0142 Hours, September 11th /DATE UNKNOWN/ (UNSC Calendar)
Voyager Cluster, Gateway
Flood infested base upon surface of Gateway
The halls of the bunker were silent and still, but the oppressive nature of the Flood was palpable. Every unseen corner, every shadow, was a possible threat. A possible chance for infection.
Deep within the bowls of the facility a single door slid open, and a Sangheili Warrior clad in black and wielding duel plasma rifles stepped through moving to the right of the door, while the Turian soldier named Garrus Vakarian, armed with his Phaeston, moved left.
The scanned the corridor ahead, searching for any signs of the Flood. For the moment everything looked clear, but that was a relative term when dealing with the Parasite.
The Sangheili Warrior gave a nodded of his head and the rest of the team passed through. In total there were eleven, including those that had been found. The ones that went by the names Commander Shepard, James Vega, and Garrus Vakarian.
Henry was still considering their short but enlightening conversation with the strangers. That they belonged to an organization called the Alliance, but that the other fleet was controlled by an organization called Cerberus. That both are at war with an ancient race known as the Reapers.
There were still many unanswered questions, but there was little time left. With few options at hand it was agreed that they would work together to reach the Phantoms location. Reaching the surface was not an option, considering how far the infection had spread. Their only means of escape was the Phantom Dropship. Once back with the fleet they would allow Shepard to make contact with their current leader, Rear Admiral Galloway.
Lopez and Shepard were near the front of the group, moving close together and speaking to one another about various things regarding where each of them came from.
Humans never seemed to be able to put aside their curiosity long enough to get to a proper place to ask questions. Preferably away from the battle field.
Henry was covering the rear of the group with the human named Vega. Judging by his hair pattern and scars, the man had seen plenty of combat. Whether or not he was an actual warrior had yet to be seen by Henry.
"So, umm…" Vegas began, glancing over towards henry as they moved, "Henry. You and that Lopez chick seem to be awfully familiar with these Flood things. What do you know about them?"
Henry growled a little. It seemed this Vega shared humanities affinity for idle chatter in tense situations, "Yes. We know of the Flood. They are the enemy of all life, one that my people has faced on many occasions."
Vegas nodded, "Yea, I gathered that. So, what do you do about them usually? I mean, is there a way to treating someone who has been infected."
The other Sangheili present chuckled at that.
Shepard glanced over her shoulder, "Something funny the new guys are missing?"
Henry had been the only one of the Sangheili that did not share in the humor of the question, "They laugh because the question is foolish." He had seen enough of the Flood to know the one inescapable truth, "The only cure for the Flood is to destroy those that have been infected." He looked ahead towards Shepard and continued, "One single Flood Spore can annihilate an entire species. If we find a world that has been infected, than we burn the planet until all traced of the Flood is erased."
The creature, who went by the name Garrus, asked the question that was most likely burning in the minds of Vega, Shepard, and Garrus, "How exactly do you 'erase' the Flood. Do you bomb sites that have been infected?"
Henry chuckled at that, "No. From orbit we use our weapons to turn the entire surface of the world into glass."
Garrus nodded, "Like when your ship that was engaged by the Cerberus ships." The Turian was obviously impressed as he looked towards Shepard, "Can we put one of those glassing guns on the Normandy?"
Shepard chuckled, "One thing at a time Garrus. Why don't we first get out of here and make nice with our new friends before we rearrange the Main Battery?"
As the moved down the wide corridor towards yet another door, one of the Spartans looked up towards the upper wall for a moment, "Umm, Major?"
Lopez nodded, "Yea, I see them."
Shepard looked up but didn't see what they were talking about, "Anything you want to share?"
"You see those box shapes attached to the walls up there? The ones with lights below those raised surfaces. Those are Sentinel hubs." Lopez stated.
Henry continued, "The Sentinels are Forerunner world guardians. Artificial constructs that combat the Flood."
As if on cue, the door ahead slid open and several Sentinels floated thru moving their way. Shepard began to raise her weapon, but Lopez pushed it down, "Make way." She ordered her team. Everyone spread apart, allowing the Sentinels to pass. Lopez explained, "Unless you show yourself to be a threat to their mission they generally leave you alone."
They all watched as the Sentinels approached the door they had all gone thru earlier. As it slid open a missile shot out and struck one of the Sentinels, causing it to burst into explode and crash thru the ground. The other Sentinels began to project energy beams into the oncoming Flood.
"Alright folks, break times over! Get your asses in gear," Lopez shouted as they all began to rush towards the other door. On the roof the hatches began to open and Sentinels began to appear, all converging on the mass of Flood.
As they reached the door one of the Spartans ran towards the side and began to manipulate some controls to get it open. Everyone else formed up around the door and turned towards the battle. Each of them had their weapons raised and targeted any Flood form that got thru the Sentinel line, which was beginning to slowly push forward under the sheer mass of the Flood ranks.
The hatch lights turned from red to blue as they began to open, "Alright folks! We are almost to the shuttle so let's…"
As the door opened the form of a Promethean Knight appeared right in front of them. It took everyone a moment to even process this. A moment they did not have.
Lopez was bringing her DMR to bear, but the Knight was already swinging its blade down upon her.
Everything that happened next moved in slow motion for Henry as he saw the blade slice thru her DMR. He saw as her left hand moved away from her body and as the blade sliced thru her chest plate, spewing blood into the air.
Henry flew into a rage as he rushed towards the Knights. In his left hand he began to fire his Plasma Rifle, striking its shields and gaining its attention. The Knight closed the gap and brought its Energy blade down towards Henry, but he was ready as he activated the Energy blade in his right hand and raised it to meet the blow.
With their blades locked together, Henry head butted the Promethean Knight. Not to damage it, but to give himself some space.
"Henry, Move!" someone shouted, but he did not know who. The Knight began to swing over and over again, all while Henry dodged and deflected the blows with his Energy Blade. His blood ran hot with rage towards this Knight.
The Knight swung one last time, but Henry spun to his left. As the Knights blade hit harmlessly against the ground, Henry brought his own blade up than down thru the Prometheans neck. The Machine vanished in a cloud of information.
Henry spun around towards Lopez and rushed to her side. She was still alive, but was gasping on the ground. Looking towards the wound Henry could see that the blade had cut thru her chest, slicing bone and even one of her lungs.
One of the other Spartans was already at work apply Bio Foam to her wound chest wounds. As the Form expanded she immediately took in a breath and shouted, "FUCK! Where the fuck did that Promethean come from?!"
Shepard moved towards Lopez's side, "We have something called Medi-Gel. Will it help?"
The Spartan treating Lopez spoke in a distinctly British accent, "I would not recommend it." He said as he slapped on a self-adhering tourniquet to Lopez's arm. "To become Spartans we had a lot of drugs pumped into us. Who know how yours medicine will react to what is already in us."
Henry holstered his weapons. Sliding his arms below Lopez he lifted her up to carry her. She laughed, "Oh my gallant hero. Take me away!"
They all began to move again, once through the door behind them slid shut and they found themselves in the large room that team Razor had entered before. It was the armory area that had been cleaned out of small arms, but now it was a war zone as Flood poured in from every possible entrance, while Prometheans and Sentinels kept appearing to combat them.
"Any other way to your ship?" Shepard asked as they formed a defensive line, while Henry held back with Lopez.
Henry shook his head, "This is the only way. We could reach the door if we skirt the walls, but nothing to stop them from following us to the landing area. We will be overwhelmed at the door."
Vega scanned the room and spotted something in front of a pillar. Two crate looking objects he recognized as high explosives, "Over there! Could we detonate those behind us as we leave?"
Garrus considered that a moment, "No. Without a detonator the only way to set them off is to manual detonate."
Lopez patted Henry, "Set me down big guy."
Henry obliged, seating her against the wall. So far the Flood and Prometheans were ignoring them in favor of fighting each other, but that could change rapidly.
Lopez reached up with her one good hand and pulled off her helmet, "Shit… Well, looks like I am up. Ill detonate the bombs and distract the bad guys while you all get to the shuttle."
The other Spartans looked back towards her, one of them voicing their thoughts, "No way ma'am, that's suicide!"
Lopez laughed, but began to cough violently for a few seconds, "I'm already dead, and you all know it. I won't make it back to the Fleet in time to make any real difference. Even if I do they will just retire me."
Shepard looked around, "There has to be another option!" She did not want to loss anyone else.
Lopez smile at her, "You're a good woman Shepard and a hell of a fighter from what I have seen. You should understand then that I cannot go on without being a soldier. It's all I have left."
Shepard bowed her head a bit and nodded. She understood that completely.
"Lopez," Henry whispered.
Henry and Lopez looked each other in the eyes, two warriors understanding one another one last time. Lopez reached for her neck and pulled off her dog tags, holding them in her right hand, "It's my turn to save your ass Henry, but you do me a favor. Get me kids out of here alive, you understand?" She raised her hand into the air, her palm open but holding her dog tags between her palm and thump, "You do that, and you can have my shore leave."
Henry took her hand into his and gave it a hard squeeze. It lasted only a moment as they both released their grips. Without another word Henry gave her his Plasma rifle and a spare Energy Blade. Lopez forced herself to her feet and began to rush towards the bombs, firing the plasma rifle into the horde of monsters as she yelled, "Get out of here!"
Henry took point, as he led the survivors around the edge of the room towards the door that lead to the shuttle.
Lopez continued to fire, seeming to draw the attentions of all the enemies in the room.
As both flood and Promethean closed in she continued to fire the Plasma rifle. She stood upon the bombs, shouting and cursing at the oncoming monsters.
When her plasma rifle ran out of energy she drew her blade and began to slice and dice.
Even as she moved she could feel the Bio Foam in her chest loosing cohesion. She began to cough, blood entering her mouth as she kicked a Promethean away then stabbed a flood form thru the chest.
Looking across the room she saw the others passing through the door. As it began to slid close she caught sight of Henry and smiled, "Ugly bastard." She mumbled to herself thru a mouth full of blood. As a massive horde of Flood reached her, she brought her boot down hard against the explosives control panel. The bomb began to rapidly beep as the Infection forms began to crawl up her legs. She laughed, "Not today boys!"
Henry and the rest of the team were running, but stopped and turned as a massive explosion rocked the bunker. From the corridor they had just come thru they could see the doors had been blown inwards and smoke billowing from within.
One of the Spartans crossed herself, while all bowed their heads. The Sangheili stood strong, admiring Lopez's sacrifice. Henry turned and began to move towards the final door. Activating his suits communications he said, "Shuttle. We are returning. Minus one but plus three. Understood?"
"Yes sir," The pilot replied promptly.
As they crossed the door onto a platform that looked out over a massive tunnel going downwards, the shuttle declared and hovered over the platform and activating its gravity lift. Without a word Henry stepped into the lift and allowed himself to be lifted onto the ship.
Shepard, Garrus, and Vega were not as experienced with this technology so they did not enter as smoothly as the rest.
As the shuttle began making its way back to the fleet, Henry moved to the rear of the craft and simply stood there a moment.
He pulled off his helmet, but simply let it fall to the floor. Looking towards his hand he stared at the Dog Tags he held. He felt an odd moisture around his eyes, and reached up with his free hand to touch the tear. He had lost his friend today. He was now the sole survivor of the Mona Lisa.
0500 Hours, September 11th 2186(Alliance Calendar)
Catalyst Construction Site (Location Classified)
Alliance Flagship SSV Area
"Admiral Hackett?" A disembodied voice said.
Steven Hackett's eyes slowly opened as he rolled over in bed. Blinking away the fog he reached over and pressed the communications button, "Yes, what is it?"
"Sir, I am sorry for disturbing you this early but could you come to the bridge?" Hackett recognized the voice as belonging to his X.O. Captain Waters.
"I'll be right there," He simply replied before ending the call.
Five minutes later he entered the bridge in a crisp Uniform, and did not look as though he was exhausted, "What's the situation Captain?"
Captain Waters lead Hackett to the main terminal and brought up a holographic display of the Relay Network, "Per your orders, sir, we have been monitoring Relay. Watching out for Reaper and Cerberus activity."
Hackett nodded, remembering that order, "Has something happened?"
Captain Waters nodded, "Yes Sir. We received word from the Turian military that a large Reaper force has broken from the battle near Palavin. We monitored the fleet entering the local Relay and have learned of where they are heading."
Captain Waters pressed a few controls, and a red trail thru the Relay network could be seen as the Reaper Fleet entered the Relay and made its way towards the new highlighted system. Hackett the name a moment, taking its time to process what he was seeing.
Voyager Cluster.
Captain Waters looked up towards Hackett, "Shepard and the Fleet have trouble coming their way Sir."