Big time apologies for the lack of updates. Schoolwork is mostly to blame.
...
0600 Hours, February 27th, 2683
SSV Normandy
Knossos System, Artemis Tau Cluster
...
Master Chief's eyes snapped open. "Time." he said.
"0600." Cortana announced.
"How long until we reach Therum?" he pressed. He knew today would be the day.
"I'd say about two or three more hours." the AI reported.
Master Chief smiled. It was game time.
...
After a quick breakfast, the Master Chief ordered Kaidan Alenko, Ashley Williams, Garrus Vakarian and Urdnot Wrex to meet him in the garage on Deck 3. They were going to be the ground team. They still had a couple of hours before making landfall on Therum, which left the Chief with just enough time to prepare his team properly.
The first thing they had to do was arrange the squad communications network, something the techies were able to help with. When the task was done, each squad mate noticed a new addition to their HUD; a series of dots and bars next to each member's name, indicating their status. Their hardsuits were now linked, recognizing each other as friendlies.
"This is Master Chief. Can everyone hear me?" Chief asked over the squad com. The dots next to Ashley, Kaidan, Garrus, and Wrex's names all winked green before going back to being dark circles. The dots next to their names were usually used by spartans to indicate team status. Green meant everything was fine, orange meant uncertain, and red was usually bad news. The blue bar underneath their names indicated current shield strength, while the yellow bar underneath the blue bar indicated hardsuit integrity. Finally, there were constantly waving lines underneath those bars; the biological vital signs of the team.
After that, Chief gave them all a brief rundown on hand signals. 'Can do,' 'Stay cool,' 'Unknown Ahead,' all were signals Chief used with Blue Team and occasionally UNSC marines. Ashley and Kaidan knew most of them already, no surprise there. Garrus and Wrex were able to grasp them well enough, so that fear was alleviated. The spartan's companions all put on their helmets. Garrus gave Chief the 'Can do,' signal.
All of these preparations were necessary. Chief couldn't help but notice that between a marine, a biotic, a mercenary and an ex-cop, his team was a little too ragtag for his liking. If they were going to fight beside him, he needed them more organized. Now, they were as cohesive as they were going to get for the time being. They were ready.
"We've just entered the Knossos system." Joker said over the intercom. "T-minus 45 minutes until landfall."
The squad looked on as the Normandy servicemen scrambled to get the Mako into position for drop. In the years since the Human-Covenant War, the ODST corps, considered by many to be second only to spartans, had expanded. This eventually led to the development of ODAV's (Orbital Drop Assault Vehicles) like the M35 Mako. These vehicles were often launched in conjunction with ODST drops, and the Alliance military worked around the clock to develop more efficient ways of getting ever larger vehicles safely dropped onto any given battlefield from orbit. ODAV's were designed with incredibly powerful shield generators and powerful armor that made them all but immune to atmosphere burn and came equipped with booster rockets to lessen the force of impact. Their biggest strength however, was utility. While they were often dropped from high orbit by carriers and cruisers, they could also be dropped from low orbit by frigates like the Normandy.
The M35 Mako was one of, if not the, finest rapid deployment vehicle ever, capable of being dropped on any planet at any given time. There was only one real weakness, which the squad was learning about as they boarded the mako once it was in position; a cramped interior. Not only did it limit the number of troops it could carry, it was also very uncomfortable.
It turned out to be very uncomfortable indeed for Garrus Vakarian, as he sat across from Urnot Wrex, who did nothing but leer at him through those glowing orange eyeholes in his helmet. Master Chief was piloting, Kaidan co-piloting, and Ashley would be operating the guns, which left Garrus all alone with the Krogan. Trying his best not to remember all those horror stories about Krogan beating up Turians for fun, Garrus focused his thoughts on the mission.
"Preparing to drop in...3...2...1..." Joker said. With that, the doors of the cargo bay yawned open, the wind howling around the mako's hull. Chief slammed on the gas pedal and the mako flung itself forward and fell to Therum's surface with all the elegance and grace of a flying brick. About half-way down, Kaidan engaged the booster rockets to lessen the impact when the mako hit the ground. When it did, it was little worst then a particularly large bump in a road for the crew.
"Alenko. Status." Chief said.
"Engine's fine. Navigational radar and motion trackers are online and functioning." Kaidan reported.
"Weapons are hot and ready." Ashley reported.
"Normandy to ground team. You read me, Chief?" Joker's voice came.
"I read." Chief replied.
"Just thought I should let you know that we're picking up some strange readings from up here." Joker reported. "Really strange. Like, off the damn charts. It looks like it's coming from an underground complex a few clicks away from the drop zone."
"Can you confirm it's our target?" Chief asked.
"Negative. Can't confirm anything. You'll just have to head there and find out." Joker reported. "We just sent the info down to the mako's navigation systems. It should be on your map."
Kaidan checked the map and the highlighted area appeared. "It's three clicks northwest of us. Looks like we'll have to navigate the canyons to get there, though."
Chief nodded. "Alright. Let's go." he said as he slammed his foot on the pedal and the mako blazed forward, much to the surprise of his squad.
Cortana wasn't kidding about this planet having a high amount of volcanic activity, as evidenced by the lake of lava that the mako was currently circling around. The ground and the rocks were a brilliant shade of golden brown and looked like they were polished to a shine, likely a result from the constant heat. Chief wasn't worried though. The mako's armor was designed to withstand heat and the interior was environmentally sealed. They were safe, for now at least.
'For now,' however, didn't last that long. The mako quickly found itself enveloped in a large shadow. "Contacts! Twelve o' clock high!" Ashley shouted before blasting the target with the mako's mass accelerator cannon, followed by a shower from the machine gun. Chief's eyes darted to a screen which fed the images from the cannon's camera, allowing him to see what Ash was seeing. He and Cortana did some additional research on the Geth the previous night, and what they now saw was unmistakable. It was a Geth Dropship.
The dropship dropped two objects in the mako's path before resuming its course. Chief looked ahead to see them. The shapes uncurled themselves, looking like giant, quadropedal creatures of some sort. Their flashlight-heads marked them as Geth. Ashley turned her guns towards the armatures, showering them with bullets and cannon fire. Kaidan couldn't help but notice the fact that Chief wasn't slowing down in the least.
"Er, Chief." the biotic said. "We're going to ram right into them."
"Yup." the spartan replied. Kaidan instantly saw what Chief's intent was.
"Brace yourselves!" the biotic cried over the squad com. Garrus and Wrex held onto their seats while Ashley just kept on firing. Time slowed for Kaidan. He recalled seeing an extranet video of a ground car running over a moose. That was the only thing Kaidan could think to compare this too as the mako caught one of the armatures right in the legs. The Geth walker crumbled across the top of the mako, obscuring Ashley's vision. She wiggled the turret around, hoping the barrel would get the walker off. Ashley's efforts were eventually rewarded as the barrel pushed the armature to the side, the walker falling off and tumbling right into a lake of lava.
Ashley turned towards the other armature and fired the accelerator cannon at it, scoring a direct hit. She never knew if it turned out to be a kill shot though, as the mako sped around the corner of a boulder out of sight.
"Chief, shouldn't we head back and confirm the kill of that other walker?" Ashley asked over squad com.
"We have a VIP to secure, Williams." Chief replied. "Now that we know that Geth are on the planet, we need to get to her position, ASAP."
"Chief, I'm picking up some-"
"Radio chatter." Kaidan interrupted.
"I really wish he'd stop doing that." Cortana said with a sigh.
"Matches known Sangheili Empire encryptions. It's coming from some kind of refinery ahead." Kaidan reported.
"They're probably having some trouble with the Geth." Garrus said. "They might know where we can find Dr. T'soni."
"Roger that." Chief said as the mako continued to speed forward. He hoped that Garrus was right and that the elites did indeed know where Dr. T'soni could be found. He also hoped that they wouldn't be too late.
...
"HEY GETH! HERE'S ONE FOR YOUR MAMA!"
It was the last thing Geth Trooper Platform A21-2835's audio sensors processed before a plasma grenade attached itself to its torso and then detonated, blasting the machine to bits as the blast knocked out the shields of its two compatriots, who both quickly fell to plasma fire.
"Holy crap! I actually got one!" the Unggoy declared in surprise. His shields flickering from Geth return fire snapped him back to reality. He leapt back into cover with an audible 'yipe!'
With plasma rifles in hand, the dozen or so Sangheili warriors fired down on the Geth from atop the wall they erected. It was similar to barricades they had used in the Human-Covenant War, but was painted green instead of purple, as was most of Sangheili equipment these days. It came complete with fin-like sub-walls along the top deck, giving defenders cover against attacking hordes, similar to Covenant Deployable Lookout Towers. The new plasma rifles they carried were like a fusion between the assault rifles of the humans and the Citadel races, and their own plasma rifles and plasma repeaters. It had the bulbous shape, blue paint job, and runes that were inspired by the Forerunner ruins, but there was no gap where the plasma batteries are easily seen; Sangheili engineers dubbed it too great a weakness in the old designs. It looked instead a bit like the pulse rifles the Geth used; a long, oval shape with a hole at the end where the plasma comes out. It had a bar on one side that filled up more the more it fired continuously, a means to indicate how many more shots it can fire before overheating. It also had what Humans would call a 'rifle butt' as well as a more traditional trigger. Sangheili engineers had been exposed to many exciting new technologies and concepts over the last century, and were eager to integrate the design philosophies into their own.
Sangheili were not the only ones fighting. There was no shortage of Unggoy either. They fought alongside their taller brethren as they have for countless cycles, lending their masters support fires with their plasma SMG's, which looked for all the world like plasma pistols shaped like M7 Submachine Guns, a popular sidearm amongst the UNSC during the great war. Some Unggoy held it by both handles, firing at full automatic force, showering the Geth with green oblivion. Others preferred to fire it on a semi-automatic basis, similar to the plasma pistols of old. Finally, on top of two sentry towers, one on each end of the wall, an Unggoy manned Type-52 Direct Energy Support Weapon, whose design had changed little over the last century.
They had been fighting for the better part of a day now and, though the loss of scientists and brothers alike was regrettable, the elites would be lying if they said they were not secretly enjoying this battle. Here they were, Sangheili Warriors, bold and defiant, standing against legions of Geth, soulless machines who knew nothing of honor! Truly, regardless of its outcome, this would be a battle that will be incorporated into their families' war poems for generations to come!
Plasma rounds were kinetic in nature, so they did little more damage to Geth's kinetic barriers than mass accelerator rounds. No matter, the Sangheili thought to themselves. Their skill, not their technology, would decide the battle. Any Geth foolish enough to stand out in the open will have its shields depleted and then will be reduced to a steaming pile of partially melted scrap. They had managed to hold out this long, but the Geth were relentless. They would not stop until everyone, warrior and innocent alike, within the walls of the elites' make-shift fortress was dead. And the pile of weapons, whose plasma batteries were burnt out from over-use, slowly grew larger with each attempted attack by the Geth. The Sangheili knew that, if they did not get help soon, this place would be where they met their ends.
It was then that the M35 Mako turned around the corner and opened fire on the remaining Geth forces. Geth parts flew into the air as the machines found themselves caught between the mako's cannons and the Sangheili's plasma. When the smoke cleared, and the killing ground was littered with fresh bodies, the Sangheili simply stood there, their plasma rifles pointed at the mako. Inside, the Master Chief was fighting the urge to ram the gate full-stop.
"Are you friend?" one of them called. "Or shall your blood be spilled as well?"
"Nice to see they appreciated the help." Cortana quipped.
"This is Master Chief Petty Officer Sierra-117." Chief said after activating the mako's outer speakers. "I'm with Citadel Special Tactics and Reconnaissance. I need to speak with your superior officer on official council business." There. Now if they start shooting at him, he can plead to self-defense.
One of the Sangheili pressed an elongated finger to the side of his helmet, while the rest lowered their weapons. The Sangheili nodded and looked back to the mako. "Field Master K'tho 'Narzun would have words with you spartan. The controls to this gate are broken, so you must circle around, through that canyon there." he called, pointing towards a passage off to the side. Chief turned the mako in that direction and headed through. The defenses in the passage were considerably lighter then those of the main gate, composed of only one old-fashioned deployable lookout tower on the right side of the passage and a shield wall. The shield wall would block any incoming fire, but wouldn't stop enemy infantry from just marching on through it. Provided of course the enemy infantry could get close enough, likely what the plasma turrets to on the tower and either side of the wall on the ground were for. The Sangheili and Unggoy defenders watched the large vehicle warily as it drove past them.
The mako eventually drove right into and stopped in the middle of a rather grim scene. Kaidan was right; it used to be an old refinery, but the Sangheili had since re-purposed it into a small fortress. There was the main barricade on the wall, which they had just seen, and across from that was another barricade like it. That one elite called these 'gates,' implying they could allow people in and out if they were fully functional. There were a few bulbous structures of some description; likely the Empire's equivalent of the colonial pre-fab shacks used by the Alliance. Unggoy were running back and forth across the yard, repairing various broken pieces of equipment.
The part that invoked pity for them though, were all the wounded that congregated in one corner. Not just Sangheili and Unggoy soldiers, but civilians too. Asari and Salarians mostly, with the occasional Human or two. As he exited the mako, Chief caught a glimpse of a young Human girl, who looked no older than twenty, doing her best to treat a Sangheili warrior's wounds. It was immediately obvious she was no combat medic, but she managed to hold in the contents of her stomach long enough to stem the elite's bleeding, something for which he expressed great gratitude for. Yet another reminder that this was no longer the spartan's century.
As the squad piled out of the mako, Master Chief noticed that all the Sangheili were wearing black armor and all the Unggoy were wearing an unusual mix of grey and purple armor. No doubt about it; they were all Spec. Ops. Which raised the question of what they were doing here. This seemed like a job that would fall under regular colonial defense jurisdiction. Then again, he didn't know that much about Covenant rank structure. One Sangheili dressed in white armor stepped out of one of the bulbous structures and walked towards the spartan. He stopped and saluted him; a pressed fist against his chest.
"Master Chief. You do us all a great honor with your presence here. Congratulations on making spectre." he greeted.
"Field Master 'Narzun, I presume?" Chief asked. The elite nodded. "Give me a situation report."
"Come." 'Narzun said as he guided the spartan and his companions to another structure, this one by the other gate. "Roughly eighteen hours ago, they came. Geth. They swarmed over the science camp like Yanme'e, killing dozens of innocents and fellow warriors. We fell back here, and have been repelling assault after assault since then." the field master explained.
"Science camp?" Kaidan asked.
"We were tasked by the Empire Council of Therum to safeguard a group of scientists who came here to study the nearby Prothean ruins." 'Narzun elaborated.
"You guys are spec. ops., right?" Ashley asked as they entered the structure. It was dimly lit by the various soft blue lights of the screens that showed everything from status of troops to equipment. "Don't you guys have anything better to do than babysit a bunch of archeologists?"
"This part of the Artemis Tau Cluster has a regrettably high amount of brute activity." the elite replied. "The High Council of Therum was fearful that should the brutes attack this planet, and they have done so before, the science team would be slaughtered."
"So they assigned you guys?" Garrus asked. "Therum Council must consider Prothean research pretty important to assign spec. ops. to guard a Prothean science team."
"Indeed they do." came another, more gruff voice. Another Sangheili, slightly shorter than 'Narzun, stepped forward. He wore black like the rest, with white trim on his armor. "The Protheans are similar to the Forerunners...and yet...so different. The Protheans have captivated the more enquiring minds of our race since their discovery. Many of those minds are on the High Council, it would seem."
"Brother Korzat, how goes the repairs?" 'Narzun asked.
"The Unggoy and that one Salarian mechanic are still working on the communications tower, but they fear it may be beyond repair." Korzat, who was apparently 'Narzun's second-in-command, reported.
"Trying to get communications back up?" Chief asked.
"Indeed. Specifically to arrange pickup for what's left of the science team." the Field Master explained. "We warriors can hold out against these autonomous abominations for many nights. The same cannot be said for the innocents, though. Their safety is my greatest concern."
"We have a ship in orbit." Kaidan said. "We could arrange the pickup you guys need."
"Can you?" 'Narzun asked as he turned to the spartan.
"Yup." Chief replied. For once, he found himself fully agreeing with a squidhead. Civilian safety is a high priority. He flipped off his speaker. "Cortana. Link me to Normandy."
"Roger that." the AI said. "You're linked up and on the air."
"Joker, this is Master Chief, do you read?"
"Loud and clear." came the snarky pilot's reply.
"Lock onto our current positions and arrange a pick-up there. We've got non-combatants in need of evac." Chief ordered.
"Roger that. On our way." Joker replied before clicking off. Chief turned his helmet's speakers back on.
"You can go tell the civvies that help's on its way." Chief said.
"Thank you, spartan." 'Narzun said as he bowed his head in gratitude. "However...I sense that our rescue was not the 'official council business' of which you spoke."
"No offense, but no." Chief replied matter-of-factly. "I'm looking for a Prothean Researcher. An Asari by the name of Dr. Liara T'soni. I take it she was part of the science team?"
"More than that. She was the one who led it." 'Narzun replied.
"Where is she now?" the spartan grilled.
"She is not here." Korzat threw in. "I'm afraid your mission has been in vain, spartan. When the Geth hit, many among the science team sought refuge in the mines. One of them was Dr. T'soni. We have not seen her since. It is more than likely she is dead."
"I'd like to confirm that for myself." Chief replied. Liara T'soni was a VIP. If there was even a small chance of her still being alive, Chief had to take it. "Where's the science camp?"
"It's further north. We can arrange -"
"N'tho 'Sraom to command! Do you read?" a paniced cry came from an audio speaker. "I'm under heavy - HELLO!" he said just before an explosion.
"Brother N'tho! You're alive!" 'Narzun said as he rushed over to the radio.
"We managed to get short-range communications back online." The Unggoy technician reported.
"Yup! Still alive! Korzat, if you're listening, sorry to disappoint ya!" N'tho cried out in a joking manner as the sound of pulse and plasma fire continued to echo in the background.
"N'tho, you reckless fool!" Korzat fumed as he stomped over to the radio. "What were you thinking, setting out on your own?"
"Well, the thing is - OH WORT!" N'tho was once again interrupted by an explosion, followed by what sounded like plasma fire. "Sorry about that. Geth Grenadier. Lots of them, actually. Kinda why I called. I don't suppose you guys can send backup?"
"N'tho, your nobility in wanting to save those innocents is admirable." 'Narzun said. "But Korzat is right. They are likely beyond saving at this point. What you are doing is foolish!"
"Wait, what's that? Can't hear you. Breaking up! Gotta go!" N'tho quickly replied before the transmission was lost.
"Huh, that's weird." the Unggoy said. "Short-range communication is still working."
"Of course it is..." Korzat steamed.
"Who was that?" Ashley asked.
"N'tho 'Sraom. My youngest and newest warrior. He is not as experienced as my other brothers, but he has great potential." 'Narzun explained.
"Bah!" Korzat said. "He's a disgrace to our species is what he is! Let the Geth take him, I say!" he ranted.
"You don't mean that, Korzat." 'Narzun replied. Chief found this a little odd. He fought alongside elites during the Battle of the Ark, and they all seemed to be fairly close to each other, they way they referred to fellow soldiers as 'brother.' It struck the spartan as unusual that an elite would so openly curse out one of their own.
"Why all the hate for N'tho?" Kaidan asked, apparently sharing Chief's confusion.
"Let me put it to you this way, Human." Korzat began. "Your kind gave ours many names during the Great War. Elite was a common one. It was a name fitting for true warriors." He paused and growled. "N'tho, however, is no Elite. 'Squidhead' is by far a more appropriate term to describe what he is."
"What Korzat is trying to say..." 'Narzun said as he gave his XO a dirty look. "Is that N'tho has...a different way of looking at the universe than most Sangheili. But it does not make him dishonorable or deserving of a less-than-glorious death. All races have their counter-cultures. Ours is no exception. Anyway, Dr. Tsoni lies to the north, where the old science camp was. Hopefully she is still alive. And if you happen upon N'tho, you would do us all a great service by lending him whatever aid you can. It seems he is pursuing the same goal you are." He turned to an Unggoy. "Open the northern gate."
The Unggoy gave the elite a quick salute before setting about the task. A portion of the northern barricade slowly opened up, creating a space just big enough for the mako to slip through.
"Anything else you need, Chief?" 'Narzun asked.
"That'll be all." the spartan replied. He turned to his squad. "Back in the mako. We're moving out."
And with that, the mako left the refinery behind with the promise that the Normandy would soon arrive to evacuate any and all survivors. 'Narzun wished the spartan luck, warning him that there may be yet more Geth between the refinery and the science camp. All along the way, 'Narzun's words rang true, as the road was cluttered with Geth infantry and walkers. Thankfully, this wasn't much of a problem to Chief, who decided to apply the golden rule of warthog driving to the mako:
Don't brake for nobody.
This didn't sit too well with the squad, though. Granted, it wasn't so bad when they ran over a trooper, as they were smashed into the ground fairly easily. Running headfirst into a Geth Colossus on the other hand? A somewhat dicier proposition. It didn't help that Chief kept his foot fully pushed against the pedal at all times, making sharp but calculated turns, narrowly missing falling into a lake of lava. Everyone was afraid that if the Geth didn't kill them, Master Chief's driving would.
The mako sped onward, leaving a trail of destroyed geth forces in its wake.
...
"KISS MY NEEDLE-STICK!"
It was the last thing Geth Trooper Platform B42-4954's audio sensors processed before several large purple crystals embedded themselves in its torso. They glowed for a half-second before detonating, blowing out the Geth's internal hardware and scattering metal and plastic pieces everywhere. N'tho Sraom smiled as he ducked back behind cover. He pumped his needler shotgun, ready to give another Geth dumb enough to get too close a face full of explosive crystals.
The elite heard another Geth trooper approaching and popped out of cover to fire at it. Six needles pierced the Geth's armor all at once and then detonated. N'tho couldn't believe how easy this was. You'd think they would have learned after watching a bunch of their guys die to just stay away from the damn squidhead.
Once again, N'tho poked his head out of cover and immediately ducked back down. Half a dozen more Geth were approaching him. But he didn't see anymore behind them. Maybe these guys were the last. If he can clear them out, he'd be home-free.
N'tho took out a plasma grenade and primed it. With a hiss, it began to give off that distinctive blue aura that enemies of the Sangheili Empire had grown to fear. With the elite equivalent of a manic grin, he came out of cover, trusting his shields to protect him, and tossed it straight into the middle of the approaching Geth squad, the grenade adhering itself to one of the troopers. With a whirring beep followed by a crack-like boom, it detonated, killing the Geth it had attached to and three others. The remaining two were knocked onto their feet, and N'tho rushed in for the kill. He took out his ever-trusty 'needle-stick' as he so affectionately called it and used it to finish off the remaining two troopers.
N'tho's grin never left his face as he took a step back to admire his handy-work. But it was only for a moment though as he jogged down the hill, ready for more. If there were any survivors at that camp, N'tho had to help them. He had already let them down once. His personal sense of honor demanded that he could not do it again.
All seemed clear. The canyon passageway opened up into a small clearing. N'tho could see the top of the canyon wall that was lined with fence rails. Geth snipers had used it to keep him pinned earlier, but a good old fashioned beam rifle was enough to take them out. It looked like he was in the clear. He turned towards the ramp that rounded the ring of the clearing and take him up to the science camp...
Only to find a Geth Juggernaut marching toward him.
N'tho couldn't help but wonder how something so big could've sneaked up on him. The juggernaut dropped its rifle, its ammunition apparently having been spent. It was probably one of the guns that had kept him pinned earlier. It was now going to take him in hand-to-hand combat.
"Alright. If that's how you want it." N'tho said as he cast his shotgun aside. "Bring it, tough guy."
Then, part of the juggernaut suddenly exploded. It was about the size of a small grenade explosion and it hit the behemoth right in the side of its torso. It stumbled to the side. Then, it got hit by a biotic warp, followed by a series of precise sniper shots right to the torso. White fluid bleeding from its new holes, the juggernaut's flashlight headlight faded off and it fell to the ground in a heap. Surprise on his face, N'tho looked up the narrow passageway he had just exited from to see his saviors.
"For the record, I could've totally taken that guy!" he yelled.
Master Chief lowered his sniper rifle, as did Ashley, Garrus, and Wrex. Taking down the juggernaut was indeed quite simple. Wrex's sniper rifle was equipped with an explosive ammo mod, so he would hit the massive Geth first. Kaidan, who ran up ahead of the group would then hit it with a warp. The juggernaut's shields would've been down by then, so a series of precise sniper shots to the torso would be enough to finish it off. "All clear, Chief." Kaidan reported.
Chief winked green to acknowledge and then trotted down the hill and over to the Elite. As Chief actually had to look up to look the alien in the eye, memories of his first 'friendly' meeting with Arbiter on Earth came flooding back to him; how he put a gun to the Arbiter's head and Johnson had to get Chief to back off. Now that he knew that elites were officially allies of Humanity now, he didn't see any reason why he should hold a gun at this elite's head. Still, something told him he'd be doing it at least once before this day is over.
"Minor N'tho 'Sraom, Spec. Ops. Battalion 42." the elite greeted with a pressed fist.
"Master Chief Petty Officer Sierra-117. Special Tactics and Reconnaissance." Chief replied.
"Holy crap, really?" N'tho blurted out. The spartan could've sworn he heard his voice crack. "You...You're...DUDE! YOU'RE THE FRIKKIN' MASTER CHIEF? Oh, this is TOO cool!"
Chief sighed. He had approached this elite considering that he might be a hostile. Turns out, he was something far worst; a fan.
"What were you doing out here, all alone?" Kaidan asked.
"Huh?" N'tho said as he snaked his head toward the biotic. "Oh, uh, there might still be survivors up by the science camp. I figured I should check and make sure."
"And it couldn't wait until after you received reinforcements?" Chief replied.
"They could all be dead by then." N'tho said. "No one else down by the refinery wanted to go. I figured SOMEBODY should." With that, the elite turned and began walking up the ramp. "The science camp is just up this way. Come on."
And so, the squad with their newest member in tow ascended the ramp. They eventually came upon the science camp. There were the expected tents and stands containing various scanning equipment, but it was all scattered across the camp grounds in a mess, likely from the initial Geth attack. The squad also noticed the pipes overhead and the storage tanks to the left, showing that the camp was actually a re-purposed mining facility. Chief read in the official Therum logs that the Prothean ruins were discovered by Unggoy miners while they were digging and Liara T'soni was called in not long afterwards. He then remembered what Joker said earlier; about picking up strange readings coming from an underground facility. The spartan's combat instincts were now on high alert.
Chief pointed to Ashley and Garrus, and then back to himself. With their assault rifles out, the three of them crept forward, the rest of the squad staying behind to cover them. It was then that they heard what sounded like a thump. They turned their rifles up to see the oddest thing; it had the flashlight head of a Geth, but that was all it had in common with most other Geth. It crawled along the underside of the pipe like an insect. Garrus was the first to react. He pulled the trigger and fired a burst at it, but leapt off the pipe to behind a large boulder before the Turian could do any real damage.
However, it turned out the new Geth was the least of their concerns. They soon heard the sound of engines roaring overhead and saw a Geth Dropship. It hovered over the camp and dropped some Geth Troopers on it. They hit the ground like meteorites and then unfolded. They were followed by a very LARGE object that hit the ground as well. The dropship then flew away to leave the half-dozen interlopers to their fate. The large object unfolded and stood upright, revealing itself to be a fully-armed, fully battle-ready Geth Armature.
"Oh wort." N'tho swore.
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Codex Entry (Weapons, Armor and Equipment): SANGHEILI EMPIRE WEAPONS
During the Human-Covenant War, the Sangheili detested human-made weaponry. Records show that when their own weapons ran out of ammunition, many Sangheili soldiers would take UNSC soldiers in head-on hand-to-hand combat, rather than scavenge and use for their own ends the weapons of a heretic race. However, when the prophets' deception was exposed and the Covenant splintered, many Sangheili recognized Humans as worthy allies. Thus, human-made weapons were no longer seen as "dirty" and so Sangheili weapon designers began to incorporate Human weapon design philosophies into their own.
This resulted in many new Sangheili weapons. One of the most popular is the Type-35 Close Combat Weapon, or 'Needler Shotgun.' This needler model draws inspiration from the M90 Close Assault Weapon System, one of the most widely-used shotguns during the Human-Covenant War. The Type-35 fires six needles at once that detonate 1.7 seconds after impact.
Another popular new weapon is the Type-26 Directed Energy Submachine Gun, a hybrid between the plasma pistol and the M7/Caseless Submachine Gun. It has both semi-automatic and full automatic firing modes.
And of course, you have the Type-52 Directed Energy Rifle, a plasma rifle that takes its ques from the assault rifle designs of other races. However, despite the Sangheili's newfound open-mindeness in the field of weapon design, many are still reliant on plasma as ammunition rather than mass accelerator rounds. In addition to cultural and religious reasons, the Sangheili believe that plasma is actually superior to mass accelerator rounds, a topic that is still hotly debated amongst kinetic physicists to this day.
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Anyone else notice that JUST before the boss fight with the Geth Armature on Therum is a fairly popular cliffhanger point in ME1 fics? Just thought that was kinda funny.
Also, ME3 Trailer is on Youtube. Seriously. Go watch it. NOW