Halo: Predator Lost: Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity, George S. Patton.
Once again Colonel Stein was not a happy camper and for once it was because of the cursed new subspace com system that he thought would be a blessing. Give mankind a new form of communication and you'll find yourself drowned in enough red tape to sink a cruiser. This is why aside from the Spartan project he gave the Predators free access to do whatever they wanted sans killing.
The result in the last six months has been nothing but amazing. Turns out the red tape in their society didn't really exist. Instead, rules were simplified and expanded but enforcement was quick and decisive the moment evidence was found and confirmed.
Well, death, exile, reduction in status, this was something he could easily get behind and why he wanted to be on Algolis in the first place. Small colonies don't have the kind of crap one would have to go through on larger more populated ones. Now though highcom from Reach has been pestering him to send over the predators. The excuse, they have more resources and can do more with them. For me, I see it as a cage as they would simply try ordering them around.
Getting out of his chair Stein went for a walk.
"Ah, Colonel I was hoping to catch you, mind if I join you?"
"Commander Young, don't you have a ship to refit?"
"Yes, about that, your doctor Emily brought me up to speed on that side project of yours and I've been working with your reptilian friends rather closely. Money being foreign to them, they've outlined a number of improvements to the ship I'll be commanding. Command wasn't happy about the bill since the cost to refit here will be much more expensive than Reach but, still."
"Get to the point commander, I've been tempted to order the system shut down because of highcom not liking my style." Externally Stein was as neutral as a statue but internally the man wanted to shoot more than a few useless officers telling him how to do his job.
"They need a team, more importantly, they need to make a team composed of Spartan threes and others. I understand the classified nature of the project but Spartans being as expensive as they are, have a lot more leeway when it comes to funds. That and what the one named Scythe said, made a bunch of economical sense." Young wasn't stupid, a weapon by itself was useless but put it into the hands of someone competent and it turns into something truly special.
Stein contemplated this idea and sadly it was one that ONI refused to do. The predators recently released a concept for a new missile that uses a small fusion drive core. The missile itself was only four meters long and half a meter wide. While the small fusion cores were indeed possible, ONI saw it as a waste of resources as those cores are better off in the Mjolnir armor the Spartans used.
Upon making it outside a series of detonations was heard and seen in the distance. The one known as Winter was attempting to duplicate his own weaponry and was having limited success with his efforts. The most recent one was the flechette rounds for the Carl Gustave M3.
Stein and many others were greatly looking forward to this one. The predator had reduced the number of flechettes from eleven hundred to three hundred. The greater size allowed him to add in a guidance system, explosive warhead, rocket motor, and stabilizing fins. According to the data the crazy alien sent, he built this special round to eradicate hardmeat or xenomorph swarms. using an advanced target designator large quantities of enemies could be killed and destroyed in a single shot.
Like everything else, Stein wasted no time in putting this new-old type into production. Very rapidly Algolis production had an increase in the last few months.
Though the biggest change of all was the damaged Paris class frigate in orbit. The void space between the mac gun and lower hanger space was being filled in with an improved fusion reactor and a ship-scale version of a Spartan laser. In fact, the Fusion cores were all being replaced with better ones. Thanks to the predator's help the new cores were twenty percent smaller and ten percent more powerful with three added it meant a substantial increase in power and performance.
"So if Winter is trying to blow up the planet, what's his counterpart doing?" Stein asked
Young smiled at this and chuckled a little. " He's decided to take the ODST contingents for a hike"
Thirty miles north of the Algolis settlement in what appeared to be a forest.
We've been here for three days, three days, hiking, running, gunning, hiding, eating, shitting, and overall getting our collective butts kicked. Rumors of the Spartans were one thing but this thing puts even Covie stealth tactics to shame. Not once has it dropped its cloak and slowly it has been taking guys left and right like an invisible wraith.
Over time we've learned to spot the distinct shimmering the Covie Elites use however it was clear this dude had cloaking tech which was better and far longer lasting.
That or it knew how to use it better. Either way, a hundred of us came in and so far half of us remain. The objective was to see how well we could combat this thing and in turn apply these lessons to the covenant when an idea struck me.
Activating his radio Sergeant Thompson made the call. "Aright everyone listen up! We need to run to open ground and eliminate the vectors this freak can hit was with. According to our maps, there is a lake with a large clearing just on the other side, the lake isn't that large so it should be easy to swim across but we got to move now before he picks us off even further."
Scythe was eyeing these soldiers as they moved toward the lake. No one has truly been eliminated thanks to the training bullets and ways of knocking out the softmeats. Still, he knew they would go to open ground eventually. "Death you evil genius, let's see, insults, no, that horrible Barny song is just too evil, hmm let's see what this does?" Thanks to the barney song experiment Death did to unbloods Scythe was now putting the idea into practice. As soon as he had found what he was looking for in the ooman database, he pressed play.
In the surrounding woods, micro speakers had activated and thus the noise of mating calls filled the air.
"Laying her down his hands gentle as he began his majestic lovemaking"
Almos all ate once every remaining ODST had a WTF look inside their helmets.
"Really, an erotic novel, does he expect us to get horny from this and walk like penguins?" ask Draper, with his shoulders shrugged.
The sounds stopped right then. Only to be replaced with women screaming as the sounds of crunching were heard.
"Keep moving, if he thinks psychological warfare will work then he's wrong." Again it stopped. Followed by something else.
"Everything I say is so funny, everything I say is so funny"
What the flying crap. was this music, rap, or some sick joke as it sounded like some crazy guy singing drunk, and unlike before despite complaints, it wouldn't stop.
The pace was quickened now until the lake was reached, yet the odd song still playing and in fact got louder somehow, then it occurred to Thompson that it was emanating from their radios. he tried switching frequencies but to no avail. Darn Fraker was spamming this crap music. Seeing the small lake it was clear the water wasn't very deep five feet at the most. On the other side was rocky open terrain.
Everyone started walking in and only when they were all in did the music stop, much to everyone's relief. That is until a distant duun dun started sounding.
"Thank you Winter for waterproofing my systems." Scythe trilled at the new tactic Winter thought about to better survive and saw as a problem in their own technology. A problem readily fixed. Now using music from an ooman film called Jaws, the ODSTs fear factor had now grown exponentially.
"Okay, any history buffs know what that odd music is?" Rico asked.
Before anyone could answer troopers started dropping like rocks in a pond, the sound grew increasingly more intense before each strike. The water's murkiness got worse.
"It's in here with us!" yelled someone and before long what remained of the unit started swimming for their lives.
Thompson thought differently and started popping smoke grenades in the water and running as best he could by the time he and what remained got to the other. Half their number had been eliminated sadly the smoke grenades concealed if anyone was knocked out or not. For a training exercise, this whole thing screamed real and that was really starting to terrify them.
The music had stopped and no one was coming. " Alright, let's set up a defensive position on top of that hill overlooking the area." Ordered Thompson, getting comfy, they tried to get some much-needed sleep but that wasn't going to happen. Every so often a trilling or clicking sound was heard. Everything from a rock being disturbed to random animal noises woke them up.
It's now been hours and nighttime as come
" Attention troopers, exercise is now over, please proceed to rendezvous at landing zone beta."
"Finally now I can go home and get some sleep" Rico and the others started getting up, checking their maps and heading out. "Sarge, aren't you coming?" Rico asked.
"I'll be right behind you." Thompson separated himself from the group, moving cautiously, something wasn't right, no one had won, and by all accounts, this thing had been plucking them off like deer. His distance proved fruitful as everyone else was subjected to a massive flash of white and noise. Screams were heard, and just as quickly as it started everything went silent.
Thompson quickly got into the lake and submerged most of his body and quickly dug into the muddy dirt getting to the point where his helmet could just get enough outside air to breathe, then he readied a flashbang.
When morning came there was still no movement, in fact, sleep had come and boy was everything super clear but his muscles were cramping like mad but he knew the creature was still out there somewhere. Since he hadn't been taken it was safe to assume it hadn't found him yet.
Finally getting up and stretching his limbs, everything seems great until a shimmering was seen for half a second before a freight train of a punch launched him skyward twenty feet into the shallow lake. "Frak me that hurt, cough cough." Swimming back, the predator just stood there, holding his smg. Changing his mind Thompson swam in the middle of the lake and dived. Scythe following suite.
Knowing he only had one shot at this Thompson pulled the pins on his three flashbangs and jump out of the water as high as he could. The detonations caused water to erupt as well as the predator to jump out ten feet out before coming down near Thompson
Pulling out his M6, he then fired round after round into the predator covering him in high-velocity paint. Out of bullets, the Predator rapidly grabbed him by his neck and snarled, the cloaking device disengaging.
Quickly going for his knife, Thompson's eyes widened upon not feeling his knife, but was in fact in the hands of the creature. With one squeeze his life would be over but not before staring this thing down. Then in what sounded like a robotic voice, it said." Well done meatbag" Before dropping him like a sack of potatoes in the mud. Upon standing up the large creature then handed him a bottle of Bacardi, mango flavor.
Within minutes a Falcon flew down and landed. stepping off was LT Owen. "Seargent Thompson, congratulations you were the only one not to be turned into a trophy. Don't worry the rest of your men aren't dead, hurt, bruised, bleeding a bit but not dead. In the next exercise, you will be facing off against Winter.
Though I can't say you'll survive him for very long compared to the grueling thee plus days of terror.
"Why?" Thompson inquired.
"Because he is part of their soldier group, so instead of picking you off one by one he'll just hit you disperse you and, kill you. Then be back home in time for lunch. First, though You'll have to be debriefed and see if we can learn anything from this.
Nodding his head Thompson and Scythe walked over to the falcon, which proceeded to head back to base.
James Ackerson was seething right now. First, it was Halsey and now a fellow Army officer Colonel Stein.
Funds were now being allocated to Algolis for projects Stein had requested thanks to his Alien pals.
The stupid thing was, it wasn't the existing projects that were demanding a lot of money but refitting a Paris class frigate with an upscaled Spartan Laser and a bunch of other modifications. Heck, the added gun costs three times as much as the frigate alone.
While his Spartan threes were still making plenty of headway and funding. The fact that Stein and his new friends revolutionized FTL communication was gaining him a lot of favor. Hence why through many attempts the creatures were requested in other areas. All were refused.
Now though Stein has the nerve to request not only additional funding but at least two dozen Spartan threes. To make matters worse Parangosky herself authorized it. twenty-four men on top of the others that were taken right before Operation Prometheus could begin.
The only thing to be grateful about was the refusal of the creation of more advanced long-range missiles using spartan fusion cores. That will likely change thanks to the stealing of my men.
On the other hand, Stein isn't good with politics, so instead of just fighting him, I'll pit him against Halsey, force him to play ball instead of ignoring calls from those above him. I'll use the device he nurtured to create and use it against him.
Pressing a call button on his desk. " Lieutenant, find me every ounce of dirt you can on Colonel Stein, current overseer of the Algolis colony. I want to know everything from what he wears to what he eats."
"Are you sure that is wise sir?"
"Yes I am, now get on it!" Ackerson screamed.
"Yes, sir right away!"
sigh. putting his hand together, he couldn't help but now see his new dilemma as a race between the Genius of Halsey, his drive for cheap supersoldiers, and Stein's pets that came out of nowhere. "We will see who gets the best results" The smile Ackerson had would cause many to shudder.
Follows currently leading at 29 with Favs at 25. Thank you.
Okay so when I looked at Ackerson's bio, the guy was effective but in many was someone who got jealous a lot. Though I have to say I enjoy the finger he gave to the Covenant's stupidity before he died.
Now then it should be noted that ONI's extreme secrecy at this point was costing them a lot. Namely, the lack of mass production facilities for Spartan armor was costing them big time. You'd think with a massive industrial apparatus and ten plus years of war they would have started mass producing those things which in turn would have reduced costs a lot as more of them are built.
Since the Spartan three program started in 2531, they had six years to produce that armor in large volumes which would have greatly reduced costs yet they considered three hundred impossible, yea I'm not buying it.
However, the more you build the more likely the other branches will see it and the more likely ONI will lose its control. Which they do.
Now then I'm leaving a request for anyone who answers in the reviews or PM. The damaged Paris class frigate being refitted doesn't have a name yet.
As such what do you want the name to be?
Thank you and please review.