The Admiral
The banshee swooped in and landed softly in the small empty docking bay. The Spartan hopped out. A light snowfall was coming down on the tattered ship.
"The Vendetta IV's fusion reactors are still powered up. If we get to the bridge, we can set these to detonate. We will nee the Admiral or Captain to override the fail-safes in order to do so though. That should be a big enough explosion."
"You got it." The Spartan said walking through the airlock doors.
He found himself in a hallway. He went right. The hall went through a glass door, turned, and went through another door. Dead marines' corpses lay scattered around the hallway. After that were a few portable plasma shields.
The Spartan picked up an assault rifle and tucked his pistol away. Up behind the shield were two elites and four grunts, all of which wore silver armor.
"Must be special forces." The Spartan said to himself.
One grunt held a fuel rod gun. The same weapon a hunter had, although modified so that the grunt could carry it like a human grenade launcher. He picked up ammo for his assault rifle. He fired and took down the grunt with the fuel rod gun. In three seconds, the fail-safe on the gun went off and the gun exploded. The other three grunts and one of the elites were killed. The Spartan rushed the other elite and fired. While its shield weakened, it threw a plasma grenade at him. He jumped to the side and it stuck to the wall behind him.
He went forward and kept his finger pulling the trigger. The grenade exploded behind him. The elite managed to fire a few shots before its shield collapsed and he was hit with slugs. The elite screamed and fell over while still shooting.
The Spartan's shield recharged the little energy it lost. He walked further down the hallway. It came to a small room that had two hallways branching off to the left and to the right. The room had flashing red lights going off. The door to the right was sealed.
The Spartan then continued down the left corridor. Ahead of him it turned. A grunt came running around the corner with a fuel rod gun. He fired a few shots to take it down. He then stepped back as the fail-safe exploded. He then turned the corner and killed another grunt that came at him. An elite that was there threw a plasma grenade. The Spartan rolled to the side and stood to one knee. The grenade stuck to the floor where he just stood.
He threw a plasma grenade as well. It attached to the elite's chest. The other grenade exploded. The elite roared and began running toward him. He fired at it as he ran backward. The grenade blew and the body parts flew. He walked past the crippled corpse and on down the hallway. At the end, he found marines holding off a group of elites at the ramp to the bridge floor.
Sergeant Green was with them!
"Sergeant!" The Spartan addressed him.
The Sergeant stopped firing and turned around.
"Hello Colonel, nice to see you sir." He said standing and saluting.
The Spartan saluted in return.
"It's been a while. You seem to have recovered from your injuries quite well." A plasma blast whizzed past the Spartan's head.
"Yes thanks to you sir."
"So it looks like you could use some help Sergeant Green." The Spartan said looking up at an elite that was firing down.
"Yes, these elites are blocking us from getting to gate thirteen, where Lieutenant Jackson and his squad are holding off more of them." He replied.
"Do you know if Admiral Loran or Captain Kenton are still alive?"
"I doubt it sir, hunters and these huge things called brutes attacked the bridge."
"I hope he's alright." Said Sheeda.
"We lost contact with him over two hours ago." The Sergeant finished.
"Okay, we'll get to the Lieutenant, and then make our way to the bridge." The Spartan said.
"You got it sir, but we better hurry." Replied Green.
There were only four other marines besides the Sergeant and were about six elites. A plasma blast struck the Spartan in the head. His yellow shield surrounded him. He took a plasma grenade and threw it at the elite. It stuck on its foot.
The elite shook its foot wildly but the grenade exploded before it could get it off. Another marine threw a frag grenade up. It hit the ceiling and bounced back down on the floor above them. It exploded and the Spartan listened to the two elites scream.
"Come on!" Ordered the Spartan running up the ramp.
Green and his marines followed him to the top. An elite popped out from behind a corner while the Spartan and the marines were focused on another. The elite punched a marine across the face. He stumbled and fell off the landing. He landed hard on his back and didn't move after that.
The elite they were firing at fell. They then turned their attention toward the other elite and shot at it. It fired back and dropped a marine. Its shield went quickly and it was soon lying on the ground after that.
The last elite threw a plasma grenade that stuck to the chest of another marine. The Spartan, Green, and the last marine ran as it exploded, killing the helpless man. The elite then fired its plasma rifle killing the other marine. The Spartan and the Sergeant fired their assault rifles until it was dead.
They then walked down the hall until they reached gate thirteen's double doors. They hissed and slid open. Dead elites lay scattered across the ground, with a few hunters lying among them.
There was only one elite left standing and it didn't stay that way for long as Smith pumped it full of shotgun pellets.
"Officer on the deck!" The Lieutenant said saluting the Colonel.
The Spartan and the Sergeant saluted back.
"As you were Lieutenant." The Spartan said. "Glad to see you made it."
"Same here. Where can we follow you to sir?" Jackson asked.
"The bridge. Sheeda here is going to set the ships fusion reactors on self-destruct and then we're going to get the hell out of here. But first, we need the Admiral or Captain to override the security fail-safes, so we're heading toward the bridge and hoping he's there."
"Sounds like a plan to me sir. We better watch out for brutes though. Other marines have radioed in requesting back up against those things. All of the transmissions were from the bridge area." Jackson said.
"We'll hopefully we don't encounter any." The Spartan said.
"We should hurry if we have any hope of finding the Admiral alive." Sheeda said.
"You heard her. Blackrocks, assemble!" The Lieutenant said.
"I sure hope Admiral Loran is alive." Said Smith following the Lieutenant who was following the Spartan down the hall.
"We'll have to go through the cafeteria to get to the bridge." Sheeda said.
"I think I know my way around the ship." The Spartan replied.
"Just trying to help."
The Spartan turned the corner and two hunters stood in front of the cafeteria door.
"I'll handle this sir." Anderson said. He had a large bruise on his left cheekbone where the elite had hit him.
One hunter charged and swung up at him. Anderson leaned to the side and shot into its stomach with his pistols. The other hunter then ran at him. Just as the hunter swung, Anderson sidestepped and went around to its back. The hunter swung back down and almost hit the Spartan who didn't even flinch. Anderson fired into its back. The Spartan and the other marines moved as the hunter fell forward onto its face.
"Well done private." The Spartan said.
"Thank you sir."
As the Spartan and the marines entered the cafeteria, an elite and two grunts came from a door on the other side. The Spartan fired his assault rifle and killed the grunt with the fuel rod gun. The weapon exploded and killed the other grunt.
The elite flipped a table over and used it as cover. Jones stepped in and fired his grenade launcher. The table and elite blew to bits.
The Lieutenant then followed the Spartan across the corpse-scattered room and through the door at the far end. The Spartan walked down the hallway he had run through to escape just a few days ago.
"Be careful. My motion tracker is picking something up, ahead." Said Sheeda.
The Spartan walked through the automatic doors and entered the bridge. Dead marines were everywhere. A few hunters lay across the room along with some elites. Only one brute lay dead. It was slumped over the bridge's main controls with a hole through its head. Its grenade launcher was still clutched in its hand. The Spartan grabbed its shoulder and pulled it off. Its body landed with a thump on the floor. The marines scattered about the room checking for any hiding stragglers.
"Over here." Mathews said quietly.
The Spartan walked over to him. He stood with his sniper rifle pointed at a locker. The Spartan motioned for him to move away. Mathews stepped back. The Spartan opened the door quickly.
"Ahh!" Screamed the marine inside.
The marine raised his pistol and fired. The shot hit the Spartan in the head. The bullet ricocheted off his shield and shattered one of the viewport windows. The Spartan grabbed the marine's arm that held the weapon. He tightened his grip. The pistol fell from the marine's grasp and onto the floor.
"We're friends." The Spartan said calmly loosening his hand.
"Oh." The marine said.
"Where is Admiral Loran and Captain Kenton?" The Spartan let go.
"They left toward the armory. They said they'd be back, but then the brutes came. They killed everyone! They're all gone! I hid like a coward."
"Well your safe now." Mathews tried to reassure him.
"Ha! You go get your precious Admiral, I'm staying here." The marine said picking up his pistol.
"You can stay here if you want, I guess. We'll be back later if you change your mind." The Spartan said as his shield recharged.
Then a roar sounded just outside in the hallway.
"No! They'll never get me alive!" The marine put the barrel of the pistol in his mouth and fired. Blood and brains splattered on the back of the locker and the marine's body fell limp on the floor. Mathews clutched his stomach.
"Crazy bastard." Said Smith.
The Spartan looked at him then the door. Jones looked at the Lieutenant. Jackson looked at him, then motion toward the door. Jones nodded and got into a kneeling position with his grenade launcher pointed at the door.
After a moment, the door hissed and opened. Nothing came in. A bead of sweat ran down Jones's forehead. Then after a few heart pounding seconds came rushing in. Jones fired his weapon and it stopped the brute in its tracks.
Then two more came into the room. Jones fired again. The rocket propelled grenade soared in between them and exploded on the wall behind them.
"Take 'em down marines!" Yelled Lieutenant Jackson.
Jones took his grenade launcher and slammed it across one of the brute's faces. Brown then came and lit the creature on fire. Anderson then fired a few round into its head.
The Spartan, Jackson, and Green fired their assault rifles at the other one. Mathews fired his sniper rifle. The shot basted through the left part of its stomach and hit the wall behind it. Smith then came up to the side of it and fired his shotgun at point blank range at its head.
It fell over but was still alive. Smith put one foot on its chest and shot it in the head again. It twitched and died.
"Now that's the way to do it." The Lieutenant said.
"Nice work." Commented Green.
"We should head toward the armory and get the Admiral." The Spartan said.
"Okay let's saddle up and give 'em hell." The Lieutenant ordered.
The marines followed the Spartan out of the room and through the cafeteria. The Spartan walked down the hall and through a door. There was a hunter a little ways down the hall with its back faced to them. The Spartan threw a plasma grenade on its back.
It turned around and spotted them. It charged up its gun and just when it was about to fire, the grenade exploded. The hunter fell face first with a large crater in its back.
The Spartan continued down the hall and turned a corner. He then walked down and through a large automatic door. Three more hunters stood in front of another door down that hall about fifteen feet in front of them.
"That's the armory. The Admiral must be inside." Sheeda said.
"Jones, take 'em out." The Spartan ordered.
"Yes sir."
Jones fired his grenade launcher. The grenade hit and blew one of the hunters in the air. Jones then fired his second shot. Another hunter toppled over. Sergeant Green then threw a frag grenade at the last one. The grenade landed at the hunter's feet and exploded. The hunter fell over dead.
The Spartan walked to the armory door. It was sealed shut.
"Admiral, it's the Colonel. We're here to save you. If you're in there please open the door, sir." The Spartan said loudly.
After a moment, the door hissed and opened. Loran stood in the doorway with Kenton behind him.
"Glad to see you Colonel. Those hunters had us trapped in here. The most we could do was to lock down the door." Admiral Loran said.
"We need you on the bridge sir." We've got a plan to destroy this ring." The Spartan replied.
"What do you have in mind Colonel?"
"Sounds good to me." Said the Admiral as he led the way toward the bridge.
"The closest docking bay would be Gate Nine. There should still be a cruiser docked there. That'll be are quickest way out." Sheeda said.
The Admiral entered the bridge and went straight to the main controls. After bypassing the security systems, the Spartan reinserted Sheeda's holocard into the ships controls. From there she set the self-destruct delay time for twenty minutes.
"That's as long as I can get the timer to go." She said.
"That'll be enough time, we'll have to hurry though." The Captain said.
The Spartan pulled Sheeda out and put her back into his helmet.
"Let's move marines! Gate Nine's your destination!" Admiral Loran said.
He then walked out of the bridge and down the hall. The Spartan and the other marines followed close behind.
"We made it." Sheeda said as they came to gate nine's double doors. "We've got six minutes left."
The Admiral went through the door. The Spartan followed. Five hunters were standing in front of the cruiser's ramp. Three brutes came out from behind it. A dead marine lay on the ground at the Spartan's feet. A grenade launcher was next to him. He dropped his assault rifle and picked it up. Jones fired his and killed a hunter. The Admiral, Captain, and Anderson fired their pistols at one of the brutes. It wasn't affected as the bullets tore into its body.
One of the brutes fired its grenade launcher. The Spartan sidestepped quickly and the shot went through the open door and exploded on the hallway wall.
Mathews fired his sniper rifle and got a brute through the head. It toppled over forward. The Spartan fired and killed two more hunters. One of the other hunters fired. The shot hit in front of Brown and Smith. They fell over on their backs. Then shielded themselves from the bits of concrete that went flying.
Anderson shot down another hunter. The two last brutes ran at them. The Spartan fired his last shot. It hit the brute in the chest. Its body blew into chunks. Brown then fired his flamethrower at the other one while Smith began shooting it with his shotgun. The Spartan dropped the empty grenade launcher picked his assault rifle back up. the Captain shot the last hunter in its stomach as it ran toward him. It fell over motionless.
The Spartan then fired his whole clip at the brute. The Admiral then put a bullet through its head.
"We should hurry!" Sheeda said.
All of the soldiers went up the ramp and into the ship. They then went into the bridge. The Admiral got into the pilot seat and fired up the engines while the Captain got into the co-pilot's seat. The Admiral flew it out of the docking bay.
The cruiser flew out of the halo's atmosphere and into space. The ring world exploded behind them causing the whole ship to shake violently. As the ship calmed and smoothed out the marines let out a sigh of relief.