Chapter 32

November 27, 2552, 1855hrs, Voi, Kenya, East Africa Protectorate, Africa, Planet Earth

The command team inside the M6A1 Bobcat watched in horror the carnage going on around them. There were no longer any humans in the proximity of the rear area of the recent UNSC assault. All had either fled or been consumed by the aptly-named Flood. Overhead surveillance feeds on other parts of the battlefield showed there were still pockets of resistance and in some cases humans and Covenant were fighting together to try to hold off the new and greater threat. Immediately outside the command vehicle Flood Combat Forms banged relentlessly trying to beat and claw their way inside the 12 ½ tonne vehicle. Though the armor plating was thick enough that no sound was heard, watching the ferocity of the creatures with greenish-gray decaying skin and armed with mutated appendages caused those inside to shudder. A number based on their size were likely former Brutes but most were the friends and colleagues of those inside.

The driver had tried to get them out of the area but the outriggers on the sides that had acted as stabilizers had only dug in and caused the heavy vehicle to bore into the soft ground of the former lake. They were stuck.

"Hang tight people," Colonel Steele ordered for the fourth time in fifteen minutes as the party inside became increasingly scared.

"That's right, help is on the way," Major Grant, the XO added to try to encourage the jumpy group.

"There's no one out there, everyone else is gone!" an S-6 supply lieutenant cried out.

"What are we going to do?" another desperately added.

"Get a grip," the XO shot back, becoming frustrated.

The increasingly heated exchange was lost on Natalia. She remained at her station flipping through the few live feeds remaining. Tear streamed down her face not for her own situation but for Mike and what was happening to him. She saw the grotesque creatures outside and knew they were former UNSC and Covenant personnel. She'd watched in horror the transformation of several earlier as it was happening before turning away. Since she'd fallen in love with Mike and given herself to him the idea that he might die had always been with her. He was a Spartan and at the front of the fight so she'd reconciled herself to that. Then to see this new abomination and to think the love of her life was wandering around mindlessly like this was more than she could bear. She didn't want to live anymore; death was welcome after all this. To come so far, to give herself fully to him, there was only one other way left and that didn't seem likely to happen.

No, death was welcome.

Natalia felt the weight of the Magnum pistol on her hip and wondered if she had the courage to do it. So rather than go farther with that thought, instead she sat in gridlock, crying, not caring who saw or what they thought.

Truth be known, no one was paying attention to the woman who'd just joined the command team, all were in their own state of misery or contemplation.

"We've got to get out of here," a female logistics sergeant adding her voice to the din. "When that Covvie ship goes up we're done."

"This vehicle has amalgamated polymer lattice, five layers of alternating titanium and AEGIS plates, coated with extreme temperature resilient Kevlar," Major Grant retorted confidently, his annoyance at the staff starting to show.

"But is it enough to withstand the detonation of that ship's reactor?" the NCO persisted. "You heard the order. Master Chief is going to blow it."

"If he makes it that far, you see those things out there?" another questioned dismissively.

"He's the Master Chief, he's faced them before and won."

"Little help for us," the forlorn lieutenant moaned.

"Pipe down!" Colonel Steele ordered. "You're Marines, get refocused. What do we have at our disposal?"

"20mm cannon is bingo ammo, sir," the vehicle's gunner replied.

"Aurora laser is down too, battery is burned out," the electronic warfare officer reported. "Spares are all in the supply truck."

"Any other point-defense weapons up?" the area commander asked knowing the answer already but forcing himself to ask.

"No sir, all are down. Same state."

A quiet murmur went up from the twenty other members of the command team inside the armored vehicle as the commanding officer looked over at his XO. The three remaining infanteers from the security detail looked on angrily but with no outlet.

It was Natalia who saw it first. Initially she didn't quite figure it out in her grief and focus elsewhere, but the highest cameras on the Bobcat were picking up some type of combat going on moving towards them.

"Sir," she called out, "you want to see this!"

The cavalry had arrived.

"Come on, me lads, push through these bastards!" Gunny MacGregor called above the noise of battle leading the way, SMG firing short bursts. The Wolverines were there.

The seasoned NCO had taken command of the Wolverines earlier in the day when both Captain McLynn and his 2ic had gone down wounded. When the ODSTs and Wolf Pack had separated he'd taken to heart Mike's order to fall back and protect the rear. Thus far it had gone well. As they neared the staging area it was pretty clear there were no human survivors and so had plotted a safer course out of the theatre. Then he'd received the distress call from the command element. The long-serving veteran had weighed the cost of answering but then realized Natalia was part of that group. He wasn't sure anyone was going to last through this but he knew he had to do something to help out the woman who his commander and friend loved. He'd pushed the Wolverines into the fight.

The Helljumpers moved in disciplined bounds staying within their fireteams. Assault rifle and SMG fire was concentrated on Flood Infection and Combat forms that surged towards the ODSTs sensing fresh meat. These humans though were not so easily overwhelmed. While initially caught off guard the seasoned fighters pushed forward with grim determination. Anger at the wanton destruction by this new foe drove them into the fight.

Still, the sheer volume of the highly aggressive Flood and their total lack of interest in self-preservation checked the initial success of the Helljumpers. They were stopped cold by the relentless press of new swarms of Infection Forms who hungrily lashed out with their tentacles looking for fresh hosts. To the horror of their teammates several of the ODSTs on the outer edge of the UNSC scrum were caught and pulled away. Moments later they arose as mindless Combat Forms bent on destroying those who earlier they would have gladly given their lives for.

"Tighten up the formation!" Gunny MacGregor ordered seeing the danger. Sadly, the enraged troopers were forced to destroy their former mates. "Don't let them get close."

"Gunny, we can't break through," a lance corporal called out urgently. "Maybe we should pull back."

The seasoned NCO did a quick shoulder check to confirm what he already knew. They were surrounded. Still, he had no regret for the choice he made and knew none with him did either. "Death or glory, me lads," the man called out, never prouder.

"Feet first into Hell!" the remnants of the platoon called out.

Inside the Bobcat the occupants could see the same problem developing that Gunny MacGregor had already figured out.

"We need to go out and help them!" Natalia declared jumping up and drawing her magnum, voice loud with adrenaline.

"Right on, get us in the fight," a Marine guard shouted, battle rifle at the ready.

"I'm not going out there with those things, no way," a logistics officer shouted back.

A short argument ensued.

"No one's going anywhere," Colonel Steele's voice boomed over the fray. "If we open up they get in here and we're all dead."

"But sir, we have to do something," Natalia stated, voice dropping as tears filled her eyes. "They came to help us. We can't just leave them to die."

"Nothing we can do but pray for them," the area commander said, his voice becoming thick with emotion.

Outside the situation was getting worse. Two more ODSTs went down to the Flood assault and had to be shot by their mates. By now many were openly weeping for the fallen but that made the Helljumpers fight even harder.

Small arms fire to the left of the UNSC forces caused a pause in the Flood assault as a new threat was assessed. Yet this was not human small arms fire. Purplish pink crystalline shards flew through the air shredding a dozen Flood Infection Forms while searing plasma bolts took down a number of Combat Forms. Eight Sangheili warriors came to the crest of the hill and began an overwhelming fire with needlers and Covenant carbines.

Rather than try to engage the beleaguered humans the Elites focused exclusively on the Flood. Moving aggressively in disciplined bounds the warriors maintained a withering and high rate of fire. Moving in a diamond formation one switched to his energy sword to take care of those who got too close. Moving the lethal weapon in efficient sweeping arcs the Elite was able to keep the Flood who got too close off his teammates. The development allowed the ODSTs of the Wolverines who'd been stuck to re-engage and begin to aggressively press forward again to the trapped command vehicle. Infection Forms tried everything they could to break the fighter's cordons but the discipline of each group would not break. More Flood surged into the area but all that did was fill the killing area between the two former foes.

Though their numbers were high the Flood were caught between two determined attackers and between the human and Elite forces they were able to not only stem the tide but push the parasites back. The groups patiently thinned out the parasite force and then systematically destroyed every last one in the area and suddenly the humans were free and clear. Several of the Helljumpers instinctively brought their weapons to bear on the Elites expecting attack but that was not to be this day.

With a salute, the head of the Sangheili team waved to the ODSTs who stood looking in stunned disbelief then turned and with the rest of his party charged after the retreating Flood.

"Well I'll be damned," Gunny MacGregor said in stunned disbelief as the remnants of the Wolverines easily dispatched the remaining Flood in the area who trickled back in. Never had he thought one he'd hated so much would save his life. He then looked up and realized there were several new Covenant ships overhead he'd not noticed. This day was getting stranger by the minute.

As MacGregor and the Wolverines drama was unfolding, in another part of the dried-out lake and remnant of the Covenant dig the Wolf Pack was in their own desperate fight with no relief in sight.

"Last belt!" Terrell called out urgently to the rest. Unaware and uncaring what was going on elsewhere the Wolf Pack were fighting for their lives. Though it had only been about fifteen minutes it had felt like fifteen hours. All knew when the GPMG went down they were finished; they'd just not have enough firepower to keep the Flood tide at bay.

"Matt, I don't want to become one of those things," the usually unflappable machine gunner confessed with a note of fear in his voice to his original teammate from Camp Currahee.

"Don't worry T," Matt answered. "I won't let that happen to you or any of us. I'll do you myself."

"None of that talk," Mike ordered. "Stay focused, we fight to the end. No one gives up."

"But what about when we run out of ammo?" Adam asked, firing controlled bursts at a pair of Infection Forms. "I'm down to two mags."

"One step at a time," Mike stated definitively though he himself couldn't see a way out. His stubbornness wouldn't allow him to consider the inevitability of their situation. Still, the time was coming soon it would become something more to consider.

As each were beginning to consider their own fate the sky overhead opened up and three Covenant CCS-class Battlecruisers flew in formation as an Assault Carrier sliced overhead coming out of Slipspace. The unexpected turn of events seemed to create a pause even with the Flood as all watched a number of Phantom drop ships arrive, dropping off Elite reinforcements who started to engage the Flood.

"What the hell?" Matt asked, stunned by the development.

"Stay focus, this isn't over!" Mike barked. "But this might be an opportunity for us."

Yet the arrival of the Covenant ships turned the tide of battle for the Spartans. Whether they'd grown tired of the determination of the supersoldiers or sensed more and fresh prey, the Flood began to pull back and then drift away as Terrell ran through the last round for his GPMG and was about to switch to his pistol for the last stand. While several dozen Infection Forms lingered, they were easily blown away by the combined fire of the remainder of the team. Against all odds it looked like they'd survived for the moment.

"What now, sir?" Adam asked.

"I'm not sure," Mike answered honestly. "We've lost contact with the Master Chief. We'll assume he's still on mission. Let's gather ammo and start moving back. If he makes it to that ship and blows its reactor…well, we don't want to be close when that happens."

The rest could fill in the gaps. None wanted to be around when that happened.

Back at the command base and rear area the ODSTs of the Wolverines were continuing to mop up the area. Several that had lost friends to the Flood continued to fight though through tear-filled eyes. Inside the Bobcat many including Natalia were weeping openly as they watched helplessly on the monitors the Helljumpers sacrificing themselves to save the trapped command element.

"Thanks for the assist, gunny," Colonel Steele thanked the Helljumper genuinely after the command element was certain the area was safe and had opened the ramp on the Bobcat. "We were done if you hadn't showed up."

"Ach, twas nothin', sir," the senior NCO replied in his thick Scottish brogue humbly. "Right place at the right time."

"Well, regardless, I'm glad you were in our place at this time, we were stuck," the area commander commented. Then the man turned to another Marine working on the Bobcat. "Outriggers up, corporal?"

"Yes sir," the Marine confirmed. "Up and locked in. We're good to go anytime you say the word."

"Excellent, prep to move. Gunny, if you and your team would provide escort, I'd appreciate it," Colonel Steele requested.

"Happy to, sir," MacGregor confirmed and gave a wave to the Wolverines that were with him then he spotted Natalia just outside the massive armored vehicle getting some fresh air.

"Hello, missy," the ODST said walking over towards her.

"Thanks for helping us out, gunny," Natalia said, giving him a hug and not caring about protocol. "I don't know what we would have done," she added with a shudder.

"Nasty bastards, ain't they?" the senior NCO commented, a bit embarrassed.

"I've never seen anything before like it," the woman who was still getting used to combat answered honestly.

"Well, there may be lots of them but they're easy enough to kill," the seasoned combat veteran declared, trying to sound confident and mask his own concern for what they'd just faced."

"Do you know what's happening with Mike?" Natalia blurted out suddenly, unable to contain her feeling of dread.

"No, I don't," MacGregor confessed, tone becoming somber. "We left them a few klicks from here. They're Spartans, I'm sure they'll be okay," the season veteran said without confidence looking around at the piles of dead Flood.

"I know…I just…," Natalia began but was cut off by a communications override.

"Attention any UNSC personnel remaining in the Voi Theatre of Operations. Withdraw as soon and as fast as you are able," Commander Keyes called our urgently over the open channel for the area. "Immediate aerial bombardment is about to commence. I repeat, evacuate the area."

"What?" Natalia asked, the order confusing to her after what they'd just gone through. What could be worse?

"We go now!" Colonel Steele yelled understanding the intent as he looked at the newly arrived Covenant ships overhead. "Gunny, get your people on or in the Bobcat we've got to move!"

Marines and ODSTs scrambled into position as the Bobcat's engine roared and it began to move even though the loading ramp was still down.

"What the hell does she mean by immediate aerial bombardment?" Matt asked several kilometers away, confused by the transmission they'd all heard since it had gone out to all stations.

"I don't know, but it doesn't sound good," Terrell answered.

"We gotta go now!" Mike called out urgently, something forming in his mind. Though they had a respite from the Flood another idea developed.

"But…," Adam stammered.

Alissa was scanning the area on overwatch and then looked up at the Covenant ships. "Oh God…"

"Run!" Mike yelled.

The others needed no prompting as they all seemed to get the gist of the order they'd all received. The Spartans sprinted at top speed towards the tunnel they'd fought through earlier in the day. With their power-assisted armor they were able to move extraordinarily fast but would it be fast enough?

As those who could ran for their lives, the Elite-crewed ships moved into position to do what needed to be done to control the Flood infestation that was already starting to spread in all directions, consuming the city of Voi and moving out from there. The large crafts settled into a low placement in atmosphere. With a hum that increased in intensity a low-range aerial bombardment from the two battlecruisers from the Fleet of Retribution began with their heavy plasma weapons. Focusing plasma through a magnetic envelope from their Energy Projector located on the underside of the ships, the two battlecruisers began discharging the plasma as a narrow beam. Blue turning to purple to fiery orange to a yellow-orange superheated charge, once making contact with the surface it began to envelope everything in its wake. The narrow plasma lances were guided towards the surface by the ship's computers striking an area and converting the top soil and other surface geology into a mineral called lechatelierite, similar to glass.

While this was going on, the Forerunner Portal opened and a blue energy stream from their tips to the open Slipspace portal drifting ominously above the construct started up. While this would have a significance for the future, at the moment it was lost on the severity of what was going on. Voi and the surrounding area was being glassed.

November 27, 2552, 1055hrs, New York City, New York, United States, Planet Earth

"Sir, there's been a development," the Smart AI Niccolo appeared at the side of Spanner Misriah's desk.

"What's happening?" the billionaire industrialist asked the avatar of a Renaissance era gentleman. The head of Misriah Armory had been trying to work but all morning had been consumed by the latest updates on the campaign around Voi. His Smart AI had been tapping into communications and video feeds to give the man the latest. He'd been following his daughter's whereabouts and also Mike's now. He'd read and forgotten the latest production stats and could care less about the quarterly profit projections. His heart had soared when the UNSC forces had taken down the Covenant air defense grip and Lord Hood's fleet had attacked. Then it sank when the Forerunner artefact came to life. Then fear had gripped him as the Flood-laden ship crashed and unleashed the parasite. Niccolo had explained what it was and his fear had only grown. So, for the last while he'd been waiting for this update.

"Nothing good, sir," Niccolo confessed, a look of concern on his translucent face which the observant businessman caught.

"What is it Niccolo?" Spanner asked. "Is there an update on Natalia?"

"In a general sense, yes." The Smart AI stated. They were both aware of the rescue of the command party by the Wolverines. Niccolo had even been able to get a few shots of Natalia and some garbled audio footage.

"Then what is it?"

"Three Covenant capital ships came out of slipspace a short time ago and they've begun glassing the area," Niccolo reported.

"Oh my god," Spanner choked out, "and Natalia?"

"I don't know sir. All electronics went down when the bombardment started. I have no status on her or anyone else in that part of East Africa."