Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my remastered Halo - MechWarrior/BattleTech crossover. Thank you for your continued support. I really appreciate the feedback that I've been getting.
Just so you know, the next chapter is going to be world building and story exposition that advances the plot, so do keep that in mind. It's always interesting to expand upon a world that a writer's created, and I find it to be quite interesting. For those of you that want action, don't worry. There'll be plenty of that.
As always, leave a review, and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Halo or MechWarrior/BattleTech franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of Microsoft Game Studios, 343 Industries, Bungie, FASA Corporation, FASA Interactive, Catalyst Game Labs, Piranha Games Inc, etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's original composers and/or artists.
Forerunner Installation
Unknown Location
September 19th, 2552
When it came to volunteers, one Marine, Chips Dubbo, was more than willing to go with Chief, even going so far as to toss his M42D into the passenger seat. What had Johnson surprised, though, was how many Marines wanted to go in the BattleMech that the DropShip had deployed for Alex. Over half of the Marines present were clamoring to have a chance to go in the BattleMech.
"Settle down, ladies," Johnson growled, with the Marines quieting down. "I know you want to go in the big, badass war machine that Alex gets to pilot, but I don't know if it can hold more than one person in there." Turning to Alex, he asked, "Can more than one person be in there?"
"Typically, no," Alex replied, with the Marines frowning. "However, I modified this Stalker so that it has a rumble seat, so someone can come with me. Given that it is the BattleMech that I command, however, I believe that Sergeant Johnson gets to have the privilege of riding inside a BattleMech."
The Marines groaned at that, only for Alex to raise his hand, silencing their discord. "Enough, gentlemen. You are going to be inside of a DropShip, and as far as I am aware, no UNSC personnel have seen the inside of a DropShip before. Besides, I will ensure that the Captain of the DropShip gives you a tour. So long as you do not attempt to steal anything, you will be fine. Quiaff?" When the Marines eventually nodded, he said, "Good. Johnson, welcome aboard my BattleMech."
"It's an honor, sir," Johnson nodded, pulling out a cigar and taking a puff from it. Turning to the other Marines, he said, "You heard the man! Get your asses inside the DropShip, on the double!" Just like that, the Marines straightened up and began marching for the DropShip, until the platform was empty.
It was at this point that the BattleMech's access hatch opened up, with a MechWarrior clambering out. "Captain Lisanna had this 'Mech ready to go for you. It's the standard loadout for this 'Mech, but you'll be needing that. Recon indicates that there are areas with long sightlines and areas that are close quarters. A Stalker will work well here, and there's a rumble seat and spare Cooling Suit for the passenger."
"Understood," Alex replied. "Give her my regards, would you?"
"I will, sir."
"Good. Now move out with the Marines. Order her to keep the DropShip here until all survivors have been evacuated by Foehammer and any other Pelicans in the area. Once that is done, I will return and once I am inside, we will launch off to any forward operating bases that are present. Quiaff?"
"Affirmative, sir."
"Good. Move out." With that, the MechWarrior scrambled out of the Stalker's cockpit and onto the platform, after which he began descending down the ramps to ground level. Turning to Johnson, Alex said, "Well, Johnson. There is no time like the present. We have a spare Cooling Suit for you. Just climb inside and read the instructions. If you need help, I will do what I can."
"Thank you, sir," Johnson replied. With that, both men walked over to the edge of the platform, where the 'Mech was at. With practiced ease, Alex jumped the short distance and landed on the top of the 'Mech, before clambering inside. Johnson also made the leap, though due to not knowing how to steady himself on a 'Mech, he slipped and fell ass over teakettle into the 'Mech's cockpit.
Grumbling as he got up, Johnson took a look around. To his surprise, the interior was more spacious than he imagined, as he saw enough room for two seats, a cable that connected to Alex's Neurohelmet, as well as some supplies. The cockpit was loaded with computer displays and electronics, though a few switches were present here and there. Walking over to a protrusion from the wall, he pressed a button, and was surprised when a seat deployed. "What is this," he asked.
"The toilet," Alex replied. "SLDF BattleMechs are geared towards long term engagements, rather than the short affairs that Clansman like me tend to fight in. As such, SLDF 'Mechs are designed with that fact in mind. Sometimes, the endurance of a 'Mech is limited by how much toilet paper it carries."
Johnson couldn't help but let out a roar of laughter when he heard that. Now that is hilarious, he thought as he quieted down. A soldier limited by how much toilet paper he has? Now that is fucking funny.
He was about to move towards the cockpit when his foot hit a crate. Looking down, he opened it up, and found what appeared to be a suit inside. Must be the cooling suit that Alex mentioned before, he thought. Looks like I'll have to remove my armor to put this on. Wouldn't be the first time, apparently. With a shrug, he got to work getting his armor off, while putting on the SLDF Cooling Suit.
What surprised him was how easy it was to put on. The instructions to put the suit on were intuitive, the equipment appeared to be brand new, and it was easy to put on. Once it was on, he was about to tighten it when Alex walked over, before tightening the suit so that it perfectly fit Johnson. "There we go," the Clansman remarked. "Now it is time for you and I to buckle up and get to work. The rumble chair is just behind my chair, so you will not have any controls."
After tossing Johnson the helmet, he walked over to the chair and sat down, but not before attaching a cable to the back of his helmet. Johnson did the same after connecting his Cooling Suit to the coolant systems onboard the BattleMech. Looking at the back of Alex's seat, he was surprised when a display folded up before him, allowing him to see outside of the 'Mech.
He would've remarked on the resolution of the screen, but at that moment, Alex powered up the 'Mech. "Reactor: Online," a synthesized female voice announced, with the 'Mech's actuators unlocking at the same time. "Sensors: Online. Weapons: Online." There was a brief pause as the hum of the Fusion Engine increased, before the voice said, "All Systems: Nominal."
With that, the 'Mech turned around, before walking towards Chief's position. To Johnson, it felt as though the 'Mech was on the precipice of falling over, similar to how a civilian starship felt when it came in for a landing. "Are we gonna fall over," he asked.
"No," Alex replied. "All BattleMechs have a gyroscope built into their chassis. It, combined with the DIC, allows the 'Mech to remain upright."
"DIC? I take it that's what allows this bucket of bolts to stand upright."
"Yes. Both systems allow the 'Mech to remain upright. As for DIC, it means 'Diagnostic Interpretation Computer.' A MechWarrior with a functioning Neurohelmet and DIC can control the 'Mech as though it is an extension of his or her own body. Now watch and observe."
Outside, Chief had to admit, the sight of a Star League BattleMech was probably one of the more intimidating sights he'd seen as a Spartan. The entire machine seemed to move as though it was more of a titanic living organism than a tower, robot that was designed for war. Cortana was similarly impressed, as she said, "Wow. Talk about the big guns." Chief merely nodded in agreement.
"I wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of that thing," Dubbo remarked. "That would scare the piss out of me."
A moment later, Alex came in over the COM. "We are ready to go, Chief. Cortana, what is the maximum speed for a Warthog?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Merely out of curiosity."
"OK… The maximum cruising speed for a Warthog is 125 km/h. I take it your 'Mech can't go that fast."
"No. The Stalker IV BattleMech is capable of traveling at 80 km/h. Not very fast compared to your Warthog, but very fast for the category it inhabits. If you face heavy firepower, fall back to my position and I will handle it. Quiaff?"
Cortana, having learned quite a bit about Clan terminology, said, "Aff, Alex."
"Ah, picking up our terms," Alex beamed. "There is hope for you yet. It is time to move out." With that, they began moving out, with the Warthog driving ahead while Alex's 'Mech lumbered behind them. Even from some distance, Chief could feel the ground vibrating as the 'Mech advanced forwards.
Driving forwards, Chief found that the DropShip had landed on what appeared to be a cliff, with one of the landing gear legs close to the edge. To the right, the land didn't drop down in a sheer drop, but rather sloped downward like a ramp into a rocky area. As they drove forwards, he spotted what he thought was a cave. "Cortana," he asked.
"I got it," Cortana replied. "This cave is not a natural formation. Someone built it, so it must lead somewhere." As they drove inside, Chief spotted the Stalker entering the tunnel. While the 'Mech was tall, the tunnel was tall and wide enough that the 'Mech could move inside, though every time it took a step, the vehicle came close to the ceiling.
As they drove inside, Cortana said, "I've hacked into the Covenant BattleNet. They're actually broadcasting tactical data on unencrypted channels! We should show them who they're dealing with. Master Chief, I'm going to use your suit's transponder system to monitor their chatter."
"Good," Chief replied, knowing the importance of good intelligence.
Up in the BattleMech's cockpit, Johnson felt the tunnel's walls and ceiling pressing in on the 'Mech, even though there was plenty of room for them to maneuver. The ceiling and walls are too close for comfort, he thought as the 'Mech turned along the bends and curves of the tunnel. Looking ahead, he noticed that Alex remained cool and collected, probably because he'd been in tight quarters before.
As they advanced, they came to an area where Alex was able to show off his maneuvering skills with the Stalker. Rounding a bend, the team entered a part of the tunnel that exposed a ramp. Part of the wall was missing, with the ramp being shown, while the rest of the tunnel was present. A short gap cut off the ramp from the rest of the tunnel, while the path they were on looped down and under the roadway, before curving around to reach the ramp.
"How are we gonna fit in that tiny ass tunnel?," Johnson asked.
"We will not," Alex replied, "but there is no need to." With that, he turned the 'Mech 90° to the right and moved forwards, sending signals to the DIC via the neurohelmet.
With unparalleled grace and precision, the 'Mech gently walked off of the walkway and onto the ramp, causing the ground to shudder from the impact. Moving forwards, Alex had the 'Mech place one foot on the other side of the gap, before a slight push from the other allowed him to clear the gap. After moving forwards, he allowed Chief to drive up the ramp and jump the gap.
"Wow," Cortana remarked. "Nice work."
"Thank you," Alex replied. With that, they continued to move forwards.
"Nice job," Johnson replied, "and you did all that with your helmet… That's some scary-ass technology there."
"You would have the same as well, if you focused more on advancing your tech than stagnating," Alex remarked.
"True," Johnson admitted.
In the Warthog, Chief had to admit that he was impressed. The number of calculations and computing power required to move a massive machine with such skill and precision was mind boggling. It shows how much more advanced their technology is in many areas compared to our own, he thought. That's technology the UNSC could use.
Banishing the thoughts from his mind, he continued to drive forwards, with the Warthog moving past the Stalker and further down the tunnel. Eventually, they came to what appeared to be a massive, cavern, with a chasm that occupied a third of the space itself. The side they were on was occupied by some Forerunner structures, none of which had a purpose that was easy to see. Looking to the left, Chief spotted what he surmised was a path that led somewhere, though he wasn't certain as to where.
What had his attention the most, however, were the Covenant that were present in the room. Moving forwards, he spotted some Jackals, Grunts and what he thought was an Elite. "Enemy contacts," he reported. "Gunner, take them out."
"You got it," the Marine manning the gun replied, spinning up the barrels of the weapon. "Surprise, bitches," he shouted as he depressed the firing stud. "We're back!"
With that, the firefight began. Moving the Warthog skillfully, Chief maneuvered in a manner that would allow the gunner to hit his targets, while avoiding any unnecessary damage to the vehicle itself. The chaingun on the back of the Warthog roared, spitting .50 caliber projectiles at the Grunts and Jackals in the area, who returned fire as soon as they spotted the vehicle.
That was when the Stalker entered the chamber. Upon seeing the massive machine, as well as it's armaments, the Grunts in the room literally scattered, screaming loudly as they ran to any semblance of cover they could find. Even the normally stoic Jackals lost their nerve, with the avian-like aliens screeching before taking cover and firing on the 'Mech.
They might as well have been firing spitballs at the Stalker, with the armor only taking very mild, if not superficial, damage from the small arms fire. Turning towards the enemy combatants, Alex fired the Medium Pulse Lasers on the 'Mech. Emerald green beams of energy cut through the air, with the beams almost instantly killing the enemy combatants. Turning to the right, one of the SRM Launchers fired, blasting apart any entrenched Covenant with a powerful blast and shrapnel.
"That's all of them," Cortana reported as they killed the last Covenant target. "There must be some mechanism to cross this cavern. Look for a control panel, or a switch."
"I found it," Alex replied. "That pathway looks like it leads to a control panel that I have spotted. Using a TAG now." Chief was about to ask what a TAG was when a single, low powered laser beam winked into existence, highlighting a control panel that was built into a walkway running along the right hand wall. "Be careful, Chief," Alex cautioned the Spartan. "The sensor suite has detected a single combatant in that area. I advise caution, since it is probably an Elite."
"Noted," Chief replied as he got out of the Warthog. Advancing past the dead Covenant, he noted that the material making up the floor hadn't been damaged by the 'Mech's powerful weaponry. Moving on, he entered the small tunnel that he'd spotted, with a single blip appearing on his Motion Tracker. Tossing a grenade around the corner, he waited for the grenade to detonate, before rounding the corner.
True to Alex's warning, a single Elite Major was present in the small tunnel. The blast from the grenade had disoriented it, with the Elite shaking off the blast moments after Chief rounded the corner. It had no chance to react, as the Spartan quickly opened fire. With the blast having disabled it's shields, the Elite fell to the ground, dead, with blood leaking from holes in it's armor and torso.
Happy with the results, he advanced forwards, reaching the console moments later. The console itself was holographic, with nothing that indicated a glass panel of any kind. That's odd, he thought as he looked at the symbols on the panel. The symbols are strangely familiar, yet I haven't seen them before. Shaking off the confused feeling, he pressed one of the glyphs, which he somehow knew might activate a means of crossing the chasm.
He wasn't disappointed at what happened. As soon as he pressed the button, a series of large projector-like devices extended, before activating moments later. Like some otherworldly construct, a large, glowing section of energy appeared, forming a bridge that crossed the chasm.
Alex, who was near the ghostly bridge, whispered, "What manner of science and technology is this?"
Cortana, who heard him over the COM, said, "Scanning… I'm detecting a lot of photonic activity. The excited photons have displaced the air around the light path and have formed a boson-photon field."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning that it's a bridge of, as strange as it sounds, solid light. The scientific implications of this technology are immense. On a practical note, it should be able to support the weight of your 'Mech."
"I will be the judge of that," Alex replied. Moments later, the 'Mech advanced forwards, before slowly placing a foot onto the light bridge. Instead of passing through the light bridge, the foot behaved as though it was standing on a solid object. "By Aleksandr Kerensky himself," Alex breathed. "This is unheard of: a 'Mech walking on solid light! I cannot wait to tell the others about this."
Once it was clear that the Stalker wasn't going to fall off into the chasm, Alex proceeded to move the 'Mech to the other side, before patiently waiting for Chief to catch up. Once Chief had driven over the chasm, he proceeded to continue, with the Warthog continuing up ahead.
Their thoughts were interrupted when Cortana said, "I've got new traffic on the Covenant BattleNet… a lot more crew made it off the Autumn than I had predicted. The Captain really gave them hell! If we can find Captain Keyes and other survivors, we can coordinate an effective… hang on."
"What is it," Chief asked.
"I've got an incoming COM transmission from Keyes," Cortana explained. "And it's not good news. Take a listen."
Moments later, Keyes' voice came in over the COM. "To all surviving personnel of the Pillar of Autumn, this is the Captain speaking. We've landed in a box canyon and the Covenant has us trapped. Worse still, one of the crew betrayed my location to the Covenant. I expect to be captured seconds after I finish this broadcast.
"As such, I am issuing a direct order to all surviving UNSC/SLDF personnel in the region. Colonel William O'Donnell is now the Commanding Officer of the survivors of the Pillar of Autumn. Find a location to build a base at, and prepare for immediate contact by enemy personnel. If you can rescue me, then do so as soon as possible. Good luck. Captain Keyes out." With that, the COM channel went dead.
As the silence filled the tunnels they were in, Chief frowned. This is not good, he thought. With the Captain captured, the Covenant will likely attempt to extract the location of Earth from him through interrogation. We have to rescue the Captain as soon as humanly possible, otherwise Earth's location will be compromised.
Apparently, Alex had the same thoughts, as he said, "Surats! This is not good. Still, if I know Colonel O'Donnell, he will attempt to perform a rescue as soon as he possibly can. He has pulled off many daring operations before, and I doubt that he will stop now."
"Agreed," Cortana replied. "I'll keep listening in on the Covenant's COM chatter in order to find out which ship he's being taken to. Once I do, I'll inform the Colonel of the intel that I've gathered." With that, the team continued to drive onward, eyes up and ready in the event hostiles were present.
Moving through the tunnels, they soon began traveling upwards, with the tunnel slanting upwards as it turned left and right. Driving forwards, Chief found himself exiting the tunnels and entering what looked like a massive open valley. The ground was bumpy, but not rocky, with grass covering every square centimeter of the ground. Trees were scattered here and there, and a small stream cut through the middle of the valley. He continued to drive up the hill, with the Stalker quickly following behind.
As he crested the incline, he spotted a few pathways into the rest of the region. Looking around, he spotted flashing lights that marked pathways that led deeper into the region. Spotting one to the right, he drove through, with the Stalker following behind. Hearing a scraping sound, Chief looked behind himself to see the 'ears' of the 'Mech scraping the sides of the rocky walls here and there. "It is a tight squeeze," Alex remarked.
Eventually, they came out into a small boxy canyon, with the walls made of solid stone. There was a pathway that led off to the right, but what had Chief's attention was the topography of the area. Most of the box canyon was littered with massive boulders, with one being the size of a small house. Small gaps, large enough to admit a Spartan, were present, though there were areas that were barely wide enough to permit a Marine through the rocks.
Spotting a lifepod, he looked around for any survivors. "Survivors detected," Cortana reported. "The Marines are taking shelter in those rocks.
"Noted," Chief replied. Keying his COM, he said, "This is Sierra-117 to any UNSC personnel in the area. Do you read me?"
Moments later, a reply was sent. "Chief," a voice replied, "good to see you're still around. SLDF Staff Sergeant Mike Ubenski, at your service."
"What's your SitRep?"
"We're currently taking shelter in these rocks. The Covenant are probably going to try and flush us out with ground troops. If I was them, I'd be sending in Spirit VTOL's to get ground troops in here."
"A good guess," Alex replied. "Chief, I have detected enemy vehicles moving in on our position. I have no doubts that the Covenant are sending in personnel to kill the Marines."
Thinking quickly, he said, "OK, Chief, here is the plan. The Marines will remain concealed in the rocks and set up ambush points. Your mission is to terminate any Covenant that make it on the ground. I will use the weapon systems on the Stalker to neutralize the Spirit VTOL's. It is not a dedicated AeroSpace Defense 'Mech, but it is all that we have. Quiaff?"
"Affirmative," Chief replied. With that in mind, he moved the Warthog into a better position, while Alex began scanning the skies in order to catch any incoming enemy transports. The Marines, meanwhile, moved into the rocks and spread out, while setting up anti-personnel mines and ambush points. Once they were done, they settled in for a long wait.
That proved to be unnecessary, as the Covenant transports arrived just thirty seconds later. "Contact," an SLDF Marksman reported over the COM. "Covenant VTOL inbound!" Moments later, a Spirit troop transport came into view.
As soon as it did, Alex opened fire with the 'Mech's Pulse Lasers and SRM's. Missiles streaked through the air, while pulses of laser light traveled near-instantaneously to the enemy transport. Large cuts and rents were torn in the nanolaminate armor, while the missiles penetrated and destroyed critical systems. Within just three seconds, the Spirit transport fell to the ground with the grace of a concrete block, breaking apart into dozens of smaller pieces as soon as it landed.
It went on like this for five more minutes, with the Marines and Chief prepared to engage should the Covenant make it through Alex's vigilant defense. Fortunately, they need not have worried, as the Spirit transports were meant for carrying infantry, and as such, were lightly armored, making them vulnerable to laser and missile weapons. "Gamma One to Echo 419," Alex reported, "we have survivors and need immediate evac of friendly personnel."
"Roger, Commander," Foehammer replied. "I'm on my way. I've spotted additional lifepods as well. One near the head of the river, and another at a cliff edge. Hard to see from up here, but it looks like there are more survivors."
"Acknowledged, Foehammer. Continue on smartly once the survivors here have been rescued." With that, Alex left the area, with Chief continuing to drive on ahead.
. . .
While this was going on, there was another battle being waged by the joint UNSC/SLDF forces, at a bluff that was near the region that Chief and Alex were at. Ducking into cover, Major Silva watched as plasma bolts from Covenant weapons flew overhead, with SLDF personnel retaliating moments later. Looking ahead, he could see the Covenant that were entrenched in the area.
It had been a few minutes since he, and his Helljumpers, had escaped the Pillar of Autumn and made it to the surface of this Forerunner installation. I bet those DropShips were really nice and cozy, he thought with some contempt as he leaned out, firing his weapon at the Covenant personnel. At least the SLDF put's it's money where it's needed. If I didn't know any better, I would've thought they were being pussies.
That train of thought was interrupted when an explosion went off near his position, with rocks raining down onto him. Snarling loudly, he was about to lean out and fire again when he spotted a pulsing beam of light zipping past his position. Moments later, an SLDF Elemental moved past him. "Come on, people," the Elemental, Shaw if he recalled corrected, shouted. "Do not let the Covenant freebirths hold you down! Keep moving forwards and keep killing the enemy!"
That was one of the things that had Major Silva both rankled and impressed. I never did like super-soldiers, he thought as he began to move up, with the ODST's following behind him. Those kids of people make ODST's like me look bad. Then again, I never would've thought that the SLDF could make Elementals from special forces people like me. Either way, he had to have some respect for people that willingly underwent the augmentation procedures required to become supersoldiers. As for the Clan's Elementals, he didn't know how they got to where they were, but it had to be interesting.
As they moved up the earthen ramp, he got a good glimpse of the area he had spotted from his SOIEV during the trip down. When they had initially left the Pillar of Autumn, he'd spotted what looked like a large mesa or bluff that had a relatively flat top, making it ideal for a base. The problem, though, was that the Covenant had claimed ownership first, which was why he was currently engaged in battle against them.
Now that he was up at the top, he could see just how flat it was. There was not really much to see, other than a few minor bumps and embankments here and there. Beyond that, it was as flat as the interior surface of a dinner plate. Good for building a base, he thought, but bad for defense against aerial targets.
By the time they reached the top, the Covenant had been whittled down greatly, with only a few pockets of resistance remaining. "Fan out and neutralize any Covenant bastards you find," he shouted. "Then start getting a base set up." As his men moved out, he heard a loud sound, like a jet engine flying over head.
Looking up, he spotted some DropShips that were landing on the mesa they were at. As soon as the last one landed, a door opened up on the first one, with a man in fully SLDF body armor stepping out. As the dust settled, Silva realized that this was Colonel O'Donnell, the man that Keyes had placed in charge of the survivors. As the man came over, Silva saluted and said, "Major Antonio Silva reporting for duty."
"At ease," O'Donnell replied. Looking around, he said, "Looks like you people had a party up here, one that the Covenant didn't enjoy."
"Agreed," Silva replied. "We kicked those bastards where it hurt. We're going to be setting up camp here."
"Smart idea," O'Donnell replied.
"Agreed. We'll need air defenses, otherwise the Covenant'll have a grand time assaulting this place. Beyond that, we just have to set up some checkpoints and then we're good."
"I brought along some Rifleman BattleMechs for AeroSpace Defense. They're not as durable as some of the 'Mechs that I've got, but they're ideal for their role."
"Really. You SLDF guys had real foresight to build bipedial AA robots."
"That we did." Pausing for a moment, O'Donnell said, "Alright, this is what we're going to do. Once we've cleared out the last pockets of Covenant resistance, we're going to get patrols set up in order to guard the area while we get tents and other prefab structures built. I'll have the Spartans and Elementals explore any Forerunner buildings and structures that we find. As for you and your men, Silva, you'll be deployed in the event that we need special forces to carry out any missions."
"Sir," Silva protested, "with all due respect, we can handle the Forerunner structures just fine. We don't need super soliders to handle that part." Internally, a part of Silva hoped that O'Donnell might agree with him.
If so, then that part of him was deeply disappointed, as O'Donnell looked at him and said, "I understand that thinking, but my decision stands. If any Forerunner technology was activated by one of your people, it might determine that we have hostile intentions. In addition, I do not want an accident to happen because one of your men decided to be stupid, not that they are mind you.
"Still, I understand how you feel, and I will be looking at potential missions for you and the other ODST's to handle. Either way, while we are on this Forerunner installation, all personnel will be accompanied by one or more Spartans and/or Elementals. Am I understood, Major?"
Silva frowned at those words, but he couldn't help but see the logic inside of them. Having a super soldier might tip the balance in our favor if things go haywire, he decided grudgingly. After a moment, he said, "Yes, sir."
"Good," O'Donnel nodded. "Now coordinate your men and the defenses. You'll report to me or Commander Carter for the duration of this op. You have your duties, and I have mine. Dismissed." With that, both men went their separate ways as they began coordinating the temporary settlement of this area.
. . .
In the meantime, Alex and Chief were rescuing more UNSC personnel, while killing any Covenant that were sent to kill the survivors. Driving through the area, the gunner on Chief's Warthog killed the last Covenant ground trooper in the area they were in, which was a valley that had another Forerunner structure inside of it. "All contacts down," he reported.
"Good," Alex replied. "I have neutralized the last Spirit VTOL. Gamma One to Echo 419. We have more survivors in this AO. Cortana, plant a NAV point for the Pelican to follow."
As Cortana complied, Foehammer said, "Affirmative, Commander. Foehammer inbound." With that, they moved out once more, reentering the larger valley they had left.
As they did so, Chief spotted something up ahead: a lifepod that had crashed in the middle of the valley. As he approached, Cortana said, "Lifepod detected. No sign of survivors…"
A moment later, Fitzgerald, the gunner, spoke up. "Damn, what a mess," he remarked. "The weapons lockers must've been ripped open. There's supplies scattered all over the area. Still, there's something missing…"
"And that would be," Chips Dubbo asked.
"Where are the bodies?"
"That's a good question," Dubbo remarked. Getting out, he began to walk around, looking for any sign of human life. He was about to return to the Warthog when his foot hit something. Looking down, he found what appeared to be an expended power pack that had been left on the ground. Looking around, he spotted a line of expended power packs that traveled some distance away, with a distance of 30m between each one. "Well, shit me running."
"What is it," Chief asked.
"I think I know where the survivors went. There's a line of expended power packs that leads away from here. I think the survivors knew someone was looking for them, and left these here as a trail of bread crumbs."
"Just like Hansel and Gretel," Fitzgerald beamed. "If we follow the trail of bread crumbs… er… power packs, we'll find the survivors."
"Good work, Private," Chief nodded. With that, Dubbo got back into the Warthog, with Chief gunning the throttle just as Alex arrived.
Following the trail of expended power packs, they found that they led to another pathway that was marked with lights on either side. Driving through, they entered another large area, with this one having a sheer cliff on the other side. Forerunner structures were present here, and Chief spotted Covenant off in the distance.
"Maybe they took cover in those smaller structures," Dubbo guessed.
"Maybe," Alex remarked. There was a loud POP as something launched off from his 'Mech, which Chief quickly realized was a UAV. " Looks like there is an entrance underground," Alex reported as the UAV flew over the sheer drop. "If I was one of the Marines, that is where I would be holed up at."
"Agreed," Chief replied. "Can you maneuver into there?"
"Aff," Alex replied. "I trained in a Stalker when I was a fledgling Elstar. This is my element." With that, they advanced into the area, with Chief taking the lead.
It was clear that the Covenant didn't expect a Stalker, or a BattleMech of any kind, to enter through a fairly narrow entrance, as they reacted by attempting to get inside. Unfortunately for them, the Marines inside the structures protested this arrangement greatly, as Chief heard gunfire coming from one of the structures. Coming to a stop, he got out of the Warthog and moved though a gap in the walls. Spotting an open doorway, he moved inside.
As he moved inside and traveled downward, he could hear an intense firefight being waged beneath his feet. Exiting the hallway, he found himself in a large chamber that was split in half by a small chasm, about as wide as a man is tall. Two glass bridges crossed the gap, with another entrance leading out of the structure.
What had his attention the most, however, was the battle being waged here. SLDF and UNSC Marines were locked in a struggle against the Covenant that had moved inside, with the Marines holding out despite being outnumbered 2 to 1. So far, they were doing well, but Chief could tell that casualties were mounting.
Moving inside, he began to add his own firepower to the mix, with Chips Dubbo and Fitzgerald appearing behind him moments later. For the next minute, the Marines and Covenant were locked in battle, with neither side gaining the upper hand. Thanks to Chief, however, they were soon able to eliminate the Covenant.
Firing his weapon, Chief neutralized the last Elite, splattering it's brains all over the far wall. Looking around, he could tell they had won the battle, but at a great cost. Numerous SLDF and UNSC dead were on the ground, and nearly twice as many wounded. A UNSC Marine was screaming as an SLDF Corpsman worked to make sure his intestines remained inside of his body, while an SLDF trooper was wrapping a tourniquet around his left arm, which had been severed below the elbow, his face a mask of suppressed agony.
One of the Marines, the fire team leader from the looks of it, walked up to him. "You the rescue team, sir," he asked.
"Yes," Chief replied.
"Finally," the fire team leader breathed. "Marines, assemble for evac. Carry the wounded out of here to the Pelican. Grab any supplies, weapons and ammo from the dead. We can't bring them back with us. There'll be too little room." With that, the Marines did what they could, with some hoisitng the injured onto and over their shoulders, while others scavenged what ammo and supplies they could from the dead.
As they moved out, Cortana said, "That's the last of them. Echo 419, we've found the final survivors. We're ready to head out."
"Affirmative, Cortana," Foehammer replied. "I've got good news. The majority of the survivors have set up a camp on a nearby mesa. An Anhur is on the way to pick you and the others up."
"Acknowledged, Foehammer." As the COM line cut out, she said, "New traffic on the Covenant BattleNet. I've found Captain Keyes!"
"Where," Chief asked.
"Scanning… He's being held onboard a Covenant Cruiser: the Truth and Reconciliation, a ship I disabled before we abandoned the Autumn. The Truth and Reconciliation touched down on a desert plateau roughly 300km upspin. My guess is that they're performing repairs and will depart sometime tomorrow. We'll need to get there before they leave."
"Noted," Chief replied as they exited the structure. Nearby, he spotted the Anhur Foehammer mentioned, with the VTOL hovering at the cliff's edge. SLDF personnel inside quickly moved to load up the survivors and wounded, with Chief getting on last.
"Good work," Alex said over the COM. "I will head back to the DropShip and head for the base. O'Donnell sent the coordinates to the Mjolnir's Twin. See you at base, Chief."
"You too," Chief replied as the Anhur took off. The war against the Covenant had reached a fever pitch. Now, they had to rescue the Captain, and perform a first strike against the Covenant.