Notes: Thanks so far to all who have read my story. Please feel free to post reviews and comments as I think I am starting to get some sort of handle on how I want (maybe incorrectly) to write this stuff. I will mention that this story is going to lead into another one in the future, but no spoilers! Heh R&R

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Food Fight Part Deux

November 2nd, 2552 10:41AM

Sol System - Aboard the MAC Orbital platform Malta

Level 8 - Inside Comm Room

Justin definitely did not like what he saw. The Comm room on this and the other platforms had been designed so a few people could monitor a lot of feeds through holopanels and an advanced alerting system, and it made for cramped quarters. Blood was strewn about the room and several people's lifeless bodies lay limp on the floor. It was all easily making Justin claustrophobic, which seemed odd to him. The MSAC he was in had never caused him any problems, and it didn't bother him now. This room, however, was simply stifling him and putting his nerves on notice.

It was then he noticed the elite on the floor, a steady stream of its blood trickled out of a small wound on its neck, made by some sort of object Justin couldn't make out. He then recoiled slightly as his eyes fell upon the small-framed woman slumped on the left side of the room. "Cover the door" Justin ordered as he pressed the Hobbit's release trigger, opened the back of the suit and stepped out. He quickly walked over to where Audrey lay unconscious and placed his fingers on the side of her neck. He felt what seemed like the weight of the world lift off his shoulders as he felt the rhythmic pulse of her blood coursing through her neck. "Thank God".

About half a dozen marines entered the door behind Justin, with two immediately taking posts at the door. The others began checking over the Comm. workers, each giving the others a headshake affirming the worker's deaths. One of the marines approached Justin. "I'm Sergeant Don Reynolds, my men and I were sent up her to take over for the crew so they could get off this boat before the Covenant made it up here, but we fought hell over in section A-3. We need to get you guys out of here. The bumblebees are going fast, with the only ones left remaining in the starboard side of the cargo hold. It shouldn't be a rough trip between here and there, as the Covies seem to be withdrawing back down toward the lower levels, and for some odd reason they have stopped sending in boarding parties."

The feeling of Audrey starting to stir in Justin's arms broke his attention away from the Sergeant. Justin looked at her fair complexion intently, whispering softly "I'm here Audrey, I told you I would get to you". Audrey's eyes opened slowly, then almost immediately started to water as she wrapped her arms around Justin's neck and pulled them together, trying to ignore the pain two broken ribs were causing her. "Where's Michelle?" Audrey's eyes were already beginning to water, expecting the worst for the young girl. The girl's desperate cry for the elite to leave them alone still rang in her ears, and suddenly Audrey snapped back into full awareness. "The elite, is it dead?" Audrey had much fear in her voice as she posed the question, and looked as though her whole body relaxed when Justin nodded his head, and pointed to the fallen creature on the floor just a few feet away.

"Ow, my head hurts like hell!" Justin and Audrey turned to see Michelle coming to, massaging her temples as she sat up against the wall behind her. One of the marines walked over to the young girl and began to examine her for injuries, then helped her to her feet as Justin and Audrey stood as well. "It was awful Justin" Audrey choked back tears as she started recounting the events in the room, how the others had tried to protect them only to fall to the elite one by one. How she thought she was going to see Michelle die before her eyes as well, but managed to plunge the letter opener into its neck. "The damned thing STILL wouldn't let go!" Michelle interjected, then proceeded to tell of how she had finished the elite off, although she didn't remember the fall to the floor.

"I am glad you are all having a nice reunion, but we need to get you the hell off this place before the Covies decide its time for another raid". The Sergeant's voice was rough and authoritative, which went well with his face. Clearly the scars ornamenting his forehead and cheeks had many stories to tell, but now would not be the time to hear them. "Davis, I want you to stay beside Audrey and the other girl, I am going to get back in the Hobbit in case we meet any resistance before we make it to the cargo hold." Justin turned and gave a smirk to Audrey, knowing she would give him a hard time over using her name for the MSAC, the same one he had jokingly sworn to her he would never use. "Alright people, let's move out!" The Sergeant motioned to the door and everyone started falling out, eager to leave the smell of death that had began to fill the room.

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Mayab checked his methane readings and sighed, the boredom of guard duty was never one the Unggoy requested, but always seemed to get dispatched for it somehow. He looked around the open room, and up at the balcony area, then directed his gaze to his left. A grey-armored Sangheili was busy punching in codes on the "Zonti", as the Unggoy came to call it after the small spiny creatures they sometimes kept as pets. Mayab had once cared for one in his youth, on the Covenant outpost of Djarnule. He assumed "Baji" was probably dead now, as it had been many cycles since he had left her and his mate.

The Sangheili seemed lost in his task at hand, as he paid no attention to Mayab's scoffs at his predicament, which was probably a good thing. The Unggoy's life was one of borderline slavery to the Sangheili, and they showed no hesitation or remorse for striking down any who were insubordinate. He was glad that this would be over soon. They would leave this station and watch its destruction at the hands of the Zonti, to soon be followed by the destruction of the other stations at the hands of his brethren. The vermin needed to be cleansed from the galaxy, so that maybe this war would cease and his fellow Unggoy could finally return home to a world most of them had never seen.

Vermin?

The prophets' teachings had often referred to the destruction of the humans as a necessary step before the Great Journey could begin, but why? The Covenant had fired the first shot in this war, and it just seemed to Mayab that the humans didn't pose a significant threat to any of the Covenant's races' way of life. Well, except for the Demon, of course. Luckily, the Demon seemed to be on one of the other human's stations, and hopefully the Zonti being planted there would bring an end to his crusade against them.

"It is time". Mayab snapped out of his thoughts as the Sangheili's deep voice reverberated through the empty room. A subtle beep had begun coming from the Zonti, and it made him nervous. He knew they needed to get out of there. Luckily, their Gharnal boarding craft was still vacuumed against the large lookout window at the far end of the human's eating hall. Mayab started to waddle toward the craft as the Sangheili with him checked the Zonti one last time, ensuring the countdown was proceeding, and then began to catch up with Mayab as he reached the portal entrance. Mayab sighed as he heard the warning indicator for his methane tank go off, requiring him to change it. "What I wouldn't give for a Methane Tent about now." Mayab sighed as he stepped inside.

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The MAC guns had seemed to cease their firing and that concerned Justin.

Was it taken out? Probably not; if it had, the whole station would have went up.

Still, the rhythmic thump of the projectiles being fired had quickly became a source of comfort for the people onboard the Malta, as if it was the heart of the platform itself. Justin peered out one of the viewing ports just before getting on the elevator. There were dozens of explosions going on above the Earth. Human and Covenant ships alike exploded from rains of plasma and MAC impacts, and the area about the station literally looked like a ship graveyard. Hulls of UNSC frigates and destroyers floated dead in space, trails of white leapt from them as oxygen vented out into the void of space. The battle, however, raged on as a slew of missiles went streaking past, leaving ghostly white trails in their wake as they sped toward an already-crippled Covenant ship. Their impact made Justin look away, momentarily blinded by the brilliant flash of the ship's reactors detonating despite the Hobbit's glare shield's vain attempt to darken itself in time.

Justin turned back and looked at Audrey as the elevator's doors slid open with a slight hiss, and the marines accompanying them did a quick sweep of the interior. He could tell she was in pain, although she was doing her best to hide it. He prayed a silent prayer that she had no internal injuries, as it would be a while before they made it to a medical facility of any sort. The other girl, Michelle, seemed to fair better, as she was walking intently, carrying a M6B pistol one of the marines back at the Comm. Room had given her. Brittany and Bob were staying close to each other, both brandishing M7 submachine guns. Davis stood with his BR55 pointed toward the ground, acting almost unconcerned that they were still on the station as he glanced at some holopanels, possibly trying to catch a glimpse of the Spartan.

"Alright, everyone fall in!" The Sergeant motioned for everyone to get into the elevator, and Justin, stepped in, edging himself to the very rear of the elevator to allow everyone to get in. It only took a few seconds to realize it wasn't going to happen. "Alright, here's what we are going to do. Fat boy will go down with the females and myself, and the two guys and Private Jordan here will remain and wait for the elevator to return. We will set up shop just outside the elevator exit into the mess hall, and you will fall in behind us. Be quick, don't be stupid and don't try to be a hero."

With that Brittany, Audrey and Michelle stepped in alongside Sergeant Reynolds. Brittany cast Bob a teary-eyed glance as the door closed, and Michelle placed her hand on her shoulder. "It will be alright hun, they'll be down in no time and we will get off this hellhole." Whether the gesture consoled her in some way Michelle didn't know. Probably nothing would provide comfort until they all had Earth underneath their feet again. Assuming, of course, that the Covenant had been driven back as well.

A sudden "ding" from the elevator alerted the crew that they had reached the mess hall, and all began to file out with guns at the ready. Sergeant Reynolds took point, and quickly scanned the area immediately around the elevator, but saw nothing. "Alright, it looks like we are clear up here. Everyone keep your eyes open and your heads down. When the others join us, we will fall out two by two with fat boy leading the way.."

"The name's Justin, sir." Everyone's tensions were high, as they all wanted to get out. Justin hadn't meant to snap at the Sergeant, but none of his group had seen combat or even had much training other than marksmanship, and it was starting to show. Justin couldn't tell if he was relieved or nervous that they hadn't seen any Covenant up until now, and he almost wished something would either pop out our give the all clear, as the uncertainty of the situation was starting to get to him.

"Ok, Justin. You will go first as you at least have some protection. If you come under fire, I will be right there to mow the bastards down. I will set the private up along the balcony rail to rain grenades down on anything that might happen to be down below. Just keep all your heads cool and we will all make it out of here alive. Oh yeah, and check your weapons before we move out, we don't want to walk into a firefight without any ammo.

As if right on cue the elevator behind them pinged, and they all turned and focused their aim on its door, just in case it wasn't their backup that had arrived. The sight the group aiming at them made Bob and Davis recoil slightly, but Private Eric Jordan never flinched. He stepped forward out of the elevator, and followed Sergeant Reynolds' order to take up a cover position along the balcony railing. He scanned the floor below them and noticed several bodies scattered around, but a small part of his view was blocked by a pillar stretching from the floor to the ceiling roughly fifteen feet over his head.

Private Jordan eased himself into the prone position and snaked slowly around the perimeter of the balcony until he saw something that made him stop. Attached to one part of the viewing window was a circular hole that had a brightly glowing outer edge. As he started into the whole, he saw a small creature shift in its spot, as if it was trying to fasten itself to some device. Private Jordan slowly brought his BR55 to bear, and adjusted the scope to 3x magnification. It was hard to make out, but he felt confident he was looking at a grunt that was trying to secure a methane tank to its back. Eric slowly released the safety on his rifle, and inhaled when suddenly a shriek came from the direction of the hole. "Look! More enemies!" Private Johnson squeezed the trigger as the KAT 9.5x40mm round exploded into the air, and exhaled when he saw the creature inside the hole fall.

The air seemed to suddenly shift around the entrance hole to the Covenant boarding craft, and a loud "wort" sounded throughout the room. Private Jordan fired two rounds into the general area the sound had came from, but was quickly met with a rebuttal of plasma fire. One shot hit the railing in front of him, causing it to become superheated to the point of Private Jordan feeling it over six inches away. The sudden heat caused him to shuffle himself backward as another bolt barely missing his head, but causing the skin on the side of his face to boil. The Private grabbed the side of his face and yelled in pain before rolling himself away from the balcony's edge.

Sergeant Reynolds ran up to the soldier to see the right side of his face severely burned, and immediately tossed a grenade over the side of the balcony. The grenade exploded below but plasma fire again erupted signifying the elite was still alive. Justin looked over toward the two soldiers and anger began to build on the inside of him. He didn't know why or where it was coming from. He should have been filled with fear knowing that there was an elite in the room with them and that even though they were all armed they were all still very much in danger. No, his anger was for his friend, Tom, and for Audrey. He had to get her out of there. He had to get them all out of there.

With a burst of speed Justin pushed forward in the hobbit, heading for the large stairway that once granted many marines and civilians access to food and communion with each other, but now seemed to be part of the great divide that was keeping them from getting to safety. Justin bound down the steps four at a time until he was about halfway down, then jumped the last twenty, landing down in a kneeling stance, frantically searching for the elite that had been firing up at the balcony. He began to get more and more apprehensive with each scan of the room, his eyes trying to peer into every dark and jaded place to see his enemy, but it was as if he was hunting a ghost, until it appeared as though the air itself moved about 30 feet in front of him. As quickly as his eye caught the movement, super-heated plasma began to gracefully arc its way toward him, the first couple of shots splashing across his torso, draining his shields to fifty-five percent.

Why are they not arcing away like before? It had seemed like some supernatural power had been working in his favor before, but had turned cruelly on him now, with their escape looming so closely. Justin's mind raced to make the connection as two more shots grazed him, dropping his shield to thirty-eight percent. Suddenly, it all connected. "Magnetics" Justin whispered as a smile broke across his face. Of course, the ends of the MSAC's arms are magnetized. They must alter the magnetic field the Covenant use to form and guide the plasma. A quick view of his system HUD confirmed his suspicion. The magnetic poles of the arms were reversed to enable him to float and support objects using the fields themselves. Justin quickly threw up one of the arms as another volley of plasma came his way, but instead of connecting, the plasma's trajectory altered itself, and the connected with the wall behind him, burning more scars into the platform.

The alteration of the plasma didn't seem to phase the elite, though, as it began to advance toward him, the plasma rifle it held spewing forth superheated bolts toward Justin, all missing their mark by less and less as the elite closed in. Suddenly the plasma stopped and the elite's camouflage failed, revealing the creature and what used to be its head. "Take that you bastard!" Sergeant Reynolds' voice rang through the room, and it was followed by voices of approval from the rest of the team that were now joining up on Justin's flanks. Lastly the Sergeant and the wounded Private joined up with them, the Private sporting a large gauze that was hastily secured around his head. "Alright, let's get down to those lifebo.. Wait.. What is that beeping noise?" "Oh shit."

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Notes: Well, we are getting there. I hope you liked this chapter. For some reason it was hard to write, as I went back over a few sections several times, and am still not totally happy with it, but hopefully it is readable! Please R&R!