"For a long time I had thought that we had to sacrifice a few for the good of the entire human race. I have killed and maimed and caused a great deal of suffering to many people—all in the name of self-preservation. But now I'm not sure that philosophy has worked out too well. I should have been trying to save every single human life—no matter what it cost."
-Dr. Catherine Halsey
Be Hybrid
Chapter 11: Arcadia War Part 2
LOCATION: Arcadia. DATE: 2/9/2531. Military Time: 16:00
A destructive array of kinetic and plasma weaponry fired across a large section of the third Arcadia Evac Zone, UNSC and local militia forces taking a huge beating against the wave after wave of Covenant fighting against them. The alien army was quickly overtaking the defending humans, civilian screams filling the air as they ran toward the Cargo Evac ship as fast as they could.
Covenant aerial support designated 'Banshees' fired plasma bolts and more powerful green plasma missiles. Although there were a few aerial vehicles UNSC classified as 'Hornets', they were outmatched in firepower and number to the alien counterparts.
Radio channels bustled with activity, military commands and chatter heard throughout a large majority of them. But one particular channel was dedicated to the Evac Cargo Shuttles that were tasked in the safe evacuation of Arcadia's civilians.
Unfortunately, the one Cargo Shuttle in the current war zone so happened to have a coward for a pilot.
"This is Cargo three, we're all alone out here! Take serious damage from hostile forces! Where the hell are you guys!"
"All alone my ass!" A UNSC marine stated as he took cover behind the ruins of a civilian car. "We're here busting our- Shit, left flank! Left flank!"
"Frag out!" His comrade exclaimed just next to him, pressing down on the trigger before throwing it toward a group of Covenant forces.
The military-grade fragmentation grenade impacted against the hard surface of the road, priming and exploding outward in a display of fire and shrapnel only a second later. The grenade managed to kill two of those grunts and three jackals.
It didn't take long in this war for the nicknames to come into being.
"Good one!" Another marine yelled over the combat, grasping his BR55 Service Rifle, also known as a Battle Rifle, and firing three-shot burst onto an incoming minor Elite. The blue-armored alien returned fire with its plasma rifle, causing the marine to duck down, having his helmet removed as the plasma rounds tore through the top.
"Oh god, close call." The same marine stated as he tore the helmet off him to avoid the corrosive plasma from damaging his head. He looked to his three other team members. "Focus fire on the Elite! Let's take that split-lip bastard down before he engages civilians!"
The final and fourth member of the team gave a heads up, "Alright!" She yelled as the female marine stood up and engaged the Elite with the MA5B Assault Rifle. "Come get some!"
7.62x51mm NATO Ammunition heavily shot into the minor Elite's personal energy shielding. Sixty individual bullets pouring on to the Covenant alien. The female marine's teammates join in only a split second later, adding to the fray with their own two Assault Rifles and BR55 Battle Rifles.
The combined fire from the UNSC squad broke through the Elite's shielding like it wasn't even there to begin with. Despite returning fire with its own plasma rifle, the Covenant member found himself torn asunder by the human weaponry.
"Yeah! Get back up so I can kill you again!" The marine girl yelled as she fired another three-shot burst into the Elite corpse, to make sure he was dead of course.
The four person marine squad regrouped behind cover, overlooking the aerial banshees that were overwhelming their own hornets.
"Not good." The team leader said as he observed the battlefield.
"No shit, we're getting clobbered over here." The second marine stated as he reloaded his firearm.
"Civilians are inbound, but they won't stand a chance if they go through that hell. The banshees would destroy the shuttle before it has a chance to lift up." The fourth member stated as she checked her ammunition supplies.
The third groaned, "Where the hell is our Spartan? Or heck, where is the Hybrid? I hear those saiyan super soldiers have powerful Ki techniques that could bring down those banshees."
"Doesn't matter, we have a job to do. Got any ideas?" The leader questioned.
"Sir," The marine woman began, "Enemy banshees don't have shielding tech and also tend to have weaker armor than other Covenant vehicles. Focus fire should be able to damage it enough for our hornets to destroy." She finished.
"But that's if they don't down the hornets first. It's two against four, they're outnumbered." The second marine stated. "Not to mention they have higher mobility, we'll have to get close up to deal any significant difference."
"That's it, screw the Evac! Proceeding with emergency launch!"
This sudden radio talk shocked the marines.
"What's that fucking coward doing?! He's barely evacuated any civilians!" The third marine yelled as he nearly stood up out of cover.
The woman grasped her team members backside and pulled him down to avoid plasma fire. Then she looked up toward the igniting engines of the Cargo Shuttle. "He's going to get himself and everyone on board killed! The Covenant hold the air, they will shoot him down the moment he lifts!"
The leader spoke into his helmet's radio, "Cargo three do not launch! I repeat. DO. NOT. LAUNCH!"
A Covenant banshee zoomed through the air, green plasma gathering at its weapon's forefront, aiming toward the direction of the lifting shuttle. It fired with the missile flying through and destroying the left wing completely, causing the shuttle's side to explode in a fury of red.
"We're hit, we're hit! Somebody hel-!"
The shuttle spun in the air as she began crashing down, imploding right in half with a blaze of fire and smoke as the main parts began falling back down to the ground.
"Everybody get down!"
LOCATION: Arcadia. DATE: 2/9/2531. Military Time: 16:25
Hybrid-315 overlooked the remains of Cargo Shuttle Three, he stepped forward over the rubble and remains as he looked for any possible survivors. There were dead everywhere, ranging from Covenant forces, UNSC, and Arcadia civilians. No survivors.
None.
It messed with his emotions.
Trunks-315 took in a deep breath within the SVALINN III helm, keeping himself in check. It was not the time to be emotional, especially since behind him a group of nearly a hundred civilians was relying primarily on his protection against the Covenant.
He looked down, spotting the charred remains of four marines. As per military tradition, Trunks-315 took each of their dogtags and placed them magnetically attached to his armor. The supers soldier Hybrid then traded the outdated MA3 for the military-grade MA5B, and also the BR55 as his secondary weapon.
The Hybrid looked toward the ten militia within the civilian group.
"Grab nearby weapons, they are better suited than the outdated ones you hold. But do not touch the Covenant weaponry."
Cole Protocol dictated that no Covenant firearms are to be sent into UNSC space, to prevent possible leads for the Covenant towards Human or Saiyan held worlds.
After a few moments of salvaging UNSC weaponry for the defenders, Hybrid-315 began to lead the civilians toward the next designated area.
Trunks spoke into the channel through his helmet, "This is Hybrid-315, I'm leading a group of civilians towards Cargo Shuttle two. I've searched through Cargo three, no survivors."
His team leader, Spartan-092, replied. "Roger that 315. 042 and 130 are protecting that Shuttle. Evac the civlians there then assist at Cargo one."
"Yes sir, 315 out." Trunks finished as he cut the channel to the rest of Red Team.
With the Battle Rifle magnetically attached to his backside, Trunks-315 began its escort of civilians through the Arcadia streets, keeping an eye out for Covenant forces and also his motion tracker. After ten minutes of relative peace barring the constant distant sound of combat, bad luck or mere coincidence struck.
Hybrid-315 had took point and as he turned a corner he was barraged by an array of Covenant plasma fire. Trunks immediately pulled back the corner for cover, his Chi Shields taken hefty blows and already out despite the SVALINN have stronger Chi shielding technology than its MJOLNIR counterpart.
He switched out his MA5B Assault Rifle for the BR55 Service Rifle, the Battle Rifle allowing him more efficient range and powerful shots. He leaned over, counting the number of Covenant units in the pathway towards Cargo two's location. Trunks noticed in the distance another group fighting against UNSC forces, most likely his Spartan comrades.
"Saiyan Squad 71 to Hybrid-315, you read?" A voice rang through his channel.
Information that had been drilled in his head came upon hearing the first two words.
Saiyan Squads were the backbone of SSA military forces, they were in essence, SSA's answer to UNSC marines. They functioned almost identically alike, but did have the advantage of Ki energy. However, Saiyan Squads did not have the Ki necessary to be firing techniques left and right like Hybrids or Saiyan Elite Warriors (SEWs). The Saiyan Squads were trained to use their Ki reserves to boost their own physical capabilities, allowing them to maneuver quickly and hold large weaponry for brief moments of time without fear of bodily damage.
"315, copy." He said as he fired some brief rounds at the Covenant to keep their attention away from finding another route and bumping into the civilians.
"We have you in our sights and can provide suppressive fire support. Do you have enough Ki to use any techniques?"
"Negative, used majority of it during engagement with heavy Covenant forces earlier."
There was a small pause, which made Trunks seem concerned that the Covenant had something that required aerial, armour, or Ki support. If it was the case, it would most certainly threaten the civilians he had behind him in cover.
"Alright… We might have a slight problem. Covenant are inbound with a Wraith. We don't have the heavy weaponry designed to take down something of that calibre."
"Spartans of Red Team have the equipment, but we'll have to act fast to break through Covenant forces."
His Chi Shields had recharged, but he remained in cover. A slight ping against them flared the green colored barrier each time a plasma bolt impacted against the SVALINN. Trunks-315 came out of cover, returning fire with 9.5x40mm rounds that tore through grunt and jackal armor like paper and caused Elite's white energy shielding to flare brightly in response.
"We'll give you suppressive fire, copy?"
"Let's do this." Trunks replied with a determined voice.
A loud voice rang from a nearby building just to the side of the Covenant forces barricading the way. A group of five Saiyans came out of cover on one of the mid levels and began laying down suppressive fire with a combination of Assault and Battle Rifles.
"Give it to them saiyans!"
Trunks silently wished them the best as he rushed out of cover and closer to the occupied Covenant. His aim true as he burst three-shot rounds into the suppressed hostiles. His eyes turning to the next target with every kill before the Battle Rifle ran dry of its current chamber. Instead of taking the delayed time to reload, he switched out for the MA5B Assault Rifle and continued firing.
But despite the Assault Rifle holding sixty rounds, it was an automatic weapon and as such emptied rather quickly. This precious time as the Hybrid reloaded allowed two minor Elites to attack him.
The combined assault of the plasma weapons brought down the SVALINN's chi shielding in seconds time. He returned fire killing off one of the Elites before he charged the second. He could feel the armor straining to defend its occupant from the plasma rounds within shielding.
The Elite saw the charging action of the Hybrid before him, and accepted the challenge. He charged as well, the two meeting the middle as they attempted to strike each other with powerful physical blows.
The Saiyans, and most definitely Hybrids, were known to excel in martial arts. Their Spartan counterparts also knew these self-defense lessons, but even that struggled against the superior might of an Elite.
However the saiyan race were physically more able than their human allies, which allowed Hybrid-315 to dispatch the minor Elite.
With a combat knife that came from his suit he slice through the skull of the Elite after managing to get in close.
*Tsssh*
A familiar sound seemed to burn through the air as Trunks turned around with adrenaline coursing through his veins, time seemingly stopping as he entered 'Spartan Time'.
A step back saved him from being sliced in two by a Type-1 Energy Sword.
It did not save the front end of his armor however as the suit was breached like it was the butter and the sword was the knife. A stinging sensation ached Trunk's chest region as the Chi Healing System within began working to preserve his life and stop the wound.
An alarm rang through the SVALINN's HUD, but the Hybrid ignored it as he avoided another two sword full strikes, each diagonally traveling to rip him to shields.
"Warlock! You meet your end by my sword. Your death will give me purpose to continue The Great Journey!" The white armored Elite exclaimed through his four jaws.
"By massacring humanity? Like hell." Trunks replied with just under boiling anger.
"Ha! They are heretics and their allies blasphemers! We will purge them and grant us passage into Ascension."
The Hybrid began drawing on his remaining Ki reserves. "Oh I'll ascend you to somewhere alright, the other world for example!"
"315 we don't have much time! We've taken care of most of them but that Wraith is coming along with more Covenant! They'll be here within a moment's notice!"
"Tell the civilians to run for it!" Trunks yelled through the radio as he engaged the white Elite, firing the MA5B Assault Rifle ammunition into the stronger and more resilient Covenant shielding than a minor's.
The crowd of civilians charged forward, militia taking point as they fired on any Covenant they could lay eyes on. The battle took a huge turn as remaining Covenant focused on the humans. Militia died quickly despite tearing asunder some of the hostiles.
Screams.
Fearful screams.
So many screams as plasma ran through vulnerable civilians. Men, women, and children dieing by the troves.
It angered him.
It enraged him.
He was there to protect them, dammit!
The Covenant didn't give a flying fuck on who they killed! It didn't matter if it was the elderly, they died.
It didn't matter if they were adults, they died.
It didn't even matter if it was a six year old little girl.
She died too.
"Aaaaaargh!" Trunks yelled in rage, his armor malfunctioned as a bright blue aura of Ki energy surged into existence around him. He attacked the white Elite, firing the remaining rounds into the shielding before discarding the weapon aside and dodging out of the way of a vertical slash.
He clutched his hand into a fist, and smashed it right into the stomach region. The Elite's shielding shattered under the overwhelming physical force. The alien coughing out purple blood as he retreated a few steps.
Two bright balls of Ki formed in each open gauntlet, his body moving the entire weight of the armor despite it being disconnected from his neural interface, which tried again and again to reconnect.
But the impact, the consequences of whatever gene therapy caused by the fusion of human and saiyan genetics that gave such a significant boost in Ki power also prevented the armor's reconnection.
Trunks-315 blasted the Elite into pieces, the two Ki blasts exploding and making two large gaps in the creature's body. He equipped his Battle Rifle, reloading quickly and picked off Covenant after Covenant.
The Covenant focused on him now, allowing the civilians to escape.
But at this time two members of Red Team, Spartans appeared.
And with their help, they and Trunks destroyed remaining Covenant.
Hybrid-315 collapsed under the SVALINN's weight, caught by his comrade: Alice-130.
It took a brief moment for his neural interface to connect properly once again, allowing him control over it.
"Stay with me, Trunks!" Alice-130 exclaimed as she dragged him to cover. Aware that another division of Covenant with a Wraith was well on its way here.
"Still… Alive…" He groaned, filled with exhaustion at both his injuries and lack of Ki.
Douglas-042 prepared a military issued Rocket Launcher. He made his way up to the rooftop of a building and aimed at the incoming forces. With two consecutive shots, and destroyed the Wraith, another two killed off the surrounding Covenant.
"Spartan-042 here, Covenant Wraith that routed to Cargo Two has been neutralized. 315 is down, but stable. His civilian group has been evacuated, but sustained casualties."
"This is Sgt. Forge. Roger that. Sending reinforcements to your location."
Author's Note: Surprise, two updates in one month! And here you thought it was going to take a lot more.
Review please, really helps with inspiration! Also, I'm thinking of reconstructing the first two chapters, the timeline will remain relatively the same, but I don't feel like I did the first two chapters justice.