July 26, 2552 11:26 Hours
Sword Control, "Be advised, Kilo 33 and Kilo 34, your current LZ is too hot."
"Roger that. Dot standby to receive and reroute."
As the two Falcons are flying in the background a giant ship is seen. As the camera zooms in it is shown that the ship appears as a killer whale colored a deep purple. Firing off what appeared to be plasma but much larger than any gun they'd seen from the previous area.
"That thing is MASSIVE!" Kirishima exclaimed.
"Yeah but it's destroying that something human. So that's not good." Momo said shocked at the covenant ship size.
"They aren't freaking out about it being there, which either means that is not a big covenant vessel, or that is mainly a transport vessel." Izuku said when he noticed how semi calm the spartans were.
"Yes, Commander... coordinates received. Initiate immediate course correction. The Office of Naval Intelligence Sword Base is presently under siege from a corvette-class Covenant vessel. Due to the sensitive nature of this facility, use of orbital rounds has been, for the moment, prohibited. Regrettably, my efforts to obtain relevant data on enemy forces have been unsuccessful. However, current defensive forces are insufficient. ONI has requested Team Noble's direct intervention to help secure Sword Base." The now identified voice, Dot, says.
"Her voice sounds weird, doesn't it Deku?" Ochako asked.
"Yeah. It does. Almost like.. a.. robot...Wait is she an A.I.?!" Izuku began before yelling at the end and going off into muttering tangent about how advanced they must be to have A.I. that can monitor allied and enemy movements.
"Uhhh Deku the movies still going on." Ochako tried to get Izuku's attention.
"Oi DEKU! Shut up! I'm trying to watch this movie ! Shitty-nerd." Bakugo yelled in annoyance, which finally snapped Izuku out of his thinking.
"Ok. Listen up, team! We're stuck with that ship for the time being. For now focus on the ground hostiles. Give those troopers a hand." Carter had his sights set on the building. "Kat, Six - you're out here. Jorge, Emile - you're up next, get set up."
"Let's move, lieutenant!" Kat said while she cocked her magnum.
Nodding in response, Six grabbed his DMR and took aim at the grunts and jackals rushing towards them. Giving each of the little bastards a one way trip to hell via a bullet to the brain. He and Kat continued on before combining firing on an elite wearing blue armor. It easily fell to their firepower. Though upon its death Skirmishers sprinted at them.
Unfortunately for them, Six noticed a few tanks filled with oil. Unloading a few rounds into them, they exploded. Killing five of the seven skirmishers. The remaining two seeing the rest of their squad being taken out so quickly hesitated for a moment. That moment was all it took for Kat to put a bullet between their eyes.
Satisfied with their work they let Sword Control know they had cleared the courtyard and were continuing outward. Upon reaching the gate, which was built more like a small underground bunker, Kat saw a small device in one of the ammo crates.
"Sword Control, I'm seeing a Target Locator. We have any artillery in the area?" Kat asked.
"Limited, but we'll prioritize whatever you need ma'am."
A badly damaged warthog is seen driving up towards the gate, announcing over comms, "3 Echo 57 heading back to base, we got enemy tangos on our six. How copy?"
Suddenly a giant moving vehicle comes into view of Kat and Six. Launching a shot of plasma at the slowly moving warthog, destroying it and killing the occupants. Yet another appeared around the other corner. Getting an idea to take care of them quickly Kat, "Six! Use the target locator on those wraiths! On my mark!"
"Is she insane?!" Half the class screamed! She was asking to have military grade explosives dropped on top of her!
Moving quickly, Kat evaded enemy fire hopping into the space between the two wraiths. The drivers of both wraiths seeing an opportunity to take out one of them swivels around and boosts towards Kat, intent on squishing her between the two of them.
"Now!" Kat calls out to Six. Deciding to trust her, Six fires the TL at her. However it only paints a laser on her location.
Both wraiths not noticing that they have been locked on to continue on to crush, Kat.
Waiting until the last moment, Kat actives her armor ability, armor lock. Both wraiths hit her, expecting to be unhindered and down one more enemy, are surprised to find their vehicles disabled before quickly being bombarded with multiple explosives being dropped in from orbit! Destroying both of them and killing off a dozen other Covenant unlucky enough to be close to them.
Worried for his teammate, Six rushes down to the two now destroyed wraiths killing any barely surviving Covenant forces. Upon finding Kat, however he is surprised to see her completely unharmed.
"What the hell? That was able to take all that damage and not have any recoil for the user?" Kaminari questioned shocked at how that move was able to take 2 massive vehicles going full speed at her and several artillery rounds.
"Imagine the impact having that as a hero or villain could do, a building collapsing, use that and you would be fine, Endeavor launching…." Izuku started back up his theorizing again at that display.
Ochako decided to go and shake him to snap him out of his trance like muttering, once he stopped he rubbed his head in embarrassment.
"Well done, Six." Kat was happy that she trusted her newest teammate. Sure he seemed cold and indifferent but he had proven that he did care about his teammates with how he rushed in so quickly to ensure she was alright.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. Ok there's a pelican inbound with transport. The AA gun is to the west, and the Comms Array is to the east. Whichever one you want to get first, Six."
"Having communications will be meaningless without the means to actually fight back. Let's get the AA guns up first."
Happy with his answer, Kat nodded in affirmation. Waiting for thirty seconds a pelican was overhead dropping off a warthog for them as well as a marine ready in the machine gun turret on the back.
"Let's roll."
Driving quickly they can see over the vast area of open air, a gigantic air battle between Covenant air forces and UNSC. Ignoring it for now, the Spartans move onward to take back the AA gun.
With it coming into view, the two Spartans hop out and attack the enemy. The marine, still on the turret, takes aim and fires upon a Golden Elite. It's shields holding but taking major hits charges up its plasma launcher before letting loose a volley of three at the warthog. The marine seeing the projectiles heading for the vehicle decides to abandon it. Diving to the ground and getting up as quick as he can he sprints for cover. The warthog explodes in a shower of molten metal and plasma. Seeing it's target survive its initial assault the elite takes aim once more before its vision goes black as its spinal column is severed by Six from behind.
"Ok that weapon is powerful, honestly I would not like to find out if my ultimate move can take one of those shots." Kirishima says nervously.
"Nice work, Six. Now let's hit that switch and get to the comms array."
Quickly doing as such, Six, Kat, and the marine, now identified as Michel, headed out in a new warthog dropped in by another pelican, though this one had a different turret. The vehicle quickly identified as a gausshog.
Stepping on the gas, they came across another vehicle and a squadron of Covenant troops. Fortunately the turret made quick work of them all. The vehicles, now identified as ghosts, did their best to evade and return fire. However ghosts are meant for recon. This proved to be their downfall in this engagement.
"Huh, I just noticed that it appears that all the covenant's ground vehicles seem to be named after supernatural phenomenons, so far we have learned they have wraiths and ghosts, I am curious if this trend will continue or not." Iida said making a theory about the covenant naming structure.
Quickly moving on with barely a thought, they finally came upon the comms array. Seeing an elite with its back turned Six quickly floored it and ran it over with the warthog. It's body being crushed by the heavy armored vehicle.
Hoping out, after bringing the gausshog to a stop, Six quickly located the generator to turn on the comms array back to working order. Thankfully the generator worked and it wired up in response. Unfortunately the comms array needed to be reset. But they were close by and as such was easily completed. Before long the three were back in the gausshog and heading back to base.
Carter over the comms, "Kat, Six - that Corvette is moving into position, over."
"That doesn't sound too good." Sato said nervously, receiving several nods of agreement.
Getting to the gate they came from they found two new Covenant vehicles, quickly identified as revenants. Unfortunately they weren't nearly armored enough to withstand the barrage of rail gun shots from the gausshog.
"So it seems that my theory is so far being proven correct." Iida said quietly to himself.
"We're stalled at the tower atrium. Kat, we need you here fast." Jun asked.
"Opening the gate now."
Clearing out the courtyard, which had been filled with more Covenant troops, Noble Team went into the base finding two giant heavily armored beings. Both were green, and the parts of the body that could be seen under the armor looked like orange worms. All wiggling and moving together in tandem. Using the book the two beings were identified as a Mgalekgolo pair. Dubbed by the UNSC as Hunters.
"Man those are huge, they look sorta like Sato does when he uses his quirk, just with actual armor and instead of skin its worms." Kaminari said, shocked at the creature's size.
"Hunters? What do they hunt exactly?" Koda asked feeling uncomfortable seeing worms.
"No clue, maybe they are just called that because they have been encountered hunting us? Or maybe other species." Jirou replied wanting to try and make Koda more comfortable.
Grabbing a shotgun off of a rack, Six used the boxes and crates nearby as cover sneaking behind one of the two and blasting it in the back with four shells before tossing a grenade underneath it's legs as it turned towards him. The grenade went off sending more shrapnel into the back of the Hunter killing it. As it fell the other Hunter also fell under the firepower of the rest of Noble Team.
"Elevator. Let's take it, Six."
Activating it, they rode it up. "Corvettes hitting this base hard." Emile commented idly.
As he said this an explosion sent shockwaves through the buildings and the elevator stalling it for a few moments before it continued onward.
"Where's our orbital support? A single shot from one of the four Mac stations could take it out."
The PA system it seemed was still operational as it announced that an ONI representative would be with them shortly. In response Kat answered dryly, "I doubt that very much."
Jorge seeing them entering the room shouted over to the, "Over here, Spartans!"
Carter, "Kat help out the troopers down below. Jorge Get Six up to assist Emile."
"Depend on it!" Was the curt answer.
"We should learn to give answers like them to help boost morale, as given an answer with a firm statement, would ease people's concerns, whereas if we say we will try, we would leave people with unease and questioning whether we can or not." Izuku said knowing how impactful phrasing is thanks to All Might's signature phrase of 'Have no fear, for I am here!'
"Huh that would be a useful technique, as it would give a false sense of confidence to victims to calm them and intimidate villains." Momo said thoughtfully.
As the team cleared out Covenant forces Sword Control, "That Corvette is going to rip this base apart. Kill those Banshees."
"Won't be able to take 'em all down on my own! Need you up here fast, Six!"
As he said that though Six burst through the entryway and entered onto the scene alongside Emile. Carrying a rocket launcher he took aim at one of the Banshees and fired before repeating this seven times. A Covenant phantom showed up and was immediately hit with a TL. Being hit with multiple explosives, as well as a few banshees going out of control, the phantom detonated.
"That's the way we get things done, Spartan!" Emile cheered.
"Nobel Team, Longswords are inbound and ready to push. Orbital defenses standing by to take the shot."
Seeing two narrow ships zoom past the base and headed towards the now retreating Corvette ship, they closed in. Though before they could start to fire they veered off to the right heavily away from the ship.
"Wait what do they mean an orbital defense?" Kirishima scratched his head in confusion not seeing anything happen.
Suddenly the ship was struck straight through the center by a giant shot of metal. The ship unable to take the stress immediately started to fall towards the lake beneath it.
"That's probably what they meant Kiri." Mina responded upon seeing that.
"Beautiful, ain't it?" Jorge asked as he came up to stand beside Six.
"Someone should take a picture. Nice work, by the way."
"I aim to please." Six answered easily. Though you couldn't see it due to the helmet, he was smiling at the praise. He didn't normally receive any praise for his work.
"Five, Six...get down to the science wing. Doctor Halsey wants a debrief, and Command's saying we're all hers." Carter said over comms.
"Repeat. Sounded like you said Halsey." Jorge asked, to which Carter confirmed he had.
"Don't need Command to tell me... Been all hers half my life."
"Either she is Jorge's mother or they are/were married!" Mina exclaimed happy to see a possible relationship.
"Ashido, if I recall these soldiers never have the time to be in a relationship, as they likely would be apart by at least several planets, let alone solar systems. Besides we aren't entirely certain that they weren't treated like Spartan II's in their training." Iida chastised Mina's assumption.
As the two Spartans headed to the science wing the Corvette could be seen in the back, sinking into the lake. As the screen fades to black.
The screen returns to show a woman in a heavy snow jacket speaking to Noble One, "I requested your assistance, Commander, and do not need a report on events that occur on my own doorstep. What I do require is a detailed account of your previous engagement-"
Stopping in the middle of her sentence she looked back at the two. More specifically at Jorge before saying, "Jorge...It's been too long." In a matter of fact tone.
"Ma'am." Jorge nodded his head to her having removed his helmet already.
(Spartans don't normally answer to anyone not of higher authority to them. The fact he nodded his head to a civilian is a show of extreme respect or compassion that most, if not all, Spartan ll's have for the woman.)
She looks at him a moment longer before asking, "What have you done to my armor?"
"Just some...additions I've made." Jorge answers for the first time in a long time he felt slightly embarrassed.
Smiling the Halsey answered, "Indeed. Visegrad Relay. Its data center was home to one of my xeno-archaeologists, Professor Laszlo Sorvad. Perhaps you could shed some light on his death." Tilting her head slightly at the end to Noble One.
"If he was a civilian male in his late sixties? He died to a Covenant energy sword through his abdomen." He answered swiftly.
"Elites then?"
"They engaged us as well. It was just, uh, just after we found your scientist's daughter, ma'am. She was hiding in the-"
"Irrelevant. The Elites. Tell me more about them."
"Three. Zealot-class. One got by us. The leader, from the looks of him." Jorge immediately went into professional mode.
"Zealots? You're certain?" Halsey asked, worry clearly heard in her voice.
"Wait zealot is generally a term used to describe someone who is uncompromising and fantical with their ideals, and the fact on how there is a ranking for that, along with their name of the covenant, all leads me to believe these aliens are following a religion." Momo said with a thoughtful expression.
"Their armor configuration matched." Jorge said.
"Shield strength too." Six added with a nod.
"I gave the order not to pursue. Our primary objective was to get the station's relay back online."
"Your primary objective? Commander, are you a puppet or a Spartan?"
"Ouch, that is a burn and a half if I ever heard one." Sero replied hearing that remark.
At that both Emile and Jun looked at her sharply. Angered at her words.
"Ma'am?" Carter raises an eyebrow, annoyed.
"There are those at ONI, myself included, who believe the Covenant dispatch Elite advance teams to hunt down artifacts of value to their religion. Survivor accounts suggest such teams are small, nimble, and almost always Zealot-class. No doubt they came to the station for the abundance of ONI excavation data stored there. And you let them get away." She said in a matter of fact tone.
"Data retrieval was not a command, and even had we known, we had far more urgent matters to attend to."
"Like warning the planet." Kat commented quietly. Though not quietly enough as Halsey looked sharply at her.
"Professor Sorvad's final entry in his field notes made reference to a "latchkey discovery". Latchkey... not a word he would use lightly. So let's hope that the data module your Lieutenant Commander stole contains it." She looked towards Noble Two as she said this.
"Kat?" Carter asked for confirmation.
She didn't respond but stepped forward dropping the data module Six had found earlier in the container.
"Before you ask, I was alerted the moment you attempted to access its data files. As I am with any unauthorized tap. That data is classified Tier One...I could send you to the brig for interfering with my work." Halsey says with anger.
"Maybe you'd like to join her?" Carter angered at her threat to his team.
"I'm sorry?" She looks heavily unamused.
"We're currently under emergency planetary directive, "WINTER CONTINGENCY". I'm sure you're familiar with the punishment for civilian interference with a Spartan deployment."
"Are you threatening me, Commander?" She was incredulous.
"Just making a reading suggestion ma'am." Turning to the door he walks away.
"Let's move, Noble Team."
As the rest of the team leaves, Jorge lags behind for a moment, "Ma'am?"
"That..will be all, Jorge." She doesn't look at him but at the data module with curiosity. With that said, he turns to leave as well. The screen fades to black.
"Damn, that went from a calm meeting to threats being thrown in a matter of seconds." Ojiro said shocked at their outbursts.
"Well that is probably due to the unease the covenant appearing on Reach is causing them right now. Everyone is probably scared at what could happen here if the covenant aren't stopped." Hagakure responded, trying to calm down Ojiro.