A/N: Shout out to kpmh2001, IX404, Lukzan and TrimusicaDrag00n90 thanks for the support.
The boarding arms breach the glass, depressurizing the deck. Fortunately, the emergency force fields deployed, sealing the rupture. Two Covenant lances exit the boarding arms and enter The Dawn. With deck locked down, Chief engaged the boarders in close-quarters. To his surprise, the two squads that faced went down quite easily.
"The decompression put the room into lockdown! It'll take a few minutes to repressurize."
"We need to get off this ship," said Master chief
"We've got bigger problems," she replied. "We've got a cruiser on an intercept course! Head for the elevator banks."
John acknowledged the A.I.'s order. The spartan headed for the elevators.117 stepped into the elevator, which descends a few floors until it opens to another hallway. He fought through a small contingent of Covenant forces, eventually reaching a stairway near a window.
"That cruiser's shields are down! Assuming they don't raise them, that missile's going to be one heck of a surprise." Cortana stated out loud.
Before John could comment, he heard familiar high-pitched squeaks and barks. The armored warrior froze a few paces away from the corner. Suddenly a grunt around the corner, two of his comrades brought up the rear. The spartan raised his rifle and unloaded on the aliens. All three of the Grunts went down. As Chief reloads, he noticed two more grunts came around the corner. They looked down at their fall comrades then back at him.
The Master Chief didn't pay them any mind and went back to restocking his weapon. As he slapped the new mag inside the buttstock. The super soldier noticed a bright blue light. He looked up and saw the two aliens charged him with two plasma grenades. John took steps back while racking his rifle's charging handle. He popped each Unggoy in the head their bodies collapsed on the ground. The four dropped plasma grenades went off, resulting in an impressive chain explosion.
"These Covenant seem more fanatical than the ones we've fought before." Spartan 117 muttered.
John encounters yet more Covenant but, he didn't recognize the race. They were brawny reptilians with reddish scales. The squad of aliens carried energy shields and needlers just like Jackals. Master chief shook his head and concentrated on the battle. Several pink needles hit his shields, bringing them down. The green-clad soldier took cover behind a nearby wall. Once his shield rechanged he poked his head out and saw the squad of aliens rush his position. Cheif popped out of cover just before he could pull the trigger two needles pierced his assault rifle, one through the muzzle and another through the ammo counter.
'You have got to be kidding me,' he thought.
"Cheif!"
Without a second thought, the spartan launched the weapon at one of the reptilians. The improvised weapon flew and hit the saurians' unprotected flank, knocking the wind out of its lungs. It collapsed on the floor, letting out a loud shriek. What happened next shocked the super-soldier. The other two stop their assault and retreated to the side of their fallen comrade. These aliens were definitely weird.
Not one to waste an opportunity he drew and armed a grenade. With a flick of the wrist, Master chief tossed the explosive. It bounced and rolled between the alien trio. In the split-second before the grenade, the three covenant aliens closed their eyes and accepted their fate.
A fragmentation blew one into bloody ribbons, shredded the other two had the poor judgment to stand there. Pieces of shrapnel were sent flying across the room to slam into the bulkhead. With the skirmish over, Chief walked over to one of the semi-intact corpses. He scanned the creature's feature, overall it was familiar but different. Before he asked, she beat him to the punch.
"Kig-Yar subtype known as Ibie'sh, they are rarely seen outside the jackal homeworld."
"Until now," With his curiosity satisfied John's mind was back on track. The armored warrior grabbed his M6 Handgun and marched on through the open hatch.
"How far to the missile?" he questioned.
"We're just about there." Cortana.
John reaches an airlock.
"The auxiliary launch station should be to your left out of the airlocks," she informed him. Suddenly a purple field of static appeared on John's HUD."You'll have to prime the launch for ignition!"
"Cortana?" John's level of concern for his companion elevated.
"It's nothing," the blue hologram declared with her audio warped.
"Just get to the launch station."
The airlock doors open, revealing the Dawn has migrated closer to the enigmatic shield world. 117 stepped out and was taken back by what was before them.
"Uh, I'm sorry," she said, "Did I miss orbiting a Forerunner planet at some point?"
"One thing at a time." the super-soldier said. Then like providence he spotted a BR85HB SR sailing closeby. He snagged the battle rifle and checked the ammo count. After that, he looked out in the distance and saw the launch station "There's the launch station!"
The green-clad soldier activated his mag boots and made his way over to the launch station. The Master Chief was close now and prepared to sprint. That was when Cortana said, "Behind you!"
At that moment Chief felt a plasma round hit him squarely between the shoulder blades. He rolled with the blow and sprang to his feet. He whirled to face his attacker and saw a Phantom swoop by. A squad of Ranger class Sangheili, Kig-Yar, and Unggoy laned on the Dawn.
John already hated space operation, but the added opposition didn't make it any better. Pushing his negative thoughts aside the spartan went to work. He took up a position on the upper levels and rained down lead. him and the covenant exchange fire for five minutes until he was the last one standing. The cyborg soldier lumped his way to the console and activated it.
"Launch initiated!"
The silo door on the far side opens, revealing the Hyperion missile underneath. The missile fails to fire, however; the door mechanism was stuck in place.
"Great," she snarked. "The blast door's jammed! The missile won't fire until it's cleared. Get down there!"
Master Chief took a deep breath and ordered to maintain his composer. Once he found his center he jumped off the platform and onto the deck. He made a mad dash towards the silo. Once he reached the missile, the super-soldier applied some spartan muscle. He tackled the accelerator, pushing it close enough, and then kicks the blast door to its proper position.
"You did it," Cortana cheered "get back!"
John took a step back as the missile launched, hitting the approaching cruiser and detonated The cruiser shatters into pieces, and the debris drifts over the Dawn. Abruptly, a beam of orange light from the planet scans the Spartan.
"Chief?"
"The Covenant weren't the ones scanning us," he replied.
Suddenly the massive segments of the planetoid exterior begin to retract, revealing a blinding white-blue energy field beneath. Covenant cruisers nearby are engulfed in the opening.
"So, now can we worry about the giant metal planet?" the A.I. asked.
"It's using a gravity well to pull us inside the surface!"
Chief turned and ran for the airlocks. John knew everything not bolted down is pulled toward the planet.
"We've gotta hurry!" she screeched. "The second we cross the dome's event horizon, its atmosphere is going to tear us apart!"
"Where are the closest escape pods?"
"Aft vehicle bay! I'm tagging the closest airlock, go!"
John jumped it inside the airlock, which opens after being depressurized.
"Hull integrity at 30 percent."
He headed back into another hallway. Then, conscious of the need to get Cortana off the ship, he made his way down the corridor.
Warning - system depressurization.
The master chief proceeds down a hallway, but the floor collapses slightly before he can reach the end. The deck shook as the ship was being dragged into the shield world. John bolted into an intersection full of grunts. Most of the floor suddenly collapses, forcing John to go around the perimeter of the room.
Hull integrity at 25 percent.
"All but one of the grav generators just went dark!"
"Just keep me pointed at that vehicle bay." he barked
John enters the vehicle bay; a Unggoy with his pistol had him at gunpoint. Before he had a moment to fire, the interior is promptly crushed by falling debris. The ship continues to crumble around the Chief, who quickly exits the bay.
Hull integrity at 15 percent.
The chief made his way through the hallway towards the escape pods. suddenly noticed a figure decloaked from active camo. He saw an elite but not just any elite the same one he tossed down the elevator shaft.
John wasn't sure what came over him but he took an involuntary step back this was not good.
The alien warrior ignited his energy sword. As a show of intimidation, he dragged the tip of the blade across the Dawns' bulkhead. With each step, the Sangheili drew closer. Its mandibles formed the elite's equivalent of a smile. Now john found himself oddly calm he almost found himself smiling. The alien didn't understand the true meaning of motivation.
"Hello, giant shield world trying to suck us, remember?"
"two minutes,"
The Spartan charged the elite. Master chief slid under the first swing he was up on his feet and lunging to punch the Sangheili. The hit connected, Chief followed up with a pile drive fist but the elite interrupted with a powerful cross. then it delivered a front kick to John's midsection.
It felt like he was hit with a jackhammer, it would've killed a normal man instead it bounced him off the wall and on to the floor. the armored cyborg rolled to one side as the sword came down.
117 Was back on his feet, he gritted his teeth and returned the favor and performed a push kick, sending the elite staggering back. ducking under more sword slash's the chief rushed forward fist swing again and again his world was a focus rage, all he could see was the obstacle in his path. For every blew he delivered he took one in return. Headed down the Spartan rushed the elite like a grifball line backer blitzing the offensive line. He hit the Sangheili low in the stomach, lifting him off his feet. master chief carried the warrior across the hall . the two combatants hit an elevator door like a feign train. metal shrieked then torn as they both fell into the void.
The chief felt a brief moment of satisfaction. As they plummeted down the elevator shaft. reached out and grabbed for emendated death didn't stop the Spartan from landing blows on his advisory. to the surprised the two landed on top of an elevator. He clung on with one hand as he continued to lay into the elite. Before he could lay another punch the green clad warrior felt a solid punch in the kidney. followed up with a quick head-butt. chief fell back slightly dazed. Both combatants hope back to their feet.
The augment human drew his combat knife. While the Sangheili summoned his wrist daggers. The two warriors traded slashes in a blur of cutting motions. When they both circled each other the two noticed the multitude of cut marks that stained their armor. John knew the alien was good but it did have an onboard smart A.I. The elite charged with a forward jab but he Spartan pared the attack. He countered with a slash but the warrior blocked and elbowed Chief but it didn't phase rivals found themselves in a locked in solid stalemate just like earlier. Both sides unable to over power the other.
Suddenly the master chief dropped his knife. Sangheili watched the blade fall with pure confusion. Then with inhuman speed the Spartan caught it using his other hand,snaching it out off the air. Before he had time to react the combat knife found itself in the elites throat. blue ran down the knife and on the chiefs arm. the Sangheili's arms fell to it side with his shoulders lowered. It open it mandibles as if it was about to speak but it spat a wad of blood on chief orange visor.
as a reaction he swiped the blood from his visor. he saw the elite speaking its native tongue while holding active plasma grenades in each hand.
"Ah, chief grenades."
"I've noticed, he said deadpan. he made a quick survey of the area. The armored soldier saw an elevator door. Without a missing a beat the Spartan took off towards the door. he charged it shoulder first. to his surprise the door gave out and he fell through, landing on the floor.
"Move!" Cortana barked.
chief obeyed , he rolled to the left. avoiding the plasma by a millisecond.
"Oh yeah, two minutes and fifty seven seconds."
Hull integrity at 10 percent. Warning - critical ship damage.
"We're almost there!"
Hull integrity at 5 percent. Personnel are advised to evacuate immediately.
The Chief charges ahead, bulldozing through a crowd Unggoy. By this point, the hallways are continuously bursting into flames. As John made it to the escape pods, one of the doors is ripped from its hinges.
"Chief!"
John tries to hold onto the door but fails. He manages to grab hold of a railing. The chamber rapidly depressurizes as the walls are peeled away, revealing a Covenant cruiser ahead.
"Hold on!" she screamed.
John wasn't superstitious but the moment she said that the railing gave way as well, and the Master Chief is sucked out of the ship and into the debris field. A hull section slams into John, draining his shields.
"We're caught in the gravity well!" Cortana warned.
A large segment of the Dawn smashes violently into a light cruiser, triggering secondary explosions that rip the Covenant warship apart. The body of an Unggoy falls past him and crashes into the burning cruiser.
"Can you track the escape pods?"
"Negative, look out!"
John drifts through a gaping hole the impact left in the cruiser. Explosions continue throughout the crippled ship. A piece of debris suddenly hits the Chief at high speed.