Disclaimer: If you've seen it somewhere else, I don't own it.
A/N: I believe, for the sake of getting rid of any confusion, that I should reveal where Ryan's commanders are from and their specialties to make it easier in the long run if you all haven't figured it out already. So here they are:
Heavy- Grunt(Halo), Deacon armor(silver)
Specialty: Heavy weapons and mass assaults
Stalker: Skirmisher(Halo), Commando armor(green)
Specialty: Guerilla warfare and Long-range combat
Barricade: Hunter(Halo)
Specialty: Heavy defense and Infantry support
Striker: Brute(Halo), Ultra armor(digital)
Specialty: Close Quarters Combat(CQC) and Heavy weapons
Rapier: Elite(Halo), Assault armor(Navy blue/black)
Specialty: CQC and serves as a Quick Reaction Force (QRF)
Wolf: Human, ODST(Halo)
Specialty: Guerilla warfare and also serves as a QRF
Reaper: inspired from a xenomorph(movie Aliens)
Specialty: Spec Ops, QRF, and Heavy assaults
Commands: 1st Shock Corps (41st and 42nd Shock Divisions) along with Spec Ops forces manned by others of his kind.
Ryan: AI(Halo), jeans with tee shirt type look
Specialty: Command and Control
I thought it would be appropriate if Ryan used something that is well known in our world as a basis for his commanders.
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The blade seemed to possess a menacing air about it as the creature spoke once more, "This is Reaper, calling all units, Dynamic, I repeat Dynamic!" The mist cleared as hundreds of other of the creatures appeared with strange weapons in their hands. A vengeful roar erupted from them as they stood behind their leader.
"What are you?", Yamula asked, her voice gaining a little uncertainty in its tone.
"We are your worst nighmare. Welcome to our world, child!", the figures charged as a great roar could be heard overhead.
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Meanwhile, thousands of feet above the city, white lines covered the sky. The elves naively thought them to be strange clouds; it was not uncommon for oddities to exist in worlds such as these. They attributed it to the boy's inexperience and left it at that. They could not have been more wrong.
Above them flew several squadrons of aircraft, everything from the latest F22 Raptor to the venerable B52 Stratofortress circled overhead. Among the circling jets, heavily protected by a squadron of F22s, flew an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) plane codenamed Ghost Eye. The men assigned to that craft coordinated everything, from the men on the ground, to the planes in the air. The fighters around them carried everything from Vulcan miniguns to napalm canisters to one-thousand pound bombs. All they waited for was the fated order to send them into action…then all hell would break loose. They didn't have to wait long.
"Sir," one of the controllers shouted to his CO.
"What is it?", came the tart response.
The controller played a recorded message, "This is Reaper, calling all units, Dynamic, I repeat Dynamic!"
The man's CO nodded and grimly said, "So it begins." He keyed on his headset, "Attention to all forces currently surrounding Hope, this is Ghost Eye, Dynamic, I repeat Dynamic! All circling aircraft stand by for target instructions". A slew of affirmatives met his announcement.
The world was going to war.
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"Falcon Lead, this is Ghost Eye, stand by for targets over.", Falcon smiled, he was finally going to see some action. His element of four F16s was loaded out with four canisters of napalm each, making them a living nightmare for any elves in their path.
"Ghost Eye, this is Falcon Lead, standing by, over".
Silence reigned for a moment before a reply came, "You are cleared engage enemy targets marked in sector L2 A6. Targets are marked and await servicing, over.", the controller sounded like he was smirking as he spoke, pride and assurance of victory evident in his voice.
We will not fall to this arrogant invader, Falcon thought.
"Roger that, Falcon out". Falcon tipped his plane downward, quickly gaining speed as he lined up for a bombing run. The intended targets glowed on his HUD from being marked by the laser designators and only awaited their death from above. "Falcon Lead to all Falcons, stay behind me, I'm taking this one boys.", Falcon announced, his face set in a grin as he prepared to drop his payload. He pulled up on his stick, leveling his plane out just above the height of the surrounding buildings. His afterburner flared as he shouted into his radio, "Falcon engaging!"
Two pipe shaped, inferno causing napalm canisters fell as they guided themselves to their targets….
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"Attention to all forces currently surrounding Hope, this is Ghost Eye, Dynamic, I repeat Dynamic! All circling aircraft stand by for target instructions!"
The radioman for the headquarters of the artillery, codenamed Longbow, immediately ran outside where the CO stood, staring out into the city below.
"Sir," the radioman began, "we have received permission to fire."
The CO's head turned at this, "Then perhaps it is time for our guests to receive a proper greeting." The man smiled as he looked back out towards the city, "I want a full barrage along the first wall! Nothing gets through to reinforce the elves already inside the city!"
"Sir!", the radioman spun and sprinted back into the command Bradley. He swiftly snatched his headset and almost yelled into the microphone, "This is Longbow to all elements, fire for effect along Phase Line Alpha over!"
Almost immediately barrels and missile tubes pointed skyward and released their deadly payload…
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The steady thrum of chopper blades resonated through Viper Lead's bones as his and the other attack helicopter groups awaited orders.
His radio crackled in his ear, "Attention to all forces currently surrounding Hope, this is Ghost Eye, Dynamic, I repeat Dynamic! All circling aircraft stand by for target instructions".
Here we go, Viper thought with satisfaction. "Viper lead to all squadrons, fall in behind us! We're going in!"
A chorus of Hooahs met his order. The older Apache helos fell in behind the deadlier Commanches as they winged their way toward the city. "Barricade, this is Viper Lead, requesting targeting instructions over."
"This is Barricade, enemy forces have forced a breach in sector L2 A6. F16s are already enroute for a bombing run, but we need you to make a sweep to clean the area up, over."
"Roger that, Barricade, Viper moving to engage."
The voice of his gunner came on the intercom, "Yeah! Let's bust some heads Viper!"
The target area approached rapidly as a blur that marked the F16's arrival streaked by…
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"Attention to all forces currently surrounding Hope, this is Ghost Eye, Dynamic, I repeat Dynamic! All circling aircraft stand by for target instructions".
"You heard him, jarheads! Let's roll!". The order came from the commander of the 21st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), with its integral battalion of M1 Abrams tanks. Marines scrambled into their tanks and APCs, loaded their weapons, and advanced toward the city.
"Rapier, this is Stomper, requesting instructions, over!"
"This Rapier, hit the rear of the enemy outside the first wall, drive them into the artillery barrage we've placed in front of them."
"Rules of engagement, sir?"
"Burn 'em, Colonel."
A smirk came across the man's face, "With pleasure, sir." He keyed on his radio back to his force's frequency, "Attention all forces, we are assaulting the enemy rear to drive them into the city where artillery will tear 'em apart! All tanks! load canister and thermobaric rounds! Marines! prepare for close combat! Show no mercy! Let's show these ignorant buffoons the true face of war!"
"Hoorah!", came the response over the radio. The rolling metal tide crested the last hill before the city, giving the elven army below the first look at their doom…
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The napalm canisters blew nearly a hundred feet off the ground. Everything below was cloaked in crimson flames: earth, buildings, elves; it didn't matter. All were consumed, even the few lucky (or not so much) to survive the ensuing fireballs quickly fell to the chain guns and rocket pods of the attack helicopters. Viper's choppers were methodical in their sweep, swift and deadly, as they effortlessly destroyed any resistance. Infantry with Humvees quickly arrived to keep the breach closed and several Blackhawks arrived with Sheridan light tanks to further reinforce the position. The elves attempted to assault the defenses but they were sliced to ribbons by machine gun and cannon fire. The elven wards could stop a few rifle rounds or shrapnel fragments, but they quickly succumbed to the massive amount of fire directed their way.
Overhead white streaks traveled across the sky, marking the path of hundreds of rockets and artillery shells from Longbow. A solid curtain of flame enveloped the area around the first wall as elven soldiers vainly tried to escape.
Meanwhile Stomper tore through the elves rear as he ruthlessly exterminated any unfortunate enough to be in his path. Magic enhanced arrows and catapult stones barely made a scratch on the tanks' armor as they advanced. Their main guns scythed down dozens of elves with each shot and their fifty caliber machine guns only added to the bloodbath that was called a battle. A massacre would be a better term for such destruction…
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Reaper spun out of the way of the strike, effortlessly pulling out his pistol and shooting the elf that foolishly thought to challenge him. His sword carved through another; the black blade seemed to relish the fighting as it easily cut through armor and flesh. His brethren stood by him as they cleansed the last of the elves from the massive bunker's entrance.
The arrogant elven leader had fled the moment it appeared that she could not win. Her bodyguards lay slain at his feet for covering her escape. The elf's escape would not matter; she would not get far, between the armor and artillery outside the city and the helicopters and infantry inside. She possessed nowhere to run, as her forces would be systematically slaughtered around her.
But still, he thought, it would be best if she met judgment by our hands instead of a quick death by rifle or explosion. She must pay for the wrong she has done! Our secrets must not be revealed!
Reaper turned his head and yelled, "Steel team on me! We are going to find the one responsible for this and make her face our judgment!"
Four Assassins decloaked beside him as the first said, "We are with you, commander!"
Reaper smiled and ran off toward the city's outskirts, knowing that the others would follow. Rifle fire grew loud and heavy as he approached the first wall. They turned the last corner to find a rifle platoon supported by a Sheridan tank firing down the street into a mass of elven archers hidden in any cover they could find. Reaper and his team slid in behind a barricade where the platoon's CO fired his weapon.
"What's the situation here, Lieutenant?" he asked.
"The elves have camped themselves inside the buildings as you can see. They got smarter after losing hundreds of their fellows to our guns. Now they're sniping at us from the buildings and we simply cannot advance without more armor to cover us. I'd lose half my men before I'd even get close to those buildings!"
Reaper poked his head and looked over the elves position and spotted one in particular that seemed more defended than the rest. The elf must be inside, kill her, and this shall end, Reaper thought with a smirk. He turned back to the Lieutenant, "Tell your men to provide covering fire, we'll cut you a path! Assassins follow me!"
Reaper sprinted forward as the Lieutenant cried, "Covering fire!" A fullisade of rounds flew towards the elven defenders, the thump of grenade launchers and boom of the tank's cannon presaged the explosion of most of the front half of the closest elven-occupied structure, which promptly collapsed. Some elves wisely took cover others, however, foolishly tried to shoot arrows at the charging Assassins, which simply bounced off their natural armor and they were quickly cut down by the supporting platoon and tank.
Steel 3 swiftly pulled an AT-4 of his back and fired it at the elven leader's building, creating the team's own entrance inside. The other Steel team members fired their M4 SOPMODs at various targets as they passed.
They slid next to their homemade entrance and split to each side of it. Flashbang grenades flew through the opening, stunning any elves inside as the five team members eliminated any that still breathed. They pushed past the bodies up to the second floor, where a magic arrow straight to the face greeted Steel 2. The projectile exploded, blowing her against the wall and the others back down the steps.
The smoke cleared as the elves smiled in satisfaction as they thought their target killed by the blast. They were wrong. Two frag grenades flew out of the smoke and exploded, killing half the elves instantly and stunning the rest. Steel 2 sprinted out towards them, her armor displaying a scorch mark where the arrow had hit her and her rifle discarded as she charged. The two pistols in her hands barked as she shot any elves in her way with precisely placed headshots.
The third and fourth floors proceeded much the same way. The team would move up the stairs, be attacked with arrows or magic, then use explosives and accurate rifle bursts to destroy the resistance before proceeding. Reaper stopped them as they reached the entrance to the fifth floor.
He keyed his radio, "Viper Lead, this is Reaper, I need a controlled cannon burst into the fifth floor of the building I'm in, danger close, over."
"Roger that, Reaper, Viper engaging!"
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Viper peeled out of his squadron's formation as he flew to carry out Reaper's order. A flashing transponder showed up on his HUD, showing the commander's position inside the building.
Danger close is a bit of an understatement, commander. he thought as the building came into view. The commander and his team were taking a heavy risk placing themselves so close to his target. Lucky for them I'm the best chopper pilot in the whole army! he mused as he placed his craft in a hover while his gunner prepared to fire.
Suddenly a bright blue streak cut across the sky, the bolt smashed into the Commanche's tail and exploded, dislodging helicopter's tail rotor.
The craft started to spin wildly, "Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! This is Viper Lead! I've been hit and am going down! Repeat! I am going down!" The helicopter made one last revolution before the tail smashed against a nearby building. The metal screeched as it was ripped free from the rest of the craft. There was a great crashing sound then…silence.
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"Viper is down! I repeat, Viper is down!" Reaper heard the call with a scowl. It appears that the elf is more creative than I give her credit for. he mused.
"Lieutenant! status!", he yelled.
"Three more men killed, eight wounded, no survivors from the chopper, over!", the man's voice was almost frantic as he spoke.
"My team and I are moving into the fifth floor, shift your fire, over,"
"Roger that, out."
Reaper nodded at the man's parting words and shifted his gaze to his team, "Breach the door, frame charges, now!" Steel 3 and 4 ran up at his order, fixing a breaching charge to the doorway.
"Ready," Steel 4 called.
Reaper nodded at him. The charge blew as the five commandoes pushed through the doorway. Arrows flew towards them and were promptly answered by the coughing of the team's rifles. One of the elves looked different from her brethren, better armed and armored.
That must be her, he thought, her face is pretty hard to miss.
"I'll take the commander, kill the rest!", Reaper yelled as he vaulted over a half destroyed wall and sprinted towards the elven leader. The leader's bodyguards charged towards him, swords drawn. Reaper deflected the blow of the first with his rifle, pulling out a knife and stabbing him in the chest as he passed. The second and third dropped with a bullet in the head each. The remaining two, however, hung back and peppered him with magic arrows. Reaper primed a flashbang and threw it, quickly following the grenade as it blew. Both elves were almost immediately riddled with rounds as Reaper fired then dropped his rifle and tackled the elven commander.
The two rolled around for a moment, trading blows all the while. The elf struck him with a magically reinforced kick, which sent him flying into a nearby wall. The wall cratered from the force of the impact as Reaper quickly shook his head and bolted back towards his objective. The elf spun out of the way and tried to strike him as he passed. That, however, was what Reaper was counting on. He grabbed her arm and twisted, forcing her downward, where a quick one-two punch met her. The strikes stunned her and Reaper let go as she reeled back. The elf's eyes displayed utter shock as she looked back up at him, only to find a magic enhanced punch flying towards her. The blow connected and sent her completely through the wall that Reaper had crashed onto earlier. She rolled until she hit one of the building's support pillars. The scene was silent except for the fighting outside, all the elf's illusions inside had been slain by Steel team, who watched the fight unfold from a short distance away.
Reaper walked over to the elf and picked her up by the neck, staring into her fear filled eyes as he spoke, his voice filled with anger and contempt, "You were a fool to challenge that which you do not understand, elf. We know of things you can only imagine. We have created things that are beyond your understanding. We have fought in wars that have consumed millions of lives. Our weapons kill without mercy, without pity. Nothing you have can stand against us. You strayed where you were not welcome; you have committed the one sin that we shall never forgive. Our mind is our own, our knowledge belongs to us, and your people cannot understand it. Our people shall defend that knowledge, to the death if need be, from any who follow evil's path."
"What are you? Where are you from that such things become a necessity?", Yamula asked, her voice wavering.
"We are our master's chosen, his first and last line of defense, his best of the best. Why these things exist, we shall not reveal. I have spoken too much. You have seen too much," Reaper pulled out a syringe with a clear liquid, "none can know of us. The fate of Alagaësia depends on our decisions and we shall not reveal ourselves, not now, not to you!" Reaper stabbed the needle into the elf's neck. The concoction was designed to burn everything she had seen from her mind.
It is done. Reaper thought as he dropped the elf. The elf's form quickly dissipated with the rest of her forces as they returned to her mind.
"Sir," Steel 1 spoke, "Command has sent a chopper for you. He wants to speak with all the commanders before he leaves."
"Very well," Reaper's eyes gained a faraway look as he glanced out a hole in the building to the devastated city around him. We beat her back, but at what cost? Reaper sighed as he turned and took the stairwell to the roof, where the chopper would pick him up, How many sacrifices will we make in pursuit of our goal? How much do we stand to lose? His thoughts halted as the sound of the helicopter reached his ears. He took one last glance at the shattered buildings around him as his thoughts seemed to gain a mournful keel, We are innocent no longer, and soon, neither shall Command be so. The Blackhawk settled down on the clear roof and Reaper climbed aboard. The chopper quickly returned to the sky and headed back towards the command center. The ride only took a minute or two, for which Reaper was grateful, less time to dwell on the past or future.
The helicopter set down on the capital building's designated landing pad. Reaper stepped off the helo and quickly entered the command center, finding the other commanders already present.
Ryan turned to him, "Ah, Reaper, we waited for you. Please, join us." Reaper nodded and silently joined the group around the center's command table. "Now, we may have defeated this practice intrusion, but I have doubts about us handling an actual one in the same way we did, at least not without some elven training. Without our knowledge and technology the elf would have overwhelmed us easily. I want some advice, should I reveal our knowledge to the elves or should I continue to keep it concealed as best I can?"
"We should reveal it," Barricade spoke, "the elves will not trust us otherwise, especially with the brutish method we used to wipe the elf's memory."
"I agree with Barricade," Heavy added, "I do not believe the elves will trust us if we don't and I think it would be wise to keep our defenses structured like this. We cannot risk devolving back to the Roman era; we must remain vigilant and ready at all times."
"I say we should hide it," Stalker butted in, "if we reveal our origins to the elves, then they undoubtedly will ask questions, questions that we cannot answer."
"I second that," Wolf agreed.
"Then we don't have to answer them," Striker retorted, "our security is more important than keeping our origins a complete secret! They will find out eventually anyway. Besides, it doesn't do us any good if we hide our nature, yet we find ourselves overwhelmed by an enemy's mental assault!"
"Upon which time we can reveal our true potential!" Rapier argued, "The less everyone else knows about our origins and knowledge, the safer we'll be. There is no doubt in my mind that if we tell someone about all of this, somehow or another Galbatorix will hear of it! What are we going to do then! Even with our technology we cannot match such utter strength!"
The six commanders continued to bicker over the merits of the two strategies while Ryan and Reaper sat silently by. Neither side seemed to have an advantage of logic or wisdom on their side. Both positions granted almost equal advantages…and disadvantages. Ryan could deal with the questions about where he originated but how could he just shrug off questions that reveal what he doesn't wish to spread around? Would that make the Varden and elves just as suspicious of him? If he kept his knowledge a secret, how bad would the repercussions be? Could he deal with the elves distrust and possible hostility?
Ryan raised his hand, "That is enough, commanders." Ryan turned to Reaper, "The others have chosen their side, you are the one to break the deadlock, Reaper. What do you advise?"
Reaper's eyes dropped to the ground, narrowed in deep thought. Silence hung over the room for several minutes as he pondered the benefits and detriments to each option. Reaper's head suddenly turned towards the ceiling as he closed his eyes and sighed before speaking, "I have weighed everything all of you have spoken of against the other and I believe that the arguments for both valid. Both choices look to me to be evened out. Since, however, I must break this deadlock, I vote that we hide our origins except…to possibly the Riders."
Ryan's was solemn as he nodded at Reaper's words, "It is decided then. Thank you all for what you have accomplished today. You are dismissed." Ryan disappeared in a flash of light as his consciousness returned to the outside world…
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His awareness returned to the real world, to find the elf Yamula slumped in Blödhgarm's arms, and he seemed to be checking her, trying to find what's wrong. The other elves around them look tense, ready to spring at any threat, real or imagined. It appeared odd to Ryan that the people renowned for their self control let their feelings show so obviously on their faces and movements.
Blödhgarm looked up at him, uncertainty in his eyes, "What did you do?"
"She strayed where she should not have and attempted to take that which was not hers. I did what was necessary to preserve my secrets." Ryan answered his eyes alighting once more.
"What secrets?" the elf exclaimed, "What would require you to take such brutish and drastic measures? The methods you used could cause her great harm if you did not conduct them correctly!"
"She gave me no choice in the matter, master Blödhgarm.", irritation crept into Ryan's voice.
The elf sighed, his eyes displaying his anger and suspicion, "Return to your tent and rest. We shall discuss this tomorrow." Ryan turned to leave, "You better hope that you did not harm her severely, young one.", the elf added, his voice containing barely restrained anger.
Ryan turned to the elf, his eyes glaring daggers at Blödhgarm, "What would you have done if one of the Varden's magicians discovered your most precious secrets, elf? I highly doubt you would have treated them kindly and with restraint. My mind is my own and I fully intend to keep it that way."
Ryan turned back and quickly retrieved Samanya before disappearing into the maze of the Varden camp…
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Let me know what you all think. This chapter was an absolute pain to think through and write! Thanks for reading!
R&R!
Assassins: An elite special forces group made up of Reaper's brethren, Assassins are soldiers to the core. They serve as shock troopers and infiltrators. A single Assassin can decimate most enemies with ease. Their heavily armed with a variety of weapons, and most carry three or four secondary weapons in addition to their standard rifles.