Hello again, everyone, and welcome to my Halo - MechWarrior/BattleTech - Mass Effect multicrossover. After some careful consideration and thinking, I'll be creating a new story after I complete the Halo 4/ME1 story arc is complete. This is not only to make writing this multicrossover more manageable, it's also because I wish to start up some new stories. When I complete the Halo 3 story arc for my Halo - Terminator Crossover, I intend to do the same as well. Either way, thank you for your continued support, and I hope to see you in later chapters. As always, leave a review and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Halo, MechWarrior/BattleTech or Mass Effect franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of Microsoft Game Studios, 343 Industries, Bungie, Electronic Arts, BioWare, FASA Corporation, FASA Interactive, Catalyst Game Labs and Piranha Games Inc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to it's 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.
UNSC Pillar of Autumn II
Requiem Shield World Interior
June 15th, 2576
Rocks tumbled down into the sandy canyon as Chief and the others moved through the area, weapons at the ready in the event something attacked them. Looking around, he could see the wreckage of the Storm Covenant WarShips that had attempted to land in the area, only to lose power before they were able to successfully land. All around, he could see cargo crates that had been flung out of the area, as well as what he knew where corpses that were on the ground, with most having been crushed by the impact onto the ground.
It had been roughly three hours since the Autumn-II had been pulled into the Shield World identifying itself as Requiem, a quiet, but tense three hours that had worn on people's nerves a little bit. After Keyes decided to conduct cautious exploration of the Shield World, Chief had gone down to one of the hangar bays and loaded up with the rest of Blue Team, which consisted of Grace, Will, Frederic and Linda, all of whom had gotten SLDF variants of their standard loadouts. Once they were armed and ready, they had gotten onto a Pelican-III and had flown down to the surface of Requiem. Their initial landing zone was a thick jungle that a team of engineers and robots had landed at, with the team quickly clearing out a large enough zone to put down a base similar in size to that of FOB Alpha on Alpha Halo. Once they arrived, Keyes gave them orders to examine the area were the Covenant WarShips had fragmented and crash landed at, in order to determine if there were survivors.
So far, there were no survivors on the Storm Covenant side of things, though Chief knew that members of the Storm Covenant were known to be quite clever and resourceful. They had surprised the UNSC more than once with their unusual levels of tenacity and determination, mostly whenever they encountered Forerunner artifacts; as such, Chief felt that he was only seeing a fraction of their total strength here. To paraphrase a quote from a film he'd watched at one point, the Storm Covenant wasn't dead until you found them dead… or part of them anyways. With that in mind, he keyed his COM and said, "Blue-4, any contacts on your scope?"
"Negative," Linda replied. "Scope is clear of hostiles."
"Nothing here as well," Will, known as Blue-2, reported in as well.
"I've got something here," Frederic, known as Blue-3 called in. "It's not a live contact, but it appears to be some useful intelligence."
"Send it through," Chief ordered.
Moments later, he heard the rough, guttural sounds that were associated with Sangheili words. "I'm putting this through translation," Cortana reported. "The terminal is saying 'Non-believers tread on holy ground. Purge the heretics so that they do not foul the air of paradise. The time has come to enter the light; the Promethean awakening is nigh. Our reward is at hand."
"That sounds like a lot of Covenant gibberish," Will remarked. "Still, it sounds like they're searching for something."
"It's the Storm Covenant," Cortana deadpanned. "Aren't they always looking for something."
"Got something here," Frederic called out. "Looks like it's a terminal repeating a single word: 'Didact', or something like that."
Cortana, who picked up the transmission, said, "That's what you're hearing, Blue-3. According to the terminal that your armor's attempting to access, the Storm Covenant's been broadcasting that from an equidistant orbit every half an hour over the past three years."
"They've been waiting outside for three years," Chief asked.
"Apparently they couldn't get in," Cortana observed. "Not that it wasn't obvious, of course." Chief nodded at that. It was obvious that the Storm Covenant wanted something here, but they hadn't been able to get in until now, when the joint fleet arrived at Requiem. It was possible the Storm Covenant had provoked the fight in an effort to get inside.
"I really hate it when we're manipulated into doing something for the enemy," Frederic, who had reached the same conclusion, growled.
"Same here," Will remarked. "It'll be a bitch to get the Storm Covenant off of Requiem now. Should we phone this in to the Autumn II?"
"Affirmative," Chief nodded. Keying his COM, he said, "Sierra-117 to Captain Keyes, do you read me?"
"Solid copy," Keyes replied. "Did you find any Storm Covenant survivors?"
"Negative. The Storm Covenant are not present in this sector, only bodies. What we have found, though, is intelligence indicating that the Storm Covenant were waiting outside of Requiem for a total of three years. We believe they may have instigated the fight in order to get inside, at the cost of some of their personnel."
"Damnit," Keyes growled. "I knew that there was something off about the fight." After some silence, he said, "Alright, Chief. Your orders are to take the rest of Blue Team and investigate the nearby region. UAV flyovers detected a number of Forerunner structures in the area, and those areas have concentrations of Storm Covenant in the area. Your orders are to move out and terminate the OpFor, and to find out what they're looking for. I've got a feeling it's nothing good."
"Understood," Chief replied. "Sierra-117 over and out." Closing the COM link he said, "Blue Team, we're heading out of the area. UAV reconnaissance has detected a number of Forerunner structures occupied by the Storm Covenant. We're going to neutralize them, and find out what's going on. Move out."
With that, Blue Team began heading out, going towards a crevice that Frederic had spotted during his recon of the area. Moving inside, they found some more debris, but for the most part, the area was relatively unmarred by the crash landing by the Storm Covenant WarShips. Climbing out of a cave, Chief found himself on a cliff overlooking a large valley, similar to the one that the Autumn II was hovering over; the main difference were tall, Forerunner pylons that were floating in the sky, with each component shifting and moving, almost as though the pylons were living organisms, rather than man-made constructs. Fauna and flora of unknown types were everywhere, from small, squirrel-like creatures, to birds that had long necks and unusually large wings. As they moved along, Chief heard someone attempting to contact him over the COM. Opening the COM link, he heard a Pelican-III pilot say, "Master Chief, I'm dropping off a Badger-V IFV to your location. Captain's orders."
"Understood," Chief replied. A few seconds later, the Pelican-III came into view, with the IFV safely being carried behind the passenger bay. Lowering down in a nearby clearing, the VTOL dropped off the IFV, before quickly leaving their position and returning to base. Walking over to the IFV, Blue Team quickly got inside, with Chief taking the pilot seat of the Badger-V. Compared to the previous generation of IFV's, the Badger-V was not only better armored, it was more maneuverable and faster as well. It was also armed with an L-HAG/20, which freed up more room for munitions, as well as a few extra tons of armor.
Gunning the throttle, Chief drove the Badger-V through the area and towards a grass covered area that was wide enough to accommodate the IFV. Turning to the left, they quickly entered more debris riddled fields, with some debris forming ramps that allowed the IFV to catch some air. Thanks to the suspension system used, however, the ride was only somewhat bumpy, with only the jumps being the more noticeable bumps in the ride. Driving onward, they came out of a narrow gorge and into a large open area that was filled with rock formations that jutted out of the ground, as well as a few areas that had been collecting rain water. Off in the distance, Chief could see Storm Covenant emplacements, such as Infantry Towers and turret emplacements. "Looks like we're expected," Cortana remarked.
"Then we'll give them a warm welcome," Fred remarked. Nodding in agreement, Chief targeted the closest Infantry Tower and opened fire, sending ferrous slugs at hypersonic velocities. Two ferrous slugs were all that were required to split the enemy fortification in half like it was made out of paper, with both halves, and their unfortunate occupants falling away from each other for a good ten meters before hitting the ground. An Elite that was in the area attempted to aim a Fuel Rod Launcher, only for the VS-SPL built into the IFV to split it in half, with it's upper body falling away from it's lower body. Grunts and Jackals attempted to run away, only for him to target them with ATM/5's, blowing the aliens apart into bloodied chunks. With the immediate threat neutralized, he drove the IFV forwards, mud flying off the tracks as the vehicle drove onward to it's target. A few Grunts opened fire, only to be crushed moments later by the weight of the IFV as it ran over them. A pair of Jackals dodged out of the way, only for the MPL Turret on the top of the IFV's turret to cut them down where they stood.
Passing one rock formation, Chief found an area that was filled with a Storm Covenant COM Relay, as well as turret fortifications and an Infantry Tower. Some Grunts, a few Jackals and a smattering of Elites were in the area, with many opening fire with the turrets. The Elites that were present began using Fuel Rod Launchers, a tactic the Storm Covenant employed to counter the advanced technology used by the UNSC and Star League. Moving the IFV quickly, he opened fire with the L-HAG/20, blasting apart the Infantry Towers before using his ATM/5's to destroy the turret fortifications. The MPL Turret on the IFV fired rapidly as well, cutting down any unshielded infantry that was unlucky enough to be out in the open. The Elites were harder to terminate, thanks to their energy shielding, but not so much to be a problem.
Looking around, Chief frowned at what he was looking at. Apparently, the only way out of the clearing was a narrow gorge that cut through the cliff side. "Everyone out," he ordered. "We're walking from here." Without a word, the others got out, with Chief following them out moments later. Weapons in hand, they proceeded through the gorge, taking out any enemy infantry ahead of them.
"I've just intercepted Storm Covenant communiqués," Cortana reported. "Looks like the Elites are moving personnel into an area up ahead of us."
"Understood," Chief nodded. Moving up through the gorge as point man, he peered around a bend to see what he was looking at. There was another Forerunner structure that was up ahead of their position, which appeared to be composed of a pair of terraces, each one accessible via ramps that led up to each one. Storm Covenant were present here, including a pair of Jackal snipers that were present in the area. Most of the Covenant here, however, were Grunts, Shield Jackals, and a few Elites that were present as well. "Linda, you've got counter-sniper duty," he ordered. "Will, you'll remain with her. Fred, you're with me."
"Understood," the others replied. Moving out of the gorge, Chief and Fred barreled forwards, darting from cover to cover in order to keep the enemy Snipers from tracking them, while Will and Linda clambered up onto some rocks in order to perform their duties. A single CRACK rang out moments later, with a Jackal Sniper falling to the ground, the only thing remaining of it's head being it's jaw, while blood spewed from arteries and veins that were ripped open. Popping out of cover, Chief and Fred opened fire, with Chief's M50 spewing HEAP rounds, while Fred's M48 Shotgun fired HEAP flechettes that ripped apart any unfortunate Covenant that were too close. One Elite found this out the hard way, as it attempted to charge Fred, only for it's chest to be blasted open by HEAP flechettes, leaving it's lungs and heart exposed for all to see. Chief, on the other hand, precisely and quickly landed headshots on the Grunts, while using impact detonation grenades to blow apart the Shield Jackals.
Between the four Spartans in the area, the Storm Covenant didn't stand a chance. As they moved up, they quickly mowed down their Storm Covenant counterparts, leaving each enemy lying dead in pools of their own blood. Spotting a shimmer in the air, Fred shouted, "Watch it," with Linda nailing the cloaked Elite. "Target down," he reported. "Nice shot, Linda."
"I aim to please," Linda nodded, with her and Will getting up in order to rendezvous with the others. Moving towards the structure, they waited until the doors closed behind them, taking a moment to reload their weaponry. A moment later, the door in front of them opened up.
What they saw was nothing short of awe inspiring. The room they were in was massive, with towering columns, large platforms, transparent floors and hallways, all made of the alloy that the Forerunners preferred to use for their architecture. Walking along, Chief jumped slightly when some Sentinels flew up from underneath their position; thankfully, they had recognized the Spartans and Elementals as Reclaimers, and thus went about their normal duties. "Sentinels," Cortana observed. "I was wondering when they would show up."
"Blue Team, look around the area," Chief ordered the others. "The Covenant are interested in something here, and it's our job to find out what it is." Once their acknowledgment lights winked on, he began to move forwards, while the others fanned out to see where they were at. Moving through one of the arches, he found himself inside of a small room that was underneath the platform above. He was about to leave when a large disk with Forerunner glyphs caught his eye. "What does this writing say," he asked Cortana.
"Hang on," Cortana replied, scanning the glyphs. "Here's what it translates into: 'Guardianship of all living things lies with those who's evolution is most complete. The Mantle of Responsibility shelters all.'"
"Is this what they're after," Chief asked.
"Not likely," Cortana remarked, shaking her digital head. "If I know the Storm Covenant, they usually prefer artifacts that are more… lively for lack of a better word. This one is anything but lively; still, I wonder what this 'Mantle of Responsibility' is. It's got me thinking for some strange reason."
"Noted," Chief replied. He had to admit, those words were ringing in his head as well, as though his brain was trying to tell him that it was important somehow. Still, it could wait for now. The Storm Covenant was their top priority right now. He didn't want to waste time pondering the meanings of various Forerunner phrases, such as the one he had just heard. Walking out from the room, he walked up a ramp and immediately spotted something familiar.
Cortana recognized it as well, as she said, "Wait, Chief! That's a Cartographer, or at least what I think is one. Put me into the slot and I'll see what it is." Complying, Chief removed the AI Chip in his helmet and placed it into the slot. After a moment, Cortana said, "It's a localized Site Cartographer. Hhmm, OK. Looks like Lee was right; this Cartographer is in service of the Shield World that we're on. If I had to guess, the Storm Covenant were looking for this Cartographer, possibly to find where this 'Didact' is at."
"Can you find out anything else," Chief asked as he silently recalled the others to his position.
"I'm still searching the system," Cortana remarked. As she did so, something happened with the Cartographer. The blue globe it was showing promptly flashed red and then went out. Concerned, Chief pulled Cortana out. He was just in time, as the Cartographer promptly shut off right then and there. "Whoa, cowboy," Cortana shouted, surprised by what happened. "Chief, what just happened?"
"The Cartographer shut down," Chief explained. "I pulled you out when it started to malfunction."
"Good call," Cortana remarked. "I might've been trapped in there with no way of getting out. As for the Cartographer, I don't think it's offline. From what I can tell, it's locked itself up. We'll need to find a way to get it back online."
"Understood," Chief nodded. Looking at Osman and his partner, he said, "You two, remain here at the Cartographer in case any Storm Covenant enter the building. Blue Team and I will investigate the area for any way to reactivate the Cartographer. Understood?"
"Aff," Osman nodded. "We will hold this position."
With the Elementals guarding the Cartographer, Blue Team was able to move around the interior more freely, as they weren't worried about the Storm Covenant getting past the Elementals. Looking around, Chief heard Cortana say, "Chief, I've detected what appears to be a power surge in two locations on either side of the chamber. I've sent Linda to check out the other one." Nodding, Chief proceeded to an opening he hadn't spotted before, with this one having a light-bridge that led to a large platform that encircled a beam of what appeared to be orange-yellow energy. Noticing a hovering control panel, he pressed it's single green button.
Suddenly, the platform began to descend, with Chief's shields shorting out. "What's happening," he asked.
"It's alright," Cortana reassured him as the platform descended, stopping at another light bridge. "This beam is actually a ferro-electric data field. Your shields are just cycling in response to the chamber's charge."
"Will this bring the Cartographer back online?"
"Partially. This system usually runs in parallel. Linda's currently at it's twin, and I've just sent her instructions on what to do." Just as she said that, Chief heard a brief sputter of static on his COM. "The other one's online now."
"And about fucking time too," Osman said over the COM. "We have Storm Covenant stravag incoming on our position. They are pissed off by the fact that we are where they want to be." The sound of a Plasma Machinegun firing came over the COM, including a loud explosion. "Get back here immediately!"
"Understood," Chief nodded. "Blue Team, move to reinforce the Elementals. We'll come in behind you." Closing the COM link, he moved over the light bridge and back into the interior of the Cartographer Chamber.
When he stepped out into it, he found himself looking at a massive firefight. The Storm Covenant wanted the Cartographer so badly, they had sent several squads of Elite Zealots at the Elementals and Blue Team. While Blue Team was holding them off, Chief knew it was only a matter of time before they were overwhelmed. Adding his own fire to the mix, he briefly disoriented the Elites, forcing them to fight on two sides of the chamber. He was about to order a retreat when an explosion ripped through a group of Zealots, with a missile flying into another group. Just then, a familiar voice shouted, "Surprise, motherfuckers! I'm back!"
"Looks like Alex just arrived," Cortana remarked, just as the Clan 'MechWarrior came into view. Apparently, he had gotten an upgrade to his genetic enhancements, as the young 'MechWarrior was wearing his own suit of Elemental-IV Battle Armor, complete with ATM/2 Pods, a Support Micro Pulse Laser on his gun arm, as well as a Battle Claw. Leaping into the fray, the young Clansman tore through the crowd of Elites, the latter so surprised by what happened they hadn't been able to react in time. At the same time, UNSC Marines poured into the room, firing their weapons into the crowd of enemies.
Landing next to Chief, he said, "Looks like you have been busy, Chief. How did you manage to piss off so many Storm Covenant?"
"They're attempting to take the Cartographer," Chief replied.
"I see," Alex remarked. "You keep doing what you are doing. I will see if I can make it easier on your men." Leaping off into the fray once again, Alex opened fire with his S-MPL, cutting apart a few Elites before body slamming into another, sending that one flying. A missile flew out of one of the ATM/2 Pods, before detonating in a group of Zealots, shredding them in the ensuing explosion. Nearby, the UNSC Marines, armed with the advanced technology of the Star League, expertly cut down the enemy personnel, reducing the enemy combatants in the area to zero. "All clear," Alex shouted. "Men, secure the chamber. I will go talk with the forward team."
As Alex barked out his orders, Chief moved back to the Cartographer, which was now online, before putting Cortana inside once again. As she worked at the device, she said, "This is getting interesting. The Cartographer's acting as though it doesn't know what the Didact is." Just as she said this, the image solidified, showing a single waypoint at the center of the planet. "Huh, it's not acting up anymore."
"Is that correct," Alex asked. "I know of Shield Worlds thanks to Onyx, but I have reason to believe that the Cartographer is still malfunctioning."
"It's not," Cortana replied. "If we traveled through part of Requiem, it makes sense that there's more than one layer. Besides, the Forerunners were capable of marvels of engineering. I wouldn't be surprised if this place was like an onion, only with each layer inside being larger than the outside itself."
"That does coincide with what we know," Chief nodded. "Anything unusual, though?"
"There is," Cortana remarked. "There might be another AI in the system, but every time I look for it, it simply vanishes into thin air. If I didn't know better, I'd say that there's someone in the computer system, guiding us towards some kind of goal."
"That is possible," Alex nodded. "If the Forerunners created these Shield Worlds, then it would stand to reason that they might have survived by using them as well. We might not have encountered any that held Forerunners inside of them thus far. This might be a different case."
When Chief heard that, he frowned. If that was the case, then whomever was in the system might not have the best of intentions for his Team, or the Elementals for that matter. They would have to proceed with caution, and that meant they would have to inform Keyes. Keying his COM, he said, "Sierra-117 to Captain Keyes."
"Go ahead, Chief," Keyes replied. "Did you find what the Storm Covenant are looking for?"
"Yes," Chief replied. "The Storm Covenant in this sector were looking for a local Cartographer. They appear to be looking for something called a 'Didact', which Cortana believes might be an artifact. Star Commander Alex believes it might also be a living example of a Forerunner, given that they created the Shield Worlds to shelter each species in the galaxy from the Halo Array."
"I see," Keyes remarked. There was some silence on the other side as he measured his options, weighing which ones to take. A moment later, he said, "If that's the case, then we need to secure this 'Didact' before the Storm Covenant can get their hands onto it. If Alex's theory is correct, this might be a chance to get some much needed answers to a lot of questions the Star League has on the Forerunners. Either way, we cannot allow the Storm Covenant to gain access to this 'Didact.' Chief, your orders now are to find a way to get to the artifact and prevent the Storm Covenant from getting it's hands onto it. If you have to, destroy it. We can't let the enemy have a valuable asset in their hands."
"Understood," Chief replied. "Have you made contact with the Infinity?"
"Negative," Keyes frowned. "The outer shell is shielding our normal transmissions. We're currently attempting to use the C-HPG onboard the ship to break through and contact the Infinity that way. If it works, we can get a message off to them and inform them of what we've found. Your orders remain unchanged. Locate the Forerunner artifact and secure it before the Storm Covenant gets it's hands on it. Keyes out." With that, the COM link ended.
Looking at Cortana, Chief asked, "What's the fastest way to the center of the planet?"
"I've already marked out a path," Cortana replied. "We'll need to travel across a bridge in the room beyond our position, and then make our way through what appears to be a plaza of sorts, where there appears to be a tower of some kind. Once we get there, I should be able to find some sort of transit system to use on this planet."
"Understood," Chief nodded. "Blue Team, we're moving out. Elementals, remain here and keep the Storm Covenant from regaining access to it."
"I am coming too," Alex added. "Osman and his friend can handle the Cartographer, along with the Marines inside the room." Normally, Chief would've reaffirmed his orders, but he knew from experience that the Elementals could handle themselves. Instead of disagreeing, he nodded, with Alex following him through the doorway behind them. Spotting what appeared to be equipment lying on a table, Alex picked up the devices with his Battle Claw and tossed them back behind him. "Get those to a lab. Good luck, men."
Moving through a large door, Chief and the others found themselves on a platform that overlooked a large, arch bridge that extended a good 250 meters to another door on the other side. More of the Forerunner architecture was present, as well as some rock spires that jutted through the bridge via specially designed holes and gaps. He also spotted a gap in the bridge up ahead, where only foot traffic could go. Chief was about to check his gear when Alex fired a missiles from his Battle Armor, blowing some Covenant at the bottom of the lift area into smithereens. "Good shot," Grace, who'd been silent until now, remarked.
"Thank you," Alex nodded. "Elementals aim to please, even in the explosions department." The remark had the Spartan chuckle slightly as they came to ground level.
Hearing a noise, Chief looked up to see a Banshee flying overhead, which he immediately recognized were four of the Covenant AeroSpace Fighters flying overhead. "Enemy ASF's," he called out. "Take them out."
"Well ahead of you there," Alex nodded, using his Jump Jets to fly up into the air. The pilot of the first Banshee attempted to dodge, but was not nearly quick enough to dodge the Clan 'MechWarrior, who quickly latched on. Forcing the vehicle open, he kicked the Elite inside out, sending the alien screaming to it's death in the fog below. Jumping off, he fired an ATM/2 that blasted apart another Banshee, before landing on the ground. "Out of missiles," he reported. "Jettisoning ATM Pods." There was a quite hiss before both pods fell off his armor, landing on the ground and lightening his Battle Armor. "I will get new ones when we resupply."
"Noted," Chief nodded. Normally, he'd be more concerned, but he knew the SLDF and Clan Wolverine built safeguards into all of their technology, to prevent an enemy from reverse engineering it successfully. Moving up, he spotted a group of Covenant personnel, firing on them moments later. A 40mm grenade, courtesy of Grace, flew overhead before landing in another group, blasting them apart upon impact. Another Banshee flew in for a gun run, but the pilot flew a little too close to the ground, allowing Fred to leap on and evict the Elite from the vehicle. When the Elite landed, there was a loud CRUNCH as it's spine shattered, causing it to roar. Said roar was cut off when Alex stomped on it's head, causing blood, bone and brain matter to splatter everywhere.
They continued to slowly move up, with the Spartans and Elemental moving up as they engaged the enemy. Once they were at a clearing, Chief watched as Alex threw a small object ahead of their position, which he recognized was a beacon. Stopping for a minute, he watched as a trio of Resupply Drones flew overhead, with one carrying freshly loaded ATM/2 Pods for Alex's Battle Armor, while the others carried ammunition and supplies for the Spartans. The first drone flew over to Alex, with it's Myomer actuated arms expertly installing the fresh ATM Pods onto his armor, before flying away; the others quickly opened the other containers, allowing Chief and the others to resupply. Once they were fully rearmed, they moved onward.
Despite the Storm Covenant's best efforts, the Spartans and Elemental continued to push through, despite having to stop to wither the enemy forces in front of them. As they moved forwards, they entered another room, beyond which lay the plaza. "The Elites just issued a general order," Cortana informed Chief. "They're moving all personnel towards the central tower."
"I guess we got their attention," Chief observed dryly.
"Good," Alex remarked. "I like a challenge."
Moments later, the door they were in front of opened up, revealing a large, expansive space beyond. It was a large plaza like structure, with a central platform that jutted out from the main structure itself. Two platforms were on either side, all of which led towards a courtyard that lay beneath the main tower. A single entrance was located there, leading to walkways that extended to the left and right, before curling back towards a series of platforms above their position. The Storm Covenant was here as well, as Chief spotted some Shade Turrets, as well as more Covenant personnel in the area.
Moments later, two Ghosts moved into view, weapons at the ready as they moved towards the entrance, Firing off two missiles, Alex blew each one apart, with only a third Ghost remaining operational, with the operator firing moments later. "Whoa," Fred shouted as plasma bolts zipped past them at what he realized were supersonic velocities. "Looks like the Storm Covenant's been upgrading their gear!"
"Tell me about it," Alex shouted as he dodged to the left. "They have energy shields too! Not as strong as what we use, but enough to make them harder to kill."
"I've got this," Chief shouted as he ran forwards, the Myomers in his armor helping him reach top speed. Before the Ghost's operator could react in time, he leaped into the air and landed on the vehicle, nearly causing it to hit the ground. Pivoting on his arm and hand, he swung his legs out before pulling in to the left, smashing both Armored Boots into the Elite piloting the vehicle. The alien roared as it was thrown to the ground, tumbling ass over teakettle before coming to rest on it's back. Getting into the pilot seat, Chief fired on the Elite, killing it before focusing his attention on the Shade Turrets. Nearby, Grace fired off a 40mm grenade, blowing the other one apart. "Move out," Chief shouted.
There was an explosion of movement as Grace, Linda, Fred and Will charged into the area, with Alex quickly catching up behind them. Jumping onto one platform, Fred simply said, "Hello," before engaging in CQC combat with an Elite. Dodging a swing from it's energy sword, he grabbed it's sword arm and snapped it like a twig, grabbing his new weapon and swinging it hard. Looks like Energy Swords got an upgrade too, he thought as he bisected the Elite, before decapitating it.
A gunshot ran through the air as a high ranking Elite's head exploded, causing the body to tumble backwards. On one of the rocks in the area, Linda calmly switched targets, while Will acted as her spotter. "Enemy Elite, one o'clock. 200 meters." Right on cue, she targeted that Elite and fired, blasting it's head apart. "Good effect on target," Will reported. "Jackal Sniper, 2 o'clock. 150 meters." Again, Linda's customized M75 Incisor, Nornfang, fired, blasting apart the offending Jackal.
Closer to the front lines, Alex was having a blast as he ripped through the horde of Storm Covenant personnel. A swipe of his Battle Claw ripped an Elite's head in half, while his S-MPL drilled holes and gashes into other enemies. Spotting a Fuel Rod Grunt, he used his Jump Jets to boost over to the Grunt, body slamming it and sending it flying into a wall, where a loud, wet, CRACK echoed through the area. Said Grunt slumped to the ground, a trail of gore on the wall. One Elite roared at Alex, who kicked it with one of his legs. "Quiet down," he remarked. "That is bad language."
Eventually, the horde of Storm Covenant was greatly diminished, with most retreating into the structure itself. Having dealt with his targets, Alex jump jetted into the air, soaring over the group before landing on one of the walkways. "I will scout out ahead," he reported. "Any hard targets are mine." Nodding in agreement, Chief moved on with the others into the structure, climbing up a couple ramps before moving towards the right hand walkway. Apparently, Alex had dealt with the enemies here already, as Chief watched as an Elite was hurled out into view, with most of it's head missing. As they moved towards another ramp, he heard a pair of explosions, with the sounds consistent with ATM/2 missiles. Reaching one of the two terraces, he took one of ramps on the left and moved up.
Up on the entrance to the rest of the structure were quite a few dead Elites, some Jackals, a few Grunts, as well as a dead Hunter. Alex was currently neutralizing the last one, ripping out some worms before kicking the alien over, with the Hunter dying moments later. Up above, a group of Sentinels watched the whole debacle, seemingly detached from the current situation that was ongoing. "All targets eliminated," Alex reported. "The Sentinels helped out a bit. Apparently they wanted the Storm Covenant gone as well. The rest of the structure is beyond that door." Nodding at Alex's handiwork, Chief proceeded to the door, which opened up for them moments later.
Walking inside, Chief found himself and the others walking down a long hallway towards what appeared to be a large lift. Walking up a few ramps, they got onto the lift, which began to ascend upwards into the structure, before stopping at another door. Walking through, Chief looked around to see that they were inside of a large room with a series of ascending and descending rectangular pillars. Some smaller objects were flying around, forming into complex shapes and objects as they did so. "There's another terminal ahead," Cortana reported. "Put me in and I'll see what I can do." Complying, Chief put Cortana into the system once again, with the AI quickly getting to work. "Looks like I was right. There's a Slipstream Space Portal system that we can use to get around Requiem."
"Can we access it," Chief asked.
"Yes," Cortana remarked. As she did so, some worrying symbols came up on the screen. "Uh, oh," she remarked. "I think I triggered some kind of security system." Looking around, Chief noticed the pillars were ascending. Moments later, a Slipstream Space Portal opened before them. "Inside now," Cortana shouted, with the others quickly moving in, while Chief grabbed Cortana and leaped inside. What they didn't know was that things were about to get worse.
