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.