Chapter XVI
—Into the Fray—
0130 Hours, March 19, 2551 (Military Calendar) \
UNSC/ONI Frigate Day Breaker, 16 Cygni star system.
Jace would've loved to be anywhere than where he was now - being home in Johannesburg, South Africa, taking some R&R on the beaches of Cape Town, or simply sleep for twelve to fourteen hours. Instead, he was locked into a fight with an Elite Zealot within the enclosed surroundings of an elevator shaft.
'It could've been worse,' he kept telling himself.
The Zealot shoved the Lieutenant against the walls of the shaft, driving forward his fist. Jace sprung forward, grabbed the Elite's fist with his hands and head butted it as hard as he could. The golden armor's shields flashed, dropping to half capacity. But the seasoned Zealot wasn't stunned in the least. It shook off the disorientation, spun around the suspension cables, and swung its leg for a roundhouse kick. Jace caught the Zealot's leg, but the alien doubled back with a counter-attack.
The Elite raised its other leg and swept his foot against the Lieutenant's helmet. Jace was spun around, nearly having his helmet removed from his head. The Zealot grabbed the Spartan from behind, forcing him over the edge where the shaft widened near the elevator doors. Nova-One was tossed over the edge, facing a 180 meter drop to the shaft floor. His gauntleted fingers clutched the edges of the lift, his legs slamming against the elevator doors. The impact sent Dr. Asari and Erikson to the floor, wondering what was exactly going on, but not bold enough to check and see.
The Zealot stalked the edge of the lift, laughing menacingly at the dangling Spartan. Jace centered his eyes on the alien, calculating his next move. In the darkness of the shaft, something shimmered against his night vision - the Zealot's fallen energy sword. The polished hilt shone bright in his green and black vision, and the Lieutenant had found his next move.
To remove his enemy from sight, the Elite neared the edge, trying to mash the Spartan's hands under its feet. Nova-One shifted his hands from side to side, dodging the alien's vicious stomps. When the Zealot raised its foot again, Jace reached out with his free hand, taking a firm grip around its ankle. With a strong jerk, the Headhunter forced the Elite off its feet, and the seasoned Zealot collasped onto its back. Jace moved. He pulled himself atop of the elevator and went for the hilt.
The Elite wrapped its feet around the Spartan's right ankle and twisted. Jace went down, and the Zealot's folded around the back of his neck to snap it. The Lieutenant forced his leg up, landing the sole of his boot into the Elite's groin. Enraged, the Zealot kept his grip on the Spartan's neck and threw him across the elevator top. He went for his hilt and reclaimed it, zapping it on. The dark shaft was set aglow by the ionized blades; so much that Jace deactivated his night vision.
The Zealot held the sword to its side, and Nova-One had to alter his approach. There were compromising factors to take into account. For one, the suspension cables. If the alien went thrashing about, it would severe the cables, causing the elevator to plummet. And though he and the Elite could possibly survive the impact, the scientists inside surely wouldn't. Also, if that wasn't enough, the power to the shaft was still out.
What was Mirage doing?
The Headhunter had to cancel out his thoughts as the Zealot came rushing toward him. Jace took a step forward to counter, but the veteran alien reacted to his defensive stance. It threw an unexpected left hook. With greater reaction-speed, Jace ducked under the alien's fist, keeping a sharp eye on the energy sword as the Zealot began to raise it to strike. The Lieutenant went for the sword, clutching the Elite's right forearm. He pushed down with all his might, forcing the alien to take a knee as he drew his sidearm. The Zealot smacked the gun from his hand, head butted Jace, and freed its arm. Nova-One scurried back, nearly having his shin gored by the blade as it came down and melted into the elevator's top.
"Whoa!" Dr. Erikson yelped, seeing the tips of the blade sizzle through the ceiling.
Jace stood upright as the Elite intentionally dragged its sword through the metal, leaving a red-hot scar. It pulled up its energized weapon, snarling. Doing so, however, left an opening in the lift, giving the Elite a clear view of inside. It glared down, just barely making out one of the two humans inside. His energy-reader was at its peak. The relic had to be inside, and the humans had it.
Jace saw the look in the alien's eyes, a look of determination and eagerness. It wasn't a good sign, especially for Dr. Asari and Erikson. The Zealot suddenly stared directly into Jace's faceplate, down at the heated gash, then back into his reflective visor. Jace didn't like it, for it meant the Elite was about to do something. Before it could, though, orbs of hard light flashed on inside the shaft, and the elevator began to descend.
Mirage had come through, albeit late.
Despite the reconnection of power, the Zealot had retained its glare. Its eyes shifted, and the Lieutenant caught what he had glanced at - the suspension cables.
It made sense. The alien only wanted the relic, so what did it matter if the humans having it were killed? They were going to die anyway. The Elite twitched its foot, setting it in a spring like position. In unison, the two of them sprung forward. Jace leapt his body fully horizontal. The Zealot swung its sword wielding hand toward the cable, but the Spartan was too quick. Nova-One shoved his full weight into the Elite's chest, zapping what was left of its shields. He grabbed the alien's head when they hit the floor, slamming it repeatedly against the shaft walls as they grinded by.
Under the weight of the Spartan, the Zealot managed to grab a plasma grenade and threw it onto Jace's helmet.
"Kak!" the Lieutenant shouted as he removed his helmet and threw it.
His helmet was less than meter away before it detonated. The blast sent both the Headhunter and the Zealot over the edge of the elevator, snapped one of the suspension cables, and weakened the remaining ones. Sparks glistened on the last suspension cable, descending it more rapidly with a high-pitched screech. Dr. Asari and Erikson pressed themselves against the interior walls, avoiding the shrapnel that slipped through the gash above and into the floor.
The rest of Nova Team scrambled to the open shaft, no longer burdened by the enemy Elites. All six of them lied sprawled out on the floor, creating a collective blood pool beneath them. Jeremiah took a knee at the shaft's edge as small fires sparked about the elevator.
"Nova-One, do you read me? Lieutenant?" Nova-Two cried out over the COMs.
There was no reply, not even static.
"Nova-Two, I've detected an explosion within the designated elevator shaft. I am unable to make contact with Nova-One. Nova-Two?" Mirage reported.
"Affirmative," agreed Jeremiah. "Contact with Nova-One has been disconnected. Can you confirm his status, over?"
"Negative, Nova-Two. Bio-monitors have gone dark. There's no way to tell."
Alex made a fist, growing concerned. Was he dead?
"C'mon, Jace," she whispered.
The elevator reached the bottom of the shaft, landing hard. A thud sounded before the elevator doors, then another above. Dr. Asari uncovered her head, feeling a tingling sensation on her arms. She opened her eyes, seeing bloody tears in her jacket. Tiny shards of shrapnel had found their way into her skin, and blood trickled from the wounds.
Dr. Erikson's bled from his hairline and nose, having cuts and scrapes as well. He leaned over to Luka, saying, "Are you badly injured? Can you stand?"
Dr. Asari coughed once and shifted her aching legs. "Yeah, I..."
Movement outside the doors sounded, cutting Luka's sentence. The two scientists huddled together, fearing the worst - and they were right. There, the doors began open; being parted by slender, bloody fingers.
Dr. Asari wanted to scream, but nothing came out as the Zealot had fully opened the doors. Its once admirable armor had been riddled with cracks, missing plates, and dents. Half of its facial armor was gone, with its face partially exposed and burned. Blood dripped from its disfigured maw. The Elite limped into the lift's interior, standing over the fearful doctors.
Its breathing was labored, having a raspy ending. One of its lungs had collasped. The Elite shakily retrieved its hilt, staggering toward them. It reached out for Dr. Asari, took her by the neck, and lifted her up off the floor.
"Let her go!" Erikson yelled.
The Elite looked over at him, snarled, and beheaded Dr. Erikson with its active sword. Blood splashed against Luka's face and body, her reaction muted by the alien's grip on her throat.
The Zealot pulled her close, just inches away. "Your end has come, vermin."
Tears rolled down Dr. Asari's cheeks, feeling life slip away as she was unable to breathe. Her eyes began to roll back, and her eyelids became weighty. It wouldn't be much longer now. In that instant, a blade plunged into the Zealot's neck, running clear through to the cervices. The Elite's grip on Dr. Asari loosened and released, dropping her to the floor in a coughing fit. She held her throat, feeling as if it was on fire. The Zealot collasped beside her, dead. Her eyes glanced upwards, meeting Jace's auburn eyes.
He knelt down before her, having blood running from his gashed left brow and down his face. Small cuts dotted against his left temporal lobe and jaw line, his skin reddened from minor burns.
Jace looked at her. "Do you still have it?"
Dr. Asari strained as he dug into her pocket and showed him the relic.
The Headhunter exhaled, spat out some blood, and helped the doctor to her feet. "Let's get you out of here, huh?"
Luka uncharacteristically leaned into the Spartan's arms, crying softly. She looked over at what was once Dr. Erikson, wanting to scream at the top of her lungs.
The Lieutenant turned his face away from her. "We have to go."
Dr. Asari eased out of the elevator, her footing precarious over the mixture of human and alien blood beneath her feet. She and Jace entered into the hangar, briskly moving toward the Longsword to their right. The Lieutenant had to keep the doctor on her feet. Though she was physically present, her mental state was borderline shock.
She'd seen soldiers being killed by Covenant troops before, but they were always through playback from video logs. This, however, was right up in her face. Nova-One hefted her up again, trying to keep himself upright as well. He's moved with a considerable limp, having pulled an elongated piece of shrapnel from his leg. His arms ached and his chest felt as if a Hunter had body slammed him. But he kept moving, pulling the mute doctor along.
Dr. Asari looked out across the hangar, seeing a crashed Pelican that had taken a group of Warthogs and another Pelican along with it.
She exhaled, tightening her grip on the Lieutenant. "Nice landing."
Jace glanced down at her; she made a joke. Good. It meant she was coherent, or at least having a measure of it. The two reached the Longsword, and the Headhunter punched the key to lower the rear. There was a quick hiss, then the aft ramp began to lower. Jace lifted the doctor up inside the fighter and told her find a seat and strap herself in.
Meanwhile, he went up to the pilot's seat and began flipping switches and pressing buttons. The Longsword's engines started to hum, lightly vibrating the interior. Jace donned a headset, moving the mouthpiece to his lips.
"Nightfire, this is Nova-One. How copy?"
The Lieutenant tapped his broken index finger, eventually yielding to the pain to stop.
"Christ, son," Lt. Commander Nolan responded. "Mirage couldn't get a read on you. What's your status?"
"Dr. Asari is with me, sir; she has the artifact in hand. Commander Vasher remains MIA."
"We'll be carrying on without the Commander."
"I understand," Jace said, ending the link to reach his team. "Nova, this is Nova-One. Anyone respond."
A full five seconds went by before Nova-Three answered. "Lieutenant, is that you? Respond, over."
"It's me. What's your position?"
Alex negated her urge for an emotional outburst. "On our way to the hangar now. Covenant is on our heels. Might have to fight our way out."
"Then we'll be ready," assured Nova-One.
Jace left the pilot's seat, going over to the doctor. Her blood-covered hands were shaking, an easy sign of acute stress reaction. Luka's brown eyes targeted the Spartan that had knelt beside her.
"You're going to be fine, alright. We're going to get you out of here."
Dr. Asari tore away from the Spartan's eyes, having a difficult time grasping what was happening around her. It was like a nightmare that wouldn't end, and even if she woke up, she'd still be trapped. Erikson's brutal death kept replaying in her mind: the sound of the Zealot's blade, the spray of blood, Malcolm's limp body. She wanted to vomit, but her throat still felt tight. Luka buried her face in her hands, leaning over with her elbows on her knees.
A distant explosion shook Dr. Asari from her position, jacking up her heart rate again. Jace stood up, moving to the open aft section of the Longsword. The rest of Nova Team stormed into the hangar as plasma bolts burned around them. Jeremiah was out in front, hoisting an injured man over his shoulder. Alex and Lukas, meanwhile, commandeered one of the nearby Warthogs, rolling in front of the door they just came from.
Both of them grabbed some grenades, released the pin, and set them underneath the Warthog's tires. The weight of the vehicle held down safety levers, ensuring the well-placed trap. Nova-Two reached the aft section of the Longsword, briefly wincing at the Lieutenant's condition. Whatever had happened in that elevator shaft must've been gruesome. But shock aside, the Warrant Officer gingerly removed the man from off his shoulders, setting him down on his feet.
"You look rested," Jeremiah joked at the sight Jace. "And look who we found."
Commander Vasher lazily looked up, his eyes telling what he had been through. He was injured in his mid-section, but his wound was crudely patched by a piece of his uniform and surgical tape.
"He's been hit – needle rifle," Nova-Two reported.
"I'll take him," Jace said, gently taking the Commander from Jeremiah. "You get this bird airborne, and depressurize the bay. We'll take our friends with us as we leave."
"With pleasure," Jeremiah smiled, casually saluting.
Lukas and Alex came next, sprinting up into the Longsword. The Spartan sniper nodded at Jace, bumping his shoulder plate as he went by. As for Nova-Three, she just looked at him for a moment, shaking her head like a concerned parent. She merely laughed silently to herself, gently punching him in the arm – her equivalent to a warm embrace.
"Little farewell gift for our friends," she commented, pointing to the grenades under the Warthog's tires.
"Where'd you find the Commander?" Jace asked, closing the Longsword's aft hatch behind them.
The Chief set her assault rifle down, stole a glance at Vasher in a nearby seat, then reacted to the Lieutenant's question.
"He wasn't far from the service elevator; huddled in a storage room. Suppose the Covenant found him before he could find the doctor. He'll make it, though; pumped the wound with some foam."
"Good," Jace nodded, departing for the cockpit.
Jeremiah sat in the co-pilot's seat, his SPI armor barely squeezing in it. He noticed the Lieutenant behind him and grunted. "Said I wasn't flying the next time; there's your seat."
The Lieutenant sat down in the intentionally vacant pilot's seat, performing a quick systems check before he launched the craft into space.
The Covenant finally blasted through the hangar door, angered by the human vehicle that blocked their path. Several Elites helped to push aside the Warthog, subsequently weakening the weight atop the grenades. When they had successfully moved the vehicle, the grenade's safety levers released with a series of clicks. The moment the infuriated aliens raced around the Warthog, the grenades blew.
Their shields were instantly zapped as those in close proximity were hurdled into the air. Elites that weren't suffered minor shield damage, but they held.
Upon seeing this through the aft camera, Jace pointed to Jeremiah. "Depressurize, now!"
Nova-Two synced the Longsword with the Day Breaker's controls and opened the bay doors. They parted open with a boisterous sucking noise, and the Lieutenant hit the throttle. The Longsword's engines glowed, propelling the starfighter into the space and toward the Nightfire.
Within the Day Breaker's hangar, the squad Elites was pulled out into vacuum, asphyxiating instantly in the airless environment.
"Nightfire, we are inbound – prize is secure with a little extra," reported Jace.
"Copy that, Nova-One," Nolan replied. "Doors are opening for you now. We'll be transitioning into Slipspace the moment you're inside, so brace yourselves. And well done, Nova."
Like a comet, the Longsword streaked toward the Nightfire's opening hangar bay, completely ignoring the Seraph fighters that buzzed around them. A blue field of tingling particles became visible before the Nightfire's prow, forcing open a whirlwind-like portal. The Longsword dove inside the open hangar, and doors sealed promptly as the massive ship disappeared from the 16 Cygni star system.