Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my Halo - Mechwarrior/Battletech crossover. Sorry about not adding the usual disclaimer and report to this chapter. I was focused on doing some editing for my Halo - Terminator crossover. speaking of which, I will be updating it sometime this week. I won't leave any of your expectations hanging in the wind for very long, if at all. Rest assured, I will be doing a multi-update for Halo: Termination in order to get back onto the normal schedule. Either way, I will be getting to it this week, and I also want to thank you for your support.
Also, I am wondering if there are any artists on DeviantArt that are willing and/or interested to create a highly detailed image of an advanced Star League ship in combat with a Covenant CCS Battle Cruiser. If there are, you can PM me and we can discuss details. One of the things that I really like is seeing artwork of a major battle between the Covenant and a faction that has near-technological parity with the Covenant.
As always, leave a review and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Halo or MechWarrior/BattleTech franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks 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.
Covenant Holy City High Charity
Council Chamber
20th Age of Reclamation (February 16th, 2553)
The avenue leading to the Council Chamber of High Charity was choked with Jackals, Drones and Grunts that were clamoring outside, each one yelling angrily in their own language. Grunts that were particularly agile climbed up some of the columns in the area, barking angrily as they shook fists. Up ahead, a large group of Jiralhanae were guarding the entrance, their halberds in hand as he stood watch. A Jackal and a couple Grunts attempted to get past the guards, only to be bludgeoned aside or grabbed before being hurled back.
There was a reason for all of this rioting and it was simple: the Elites were being replaced by the Brutes in many positions. Many people that lived on High Charity disapproved of the decision; they liked the Elites because, while they were in a position of power, they had been highly aware of the fact that without the other races, they wouldn't be able to do their job. As a result, those that had preferred the Sangheilians were disgruntled by the fact that their noble and honorable friends and masters had been replaced by the arrogant and brutish Jiralhanae.
Inside the Council Chamber, only a few people were present. Those people were the two remaining Hierarchs of the Covenant, their Brute body guards, as well as a few Grunts that were present. One of which was standing nearby a recording device that was broadcasting Truth's words all over the Covenant's dominion. Today was an especially good day, mostly due to the object that Truth held in his hands.
"We are all of us, gravely concerned" Truth declared, his voice filled with joy as he hefted the object in his hands. "The release of the Flood was unexpected, unfortunate. But there is no need to panic. In truth, this is a time to rejoice! A moment that all Covenant should savor, for the Sacred Icon has been found. With it, our path is clear, our entry into the Divine Beyond guaranteed! The Great Journey is nigh and nothing, not even the Flood can stop it."
As the Grunt continued to help broadcast the message, it noticed an odd sound behind it, like something was turning on. Turning around, the Grunt was surprised to see a gold-white portal opening behind it, with a humanoid figure flying out of it moments later, before landing on one of it's knees. When the portal faded, the Grunt could see a heavily armored figure before it, with it's weapons on it's back.
Chief grunted as he landed onto his right knee, with a slight popping sound coming from it. Most of his joints popped, due to the fact that he'd been immobilized long enough that his joints had gotten stiff. It was a welcome relief, but now that he looked up, he realized that he was in some serious trouble.
His eyes darted around as he looked at where he was at. From what Chief could tell, he had landed somewhere in a Covenant facility, most likely the space station that had arrived in orbit at roughly the same time as the other fleet. Apparently, he was in some kind of meeting chamber, as he noticed multi-row stands, where a large number of people would sit in attendance of a meeting. Doors were present underneath, leading to other parts of the station, and he could see a circular region ahead of himself. A long avenue led into the room, with a multi-panel door at the rear of the room.
That wasn't the only thing in here though, as his eyes cold clearly tell him. Chief noticed that there were two other San'Shyuum in the room before him, most likely the Prophets of Mercy and Truth. Some Brutes were in here as well, and Chief noticed a Grunt that was standing before him, eyes wide as he came out of the portal. Looking at his ammunition reserves, Chief noticed that he had roughly 250 rounds of 6mm HEAP shells remaining, not a lot of ammo for this kind of weapon. Instead of using his PDW, Chief looked at the Grunt before him and said, "Boo."
The Grunt yelped loudly, tossing it's Needler up into the air as it jumped. The weapon lazily arced through the air, with Chief grabbing a hold of it moments later. Seeing that it was full of ammunition, Chief took aim at the Prophets, ready to to pull the trigger.
Spotting the danger, the Brutes crossed their halberds in front of Truth and Mercy, while an energy shield deployed around the two Hierarchs. "Kill the Demon," Mercy ordered, pressing something on his arm chair, which caused the circular area they were on to descend. As the lift descended, the Brutes charged forwards, intent on killing Chief.
When Chief became a member of Clan Wolverine's Warrior caste, SaKhan Juliana had made it clear that she was going to further augment Chief's physical and mental capabilities, as the Clan had perfected nanotechnological and genetic augmentations. Most of the nanotechnological augmentations were similar to what Chief had received during his training in the SPARTAN-II Program, which included bones covered in a ceramic nanocomposite, a heavily enhanced central and peripheral nervous system, as well as enhancements to his already prodigious strength. As his physical enhancements needed only minor adjusting, most of his enhancements were genetic, with the genetic enhancements increasing his endurance, reflexes, metabolic efficiency as well as general life extending enhancements. He'd even gotten a genetic augmentation that greatly boosted his eyes natural night vision, allowing him to see clearly in low light conditions. Needless to say, the Brutes had no idea that they were in for a considerable amount of punishment.
Moving fast, Chief watched as time seemed to slow down, with the Brute's movements becoming slow and sluggish, while Chief perceived his own movements to remain normal. In addition, his eye sight sharpened, with objects gaining sharp looking edges and colors becoming more vivid. At the same time, his reflexes became considerably faster, as did his body's response time to incoming threats. This phenomenon was known in the program as 'Spartan Time', which came about when a Spartan-II's enhancements activated and entered a form of synchronized synergy. This was when a Spartan-II was at their most dangerous, and finest.
Moving fast, Chief barreled into the first Brute, firing his weapon at the second Brute while torquing the first one over his shoulder, his armor enhancing his current physical state. The Brute was hurled through the air, the alien screaming as it flew a good fifteen meters before smashing head first into the wall behind it, crushing it's skull in the process. The second brute was killed before Cortana could alert him to the fact it was berserking, as the Brute exploded in a flash of pink-purple-white light as the Needler's rounds detonated. Hearing more gunfire, Chief spotted some Grunts on the upper portions of the room, with his pilfered weapon barking as he fired. Soon, all enemy contacts were down.
With that, time reverted back to normal for Chief, the enhanced mode he had entered fading back into the back of his mind. Looking around, Chief noticed that all of the enemy contacts had been killed, their bodies spewing out blood in certain areas; one Grunt looked as though it had been decapitated. "Wow," Cortana remarked. "You killed those Brutes and Grunts in just under eight seconds. Looks like those upgrades that Clan Wolverine gave you really worked out."
"They did," Chief replied. Ever since he had gotten the genetic enhancements, as well as the Battle Armor, Chief felt as though he had become a better version of himself. On top of that, he found that he was very comfortable around the Elementals, which was probably due to the fact that, like him, they were superhuman in many ways. On top of this, the Warriors in the Warrior Caste were very close to each other, with many of the Elementals actually taking the time to visit and get to know him.
His train of thought was derailed, however, when he heard a deep, gruff voice over the PA in the room he was in. "The Demon has infiltrated the Council Chamber," the Brute on the COM shouted. "Protect the Hierarchs! Seal the exits!"
"Oh, I don't think so," Cortana remarked. "I think you're about to learn what happens when an upgraded AI gets involved. As soon as she said this, Chief heard sound from behind him, prompting him to turn around just as the lift came back up, with Brutes on the lift.
Knowing he was out of ammo for the Needler, Chief discarded it and pulled out his M48 Rattler, flicking the safety off in a split second. HEAP shells fired out of his weapon as he pulled the trigger, with a couple Brutes falling to the ground, screaming as the shells detonated inside of their bodies. "Watch it, that Brute's berserking," Cortana shouted, just as Chief rolled to avoid said Brute. Turning around, he pumped the alien full of HEAP shells, killing the Brute and ending it's life. Doors opened to allow Grunts inside, with Chief using his M15 sidearm to neutralize them. With that, all enemy contacts in the chamber were down.
"Put me down at the pedestal near the door," Cortana requested. Following her request, Chief held his hand over the pedestal, with Cortana hopping into the Covenant's computer networks moments later. Her avatar appeared over the pedestal moments later, a concerned look on her face as she found Truth's location. "That Prophet, Truth, he has the Index," she said. "We've got to stop him!"
"Agreed," Chief replied. "Can you get these doors open?"
"Yes," Cortana replied. Moments later, the doors turned from red to purple, with the large door opening up moments later. "Go. It'll be easier to track Truth if I stay in the network."
Chief nodded in agreement. It was a risky decision, but he knew that it was probably the correct one to make. Picking up a Plasma Rifle that one of the Brutes had dropped, Chief proceeded through the door, keeping an eye on his sensors and surroundings as he moved forwards. Spotting another open door, Chief walked through to the other side.
The other side of the door was occupied by an avenue that was split into two tiers. The first tier, which Chief was on, was a walkway that traveled to the other side of the door, with the walkway interrupted by planters that had a number of exotic, unusual looking plants inside. The second tier was a similar walkway, with small steps leading up to allow pedestrians to travel around any blockages in the middle. Curved, purple columns traveled up towards the ceiling, which had a number of blue colored parts, most likely airways for the airborne species of the Covenant.
Moving forwards, Chief spotted more Brutes, a couple Jackals and a few Grunts up ahead. Firing his Plasma Rifle, he quickly neutralized the Grunts and Jackals, leaving only the Brutes. Plasma fire splashed against his shields, with the internal temperature of his armor rising slightly as he opened fire. Ducking into cover, Chief pulled out an M15 Grenade, setting it to Frag mode before hurling it over the cover he was in. The grenade detonated moments later, with the Brutes screaming loudly as their bodies were torn apart by the shrapnel and shockwave. Moving up, Chief didn't even notice the scattered limbs and blood as he walked through the door.
More avenues presented themselves to him, with one leading straight down towards a door behind a particularly large column. Here, the room was darker, with the planters being well illuminated, while alcolves with holographic symbols gleamed with light. Spotting more enemy infantry, Chief opened fire, killing more of the Covenant's forces. With all contacts down, he moved around the columns and through the door.
That was when he got his first glimpse at how gigantic High Charity was. The place was huge, with a vast chamber that held a number of buildings up ahead of his position. Off in the distance, Chief could see tall skyscrapers that towered into the sky, their curved, artistic architecture pleasing to the eye from this distance. A shaft of light surrounded what looked like a towering spire, with three support struts holding up the central spire. Looking to the left and right, Chief could see that he was on a platform that extended out into the cavernous chamber that seemed to compose most of High Charity, or at least this section of the station. Tall, rotating columns were supported by anti-gravity lifts, while an avenue led to what looked like a lift of some kind.
The Covenant were present here as well, with Jackals, Grunts and Brutes around the area. Spotting two Brutes to his immediate left and right, Chief dodged their incoming attacks, firing his Plasma Rifle and the M48 Rattler he had in his other hand. While the Plasma Rifle's rounds bounced off the ornate armor the Brutes were wearing, the M48's HEAP shells tore through, killing the Brute and causing it's corpse to fall to the ground. The other Brute, going berserk, attempted to bludgeon Chief, only for the Spartan to drop both weapons before grabbing the Brute by the arm and torquing, hard. Bones shattered under Chief's grip, with the Spartan nearly wrenching the Brute's head cleanly off as he fought, killing the alien in an instant.
Terrified by this display of physical capability, the Grunts and Jackals outright surrendered, dropping their weapons before taking cover wherever they could, their hands covering their eyes. "Don't hurt me," one of the Grunts screamed. "I surrender!"
Normally, Chief would've neutralized them right then and there, but he had heard the alien's cry for mercy. Instead of killing them, Chief simply moved on, knowing they were a nonthreat. Just then, several Grunts and a Brute appeared from under the lift, with the Brute holding a weapon that had a large blade on the bottom. "Watch out for that Brute Captain," Cortana shouted. "It's got a Brute Shot."
"I got it," Chief replied, firing the M48 Rattler at the massive alien. The Brute's armor only deflected a few shots before failing, with the alien roaring as bullets tore through it's body. The weapon it held clattered harmlessly to the ground, while the Grunts dropped the Plasma Turrets they had in their hands before running away, screaming all the while.
"Truth is moving through the lower levels," Cortana informed in, her avatar appearing on the holo-pedestal nearby. "I'll try to cut him off. Work your way through the lower levels and intercept him before he moves too far. Let me work on this gravity lift. Just step in once the shutters open up."
Spotting the shutters moving, Chief stepped inside the gravity lift, allowing it to safely lower him to the other level. While it was certainly faster than normal, Chief felt that the Covenant's gravity lifts left their occupants vulnerable, especially this one. On top of that, when one used a gravity lift, they had to go through single file, which would allow a particularly smart enemy to neutralize each soldier as they came out.
Landing on the lower level, Chief used the Brute Shot he pilfered from the dead Brute Captain, firing the grenades it used at a group of Covenant coming out. Moving forwards, he scavenged more grenades from the dead Brute, while keeping the weapon firmly pointed ahead of himself. More Brutes came out, thirsty for human blood, only for them to drown in their own blood once Chief fired the Brute Shot at them.
As he moved forwards, Cortana said, "Chief, something major has just happened. The Elites have begun firing on the Brutes throughout the entire station. The Brutes are fighting back, but it looks like they've rallied."
"What happened," Chief asked.
"I don't know," Cortana replied. "I think that… wait a minute. I'm picking up a radio transmission that's being pipped through the Covenant's communications channels." After a moment, she said, "Chief, it's the Star League. They've gotten reinforcements from their universe of origin; apparently, that spatial anomaly that they encountered is in a nearby star system. They're currently being led by someone named Victor Steiner-Davion, an Archon-Prince of the Federated Commonwealth. I'm playing the transmission they are sending right now."
Moments later, Chief heard a musical, tenor voice say, "To all Sangheilian forces on High Charity and any WarShips under their command, this is Victor Steiner-Davion, Commanding Officer of the SLS/FCS Guardian of Liberty. The leaders of your Covenant, the Hierarchs, have lied to you, tricking you into committing genocide against the Humanity in this universe. Due to their desire to maintain control, they have stripped your species of your status in the Covenant and have ordered the Jiralhanae to begin a genocidal campaign against your people. They have lied and murdered to cover up their deceit, and now they seek to destroy your species alongside our own.
"To all Sangehilians on High Charity and any WarShips under your species command, resist the Prophets and their Jiralhanae minions; fight for your loved ones, fight for your people, fight to protect your species from annihilation at the hands of the Hierarchs. As for us, the Star League is more than willing to assist you if you allow us to do so. Should you key in our ships as friendly on your I/FF systems, we will be more than willing to assist." With that, the transmission ended, before looping a moment later.
A moment later, Chief heard another reply, this time, from a Sangheilian on the station. "To all Sangheilians that are still alive, this is Xytan 'Jar Watrinee, Imperial Admiral and Regent Command of the Combined Fleet of Righteousness. We have been betrayed by those we have trusted most. We have been betrayed by our Prophets. I, like all of you, believed in our leaders and their holy covenant. How could we have been so willing to believe a Covenant of lies?
"They have called for the destruction of all Sangheili. They have aligned themselves with the barbaric Jiralhanae. The Great Schism is upon us. The unbreakable Covenant Writ of Union has been split asunder. This is the end of the Ninth, and final, Age.
"You must now decide to surrender to fate – or resist and strive to persist. Myself, I choose to fight. I call upon you all to join me. Let the old ways fade and battle by my side. Together, we can force a new, better union – a new Covenant among the stars.
"Do not fight the Humans any longer, for they have opened my eyes and revealed the truth that the Prophets had tried so desperately to hide from us. We have been deceived, misled into believing that the Humans were heretics, unworthy of union with our Covenant. Now, thanks to the efforts of the new Human faction, the Star League Defense Force and their Star League Intelligence Command, they have revealed to me that the Forerunners, the beings we worship, chose the Humans to be the true inheritors of their legacy, to be Reclaimers.
"The Prophets, in the fear that their treachery and deceit would be exposed, tried to hide the truth and create a tangled web of lies and deceit. It shames me to say this, but not even I was able to discern the truth until now. Now, I know the truth, and I call upon you all to join me at our side. Together, we will create a new Covenant, a Covenant that will call the Humans friend and ally. Throw off the Prophet's shackles of falsehood and deceit, discard the lies that they have fed you for so long, and join me in battle to help save them from the fate that we were unwittingly attempting to bring upon them, the fate that we are now threatened with. I ask this of you, both as your Imperial Admiral, and as a fellow Sangheilian, to help me and those that wish to have both the Humans and our species survive. If we do not work together, we will all die and the Prophets will have fulfilled their lies and falsehood." With that, the transmission ended.
"Chief," Cortana remarked. "It looks like the Sangheilians have formally broken away from the Covenant. If they spot you, they might not have a good reaction, but that might not happen if their own Imperial Admiral ordered them to help our species. Still, I recommend caution if you encounter any."
"Noted," Chief replied. It was surprising, to learn that the Star League had managed to convince a member of the Covenant to break away and help the UNSC and Star League. They must have found something that convinced the Elites that they needed to help us, Chief thought. If that's the case, then I sincerely hope that the Elites won't attack me on sight; I won't hold my breath, but I'll keep that possibility open. With that, Chief moved forwards, continuing to make his way towards the Prophet of Truth.
. . .
What Chief didn't know was, down in the city he had spotted on the gravity lift, the Star League was already busy at work. Moving his 'Mech forwards, Franklin heard the sounds of nanolaminate building material being smashed and dented by his Nightstar-IV BattleMech, the vehicle's massive legs tearing through Covenant buildings and walkways. Spotting a group of Brutes using Fuel Rod Launchers, he fired off his A-PPC, vaporizing the Brutes in an instant as he continued to move up.
It had been roughly fifteen minutes since he and the 'MechWarriors under his command had arrived inside of High Charity, as the Mjolnir's Twin under Star Commander Alex's orders had moved into the structure while the space battle was going on. The Brutes had been distracted enough that they had gotten inside of the Covenant space station without even suffering a scratch to their paint. Once they'd landed, they had deployed their Binary and Star lances and began moving inside, having navigated into the massive cavern that most of the city was built in.
The Covenant clearly hadn't expected that to happen, as Franklin's Star hadn't even encountered any form of resistance for a full five minutes, which was unheard of. Still, his group had keep their eyes peeled for any signs of the Covenant coming to fight them, a caution that had been well rewarded when Long had terminated a Covenant Wraith with a shot from her Mad Cat IVb's Gauss Cannons. Now, they were dealing with a regiment of Covenant Combat Vehicles that had been deployed to drive them out of the city.
So far, that tactic had been performing very poorly, as the Covenant's Combat Vehicles were nowhere near durable enough to handle a Binary and a Star of BattleMechs. As if to underscore that feeling, Franklin heard a loud CRUNCH from below his 'Mech, prompting him to look down at what had happened. He smirked when he saw a Ghost that a Brute had been piloting, with the vehicle having been flattened by the foot actuators of his 'Mech. You should have given me the right of way, he thought.
Spotting more Ghosts and Wraith's on the avenue he was using, Franklin opened fire with the Gauss Cannons on his Nightstar-IV, shattering one Ghost and turning a Wraith inside out. Moving closer, he began to fire the VS-LPL's built into his 'Mech, terminating an enemy Ghost before smashing through the walkway in front of him. "Demolition Crew coming through," he remarked, with a snicker from one of his Star mates as they moved forwards.
As he moved along, Xi Yang Long came in over the COM. "We have a group of Sangheilians that are requesting assistance," she told Franklin. "They're roughly one kilometer to our west. Should we answer?"
"Affirmative," Franklin replied. "Yang, you're with me. Conners, Smith, you two will continue towards the tall spire in the center of the city. We've got some Elites to save." The two men he talked to acknowledged his orders, while Yang moved up with him in her Mad Cat IVb.
They eventually reached a large building that resembled a C and a L crossed over into each other. Scans indicated that it was a hospital for members of the Covenant that had medical conditions that necessitated advanced medical treatment. This went from treating virulent diseases, to performing operations for Sangheilians that needed prostheses in order to continue living normal lives. As they approached, they could see that the building was under siege by large numbers of Brutes that were shelling the building, with many Elites at the entrances fighting back with everything they had in their arsenal.
Moments later, Franklin heard a transmission from the building. "This is Tilana 'Raomee," a female Sangheili said over the radio. "The Brutes are attempting to break inside and murder the people we are trying to evacuate. Can anyone help us? Please! Respond!"
Switching to the COM frequency, Franklin said, "This is Star Leader Franklin of the Star League Defense Force. We have eyes on your position and we are moving to assist. Get your people inside; it's about to get messy." Closing the COM channel, Franklin targeted thenearby Wraith and opened fire.
The Wraith exploded as a Gauss Cannon slug tore through the vehicle, the nanolaminate armor barely slowing down the ferro-osmiridum slug. The enemy vehicle split in half, with each mangled half being yanked along for a good fifty meters before falling to each side, while Franklin targeted an enemy Revenant and fired his A-PPC, vaporizing half of the enemy vehicle. Nearby, Long terminated a pair of Wraith's, blasting them apart with her Mad Cat IVb's Gauss Cannons before firing off some ATM-10's at another enemy vehicle.
For the next fifteen minutes, they fought off the Jiralhanae attackers that came to try and destroy the facility, weapons blazing as they fought. Running forwards, Franklin kicked an enemy Revenant into the air, the foot of his 'Mech smashing into the enemy vehicle, sending it flying before he terminated it with a Gauss Cannon slug from his 'Mech. Turning his 'Mech's torso, he cleanly neutralized another enemy vehicle before returning to his position.
A few moments later, he heard Tilana say, "Thank you for your assistance, Human. I don't want to imagine what would've happened if those barbaric Brutes got into this place. I owe you a debt I don't think I can repay."
"Just doing my job," Franklin replied. "You're going to have to get out of here. The Brutes will come back, and in greater numbers. Our 'Mechs are doing well, but if the Brutes come back, they'll bring a lot more guns with them, and while our 'Mechs are good, they can be overwhelmed through sheer numbers."
"I agree," Tilana replied. "My people are finishing the evacuation now. I'll be coming with you, if you don't mind. I want to see for myself what your 'BattleMechs' look like on the inside."
"I've got a rumble seat in here," Franklin replied, "and it's built for Sangheilian use as well. I think we can arrange that. You'll have to make it quick. I don't want to be left vulnerable for too long."
. . .
At roughly the same time the evacuation of the Covenant hospital had completed, Chief was further up ahead into the structure, firing his weapons as he continued to move forwards. Currently, he was moving through another one of the pedestrian avenues in the station, which was choked full of Brutes and Jackals that were firing back at him. Ducking down into cover, he began to reload his weapons, as he'd been saving his M48 Rattler for when he needed it the most.
He wasn't the only one that was fighting back against the Brutes. Looking up to where he'd come from, Chief watched as roughly eighteen Sangheilians charged into the room, firing their plasma weapons at the Brutes and their allies. One Sangheili, a Major by the name N'tho 'Sraomee, tossed a Plasma Grenade around a pillar before taking cover, with the grenade detonating a few seconds after sticking to a Brute.
He'd encountered the Elites after he had traveled down a gravity lift into a chamber that held what he believed was a Gravity Lift Room. The room had elevated walkways that led to walkways that ringed the edge of the room; doors had been present on the bottom, but all were locked except for one up ahead. When that one opened, roughly eight Elites burst through the door, firing their weapons at a swarm of Drones while 'Sraomee led the group inside. He'd been surprised when he spotted Chief, but it was thanks to Cortana, as well as Xytan 'Jar Watrinee's speech, that convinced N'tho to work with Chief, with the two men joining forces to get through High Charity alive and well.
Over the next fifteen minutes, they proceeded forwards, neutralizing any Brutes that stood in their way, while rescuing any Sangheilians that were caught in the Brutes act of betrayal and xenocide. As a result, their numbers grew, until there were eighteen Sangheilians that had followed to fight by Chief and N'tho's side. A number of Grunts and Skirmishers had joined up with them as well, with a few Drones and a couple Hunters.
"We are getting close to Truth's location," N'tho told Chief. "He's currently traveling through portions of the facility and closer to the Phantoms that he has nearby. If we wish to halt his progress, we must move swiftly through the Mausoleum of the Arbiter."
"The what," Chief asked.
"The Mausoleum of the Arbiter," N'tho explained. "It's the building where all of the deceased Arbiters that served the Covenant are kept, their bodies sealed in airtight crypts that have preserved them to the present day. Before the Covenant was formed, the Arbiters were scholars, teachers, warriors and peacekeepers that worked to resolve conflicts and disputes in a peaceful manner on Sangheilios, our homeworld. Thanks to the Prophet's meddling, however, they used the Arbiters to perform suicidal missions, with many that doubted the Covenant's authority being used in what they told us was sacrificial penance. Now I know it was to stop anyone from doubting their own authority, from seeing the truth and overthrowing them."
"I take it it's a sacred place to you," Chief assumed.
"It is," N'tho replied, nodding in agreement. "Unfortunately, the Brutes have defiled the sanctity of that place, using it for their own twisted ends." Looking at Chief, he said, "As for me, I have a hard time comprehending how the Prophets could have manipulated us so easily."
"Blind faith and zealotry are often the cause of a number of wars," Cortana said over the COM. "Your species isn't the only one that often did that. The terrorist actions of the Taliban during the 2000's is one instance in human history where religious extremists began fighting wars in the name of their beliefs. I can understand why the Prophets were able to twist you into doing their dirty work: you trusted them blindly."
"I know," N'tho replied. "We allowed naivety and complacency to take over our minds, blinding us to the truth of the Covenant. Now that it has been removed, I can see things much more clearly now. We can't bring back the people we killed during our blind service to the Prophets, but we can begin undoing the damage we've done by bringing an end to the Covenant. As for what happens after that, only leaders like 'Jar Watrinee and the Arbiter can succeed in preventing another war from happening again. They have to, otherwise we'll be caught in an unending cycle of hate and prejudice."
Chief didn't know why, but he found himself agreeing with the Sangheilian. Instead of questioning it, however, he continued forwards, making sure that any Brutes in the way were neutralized first before moving on to their reinforcements. Behind him, the Sangheili moved up as well, moving swiftly as they worked to catch up to the Spartan.
Moving up, they exited the building they were in and began traveling along a walkway that led to the Mausoleum. The walkway was wide, with paneled sections in the center, along with planters and more of the hovering sculptures that had been built over the centuries. Brutes and their allies were present here as well, with plasma bolts and Needler rounds flying everywhere as the Brutes attempted to invade the facility. Firing their weapons, Chief and his Sangheilian allies quickly took them out, with the Elites holding them off nodding in relief. "Quick, inside," one of them shouted. "The Brutes have invaded the Mausoleum from another entrance. We must force them out."
Entering the Mausoleum, Chief could tell that it was an ornate place,with walkways all around, as well as ramps leading down to the ground floor. A single object, which scans revealed to be some kind of storage unit, was in the center of the room, with a large anti-gravity projector in the floor keeping it suspended in air. The exit to the Mausoleum was on the other side, with the doors remaining open as some Brutes entered the place.
Here, it was a massive brawl, with Sangheilians and Brutes facing off with each other in a massive battle that was raging in the room. The once pristine walls were now covered with carbon scoring, plasma damage, as well as streaks of Sangheilian and Jiralhanae blood. Looking around, Chief could tell that the Sangheilians were winning the battle, though it was coming at a great cost to manpower. "Looks like they could use your help, Chief," Cortana said to him. "It will help cement trust between you and the Sangheilians."
"Agreed," Chief replied. Plasma Rifle in hand, he moved up, firing the weapon at the Brutes while N'tho and the others charged into the fray, weapons in hand as they fought to kill the Brutes in the Mausoleum. One Brute charged at N'tho, only for the Major to activate his Energy Sword and bisect the Brute, with both halves of the Jiralhanae falling away as the alien collapsed to the ground, dead. Another Sangheilian, spotting a berserking Brute, jumped up onto the storage unit in the center of the room, allowing his friends to kill the Brute. Once it was down, that Sangheili hopped down onto the ground, weapons drawn as he rejoined the fight.
It wasn't all male Sangheilians either. Looking around, Chief watched as a Brute was staggered by a vicious blow from another Sangheili. That one was smaller than the others, and Chief noticed bulges on the Sangheilians chest armor, indicating that one was a female of the species. That guess was proven correct when the Sangheilian, in a deep but distinctly feminine voice, said, "You foul Jiralhanae should have been wiser when picking this fight. My sire hits harder than you do."
As the battle continued to rage, Chief thought he heard something, just as another sensor contact came up on his suit's HUD. Apparently, the Sangheilians had heard it too, as they turned while a Brute Chieftain charged at N'tho, who was scrambling to dodge the Gravity Hammer the Chieftain was wielding. Before the blow could come down, though, one of the smaller doors in the room exploded outwards, smashing into the Brute and sending it crashing into the ground. A moment later, missiles streaked out of the doorway, blowing apart a few Brutes. One of them berserked, charging into the hole, only to come out a few seconds later, cut up into pieces. That resulted in the neutralization of all enemy hostiles in the room.
Moments later, an Elemental wearing Elemental IIa Battle Armor strode out into the room, armor singed in places from weapons fire. A Heavy Plasma Machinegun was on the Battle Armor's right arm, with a Battle Claw on the other one. Two pods holding Advanced SRM's were on the Battle Armor's shoulders, with the missile pods reloading seconds later. Looking at Chief and N'tho, the Elemental said, in a familiar voice, "Good to see that you are doing well, Sierra-117. I see you have some friends as well. That is good."
"Osman," Chief simply said.
"Osman," N'tho asked. "Is that the name of this Greater Demon?"
"That is right," Osman replied. "I do not like being called a 'Greater Demon' just so you know. We are called Elementals in the proper Clansman terminology, though I understand why you call us by that name given how deadly we are in these suits. I am not the only one that is here, though." A moment later, the Sangheilians watched as another suit of Battle Armor walked inside.
As soon as N'tho saw it, he realized it was a Sangheilian Elemental, as he clearly recognized the different style, leg structure, as well as the helmet the Sangheilian was wearing. "Is that who I think it is," he asked.
"It is," the Sangheilian replied, with part of his helmet retracting to show his face. "You remember me, N'tho? I was the Ship Master of the Truth and Reconciliation. Now, I am a Clan Wolverine Elemental."
"Lat' Ravamee," N'tho gasped, amazed that one of their own had returned, and in Clan Battle Armor no less. "I was hoping that you were alive still. We heard you were made a bondsman by Clan Wolverine."
"I was," 'Ravamee replied. "I renounced my allegiance and oath to the Covenant and exchanged it for Clan Wolverine. When I joined, they enhanced my body with their genetic and nanotech augmentations and gave me this, the Zealot-IIa Battle Armor. I came here to assist Osman in finding and rescuing any Sangheilians that were being assaulted by the Brutes. It seems as though that was unnecessary now."
N'tho merely nodded, just as Chief approached the Sangheilian Elemental. "We're moving to cut off the Prophets of Truth and Mercy. They have the Index and they're going to be taking it to Delta Halo."
"I know," 'Ravamee replied. "I was told about this by an SLIC Agent. They're much like ONI, only far more ethical in their methods and goals. We know where they are heading, as there is a Phantom landing platform nearby the Mausoleum. If we move now, we can get there and stop Mercy and Regret."
"That's not all," Cortana added. "I've detected UNSC CNI transponder signals. I think Sergeant Johnson and Captain Miranda were captured by the Covenant. They're being taken along for the ride as well."
"Then we must move," 'Ravamee decided. "Chief, you and Osman will come with me and help stop Mercy and Truth. N'tho, you must take the Sangheilians and get out of High Charity as soon as you can. I've arranged for a Leopard-IV DropShip to come and pick you up at a landing zone further ahead. We must move, now!" With that, everyone in the room began to head to the extraction point, while Chief, 'Ravamee and Osman moved to where Mercy and Truth were.
. . .
Up ahead, Miranda nearly stumbled as she and Johnson were moved along by the Brutes towards the Phantoms, each one heading for Delta Halo and it's Control Room. Noticing her stumble, the Brute behind her growled, picking her up somewhat before roughly setting her down. Nearby, Johnson looked around as well, before his eyes locked onto her. A slight smirk came from his mouth as their eyes made contact. So far, so good, Miranda thought. The Brutes don't even know better.
As they moved forwards, Tartarus, who was up ahead, said, "Split them up. Take each one onto a different Phantom. With that, Miranda and Johnson were separated from each other, with Johnson entering one Phantom and Miranda entering another.
With that done, Tartarus came over to Truth and bowed. "Our hopes now rest on your shoulders, Tartarus," Truth said to the Brute.
"My faith is strong," Tartarus replied. "I will not fail." As soon as he said this, though, he heard something off. Looking behind the group, he noticed what looked like small, pod-like creatures on tentacles moving towards them. "The Parasite," he roared. "Protect the Hierarchs!" One Infection Form tried to get at Tartarus, only for the Brute to knock it out of the air before stomping on it, smashing it in an instant. Other Brutes went to work killing each one, using their fists, weapons and brains to take them out.
Not all of them were destroyed, though, as one got through to the Hierarchs. Leaping forwards, one Infection Form tackled Mercy, knocking him out of his anti-gravity unit and onto the ground. Mercy screamed as the Infection Form lashed out with tendrils, wrapping them around his neck before attempting to draw in to infect Mercy. Fortunately, Mercy was just strong enough to keep the creature form doing so, as he began to fight vigorously with the creature for survival.
Tartarus was about to move up when Truth stopped him. "Leave him alone," he replied. Looking at Mercy, he said, "The Great Journey waits for no one, not even you." With that, Truth, Tartarus and the other Brutes loaded up, leaving Mercy to his fate.
Just a few seconds later, Chief, Osman and 'Ravamee came down a nearby gravity lift, getting out just as the Phantoms left. "Surats," Osman shouted. "We were not fast enough!"
Walking over to Mercy, Chief asked, "Your pal. Where's he going?"
"To Earth," Mercy replied. "To finish what we started, and this time, none of you will be left behind." With all the intel he needed, Chief pulled the Infection Form off of Mercy, killing him and the Infection Form at the same time.
At that moment, Cortana appeared over a nearby holo-pedestal. "That structure in the center of High Charity," she realized. "It's not a building. That's a Forerunner ship, and it's headed straight for Earth!"
"Can you warn the SLDF and UNSC," Chief asked.
"Already done," Cortana replied. "We'll have to get aboard that Forerunner ship. The Star League and Great Houses are performing an organized retreat. Apparently, they've spotted the Flood on other parts of High Charity and are getting out. That thing we found, that Gravemind, used us. We were just a diversion; those Phantoms we spotted earlier were it's intended vector."
"What about that Brute," Chief asked. "It has the Index."
"Don't worry," Cortana replied. "The SLDF has an elite strike team that's been sent to take him out. They also plan to use prototype, antimatter-matter weapons against Delta Halo if it's activated. They'll be leaving behind one of their own AI's to spy on the Gravemind so that we aren't left in the dark as to if it's going to Earth or not."
"Should I extract you now," Chief asked.
"Yes," Cortana replied. "I don't want to know what happens to an AI if it's too close to the Gravemind. For all I know, it has a means of infecting them as well." Placing his hand over the pedestal, Chief watched as Cortana uploaded herself into his Nighthawk-L Battle Armor a moment later. "I've got a path marked out for where we need to go," Cortana told him. "The only bad news is that the Flood are already making themselves at home in there. We'll have to fight through them."
"Noted," Chief replied. Moments later, he and the others primed their weapons. It was clear that the Flood was starting to spread to High Charity. Now, they were having to fight their way through, come what may.