Chapter 7: Into Darkness
Year: 2543
Location: Tempest
The time between exiting slipspace and dropping into atmosphere was seamless. The Spartans had little time to prepare when the crew rush them out of cryo-sleep, still dazed. One of the crewman handed Asra an old paper map. The Spartans jolted to their Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle (SOEIV). The crew had pack each SOEIV with the equipment the Spartans brought onto the ship.
"One minute to drop."
The Spartans have performed a drop numerous of time. But dropping into atmosphere of an unknown planet and not knowing size or tactics of their enemy has always worried Darien. There was moment in time, a serene paradise before horror awaits. Asra once described the moment perfectly. 'It like the calm before the storm, a very harsh storm.' The Spartans harness themselves in the crash seat.
The ship was in low orbit, it rattle and sack as it adjust to the changes in reality. As the hatch door close, there was rush of cold temperature, then switch warmer, and hotter. The SOEIV speed start to decrease and its upper exterior panels separated acting like drag-type chute in a similar way to skydiving. Darien saw the planet's surface; vast marsh land, swamp, and forest area. He'd hope that he would land in a dry lake bed, instead there was a massive swamp. He wanted to change course but knew he couldn't.
The speed decrease more as the pod's computer controlled braking rockets engaged. It was then that Darien was team Misfit's target. A large, deep purple tower with trio-spikes. He didn't have time to marvel at the structure. His pod splashed in shallow water. He sigh a deep breath of relief, he wasn't going to die, and at least not today. Darién open the hatch door. His visor adjust to the swamp's temperature as it scan the area. He raise his BR55, taking a combat ready stance. No red, no enemies. He relax his guard and open his comm.
"Misfit-2 this is Misfit-1," he said then asked, "how was your landing this fine evening?"
"Landed in a massive pothole Misfit-1," she said" did you get a glance at the station?"
"That a positive, but couldn't tell how long of a march it was from the air."
"Copy that I'm activating a way point beacon."
.
Darien saw the beacon pulse and being the walk to towards waypoint. The sound of thunder crack in the clouds. There was a storm heading his way. By the time he was half way towards the beacon it being to rain. He arrive at large hollow tree and raise his rifle as he slowly walk by what look like an entrance. He was a shadow move inside the tree and aim at it. There was a flash of light that shine in his face.
"Oh its you." Asra said, mockingly.
She sat on the ground with the map spread out. She took off her helmet and open a small Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) pack. Darien sat down as well, his place his rifle on his back. Darien took off his helmet and rest it on his lap. Asra threw him a MRE pack. Beef and broccoli huh, he thought, and began eating. Asra look over the map with her flashlight. There was two circles and an x-shape mark.
The circles mark their landing zone, while the x was mostly likely their target. She began mumbling something, mostly likely measuring out the distance between them and the station. Darien finish his MRE and look at the map. They were about three day march from their target at their current position. It will be two months before the battle group is gather and set the trap. Only one question remain, how the hell they are getting off world? Neither Lycett nor Mercer said anything about a pickup team. Both Spartans know this was a suicide mission, whether they succeed or not. Darien look over the map one last time, first the last of beef and broccoli, and put on his helmet.
"I'll scout ahead," he said," watch the house while I'm gone."
Asra smiled at her partner. Finishing her MRE, she un-holster her sniper, and fix her helmet.
"Best be back for dinner." She said.
Darien sprint into the forest. Running deep into unknown terrain, then he stop and began to count. 20 seconds that how long it took him to run and scout out the area. Darien march forward until he saw something interest. The enemy had carve out a dirt road a path that will most likely for their heavy transport known as Type-29 Troop/Vehicle Transport or Shadows. There was loud noise coming from south end of the road.
Shit, Darien thought.
He hide behind a tree and use his active camouflage, but he only had a short time before his camo needed to be deactivated. Then he saw it, a large enemy convoy of shadows and Type-32 Rapid Attack Vehicle, commonly nickname Ghost, piloted by the monsters that destroy his home. He wanted nothing more than to open fire and kill even single last one of them but knew he couldn't. He couldn't throw his life away this early in the operation. He grit his teeth as the convoy pass by. After a two minutes the convoy left and Darien rush back the tree. He saw Asra was in same position when he left with her using active camouflage.
"How was the jog?' She asked.
"Enemy convoy," he said, "look like they made a road for ground vehicles and troops."
"Alright lead the way."
With that, Team Misfit began their long march into the forest. From this point on there only lies death for their enemies or complete destruction of Misfit. Both only hope the former would happen. Knowing full well the latter is all too real of a possibility.
Chapter 8: End of watch
Year: 2543
Location: Tempest
Two month pass since team Misfit drop onto Tempest. They have not yet receive orders from Lycett. Misfit only been able to monitor the relay station and enemy movement. This was something they were used to however. Be it Navy or ONI, they would be given missions with long periods of communication silence and little to no information given to them who they're killing or where they were going.
In this case, it was waiting for a battle group and the go ahead to jam the enemy signal. The whole mission was like play with each actor having a part to play. So elaborate and fragile was this play, one misstep could bring down the whole performance. In the minds of the Spartans, there can't be any misstep or second takes. They had one go and had to make it count. It was midday as the Spartans watch garrison life from afar.
A small fight broke out between some jackals and grunts. Arguing over some alien device. What could be more alien than the Covenant? To Misfit knowledge or at least what ONI would tell them, the Covenant believe some kind of precursor race to be their gods. When they first attack, the Covenant declare themselves the instrument of the gods' will. The fight stop when an elite plated in gold armor pass by. The jackals hand it the device.
For a moment, the situation remind Darien of one time during his early training on Onyx. he found a carved doll in the forest. Few of the other children notice it and demand he hand it over to one of the instructors. Darien refuse and had to almost fight. Asra intervene and told the group to back off. The group left with some snarky remark.
'You can't protect your boyfriend forever!'
Darien breathe a sigh of relief but was puzzled by the boyfriend thing. He thought of Asra as more of a sister than anything else. He was about the thank Asra until he notice her natural red skin got even redder.
"Dare do you think they're right?" She asked.
"I think you as friend who is a girl." He said.
Asra narrow her eyes at him like parent would do to a rebellious kid. Well more like one that was not paying attention or listening. Asra sigh and left after. Thinking back to it now, Darien gave the right answer to the wrong question.
"They act like humans." Asra said.
"Maybe," Darien said," but they're nothing more than monsters or religious zealots."
"You're quick to pass judgment."
"I have enough evidence for a guilty verdict."
Said evidence was both their homeworlds and the millions who have died because of their crackpot religion. In his eyes, every single member was a monster beyond any redemption.
"And you don't think they're beyond reasoning?"
"If the Covenant could be reason with then why are we fighting to stop their genocide?"
"Fair point."
The two remain silence as the hours went by. Switching their role from observer to scout as the day went on. By the time night had rolled in Covenant activity around garrison and station was low. The Spartans retreat to a campsite where jackal scouts seldom roam. This night was little different. As the Spartans got closer to the camp, they heard a loud sound coming from inside Asra's waist pouch. It was a communication device. Darien notice a scouting party and move quickly. Asra did the same.
A small scouting party came near the campsite but quickly move away. The Spartans were lucky, their enemy didn't hear the notification of Lycett's call. While their location was concealed, Misfit didn't want to take any second chances. The Spartans abandon the campsite and move to a nearby cave Darien found a few days earlier. Once inside the cave, Asra activated the communication device.
"Misfit this is Lycett," The Captain's voice was oddly bold," My fleet will be in the system within three hours."
Three hours? They been given shorter time span to complete a mission before but nothing on this scope.
"Give us two hours and that relay station will be down." Misfit-2 said.
"Two hours and counting," Lycett said, "Good luck Spartans."
The call end. Misfit-1 and 2 look at each other. The Spartans realize long ago that a mission of this caliber will never happen again if there was any failure. Whether or not this will be the final mission these two will share, they have to succeed.
"We're going to survive." Said Misfit-1.
Misfit-2 nod her head. Team Misfit check their gear, made ammo count, and exit the cave. The time of watching and waiting has end. Now the real mission begins.
Chapter 9: The relay station
Year: 2543
Location: Tempest
Business at the relay station and the garrison surrounding it was nothing out the ordinary. A jackal scout observe the station from a nearby tree top. The jackal felt something hit his chest. It look down and was blood. As his vision went dark, he cried. The jackal body fell from the tree top and land on the ground below.
"Nice shot." Misfit-2 complement her partner. Team Misfit was 100 yards away, slowly approaching the relay station.
"Let's keep moving." Misfit-1 said in reply. Misfit-2 nodded and the team continued.
The Spartans approach the outer garrison. Their enemy had increase the guard around its entrance. Several armored convoys move out the base, carrying supplies and whatever else. They there was an attack about to happen. Team Misfit hided in the thick brush, watching from afar.
"Too much of a crowd for a frontal assault." Misfit-2 said.
"Then we'll just take the backdoor." Misfit-1 activated his camouflage and jolted.
Misfit-1 ran to far side of garrison. Looking for another possible entrance. There was still heavily guarded but not as much as other entrance. Several grunts and a pair of jackals, easy. Misfit-1 open his comm channel.
"I found a better entrance," he said," any plans you have in mind?"
"A raven breach," she answered," I'll watch from a safe distance while you jam the relay."
They have done this kind of breach before during their last phase of training. But that time it was with a multiple team of Spartans. Misfit-1 thought about it for several minutes.
"Understood."
"Give me five minutes."
Five minutes pass. Misfit-1 took out his M7S and focus his aim. There was three grunts, each carrying a sidearm. The jackals wielded Type-31 Rifles, odd weapons that use a crystal projectile instead of plasma. Misfit-1 fire his first shots at the jackals. One fell to ground, dead. The other, which got hit in leg and torso, cried in pain and drop to its knees. The grunts were confused, two ran off while the one that stay behind fire plasma bolts in random directions.
Misfit-1 watch in amusement. But his time in camouflage was about to end. Misfit-1 deactivated his camouflage and walked towards the remaining guards. The jackal bark orders at the grunt, who was in shock. By the time the orders registered, Misfit-1 was face to face with his enemies. The grunt tried to fire its sidearm, but only to hear the dry click sound with each pull of the trigger. Misfit-1 took out his combat knife and cut the creature head off with one clean blow. The jackal tried to run, escaping the fate of it counterpart, only to be finish by the M7S. With the entrance clear, Misfit-1 walk into garrison.
Misfit-1 reactivated his camouflage, darting and inching his way through the garrison and relay station control room. The Covenant forces had begun to move. Elites ordering grunts and jackals. Misfit-1 hide behind a barrier.
"What our time Misfit-2?" He asked, opening his comm channel.
"We still have an hour," Misfit-2 replied," the activity around you looks thick. Need some breathing room?"
"Gladly."
A mass explosion went off, one of the fuel station within the garrison was sent ablaze. Clever girl. The elites and other aliens began to converge, rushing to stop the fire. With the area abandon, Misfit-1 made one last jolt to the relay station. He just mere yards from the station when he stop his advance. Two elites guarded the entrance.
"Misfit-2."
"I see them," she replied quickly," on the count of three."
"1, 2, 3…"
One elite drop to ground, a massive exit wound on the right side of it head. The other elite tried to run inside but fail. Misfit-1 walk pass the alien's bodies and enter the station. He deactivated his camouflage, surveying the interior. No security, this was too easy. Misfit-1 made it into the central control console and took out the small A.I. clip.
"This better work." He mumble.
Misfit-1 inserted the clip into the console. The station made a loud pulse like sound. His sensors pick up a large spike in radiation. What the hell going on?
"Darien! Get the hell out of there!" Misfit-2 yelled over the comm channel.
Misfit-1 jolted out of station, running pass the remaining Covenant forces. He slipped back into the brush and activated his camouflage. He meet with Misfit-2 a moment later, near the same hill they used as an observation post. Boom, both Spartans watch as flames engulfed station and garrison around it.
"What happen?" Misfit-1 asked
"I say that A.I. fragment overload the station's core." Misfit-2 answered.
The Spartans watch as Covenant forces, those who did not die from initial blast, were either running or trying to stop the fire. Misfit-2 tap Misfit-1's arm.
"We need to find an extraction zone."
Misfit-1 nodded.
"Let get moving." Misfit-1 said.
The Spartans disappear into the forest. Misfit-1 stay behind for an extra minute, smiling under his helmet.
Chapter 10: We'll survive
Year: 2543
Location: Tempest
"Any word from Lycett?" Misfit-1 asked.
"Nil." Misfit-2 answered quickly.
Team Misfit was back in forest searching for an extraction zone. They understood that they would have mostly likely be expected to die and were not given an extraction zone on purpose. Neither the less, they had survive nor going to continue surviving. They were sprinting and finally stop at an open field. They were exposed but if any chances for long range comm to work or a Pelican dropship to find them, it was in an open area.
"Have you tried using that device?" He asked
Misfit-2 shrugged her shoulders and took out the device. "Lycett, this is Misfit-2, we need an extraction location over."
Nothing but silence.
"I repeat, we need an extraction zone. Over."
Again nothing.
"Great." Misfit-1 said, sarcastically.
"Darien, this was expected." Asra said in a low tone.
"I know." Darien sighed as he spoke.
The Spartans knew there no chance for a pick up. They had to find a way off world. But they just destroyed the only place with any known vehicles, Intel on other encampments, and generally anything that could have been use to them. They have already spent three months on this planet. They were trap far behind enemy lines and lost as to what they can do next. Their only option was to search for any more Covenant garrison. The Spartans look at each other, knowing that was their only answer. Unknown amount of days and miles ahead.
"We'll survive." Asra said.
Darien nodded.
The two check their supplies and began their long march. Darien's motion sensor ticked, there was an enemy nearby. Several red tags lite up his motion detector. Active Camouflage and jammer. The Spartans form a back-to-back stance. Then they open fire into the forest around them. The red tags drop. The Spartans back away from each other.
"Think we got him?" Darien asked.
Asra was about to answer when she was the silhouette of an Elite in front of Darien, she push him out of the way. She didn't feel the energy sword at first, only which it had struck her in the abdomen. She cough a bit of blood under her helmet. As the Elite deactivated it camouflage and pull the blade, she grab it sword arm.
"Darien!" She yelled.
Darien took out his combat knife, repeatedly stabbing the Elite in the neck. It cried in pain and let go of energy sword. As it fell dying, Darien continue to stab and mutilate the body. He finally stop once his fury died down and rush to his partner. He took of her helmet and laid his finger on her neck. No pulse.
He stood up. The Spartan took an explosive pack out from one of his pouches and placed it on Asra chestplate. He then walk over to the Elite. It was the golden plated one they saw from weeks earlier. Darien kneeled down and saw something on its wrist blinking.
A beacon?
His question was answer moment later when a Phantom's searchlight scan over the area. He quickly set the charge on the explosives and activated his camouflage. It hover the searchlight over the Elite and the dropship move closer.
Two Elites drop from the ventral gravity lift. One of them murmur something while the other motion it to check the bodies. Good, Darien thought. Darien move as far back and denoted the charge. The explosion consume everything within five feet. Darien rush out, passing smoke and body parts. The gravity lift was still active. Darien enter the Phantom, using his remaining ammo to kill the pilot and co-pilot. He took control of the Phantom and began piloting it, not knowing what to do next.
He adjust his flight path. If there was a way off world, then it was in space. He exit thermosphere and saw his way back to UNSC space, An SDV-class heavy corvette. Not the corvette itself but a possible seraphfighter inside. The corvette was unaware of the stolen Phantom as it approached. As Darien enter the hangar bay, he smash the controls of the Phantom, and jump out it right side door. He quickly looked around and saw his ride. He jolted as plasma fire zoom pass him and a bolt glazed his left shoulder. He enter the seraph. He activated the fighter and exit the ship. He put some distance between him and the corvette. He wasn't being chase, good. He put the fighter into cruise control and fell to sleep.
Epilogue
Year: 2543
He dreamt of a grass field, empty. His head was on some else's lap. Darien, how long has it been since you dreamt like this, he thought.
Too long.
Was this really a dream? No it memory from when he was young. When his mother would take him out to an open field and watch the sunset. Darien began to cry but for what reason? He got up and look at the person. It was Asra. She was older, had long raven black hair, and big smile.
"You did it." She said
"No," he replied coldly, "I've failed."
"We survived."
"I've survived."
"Darien."
He jolted up from his sleep, the words formed at his mouth but he didn't speak. He look around, he was no longer in the fighter. The familiar smell titanium fill the air. He was on a UNSC vessel, inside a medical room.
"You're finally awake soldier." A nurse came into the medical room, follow by a female Army First Lieutenant.
Darien stood up and salute. The lieutenant motion for Darien to be at ease. She had tan skin, green eyes, and short brown hair.
"How long I've been out and where am I?" Darien asked
"Two weeks," The lieutenant answered, "We're the aboard the destroyer Adjusted Path. Also name Quinsey."
"The operation go as plan?"
Quinsey sigh. The plan backfire. Lycett's battle group got ambush by a Covenant fleet. The decoy ship was destroyed early in the battle. Darien look down at his bed, complete loss for words.
"We're making the final preparation for a jump to Reach," Quinsey said, you're being transfer."
"Transfer?"
"That right. I have already talk to my superiors and they believe your skill set will be better in Special Warfare Group Two."
Darien was silent for a few minutes.
"Will I be taken off the field ma'am?"
"For a while yes. But you'll be back in combat. Tell me Spartan, would you rather throw your life away on suicide mission or live to see this war end?"
"I'll survive ma'am."
"Good, go to the cryo bay."
Quinsey soon left the room. Darien got up and dress. He made his way to the chamber and for the first time, he was alone. When they made it to Reach, Adjusted Path docked in a space station above the planet. Quinsey escort Darien to a debriefing room. She gave him the rank of warrant officer and told him about his new role.
"Trackers and saboteurs are highly need in this war," She said," I'm surprised they keep you in that program."
Darien said nothing, he was look out, looking at Reach, at the darkness of space. He turn his gaze to Quinsey.
"So, where I'm needed ma'am? " He asked," It about time I get back to work."
END OF ARC 1: SHADOWFALL
Afterwords
Thanks for reading, reviewing, and whatnot! This whole project originated from me spending too much time in the community creation section of Halo Waypoint. Reading the fanfics there. Tales about their Spartans, ODST, marines, and sometimes covenant. It was these stories that inspired me to write about my own Spartan and he's adventures.
Darien tale not over yet. I plan to have his journey ended sometime around the start of Halo 4. Improving and testing my writing as time marches forward. I'm not aiming to be the best, just a good story that anyone can pick up and read. So once again, thanks for reading!