Spartan Training 5

By: Natination

The winter tundra was ravaged by a completely out of place sandstorm as the pelicans landed on the sand and snow piles. Two warthogs were deployed as the Spartans were deployed as two marines and a Spartan got off the pelican in double time. They loaded up and drove off as they headed for a partially sand filled tunnel complex with a pelican providing support with a full load of 12 marines. Reaching the complex in less than 5 minutes with the warthogs, they disembarked and swept the area clear of any enemies.

"Bravo 3, you're cleared for landing." Sam said. "Area Clear."

"Roger that Spartan, this is Bravo 3 coming in." The pilot answered.

The pelican hovered over the landing area, a foot off the ground as the marines jumped off and met with their squad commanders.

Sam and Nate each had a squad of 6 men leaving two behind to guard the warthogs. The pelican rose in the air as it headed back for the Peacemaker. There were a total of 120 men on the ground doing search and explore missions all around the ring. The Peacemaker directed all orders as it oversaw the separate assignments into the rings.

Heading deep into the underground caverns, they came upon a group of dead Covenant. 1 gold elite and two blue elites lay dead with a large collection of jackals and grunts surrounding them with their own corpses. The bodies were torn apart as if it was thrown apart.

Snooker was on the bridge of the battleship as ground teams reported in Covenant dead. All the reports were the same; they were torn apart and killed like they were nothing.

His graying beard and blue eyes gave him the look of a sea captain on an ocean going ship. He paced the deck as each team checked in and gave their reports.

One of the systems AI's turned on his holo generator and a small figure sporting a lab coat and holding a data pad sprang up. "Admiral Snooker, Scanners are picking fragments of a Covenant ship, parts are recognizing as a cruiser."

"Give me Contact with all teams NOW." Admiral Snooker said. His height was slightly short for a marine or navy officer but that didn't mean his presence was weak. He straightened up, as the COM channel was setup for all teams on the surface. "All ground units we have a covenant ship fragments around the ring, we may have company soon."

"What can we expect for a task force that they would send?" Snooker asked.

"I would have to say 3-5 vessels Admiral, above destroyers." Q said. "They don't like losing a vessel and will often send more then enough ships to overwhelm what did it and kill it."

"And since we're be here when it arrives, their think it's us." Snooker said.

"Yes admiral, they would try to kill us anyways." Q said.

"Lets go to Battle stations then." Snooker said. As the command went out ODST's formed fire teams and patrolled the troop to be ready for any boarders. The MAC cannons were powered up to full charge with two rounds each in the gun.

"All ground forces head back to your dust off points, every withdraw back to the ship." Snooker ordered. "Q go to Max resolution on the remains of the Covenant ship, look for a bridge." He pointed on a large display of the Cruiser that was doing a slow and lazy orbit around the Covenant ship.

"Admiral, the bridge is located here in the superstructure of the ship that remains." Q said. "Most of the ship is intact in that area but no life forms detected.

"Give me the Spartans now." Snooker said.

They hustled to the Dust off point as Men yelled to fall back. When you were trying to get out is when the booby traps always go off. They started to head back the way they come, leaving the dead bodies behind.

"We got an Contact! I repeat we got a Contact. Its not covenant!" A marine screamed. You could hear the LAAG's firing in the background as they fought off whatever the hell it was.

"Move it teams! Warthogs need help!" Nate and Sam dashed as the rest of the squad tried to keep up. Nate and Sam were the first off out of the door and scanned the area with their Assault Rifles. Nothing in sight at all, totally nothing in the winter tundra The 4 Marines that were here were gone. The Warthogs were burning with one flipped over.

"Bravo 3, Bravo 3, come in, we need a Dust off NOW." Sam said.

"Hold onto your pants guys, I'm already on my way down, Snooker ordered everyone out."

"Our warthog team got hit, no survivors we have 14 people looking to get the hell out of here."

"Roger. On my way." Bravo 3 said. He pilot came screaming in as he dropped to a foot off the ground and everyone boarded. Nate noticed something, two helmets laid down in the snow. He picked them up and put it in his pack as he grabbed a handhold on the pelican and boosted himself up onto the pelican.

"Go!" Sam said.

"Spartans come in. this is Admiral Snooker." A voice of the TACCOM said.

"Roger Admiral, go ahead." Sam said.

"Suit up for a Zero-gee exploration aboard a dead Covenant vessel once you get into the Peacemaker."

"Roger that sir." Sam said.

"Sir, Our Warthogs got ambushed and we have 4 marines dead. No bodies and nothing but two helmets and the burning warthogs."

"Sorry to hear that, I'll have one of the AI's got on that right away. Once you returned from your Zero-gee, We're opening the box on your new AI's that go into your suit systems." Snooker said.

"Roger, over and out." Nate said. Nate wondered what happened to the 4 marines stationed outside with the warthogs. The AI's will figure it out while they searched the Covenant vessel. He hoped his questions would get answered soon enough.