May 14th
2583/20 BBY
5:13 pm UNSC time
LAAT Crashsite
Halo Installation 07
Nobody's POV:
No one knows for sure exactly how long they had been unconscious after the crash.
Obi-Wan Kenobi gasps as his eyes shoot open and starts taking in his surroundings. The clones are laying all across the ground, out cold. Not even his former padawan, Anakin, or his padawan Ahsoka are conscious after the impact…the impact!
Remembering the hopeless battle that had just occurred, Kenobi sits up quickly. Wincing in pain from the large bruises no doubt forming under his armor from the impact, the Jedi stands up and starts shaking Anakin's shoulder. His partner groans faintly before also sitting up. "Come on. We need to get out of here before the UNSC or Sangheili come after us." Obi-Wan is a little surprised by how hoarse his voice is.
That jolts Anakin out of his state and he also stands up and together, start waking up the occupants of the ship. Sadly, the LAAT's pilots were killed in the crash, being closest to the ground than any of the others. After all the clones and Ahsoka wake up and ordered to keep quiet, they make their way to the blast door on their right. Quickly using the Force, Anakin forces the door to swing open all the way.
"Ah!" Ahsoka exclaims, shielding her eyes from the sudden light blinding them temporarily. When the moment passes, they all take in the scenery before them. They are on the edge of a vast forest, an ocean stretching out as far as the eye can see. But in the distance, they can see Halo soaring higher and higher into the sky.
"This place…it feels so natural." Anakin said, feeling the grass under their feet with his fingers. "It could rival even Naboo. How is any of this possible?"
Obi-Wan, too, is questioning how any of this is real. The natural life and beauty of this place, as Anakin said, could easily rival Naboo or even Alderann. But before he could formulate a guess on what's going on or what it took to make this a reality, he hears the faint engines of many ships that are steadily getting louder.
"Everyone! Run to the water. We'll have decent cover." Kenobi quickly shouts, running to the beach. Anakin, Ahsoka and the clones also hear the faint engines of oncoming ships and agree to make a run for the beach. Mere seconds after the last clone jumps into the water but stay on the surface to watch, 5 dark green Hornet fighters fly over the forest, each one carrying 2 black-armored soldiers. The Hornets touch down on the ground and all of the black-armored soldiers jump off, running to the smoldering gunship. The fire was long gone, but the LAAT is still blackened in certain spots and a trail of blackened dirt can be seen with smoke still rising from the surface. Most of the newcomers start walking around while 2 of them, one male while the other is female, run inside the gunship.
After about a minute, the 2 ODSTs run out towards another one, with bulkier armor and sand-colored stripes all over. "Lieutenant Gutiérrez! We found the bodies of 2 clones, pilots by the looks of their armor. No one else was aboard." The male ODST said, saluting the one who is obviously their superior.
"Strange. There are always more soldiers on board those ships, unless…" The Lieutenant said thoughtfully, before his head snaps back up. "Sergeant Perry, gather the rest of the ODSTs; we're leaving. There's no way whoever was in this ship is still around. And God damn it, their systems are definitely too fried for me to hack anything and figure out how they learned of Halo."
"Yes sir!" Perry, of the group now known to the Republic as ODSTs, responds with a salute at the end. With a sharp whistle from the Sergeant, all 10 soldiers return to the Hornets. Instantly, the engines start whirring to life and the ships fly into the air, leaving the crash site.
Feeling that it's safe to come out, Anakin stands up and walks to the beach. Behind him, the rest of his fellow Jedi and the clones also stand up. "Well, they really don't like us being here." A clone remarks.
"No, they don't. All right, men. We have no reason to stick around here. Regrouping with the others, learning more about where we are before our rescue comes has become our priority." Kenobi answers, staring in the direction where the Hornets went.
"Yes, General. Do you have any ideas on where we can find any other survivors?" The only clone sergeant in their group asks, looking around warily as if a UNSC soldier would jump out and ambush them.
"I know. I can clearly sense them and their location." Ahsoka says, her eyes closed and left hand outstretched.
"How can you tell that, Snips?" Anakin asks, also sensing them but curious about how Ahsoka knows.
"They are not hard to find at all, Master. They are the only ones on this world that have midichlorians." She responds.
"Then lead the way." Obi-Wan answers, bowing a little and stepping back. Smiling a little, Ahsoka starts making a dash down the beach. Not wanting to be left behind and risk being attacked by anyone else, the rest of their small party follows suite.
They traverse off the beach and up the forested hill to the top, where on the edge of the tall cliff that overlooks the ocean is a tall metal tower stretches high into the sky with a box-shaped base. None of them have seen technology like this before, and are starting to question if the UNSC even built this place since their technology looks nothing like this. At the base of the tower, 4 LAATs are parked and clone soldiers are patrolling around it. Easily the most notable members of their group are Commander Cody, the ARC trooper known as Fives, Mace Windu and Yoda. Cody looks up from what he's doing and notices the incoming group.
"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" He asks, drawing attention to them.
"It's good to see you, too, Cody. Master Yoda, do you know if any others survived?" Kenobi asks the elder Grandmaster.
"Indeed, I do. Half of our crew, survived they have. The Admiral and the rest of our men, not far from here, they are."
"Don't worry, Master Kenobi. We have already rescued all the soldiers still alive and formulating a plan on…" Windu starts, but is interrupted by a clone soldier running to them.
"Generals! We are receiving a transmission from a closed Republic channel."
"Put it through." Anakin says quickly. The clone nods and returns to the hastily made communication device. The holo activates and a projection of Admiral Ozzel appears.
"Generals. Thank the Force you're alright." Ozzel exclaims, the sounds of gun and blaster shots going off on his end.
"We're fine, Admiral. What is your location?" Windu asks.
"I don't know, General Windu. Me and my men are being gunned down by UNSC and Sangheili forces that are heavily concentrated outside a temple of sorts. We're going to open those doors and figure out what they are trying to hide from us." Ozzel responds quickly, ducking under a gunshot that just barely misses his head. "Sorry, but I must get back to the fight. May the Force be with you, generals."
After the transmission cuts off, a moment of silence passes. After that moment, Cody speaks up. "Does anyone hear that?"
Anakin is about to ask what he's talking about, but then he also hears it: The sound of something heavy thumping. Each second that passes, the sounds get louder and louder. "Everyone. Take cover!" a clone at the top of the tower acting as lookout shouts down.
A warning from the Force shoots through the heads of Obi-Wan, Anakin, Ahsoka, Windu and Yoda; they jump to the side and barely miss a giant beam of green light striking the ground. The strength of the impact sends all nearby clones sprawling and the Jedi lose balance for a second before regaining it. They all look up and see the last thing they wanted to see today.
From out of the tree cover emerges an enormous purple tank, shaped like a giant bug. Kenobi recognizes it from when he did research on the Human-Covenant War that happened decades ago, when the tank was used. It is called a Scarab tank and in the best situation, it would most likely take 10 AT-TEs and probably a Jedi to destroy a single Scarab. But to find a weakness, spreading the attacks out is essential to all of their survival.
Yoda seems to have read Obi-Wan's mind, as he nods in understanding when their eyes meet. "Commander, get the LAATs flying. Distract the guns on that ship, you must." He orders to Commander Cody when they are in ear shot.
"Yes General." Cody says while nodding his head at the same time. He then starts rallying the clone pilots to start up the gunships again while the Jedi use their activated lightsabers to deflect the shots of marines and Sangheili on the sides of the Scarab firing at them. One particular marine with deep red hair barely sticking out under his helmet is firing his sniper rifle with deadly accuracy, each shot striking a clone and killing them.
As the Scarab's face starts glowing green again, the gunships' engines start powering up and fly into the air. The head rears up and let's loose its shot. Fortunately, they are slow and it only just misses the gunship as it evades. Before any of them can gain relief, however, the turret on the top of the tank starts firing upwards as well.
"Come on, Anakin." Obi-Wan says, deflecting another shot before the duo start running at the Scarab. The enemy soldiers continue firing at them before the 2 Jedi make it under the Scarab.
"There's got to be a control center or something we can destroy that can take this thing down." Anakin says, looking up and searching for anything that can help.
"You're right, Anakin. Let's jump to the top of this tank on 3. One!" Obi-Wan responds, lifting up 3 fingers but dropping 1. Then he drops the other. When the last finger clenches into the fist, the Jedi use the Force to jump high into the air. Curling into balls at the end for aerodynamic purposes, they land on the back of the Scarab. Quickly, they notice an alcove in front of them and they hide there. Before them is a giant engine of sorts with a deflector shield over it.
"Well, this must be what we're looking for." Anakin says, re-activating his lightsaber. Obi-Wan does the same and together, they stab the shield. It's extremely tough, but against 2 unrelenting lightsabers, it never stood a chance. The lightsabers pierce the shield and start melting the engine. Suddenly, alarms start blaring and the lights that once glowed light blue are now glowing red. "Now's a good time to get out of here!" Anakin shouts. He and his former master run out of the alcove and take a leap of faith off the tank.
The tank starts sinking to the ground, explosions going off all over its surface as the occupants jump off to avoid being killed. Seconds later, the entire tank explodes in a flash of blue light and crumpling to the ground all the way. "I swear, you're going to get us both killed one day." Obi-Wan mutters as he looks up. While they were off the field, the Scarab's turret got a lucky shot and destroyed an LAAT, evidenced by the burning gunship in question on the ground.
The soldiers from the tank stand up, pointing their guns at the Republic troops. "You're going down." A tall Sangheili said angrily, pointing a UNSC-made shotgun at them.
Before the standoff could be broken, a communicator strapped to a marine's side flares to life and a voice comes out the other end, crackling a little from static. "All troops, Code Flood initiated! Repeat, Code Flood initiated."
None of the members of the Republic had a clue on what that meant, as they look at each other with looks of abject terror. "Oh shit, of course. These assholes were distracting us while their allies concentrated on their real goal. All troops, fall back to the incoming ships now! We're getting the fuck out of here." The red-haired man said, pointing his hand back. To the shock of the Republicans, each and every Sangheili and marine follow the order, scrambling over themselves to run faster than they had ever seen them run before towards the beach where several Pelicans and Phantoms are flying towards to pick them up. The man looks back at them one last time, a look of utter resentment on his face. "I hope you're happy with what you've done today." Before he joins his troops in the sudden escape.
"What just happened?" Ahsoka asks with confusion in her voice and face.
The Jedi are just as uneasy about the situation as her, looking around for anything strange. "Wait. Something's coming." A clone states, getting into a kneeling position and pointing his blaster rifle towards the forest. That gesture caught their attention as they also turn to look in the direction of the clone's alarm. The trees start rustling side to side like numerous people are pushing against them in different directions and unearthly screeches can be heard, coupled with the sounds of stomping feet are only becoming louder and louder.
"Generals?" Another clone asks hesitantly, pointing his blaster in the direction of the sounds.
"Stand your ground, soldiers." Windu orders, activating his lightsaber once again and getting into a defensive posture. The screeches continue to increase in volume until they suddenly cease. The Republicans look at each other, even more confused than before. Instantly, the trees burst aside as an army of the strangest creatures any of them have ever seen charge forward.
Judging by their appearance, they were once UNSC marines, Sangheili and clones; but something was wrong with them. Their heads are pulled back at an unnatural angle with a look of complete horror on their faces and some kind of fungus is growing all around their bodies. The most noticeable fungi parts are the 3 tentacles with red tips waving around sticking out of the chest and 3 sharp-looking protrusions making up their left arm. At the front of the army are the smallest and perhaps ugliest creatures of them all. They can't be more than 3 feet tall, with heads shaped like squid's heads and the same tentacles with red growths on the bottom acting as legs.
The taller creatures have enough intelligence to know how to use weapons as they start firing blaster shots, Magnum and assault rifle bullets. The clones start backing up in fear as they return fire at the new enemies. While the shots are good and kill them with each shot, the body falls over only for even more to crawl over their fallen comrade's corpse in their eagerness to fight.
The 1st enemy reaches the nearest clone, swiping its tentacle arm at the clone. The poor soldier's armor is torn apart and blood starts spewing out before he falls forward and lands on the ground, dead. From out of the oncoming army, one of the little creatures makes its way towards the body and leaps onto the body's chest. What happens next will haunt their dreams for months to come.
The body starts squirming as the creature burrows into the chest. Mold starts sprouting up all over the body, with the 3 tentacles growing and encasing the left arm. The corpse then stands up, facing them and also joining in the fight.
"I can't believe any of this is happening. How did we not know they were creating beasts like these?" Anakin asks Obi-Wan as Anakin uses his lightsaber to cut down an infected soldier that was a Sangheili. Windu is about to run to the parked gunships to try and save the clones from the unknown enemy that just entered, but the 2 LAATs explode seconds later, knocking Windu to the ground and sending shrapnel flying in all directions.
"I don't think they were trying to make them, Anakin. I think they were trying to keep them sealed away, only for the Admiral to let them out."
The battle starts evening out, with the clones backing up to the tower to stay out of the reach of those tentacle arms and firing any of the bulbous creatures that start getting too close. From out of the crowd, another one of the monsters leap into the air. This one was wearing a uniform that Republic officials wore. With a jolt, the Jedi realize that it was Admiral Ozzel!
"Ahsoka!" Anakin shouts in fear, realizing that the infected Admiral is about to slash open the stomach of his padawan. But before it can get the chance, Yoda leaps into the air, cutting the beast in half with his green lightsaber while spinning in the air. When the aged Jedi lands on his feet, the rest of the strange army run at him.
That's when the 2nd shock of the day comes. As the infected soldiers start getting close to Yoda, a thin beam of yellow energy shoots through the air, effectively cutting an infected in half. They all turn around to look at who just joined, along with the rest of the survivors. It is a relatively small machine floating in the air, 2 appendages on either side of the head and a point where the beam of energy came from. With a roar of rage, the infected lose interest in the surviving Jedi, Cody, and Fives and start firing at the strange machine. Then 5 more of them fly towards the tower to join their comrade and start shooting the beams again. The infected are being killed off much quicker than before, despite their attempts to fight back. One gets lucky and gets in a shot at one of the floating machine, disabling its overshields and destroying it.
But within a minute, every infected soldier is lying on the ground, nothing more than piles of charred, smelly flesh. The surviving Republicans stare up at the machines they assume to be extremely advanced droids. "For saving us, thank you. Owe you our gratitude, we do." Yoda says, deactivating his lightsaber and clipping it onto his belt.
"It is the Sentinel's duty. To keep the Flood contained here on the orders of my creators." A new voice says, startling them for perhaps the 5th time that day. A new droid flies to them and hovers before their faces, looking at each one of them intently. It is shaped like a giant metal ball with a glowing blue eye in the center. "Funny. I don't recognize the species of some of your companions, but I know that you have Reclaimers among you." The strange droid adds.
Anakin has never been more confused in his life than what's going on. "Why are you calling us Reclaimers? Are you working for the UNSC?" He asks, wanting some actual answers for a change.
"There's no time for that. The Flood has been released and even as we speak, they are beginning to spread across my Installation, wiping out all life they come across. We need to hurry." The device responds. Then a strange light surrounds each member of the group making their sight go white in seconds.
All the Jedi know at this moment is that the Force is reeling in pain about this 'Flood' being released.
AN: Well, Ozzel managed to release the Flood and payed for it with his and his men's lives.
Code Flood = The Flood has been released. All troops and ships will be evacuated from Halo immediately.
I thought the Flood overwhelming the Republic army, only to be saved by the Forerunners was an interesting idea. But if you want a real Flood battle, check out The Coming Darkness by Usernamesarebad (I agree, a weird username). I really like the overall story, but the 1st chapters are a little slow.
Anyway, see you next time in the end of the Halo 07 arc, where some much-needed answers are finally given.
I will see you then.