Thrown into their world
Chapter 5 the long very interesting part (aka halo wars)
Authors note: I AM BACK FROM THE DEAD. Sorry it's late but this was a bitch to write. School takes top priority, physics is hard and I have college apps. I had minor distractions with several games called: Mass effect, Mass Effect 2, Halo 4 and a show called MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC. Yes, I am a Brony and I am proud. In addition, this is the first of two chapters posted today good luck. 189 out.
'To recap: 1. The harvest campaign went as cannon events
2. All Spartans lost in the defense of harvest were lost.
3. I am aboard the spirit of fire on an ONI mission
And 4,' "I am royally pissed off!" I yell as I slam my fist into the sprit of fire's holotable denting it a little. "What the fuck do you mean I have to protect the professor?"
"Calm down SPARTAN." Cutter says
"No sir, you fuckin listen. There are good men dyeing down there and you just want me to do nothing while the marines clear the area? As of 20:00 hours Harvest is under Winter contingency by order of Admiral Cole and top brass, I need to be down there."
"Yes I know but I know how helpful you were to the Marines during the five years of hell and I need your tactical advice on how to approach the activity." he responds.
"Fine! There is a Forerunner temple that contains a map to Arcadia and from Arcadia to a shield world." I yell. "And before you ask, Forerunners are the species that the Covenant view as Gods, but they were advanced beyond what either us or the Covenant have for technology."
"Oh and you need to be down there now."
"God damn it Yes. I am using the powers given by planetary directive 9 the winter contingency to leave now. Serina, launch a HEV on my command."
"Yes sir." she says
"SPARTAN, Wait," I turn around and see Anders running to catch up with me and I am walking.
"What is it Ma'am? There is no way you are going Down in a HEV."
"Yes but you said shield world, from what?"
"A shield from a weapon that will wipe all sentient life from this galaxy and the covenant want to activate it. Now I wound ask for at least four SHIVA'S." I say as my black visor polarizes as I climb into a HEV. "See you ground side." the door slams shut and I am launched towards the ground. 'I hope that ONI will believe me about Halo, Oh well in 22 years they will believe me. But I wonder how much I can change if I tell them the coordinates of Instillation 04 and have a talk with 343 guilty spark and alert the other Forerunner instillations to view Covenant as Hostile bent on wiping out us, the reclaimers in the name of the Forerunners, or maybe the Monitor of the shield world.' I am jarred from my thoughts as my pod lands inside the just recently reclaimed Alpha base. "Hey they didn't tell us that they sent a single ODST." A marine shouts to his friend's. '3…2…1' the pods hatch opens and the marines are greeted not by an ODST but a 7 foot tall MJOLINIR ARMOR SPARTAN. As per this early into the war, SPARTAN deployments are still a rare sight on the defensive side of the war. 'Sword and shield that's what we are.' "Marines, I am Commander Sera 189, now get your shit together and move out."
"Sir, Yes, Sir."
A marine who my HUD IDs as Forge speaks " Sir, I was about to take a group to the strange temple."
"Good, then I am accompanying you and your marines for this."
"I thought that all SPARTANS were CPOs or higher with the highest being Master chief petty officer." a Marine whispers to his friend.
"What was that Marine?"
"Nothing sir, what's with your Helmet?"
"It's an Experimental design that ONI couldn't wait to be tested."
I have changed my Armor's Shoulders to match as UA Multi-threat. So I look like a regular Spartan, but I have the paint of Olive green been burned away by the shield draining blows to revival the steel color beneath it. My helmet is still the Mk. VI recon, My UA Counter assault has been left on reach but my Tac-pad and trauma kit remain. I have also added a UGPS to my right forearm.
We head out of the base and I jog ahead to take out as many covenant patrols as I can with Forges warthog following close behind. I round a corner and
My shields hit zero I put three bullets into the offending Kig-Yar and his friend with the beam riffle.
"Fucking Jackals, I would prefer Sangheili any day to Kig-Yar." As if on cue as my shields recharge to full, I hear the marines gasp a little as my armor glows yellow for an instant, and eight Elites decloak. "Demon you will fall." the over cocky leader taunts.
"Just try it Sangheili bastard, the Forerunners have chosen Humans as the Reclaimers not you." I say as I flip over the leader and put three shots from my pistol into each elite. But instead of reloading, I pistol whip the remaining two killing them then drive my knife into the leader as he tries to kill me with a plasma repeater. Which my shields shrug off. "That's what happens when you mess with a SPARTAN." I give my marines the remaining plasma grenades from the fallen elites after I've taken four. "To activate just push the symbol down and toss." The marines and I push into the temple, and fight our way down to the relic but before we activate the bridge, the professor comes down in a pelican. "Professor, this way." I hear a marine say. We cross the bridge and find the map room; I turn around and signal for the marines to do the same. "Why sir?"
Again my HUD IDs the Marine as Dustin Hellix.
"Just be ready to throw those grenades I gave to you earlier." I notice a heat ripple and my thermal sensors confirm that there is elites I. AC (Active Camouflage) "You guys should really learn this, Don't Fuck with Humanity. Marines to cover and toss all your Plasma grenades now. The elites decloak but it is too late, the grenades detonate and kill all elites I turn back to Anders and Forge studying the map When I hear the activation of an Energy sword followed by the sound of a Marine being impaled "Fuck!" I turn and do the most stupid thing anyone could do, throw themselves at an energy sword wielding elite. In mid step I take my combat knife out and lunge at the elite, plunging the knife into his skull killing him instantly. Nevertheless, I am too late as the Marine is already dead. Kneeling down I close his eyes and remove the dog tags 'Dustin Hellix
Age 37
Blood type A+
Homeworld Xholo
Service number 30893619-2885DH'
"Sprit of Fire, this is 189."
"We read you secure SPARTAN."
"We've got one causality, and we are heading back to the sprit we've got what we need but I would like some tanks."
"Got it, tanks inbound ETA ten minutes."
"Copy, 189 out."
I stand up when I am met with a headache. 'What the fuck is causing this? I satisfy my Video game addiction, the pellet knocked out my sex drive, I get enough sleep, I eat a lot, I am hydrated, and I am constantly in a safe environment known as my armor. Caffeine maybe? God damn when was the last time I had a cup of coffee, or anything caffeinated?'
"You okay SPARTAN." Anders asks
"I got a headache that feels like I was kicked by a pissed the fuck off hunter."
"I thought SPARTANS were immune to headaches."
"Not caffeine headaches, that is just part of the addiction."
"You are addicted to caffeine." she says shocked.
"Yeah the last thing I had that was caffeinated was two days ago, and because I've been fighting I have ignored it."
"That must suck" a marine, asks.
"Yeah 1,000 pounds of Titanium, hydro-static gel, reactive circuits, automated Bio-foam injectors, temp regulating bodysuit, vacuum rated, hell I can go to the bathroom in this thing and eat as I kill an Elite and yet this thing doesn't give me a FUCKIN caffeinated beverage." I yell in a caffeine withdrawal.
"So you can live in your suit. Damn I want one." a marine comments.
"Unlikely to survive augmentation." I say rubbing my temples.
Ten minutes pass as I examine the terminal. After twenty minutes the tanks arrive, as I figure out how to mark, Brutes Jackals, grunts, hunters, drones, and Elites until 2552 after October as hostile to reclaimers and a threat to an unnecessary activation of the halo array; As a message to all forerunner installations. 'Suck on that Covie bastards. Own religious artifacts used against you.' I turn to the tanks as they arrive. "Your late."
"Ah well you can take it out of my tip." one of the drivers says.
"Tell you what you let me drive and lead then you get 40% tip." I respond half joking half serious.
"I didn't know SPARTANs had a sense of humor I thought they are robots."
Taking off my helmet "Do I look like a fucking robot to you?" then I slam it back down. Climbing into the tank, and starting up said tank, I move it forward towards the exit. The covenant is waiting for us but as I have found out in my halo game days, "Tank beats all." as I start to shell the genocidal aliens with unstoppable force. As the exit draws closer, I kick the tank into high gear and it thunders down to kill the unsuspecting grunts. After clearing the area with the main cannon, the rest of the group appears unscathed by plasma, while mine looks like a well-used killing machine. "Sprit of Fire, we are topside waiting for exfill."
"Copy that pelican inbound see you three on the bridge ASAP." cutter out."
A pelican drops down and Forge, Anders and I climb into the back and it heads back to the Sprit. The ten-minute trip is made with Anders asking me what I did.
"So, what did you do on that keyboard?"
"I marked the covenant as a threat to forerunner installations."
"How?"
"I can read and write in forerunner" (this is true I will link a video of me writing my gamer tag in forerunner font)
"How?"
"That's classified." the pelican lands in the hanger bay and we depart for the bridge. Upon reaching the bridge, Anders gives her report but I am only partly listening. 'We go to Arcadia, fight covenant go to a shield world, and we don't get back to UNSC space for a long time.' I am jarred from my thoughts by Cutter asking me a question.
"What say you SPARTAN?"
"Sir, can you repeat that, I was running a diagnostic on my suit and I wasn't paying complete attention."
"Very well, Should we go to Arcadia?"
"Yes, sir we should go to Arcadia."
"Very well I'll clear it with Admiral Cole. Serina, plot course to Arcadia."
"Aye-Aye, Spinning up FTL for mysterious trip to Arcadia." I turn and leave the bridge for the armory. After a quick three-minute walk, I enter the armory and grab more M6D ammo, restock my grenades and reload my DMR with extended clips (instead of 15 rounds per clip I have 30). After restocking my ammo, I take my helmet and gauntlets off. I head towards the rec room and see a group of marines playing a game that seems familiar. I walk over to them and they salute me. "At ease, what are you playing?"
"Sir, we are playing a classic, Assassins creed revelation," one of them says.
"Assassins creed revelations, I haven't played that game in years, what mission are you playing."
They looked shocked and one of them drops the controller. I react at normal Spartan speed, and grab the controller before it hits the ground. "If you are done with this I would like to play." I laugh.
"But why?" a marine asks.
"Son, I maybe a 7 foot tall killing machine, but that doesn't mean I don't like games."
"Wow, but don't you get tired of killing?"
"That's what makes life interesting, in games, the enemy is predictable, in life they will adapt to keep you on your toes."
"Okay, well Jim just finished recovering the second key." a marine says
"Alright I guess I'll play for a bit."
I unpause the game and let the Cutscene play. I quickly complete the third key quest and a Sophia mission before handing the controller off to a marine. 'The hidden blade. That could be useful for assassinations. I think I'll make two for my armor.'
I decide to go to the gym to work out. Arriving I go to the high-G room and start benching 400 kg at +2G. The ODSTs in the room have stopped and watch how I am able to bench that weight. I continue my workout with push-ups, biceps and triceps, abs and calf and thigh workouts. I am about to start my cool down thirty mile run to work on endurance when Serina comes over the COM "Would SPARTAN-189 report to the bridge immediately." I arrive on the bridge and see that we have entered Slipspace "Sir why did you call me here?"
"I am concerned about your armor..."
"Before you go any further, I need to remind you that ONI has put a censorship on what I can say."
"Very well, you Have shields and that makes the marines Think that you aren't human."
"The shield system my armor has been stripped from a dead Elite and I have integrated it with my system. I have more power directed to it so it glows gold instead of silver."
"Why?"
"I fight very aggressively and I would be dead if I didn't have it."
"I see."
"Now, Serina what's our Eta?"
"About thirty minutes." the A.I. Responds.
"Good, prep a ground team." I return to the armory and attach my gauntlets and helmet. Picking up a SMG I fill the ammo and attach it to my left thigh plate. I sharpen my knife and return to the bridge. "Sir you need to see this." I hear Serina say. Looking at the display, I see Jerome, Alice and Douglas fighting. "They get to have all the fun." I say.
"Spartan, Forge get down there now." I am already out the door when I round the corner to the HEVs I push past the ODST Sargent and take a chair. "Serina launch my HEV over SPARTAN- 130s position, I am going in hot."
"Confirmed launch in 3...2...1"
I hurtle towards the surface of Arcadia slamming into the ground three meters off Alice. Keying the explosive bolts, I jump out and pick up three grunt kills with my SMG. "Hey Alice, Long time no see."
"Dan, nice of you to drop in."
"I aim to please."
"Dan, the hell, I thought you were at Harvest stationed on the spirit of fire." Jerome barks over the comm.
"Spirit is in orbit and reinforcements on their way down."
"Good, Dan even though you out rank me, I want you on civilian escort duty."
"Are you sure you can't read minds Jerome? That's what I was going to suggest."
"Very well Commander."
I walk to assist the civilian evac killing the grunts and elites as they come. Arriving at evac point I gather a group of 50 and issue each a captured Kig-Yar shield gauntlet.
"Alright I am going to escort you using an ancient battle formation
The Pharynx. I want the men to attach these energy shields and arrange a protective barrier around the women and children. Marines, keep enemy air off the group, I don't feel like eating a fuel rod today." I command.
I see that the marines are ready to go but the civvies are not moving. I see one man get over his fear and he begins to speak.
"And why should I listen to you."
"I am giving you a ticket to live and last time I was in battle, these shields will save your life."
As if to prove a point, a random plasma bolt enters the building and hits an active shield. I turn around, draw my M6D, and end the grunts life in a single headshot. "Any more questions?"
The man shakes his head and they take up formation. With the help of the marines and the shields, all civilians reach Cargo 1 in one piece. Jerome is doing an excellent job keeping the area clear as the walk is covered with fresh corpses. I walk back to the pavilion and escort the next 30 groups before the dreaded call from Cargo 3 "This is cargo 3. Screw the Evac protocol I am going now."
"Cargo 3 do not take off. I repeat do not take off." but I know it is futile I watch as the rising transport is targeted by banshees and is blown up.
Turning around in a rage, I see a very unlucky Elite and grunt. Taking two steps I use my suits power to rip the grunt in half 'I love this armor.' the Elite try's to draw its energy sword but instead it is disarmed by a grunt head thrown into it's face. "Demon!" it roars.
Speaking in my metal voice "Die genocidal bastard!"
I slam my boot down on the elites head splattering its brains on the pavement. When all civilians are loaded into Cargo 1 and 2, they get a squad of Longswords to escort them into orbit. I regroup with red team and the marines. We march Away from the city to a LZ when the radio sparks to life, "Commander, Scans indicate a large Covenant structure under construction however AA guns prevent any aerial strikes." Serena
"What about orbital support?" Jerome asks
"They have an energy shield that will prevent any orbital bombardment."
"Shit. Well looks like we do this our way." Forge says
"This is delta foxtrot 7 on approach with reinforcements."
"Clear to land." Forge responds.
We get another squad of marines and hogs. I get an idea to minimize battle fatigue, as everyone will need to be ready to storm the base.
"Spirit of Fire, requesting Mac strike on AA guns."
"Copy that paint them and we will take care of the rest." Cutter says.
I turn to an engineer who has a target locater "Paint those targets and watch the fireworks."
He nods and paints all three red and we watch as the Guns are hit by a white-hot slug of Depleted Uranium.
"Control this is Commander 189, Sky's are clear and your free to engage, have a nice day."
"Copy that."
Longswords and shortswords fill the air and bomb the shield generators. As they explode, three pelicans land and unload two transport Hogs and one Gauss hog. I see a ghost driving at us. I wait for it to target me and I jump on the hood and kick the over cocky grunt out of the seat. A marine shoots it in the head just to make sure it's dead. The marines pile into the transport hogs and read team takes the gauss hog. I put my ghost driving skills to the test. 'Alright let's figure this out.' I push the foot petals forward and activate the boost. Then I turn the controls to turn left or right. Finding that the right handlebar spins I move it forward and the ghost moves forward, I move it backwards and I go backwards. On the left, I see a handbrake so I pull it to fire the weapons. 'Easy to remember.' "Alright let's move out." the convoy makes its way to the base and the covenant comes out to greet us. The marines with the help of four SPARTANs blow through the waves like its nothing. Half way through ODSTs make a hot drop and reduce the guards on the base to zero. Pelicans arrive with a little going away present: a furry TAC nuke. "Marines, on those birds on the double, we'll handle this present." Jerome orders.
" What is the plan of attack?" Douglas asks.
"Level a wall with a MAC then plant this in the reactor core." I say.
"Got it." Alice says
"Serina, MAC south west wall on my mark...Mark." A MAC round slams into the wall leveling it. My fellow Spartans charge in and start picking up massive kill numbers. "Serena, Reactor location."
"Scans indicate that the reactor core is located in the main building sub level 2." the AI responds.
"Alright Spartans let's get this party started." I yell ejecting the spent clip in my assault rifle. Moving to a door tossing a grenade through and wait for the bang. "Move now!" I yell as the grenade detonates, we move in and kill anything not riddled with shrapnel. We move down and reach the reactor core. The guards are 10 grunt ultras with three Zealot class elites and one war chiefton. "Grunts first, down." I say as I use my DMR to kill all the grunts. "Jerome, Doug, Alice you got the elites, I got the ugly brute." the brute roars in challenge and I meet him half way in hand-to-hand combat. He throws a right hook at me, I side step and grab the arm and kick the elbow the opposite way it is supposed to be. The Ape roars in pain and delivers a shield-draining blow. The brute grabs my helmet with his uninjured hand and punches the top in the hopes of knocking me out, 'Hydrostatic gel for the win I only felt a third of that.' smiling behind my helmet. Then he grabs me and holds me as a shield. "You are a fucking idiot!" I yell in irritation, I use my left hand to draw my knife. But then he is shot by Jerome, "Stand down you only make him...oh shit Set the nuke and run!" the brute flings me on my back and starts beating me, I override the strength inhibitor and yell in pain as my left arm shoots up at SPARTAN extreme speed. I hear a tearing sound and a very agonizing pain that comes from my arm; I look up and see that I have impaled my arm completely thought the brutes skull and helmet. I look at my HUD and see auto-med stats scrolling in front of me. 'Shit it looks like I've damn near severed the tendons from my upper arm as well as completely torn my biceps and triceps in half.' "Dan, status repots." Jerome asks.
"Is the nuke planted?"
"Yes we are on our way up."
"Good, good. Remind me to tell Halsey to add stronger muscle density for the next class."
"Why?"
"Let's just say I won't be moving my left arm anytime soon. Also my left arm is on lockdown, and I can't remove it from this ugly ape."
"Well I don't know what you're talking about... Oh."
"I'll take a picture for top brass." Doug says.
"Screw brass, send that to Halsey."
"Yeah now either cut this bastards head off or pull my arm out of it." I say in an irritated voice. Alice yanks the corpse backwards freeing my locked down arm. We run up the stairs at a full sprint, we don't bother returning fire as we burst through the door the delayed countdown appears on our HUDs. "Spartan team, Pelican inbound to your location ETA 45 seconds."
"Copy that, get ready to punch it, Nuke detonation in 3 minutes." Jerome says. We see the drop ship land and we run inside activating our mag boots I yell to the pilot, "Secure hatch, and go now!"
The drop ship rises and the doors close and we are jolted with a full afterburner acceleration. We are just outside the minimum safe distance when the timer reaches 00:02. The sky of Arcadia is consumed with an one megaton Thermal nuclear detonation. "Command, this is Spartan team, base eliminated." Jerome says
"Copy that, Red team run a recon to make sure we are done here."
"Confirmed command, red team out." the pelican lands at the forward observation post, red team departs, and 16 marines board the ship to head back to the Spirit. "Spirit of fire, this is Sera-189 I was injured in the fight and I require some medical attention."
"We Copy 189, Med team on standby." the ride up to the fire is spent telling the marines how I managed to hurt myself.
"Holy shit, glad you're on our side." a marine says.
"Yeah but I don't know the extent of the damage, only that it required a lockdown to prevent further injury, so I might be out of the fight for a while." I say
We arrive and there's a med team waiting. I walk to the med bay and wait as the technicians remove my armor. Once the half-ton of armor is removed, I lay down on the bed and wait as I am scanned. "Judging by your face it must be bad." I say to the doctor.
"That is an understatement. Son you have torn every muscle in your arm completely, only your tendons are still attached. You are gonna be out of the fight for a month at minimum."
"A month?"
"Yes, as much as it pains you must let your body heal and Biofoam doesn't help with that and that's with your SPARTAN healing."
"Wow I knew that the armor was powerful but damn. Thanks I don't think I got your name."
"It's John Sheppard*, MD."
"Thank you John." I say as I leave the medical wing and head to the bridge to see Red team discussing something with Cutter.
"Jerome, Doug, Alice, Captain, Serina, Forge." I say as I enter the bridge in my fatigues and my left arm in a sling.
"That bad?" Alice asks
"Yeah, so driving my fist through that brute produced enough force to tear my augmented muscles, currently only the tendons are connected."
"How long will you be out of the fight?" Jerome asks
"A month. And I can't pass the time working out."
"That sucks." Alice says
"Yep but if you sic your helmet cams to the TAC display, I can offer combat advice."
"You can sic with my helmet commander." Doug says.
"Thanks Doug, now I want a sit rep."
"Anders has been kidnapped by a fuckin big elite." Forge says
"Was this elite wearing silver armor?" I ask
"Yes." he replies
"An Arbiter."
"A what?" Cutter asks
"An Elite who has lost his honor, he is given a suicide mission to redeem their honor."
"How do you know this?"
"Remember when I was in that temple on Harvest?"
"Yeah, I fail to see how this has anything to do with anything." Forge says
"Well there is a Forerunner AI in the Covenant holy city of high charity told me through the harvest artifact."
"Wow." cutter says, "This could be valuable Intel."
"It is sir. But I can get really impatient so hopefully it takes a few weeks to make this trip."
"Why?" Jerome asks.
"I think I saw some stem cell containers to help with plasma burn recovery, I am going to inject my self with some to accelerate the healing process."
"That would still leave you a few weeks out of the fight." Alice says
"I know but it's better than a month. Now if you excuse me I have a med bay to visit." I return to the med bay and I wave to Sheppard, "Hey doc, could you inject me with some stem cells to accelerate the healing to two weeks till I am back in the fight?"
"Well I guess it wouldn't harm anyone."
"Great, lets get this over with."
I take off my shirt to expose my arm and Sheppard fills up a syringe with 200cc of stem cells, he then jabs the needle into the thickest muscle tissue and pushes the plunger down, "That burns a little." I say as the tissue regeneration liquid floods my arm.
"You should be good to go about everyday things but not combat for at least two weeks starting now." Sheppard says
"Thanks Doc." I leave the med bay and head to the armory to start on a new toy. I walk into the SPARTAN storage wing to see Doug, Alice and Jerome in the process of removing their armor.
"Dan, what's up?" Alice asks
"Stem cell injection turns in that one month to two weeks, I hope that this trip takes two weeks."
"What, but your out of a sling?" Doug asks
"The tissue may be healed enough to allow for regular use but not so for Combat in our armor."
"I know that we are the only ones who can operate it but what's preventing you."
"My muscles are still recovering and if I went into combat, I might re-injure it."
"Ah so better 100% than what 50%?" Jerome says
"Actually at this point more like 45%." I say
"What are you going to do in your down time?"
"I am going to make a new combat toy for myself and if the prototype works then install in your armor."
"What is it?" they all ask
"A hidden Combat knife that extends like this." I say as I draw my knife and hold it with the hilt at my wrist joint, "so that way we are never unarmed."
"Sounds complicated, I wish you good luck." Doug says
"Thanks." I say as I detach my gauntlets and head over to the machine shop. Sitting on an empty bench, I remove the bottom metal plate of my left gauntlet and remove the hilt of my combat knife. I pull the gauntlet over my right forearm and hold the knife with two inches of the hilt back from my wrist. I make a fist and measure how far the knife sticks out past my fist, '3 inches past my fist, add another inch to the back of my wrist to get 12 inches of blade exposed and 3 inches of anchor. Now for the Extend and retract feature, I need something reliable and strong enough to hold against a brute skull. Electromagnetic repulsion.' I look around and find several medium sized iron cylinders, some copper wire, and several small neodymium magnets. 'I need a nonmagnetic yet durable metal, aluminum should do the trick.' I look around and find a solid aluminum block about 17 inches long by about 4 inches wide by 4 inches thick. I move to a machine and program it to hollow out a section about 3.5 inches wide by 17 inches long. While the machine hollows out my aluminum block, I have instructed it to cut out a track about 1/2in tall and 15 inches long. I get a piece of titanium about 1/2in tall and 3in wide and 3.5in long and weld it to the titanium of my knife. I Finish welding and look over my handiwork, 'seamless weld, this will do nicely'. I look back as Alice enters the workshop, "Hey Dan, how's the new knife coming?"
"Very nicely, looks like the housing is done." I retrieve the housing and slide the knife into the end, "Perfect." I tilt the block forward and the knife comes out the other end, stopping just where I want it.
"Beautiful, a new way to terrorize the covenant."
"And add a new title to the 'demons'". I say with a laugh.
"Do you need any help?"
"Actually yes, can you see if we have any +2000 gauss electromagnets that is about the size of a M6D round?"
"Sure." Alice says and goes out looking for the electromagnet. I pick up some copper wire and an old plasma damaged assault Rifle, remove the trigger, and begin to fashion a pull on pull off switch. After 20 minutes of fiddling with the mechanism, I finally make a reliable relatively simple housing. Alice comes back to the room with an electromagnet.
"Thanks Alice."
"Welcome, how are you going to power this thing? That electro magnet takes a minimum of 20 volts to work, and 30 volts to work at a constantly reliable rate."
"Simple, our armor is more than powerful enough to provide the power without compromising armor performance."
"Very nice, how about force?"
"The end of the knife has the positive ends of neodymium magnets that are attracted to the negative electromagnet, until I activate the magnet to provide +2000 gauss magnetic field, forcing and locking the knife forward."
"Very nice."
"Well I think I am going to stop working for today."
"Why?"
"I have been awake for 45 hours now, even SPARTANs have their limits."
"I see your point, but Red team has only been awake for 28 hours."
"We are going to be in Slipspace for the better part of the week or more. We need to be well rested for the fight at who knows where."
"I see your point also you probably need to rest because of your injury."
"Yep. Night Alice."
"Night Dan."
I walk out of the workshop and head towards the officers quarters I enter my room and begin to meditate. I close my eyes, open my self to the whole ship and connect with the Darkside. (Yes, I believe in the Force both light and dark sides if you got a problem with that then go perform a physically impossible sexual act. For those of you not use to this type of sir like cursing, it's 'go fuck yourself') I feel my rage build up inside of me and by survival, drive becomes stronger. 'Inhale pain, hate, anger. Exhale rage, death a burning fire. Reach out to the living force and open yourself to the whole universe' I continue to meditate for the next 3 hours, when suddenly, "Angel, NO!" I am on the battlefield, with angel, her armor shields gone down. "Relax Dan, I go.." she is cut off by a needle Rifle round going through her chest. I feel a rage surround me.' I am pulled from this vision by Jerome, Doug and a concerned looking Forge.
"What is it?" I ask
"Sir, you were yelling like you were in battle, you kept saying 'Angel'." Jerome explains
"Might I ask what it was." Doug asks
"It was a vision of someone I care about taking a needle rifle round to the chest, I don't know what caused it."
"Well other than the yelling, you were sitting in a meditative state."
"Well as soon as we get back to Reach, I am speaking to Halsey about this, they are becoming more frequent." I look at the clock and realize that I have satisfied my meditation requirement and I realize how tired I am. "Well what ever this is I need to rest I'll tell you the rest later."
They nod and leave my room, I climb into my bed and close my eyes. I drift off to sleep.
I dream about Angel and of the Ark, I see the flood, Gravemind John and 'Thel.
I awake 14 hours later feeling completely refreshed. I go to the restroom on the officers deck, shower and shave. I return to my workbench and the pull switch on the wires to the electromagnet, I work on a small connection port in my armor's gauntlets to synchronize the power from my armor's power supply to the hidden blade. I mount the blade-housing unit in the space of my armor and hollow out a 1/2 inch tall and 1/2-inch deep section of my armor to allow for blade extension and retraction. I fit a small self-sealing membrane, most commonly used to allow gunpowder weapons to fire in space, over the opening to prevent dirt and liquids from entering the housing. "That should do it." I say to no one in general. I look over the gauntlet and synchronize it to an external power unit to test it, when I pull the gauntlet on I curl my fingers to attach the wire that will allow for activation over my left middle finger. I make the connection and I am met with a sharp pain. I look down and see that my left ring finger is now laying on the ground. "FUCKIN' HELL THAT HURT!" I yell as I remove the gauntlet and Jerome pops into the room, "Dan, what happened? Are you injured?"
"Oh nothing, I just accidentally severed my left ring finger with a new weapon and I am perfectly fine." I say with sarcasm
Clearly not picking up the sarcasm, Jerome says, "Oh ok."
To which I respond, "Of course not numbskull, this hurts like a plasma burn. Fuck." I walk out of the Workshop holding my bloody hand and I get several looks from the crew. "Doc, I need stitches." I say arriving in the med bay.
"What happened?" Doctor Sheppard asks
"Um... I was testing a new Hidden combat blade when it activated prematurely, severing my left ring finger clean off. Um to prevent it from happening again just sew it up I really don't care about my non dominate hand any way."
"I have three questions: one, I thought SPARTAN bones were in breakable. How did you manage that? Two, why were you making that in the first place? And finally Why do you want to have four fingers on that hand?" he asks while getting stitching equipment.
"First, I created it to make sure that I am always armed, two, it is powered by a 2000gauss electromagnet repelling neodymium magnets, that thing extends to full in about .024 of a second and can penetrate my finger and about 6 inches of titanium And finally it looks cool and intimidating." I say as he starts to stitch up the wound.
"Those stitches should be ready to come out at about the same time you are cleared for combat."
"Thanks Doc." I say as I exit the med bay. I walk back to the workshop and extend the wire so that I don't have an unwanted extension. "Serina?"
"Yes Commander?" the AI responds.
"Do we have materials to repair MJOLINIR?"
"Yes we can make repairs to all armor, MJOLINIR included."
"Good I need a left glove with the ring finger removed and replaced with a hard covering." I say.
"So, may I ask about that blade? I've noticed an extreme build up of heat with every use, I suggest using a coolant with a high specific heat and high friction reduction rate."
"Do we have something like that aboard?"
"yes and before you ask, it is already been delivered along with a membrane to seal the coolant inside the knife."
"Thank you Serina." I say as I remove the blade to install the coolant and membrane. After that I wait for my glove to arrive then I return my armor to the storage rack and go to the gym to lift weights and run for about 40 kilometers. I then go get my new gauntlet and start knife training. After the wake cycle is over, I meditate and go to sleep.
(Minor time skip to five days later Date: February 23. 2531.)
"Dropping out of Slipspace now." Serina announces.
"Serina where the hell are we?" Cutter asks.
"I don't know. But there is a CCS Battle Curser leaving the Atmosphere now."
"Ah shit all stations brace for impact." after Cutter says this we collide with the cursers unshielded hull.
'this is where UNSC ships are better, 2ft of Titanium-A battle plate and 5in of ceramic, are better than the covenant.'
After the scraping sound stops, we continue down to the planet.
"Serina, status report."
"We have lost primary heat shield and about half a foot of our port side armor."
"Beats nothing I say. Serina open Comm Chanel to 521.17**." I say.
"Why?" The AI responds.
"Just do it." I say
"Aye-Aye. Comm is now open."
"Attention Reclaimers, I am 616 Lunar Spark, monitor of shield station 232***." the voice of a Monitor comes over the radio.
"Lunar Spark, this is SPARTAN-189 of the UNSC. We have tracked one of our top scientists to this place can you find her?" I ask.
"Oh absolutely Reclaimer. I detect your combat skin is only a class 2 there is a flood problem on the world I highly advise upgrading to at least a class 12. Search complete, the female Reclaimer is being held by subject species 27 the Sangheili by the inactive fleet."
"Can you get me there now?"
"Yes I have already dispatched an appropriate number of enforcers with several promethean's to assist you Reclaimer." The monitor says as I am teleported to behind everything with a squad of Prometheans. They use an active ammo generator to through cloak me and I move forward. "You would hardly consider them a threat." The profit of Mercy says. I move behind him and signal the Prometheans to decloak. "Release the Reclaimer or face death." one says. "what are you?" The Arbiter asks.
"I am a Promethean, and you species 27 are in direct violation of protocol regarding the reclaimers."
"Rip them to sh..." the Arbiter is killed by the Promethean using a forerunner hard light assault Rifle. The other Honor guards are made into fresh corpses, their shields doing nothing to stop the hard light barrage. The profit backs up into me. I smile behind my helmet and extend my hidden blade. "Do what you will Demon it will stop nothing."
"Really, because having this fleet will destroy high charity and your fleet." I say and I turn to the Promethean who killed the arbiter, "Can you broadcast this to the CCS- battle cursor in orbit?"
"Confirmed, broadcasting now."
"Citizens of the covenant, I am a demon and this is what happens when you piss me off." I hold the profit by his neck, extend my hidden blade, and plunge it into his brain then I toss him over the edge of the walkway. I walk away and release Professor Anders from the A-grav cell. She falls to the ground and I catch her, "Professor are you okay?"
"Yes I am thank you for asking." she says. I turn around to see Lunar Spark appearing behind us, "Ah Reclaimers I am here to inform you that this fleet is ready to be activated and will follow you through Slipspace to your destination."
"Thank you Lunar, we must be going."
"Oh absolutely Reclaimers, a transport is arriving to your location in a few seconds." I see a pelican inbound to our location. The door opens with Forge and red team standing around the entrance, all armor is smoking with plasma. "I miss a huge probably one sided firefight." I ask.
"Yeah, all I can say is I wish we had more Spartans." Forge says with a laugh.
"Sir what is this?" Jerome asks gesturing to the fleet behind us.
"Oh just a fleet armed with a main weapon more powerful than a Super MAC. And it gets better, it's all humanities."
"The Covenant threat just got less like a threat and more like a fly on the wall." Alice says.
"Yep, Let's get back to the Spirit." Doug says.
The ride is spent explaining how the firefight was extremely one sided and how I assassinated a profit. We arrive back on the Spirit and we are debriefed.
"Spartans, Forge, you have earned a break from action for the trip back to Reach. Now I want to discuss what you interacted with Commander."
"Very well." I say
"First, how did you know what we were going into. Second what is that thing you talked to and third what transpired down there?" Cutter demands.
"Well sir I knew what this was because of the artifact on Harvest. Second, that thing was a Forerunner AI in charge of this station. Third I killed a very important Covenant leader and acquired a forerunner fleet to help us against the covenant." I respond.
"Very well, Serena."
"Yes captain?" the AI says while materializing on her holopad.
"Plot a jump to Reach."
"Yes sir. Warning trip will take two years."
"Two years!" I say "well I'll go to Cryo."
"See you and the crew in two years." Serena says
I go into Cryo bay A with the Spartans from red team. We strip and enter our assigned tubes the last thing we hear before the door closes is the announcement saying that we have entered Slipspace heading to a undisclosed location as per Cole-protocol. I breath in the Cryo inhalant and drift off to sleep.
Two years later
I awake to see the glass of my Cryo tube opening. I suck in a full breath of air and start to violently cough up the bronchial inhalant. Turning to my left, I see Jerome, Doug and Alice doing the same thing. "I hate this stuff." Doug says.
"Join the club." I respond. We are on approach to Reach after a two-year deployment. I arrive on the bridge with my full suit of MJOLINIR along with Red team. "Spirit of fire, this is Reach High-COM we would like to have someone explain what these ships are doing parked outside the orbital defense grid."
I look outside and see the forerunner fleet in orbit around Reach. "Reach High-COM, this is Commander Sera 189. That fleet contains the technology to hand the covenant's collective Asses to them."
"How?"
"By using the tech left for us by the Forerunners. We will use this tech to show the Covenant what happens when you screw with us."
"Copy that 189 Doctor Halsey will greet you personally as well as our top scientists, send the all clear to your fleet and have them land in Sword base. High-COM out."
"You heard the man move it to Sword base. Cutter says.
We begin our decent to sword base about thirty minutes later, we are arriving in a docking cradle. As soon as the docking ramp is in place, Red team and I are greeted by doctor Halsey. "Ma'am." We say in unison. "Dan, Jerome, Alice, Douglas, it's good to see you again. Dan why do you have a glove missing your ring finger?"
"To make sure that this doesn't happen again." I play the auto recording of the accident from the helmet video logs. "That answer your question Doctor."
"Yes it does. But what I don't get is why not have it replaced with a flash clone or reattach the severed one?"
"I choose it because I have already earned a reputation in covenant space as quote unquote, Knife fingered devil."
"Do I want to know how you got that?"
"I killed a major covenant leader with this thing."
"How major?"
"One of the three high profits."
"I knew that SPARTANs are the best of the best but wow."
"Doctor, shall we precede to discover how to hand the covenant their Asses using the technology of their gods."
"Yes let's."
In addition, with that the fleet lands and the tech become under eyes only top secret.
About five years later, Halsey goes to a remote colony to retrieve a forerunner grade Slipspace crystal but is captured in the escape. I am stationed abroad the Pillar of Autumn along with Blue team. We receive word that Xholo is under attack from the covenant. I help the marines hold back the covenant long enough to get the civilians out of harms way.
Authors note: Cliffhanger but just hit that next button after the review.
* yes that is just like mass effect default Male Sheppard
** it is a 7 reference 521.17 5+2*1=7*1=7
*** this is a 7 reference 2+3+2=7