Author's notes: Yup, this is chapter 3, pretty short. I'm already visualizing a sequel, whenever this one gets finished; I think the sequel will be much better. Any suggestions, my AOL Screen name is moosymoose56, I am on most of the time.

Chapter 3:

Complex Plans

November 3rd, 2552

New Mombassa, Kenya

Instacrete Bunker 13-B

1500 Hours

"Sir! Recon's back!" shouted a PFC as he walked into the control room and saluted.

"At ease, what's out situation?" asked Bill. The private passed over a holopad and it flickered to life. A bird's eye view of the whole city, or what's left of it, rotated and clearly visible were a Covenant cruiser and debris. The area in question flashed and magnified. It was a UNSC command-and control center for the entire hemisphere.

"Nice," Bill muttered. "But I know there's a catch, what is it?"

"The Covenant know as much as we do about our situation and they have put almost all remaining troops at the entrance of the base, which is heavily armored, 50 meters of Titanium-A. Plus an encryption program that no one could break. Recon estimates over 500 Covenant troops, including many of those Sharquoi you mentioned earlier," he responded.

"Any vehicles?" he asked.

"Yes, am estimation of 50 Wraith tanks, 100's of Ghosts, a couple Spectres, and about 10 Phantoms," he replied.

"Shit. What's our heavy weapon situation?"

"2 Scorpions and 10 Warthogs (assorted turrets). We got about 4 good snipers and 6 Rocket Launchers, helluva lot of grenades. That's about it," he said with sorrow. He knew as well as every other Marine here that they didn't stand a chance against the Covenant. Even Bill knew that these odds weren't good enough for any possible solution, and if one arose, than it would result in the deaths of ¾ of the Marines.

"You got any ideas?" Bill asked.

"No, all I got is a rifle and a helmet," he answered. Bill nodded slowly looking of onto the ocean.

"There is one plan, but the Covenant may not be too keen to accept it. There's three things you can do when facing an enemy stronger than yourself: fall back and await reinforcements, engage guerilla warfare, or surrender. That's what I plan to do. We'll surrender to the Covenant, bargain with them to let us help them get in to the complex, and then turn on them at the last second," he said. He turned back to the PFC. "You think it'll work?"

"It will, at least without a significant loss of life," he replied.

"Whats your name Private?" Bill asked.

" PFC William P. Stewart," he answered.

"This has to work," Bill said staring into the ruins of the city. "It has too."