Running in the Rain
September 18, 2554
0700 Hours, Earth Time
Ship: Midnight Enforcer
ODST Spec Ops Unit, November Six, aka Nova Team
Location: New Mombasa, Southern Kenya
[Play Halo ODST Overture on YouTube]
It was dawn, the light from the sun peeking around the planet shone brilliantly in Chambers' hazel eyes. She exhaled, "That's a release. Guess you weren't all talk after all. This cloaking system is no joke."
Lucy sighed, "Oh ye of little faith."
"Can't relax." Chambers whispered under her breath, "Not out of the fire just yet, We've still got missing troopers on the ground. What do we know?"
"Warrant Officer Radd and Cpl Holden are showing up loud and clear." Lucy begins, "they're a few clicks out from the original drop point but it's nothing they can't handle." Suddenly a somber tone takes hold of her voice, "However, Lt. Miles and Lcpl Gideon are nowhere to be found. That can only mean one thing..."
"That they're in the lion's den. What can we do?" Chambers asks as if completely unfazed by what she just heard.
Quickly Lucy managed to shake off her surprise, her voice jumping to answer Chambers question. "Not much we can do I'm afraid," Lucy Explains, "Maybe send down a flare to tell everyone to meet somewhere it's safe, the problem is Aesir is jamming the entire area. I can't see anything."
"Understood." Chambers said grabbing her helmet, "If we can't drop a flare from here I'll have to send one up from the ground. Moreno, you ready?" Moreno nods as he moves towards his drop pod. With a smirk Chambers slaps him on the back accompanied by the words, "You better not die before me."
It was then that Lucy realized that death was an occupational hazard for ODSTs for the most part whether they made it to the ground or not was completely out of their control. Rather than dwelling on what you should have done or even could have done your time would have best been served to fix problems that you can rather than worrying about things beyond your control. Lucy watched the monitor as Chambers and Moreno boarded their pods and then smiled as Chambers gave her a wink before launching her pod. Lucy couldn't help but admire THE OSDTs ability to take action despite the situation, she quickly decides to do the same.
September 18, 2554
0700 Hours, Earth Time
Ship: AESIR's Headquarters
Nova Team Commanding Officer Trent Miles
Status: Unknown
Location: New Mombasa, Southern Kenya
[Play Halo ODST Running in the Rain on YouTube]
Lt. Miles stepped slowly while sticking close to a nearby building, taking note of an upcoming edge of the building he was closest to him swiftly began to pie the corner only to see an assortment of convenient aliens walking towards him there were three grunts leading the charge, followed by a couple of jackals followed by a single elite in white armor and a helm similar to those wore by the ODST in the rearmost position. Quickly the lieutenant created a plan to eliminate the group with as little resistance as possible. As the patrol approached his position the lieutenant prepared himself mentally and as soon as one of the grunts had stepped into position the lieutenant was in motion. Within seconds he grabbed the first grunt from the safety of his position and silently broke his neck. Next, reaching around the newly dead grunts wrist, he grabbed a plasma grenade and throw it with great precision landing directly on the elite's armor. The elite gasped as the grenade's fiery explosion took hold. The explosion completely enveloped the two jackals in his vicinity before disappearing as quickly as it appeared knocking the elite back and leaving the jackals lifeless. Before the grunts had even realized what had happened each of their skulls was ripped apart by a burst from the lieutenant's battle rifle. He let out a sigh of relief as he lowers his weapon only to then realize that the elite was still alive. In what felt like a second the elite was on top him, grabbing the barrel of his rifle and forcing it away so that he could not aim. Without a second of hesitation Lt. Miles pulled out his energy saber and with his remaining hand and forced its blade into the mouth of the elite, as the blade exited his skull the life faded from the elite's being as his body fell limp.
Just then a quick gasp can be heard from across the way. Swiftly the lieutenant moved his rifle back into the ready position and began a smooth combat glide towards the source of the sound. Suddenly he caught a glimpse of the shadow of a mysteriously familiar figure standing just out of sight. As the lieutenant approached seemingly without reason the shadow of the mysterious figure jumped as if surprised by something before suddenly beginning to run. The lieutenant worried that he had been found out, and quickly broke into a sprint to get a glimpse of the unknown individual. By the time the lieutenant was able to turn the corner the figure was gone, in its place was Lcpl Gideon kneeling over the body of a freshly killed elite. The elite's armor was distinctly different from the one the lieutenant had encountered earlier, It wore black and it's helmet resembled a crown showing off its facial features clearly. Gideon then proceeds to move something from the elite's person to his own. The lieutenant was in awe of the rookie's ability to seemingly takedown an elite foot soldier singlehandedly. Only for a single thought to force itself to the forefront of his mind.
Without thinking Lt. Miles started moving forward his mind racing with ideas and thoughts that had all seemed disconnected and scattered that suddenly all begin to come together to the forefront of his mind. The Director's recommendation, the disappearing files from Havoc, and most recently the pod collision. Lt. Miles thoughts brought about conclusions he was not too happy with. The more lieutenant pondered the more he desired answers and the more he desired answers the more he hastens his footsteps and the more breath quickened. Until he found himself standing atop the unsuspecting Gideon.
"Could it be?" Lt. Miles whispered under his breath.
In an instance Lt. Miles grabbed the unsuspecting Lance Corporal by his collar and slammed him up against a nearby support beam with enough force that the young trooper's helmet bounced off the wall, Gideon quickly realizing he was dealing with a fellowing trooper untinted his visor so that his face could be seen more clearly as he dropped his assault rifle and raised his arms in surrender. To the lieutenant surprise layered atop Lcpl Gideon's startled eyes was an all too familiar blue shimmer.
"What the hell?" was all the lieutenant had time to say before an unseen energy sword cut right through the support beam Lt. Miles had Lcpl Gideon pinned up against. Without thinking the two rolled to the far corner of the room avoiding the following collapsing ceiling crushed the remains of the fallen elite as well as Gideon's rifle. The resulting chaos filled the room with airborne dust and dirt.
[Play An Erisian Autumn on YouTube]
When the dust finally settled alone elite could be seen standing atop the rubble, his armor similar to the one that Gideon took down. Without warning, he let out a roar and dawned his energy sword once again with bloodlust in his eyes. He pounced forcing Lt. Miles to roll again avoiding his strike the pain in his chest dulled his movements however no allowing him to move as fast, as usual, the elite sieged this opportunity to kick him in the gut causing him to bellow in pain. Gideon fired off a few rounds into the elites energy shield to get his attention, the elite looked at him and growled as the lieutenant slowly made his way to his feet. The elite pounces at Gideon but as the blue shimmer returns to his eyes, he dodges the blade and kicks the lower portion of the elites body causing him to tumble and collude with some fallen debris. Seemingly without thought, the elite turns puts his weight into a forward thrust Gideon side steps and use the elites momentum to cause him to spin around with a quick push on the forearm. He then follows this with a quick kick to the gut causing the Elite to jump back. Before the elite even had time to regain his footing Lt. Miles struck him with a quick backhand across the face. The elite realized that his rage would mean his death analyzed the situation and correctly concluded that the next blow would be coming from Gideon, He blocked his blow and developed one of his own grazing the trooper's helmet. Through the side of his vision, the elite saw an incoming attack from the lieutenant and moved to block leaving his left side open to Gideon who delivered a swift kick to the elites leg dropping to one knee. The Elite then ignited his energy sword and swung at Lt. Miles only for the lieutenant to ignite his own to counter, parrying the blow and leaving the elite open to Gideon's retaliation, the elite faces him expecting a blow only to have Lt. Miles energy sword rip through the remainder of his shield and leave him a nasty across the face. The elite howls in pain as his blade catches that of the lieutenant's and in one swiping movement landed a stern kick on him to the ribs knocking him back to the wall paralyzing him in pain. Gideon gets one more clean hit across the face before the elite turns his attention completely to him.
The Elite moves slowly towards the young trooper allowing his shield to recharge, as Gideon slowly retreats. Suddenly a burst of gunfire fills the room and ignites the elite's shields, he leaps atop the debris of the fallen ceiling as the last of his shields dissipates He looks back and utters a single word that Gideon doesn't quite catch as his exits through the roof of the building just above him a jet black phantom picks him up although it had no lights nor weapons to speak of. A stealth unit?
"That was something else, "Armin laughs, "It's not every day you see a trooper survive a hand to hand fight with an elite. Good Shit Marines."
She approaches steadily until she's just above the downed trooper. When suddenly she notices The Nova team emblem on his shoulder pad. She helped the lieutenant into a sitting position. "Fucking A, you guys were supposed to found me, not have me save your asses... Directors gonna have to pay extra for that." as she removes her helmet.
"Armin?" Was all Lt. Miles had time to say before she cut him off.
"Can't tell if that elite was really impressed with the two of you or what." she grinned with a cocky smile on her face. The silence in the room made it clear that neither of the two knew what she was talking about. She explained, "Before he left, the last word he spoke. Demons"