The Beginning of the End

Chapter 4: Last Chapter Lied, These Are Ground Based Operations

DOCKING BAY 98

Mission Initiated.

Randall's HUD flashed as mission parameters were uploaded to his own ethics and logic databases. Cortana finished the briefing and sorted herself for download. Arbiter translated the last of the briefing for his Elite unit. They left the dais and boarded the Covenant cruiser docked in the Marathon. Master Chief approached Randall. "We ready to go?"

"Whenever you're ready. The Ares is already running. Let's go," Randall said. Master Chief barely squeezed into the Ares' small cockpit. Colonel Ackerson clicked the COM twice. "All units associated with Project Halo, prepare for atmosphere vent," Randall warned his troops. "Master Chief? Are your Spartans coming with?"

"It all depends. I stationed them on the ship's drop-pod hangar so if they are needed they can get there quickly. Why? Do you need them?" Master Chief said.

"No. Just wondering. I know what their combat capabilities are. These Elite's, I don't trust them, other than the Arbiter. I personally saved his life twice." Randall replied. The Ares made a series of loud clicks and it rose off the ground. "Captain? I'm ready for dust-off. Follow whenever you want."

"I drop into low orbit when you make land-fall. Colonel Ackerson said this planet is a bit unstable, but I want you to gauge its atmospheric stability first before I bring the Marathon down there." the Captain replied on the Ares' COM.

"Can do sir." The Ares ascended and turned to the docking bay doors. Seraph fighters and the ex-Covenant cruiser, the Bravado, rose up behind it. The massive doors parted and the Project Halo mini-fleet rocketed out of docking bay 98 toward planet Thor 5...

Thor 5.

Mission Objective One: Retrieve the Holy Light of Speed.

The Bravado made landfall first. The large grav-lift cover dropped 5 km and landed with a thud. A beam of purple light followed and the Arbiter and his Elites rode it down. The Ares landed in a cloud of the black dust that the surface of Thor 5 was composed of. Randall jumped 30 feet and landed crouched on the surface, his right arm sending coils of energy around his body. His eyes were bright blue. Master Chief climbed out of the Ares with a rocket launcher in hand. Randall looked around slowly, scanning the planets surface. His HUD told him that the atmosphere was turbulent and made almost entirely of oxygen. There was no plant life. All animals labeled hostile. Randall clicked his COM.

"What is it?" Captain Lucas asked.

"Atmosphere is 98 oxygen. Weather is severe. Proceed with caution," Randall replied. "Team, objective is 5 km from our position. Arbiter, choose some of your Elites to stay here and guard the ships. Alpha team will consist of me, Master Chief, the Arbiter, and his team. When we arrive at the objective, we will split. Arbiter and his team will guard our exit. Understood?"

"Yes," Master Chief said.

"Of course," Arbiter said. "Alamee, you have control of the ship guard." Alamee nodded and jumped back into the grav lift.

"Alamee, send some Engineers down, we'll need them." Randall asked.

"Yes sir," Alamee replied. The floating Engineers came down the grav lift and immediately attached themselves to the Ares and started studying it. Randall emitted three loud, high-pitched squeaks. They let go and followed the group as they started off for the Holy Light...

Thor 5

Mission Objective: Retrieve the Holy Light of Speed

Inbound to Target

Objective 1.5 km away.

Randall saw the tip of a mountain as they hit 1.5 km away. Finally, he thought. It's going better than I expected. No resistance.

Randall looked up in the sky, looking for the Marathon. Randall's COM started hissing. He looked at the channel. It was FLEETCOMMARATHON5.

"Captain? Are you there?" Randall asked. More static.

"Randall, we got trouble. There are 6 Covenant capital ships closing on your position. WE held them off as long as we could, but there were too many of them. We intercepted a message mentioning something called a Sharquoi. I'm bringing the Marathon into low orbit above your position," Captain said, panting.

"Shit. Roger that Captain," Randall said. He triggered his weapon arm and looked up again. Within seconds, Randall saw the inklings of Covenant engines. He switched to infrared and saw the large heat sources. "Dammit."

"Randall, we need to move," Durandul said. Small earthquakes shook the ground as 6 grav lift covers slammed onto the surface.

"Arbiter? What's a Sharquoi?" Randall asked.

"Your worst nightmare," he replied. A hulking beast, 10 stories tall squeezed out of the grav lift. Its teeth glowed bright yellow, and its eyes were bright white. It had arms the size of Longswords, one of which had a large plasma cannon mounted on it. The whole thing was covered in black armor, with visible shied emitters.

"Whoa. Quickly, are there any weaknesses?" gasped Randall, holding back the urge to destroy the beast as it turned and saw them.

"Its eyes, the only spot. Its brain is pushed up against the eyes, and the eyes are very thin."

"Master Chief, can you run distraction for me? Randall asked Master Chief.

"You know, there aren't many things a SPARTAN won't go up against, SPARTANS are trained to put others in front of themselves. Training was meant to squeeze all primal self-preservation instincts out, but there's no way in hell that we can win this. Even with a team of SPARTAN II's and a SPARTAN III, this thing will rip us apart. You can't win," Master Chief said solemnly.

"I've never known you to be a quitter, Master Chief. I have to try. Durandul, override all ethics and emotions. Redline antimatter reactors and prep all ammunition store. And get some music going, maybe a little Beethoven," Randall ordered. After he was done talking, his eyes went cold and blue, his skin started glowing bright yellow on some spots and turned silver, his right and left arms glowed bright green-blue. Music blasted from his ears, and he activated his accelerator. 2 seconds later, he was at the feet of the Sharquoi, it being oblivious to its existence. Randall started dumping a barrage of high temperature plasma at the Sharquoi's shields, doing nothing but piss the thing off. It raised its arm and brought it down while echoing a loud roar. It hit Randall square in the stomach, flinging him backward 30 yards. The Sharquoi raised its other arm; the arm with a large plasma device mounted on it, and fired a ball of purple energy. It also hit Randall square in the stomach, though this one went through the flesh that turned into metal and left a large silver rimmed hole in Randall's mid-section. The puddle of liquid alloy contorted upward and filled the whole as it turned back into flesh and fabric. Randall hopped up 2 feet and jet fire blasted out of his feet, propelling him upwards to eye-level with the Sharquoi. His arm molted to a long barrel, a sniper rifle. The Sharquoi started shooting plasma at Randall, different than the first, continuous beams of red-orange plasma. Randall swerved around the air-space around the creatures face and fired off 2 shots, both hitting their targets, the beast's eyes. Blue blood gushed out of the wounds, and the Sharquoi stumbled around grabbing its face in pain. Randall returned his left arm to normal, but the right one flattened and lengthened. The sword glowed red hot, then white. He flew to the back of the beast's head and jammed the sword into the back of its skull. Randall moved his body around while the sword was still in, scrambling and melting the creature's brain. The Sharquoi fell to its knees and screamed a scream that sent ripples through Randall's silver skin. Durandul brought all ethics and emotions back online.

More will come. We need to move fast,"

"Yes we do. Arbiter, can your cruiser get here quickly?" Randall said while sending a reset wave through his skin, cleaning the blue blood off,

"Yes, Mearonee, bring the Bravaod to our position. Quickly please," the Arbiter ordered. Randall keyed his default armpiece and activated the Ares. He told it to close on their position.

"Captain Lucas? How is the battle going in space?" Randall asked over the COM.

"You know, even Colonel Ackerson is astounded by what the ship can do, and he designed it! We destroyed the Covenant fleet; one limped away through Slipspace though, so the mission needs to be completed ASAP before more ships arrive." He responded joyously.

"Can do Captain," Randall answered. Randall heard the low rumble of Covenant engines overhead. The Ares wasn't far behind, and he leaped into the open cockpit. He flew the Ares straight up the grav-lift, scaring the crap out of everyone in the cargo bay. "Arbiter?"

"Yes Randall?" he responded from the ship's bridge.

"Punch it."