Aboard the crashed UNSC Roanoke
Izuku and Ruby both knew they had a magnum pressed to the back of their heads. Their shields flared, not letting the pistol get any closer to their helmets. The IFF tag was yellow, so they did know for certain if was a friendly.
"Your gonna tell me everything, now." Naomi said in a low and cold tine that would make almost anyone freeze.
"Can you give us a moment to explain and not point a gun at our heads. We're on the same team here." Ruby said, partially annoyed. Which was getting to be a major emotion for today.
They then both felt the pistols lift away from their heads slowly.
Naomi walked in front of them with her battle rifle at rest. But both know that she would raise it and fire on them in a moment.
"Your registered as friendlies. But that's about it. So I wanna know exact who you are and what your intentions are."
Izuku and Ruby, as well as every Spartan III had been informed on what to do if any other Spartan II was encountered.
"Admiral Sierra-009 told us to say Olly Olly Oxen Free of any Spartan II was encountered. He said that they'd know exactly what that is." Ruby said.
Almost invisible to anyone but a Spartan or a gem warrior was the subtle tension in 010.
She remained silent for a moment before she spoke again.
"So, how's 009 been these last 15 years?" She asked calmly as her rifle was set at rest.
The Spartan III's lowered their helmeted heads slightly. Everyone in the UNSC knew what happened to the Admiral. So everyone was supposed to keep a lookout for Peridot and the Emerald gem.
"He's MIA, we're currently looking for him. An enemy Gem took him hostage about 2 weeks ago." Izuku told her.
Naomi should've expected that to be fair. Of course it wouldn't be that easy to find her brother after a decade and a half. She remembered the day she was told that he along with the Marathon cruiser Arcturus vanished into an unstable Slipspace rupture.
"Alright, I'll trust you. But I want a full explanation from your captain. Medical attention for Sierra-141 and white leave for the soldiers and crew on this ship." Naomi said.
"Done." The two said in unison.
"Alright then, now that chit chat is over. What are we gonna do? The Roanoke ain't exactly getting up." Said the ODST they first talked to.
"Dutch, shut up and let em speak." Said a snarky ODST. She then turned to look at them. "But he's gotta point, what's the plan?"
"The UNSC Into the Howling Dark is currently descending to pick up everyone. Where the UNSC Jeager will assist it in hauling the Roanoke init orbit where it can move by itself." Said Izuku.
"Sounds like a plan. Thanks for the save. Me and the rest of my squad are the last ODST's here. I don't think we would've lasted much longer if you hadn't shown up with those things." Dutch said as he pointed to the two Spiders closing in.
"Damn, those are some fine pieces of hardware. Id go with you just to fire one." Said the female ODST.
"Megan, you'll never get to be even near one with your track record in vehicles." Dutch said with a chuckle.
"Fuck you Dutch." She insulted.
"Maybe later." He said with a chuckle. He quickly stopped after Megan punched him in the shoulder plate.
"Alright bitches, what did I miss?" Said the voice of Tucker as he appeared in a speed that only a Spartan or Gem could somewhat see.
"Can you all do that?" Asked Megan. Actually curious if Naomi had superpowers as well.
"I have no honest to God clue what the hell he just did." Naomi good the helljumper.
"Nope, that's my ability babe. Makes me all the more badass!" Tucker gloated. Which earned him a heavy hit in the back of the helmet from Izuku. Which made the cocky Spartan tumble forward and loser his shields slightly.
Naomi could only look at the three Spartans in bewilderment. She couldn't believe that they were so undisciplined. The closest she'd seen a Spartan act like that was Will and Soloman. God, the videogame competitions they had between missions were legendary.
Naomi then heard the familiar roar of a fusion drive and looked skyward. Descending from the sky was a ship. Sitting easily over 700 meters and looking as if a Paris class and a Halcyon had a lovechild. It floated down with a grace that would put any UNSC ship she knew of to shame. No RCS engine or gravitatic thruster she knew of was that powerful or graceful.
But a rumble shook everyone around. But before they could ponder what it was a loud metallic roar let loose. Echoing through the thin and inhospitable atmosphere of this planet.
Four massive blue and green crystalline claws then dug themselves out from the rock. They stretched well over 20 kilometers between each one.
"What the fuck is that!" Yelled Dutch.
"How the fuck should we know! I didn't even do anything!" Tucker yelled.
"Did one of you touch something!" Came the voice of Tex over the comms. All three members of shard shuddered at the angry voice.
"I swear Ruby, if you touched some piece of Gem tech. I'm gonna take all your cookies away from you!" Yelled Yang.
"We can worry about that later! But right now we gotta figure out whatever the hell this thing is! I don't know why, but it's trying to hack into our systems!" Yelled Captain Morgan.
The four arms then had glowing blue energy travel up them before they collected at the tips of the claws. They stayed there for a moment before they shot out and all four collected in between them.
A massive Slipstream rupture then opened up and started to suck in everything around them.
The downed frigate and everyone near it got pulled up and sucked into the portal. Before the Howling Dark was pulled in as well.
Church heard the sound of the Spiders MAC gun thundering as he woke up. The next sound that pierced through his helmet and head was the road of the heavy Laser cannon and the thunder of rifles and Gauss cannons.
He quickly got up and looked around. He was still on the deck of the Spider, so that was a plus. But all around him was darkness. He then turned around to face the front of the Spider and froze for a moment.
About 50 K ahead of them was a massive orb of transparent white crystalline that held a Sun like orb inside. But all around it was the same fleshy material that they found attached to the Gems they were fighting.
He was brought out of his gaze when a regular looking Amythest jumped on top of the deck. Jumping over the bullets of one of the secondary gunners.
She then brought out a short purple sword and grew a boney spike out of her arm.
She quickly impaled the gunned and a shriek was heard as he collapsed to the ground. The purple sword puncturing his armor and out the other side.
She left him in a quicky growing pool of blood and then looked at him.
She rushed forward with a way to human scream and tired to impale him through the chestplate with the spike.
Church activated his enhanced Spartan time and reached her his combat knife. He twirled it just in time to parry the spike. He then dragged his titanium knife across the spike and stabbed the Tungsten Carbide edge into her armpit. He then sliced up and almost severed her right arm.
Church then kicked her away as she grabbed her arm. He saw the same fleshy tendrils come out and looked like they were about to out her arm half together. But he quickly drew his M6G Magnum and put 4 rounds into her skull. The semi armor piercing-high Explained bullets punched through her skull and exploded. Which sprayed purple blood and caused her to poof.
He then ran up and stomped on the gem. He wasn't gonna give her the chance to get back up.
"About time you got up!" Yelled the voice of Ruby. Church looked up to the top of the Spider to see her firing rounds out if her sniper rifle.
"Alright, what the hell happened. All I remember was getting sucked into a rupture and then waking up to see a not so mindless gem impale a guy." Church said as he drew his Gem sniper.
"Well, we just woke up a few minutes ago. Only to find ourselves trapped in this dark cavern. With thousands of Gems infected by that fleshy stuff. As well as more gem Corvettes flying around. Captain Morgan and the Howling Dark have been kept bust destroying them. But I don't know how long we can last. Morgan says they can't activate their Slipspace drive."
Church ran over to the end of the Spiders deck. Carefully avoiding the dead body of the gunner. Only to have his face to white as he saw the battlefield in front of him.
Just as Ruby said, there were thousands of Gems down there. But they weren't the mindless ones that they had fought on the planet. These ones looked like regular gems for the most part. But they used weapons made of either bone, or the same fleshy stuff.
He fired at a carnelian that tried to rip the turret off a Scorpion. He aimed down his scope and out a round made of blue energy. It punched through her skull and her gem fell to the ground. He then out another round through the gemstone and watched it shatter to dust.
He then watched Yang and a group of marines take down a gem fusion that had crushed a warthog and two marines.
A massive rumble then shook both Ruby and Church. Their attention was immediately drawn to a large mound of molten rock that was forming.
Then all at once it shot underneath the Spider they were on. Causing the massive walked to get thrown partially into the air. Which caused all but the last two legs to lift into the air.
Another Amythest then came up and wrapped her ship around the front left leg. Which caused the metal to strain slightly.
Ruby then jumped off the Spider in her rose form. She undid it as she brought out her crimson scythe. She sliced through the purple whip. She then used her thrusters to launch forward and cut the Amythest and her gem straight down the middle.
Ruby then brought out her sniper again and out 2 rounds through a Topaz that was trying to crush an ODST. The helljumper then finished off the gem with a burst of an MA5B. Before aiming at a ruby and emptying his magazine in the short red gem.
Church then saw the Spider eject sharpened Tungsten Carbide spikes out of the bottom of it's front six legs. Which the operator then brought down on the rock pillar. Crushing it under the walked.
The rocks crumbled and the Spider shuddered as it impacted the ground again.
"God damn, these Spiders are worth every cent." Church said to himself as he jumped off the Walker and into the fight.
Naomi couldn't think of another company situation that could compare to the situation she now found herself in.
Currently wrestling an 8 foot amalgamation of 2 of those little red gems. How that worked she had no clue.
But she had to dodge a red combat knife. But she had to parry a spiked gauntlet from another arm. The thing was surprisingly fast as well. Just like an elite.
She jumped backward and grabbed her battle rifle. Putting three bursts into the things chest. Which definately caused it pain from the yell.
"Damn human, I'll kill you even worse for that!" Yelled a gruff female voice from the gem.
Okay, she was not expecting them to be able to talk. But that wasn't gonna stop her from killing it.
Naomi aimed to shoot a burst through her head. But the red gem came rushing it her with the gauntlet. Trying to run her through. But the veteran Spartan had nearly gotten stabbed with an energy sword of dagger to know how to dodge melee weapons.
She ducked underneath the swing and then reeled her arm back and.punched up. Which sent the gems arm upward with a yell of pain.
Naomi then brought back her other arm and punched her in the side of the head. Which sent the ruby reeling back.
Naomi then brought her rifle up and put a burst through her head. The 7.62 AP rounds drilling into the skull.
The red gem then poofed and two almost identical rubies fell to the ground. She quickly ran over and out the two gems in an empty ammo pouch. She had seen what happened if you let these things sit. They get back up somehow in a few minutes.
She could shatter the gems, but she had an opportunity to capture one and the techs could study it. See what made them tick.
She also noticed that the new Spartans she'd seen had similar abilities to the Gem things as well. She'd have to ask about that later. But right now, she wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. It was about time Humanity had the cool stuff for once.
Just as she was about to join up with a squad of these new marines. She saw a red dot on her motion tracker.
Next thing she knew her vision was filled with a large amount of water and she was sent flying.
She tumbled across the ground as her shields were depleted. Causing some minor scratches on her armor.
She looked up to see a thin blue figure with witch like hair hovering above the ground on wings made of water.
But when she looked closer she saw the blue gems eyes were a sickly green color and fleshy tendrils wriggled off her hands.
"I'm surprised you survived that human. The rest of those green armored ones weren't so lucky." She spoke with a slightly British accent. But her voice was almost layered with another, deeper female voice.
"So, another flying enemy. I've dealt with that before. But the water is new." Naomi said with a slight chuckle as she grabbed her MA5B off her back. Since her battle rifle fell out of her hands.
"Oh, I assure you havent fought someone like me human. Although, you heavy armored ones have proven troublesome. I'll kill you quickly." She said in a creepy chuckle.
A massive wall of water appeared and rushed toward her. Turing to drown and crush her. But Naomi grabbed a grenade and set it to detonate on impact.
The frag grenade flew through the air and hit the wall. The resulting explosion and shrapnel opened up a hole in the wall. Naomi quickly aimed her rifle and laid down the trigger. Letting loose a hail of hypersonic 7.62 rounds.
The blue gem brought up a wall of water from the now useless wall to block the rounds. But one hit her in the shoulder. Causing blue blood to spray out the other side and her to emit a grunt of pain.
"Hm, so the blue ones are more fragile? Good to know." Naomi said to herself.
She had to book it to avoid the wall of water baring down on her. But it was no use since it just followed her around. Even for her impressive Spartan speed.
The water suddenly raised above her and dropped down hard. Which caused her shields to take a heavy hit and get pushed to the ground.
She tried to get up but found herself being pushed against the ground. The force of which was getting heavier and heavier. Her armor hardened the gel layer to compensate but it was beginning to fail. Pretty soon she would be a flattened mess against the rock.
But then the water suddenly stopped and she was able to get up. She immediately did and aimed her rifle at the gem. Only to find the gemstone on the ground. Where an ODST aimed their DMR at the stone before blowing it apart.
The helljumper looked at her and gave a thumbs up before running off to take on more gems.
She was immensely grateful for that helljumper. But now wasn't time for thanks. She had more of these magical abominations to kill.
Bridge, UNSC Into The Howling Dark
Captain Morgan grit his teeth as an energy projector from their saucers hit their shields. Which finally dropped the golden barriers that protected the hull. He didn't want to, but they would now be testing their 2 meters of Titanium B armor against their weapons.
"Angle the ship to aim at the saucer that attacked us. Use the right laser cannon." Said the captain to his bridge crew.
A chorus of affirmatives had the ship roll slightly before the right side of the ship out up with red. It was then that a ruby beam shot out of the side of the heavy frigate. It impacted against the saucer and it's shields glew a bright white before collapsing. The laser didn't do much damage to the hull before shutting down for recharge. But now their hull was exposed.
"Fire 70 mm guns and laser turrets. Bring that ship out of the sky."
The 70 mm gatling Coilguns and laser batteries that could aim at the ship spun up and fired. Delivering slugs and small laser bolts alike. The laser potmarked the hull without much damage. But the lightly armored hull was pierced pretty easily by the 70 mm slugs.
After about 15 seconds of continuous fire, the 100m saucer exploded and fell to the ground in pieces.
The raven haired captain grinned at another saucer down. Thankfully these things were troop transports, so they were fairly easy to bring down.
"Fire Archer missiles at that saucer coming up on our ass. And get us soun around to fire the MAC at low power."
He didn't like firing the MAC gun at low power like this. But with troops nearby, if he went to high it would cause damaging shockwaves.
30 of the 42 Archer missile pods on the ship opened their silos and fired their fusion warheads. While the other 12 were incase something blindsided them.
The missiles flew out at the saucer. Only one way shot down by laser defenses since they were effectively in knife fighting range.
The missiles did their job though. Impacting against the shields of the saucer and bringing them down. While the remaining 14 destroyed the ship.
The Howling Dark then turned to face the saucer that was getting to close. But before they could bring the MAC go bear the saucer fired. Shooting both energy projector and laser alike.
The laser didn't do much to the armored hull. But the energy projector but a gash half a meter deep along the armor of the MAC gun.
But it couldn't do anything more as 2 800 ton slugs left the barrel at Mach 100. Slamming into the ship and breaking it's shields before putting a whole through it. As well as pushing it back slightly from the kinetic impact.
"Sir, that was the last saucer. But four more isn't appeared out of the walls of the cavern. Their malt likely going to put out more gems." Said his radar officer.
"Alright, have our Sabres launch and start attacking those saucers. Our boys and girls on the ground don't need anymore of these aliens to deal with." Morgan ordered.
The ship aimed at the nearest saucer and fired the MAC one last time before recharging. One more 800 ton slug leaving the barrel at Mach 100. Causing the saucer to lose its shield's and lurch from the kinetic energy.
"Fire frontal laser cannons at the next saucer." Morgan ordered once more.
The ships sponson glowed a menacing red on the front before tow ruby beams launched out of the ship once more and impacted a saucer. Burning through its shields and burning through the hull.
Watching the alien ship explode brought a sick sense of satisfaction to the entire bridge.
The Sabres at this time flew out of the hangar that came out of the front of the bottom engine pod.
The four fighters flew over to a saucer and unleashed 30 mm rounds and missiles alike as they were shot at with lasers. Which more than a few hit the shields of the Sabres. But since the Saucers were small their lasers weren't to powerful.
The shields of the saucer were downed and the Sabres spun back around and fired another volley of cannon fire and missiles. Which destroyed the saucer.
And at the same time the frigate was dealing with the last saucer. Which did get to fire it's energy projector. Which carved up one of the sponsons and made the left laser cannon inoperable.
The Howling Dark responded with a large salvo of archers and cannon fire.
The 70 mm rounds and Archer's quickly overwhelmed the shields and then tore apart the ship. Causing it's parts to fall to the stone ground.
Morgan looked at the 3d map of the cavern. Looking for any more ships. But thankfully he couldn't see anymore.
"Alright, looks like we're in the clear up here for now. So reroute Sabres to support ground forces. Then we can look for a way out of here." Morgan stated.
He could feel the worry if his crew slip away. They were glad that all the heavy artillery was gone. But he knew better then to think that. These Gem's were clever, so he couldn't let his gaurd down.
But as they say. Speak of the devil and he shall appear.
The ship shuddered as the left engine pod was blown apart. Causing the ship to shudder and pull to the left before the crew quickly righted the ship.
"What the hell isn't hit us!?" Morgan yelled. He wanted to know what pierced the ships armor and disabled an engine.
"A Gem used a high powered plasma beam. It pierced the underside of engine 3 and caused it to explode. But we quickly righted ourselves." Said an officer.
"Alright, have someone take that Gem out. Because we're gonna be in trouble if we lose the primary engine while in atmosphere." He said.
Shaman 3 of the Sabre wing that was aboard the Howling Dark saw the beam pierced through one of the engine pods of the heavy frigate.
He looked half down to see where it came from. Scanning over his systems to scan.
It was at that moment that a red beam of plasma narrowly missed destroying him. His shields flared heavily and dropped them. As well as burning his hull slightly.
"Holy shit! That was close!" He said over the radio.
He banked to the left and tried to get a scan on where it came from. But as he was turning a small blue gem. Which couldn't be more then 3 feet tall slammed into the unshielded hull of his fighter. They were about to recharge, but she was blocking them.
He couldn't exactly see her due to the cockpit being at the front of the plane. But his sensors were telling him that she was there.
The fighter suddenly lurched to the side when he got a notification that an engine had been disabled.
"Alright, this bitch is starting to lose me off!" He yelled as he ignited the booster on the right side to balance out the plane. It would draw a lot of power from the reactor. But it would still allow him to fly.
"Alright, try this you little stowaway." Shaman 3 said as he tilted the thruster and rolled his ailerons. The ailerons we're usually for atmospheric flight. But they would still give a bit of turning ability in the thin air of this place.
His Sabre rolled heavily. Making his flight suit harden slightly and his inertial dampeners to stress. But his ship told him that the Gem had fallen off. And ripped a piece of his hull with it. Which made the fighter shudder slightly. But a quick adjustment from the computer had him flying somewhat right again.
It was when he turned around he saw the gem that and caused him trouble.
She was a dark blue that was slightly lighter than a Lazuli. His scanners told him it was an Aquamarine. Which he didn't know till now found fly.
She then raised her right arm, which had a large set of spikes growing out of it. And launched them at him.
He couldn't gun the engines to avoid them with his booster running. And he couldn't turn it off without causing a death spiral.
So his recharging shields and inch thick armor had to take the spikes head on.
The shields held out against maybe 8 spikes before collapsing once more. Then the 6 that were left dug into the armor and a few of the systems.
God, it cost like getting shot by a 20mm with how much damage they caused. But thankfully his armor stopped 5, with the last one only messing up his missile tracker. Which sucked.
"Hey, if anyone can give some backup it would be appreciated. My Sabre is taking a pounding over here." He said into the comms.
"Don't worry, I got ya!" Yelled Shaman 4.
He came screaming by and fired a torrent of 30 mm rounds at the Aquamarine. Who did get hit by a glancing blow that blew an arm off. Dripping blue and sickly green blood.
The Aquamarine in turn fired more of the bone shards at Shaman 4. But since he had a fully charged shield he was fine. But it did bring it down by half.
Shaman 3 was then able to turn around and get a line of sight. He then fired more 30 mm rounds that tore the Aquamarine to pieces. Spraying Gem blood and shards.
"Nice shooting Muhammed. I'll buy you a drink later for surviving that." Said Shaman 4.
"Better be some damn good scotch Ricky!" Shaman 3 laughed as he flew. Looking for a new target to drop some heat on.
"Sure, but turn that pin cushion around and back to the ship. Your barely limping along as it is. Their be Gems to kill next time." Shaman 4 said.
Muhammed grumbled a bit about how he could still fly. But Ricky was being honest. Another hit and he'd have a first class ticket to the hard ground.
"Fine. Happy hunting Ricky. Make sure you don't let Daphne show you up." He said with a grin.
"Oh, no way in hell." He said before turning his Sabre to a large gem.
Shaman 3 limped over to the Howling Dark. Aiming so he came around to the underside hangar. Once he slowed his engine output to slow down.
Once he was a few hundred feet away he switched to vertical landing and the underside of his Sabre opened up to turn in it's vertical thrusters.
The Sabre came into the hangar and landed on the ground much like a helicopter. The fusion engines heating up the floor a bit underneath him.
He sighed when he felt the landing gear hit the ground. He was kinda pissed he couldn't keep fighting. But Ricky was sadly right.
He isn't hoped that was some good scotch.
UNSC Roanoke MED Bay
Cal-141 slowly awoke from her slumber in an unfamiliar bed. Her bright yellow eyes having to shut slightly to adjust to the bright light.
But once they did she looked around and noted the familiar Med bay of a UNSC frigate. But she had no idea how she got here. All she remembered was the assassination mission to kill a minor prophet. But then a brute chieftain got her in the back of the head with a lucky gravity hammer. She then collapsed and ordered Dutch to take the shot. Then her world went dark.
To be honest, she didn't expect to wake up. You usually didn't when hit with a gravity hammer.
She got up and found that she could. There was no restraints to keep her down. There were no missing limbs she had to worry about. And there were no casts.
But she did have the biggest headache of her life. But that she could deal with.
The ship suddenly lurched and she went to the side slightly. Nearly falling off the bed.
"This is Sierra-141, bring up outside camera views." She said in a soft but hoarse voice. She really needed a cup of water.
She saw several holographic screens appear that showed several dozen camera views. As well as one that showed a 3d layout of the ship.
All she could see outside were soldiers and tanks fighting. She then looked at another camera and was surprised when she saw a remarkably Scarab like vehicle. She would've worried that it was gonna kill everyone. But she saw the olive green armor, 8 legs, MAC turret and a bright UNSC eagle painted on the front leg.
She was still impressed with it though. It looked like it could easily take on a Scarab.
But then she saw what it was fighting and her eyes widened.
She saw several women that looked like humans. But most either had strange proportions or were either very small or rather large. But that wasn't even the strangest part.
They were using abilities that defied nature and physics. From being able to summon ice walls that could block a round from a Scorpion's main gun. To shooting large beams of plasma that cut down soldiers and vehicle's alike.
It was at that moment that she stood up and walked over to the corner of the room where her Mjolnir armor was stored.
She ripped off the medical gown she currently wore. Which left nothing on underneath. Exposing her tall and muscular form.
She and the rest of her Spartan brothers and sisters never really cared if they had to change in front of one another. It wasn't something they really cared about. So evening someone soaked in on her like this she wouldn't bat an eye.
She grabbed her diamond and Titanium weave undersuit first. Which held the static gel, force enhancing circuits, and liquid crystal layer.
It fit snuggly to her form like a second skin. But even so it slid on like a glove.
Thankfully there was the drill that screwed in the plates of her armor. As well as being superhuman even without it. Because a regular person wouldn't be able to put on the pieces easily.
She stepped into the shoes and kicked the ground to lock them in. Next she put the ankle pieces together and screwed them tight.
Then came the thighs which she screwed together as well.
Next was the cod plate. Which both the armor and undersuit were extra padded. Because everyone knew, if you were but there. It was as damaging as a full punch to the head. But the plates snapped together easily and she screwed them tight.
After that came the heavy chestplate that held the micro Fusion reactor. As well as several other key systems.
She put the back plate on first. Feeling the micro grabbers stick onto her suit and stick in place. She then hefted the front and put it into place. Hearing the two pieces grab each other and click. A few screws tightened and it was fastened on.
She then snapped on the bicep plates and felt them click. Another screw for each and they were attached. The shoulder pads then came next. The large plates of armor covering the seam between the bicep and shoulder.
She then pulled on the gauntlets and screwed them tight. Next she pulled on the gloves and attached them. She then grabbed the hand gaurds and clicked them on.
Last but not least she picked up her helmet. But when she saw the state it was in. She knew that she'd need to go to the armory and grab an ODST helmet.
It was partially crushed where she'd been hit. As well as cut into pieces to get it off her head most likely.
She tossed the pieces of wrecked titanium onto the floor and walked out of the Med bay.
At least she'd get to have her way beyond regulation platinum blonde hair sway for a bit.
But even without her helmet, she cut and imposing figure. Standing just over 7 feet tall and clad in over a thousand pounds of armor. Her yellow eyes being somewhat terrifying to new marines on the rare occasion she took her helmet off.
She hastened her pace to get to the armory. The sound of her boots clanging on the floor was loud.
But it didn't take long to make it to her destination. The armory door slid open and she went over to an ODST locker. Opening it and grabbing the helmet. She had to tuck her hair up and she slid it over her head.
Thankfully the seals on her Mjolnir were the same kind so it attached easily.
She saw the HUD boot up and interface with her armor. Sadly she didn't have any shields like Naomi. So she'd just have to do with her heavier armor.
She then went over to the specialist weapons locker and grabbed an SRS-99 sniper rifle. As well as 6 magazines.
She loaded it and out it in her back. Then walked over to the weapon rack and grabbed an MA5B. 8 magazines and she was good.
Finally were 2 frag grenades and an M6G and four magazines. She racked the slide and placed it on her hip.
She grabbed the sniper rifle and took off to the fight.
Tex was really starting to hate these gems with a passion. It was so easy before, she should've seen it coming. It was way to easy.
But now the Gems were human levels of intelligence instead of the fleshy blobs they've killed before. As well as using those biomasses to create weapons. She was nearly run through from a cinnabar that had a large bone spike. She wasn't sure if it wouldn't have gone straight through her chestplate.
She took a lunch that downed her shields from a triple fusion ruby. Fucker was nearly 12 feet tall.
She went sliding back and had to quickly get to her feet before they crushed her flat.
Tex then was able to activate her camo and turned invisible. The ruby fusion extended fleshy tentacles out of her left arm and sent them around. Trying to find her.
"Arrgh, stupid human. Where are you!" She yelled as she swung the tentacles around and slashed a crimson katana.
"Right here bitch!" Tex yelled as she went out of camo and fired a shell directly into the back of the fusions head. Causing her to poof and the three gems to fall to the ground.
She reloaded the spent shells in her shotgun and raider the slide. She was about to go and collect the gems when a massive hand swiped her and sent her flying.
Tex didn't know what happened for a few seconds. Her shields were instantly depleted and her gel layer hardened to maximum in a moment. Trying to negate some of the force.
But even then, it felt like one of her ribs cracked. And then she skid along the ground like a rock and scrapes her armor. A small amount of blood was also spat out on the inside of her visor.
"Fucking cheap shot." Tex groaned as she stood up. A Scorpion tank that was left rumbling by her. Firing it's Gauss cannon at whatever hit her.
It was when Tex finally got up that she saw what hit her.
The Scorpion tank was firing at a large fusion that was neon green and pink. With long and spiky rockstar hair. As well as a severely tattered leather jacket and jeans. Four sickly green eyes staring angrily at the tank.
The fusion looked to have a Rose Quartz as sort of it. Because it was blocking the 90 mm Gauss HEAT shells with a large kite shield.
But while cracks were starting to appear on the shield. Several spider like arms of the fleshy bring tentacles appeared from behind it's back. Tex tried to radio the tank but the fusion was already on it.
She drives the bong spider legs into the tank. Most of them absorbed by the armor. But some pierced through and either damaged or destroyed the insides of the tank.
Once the tank wasn't moving and the reactor had destabilized. The gem jumped away and watched it explode.
But behind her more inter gem fusions started to appear. From a wide range of colors. Like a cinnabar and a jade. A jasper and two rubies. A topaz and an azure quartz. Even a ruby and a snowflake obsidian.
"Um guys, I think it's time we pull our Trump card. Their starting to get bigger and meaner over here." Tex said. Voice lined with worry.
"So, we bringing out Cinder?" Yang asked over the comms. She liked that particular plan.
"Oh yeah, Cinder it is!" Grif yelled excitedly.
Tex ran over toward where Yang and Grif were. Having to run invisible at her top speed to avoid the fusions.
But one of them saw her foot prints on the ground. Walking on the slight coat of dust on the rock.
But it was to late for them. Tex had made it to Yang and Grif. They held hands and their bodies started to merge in a white light.
The watermelon quartz that destroyed the tank tried to stay into them and stop the fusion. But a large armored hand caught her spiked leg.
"You know, I hate to be interrupted while I'm working. So would you mind dying." Said a slow and sultry feminine voice.
The watermelon quartz looked at the twenty foot height of the black and crimson armored fusion with actual terror. Her own quad eyes staring at the same height into the crimson visor of Cinders helmet.
Cinder kicked the gem hard in the center of the stomach. Causing the gem to fly back two hundred feet. The gem then looked back in anger as she summoned her life shield and sharpened her spikes.
Cinder in the same fashion summoned the main weapons of her counter parts and combined the UNSC firearms into what looked like a 12 foot long SAW. Except it had a bore of 60 mm.
"You know you don't stand a chance. But if you'd like to waste your lives. I'd be happy to send you to the abyss personally." Cinder said in the same sultry and mocking tone.
In response the gems charged forward. Some jumping ludicrously high into the air. While others simply charged at a breakneck speed at her.
Cinder just smiled beneath her crimson visor and pressed the trigger of her SAW. Having 60 mm rounds spray out of the end of the barrel. Which the Cinnabar and Ruby fusion was the first to be targeted. They didn't have any defenses and the hypersonic bullets ripped into her. Effectively recreating World War I and riping her to pieces.
But the other gems saw this and she's the biomass to grow organic shields in front of them. Which wasn't as effective as the watermelons kite shield. But it did serve to annoy Cinder since her bullets were slowed down.
But she did rip apart the Jasper and two rubies fusion that tired to spin dash into her.
But she had to out away her SAW and instead combined the three gem weapons of her counter parts.
Which were formed just in time to block several spider arms that tired to impale her.
The two Roman style short swords were a black and crimson color like her armor. With a glowing ornate handle and gaurd.
Cinder sliced through and cussed the end of the spider leg. Making watermelon shriek in pain. She then brought the other sword on the top of the shield to try and force it down. But that didn't work quite as well.
Watermelon then brought two arms and tried to stab Cinder in the side. But it bounced off her strengthened energy shields.
Cinder then shoulder checked her and sent watermelon stumbling back. She then raised to the side and slashed at two more arms that made her shriek in pain.
Cinder then brought the sword back around and tried to stab her in the head. But that was blocked by the topaz and azure quartz fusion then appeared in front of her and punched her in the chest. Which sent Cinder stumbling back. The quartz then summoned a pair of boney and crystalline gauntlets. Which she got another shit that draijed the shields significantly of Cinder.
The fusion was about to put another punch right into her face but Cinder ducked. She then angels her swords downward and deflected one of the punches with effort. She then dragged the sword up the fusion arm and slashed at he shoulder. Effectively crippling her arm.
The watermelon was about to capitalize on Cinder focusing on the lemon raspberry. But just as she lunged to gab her shield into the fusion she got shot in one of the eyes.
"Gaaah! My eye!" She screamed as s hand came up to try and stop the pearlescent green blood.
Another shield round then struck her between the fingers and got one of her either eyes.
Cinder kicked away the lemon raspberry and turned to the distracted fusion. She brought her swords in a horizontal sweep. And proceeded to cleave watermelons head in half. Causing a spray of blood and caused the gem to poof.
Cinder wasted no time and stomped on the Gems. Because she had another opponent to take care of.
Cinder saw the other fusion coming up quickly behind her and turned to face her.
The lemon raspberry fusion sent a punch to the face that Cinder blocked with a sword. But then sent a punch to the stomach the Cinder sent her elbow downward to block. Which made her arm go back down and her shields glow brightly.
Cinder then kneed her in the stomach as the fusion punched her in the chest. Which made Cinders Shields glow even more.
Cinder then brought her left sword down to try and break the fusions damaged right arm. But it seems to have already healed.
Cinder then ducked quickly and knocked her arm upward with the force. She then cut through the arm with her other sword.
The fusion then punched Cinder in the shoulder. Which finally dropped her shields with a crack. But she wouldn't get a chance to damage armor because Cinder this used her left blade and cleaved upward. Slicing the gems torso health in two. Spraying neon blue blood before dissapearing in a puff of smoke.
"Well, you were more annoying then I thought." Cinder size to herself and she bubbled the gems and sent them to the Here Be Dragons.
Cinder looked over to where the rest of the fighting was and saw that the Snowflake obsidian fusion had trapped one of the Spider walkers in a mini iceberg.
She put her swords on her hair and brought out her SAW. About to put the fusion in the ground.
But then everyone in the massive cavern was frozen by what sounded like a machine starting. Which echoed several times throughout the cavern.
Cinder turned around from where the sound originated from. She saw the massive white crystal orb that held something inside. The Crystal shield started to glow a light blue as the sound got louder and louder.
"What the hell is going on, the Gems just stopped. And I really don't like the smiles on their faces!" Said the commander of the Spider that wasn't stuck.
"We're getting a amsisve energy spike from the orb. Did someone touch a piece of alien technology!?" Asked Captain Morgan on the comms.
"This is the acting Captain Brooke of the UNSC Roanoke. We've been able to restart the primary reactors and engines. Were preparing to take off."
It was then that the crashed form of the Roanoke rumbled as it's engines flared and started to lift. Bringing the damaged frigate into the air.
"Good to have another ship in the sky. If you got any fighters, try to get them into the air." Asked Captain Morgan.
"Sir, I think we're gonna need more than two frigates. I don't like the look of that orb." Church said over comms.
All of a sudden the orb shattered into millions of fragments that blanked the ground and area around it. Some of which pinged off Cinders Shields. Draining them slightly.
Every human and Gem stared in shock at what was beyond the orb. It was a massive warp pad that had a glowing Slipspace portal above it. Which flared wildly as it activated.
"Oh, that can't be good." Tucker said.
Everyone had the same feeling. One of utter dread and sorrow. They could feel their very emotions flaring wildly.
Then a massive figure fell out of the portal and landed on the warp pad with a massive thud. The thin layer of dust shadowing it for a few moments.
Cal and Naomi both stared in awe at the figure that come out of the warp pad. While Cal's new ODST helmet didn't have all the sensors of her old one. It did have paper readings and basic chemical composition.
But Naomi's MK V had more advanced ones. Including the new VISR. As well as precise power readings and even pick range X-Ray. So she could see the figure in all her glory.
Her body was tall and spindly. With feet that were more like a T-Rex. Connected to a thin but powerful torso that had a large blue diamond in the center of the upper torso. Skinny arms that stretched down to the lower legs. They ended in thin fingers that razor sharp bone nails. But the head was the most terrifying part. With a wide mouth that trialed all the way to the neck. With a then nose and deep blue irises that were framed by onyx black scalera. Snow White hair framed her face and trailer down to her lower back. As well as light blue spikes of crystalline that extended out her skull like a crown.
That wasn't even getting to the flesh tendrils that seeped out of her back and the razor sharp teeth that framed her smile. A dark blue dress fit for an empress covered her body. While a navy blue cloak with silver trim covered her head and some of her body.
Naomi and Cal both backed up at the Diamond. One thought going through their minds.
"We need a bigger fucking gun!"
A deep chuckle escaped her lips as her eyes scanned her Gem servants and the humans. Eyes going over the two human ships hovering in the air. She eyed them with both contempt and admiration. They aren't to be underestimated if they took down all the ships here with only that amount of damage.
But a wicked grin spread across her face. Showing her razor teeth in a Cheshire grin.
But now she was here. And there would be nothing they could do to her.
"You've done well to get this far humans. I'm actually impressed. You've done what no other race for a hundred millennium has been able to do. But this is where your journey ends." She spoke in a calm but thundering grin that sent shivers down everyone but Cal and Naomi's spines.
The Howling Dark activated it's missiles and gun batteries. Firing several salvos at the Diamond.
The Archer's, slugs and lasers impacted her in moments. But to the horror of every human there, the shots were abosrbed by a dark blue hexagonal barrier.
Blue Diamond simply smiled as the fire impacted her hardlight shield. She watched in curiosity as the frigate turned it's front toward her. But she'd seen what it was about to do before. After all, her own ship had a similar weapon.
"My turn." She then raised her right arm. Her thin fingers growing as a blue ball of plasma formed in it. It quickly grew and she smirked as the frigate was almost aimed at her as it's secondary batteries and missiles continued to batter her shields to little effect.
Suddenly the ball stopped spinning. But then a large beam of blue plasma shot out like an energy projector and almost immediately punched through the 2 meters of Titanium B and drilled into the decks of the ship.
Her grin widened all the way down her mouth as the ship exploded from the inside. The entire ship then dissapeared into a fusion explosion that killed everyone aboard and whomever was beneath it.
Cinder saw this and immediately rushed forward as she fired her SAW. Doing little damage to the Diamonds shield.
Cinder then put the weapon on her hack and brought out her swords. She jumped to try and get extra power to stab into the shield and run the Diamond through.
But before even a Spartan could blink she shot her thin arms out and caught the twenty foot Spartan fusion by the neck. The force of the grasp around her neck caused her shields to drop and her swords to fall out of her hands.
The gel layer of her armor tried to harden to help. But did almost nothing to the surprisingly monsterous strength of the Diamond. Her hardened bones starting to crack.
Blue diamond reached her other arm up to eye head. Trading her razor finger nails across the seal of she helmet.
"Now, let's see what the humans little experiments look like." She said as her fingers dug between the helmet and the top of her suit.
The black and crimson helmet popped off and landed on the ground with a thud.
Blue Diamond looked at Cinders unprotected face. Her pale skin contrasting greatly with her raven hair. While her fire orange eyes looked at the Diamond with hate.
It would've been almost comical to see blue diamond lifting up the several dozen ton Spartan that was less than a third her height.
"Hhmm, I expected more. But oh well. Time for this to end." She then brought her fingers of her other arm up and had the fleshy tendrils wrap around it. Creating a large spike that would supplement the razor fingers.
She then stabbed through the chestplate and into the torso of Cinder.
The Spartan coughed up blood as her grip started to loosen. She didn't just get stabbed. The flesh spike worked it's way inside her body as it started to infect her with something. She could feel her flesh start to grow and twist in ways she didn't want it to.
She tried to unfuse, but for some reason she couldn't. So she had to endure the agony.
That was when a ruby red laser beam struck blue Diamonds shield and made her turn her gaze toward the other Spider walker. It's MAC gun then fired and noticably made a slight crack in her shield.
She then dropped Cinder and then the three Spartans unfused and immediately collapsed to the ground.
The rest of team Shard as well as Naomi and Cal came running over as blue Diamond turned toward the heavy walker.
Grey immediately did a scan in their bodies. Creating a 3d map of their bodies inside and out. And she didn't like what she saw.
"Oh no, whatever Blue Diamond did has infected them with the same fleshy substance. It's rapidly growing inside their bodies and mutating them. But it seems their Gem's are repeling it somewhat. But we need to get the Gems out if there before their infected." She then turned around to them. "Rip their armor off!"
Cal wand over to Grif and proceeded to rip his chestplate off. She then put her fingers in the holes of his udnersuit and ripped them open.
She used she limited scanners to find that his gem was on his spine and she had to dig through both the rapidly growing flesh and his internal organs. It was both disheartening and hopeful to know that their already dead.
She then ripped out the Japser gem and gave it to Grey. She then tried to clean off her hands.
As that was being done Izuku went over and had to use his more powerful armor to rip Yang's Excalibur class off. Her body was already very corrupted so he didn't feel bad about exposing her as he ripped her udnersuit with his combat knife. He then reached between her breasts and ripped out the Topaz as he handed it to Grey as well.
Church ripped Tex's helmet off since her Onyx was in her left eye socket. He ripped the onyx out of her skull and looked at it and held it closely for a moment. He then handed it to Grey as well.
Grey bubbled them all and sent them to the ship.
"I'll set their armor fail-safes. We need to get out of here." Church's said as the Spartans nodded.
They turned around to see the Spider explode as a blue beam of energy pierced through its reactor and caused everything a hundred feet around it to be vaporized.
Blue Diamond then turned to look at the other Spider and smirked that it was trapped in a large block of ice.
She then faced her Gem soldiers that weren't attacking anymore.
"Come along now, we've won this battle. Time to return to Homeworld." She commanded.
The rest of the Gems stopped fighting and marched over to their Diamond. After all, most of the human soldiers and vehicle's lay injured or dead.
Blue Diamond smirked as she stood in the center of the Warp pad with her Gem soldiers. The pad then activated and they all dissapeared.
.the cavern they were in then rumbled as it began to collapse.
"Shit, this place is gonna blow. We need an Evac now!" Church said to the Roanoke.
"This is Brooke, everyone still alive proceed to the marker point. We can only wait a few minutes."
Shard and the Spartan II's then ran over to the evacuation pint that was almost directly beneath the Roanoke
The Paris class frigate made a maneuver that would have FLEETCOM having the captain demoted.
Rooms and the ship land on the ground so that the bottom of the ship touched the ground.
The Spartans picked up every soldier that couldn't also on their own. Grey had healed over 3 dozen of them. But she was out of energy for now and Izuku had to carry her on his back. Using the magnetic strips on the backs of their armor.
A large piece of rock was about to fall on top of them before Ruby and Izuku fused together. The 14 foot fusion then summoned a Jade green and Ruby red scythe then cut the rock in half before they pushed the pieces aside.
They then unfused and kicked up their injured once again.
"Come on, there's a Pelican just up there." Church yelled.
The 7 Spartans and their injured loaded onto the Pelican. It also immediately fired it's engines and took off.
It was only about a 30 seconds until the Pelican landed into the hangar of the Roanoke. They quickly disembarked and brought them over to the medics.
It was only 2 minutes before the last Pelican landed in the hangar. So with that the hangar bay doors closed.
Bridge of the Roanoke
"Alright ma'am, all survivors are loaded and we're good to go." The ships AI Revere told her. His avatar was based around Paul Revere.
"Alright, can we do a Slipspace jump?" She asked the AI.
"Theoretically, but I dont know where outside we'll end up. We could end up inside the planet for all we know. It's just a chance we'll have to take." Revere said.
Brooke sighed, her blonde hair dealing over her eyes as she did so.
"Do it, it's the only way out of here."
Revere nodded as he spun up the drive. Brooke then made an announcement to the crew.
"This is Senior Chief Petty Officer Brooke MacMillan. Acting Captain of the Roanoke. Stand by for Slipspace jump." She said over the loudspeakers.
It was then that the familiar rupture in the eleventh dimension appeared in front of the ship. It was unstable from being in a gravity well and Revere was running overtime to keep it going.
The Roanoke then gunned it's engines and laughed into the rupture as the cavern collapsed. Causing a few rocks to hit the armor of the ship. But none did any damage.
The journey ended in only a few short moments. The rupture that would transition them back into realspace was coming up.
The frigate exited Slipspace right in front of a UNSC ship.
"Oh shit, Revere! Turn!" Brooke yelled.
The frigate pitched hard to the right. Barely avoiding a crash with a UNSC cruiser. She breathed a sigh of relief as they braked and moved back over to the ship.
Now that she got a good look at it she didn't know what kind of ship it was. It looked like a significantly beefier and larger Halcyon. But with two MAC barrels and many large turrets.
"This is Captain Petra of the UNSC Here Be Dragons. Would you mind telling me what the Hell happened! Especially why three of my Spartans are just contaminated gemstones.
"Well, I'm acting Captain Brooke. And ma'am, it's a long story." She responded.
A sigh could be heard in the other end from the captain.
"Alright, dock on the designated hardpoint. Your AI should have it. But can you at least tell me where my other frigate went?"
Brooke and Revere both had a solemn look on their face. Neither wanted to give the news of an entire frigate and it's crew destroyed. But the Covenant had done it all to often.
"Ma'am, they were destroyed. All hands were lost. As well as a heavy walker destroyed and another had to be abandoned. Several hundred troops, over a dozen tanks and many more Warthogs. All of them gone. And that's just the short version. We... we've never seen an enemy like it." She said as tears threatened to fall from her eyes.
She really needed some sleep.
"Alright, thanks for the info. I'll need a full debriefing onboard. But for now, dock with my ship and we'll head which to Earth." Petra said.
"Earth Ma'am, aren't we a bit far? It's protocol to perform several random jumps as well." She told her.
"Oh boy, you have a lot to get caught up on." Petra said.
Brooke felt the ship shake slightly as it attached to the large hardpoint on the cruiser. A blue rupture then opened up in front of them and they dissapeared along with the Jeager into it.
At the edge of the system
Blue Diamond watched the human warships leave through Slipspace. She had been watching them for the last few minutes aboard her ship.
She swiped and the hardlight screen dissapeared.
She then turned to the navigator.
"We're going back to Homeworld. Get the Slipspace drive spun up." She ordered.
"Yes my Diamond!" The Jade said before inputting the coordinates.
Blue then looked out the large windows of the bridge. Her eyes gazing at the dark void of space.
"Run along humans. We'll meet again soon." She said with a wicked smile.
It was then that the navy blue ship that extended nearly 40 kilometers entered the eleventh dimension. Going on it's journey back to the Gem homeworld.