AN: Sorry for the long wait; been really busy. I should have more time now that I'm on summer break.
Chapter 1: Crash landing
"Dang!" Fox said. "We left hyperspace too late! I can't steer her in for a landing! We have to eject now." With the press of a button on his chair, Fox ejected, quickly followed by Falco, Slippy, Krystal, and ROB.
Meanwhile, on the stolen Covenant flagship, Arbiter's Judgment, a few Grunts were arguing over how Tartarus met his doom.
"I heard he killed himself by flying off the edge," one said.
"No way! He definitely got killed by the Arbiter," another retorted.
"Nah, I think the demon got him," a third Grunt said, tiredly.
"He wasn't even there, you idiot!" said the first Grunt.
Just then, the Arbiter walked in. "I have found another Apocalypse Ring," he said. "The Covenant, our former ally, is sure to be hot on our trail to fulfill the Great Journey; I have learned the truth, my friends, and if the Halo installations are activated, it will bring death to us all!"
"Ugh, what a landing." Fox was shaken up from the landing of his ejection seat. "Is everyone alright?"
"We're fine, thanks," Krystal replied calmly, "but Great Fox is totaled. We're trapped here. Well, at least we lost those other ships, for now. . ."