David entered the simulator. A new world started to buffer into existence around him. A white flash and then his squad was visible around him. this was an objective type, " capture the flag". the simulator always faced 2 squads up against each other, however the details of each scenario vary greatly depending on the weaknesses of each team.
Fire-Team Able's weakness as far as Vic was concerned was objectivity and speed. therefore Vic had created short objective matches where short objective matches. able's opponent was Fire-team Bismark, who where easily overwhelmed in Vic's diagnosis, so Vic adds AI units into the combat when they play, as a grey team. the grey team where not as good as a human team, but was usually bigger teams of up to 12.
the match was to take place in a small city-scape with close packed buildings of 2 or 3 stories, with red (Able) base at one end and Blue (Bismark) base at the other. grays would spawn at random points across the map, and would not go for objectives. the grey's weren't really a problem for able, David decided. from his post game HUD he could tell there would be about 8 grays.
a message displayed in the middle of Davids HUD.
Match start
objective: capture the flag
Varient: able-Bismark (V. XXIV)
time: 9:58
[ No Re-spawn ]
David moved into action. He moved across the ground towards a building on his flank. when inside he moved up to the second floor, and carefully moved to the window to look out, from what he could see, Bismark's (Blue) base was about 500 meters away he could see that Bismark's Sniper (Alan-514), was up above the base atop of a 3 story building, he seemed distracted by the grays. David was about to shoot Alan with His DMR But Rex beat him to it. he watched as Alan fell to the ground propelled by the impact of the sniper round. seeing they're team mate fall another spartan revealed themselves, David wasn't sure who.
David moved up to the roof of the building he was going to travel across the roofs and down near blue base if necessary, however he expected Helen to beat him to it. as he reached the roof he glimpsed Helen about 50 meters away from the blue base. Helen had just stuck a knife through the helmet of a grays EVA visor. she would get there long before he did. he began to move towards Bismark base. behind him he heard another sniper round from Rex, another Bismark gone hopefully.
A Bismark had a similar idea and had appeared in head of David. David ducked behind a vent, and was fairly certain he had been unseen. David pulled out a knife from the holster on his chest, and waited for the enough the blue went past him. David sprang up and dug his blade into they're neck, It was Eva-613. Eva slumped as David removed the knife.
A notification sprang up on Davids HUD:
Able team has Bismark's flag
David stopped moving towards the blue base. no point continuing. he watched waiting to see they're flag carrier dash past. while he waits he takes out a gray who was exiting a side street bellow him. after a second he watches Jen rushing past with the flag. she wasn't being followed.
A blue dashed out in front of Jen. they raised they're gun but Jen knocked it out of they're hand with the flag. next Jen pushed them back with the foot of the pole, using it like a lance. she got them Down on they're back, then drove the pole through they're visor. Jen continued to move towards Able base. David followed from the rooftops. David Examined his HUD:
Time remaining: 6:32
able remaining: 6
Other remaining: 5
Jen neared the base. she ran inside and deposited the flag. the timer stopped, and another started. the Bismarks had 2 minutes to get they're flag back before Able could score. as David watched from the edge of the nearest roof, one of the remaining Bismarks tempted a direct approach and was shot down by Rex. it occurred to David that he hadn't seen Kieron or Damion since the start of the match. They'd be in the base somewhere or near by. Damion will have set traps around the entrances, Kieron would be guarding they're flag whilst in active camouflage. David changed his visor settings and got up an Infra red display, he scanned the city around him for heat. the clock ticked away slowly the other blues where probably nearby looking for a way past Rex's sniper. people had stopped trying to take out Rex awhile back he was too good at surviving to bother, and if they shot at him he'd only take them out.
one of the Bismark finally appear with just half a minute left on the clock. This one was clever enough to use an energy shield it was probably Bennie-612. David was familiar with all the other Spartans aboard the Rebirth and Bennie was the only Bismark who'd think of it. Rex lazily took a pot shot at the shield. the shot was only to lull Bennie into a false sense of security, Bennie is running into a trap. David looks at the opening to the base using a magnified spectroscopic few. as David had expected Damion had been busy.
Bennie entered the base, a second later an explosion and armor shrapnel flew from the door. just as David had expected. ten seconds on the clock. Bismark had lost round one.
several rounds later Bismark and Able exited the training room. able had one all three rounds without communication. they never communicated on the field unless necessary less chance the enemy will hear. in the second round Jen had gained access to they're comm lines so that we could here what they where doing. that round Able had eliminated all the Bismarks and ended the match. final round went much like the first, but Helen had been eliminated early on by a lucky shot from Alan-514.
The Spartans headed towards the mess hall. both squads reasonably happy. Bismark and Able know each other well, most of they're members had been in the same batch, and they new each other well. Alan was always trying to get Rex to Teach him, Rex usually declined. Bennie and Kieron had been good friends during the early phases of the program.
the Spartans reached the mess and went about getting food and sitting down.
Operator Lock was in his quarters. he had Locked Vic out of his cabin, on of the advantages of being an ONI spook. after a few moments after the door closed His personal AI Key. Key was created from Locks own DNA, Key was also his direct connection to ONI HQ. Key too a blank humanoid form feeling that the having a full form was a waste of processing power. Much like Lock, Key was secretive.
"have you chosen a team to support your mission?" the AI asks. lock pauses to think about it. he waited a second before replying "Isn't it obvious?... Able is obvious, they're the best squad," the Captain had already said that Lock could have access to one of the squads for his classified mission. the captain didn't like Lock, he could tell and Lock new that taking his top squad for his mission would only annoy the captain, But he was fairly certain the captain would comply with an ONI official.
Lock was uncertain what would happen on the surface, Conflict on the surface would be complicated, remaining covenant forces where certain, some humans where probable as well, they may not be happy to have been left behind. The captain intended to search the entire surface of the planet for humanity before re-terraforming; which would undoubtedly kill most of what remains on the surface. Lock figured he had a week or two to find what he was looking for. He'd start at ONI bases, and move on to covenant remnants if necessary.
