Chapter4

UNSC Modified Colony ship Spirit of Fire

Unknown star system, 2563, September, 19th

Holding position from the unidentified Object.

"Serina, are the second batch of troops ready to move out?" Ask captain Cutter as he flick through the reports on his command chair.

"Yes sir, they are awaiting your permission to leave the ship" Replied the AI as she projected her avatar on a nearby holo projector "But three Spartans and another 2 full companies? Even that is an unusual deployment by you... expecting trouble captain?"

"Just a feeling, no point in being unprepared when things goes down" shrugged Cutter as he got up. Tapping his personnel com piece "Delta flight, mission is a go. Good luck out there, Cutter out."

There was an creepy silences as a video feed from a hanger's camera pop up, showing the Delta flight taking off. Even as Cutter examine the video, he was already plotting a course around the Unknown object to reach the Forerunner vessel.

"Serina," whispered the captain

"Hmmm?" asked the AI as she focused on the captain.

"Tell Echo squadron to get ready, I got a new mission for them" Said Cutter as he sat down and tapped new data into his console. He brought up the image of the unknown construct, "I need them to conduct a recon run on this object, we might be able to find out who built it and what it's made for."

"So... nothing too difficult then?" asked Serina sarcastically as she access the personal com of the pilots.

"Not now Serina." Said the captain as he stare out the viewport into the darkness of space.

Aboard the Forerunner vessel.

"Please tell me this is not a joke?" begged Lieutenant Sanders as he survey the casualty report coming in from his recon team.

"I'm afraid not Lieutenant, the reports are quite accurate, it seems this is one of the major obstacles that we need to get through in order to even get close to the Monitor" Said Dr. Anders as she replayed a particular video from one of the marines helmet cam.

"It appears these sentinels are part of a Forerunner last resort defense plan.." muttered Anders as she turn to the Holographic controls of the Forerunner single ship. The video holograms disappeared and were replaced with a schematic of a gigantic robot. with a swipe of Anders hand, the schematic split into several pieces. "This is what the Forerunners call an Enforcer. A unit designed to suppress a massive Flood outbreak as well as protecting the interior of their ships."

Lieutenant Sanders paused to study the schematics, and reached out to tapped a part that interested him. The piece he tapped enlarged. "What does it take to take one of these things down?"

Dr Anders studies the data available for a while, before suggesting "A few well placed Plasma grenades or SPRNK missiles should be able to destroy it. But it is highly not advisable. According to the database, this robot was designed to decimated entire company."

The Lieutenant stood there shocked while he try to process how to proceed with his mission. Suddenly...

"Sir, Serina is on the line" Said Sarah as she patched the AI through.

"What is it ,Serina? Asked the LT sharply, annoyed at being interrupted in the middle of his debriefing.

"Your reinforcements are inbound, play nice." Replied the AI before she cut the link.

"Well that's was just rude..." muttered the LT as he shook his head. "Anyway, so we just need a few well place shots with a Jackhammer to take this thing down? Sounds easy enough"

"It, isn't." Reply Anders as she tapped another part. "These Enforcers have 3 shields in front that are almost immune to any sort of ballistic weaponry, it has 2 pulse for close to mid range targets. and if pressed it will fired it missiles to cut the numbers down to manageable sizes."

"Things never get any easier, does it?" said the Lt as he try to figure a way to destroy the Enforcer.

"How about we take the lead sir?" came a new voice.

The lieutenant was so deep it though he nearly jumped at the voice. He turned around and saw three Spartans starting at him from behind their gold plated visor. "If you Spartans want to go in first be my guest," stammered the Lt as he stare up at the 7foot tall Super soldiers.

The lead Spartan nodded before turning around, heading towards a landed Pelican. Even as the other 2 Spartan follow him, the Lt just stare at them in awe, his HUD displaying the following data: Petty Officer Second Class Jerome, Petty Officer Second Class Douglas ,and lastly, Petty Officer Second Class Alice.

In another part of the hanger bay " I dun know about you, boys and girls, but I like having swabbies in the front!" Shouted the ODST CO, laughter fill the hanger as the sometimes consider crazed Orbital Drop Shock Troopers laugh.

There was a flare of thrusters as the squadron of shortswords single ships blast their way clear of the Spirit of Fire " Alright people listen up, the Captain wants us to do a recon run on this object. I want all of you to be on alert, any pilot that get his wingman killed will wished he was at the gates of Hades to get him back! Am I clear?" said the squadron leader of Echo

"Aye sir" came the chorus of acknowledgments from the rest of Echo squadron. The squadron's thrusters flared as they pushed their shortswords to full throttle, acceleration increasing by the second. Little do they know, the Universe is bigger and more mysterious than they ever imagine.

Author notes: Yes I brought the Spartans in, cann't have any mayhem without them. BTW I'll reveal what happens to Echo squadron in chapter 5.