The Covenant Civil War: Part Three

The Phantom accelerated away from the Brute ship, followed by a volley of plasma blasts similar to the ones Shadow turrets fire, but faster and larger. The pilot pulled off some intense maneuvers but, even then, one or two plasma blasts struck the drop ship. "This is strike team Fate's Hammer. We've pulled back from the ship; we have taken far too many casualties." Zarg Kassad, a Spec.Ops Elite, said into his COM link. "We're headed back to the Rivalry for fresh soldiers. Our boarding pod was a one-way quick assault pod, so we've stolen an enemy Phantom." Zarg said again.
"Affirmative, Dock in Hangar No.357 for reinforcements and resupply." A voice responded. The Phantom was struck by several more plasma blasts.
"Our hull can't take too many more plasma blasts. The engine's can't stand another manuever, be prepared for a possible crash landing." The pilot said into the intercom as more and more plasma blasts battered the ship's hull. It began to spew blue smoke on the left side. Plasma blasts hurtled past the drop ship and into deep space, others continued to score direct hits.
"Me found the turret that is shooting us!" A Grunt said, operating the turret. The Grunt aims for the anti-fighter weapon and let loose a series of deadly plasma blasts. The enemy turret quickly explodes, and the plasma barrage stops. The Phantom swooped inside the designated docking bay to find tons of well-armed Elites and Grunts waiting in the hangar. Some were rushing to the boarding pods; others were scurrying about, grabbing needlers, carbines, energy swords, plasma pistols, plasma rifles, anything. Some dual-wielded weapons, others took only one. Forty Elites and thirty grunts got inside a large, spacious pod, even bigger than the one they used before. The remaining members of Fate's Hammer strike team boarded the same pod, and launched again at the same Brute ship, eager to get back into the action. The pod lurched forwards as it was launched from its holding chamber.
"This is a two-way assault pod. It is armed with light plasma cannons, and can be attached and detached to an enemy ship." A mechanical voice said, describing the pod. The pod slammed into the side of the Brute ship, and the soldiers poured out. The Arbiter prepared to fire his carbine...
But nobody was there.
"Odd...the Brutes should be on full watch for enemies or boarding pods...something's not right." The Arbiter said, "Alert, the Brutes should be here...more heavily armed than they were last time...and with more soldiers..." Zarg said. Something was terribly wrong, and they all knew it. Suddenly, there was a loud clang from above, then silence.
"Something not only feels wrong, something smells wrong...smell the air..." Zarg says.
The Arbiter smelled a putrid stench in the air. His eyes suddenly widened with fear.
"Brothers! To the pods! This ship must be destroyed at once!" The Arbiter yelled. Suddenly, the vent smashed open, and a dozen Flood infection forms spilled out of the vent.
"THE PARASITE!" One Grunts screamed. The Flood was all over the poor creature in seconds, and one burrowed into its chest.
The strike team dashed to where the pod was. The Arbiter noticed the body of a Brute who was wearing the colors of a Naval Captain.
"This scum must have had something to do with it..."The Arbiter says. He fired his carbine at the infection forms while he grabbed a item labeled "Log" that was clipped onto the Captain's combat belt. The Arbiter crouched down low and destroyed the rest of the infection forms with a grenade, and then he ran to the pod. A warrior form lept down behind him, but the Arbiter reacted by firing several shots into the creature's chest. He ran forwards and found some cover behind a stationary sniping shield, avoiding the plasma blasts that were flying at him. He then lept out from behind his cover and fired at the warrior form that was closest to him. The energy bolts ripped through the parasite's body mass and instantly killed it. The Arbiter walked backwards slowly, keeping up the fire on the parasites finally made it to the pods, and hopped inside. It jettisoned from the enemy ship and back to the Rivalry. Moments later, the Flood-infected ship was blown to smithereens by the Angel of Death. The final Brute ship attempted to flee, but a beam of blue plasma fired by the Rivalry easily destroyed it. The 3 Dreadnaughts had sustained minimal damage, and they prepared to enter slip space again. A blue aura engulfed the 3 ships, and they were gone in a brilliant flash of light.

Elite Alliance Shipyard 'Zaxxon'
The Arbiter carried the small, silver orb he had labeled "Log" up to where the three Commanders of the Dreadnaughts were waiting. He placed the orb on a sleek, purple table and pressed a small button on the front. It showed a small hologram of a Brute.
"Naval Captain Vlad, 2552, Ninth Age of Reclamation. Our current project has not been succesful. The parasite seemingly cannot be tamed..."The hologram started to say.
"That's why the parasite was on board the ship. "The fool!" Zarg said, clenching his fist. The Arbiter turned off the log.
"That is all we needed to know. That idiot tried to tame the parasite...let us hope there are no others out there who think they can do the same. "The Arbiter said, still holding his carbine.