the colonel, displaying surprising athletics for someone his age, leapt form the rising chopper to the ground. Once he had landed, he spoke via intercom. "The pilot will take you there, and you are to observe any and all things within this facility!"
The chopper soared off. Hoffman turned to the soldier, and held a long distance communicator to his ear. "Yes. Yes, I have. I believe I have some more information that could help in our understanding. No, call in all of them. Even the chairman. I'll be there by two hours, next chopper. Tell them I have top secret information.
The chief, as the chopper buckled and shook, could not help but look back at the shrinking ship as other choppers began descending around it. First feeling like he had traded possibly one of his last pieces of home to his new allies for dissection, he felt something else, again looking at it.
Ominous. A way, he felt glad to be away from it. Master Chief couldn't tell if what was bothering him was the rocking of the chopper which could barely hold their total weight, or like something lurked back inside the ship.
"Stop."
Two large Locust, who a moment before had been tackling each other halted, still glaring at each other, and back off. They both.
The area was a massive sub-surface room, far underground. Dimly lit, except for the center, which was populated by two large locust, each one strangely distinct from the other. Two others, each one unique, stood in respect. A set of steps led to a darkened throne, where the voice emanated from.
"With all respect your eminence, it was a mistake to withdraw and listen to this coward of a general!" the large Locust to the right, General S.C.Y.T.H., spoke with hatred to the opposite Locust. S.C.Y.T.H. was smaller but reacted quicker as they both again charged and struck each other.
The Second general, who was larger, bulkier, but slower in movement and better at prevent attacks rather than dealing them, fought back. This was General S.H.I.EL.D, the general in charge of all defensive operations.
The two standing on the side were B.O.L.T. and W.I.G.H.T., leaders of scouting and bombardments, and espionage.
"Stop." Again, the deep commanding voice halted the attack.
"Your eminence, I advised with the hopes of preventing too many casualties in our ranks!"
"Yes. You do your job well at this. Yet my mission remains unfulfilled, General." The beady eyes of the general glanced from side to side in consideration of the comment, obviously taken aback.
"Perhaps," the opposite general hissed," Wall is getting to his head, as after all you couldn't prevent the bomb from destroying the main fort, and now you prevent a mission from being carried out." The General named 'Shield' made to attack the other general, but stopped at a glance to his leader.
"We need forces in order to-"
"Ha!" SCYTH sneered. "You act as though we are limited in number!"
"I aught to cut your tongue like a worthless human-"
"Enough." The two again straightened up, standing straight at the throne.
Into the light, a small bony, elongated hand with only two digits as fingers, stretched out and pointed to the two.
"You Will prepare my moving. I will not tolerate any other Human's this close to me. I also wish to prepare for the new coming. I will not fail our ancestors in this war. Go now."
The four generals turned, and marched away. The bony hand retreated into the darkness, and a distant door closed, echoing in the room.
End of Act 3.
To be continued in act 4.
Ohh yes. That felt good. Hey, I'm back to normal! ALL RIGH- oh wait a second.
I got some things to tell you. First of all, I'm sorry for not getting this out earlier. But I got something to say to u all. WHY HASN"T U CHOOSEN 1 OH MAH BUKKITS!? What I meant to say is I'm disappointed that not one of you have even looked at the options on my poll, which I am keeping up until someone puts a damn tally on.
But on the other hand, I can't feel to bad when I've got this to look at every day.
(Currently)
Title- Men of War
Words- 61590
Chapters- 26
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Oh man, that is all you guys! ALL YOU! I made three parts. Title, Words and Chapters. YOU ALL MADE THE REST!! OMFG x10000 plus powerthirst.
Now, since you're done with this chapter and the next will won't come out until next week, I recommend you have a look at my other story. If you like Hellsing, Resident Evil, Inuyasha, or F.E.A.R. or all of them, go read it. don't judge it by its category.
And I've finally given the older chapters a good run through. 1 and 2 are much more shiny and pretty, so go give them a quick read, k?
Well, now I have triumphantly returned, I feel the need to express my gratitude. YEAHYEAHEYYEAHHEHAT awesome, hu? Now go read my other story and do my poll which will take maybe ten minutes out of your day at most, and make me ten times happier. BYE GUYS! GLAD TO BE BACK!!
EZB