Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my Halo - Mechwarrior/Battletech crossover. This chapter marks the end of the Halo 2 story arc for this crossover. It has been a fun ride on this crossover, and I hope it continues to be fun. Starting on Wednesday, the final story arc for the time being will commence. I won't be abandoning this fanfiction after the next story arc, but I will be waiting on new installments in the Halo franchise before I go past the events of Halo 5. Either way, thank you for your support, and I hope you continue to enjoy this crossover. 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.
Delta Halo
Near Control Room
February 16th, 2552
The Arbiter and Bero both gasped loudly as they flew out of the teleportation portal that had opened just a few seconds ago. Flying out of the portal, both Sangheilians grunted as they landed face first, with Bero getting a mouthful of dirt despite his attempts not to land on his face. Getting up, he spat the dirt out of his mouth before getting up and collecting himself. "Ugh," he grumbled as he got up. "Finally, we're well away from that abomination." Turning to Thel, he asked, "Are you alright, Arbiter?"
"I am," Thel replied, noticing a portion of his armor that looked as though it had partially crumpled. "There were no Flood Spores in the chamber that we were in, and I don't feel strange or uncomfortable. What about you?"
"I'm fine," Bero replied. "As you know, I am immune to infection by the Parasite, since I rejected their influence the first time around. Still, that abomination underneath the Library said that I was interesting. I wonder why."
"I can easily see why," Thel replied. "You are the first Sangheilian in known history to reject the Parasite, both physically and mentally, and you gained a number of unusual abilities from the experience. I think that the Parasite intended to study your mutations in order to do the same with itself." He shuddered slightly at the thought.
"I don't want to imagine Parasites that can shape shift, thank you," Bero replied. "Anyways, we need to find the Sacred Icon, the Key as the Parasite put it, and stop Tartarus from activating Halo. If he does, and if the Demon was right, this ring will slay every innocent being in the entire galaxy. We can't let that happen."
"I agree," Thel replied, "but Tartarus has a lot of Brutes on his side and they will attempt to halt our progress. We will need allies if we are to succeed in getting through to Halo's control room."
"Agreed," Bero replied. As they walked forwards, Thel noticed something lying on the ground. He was surprised when he found that it was a Plasma Rifle, no doubt dropped off with them. After seeing that the rifle was in working condition, he began to move forwards cautiously, while Bero took a moment to get their bearings.
The area they were in was a fairly wooded and wet region of Halo, with a large number of ferns, grass, and a few trees here and there. The ground was wet, courtesy of a recent thunderstorm that had passed through the area. On the right was a cliffside that had a perfect view of the Control Room, which stood out from the ground like a monolith, promising either untold power or complete annihilation. The area up ahead was dominated by rocky walls and arches that led to another part of the area they were in.
As they moved up, Thel and Bero heard loud banging sounds. "Brute Shot," Bero remarked. "The Brutes are here as well. They won't let us pass without a fight."
As he said this, Thel spotted a fellow Sangheilian lying on the ground, with a pool of blood around the Sangheilian's body. Wounds of various sizes were present on his body, and Thel could see a large wound extending into the Sangheilian's torso cavity, exposing some of his organs in the process. Turning towards Thel, the Sangheilian groaned out, "The Brutes have betrayed us… the Councilors… they've been… attacked…. I…." Moments later, the Sangheilian died, his mandibles relaxing as he passed on into the void.
Walking forwards, Thel closed the Sangheilian's eyes and said, "Rest now, noble warrior. May the life beyond be kinder than the life you had." Getting up, he turned to Bero and said, "The Brutes have attacked the Councilors. I fear for their lives."
"Vile creatures," Bero snarled, his fangs elongating slightly while his spines went straight outwards, expressing his rage clearly. "The Hierarchs were fools to trust them, and they were even more foolish to throw us out of the Covenant, just to protect their lies and deceit!" Calming down, he said, "We have to avenge our fallen brothers. We can't let this slaughter, this… genocide, go unpunished."
"I agree," Thel replied. "If we are to kill the Brutes, and we will, we must do it out of justice, not revenge."
"I understand," Bero replied. With that, they continued forwards, entering an area that had a small, earthen arch. As soon as they got there, Bero said, "Stop. There are Brutes coming from up ahead. If I shape-shift into one of the Sangheilians on the ground, and you activate your cloak, we can assassinate them without exposing our position."
"Agreed," Thel replied. Activating his Active Camouflage, Thel faded out of sight, while Bero's features morphed into those of a fallen Elite nearby. Pushing the body out of the way, Bero apologized to the dead corpse before lying down on the ground, his body imitating the wounds on the corpse. About ten seconds later, a trio of Brutes appeared in the area, walking by Bero and Thel without even knowing where they were at.
Then, the two Sangheilians struck. Before the Brutes could react, Thel decloaked and stabbed one of the Brutes through the chest, killing it instantly. The others were about to fire, only for tentacles to wrap around their necks and bodies, pinning their arms to their sides before tightening rapidly. Both Brutes fell still when their ribs shattered, with bone shards puncturing their lungs and hearts. After snapping their necks for good measure, Bero morphed back into his normal form, while absorbing the tendrils he had grown. Pulling his Energy Sword out of the Brute, Thel said, "Good timing."
"Thanks," Bero replied as the last of his features morphed back to normal. "I've been getting good at this. I just wish I had sensed the Prophets deceit before any of this would've happened."
"Would it have many any difference," Thel asked. When Bero didn't answer, he said, "You did all you could, Bero. Not many can say that. All we can do now is focus on preventing the Brutes from killing any more Sangheilians. Lets go. There are others we must save, and the Sacred Icon to retrieve."
Nodding in agreement, Bero followed behind Thel, shape shifting so that he blended into the environment while Thel activated his Active Camouflage ability once again, fading into complete transparency. They quickly entered another small area of the region they were in, which had a pair of rocks in the center of what appeared to be a small, circular clearing. An earthen ramp led upwards to a Forerunner alloy door that was located at the top of a small embankment nearby. The Brutes were here as well, with one tossing the body of a Sangheilian off the edge. "Bah, what's taking the others so long," the Brute Captain in the area asked one of his subordinates. "If I find them slacking off one more time…"
"They're probably checking to make sure the other Elites are dead," his subordinate replied. "I think we should wait a little longer before we go find out what they are doing. If they are slacking off, I'll reduce their rations by half to make them think over the consequences of laziness."
"Sounds like an excellent plan." the Brute Captain beamed. What he didn't know was that those would be the last words he would speak while alive.
Unbeknownst to the Brute Captain, Bero 'Kusovai had been moving towards their position. Spotting a group of Brutes, Bero shape-shifted, melting his body into a congealed mass of gelatinous flesh, while changing the color of his body to become difficult to see. Flowing over the ground, he moved past a few Brutes that had been walking towards his position, with the ape-like aliens not noticing him one bit.
Flowing behind the Brute Captain, he silently regrew into his normal form, before extending both arms out, making a whistling sound as he did so. Turning around, the Brute Captain and his subordinate only had enough time for their eyes to widen before Bero's arms morphed into long tentacles, each one with a sharp, bony spine on the end. Both Brutes screamed in pain as the tentacles speared through their bodies, slicing their spines and hearts in half before tendrils grew into their bodies, dissolving organs and bones in the process. Moments later, both Brutes were dead, their bodies hanging limply from Bero's tentacles.
At the same time, Thel, who was still on the clearing down below, struck as well, sticking a plasma grenade he'd scavenged from a corpse to a Brute's head. The alien roared as the grenade detonated, killing it instantly while Thel charged forwards, Energy Sword in hand. Slicing off the arm of a Brute, he decapitated the screaming alien seconds later, while Bero, having shifted to his normal form, charged down the hill, morphing his fingers into razor sharp talons before attacking. Grabbing a hold of one Brute, Bero bit into the alien's neck, his fangs injecting powerful toxins into the Brute's body.
The Brute screamed as the toxins went to work, with the alien attacking the Brute that was about to fire on Thel with a Brute Shot. Driven into a frenzied state, the Brute Bero had bitten attacked the other Brute, pummeling it into submission before falling over, the toxins going to work dissolving organs and bones in frighteningly fast order. Within sixty seconds, the Brute Bero had bitten was dead, it's body having gone limp moments later.
Noticing Bero's tired features, Thel handed him some food rations. "Are you alright," he asked as Bero ravenously tore into his food.
"One moment," Bero replied, his reply interrupted by the food that he hungrily swallowed. After swallowing, he said, "Sorry about that. Making venom and toxins is… tiring. That, and my shape-shifting abilities require a lot of energy."
"I understand," Thel replied. "Take your time, Bero. Get as much food as you can before you move on." With that, Thel walked up the earthen ramp, while Bero continued to devour as much food as he could. Reaching the body of another dead Sangheilian, he sighed sadly, whispering Sangheilian death rite words as he closed that warrior's eyes. "May you find peace and comfort in the life beyond," he whispered to the dead Elite.
As he said this, he thought he heard a noise behind him. Turning around, he watched as a Spec Ops Sangheilian walked into view, his Active Camouflage fading out moments later. "Arbiter," he said welcomingly. Spotting the dead Elite, the Spec Ops Sangheilian gasped before racing forwards, feeling for a pulse. "By the Prophets," the Sangheilian whispered. "What have these Brutes done?"
"They have betrayed us," Thel replied. "The Prophets have lied to us, twisting the words of our Covenant, so that we would attack the Humans without due provocation. I know, because my friend, Bero, is telepathic. He sensed Tartarus' deception, as well as the fact that the Prophets have ordered the destruction of our species."
"Is this true," the Elite gasped, surprised. When Bero, who had caught up with them, nodded, the Elite growled, with that growing turning into a roar as the Elite smashed his fist against a rock, causing the surface to crack. "They have spilled out brethren's blood, and for that they must die!" As soon as he said this, Thel watched as several Drop Pods came out of the sky, landing before the Elites inside got out. "A Zealot," the Spec Ops Elite remarked. "So much for subtlety and secrecy." Looking at Thel, he said, "We have to rescue as many of our brethren as possible, before the Brutes can get to them."
"Agreed," Thel replied.
"Bah! Over so soon," the Zealot on the ground remarked. Reaching their position, he said, "Arbiter. It is a sad day for our kind. The Brutes have betrayed us, and rumor has it that the Prophets have ordered the destruction of our species. Are they true?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Thel replied.
"Then it is a dark day," the Zealot remarked. "It will not be our end, though. As long as we stand alongside you and fight by your side, the Brutes will learn the price of their arrogance and treachery." Nodding in agreement, Thel and Bero proceeded through the doors, with the other Sangheilians in tow.
Moving through a series of hallways, they eventually found themselves in a tall, spacious cavern that extended for some distance. The walkway they were on connected to a series of large platforms that the Forerunners had built, with a tall, central spire in the center of one of the circular platforms. On the left side, there was a chasm that extended down to a river that was flowing along at high speed. On the right side was an earthen walkway that led towards another door on the other side of the chamber, with an earthen ramp that led towards the upper section.
The Brutes were here as well, as Bero told Thel, There are more Brutes on the other side of the chamber. There are also a few Jackals and some Grunts. As far as I can tell, the Grunts are being forced to serve the Brutes, with the Jackals being forced to do the same as well.
Noted, Thel replied. Moments later, Thel watched as Bero shape-shifted, melting his body into the same, gelatinous flesh he had become during the mission at the Forerunner gas mine.
"What just happened," the Zealot next to him asked. "Did Bero just…"
"Melt," Thel finished. "In a manner of speaking, he did. During his mission aboard the Infinite Succor, Bero was infected by the Parasite. He managed to reject it's influence by force of will alone, though he was heavily mutated in the process. As a result, he has the ability to bend and morph his flesh by will alone, making him a shape-shifter. He is also a telepath, meaning he can communicate with other living beings via his mind, and he can dominate their minds and bend them to his will, though he find that ability to be… repulsive."
"I see," the Zealot remarked. "So, is he under his own control, or is he an unwilling servant of the Parasite?"
"He is not under the control of anyone but himself," Thel replied. "The Parasite was surprised that he had succeeded in resisting them. He is also immune to their attempts to infect them. I saw a Parasite attempt to infect him, only for his body to absorb it completely, consuming it for nutrients and energy."
"Really," the Zealot remarked. When Thel nodded, he said, "Well, as long as Bero maintains strict discipline, then I won't have a problem with that."
"He has shown the highest restraint and moral responsibility with his powers," Thel reminded the Zealot. "I have no doubts about his ability to use them responsibly."
While they were talking silently, Bero continued to move up ahead, flowing through small cracks and holes in the rocks and dirt. It seems as though not all of the others are sure that I am under no one else's control, he thought, his mind touching the other Sangheilians thoughts and emotions. I will show him that I am under my control and no one else's, but it is his decision to make in the end. If he decides that he doesn't trust me, then that is his choice and not my own.
As he flowed along, an idea came to Bero moments later. Flowing behind the Grunt and Jackal, he waited for the Brutes to stop looking before flowing around both aliens, muzzling their mouths and restraining their bodies before dragging them over to a darker part of the area. Regrowing into his normal self, he said, "Wait here. Once my friends and I get over here, you will assist us in defeating the Brutes." Not wanting to argue with a Sangheilian that could shape-shift, the Jackal and Grunt nodded in agreement. Reaching out to Thel's mind, he said, Now!
As soon as Thel heard Bero's telepathic message, he acted. Moving out of cover, he took aim with his Plasma Rifle and opened fire, sending plasma bolts directly into the body of a Brute. The alien fell to the ground dead, while the other Elites immediately charged into the area, opening fire on the other Brutes. Caught off guard, the Brutes were forced to retreat, running back up the earthen ramp and towards the exit on the other side.
As soon as they did that, Bero acted immediately. Morphing his arms into long blades, he reinforced the bones, tendons, ligaments and muscles in his body before charging forwards, extending each bony blade until they were a good two feet in length. Roaring loudly, he charged into the Brutes, slicing through arms and bones with razor sharp arm blades, while growing a long, muscular tail that he used to bludgeon any Brutes that got too close to him.
It was a madhouse, as Elites and Brutes engaged each other in a brutal melee. Thel's Energy Sword was a blur as he cut through a pair of Brutes with shocking ease, their fur covered flesh doing nothing to stop the high energy blade that was cutting through their bodies. On the other side, Bero was, practically speaking, a living, breathing tornado as he cut through Brutes with ease, twirling and moving as though he was dancing, rather than fighting.
Eventually, all of the Brutes in the cavern were dead, with most falling from weapons fire, while the ones Thel and Bero had engaged were sliced and diced like meat being sold at a shop. Morphing his arms back to normal, Bero began walking towards the exit when he sensed a number of minds approaching. Moments later, a swarm of Buggers flew through the area, each one screeching and chittering loudly as they flew upwards.
Thel was about to engage when Bero said, "Wait. Let me see if I can communicate with them." Walking forwards, he extended his mind towards the Drones, gently pushing past any mental defenses they had before speaking to them. Do not shoot at us, he told the Drones. We do not wish to kill you. I simply wish to communicate with you.
A mental response wasn't long in coming. Moments later, Bero heard a seemingly large number of voices, both male and female, speaking in his mind. Interesting, the hive mind of the Drones replied. Not many have the ability to speak to us in the manner we do. Only the ones you call the Lekgolo are capable of speaking to us telepathically.
I know, Bero replied. I gained this ability when the Parasite attempted to consume my mind and flesh. I resisted, which it punished by mutating my flesh and altering my mind in an attempt to consume me. I was able to fight back and free myself from it's control, though as you can see, it came at a cost.
We understand, the hive mind replied. We see the nobility and honor inside of your mind. We can hear music that we have no names for. Your mind is… beautiful. Bero could hear the awe and wonder in the Yanmee's hive mind as it sensed his thoughts and emotions.
Do you want to help us, he asked tentatively.
Yes, the Drone's hive mind replied. The ones you call the Brutes have been harsh and unforgiving of even the slightest errors and faults. They have treated us badly, given that they think of us as simple, mindless insects and drones. We wish to break free of the bonds they have placed on us. If you help us, will you give us what we want?
What do you wish for?
A world to call our own, a world where we can mate and grow, where our children will sing of our kind. If you give us that kind of a world, then we will help you in your quest. Do you find this agreeable?
For a moment, Bero gave the proposal some thought, then he said, I will have to speak with the Imperial Admiral, but I have reason to believe he will say yes.
Then we will assist your kind in it's survival, the Drone hive mind replied. These ones will assist you in your attempts to survive. They will scout out the way and help you find your fellow Sangheilians. Farewell, for now. With that, the hive mind broke off contact, leaving Bero to talk to the others.
"What is it," one of the other Sangheilians asked. "You looked as though you were looking at something a long ways away."
"I was communicating with the Yanmee," Bero replied. "They have agreed to help us find our lost kin and save our species. You need not fear them attacking us."
"That is excellent," Thel replied. With that, the Elites moved on, with the Drones flying ahead of them in order to spot any enemies that were up ahead.
Be careful, the Hive Mind said to Bero. There are more Brutes ahead. They do not know of our agreement with your mind.
Thank you, Bero replied. Inform the Drones that are with us to stay out of sight and out of the way. They are frail against the Brutes. Continuing to move up, the Drones quickly got out of the way and into cover, while Bero and the others moved forwards through the hallway. Eventually, they reached a multi level room that led downwards, with a number of Brutes in the bottom chamber. After a short, but intense, firefight, the Brutes were completely neutralized, with Thel and the others moving towards a large, Forerunner door.
The door opened up to reveal a number of Brutes that were in an open aired part of the area behind the door. Spotting the Sangheilians immediately, the Brutes opened fire, while Thel, Bero and the other Elites got into cover and opened fire as well. Plasma bolts and exotic projectiles were exchanged between both groups as they continued to fire.
Spotting a Brute with a Fueld Rod Launcher, Thel was about to fire when suddenly, a burst of purple-white plasma tore through it's skull, killing the Brute almost immediately. Ducking down into cover, the other Elites listened as the Brutes were rapidly cut down by unseen attackers, with the massive aliens roaring and screaming loudly as the attack ensued. Eventually, their screams fell silent, with the Elites coming out of cover slowly to see what had happened.
Much to Thel's surprise, there were Humans standing where the Brutes were at, and their armor, including the massive armored individual in the back, was all too familiar. The Star League, he realized with a start. Why are they here? Are they here to finish off our species at it's weakest point?!
His question was promptly answered when one of the Humans said, "Come out. It's alright. We are not here to shoot you."
"Arbiter, I'm not sure if…"
Raising a hand, Thel cut off the other Sangheilian's reply. "We don't have any choice," he said to the Elite. Raising his voice, he said to the Human, "I'm coming out. Do not shoot." Getting up, Thel walked into view of the Humans, ready to cloak if they attacked him.
Fortunately, the humans didn't attack, as one of them walked towards him. "So, you are the Arbiter," the human remarked. "Star Commander Alex Wolverine, at your service."
"I see," Thel replied. After a moment, he asked, "Why are you helping us in our fight against the Brutes? If I recall last time, your faction was attempting to wipe us out."
"We received intelligence data that suggested the Hierarchs were lying to you," Alex replied calmly. "According to SLIC agents, the Hierarchs discovered that Humanity was the one species that the Forerunners had chosen to inherit their technology. This singular fact represented a inimical threat to the existence of the Covenant, so they came up with a fabrication to keep the Covenant together, which meant that they had to get rid of this version of Humanity to make sure the lie remained firmly in place."
"So, you're saying…"
"That the Prophets lied to you," Alex replied. "That is exactly what I am saying, and I have the proof to prove it." Moments later, he handed Thel a data pad that contained the information they had.
Taking the data pad, Thel speed read through the contents of the data pad, his eyes widening as he realized that Alex was telling the truth. Growling loudly, he tossed the data pad on the ground. "It is as I feared," he sighed a moment later. "The Hierarchs have betrayed us, and now I know they have lied to us." Looking up at Alex, he said, "If there is anything that you can do to help us…"
"No need to ask," Alex replied. "Our orders are to assist you in preventing the Brute known as Tartarus from activating Halo. The Imperial Admiral of the Covenant Navy, Xytan 'Jar Watrinee, specifically requested that the Star League assisted your species in this goal. No need to worry about the Brutes up ahead, we have already cleared them out. Our orders are to escort you to Ship Master R'tas Vadum and to get you inside of the Control Room for Halo."
"R'tas is alive," Thel asked.
"That he is," Alex replied. "We have to go now. Any minute we waste is one more minute that Tartarus has to activate Halo." With that, the team moved out.
. . .
Inside of the Phantom being piloted by Tartarus' brutes, Miranda Keyes was doing her best to keep a straight face, though it was difficult given what she knew was going on. So far, everything's going to plan, she thought as the Phantom was jostled about. The brutes have no idea of Operation: FALSE PROFIT's actual achievements.
As the Phantom was jostled about, one of the Brutes happened to bump into another one. "Watch it," the Brute in question growled.
"You watch it," the other one retorted. "You bumped into me. You need to be less clumsy and more thoughtful about where you are going."
The two were about to fight when Tartarus said, "Quiet down, you two. You growl and grumble like Grunts fresh off the teat. Soon, we will have all the power we can ever imagine wanting to have, and we will rule alongside the Forerunners from the Divine Beyond." As the Phantom continued to fly forwards, Miranda continued to think. The Brutes don't know it, but they are going to have a really bad day, and a nasty surprise.
. . .
True enough, Thel found that the Star League had efficiently dealt with the Covenant forces up ahead, as he saw a large number of corpses lying around on the ground in the areas up ahead. They had moved through a series of tropical jungles, with a river that flowed through the area down to a large body of water that pooled near a Forerunner installation nearby. Moving through an underground structure, Thel exited the structure through another Forerunner door nearby.
Looking around, he was surprised to see that he had entered a canyon, with large, sheer rock walls extending upwards for a considerable distance. To the left, he could see smaller bluffs that were between the rock walls, dividing the floor of the canyon up into a number of paths and clearings, though he couldn't see any more beyond a certain point. To the right, he could see the Control Room, which was separated from the mainland via a large channel of water, while he could see a number of Forerunner structures that were built into the canyon walls.
That wasn't the only thing that was over there either. Thel noticed a large, rectangular ship with stubby wings that was on the ground nearby, with a number of the Human's BattleMechs standing nearby, most likely guarding the place. Hearing a sound, Thel watched as a Wraith began to approach his position. He was about to raise his Carbine when Alex said, "Stand down, Arbiter. That Wraith is on our side."
Moments later, the Wraith came to a stop, with the entrance to the crew compartment opening. Much to Thel's surprise, and Alex's amusement, a familiar Sangheilian with a pair of severed mandibles pulled himself out of the Wraith. Turning around, R'tas' mandible's flared in surprise when he saw Thel. "Arbiter," he remarked. "The Councilors! Are they…"
"Murdered by the Brutes," Thel replied.
"Vile beasts," R'tas growled, smacking a fist against the Wraith's nanolaminate armor. "The Hierarchs were fools to trust them. I wish we'd been here earlier."
"No need to worry about the Councilors," Alex replied, startling Thel and R'tas. "The SLIC got wind of what was about to happen and warned your species' Councilors. We evacuated them from High Charity; they are currently onboard the SLS/FCS Guardian of Liberty, the flagship of the SLDF fleet that is currently orbiting Delta Halo, the ring we are standing on."
"You mean they are…"
"Yes, they are alive and well, R'tas," Alex replied. Moments later, they watched as a Phantom flew overhead, coming to a stop at the entrance to the Control Room.
After a moment, R'tas said, "This was where the Councilors would be at, to celebrate the Commemoration of the Sacred Icon, the start of the Great Journey. The Brutes have the place locked up tight."
A moment later, Thel remembered the Gravemind's words, specifically on the Key as it called the Icon. Turning to R'tas, he said, "We have to get inside. How do we get in?"
"I have a plan," Alex replied. "We will have to rescue Sergeants Johnson and Stacker, as the Brutes have taken them captive. Once we have rescued the others that the Brutes have captured, we will deploy a Mastodon-IV BattleMech, which will use Gauss weapons to punch through the door to the Control Room and allow you to get inside. Our BattleMechs will clear out any vehicular resistance and help you get inside."
"Agreed," R'tas replied. "Arbiter, you'll go with the Humans in their BattleMechs. I'll rally what forces we have and take one of the Carriers that the Covenant still holds. Good luck on your mission."
With that, R'tas got back into his Wraith, while Thel began to walk with Alex towards the DropShip, with Bero and the others in tow. "You and your sidekick will come along with me," Alex told Thel. "The others will be dropped off by a Hermes VTOL once the door to the Control Room has been breached."
"Agreed," Thel replied. "How do we enter the BattleMechs, if I may ask?"
"We use a series of chain ladders to get inside," Alex explained. Just as Thel was about to talk, Alex held up a hand and said, "I know, your biology means that you cannot climb up ladders without great difficulty. That is I will retract the ladder while you are on it, allowing you to get inside with little trouble. Either way, it's time to go, and introduce the Brutes to a Steiner Scouting Lance." With that, they reached the BattleMechs.
Of all the 'Mechs that Thel had seen in his life, the Star League's BattleMechs were, by far, the most intimidating he had ever seen. This one, in particular, had a skull face that was while, while every other component was painted in a gray and olive drab color, giving it the appearance of a corpse that had been recently revived. Thick armor plating was located on each part of the machine, while a small, chain ladder dangled freely from the side. Climbing up the ladder, Alex quickly scaled the machine, getting into the cockpit moments later. Grabbing onto the ladder, Thel felt a brief jolt, then the ladder, along with him, was quickly pulled up towards the top, with Thel clambering onto the vehicle a moment later. Spotting an open hatch, he quickly got inside.
The interior of the BattleMech he was in was well lit, with a chair that he was able to comfortably sit in with little difficulty. Looking around at the interior, Thel noticed that there were a number of touch screens before him, as well as a number of switches and controls, each one having been disabled, of course. The viewport ahead of him showed the landscape that he'd been on a few seconds before, as well as a number of other things.
As soon as he sat down, Thel hear Bero coming inside, with the Sangheilian shifting into his gelatinous form in order to fit in correctly. Moments later, Thel heard a synthesized voice say, "Reactor Online. Sensors Online. Weapons Online." Moments later, Thel felt the vehicle sway as the machine powered up. Moments later, that same voice said, "All Systems: Nominal." That was when the BattleMech began to move forwards.
The rhythmic movement of the BattleMech he was sitting inside was, oddly enough, comforting to Thel, as though he was now a giant machine ready to lay waste to the Brutes. The legs and feet of the 'Mech made loud, mechanical sounds as they moved forwards, with the vehicle swaying side to side slightly as they traveled towards their objective. "What is this machine," he asked.
"This is an Atlas-IV BattleMech," Alex replied over the COM. "It is a 100 ton, Assault class BattleMech that is designed to be the final word in BattleMech engineering. According to the history records, the Atlas family of 'Mechs was designed when Aleksandr Kerensky wanted a 'Mech that was 'as powerful as possible, as impenetrable as possible, and as ugly and foreboding as conceivable, so that fear itself will be our ally.'"
"I see," Thel remarked. It would explain why this Atlas-IV had gained a fearsome reputation amongst other Sangheilians. Combat records from the first Halo indicated that the Atlas-IV could take a severe beating, while laying waste to any enemy combatants. Moments later, a Brute controlled Wraith came into view, along with a few Ghosts and a Spectre.
That was when Thel saw the true power that a 'Mech could unleash. He heard a loud KRA-THOOOM as the UAC/20 on the Atlas-IV fired, obliterating the Wraith with a single, well placed HV-HEAP shell. Moments later, lasers tore through the air, silencing the Spectre while ATM/4 missiles tore the Ghosts apart. With the enemy dead, the Atlas-IV continued on, with the other Atlas-IV's in the Lance continuing to move up.
Eventually, they reached a large, wide open area that held a Covenant Scarab, along with some Wraith's and a few Brutes. Up above, Thel spotted a large, Forerunner platform that was large enough o allow a . At ground level, Thel could see what looked like a door leading into the interior of the cliff that the upper platform was mounted on.
A few moments later, the Atlas-IV's main weapons roared to life, sending death and destruction barreling directly at the Brutes. "Do not hit the Scarab," Alex shouted to the others. "It is Isorla, and we will need it for getting inside of the Control Room. We also have SLDF AeroSpace Fighters inbound to provide support and cover fire."
"Rodger that," Thel heard the other Lancemates reply. For a couple seconds, the Atlas-IV's singlehandedly obliterated the Covenant forces on the ground, before the 'Mech Thel was in entered a kneeling stance. Realizing that this was their stop, Thel got up, just as the upper hatch opened up. Clambering out of the 'Mech, Thel and Bero allowed Alex to lower them to the ground. Once they were on the ground, both Elites moved up into the doorway, with a squad of SLDF Army personnel following them inside.
Traveling though a series of corridors, Thel, Bero and the SLDF forces found themselves inside of another large room, only this one was filled with Covenant supply crates and weapons. A single Elite was in the center of the makeshift barricade, and a pair of Hunters were standing off to the side, ready to obliterate any enemies that came in through the door. "Arbiter," the Sangheilian gasped. "The SLDF. Hold your fire!" Clambering over the blockade, the Elite said, "The Hunters have come to our aid. They will fight by your side."
"Good," Thel replied. "We will need all the firepower we can get." With that they moved forwards. Moving through the corridors of the base, they found themselves entering another cavern, only this one was smaller, with a walkway that led to another platform on the other side. An earthen ramp led upwards into the facility, with a door on the other side. The Brutes were present here as well, with a few on Shade Turrets.
Moving inside, the joint Sangheilian-SLDF forces immediately opened fire, tearing into the Brutes with their advanced weaponry. The lack of armor that the Brutes were wearing proved to be their downfall, with many Brutes being killed in the first half minute of the firefight. Soon, all enemy contacts were down, allowing the joint forces to continue moving up.
As they moved forwards, Thel noticed how the SLDF fought with professionalism and skill as the Brutes continued to harass them. Entering a tall room, Thel moved to the side as soon as he spotted the Shade Turret, cloaking while moving up the ramp to engage the Brutes from the rear. That proved to be unnecessary, as a missile tore apart the Shade Turret, with the blast killing a few of the Brutes as well. As the humans advanced, Thel heard one of them say, "That was easy."
Eventually, they reached a large room that had two ramps branching off to the side. Thel was about to move forwards when Bero said, Thel, there are a number of Sangheilian Councilors that are being held in this area, most likely those that were captured by the Brutes before the SLDF could rescue them. In addition, I've just contacted a pair of Hunters that are trapped in there as well. I can also sense Human minds in the area up ahead, though I can't access them as before.
Do you have a plan, Thel asked Bero.
I do, Bero replied. I'll free the Brute's captives while you keep them busy. Once that is done, we'll move up and rescue the humans up ahead.
Good plan, Thel replied. With that, they moved up, with Thel and the SLDF forces moving to the right, while Bero moved in from the left. They entered a large, multilevel room that had a number of cells inside, each one blocked off by a force field that prevented any escapees from getting out. A few Sangheilian Councilors were being held captive, along with a few Jackals, some Skirmishers, Grunts and a pair of Hunters.
The Brutes in the area spotted the SLDF team immediately, opening fire and prompting the SLDF personnel to fire back. While Thel and the SLDF team kept the Brutes busy, Bero moved through the area like a ghost, disabling the force field generators one by one. Reaching the Hunters, he quickly disabled their cell's forcefields, allowing them to get out and wreak havoc on the Brutes.
With all enemy combatants down, they moved on towards the platform up ahead. Thel could see a number of Brutes, all of which were keeping some Humans hostage. Just as Tartarus said something, Thel and the others entered, drawing the attention of the Brutes. In the ensuing pandemonium, Thel spotted one of the Humans jumping onto the Scarab and getting inside, presumably to use the vehicle against the Brutes. That proved to be unnecessary as the Brutes were quickly terminated.
Turning to face the Scarab, Thel watched as the Human inside began to speak. "You sure as hell don't like me and I sure as hell don't like you," Johnson said to the Arbiter. "All of that won't matter if we don't act soon, though. Mohawk's got the Index; if we let him be, he'll activate this ring, and we'll all die."
"Tartarus has sealed the doors into the Control Room," Thel replied.
"Well, I just happen to have a key," Johnson beamed, powering up the Energy Projector on the Scarab. "Come on, grab yourself some wings. He's gonna know we're coming." Right on cue, a pair of Banshees flew in, with the Elites inside landing on the platform and getting out. Nodding to the Elites, both Bero and Thel got into each one, powering them up before taking off.
The strike force ended up looking like this. On the ground, the Atlas-IV's belonging to Alex's lance moved out on the ground, using their weapons to take out any ground forces, while Thel and Bero, and the supporting SLDF AeroSpace Fighters kept any Banshees off of Johnson's Scarab. Providing security in case any enemies boarded the Scarab were the SLDF forces and the aliens they had just rescued. Alex, despite having his own lance, had gotten onto the Scarab as well, acting as the CO of the entire group.
Moving forwards, they slowly advanced to where R'tas and Thel had met up with each other, with the Scarab driving forwards until it reached the water's edge. "Clear out of the way," Johnson told Thel and the others. "It's about to get real hot. Hey, bastards! Knock, Knock!" Realizing they had to move, Thel and Bero immediately cleared out of the way, moving until they were out of danger.
They were just in time. Moments later, the Scarab's energy projector fired, sending a stream of green-white energy at the Forerunner door. In a showcase of Forerunner engineering, the door held, but a second stream of energy tore through it, sending shrapnel and debris outwards from the door. As soon as the explosion had ended, Thel and Bero immediately flew towards the door, getting out as soon as they were over the platform. Not wanting to wait, they immediately charged inside.
The Scarab's energy beam had caused a considerable amount of damage. The structure inside had partially collapsed, with sparking electrical lines and fires that were burning everywhere. Smoke filled the pathway that remained, forcing Bero and Thel to hold their breath until they passed through a Forerunner door. Fortunately, no enemy contacts were present, allowing them to move on towards the Control Room.
Inside the Control Room, Tartarus was starting to get exasperated and irritated. First, he had heard reports that the SLDF had invaded the area, and were actively moving towards the Control Room. That was irritating enough, but what was even more irritating was that the Human woman before him was being extremely obstinate. Not once had she followed his orders to put the Icon into the device. "It's this simple," he growled at the woman. "Take the Icon into your hand and put it into the machine, now!" He roughly shoved the woman towards the console.
"Careful," Guilty Spark said, concerned for Miranda's safety. "This Reclaimer is delicate! Please be more careful with her!"
"One more word, and I will rip your eye out of it's socket," Tartarus roared. Turning to Miranda, he growled, "Which is nothing compared to what I will do to you if you do not obey."
Moments later, Tartarus heard a voice he never thought he would hear again. "Turn, Tartarus," a deep, resonant voice commanded.
Tartarus' eyes, for the first time in his life, went wide. "Impossible," he gasped. Turning around, his eyes widened even more when the Arbiter walked inside, as though he'd returned from the dead. "You should be dead," Tartarus gasped.
"I had some help," Thel replied, motioning to Bero next to him. "Tartarus, stop this madness that you are pursuing. The rings, this Halo, they are not what you believe them to be."
Growling loudly, Tartarus said, "Take care with your words, Arbiter. What you are saying is heresy!"
"Is it," Thel asked. Turning to the Monitor, he said, "Oracle, what is Halo's purpose?"
"I can-"
The Monitor was promptly interrupted when Tartarus grabbed it and roared, "NO! Not another word!"
"Hey," another voice growled. Turning around, Tartarus watched as a Human, along with several others walked inside. "Don't shake the light bulb." As the Brutes began to growl, Johnson said, "If you want to keep your brains inside your head, Mohawk, I'd suggest you calm your boys down." After Tartarus did so, Johnson said, "Go ahead, son."
"The Halos," Thel asked the Monitor. "What are they truly?"
"Weapons of last resort," the Monitor replied. "They were designed to eliminate all life in the galaxy, hereby rendering the Flood harmless. Each species within 3 galactic radii, died as planned. Would you care to learn more?"
Looking up at Tartarus, Thel said, "Tartarus, the Prophets have betrayed us."
Roaring loudly, Tartarus threw the Monitor into Johnson, knocking the man over before forcing Miranda to put the Index in. "NO," he roared. "What you speak of is heresy! The Great Journey will commence now, and the Brutes, not the Elites, shall be the Prophet's escort!"
"Oh really," Miranda Keyes remarked.
Hearing her words, Tartarus was about to act when he noticed something odd. Looking at the Index, he watched as it was ejected from the slot, flying into the air before landing on the ground. To his shock, it simply disintegrated, shattering into dozens of small pieces on the ground. "What," he gasped.
A moment later, another human voice said, "Surprise, motherfucker." Turning around, Tartarus watched as another Human in SLDF body armor approached. Spotting the nametag, Johnson smiled when he realized who it was: Agent Laurence Stennings of the Star League Intelligence Command.
"What," Tartarus gasped. "But… how?" Even Thel and Bero had similar expressions on their faces, as they legitimately believed that Tartarus had the actual Index.
"How did we accomplish that," Stennings replied. "Simple really. When we learned that the Covenant were big into Forerunner artifacts, we decided to create highly convincing copies of each Forerunner artifact that you were interested in, before scattering them out into space in order to force your Covenant to waste time finding clever counterfeits. As for the Index, you only had a clever fake, a pale imitation of the real thing. The real Index is safely beyond the other side of the spatial anomaly that bridges our worlds, safely in the hands of the Star League, out of your reach."
As soon as Stennings said that, Tartarus roared, pulling out his Gravity Hammer. "Kill them," he roared. With that, the Brutes moved forwards, only to be cut down in milliseconds by the Star League Forces. Tartarus followed shortly after, his chest erupting into small explosions of blood as the Star League personnel took him out. It was anticlimactic, but the entire incident clearly showed that hte SLIC had been one step ahead of the Covenant, or rather five steps ahead.
As soon as the gunfire stopped, Stennings lowered his handgun. "Played him like a violin," he remarked.
Looking at Stennings, Thel said, "You fooled Tartarus into thinking he had the actual Icon, only for him to find out it was a fake?" When Stennings nodded, Thel said, "For the first time in my life, Human, I am genuinely impressed with our kind's capabilities."
Just as Stennings was about to reply, a loud, mechanical sound erupted from behind them. Moments later, the room's lights went out, with a holographic image appearing over the console. It displayed a flashing line of red, Forerunner glyphs, though no one had any idea of what was going on. "What's that," Miranda asked.
"A beacon," 343 Guilty Spark replied.
"What's it doing?"
"Communicating at superluminal speeds, with a frequency of-"
"Communicating with what?"
"The... other installations."
"Show me."
Moments later, a holographic image of multiple Forerunner Fortress Worlds appeared over the console. "Failsafe protocols," Guilty Spark explained. "While the Icon that the Reclaimer known as Stennings gave to the Meddler was a fake, it activated anti-theft protocols in all of the other installations. In the event that one of rings was taken by enemy forces, or in the event of an unexpected shutdown, the entire system will move to stand-by status. All remaining platforms are now ready for remote activations."
"Remote activation," Miranda asked. "From where?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Guilty Spark remarked.
"Listen, tinkerbell," Johnson growled. "Don't make me..."
He was interrupted when Miranda Keyes lowered his arm and asked, "Where would someone go to activate the other rings?"
For a moment, the Monitor was silent, then it said, "Why, the Ark, of course."
"And where, Oracle, is that?" Moments later, both Thel and Bero walked closer.
. . .
As the Forerunner ship drifted closer to Earth, Chief, Osman and 'Ravamee could tell that the joint Great House/SLDF/UNSC forces were locked into a full blown battle with the Brute fleet that had just arrived over Earth. So far, the combined coalition forces were kicking the Brutes in the ass, though a couple ships had gotten through and landed forces on the planet. Still, reports indicated that the enemy troops on the ground were being quickly mopped up. Moments later, a UNSC Captain said over COM, "We've got a new contact. Unknown classification."
"It isn't one of ours," Admiral Hood replied. "Neutralize it."
Acting fast, Chief said, "This is Sierra-117."
"Chief," Admiral Hood asked, surprised. "What are you doing aboard that ship?"
Chief's reply was simple, but bold. "Sir, finishing this fight."