Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my Halo - Terminator crossover. I apologize for not being able to update normally. I was doing some work at a friends with a brother of mine and, as a result, I was very tired when I got back home. As a result, I'll be doing some catch up on the weekend, but today, I am adding this new chapter to my story. Thank you for your patience. It was a really interesting start to this week. As always, leave a review, and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Halo or Terminator franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of Microsoft Game Studios, 343 Industries, Bungie, Carcolo Pictures, Hemdale, Skydance Productions, 20th Century Fox, etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their original developers, producers 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.
Halo
Suspected Cartographer Location
September 20th, 2552
Chief could feel the Pelican shudder slightly as they passed through an air pocket on their way to the Cartographer, or rather one of two suspected locations on Halo where the Cartographer might be. Looking out of the troop bay, he could see another Pelican that was moving around, as the other aircraft was moving to the left and right. Beneath that, Chief could see the clear, tropical waters that quickly moved beneath the VTOL he was inside. Hearing movement next to him, Chief turned to see the Terminator, who the Marines affectionately called 'Pops.' doing a final check on it's gear, along with several other Marines and ODST's that were in the VTOL. A few T-850L's were present, and Chief knew that the other Pelican was carrying HK Arachnids, T-850L's and a HK T-47 Tank, though it wasn't visible due to the fact that said Pelican often drifted out of sight. He could also hear several more Pelicans that were flying alongside the one he was in.
It had been about a couple hours since they had left Alpha Base and began traveling towards where Kalinda's intelligence suggested the Silent Cartographer, a Forerunner device that held a comprehensive map of the entirety of Halo, was located at. The Covenant believed that the Silent Cartographer held the location of Halo's Control Room, and were eager to get their hands on it in order to get one step closer towards their 'Great Journey.' To stop them, Captain Keyes and Commander Carter had sent Chief, the Terminator, and a few other people to one of two locations that was suspected to be the Silent Cartographer.
Knowing that the Covenant would defend the Cartographer to their deaths, Keyes decided to use all available assets on this mission. The strike force Chief was part of consisted of two T-47H HK's, ten HK Arachnid drones, fifty T-850L's, around a hundred UNSC Marines and ODST's, Fireteam Raven, as well as the Pelicans that were coming with them. While no one knew just how many enemies were on the island, it was a safe bet that the Covenant weren't going to let go of their newest possession very easily.
As they approached, Cortana gave the strike force, and Chief, one final briefing. "According to the intelligence that Kalinda got us, as well as the Battle Net, the Covenant are looking for the Silent Cartographer, a map room that holds the location of Halo's Control room," she informed the others. "The island we are approaching has multiple installations, one of which might contain the map room."
As they flew closer, one Marine said, "So, when are we going to get confirmation that this is where the Cartographer is located at? I don't want to go out here only to find out that none of the locations are correct."
"We'll get confirmation when the other team reports in," an ODST replied. "Fireteam Delta is currently investigating the other suspected location. If they don't find it, they'll report to us immediately. We've got long range communications thanks to Alpha Base."
A moment later, Kalinda, who was monitoring the COM on this mission, contacted them. "Fireteam Delta didn't find the Cartographer," she reported, "but they did find intelligence that we needed. We have confirmed that the location that you are heading to has the Silent Cartographer. One of the installations on the island holds the map room. Continue with your mission."
"Alright," the others cheered, with the Marines hollering and whooping as they got ready. "Check your gear and get ready," one ODST shouted to the others. "We're about to drop in hot!"
Right on cue, they arrived at the island. While the holographic image at Alpha Base's CIC was detailed, it didn't give any kind of hint as to what the island would truly look like. Looking out of the troop bay, Chief could clearly tell that the island would be a tourist's paradise: the beach was large and covered in sand, and there were a number of trees that were present as one went further into the interior. Befitting of it's tropical location, a number of tropical plants grew on the island, giving it a jungle-like air. The beach was separated from the rest of the island by sheer, towering cliffs that abruptly stopped hundreds of meters from the edge of the water.
The Covenant were present as well, and it seemed as though they were fully prepared to do what was necessary to keep the UNSC off of the island. Chief spotted a number of Hunters that were present at a small hill in the grassy terrain near the beach, as well as what appeared to be Fuel Rod Launcher Grunts. He also spotted some Ghosts, as well as a number of red colored vehicles that were hanging back, with a small launcher mounted on the back of each one.
He frowned at the sight of the red colored vehicle. That was the Revenant, the Covenant counterpart to the M12 Warthog. Developed as a counter to the UNSC's Force Application Vehicle, the Revenant had two seats, one for the pilot and the other for any passengers that needed a ride. The vehicle was armed with a downscaled version of the Wraith's Plasma Mortar; while not as powerful as it's larger cousin, it was more than powerful enough to severely damage a Warthog with a skilled pilot/gunner at the helm.
"We're closing in on the LZ," Foehammer reported to them. "Get ready to come out swinging! Touchdown! Hit it Marines!"
As soon as they landed, Chief and the others got out of the vehicle as quickly as possible, with Pops jumping out first. At the same time, the other Pelicans landed, disgorging their compliment of Marines, ODST's, T-850L's and HK units, while the T-47H's were deployed almost immediately. "Go, go, go," a Marine shouted, with the ODST's and Marines piling out of the vehicle as quickly as possible.
As soon as they got out, the Covenant were on top of them. The Ghosts charged forwards, intent on shredding the infantry force with their plasma repeaters, only for massive blasts of plasma to zoom towards them. One of the Ghosts was promptly blown apart, a plasma bolt from a T-47H's main cannons tearing the Covenant vehicle apart, while another Ghost was blown to smithereens by a Marine armed with an M42 SSR. Plasma bolts tore through the air as the Marines, ODST's, Spartans and the machines that came with them advanced towards the enemy.
Moving up quickly, Chief fired his MA5E at a group of Jackals, killing a couple with well aimed shots to unprotected parts of their bodies. Reacting fast, the Jackals formed a shield wall, deflecting most of the phased plasma bolts that were zooming towards them. That tactic was promptly rendered obsolete, as a M15 HE/P grenade landed in front of the aliens before detonating, consuming the entire shield wall in a sphere of plasma that explosively expanded. Shifting aim, Chief fired on an Elite Zealot that was getting too close, forcing the alien to take cover behind a cargo crate.
The Marines and ODST's were having a similar level of success, as the NCO's in charge of each squad were smoothly and effectively coordinating their forces. A group of ODST's engaged an Elite Zealot, with one ODST acting as bait, while the others used their weaponry to short out the alien's shields. Roaring angrily, the Elite charged at one ODST, only for it's head to explode when another ODST blasted it with a M45E Tactical Shotgun. Nearby, a group of Marines smoothly engaged a group of Grunts, killing a few of the cowardly creatures before moving on to a group of Jackals. While the aliens did do their best, they were ultimately overwhelmed by the equipment and tactics the Marines were employing to gain the upper hand.
Of all the combatants, however, the machines were quickly proving to be worth their weight in gold. Running up quickly through the ranks, the HK Arachnids began to make short work of any aliens that were in their way, using their robotic legs, as well as the plasma weaponry that was mounted onto their chassis. Two engaged a Revenant that had gotten too close to the front line, with the vehicle nearly digging into the ground as the HK drones hopped onto the vehicle. Before the Zealot piloting the Revenant could react, the HK Arachnids tore it and the co-pilot/gunner out of the vehicle, ripping the aliens apart with their plasma weaponry moments later. One HK Arachnid crouched down, depositing an explosive charge onto the vehicle. Hopping off, the HK's watched as the Revenant was consumed by plasma.
The most terrifying combatants, however, were the T-850L's themselves. Moving forwards with inhuman speed, the Terminators quickly broke into the Covenant's infantry lines, taking out as many Covenant as they could. One Elite Zealot swung an Energy Sword at a Terminator, only to miss as the machine leaned back to avoid being bisected; while the Elite recovered, another Terminator engaged the alien, tearing the Energy Sword out of it's hands before both Terminators began to beat the Sangheilian to death. After killing the alien, they advanced towards another target.
Targeting some Shade Turrets, a group of Terminators immediately got to work, tearing into the gunners with ruthless ferocity. Another group of Terminators engaged the Hunters, using the same tactics that Parsons and the Terminators with him had used when they engaged similar Hunters while rescuing the Captain. The Hunters roared in pain as the Terminators outmaneuvered them, tearing out worms and armor before being flung away by the Hunters; eventually, the hulking aliens fell apart, with each of the worms fleeing, only to be blasted into ash by the Terminator's plasma weaponry.
Parsons, also known as Pops, was also eliminating the Covenant forces efficiently. One Zealot had gotten too close for him to use his weaponry, so Parsons put the M45E he had onto his back before getting to work. Dodging a blow from the Elite, Pops immediately began to beat down the alien, using brute force to smash through the alien's defenses while protecting himself. Knocking the alien back, he took out his M45E and blasted the Zealot, blowing off the entirety of it's upper body. "You won't be back," he remarked before advancing forwards.
The most valuable machines, however, were the T-47H HK's. Moving forwards on their tank treads, the T-47H's fired their compliment of missiles and plasma cannons, tearing apart any Covenant vehicles that got too close. One Revenant fired off it's plasma mortar, with the plasma bolus impacting the T-47H on it's left arm; instead of tearing apart the arm, the armor on the HK Drone ablated perfectly, with the T-47H retaliating with a missile that blew the Revenant into a million smoldering pieces. With that annoyance out of the way, the T-47H HK continued to advance, providing cover fire as the Marines, Terminators, ODST's and Chief moved forwards.
Pushing forwards, Chief noticed a Forerunner structure that the Covenant were using as cover, with most of the Zealots hanging back in this area. Throwing a grenade, Chief caught a couple of the Zealots before they could dodge, killing the two aliens while the Marines and ODST's advanced alongside him, killing any Covenant forces that got too close. Reaching one of the aliens, Chief smoothly ducked under a bow from the Zealot, before shoulder ramming the alien, sending the Elite flying backwards into a rock. There was an audible CRACK as the Elite impacted the rock, with it's neck hanging at an odd angle as it's lifeless body slumped to the ground.
Pops also engaged his own Zealot, blocking a blow that would've killed a normal human being easily. Tearing the Energy Sword from the Zealot's grip, Pops quickly severed it's arms, with the alien roaring in pain before he coldly severed the alien's head, killing it instantly. With the alien dead, Parsons simply tossed the Energy Sword away before walking along, crushing the Elite's head in the process.
With that, all of the enemy hostiles were down, leaving the beach quiet and tranquil once again, though the plasma craters and dead Covenant were an indicator of the level of violence the UNSC had unleashed. It wasn't a one sided fight, though, as Chief heard a heavy sigh from behind him. Turning around, he watched as a UNSC Corpsman closed the eyes of a Marine that had been wounded, with the man's body unnaturally still. "I'm sorry," the Corpsman said to Chief. "There wasn't anything I could do."
"You did what you could," Chief replied. Looking behind them, Chief could tell that some of the Terminators had been destroyed as well, with each one lying motionless on the ground. Looking at his HUD, he could see that they had lost four Terminators, one HK Arachnid Drone, around ten Marines and a single ODST. Besides that, their forces were largely intact, meaning they were still good to go for taking the island.
A few moments later, one of the Marines said, "Area clear. All hostiles eliminated."
"Affirmative," Foehammer replied. "Echo-419 on station. Somebody order a Warthog?"
"Hey, I didn't know you made house calls, Foehammer," another Marine shouted.
"You know our motto: we deliver," Foehammer replied. Moments later, her Pelican came into view, carrying a Warthog underneath the rear fusion thrusters. That wasn't the only thing coming along, though, as Chief spotted another man on the vehicle.
"Hey, Chief," William called out to the Spartan. "Hi, Parsons. Long time no see."
"William," Chief said politely as he walked over. "What are your orders?"
"I'm here to help you guys out," William replied, hopping off of the P-LAAG (Plasma Light Anti-Aircraft Gun) once the Warthog was deployed. "Captain Keyes sent me to your team to provide some assistance. Since I was a member of the Resistance, he figured that having someone that fought against Terminators would be a benefit for the strike force."
"What about the Covenant weapons cache?"
"Noble Six has been assigned to that mission. He's currently getting prepared to head to that part of Halo, since it's much further away than where we're currently at. A number of Terminators are going with him to provide security, along with Sergeant Johnson and a few Marines. Beyond that, Keyes is staying at Alpha Base with Carter and Silva."
"I see," Chief replied. "Cortana, do you know where the Cartographer is located at?"
"Affirmative," Cortana replied. "Kalinda's intel, combined with what Fireteam Delta learned, indicates that the Cartographer is at this spot on the island. Marking the location now." Moments later, Chief watched as a waypoint appeared on his HUD, indicating where the Silent Cartographer was located at.
"Alright then," Chief decided. "William, you will take the passenger seat. Parsons, take the gun. The rest of you, secure this area in the event we need reinforcements."
"Roger that," one of the ODST's replied. "We'll keep this area secure. You two find the Cartographer. If you need assistance, just say the word and we'll head to your position." With that, Chief got into the driver seat of the Warthog, while Parsons and William got into the gunnery seat as well as the passenger seat, respectively. Once they were inside, Chief gunned the engine.
Driving forwards, Chief passed underneath another Forerunner structure, rounding the bend of the island and into the next area. The next area was a large, open clearing that held a number of large, flat topped rocks, waist high grass, as well as a small cluster of trees that were located near an earthen ramp that led upwards to another part of the island. As Chief drove forwards, he heard the P-LAAG firing for a moment, then a loud, shrill scream as the Jackal that Parsons targeted was killed. Spotting a Ghost, Chief began to drive evasively, dodging plasma bolts while Parsons retaliated with the P-LAAG. The enemy Ghost exploded a couple seconds later, with the high speed plasma impacting an energy cell on the enemy vehicle's left side, destroying it almost immediately.
With the enemy Ghost down, Chief continued to drive towards the Cartographer's location, nearing the clump of trees within seconds. More plasma fire erupted from the tree line, and a few Fuel Rod shots zipped past the vehicle. Driving carefully, Chief dodged the incoming ordinance, while William used an M319B Grenade Launcher, killing a cluster of Grunts with a well aimed 40mm HE/P grenade. A few trees fell down as the plasma consumed parts of their trunks, with two crushing an unfortunately Elite that was unable to dodge in time.
Hearing some more plasma fire, Chief looked and saw another Warthog driving by, with a few ODST's manning the vehicle. Recognizing the emblem of Fireteam Raven, Chief simply nodded at the ODST's, before working with them to quickly neutralize the remaining Covenant. Once they were down, Chief drove up to the ODST's. "I thought you were staying with the others," he said to Raven One, the leader of the Fireteam.
"Felt that you needed some backup," Raven One replied. "The Covenant are crawling all over the place, and one of our UAV's spotted a few Revenants at the Cartographer's location. We've got anti-tank weapons in our vehicle, so we can take those out easily. While you get into the Cartographer, we'll keep an eye out for anyone that tries to sneak in behind you."
For a moment, Chief mulled over the plan the ODST's had cooked up. It wouldn't do well for him to be surrounded by overwhelming odds, and these ODST's were freely offering their help to him. After a moment, he said, "Agreed. Should the Covenant lock us out, you'll stay there and keep the area secure. Understood?"
"Roger that," Raven One replied. "Let's go now. The Covenant aren't going to wait all day to get into that Cartographer." With that, they drove onwards, climbing up the earthen ramp and into the next part of the island. The next part of the island held a Forerunner structure that was partially built into the sandstone cliff that separated the lower section of the island from the upper section of the island. The dark gray, monolithic structure had two openings that led into the interior of the structure, with ramps that would allow a vehicle to move into the opening. Chief also spotted what appeared to be a small cave that led to the platform that extended out from the Forerunner structure, covering a part of the landscape down below.
The Covenant were present, confirming what Chief had learned from Raven One, as there were a couple Revenants that were sitting pretty on the platform ahead of them. "We've got this," Raven One told Chief. "You get into that Cartographer and find Halo's Control Room. If the Covenant lock you out, we'll keep this area secure until you get back."
Moving up, Chief and the others engaged the Covenant, with Fireteam Raven drawing the Covenant away from Chief, William and Parsons. Getting off, Chief proceeded into the structure, killing an Elite Captain that had gotten too close to his position, while William gunned down a few Grunt Ultras in the area. Charging forwards, Parsons quickly neutralized an Elite Zealot in the back, snapping the alien's neck before waiting for Chief and the others to catch up. Moving inside, the team found themselves inside of a room that was divided into sections by large support struts. The center was devoid of any obstacles, with an area that was large enough for a Warthog to comfortably fit through.
Following Chief, the squad came to a ramp that led downward into the structure. At the bottom was another ramp leading downward into the structure, which led to a sharp left turn. Following the pathway, the squad found themselves facing a group of Covenant that were actively guarding a door that an Elite Zealot had just entered. The Elite Captain in the group was typing in instructions into a holographic terminal.
Guessing what they were doing, Cortana said, "Don't let them lock the doors!" Hearing that, the squad opened fire, ripping into the Covenant like a pack of hyenas. Unfortunately, they were too late, as the door closed just as Parsons reached it. Attempting to break it open, Parsons attempted to hack into the computer system, only to back off a moment later. "Interesting," Cortana remarked, analyzing what had happened. "I underestimated the Covenant's understanding of Halo's subsystems. They've locked the doors, and we don't have enough firepower to get through." Keying Chief's suit COM, she said, "Cortana to Keyes."
"Go ahead, Cortana," Keyes replied. "Have you found the Cartographer?"
"Negative," Cortana replied. "The Covenant have impeded our progress. We're going to try and find a security room in order to disable the lockdown."
"Understood," Keyes replied. "We're sending Noble Six, Five and Four to the Covenant Weapons Cache with a few Marines and some Terminators. They'll be out of radio range within a few minutes. Here are your orders: you are to gain access to the Cartographer and find Halo's Control Room by any means necessary. Failure, people, is not an option."
"Acknowledged, Captain," Cortana replied. A moment later, she said, "We'll need to find a way to disable the lockdown. Any ideas, anyone?"
"I have one," Parsons replied. "The UAV scan of the island detected a path that leads into the interior of the island. The Forerunners have most likely built a local security facility that will override the lockdown, allowing us to gain access to the Cartographer. Once the security has been disabled, we will have to eliminate the Covenant inside and, after acquiring the information we need, evacuate the area and head to the location of the Control Room."
"That's it," Cortana beamed. "The Forerunners must have built something like that on this island to keep out invaders. That's genius, Parsons. I'm marking the location of the entrance to the interior of the island. If we move fast, we can get to the security room before the Covenant can." With their plan formulated, Chief and the others moved towards the exit of the facility. Once outside, they got back into their Warthog and drove down a nearby ramp, moving past the Revenants that had been destroyed, courtesy of Fireteam Raven.
Rounding the corner, they came to another large clearing that was located on this part of the island. Driving forwards, Chief spotted what appeared to be some UNSC Supply Crates that were near a large rock. To the left, Chief saw another clump of trees, as well as an earthen ramp that led up to a small embankment. Turning to the right, Chief spotted enemy contacts on his Motion Tracker, with Parsons and William opening fire moments later. Plasma bolts tore through the air as the Covenant engaged the UNSC personnel that were driving towards them.
Firing the P-LAAG, the Terminator quickly neutralized the Covenant that were out of cover, while William fired his M319B Grenade Launcher, killing the Covenant that were taking cover. With the Covenant down, Chief got out of the Warthog and motioned for Parsons to come with him. "I'll stay here with the car and make sure no one sneaks up on you," William told Chief as he manned the P-LAAG. With that, the squad moved into the interior of the island.
Moving through the debris, they soon came to another pathway leading up and into the interior of the island. The forest here was perfectly intact, with thick brush, trees and hollow logs marking where trees had fallen. The denizens of the forest, which looked like multi-tailed, iridescent squirrels, began barking in protest, throwing what Chief assumed was this ring's version of acorns at them. Ignoring the angry protests of the ring's denizens, Chief and Parsons moved forwards, working their way through the thick brush in the area.
A moment later, everything fell silent, as though the creatures in the trees could sense that something was coming. Hearing the sudden silence, Chief kneeled down to the ground and held a fist up, which was military sign language for 'stop and get down.' Following his lead, Parsons got onto the ground, crawling forwards moments later to a small brush.
Looking up ahead, Chief could hear the characteristic scampering and muttering sounds that were indicative of Grunts in the area. Waving a hand forwards, Chief advanced up slowly, with Parsons moving up with him. As they moved up, Chief spotted a flash of movement behind one of the bushes; further examination revealed that a number of Grunts, a couple Skrimishers and what appeared to be an Elite Zealot were in the area just ahead of them. Up ahead, Chief could see part of the path leveling off, with a small, level are beyond that point.
As soon as he spotted the Covenant, Chief opened fire, with the Terminator behind him opening fire as well. The Covenant were caught off guard by the surprise attack, with the Grunts and Jackals falling fairly quickly. The Zealot, however, was a different story, as the Elite quickly regained his wits and took cover behind a tree. The dread sound of an Energy Sword powering up filled the air.
Moving forwards, Chief was about to attack when Parsons grabbed him by the back of his armor and thew him away, with the Elite jumping out moments later. The plasma blade missed Chief by a few millimeters, while Parson's armor was hit with a glancing blow. Grabbing the Zealot, the Terminator ripped off it's helmet before shoving the Elite's face into what looked like a cactus. The alien roared as cactus needles were shoved into it's face, before the Terminator smashed the Zealot's head into a rock wall, crushing it's skull with a boot in the process. Turning around, the Terminator walked over to Chief and said, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Chief replied, getting up moments later. "Good save. Thanks."
"You're welcome," the Terminator replied. Picking up their weaponry, both men moved forwards, working their way through the thick brush in the area. Up ahead, Chief spotted what looked like a clearing as well as a UNSC Supply Crate that had been dropped off by a Pelican or Eagle sometime earlier. To the right was a large clearing that held a large, circular structure that looked like the spinning arm and disk of a celery spinner. A number of Covenant supply crates were in the small depression, along with what Chief could see were Covenant Overshields, which glowed a bright ruby color.
They weren't the only ones, though, as Chief spotted a pair of Hunters that were in the area. Apparently, Parsons had spotted them as well, as the Terminator quickly hurled a M15 grenade at the first of the aliens. While the armor on the Hunter was tough enough to survive the plasma, the worms inside weren't so lucky, as they were promptly vaporized by the sphere of rapidly expanding plasma. The second Hunter roared in fury, angered by the loss of it's bonded partner. Charging forwards, it attempted to bull rush Chief, only for the Spartan to smoothly dodge to one side, firing his MA5E at the exposed worms in the armor. Moments later, that same Hunter collapsed to the ground, dead.
With the enemy contacts down, Chief and Parsons continued to move up, reaching another area that was covered in thick brush. Spotting some Covenant, Chief was about to fire when he realized that the area was large enough that they could move past the Covenant without alerting them. Getting down onto his chest, Chief began to crawl forwards, with the Terminator following closely behind. Moving past the Covenant in the area, which consisted of an Elite Zealot, some Grunt Ultras, and a few Skirmishers, the two men managed to get past the aliens, before getting up and moving towards the structure.
They soon came to the structure that held the security room that controlled the lockdown at the Cartographer. It was a large, imposing structure that jutted out from the ground like a granite spire, with sharp corners, near vertical surfaces, as well as the strange, glyphs that had been present inside the other structure. The two way entrance was cut into an alcove that was formed by the metal floor underneath the overhang, as well as a support column from the outside.
Moving inside the structure, the silence that settled into the group was deafening. Continuing to move forwards, they traveled down some ramps and quickly found themselves in an area that was filled with Covenant supply crates, with small alcoves on either side of the room. Behind the supply crates were two entrances that led to where Chief assumed was the security room.
As soon as they entered, Parsons said, "We have to be careful here. The Covenant supply crates are arranged in a manner that will allow Special Operations Elites to remain disguised in this area. I will guard the entrance to this area while you access the Cartographer."
"Agreed," Chief replied. Just as he said this, he spotted enemy contacts on his Motion Tracker. At that moment, two Hunters came out from where the Security Room was. Moving quickly, Parsons and Chief neutralized the Hunters in record time, killing both in the span of just ten seconds. Once the Hunters were down, the two men continued to move forwards
Moving onward, they soon found themselves walking down a long hallway towards a small circular room. Inside was a single console that served as the controls for releasing the lockdown. "That control panel should disable the lockdown," Cortana informed Chief. Once he pressed the required icon, she said, "Good. Now we should be able to get to the Cartographer."
As soon as she said this, the Terminator had moved out into the large room once more. Scanning the area, it detected an anomaly as soon as it did one sweep. ALERT: Enemy Personnel Inside of Room. Scan Complete: Elite Special Forces Personnel Detected. Threat Level: Critical. Terminate Special Operations Elites. Spotting the first one, the Terminator fired it's M45E with frightening precision, blowing apart the alien's head. The Elite's corpse became visible moments later, with said corpse slumping to the ground moments later. The second one attacked at the same time, with the Terminator killing that one too.
"Good catch," Chief remarked as he spotted the Terminator's handiwork. Giving a simple nod in reply, both men began to move back towards the entrance to the security facility.
As they exited the structure, they heard a panicked voice shout on the radio. "Mayday, mayday, mayday! This is Bravo-023 taking heavy heavy Covenant fire! We're going down!" Moments later, everyone heard a muted crashing sound.
Exiting the structure, they saw the source of what had just happened. A UNSC Pelican had crash landed next to a small bluff that was located directly ahead of them on a beach. Ammunition and bodies were scattered everywhere, and the cockpit of the Pelican was crumpled inward like a soda can. A pair of Warthogs were scattered nearby, with the windows of a few cracked or shattered. "Chief," Cortana informed the Spartan. "Bravo-023 was carrying heavy weapons. After we came up against Hunters, I thought we could use the extra firepower."
"We will not need the extra firepower," the Terminator said to Cortana. "Our weaponry is sufficient, and we can acquire some from Fireteam Raven once we get back."
"That is a good point," Cortana conceded. With their plan decided, Chief and Parsons began making their way back to the Warthog. As they got what they had come for, Chief and Parsons both engaged the Covenant that were in the clearing. Moving up fast, Chief tackled the Elite Zealot, knocking himself and the alien to the ground before plunging his knife into the alien's head, killing the Zealot instantly.
Behind him, Parsons got to work eliminating the Covenant that were behind himself and Chief. Plasma bolts ripped through the air as the Terminator quickly, and efficiently, neutralized each alien that got too close or attempted to flee. Grabbing a Grunt, the Terminator wrenched it's head off with a simple twist of it's wrist, before hurling the corpse into a Skirmisher that was trying to get to higher ground, knocking the alien out of the air. Walking over, the Terminator promptly curb stomped the Skirmisher, it's brains being splattered all over the ground in a grizzly fashion. With the Covenant here eliminated, the two Spartans moved on.
. . .
Getting back to the Warthog after that wasn't a problem at all, as the Covenant's communications were currently being jammed by the HK units on the island. Reaching the Warthog, Chief drove back to the Cartographer, driving up the tunnel he'd spotted and onto the platform. Looking around, Chief found that Fireteam Raven's idea of securing the Forerunner facility, or at least the entrance, had paid off in spades. Two Hunters, or rather their corpses, were present, with plasma scoring and torn armor plating on their bodies. The worms that would typically be present were absent, indicating they were either dead or had fled.
Spotting Fireteam Raven, Chief could see that they had taken up position at the entrances to the Forerunner facility. Spotting Chief, Raven One ran over to his position. "Looks like staying here was a smart idea," he said to Chief. "The Covenant dropped off a couple Hunters to retake the facility. We managed to eliminate them, but I'm certain that this is just the start. If I know the Covenant, they'll send in Spec Ops Elites next. Orders?"
"Keep guarding the entrance to the facility," Chief replied. "Contact the Terminators if you need assistance. They'll be over here within a minute."
"Roger that," Raven One replied. "Having the machines assist us in keeping the Covenant out is probably going to be a smart idea." While Raven One called for reinforcements, Chief, Parsons and William headed into the Forerunner facility, moving down the ramp and into the entry room that had been blocked off. Thankfully, the security room they had accessed was the correct one, as Chief and his team moved through the now open door with little resistance.
Moving to the right, William found himself standing on a platform that extended out over what appeared to be a shaft of some kind. Looking down, he spotted what looked like an entrance to a tunnel, as well as a few other platforms in the shaft he was in. Walking over to the edge, he idly kicked the breath mask of a Grunt into the shaft, with the object falling down into the bowels of the place. "Impressive," he quietly remarked, his voice muffled by his helmet. Turning around, he traveled back to where Chief and Parsons were at.
While William had been looking at the shaft, Chief and Parsons had moved through a narrow hallway towards the rest of the structure. Spotting an Elite, Chief silently moved up, driving his knife's blade into the base of the alien's skull. The Elite almost immediately slumped, it's limbs going limp as it died. Dragging the Elite backwards, Chief nearly bumped into William, before dumping the body into the shaft that the latter had been looking at. With the dead alien disposed of, they continued into the facility, undetected.
The room beyond had a series of ramps leading to the upper level. The ground level was occupied with a large device in the center of the room, as well as a series of doors. A number of Grunts were asleep, while an Elite and a pair of Jackals were performing guard duty.
Moving along silently, the squad decided to take out the conscious guards first, as they posed the greatest threat. On a signal from Chief, the others moved into position, then simultaneously took out ht Elite and the Jackals, their knives burying themselves into the alien's bodies. With the Elite and Jackals out of the way, they moved on to neutralizing the Grunts silently.
With all contacts down, they moved onward. The door led to a shaft with a spiraling ramp that led downwards into another large room, this one occupied with a pair of hallways that had half-walls. Beyond the half-walls was another room that held yet another Forerunner device. This time, the room was occupied by two Hunters and a pair of Jackals. "Well, shit," William growled. "No chance of sneaking past these assholes. Any ideas?"
"Yes," the Terminator replied. Chief watched as Parsons pulled out an M42 SSR, handling the missile launcher with ease before aiming down the sight. Moving forwards, the Terminator waited for a few moments, then stood up and walked into the open, firing the missile launcher moments later. The Hunters were immediately caught off guard, with the missile slamming into the first Hunter, blowing it apart into a dozen steaming pieces. The second Hunter was injured, with the alien favoring it's right side.
At the same time, William and Chief, having moved into position, fired on the Jackals in the room, killing two of the five Jackals that were in the room with them. Caught off guard, the Jackals made a hasty retreat down the ramp and into the rest of the facility, while the Terminator destroyed the last Hunter. With all contacts down, they moved down the ram and into the rest of the facility. Most of that time was spent killing Covenant forces that were inside of the facility, with plasma fire being exchanged between each of the combatants as they proceeded forwards.
Eventually, Chief and the others reached a smaller room that was in the Cartographer, with a holoprojector that had a single control panel on the actual device. "Analyzing," Cortana reported. "I've got the location of Halo's control room. It appears to be located in a temple, or shrine if I'm reading this properly. Interesting, a shrine is an odd place to be putting something of this value." Keying her comms, she said, "Cortana to Captain Keyes."
"Go ahead, Cortana," Keyes replied.
"We've managed to access the Cartographer and we have located the Control Room," Cortana replied. "Sending the coordinates now."
A moment later, Chief heard Keyes say, "Excellent work, Cortana. Now that we know where the Control Room is, your orders are to head back outside and link up with Foehammer. Find any means of getting to the Control Room quickly. Once the Control Room is secure, we will begin preparations for driving the Covenant off of Halo. Keyes out."
Acknowledged," Cortana replied. "Cortana out." With their objective completed, Chief and the others began heading back up to the exterior.
Just as they did, they heard some more comms chatter. "Echo-419 to Second Squad, you've got enemy reinforcements inbound!"
"Sh*t," the leader of Second Squad growled. "OK, ground teams, let's get the table set. Engage Covenant forces on sight."
"It'll be easier to neutralize the Covenant from inside the structure," Cortana replied. "Can you get inside?"
"Negative, Cortana, negative! They're closing in too fast. Chief, you've gotta find that Cartographer if you haven't already. We'll keep 'em busy as long as we can!"
"Give them h*ll, Marine," Cortana replied. Closing the comm channel, she said, "We'll be in a tight spot without reinforcements. Let's get out of here." With that, Chief and the others moved out.
Eventually, they managed to reach the entrance, where Chief heard a lot of gunfire. "Chief, glad to see you," Raven One shouted. "The Covenant have sent Hunters and Spec Ops Elites to take us out. The machines are helping, but we need help!"
"Roger that," Chief replied. "We're almost at your position." Moving up quickly, Chief spotted Fireteam Raven, and the Terminators that had come to assist them. They were currently firing at a pair of Hunters, as well as some Spec Ops Elites that had been dropped off by a Phantom that was quickly leaving the area.
Pulling out his rifle, Chief quickly engaged the Spec Ops Elites, while Parsons and the other Terminators opened fire on the Hunters. Firing the missile launcher's last missile, Parsons killed the first Hunter, blowing it apart into a dozen pieces while injuring the second Hunter. The other Terminators promptly descended onto the last Hunter, with the alien doing it's best to survive. It's efforts were in vain, however, as the Terminators quickly tore it apart, with two pulling it in half while the others tore apart it's armor and the colony of worms that were in side. With that, the hillside fell silent.
"Cortana to Foehammer, all hostiles neutralized," Cortana reported. "You're clear to come pick us up."
"Roger, Cortana," Foehammer replied. "Echo-419 coming on station." A few minutes later, Foehammer's Pelican flew into view, with the VTOL coming to a stop just two feet above the platform.
"What about the others," Chief asked as Fireteam Raven loaded up into the Pelican.
"They're coming along as well," Foehammer replied. "They're on the other Pelicans right now, which are currently following me." With that, Chief got into Foehammer's Pelican, with the troop bay door closing moments later.
As the Pelican took off, Cortana said, "Foehammer, here's a flight plan that I've worked up. Send this to the other Pelicans as well."
"Uh, Cortana," Foehammer asked, confused. "These coordinates are underground."
"The Covenant did a thorough seismic analysis of Halo," Cortana explained. "There's a honeycomb of tunnels that's spread throughout the ring." A moment later, they came over the celery spinner-like structure in the center of the island.
Looking down, Chief watched as the structure's 'lid' began to move, revealing the shaft that he'd seen earlier. "I hope you're analysis is on the money, Cortana," Foehammer remarked as she and the other Pelican pilots carefully descended into the tunnel. "This thing won't turn on a dime."
"Look on the bright side, Foehammer," Cortana remarked. "The last thing the Covenant will expect is an aerial insertion… from underground." With those words, the entrance to the tunnel sealed above them, barring any means of escape for the four Pelicans that were now inside of the tunnel. There was no turning back now.