Finally! After a mild case of writer's block, listening to Halo soundtracks, and watching the last (sadly) episode of Forward Unto Dawn, I have completed Chapter 11! Sorry for the long wait, guys. Chapter 12 will come online shortly. In the meantime, prepare for more action, craziness, and a LOT of guesswork.
Chapter 11
"Chi, are you-AAGGHH!"
"Make-the-make-the-make-make-PAIN-PAIN-stop-stop-not- right!" The AI was screaming as she writhed around in the recesses of Delaware's mind. Memories were streaming back to her, her own and not her own. A thousand UNSC vessels scorched under a blazing plasma cannon, and hundreds of humans slaughtered by their own kind. Scenario after scenario that she had seen one before, that she did not want to know anymore. And then came memories of young children playing together, of a proud blonde woman watching her children, to a funeral with the woman in the casket, of a sad young woman with dark hair and stormy grey eyes. Then came memories that were even older, from someone else: a man with dark hair and glasses watching a woman with blonde hair with a child with dark hair; many kisses and laughs; scolding words of concern and worry…The Alpha. And more memories, even older were coming forth-
A gloved hand punched the ENTER button on the keyboard, and the flow of data on the large screen stopped and vanished. Delaware got up from the rocking floor shakily, holding her pounding head. "Ow," she groaned, taking several deep breaths as she began to clear her head. She pulled a storage drive out of her belt and plugged it into a data port to get a copy of the code for further analysis. "Chi, how's everyone else?"
"From Theta, North is clear for continuing on the mission," the AI reported as she appeared by Delaware's shoulder to make sure that all her systems were functioning properly. "Omega and Texas are slowly recovering, but the main mission objective is retreating."
Delaware cursed under her breath as she heard the news that CT and the Leader were escaping. "How long until Carolina reaches Team B?"
"ETA 45 seconds."
"Send a message to 479r to come back around for a pick up, and then send a message to Virginia for pick-up, too," Delaware ordered crisply, drawing out the full storage drive and storing it away for later. She picked her shotgun up off the floor, considered it for a second, and tossed it away again. She punched her way into a box and tore out the weapon inside. She gave an appreciative whistle at the glowing metal in her hands as she closed her fingers around it. The weapon almost seemed MADE for her, but she didn't dwell on the fact of how well it fit.
Nor did she notice that the light coming from the silver weapon in her hands changed from amber-red to a neon blue.
North's head was throbbing painfully as he could hear Theta's screaming coupling with his own. He couldn't see anything as what felt like an electrical surge ran through his mind, bringing back memories that were both his and, he assumed, Theta's: his and South climbing a tree; a dark-haired child watching a tan-skinned, blonde woman sitting with a dark-haired child on a grass-covered hill; coming out in his MJOLNIR armor for the first time…
Just as quickly as the pain had started, it was gone. North could finally see an empty train car that was rocking back and forth slightly as it ran along its tracks. Theta's hologram picked itself up from off the floor and disappeared into his armor, curling protectively around North's mind in a warm, youthful presence. He murmured small words of comfort to his charge before looking over at Texas. The black-armored Freelancer was still twitching slightly, and a growl of pain came rumbling out and echoed in the car. Omega had also appeared and was "kicking" at Texas' armor, waiting for her to recover herself.
"Tex, you need to get up. CT and the Leader are gone," North said, picking up his sniper rifle from where it had fallen. She sat up slowly, clutching her head.
"What WAS that?" she hissed as North offered her a hand to help her up.
"No clue. At least it's gone now, though," he muttered, handing Texas her weapon. "Right now, we need to find CT and complete the objective." She nodded and followed him out the train car.
It didn't take them long to find some evidence of CT and the Leader's trail. After the third or fourth car, about five rebels started firing at them from behind metal crates with assault rifles. Ducking behind some barriers, Tex and North snuck around to take them out with their respective weapons, but it was taking too much time. Every minute that they were delayed, CT and the Leader got closer and closer to escaping.
"Theta, you there?" North shouted as the last of the gunfire faded with the last rebel's breath, and they continued to run. The purple AI appeared on his shoulder and gave an affirmative hum. "Get ready for a Hail Mary," he said, pulling out a large canister and holding it steady in his hands. There was only one, so he needed to time it just right.
They had come to the conductor's car, running over two-thirds the length of the train. There was a large group of soldiers and, among them, CT and the Leader. They whipped around in surprise as North and Tex lurched into the room. CT was hauled up to the top of the car, and the Leader followed. "Don't let them get away!" North shouted before letting the canister fly at the twenty or so soldiers still in the car and he shut the door. Both he and Tex climbed the ladder to the top of the car. CT and the leader were grabbing onto a rope hanging down from a passing Falcon, ready for take-off.
"We'll be leaving now!" The Leader shouted over the roaring wind of the speeding train, and the Falcon started to rise. "Bob, take them out!" Bob? Who was Bob?
Oh, that was Bob. A gigantic, muscle-bulging armored man in a helmet decorated with flames on the visor jumped down from the Falcon's passenger side as the other two were hoisted up, denting the roof of the car with his impact. Worse still, Bob held a detached rail gun in his arms and numerous Bowie knives strapped Pancho- Villa style along his bare chest. The man let out a wordless scream and charged at the Freelancers, whipping his gun around in a wide arc.
"Scatter!" Tex shouted, and they dove out of the way of the flying bullets. North activated his Dome Energy Shield, but the train was rocking around too fast for it to stay active for long. Tex charged at Bob and aimed for his chest, but he grabbed her hand and shook her like a ragdoll, nearly throwing her off the train. The black Freelancer grabbed on for dear life, scrambling to find a hold on the chrome metal.
An aquamarine blur appeared out of nowhere and latched onto the assailant's back, looping her arms around his throat. Bob dropped his gun and tried to reach around to grab Carolina, looking like a bald gorilla trying to grab a chimp off of his back. Carolina was stabbing the man repeatedly along his back and shoulders, but to no effect. Bob reached around, grabbed Carolina by the helmet, and slammed her head first into the train. North tried to aim with his sniper rifle, but the train was rocking around too much. Even Theta could not get a good reading on Bob as he lumbered closer. North toppled over and he was grabbed around the throat by the giant, who began to squeeze hard. Black spots were appearing in North's vision. His fingers were scrabbling against his attacker's chest, trying to make him lose grip. His vision was going dark. Inside his head, Theta was crying.
A roar of pain temporarily deafened North, and he was dropped to the rocking ground. He grabbed on as he started to slide before sitting upright. Bob was clawing at his shoulder, where a large burn mark had singed the skin and blood was pooling out of the hole. A blur of burgundy and gold shot forward and started kicking at the giant, who was waving his arms wildly to fend off the angry woman. "NO. YOU. DON'T!" Delaware shrieked, punctuating each word with a punch to the visor or a kick to the chest. She was knocked off and fell on her back, but righted herself just in time and helped North to his feet.
"What are you doing here?!" He demanded. Delaware was supposed to be in the infirmary after yesterday. A shrug was his only reply, but she handed him a foreign-looking weapon of gleaming silver metal and blue light.
"Take him out first, THEN you can worry about me," she commented, letting him right the gun. The light changed to amber, and he pulled what he thought was the trigger. A shot of amber energy exploded out of the end of the weapon and connected with Bob's chest. The visor tipped down to stare at the smoking hole where his heart should have been, before toppling off the train and falling into the dust of Tri-Virgo.
"I guess we lost the objective," Tex muttered as Delaware pulled her back onto the speeding train, while North supported Carolina on his shoulder. A speeding Longsword came up beside the car of the train, and the hatch opened. Maine clambered onto the gangway and pulled Carolina into the ship to strap her in, while Tex jumped after them.
North clapped his hand on Delaware's shoulder. "I guess I should say thanks," he said quietly, but he knew that she would hear him.
"It's what I do. I try to help people," she replied, before grabbing his hand. Together, they jumped onto the platform of the Longsword and held on tight as Virginia rocketed them upwards to join 479r on the way to the Mother of Invention.
A figure in white robes with stunning green eyes stared at a holographic model in the plain white room. Models of various species flicked across his vision, and he passed his long-fingered hand across to view more species. A model showing a human male appeared, at normal size. He considered for a moment, then passed his hand to view another, humanoid figure that was noticeably taller and more slender. The door opened to the room, and a wizened figure in deep green robes with an amber headdress floated into the room on a rather rickety Gravity Throne.
"Glorious One, the hour is late. Is it not time to retire to preserve your strength?" the grey, wrinkled figure asked, his bulbous eyes cat downward in the presence of his superior. The robed figure with green eyes shifted, but barely.
"My kind does not require sleep as often as yours do. I have not slept for over two thousand years," he spoke in a voice, wispy with wonderment and distraction has he continued to cursor through the catalogue of the galaxy's species.
"Forgive my ignorance, Most Holy One," the alien bowed his head, expecting a rebuke. He was ignored, so he continued. "If I may inquire, why do you peruse your Scriptures?"
"You may inquire, and I shall answer. I am curious as to the catalogues that my ancestors have helped form of the galaxy's life. It is…" he paused, thinking of words, "soothing, to know of all the life that has come forth after the Great Calamity."
"Your Lordship is even grateful of the existence of the humans? The lower-than-worms, parasitic disease that must be purged from our system?"
The green-eyed figure rose to his full height, a good twelve feet, and whipped around to look at the lowly creature behind him. "Prophet of Generosity, you would do wise to remember that there is only one true disease that continues to plague us to this day. Humans are NOT the problem, and you would do well to maintain a mild respect for them," he spoke angrily to the wrinkled elder, who sunk low in his Gravity Throne and bowed in a way for his amber headdress to almost fall off.
"I apologize, Great One. I fear that I have upset you." The Prophet paused. "Shall I place myself before your Father, the Lord of the Gods?"
"No," came the gritted reply as the hooded figure turned to look back at the holograms. "You are forgiven. Leave me in peace." The San' Shyuum gave one last bow.
"Yes, master. All hail the Merciful One, Blessed Victory!" The Prophet directed himself out of the room. Blessed Victory turned back towards the projections.
"I do not agree with this alliance," he murmured to himself in a voice that could barely be heard. "I pray for you, Clone, that you may die a peaceful death before my Father comes for you."
Yeah, kind of short. I just wanted to wrap up the mission scene a little bit quicker.
I hope you all enjoyed, and Chapter 12 will give a little sneak peek into some rising romance between North and Delaware...yay!
Hope to see you all then,
anna1795