Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my Halo - Mechwarrior/Battletech crossover. This is the end of the third story arc, and I am very happy to say that it has been a wild ride. Once this chapter's been uploaded, I will take a short hiatus from this crossover and focus on preparing for the next one. I will not be abandoning this crossover, just so you know. I have every intention to come back to it and expand upon it, so for those that are worried that I am abandoning it, don't worry. I am not planning to abandon this crossover at all. Either way, thank you for your support, and I hope to see you again on the next story arc after the hiatus. 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.
A New Dawn (Album Remix) - Sable Flame
Installation 00
Near Incomplete Fortress World
February 23rd, 2553
The Hermes VTOL shook slightly as it exited the atmosphere of Installation 00, it's nose pointed directly at the incomplete Installation 04. Inside the Troop Bay, Chief was finishing getting his armor cleaned off, while at the same time making sure his weaponry was ready. Nearby, 'Ravamee, Thel and the other Elementals were getting their gear ready as well, while Bero was sitting near the entrance, his legs crossed as his hands rested on his knees. The young Sangheilian's eyes were closed, his breathing slow and regular as he quietly meditated.
Knowing they were about to reach their destination, Chief got up to inform Bero that they were almost at the incomplete Halo. It was clear that Bero had been exploring his newfound mental capabilities, as his eyes opened, with both eyes pointed directly at Chief. "Is something wrong," Chief asked.
"No," Bero replied. "I've just been exploring my mind, which has changed quite a bit since the Primordial accelerated my mental evolution. I feel younger since the Primordial helped reshape and mold my mind, changing it into something more suitable, given my physical alterations."
"Are you going to be alright," Chief asked hesitantly.
"Yes," Bero replied. "In addition to expanding my mind, the Primordial enhanced my telepathy, as it not only increased the strength of my telepathy, but made my mind more… efficient, for lack of a better word. In addition to this, it also altered my body so that my abilities are not nearly as energy intensive as they usually are. I can now use my abilities far more often before requiring food, and I can gain far more energy now from fewer amounts of food. Oddly enough, I also feel younger, more energetic than normal, probably because of said refinements to my body."
"I see," Chief remarked. "So, what happened when the Gravemind took control of you?"
"I am curious about that myself," Osman remarked. "You have mentioned this Primordial three times now. What makes him, her, or it so special?"
"I can explain," Bero replied. "When the Gravemind took control of my body, it attempted to consume my mind as well. It was about to when another mind enveloped my own, shielding me from the hungry, ravenous madness that was the Flood, stating how I had suffered far more than I ever deserved.
"It was then that I was drawn into my mind, and the Precursor's mind, though I didn't know it at the time." Looking at Thel, he said, "The Precursor, oddly enough, took on your appearance, Thel. Now that I've thought about it, the Primordial took on that appearance so that I wouldn't panic, given that you are familiar to me."
"That makes sense, in an odd way," Thel remarked.
"You were saying," Chief remarked.
"Ah, yes," Bero replied, clearing his throat a moment later. "While we were in the mindscape, the Primordial talked with me, showed me the origins of the Flood." For the next two minutes, Bero told the others about the Precursors, how they had evolved and grown until they were able to reshape the Universe with their use of Neural Physics, how they terraformed worlds and seeded them with life. He also told them some of the Primordial's experiences, from the moment of his birth, to when he and his mate spent some time on Sangheilios, taking on the physical identities of Sangheilians, so that they could mingle with normal members of their species, with the Primordial's mate often giving birth to Sangheilians during this time.
He also told how the Flood came about, and how the Precursor had, after realizing the evil it had wrought, made plans to give the abilities of shape-shifting, telepathy and biological immortality to a worthy member of one of the species. It wasn't everyday that you learned where the Flood came from. When it came to Chief and the others, they took it pretty well, considering the gravity of what they had learned. "So," Chief summarized, "these 'Precursors' are the reason why the galaxy is the way it is, and they are why the Forerunners and our species in this reality came to exist. They are also the reason why the Flood came about, and why you survived your infection by the Flood, gaining the abilities that you have right now."
"That summarizes what I've told you," Bero replied. "The Primordial gave me my abilities because he was ashamed of himself, of how he had stooped to such a low level by using the Flood to have his revenge. He felt that he wasn't worthy of those abilities of his anymore, so he decided to give them to someone else, someone who might be far more responsible and mature than he was during that time. While I still feel unworthy of these gifts that he gave me, I understand why the Primordial did what he did. I intend to honor his memory by using my gifts in a responsible manner. I'm not perfect, but I do know that great power requires a strong sense of moral responsibility, and I fully intend to use my powers responsibly."
"Good," Osman remarked. "The last thing we need is another Nicolas Kerensky in this reality, or our own for that matter. That man is a good example of what happens when a mentally damaged individual gains power. Just remember, Bero: if you do start to let your power get to your head, I will come after you." Bero nodded in agreement, having read the Clan's true history, as well as Clan Wolverine's reasons for returning to the Inner Sphere. He had no intentions of becoming like Nicolas Kerensky.
A moment later, the Pilot reported in from the cockpit. "We're approaching the incomplete installation," he said to them. "Make sure your weaponry is ready to go, because I'll be dropping you off nearby. Once that is done, I'll head back to the ship and await further orders."
"Any Flood activity," Chief asked.
"None so far," Cortana replied. "I wouldn't bet on it staying that way, though. If I know the Gravemind, he'll be sending his forces to the new installation in order to stop us from firing Halo. In other words, keep your head on a swivel."
"Understood," Chief replied. With that, he made sure his M42 APR (Automatic Plasma Rifle) was ready to go, before doing the same for his sidearm. Nearby, Osman and Pryde made sure their Advanced Support Flamers were ready to go, while Thel and 'Ravamee did the same. Sensing their destination close by, Bero got up, making sure his armor was in prime condition, before grabbing a weapon of his own.
The Hermes VTOL quickly entered the atmosphere of the newly built Halo, easily moving into the newfound atmosphere without any trouble. Accelerating the VTOL some more, the pilot angled the nose of the vehicle at the location of the Control Room, which was located in a snowy part of the ring, just like the last one. For the next fifteen minutes, they flew on towards the Control Room, the engines of the VTOL roaring as they traveled at top speed. As they flew towards the Control Room, Chief keyed his COM. "Sierra-117 to Commander Keyes, do you copy? Over."
"I hear you, Chief," Miranda replied. "What's the situation?"
"The antimatter bomb was successfully detonated," he replied. "High Charity has been destroyed, and we are nearing the Control Room for the new installation. Be advised, the Flood survived the detonation and are sending invasion forces towards the new installation."
"Roger that," Miranda replied. "We figured that would happen; the Flood are a lot tougher than appearances would suggest. The good news is that all of our forces have been evacuated from the Ark and have traveled through the Slipstream Space Portal. Apparently, the Monitor of Installation 00 was able to modify it's behavior, allowing the ships to return to Earth almost immediately. It will close the Portal to prevent Halo from destroying life in our galaxy, though, so be prepared for a bumpy ride."
"Roger that," Chief replied. "Any orders?"
"Yes," Miranda replied. "You, Bero and Thel will continue on to the Control Room, while Osman, 'Ravamee and Pryde will be dropped off at my ship. Sergeant Johnson has been sent towards the Control Room in order to provide fire support. Alex has also volunteered to come along in one of his Light 'Mechs. He and Johnson will rendezvous with you at the Control Room with the Monitor. Once you've activated Halo, you will extract to the ship and we'll get through the portal."
"Roger that," Chief replied. "Sierra-117 out."
"Good. Commander Keyes out." With that, the COM line ended.
Eventually, after about ten minutes, the VTOL began to lower itself into a gorge that was near the newly completed Control Room. Hovering over a snow covered path, the pilot deployed the loading ramp for the Troop Bay. "This is as far as I go," he told the others. "I'll take Osman and Pryde to the Forward Unto Dawn while the rest of you head for the Control Room."
"Roger that," Chief replied.
As he got out, Osman got up and said, "Chief, if you do not survive this, then it has been an honor serving with you. You are the example of what a Clan Elemental should be. I think you will be forever immortalized by the Clan Remembrance for such valiant deeds." Extending his Battle Claw, he gently took Chief's hand into the Claw, making sure not to hurt him. "Good luck, Chief. May you successfully complete this Trial of Annihilation."
"Same here," Pryde replied. "I wish you three well."
"May you win honor and glory in this battle against the Flood," 'Ravamee said to Chief. "Remain vigilant, as the Flood will do whatever it takes to defeat you."
"Likewise," Chief replied. With that, Osman released Chief's hand from his Battle Claw, unharmed, before walking towards the front of the VTOL, settling into position moments later with Pryde. Turning around, Chief walked out the VTOL, his Armored Boots sinking somewhat into the snow. Moments later, the VTOL took off, quickly accelerating as the pilot guided it out of the gorge and towards it's next destination.
Looking around, Chief could see where they were, as the Monitor had sent a map of their current location. While the newly constructed Halo was designed to replace the original, it wasn't completely identical to the first one, as seamless improvements had been introduced. One such change was the pathway they were in, as Chief could see a snow covered rock bridge that led to another part of the area. "Halo," Cortana remarked. "It's so new, unfinished as a matter of fact. Well, at least we know what to do. Let's just hope that this will be easier than before." Chief opted not to reply, instead, getting his rifle out before proceeded towards the snowy bridge.
The group began to walk along, making sure not to slip on the newly fallen snow in the region they were in. Fortunately, the rocky bridge was fairly wide, allowing the trio to cross without fear of falling off the edge and into the abyss below. Crossing the bridge, they began traversing a cave that was inside of one of the walls, though it was filled with snow that had blown into the cave itself. Sliding down a slope, Chief turned to see if the others were keeping pace; seeing that they were, he continued forwards, keeping an eye on his sensor readouts while proceeding forwards.
They eventually arrived at the Control Room, dropping down from a ledge of Forerunner alloy before landing on the ground below. Moving forwards, they exited the cave and into the clearing around the Ziggurat housing the Control Room. Unlike the previous Control Room, which was mostly flat with a few mounds of snow, this clearing around the new Control Room had a series of dirt embankments that undulated up and down, creating small dunes of snow in the process. Chief guessed that the entrance to the walkways leading up the Ziggurat housing the Control Room was on the right side of the structure, meaning they needed to move right in order to access it. He also spotted a snow covered walkway to the left of the place, which led to a door set into the rocky walls of the canyon.
As soon as he walked forwards, Bero said, "Watch out! We have incoming!" Looking up, Chief watched as a large pod zoomed through the air, landing about fifteen meters away from his current position. The pod practically exploded, disgorging a Combat Form moments later.
"Take them out," Chief ordered, firing his M42 APR moments later. Behind him, Bero and Thel opened fire as well, cutting apart more Combat Forms that came out of more pods that were landing. Realizing that they were just going to keep coming, Chief said, "Move to the right. Keep moving and work your way to the Control Room." Nodding, the others followed Chief.
Apparently, the Gravemind was quite angry, as it roared through the Combat and Pure Forms, "Did you think me to be defeated?! I will consume you all for your arrogance, just as I did to the Precursor that saved the shape-shifter. You will abide by this fate!" A moment later, one Pure Form charged, only to be blown apart by Chief moments later.
"Flood dispersal pods," Cortana observed, having scanned the remnants of each pod. "The Gravemind's trying to rebuild itself on Installation 04! We can't let that happen!"
"Roger that," Chief replied. "Everyone, keep fighting your way to the Control Room. We're almost at the end; make every shot count!" With that, they continued to proceed forwards, reaching the first of the walkways that zigzaged up the Ziggurat. More Flood began to drop down, firing whatever weapons they had at the group of Elementals.
Firing his weapon, Chief incinerated a pair of Combat Forms, before hurling a grenade towards a small cluster of them. Limbs and organic matter flew through the air as the grenade detonated, with the Combat Forms in the cluster screeching loudly as they were torn apart. "Will you just shut up," Cortana growled at the dying Combat Forms. "Yeesh. Those things give me a headache when they do that." Instead of replying, Chief continued forwards, killing any Flood in his way.
Of the trio, however, Bero was by far, the deadliest of the combatants, thanks to his newly refined abilities. Roaring loudly, he morphed into a bipedal wyvern, removing his armor so that he wouldn't destroy it when he shape-shifted. Charging forwards, he slashed at the Flood before him with teeth and claws, while his tail whipped around and smashed into a pair of Pure Forms, flinging them over the edge of the walkway. Grabbing his armor with his tail, he proceeded forwards, using his entire body as a weapon against the Flood.
Reaching the other side, the squad continued to move forwards, climbing up the Ziggurat and towards the entrance. More Flood dropped down from above, slowing down the squad's progress as they continued to fight their way to the Control room. A Pure Form in it's Tank mode attempted to smash one of it's arms into Chief, only for a powerful laser beam to tear it in half. Looking to the right, Chief spotted a pair of individuals on the snowy path above him. "Don't worry, Chief," Johnson said over the COM. "Alex and I got your back. Keep moving up the Ziggurat and towards the Control Room."
"Roger that," Chief replied. "Thanks for the assistance."
"No problem," Johnson replied. "Now shut up and keep moving. Let me handle the bigger threats." With that in mind, Chief and the others moved forwards, while Johnson and Alex fired on any Pure Forms that got in the way.
Eventually, despite the stiff resistance, Chief and the others reached the entrance to the Control Room, with Alex dropping down from the snowy path and onto the plaza near the door. "Hey, Monitor," he shouted. "Open up the door and let us in! We are ready to fire this ring!"
"Of course, Reclaimer," Guilty Spark replied. "I would, but I can't. Protocol dictates that the Control Room remains sealed as long as there are Flood forms present in the immediate area."
"Yeah, yeah, I hear you," Alex grumbled. Turning to Chief, he said, "Chief, we have to terminate all of the Flood in the area. If I was the Gravemind, and I am not, I would have all of the Flood converge on this plaza. We are at our most vulnerable while outside of the door."
"Roger that," Chief replied. "Guilty Spark, do you have anything that can assist us?"
"Yes," Guilty Spark replied. "I am sending in some Sentinels to provide support for you. There are also Auto-Turrets outside of the Control Room doors. They should help make things more manageable for you out there." Spotting the Auto-Turrets, Chief deployed them, while Thel and the others spotted the Sentinels moving to their location. At the same time, Johnson, who was using a Support Micro-Pulse Laser, got into position, deploying the bipod before lying on his stomach, ready to engage the Flood.
He was just in time, as the moment Chief activated the last Auto-Turret, the Flood came at them in full force. Combat Forms leaped up from the walkways below, while Pure Forms jumped and scuttled up the Ziggurat, mutating into new forms in the process. As soon as they were in sight, Chief and the others opened fire, pelting the Flood attackers with plasma bolts and laser beams. At the same time, the Auto-Turrets opened fire, spearing the Flood with high powered Incineration Beams that ripped through dozens of Flood with a single shot.
As they fought, the Gravemind continued to attempt to intimidate them. "I have consumed fleets of thousands," it roared at them. "Consumed the galaxy of flesh, mind and bone." Despite it's attempts, Chief and the others remained firmly unshaken, as they continued to fire at the Flood with single minded intensity. Eventually, the tide of Flood Forms coming at them lessened, until only the Infection Forms were left.
Popping the last one, Chief scanned the area for more hostiles, only to find none that were coming in. Jumping down from his position, Johnson landed on the ground, before moving towards the door. "Monitor, open the door," he shouted. "The coast is clear!"
"Not for long," Cortana informed the others. "I'm picking up more dispersal pods coming in. They'll be here any minute."
"Chief, Arbiter, Bero, Alex, let's move," Johnson shouted, just as the doors opened up. Moving inside, the squad proceeded inside, with the door closing behind them moments later.
As they moved forwards, Bero sensed the Gravemind attempting to influence the others. Extending his mind, he completely blocked out it's influence, while he listened to what it was trying to say. "Do I take life, or give it," the Gravemind growled. "Who is victim, and who is torturer?" With that, it's influence ended.
Turning to the others, he said, "We have to hurry. The Gravemind is attempting to rebuild itself on this ring. Are we near the Control Room?"
"Affirmative," Chief replied. "We should be about to arrive." Moments later, they reached the Control Room, with the doors opening up to reveal the interior. Surprisingly, Chief found that it was perfectly identical to the one he had used on the original Halo, down to the size of the chamber itself.
"Chief, I'm ready," Cortana replied, with Chief pulling out the AI chip in his helmet.
"I won't lose her," Johnson said to him, with Chief tossing the AI chip to him. Putting it into his utility belt, Johnson proceeded forwards towards the control console, with Alex walking alongside him.
As they moved forwards, the Monitor came down towards them, humming happily as it did so. "Ah, good," the Monitor replied. "You are here, though I'm not sure how you'll be able to activate this ring without an Activation Index."
"We've got one right here," Johnson remarked, tapping Cortana's AI chip with a finger. "She kept the first one from the first Halo. Now, we'll use it to activate this one."
"If we do so right now, we risk destroying the Ark," Guilty Spark protested.
"Monitor, can I speak with you," Alex said a moment later. Once the Monitor was at his position, he said, "Guilty Spark, when you were built, you were given your directives by the Forerunners, yes?"
"Of course," Guilty Spark replied. "Why do you ask?"
"Because it ties into a lesson that I am about to teach you," Alex replied. "When you are a military commander, you have to make hard choices in order to succeed in any military campaign you commence on, even if that means sending people or things that you treasure greatly to their destruction. It is a lesson that every commander is taught: that sometimes you have to give up something or someone that you love in order to achieve victory.
"How does this all tie into what is going on, I will tell you. The Forerunners built installations like this one to ensure that the Flood would be defeated, once and for all. They were willing to sacrifice themselves to achieve victory for the rest of the galaxy, even if it meant having their installations damaged or destroyed. We can always built another Installation 04, Monitor, but lives are far more precious. To put it simply, installations are cheap, lives are precious.
"Yes, there is a chance that the Ark will be destroyed, or significantly damaged, but compared to the trillions of lives that live in the galaxy, the destruction of an Installation or two is a small price to pay for the future of civilization. It is terrible, I know, but that is the price of victory against the Flood. You do not have to agree with me, you just have to understand that this is what we have to do in order to protect the galaxy." With that, Alex walked back towards Johnson, leaving the Monitor to ponder his words. "Are we ready yet," he asked.
"We're almost there," Johnson replied. "Cortana's just about to get the Index in. Once it's inside, and the ring fires, we'll leave and get the hell out of here." A moment later, Cortana uploaded the Activation Index, activating Halo moments later.
A single beam of pure, white energy shot up through the center of the platform, illuminating the chamber in a harsh, white light. Suddenly, the platform tilted off to the right, as one of the support beams detached from the chamber, smashing into the platform with a considerable amount of force. "Move it," Alex shouted over the sound of the beam, with the others charging out of there as quickly as they could. Before Johnson could exit, though, the platform leaned even more, with the Staff Sergeant nearly falling off of the platform.
"Help," he shouted. "I need some help." Running over, Alex picked up Johnson and got him into the hallway, before they all charged down the hallway and towards the exit. Explosions rang out as the ring began to charge up, slowly heading towards the moment that it would fire. Some Combat Forms charged at them, only to be blown apart by an explosion from a nearby power conduit. "We need to get to the Warthog-IIa that I have," he shouted to the others. "We can get to the Forward Unto Dawn that way."
"Roger that," Chief replied. "Keep moving. Follow Johnson and Alex." With that said, Alex and Johnson took point, while Chief and the others followed the two towards the exit. Turning around the bends of the hallway, they exited the structure and moved to the left, climbing up the snowy path.
It was clear that activating Halo had destabilized parts of the ring, as Chief could feel the entire place rumbling. Looking up, Chief could see that the previously white light had been replaced with an angry red-orange that suffused parts of the gorge they were in. Moving forwards, Chief watched as Sentinels engaged the Flood Forms that were on the walkway, with some being ripped apart by the Forerunner machines. "Kill any Flood in the way," Alex shouted to the others. "We cannot afford to be bogged down for too long!"
With that in mind, they continued to run forwards, shooting at any Flood in their way. One Pure Form charged at Chief, only for Johnson to cut it cleanly in half with his Support MPL Rifle, while Alex incinerated one with his Plasma Rifle. Behind them, Chief and the others fired their weaponry as well, while Bero leaped over any Flood in his way, using his abilities to enhance his mobility. Reaching the entrance in the canyon wall, Chief proceeded inside.
The interior room they entered was much like the ones that Chief had passed through during his trek to the first Halo's Control Room, only it was closed off. Flood and Sentinels were inside as well, each one firing at each other in an attempt to gain superiority over the other. Moving through the outer chamber, Chief and the others fired on any Flood that were in the way, while ignoring those that were tied up by the Sentinels. Proceeding forwards, they entered a long hallway that led to another exit further up. "Watch it," Thel shouted, pointing at some Carrier Forms ahead. Firing their weapons, Alex and Johnson tore the Carrier Forms apart, killing them and the Infection Forms they carried inside.
Turning left, they were about to move forwards when a horde of Pure Forms charged at them. "You die now," the Gravemind roared, sending it's minions directly at them. Realizing they couldn't get through this horde, Chief and the others got ready to make their last stand.
Suddenly, a red Incineration Beam tore through the air, disintegrating a number of the Pure Forms, while Chief and the others fired on the remaining ones. Looking up, Chief watched as Guilty Spark flew over head, his central ocular sensor glowing bright red. "Oracle," Thel asked, surprised. "What are you doing here? I thought-"
"There's no time to explain," Guilty Spark shouted to them. "We have to get out of here, now! The Installation has become dangerously unstable! I will clear out any Flood in front of you while you advance."
"Why," Chief asked.
"Because Alex reminded me what my true purpose is," Guilty Spark replied. "I was built to serve the Forerunners and the Reclaimers and that is what I intend to do, even if it costs me my life." As soon as he heard those words, Chief realized that Alex had gotten through to the Monitor, with the Clan 'MechWarrior smiling behind him. Nodding in agreement, Chief and the others moved forwards, while Guilty Spark terminated any Flood Forms that were in the way.
"There we are," Johnson shouted. "My Warthog-IIa! Chief, I call shotgun! Thel, get onto the gun turret. Bero, go with Alex and his 'Mech. We'll keep up as best as we can!" With that, Alex moved towards the 'Mech he came in, a Cougar-IV BattleMech, with Bero in tow, while Chief and the others got into the Warthog-IIa, with the Monitor flying into the 'Mech moments later. As soon as they were inside, Chief gunned the throttle, with the Warthog-IIa leaping forwards moments later.
Driving forwards, Chief watched as the Warthog-IIa began accelerating towards it's top speed of 200km/h, while Alex's Cougar-IV charged forwards, with Alex activating the MASC module moments later. Driving around a bend, Chief quickly reached the first part of the next area. The terrain in this area had yet to be completed, as Chief found that he was driving on large panels of Forerunner alloy that were mounted to the ring's superstructure. Up ahead, he could see large, circular hubs that served as intersections for the pathway ahead.
As he drove forwards, he felt the Warthog-IIa vibrate as explosions rippled throughout Halo. Suddenly, large explosions ripped through the air before them, tearing out large panels and sending them flying through the air. "Look out," Bero shouted over the COM.
"The path ahead of us is destabilizing," Guilty Spark shouted over the sounds of explosions and loud, groaning sounds. "The entire structure behind us is collapsing! Don't slow down for a second!" Nodding in agreement, Chief gunned the throttle, weaving around explosions that indicated where the structure was collapsing. Driving into the first hub, he turned to the right, before turning left in order to follow the path. More Flood charged at them during this time, though the Warthog-IIa tore through them, sending bodies flying as Chief rammed any Flood in his way. Behind him, Alex didn't use his weapons, instead using his 'Mech's mass to crush any Flood that got in the way.
Driving out of the intersection, Chief began driving down a descending slope, dodging any explosions in front of him while Alex quickly followed. Spotting a tunnel up ahead, Chief gunned the throttle, weaving around a support column that was in the way. Driving forwards, Chief spotted another explosion, barely dodging it in time, with the Warthog-IIa being pushed onto it's left wheels. Leaning left, Chief kept the vehicle going, with all four wheels coming back down onto the ground moments later, with the vehicle heading into the tunnel moments later. He distantly noted Cortana reporting the charging sequence of the ring ticking upwards.
The tunnel wasn't safe from collapse either, as Chief watched large metal girders detaching from the roof, smashing into the ground in front of him moments later. Weaving around them, Chief rammed more Flood that were in the tunnel ahead, crushing a Pure Form under the vehicle's treads. Driving into a small channel, Chief felt the vehicle surge forwards, jumping into the air and onto another part of the roadway ahead of him, with Alex's 'Mech firing it's Jump Jets to bridge the gap. Moments later, Chief and the other landed, the impact jarring them slightly before Chief hit the accelerator once again. Driving through another hub, they continued to proceed through the area. "Look out," Johnson shouted, with Chief swerving to the right, narrowly dodging a collapsing support beam.
Continuing to drive forwards, they dodged more explosions ahead of them, with Alex keeping pace behind them. Reaching another jump, they flew into another hub, landing hard and nearly flipping the Warthog-IIa as they landed. Wrestling with the vehicle, Chief quickly got all four wheels back onto the ground before charging forwards, exiting the roundabout and entering another tunnel a few hundred meters later. This tunnel was also collapsing, with more Flood inside of the tunnel. "Watch it," Thel shouted, pointing at some Flood wielding Fuel Rod Launchers.
"I got it," Chief shouted, ducking and weaving around the deadly green projectiles. Driving throuth the tunnel, he spotted another jump up ahead. "Hold on," he shouted, just as they leaped into the air, with Alex using his 'Mech's Jump Jets once again. Landing hard on the others side, Chief felt the vehicle perform one complete rotation end over end before landing on all four wheels. Looks like my luck is holding out, he thought as he drove forwards.
"There it is," Thel shouted, pointing at a UNSC Strident II-Class frigate off in the distance. "The Forward Unto Dawn! We're almost there!"
"Keep your eyes on the road," Johnson shouted, with Chief keeping very close attention on the terrain ahead.
"We're at 90%," Cortana shouted. "Firing sequence initiated!" Nodding at that, Chief wove through the bumpy terrain, dodging more explosions and flying panels. Rounding a large bend, Chief spotted the 'Mech/Combat Vehicle Bay for the Forward Unto Dawn, with the doors opening a moment later. "Gun it, Chief," Cortana shouted. "Floor it! Right into the hangar!"
"Everyone, brace," Chief shouted, with Johnson and Thel bracing themselves as best as they could. Moments later, they leaped into the air, flipping once before landing inside of the Forward Unto Dawn, tumbling end over end before they came to a stop, thankfully upright. Moments later, Alex's 'Mech landed inside, before walking over to a 'Mech Bay and latching inside. "Commander, gun it," Chief shouted.
"Hold on," Commander Keyes replied. "We're heading for the portal now!" Moments later, the ship shuddered, the powerful Impulse Engines on the rear shooting the frigate forwards, with the WarShip entering space moments later. Moments later, the K-F Drive charged up, in the event the Portal collapsed while they were inside of it.
"Chief," Cortana said to him as they passed into the Portal. "If we don't make it…"
"We'll make it," Chief said as he and the others headed for the bridge.
"It's been an honor serving with you," Cortana said to him. Moments later, the WarShip charged through the Slipstream Space Tunnel, shooting forwards as the WarShip activated the Alcubierre Module, zipping through as quickly as possible. Sitting down, Chief leaned his head back as he sat down. It was over at last. The war against the Covenant and the Flood was over; Humanity had won at long last. Now, he could stop fighting, and start living.
. . .
One Week Later
Admiral Lord Hood took off his Admiral's Hat, with his hand lowering to his side as he stood in front of the memorial. Behind him was the wing of a Longsword Fighter that had been placed here, with a small walkway leading up to it, with Mount Kilimanjaro hundreds of kilometers behind them. Photographs, rank bars, medals and insignias were present, each one honoring a hero of the UNSC-Covenant War, which had also become the UNSC-Covenant-Star League War. Next to him was Admiral Chernenko while some Elites, SLDF personnel and Clan Elementals were in front of him, each one lined up to form a corridor leading to the memorial. Thel and Bero were present as well, as they were able to attend the ceremony for the memorial.
Clearing his throat, Admiral Lord Hood said, "For us, the storm has passed, the war is over. But we will never forget those that journeyed into the howling dark… and never returned. Their sacrifice embodied everything the UNSC and Star League stands for. With courage and honor, they carried out their duties, ensuring that Humanity would survive it's darkest hour. As we begin to rebuild, this hillside will remain barren, a memorial for heroes fallen. They ennobled all of us, and they shall never be forgotten." Putting on his cap once again, Admiral Hood and Chernenko saluted, with the UNSC and SLDF Marines performing a firing salute moments later.
As the Elites and Marines cleared the area, Thel walked forwards, coming up to Admiral Hood moments later. "I remember how this war started," Hood said to Thel, "what your kind did to mine. I can't forgive you for that, but you have my thanks, for standing by Chief's side to the end."
"It was an honor serving alongside him," Thel replied. "Will he be alright?"
"Only minor injuries, as far as I know," Hood replied. "He'll be reporting back to duty once he's recovered. Most of the Covenant fled to unexplored space, and Chief will be sent to help prevent them from causing trouble. Hard to believe that he was nearly killed."
"Were it so easy," Thel replied, knowing of the Spartan's legendary resilience.
A few minutes later, Thel was walking into the bridge of the Shadow of Intent. To his surprise, Xytan 'Jar Watrinee was in the room, as well as R'tas 'Vadum. Both Sangheilians were examining a holographic image of Earth, with glowed serenely in the room. Spotting Thel, R'tas said, "Things are much clearer now, without the Prophets lies clouding my vision."
"Indeed," Thel replied. Looking at 'Jar Watrinee, he said, "What do you plan to do, now that the war is over?"
"I intend to carry out the promise that I made," the Imperial Admiral replied. "I will help our species forge a new Covenant, one that will recognize Humanity as a friend, and will do what is necessary to help them rebuild. We cost them dearly thanks to the Prophet's deception, and it is our species that will repair the damage done. Right now, though, home beckons for me. I wonder if my mate is still making that meal that I deeply enjoyed when I was younger."
"Me too," R'tas replied. "I wish to see our homeworld, to know that it is safe."
"Fear not," Thel replied as he sat down in the command chair, "for we have made it so. Take us home." With that, the Sangheilian WarShip left for home, exiting Earth's atmosphere moments later.
. . .
At the same time, Chief was inside the infirmary aboard the CWS (Clan Wolverine Ship) Ebon Glare, while Clan medics made sure he was ready for combat once again. Nearby, he could see Cortana working with some technicians as they made sure she was alright. It had been a rough ride coming out of the Slipstream Space Portal before it closed, but they had made it out.
How they made it out was both ingenious, and risky, on Commander Keyes part. When they detected that the Slipstream Space Portal was collapsing, Miranda had activated the Alcubierre Module built into the K-F Drive, allowing them to go faster than light inside of the Slipstream Space Tunnel. When she found that they weren't going to make it still, Miranda had pulled off an incredibly risky move: she activated the Forward Unto Dawn's K-F Drive, exploiting the fact that the Slipstream Space Tunnel was a gravitationally neutral zone. The result was that they made it out of the Portal just in the nick of time, though the use of the K- F Drive in the Slipspace Tunnel resulted in about a fourth of the crew suffering minor to moderate injuries. In Chief's case, he had a minor concussion, as well as a few other things.
Once they'd arrived back home to Earth, he'd received a hero's welcome, with SaKhan Juliana Ebon praising his valor and deeds at Installation 00. The same couldn't be said of the Monitor, who seemed heartbroken at the fact that he, once again, didn't have an Installation to tend to, though he was heartened by the fact that it had been sacrificed for a noble cause. Since then, he'd been answering the UNSC and Star League's questions, providing useful information on the Forerunners, their technology, as well as potential locations for other installations.
Still, Chief knew one thing. The Loyalist factions of the Covenant were still out there. He would have to deal with them, but for now, he could rest and recover. Once I'm ready again, I'll head back out and deal with them, he thought. For now, though, I can rest and know that Earth is safe once again. He leaned back as he thought this. He could now begin to live, instead of just surviving.
