The last hours of the Aegis V/Lian II

Alarms flashed red within the hallways of the Aegis, it was a colour that matched the blood on the walls, a door hissed slowly opened, manually opened staggering out feeling sick to the teeth was the lone survivor, Veronica staggered and briefly vomited she survived the point range shootout, only she was the only one that survived it. She staggered to a wall, not thinking that there could be a battle raging around her, but there wasn't and she hands to the rails and breathed deeply, she could only recall flashes, their plasma weaponry exchanged with their ballistics, unshielded compared to them, but her team were more cool headed, just. Concentrated volley at the upper torso and a flash grenade bought some time. But her team was not shielded and for every shot someone screamed and parts of them disintegrated to the deadly heated weaponry. Maybe a minute or less and it her vs two but the one she focused on shooting down earlier crumbled when unshielded and it wasn't the body that was exposed but an un-thrown grenade-like object. It was what she had gambled on and shot it. There was a flash of green and she threw herself onto the floor but her back felt the burn of the blast and somehow she had survived. She spent time meddling with the door to get out, the longer she stayed the longer she was reminded there were people on the floor. When the doors opened she gasped and shook, she was still shaking now, the intense burst of violence and deafening sounds jilted her nerves, the gun was shaking in her hands despite her best efforts to discipline herself, she breathed and took step by step, there was a travelling sound of a thud across the upper hull, her eyes stared anxiously fearing a rupture into deep space. To make things worse she had no idea if the ship was moving, or was being directed back to those aliens.

Peering around the next hallway it became eerily quiet, a vacuum of no activity, but walls were damaged with spent firepower, there were some guns laying across, and while there some smears of redness around there were no bodies.

'Help!'

Shit!

She turned around with the gun ready to shoot, her mind then told her it was a human cry, a guy calling out for assistance. Either this place was vacant and the attackers had moved on or it was a trap but she took the risk.

'Keep shouting! I'm coming!'

Following the cry that came from the darker ends of the corridor with only the red emergency light dimming out a barely visible path, she shouted out for the voice again trying to get a fix, all the time being on watch, the last shout sounded closer to her left just passed a lockdown that failed to seal itself. Had it not failed she wouldn't had heard him, but that could had been the case with the many doors she longed past. How many were now the tombs for screaming men and women unable to escape what was hunting them?

There was nothing she could do on that thought, despite the perception, those who wore ONI and acted on behalf of it did have a soul and a care. She examined the ventilation grid that was rooted on the ground wall from the voice had sourced from and came again.

'I've been kicking this to no end! Pull it! Hurry!' He begged.

Veronica with both hands on the top of the grid swore as she pulled and swore some more the adrenaline fuelling her strength but sapping her stamina in the desperation to perform a miracle. The man inside was slamming repeatedly; the opening gave him a reason to muster new strength and try. Two more kicks followed and the gap was enough for him to squeeze out. Veronica saw Taylor Miles, not seen since the briefing at the bridge, now clambering out. He looked increasingly pale, fatigued, then noticed the bleeding on his covered arm.

'Miles? What happened?'

Taylor inhaled deeply while picking himself up trembling as she was, his immediate thoughts were to the bay. 'We barely got word there was an insurgent, next thing we knew she was gunning us down. The scientists weren't shot, yet as far I'm aware. I had to escape by ventilation duct.

'How long?'

'Don't know, but God this is killing me' Despite the pressure to the wound it wasn't making much difference to the blood loss.

'I was worried about that. We need to get out of here'

'Wait, the quarantine around the bay was broken, as well as the floors surrounding it. I only got out because all locks were torn, and been in that ventilation since hearing something. We need to get off this ship!'

'Where did it come from?'

'Listen we can'

'Now. Taylor I am ordering you for an answer'

'All I can think is that the insurgent activated something, maybe one of the relics we brought in because that's where the gunfire started from. I didn't get a good look, I didn't want to and neither should you'

'You're going to give me straight answers when were out, but we need to find something that can treat you that. '

'Sure..oh Christ look at you!'

It was then he realised how much of a bloody mess she looked, clothing stained with blood, not all of it was hers as haunting eyes revealed.

'I'm fine.' Was the insisted lie Let's find the way out ok?'

'Sure'

Weapons were clenched tightly, fingers tensed on the trigger pull with a slow prowl, surveying the existing dangers and planning where the next danger may come next. Veronica eyed the colour coded markings along the wall, each floor was designated by a letter and a number, the letter being the level of the floor and the number being the group and each floor came with its own colour pattern. The markings were painted with a type that made it stand out from the flashing klaxons, the colour stood out as purple and got where she now was. She had others people blood, Miles had his own and from a gunshot wound no less. She traced the nearest medbay...it was close to engineering and danger.

Still, what choice was there?

And as if on cue, the hull of their possible tomb grated in sound, the metal skin stressed not from the hull, but within the interior. Something big had charged through close to where they were, the walls dented outwards as a march of metal raced down. The sealed doors were smashed one by another, followed by a furious call of rage. The looked out to see the smashed glass and other debris and the wall they were near to buckled forward against something that treated the structure like it was a paper. They switched to an alternative route, fast. Running with Miles trying his hardest, holding a arm that was getting weaker, Veronica was worried Miles may face amputation if nothing was done about it soon. Even if meant getting close to engineering.

Even under duress she gave orders, the authority remained in her voice, but as the crisis got longer and became all the more worse was her throat sounding dry and her lips were trembling trying to tell herself to run from everything.

Anijah was one of the last remaining ranks that the troops looked to, she ordered a suppressing fire to give other non-combatants out of the danger zone, the suppression didn't last, a foe with significant savagery fitted with equally offensive technological advanced weaponry quickly became a one sided affair. It was ironic, a terrible one that the ones that were armed to handle this situation were among the first to die. What was a barrage of the two opposing evolutions of technologies had become now become less frequent from the marines, finding cover and thundering out short bursts and straying frantically across.

Something struck near, it sounded much like the heavy bangs that prelude the swarmed infestation, this one was close, a thunderous sound channeling through the walls, some of the aliens backed off, what was it?!

CRASSSHHH

She had no words to describe it specifically other than being a towering technological nightmare that wrapped round flesh, a monstrous humanoid that wore more plating than a scorpion tank, tearing through walls and with a hand, no claws, it was made entirely of three claws that scythed metal and anyone in it's length. Her voice was empty on her cry, authority was lost in her voice and anyone with a gun dropped it and all non combatants stopped, too terrified to move. There were low talks of praise from the aliens to this thing, mumblings of Upsilon echoed in chant, slowly moving them back. Then the thing spun back at them, his snarl was perfectly clear to Anijah's ears.

'TAKE THEM!'

The bloodshed had stopped, resistance was suppressed and for whatever horrible reason all who surrendered or could never fight to begin with were being picked and carried by force. Seeing and realising her turn could be next, she did the only things she could think of, eyeing a door that had not closed entirely and no one noticing she crawled shamefully out, there was nothing she could do but she still felt like it was abandoning her post, and those who died by her command, is this what they died for? She needed to think what to do and get away from here.

She tried contacting the bridge. Again. There was no answer, the same with her superior, no answer. There was no one, was this to be like the rumoured story of the Mona Lisa incident but on a larger scale? Her mentality was to simply slow and let her despair and do away with her soul and care, where she was left in the uncharted, without a weapon and an enemy they did not know of. If her uncle had saw her like this she imagined he would be ashamed at her panicked state while contradictory believing he still motivated her no matter the severity of the situation she was in.

Deep inhale, controlled and slow, exhaling all the stress for now from her mouth and looked at the end of the hallway as the start of a new objective. A marine never accepted defeat and while not one, she knew as painful as it was, to say no to defeat, even if it was certain meant there was still a chance.

She looked round closely she had walked on the walkway, a path with strong glass like material, there were cracks and while it looked like a breach was evident it was her surest route around. She could see how the invaders were preoccupied with staffing the hostages round the most exterior parts of the ship. Vulnerable spots in the hull. Was it possible there may be sent to other vulnerable parts in the ship. It meant the invaders still intended the crew to live, regardless of how long. She needed to find a comms part and maybe a new gun.

There was something else outside the windows, she noted the Aegis was nearing a new planet, in the middle of this either the bridge or invaders themselves directed the ship here. It took a few seconds to realise that it was Lian they were here and the ship was heading towards it. It also meant a battle between this and the defence force was imminent with something flying past. It didn't so much as fly past but orbited around pulling up strings of energy, the ship was engulfed in something and it wasn't the shielding she recognized in the past.

It went away from the ship, once seemingly attracted now repelled and it was heading to something, she could see a UNSC arriving fast, the thing rotated and…

Her jaw dropped at the destruction she saw brought, the vessel didn't stand a chance, now she had to get to comms as well as find a gun.

Light seeped out into the dark void of space, it peeled away before the sudden arrival bowing before the majesty that was the Infinity. It was the cutting edge, so much that other ships of the UNSC had not even blunted it's overall effectiveness. While those ships grafted some of Covenants existing technology the Infinity was a full on immersion along with innovation on existing technology to create something new. It was more than a vessel adopting extra-terrestrial technology. It was a new line of technological engineering a future for all ships to follow should mankind's future remain it's resilience in a galaxy full of challenges.

Now the flagship of that future faced it's latest challenge, a world under siege but from a new unknown adversary deploying a very different set of rules in it's warfare. Lasky looked at the holographic display depicting a three dimensional display, it showed more than the grids but the colour and high resolution of the planet and the ships.

'What we got?' Addressing the ship's A.I and Roland flicked visually in a spectre of gold and orange with a map highlighting the scan he had inputted and constructed on a 3D graph.

It had shown a two sections of debris scattered across a large section of space, the Infinity was on an immediate path to avoid the debris, though it was evident it was more than a debris it was the gravespot of two destroyed UNSC vessels. Heavy fighting had already taken place and third vessel was in the further back pulling away with spreading fires.

'Roland tell that ship to get out, we'll take this fight.'

'Message sent sir. We have the Aegis it's not responding to our signal and is on a direct path towards the facility on the planet.'

'Impact time?'

'Hard to determine, these objects are obscuring sensors' They looked to be circular objects, as a third one now jumped in from some open spatial point that remained open for maybe the invaders to go back to. The ring was orbiting around the none responsive Aegis and gone past. A small calculation of stats shows a spike in the flow, knowing the chart inside out Lasky's eyes caught the severity.

'The Aegis is powering those rings?'

'It looks to be that way, and whatever it is those rings are doing absolute destruction, the spread of the other debris shows spewing outwards with no heat signature of conventional weaponry.

'Further our distance by another 4km, and keep that as we circle round them'

'Sir we'd be well out of weapons range'

'And we'll be destroyed if we get closer!'

Lasky had a good idea what they were up against. The shredded force of two vessels and the nature of the rings. They had no visible mounts, he suspected only forerunner heritage can do something like this but if so why pass through the Aegis?

'What can you say about the rings? Anything forerunner?'

'The designs are a clear mimicry of the installations but just that, their recent and crude...the ring that passed has just been spiked with some kind of energy. Readings are coming in-'

'A kinetic force' Lasky knew. The rings were feeders, the device was in the ship. Requim brought memories of a gravity pull sending the Infinity crashing. He was certain that someone had innovated an offensive system around whatever captured forerunner technology they had on the Aegis. He now looked grimly at the battlefield, the previous ships were torn apart by brute kinetic force, a sickening way to go.

'The rings are heading our way, closing fast.'

'Increase speed. I want that distance maintained!' The problem was the Aegis was on a collision course with the planet and the facility to protect. He tapped on the Aegis status, it wasn't good news. Latest scan indicated large numbers of crew concentrated in key areas of the ship, engineering, outer hull near damaged areas and any other parts where a chain reaction could be set off, all directed seemingly by two foreign entities. One was in close range of where the crews mostly were, looking at the pattern it looks the crew were held as living shields. Would he have to take the life of non combatants? It seems this newfound enemy was daring him too.

The other foreign entity was spreading like wildfire within the heart of the Aegis, he had no idea if destroying the ship would unleash an biological weapon all over the upcoming straphsocope of Liam. The scan did reveal while the Aegis was shielded it would flicker against the strength of what the Infinity had to offer.

'If we jump close' Asking Roland 'Will those rings gain on us'

'Without question. They'll utilize the energy they sapped from the Aegis to gain on us. How close do you want us to jump in?'

'Enough to drop in some Spartans'

It was a sight that briefly caught the fascination of his mindset, Ridley always had a curious appreciation to things newly or simply re-discovered but the meaning behind it was never kind and was instead mixed with a feeling of exploit or malice.

Interestingly the arrival of the Infinity that he witnessed from the otherside of the wormhole, for a moment, was intrigued by it's dramatic arrival, more so because he thought about if only.

If only he wondered bitterly, that the Infinity was taken as it should been when constructed. If only Zebes was not gone. The bitterness became more and more resentful at the ones he blamed and despised. If only I known a Spartan would had saved me the grief. If only everyone could shoot straight once in a while! If only she was dead. IF. IF. IF. IF!

He restrained his anger, burying those self-failing reminders one more time and looked at the silver line, it was only natural he chose to see opportunity, not that he was optimist but that he was a pirate and therefore an opportunist. Every reveal new or re-acquainted was always an opportunity to extract something to his taste.

Ilsa stood nearby but nonetheless kept a close eye on that tail with a scythe on it's end dragging across the floor waiting for its master's anger to lash out and claim someone. Ridley though was in check for once, in the dragon's mind the Infinity was to be expected humanity had a habit of creating a singular piece suited to be the flag bearer, their own little superhero, so of course it's appearance was to be expected! which was why the orders hadn't changed, it was still opposition to be destroyed though it probably could endure quite well, which improved its chances of being salvageable.

'Great Commander' A lesser pirate, spoke to inform of a transmission coming from Oorion II, he had been expecting this as well, though to the point where he starting to get a bit impatient over the time it took, he didn't mince his words when he activated the transmission speaking at the hologram, he expected someone obedient, easy to twist according to his words, what he got was a glare directly at him. He scowled back at the image.

'Who the hell are you?'

They took position on this apocalyptic wasteland, a harshness that even a Jiralhanae would find unbearable if not for their own environmental suits, those that weren't outside exposed to the harshness were in the dropships taking watch and getting ready to extract what was asked. In on ship in particular stood the representative of this self-made co-operative force of Jiralhanese, Sangheili and Unggoy. He was the ruthless and aggressive acting leader,enforcing Atriox's strategy on his behalf, and was now speaking on behalf of Atriox to this 'thing'

The hologram depicted the creature as quite tall but he doubted it was a true reflection of the beast's size, he was warned in advance about it. The Covenant had labelled it as a Geoform, it was however also very powerful.

Despite being with Atriox from the beginning when their rebellion from the covenant and established he never dealt with the Geoform directly till now.

Atriox never said how he gained alliance with this...thing. Just that somewhere along the line he made contact, or maybe it made contact with, and a deal was arranged. The creature would handle certain matters that would threaten the mythos of the banished invulnerability and that they would supply it with technology from the covenant, letting the Geoform distribute arms among worlds opposed or fearful of the covenant...so as to make a profit and other petty interests.

While for Atriox it meant he could slow their advance and strength by seeing every invading frontier becomes a blood bath for them. He did not appreciate setting up more horrors of war to his compatriots but he needed to be seen to be in the right that the Covenant were butchers, even if he was seeing it that the knives were supplied to the other side by hands other than his own.

The end game was to see the covenant fanaticism become their undoing where every warrior under their command would succumb to the bloody tiredness of war, raging against their masters with the banished appearing onto the fray, uniting all creed alike leading under a banner of a full scale insurrection, with his own flagship, asked from the Geoform and recommissioned to a better sounding name than Infinity...

Soell though changed everything. It had worried Atroix at the time. According to him when disclosing this, the Geoform had a solution, a ship for a planet. Atriox had discovered an old forerunner ship, a very large one and could have been used for his grand plan. And the Geoform knew about it.

Atriox told him that the Geoform had the resources to get that ship running and would use it on a planet that had the means to challenge the installation. Had it all gone accordingly then Atriox was certain he could have brought down the Covenant by attacking Soell from Zebes. A small force was even sent to Zebes to help speed up the preparations, only to learn about the disaster that both the ship and the planet were gone. A disaster hushed up because of it's calamity and the murkiness that Atriox may have intentionally blighted the lives of those he said were oppressed just so they can be desperate enough to shackle their chains to him for freedom at sight.

Atriox only told him when he had received a message from his supposed ally; seemingly back from the dead, or more to it, from hiding. The Geoform was after a deal.

It was a staggering revelation given happened at Soell, how everything was "saved" because of a measly human that earned the namesake 'Demon' from his accomplishments, a fancy title for someone that had stumbled upon a facility by chance that was to be handled by the banished!

And yet the Geoform still comes out of the shadows as if he was not at fault! Such arrogance!

Atriox would not come back to failed dealings unless there was still something to salvage, he knew the creature could provide them something they needed. There was still a deal if Atriox sees one, but he had instructed him to make it tough for the creature, match it's threats with strength.

'..Who the hell are you?' Snarled the Geoform.

Atriox's right hand thumped his chest.

'I am the general that Atriox calls to, I bring him victory and the heads of his enemies. You will know me as Decimus. Geoform'

The "Geoform" didn't take too kindly to Decimus assertiveness the holographic image leaned closer. 'I see no general, just a little wild slave of Atriox's. Now fetch me someone who is what you claim to be'

'I am a general! And the general you answer to! Atriox told me all about you'

'If only I could say the same about you'

'We gave you a ship on our behalf and you lost it, along with a planet! You should be thankful the humans stumbled upon Soell. Not lecturing us about schedules. You owe us'

'Owe?' It was more the audacity then what was said that irked the Geoform. 'OWE?!' His voice exploding into rage with, the hologram was now closely mirroring the creature's true size. 'I'm the one that kept Atriox mythos intact! Created the reputation to his name without the credit. If I wanted I could have taken away all his honours. Wild slave'

Yet Decimus remained steadfast. This was to be expected. It was quick to anger but he knew despite the threats he won't turn, he needed support but at the same time the aggressive diplomacy was to make it clear the banished will not be manipulated by it.

'Should you try, then you will know my name. I am here to amend terms'

'What terms?'

'We need another hour to extract the complex entirely'

'Unacceptable! Are you seriously trying to bargain with me? I said in half hour the moment you landed!'

'The banished are the air and ground specialists that you lack. Or have been lacking since-'

'Don't push it!' He warned, teeth baring, but Decimus was seeing something else, a hesitating hint towards a compromise. 'If your saying it can't be done in that time-'

'I can do it!'

Decimus posture broke, his stern face shown alarm, in contrast the hologram of the Geroform turned his eyes with a crafty smile, he had seen a winning card.

'What was that?' Asked the Geoform towards the claimant, purposely playing it cool.

Decimus looked to see his eyes however looking to whose neck he would break and found out it was the new one that said it.

The one who said it wasn't new to the Banished as a whole he was the newest member that entered Atriox's circle of officers, young in age and glory-seeking for his own and Atriox. He had clearly been eavesdropping, waiting for his opportunity to impress.

'Voridus!' Cursed Decimus but the holographic Geoform used both its voice and physical size to obscure and trivialize Decimus authority quickly.

'Ah Voridus, now that was a name Atroix talked off most fondly' Decimus could see how much a blatant lie it was but to the young lieutenant he absorbed the statement without a shred of doubt.

'Your accomplishments are legendary, he told me himself. It is so pleasing to see to Atriox influence forged into the spirit of the latest generation of his people. You are a model of the future he strives for. In fact I was just about to mention to my "friend" here-'

An eye and a small reveal of teeth from the lips were present at Decimus for no less then the word lasted, hidden in the continuation of his lies.

'-that I know someone who can this done on time because Atriox spoke of you, Voridus, above everyone else, as someone who can get things done. Exceed his expectations'

'I will!'

'That's wonderful to hear, oh and by all means call me, Ridley. That's what my generals call me'

Ridley's hologram turned to Decimus. The threat cryptic. 'In half hour' And signed off.

'You hear that?' Vordius looked smug as if his inexperience just solved a matter experience could not. Decimus gave a look of murderous intent. 'You Idiot!'

'What? I just got his favour by acting as an inbetween. Atriox is going to be pleased with how I got that Ridley on our terms'

'Ou-Our terms?! IMBECILE! That isn't its name, It's a mockery! And a mockery on you!'

He was three steps away from beating the idiot to death when on the second step came the older brother, experienced and self-restrained individual even for a Jiralhanese but when it came to family he would pick brother other any rank save Atriox. Decimus though was not him and Pavium knew that, he looked up at Decimus, the latter being taller but it was not off-putting in the slightest.

Decimus refrained himself. Pavium wasn't a push over and nor was he unpopular, he did not need enemies within this room. Instead he glared at the older of the two brothers.

'Both of you have thirty minutes' Dragging Pavium into it out of spite 'To clear out a complex that we barely started on'

And how did Voridus react? With a nudge to his brother hinting that this should be fun.

So they were here reunited at last, and under the circumstances perhaps it was to be expected, Spartans only ever really rallied round battle after all.

For as long as anything was Blue team was at last assembled, three had fought without the fourth for so long, years even. Absence was no barrier for the fourth, he knew the other three too well, that and he was John-117 The Master Chief. If Spartans were the cutting edge of human augmentation then John was the cutting edge of all Spartans now and before. It was his commitment to see things to the end that made a lone Spartan he would go further than any other, if he flowed with war it was because he was in tuned with it. He had no pause, hesitation and doubt. All he ever had was someone who did not judge him, supportive even if he didn't show it back, it would be betray his mindset and demeanour. To be called and answer only when needed.

Now though he only sought distraction, battle, operations and war had given him that escapism to ignore that disturbed realisation that he did in fact need someone, but could he admit to it? Live knowing it?

'Status?' He asked towards his companions, the status was confirmed not too long ago but he wanted his mind switched to the situation pressing and not the one haunting him.

'I'm good' Said Fred

'Ready still' Confirmed Linda.

'Samuel is locked and ready'

Chief turned to see Kelly patting what should be an assault rifle and it was but she christened it with a name of a fallen that was dear to them all. A history that was deep in memory and to Kelly was now personified in the form of her gun. Chief simply nodded in approval. He stared at the space beneath, any moment they would drop out of the small force field opening into space and onto their goal. Assuming everything went according that was, it was always the seconds ticking that made him anxious after all the years of service it was still that.

'You going to give your gun a name John?' Asked Fred.

'Maybe' Though with no hint if he would give it much consideration into it, simply making his response quick and short, in the presence of his own he did not feel very open to engage with a casual tone.

'Blue Team' Said Lasky via audio comm 'Were going to jump immediately, you're going to drop fast as we fire. No promise on window time for shields. Just get in fast.'

'Understood' Confirmed the master chief.

'Remember when in we need to shut down the tech they got on their and secure non-combatants.'

What Fred said was sound, he recalled the orders and the Chief knew them but there was something else a...faint echo of a past spoke to him subconsciously, triggered by the circumstance, about following the orders...acting too much like ma-

'We change that' Chief said suddenly. 'We secure the outer hull and move into engineering.'

'John?' Chief didn't answer back to Fred, on the spot the initial plan was changed.

'Chief' Repeated John. 'There are lives at stake onboard here'

'I know, but the Aegis is no different. We save everyone'

'...Alright John, you're the Chief'

'Right beside you Chief' Said Linda strongly showing immediate support. Kelly followed.

'Firing where you lead Chief'

Chief clocked his gun, the Infinity buckled softly, the flash of light outside the softly shielded drop window confirmed it as the flash went, so did blue team jump falling, seeing the weapon from the infinity strike the shielding of the Aegis.

The opening was there, and the Spartans flew in.

AN: Much sooner to finish, this wasn't straight forward to do, but I have taken sometime to look up on additional Halo lore including Samuel and at this stage is the reveal to Ridley's other partner. For the record the 'forerunner' ship the banished gave to Ridley to capture Zebes isn't lore, however Ridley capturing Zebes with a ship was, (at least in the manga) he used a ship the Chozo had not come across before, and it's a huge one for that matter. So I saw it as an opportunity to have that be a forerunner vessel the banished uncovered and was part of their joint enterprise.

While the story started off with NPC's it was done so to establish the world as while the master chief is iconic he's simply a passenger in the Halo story, it took perceptions of other characters in the Halo story (including the Arbitor in Halo 2) to see the story expand. If I'm using NPC's (be it novel or original) it's not to take the chief's role but to expand areas where he cannot possibly be at the time.

As for the weapons Infinity is facing, fan creation though it's based on the pirates ideology, if their not destroying or plundering then their copying existing designs and try to make more potent versions.