Chapter 2: First Contact
High Charity
The Jiralhanae (Brute) Chieftain Tyrannosaurus strode towards the Council, the Fist of Rukt in hand. He knelt as he approached the Prophets.
"We have found the heretics. They have sided with the humans, Prophets."
"Is that so?" The Prophet of Truth appeared faintly bemused. "I knew all along they would do this."
"They have picked the losing side!" The Prophet of Mercy was jubilant. "There are still those who harbor feelings of loyalty to the Sangheili. Now we have a reason for them!"
The Prophet of Regret, however, appeared grim.
"The humans have been forcing draws and stalemates with our fleets. Three Fleet Masters now have been made redundant. Now the humans may have an opportunity to win."
"Hah!" The Prophet of Truth, despite everything that had happened, still remained contemptuous of the humans. "You will use everything in your power to crush the heretics! The Fleets of Redemption, Retribution, Penitence and Punishment have now been placed under your command."
"Yes, Prophets." Tyrannosaurus turned to leave.
"And return victorious, or do not return at all!" Regret called after him.
Installation 07
Scott thought he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. He rolled his Banshee over just as a Fuel Rod screamed over him and detonated.
Tanya had seen it first, and returned fire on the Covenant position. Scott and Tanya flipped and rolled as they returned fire. Plasma from both sides punctuated the air, as hidden Shade turrets and Covenant infantry on the ground fired.
"Contact! I repeat, contact! Hostiles located on northwest sector of island!" Scott was screaming into the com as he unleashed a Fuel Rod of his own. Tanya had taken to dive-bombing the Covenant forces, zooming down at almost vertical, then firing the Fuel Rod Cannons and pulling out, firing the main cannons.
"Copy that, Scott. You and Tanya check out the area. Over and out," Ricoh acknowledged.
They landed and stepped out of their Banshees, weapons at the ready. Scott had a Needler; Tanya wielded two Plasma Rifles. They stood back to back, scanning the area around them.
Nothing moved.
They slowly moved into the Covenant position. They moved down a Forerunner-built tunnel. Eventually they reached a large room.
"Looks like some engineering facility," Scott remarked, looking around. "Wouldn't Juliet just love this..."
"It's quiet," Tanya muttered. "Almost too quiet..."
Then out of nowhere the three hidden Brutes and a number of Unggoy (Grunts) and Kig-Yar (Jackals) leapt at them. A few Yanme'e (Drones) also swooped down on them, eager to tear them apart.
Scott and Tanya stood back to back, surrounded by the Covenant.
Tanya cracked her knuckles loudly. "I'm so gonna enjoy this!"
"I think I see something." Leo swerved his Banshee over, heading for the southeastern sector of the island. Juliet followed behind him.
They swept over the island, scanning for any sign of the Covenant facility.
And then the two hidden Wraith mortar tanks fired. They were Type-52s, antiaircraft and artillery models, considerably stronger than the standard Wraith.
The salvo of Fuel Rods ripped through the air at them, exploding all around them, releasing shockwaves and radioactive gel through the air. Leo and Juliet swerved evasively, dodging the antiaircraft fire while returning fire. Unleashing Fuel Rods of their own and firing the main plasma cannons, they forced the Covenant to fall back.
They landed and got out. Leo hefted his Fuel Rod Gun on his shoulder. Juliet checked her twin Plasma Pistols. Satisfied, she nodded to Leo.
A Brute Captain lumbered out of the forest. Startled, he turned around and saw them.
"Demons!" The Brute Captain growled, whipping out his Spiker. Leo and Juliet understood him perfectly, even though he was speaking the Jiralhanae language.
"Yeah, we are!" Leo replied in the same tongue and fired his Fuel Rod Gun at the surprised Brute.
"The Covenant are everywhere on this place," Ricoh commented to Alexandra as they received Juliet on the com.
"Heads up! Here they come!" Alexandra warned as two enemy Banshees swooped in on them and fired. Ricoh half-smiled as he dodged the clumsy bolts of plasma, then fired the main cannons coupled with a Fuel Rod. He watched in infinite satisfaction as the enemy Banshee exploded and the Brute pilot was blown out of the wrecked Banshee, flailing frantically all the way down.
A moment later, Alexandra dispatched her opponent. She turned to move west.
"Those Banshees came from that direction. Let's check it out," she suggested.
"Good idea," Ricoh answered. They landed shortly after at what appeared to be a Covenant vehicles depot.
"We could use some of those." Ricoh glanced at all the vehicles parked there. Every conceivable Covenant vehicle was parked there, seemingly with nobody guarding them. It was a windfall.
But they knew far better than to assume everything was safe.
Ricoh checked his Covenant Carbine, ensuring the radioactive rounds were properly loaded and that he had a full clip in the gun. Alexandra inspected her Beam Rifle before activating the Active Camouflage on her armor. She slipped into the depot.
She glanced left, then right. No one. No one on her motion tracker as well. But all of a sudden, a Brute Captain leapt out. He sniffed the air, swinging his Mauler back and forth. Alexandra struck him on the back of his head and he pitched forward and lay still.
And at that moment, five Jump Pack Brutes screamed out of the sky, firing as they landed in front of them. They stood menacingly, aiming their Spikers, Brute Shots and Brute Plasma Rifles at them.
Alexandra deactivated her Active Camouflage, leveling her Beam Rifle at them.
Ricoh casually aimed his Carbine at the Brutes.
"You think you can take us on, Demons?" The other Brutes met the taunting remark with jeers. They closed in, ready to tear the two Spartans apart.
"Yeah, we can!" Ricoh aimed between the lead Brute's eyes and fired a three-round burst.