Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my remastered Halo - MechWarrior/BattleTech crossover. Thank you for the reception that I received for the next chapter of my Halo/Star Wars crossover. I really appreciate the feedback that I get.
Don't forget to leave a review for this fanfiction as well. Any feedback I can get is always good.
Also, I might think about creating a codex for this fanfiction in my spare time. Let me know in the reviews if that would be a good thing.
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.
BattleTech OST – 'Mech Bay Cantata
Halo
Alpha Base
September 20th, 2552
Keyes grumbled as he slowly came to, his vision coming into focus as he woke up on his cot at Alpha Base. A quiet groan came from him as he sat up, the bruises and minor injuries that he had suffered at the hands of the Covenant protesting his actions. Working through the aches and pains, he got up and went to the 'fresher unit that was in the bubble tent that he had been given.
I'm glad that they came to get my ass out of the fire, he thought as he turned on a light, wincing as soon as he saw the mottled purple bruises on his face. Once he and the others had gotten back to Alpha Base, Colonel O'Donnell had ordered a full medical examination to make sure he was OK. Fortunately, Keyes had learned that he had no internal injuries, and that the injuries he had were all superficial. I'll look ugly for a few days, but that'll be it, he thought. Now that I cared about my appearance that much.
As he looked at his face, a few memories came to the forefront of his mind unbidden. The one that stuck out the most, though, was the memory of a woman with brown hair, piercing green eyes and strong facial features, all of which were framed by her military uniform. Miranda, he thought to himself. I wonder if you're still waiting for a ship of your own to command, or taking the fight to the enemy. If it's the latter, then I hope you do well, not just for my sakes, but for all mankind as well. Thinking back on what was happening today, he thought, I'll see you again, my daughter. I promise.
With a slight shake of his head, he pushed the memory aside before focusing on getting ready for the day. He noticed that he had stubble growing on his face, prompting him to reach for some shaving cream and a razor that he had been given. Once he worked the cream into a lather, he applied it to his face and began shaving, with the laser razor he had cutting the hairs down to the skin. Once he was done, he wiped off his face and went to get his clothes before heading off to a shower, as the base had a mobile showering unit set up. That was right next door, with the Captain quickly cleaning up before getting his clothes on.
As he stepped outside of the showering block, he looked around at Alpha Base, now that the sun was just coming over the horizon. The red light of the morning sun cast a bright glow onto the various tents and fortifications that composed Alpha Base, while the 'Mechs seemed to stand tall and proud in the morning light. Already, even though it was early morning, Alpha Base was a hive of activity, with SLDF and UNSC personnel going about their daily business.
Rolling his shoulders, Keyes began to head towards the Command Tent, where he knew O'Donnell was most likely going to be at. Moving along, he spotted SLDF personnel working with their UNSC counterparts to set up fortifications and other defenses necessary to defend the base. He noticed that a lot of defenses were being set up in an area of the base he hadn't seen while coming back. I'll have to ask O'Donnell about that, he thought. He knows more about Alpha Base than I do.
That drew his thoughts back to how the SLDF Colonel was operating the base. He's done a damn fine job, Keyes thought. So far, his actions have resulted in minimal casualties, and the establishment of a semi-permanent base on Halo. The man has the skill and drive to become a General if he wanted to.
With that line of thought, he found himself inside the Command Tent. Already, the tent was filled with activity, as technicians and command personnel worked on their various jobs inside of the tent. Near the holo-tank, the good Colonel was already present, along with Carter and Major Silva. I never thought I'd see Silva working with a Spartan anytime soon, Keyes thought, as he remembered the man's prejudice against the Spartan Corps. Just another reminder of the things that happen during war.
As soon as he reached the holo-tank, Carter looked up and spotted him, along with Silva. Both men promptly saluted, with Keyes saying, "At ease, gentlemen." Turning to O'Donnell, he said. "Colonel, you have my thanks for getting my people through to today. Not many could've done as well as you have."
"Just doing my job as a Colonel," O'Donnell replied. "Besides, I'm the SLDF's representative while we're on Halo. I have to do my job, or otherwise everyone suffers for it." Clearing his throat, he said, "Now that you're back, Captain, I would like to formally turn over command of Alpha Base to you."
There was a brief moment as Keyes thought this over, before he said, "No. This is a ground game now, Colonel, and in terms of rank in that regard, you outrank me. In addition, you've done an excellent job keeping the survivors and the base together. As such, I have to decline. This is your show now."
Once he finished, he watched as O'Donnell thought this over. The SLDF Colonel appeared to be conflicted about this decision, and it was clear that he didn't like being stuck at a base when he could be out at the front, fighting the enemy. Keyes was about to make a suggestion when O'Donnell finally said, "If that is what you think is best, then I won't stop you." Turning to Silva, he noticed the man's downcast expression. "Is something wrong?," he asked the ODST Major.
Silva didn't reply for a full five seconds, and when he spoke, it was in a fairly quite tone. "Fifteen ODST's," he frowned, before looking at O'Donnell. "That's the number of my people that were killed during the attempt to retrieve the Captain. If it weren't for the Spartans…" He shook his head before saying, "The cost in life would've been far higher."
"And the point of this is?"
"I would like to formally apologize for my earlier behavior towards Commander Carter and the other Spartans, including Master Chief. I was arrogant to believe that we could get the job done without Spartans or Elementals. Looking at the casualty numbers, as well as the amount of heavy units the Covenant had, I can safely say that we would've been slaughtered. As such, I can't hold onto my previous prejudices without appearing stupid and arrogant."
When he finished speaking, the others were quiet. Both Carter and O'Donnell shared a look as they considered Silva's words. It was a bit of a surprise to hear Silva, a man that had been prejudiced against the Spartans for so long, apologize for said prejudice to people that were of a far higher rank than he was. In spite of the surprise, it was clear that the casualty figures, as well as the Covenant forces that had been listed in the AAR (After Action Report), had forced Silva to discard his prejudices in favor of survival.
After a few moments of silence, O'Donnell said, "Apology accepted, Major Silva. It's good to hear that from you. With the way things are going, we're going to need all the support that we can get."
"Agreed," Carter added. "Now that we have the Captain back, we're going to need to mount a major offensive against the Covenant. Do we have any idea as to where we should strike next?"
"Cortana does," a voice remarked. O'Donnell jumped slightly when he heard that voice coming from behind him, prompting him to turn around. Much to his surprise, Chief was standing directly behind him.
"Fuck, Chief," he growled. "Be careful when you do that. You're gonna give someone a heart attack someday by doing that." Calming down, he said, "You said that Cortana knows where we should strike at next, yes?"
"He did," Cortana confirmed, her voice coming in over the external speakers in Chief's helmet. "While we were aboard the Truth and Reconciliation, I did a thorough analysis of the Covenant BattleNet. Breaking the encryption wasn't easy, but I managed it, and I got some valuable intelligence as a result."
Moments later, she established a smart-link connection with the holo-tank, before pulling up the information she had found. The holographic map that was being displayed, which was a map of Halo, rotated until a section of the ring was highlighted on the map. "According to the Covenant BattleNet, the Covenant are looking for something called the 'Silent Cartographer', which is a map room that holds the coordinates for Halo's Control Room. It's located on an island in this sector."
A second later, the map zoomed in on part of the highlighted area. That smaller area in question was a large, circular island that was located in the middle of a small, tropical sea. Video feeds from UAV flyovers showed that the island was fairly small, roughly two kilometers in length and width. The island was split into sections by small ravines that led into the interior, with most of the traversable area being beaches, savannas and thick rainforest. Three Forerunner structures were present, though it was unclear as to what they were right now.
"This is where the Silent Cartographer is believed to be at by the Covenant," Cortana informed the others. "The island is covered with multiple installations, with one of them being the map room. It's my belief that the Covenant intends to use the map room to locate the Control Room for Halo."
"That makes sense," O'Donnell nodded. "Whenever I hear the word 'cartographer', I think of maps and star charts. Still, the fact that the Covenant has located this 'Silent Cartographer' is worrying. They could beat us to the punch, and all we'd be left with is an empty bucket."
"My thoughts exactly," Keyes nodded. "We'll have to take the Cartographer from them by force. If I know the Covenant, they'll hang onto the Cartographer with all their might. They won't give it up easily."
"Which is why I think we need to hit them hard and fast," Silva agreed. "Given what we're going up against, we'll need Spartans, Elementals, the whole works if we're going to succeed. It's the only thing we can do."
"What do you propose," O'Donnell asked Silva.
"Here's my plan," Silva continued. "My proposal is that we use the Pelicans and Anhurs to transport infantry to the island, while one of your DropShips carries any vehicles we need. We're talking around thirty Marines and ODST's total in this operation, along with a couple of Spartans or Elementals. This will be backed up by heavy fire support from a BattleMech or any Combat Vehicles at our disposal.
"Once we take the beach head, the Marines and some of my ODST's will hold down the fort while Chief and the others advance into the island and find the Cartographer. Once we've got the location of the Control Room, we'll retreat to the DropShip and leave immediately for the Control Room."
Chief had to admit, the plan that Silva came up with was an excellent one. The use of overwhelming force in this operation would allow the joint forces to quickly defeat the Covenant and take control of the island. He did have a few questions, though. "Where can we deploy one of the DropShips?"
"Right here," Silva replied, pointing at a part of the island's beach. "That's my proposed landing zone for the VTOL's. Once they move out of the way, the DropShip can land there. It'll be a tight squeeze, but given how small they are, it should be easy for them to land there." Looking at O'Donnell, he asked, "Can a DropShip land there?"
"Richmond?," O'Donnell asked. Moments later, an SLDF officer, presumably Richmond, came over.
"Yes," Richmond asked, his bright blue eyes focused on the Colonel.
"Can a DropShip land here?," O'Donnell asked, pointing at where Silva had designated as the LZ.
Richmond looked at the map for a few seconds before he said, "Certainly. A Leopard IV could easily do it. A Union IV would find it to be a bit of a tight squeeze, but it is doable. I'll talk to Alex and see if he think's it's possible. If so, then I'll have him get ready to deploy and head there with your permission, sir. Given how far it is from Alpha Base, and how fast DropShips travel, I can expect him to get there within five to ten minutes."
"Good," O'Donnell beamed. "Inform him to get ready for a combat deployment. Once he's ready, have him enter orbit near the surface. Also, make sure his DropShip has a Null Sig System installed; I don't want the Covenant to find out where he's at."
"Affirmative," Richmond replied before he left the tent.
Turning back to Silva, O'Donnell said, "I don't see any problems with this mission, Major. I'll give it a green light."
"Yes, sir," Silva nodded.
"But… with one difference?"
"And that would be?"
"Chief will be leading the attack. I need you to make a supply raid on the Pillar of Autumn. The WarShip's likely unflyable, bu she's got a good amount of supplies inside of her that will have survived the crash landing. I'll be sending our two Garrot VTOL's, as well as the other Anhur that we have to retrieve supplies, along with any transport vehicles we have. I need you, and the remaining ODST's and Marines to head there and provide security while the others load up any supplies we retrieve. Understood?"
"Perfectly," Silva replied. "We'll make sure the transports are good to go. If the Covenant tries anything,we'll be ready for them."
"Good. I'll be sending along some Combat Vehicles and a lance of BattleMechs to ensure that the Covenant doesn't try anything funny. The other lance, and most of Alex's 'Mechs, will remain here to ensure that Alpha Base is protected if the Covenant mount an assault, which I believe they will with the amount of activity we'll have soon. Dismissed." With that, Silva left the tent to get his men ready, leaving the others in the command tent.
"He's doing better than before," Carter remarked. "Before last night, Silva was fairly cocky and arrogant. I think the casualty reports sobered him up."
"Maybe," O'Donnell remarked. "Time will tell if that is the case." Looking at Carter, he said, "Get the Marines together, and get them onboard one of our Leopard's. They'll be heading over to the Autumn's crash site ASAP. You have your orders, gentlemen. Dismissed." With that, Chief and O'Donnell left, with Keyes being the only one in the Command Tent.
. . .
As he left the tent, O'Donnell turned to the left, heading for one of the DropShips that was present at Alpha Base. As he did so, his mind drifted back to the aliens that had been 'acquired' from the Truth and Reconciliation. Getting those Elites to break won't be easy, he thought to himself, but we have to if we're going to find out why they are here. I hope that SLIC Agent that Stennings sent with us is as good as they say he is.
As he thought this through, he reached the DropShip in question, with the guards acknowledging his presence. Walking up the steps, he was greeted with the familiar, industrial interior that was common for Leopard DropShips. Instead of walking up the steps and into the CIC of the DropShip, he turned to the left and entered one of the storage bays, with this one having a room that looked into the storage bay itself.
Inside of the room was a small table, a coffee machine, as well as some chairs. The room was occupied by two SLDF personnel, as well as a single man that was looking into the cargo bay, where both Elites were being held. The man was fairly tall, with dark brown hair, green colored eyes and tanned skin, courtesy of his ethnicity. While the man held himself in a relaxed, and casual, manner, his eyes shone with a brilliant intelligence and cunning that would've made an Elite turn green with envy.
O'Donnell, who had been around the block a few times, knew who this was. As soon as he stepped inside, he said, "Agent Barnard. It's good to see you."
Barnard turned towards him before speaking, his voice being more akin to a rumbling volcano than an opera singer. "It's good to see you as well," he smiled, shaking the Colonel's hand. "I trust that you had a good night's rest."
"Yes," O'Donnell nodded. Looking into the interior of the storage bay, he asked, "How are the interrogations going?"
"The Elites, or Sangheili as they refer to themselves, are proving to be a bit tough to crack with normal means of persuasion," Barnard remarked. "Building a rapport with the Zealot in particular has proven… difficult. His fanatical hatred for Humanity has made it all but impossible to get him to reveal information using verbal methods of persuasion."
"I take it you have a solution for that?"
"Indeed, I do." Barnard motioned for one of the SLDF soldiers to step forwards, with the man bringing up a briefcase. When Barnard opened it, O'Donnell noticed that it held some vials, along with an automatic injector.
"Truth serums," O'Donnell guessed.
"An astute observation," Barnard nodded. "Unlike some of my former colleagues in the 05P and ISF, I don't believe in using torture to gain information. Usually, the interrogate will attempt to relieve the pain and suffering they are experiencing by weaving a lie, or giving old information. Truth serums, like these, will lower their inhibitions, allowing us to gain access to the secrets in their minds. It will be difficult with these Sangheili, since this hasn't been tried before, but I'm confident that we will have results soon enough."
"Good. Hopefully, we'll get more than the usual, holy jihad bullshit that you say they've been spouting so far."
"Well, only the Zealot we've captured has been doing that. The other Sangheili has been far more cooperative, much to the former's disgruntlement."
"Do we have a name?
"Yes. That particular Sangheili's name is Vortas 'Qualomee, a Sangheili Major by Covenant military rank. From what I can tell, he's become disillusioned with the war, which might make it easier to persuade him to assist us."
"Then don't let me stop you," O'Donnell remarked. "Do what you best."
"That I will," Barnard nodded. Motioning to the guards, he walked out of the room, with O'Donnell staying in the observation room to watch what was going to happen.
. . .
'Qualomee's chest expanded and contracted as he slept, despite being strapped to a chair that was only lightly padded. A quiet snore came from him as he slept, with his mandibles twitching every so often. Underneath his eyelids, his eyes darted about as his mind dreamed.
Nearby, 'Ravamee was wide awake, and in a very disgruntled mood. It had been over five hours since he, and 'Qualomee, had been captured by the Humans and brought to their base, though his eyes had been blindfolded to ensure he couldn't reveal said base's location. Growling, he tested his restrains once more, only to find that they hadn't loosened in the slightest.
Clever of them, to capture me and 'Qualomee, he thought as he recalled his capture by the Humans and their Demons. It appears as though the Humans are more intelligence that we gave them credit for. Still, I will not once let any of them gain access to whatever knowledge they wish to possess. I will die before I forsake the Great Journey.
His thoughts were interrupted when the door to their makeshift prison was opened, with three Humans walking inside. The noise was enough that 'Qualomee was jarred awake, with the Sangheili falling over with his chair as he jerked upwards in surprise. The sight drew some amusement from the third Human, while the guards remained stone faced. 'Ravamee also noticed that one of the Humans had a container in his hands, presumably some means of getting him to talk.
Clearing his throat, the third Human pulled over a table, before setting a chair behind it. Reaching into his uniform, he pulled out a recording device before speaking, once he set the device to record. "SLIC Interrogation Session #2 Beta. SLIC Agent Zulu-3-9-5 in attendance. Subject is a male Sangheili, presumably in his mid to late forties." Looking at 'Ravamee, the Human said, "Please state your name and rank."
"I would sooner die than give you my name, Heretic filth!," 'Ravamee snarled.
"I see," the Human remarked. "Subject has proven to be uncooperative, which was also noted during Session #1 Beta. Enhanced Interrogation Procedures to commence immediately." With a snap of his fingers, the third Human had the guard with the container walk over.
Opening up the briefcase once more, Barnard smiled as he looked at the contents. Since the 20th century on ancient Terra, various intelligence agencies had begun to experiment with ways to make people talk, with these methods becoming more advanced as the centuries wore on. While some, like the Order of Five Pillars and Maskirovka, tended to use violence and torture to make a person talk, others like the Lyran Intelligence Corps, Department of Military Intelligence and SAFE, decided to use science to find a way to make a person more talkative.
With the formation of the Star League Intelligence Command, it was decided that the latter option was the best course of action. This resulted in the Great Houses, and Star League, conducting experiments in order to find the most effective means of making a person talk. The most effective methods were found to be psychological, with the use of rapport-building and other methods being the most effective means to make a person talk.
If those failed, however, the SLIC resorted to an older method: truth serums. Records of the defunct Central Intelligence Agency of ancient Terra indicated that truth serums were the second best method to use once other methods failed. After a couple decades of research, the SLIC's efforts succeeded, resulting in the creation of IRC-95B, known by it's nickname of 'Loose Lips.' The IRC (Inhibition Reduction Chemical) was extremely effective, with a perfect success record being it's main claim to fame.
Time to see if it can hold that record against a Sangheili, Barnard thought. We've tried building a rapport, which failed, so this is the second best option. Hopefully, 'Qualomee will prove to be cooperative. With that, he snapped his fingers.
On cue, both guards walked over to 'Ravamee and, with a powerful heave, pulled the Sangheili to the table, forcing his head down on the hard metal. "Unhand me," 'Ravamee roared as he struggled against the guards to no avail. Before he could mount another struggle, Barnard jabbed the syringe needle into his neck and pulled the trigger.
Within seconds, a large dose of IRC-95B flowed into 'Ravamee's bloodstream, with the Sangheili gasping as the cool liquid was pumped into his body. Once the full dose was inside his body, the guards put him back, before stepping behind Barnard once more. What… 'Ravamee thought as his mind began to slow down, while his movements began to become sluggish. What is… happening to… me?
Watching 'Ravamee, Barnard beamed as he watched the Sangheili becoming sluggish. Yes, he thought. The serum is going to work on him. Time to see if he's more… suggestible now. Clearing his throat, he waited for a minute before he said, "Will you please state your name and rank?"
Thankfully, it appeared as though IRC-95B was effective, as 'Ravamee said, "Yes," his words slurred, though understandable. "I am Ship Master Lat 'Ravamee, Ship Master of the Truth and Reconcilation, and member of the Hiroskill Order of Zealots."
"Good," Barnard beamed. With that, the interrogation began.
. . .
Onboard the Seeker of Truth, Thel 'Vadamee was thoroughly displeased by what had happened the night before. Looking at the surviving Sangheili Ultra on the holographic display, he said, "The Humans should not have gained access to the Truth and Reconcilation. Tell me why I shouldn't come over there and kill you myself for your failure to protect 'Ravamee and keep the Humans from capturing Keeze."
"They caught us off guard," the Sangheili Ultra replied. "The Humans stormed the shuttle bay and led a full scale assault. We were able to inflict some casualties, but they caught us during a shift change. I attempted to lead a defense, but one of the Humans fired at me. As you can see for yourself, it is a miracle by the gods that I survived." He motioned to his chest, which was riddled with bandages and other things necessary for treating injuries. "When I came to, I learned that, due to my incapacitation, the others were not able to mount an effective defense. They were slaughtered."
"I see," Thel remarked. Now that he was looking at the state of the Sangheili's injuries, and the fact that said Sangheili was in a medical hoverchair, he began to realize that his earlier remarks were harsher than necessary. "Perhaps I was… too quick to rush to a judgment. How did they injure you?"
"They used some kind of device to blind me, before shooting me in the chest. How I survived, I do not know. Perhaps the gods saw fit to save me from an ignoble death."
"Perhaps. I will assign a new Ship Master to the Truth and Reconcilation, until we can rescue 'Ravamee, if he hasn't broken free already. What is the status of repairs?"
"We are almost ready, Ship Master. Once we have conducted more repairs, we will be ready to leave."
"See that you do. Supreme Commander Thel 'Vadamee out." With that, he closed the channel before bowing his head.
"Ill tidings, I take it," a voice asked behind him.
Turning around, Thel faced his friend, R'tas', before speaking. "Yes. It is an ill day. The Humans successfully assaulted the ship that Keeze was on, and rescued him. They also captured 'Qualomee and 'Ravamee."
"Vile beasts," R'tas snarled. "How did they managed to get aboard?! I will silence the one that failed in his duties." He smashed a fist against a nanolaminate panel, causing it to reverb with a muted thump. "On top of all this, the Prophet of Stewardship is making things even more difficult."
"I agree," Thel nodded, remembering how the Prophet had unlawfully diverted some of his troops to areas of 'religious significance.' "It is high time that we remove him from power. I will attempt to ask him to stand down. If he refuses to do so, then I will send you and a few others aboard to persuade him to stand down. I do not wish to do so if I can, but if I must, then I will do it."
"And I hope you do not have to," R'tas agreed. "If it comes to that, however, then where reason and logic have failed, then force will do." He subconsciously gripped his Energy Sword when he said this.
"Indeed," Thel nodded. "What of the Humans? Have you learned more about any potential weaknesses?"
"No," R'tas replied, "but I believe that they are up to something. I can feel it in my blood. If an opening presents itself, then we will strike."
"Prepare an assault for when an opportunity does. As much as I hate to admit it, the Humans put it best. 'Luck favors the prepared', is how they put it. Prepare your men and get ready to fight, R'tas. Should an opportunity show itself, exploit it."
"It will be done," R'tas nodded before leaving. With that, Thel went to work figuring out who would take over command of the Truth and Reconcilation. He had a lot of work to do.