CHAPTER 17
1000 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Orbit of Orean in the UNSC battle cruiser Constitution, moon of planet Raiek
"Raiek is finished," the on-board AI Sara said, nodding towards the liquid-plasma covered planet. Her chosen form was that of a tough Amazon warrior. "The Spartans and Marines of the Pillar of Winter took it down, and they've gone to the moon to finish the job."
Captain Martin of the Consitution battle cruiser of the UNSC nodded towards his eccentric AI and looked towards the tiny moon of Raiek below them. He nudged his hat back and scratched his head. "Moores told me he'd be down there, but he never mentioned Spartans being in on the job."
"It's just as well they're on Orean, sir," Sara said, swinging her shield impatiently. "They've always been a great help in the war."
"Aye," Martin responded. "I want you to order the Comm Officer to radio down there and inform Moores that we've arrived and we're ready to fire the MAC guns on his order."
"Aye aye, sir!" the AI responded. He turned in the direction of Comm Officer Shirley. She faced her and listened to her orders. "Get Captain Moores of the Pillar of Winter on the link for me, and inform me when you have him!"
"Aye aye, ma'am!" the Comm Officer responded, snapping a salute. Sara returned it as Shirley spun around to face her console. Her fingers rattled across it as she tried to contact the Captain on the moon below.
"I can only hope we're not too late," Martin mumbled to himself.
"Sir," a medical officer said sprinting up to him. "We have a new patient sent from Raiek itself. He is allegedly from the Spartans, and Commander James Carser says that no matter what, do not hurt him!"
The doctor moved aside to reveal a stretcher floating in mid-air, with an Elite laying on it. Martin gasped as the doctor awaited her orders on what to do with the seemingly-Covenant warrior.
1023 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Outside of Orean Fotress on moon of planet Raiek
In dismay, Moores sank back on his knees. The last Warthog had been destroyed, and he had no idea when the Spartans were to arrive. He sighed to himself and looked up. Sellers came up to him and told him more news. They had spotted a freight ship coming in from Raiek.
The Marines assumed it was a plasma cargo ship, and that it was carrying the last of their supplies. The Covenant would be operating under efficiency levels, but that cannon would be strong enough to destroy Earth even so.
Just then, a nosie came through on a radio. Moores snatched his link up and listened. "Repeat? Over."
The voice came back through again. "This is Communications Officer Shirley of the Constiution UNSC Battle Cruiser. I am with Captain Martin, and we are awaiting your instructions for the MAC gun you wanted. Would you like fries with this shake? Over."
Moores laughed into his mic. "Martin! You've come to rescue my butt again? Over." He laughed again, thankful that the Earth now stood a chance.
The voice that came back through was not the Officer, but that of Captain Martin himself. "It seems that way, Captain," he said, also laughing. "But we've got bigger things to worry about now. Do you need our MAC guns to aid you, Moores? Over."
Speaking directly into the mic in a frantic voice, Moores responded, "Affirmative, Captain. However, I want to give my Spartans the chance to start their job. Once they've gotten in and out, I'll let you know. Keep those guns hot. Over."
"Perhaps you'd like us to fire a warning shot? One that will miss but destroy some ground units? Over."
Moores thought about it. Since the Covenant had no battle ships to speak of and very little support on the ground, one MAC round might be enough to force the Covenant to give up their Orean Fortress. However, Moores slightly doubted it. But it was worth a try. "Go ahead, Captain," Moores said, "fire away! We're ready when you are. Over."
"Good. Once we've secured this moon, we're going to haul you and your troops out of there for a well-deserved rest! Over and out!"
Behind the entrance to the Fortress, at the gray walls that arced up and over to form the mouth, the team of four Spartans moved from the maze of trees and arrived upon the base. The rest of the going had been rather simple. Only several Jackals and one Elite to deal with, and they had made good time.
James came up upon the backside first. He looked up it as his three teammates followed. Sounds of battle could be heard from the front of the Fortrees. Moores and his army were fighting full-force no doubt. But even they would not be enough to take down this Fortress.
"How are we supposed to get up there, sir?" Jarrett asked, indicating the ten-meter-high roof. "It's not like there's a doorbell."
"I'm working on that," James responded. "But once we get inside, we have to remember that this Fortress was once a human-owned fortress, so it will vaguely resemble the designs of human bases if the Covenant haven't rearranged too much inside."
When his team nodded, James looked up again. "I'm going to use those grappling hooks we got." He withdrew his and aimed it upwards. "Let me go up and look around. If it's safe I'll signal for you all to come up. If it's not safe, well...you should know."
Four small blips in the radar was all Captain Moores needed to know that the Spartans had arrived! He had noticed their signal around the backside of the Fortress. Sellers stood beside him, smiling. "Earth is saved, Captain."
Moores was not so sure. "Of course, Lieutenant. But the chances the Spartans can go in there alone and survive the trip are slim. We need some distractions outside to keep the Covenant from slaughtering them inside."
"Agreed," Sellers said, wiping sweat from his brow. "But what shall we do, sir?"
Moores watched the Covenant regroup and pull the vast majority of their forces back into the base. "We've got to draw them out. I'm issuing a change in plans. Have three Warthogs drive towards them, along with the snipers on the hills unloading as many clips into the Covenant Elites as possible. We need to take down the Elites first!"
The grappling hook fired upwards in a puff of CO2. James chelled to make sure it was secure, and then looked towards his teammates. He gave a thumbs-up, and they nodded in return. Bracing himself, he changed the function from shoot to withdraw and pressed down on the trigger. He felt as his boots were lifted from the ground and pulled upwards.
As James started to rise, Alex took charge. "We need to provide support after the Commander gets up there," he said, indicating the rising figure of their leader. "Make sure you have fresh clips in your guns. I want to have two with assault rifles, and one with a shotgun." He tossed the shotgun to Bryce, who caught it in mid-air. "Bryce, that'll be you. Jarrett and I will go with assault rifles."
Two acknowledgment lights winked on.
James reached the top of the Fortress, ten meters straight up. He grabbed the edge and braced his arm. Using all his strength, he lifted his entire body up with his right arm and heaved himself up over the lip. With one swipe, he unhooked the grappling hook and tossed it to the ground, near where his comrades stood.
In front of him were three Shades facing outwards. A red Elite was standing near the Grunt gunners, issuing orders on where to fire. There were also several Jackals forming a line to protect the elite and gunners.
However, no one had been expecting a Spartan to come from behind. James raised his pistol and took careful aim. He pulled the trigger and the gun snapped back. Across the roof, the gunner on the leftmost screamed in pain and fell, dead instantly.
As the Elite and other Grunts spun around, James aimed again. However, he felt something smash into his side. As he turned his head, the Commander felt his boots lifted from the ground once again as he was flung several feet to the left. When he landed and managed to look up, James realized a Hunter had just smashed into his side.
The side of James's suit was impaled, and a large hole gaped at him. He would need to make repairs. However, now was not the time. The Hunter laughed at him, mocking him, and raised its right arm. The cannon on the end charged and sizzled with plasma energy. A large beam of pure energy exploded from the tip, and ripped up the roof as it came towards the Commander.
Acting on pure instinct, James dove to the left, landing hard and rolling to a sitting position. He withdrew his assault rifle and let it rip into the red Elite, whose shields activated, but then quickly fell. The Elite collapsed with a scream.
The gunner James had killed was still lying in the seat. The Commander leaped towards it and knocked the Grunt away. He manned the controls and spun the yoke in front of him. Before the other two gunners knew what hit them, they vaporized in a stream of plasma.
Turning the gun towards the Hunter, James saw it lying on the ground. Behind it stood Alex with a smoking pistol, pulling Bryce and Jarrett over the edge. He jumped from the gun and moved to meet them.
"Thanks, General," James said as he approached. "You really saved me."
Alex let out a small grunt as he hauled his teammated up with a quick yank. "Any time, Commander. Now, what say we get into this Fortress and blow it already?"
"Agreed."
Withdrawing a single mine from his pack next to the LOTUS, James placed it in one corner of the roof. When it was in place, the entire team stepped back, and Bryce picked up the remote detonator from the pack. They waited until everyone was out of range, and Bryce hit the button.
Moments after, the mine sizzled, and then the resulting explosion ripped into the ceiling, tearing a hole nearly the size around of each Spartan. It was the perfect way in. Smiling under their helmets, the Spartans moved to the hole and leaped in one at a time.
The Spartans were coming!
1000 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Orbit of Orean in the UNSC battle cruiser Constitution, moon of planet Raiek
"Raiek is finished," the on-board AI Sara said, nodding towards the liquid-plasma covered planet. Her chosen form was that of a tough Amazon warrior. "The Spartans and Marines of the Pillar of Winter took it down, and they've gone to the moon to finish the job."
Captain Martin of the Consitution battle cruiser of the UNSC nodded towards his eccentric AI and looked towards the tiny moon of Raiek below them. He nudged his hat back and scratched his head. "Moores told me he'd be down there, but he never mentioned Spartans being in on the job."
"It's just as well they're on Orean, sir," Sara said, swinging her shield impatiently. "They've always been a great help in the war."
"Aye," Martin responded. "I want you to order the Comm Officer to radio down there and inform Moores that we've arrived and we're ready to fire the MAC guns on his order."
"Aye aye, sir!" the AI responded. He turned in the direction of Comm Officer Shirley. She faced her and listened to her orders. "Get Captain Moores of the Pillar of Winter on the link for me, and inform me when you have him!"
"Aye aye, ma'am!" the Comm Officer responded, snapping a salute. Sara returned it as Shirley spun around to face her console. Her fingers rattled across it as she tried to contact the Captain on the moon below.
"I can only hope we're not too late," Martin mumbled to himself.
"Sir," a medical officer said sprinting up to him. "We have a new patient sent from Raiek itself. He is allegedly from the Spartans, and Commander James Carser says that no matter what, do not hurt him!"
The doctor moved aside to reveal a stretcher floating in mid-air, with an Elite laying on it. Martin gasped as the doctor awaited her orders on what to do with the seemingly-Covenant warrior.
1023 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Outside of Orean Fotress on moon of planet Raiek
In dismay, Moores sank back on his knees. The last Warthog had been destroyed, and he had no idea when the Spartans were to arrive. He sighed to himself and looked up. Sellers came up to him and told him more news. They had spotted a freight ship coming in from Raiek.
The Marines assumed it was a plasma cargo ship, and that it was carrying the last of their supplies. The Covenant would be operating under efficiency levels, but that cannon would be strong enough to destroy Earth even so.
Just then, a nosie came through on a radio. Moores snatched his link up and listened. "Repeat? Over."
The voice came back through again. "This is Communications Officer Shirley of the Constiution UNSC Battle Cruiser. I am with Captain Martin, and we are awaiting your instructions for the MAC gun you wanted. Would you like fries with this shake? Over."
Moores laughed into his mic. "Martin! You've come to rescue my butt again? Over." He laughed again, thankful that the Earth now stood a chance.
The voice that came back through was not the Officer, but that of Captain Martin himself. "It seems that way, Captain," he said, also laughing. "But we've got bigger things to worry about now. Do you need our MAC guns to aid you, Moores? Over."
Speaking directly into the mic in a frantic voice, Moores responded, "Affirmative, Captain. However, I want to give my Spartans the chance to start their job. Once they've gotten in and out, I'll let you know. Keep those guns hot. Over."
"Perhaps you'd like us to fire a warning shot? One that will miss but destroy some ground units? Over."
Moores thought about it. Since the Covenant had no battle ships to speak of and very little support on the ground, one MAC round might be enough to force the Covenant to give up their Orean Fortress. However, Moores slightly doubted it. But it was worth a try. "Go ahead, Captain," Moores said, "fire away! We're ready when you are. Over."
"Good. Once we've secured this moon, we're going to haul you and your troops out of there for a well-deserved rest! Over and out!"
Behind the entrance to the Fortress, at the gray walls that arced up and over to form the mouth, the team of four Spartans moved from the maze of trees and arrived upon the base. The rest of the going had been rather simple. Only several Jackals and one Elite to deal with, and they had made good time.
James came up upon the backside first. He looked up it as his three teammates followed. Sounds of battle could be heard from the front of the Fortrees. Moores and his army were fighting full-force no doubt. But even they would not be enough to take down this Fortress.
"How are we supposed to get up there, sir?" Jarrett asked, indicating the ten-meter-high roof. "It's not like there's a doorbell."
"I'm working on that," James responded. "But once we get inside, we have to remember that this Fortress was once a human-owned fortress, so it will vaguely resemble the designs of human bases if the Covenant haven't rearranged too much inside."
When his team nodded, James looked up again. "I'm going to use those grappling hooks we got." He withdrew his and aimed it upwards. "Let me go up and look around. If it's safe I'll signal for you all to come up. If it's not safe, well...you should know."
Four small blips in the radar was all Captain Moores needed to know that the Spartans had arrived! He had noticed their signal around the backside of the Fortress. Sellers stood beside him, smiling. "Earth is saved, Captain."
Moores was not so sure. "Of course, Lieutenant. But the chances the Spartans can go in there alone and survive the trip are slim. We need some distractions outside to keep the Covenant from slaughtering them inside."
"Agreed," Sellers said, wiping sweat from his brow. "But what shall we do, sir?"
Moores watched the Covenant regroup and pull the vast majority of their forces back into the base. "We've got to draw them out. I'm issuing a change in plans. Have three Warthogs drive towards them, along with the snipers on the hills unloading as many clips into the Covenant Elites as possible. We need to take down the Elites first!"
The grappling hook fired upwards in a puff of CO2. James chelled to make sure it was secure, and then looked towards his teammates. He gave a thumbs-up, and they nodded in return. Bracing himself, he changed the function from shoot to withdraw and pressed down on the trigger. He felt as his boots were lifted from the ground and pulled upwards.
As James started to rise, Alex took charge. "We need to provide support after the Commander gets up there," he said, indicating the rising figure of their leader. "Make sure you have fresh clips in your guns. I want to have two with assault rifles, and one with a shotgun." He tossed the shotgun to Bryce, who caught it in mid-air. "Bryce, that'll be you. Jarrett and I will go with assault rifles."
Two acknowledgment lights winked on.
James reached the top of the Fortress, ten meters straight up. He grabbed the edge and braced his arm. Using all his strength, he lifted his entire body up with his right arm and heaved himself up over the lip. With one swipe, he unhooked the grappling hook and tossed it to the ground, near where his comrades stood.
In front of him were three Shades facing outwards. A red Elite was standing near the Grunt gunners, issuing orders on where to fire. There were also several Jackals forming a line to protect the elite and gunners.
However, no one had been expecting a Spartan to come from behind. James raised his pistol and took careful aim. He pulled the trigger and the gun snapped back. Across the roof, the gunner on the leftmost screamed in pain and fell, dead instantly.
As the Elite and other Grunts spun around, James aimed again. However, he felt something smash into his side. As he turned his head, the Commander felt his boots lifted from the ground once again as he was flung several feet to the left. When he landed and managed to look up, James realized a Hunter had just smashed into his side.
The side of James's suit was impaled, and a large hole gaped at him. He would need to make repairs. However, now was not the time. The Hunter laughed at him, mocking him, and raised its right arm. The cannon on the end charged and sizzled with plasma energy. A large beam of pure energy exploded from the tip, and ripped up the roof as it came towards the Commander.
Acting on pure instinct, James dove to the left, landing hard and rolling to a sitting position. He withdrew his assault rifle and let it rip into the red Elite, whose shields activated, but then quickly fell. The Elite collapsed with a scream.
The gunner James had killed was still lying in the seat. The Commander leaped towards it and knocked the Grunt away. He manned the controls and spun the yoke in front of him. Before the other two gunners knew what hit them, they vaporized in a stream of plasma.
Turning the gun towards the Hunter, James saw it lying on the ground. Behind it stood Alex with a smoking pistol, pulling Bryce and Jarrett over the edge. He jumped from the gun and moved to meet them.
"Thanks, General," James said as he approached. "You really saved me."
Alex let out a small grunt as he hauled his teammated up with a quick yank. "Any time, Commander. Now, what say we get into this Fortress and blow it already?"
"Agreed."
Withdrawing a single mine from his pack next to the LOTUS, James placed it in one corner of the roof. When it was in place, the entire team stepped back, and Bryce picked up the remote detonator from the pack. They waited until everyone was out of range, and Bryce hit the button.
Moments after, the mine sizzled, and then the resulting explosion ripped into the ceiling, tearing a hole nearly the size around of each Spartan. It was the perfect way in. Smiling under their helmets, the Spartans moved to the hole and leaped in one at a time.
The Spartans were coming!