5.
Phantom strike force/150kilometers from High Charity/ First Age
of Reformation
The
Arbiter stared at his elites where they stood, waiting for the
briefing, as the phantom raced towards High Charity. The battle ready
elites growing anxious for the awaiting mission.
"We are all
here," one of the elites said breaking the silence.
"Yes,"
the Arbiter said turning to the Elite, "As you already know we
are returning to High Charity," He said as a hologram of the
holy city appeared from a handheld computer, "We shall enter
here," he added, pointing to a large gash in the side of the
city, where a stray plasma torpedo had struck during the battle with
the brutes, "The other teams shall enter here and here. Scans
have shown life signs close to each of the three insertion points."
he said as four blue areas appeared in the map, "We are to make
contact with this group here, and then escort them back to the
insertion points. All teams will them remain on standby and make a
simultaneous assault to rescue those in the middle the city," he
said as he pointed to the stray blue area in the middle of the
hologram "We are also charged with erasing everything from the
main memory core, leaving this infestation without any information of
our home worlds."
"What of these humans?" another
Elite spat turning to Keyes, Johnson, and Adams, hate burning in his
eyes.
"These humans have volunteered to rescue our brothers.
You will show them the same honor and respect you show me," the
Arbiter said as he walked towards the arrogant Elite.
"Don't
worry split chin, I'll watch your back," Johnson said staring
down the Elite as it murmured something in its native tongue.
"We
are coming upon High Charity," the pilot shouted back from the
cockpit, "We will be inside the city in two minutes."
"Elites
be ready for battle," the Arbiter said turning from the strike
team and opening a weapon case that sat against the wall. He pulled
out an energy sword and carbine, loaded the carbine and then attached
the sword to his belt.
"They still don't like us, do they?"
Keyes said standing next to him and grabbing a carbine from the cargo
module.
"It is hard for those of honor to embrace their
enemy," the Arbiter said as he turned away from her and walked
into the cockpit.
Keyes watched him until he disappeared into the
cockpit, not able to shake the feeling of being insulted once again.
The other elites, their gold and red armors reflecting the lighting
inside the phantom, formed a line in front of the modules on the
opposite side of the ship, not wanting to use the same weapons the
unclean humans had touched.
"Don't worry about them, mam,"
Adams said grabbing a carbine, "If they were half as intelligent
as they seemed, they wouldn't have waited this long to rebel. Not to
mention use some weapons other than this plasma crap," he added
loading the carbine.
"Shut your mouth kid. We're gonna need
all the help we can get for Earth," Johnson said pulling weapons
from the case and tossing them to the floor, not being able to find
the weapon he was looking for. He pulled out a strange weapon, large,
purple like all the others, a small tank near the barrel filled with
a blue liquid, and a huge tank, filled with a bright red liquid, as
the butt of the weapon.
"What the hell is this?" he said
setting the weapon to the ready. He pointed up away from everyone and
pulled the trigger. The two tanks lowered a tiny bit and a blue flame
spewed forth in a stream. Johnson let go of the trigger, the roof of
the phantom glowing red hot.
"Me like a lot," he said
looking down at the weapon. Keyes looked up from Johnson's new friend
and saw the group of Elites staring at them.
"Looks like you
pissed them off, sarge," Adams said staring worried at the
Elites as they continued to stare at them.
"Forget about it,"
Johnson replied not paying any attention to the Elites, "They'll
survive," he added.
The phantom came up to the scarred hull
of High Charity, blackened spots from stray plasma shots dotted the
hull. One huge gash in the hull stood out. It's seemed that during
the battle between the Elites and Brutes a stray plasma torpedo left
its mark in the side of the holy city. A mark large enough for a
Covenant cruiser could easily fit through. The hull cooled awkwardly,
leaving a twisted edge to the hull. The phantom flew through the
scar, power still trying to flow through the wires that were melted
away. It came to a stop over a catwalk that over looked the entire
city. The Arbiter went through the transporter beam first. He landed
on the catwalk without a sound. There was a stink in the air of
decaying corpses but nothing anywhere close. The rest of the team
came down without making a sound, all of them checking for enemies as
they touched the ground. Johnson, Adams, and Keyes came down last
there steel toed boots breaking the silence that hung around them.
The Elites looked back at them, loathing their new company. The
Arbiter made some hand and signal and the Elites moved as a group for
a door to their right. The unpowered door refused to open when they
got close. One Elite moved forward and attached a small power supply
to the door. The door brimmed with life and opened revealing an
infestation larger than they've ever seen before. The once vibrant
hall was now a living organism, a large pulsing entity that grew from
the walls and ceiling but left the path clear besides the modules,
portable energy shields, and blood stains on the floor. The team
entered the hall, carefully watching for a Flood form of any kind.
"We are getting close," an Elite from another team said
over a com channel, his voice crackling with static.
The Arbiter
stopped in the middle of a four way intersection when a large booming
voice was heard coming from the hall to his right.
"Silence
fills the empty grave, now that I have come, but my mind is not at
rest for questions linger on. I will ask and you will answer,"
the voice boomed with a hint of familiarity in it.
"Ok,
shoot," came an all too familiar voice.
"Cortana?"
Keyes asked herself walking to her right puzzled as to why she was
here without the Master Chief.
Keyes continued to walk towards the
door despite the tentacles that held it somewhat open. She peered
through the cracks in the door and saw a huge mouth talking to
Cortana who stood on a pedestal in the middle of the room. Cortana
seemed to feel the Elites presence making a side glance out of the
corner of her eye seeing Keyes' face through the broken door.
Gravemind noticed the simple eye movement and followed it to the door
seeing the human being pulled away. A loud piercing shriek echoed
down the empty halls, as answering shrieks echoed back.
The
Arbiter turned and watched as the pulsing form of hallway shrunk back
to the ceiling revealing hundreds of infection forms hidden behind.
"Enemy sighted," the unknown Elite shouted through the
com.
"Engaging enemy," Wasampalee called through his com
channel.
As if out of nowhere hundreds of Flood forms seemed to
appear and attack all the teams simultaneously. Johnson smiled as his
weapon incinerated the Flood forms that swarmed around his team, the
blue flames lighting up the room.
"Nice to see you again,
mam," Cortana said as she appeared on a pedestal to Keyes'
right.
"Likewise. Spare the explanation just find us a way
out of here," Amanda said opening fire on the little monsters as
they crawled towards the team.
"Right this way, mam,"
Cortana said appearing on another pedestal near a door that brimmed
with life and opened. Keyes ran for the door and was quickly followed
by Johnson, Adams and the rest of the team. One elite fell and was
swarmed by a torrent of infection forms as the door closed and then
died. The team was alone in another dark hallway that seemed
untouched by the flood, the sounds of the Flood forms scraping at the
door behind them. Another door opened at the far end of the hall and
the team ran for it, moving as fast as their feet would allow them.
Cortana appeared beside the team on a pedestal on the opposite side
of the door, which closed and then died as the team made their way
through it.
"There are several phantoms docked in the lower
hangar bays. I'm detecting no Flood within their vicinity,"
Cortana said as she opened another door down the hall.
the Arbiter
stopped and turned on the AI as it stood watching the team.
"We
are not leaving without the rest of my warriors," the Arbiter
said as the rest of the team continued on.
"Don't worry, I
have my subroutines moving all other life forms on this station as we
speak," she said as she disappeared and then reappeared down the
hall.
The team finally came to a stop at a huge door after running
down a giant stair. Cortana appeared, once again, next to the door
which for once did not open or show any signs of having
power.
"What's the matter Cortana?" Keyes asked
weaving her way through the Elites that stood crowded around the
door.
"I don't know," she replied, "No power seems
to be able to reach this area, which is really odd."
"Where
are the other teams," the Arbiter asked looking down at the
holographic image projected from the pedestal.
"They are just
on the other side of this courtyard," she said, seeming like she
was in the middle of ten things all at one time.
"We do not
have time for this," one of the elites said pushing Keyes onto
the floor and then pounding on the door. There was a sudden popping
sound accompanied with the stench of burning flesh, as the paneling
of the roof exploded in towards the floor. Hundreds of infection
forms flooded out from the new hole in the roof. The team quickly
opened fire, killing of a majority of the forms before they met the
ground. The forms just seemed to keep coming and coming, where one
died two more took its place, each as desperate to reach their prey
as the next.
"Cortana get that door open!" Keyes shouted
her attention still on the Flood.
"Already
on it," Cortana replied frustrated that the Flood had outwitted
her.
"Well make it snappy," Johnson replied as the forms
melted away under his weapons flames. As if someone turned of a
faucet, the infection forms stopped pouring in and the leftovers
retreated back into the giant hole in the ceiling.
"What the
hell?" Johnson said trying to get a better view into the
hole.
"Got it," Cortana said as the door finally opened
revealing a dark courtyard that seemed empty. The team rushed
through, trying to get away from the Flood as soon as possible. The
door shut behind them and the power was cut from it. Cortana appeared
once again.
"Your friends should here any second," she
said as two doors opened form both sides, Wasampalee and his team
coming from their left side and the other team appearing from the
other, along with a ragged, battle worn group of elites, grunts, and
a few hunters among them. The door shut behind them all and then died
as they did before.
"Arbiter," Wasampalee said as he
walked towards him, a sullen look on his scarred face, "We have
lost many when we were ambushed," he added, "The rescued
ones among them," he added.
"They have died with honor,"
Arbiter said trying to improve the moral of the teams, "Let us
hope it was not in vain."
"I suggest we get going,"
Cortana said crossing her arms and tilting her head like she did when
she expected something to happen.
"We shall rest here,"
the Arbiter said turning to her, "My warriors have earned
it."
"The Flood don't just retreat," she said
getting flustered, "Something isn't right. Scanning shows no
signs of the Flood anywhere on this ship," she added, trying to
prove her point.
"We have scared the cowardly Flood from the
Holy City," an Elite mocked as he tossed his weapon to the
ground and then sat on a rock next to him.
"As I said
before," Cortana said obviously becoming angry, "The Flood
don't retreat, they overrun and devour. Right now they can be
anywhere and none of us would have any idea where they pop up from
next. We need to go. NOW!" she yelled losing her temper
for the first time ever.
"Cortana, what's the matter?"
Keyes said realizing something wasn't right about the AI. They are
programmed with emotions but they never get out of hand like
this.
"Nothing, nothing, I'm sorry," she replied looking
ashamed of herself.
The Elites laughed at the construct as stood
upon the pedestal, her head bowed in shame.
"The computer is
scared," an elite mocked.
"Such primitive equipment,"
another laughed.
"What shall be done for the incompe..."
another Elite tried to say before a shot rang out and his head
exploded as a bullet passed through his shields and then into the
floor. The team quickly found cover where ever it could be
found.
"What the hell was that?" Adams yelled from the
rock he was behind.
"Obviously the Flood learned to snipe
moron," Johnson yelled out from the outcropping he was hiding
underneath with Keyes.
"Hey, squid face, let me see that
weapon," he yelled to an elite holding a particle beam. The
elite tossed the rifle over his rock towards Johnson. Johnson picked
it up and peered over the outcropping, his experienced eye watching
for any movement.
"I've opened the door on the far side of
the courtyard," Cortana said still standing on her
pedestal.
"You hear that Adams, make a run for it,"
Johnson yelled, his eye not leaving the scope.
"Ha ha,
sarge," he replied mockingly.
"I'm serious,"
Johnson yelled back, smiling at the thought of Adams running in
circles. 'Lucky Flood bastard,' he thought to himself.
"That's
suicide," Adams yelled back insulted and shocked at the same
time.
"Just make a run for the door, nothing bad will
happen," Johnson shouted getting frustrated.
Adams looked at
the door that sat in front of him, seeming like it was miles away
rather than the few yards it actually was. He took a deep breath,
hoping that it wouldn't be his last.
"If this doesn't work,
I'm coming back to haunt you sarge," he said getting on a knee
and preparing to run.
He took a last deep breath and started to
sprint for the door. That's when Johnson saw it. The combat form
ran over the top of the corridors awkwardly holding a sniper rifle in
its hands. Johnson saw his chance as the form stopped and aimed the
rifle down to Adams as he continued to run, full sprint to the door
that was now only a couple of yards in front of him. Johnson pulled
the trigger; the slim beam of energy pouring out of barrel of the
weapon flew through the sky and melted the barrel of the sniper
rifle, completely separating the barrel from the rest of the weapon.
The combat form dropped the huge weapon and dropped down from his
perch running straight for Johnson, arms flailing. The Arbiter jumped
from his hiding place, pulled out the energy sword attached to his
belt and cut the form in half, the rotting flesh quickly melting away
from the plasma blade.
"See, that wasn't so bad, now was it?"
Johnson said turning to Adams as he sat at the door trying to catch
his breath.
"Next time it's your turn, sarge," Adams
said looking over at the rest of the team as they emerged from their
hiding places.
"This way please," Cortana said looking
out from her pedestal, "We should really get going," she
added, a hint of worry clinging to her voice.
"Which way
Cortana," Keyes said brushing the dirt off her uniform.
"The
phantoms are this way," Cortana replied turning towards the open
door that Adams sat in, "Scans show no Flood presence between
here and the hangar bay."
"We must finish the mission
first," the Arbiter said turning towards the AI, "We must
not allow the Flood to learn of our home worlds," he added
clenching his fist.
Cortana closed her eyes for a second, "Done,"
she said opening them again, "Now let's get going."
The
teams filed through the open door and continued down through the rest
of the ship without any resistance. They reached hangar bay and
everything was quiet. The phantoms sat in the middle of the cluttered
bay, completely submerged in the dark. The teams reached the phantoms
themselves and opened the docking ramps; the pilots entered the ships
cautiously and began to warm up the engines. The phantoms roared to
life and exited High Charity, quickly making it back to Sheltering
Innocence and the remainder of the Elite fleet. Cortana appeared on a
pedestal in the back of the phantom.
"We need to get back to
Earth," she said looking down at Johnson, Adams, and Keyes,
"Truth is going to remote activate Halo from the Ark," she
said crossing her arms as she always does.
"As soon as we get
back to the ship, the fleet will depart for Earth," the Arbiter
said walking from the cockpit and then giving his hand out, "You
have proven yourself many times and we share a common foe. You have
earned the honor of my brethren."
Keyes looked at him
flabbergasted. After all the cold shoulders, all the neglect of
peace, and the comments of the other Elites, it made her wonder were
this sudden spur of friendship came from. She shook his hand glad now
that some of their enemies were no longer on the wrong side of the
barrel. The elite and human stood staring at each other, still
shaking hands when the pilot could be heard speaking to the hangar
bay control, asking permission to dock.
"All hands prepare for slip space departure," the Arbiter said over the intercom, his booming throughout the ship.
"We'll probably be fired upon as soon as we enter normal space," Cortana said looking up from her pedestal to the Arbiter, "Hood is probably hard pressed with the rest of the Covenant fleet, he won't hesitate to fire on thirty-six new ships that just randomly appear out of slip space."
"Let me talk to him," Keyes said walking up the platform, surrounded by floating pedestals and control panels, "I'm sure he wouldn't fire on us if he knew I was there," she added looking up to the Arbiter.
"Very well," he replied as the pilots counted down the time left before the engines roared to life.
