An Elite's Tale 3
Some trap. And here I thought they were here waiting for us.
This is why you don't send a Minor and a bunch of lazy Grunts to do a Major's Job. Still, stay on guard.
Why? The Ark is as good as ours. We have both the Demon and the Arbiter, and I'm no average Major.
Exactly. You heard Socorgius. These Brutes know very well who they're dealing with. Do you not find it odd that the security is a bit lacking?
"Marines," the Demon said as everyone stacked up outside a door in the next hall over. "Take point and move up. Major, you follow them in."
Mar replied, "Understood."
"You got it Chief," Mackley said.
The two Marines walked through the doorway with their weapons raised; a magnum pistol in Mackley's case, an assault rifle for Ruiz. Mar decided to keep the big, clunky Sentinel beam on his back and go with the plasma pistol for the duration of their indoor visit.
Going through the door after the Marines, Mar found himself on a landing one level up from the ground floor. Down below was a single Grunt on patrol. It seemed half awake, mumbling something to itself like some kind of mantra. To the right of it stood a ridiculous stack of plasma batteries. To its left, the ramp that went up from the ground floor to the landing where the trio currently stood.
Only Mackley fired. A single slug struck the stack of batteries, which exploded and ignited that entire half of the room. The Grunt was no more. Everyone pressed on.
The next door slid open as they got close. Though the door, the path went straight back and cut sharply to the left. A Brute on patrol came around the turn right as they walked in. This time, it was Ruiz that fired. Mar blasted off green plasma blobs over her head at the target as she went full auto. Mackley, who had been on point guard, instinctively crouched as he fired so that his teammates behind him could get a clear shot.
The corporal fired twice. Once in the leg, which brought their foe to a knee, then, after the bullets and plasma demolished the power armor, Mackley adjusted his aim and put a hole in the Brute's forehead. As the hulking mongrel fell straight back, Mar looked through the thick wall of transparent plastisteel to his left. A crew of Grunts were down below, all staring menacingly back in his direction. Their species was normally known to flee at the sight of a lance leader falling in battle. Yet, if anything, these Grunts appeared hostile after witnessing Mar and the Marines slay the Brute. They actually started to move up.
Suddenly, on the ground floor behind them, another door slid open, revealing the Arbiter and the Demon. The Arbiter flicked his wrist and flashed an energy sword to life. The Demon raised his assault rifle to eye level and started firing. Mar shook his head in pity of the Grunts as towering duo walked in and the door slid shut behind them.