Spartan Training

The Plasma torpedo scorched the space as it headed for the UNSC battleship Peacemaker. It was headed for a direct collision course with the bridge.

"Longswords are busy sir. Their engaging enemy single ships." The tactical officer said. "Chain guns are trying to divide their numbers to free up longswords to intercept. Sir, None of them can make it in time."

"Damn. We gave them hell though." The Admiral said. He was going to press the abandon ship command. Maybe some people would make it out alive. He could guarantee that no one would that was stationed 2 decks above and below

"Sir, a flight of 5 longswords just left the bay, their heading for the plasma torpedo." The tactical officer said again. "They left disobeying orders."

The longswords were easy to identify they had red on their wings, part of the blood squadron. They were veteran longsword pilots and were some of the best in the UNSC. They fired their missiles but the plasma torpedo just ate them up without slowing down.

"No COM links sir, they turned it off." The Communications officer said.

"Impact in 5 seconds." The tactical officer said.

The Longswords went into a wing formation and drove straight into the plasma torpedo. It exploded from the impact of the 5 longswords altogether. Plasma globs drifted about.

"MAC cannons ready sir."

"Send them to hell." The Admiral said.

6 thuds fired off as the carrier shields flicked on again and started to take evasive maneuvers but it took 2 to its starboard side and exit holes appeared on the other side. The Carrier lurched around as it wheeled out in slow circles before it hit the hulk of a floating dead Covenant Frigate and then blew up.

"Sir, Single ships have been wiped out by longswords, Each Mac gun are recharging at 10 per minute with 70 engine power. Longswords are returning, out of 55 we lost 17 longswords."

"Sir!" The sensor officer cried out. "Covenant Cruiser is coming back online!"

"Enemy Cruiser is charging plasma turrets." The tactical officer said.

"Fire Archer tubes A-G!" Admiral Snooker ordered quickly.

The 36 missiles zoomed onto the Cruiser and impacted on its hull. The Covenant ship lurched away as one of the missiles hit a plasma turret near the front bow. The plasma went wild as the coils on it malfunctioned. The plasma scorched the armor plating on the covenant ship and burned though the countless decks. The ship exploded as 6 missiles impacted on a hole left by a MAC round and went straight though the 20-meter section of exposed hull and blew though the docks till it reached the fusion core where one missile hit. The Cruiser disappeared and pieces of it went soaring though space.

"Send out fresh longswords to all the covenant ships, make sure their dead for good." Admiral Snooker said.

"Admiral come in please, this is the Spartans." Nate called in.

"Go ahead." Admiral Snooker said.

"We need you in the ship's main lab now." Nate said. "Urgently."

"I'll be right there." Admiral Snooker ceased the transmission and turned to a warrant officer.

"You have the watch, make sure nothing sneaks up on us." Admiral Snooker said as he walked out. He stepped onto the deck and went down a series of small elevators designed for 1-4 people. He walked down blast shields set up at choke points with 6 marines at each station, armed with the heavy weapons like Jackhammers, MA5B's and shotguns. They saluted as he walked past and went back to their game of cards they had started. The marines weren't new to war and had one man facing each direction and looking directly past the man opposite them with a rifle sitting at their feet.

"Too many god dam heroes in this war." Snooker thought as he walked past them. He entered the main lab to find a 36" view screen and the helmets hooked up. The Tactical AI, the one that had chosen his form as Patton stood there.

"Admiral, we found the mission recordings of the marines that went missing very disturbing." Patton said.

"Let me see it." Admiral Snooker said.

"Yes sir."

Sam and Nate looked a little too grim for ones who had to piggyback on a ship that just won against 6 Covenant ships. The room sealed it self shut and secured before the room darkened and the 36" view screen start to show the view screens.

It showed three young privates and a sergeant guarding the warthogs. Two of the privates were sitting on the tailgate of one of the warthogs. The sergeant was on a LAAG with the private sitting on the opposite tailgate. They all carried MA5B's except for the Sergeant with a shotgun.

"This station sucks." One private said. "I wish I stayed on Reach where it was safe."

"Stow the Bullshit marine." The Sergeant said. "Best damn station I had, No Covenant."

A rustle happened nearby.

"What was that?" The private asked. The sky grew dark and the marines switched to flashlights as the ring was orbiting in the blind spot where it was dark. Guns were locked and loaded as one marine grabbed a LAAG. The other two slowly walked towards the driver seats as something came out of the dark. It was fast and quick, something like an arm lifted up a warthog and flipped it over, knocking the marine off the LAAG before he had a chance to fire. The Sergeant opened fired yelling curses over the gun as the privates opened up. Something grabbed the sergeant as he was yanked into the darkness screaming and fumbling for his shotgun. He got a shot off before he screamed one more time.

The privates back up into each other as they searched for what was attacking them, all breathing heavily.

"What the hell was that?"

"I don't know."

A rustle was heard to the left of the marines and they all turned and fire on the spot. Bullets ripped apart the tree like plant and made holes in the snow/sand.

"Let's get inside!" One of the privates yelled and dashed off into the darkness. His comrades followed. They opened fired at any sound that wasn't made; there were a lot of them as they made a 5-meter dashed to the glowing doors. Suddenly the marine to the left vanished and screamed as he opened fire with his gun, emptying the clip in his gun before he died.

"Shit! Run!" The marine yelled. He ran up to the door and it popped open on his presence. He was about to step inside when a creature sprang out of the shadows and dragged him into the darkness knocking off his helmet.

The Marine grabbed his pistol as he looked for a target. Nothing. The video echoed a grunt and the marine slowly turned around. A 1.5-meter tall figured stood there for a split second before it pounced. The marine fired his pistol three times before his helmet was knocked off and he was dragged into the darkness. The Video ended when the marine echoed one last scream and the video recorded a flat line on his vitals. It then ended 5 seconds later.

As the light came on, the Admiral was stunned by what he saw. He stood there for a minute pondering what this could mean. Have they stumbled upon what destroyed the covenant stationed here?