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Chapter 6

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Ninth Age of Reclamation, Step of Silence / Airborne above Halo

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'M-bosee knew something was wrong the moment he saw the banshees that were guarding the Vigilant Finder. They were firing on something below, and there were many people firing back from the ground. A fuel rod gun went off, and a banshee fell. Continued fire from multiple plasma rifles downed another banshee. As 'M-bosee and his squad flew nearer, a figure leapt absurdly high, grabbed onto the wing of a banshee, pulled itself up, and pulled the elite pilot out of his seat. The elite was shot from the sky by the fighters below. The commandeered banshee turned on its fellows and shot one down. The last free banshee spun around, and charged the commandeered banshee. The banshees fired plasma at each other, burning off chunks of each flyer. They collided with a huge green fuel rod explosion, and the banshee husks fell to the ground.

"No!" 'M-bosee slammed the cockpit wall with his fist.

"Sir?" 'Colamee spoke up hesitantly. 'M-bosee turned to look at the hologram of what was around the dropship. "What is that?"

"The Flood…" 'M-bosee muttered. There were legions of small figures scuttling around the dropships at the Vigilant Finder. 'M-bosee cursed, then he realized something.

"Set down the dropships just behind this cliff. Tell the banshee pilots to fall back. The Flood can't see us."

Once 'Colamee had set the dropship down, 'M-bosee strode out, taking a beam rifle with him.

'M-bosee zoomed in to watch what the Flood were doing. His stomach turned as he watched what had once been an elite. Whatever the Flood infection was like, it had mutated its host into a zombie-like monster. The former elite had tentacles growing from its wrists, and its head had been knocked back, replaced by active antennae. The Flood combat form had a disfigured torso, with a bloated chest and a shriveled abdomen. Although its form was made for combat, the Flood seemed to repairing a Covenant dropship. What scared 'M-bosee was the fact that it knew what it was doing.

Another Flood form waddled through 'M-bosee's line of vision. This one resembled an armless, headless, grunt. The grunt's torso was swollen absurdly, and it waddled along past the former elite. The swollen creature was trailed by small, round fleshy balls that bobbed along on little tentacles.

'M-bosee zoomed back out and returned to the dropship.

"Close the hatch, get the dropships airborne." 'M-bosee called to 'Colamee. "We can't let them off this ring. Sent the other two dropships around the sides, order them to glass the dropships with shade fire."

'M-bosee could hear 'Colamee giving the orders to the other dropship pilots as he entered the cockpit. 'Colamee lifted off with the other dropships, and flew out above the Flood-infested Covenant headquarters. The combat forms immediately saw them, turned, and began firing with whatever plasma weapons they happened to have. Little of the plasma bolts actually hit, and did effectively no damage to the ship. The dropship's shade opened fire on the grounded dropships, melting their cockpits and engines.

'Colamee opened the side hatch so that Nene 'Medamee could target the Flood forms with her beam rifle. She picked one and shot. The laser beam hit, and passed right through, leaving a small hole in the combat form's side. Frustrated, 'Medamee fired again, twice in quick succession. The beam rifle overheated, but when the second beam hit the Flood in the chest, it collapsed. After waiting a few seconds for her rifle to cool down, 'Medamee targeted a new Flood's chest and fired. When the combat form didn't die, she shot its chest a second time, laying it low and overheating her rifle again.

"'M-bosee!" 'Medamee called. "Tell the Yar-Kai that the Flood fighters can't be efficiently slain by beam rifles!"

The two other dropships suddenly appeared, hosing the Flood-repaired dropships as well. The Flood themselves, however, ignored the newcomers.

The Yar-Kai in one dropship, having not heard the information given by 'Medamee, fired at a Flood. 'Medamee zoomed in as the bloated Flood form exploded, killing all of the Flood fighters and infection pods around it. From inside the dead monstrosity five infection pods leapt out, released from their carrier.

"Fall back." 'M-bosee told 'Colamee. "If the Flood is ignoring the other dropships, then go ahead and let them. We don't have to be there."

'Colamee brought the dropship out of range of the ground, and waited for the other dropships to finish melting the Flood's ships. The Flood continued trying to his 'Colamee's ship, but to no avail.

"Sir," the pilot of one of the other dropships hailed 'M-bosee, "the dropships are in pieces."

"Good. Follow our ship. There's someone I with to speak to." 'M-bosee replied.

"Who?" 'Colamee asked. "Everyone else was killed by the Flood."

"Not everyone." 'M-bosee replied.

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1715 Hours, September 31, 2547 (Military Time) / Alpha Base, Halo, Harbinger System

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"So let me get this straight; the Flood is an organism that infects a host, and turns it into either a deadly fighting machine or a carrier to produce more infection forms?" Major Dougal asked.

"Don't forget that it gets complete control of the host's brain, knowledge, and memories." Dav reminded the Major.

"And if the Covenant search for the Index to activate Halo, they will release the Flood. Once there are hosts, a single spore can wipe out an entire planet." Petra warned them.

"Sir!" The hologram of a marine at a communications station appeared in the middle of Major Dougal's office. "Someone demands that he speak with you."

"Who is it?" Dougal asked.

"He wouldn't say. It's an audio-only transmission."

"Alright, sent him through."

The marine vanished, and a strong, foreign voice could be heard:

"Is this Major Dougal?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

A hologram of an elite in white armor appeared.

"My name is Ttoa 'M-bosee. I am the leader of the Sescorheisa Squad. We are on our way to meet with you in person. I have more than enough reason to believe that the three dropships under my command are the only surviving Covenant forces on this ring. I request that you order your troops to not attack us as we approach. There are three dropships and two banshees in my patrol."

"Give us one good reason we shouldn't attack you." Dougal asked, disapprovingly.

"Have you ever heard of the Flood?" Ttoa 'M-bosee asked.

"Yes." The Major replied.

"The rest of the Covenant forces on Halo were consumed by them. We are all that's left, and we wish to ally with you to fight the Flood, and perhaps we can help you out of the system." 'M-bosee explained.

Petra, Dougal, Parsons, and Dav looked at each other for a moment, and Petra replied,

"We will allow you to dock under one condition: we will search all of your dropships. If we find so much as a single Infection Form, we can kill you all."

"Deal. Now, please, don't let your soldiers kill us as we land." 'M-bosee's image faded.

No one spoke as Petra ordered the marines at Alpha Base to not fire upon three dropships and two banshees. They all knew what kind of situation they had placed themselves in, but…Covenant allies. The chance was too good to miss.

Finally, Major Dougal spoke: "Captain Dav Flamerock, go get your burns treated. We want you in perfect condition for 'M-bosee's arrival."

"Yes sir." Dav left the office just after the pulse of energy went off.

"Lt. Parsons, help me relocate Petra's hologram-emitter. We want it just outside my office. Those elites may be our allies, but I'm not letting them in here." Major Dougal stood up to move Petra outside.

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Captain Dav Flamerock and Lieutenant Parsons stood on either side of Major Dougal as the Covenant ships flew into Alpha Base. There was a large contingent of marines standing behind the trio who would meet with the Covenant. Petra, who was inside Dav's head, alerted the Spartan to the approaching dropships. He instinctively reached for his assault rifle before catching himself. Lt. Parsons shot a warning look behind Dougal to Dav, when they saw blips growing on the horizon.

Just as 'M-bosee had said, there were three dropships, with two banshees flying to defend them. The elites in the banshees circled above the drop-off site, refraining from firing on the army of marines below.

The three dropships set down simultaneously in a wedge formation. Covenant soldiers leapt out of the dropships, and a few veteran marines fidgeted as their instincts told them to take out the enemies in front of them. From the front-most dropship four black-armored elites and one white-armored elite emerged, their arms angled down and away from their bodies. Each elite hand held a cluster of weapons.

The white-armored elite walked in front, holding a non-activated energy sword and two plasma rifles. Once he reached Major Dougal, he spoke. To everyone's surprise, he spoke in UNSC Common:

"I am Ttoa 'M-bosee. These are my weapons. You may search our ship now."

Major Dougal motioned for three squads of marines to search the three dropships, as two marines casually checked rocket launchers.

"So, you are one of the legendary Demons." Ttoa 'M-bosee said to Dav Flamerock.

"Why do you ask?" Dav responded.

"Why are you here?" 'M-bosee continued.

"We have no way to leave."

"No. Why did you come to this system in the first place?"

"The stone from Sigma Octanus."

"How did you know it was a Holy Forerunner artifact?"

"We didn't."

"Sir," a marine captain called out, "no Flood were found on any of the dropships."

"Good job marine." Major Dougal turned to the elite. "Please land your banshees."

'M-bosee made a motion with his hand and the two banshees circled around to land. The Covenant forces nearby moved aside as the airships swooped down to the grassy plain. The elite pilots leaped out as their ships touched down, and the two rocket-bearing marines checked the banshees for Flood. Finding none, the marines returned and Major Dougal addressed 'M-bosee.

"So, why did you come?"

"We have been to our former command center, and we destroyed all of the dropships we saw. However, we don't know what else may be on this ring that the Flood could use to escape. Luckily, there is only one Slipspace-enabled ship the Flood could use to escape this system – our ship. However, the prophet who is in charge of the ship – Oporome Suchora – doesn't understand the threat of the Flood, and he won't let us leave the system until the Sacred Ring is activated and the Great Journey begins. However, he should let us return to High Charity if we have human prisoners. Especially if one is a Demon.

"Similarly, you need a way off Halo. So, if we – us Covenant and you humans – get aboard the only cruiser in orbit and take command of it, we will drop you off at one of your glassed Outer Colonies and you can get someone to pick you up."

Lt. Parsons gaped. Major Dougal was similarly stunned. The marines had varied reactions – some shocked, some overjoyed, some distrusting. Only the SPARTAN II Dav Flamerock seemed to understand where the offer was coming from. He stepped forward, looked back at the Major, who nodded, and declaired:

"We'll take your offer."

He extended his hand, and Ttoa 'M-bosee gave him a confused look. One of the black-armored elites behind 'M-bosee whispered something to him, and an amused look crossed his face. Chuckling, the elite commander raised his three-fingered hand and grasped the outstretched hand of Dav Flamerock.

The two soldiers – one human, one sangheli, shook hands.

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Ninth Age of Reclamation, Step of Silence / Covenant Cruiser Lightbringing Hierarch, Harbinger System

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Oporome Suchora awoke with a start when the buzzer went off. He was wanted in the command room. Dressing quickly, Suchora hurried to the command room, where the two Linghae elites watched over the ship while he was resting. The minor prophet strode into the command room, his needler hidden inside his robes. As he entered, the two red-armored elites motioned to the comm. station.

"Nakaina Ttoa 'M-bosee wishes to speak with you." One of the elites told him.

"What now? I am beginning to question the faith of this elite commander." The prophet mumbled to himself as he approached the control panel. He activated the communications panel, and a hologram of 'M-bosee appeared, sitting in a dropship's co-pilot seat. 'M-bosee nodded his head in a respectful greeting.

"Noble Oporome Suchora, I am aware that you want us to stay on the Sacred Ring until we activate it, despite the completely real threat of the Flood, but I have good news. We have captured a whole platoon of humans – including a Demon."

"A Demon!" Suchora was suddenly very pleased.

"Yes. We request extraction immediately to deliver the prisoners to the High Prophets."

"Your request is granted. How many ships will you have?"

"Three dropships, and five human Pelican-class dropships. We have captured those as well."

"Wonderful." Suchora closed the link.

Suddenly, the comm. flashed again.

"Excellency, another transmission. This one is from Docking Bay 94." The elite explained. The minor prophet activated the comm. channel. A spec-ops grunt appeared.

"Excellency," the grunt bowed deeply, "a dropships has just docked. It is not responding to any of our attempts to contact the pilot, and are not coming out of the dropship. We are in the process of entering it."

"This is odd. I will come take a look." Suchora closed the link, then said to himself, "They're here already?"

He motioned to his two elite commanders. "Come with me. We will investigate this rogue ship."

"Yes sir." The two elites fell into step behind Suchora as the prophet strode quickly out of the command room.

As the trio of commanders neared the hangar, they ran into a large patrol of jackals and grunts heading the same direction. They were all armed and the jackal's shields were activated.

"Where is the trouble?" Suchora asked the jackal in charge.

"Docking Bay 94." The jackal chattered a reply.

Drawing his needler, Oporome Suchora led the elites, grunts, and jackals into the hangar bay.

The scene was monstrous, in every possible meaning of the term. The hangar was overrun with zombies who appeared to at one point have been elites, and Flood infection forms. The combat forms were all armed with Covenant weapons, save a few who held only plasma grenades. There were also a few carriers, and the room was littered with open crates. The corpses of grunts and engineers soaked the hangar floor in blue blood. Plasma fire could be hard from the other end of the room.

In front of Suchora was a large cluster of crates, and a few combat forms stood next to them, facing away from the newcomers. The prophet immediately raised his needler and sprayed purple needles at the Flood forms by the crates. The needles hit, and as the Flood form turned around the grunts and jackals around Suchora charged. A Flood Carrier form exploded farther away, and the elites that stood with the prophet took out the Flood form who survived Suchora's needle explosion.

Suchora slipped a fresh crystal into his gun, and followed the grunts and jackals towards the Flood horde. A small group went around the other side of the crates to flank the monsters.

The fight on the other side of the hangar ended with plasma grenade and Flood carrier explosions. The jackals and grunts guarding Suchora engaged the Flood forms closest as the prophet walked up behind the crates so he could be covered while the Covenant troops got into position. Once the grunts and jackals were in position, needles from Flood combat forms detonated inside two grunts, killing them and alerting Suchora to the danger the combat forms posed. He edged out from behind the crates with his elite guards just as the jackals and grunts killed the needle-bearing Flood forms.

Flood combat forms kept coming, and with a blast of plasma they took out the last grunt in front of the Oporome. The elites burned down the combat forms, and all the Covenant soldiers took a quick respite from the charging Flood forms to let their guns cool. The Flood combat forms were soon upon them again, however, and the elites and jackals hosed them down with plasma pistols and plasma rifles. A pair of carriers approached, and the Covenant soldiers responded by burning them down too.

However, the carriers exploded when they died, taking out the middle jackal's shield. Infection forms surrounded the final two combat forms as they charged. The elites and jackals let their plasma weapons cool. Just as the Flood forces were about to reach the Covenant defenders, Suchora's two elite guards tossed the two shielded jackals aside and stood in front, barring the way.

Suchora smiled as the two Flood combat forms obliged by leaping on the elites, whacking them with mutated and unnaturally strong and hard arms. The jackals leapt back up, firing at infection forms whenever they could, hoping to keep them from killing the elites.

Unfortunately, there were too many infection forms, and the Flood forms didn't seem to notice being hit by the elites. An infection pod popped off of an elite's shields, and a second landed on the now-shieldless elite. It inserted its piercing rod into the elite, and the Covenant soldier collapsed. Suchora, seeing that the Flood forms had beaten the elite in hand-to-hand combat, turned to flee.

A moment later, he heard the other elite guard die from the overwhelming Flood combat forms. He continued to flee, as he heard plasma shots fly from jackal to Flood, and he heard one of the jackals die. A group of needles exploded, quickly followed by another needle explosion, marking the end of the two Flood combat forms and the last jackal. He continued to run until he heard grunts yelling from behind him,

"Excellency! Excellency! The monstrosities are dead! It's safe!"

The prophet turned to see three slightly battered grunts, all bearing needlers, approach.

"Search that hangar. I want every single Flood form you find killed." Oporome could hear the clicking of an infection form from the back of his mind.

"Yes, Excellency." The grunts turned back to the hangar bay to search for rogue Flood forms.

Suchora ran the rest of the way to the command room, where he could find respite. The infection form faded in and out, but plagued him the whole way there. Once he reached the command room, he strode to the control panel, intent on asking Ttoa 'M-bosee if he had any information on these "Flood" creatures, when he heard the infection form again. The prophet spun around and leveled his needler, but there was nothing there.

"It's just in your mind. It will go away in a moment." Suchora told himself.

He stood there for a moment, waiting for it to go away. Instead, it became louder, and he spun back to the control panel, and backed away. Just as he did, an infection form leaped through the holopanel, clicking its way along the floor towards the prophet.

Suchora dropped his needler in panic and backpedaled. The Flood spore easily overtook him, however, and it leapt for his chest. He swung a punch to try to pop it, but missed. The Flood Infection spore landed on his chest and inserted its piercing rod into him. The prophet fell to the ground, screaming in pain until the Flood completely took over his mind.

A few moments later, with a combined effort from the still slightly-aware Suchora and the Flood form, the corpse of the former minor prophet stumbled up to the control panel, and pressed the control to make the ship enter Slipspace.

8