Me: I've been getting told that the battles are too one-sided. Sorry about that, I'll try to make them better for the rest of this story and the Spec Ops side story. Also, aDarkone, concerning your complaints about the Nova galaxy, I've explained this to you specifically multiple times; this is the last time I'll explain it. The UNSC (and also Sangheili Empire) only control the Terra Galaxy (Halo universe). The Nova Galaxy (ME universe) is controlled by the ME races with the UNSC being the newcomers.
Trin: And now we recruit my favorite Turian. And are the Sangheili going to be reintroduced at all? You seem to have abandoned them.
Me: They will be reappearing in this chapter. On-…
Random Reaper soldier: On with-…+Black Widow being fired+
Me: Thank you Angel. On with the story!
"Talking."
"Thinking."
"[Electronic communication.]"
{AI intercommunication}
Moon Landing (part 1)
[Nova Galaxy, Turian home system, Menae:]-Jane
Jane watched as the SR2 came out of slipspace, the Precursor upgrades keeping the ship not only running silent, but also cloaked. The Normandy SR3 was just outside the edge of the system. The Dreadnaught class ship was too large to go in undetected, even if it was cloaked. The SR3 would need to reveal its location to drop them off. Once that happens, every Reaper in the area would swarm them.
Jane turned to look out the window of the cockpit o see the battle raging above Palaven. She could make out a few UNSC ships alongside the Turian ones. The Reapers seemed to notice them also as they focused their attention on them. Streaks of white light appeared from the front of the UNSC vessels whenever they fired a MAC, usually taking down two or three Reapers, sometimes just disabling them long enough for the Turians to finish them off.
"Damn, we just lost the Van Hellsing," Joker said.
Jane looked over to see a UNSC ship literally being torn apart by several Reapers. Once it was damaged enough to no longer function, the Reapers flew towards another, firing several shots into the Van Hellsing as they left. Those shots caused a chain reaction in the slipspace engines, making the Frigate class vessel explode.
"Monster slayer slayed by monsters, who'd a thought that could happen," Joker said, trying in vain to make light of the situation.
"Not the time," Jane replied.
"Yes ma'am."
Jane walked back towards the elevator to head down to the hanger. She reached the bottom to find the team she picked to go with her waiting. The team was made of Commander Andrews; Angel, who was still stuck aboard the Normandy; John; Liara; a Lieutenant James Vega; and Cortana, this being her trial run in combat. Said AI was wearing dark blue and black ODST gear without the helmet. Instead she had a Kuwashii Visor colored a dark blue, matching her armor. Jane shrugged before having them go into the Kodiak. Jane quickly put her armor on jumped into the Kodiak. Once she was in, it sealed up and launched.
Jane smiled at her new armor set. Though it was still the same colors with ice blue lights, it was now Hahne-Kedar chest plate and arms, Armax Arsenal legs and shoulders, and a Delumcore Overlay visor. She looked over at John to see him wearing a Rosenkov Materials arms and shoulders, Serrice Council legs and chest plate, and a Mnemonic Visor, all of it still the same color as his old armor with red lights. Angel had actually changed her armor and now had a Recon Hood, Kassa Fabrication legs, N7 Standard shoulders, Ariake Technologies arms, and Rosenkov Materials chest plate. All of it was grey primary with purple secondary that matched the design of John's and Jane's armors.
"Wow, you guys do the color thing without even noticing don't you," Cortana said with a smirk.
"Stop talking," John warned.
"I could make a few Power Ranger jokes from this."
"Shut up," Jane said.
"I mean come on you-…" Cortana stopped when Angel put her Black Widow to the AI's head. "I can hack your gun."
Angel then pulled out her katana and pointed the tip at the AI's head, Widow still right against the AI's forehead. Angel smiled under her Recon Hood.
"Can you hack this?"
"…I can break it."
"Titanium-A with hardlight and plasma upgrades."
"…Never mind."
"Cortana, try not to insult our CO and XO," Andrews said as he checked his ammo count.
"Fine…I won't do anything like that again."
"Good," Angel said as her blade folded up, leaving only the handle.
"Sense when can that thing fold up?" Jane asked in confusion.
"I upgraded that bit after Mars. It was too slow on being drawn before, now it folds out with in a millisecond after being activated," Angel replied with a smile.
She connected that to the bottom of her rifle's stock as the Kodiak shook from outer gravity change. The team went towards the doors and prepared to jump out. Once they were close to the ground, Cortez spoke up.
"[Drop Zone is to hot Captain, we have to thin them out.]"
"We're on it Steve, you just get us in close," Angel replied as she opened the doors.
She looked outside to see several UNSC Marines fighting alongside the Turians. She lifted up her rifle and shot a Husk that was trying to jump onto the back of a Marine. The soldier looked over and did a quick salute before firing towards the other Husks. Jane ran over and pulled out her Revenant and joined Angel in firing at the Husks blocking the DZ. The few Husks that were there quickly fell as the Shepard sisters combined fire form the Kodiak. Cortez then brought the shuttle close to the ground and opened up the half door/cover part. The team jumped out as Cortez had the shuttle take off again.
"Well, that was fun," Angel said as she switched out her Black Widow for her Matlock.
"Let's move!" Jane shouted as they ran towards the main complex.
She vaulted over some rocks and ran forward again as John blinked into a leaping Husk. The biotic explosion sent it flying over the cliff's edge. Jane activated her Omni-Blade as another Husk tried to jump onto her. She grabbed its neck and stabbed it twice before tossing it away. She turned a corner to see the bodies of dead UNSC and Turian soldiers.
"Some much for their supposed invulnerability," Jane thought to herself as the gate to the base opened for them.
She and the team ran inside as the gates closed behind them. Jane looked around to see multiple deceased soldiers in body bags. Turians in red ones, UNSC in black ones; both had their military's emblem on them. Jane ran towards the center of the compound to see the Turian General talking to a UNSC Marine. The Marine nodded to the General before running towards another gate and leaving. Jane walked up to the General and waited. The General noticed her after a few more seconds.
"Captain Shepard, I was told to be expecting you. I'd help you if I could, but as you can see I've been a little busy. Doesn't help that all our remaining THORs were redeployed to Palaven and we have actual Reapers on the ground here," the General said to her.
"We're here for the Primarch," John said after walking up behind Jane.
The General stopped for a second before continuing.
"The Primarch's dead. Shot down while trying to leave for help."
"Damnit," John said.
"I'm sorry. I heard he was a great leader," Jane said after elbowing her twin.
"And a friend. There is still one option though."
"Well let's hear it," John said as Jane elbowed him again.
"The Hierarchy has easily distinguished lines of succession, but with so many dead, it'll be a bit hard to figure that out."
"Who would know?" Jane asked.
"Palaven High Command would, but our long range communications are down. You'll have to fix the com tower to get to them."
"Where is it?" John asked as the Commander and Angel walked over.
"Just outside the east barricade, you can't miss it."
"Understood, let's move!" Jane shouted to the team.
They nodded and went towards the east barricade. John and Angel helped each other jump over the wall as the others waited for it to fold down for them. They ran out of the barricade as it sealed behind them. Jane sprinted to catch up to John and Angel, finding them shooting at several Husks with two UNSC Marines, one of them without a leg.
"Thanks for the assist sirs, we'll keep them from coming up behind you, or charging the barricade.
"Good luck troopers," Jane said as the team found the com relay.
Jane walked over to its console and pressed a few buttons, only to find that it did nothing. She cursed once before slamming her fist into it.
"Can't fix it from here, someone will have to go up."
"Two actually," Angel said as she and Cortana walked up.
"I'll fix it while Angel provides sniper fire from the higher position," the AI said.
"…That's actually a good idea, do it," John ordered as the two of them climbed up the ladder.
"Hold the Husks off while they fix the coms," Jane ordered as her radio sounded.
"[Sorry Captain, unable to provide support, had to fall back, they're heading your way,]" the Marine form earlier said.
"Understood. Get ready people."
As soon as she said that, several Husks appeared and began running at them. One tried to leap onto Jane only for it to be shot through the head by a well-placed sniper round. Jane looked over and sent a two finger salute to her sister before activating her Omni-Blade and cutting another Husk in half. Several more appeared in a cluster and were destroyed by an enhanced shot from Vega. Jane looked over to see the barrel of his gun smoking, but still usable.
"Carnage shot?"
"Got it in one Lola," the Marine replied.
"Lola?" Jane asked as she stabbed another Husk.
"It's a thing I do, give people nicknames. Your brother's Loco-…"
"Only slightly," John said as he blinked into a small group of Husks.
"…-and your sister's Zen."
"I like it," Angel called from her position as she shot another Husk.
Jane smiled and shook her head before going back to killing Husks. Another group appeared and Jane threw a grenade into it. The grenade went off and sent flaming, cybernetic corpses flying in multiple directions. Jane smiled at that as Commander Andrews ripped the last Husk in half. Andrews threw the pieces away and pulled out his AR. Jane looked around to see Angel getting up from her position.
"[Almost…got it,]" Cortana suddenly said. "[Com relay is back up, we're heading down.]"
With that, both Cortana and Angel climbed down the ladder. Jane activated her own short range com and called the General.
"[General, com relay is back up,]" she said to him.
"[Understood, defend the area while we figure out who the next Primarch is.]"
"On it," Jane replied as she reloaded her rifle.
"Weapons free," Vega shouted as he fired his shotgun at the landing Reaper forces.
Jane raised her rifle as a small group of Turian soldiers ran towards them. The group looked injured, and there were only three of them. One of them was using a Phaeston AR, another was using an M-7 Lancer, and the last was holding a Krysae Sniper Rifle. Jane noticed that each had a second weapon on their back. She tried to run over to the only for Andrews to stop her. She was about to say something when she noticed the Husks heading towards the group.
"We can help them more by sniping the approaching enemy forces," Andrews said as he raised his rifle.
Jane nodded and began firing at the Husks behind them. The Turians made it to the barricade before Jane had to reload. She looked back up to see the barricade closing behind them.
"[Thanks, I don't think we would've survived if you hadn't done that. We're out of the fight still; you can use our weapons when you get here.]"
"Thanks," Jane replied before firing at the other Husks.
"[Captain, I know who the new Primarch is, but you'll want to find out in person,]" the General said over the coms.
"On our way," John replied before running towards the Barricade.
Jane and the others were keeping up with him until he blinked to it. It opened for him as the others caught up. Jane walked past him, slapping the back of his head as she did, and walked towards the three troopers she saw earlier. They handed her their main weapons, Jane keeping the Lancer for herself, before pulling out the other weapons. The first one's secondary was an N7 Hurricane, the second's was an N7 Piranha, and the third's was an N7 Eagle. Jane raised an eyebrow at the fact that all of their secondary weapons were those issued to the Alliance's Special Forces group. The Turians shrugged in response.
Jane walked over to where John was to see Garrus standing there.
"Garrus? That you buddy?" Jane asked.
"In the flesh, good to see you two. Also, who're they?" Garrus asked, pointing to Andrews, Cortana, and Vega.
"Commander John Andrews S-117, Lieutenant James Vega, and UNSC AI Cortana."
"…I remember how it used to be AIs were always shooting at us."
"Anyways, we know where we're going and who we're here for, let's go before anything else happens," John said.
Right as he said that, a Reaper Harvester flew over the base and dropped something off at the air field. Jane, Cortana, Vega, Garrus, and Liara glared at him.
"You just had to jinx it, didn't you bro?" Angel asked as she reloaded her Black Widow.
"I see your luck hasn't changed," Garrus said as Jane handed him the Phaeston and Krysae Sniper Rifle.
She then handed the Piranha to James, the Eagle to John, and the Hurricane to Cortana. Jane lifted up the Lancer and smiled before walking over to a work bench and attaching a scope and extended barrel. She ran back to see the others already at the air field's barricade. She readied her rifle as the barricade opened and let them out. Jane and John ran out first, both having their new weapons out and ready. They saw multiple Husks scrambling around the area, and then another thing, one that looked like a Turian Husk.
"What the hell is that?" Angel asked as she shot it.
"Whatever it is, it dies like the rest," Vega said as he shot another with his new shotgun. "Man I love this thing."
"Get them off this air field!" Jane shouted as she began firing her Lancer.
Me: I know, this is really short compared to how I said it would be, but I put myself onto a deadline for this chapter, something I am never doing again, so the rest of it will be uploaded later.
Trin: So, you gonna do it or not?
Me: …I'll let the readers decide. Poll now up. Go to my profile to see what it is. Just note that is has nothing to do with this story…technically. VR Commando ATA out.