Chapter 1 – Battlefield
If you liked the Prologue you'll love this.
"Navy team, what's your status?" Spartan 224 asked.
"Doing real fine up here, nothing too bad. Just some couples of Hunters, ahh!" the team leader replied.
Spartan 224 could hear the plasma fire shoot past his fellow. The com-link on that end closed, the Spartan spoke again.
"If you say so," he told the leader.
"Yellow team here, we're having a bit of trouble. They've decided to bring out Ghosts and Phantoms by the dozens," yellow team leader informed them.
"Be right with you," Spartan 224 answered. "Beige team lets go!"
The group of ten stopped their actions and went out of the room they were holding out in. They went out, guns at the ready under Spartan 224's watchful eye. He kept counting, kept track, kept on full alert.
Yellow team were nearby and the gap was closing until…
"Ghosts!" a Spartan shouted and rolled out of the vehicles way.
The Ghost was headed straight for Spartan 224. Quickly the Spartan side stepped and latched onto the Ghost. He kicked the Elite out of the seat and hopped in. The Spartan veered the Ghost, turning it back to the Elite who stood ready. The Elite shot the oncoming Ghost, then did something the Spartan was not planning on.
The Elite chucked a grenade on the Ghost, and it stuck. Spartan 224 jumped out of the seat and just reached cover before…
BAM!
"Watch it Paul," a Spartan warned beside him.
"I did, don't worry Elissa," Paul replied.
"If I didn't who knows where this team would end up," Elissa chuckled.
He stood up to see his teammates had already finished off the Elite. He refrained from arguing, there were plenty more to come.
Indeed, there were Phantoms and Ghosts galore as the Yellow team leader had said. The Beige and Yellow teams were separated but were quite effective. It would have taken hours if the Olive team had not come to help. Soon enough the Spartans were together and eager for more.
Paul shot the grunt down and looked across the battlefield. It was a mess, a mixture of luminous blood and fluids from the occasional hit Spartan. At least it was one victory on the cold alien planet.
"Spartan 224 reporting. It's all done," he said over the com-link.
"Right, come on home then," Lieutenant Jefferson said
"Way ahead of ya, Lieutenant," a pilot replied.
Four aircrafts came over the tall ridge that went around the basin area the Spartans were in. The crafts were the size of the old Pelicans but smoother and not very bulky. The wings were slightly longer than the Pelicans and the nose was more pointed. It gently lowered itself down low enough for the Spartans to get in.
"Hop in, this Heron's not gonna stay here forever," the pilot told them.
Paul smiled behind his visor.
"Come on Beige team, lets move it!" he ordered and hopped in.
Once everyone was in the co-pilot turned around.
"Happy hunting everyone?" he asked.
Paul sat on the reinforced metal bench in the bare room. It felt strange to have his armour off. It was as though something was missing, he felt more exposed. Sometimes he liked it, sometimes he didn't.
Elissa walked into the room.
"Everything go ok?" he asked.
"Yeh," she replied as she removed her helmet.
Her pale face had a glow that Paul recognised when he looked in the mirror. She placed her helmet down and sat beside him, closing her eyes in relief.
"What's the matter?" he asked: after being in the suit so long he now relied more on his intuition. He could tell there was something bothering Elissa.
"The Covenant," she sighed.
"I know a right pain aren't they," he agreed and sat back.
"It's not that," she told him.
"What do you mean?" Paul asked, a frown spreading across his forehead.
"They want to challenge three of our best Spartans," she told him and ran her armoured fingers through her closely shaved hair.
"What!" Paul shouted.
"That's what I almost said," she said.
"It's a trick! They'd only do something like that if they knew they were going to win," Paul told her.
"I know," Elissa replied. "But you know who's the best."
"He'll die," Paul said. "He's the only one left of the originals."
"Yes, he is," Ellisa concurred. "Even worse, the Admiral is actually giving this a thought."
"His answer should be no, ten times over," Paul said angrily. "They just want to test some weird, powerful weapon that's been super sized."
Two more Spartans entered the room from the busy corridor outside.
"We heard," one said and removed her helmet, holding it under one arm.
"The Chief told everyone," the other told them, keeping his helmet on.
"I can't believe it, if he says yes…" the first Spartan said furiously.
"I don't think he will, Kayla," Paul admitted.
"The Admiral is probably buying time," the second Spartan commented.
"Buying what time?" Paul asked.
"While he decides there is a ceasefire," he explained.
"I didn't know that," Elissa said, perking up.
"Ray knows too much for his own good," Kayla laughed.
"The Chief doesn't know either," Ray told them.
"How do you know then?" Elissa asked sounding slightly offended.
"I was called in, the Admiral wanted a word," Ray replied. "I was there with Master Chief when he told a group of us."
"Master Chief! Whah? Really?" Paul stuttered, gob smacked.
Ray did not look or act as excited as the others, preferring to stay professional. You could never tell what he was thinking inside that suit. He could become very unpredictable, preferring honour over almost everything else.
"Please save your admiration for another day," Ray said, annoyed.
"What's going to happen now?" Elissa asked.
There was a knock on the door.
"Enter," Ray answered immediately.
A marine came through, Paul could see his awe and fear. He paused dumb struck at the scene before he said anything.
"Um…yes, the…the Admiral would like to see Spartan 222 and 225," he informed them.
"What about the Chief?" Elissa asked.
"He's on his way, ma'am…sir…miss," he told her before hurriedly leaving.
"Poor bugger," Kayla murmured.
"See you then," Elissa said before putting her helmet back on and leaving.
Ray followed her out. Paul stretched his arms, it was rather silent now.
"Do you think the Admiral…?"
"No."
"Nor me."
"Your decision, human?" the golden armoured Elite on the screen asked.
"I will not agree," the Admiral answered.
"Hm, I had a feeling that might be the case," the Elite said. "So I took the time to assemble another option."
"Which is?" the Admiral asked.
"I shall force your best Demons to come forth," the Elite told him.
"Easier said than done," the Admiral responded.
"No, easier," the Elite told him.
"What do you mean?" the Admiral asked.
"You will find out about…now," the Elite told him.
At that moment another screen in the room started beeping violently.
"Sir, scanners indicate a boarding ship at the main hanger," a marine told him.
"Feel the wrath of the Furies," the Elite told them before the screen turned back to schematics.
"Admiral," Spartan 225, Elissa addressed him sharply.
The Admiral nodded but stopped Ray following her as she left. Master Chief stood where he was. The other Chief or, Minor Chief went out behind Elissa.
"You're one of our best, it's you they want," the Admiral explained.
Ray nodded then asked, "Who's the third if not the Chief?"
"The third best is on a mission," he replied.
"What if they go with the three best on the ship?" he asked.
"Then the third best has probably just left the room," the Admiral told him.
"Admiral," the Master Chief said. "It is better we go somewhere where the damage of battle would not disable our ship."
"Agreed, but stick together, one of you might need help from the other," the Admiral ordered.
The Master Chief left the room, Ray also left walked behind him. He could hear the Admiral curse behind them.
"How the heck did that get there?" the Admiral hissed.
Ray's mind was awash with thoughts and possibilities. He pushed most of these aside before a sudden wave of relief overcame him. The Admiral had rejected the proposal; the 'Furies' were on his terrain now.
So what do you think? Good or bad, interesting or dull, against it or for it? Tell me people shall I continue?