Author note: guess this is a habit now… I wonder if anyone at this point can guess what civilization the Schahl Empire is similar to? Another teaser, brownie points to whoever can guess what battle I'm gonna reference in this chapter because I'm referencing a real battle. Also, I found a better chart that has more correct information about UNSC ships, that a review mentioned, that the UNSC does have a carrier that is 500 or so meters longer than the Eagle Class Carrier… Also thank you all for the great reviews, it inspires me to write more and better!
Lt. Tessa Boone
Outskirts of Elee'Bran, Khar'shan
July 26, 2176
The Argentavis Dropship shuddered as flak rounds fill the air, creating mismatched percussion on the outer plating, installing stress on Knight Squad, they hope this flight does not become their last.
Tessa does her best to focus on the mission. 1st Battalion, Bravo Company is instructed to lay siege to the city Elee'Bran. Once local forces are pacified, search and rescue any and all slaves, human or otherwise. She checks her rifle again to verify her spell set and full MSD. A kit is a soldier's lifeline, without it, they may very well die.
"Drop in twenty seconds," the pilot announces over comms, "Good hunting Knight Squad."
"Acknowledged," Tessa confirms, placing her helmet on her head. As the name of the squad suggests, Tessa and her squad are wearing what would be considered archaic by Systems Alliance marines and perhaps the rest of the galaxy. The Armor her squad wears bears lots of powerful enchantments.
There is a loud thunk as the Dragon Class Tank is deployed, a moment later the rear hatch opens and all ten Knight squad members disembark. On everyone's hip is a longsword, on their backs is a large round shield, holographic displays alight in their helmets, and moving with speed unbecoming of titanium-steel armor.
"Alright squad, move up and support the Infantry unit in phalanx formation," Tessa orders, "we'll push for the city once the tanks have erased enemy tanks."
Shield are pulled from their backs and arrayed in front, A notch on either side of the shield allows for the rifle to be placed.
Thrity dropships take off leaving thirty tanks and a couple hundred soldiers, and only three are shot down by AAA fire. Tanks hover forward to the top of the ridge overlooking the Batarian city. Loud booms are heard as the enemy Mako Class tanks are destroyed in balls of fire. Return fire from enemy tanks barely reaches three-quarters of the way up the ridge, superior range of Imperial tanks allows for sniping of the enemy fortifications.
Tessa gets a notification that all forty enemy tanks have been destroyed on her HUD, "Alright squad, push forward behind the tanks and show these dogs the might of the Empire."
"Hoorah!"
Fourteen small phalanx formations push down the slope of the ridgeline, shields absorbing small arms fire, while tanks remain behind as artillery. Tessa doesn't even flinch when a stray sand grain-sized round hits her foot, likely ricocheting from a shield. It doesn't even leave a scratch on the enchanted boot.
When the phalanx is fifty meters from the city, the Knight squad opens fire with earth spells, bombarding enemy positions with head-sized pointed earth spears. Those not impaled have to duck and cover from debris torn from buildings.
"Open ranks!" Tessa orders within ten meters of the city's boundaries and enemy positions. Marines behind Knight squad charge through and unleash a cataclysmic amount of spells.
Screams occur on both sides as flesh is torn from bone, as bones are shattered, as lifeblood drains from friend and foe alike, as the enemy orders a retreat, as marines shout war cries. The battle rages with death lurking around every corner, not unlike Nile crocodiles.
Knight squad reforms its Phalanx and begins marching down the street, gunning down enemy soldiers from behind, never moving beyond the farthest position marines have secured. Entering and exiting all the buildings to clear out enemy forces, providing cover to marines.
"Rocket!" a voice yells from somewhere, but too late. An explosion hits Knight Squad's phalanx, knocking the formation down in the middle. Training keeps level heads as Tessa and the remaining four squad members rush to stand in front of their downed comrades, three of whom stand back up. The Knight at the center of the phalanx is dead and those beside him are sporting concussions.
The sound of Batarian voices provides grave news for the remaining squad members. A force of at least a hundred Batarians charges from buildings down the road.
"Draw swords!" Tessa roars as the remaining members of Knight Squad line up shoulder to shoulder, just wide enough to fill ¾ of the street. Marines fire spells around the sides of the shield wall.
Batarians slam into the shield wall, likely expecting the wall to buckle beneath their combined mass. Tessa grits her teeth and casts strengthening magic on her arms and legs while she slides back about half a meter, then the mass of Batarians stop. She knows her squad has done the same because it is what they were trained to do.
"Push!" Tessa bellows and the sound of scraping metal accompanies her command as shields push against the Batarian hard suits.
With a sudden shove, the Batarians find themselves pushed back. Knight squad lashes out with enchanted titanium blades and kinetic shields don't react as the blades are not moving fast enough. Marines likewise take the opportunity to fire spells between the Knights. Nine Batarians fall to the ground bleeding from the chest or neck, and many more are shot.
The shield wall reforms immediately after as the mob of Batarian soldiers slam into the wall again, crushing their own dying comrades beneath their feet. The Knights push again and repeat the same dealing of death.
Batarians quickly realize their mistake and turn tail, but exposing your backs to the enemy is a grave mistake only caused by fear or sheer stupidity, this being both. Swords are sheathed and rifles returned to the notch, spells rain down on the Batarians, killing indiscriminately.
"Move!" Tessa relays her next order, pushing forward to continue the fight and tanks float along behind them.
Lt. Stanton Shepard
Residence of Sam'na Crenless
July 26, 2176
Shepard peaked around the corner to find that there were two guards down the hall and patrolling, walking straight towards the four Operatives. "Two tango patrol, prepare to intercept," Shepard relays over comms as quietly as possible.
"Copy," Jerome-092 answers with one word, keeping his one reply abrupt.
Shepard and Campos take a step back to allow the Spartans to stack up on the wall. Both Spartans place their rifles on their backs and are ready to grab the Batarian patrol.
Just as the pair of tangos cross into the team's hall, both Spartans react faster than Shepard can see. Each spartan takes the enemy's rifle and with the other hand snaps their necks. The corpses are deposited in a random closet and the team moves forward.
Shepard once again takes point to operate or hack any local tech in their way. Their objective is at the center of this floor atop Khar'Shan's largest building, a building that houses the top most official in the Hegemony.
"Target is through these doors, prepare to breach," Shepard states while placing a breaching charge on the door.
The team quickly checks their HUDs for ammo and power levels. Then they ready up on either side of the hall, standing exactly six inches from the wall.
"3..2..1..Go," Shepard whispers over comms as he hits the detonator.
The metal door caves inward forcing smoke and percussive shock to permeate the room beyond. Any guards and the target will be disoriented.
The team charges in, checking corners. With loud lightning-induced cracks, 14.7 mm caseless ammo pops the chests of Batarian guards like a human zit.
In the center of the room, cowering by a couch is their target, naked from the waist down. A human female not older than sixteen lays on the couch with tears streaking down her face. She was now hiding her more sensitive parts from view.
Sam'na Crenless now stands up and begins yelling, "You dare attack the leader of the Hegemony?!"
Snarling with rage, Campos strides forward and slams the butt of his rifle stock into the Batarian, silencing him with unconsciousness.
"We can't leave her here like this," Shepard states what everyone is thinking, pulling a nearby blanket over her sobbing form.
"Agreed," is the one-word response from Jerom-092.
Campos rolls the Hegemony leader on his back and applies magic-based restraints. Alice-130 then picks up the Batarian, carrying him with one arm.
Shepard picks up the young girl wrapped in a blanket in a princess carry, "We need to move to extraction now."
Jerome-092 slightly tilts his head, "Pillar of Autumn, this is Ghost Actual, Package acquired and need evac, over."
A slightly stressed voice comes over everyone's comms, "Solid copy Ghost Actual, Pelican en route, ETA fifteen minutes. Be advised large enemy force en route to your location, Autumn out."
Shouts from the hallway immediately grab their attention, security teams had gotten wise and would be here soon. Shepard and the team move to the elevator for Crenless' use, setting proximity mines in their wake.
The girl begins to sob softer until she is asleep in Shepard's arms. Rumbles emanating from below inform the team that proximity mines had detonated. Softly lurching, the elevator comes to a stop.
Ghost Actual arrives on the spacious cultivated roof. There is a long hundred-meter pond made to look natural. The entirety of the roof is 500 meters long by 200 meters wide, crisscrossed by walkways lined by metal structures sporting shrubbery. Ghost actual is on the north end by elevators, the south end also has elevators.
"We need to set up defensive positions until EVAC arrives," Jerome-092 toppers over a large mechanical unit of some kind with two cubic meters of volume, "Campos, Shepard, watch the northern elevator doors, I'll cover the staircase and 130 assist as needed with jackhammer missiles. After the first group of hostiles ride up the elevator, disable the elevator with explosives."
"Copy." Ghost Actual moves into their positions, having placed the package and rescue behind the large machinery. They then position themselves for a long defense. The elevator lights have blinked on during Jerome-092's orders signaling a group of Batarians.
Campos shouts, "Contacts in the elevator." He and Shepard crouch behind cover and prop their frames to increase accuracy and lessen the effects of recoil.
"Let's light 'em up," Shepard grins inside his helmet, then a loud ding rings across the roof. He opens fire on the elevator occupants just as the door opens. 14.7mm rounds tear through the Batarian shields and armor. There are no survivors, and so guarantee it, Shepard throws a plastic explosive inside with a timer of one minute.
"Three gunships and four dropships approaching from the west," Alice-130 says of comms, "firing last two jackhammers."
"Acknowledged 130," Jerome-092 responds, "Shepard and Campos, move to the left and right of the pond, take out any Batarians that land.'
Shepard and Campos leave their positions just in time to witness two plumes of white smoke shoot west from the rooftop followed by two distinct explosions. The last gunships and dropships rise over the roof, bullets and a few missiles force Alice-130, Shepard, and Campos to take cover.
The strangely shaped gunship is bulbous on the front end and the rest tries to be aerodynamic, there is an integrated autocannon on the front and missile tubes on the short stubby wings.
A loud boom permeates the building as the Northern staircase is demolished. Now only the northern end can dispense enemy troops onto the roof.
"Ghost Actual, this is FoeHammer, ETA five minutes," A woman's voice comes over comms, "Approaching from your south, chainguns spinning up, over."
"Acknowledged Foehammer, Ghost Actual out," Jerome-092 replies to FoeHammer.
During those few seconds that Ghost Actual had to take cover, dozens of Batarian soldiers were dropped by dropship or utilized stand, and elevators were not destroyed. Ghost Actual, with two on each side of the pond, peaks from cover and fires at the Batarians. Without heavy ordinance, Ghost Actual can't take out the gunship, resolving to just take cover when targeted.
Precise shots decimate the Batarians from Shepard's rifle, he quickly keys in a spell and fires at the ground near entrenched Batarians. Ice crackles into existence in a circle lifting two Batarians, their shields fail to stop the slower-moving ice spike wall, impaling them.
"This is FoeHammer, bringing the pain." The distinct roar of a pelican's engines comes from west of the battle. The M730 Autocannon mounted on the front belches 70mm rounds directly into the Batarian gunship. The gunship's shield drops and the pelican's ammunition perforates the bulbous cockpit like it's tinfoil.
Ghost Actual retreats to the package and the young girl, Alice-130 heaves the package onto her shoulder and Shepard lifts the rescued girl. Foehammer positions the pelican between Ghost Actual and remaining Batarian forces, "Get moving Ghost Actual, enemy force is readying heavy ordinance."
Shepard struggles to hear over the sound of the engines and autocannon but gets the gist of the statement. If they don't hurry, FoeHammer will be downed and they both will be stranded.
Ghost Actual sprints the ten meters to the dropship and enter its cargo hold. Shepard puts the young girl on the padded crash seat, laying down covering several seats. With a subtle lurch, following the closing of the rear hatch, FoeHammer guns the acceleration, leaving Batarian forces behind.
Master Chief Petty Officer John-117
Pelican Dropship
En Route to Prothean Ruins, Khar'Shan
July 26, 2176
"It's truly fascinating," Cortana's voice slides through all team comms, "The history of the schahl empire largely divulges during the end of the Spanish Inquisition."
John himself is curious, but only to understand their new allies more. His new rifle was a testament to the new horizons available to Humanity. However Dr. Halsey beats him to the punch, "Indeed, but their culture and technology suffered for it. They stagnated for nearly half a century, the Industrial Revolution was just starting when Emperor Schahl was born."
One of the ODSTs speaks up, the most chatty of the bunch, seemingly not beholden to ODST prejudice against Spartans, "Then how did they become spacefaring in his lifetime?"
"Excellent question, Gunnery Seargent Buck," Cortana gets overly excited as she speaks, "He was literally reincarnated with intact memories of another yet unknown reality where technology was equivalent to 20th-century UEG earth. He single handily raised the tech level of his earth. He even won two wars, first being their Mythos War, and second, being the war against the Galactic Federation…"
The pilot interrupts Cortana, "We are two minutes from the drop point, two kliks from the target, prep for deployment."
John doesn't hesitate as he checks his ammo and power supply for his rifle. All checks are green and he relays commands, "Blue team will take point, Alpha-nine will escort Dr. Halsey until we have reached the central archives."
Blue team immediately sends blue winks on his HUD in response while the ODSTs confirm with "Yes Sir!".
Blue team stands with Chief at the lead, ready to exit the pelican. John can feel the slight ship in momentum, meaning the pelican is slowing down and losing altitude, "No targets on the scopes, good luck out there."
"Thank you Lt. Jugovic," Dr. Halsey chimes, loading a mag into her M6 Socom handgun.
The ramp of the pelican lowers and Blue team exits, they visually sweep the area for a moment before signaling the rest of Prothean Actual to exit the Pelican. John can see two kliks away is the target. Nestled inside a narrow canyon are jutting pieces of Prothean ruins, partially destroyed by the earthquake the Hegemony reported.
"Target is two kliks out," Cortana informs Prothean Actual, "Updating HUDs with a nav point."
Chief signals Blue team forward, they begin moving at a pace that has them thirty-five meters ahead of the rest, this additionally being a slower pace compared to their normal marching speed.
"Chief, I'm detecting gun emplacements and a minefield," Linda informs John, "Small Batarian patrols on the interior. They Appear to mainly enter the canyon by dropship."
John zooms in with his own scope, he can see that they have carved a hanger into the cliffside left of the Canyon. The mines are restricted to the mouth of the canyon and gun emplacements have their line of fire sweep the area of the minefield. His gut tells him that the plateaus at the top of the cliffs also have mines, his gut had rarely been wrong. Ever since Kurt had died, John did his best to pay more attention to his gut feelings.
"Acknowledged, Blue team will scale the cliffs, bypassing the minefield and gun placements," John relays orders to Prothean Actual, "We will retrieve Dr. Halsey and Alpha nine with a dropship after the facility has been purged."
"Solid Copy Chief," Gunny Buck confirms the order and sets to making defendable positions while they wait.
"That may work Chief, but what about any enemy reinforcements?" Cortana asks John over his private comms.
"We only need one spartan to fly the dropship," John replies to Cortana, "The remainder will fortify the hanger and eliminate hostile forces."
It only takes a few minutes for Blue team to cross the last one kilometer to the target. They could have done it faster if they were utilizing every scrap of cover to mask their approach. Silently they move like ghosts through the Trees filling the valley and anyone in said valley wouldn't even hear a twig snapping.
The Cliff looms before Blue team, but any jitters on this mission were discarded before they left the pelican. Climbing the cliff as though they had climbed this particular cliff a thousand times, Blue team ascends the rocky surface. The edge of the Hanger quickly approaches. John pokes his head over the lip just enough to catch a quick glimpse.
In that short moment, however, he had memorized the entire visible layout. The hangar was large enough to fit three Batarian dropships side by side with a few extra meters. To the rear is a large door leading to the interior of the facility built to study the Prothean ruins. Crates of supplies and munitions line the sides of the hanger. There were only seven visible guards with the potential for more.
"Seven visual Combatants, two right, two left, one at the back," John tells his team.
The four Spartans move like lightning, so fast that the ordinary person would struggle to keep up. They cross the hanger in two tons of armor without a sound. Two Batarians on the right turn and only have a moment to see John barrelling towards him, not that they could've done anything. John pulls his knife from its sheath with the flick of his wrist, the Batarian farthest of the two from John receives the six-inch Titanium blade to its brain.
Batarian soldier two is grabbed and John slams his elbow down. The Batarian had his skull crushed, blood and grey matter coating John's MJOLNIR armor. A quick grab and John grabs the other dead Batarian before he hits the ground, neither body hit the grounds and was instead quietly placed.
"Status," John says in his comms, looking up towards the position of Batarians where his Spartans should be. Eight Batarians lay dead and Blue team is regrouping at the hanger door.
"All hostiles eliminated," Kelly informs over comms.
"Good work," John checks his Falcon rifle before relaying his next orders, "Linda, commandeer a dropship and retrieve Dr. Halsey. The rest of Blue team will secure this facility by eliminating hostiles and enemy comms. Fred, stay here and make sure the hanger won't have hostiles."
Four lights blink in response.
John and kelly enter the hallway beyond the hangar door, a hall extending left and right. John Signals Kelly to go left and begins stalking down to the right, Kelly does the same to the left. John's rifle is up and ready to kill any Batarians.
There is a door on John's immediate left, another on his right fifteen meters down, and a large door thirty meters away at the end of the hall, "Cortana, Have you hacked their network yet?"
"I need a hard point, very little is broadcasting openly and no two systems are connected wirelessly," Cortana informs John. A picture of what passes for a terminal appears in John's HUD courtesy of Cortana, who was briefed beforehand on what to look for. They were all briefed beforehand, but a reminder will never be rejected.
John places a camera on the wall to watch while he is in the room, he'd be damned if he was caught off guard or allowed soldiers to pass by and catch Kelly from behind. He wasn't worried for her safety per se, but it would be poor form as an ONI and Marine-trained operative.
Silently, John presses the door release and bursts into the room. His training dictating his actions, his eyes immediately sweep the room. There are four Batarians gambling at a table in the center of the room, there are several standard-issue assault rifles from Batarian State Arms on their backs, there are about ten square meters in this room.
Faster than the eye can see, lightning arcs down the length of the X1 rifle, four trigger pulls from John and the Batarian heads split like pinatas. The Batarians don't even get the chance to do more than look at the incarnation of death stepping through their door. Four cracks of lightning sound to signal the four Batarian's deaths.
John sweeps corners and detects no further threats, but a ping from his camera snatches his attention. Five Batarians, possibly hearing his rifle, are coming from the room fifteen meters down the hall. The camera, projecting to his HUD, shows that they don't even have weapons drawn, after all what proof would they actually have that an enemy in the base made such noises?
Swiftly moving to the door, John readies to exit and initiate a blitzkrieg attack before they are any wiser. The X1 finds itself once again on John's back as he draws his titanium knife and M6 SOCOM from his thigh plate.
Watching the camera feed allows John to perfectly time his assault on the five soldiers. As soon as they are within a meter of the door, John keys the door control and leaves out. The first Batarian closest to the door finds several inches of titanium in his neck. The M6 SOCOM in John's other hand lets out four 12.7×40mm high explosive .50 rounds, impacting the shields on the Batarian's armor but are designed for far more deadly opponents with far better shields, thus Batarians perish with a whimper.
John retrieves his small deployable camera and proceeds to the door fifteen meters down the hall on the right. Once again placing the small deployable camera, John enters the room. After a quick sweep, he finds that it is empty.
"Chief, this is Halsey, we are in the hangar," Dr. Halsey speaks over comms, "Alpha nine will assist in sweeping the facility, I'll keep 058 with me and send you 104."
"Affirmative," John replied with one word. He is out the door, retrieving his camera and heading towards the final door on his side of the hall.
"Chief, hall left of the hangar is clear, Hostiles eliminated," Kelly says to John over comms.
"104, 087, and Alpha Nine regroup on my position," John calls over comms stopping in front of the final door, "Cortana give them a nav point."
"Right away Chief," Cortana sets to work immediately, allowing Prothean Actual to regroup, minus Linda. Having nine members of Prothean Actual present, including the chief.
Without saying anything, Prothean Actual stacks up on either side of the hallway, while John activates the door control.
With a much higher hiss than the other doors, the door opens to reveal the canyon. Prothean ruins that were built on the plateau above were now situated throughout the canyon. Underground Prothean ruins appeared to have been bisected to appear on both sides of the canyon.
"Alpha Nine, Swing right and take out those gun emplacements," Chief orders, "Blue team with me to sweep the rest of the canyon, and Alpha Nine link back up with us after you are finished."
"Yes Sir," echoes across comms.
John had to stifle his thoughts to continue the mission, but briefly, he took note of the team designated Alpha Nine. Gunny Buck was a through and through soldier, Cpl. Miles, LCpl. Agu, and LCpl. Black who the team calls rookie are good soldiers through and through. PFC. Crespo had clearly visible body language that he does not like the Spartans and John mentally notes to check on his service record, not sure why he has a gut feeling regarding the trooper.
The remaining sweep only produces a few scattered scientists who are detained and a single patrol of security that was promptly dispatched. Most of the security forces were near the hangar it seems.
I really meant to have this out sooner, but school is kicking my butt. Add migraines into the mix and you have someone who can't even read let alone write, making homework harder... That being said, I have been working to lengthen chapters. Still have a migraine, lasted nearly a week now, so I'll just post what I've got so far, hope you enjoy it and there is more to come!