Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my Halo - Mechwarrior/BattleTech crossover. Thank you for the support that I am getting for my Halo - Terminator crossover. I really appreciate the feedback. Don't be afraid to challenge my writing, as I appreciate constructive feedback, as well as people sharing possible ideas for the next chapter.
Also, to those that have been reading my Halo - Terminator crossover, don't forget to leave a review for my Halo - Mechwarrior/Battletech crossover. I would really appreciate constructive criticism and feedback on my oldest crossover. As always, leave a review and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Halo or MechWarrior/BattleTech franchises. They are the respective properties of Microsoft Game Studios, 343 Industries, Bungie, FASA Corporation, FASA Interactive, Catalyst Game Labs and Piranha Games Inc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's original composers and/or artists.
Terra
New Mombasa
February 15th, 2553
The Pelican-IIa'sflew through the air as they deployed from the In Amber Clad, their Impulse Engines roaring loudly as they pushed the vehicles through the air at high speed. Inside one of the Pelicans, Chief was standing at the open end of the troop bay, his eyes focused on their objective: the severely damaged Covenant Carrier that was hovering over the city. Looking around, he spotted three more Pelicans that were on a near-identical flight path.
Looking at the vehicle, Chief could clearly tell the SLDF had made extensive modifications to the Pelican's design, resulting in the Pelican-IIa. The titanium armor plating had been replaced with Advanced Ferro-Lamellor Armor, which had greatly increased the Pelican's resilience to AA weaponry. Further increasing this resilience was the Diana III Energy Shield System that had been built into the new design. On top of that, the Pelican-IIa didn't need fossil fuels to run; instead, it now used an XL Engine to power the entire system, from the cockpit controls, to the Impulse Engines pushing the VTOL through the air.
Looking at the three Pelicans, Chief knew he wasn't the only Spartan that was participating in this operation. Blue Team, consisting of Frederic, Linda, Grace and Will, were on the second and third Pelican-IIa's, while a squad of ODST's were on the fourth Pelican-IIa. They had participated in Operation: FIRST STRIKE, a major UNSC-SLDF assault on a major Covenant staging base that had taken place about three months ago. After SLIC Agents had determined that the Covenant was planning an all-out invasion of Earth, the SLDF Fleet had gone there to trash the Covenant's plans. It had also been a good first battle for the In Amber Clad and Ironclad Victory, the first ships built from the ground up using SLDF materials and technology.
The operation turned out to be a huge success, as the SLDF's Void Signature Systems had allowed the SLDF fleet to get close to the Covenant without being detected. This allowed SLDF ships to render the vast majority of the Covenant's ships useless through cyber warfare, effectively crippling the Covenant strike force. On top of that, SLIC Agents had infiltrated the Covenant space station and took it over, forcing the Sangheili Admiral inside of the station to surrender.
A pair of footsteps interrupted Chief's idle reverie. Turning around, he saw the only Sangheili that was participating in this operation: Lat 'Ravamee. The Sangheili was no longer dressed in his Zealot Combat Harness, as it had been disassembled by SLDF scientists and engineers that were studying Covenant technology. Currently, he was wearing the new Zealot-IIIa Light Battle Armor, which was nearly identical to his old Zealot armor on an aesthetic level. In reality, the armor was just as sophisticated and advanced as Chief's Nighthawk-L Battle Armor.
Chief could remember the reason why too. After participating in Operation: FIRST STRIKE, Lat 'Ravamee had been moved up in Clan society from the Laborer Caste to the Warrior Caste. As a reward for his good behavior, 'Ravamee had been genetically and nanotechnologically augmented by Clan Wolverine's best geneticists and medics. After that, he'd been given his own Battle Armor and was formally inducted into the Warrior Caste of Clan Wolverine.
When it came to 'Ravamee and his allegiance, Chief had learned the experience on Halo and in Operation: FIRST STRIKE had changed 'Ravamee. During his induction into Clan society, 'Ravamee formally renounced his allegiance to the Covenant and swore unwavering allegiance to Clan Wolverine. To this date, 'Ravamee had remained fully loyal to the SLDF and Clan Wolverine, with his prowess during the defense of ODP Monroe earning him a place in this operation.
As they flew onward, Chief heard Cortana and Miranda talking to each other. Apparently, Cortana had intercepted a transmission from the Covenant Carrier. "The message just repeats," Cortana observed. "Regret, Regret, Regret."
"Sounds catchy," Miranda remarked. "Any idea on what it means?"
As the Pelican-IIa's leveled out over the city terrain, Johnson added his own translation of what the message meant. "Dear Humanity, we regret being alien b*stards. We regret coming to Earth, and we most definitely regret that the Corps blew up our raggedy a*s fleet!" In the troop bay, Chief could hear the Marines shouting in agreement, as Johnson was onboard the VTOL Chief was on.
That was when the SLDF's Army Command's AI, Alfred, pipped in. "Regret's more than just a message," the AI added. "It's also a name for one of the Covenant's religious leaders, a Hierarch. He's on that Carrier, screaming at the top of his lungs for help."
"Indeed," Miranda remarked. Switching channels, she asked, "Elemental 'Ravamee, any idea of what he's here for?"
Clearing his throat, 'Ravamee said, "The Hierarch in question is the Prophet of Regret, one of the three Hierarchs that controls the Covenant. From what I recall, the Prophets would only come if they learned of a world that was prophesied to hold a large number of Forerunner artifacts. I believe here came here to this planet in order to find another Halo, if there is one that is. What is odd is that he had such poor information on his enemy's homeworld, as he clearly didn't expect your kind to be here."
"Agreed," Miranda remarked.
As they flew along, Chief heard a noise to his left. Looking in that direction, Chief watched as a BattleMech with two legs, two arms with weapons and a cockpit on the end of an elongated head walked through the streets of New Mombasa. A car that was in the way was promptly crushed by it's armored chassis.
Chief smiled slightly when he saw the 'Mech. That was the Annihilator-IV BattleMech, which was regularly used by SLDF forces. Originally, the Annihilator BattleMech was designed for city defense, as it originally had a top speed of just 32 km/h, a snails pace compared to most modern 'Mechs. Advances in technology, however, allowed the Annihilator-IV to travel at a comparatively spritely 64.8 km/h, 120 with MASC (Myomer Accelerator Signal Circuitry).
More vehicles passed along the 'Mech on the high way, with a few Warthog-IIa's driving by. The new Warthog-IIa was different from the old one in a number of ways. First, the weapons systems were no longer manned, with the passenger now remotely controlling the turret from the safety of the cab. The cab itself was fully enclosed as well, with the vehicle's chassis being made out of Endo-Titanium, which had a layer of Advanced Ferro-Fibrous armor on the chassis. A C-XL Engine powered the entire vehicle, allowing the Warthog-IIa to achieve a top speed of roughly 240 km/h.
As they flew along, a sniper team reported in. "Sigma 2-1 to inbound Pelican's. Your current LZ is hot. Recommend mission abort."
"Rodger, recon," the Pelican-IIa Pilot replied. Turning to Johnson, he said, "It's your call, Sarge."
"We're going in," Johnson replied. "Get tactical, Marines!"
With that, Chief primed his M50 Hammer, while 'Ravamee primed his M45 PPR, with the Marines in the VTOL doing the same. "Master Chief, get onto that Carrier and secure the Prophet of Regret," Admiral Hood informed him. "This is the only place the Covenant were able to get to on Earth. He's going to tell us why."
"Agreed," Chief replied. Looking at 'Ravamee, he said, "Are you ready?"
"I am," 'Ravamee replied. "If you're worried about me not being able to face down my own species, you need not worry. If they refuse to see the light of reason and logic, then that is their choice. They've made their decision, and I've made mine."
Chief nodded in agreement. As the Pelican-IIa flew along, the Pilot noticed something on sensors. "Got something on sensors," he reported. "It's coming this way. Diverting to- Whoah!"
The reason why the Pelican-IIa Pilot said 'Whoa' was quite simple. A building exploded outwards as a massive, purple colored vehicle walked out into the open. When the dust dispersed, Johnson found himself looking at a quadruped, Covenant vehicle that was covered in starship grade nanolaminate armor. A large turret swiveled on the top, while it's mouth glowed a malevolent green. "Sh*t," he shouted. "Covenant Scarab!"
"Evasive maneuvers, now," the Co-Pilot shouted. Wrenching the Pelican-IIa to the right, the Pilot barely swerved out of the way of a massive stream of green energy that shot out of the Scarab's mouth. As he flew to the right, the Co-Pilot said, "Delta-950 to all SLDF-UNSC forces, the Covenant has deployed Scarab's. Requesting QuadMech support!"
"Request granted," an SLDF Officer replied. "A Mastodon-IV BattleMech is en route to your location. ETA: thirty seconds!"
The Pilot grimaced as he swerved the Pelican-IIa out of danger again, his face in a grimace as he concentrated on the VTOL with all of his might, the Neurohelmet he was wearing picking up his general intent. As the Scarab prepared for another attack, Chief and 'Ravamee arrived in the cockpit just in time to see something flying down from the sky, impacting the ground with a loud THUMP. Dust flew into the air as the Scarab turned to meet it's new foe.
Moments later, two Heavy Gauss projectiles flew out of the dust cloud, tearing off the turret on the Scarab and damaging one of it's legs. Moments later, a voice on loudspeakers said, "Planetary Defense initiated." That was when the Mastodon-IV Superheavy BattleMech revealed itself.
It was a massive thing, with four legs shaped like those on a dog supporting a boxy chassis. Two Heavy Gauss Cannons were mounted on the sides of the cockpit, with a Gauss AA turret on the top, and a Binary MPL mounted on the chin. A pair of VS-MPL's were mounted on the back, along with what appeared to be ATM-12 missile racks. Overall, the Mastodon-IV was an imposing vehicle to face, more so since the vehicle was moving forwards on it's four legs, which crushed anything under the immense weight of the 190 ton 'Mech.
The Scarab fired it's main energy projector at the Mastodon-IV, only for the beam to bounce off of the shield protecting the vehicle. "Combat Vector Alpha engaged," the 'MechWarrior inside of the vehicle announced, firing the missiles and Gauss Cannons at the Scarab. Within just a few seconds, the enemy Scarab had been reduced to scrap metal. Looking up at the Pelican-IIa's, the 'MechWarrior inside said, "There are more Scarab's behind me. You'll need to land right now."
"Rodger that," the Pelican-IIa Pilot replied. "Setting her down now." Angling the Pelican-IIa to the left, the Pilot set the VTOL down into a courtyard that was located in the older section of the city, known as Old Mombasa.
"You heard the man," Johnson shouted. "Go, go, go!" With that, everyone piled out of the vehicle, moving away as quickly as they could.
Getting out, Chief and 'Ravamee looked at each other for a moment. "I'll take point," 'Ravamee said to Chief. Nodding in agreement, the Spartan followed closely behind 'Ravamee, keeping his weapon aimed at any likely points that the enemy could enter. Moving into a small doorway, Chief heard a Grunt coming up, only for 'Ravamee to pull out a dumbbell-like object and press a button on it. Moments later, the Advanced Energy Sword, as Chief recognized it instantly, activated, with a two pronged blade appearing moments later.
Said Grunt was promptly cut apart, as a single, downwards swipe chopped the Grunt in half. The Grunt behind that one panicked, running away screaming as 'Ravamee and Chief entered the courtyard. The courtyard was a spacious affair, with planters strewn about in the area before them, as well as a building that had an open air walkway around it. A road cut through the right side of the plaza, with a large, steel gate on the right side of the courtyard. The road led to a barricade that was closed off, barring access to the area beyond. The road continued towards the back, where it led to an administration building and another barred off roadway.
The Covenant were here as well, as a few Jackals, Grunts and a small group of Elites were present. Spotting 'Ravamee, one of the Elites on the balcony shouted, "Shipmaster Lat 'Ravamee, what is going on?! Why are you wearing the armor the Greater Demons wear?!"
"Because I no longer serve the Covenant," 'Ravamee replied. "Our kind has been tricked and misled by the Prophets. Their Great Journey is the same thing as the containment the Oracles speak of. If any other Halos are activated, they won't bring about our apotheosis; they'll bring about our destruction."
"What do you mean," the Sangheili Major asked. "Be careful that you do not speak heresy."
"I do not," 'Ravamee replied. "I am telling you the truth. Halo is not a means of ascension to godhood, it is a weapon designed to destroy all life in the galaxy. I know, because I have heard the Oracle's words, and the Forerunners created them to be their servants. I beg of you, do not allow your blind worship of the Prophets to cloud your better judgment. Open your eyes to the truth."
"I would sooner die than commit heresy," the Sangheili Major shouted.
"If you call doing what's right and noble heresy," 'Ravamee decided, "then I shall do it all the more! We don't have to fight like this. Lower your weapons; I don't wish to fight you, but I will if you leave me no choice."
"Then you will have to silence me," the Sangheili Major shouted, firing his weapon at 'Ravamee. The former Shipmaster easily dodged the attack, before putting on a burst of speed that got him into the building. Chief followed behind, neutralizing any Elites while the Marines came through and began firing on the Jackals and Grunts.
Inside the building, 'Ravamee fought back with the youth and speed of a far younger Sangheili. Moving rapidly up the stairs, he cut his way through the Covenant forces arrayed against him, slicing through a number of Grunts in his way. Spotting the Elite Major, he tackled the alien to the ground, stabbing his Advanced Energy Sword through it's chest, killing the Sangheilian instantly.
A few other Sangheilians tried to fight back against 'Ravamee, only to die at his hands. As he beheaded an Elite, one of them, realizing the futility of fighting back, dropped his weapon. "I surrender," he shouted. "I cannot best you in combat!"
At least not all of our kind is blind, 'Ravamee thought as he moved forwards, cuffing the Sangheili Minor's hands. "Stay here," he ordered the young Sangheili. "You will cooperate with the Humans and their Demon to the very last letter. If you even so much as think of betraying me, I will kill you and behead your corpse. Am I understood?" When the young Sangheili nodded, 'Ravamee let him go, with a Marine walking to the alien to ensure it's compliance.
With all hostiles down, Chief moved up to 'Ravamee's position, just as a Marine finished setting up an MPL turret. Manning the gun, Chief looked around for any more contacts, while 'Ravamee moved around in the courtyard, looking for more hostiles. "More contacts, coming from the alley," a Marine shouted.
"Skirmishers on the roofs," another Marine shouted. Looking up, Chief watched as Skimrishers hopped onto the roofs, Needler Rifles and Beam Rifles in hand as they got into position. He immediately opened fire with the MPL Turret, cutting down a couple Skirmisher Champions that were firing Needler Rifles at the Marines in the courtyard. At the same time, the Marines engaged the Grunts and Skirmishers that were attacking from the rear of their position from the alleys, their weapons clattering loudly as they fired back at the Covenant forces.
Two more waves followed, with a wave of Drones coming through the area. The MPL Turret proved to be exactly the weapon needed, as the powerful laser beam tore through the Drones, cutting their chitinous bodies apart with ease. A group of Elites with Jackals entered the courtyard, with the Marines, Chief and 'Ravamee cutting them down with ease.
Hearing another sound, Chief watched as a Phantom came into position. Firing the MPL Turret, he quickly rendered two of it's main guns inoperable, while scorching and cutting small gashes into the VTOL's armor. The Phantom offloaded more troops, which were quickly gunned down by the Marines and Chief, forcing the Phantom to leave moments later.
As they flew along, Johnson said, "Sergeant Johnson to Delta-950, all hostiles down. Can you pick us up?"
"Negative," came the reply. "My bird's a little big for that courtyard, Sergeant. I can see a suitable LZ in the area beyond. I'll meet you there, over."
"Rodger that," Johnson replied. "Somebody get a satchel onto the gate."
"Get back," 'Ravamee shouted, his suit sensors having spotted something on the other side. "The Covenant have sent Lekgolo the other side."
"Lekgolo," A Marine asked, confused.
"Hunters," Cortana clarified. "Someone get onto the MPL Turret! That's the only thing that can cut quickly through their armor."
"Already on it," Chief replied. Moments later, the gate was struck by something, though the door lock held strong. Moments later, another blow struck the gate, causing the doors to bulge inward. A final strike ripped the gate doors off their hinges, causing them to fall down with a loud CLANG. Moments later, two Hunters strode into the plaza.
As soon as they breached the courtyard, Chief, 'Ravamee and the others immediately opened fire, pelting the massive armored aliens with weapons fire. Chief held down the trigger on the MPL Turret, with the weapon overheating after fifteen seconds of continuous fire. Fortunately, that was all the time Chief needed, as he was able, with the assistance of 'Ravamee and the Marines, to cut down the Hunters. As they moved up through the gate, Miranda said, "Second Squad, this is Miranda, what's your situation."
"We're operational, ma'am," the ODST's replied. "We've landed and are engaging Covenant ground forces. The SLDF's giving them one h*ll of a welcoming package too."
"Rodger that," Miranda replied. "Blue Team, what's your status?"
"We're going to be piloting some Atlas-IV 'Mechs to the innermost section of the city," Frederic-104 replied. "We'll be out of contact for a while."
As Chief moved up, he rounded the corner just in time to spot a Skirmisher with a Beam Rifle. Ducking back into cover, he narrowly avoided being struck by the energy beam that cut through the air he was standing at moments ago, with some of the polycrete being chopped off the building. "Covenant Sniper, 12 o'clock low," Chief shouted.
"I got it," one of the Marines replied, hoisting a M75 Incisor on his arms. "I'll give this guy my 'Welcome to Earth' gift package." Moments later, the Marine got into position and pulled the trigger; the Incisor fired with a loud KRA-THOOM, causing the Skirmisher standing roughly 100m away to explode into a cloud of blood, gore and armor fragments. The effect was so demoralizing that the other Jackals and Grunts dropped their weapons and ran, screaming at the top of their lungs as they did so.
"HAH," one of the Marines shouted. "Look at 'em run! I think they p*ssed their pants." The other Marines promptly laughed at the jab. Even 'Ravamee was amused, as the Sangheilian chuckled at the comment.
"Hey, where'd he go," the Marine with the Incisor asked. Spotting the remains of the Skirmisher, he remarked, "Oh, there he is."
As they moved forwards, Miranda contacted Johnson. "Sergeant Johnson," she asked.
"Ma'am," Johnson replied.
"I need you to head up to another position in the city," Miranda replied. "We've got a squad of Marines inbound to that location. They'll need someone to help them out."
"Rodger that," Johnson replied. "I'll babysit them." Turning to Chief, he said, "You and your split-lip friend are going to keep moving up with the Marines. I've got to go help some Marines out. Understood?"
"Understood," Chief replied.
"Split-lip," 'Ravamee asked as Johnson got into the Pelican-IIa.
"A nickname that the Marines gave your species," Cortana explained. "It's due to the fact you have mandibles in lieu of normal jaws. Normally, it's derogatory, but Johnson meant it in a nice way."
"Ah," 'Ravamee remarked, giving the Sangheilian equivalent of a smile. "Camaraderie. I get it." There was no more conversation after that as the two moved up.
Moving through the streets of Old Mombasa, the two men and the Marines with them found themselves being engaged at every corner. Moving through another avenue, Chief watched as the Incisor toting Marine killed a few more Skirmisher Snipers that had taken cover in a damaged building, while he, 'Ravamee and the Marines dealt with a group of Drones that flew in, along with another Skirmisher Sniper and some Grunts. Elites were present as well, though they concentrated more on Chief and 'Ravamee than they did the Marines.
When it came to the Elites, Chief found that many were startled by 'Ravamee's new armor and his allegiance to the SLDF. Most fought back against 'Ravamee, but a few Elites heeded his pleas for them to listen to reason and surrender, with those Elite's dropping their weapons and surrendering to SLDF-UNSC personnel, albeit hesitantly. Chief could understand why; those Elite's were having to fight back against years of brainwashing and indoctrination, though the fact they were able to do so showed how much Halo's destruction had shaken up the Covenant.
"Any hostiles up ahead," Chief asked one Sangheili defectors.
"There's a group of them up ahead," the defector replied. "They've got a Major nearby, as well as some Grunts. Be careful, they know of your kind, and the Major is extremely zealous in his pursuit of glory. You'll have to kill him to defeat him."
"Affirmative," Chief replied. Moving up, they spotted the battlefield in question, with SLDF and UNSC Marines and Army personnel firing back. It was clear that the Covenant hadn't anticipated this kind of resistance, as the SDLF and UNSC Marines were quickly neutralizing the Covenant attack. Only the Elite Major was left, and he was terminated shortly before Chief arrived, the alien's corpse smoking from the intense fire.
"Thanks for coming, Chief," one of the Marines shouted. "We've got some Warthog-IIa's beyond this motel. One's inbound and ready to assist."
"Rodger that," Chief replied. Moving through the motel hallways, Chief exited the rear of the building in short order. The rear of the building led to an overhead bridge that crossed over a roadway that led to ground level via a staircase up ahead. To the left, Chief could see buildings that had been stripped of their walls, with the floors and support columns visible for all to see. On the right, he could see the roadway continuing around a bend, where it became invisible.
The Covenant had, apparently, tried to get here, only to fail miserably. A Phantom was lying in ruins on the nearby beach, with the cause of it's demise plainly visible. "Hi Chief," Alex remarked as he drove his JagerMech-III closer to his position. "Missed me?"
"Good to see you," Chief replied.
"Likewise," Alex replied. "You will not have to worry about hostiles up ahead. When the Mjolnir's Twin landed, we engaged a number of Covenant fortifications up ahead, including some Elite Drop Pods. Fortunately, my Ultra Autocannons and VS-MPL lasers were enough to convince them of the error of their ways." Spotting 'Ravamee behind Chief, he said, "Hey, bondsman. How are you doing?"
"Fine," 'Ravamee replied, "and I am no longer a bondsman."
"I know," Alex replied. "I am playing with you. Warriors need not be dark and grim all the time. You have to make jokes now and then, otherwise the work breaks you down. Anyways, we have work to do. I'll continue up ahead and make sure the Covenant does not send Banshees to harass your position."
"Anything else up ahead," Chief asked.
"There is a tunnel that leads to the inner sections of the city," Alex reported. "The tunnel is large enough to allow an Atlas-IV into the interior, which means that my JagerMech-III will be able to fit inside as well. Be advised, UAV scans indicate the presence of Covenant personnel inside. They will not let us pass without a fight."
"Agreed," Chief replied. "Take point and neutralize any Wraiths and Revenants that get too close. 'Ravamee, you'll come with me on the Warthog-IIa."
"I will heed your orders," 'Ravamee replied. With that, both men began climbing down to ground level, where a Warthog-IIa drove up to them on autopilot. Getting inside, Chief manned the wheel of the vehicle, while 'Ravamee took control of the MPL Turret using the command interface in the passenger seat. Closing the doors, Chief pressed the pedal down to the metal.
The Warthog-IIa shot forwards like a bullet, jumping into the air before landing on the ground with a THUNK before gaining traction once again. Steering the vehicle, Chief expertly guided the Warthog-IIa towards a concrete embankment, which the vehicle easily scaled. Once over the concrete ramp, he continued to drive forwards.
Alex's handiwork was clearly evident, as Chief could see craters and scorch marks on Covenant fortifications that had been set up earlier. A Covenant infantry gondola had been blasted apart, it's metal surfaces ripped apart by A-UAC/10 shells. Covenant infantry were lying about on the ground as well, their bodies ripped apart by A-UAC/2 shells. A few had been crushed into the ground, courtesy of the JagerMech-III's feet and mass.
As they drove forwards, Chief noticed an tunnel that had some parts gouged out. When he looked at the damage, Chief realized that the tunnel had been too short for the Heavy BattleMech, and that there was no way around. As a result, Alex had driven his vehicle through, with the polycrete being no match for his 'Mechs' Endo Titanium chassis and Advanced Ferro-Lamellor armor plating. Further ahead, Chief noticed more Covenant fortifications that had been blasted apart.
As they drove onward, Chief spotted some Annihilator-IV BattleMechs duking it out with a Scarab, the vehicles narrowly avoiding being hit by the Covenant 'Mech's weaponry. Covenant Banshees were being engaged by Firebird-IV and Morgenstern AeroSpace Fighters. Off in the distance, Chief could see more weapons discharges, with some areas having intense firepower being thrown around like confetti.
All of this nailed home just how fiercely the SLDF was defending the planet. Having read historical records, Chief knew the only wars where the fighting had been this intense were the Amaris Civil War, Succession War and the current Clan-SLDF War. Hopefully, the SLDF can hold off the Covenant long enough for us to capture the Prophet of Regret, Chief thought. Then we can force the Covenant to bring an end to this war.
"Impressive," 'Ravamee commented to Chief. "When I heard that your kind had towering, robotic machines of war, I thought the reports were exaggerated. Now, I know the SLDF has been manufacturing such weaponry for a long time. The Covenant doesn't stand a chance." Chief merely nodded in agreement as he drove on.
Eventually, Chief reached the area that Alex was waiting for them at, which was part of the enclosed highway that led to the inner sections of the city. A Covenant weapon had blasted the right side of the enclosed highway wide open, with polycrete and metal debris lying around on the ground. All around, there were Covenant corpses on the ground, with fortifications that had been destroyed entirely by Alex and his JagerMech-III.
"Alright, we are heading inside," Alex told Chief. "I will take point and terminate any Covenant vehicles larger than a Ghost. You and 'Ravamee will handle the light fortifications inside, as well as any infantry and Ghosts. Quiaff?"
"Quiaff," Chief replied. With that, the JagerMech-III proceeded inside, it's metallic footfalls echoing down the highway tunnel, while Chief continued to drive forwards. Chief watched as the JagerMech-III accelerated to it's top speed of 240 km/h, thanks to Alex's use of the MASC module.
As he drove along, Chief heard Cortana say, "Chief, I just hacked into the Covenant BattleNet. They're surprised, confused, amazed to see us here. Not you and me, I mean us. Humanity on Earth."
"I'm not surprised," 'Ravamee added, sarcasm dripping from his words. "The Prophet thought that there were no humans here. How wrong he was." Chief merely nodded again before focusing on the road.
They quickly came upon the first fortifications the Covenant had deployed along the highway. The JagerMech-III had, apparently, flattened a Shade Turret, as the occupant and the turret itself was a crushed mess of metal, flesh and fluids. Taking out the Jackals, Skirmishers and Grunts was no trouble at all, as 'Ravamee's control of the remote operated MPL Turret was precise and efficient.
Spotting an incoming Ghost, Chief hammered the accelerator, causing the vehicle to quickly accelerate. The Warthog-IIa smashed into the Ghost at near top speed, jolting Chief and 'Ravamee in their seats. The Ghost, on the other hand, was sent flying through the air, it's wings breaking off as the vehicle suffered from the impact. Not losing his wits for one second, 'Ravamee fired the MPL Turret, cutting the vehicle in half and killing the driver. "Are you OK," he asked Chief.
"I'm fine," Chief replied, gunning the engine once more. The impact had been rough, but thankfully, the Ferro-Fibrous armor had withstood the impact, as the engine and armor plating wasn't damaged. With that, they continued onward, driving towards the exit of the tunnel.
As they drove along, Chief thought he could hear the report of Alex's A-UAC's firing off. A moment later, Alex contacted them over the COM. "Just took care of some Covenant supply vehicles," the Clan 'MechWarrior reported. "Looks like the Covenant were trying to set up roadblocks ahead of our position. I have neutralized most of them, but more are up ahead. I will report back when I am finished." With that, the COM fell silent.
As they drove along, Chief heard a buzzing sound coming from a section of the road that had been peeled upwards, forming a makeshift ramp. "Drones," 'Ravamee shouted, just as the small, insectoid creatures came up from below. Several latched onto the vehicle and tried to bash their way in, only for their chitinous fists to bounce harmlessly off the Ferro-Glass view ports.
Firing the MPL Turret, 'Ravamee removed the Drones that were trying to bludgeon their way inside, while Chief drove in an zig-zag pattern to keep more from getting on. After neutralizing the Drones, they continued to drive onward, the vehicle's motors whirring loudly as they reached top speed. Spotting some vehicles up ahead, Chief could see that Alex had indeed been busy, as the Covenant supply vehicles had been blasted apart.
They continued to drive through the tunnel, neutralizing any Covenant fortified positions with the MPL Turret on their vehicle, while Chief periodically heard the A-UAC's on Alex's JagerMech-III firing off. Eventually, they caught up to the Heavy BattleMech, which was now climbing up a long ramp to the exit. Driving past the 'Mech, Chief drove up to the exit, before dismounting with 'Ravamee.
A group of Marines were nearby, with one of the men on the ground, panting from a run. As Chief drew closer, one of the Marines, a woman with a scar on her cheek, pointed at a Scarab and said, "It blew right through us. Fifty cal, lasers, didn't do a thing. The only thing that made a dent was the Hornet launcher that we have, and even then, it didn't do too much damage." Indeed, Chief could see a small plasma leak on the Scarab's left leg, even as the vehicle moved on into the distance.
Moments later, Chief heard a Pelican-IIa coming in for a landing. Looking up, he watched as it came in for a landing, dropping off a vehicle in the process. Almost immediately, Chief recognized the vehicle: the Scorpion-II
The Scorpion-II was the latest evolution of the M808B Scorpion Main Battle Tank, with the Scorpion-II being a Heavy Battle Tank. Aesthetically, it closely resembled the M808B it was based off of, with it's signature shape, quad track system and main armament. That was where the similarities ended, however, as the Scorpion-II was armored with 10 tons of Advanced Ferro-Lamellor Armor and came equipped with a Diana III Energy Shield System. It came fully equipped with a Heavy Gauss Cannon, a VS-SPL that was coaxial with the main gun, and a pintle mounted MPL Turret that was in an enclosed turret bubble. The tank was also powered by an XL Fusion Engine, which gave the Scorpion-II a maximum speed of roughly 180 km/h, positively spritely compared to the original Scorpion.
As the Marines walked forwards, Sergeant Johnson hopped out of the Pelican-IIa before walking over to the others. "Where's the rest of your platoon, trooper," he asked the woman.
"Wasted, Sarge," the Marine replied.
"And we will be too, sir," her male counterpart added, "unless we get the h*ll out of here."
He made for the Pelican-IIa but was stopped when Johnson put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you wounded," the Sergeant asked.
"N-no sir," the Marine replied.
"Then listen up," Johnson shouted. "When I was a Private, we didn't have any fancy, smancy tanks. We had sticks, two sticks and a rock for the whole platoon, and we had to share the rock! As for this tank, here's the plan: the Chief is going to jump in, travel across the bridge and blow up any dumb, inhuman son-of-a-b*tch that gets between him and the Prophet of Regret. Buck up boy, cause you're going with him!"
"What about that Scarab," the woman asked.
"We've all run the simulations," Johnson added. "They're tough, but they ain't invincible, especially when going up against the Mastodon-IV the SLDF has kindly loaned to us." Sticking a cigar into his mouth, he said, "Stick with the Master Chief and his split-lip friend. They know what to do."
"Yes, sir," the Marine replied.
"Thanks for the tank," Cortana told Johnson. "He never gets me anything."
"Oh, I know what the ladies like," Johnson added as he got onto the Pelican-IIa once more.
Apparently, ladies like armor plating, Chief thought as he climbed into the Scorpion-II. Hitting a series of buttons, Chief heard a synthesized voice say, "Reactor Online. Sensors Online. Weapons Online." There was the sound of the Fusion Engine powering up, along with the sensors and weapons, then the computer said, "All Systems: Nominal."
With that, Chief gained a view of the outside world as the armored canopy closed, with the helmet's HUD being occupied by a camera feed. Once the Marines were onboard, Chief gunned the engine, causing the vehicle to lurch briefly before it really picked up speed. Spotting a pair of Ghosts, Chief targeted the Covenant Combat Vehicles and fired the Heavy Gauss Cannon.
There was a loud PEW-BOOM as the Heavy Gauss Cannon fired, sending a ferro-osmiridium slug at hypersonic velocities. The two Ghosts were promptly annihilated, their chassis' turned inside out by the force of the slug's impact, with the slug punching through the bridge in the process. Driving onward, Chief spotted a Banshee, which he engaged moments later with the VS-SPL on the turret. The Banshee was promptly cut in half by the 'Mech scale weapon, it's two halves falling away harmlessly to the water below the bridge.
Spotting a Wraith, Chief took aim and waited for the targeting computer to calculate the optimal area to put the reticle, which was almost instant thanks to advanced SLDF computer technology. Firing the Gauss Cannon, Chief watched as the Wraith was promptly converted into scrap metal, with the Plasma Mortar flying away from the sheer force of the impact.
The rest of the trip to the other side of the bridge proceeded without any further drama, with the tank reaching top speed after three seconds. Any vehicles in the way were promptly shoved out of the way by the armored tracks, or were promptly crushed by the tank's 160 ton chassis. "The Covenant's sending out a welcoming party," Cortana alerted Chief. "We've got Banshees, Ghosts and Wraiths inbound."
"Rodger that," Chief replied, noting the red blips on the tank's minimap. Moments later, two Banshees appeared overhead, with a few Ghosts and two Wraiths coming out of a nearby tunnel. Targeting the Banshees, Chief quickly neutralized them before turning the Heavy Gauss Cannon onto the Wraiths, leaving 'Ravamee to fire the MPL Turret at the Ghosts. Both Wraiths were quickly terminated, though a bolus of plasma impacted the tank. Thankfully, the shields held, while the Marines threw themselves off the vehicle to avoid the superheated ball of plasma, with full success. Moments later, they got onboard again, just as 'Ravamee neutralized the last of the Ghosts.
Continuing on, they entered another tunnel that went downwards, until they came to a partially open tunnel door. Getting out, Chief and 'Ravamee headed to the blockade, which was void of Covenant personnel. "We've got this area secured," a Marine reported to them. "The Covenant have been driven out of this sector."
"Rodger that," Chief replied, just as Alex's JagerMech-III came into the tunnel.
"Nice work on those Wraiths, Chief," Alex commented. "I will not be able to come with you, the tunnel's blocked off a little further up ahead. I will head back to the Mjolnir's Twin and get back to the In Amber Clad. We'll link up with you there."
"Rodger that," Chief replied. With that, the two continued on without the 'MechWarrior.
True enough, the joint SLDF-UNSC forces had driven the Covenant out of this sector, as Chief spotted a number of dead, Covenant aliens on the ground. As radio reports came in, Chief could tell from the general information that the Covenant was being quickly driven out of the city, with most Covenant forces retreating back to the carrier. Getting into a nearby Warthog-IIb, which was the Gauss variant of the Warthog-IIa, Chief and 'Ravamee drove on towards the inner section of the city.
They eventually came to a large building near a large, overhead plaza, where the road performed a loop. A FOB had been set up inside, as Chief could see personnel inside of the transparent metal doors at the building's base. As they dismounted, a Marine came out and said, "Sir, Corporal Perez. CP is this way. The Lieutenant got hit as soon as we landed."
"Who's in charge now," Cortana asked.
"Sergeant Banks, ma'am," Perez replied. "He's up top. Come on, I'll show you." As they moved through, Chief noticed the Marines looking at 'Ravamee with no small amount of suspicion, though that quickly vanished when they saw the SLDF and Clan Wolverine symbol on his armor.
Climbing up some stairs, they came to where Sergeant Banks was at: a small balcony overlooking the elevated plaza. Turning around, the Sergeant said, "When I asked for reinforcements, I didn't think they'd send a Spartan."
"We've got trouble," his spotter replied. Moments later, Chief watched as the Scarab from earlier came into the plaza, with a Scorpion-II tank at the bottom. Moments later, the Scarab fired it's energy projector, with the beam slamming into the tank.
Instead of being destroyed, Chief watched as the shields on the Scorpion-II snapped under the pressure, with the Advanced Ferro-Lamellor armor taking the brunt of the attack. Fortunately, the armor ablated, allowing the Tank to retaliate with a shot from it's Heavy Gauss Cannon. The Scarab's energy projector promptly flew apart, with the ferro-osmiridium slug becoming wedge into the internals of the weapon. With the weapon now useless, the Scarab began moving forwards. "I don't think it's stopping. Get your heads down," Banks ordered.
Moments later, the Scarab walked over their position, climbing over the building in the process. "That thing's really starting to P*SS ME OFF," a Marine shouted.
"Marines," Banks replied. "It's time to kill us a Scarab."
"You have a plan," Chief asked 'Ravamee as they began traveling to the maintenance catwalks at the rear of the building.
"I do," 'Ravamee replied. "The Scarab is going to be passing underneath a series of maintenance catwalks that run over a channel at the rear of the building. We're going to jump down onto the Scarab and kill the pilots. We'll have to be careful; the pilots are no weaklings, and they're typically accompanied by a Sangheili Ultra."
"Rodger that," Chief replied as they reached said maintenance catwalks. The maintenance catwalks spanned a 200m large gap between a series of buildings, with the Scarab walking between each building. Reaching the first one, 'Ravamee asked, "Ready?"
"Ready," Chief replied. With that, both men engaged their armor's Jump Jets and hopped down onto the Scarab, the jump jets softening their landing. Almost immediately, both men were engaged at close quarters combat, as the Ultra had sent up a squad of Elite Majors in anticipation of an attack.
For the next two minutes, as the Scarab proceeded onward towards the Carrier, both men fought off their attackers, with 'Ravamee hurling an Elite over the side of the vehicle, while Chief quickly, and efficiently, neutralized each combatant that cam at him. When all the combatants were dead, Chief and 'Ravamee moved on into the vehicle, where they confronted the Ultra and the pilots of the Scarab. Chief smashed one of the Pilots into a computer console, crushing the Elite's face while delivering a punishing blow to the other alien.
While this was going on, 'Ravamee was dueling with the Ultra, as both Sangheilians had activated their energy swords. While the Ultra was good, 'Ravamee was the superior swordsman, as he quickly disarmed the Ultra and ran him through the gut, killing the Elite instantly. Turning around, 'Ravamee pointed at a small hatch and said, "Toss a grenade into here, Chief. That should disable the Scarab."
"Rodger that," Chief replied as he neutralized the last combatant. Walking over, he tore the hatch open before tossing an M15 Grenade inside, with both men getting out of the internal cab. Moments later, the Scarab slumped over, with explosions ringing out as the vehicle was destroyed internally.
Walking out onto the top of the Covenant 'Mech, Chief spotted the Carrier in the distance, just as the grav-lift was disabled. "That's right, you mothers," Johnson shouted from his Pelican-IIa. "Run!"
"Not if we can help it," Miranda replied as her ship, the In Amber Clad, flew overhead. "Extract Chief and 'Ravamee, then get back inside."
"Rodger that," Johnson said on the screen. Switching channels, Miranda directly contacted Admiral Hood. "Admiral, we're in position," she informed him. "Requesting permission to engage."
"Negative, Miranda," Hood replied. "Not against a ship that size. I'll have two heavies intercept the ship."
As soon as he said that, a Slipstream Space Portal opened in front of the Covenant Carrier. "Ma'am, Slipspace Rupture detected," a Marine reported to Miranda. "It's going to jump inside of the city."
"There's no time, sir," Miranda replied.
"Green light," Hood replied. "Green light to engage!" Moments later, Miranda watched as the Pelican-IIa holding Johnson, Chief and 'Ravamee docked to the ship.
"Cortana, can you get the ship's destination," Miranda asked.
"Already have," Cortana replied. "I've locked it into the In Amber Clad's navigation computer."
"Good," Miranda replied. "Helm, get us out of atmosphere. We're going to use a pirate jump point to get us to the star system. We'll get there before Regret can."
"Rodger that," the navigator replied. With that, the In Amber Clad surged through the air as it began to climb, the powerful Impulse Engines pushing it out of the atmosphere and into space. Moments later, the ship glowed a brilliant blue-white color before it vanished, having entered the relative safety of Hyperspace.
And not a moment too soon, as the Covenant Carrier's Slipstream Space Portal closed moments later. The resulting closure caused an explosion that ripped throughout the city. The Space Elevator in New Mombasa's center bent as the shockwave impacted it, while vehicles and buildings were sent flying through the air. Some buildings had the misfortune of being sucked into the Slipstream Space portal just as it closed. Despite the explosion, the SLDF-UNSC ground forces hunkered down, with all of them surviving the event. The Battle of New Mombasa had ended in a decisive SLDF-UNSC victory; still, this was just the beginning of a battle that would decide the fate of the galaxy… forever.