Chapter 7
Linda-058 nodded her head conformingly. She then put away her assault rifle and hopped onto the Ghost.
"Need a ride?" she asked
"Sure," said the Chief "But can it fit two people?"
"I think it should work." said Linda
"Is she your girlfriend or something?" asked Cortana flatly yet threateningly
"Hell no." replied the Chief
The Chief sat on the back of the Ghost which surprisingly did fit two people. He pulled out a machine gun as Linda started driving. He desperately tried to shoot but he just couldn't concentrate due to the speed that Linda was driving at (which was approximately more than a hundred and twenty miles per hour). There was only one word that was echoing through out his mind: shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! SHIT! SHIIIIIIT! He honest to God thought they were going to crash and die if Linda kept up this speed. Not only that but he was having a frustrating time aiming his gun at the people he wanted to kill. You think she would slow down, but nooooo.
"Hey Linda," he shouted "Can you slow down a bit? I can't aim very well!"
"No problem!" shouted Linda slowing down to a reasonable drive-'n-shoot speed
Well, that was much better. He then swiftly aimed and fired his gun at two Elites driving a Specter. He killed the Elite in the gunner's seat once his energy shield died down. After that he nailed the one in the driver's seat. After an hour of shooting at the Covenant soldiers manning their vehicles, the two SPARTANs realized that if they were going to end this battle quickly, they would need a faster-killing weapon; a rocket launcher.
Fortunately, they knew where they could find one. Evan just so happened to be holding one near by. Linda drove the Ghost towards Evan and just when they were passing him, the Chief grabbed it from out of his hands leaving Evan weaponless. Evan's reaction was both shocked and offended.
"Hey!" shouted Evan
"Sorry! We need it!" said Cortana over the SQUAD-COM
"Did it slip out of your hands or did you let them take it from you while your mind was in La-La land?" asked Johnson who was standing right next to Evan and Mikayla
"What?"
Johnson and Mikayla-625 laughed.
"Shut up, Johnson," spat Evan "And Mikayla, don't encourage him."
"Whatever you say, Butterfingers!" laughed Johnson
The Chief and Linda sped around on a Ghost shooting down their enemies with a rocket launcher disposing of them more effectively. Following a huge explosion that looked like a flaming bush, one by one they flew five feet in the air, dropped down like dead flies and laid there as stiff as bones. As the moments went by and the Covenant casualties went flying, the Master Chief felt that very soon, victory would belong to the humans. Unfortunately, that was the moment that the Chief ran out of rockets.
A Banshee had suddenly damaged their engines causing them to crash into a huge rock, sending the two flying off of the Ghost and behind the rock. Luckily, no one was injured. They both backed against the wall of the rock and prepared their weapons for battle on the ground.
"Damn, woman, you may be a SPARTAN, but you're driving is terrible!" remarked the Chief
"Hey, at least I can parallel park." replied Linda
The Chief looked at Linda plaintively.
They were here at last; the control center of the Truth and Reconciliation. 'Insosamee and the others searched the entire ship for this place while bumping into the Flood on occasion (losing several men in the process). 'Insosamee walked up the main computer with its blood-stained screen and began punching in some of the keys hoping to uncover to information as to how the Flood came to attack the ship. Some flashing letters popped up on the screen. They appeared to be part of a journal of some sort. The entries were written by a Sangheili oracle master named Yusondi 'Xeresro. This is what was written on the journal:
September 10
Ninth Age of Reclamation
3:49 PM
Entry #2385
Our mission has begun thanks to the Prophets' blessing. Our (my team and I) goal is to create the perfect super soldier consisting of the unique genetic DNA of a Parasite and of another sentient being. What had inspired me to perform such a task were, oddly enough, the Demons that the humans call "Spartans". According to our autopsies, their bodies were compromised of enhanced DNA. This made me wonder…what if we were to create these kinds of soldiers only ten times stronger? I am determined to uncover the answer. It all starts here, on the Truth and Reconciliation.
September 18
Ninth Age of Reconciliation
2:52 AM
Entry #2386
We have begun testing with Flood DNA on various volunteers on the ship. All of them (each being members of each race) quickly died as a reaction to the serum of DNA we injected them with. Things are becoming more difficult than I predicted. If we do not find some new test subjects soon, the experiment will be cancelled and we will never be able to outmatch the Demons! Sometimes, I wonder if we are being intentionally smitten by the Gods.
September 19
Ninth Age of Reclamation
2:15 AM
Entry #2387
Splendid news! Although we have crashed on the Sacred Ring and are not able to leave until repairs are made, the warriors aboard the ship were so kind enough as to lend some humans that they captured while raiding one of their ships. The Gods have answered my prayers! We shall immediately proceed with our experiment. Let's pray that they won't die just went the serum is inserted.
September 19
Ninth Age of Reclamation
3:12 AM
Entry #2388
Praise the Forerunners! The results so far are astounding! So far, the human genes and the Parasite genes (With the generous help of the Huragoks' technology) have been combined and are now starting to take affect. According to the data we've collected, the humans' speed and strength have increased greatly. Very soon now, the Demons will be bested in their own game!
September 19
Ninth Age of Reclamation
3:45 AM
Entry #2389
The project continues to progress greatly but with a few side effects. Most of them have developed a bit of a temper and have a knack for making strange beastly noises. But this is the least of our concerns now. What matters the most is that the experiment becomes successful without any flaws. I will send some soldiers to break their spirits later. But for now, we watch and wait.
September 19
Ninth Age of Reclamation
5:57 AM
Entry #2390
I was just awoken when I heard the news. The humans' strength, speed, stamina, everything… it has grown tenfold. This makes me a little restless because they weren't supposed to this superior. I feel a strange sense of anxiety hovering over me like a cloud. But, however, I should cast off these feelings. I am probably just tired. I think I'll go back to sleep and deal with the abnormalities later.
September 19
Ninth Age of Reclamation
1:06 PM
Entry #2391
By the Prophets, what is happening? Some of the humans… instead of being both human AND parasite, they've… completely transformed into a Parasite! But how; how could this have happened? To make matters worse, they have summoned their own brethren onto the ship. I do not know how long we can survive this crisis. There are many of them and about a third of the troops have either been infected or killed. Is there any hope in stopping this madness?
September 19
Ninth Age of Reclamation
2:31 PM
Entry #2392
I am afraid that this is my final entry. As far as I know, I am the only survivor on this ship. The other troops have left me alone on the bridge to go fight the Parasite. I assume they're dead… or worse. I do not have much time left. To those who finds this journal, to anyone who is on this ring and still alive… please, I beg of you, for the sake of the Covenant, abandon this Sacred Ring. Leave now while you still can. The Flood is not something to be tolerated. They will find and destroy you all. Take my word for it. Do not Fi .sopgnpw[R4skfs[se033jfjf3999992nmoqej.ersergf erfw
'Insosamee could hardly believe what he was reading. Those poor fools… they have tampered with the Flood and as a result, were destroyed. He wished that he could take the oracle master's advice but he couldn't. The Great Journey was within their grasp now and those who would dare turn this glorious opportunity down would be considered ludicrous. Besides, what can a measly swarm of Flood possibly do?
Suddenly, a massive swarm of squid-like monsters came pouring out of the vents in the ship. The Covenant immediately aimed and fired their guns at the strange creatures knowing somehow that they were related to the Flood… in fact they were the Flood. Great; he just had to ask.