Sovereign Colony World of Madrigal
10 units ( minutes ) after camping site ambush
9:15am, local clock
Sanghelli Ultra Rukal Ulkar, at this exact moment of his life, truly believed with everything he had, that he was getting both punished and honored. Specifically...punished and honored not just now, but during every planetside deployment on a human world.
Honored, because it truly was an honor to purge these vile creatures from existence.
They had committed the worst of the worst of the cardinal sins that any sentient creature could commit: heresy. Hersey, of the highest order. And, worse...they had no shame or will to seek atonement ! That's what had earned them their fate: lying here, beneath these high tree branches, surrounded by puddles and miniature lakes of their own blood ( who's red color was still a repulsive sight ), along with severed limbs ( which had 5 digits at the end of them...also heavily revolting, compared to the perfection of the Sangheli's own design ), and even a few heads ( human heads...all and every one of which seemed to have something cut off, and not replaced. Hideous...! )
Standing here, beneath the overhanging branches of the trees all around him that were so tightly packed that they were basically a translucent ceiling over everything, and beset by the scent of...well, presumably leaves, dirt, and all the other assorted elements of nature, Ulkar easily got the greatest sense of purpose and serenity from how all the human dead here- all of them, these vile, heretical, unworthy creatures- had all been felled by his command.
As the Hierarchs themselves had commanded him to do, of course. All of this, had been by their will, and as their executor of it, Ulkar had directed his forces to carry it out with what clearly perfection- or put it more simply: No survivors.
None. Any human that still lived anywhere throughout this galaxy was already marked for death anyway- and the ones that happened to stand anywhere between the Covenant and any relic or remnant of the Forerunner Empire...were even more so.
Such had been the case for these fools here. The Luminary for the Fleet of Repentant Servants had shown them that another relic was hidden on this world, and more specifically, hidden by this very forest . That was all Ulkar needed to know, because between the raw lethality of his Kig-Yar snipers, and the sheer warrior's experience and prowess of his own Sangheili brothers, he had supreme and total confidence that they could sweep aside any and every form of resistance that might meet them on the way.
As it now turned out, though...they hadn't even encountered that. This wasn't resistance at all-just more sheep that'd strayed out of their paddock. Well, it didn't matter much at the end of the day, because soldiers or otherwise, all humans were doomed to die for their transgressions. All of them.
Now, with them so thoroughly taken care of, all that was left to do was...
" Lek 'Val ! Report ! ", he commanded . " What is the status of our Unggoy squads ? "
A deep ( even for a Sangheilli ), gravelly voice responded to Ulkar's query. " I will take care of it, Shipmaster "
As he swept his gaze just once more around the ruined, still-smoldering campsite, there was a rustle and crunch of heavy feet on top of leaves , fallen branches, and other random detritus that tended to fall from trees. He didn't bother turning around; he knew his adjutant was always close by, even if he was conducting a personal sweep of their immediate perimeter. Such a thing might've seemed beneath someone of his standing to an outsider, but with the Kig-Yar being as loud and unbecomingly rowdy when they weren't sniping things, and with the active camouflage afforded so generously to all Sangheilli warriors of such a status, it was hardly out of the norm.
Or, on a less official level, for the rest of his brethren to not respond with anything less with disciplined efficiency.
Which, specifically, was barely 20 units ( seconds later )-
" Shipmaster.."
A electronically-tinted, but still crystal clear voiced began to emanate from somewhere off to Ulkar's right. Pivoting just enough that way to get a visual on the source, he found the ocean-colored armored form of Lek'Val, who's badly scarred face was as impassive as always.
His hand was outstretched, and it held a battlefield communicator. " Mak'Ash is on the line for you. "
Taking the device with a nod of acknowledgement, Ulkar lifted it, and spoke briskly. " Mak'Ash ! Report ! "
Without missing a beat, the other Sangheilli on the other end of the answered his leader. " Shipmaster, I am closing on your position as ordered, with all squads fully prepared. I estimate less than 4 units until I arrive "
Though Ulkar didn't practice the habit of smiling while out on the field, he did allow himself a grunt of satisfaction, and a nod. " Understood. We are waiting for you at the coordinates of the human camp, so do not tarry. "
" Rest assured: we won't, Master..."
There was another pause- a brief one, for sure, barely long enough for a single pulse, before the other Sangheili spoke again. "..I must also ask, though: Are there any survivors ? Have the pirates completed their sweep ? "
Pirates...Ulkar couldn't resist a mental head shake at the use of the mocking term- well deserved though it might've been. The Kig-Yar, for all their skill at precision shooting, scouting, and skirmishing, were still notoriously larcenous and prone to " freelancing " whenever and wherever they could get ( or find ) the opportunity. It didn't appear, quite aggravatingly, that the splendor of the Great Journey wasn't enough for them to stay focused on it as much as they should've. Freelancing, among the ranks of the Covenant Army ! Disgraceful.
Then again...they might not be doing that at the moment. Probably, but there was a good chance of that, given their track record..
" Negative ", the Ultra replied, even as his thoughts already began to return strictly to the situation at hand and anything directly related to it- a long-ago learned lesson from his elders from when his neck still had scales. " They are still not overdue quite yet, but after another 10 units , they will. I may have to breach radio silence.."
" Understood. That concludes my report- no. No, one moment: I have been told by the Fleetmaster to relay to you that our ships are still maintaining their orbital pattern. You can call for orbital bombardment at your discretion. "
" Excellent. Let them know I will remember that. Dismissed. "
" By your word ". The other Sangheili, as per the established protocols, acknowledged his lesser rank, before then signing off on his end.
Ah...orbital bombardment
Those might well be the two most beautiful words that exist-aside from, needless to say, the " Great Journey ", reflected the Ultra with an accompanying wave of satisfaction as he did the same. Like most high-ranked Sangheili, he already had fond memories of the way Human worlds glowed like gargantuan spheres of red and white after getting subjected to a full-scale cleansing bombardment of plasma by a Covenant fleet. Or, even if they were simply targeting one specific spot that was as seemingly minute as one city or town. Frankly speaking, any Human target they cleansed with the plasma was a sight to behold.
As of yet, though...the fleet hadn't detected any Human settlements large enough to have earned such an honor. Only one they had found was a relatively small village on this side of the planet, and while it was certainly a target that needed to get removed as soon as possible...
...they still had higher priorities here.
Ones that Ulkar had always been aware of, even despite all else on his mind. Now, though, they came back to the front, and he spoke to Lek'Val again.
" As soon as the Kig-Yar return, our Unggoy should be here as well. We will then move on the Luminary's coordinates- they are nearby, as I know you remember. "
The scar-faced Sangheili nodded. " I will ensure they are ready. As well as to assault the human settlement we know lies on the plains- though whether we do so before or after securing the Luminary relic is your decision, of course. "
That was Lek'Val summarized, basically. A Sangheili who didn't mince words, was a true devotee of the Great Journey, but also still a pragmatist who understood the chain of command- or chains, rather. Unlike many of the younger members of their species, he was tempered by age and experience, and knew how to let a superior officer take the lead.
Like he was now. Ulkar had always been grateful for such a subordinate, and he was now.
All of that, and how he didn't ask pointless questions- only ones that deserved an answer.
Speaking of which...
" Hmmm..."
Briefly directing some thought to the problem, the Ultra was silent for a moment, and then had a response. " Val ? Lead Mak'Ash and his Unnggoy to secure the relic when they arrive. I will take the Kig-Yar to raid the human settlement, with half the brothers we have going with you. I will take the others with me. "
" A prudent decision. Kig-Yar need a firm hand to keep them controlled. Undisciplined rabble. "
Again, Ulkar had mentally suppress a sigh. He wasn't a fan of the beaked scavengers either, but some days...it was tedious to hear Val harp on about them. It was, technically, his only real failing.
Suppose I should be more grateful that it is all I have to truly complain about...
Which, honestly, I am. It could quite easily be so much worse.
Out loud, though, what he had to say next was a brisk and succinct , " However true that might be, it is the plan. Relay to the Fleetmaster- "
" Shipmaster ! Shipmaster ! "
Bursting without any real hint , a scratchy, squawking voice came from out of the densely packed foliage. Accompanying it, the aforementioned bushed and branches began to rustle and shake...
" Hrmm...seems the pirates have returned ! ", remarked an ever-disdainful-of-Kig-Yar Lek'Val.
He pointed at the nearest clump of plans with one armored hand. " There...! "
Well spotted, for sure, but Ulkar had already noticed. It didn't hurt to get the extra confirmation, though, so he elected to not saying about it...as the plants were finally pushed aside and a Kig-Yar officer emerged from among them.
" Sgakjik ! Where have you been ?! ". Val practically bit the words out.
Cradling a Carbine with both long-clawed hands, the oblong-legged creature who'd just appeared hardly seemed to have taken any offense or irritation-but, then again, Kig-Yar faces were famously hard to read, so there was always some uncertainty. He just continued to stride forward, with long, but also slightly jerky steps of the species that allowed them to cover ground surprisingly quickly, even over rough terrain. It was a considerable reason why they were such good scouts- which was then hampered by their rowdy spirit which annoyed Val so .
Still, they ( generally ) knew how/when to curtail it...such as now, as the Carbine-wielding Kig-Yar reached the two Sangheili. He stopped, muzzle of his weapon down, and offered a quick bow.
Genuine respect, or appeasement...?
With them, its an endless mystery. For certain, Val will remind me of that soon enough again...
Either which way, though, it was still adherence to protocol, so Ulkar acknowledged with a nod of appropriate vigor. " File Leader. "
Stick to that protocol. Remind them, no matter how familiar they are with it, that its the only subject I will discuss with them. True believers or otherwise, they still serve the Covenant, and they will remember their place.
Such as, to name but one responsibility: gathering field reports.
You know that's your purpose..
On that front, Ulkar didn't say a word, but just fixed the other member of the Covenant with an expectant stare- crossing his arms, as well, to add even more gravitas to hammer their positions on the rank ladder home. Between all of it, he knew it wouldn't take long to get something out of the " pirate "...
And, sure enough...
The scavenger ( the slightly kinder of all the known major terms used that related to the Kig-Yar ) did, yes, grasp the gist of the situation, and got right down to business. " Shipmaster...we've tracked a survivor from this camp ! One who appears to have fled for the nearby settlement..."
" Have you , now ? Then , why not contact me via communicator ? ", demanded Ulkar. Even before he'd finished saying so, he half-expected Val to offer a scornful comment aimed at the Kig-Yar as a species, but...none was forthcoming. Perhaps he'd decided he'd sufficiently gotten his point across.
Or not. Perhaps it was just a pause..
Either way, it was welcome. As for the actual member of his target species...Sgakjik dipped his feathered head again, though now it was clearly a gesture of self-deprecation. " Very important. Got excited, and only wanted to say so personally. Apologies, Shipmaster... "
...Definitely...definitely an oversight, then. An outright mistake, actually, but it wasn't fatal for any of them, and overall, where the grand scheme of things were concerned, had hardly even cost the battalion anything that they couldn't get back.
As with all mistakes of this nature, Ulkar was much more concerned about it becoming a habit, so for the moment, here and now...
" We shall discuss your lack of attention to established protocol at a later date, File Leader. Return to your file- I will be there shortly with an assault force. "
He pointed firmly back the way the Kig-Yar had come. " Go. Prepare your fighters. "
With a such a decisive command spoken, and to a Kih-Yar by a Sangheili, there was only one thing for Sgakjik to do, which is also what he did: Another nod ( deferential, again ), and then a slightly jerky pivot to run back the way he'd arrived, soon vanishing among the foliage of the world.
One of these days...we must overhaul their entire training and lifestyle regimen, the Ultra found himself deeply thinking- and they weren't thoughts he was opposed to. As long as they are beneath the banner of our glorious Covenant, they have standards they must meet.
All worthwhile long-term, but...then again..
One step at once was how the Journey ( as well as managing the lives and service of everybody walking it ) was written for all to walk, and so they would continue to do so. Here on this ( ugh ) Human world...beneath the high branches of the towering trees, and above the ones ( and the leaves ) that had long ago fallen and died.
Such was their responsibility, for all of them, the Ultra was reminded of...as another burst of noise began to assert itself from beyond the ruins' perimeter:
...A rather loud and raunchy chorus of excitable squealing and gibbering. There was only one race that sounded like that...
...And, sure enough, the sight that greeted him as he pivoted around once more, was that of the red-armored brother known as Kazim Mak'Ash marching across the edge of the clearing, shouting and growling orders at the gaggle of stumpy creatures that comprised the bulk of the Covenant's army..
" Shipmaster ! ", bellowed the red-plated fighter, as finally finished cross the field to reach Uzek. " I am here, sir, and with all accounted for. "
He swept an arm around to encompass his retinue. For Unggoy, they were actually doing a pretty good job of actually maintaining something that resembled a coherent formation...minus all the nonstop chatter.
At least they were more manageable than the Kig-Yar, though. That, and with actual leadership, they could be a formidable adversary to even Sangheili...as the failed Unggoy Rebellion so long ago had taught them. Fortunately, that was long left behind them, and the Unggoy could be properly utilized .
Best of all...there was even a convenient target at the ready ! And, with the rest of the brothers here, plus the Kig-Yar having ( presumably ) already taken station ahead of them down the slop of this mountain, they should now have everyone all assembled and gathered to carry out an attack.
One that was, quite frankly, was overdue. And it hadn't even been a full solar day from when they'd landed on his vile rock...
" I am told, as well, that there is a human controlled settlement of some kind nearby, Shipmaster ", the other Sangheili added with palpable anticipation, as the Unggoy casually ambled about, toying with their Needlers and Plasma pistols, and gazing around at the unfamiliar trees and bushes.
" I stand ready to help lead an assault..! "
" Perfect, my brother... "
" Move your forces down the side of the mountain, unless you reach a file of Kig-Yar. I will go with you, and from there, we shall begin our march. "
" Oh...and one final matter: I will arrange for a few Wraiths and Locusts to join us, as well. It will delay us even more, but nothing fortified of steel or rock can survive their attack. "
" By your command, master..."
Such words...were an treat to Ulkar's ears, and a reinforcement of his spirit. He could tell, from the crispness of Mak'Ash's deft movements as he moved off, that he was of the same mind.
Truly, the Sangheili were the backbone of the Covenant's army- they were the core and the nucleus of it. Himself, Lek'Val, Mak'Ash- all of them were representatives of what a true Sangheili- a true fighter- looked like. It was something the Hierarchs had recognized centuries ago, and it was something that even the savage Jiralhane had been forced to confront. If you wanted an enemy erased, and truly defeated, you called on the Sangheili.
The Humans had already learned this lesson by the edge of plasma sword and the muzzle of plasma rifles. Now, on this world..
They would again.
" So, you taking your own quad-rider back to Shaft 4, or do you need a ride ? "
As Salyuk nonchalantly asked the question, there was a cheery tinglinging, of the diner's door bell ( mounted above it ), which happened with each and every swing of the thing. It'd been doing that for the past 30 years, all the way back to when Savraam and the rest of his buddies had just been boys without even a hint of a beard- and even longer than that, if all the photos of their own dads enjoying the services of this place were anything to go by..
It was a real simple pleasure of life, but...that was why it was worth savoring. Just quickly. There was nothing wrong with that...
It'd only take a millisecond, anyway. You could even multitask while doing it...like answering a question, for example.
" Hm ? Oh. "
Having also casually stretched both arms overhead for a moment ( just to fully unlimber them ), Savraam lowered them, rolled his head around a bit, and then replied, " Sure. I can leave the one I got here for the next couple hours. Its only a half shift tonight, anyway..."
" Yeah ! Because we've actually earned that stockpile that's occupying all that storage space ! "
The abrupt exclamation was the spawn of one Janus Yulsen, who wasn't any less brash after a supposedly " relaxed " session of cold drinks and board games than he was earlier- but,maybe just a slightly bit more adjusted. An outlet for the stress of hitting the workday of deep-crust mineral harvesting, which tended to result with him grumbling about the UNSC. Or something, anyway...
What would we do without this old joint...?
Better not to find out. Just for his sake alone...
" True- and 80 percent came from Shift 3, which you aren't assigned to ! ", Salyuk triumphantly reminded him, as the three of them began to descend the dust-layered stairs of the diner that led down to the unpaved street. It was one of few that still existed around the town of Jurgen, and still virtually only because this whole district was the first one ever founded. Everywhere else, unsurprisingly, was showing the God-sent prosperity that selling Madrigal's Deuterium brought.
Sure, it got dusty some days, but then the rains came, and it was all taken care of.
" Yet ", shot back Yulsen, with an air of confidence. " Just give it another year , old man. Just give it another year. "
Despite the half-serious jab, he did offer a friendly wave as he walked off, proving that the goateed rock-cracker wasn't a bad guy- just a bit rough, and unrefined. Much, on several levels, the ore they carved out of the ground each and every day...
Ah, well. Like the ore, he was getting getting processed. It was a much longer one, but still a process.
" That one is a double-edged sword ", stated Salyuk with a matter-of-fact way. " But, we still need him. "
" True. Galvus needs every trainload of ore we can dish out, and we need every able bodied man for the job ", agreed Savraam.
As they'd been walking and talking, they'd also reached the parking space for the Quad-Riders. Stocky and squat ( built, basically, like a beautiful woman ), the off-road vehicle earned its name not just for its 4 wheels, but also for its 4 seats. It possessed a roof, but no doors, with stretches of cargo netting taking their place. A deep, wide, and cover-able cargo bed completed the rest of the design.
Altogether, it was well suited for what it had to do: shutting men around a quiet, backwater ( yell still-well-funded ) town that was built around narrow roads. Even the rain, which was the worst weather they tended to get around here, wasn't a real problem as long as you threw on your waterproof poncho first.
As if on cue, though...the sky, which had been overcast and grey as soon as they'd stepped outside just a few minutes ago, began to spit water at them.
" Wuh-oh...rain's coming down ", commented the owner of the Quad, as the first darkened specks began to appear on the hard-packed, rust-colored ground around the 4x4.
" Better get to cover, ay..."
" For sure ". The other miner didn't object, quickly ducking forward as the drops began to come down quicker and quicker. He rifled around through the lockerbox between the driver's ( on the left-hand side ) and passenger's seats, and soon had pulled out one of the two rain-resistant garments that every owner of a Quad-Rider worth his salt always carried.
" Quick, quick...get her going man ", he urged, as he pulled it on.
Salyuk needed no additional urging, and as Savraam donned the poncho , tugging it firmly to fit, there was a guttural , vibrating and growling vrmmmm a moment or so later, as the QR's fuel-cell hybrid engine came alive. The driver easily swung himself aboard, and a second later, Savraam was seated and buckled as well. Tires were soon churning the freshly-turned-from soil muddy ground, and the 4x4 was then on its way.
The rain, again as if on cue, began to surge, ruthlessly pelting all below- but it'd take more than that to stop a Quad-Ride. Its occupants had places to go, and it was designed to get them there.
Just as it had more often that could be counted over the past decade- and 4 extra years. It was just as routine as you could get, and even then...it was just something that your mind didn't really think much of beyond of how addict-ingly normal it was. It'd happened so often, that you just didn't expect anything would come along and-
Juzmmm, juzmmm !
Juzzmmm, juzzzmm !
Juzzzm, Juzzzmm...!
...And, then your Chatter went off. Because someone just had to speak to you about...something.
" Hmm ? "
Glancing down, Savraam began to fish for the device among the cargo pouches of his work jeans-having to go under the poncho to get to them first, of course.
" What the- ? "
" Ha ! Gotta learn to keep that thing on the dash..", advised the driver, as he wove them around a corner of the edge of the town's main residential area- the quickest route from the diner to the mines.
" Convenience !", he elaborated/reminded.
" Yeah , yeah...so you've told me ". The other miner riding shotgun half-seriously rebuked, as he finally got the thing free and checked the caller name.
"...Oh..! "
" Hm ? "
" Its my daughter ! See ? I told you Kwan was a responsible young lady- always remembers to call just as its getting close to when I'd get worried . "
Saluk, true to form, didn't miss a chance. " Model of what a child should be ! "
" Ugh..."
To distract himself from his " friend "'s merciless taunting, Savraam lifted the Chatter to where he could speak through it, and hit the " ACCEPT CALL " button.
breep...!
" Hey, there, baby gi-"
Now, as a general rule, when he'd called his daughter before ( And by " before ", that counted every single last call from the day she'd earned one at 17...last year...till this exact moment ), the response on the other end was a casual, relaxed, nearly lazy one. That was normal, actually, for the youth around here: the ones of working age were keen on relaxing as much as they could when they were off shift, and they took it seriously. When you reached out to them during that, they always sounded like they were on a beach somewhere- except they were ( probably ) " chilling out " so to speak, amid the forests of the mountain foothills just outside the edge of town.
It was as routine and normal as riding a QR everyday- you didn't even think about it actively. You just went along with it. Your mind sought it out. It was your daily thing, and it mattered for that alone( on top of, needless to say, checking on your own kin ).
So, that's what he expected to get, by way of response from his young adult.
Just like he always ha-
" Dad ?! Dad...Oh my God, is that you ?! "
" ...They're here, Dad ! The aliens from the news...they're here ! "
She couldn't run...anymore.
She couldn't speak...anymore.
Her whole legs, from hips all the way down to her ankles , were literally on fire. Well...no...not quite, but it was exactly what she imagined having them get set ablaze would feel like. A stabbing, deep, and gnawing pain that shot all the way down to the bone, and just pulsated so hard and so rapidly, that it seemed like the flesh was going to vaporize right off them. Or that they'd just...stop working. Just like that.
The same went for her lungs. They were also on fire- but they weren't. But, they were- the constant hhhHH, hhhHHH, hhhHHH, hHHHHHH of her exhaling, and the stabbing agony of air shooting past a throat that was as raw as untreated sandpaper from screaming at full volume ( and a bit beyond it ) for over a minute nearly-straight.
It was like they were about to bleed, for God's sake...!
Like she was about to just literally collapse like a dropped towel right here...on the floor of the forest. Right as the edge of it was becoming visible...
Every sensation of her body was screaming its own way- that , yes, she was about to fall down. The burning, the aching...plus the powerful sense of room-spin. All of it was clearly signalling what she couldn't even deny:
Slow down, you lunatic !
Sit down, breathe, or you're gonna black out ! Do you want that ?
Because its liable to happen..!
Oh, yes...they were right. She was going to lose consciousness soon. Pushed herself way too hard, even for someone used to regular heavy chores on a mining world, and still drowning under the effects of an fear-triggered adrenaline wave. Kwan could feel herself slipping, and fading..
She was definitely going out soon...
Running on sheer will was all she had, as she careened toward the village below. It was close, not even on the horizon to begin with, and having run so fast, it was even nearer. Yet, between everything... unless she stopped and rested, like her mind was pleading/ordering her to, she'd go past the limits, and then it'd be lights out.
Or...at least just hitting the deck against her will.
But...she had to keep going. She had to. The aliens had killed everyone, after all. They'd decapitated Deidrea. Punched a fist-sized hole right through Aaron and Roscoe. They'd painted Kwan with her friends' blood and flesh...
A lot of which was still dripping off of her, even now. Stopping would mean death, for sure..
She would run, then, as hard and long as possible, to get away. To get home. To get somewhere...where they weren't.
And...she'd warn the town before either of that happened.
They deserved that much, at least...
If she could...if she could keep your voice from shaking too much , that is.
" They're here ! They're here, dad. They freaking killed everyone...! "
And...yep. Said voice did crack like a dropped vase on " everyone ", trailing off as a series of choking sobs. She couldn't help it- Aaaron's blood was still all over the side of her face ! Deidrea's flesh had long ago caked on her hands...
"Woah, woah...Wait a second, baby, wait a second ! Did you say...aliens ?!
God bless the old man...
" Those aliens ? Where are you ?! You need to come back, right away if you even think you've seen them ! "
He, at least, was always calm and composed. He at least, was always relaxed, chill, and ready to listen to even the most " whack " things that you could tell him- and raising a young woman alone ( after her mother's death from cancer...lord rest her soul ), " whack " summarized a lot of the stuff she'd said during those years. The old man had become a good listener, at least from all that...
It hadn't ever mattered more, though, than right. Now.
Ever.
" Its them, dad, its them ! They're chasing me, daddy ! "
" Headed home...right now..."
That...was all she had to say. It ended, right at that moment, as her shaking fingers ( shaking so badly, that is, that'd she'd literally nearly dropped the phone more than once as she'd been speaking ) fumbled awkwardly to hit the " END CALL " button.
Taking the whole " my hands are shaking so much, it's killing me " problem even higher/worse...she nearly dropped it yet again, before clumsily shoving it down the nearest available pocket...all while still running at full speed.
Well...as full a speed as she could manage by now, given how viciously fatigued and dizzy she'd become. Thankfully, though, by now, she finally emerged from the treeline, and was greeted by the dusty, rock-strewn lower half of the mountain...
...Which was linked directly to the vast plain that Jurgen sat on.
There it was now....just about within reach. That tightly packed cluster of squat buildings, wrapped by that bulky defensive wall, and with the tall, cylindrical shapes of the refinery cooling towers with their domed tops just a tad beyond the northern point. The most recognizable sight on the plains of Madrigal...
Only a few miles away, as well...So close. It was bobbing around quite a lot, as the terrified-to-within-a-milimeter-of-her-life-and-also-utterly-exhausted miner's daughter sprinted/ hurriedly staggered her way saw things on her path toward it, but close, anyway../
So...so close.
She had to reach it. She had to.
Or die reaching for it. Between the alien murderers, that she knew were somewhere behind her and still chasing after her, and how she was even more sure she was gonna collapse at any moment from all the strain of nearly getting bisected by them, and pushing herself so hard to flee from them..
Yeah...it seemed pretty likely.
But, it wouldn't stop her. She had to keep going
Had to.
So, she did.
Wooooooowaaaaaaammmmmm...!
Wooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaammmmm..!
The haunting, mournful, and above all else, loud notes of the town's emergency sirens was still filling the air.
As she'd fled with reckless abandon down the slope...Kwan had only paused once along the way: to set off the red flare that was the only bit of camping gear she'd actually kept on her person. Right after ending the call to her old man, to let him know that the aliens that everyone knew of ( but not much about ) were coming for them all, she'd fished the flare launcher out, pointed it at the overcast sky that'd begun to spit raindrops...but she could only afford to watch just for a moment. Just long enough to watch the cluster of fireballs-tomato red, with pale white centers- rocketing high , leaving a wispy trail of red smoke behind it as it screamed for the heavens.
Good...the town would've seen that. They'd drilled for this- responding to the emergency flares, that is. For a tornado, though, or a dust storm, which were the usual threats facing Jurgen day to day...
Murderous aliens, though ? Such a different animal...there was no way to know for sure..
But, they had to know anyway. The aliens were coming for them all...they had to prepare as best they could.
So, when the siren began to wail a few moments after the flare shot out, it brought...at least then, Kwan knew that her people wouldn't get caught by surprise. There was no way now. They wouldn't get ambushed, now that the screaming racket of the tornado-style siren was smothering everything.
They wouldn't get jumped. They wouldn't be just going about their day, doing nothing to anybody, until a beam of pure energy shot of nowhere and punched clean through their chests-
Leaving them screaming for the ( thankfully brief ) moment of all the pain and torture..
.They wouldn't...
They're coming...
They're coming to kill you...just like they killed everyone else..
Everyone...!
Raw, agonizing, and horrendously painful, the memories of the massacre were just jumping back and forth from out of her head and back at a whim...or, if something triggered them, of course. Like the town itself ! Her own home, the only place she'd ever known from birth till the present...had just become a beacon for absolute torment.
Torture and agony, of its purest form.
But...
At least she had made it, at last. By now, she'd reached not only the bottom of the slope, but also the end of the long dust plain, and was just approaching rock-throwing distance of the heavy-duty, hydraulically powered metal doors that barred the way through this particular entrance. On either side of them, set beneath a corresponding set of watch towers festooned with searchlights and cameras hanging beneath their angled steel roofs, were a set of pedestrian doors- both guarded, of course, by a humble, yet well-constructed shack.
" Its her ! There she is...! "
" Open the gates ! The Chief is waiting...! Let's go..! "
Practically leaping out from behind his shack, one of the guards- face fully covered by a dust face mask, and clad with the flak vest and riot helmet attire of the town guards- hurried to shout at and signal his compatriot, gesturing vigorously at the still oncoming Kwan. The other man was quick to respond, and just as the shaky-legged, sweating and blood-stained young woman finally came to a staggering halt, the set of big doors began to slide open...
" Got it...! ", called back the other officer. " He's on his way, Mike ! "
" Roger that...! "
As his buddy turned back around, he found himself face to face with Kwan- and though his face was fully hidden, he nonetheless jumped again, but out of obvious shock, when he beheld the state of her...
" Good Lord, Ma'am ! What the..?! "
Hastily, he slung his weapon- a bolt action , mag-fed J88 Jaguar- over one shoulder, and ran forward to meet the sole survivor of the campsite massacre- though, needless to say, he couldn't have known that.
" What...what happened back there to you ?! "
They...they killed everyone. That's what happened.
They just jumped us from out of nowhere. Literally 0 hint that it was coming, until a beam of energy shot out of the foliage and shredded-
And...there it was again. Like an automatic cutoff valve on one of the town's three ore processing plants, Kwan headspace shut off the memory before it could run its course. It was still too fresh. Too recent...
Too soul-crushing...to keep thinking about for long. It'd keep coming back over and over on its own , sure...but at least she could protect herself this much.
And, as for the protecting of the rest of her, others much less mentally destroyed had been sent to handle that. The guard who'd come to her- Micheal, that was his name, she subconsciously remembered now- had just grabbed ahold of her as her legs began to buckle, and her head began to swim harder than an Olympic athlete.
" Woah, woah...its ok, its alright.."
" Lean on me ! Your dad's right here...we're gonna get you somewhere safe..."
All Kwan could offer by way of response was a shallow, quick nod. She didn't have the energy for anything else anymore...as that numbness from the first moment of the ambush came back. Her breathing was still frenetic, her skin was still clammy, and her pulse was still booming through both ears...
Was she entering shock ? Had she already been there ? Definitely...definitely one of them...after all that'd happened. Roscoe's blood, and Deidra's blood...and Aaron's blood, was still caked and dried all over her, and she couldn't stop shaking, as she stared at the ground. As she was carefully, slowly, and practically delicately, steered back toward the town by the obviously sympathetic Micheal the Guard..
" Kwan ! "
" Oh my God...! Oh my God..."
...D-Dad...?
...Its...its you. Its really you...
The rush of heavy boots, splashing through the fresh mud, and that unmistakable voice, all gave it away that he was on his way over- and then, he was there.
Right there. A new shadow fell, and then he was hugging her. So hard and so fiercely, that it actually hurt.
But, it didn't compare to watching her friends getting their chests burst open by beams of energy, and it was a hug from the only family she had around here. Between all of that, it wasn't even really pain at all. Not the bad kind, anyway...
" Thank you, Officer. I've got her. I've got her...", assured Savraam, as he tightly held and cradled the badly bloodied form of the sole survivor. " You did good...! "
" Now head for the towers ! Go..!
The guards snapped right to it. " Yes, Chief-! "
Ckakoooooooooooooommmm...!
Speaking of things happening today without anything resembling a hint...that perfectly summarized the thunderclap that'd just gone off ! For all the rain that'd been falling hard and steady after the point when Kwan had bolted out of that nightmare of a forest...it'd still come out of nowhere.
" Hhhhh...! "
A startled gasp came from Kwan, and she closed her eyes. As if by request, her mind frantically began pulling out a good, wholesome memory , for once today...
Her old man, still holding her close, began to spirit her away from this spot, practically carrying her, as Kwan found herself thinking of the day she'd first eaten strawberry ice cream. It was a completely random, logic-deficient memory to get chosen out of all the ones she had- and all of the ones that'd been submerged under the numbing shock of the...
...the massacre-
" I am so, so sorry, baby. I am so sorry I couldn't be there for you..."
" But I got to get you somewhere safe, ok ? I'll be right here, ok. I'll be right here. Oh my God... ."
And, so he continued to speak to her, as the rain continued to fall, and the sirens continued to wail..
Off somewhere distant, deeper though the town, past the cluster of guard barrack huts and the field armory, the hubub and furor of folks scrambling and rushing around with chaotic energy also reached out to Kwan's ears. The world all around her was still speeding along...still going at full throttle and still pulsating with energy.
Violently urgent, primal energy. From the raging storm, sure...somewhat, at least.
But, the rest of it...
Kwan knew where that was coming from.
She all too well by now.
10 minutes later
" ...Please..."
" Please, daddy...can you just stay here...please ? "
Pathetic...
Kwan knew...she knew how pitiful and pathetic she sounded just now. Like...some airheaded valley girl out of one of those ancient sitcoms that Roscoe had ribbed her about occasionally watching. She sounded just like that right now...
Exactly. Weak, pathetic, childish...
And profoundly ashamed. It was actually having an effect on the numbness that'd been clinging to her like white on snow. Not quite carving through it, but...close.
Almost as close as the love her dad had for her, which had always been there. For that alone, after all her suffering today...
She wanted him to say. But, she knew he couldn't.
They weren't both going to stay here: The underground town shelter that was the most distance from the main gates. It was a utilitarian, basic location, with only the most fundamental creature comforts for its temporary occupants: cots, some folding tables, rugs, etc. All of it was quite clean, granted, and there was plenty of coffee stored, but it still nothing at all luxurious.
Still, it didn't need have that. It was temporary, after all. Just for the sake of playing shelter for a dozen or so folks, spread out across two stacked floors linked by spiral staircases and ladders. As places to duck out of the way went, it was the best you could on Madrigal.
Given what was coming for them...this was where Kwan wished her dad could stay. She knew he couldn't , though, and knew even more that she had no right to ask him to stay. Normally, on most days, she wouldn't !
After the massacre, though, it was kind of beyond her.
Completely...
But, still...
" I know you gotta go back...I know you do because they're coming for us, but, please..."
Her head dropped then, and was soon covered by both her hands. Hot water began to brim at the corners of her eyes, and her throat began to narrow itself...
A rock had suddenly gotten stuck there just now...
"...Please, can you just stay...just a little longer...? Please ? "
" Kwan, honey..."
Oh, did she already know the answer that was coming after that. She did, for sure, and even if her old man didn't ( again...she was sure about that as well: He wouldn't be judging her for this...he didn't ever judge her like that for things like this )...she was still hating herself anyway. It was so...
..Just pathetic. Pathetic ! But, also...she couldn't help it. And she didn't care, honestly. Any kid who'd had to witness what she had would probbably be like this by now. Being a girl was absolutely exacerbating it, as well...
Just near-complete doom and gloom. Except unlike some edgy tweenager...it was real.
"...I would....if I could ", the patriarch of the Hwa family ( such as it was ) emphasized. Pain and longing were evident as he spoke, and it wasn't lost on his daughter whatsoever.
It was something to cling to, as her old man spoke again. " But, the town needs me, because that's the obligation I accepted. I have to set an example for you, and I have to stand between you and anyone who wants to hurt you...and last but not least...I can't let the people down. They're counting on me and my guards. "
Still comforting- but, also terrifying. After all...what was the town counting on them for, exactly ? Protection, that's what. Protection from what, though ? Anything and anyone who might threaten them...and right now, that was those aliens from the campsite ! After what they'd been able to pull of there, the mere idea of any of the town's guards having to fight them- let alone her own dad- sent a vicious shiver down Kwan's spine...and then back.
But, despite the raging storm that was her mind right now , some of it was still working, and bit reminded her, sternly...that he old man was right.
Like he usually was...
" Hey...listen...as soon as I get back...I'll go back for your friends, ok ? I'll take of them. They deserve a proper funeral...all of them. "
He hugged her again then, as tightly as before. Tears openly began to trickle from his daughter's eyes again, and she began to tremble.
For once today...it wasn't the massacre that was triggering it, though. Not entirely, though. No...now , it was stemming from the very real chance her only family would be taken from her.
He would have to face the aliens soon...those aliens. The ones that had shot her friends to...to bloody ribbons. Killed them like rabid animals !
..How could anyone stand against them ? How ?
There were so many things twisting like a hurricane through her head...and the gaping void on her soul from having witnessed the massacre wasn't helping. She would need a long while to even begin recovering from that, but-
Then, her dad released his hold- reluctantly, which was painfully obvious. He pulled back a bit, then grasped both her shoulders hard.
" Look at me...please, baby..."
Slowly, Kwan did so, and met his gaze. It was a powerful mix of sheer confidence, dad affection, and a crippling display of concern.
Everything that a man like him, at a moment like this, should be feeling.
" Kwan...Kwan, I have to go now, but you need to say here, ok ? Please do that one thing for me, ok ? Stay. Here. Stay here..", he urged her, with all the force that he could muster. " Don't move from this spot, until I get back . "
" I love you. Remember that, baby. I love you, and I will come back for you, Ok ? Do you understand ? "
" Y-yes...yes, dad. ", whispered the sole survivor. " I'll be right here...I promise "
" I know you will... I know you will, baby ". Her dad leaned forward, and kissed her forehead- a jarringly ( but much appreciated ) tender moment amid all that was happening. " Wait for me. I won't be long.."
With that...he stood, turned on a heel...and strode from the room. The guards that'd been waiting both offered quick, but sympathetic nods to Kwan, then hurried after him as he left. The moment the 3 of them had crossed the threshold, the remaining guard around hit the lock, and the heavy metal plated doors slammed shut.
Vmmmm...cnk..!
..Leaving near complete silence behind. There was the low hummm of the AC systems, and the hushed murmurings of the other youths and women of the town hunkered here, but otherwise...it was a graveyard shift down here now.
...It was done, then.
He was out there, doing what he always did: protecting the people. At the risk of his own life, as per usual yet again.
Again...
Biting her lower lip, Kwan rolled over onto her back on the cot, without bothering to remove her shoes. The thin mattress underneath was just barely soft enough to qualify as comfortable, but it probably wouldn't have mattered anyway. All she actually cared about now...was just...was just space to breathe.
She closed her eyes, threw an arm over her face, and bit her lower lip.
She let the " calm " of the shelter wash over her...
That counted as calm, at least.
Se still need it, though
To even begin to process of comprehending the nightmare...
" For the love of God, Mack, shut that alarm off. Everybody is secured- they know something's going down, anyway ! "
Storming the threshold of the main security tower that overlooked the main town gate, Savraam snapped off the command to the bearded man with multiple burn marks on his jawline operating the central console. He'd had to throw a mental lever to do it- going from soothing his daughter's shattered nerves, to commanding men on the cusp of a battle unlike anything they'd ever experienced before.
And, it hadn't even begun. But...with aliens as the opponent ? It couldn't be anything else.
Everyone knew that- or they were about to know.
" Mack ! Shut it off ! And get me a sitrep on all positions...! "
" - Yes, sir ! On it, sir ! ", exclaimed the slighty-surprised-but-still-switched-on guard. Hands furiously worked the touchpad console screen, and the alarms then died.
As the room's doors slammed shut, he soon called out again. " Right...that's got it ! Ok..."
" Roberts ! Get to your gun port ! ", commanded Savraam to the guard he'd arrived with. " Sajum ! Aljak ! Double check your ammo counts ! "
A chorus of more acknowledgments sounded as they rushed to obey, and just a second later, Mack had the report ready.
" Ok, sir...all Towers are reporting they are fully staffed ! All shelters show fully sealed, and at capacity..."
He lifted his attention from it, to meet Savraam's expectant look. " We're as ready as we're going to get, sir..."
The head of the guard force nodded grimly. " Roger that. Get your weapon, officer, and get to your port. We're on the clock here..."
With a nod, Mack did exactly that. He was the last of the men here yet to do so, but a few seconds later, he wasn't. The guards overall had practiced this whole thing over and over and over again over the years, and they'd finally gotten it down to a science. When need arose, it didn't any of them long to get properly set with their gun muzzles poking out of the carefully carved ports that gave them a way to fire at anyone approaching the town from the outside, while still staying protected by the central tower's armored plates.
And, if there was ever a moment to get it right, now was it. Thankfully, they had. Savaramm subconsciously allowed himself a nanosecond of satisfaction as he quickly surveyed their layout, before dashing over to get to his own port- smack dab between the others, obviously.
" Leave some room, fellas...", called out Aljak, his strong Slavic accent permeating every syllable. " Here comes the boss.."
" Worry about yourself...and fingers beside those triggers ! ", responded his boss.
He steadied his weapon through it- a Howler Arms Z95 Semi-auto battle rifle, chambered with 30-06 rounds. They were big enough to drop an Elk, and possessed armor penetrating tips...
On the days when Madrigal had been attacked by random Rebel faction cells, such weapons had quickly dispatched them. They'd been more than enough...against them, at least.
Against these...aliens, though ? Who even knew anything about them, other than they existed ? Nothing. Nothing, really. They didn't know their tactics, or how aggressive they were, or what the heck kind of weapons they might be packing. They had no concrete data on any of that- just the vauge reports on the news about all the resources and bodies the UNSC was throwing at them...
...And, of course, the massacre up the mountain. Something had happened there- Kwan had been caked with dried blood, and nobody else had come back with her-but...even that didn't count as anything solid. A haunting hint at what the aliens were capable of, though ?
Definitely.
Still...
"...Where are they ? ", muttered Sajum, just loud enough to get heard. " Seems like they're dragging their heels..."
" ..Or maybe they called it off ? " , he added.
" Could be..."
His idle out-loud thinking trailed off then, but Savraam didn't bother scolding him. It was harmless enough, and the shots weren't flying yet. Besides, he'd proven himself as a relatively raw recruit who still needed refinement- but still had promise.
Nothing that additional training couldn't handle-
" Hey...! "
" Hey...Chief ! Right there ! West of the stone arch, on the treeline...! "
Accompanying his callout, Sajun activated his rifle's laser pointer, which showed itself on the optics of the others. It marked the spot he wanted them to notice, clear as day..
" Anyone else have a visual...? "
" Confirmed ! ". Savraam had seen it now.
" Yeah , there it is..."
"...There's something, all right. What the...? "
As the rest the unit began to reveal they had, yes, spotted the movement, and then guessed at what it was...Savraam did the same, but said nothing. All he could see, was the same as the rest:
A vague, slightly lumpy and bulbous looking...machine ? A tank ? A...vehicle, of some sort, had just become visible from the treeline. He knew it wasn't one of the wild elephants that were known to roam across the wilds of Madrigal, because...
...Well, it was purple. Purple ! No creature of land or air was solid purple, and certainly not one of that size. Whatever the heck this thing was , it was actually the size of an African Elephant- standing on the back of another one, that is.
It did have...wait, were those legs it was using to move ? His scope had strong zoom capability, and...yes, it wasn't lying. Those were legs it had, rather than wheels or tracks. Four legs, exactly. Big and thick as a tree trunk, each lumbering back and forth like an actual elephant, propelling the thing along at a rather slow, but deliberate and divisive pace.
Finally, topping the whole thing off was what he could only guess was its control cab, or something. It didn't look even remotely like any other cab for any vehicle Savraam had ever seen, though: long, curved, and roughly shaped like a cucumber...that someone had stepped on. A cluster of pale cyan lights glimmered at the front lower point of the " cab ", surrounding a central one that practically jumped off its appearance like a tomato on a snowfield .
What the...?!
...Seriously: What the...?!
It would be unprofessional to actually say that out loud, naturally, but he was sure as heck thinking it- and he had 0 doubt that the others were doing the same. Just sheer bafflement and confusion. They didn't have a point of reference for something like this, other than the whimsical depiction of sci-fi machines from their childhood comic books.
Once more, though, the fresh memory of the dried blood smothered Kwan, and how she'd been the sole members of her friends group to actually come home jumped to the front of their heads. It'd been caused by...someone who was more ruthless than even the vast majority of the rebels out there, and...these machines that'd just materialized...
They were absolutely not rebels. Heck..
...They definitely weren't human, either..
That last realization had just begun to fully take hold, when...
The mysterious walkers...stopped dead. Their bulk legs ceased moving, and seemed to brace themselves down through the powdery dust of the desert sand.
"...Steady, everyone..."
Facing something that was so painfully clearly alien of nature was definitely something you should expect to throw someone off their game, so Savraam jumped on reinforcing discipline, just for safe's sake. " Steady...!"
" Let 'em come to us.. ! ".. Iron filled his words- he knew this would help center them. " Let them come..."
As plans thrown together against an enemy you knew nothing about, it was actually quite decent, as any military tactician would agree. It was all they had to go on, and so they would go by those rules.
..It was a good plan.
...But, a moment later-
ZeooooOOOOOUUMMMM !...
ZeeeeeeOOOOUUMMMMM !
ZeeeeeeOOOOUMMMMM !
ZeeeeeeOOOUMMMMM !
Without showing their hand at all...the arranged machines let loose a barrage.
But, not one of shells, or bullets, or missiles...
...Of...pure energy ! Energy ! Just as Kwan had said had happened to her at the camp...
Traveling faster than anyone could even hope to track, or could even cry out from witnessing... the beams smashed against the gate of the town. They'd just covered a distance of roughly 1 mile quicker than a pulse...!
Before any of the men of the tower could even utter a sound of shock, anger, or anything else they might reasonably feel...more beams shot out, following the first few.
ZeeeeeOOOOUMMMM !
ZeeeeeOOUMMMMM !
They didn't miss- and neither had their predecessors. Explosions absolutely erupted from the points of impact, spewing thick, roiling, and billowing cloud of vaporized metal, duracrete, and dust everywhere. Bright orange and magenta red waves of fire shot out just behind them, and coming along for the whole ride was an utter cacophony of just...sheer noise.
" God..! "
" Holy- ! Agghh...! "
That alone, was enough to get plenty of strong reactions- plus the thunderous shockwaves that literally seemed as if they were going right through the men's bones themselves. They were slammed like hockey pucks against the walls of their firing port cubicles, with their ears ringing so hard, that it was sending hot needles of pain down to the drums- even with their helmets on.
Situated at the center of their line, Savraam was thrown to his back, and nearly dropped his gun. A deep ache just about detonated itsself all through his body, and the world went static-y for just a second...
He couldn't even hear himself think- it was all jsut noise, and shaking, and-
" Agghh...what on God's Green-! "
" ...Oh...oh, we got more of that stuff ! Its coming our way ! Over the trees ! Over the trees...! "
For all the might that'd he'd been rocked with, Savraam was still there- mostly. Biting down on his mouthpiece, so to speak, he willed himself to get off the floor-
And then it didn't matter anymore.
" Good Lord...! "
"...Did you see that ?! The main guard tower just...its...its gone, man...! "
Crouched behind one of the sandbag barricades that'd been placed down to cordon off the streets of Jurgen, Guardsman Mike Hanel could only watch as the angular, tall structure was consumed by a fireball.
Chunks and fragments of debris were tossed every which way, and a column of ashy grey smoke began to rise nearly at once...marking the spot with ghoulish finality.
" Oh my God, man...". The guard next to him, Jim Morris, wasn't any less shocked. "...The Chief was there, wasn't he ?! "
"...Yeah. He...was. "
Was...
That one word, and the following truth of what'd just happened, took a moment to fully hit. When it did, though...it was like getting gut-punched with a weighted glove. The cold, harsh, unfeeling truth was slapping them across the face now...and that was that their commander was now just red mist.
If there was one constant among armies and any fighting force throughout history, it was that when you lost the boss man, it both eviscerated morale ( or least left a truck-sized dent ) , and left those still alive rudderless and aimless. Both of those twin demons were besetting the guards of Checkpoint 5 now...
Or at least the latter. Chief Hwa had been the guy they took all direction and orders from, aside from general mentorship on how to serve. He'd been their anchor when it came to doing this job..
Now he was literal history. Just. Like. That.
What could they even say about it ? Nothing...not so soon, anyway..
But, whether they knew it or not, just like his death..
Thier own predicament didn't give them much room to dwell, either.
"..Checkpoint 5 ! Checkpoint 5 , respond ! Respond ! This is Checkpoint 3...!"
Static, then a absolute torrent of yelling burst out of the two-way radio transmitter that was sitting behind the barricade- its only link to any of the others.
" Respond, dang it ! Checkpoint- ! "
Lunging with frenetic energy, Guardsman Langrid was the first to reach the device, and hit the button to speak. " Checkpoint 5 here ! What's going on, 3 ?! "
The response wasn't any less loud, and horrified sounding that'd been a few seconds ago- it might actually have been even more so: " We've been engaged by alien hostiles, 5 ! I repeat..alien hostiles ! They have optical camouflage Optical camouflage-! "
Zwwwwisshhh !
" Hkkkklll...! "
...And, that was the end of that. A slashing sound with a shroud of a thurmmmm, a primal gurgling yelp...
Then silence. Oh, a quick burst of static, but then...silence.
..If anything could've helped them less, that was it. Hearing from their buddies of several years that literal, honest to God aliens were attacking them, that they had optical camo...and then the line went dead ?!
...Where to even begin with something like that ?! It was...it was just a maddening-
..Wait..
Wait...that was it. Anger...was the replacement for their shock now. It was as raw as authentic sushi, and it was hurting as deep as it could get...but...
...Those were their buddies that'd just been slaughtered ! Their friends under arms ! They were all soldiers, dang it..
And that was something even death couldn't shred..
Zwwwweeeeisshhhh !
...So it continued.
All. Over. Town.
Like a mass execution...
It wasn't a battle. Not really...
As soon as the Locusts and Wraiths had demolished the main gate ( and the segments of walls immediately around it )...cloaked Sangheili warriors had stormed through, energy swords drawn and lit. Right on their heels, more Sangheili ( uncloaked ) followed, herding packs of Unggoy, while file lines of Kig-Yar covered their flanks.
They were through the gap after barely a minute from their destruction...and the slaughter began nearly immediately.
Or...maybe it could be called a literal hunt. Most of the townsfolk- virtually all of them- had taken cover where the underground shelter was, near the center of town, or had locked their homes' doors ( or the doors of whichever building they'd used as a hiding place because they couldn't reach the shelter quick enough ), and were thus not exactly hanging out there like bait on a hook...
...But, it didn't matter.
A family ( one man, one woman, and at least one child ) was huddled on the floor of their home's bedroom, arms around each other, heads bowed and uttering benedictions at a feverish pace- and then the front door was knocked clean off its hinges with a throaty roar. The resulting screams of the family had barely begun to sound, before a deluge of plasma bolts shredded their bodies like scissors through cardboard.
No amount of crying stopped it. No amount of tearful begging, or wails of " Stop...no ! Please ! " stopped it, as the white-hot bolts of energy melted their flesh off their bones like butter over a campfire. The overwhelming heat didn't even leave any steaks of blood on the floorboards...
The bodies hadn't even been laid out for a minute, before the squad of Unggoy, with their Sangheili master, turned around and left.
They power-walked back out onto the street...and right out to a scene of madness, chaos, and lunacy of the highest order.
Everywhere you looked- everywhere- was the same scene getting repeated...over and over. Long, drawn out bursts of plasma guns ( Rifles, Repeaters, and Casters ) going off filled the air, echoing back and forth with heir chmm, chmm, chmmm racket. Mixed among them, were the chichichichi of Needlers, or the shoov,shoov, shoov of Carbines. They overlapped, clashed...and then slowly merged to form a canopy of noise that just crushed everything..
The rain. The thunder. Even the screams of the victims...all of it was drowned out. All that could clearly be heard...was the sound of the Covenant's weapons doing their killing.
They didn't stop, either. Door after door was breached, and whoever was on the other side had a scant moment to behold the sight of a squad of Covenant soldiers standing there, guns pointed at them...before said weapons went off, and whoever it was that was their target might be able to get off a tearful scream of fear and/or plea of mercy, before their heads were separated from their necks. Or before their chests had fist-sized chunks torn out of them...spilling viscera all over the place, along with fragments of bone. Blood sprayed like a can of red paint getting tossed onto wall after all, trickling down leaving long trails...
Dripping onto severed limbs, and heads.
It was a scene that would be beyond the ability of any sane human to describe- a scene straight from the darkest corners of the most depraved mind.
The death squads, though, couldn't have cared less about such a thing. Why would the futility of summurzing all of this matter ? They'd all lived it before. And they planned to again...
When this was over, though.
So...they carried on.
Building to building, room to room.
They just kept on killing.
They just killed.
And killed.
...And killed.