CHAPTER 19
1036 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Two miles south, and a fourth-mile above Fortress Orean on the moon on planet Raiek
Echo-417's pilot, Aaron Burns, spoke directly to the co-pilot at his side. They had no choice but to drop altitude and release the Scorpion before they went down, which both of them figured was evident.
"Make sure it's loaded with shells," he said, gripping both joysticks and swinging the ship only a fourth of a mile above the ground. "We want the Spartans to have all the firepower they could possibly use if they find it sometime."
"Affirmative, sir," the co-pilot said. "Consider it done, sir."
Aaron turned back to his controls. The Covenant were right behind him. They had not fired a single shot yet, but the humans feared the worst for their safety if help didn't come soon. Maneuvering the dropship with precise movements, Burns edged around a large tree (larger than any on Earth) and came back to a level position. As he did this, a plasma bolt suddenly lanced by the ship. The Covenant had finally decided to open fire! It couldn't have come at a worse time.
"Drop the Scorpion!" Burns called.
In the back of the dropship, several Marines aimed their assault rifles at the ropes holding the Scorpion up. Controls for releasing a monstrosity such as the tank had been jammed in entry onto the planet, and the only way to drop it now would be to shoot the cables securing it to the underside of the dropship.
Several bullets bounced into the skin of the Scorpion and richocheted, completely missing their target, but enough connected with the cable nearest them to cause it to snap. The Scorpion-class Main Battle Tank shuddered as it tipped sideways towards the broken cable. Marines with fresh clips moved forward, replacing the old, and switched off their safeties.
More bullets cut into the second rope, snapping it in seconds. They did it in a diagonal pattern, so the Scorpion would have more of a chance of landing upright. As they took aim again, a bolt of energy from the Shade mounted under the Covenant ship came straight at them. Two Marines were instantly disintegrated in the blast, and a third was severely wounded. He screamed and howled in pain as others came to his rescue, filling up his wound with the self-healing bio-foam used to stop bleeding quickly.
The tank was suspended by only two cables. A third group of Marines came up and fired. The third cable snapped. From the little support it had, the Scorpion tipped sideways, only held by one cable attached to its front- left tread. It dangled there pathetically.
A final group came forward, but before they could fire, the large weight snapped the final cable, and the Scorpion plummeted from the dropship, heading down towards the ground. The Marines watched as it crashed through the trees and landed with a mighty thump on the ground below.
The tank was freed! Watching with awe, the Marines saw the bent and snapped trees sitting around the fallen Scorpion. It seemed like the tank sat nestled in its place, without a care in the world.
"We've done our job, team!" Burns called back. "Those Spartans will use the tank if they need it. Now it's time for us to shoot down the Banshees!"
The co-pilot looked up. "Do you think we'll be able to shoot down the dropship?" he asked nervously.
Burns frowned. "I can only hope."
As Captain Moores kept the Marines from completely losing it, a figure stepped up behind him. From the shadow it cast, he could tell the thing was much larger than any of them. It had the distinct shape of a Covenant warrior. Forgetting everything he'd seen before, Moores whirled around and pushed the gun at the Elite's chest.
Farr grabbed the gun and redirected it at the side of the ship before it went off. He growled at the captain and yanked the gun away. "Calm yourself!" Farr roared. "I am the last surviving Covenant rebel."
Moores frowned. "Why should I believe this rubbish about rebels?"
"Because you have my word that Commander James of the Spartans will confirm my validity. He and I worked as a team to destroy the Raiek compound, and now I'm ready to help your Marines in any way I possibly can."
"You would fight and die for our cause?" Moores asked suspiciously.
"I am prepared to do so," Farr answered emotionlessly.
"Then I have something I would like you to do." The thirty-four-year- old Captain pulled the powerful Elite rebel general down to face him, and whispered into his tiny ears the plan he had in mind.
Gantu watched as the doors snapped shut. He cursed under his breath and pointed at one of the Grunts. "I want you to go to the ship and open the hatch."
The Grunt screamed and covered his mask with his needler. "No, Excellency! They will kill me for sure!" Before the Grunt could speak another word, Gantu struck him across the head. The Grunt fell to the ground, moaning.
"Anyone else want to disobey me?" he roared in fury. "Now, I need an Elite partner for my plan. Anyone willing to oblige?"
An Elite named Kamze 'Jagaron stepped forward, lighting the plasma sword attached to his wrist. "I am here to serve you, Excellency! What is your command, I shall do! What is your bidding, will be carried out! What are your first orders?" Kamze kneeled at his higher officer's talon.
Looking down, pleased, Gantu ordered the soldier to stand. Kamze willingly stood and saluted once again. "I am grateful you are willing to offer your services especially under my command." He turned to the group. "Will the Grunt named Loloy come under the command of this fine Elite warrior?"
Loloy came forth, quivering with fright. "Yes, Excellency!"
Gantu pointed towards the dropship. "I want you to get over there, help your new commander open the door, and bust in. You both may lose your lives in the coming battle, but if we can crush the humans, it shall be well worth it."
Kamze saluted, and scooped Loloy up in one swift swipe. "Come along, Grunt."
They moved cautiously out into the open. The two of them could hear a hissing noise, and they looked towards the dropship. There were three slits opening on the back of the ship. Three nozzles came out. According to Kamze's memory, they were M6D pistols, often carried by UNSC Marines. He cried out and threw himself to the ground as the three guns fired at once.
A bullet hole formed in Loloy's right leg. He screamed aloud in pain, and howled louder as a second bullet struck his left arm. A third bullet went through his chest, killing him instantly. His crumpled body fell and landed hard on the grass underfoot.
Kamze ran and launched himself at the door. With a quick swipe, he grabbed a nozzle of one pistol and pulled it. The surprised Marine inside cried out as the gun was crushed in the Elite's claws. Using all his strength, Kamze removed the second and third pistols and crushed them as well, throwing them against the bulkhead and growling in warning.
The seasoned combat warrior pressed himself against the bulkhead, trying to avoid any more shots. But he did not expect a fellow Elite warrior coming from the side of the ship and snapping his neck in one fell swoop. Kamze could not move his legs as his slain body fell to the ground. Once there, he tried to move his limbs, but the connection was cut, and the Elite above him stepped on his face, ending his life.
Farr jumped back around the dropship so the Covenant would not spot him. He moved around to the left side and watched as a gray Elite, dressed much like himself, yelled at his troops when he noticed his Elite on the ground, several feet from the Grunt.
Using bushes and shrubbery for cover, Farr moved quickly behind the Covenant, unseen. He easily leaped the four meters straight up and landed on the branch of a tree, leveled the shotgun in his claw at the enemies below him.
As the first shot rang out, Gantu snarled and threw himself into the bushes for cover. A Grunt behind him screamed as his methane pack ripped open, bubbling up and onto the ground. Beside him, an Elite howled out as another shotgun shell took him straight through the head.
Two Jackals raised their shields and rammed them in the ground. Behind those, three more Jackals planted shields next to the pair. In the bushes, a sixth Jackal gave up his shield to protect Gantu from enemy fire.
Howling out in fury, Farr hurled a grenade down. It went over the shields and flushed out several screaming Jackals and Grunts. As it went off, the Elites took the punishment of the shrapnel with their shields and had now located Farr. They raised their guns and fired several plasma shots.
The branch under Farr's clawed talons snapped as a plasma shot connected with it. Farr tossed up his hands and fell from his perch, landing hard on the ground below. He was instantly unconscious.
Gantu kicked his body until Farr rolled onto his back. "Fool of an Elite. Thought he could kill my squad! I'll teach the humans not to mess with the Covenant!"
1047 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Inside Fortress Orean on moon of planet Raiek
Flashing and beeping, the device rested nonchalantly against the sheet metal door blocking the Spartans' way. The beeping began to grow faster and faster and faster, until it was beeping and flashing nearly three times a second. Just then, the tiny device released its fuel into the air and caused a spark. The resulting explosion ripped through the device, tearing it to pieces, and blew a two-foot hole in the thick metal door.
Alex stepped forward and pulled off the remains. He popped them off and flung what was left of the device to the ground, disgusted at the puny size of the hole. "If only they made more powerful models," he mumbled and peered through the newly-made hole.
The Commander came up behind them and placed a hand on General Alex's shoulder. "A second blast might take it down. But I think we can save our explosives and pry it open. Our enhanced strength will allow us to bend even that."
James and Alex placed their hands on the hole and pulled with all their might. Bryce stood behind them, his rifle sweeping around the hallway, keeping watch. In moments, the door's metal began to creak as it bent and snapped. The two Spartans worked furiously to get it, and the door eventually snapped and opened with a start.
Alex moved through first, drawing his assault rifle, followed by James and Bryce. Surprisingly, there were lights on in this room, and they moved their guns about it, watching for any threats. Bryce looked down into a deep crevice in the room and spotted thirteen or fourteen Marine bodies lying on the floor. Each one was dead. It looked as if they were being stock-piled here. None of the Spartans knew what for.
Just as they thought this, the ceiling vent above them gave way. As it clanged to the floor, hundreds of infection form Flood scuttled through it, moving swiftly across the ceiling. They used their combined strength to hold a Marine along with them, move across to the pile, and dump it along with the rest. It didn't seem as if any of the grotesque Flood had noticed the Spartans.
Then, it seemed as if they all noticed at once. Their bodies shifted in unison and they came charging at the three remaining Spartans. James raised his hand and Alex and Bryce leveled their guns. James held them, held, held..."FIRE!"
All at once, the three assault rifles went off. As one creature exploded, it seemed to cause a chain reaction that destroyed several of his comrades. But it looked to them like the more they killed, the more came to take their place. There was just no stopping the determined monsters.
Determined? Yes, James thought. Smart? No. He pulled a grenade from his pack and watched as the Flood crawled all over a fuel tank not far from their position. "Drop back!" James cried and watched as his two men pulled back. "Fire in the hole!" James pulled the pin and hurled the grenade with all his strength. It flew several feet and bounced twice on the ground. The resulting explosion tore into the metal of the fuel tank, and the entire thing exploded.
The Spartans leaped through a door. Just as it snapped shut, the explosion knocked against it.
"It seems like the Flood are here as well as the Covenant," Bryce said, slamming a fresh clip into his gun.
"And it seems like they need human hosts to infest," James said. "We've gotta blow this place before they decide to use that cannon."
"But how?" Alex asked. "They're bound to have the room with the weapon surrounded with Covenant warriors. I don't see any way that we can take it out without risking our lives."
James looked at his comrade. "We're already risking our lives," he mumbled grimly, "but we might as well take the safe route. Now, there has to be a place where they load the plasma into the cannon. I think this because Orean's core isn't pure plasma. It has a mix of iron, nickel, and cobalt in it as well. In fact, it's only two percent plasma."
"In other words?"
"In other words," James continued, "they have to have an area somewhere below the cannon where they load plasma into the device. That's the only way the weapon would have enough time to concentrate the energy to fire it out in a blast form with the effect that they want."
"Hmm, you sure listen at the Academy," Bryce muttered.
James shouldered his weapon and moved down the hall, beckoning his men. "Let's move!"
1041 Hours, Augusat 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ UNSC battle ship Constitution in orbit around Orean, moon of planet Raiek
"Sir, a Banshee following the dropships just went down!" Hara cried from her seat. "Also, I'm picking up a Scorpion resting in the forest on the ground. It looks as if the humans might escape from this one, Captain!"
Martin swiveled in his chair. "What of Moores and his Marines?" he asked. "Are they okay?"
Hara tapped several buttons on her console, watching intently. "The hidig Covenant group have lost some of their numbers, sir, but they've not moved from their position. It looks as if they're more spread out now. One of them seems about ready to charge. Looks like an Elite, sir."
Captain Martin looked at Jeremy. "Aim for the Elite she just described, and fire the main MAC gun at ten percent! We don't want to detonate the whole moon."
On the ground, Gantu could stand it no longer. He raised his hand and three Elites moved to the bushes. "Fire on my count.....NOW!" The three of them fired in unison. Plasma bolts slammed violently into the dropship, causing it to rock back and forth. "Get some grenadiers up here!"
Three Grunts jumped up and waited for their signal. When it was given, they cried out and hurled their grenades. The explosion shook Foehammer to the brink of destruction. It was then that the hatch began to hiss open again.
"Fire at them!" As the hatch opened, Marines came pouring out. However, they were easily met by plasma fire and dropped like bricks, screaming in agony. But more and more of them came rushing from the ship, and one managed to break through.
He tossed his body onto Gantu and aimed his gun at the leader's head. A swift blow knocked the man to the ground. His gun went off as it hit, catching one of the Grunt grenadiers in the head, putting him down for good.
Gantu was losing his patience. His raised his plasma rifle and hurled himself into the open. As Marines charged at him, he fired off his gun, killing them on the spot. Countless bodies fell around him, dropping like lead weights. Not one soldier could get within two feet of the insane Elite as he continued to fell more and more of Moores' men.
It was then that he heard a rumbling above him. Each and every soul alive stopped fighting and looked skyward. A blue glow was emitting in the sky, even brighter than the daytime. It was growing larger and larger. The ground below them was starting to shake. As Gantu looked into the air, the blue light grew so big that he could barely keep his eyes open.
Then, the unthinkable happened. The light was actually a super- concentrated chunk of magnetic air molecules, sent hurtling into the ground. Sounds twenty times louder than thunder echoed down as the rocklike blast slammed into Orean's thicker-than-Earth's crust. Gantu's outline could barely be made out as he screamed aloud, completely engulfed. When he raised his arm to start to move, his body completely dissipated.
Shockwaves from the MAC gun blast rolled over both sides. Countless Covenant soldiers were picked off their feet and hurled away, some nearly thirty feet. Almost every Marine was back inside the safety of the dropship. They had retreated the second they heard the rumble.
The very dropship itself was lifted from the ground and tossed onto its back. The Marines inside screamed aloud as they rolled over each other in agony, trying to keep from crushing one another.
Farr 'Tenglannee's body was literally picked from the ground and hurled several hundred feet away. In the swirling inferno, his eyes fluttered open and he flailed his limbs as he tried to stabilize himself in the whirling shockwave. He was set back onto the ground several hundred feet from where he lay before, rubbing his aching limbs.
Inside the overturned dropship, Moores massaged his head and checked his troops. There were only seventeen besides himself and his Lieutenant left. "All right, men," he called. "The Covenant were completely wiped in the blast. Thanks to the MAC gun, which is what I must assume that blast was."
"What should we do now?" Lieuteant Sellers asked, standing up shakily.
"We need to contact the other dropships. I want this team picked up, and I want Sellers and another soldier with me. One willing to die getting me to Fortress Orean." A Sergeant stepped forward. His dogtag read "Sgt. Jeffery Lombard." He was as capable a candidate as any.
"Good," Moores commented, patting the soldier on the back. "The two of you need to arm yourselves with whatever weapons you can find, be it human or Covenant weaponry." The Captain bent down and scooped up a fallen shotgun. "The three of us ride to Fortress Orean now!"
1036 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Two miles south, and a fourth-mile above Fortress Orean on the moon on planet Raiek
Echo-417's pilot, Aaron Burns, spoke directly to the co-pilot at his side. They had no choice but to drop altitude and release the Scorpion before they went down, which both of them figured was evident.
"Make sure it's loaded with shells," he said, gripping both joysticks and swinging the ship only a fourth of a mile above the ground. "We want the Spartans to have all the firepower they could possibly use if they find it sometime."
"Affirmative, sir," the co-pilot said. "Consider it done, sir."
Aaron turned back to his controls. The Covenant were right behind him. They had not fired a single shot yet, but the humans feared the worst for their safety if help didn't come soon. Maneuvering the dropship with precise movements, Burns edged around a large tree (larger than any on Earth) and came back to a level position. As he did this, a plasma bolt suddenly lanced by the ship. The Covenant had finally decided to open fire! It couldn't have come at a worse time.
"Drop the Scorpion!" Burns called.
In the back of the dropship, several Marines aimed their assault rifles at the ropes holding the Scorpion up. Controls for releasing a monstrosity such as the tank had been jammed in entry onto the planet, and the only way to drop it now would be to shoot the cables securing it to the underside of the dropship.
Several bullets bounced into the skin of the Scorpion and richocheted, completely missing their target, but enough connected with the cable nearest them to cause it to snap. The Scorpion-class Main Battle Tank shuddered as it tipped sideways towards the broken cable. Marines with fresh clips moved forward, replacing the old, and switched off their safeties.
More bullets cut into the second rope, snapping it in seconds. They did it in a diagonal pattern, so the Scorpion would have more of a chance of landing upright. As they took aim again, a bolt of energy from the Shade mounted under the Covenant ship came straight at them. Two Marines were instantly disintegrated in the blast, and a third was severely wounded. He screamed and howled in pain as others came to his rescue, filling up his wound with the self-healing bio-foam used to stop bleeding quickly.
The tank was suspended by only two cables. A third group of Marines came up and fired. The third cable snapped. From the little support it had, the Scorpion tipped sideways, only held by one cable attached to its front- left tread. It dangled there pathetically.
A final group came forward, but before they could fire, the large weight snapped the final cable, and the Scorpion plummeted from the dropship, heading down towards the ground. The Marines watched as it crashed through the trees and landed with a mighty thump on the ground below.
The tank was freed! Watching with awe, the Marines saw the bent and snapped trees sitting around the fallen Scorpion. It seemed like the tank sat nestled in its place, without a care in the world.
"We've done our job, team!" Burns called back. "Those Spartans will use the tank if they need it. Now it's time for us to shoot down the Banshees!"
The co-pilot looked up. "Do you think we'll be able to shoot down the dropship?" he asked nervously.
Burns frowned. "I can only hope."
As Captain Moores kept the Marines from completely losing it, a figure stepped up behind him. From the shadow it cast, he could tell the thing was much larger than any of them. It had the distinct shape of a Covenant warrior. Forgetting everything he'd seen before, Moores whirled around and pushed the gun at the Elite's chest.
Farr grabbed the gun and redirected it at the side of the ship before it went off. He growled at the captain and yanked the gun away. "Calm yourself!" Farr roared. "I am the last surviving Covenant rebel."
Moores frowned. "Why should I believe this rubbish about rebels?"
"Because you have my word that Commander James of the Spartans will confirm my validity. He and I worked as a team to destroy the Raiek compound, and now I'm ready to help your Marines in any way I possibly can."
"You would fight and die for our cause?" Moores asked suspiciously.
"I am prepared to do so," Farr answered emotionlessly.
"Then I have something I would like you to do." The thirty-four-year- old Captain pulled the powerful Elite rebel general down to face him, and whispered into his tiny ears the plan he had in mind.
Gantu watched as the doors snapped shut. He cursed under his breath and pointed at one of the Grunts. "I want you to go to the ship and open the hatch."
The Grunt screamed and covered his mask with his needler. "No, Excellency! They will kill me for sure!" Before the Grunt could speak another word, Gantu struck him across the head. The Grunt fell to the ground, moaning.
"Anyone else want to disobey me?" he roared in fury. "Now, I need an Elite partner for my plan. Anyone willing to oblige?"
An Elite named Kamze 'Jagaron stepped forward, lighting the plasma sword attached to his wrist. "I am here to serve you, Excellency! What is your command, I shall do! What is your bidding, will be carried out! What are your first orders?" Kamze kneeled at his higher officer's talon.
Looking down, pleased, Gantu ordered the soldier to stand. Kamze willingly stood and saluted once again. "I am grateful you are willing to offer your services especially under my command." He turned to the group. "Will the Grunt named Loloy come under the command of this fine Elite warrior?"
Loloy came forth, quivering with fright. "Yes, Excellency!"
Gantu pointed towards the dropship. "I want you to get over there, help your new commander open the door, and bust in. You both may lose your lives in the coming battle, but if we can crush the humans, it shall be well worth it."
Kamze saluted, and scooped Loloy up in one swift swipe. "Come along, Grunt."
They moved cautiously out into the open. The two of them could hear a hissing noise, and they looked towards the dropship. There were three slits opening on the back of the ship. Three nozzles came out. According to Kamze's memory, they were M6D pistols, often carried by UNSC Marines. He cried out and threw himself to the ground as the three guns fired at once.
A bullet hole formed in Loloy's right leg. He screamed aloud in pain, and howled louder as a second bullet struck his left arm. A third bullet went through his chest, killing him instantly. His crumpled body fell and landed hard on the grass underfoot.
Kamze ran and launched himself at the door. With a quick swipe, he grabbed a nozzle of one pistol and pulled it. The surprised Marine inside cried out as the gun was crushed in the Elite's claws. Using all his strength, Kamze removed the second and third pistols and crushed them as well, throwing them against the bulkhead and growling in warning.
The seasoned combat warrior pressed himself against the bulkhead, trying to avoid any more shots. But he did not expect a fellow Elite warrior coming from the side of the ship and snapping his neck in one fell swoop. Kamze could not move his legs as his slain body fell to the ground. Once there, he tried to move his limbs, but the connection was cut, and the Elite above him stepped on his face, ending his life.
Farr jumped back around the dropship so the Covenant would not spot him. He moved around to the left side and watched as a gray Elite, dressed much like himself, yelled at his troops when he noticed his Elite on the ground, several feet from the Grunt.
Using bushes and shrubbery for cover, Farr moved quickly behind the Covenant, unseen. He easily leaped the four meters straight up and landed on the branch of a tree, leveled the shotgun in his claw at the enemies below him.
As the first shot rang out, Gantu snarled and threw himself into the bushes for cover. A Grunt behind him screamed as his methane pack ripped open, bubbling up and onto the ground. Beside him, an Elite howled out as another shotgun shell took him straight through the head.
Two Jackals raised their shields and rammed them in the ground. Behind those, three more Jackals planted shields next to the pair. In the bushes, a sixth Jackal gave up his shield to protect Gantu from enemy fire.
Howling out in fury, Farr hurled a grenade down. It went over the shields and flushed out several screaming Jackals and Grunts. As it went off, the Elites took the punishment of the shrapnel with their shields and had now located Farr. They raised their guns and fired several plasma shots.
The branch under Farr's clawed talons snapped as a plasma shot connected with it. Farr tossed up his hands and fell from his perch, landing hard on the ground below. He was instantly unconscious.
Gantu kicked his body until Farr rolled onto his back. "Fool of an Elite. Thought he could kill my squad! I'll teach the humans not to mess with the Covenant!"
1047 Hours, August 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ Inside Fortress Orean on moon of planet Raiek
Flashing and beeping, the device rested nonchalantly against the sheet metal door blocking the Spartans' way. The beeping began to grow faster and faster and faster, until it was beeping and flashing nearly three times a second. Just then, the tiny device released its fuel into the air and caused a spark. The resulting explosion ripped through the device, tearing it to pieces, and blew a two-foot hole in the thick metal door.
Alex stepped forward and pulled off the remains. He popped them off and flung what was left of the device to the ground, disgusted at the puny size of the hole. "If only they made more powerful models," he mumbled and peered through the newly-made hole.
The Commander came up behind them and placed a hand on General Alex's shoulder. "A second blast might take it down. But I think we can save our explosives and pry it open. Our enhanced strength will allow us to bend even that."
James and Alex placed their hands on the hole and pulled with all their might. Bryce stood behind them, his rifle sweeping around the hallway, keeping watch. In moments, the door's metal began to creak as it bent and snapped. The two Spartans worked furiously to get it, and the door eventually snapped and opened with a start.
Alex moved through first, drawing his assault rifle, followed by James and Bryce. Surprisingly, there were lights on in this room, and they moved their guns about it, watching for any threats. Bryce looked down into a deep crevice in the room and spotted thirteen or fourteen Marine bodies lying on the floor. Each one was dead. It looked as if they were being stock-piled here. None of the Spartans knew what for.
Just as they thought this, the ceiling vent above them gave way. As it clanged to the floor, hundreds of infection form Flood scuttled through it, moving swiftly across the ceiling. They used their combined strength to hold a Marine along with them, move across to the pile, and dump it along with the rest. It didn't seem as if any of the grotesque Flood had noticed the Spartans.
Then, it seemed as if they all noticed at once. Their bodies shifted in unison and they came charging at the three remaining Spartans. James raised his hand and Alex and Bryce leveled their guns. James held them, held, held..."FIRE!"
All at once, the three assault rifles went off. As one creature exploded, it seemed to cause a chain reaction that destroyed several of his comrades. But it looked to them like the more they killed, the more came to take their place. There was just no stopping the determined monsters.
Determined? Yes, James thought. Smart? No. He pulled a grenade from his pack and watched as the Flood crawled all over a fuel tank not far from their position. "Drop back!" James cried and watched as his two men pulled back. "Fire in the hole!" James pulled the pin and hurled the grenade with all his strength. It flew several feet and bounced twice on the ground. The resulting explosion tore into the metal of the fuel tank, and the entire thing exploded.
The Spartans leaped through a door. Just as it snapped shut, the explosion knocked against it.
"It seems like the Flood are here as well as the Covenant," Bryce said, slamming a fresh clip into his gun.
"And it seems like they need human hosts to infest," James said. "We've gotta blow this place before they decide to use that cannon."
"But how?" Alex asked. "They're bound to have the room with the weapon surrounded with Covenant warriors. I don't see any way that we can take it out without risking our lives."
James looked at his comrade. "We're already risking our lives," he mumbled grimly, "but we might as well take the safe route. Now, there has to be a place where they load the plasma into the cannon. I think this because Orean's core isn't pure plasma. It has a mix of iron, nickel, and cobalt in it as well. In fact, it's only two percent plasma."
"In other words?"
"In other words," James continued, "they have to have an area somewhere below the cannon where they load plasma into the device. That's the only way the weapon would have enough time to concentrate the energy to fire it out in a blast form with the effect that they want."
"Hmm, you sure listen at the Academy," Bryce muttered.
James shouldered his weapon and moved down the hall, beckoning his men. "Let's move!"
1041 Hours, Augusat 15, 2553 (Military Calendar)/ UNSC battle ship Constitution in orbit around Orean, moon of planet Raiek
"Sir, a Banshee following the dropships just went down!" Hara cried from her seat. "Also, I'm picking up a Scorpion resting in the forest on the ground. It looks as if the humans might escape from this one, Captain!"
Martin swiveled in his chair. "What of Moores and his Marines?" he asked. "Are they okay?"
Hara tapped several buttons on her console, watching intently. "The hidig Covenant group have lost some of their numbers, sir, but they've not moved from their position. It looks as if they're more spread out now. One of them seems about ready to charge. Looks like an Elite, sir."
Captain Martin looked at Jeremy. "Aim for the Elite she just described, and fire the main MAC gun at ten percent! We don't want to detonate the whole moon."
On the ground, Gantu could stand it no longer. He raised his hand and three Elites moved to the bushes. "Fire on my count.....NOW!" The three of them fired in unison. Plasma bolts slammed violently into the dropship, causing it to rock back and forth. "Get some grenadiers up here!"
Three Grunts jumped up and waited for their signal. When it was given, they cried out and hurled their grenades. The explosion shook Foehammer to the brink of destruction. It was then that the hatch began to hiss open again.
"Fire at them!" As the hatch opened, Marines came pouring out. However, they were easily met by plasma fire and dropped like bricks, screaming in agony. But more and more of them came rushing from the ship, and one managed to break through.
He tossed his body onto Gantu and aimed his gun at the leader's head. A swift blow knocked the man to the ground. His gun went off as it hit, catching one of the Grunt grenadiers in the head, putting him down for good.
Gantu was losing his patience. His raised his plasma rifle and hurled himself into the open. As Marines charged at him, he fired off his gun, killing them on the spot. Countless bodies fell around him, dropping like lead weights. Not one soldier could get within two feet of the insane Elite as he continued to fell more and more of Moores' men.
It was then that he heard a rumbling above him. Each and every soul alive stopped fighting and looked skyward. A blue glow was emitting in the sky, even brighter than the daytime. It was growing larger and larger. The ground below them was starting to shake. As Gantu looked into the air, the blue light grew so big that he could barely keep his eyes open.
Then, the unthinkable happened. The light was actually a super- concentrated chunk of magnetic air molecules, sent hurtling into the ground. Sounds twenty times louder than thunder echoed down as the rocklike blast slammed into Orean's thicker-than-Earth's crust. Gantu's outline could barely be made out as he screamed aloud, completely engulfed. When he raised his arm to start to move, his body completely dissipated.
Shockwaves from the MAC gun blast rolled over both sides. Countless Covenant soldiers were picked off their feet and hurled away, some nearly thirty feet. Almost every Marine was back inside the safety of the dropship. They had retreated the second they heard the rumble.
The very dropship itself was lifted from the ground and tossed onto its back. The Marines inside screamed aloud as they rolled over each other in agony, trying to keep from crushing one another.
Farr 'Tenglannee's body was literally picked from the ground and hurled several hundred feet away. In the swirling inferno, his eyes fluttered open and he flailed his limbs as he tried to stabilize himself in the whirling shockwave. He was set back onto the ground several hundred feet from where he lay before, rubbing his aching limbs.
Inside the overturned dropship, Moores massaged his head and checked his troops. There were only seventeen besides himself and his Lieutenant left. "All right, men," he called. "The Covenant were completely wiped in the blast. Thanks to the MAC gun, which is what I must assume that blast was."
"What should we do now?" Lieuteant Sellers asked, standing up shakily.
"We need to contact the other dropships. I want this team picked up, and I want Sellers and another soldier with me. One willing to die getting me to Fortress Orean." A Sergeant stepped forward. His dogtag read "Sgt. Jeffery Lombard." He was as capable a candidate as any.
"Good," Moores commented, patting the soldier on the back. "The two of you need to arm yourselves with whatever weapons you can find, be it human or Covenant weaponry." The Captain bent down and scooped up a fallen shotgun. "The three of us ride to Fortress Orean now!"