The Pelican shuddered for a few minutes as it flew, breaking through the atmosphere of the planet, slowly making its way heading deep into outer space. Inside Drake and Tz'eal held onto separate supports that kept them upright as the Pelican moved. Once they had left orbit Drake would be free to get changed into his disguise, a set of bright white coveralls with an included hard-hat. It would allow him to play the part of an engineer being sent to work on the outpost as per their story.
"We're about to break atmo. Get your shit together back there Drake, you're going to have about 30 minutes to get ready before we hit the station." Maurice called over the intercom as the Pelican stabilized as the air continued to thin before eventually there was nothing but vacuum around them.
"30 Minutes, got it." Drake replied as he pushed off his support and reached down towards a large duffel bag, inside was his set of white coveralls and his orange hard-hat. He picked up the uniform and shook it loose. It was big enough for him to put on over his armor but unless he wanted to go in with no protection for his head he wasn't going to be able to bring his helmet along with him. If something went wrong, everything Tz'eal was worried about, the station having its atmosphere vented, he was a dead man.
"You seem to be worried." Tz'eal commented as he glanced over Drake, he was getting better and better at reading Drake.
"Yeah. You mentioned Harrison venting the air from the station and killing you instantly. I'm in the same situation. This hard-hat is garbage. I need my helmet to stay alive but I can't exactly take it with me." Drake explained as he shook his head. He had just under 30 minutes to figure out a solution to this major problem. Otherwise if something went wrong and he got compromised he was going to die a very painful death.
"Is there no way you can store it within that container and keep it concealed while you infiltrate the station?" Tz'eal suggested.
"I'd rather not. If they search the bag and find the helmet then i'm fucked." Drake replied with a sigh as he considered his options.
"Anything that could link you to the UNSC you can not have with you. How will you manage to sneak your helmet with you?" Tz'eal asked aloud as he began inspecting his own harness and weapons. He checked the ammo in the magazines of both of his weapons, holstered them both to his back and side before engaging his active camo. Drake watched and smiled as the BR55 and M6 vanished as Tz'eal slowly disappeared from sight.
"Wait, can you attach more than two weapons to your harness?" Drake asked, an idea forming in his head.
"I am not too sure, I have never tried." Tz'eal replied as Drake slowly walked towards him, holding out his helmet. Hesitantly Tz'eal took the helmet and spun it around in his hands. He lowered it to his left thigh where the attachment point of his harness brought the helmet towards him and fixed it to him with a satisfying clack. With it attached to his harness they both waited patiently as the helmet slowly vanished from sight, matching Tz'eal.
"Perfect. Problem solved. You keep a hold of my helmet for me while as I get close to Harrison then, when shit finally hits the fan you pass it to me, I keep my brains inside my skull and we get the hell outta dodge." Drake replied with a smile and a nod as he watched Tz'eal deactivate his camo.
"And how will we leave once the task is done? Our Pilot will leave us when we land. We will have no means of escape." Tz'eal replied as he glanced around the metallic interior of the Pelican, not used to the strange red colored illumination.
"We're going to jump out of a window where Maurice will come and pick us up." Drake said with a large smile on his face.
"We are going to willingly leave the safety of the station into the unknowns of space where a single slither of damage to either of our suits will kill us instantly, to potentially get collected by a Pilot who would have no idea as to where we might actually be?" Tz'eal asked, sounding dumbfounded.
"Yep. You got it. Sound plan right Maurice?" Drake replied, knocking on the door leading to the Pilots cabin.
"Sounds easy enough. You and your Elite buddy make your way to the relative south end of the complex and bust open a window or something, I'll be taking a holding pattern about ten clicks out. Make a call over the radio when you're about to make an explosive getaway and I'll begin moving into a closer position to pick you up. Hopefully before you both run out of air." Maurice said over the intercom. Drake glanced over to Tz'eal who was staring back at him with an expression of disbelief.
"Yeah I'm sure you'll get us in time. How long?" Drake asked as he smiled and glanced away from Tz'eal.
"25. Sit back and relax for a bit. I'll let you know when we're getting there. And I swear to god if you ask if we're nearly there yet I will turn this thing around and take you both home." Maurice warned as Drake opened his mouth then abruptly closed it. He turned away from the cabin and walked over to one of the many seats inside the pelican and sat down, letting time pass by as they moved to the station to begin their mission.
The tension in the cabin could be cut with a knife as Drake and Tz'eal sat quietly for the 25 minutes they were waiting. Every so often they would share quiet glances towards one another but knowingly kept quiet, letting the other keep to their own thoughts and concerns with the upcoming mission.
Abruptly the interior lights flashed from crimson red to a soft blue color as the intercom keyed open.
"We're about to hit the deck. The Elite better turn his camo on and you'd better get ready to disembark and try not to die." Maurice said through the static as the Pelican began to rumble and vibrate as it moved through the station and the atmosphere within it.
"Alright. Go time." Drake said with a nod as he stood up and brushed himself down and moved towards the exit ramp.
"I will follow as closely as I can." Tz'eal replied as he too stood up, tapping the small switch on his gauntlet and slowly faded from vision.
"Again I'll be holding about 10 clicks to the relative south side of the station so call me over comms when you need a quick getaway." Maurice called over the intercom once again as the Pelican shuddered as it set down on the station's landing pad.
"Roger that. Try not to get caught so we have an escape. Other than that, enjoy sitting about for an hour or so until we call you for evac or you find out we're dead." Drake said with a chuckle as the ramp emitted a loud hiss as it slowly lowered down. Outside there were five armed insurgents armed with MA37 assault rifles aimed up at him.
"Step out of the Pelican. Now." One called out as Drake slowly raised his hands.
"Coming down. Don't shoot." He replied as he walked down the ramp.
"Scott?" The soldier asked as he slightly lowered his weapon and approached.
"That's me. I heard you've got an atmo generator system that needs a service?" Drake asked, trying to sound as sure as he could.
"Yeah something like that, the Boss didn't explain why you're here but said you'd be coming." The soldier replied as he shifted on the spot looking Drake over.
"Everything alright?" Drake asked, sounding a little concerned as he watched the soldier.
"Yeah. Boss said we're not to touch you. So I'm just checking for anything that could be a weapon." The soldier explained as he stood upright once again.
"Well if it helps I do have a pistol on me. I don't like to go out and about without something on me just in case the UNSC shows up and starts shit." Drake replied with a shrug.
"Well you'll be fine with it. Just don't go waving it around like a lunatic and you'll be alright." The Soldier replied as he turned to face the others and began walking towards a newly opened set of doors.
"You going to lead me to this Atmo gen?" Drake asked as he slowly began following behind, silently cursing himself for not packing his helmet into his duffel bag.
"No. Boss wants to see you. Take time to catch up." The soldier replied as he glanced up towards a large set of tinted windows above them, a dark figure barely visible behind them that slowly walked away.
"Right. Of course. Catch up." Drake said slowly as he began to grow more concerned. If the Boss wanted to 'Catch up' then he might know Scott Smith and now knows Drake isn't who he says he is.
"Come on. Let's go." The Soldier said as he began walking down the hallway leading Drake towards the Boss. Drake quickly glanced over his shoulder to see Maurice and his Pelican take off and leave the station. Off to the side of the pad he could barely spot Tz'eal moving to cover through the haze left behind by the Pelican. With a grin he turned back and began following the Soldier.
It was going to be difficult for Tz'eal to trail behind Drake and keep an eye on him. The station interior was very small, designed with only Humans in mind, not Sangheili. He would need to keep a low profile to not draw attention to himself however doing so would slow him down. He was unsure if he would be able to keep pace.
He crouched down by some storage crates, peeking around the corner while watching the Humans escort Drake away. He was going to have to wait until he was alone or at least until there were significantly less Humans around. Several of the armed ones left with Drake however there were still some who were lingering. He held his position until the hallway leading deeper into the station cleared before he made his move.
Slowly he walked forward, his sidearm drawn and kept at his side just to be safe. Any time one of the humans looked his way he would sit still and let his camo do its job. There were a few occasions where a Human would look right at him. They did not see him for the most part but there was one who looked quite suspicious.
The Human walked over almost within touching distance of Tz'eal and looked over him. Tz'eal was ready to reach out and end him before someone shouted from across the pad, drawing the closer Human away. Tz'eal let out his held breath as continued, entering the hall and trying to locate Drake. He spotted the group turning a corner at the far end of the hall. He knew where he needed to go to keep their trail but evading the roaming Humans would be very difficult.
He closed his eyes and uttered a prayer to any higher power that would help him keep quiet and unnoticed as he continued to creep forward. As if his prayer had been heard the hallway seemed to be completely empty after a few minutes of slowly creeping forward. Reaching the end of the hallway he glanced around the corner. The group had come to a stop down the hallway while seemingly speaking to Drake. Slowly Tz'eal continued to inch forward, using the scattered crates and pipes for concealment as he approached.
The group spread out and opened a door, the one who had spoken to Drake previously gesturing him inside. There was no way Tz'eal was going to be able to sneak past them all and enter the room with Drake to help him.
Still he pushed closer and closer, hoping to at least see inside the room to assess what he could do and how he could enter. The group began to disperse leaving Drake and the Human who had spoken to him before, gesturing Drake into the room. Tz'eal, choosing to take a huge risk, rushed forward, enough to get close to the room. He spotted only one more human inside the room but his entrance was closed before his eyes. He crouched down low across the hall next to a wooden crate which would conceal him for the time being, waiting for the opportunity to enter and keep Drake alive, or from doing something stupid.
"Thank you for bringing him to me. You're dismissed." Harrison said to the Guard without turning around from his desk as Drake entered the room. The inside was quite lavish, a thick brown carpet spread across the floor with certificates of decoration adorning the wall. A silver placard of the URF plastered the side wall with the adjacent wall only containing large tinted windows which Drake could see down onto the landing pad. A perfect vantage point to see everyone who comes and goes. If the UNSC were to assault the station he would be able to see them so far in advance that they would never get to him before he escaped.
"You see the huge tactical advantage I have here don't you?" Harrison asked as he noticed Drake glancing through the window.
"Yeah I do. It's an impressive place you have here." Drake admitted with a nod as he glanced down to the seat before him. Harrison nodded and gestured to the seat before sitting down on his own, leaning forward while clasping his hand together. Drake took the seat and sat down with a smile trying to keep his composure.
"So you're going to have to tell me one thing before we begin. Is he still alive?" Harrison asked which caused Drake to look a little confused.
"I'm sorry?" Drake asked, keeping in character. He knew his cover was blown but he had to try.
"Scott. He and I have been friends for a very long time. Longer than I can remember honestly. So I knew the moment you stepped off the bird that you were not who you say you are. So, is he alive?" Harrison asked.
"Yeah. As far as I'm aware he's still alive. My CO didn't exactly share the details of how he is or where he is." Drake replied after a large sigh. He slowly began taking some deep breaths to settle his nerves. He knew there was a chance of being compromised, but this easily? He would be having words with Shapiro about proper background checks on the cover story before going into the field. If he got back alive.
"Good. It would be a damned shame to have one of my close friends murdered then have some dipshit replace him thinking they could get away with some deception." Harrison said with a calm nod.
"But to be honest sir I'm just a grunt. I don't know for sure if he's alive and well or if he's been taken somewhere to be interrogated and is being tortured or anything of the sorts. If you'd let me out of here I'd be able to find out for you and let you know." Drake suggested sounding hopeful.
"You and I both know that isn't going to happen here. Unless you get me into a really good mood." Harrison replied with a smile and another nod as he leaned back in his chair.
"So. Tell me, who are you really?" Harrison asked as Drake leaned back slightly, getting comfortable for a potentially long interrogation.
"Sergeant Drake Taylor. UNSC. I was a member of the 19th Fleet stationed on Reach before the Covenant showed up and glassed the planet." Drake replied, trying to gauge Harrison's reaction.
"Well Sergeant you're in a bit of a situation here aren't you? I could be a good host and let you go. I know the UNSC needs as many soldiers they can get their hands on since they're fighting two conflicts at the same time. But on the other hand, you're my enemy. Should I be a merciful host and let you leave with your life?" Harrison asked, his tone of voice getting slightly deeper, his expression getting angrier.
"We both know what option is going to be picked here. But I would implore you to pick the former. There's a Pelican nearby that's waiting to extract me. If they know I'm dead the entire fleet that is in the system would come bearing down on this station and wipe it out. But I don't want to be the one to be responsible for the deaths of all the men and women on this station." Drake retorted as he continued to stare at Harrison, neither of them blinking trying to figure the other out.
"If that's the case why hasn't this 'fleet' already wiped us out. Everyone in this station is under my command, they're not exactly going to go down without a fight nor are they going to give up so easily and be taken by the UNSC." Harrison retorted.
"Because unlike you, we care about the lives of our enemies too. We don't want to kill everyone on this station, I'd be quite content with just killing you." Drake replied bluntly with a grin on his face as Harrison smiled.
"Good. That's why you will lose. You care too much. You're not willing to do what is necessary in order to win. I am willing to vent the atmosphere in this station and kill everyone within it here and now just to make sure you don't get out alive." Harrison said with a growl as he leaned even farther forward.
"So you're a heartless asshat. Got it." Drake replied with a nod as Harrison abruptly stood up.
"Heartless? We're just trying to live our lives the way we want to without the UEG breathing down our necks. Every one of us is aware of the sacrifices we may need to make and are willing to make them without question." Harrison shouted as he reached down to a drawer in his desk, his fingers grazing the metal slide of his M6.
"We make sacrifices too. We just make the choice not to sacrifice the lives of innocent people along the way." Drake replied coldly as he narrowed his eyes at Harrison in disgust. Harrison grabbed the M6 and pulled it out of his desk, ready to shoot before there was a knock at the door. He contemplated killing Drake here anyway but decided to wait until they were alone again. Holstering his weapon he pressed a button on his desk, causing the door to hiss open.
Outside with a woman dressed in the usual Olive Green coveralls of the URF walked in with a small pad in her hands.
"General, sir. I have your reconnaissance report for the day ready for you." She said as she walked in, glancing between the two. "Am I interrupting something?"
"No Jill, you're fine. Scott and I here are just catching up. Please leave the report there on my desk. I'll take a look and let you know if there are any issues." Harrison said softly, his expression changing in a heartbeat.
"Of course General. I'll be down the hall if you need me for anything." Jill said as she walked over to the table, placing the report on the desk, then turned around and walked back out of the open door, closing behind her with another hiss as Harrison pressed the button once again.
"Right, where were we?" Harrison said with a sigh as he drew his M6 once again and walked over behind Drake.
"You were going to take a look at your Recon report and give me enough time to think of a way I could convince you to let me go with my life." Drake replied with a chuckle without looking around, watching Harrison via his reflection in the window.
"No. I can get to that once you've been disposed of." Harrison replied coldly as he racked the slide of the M6, loading a round into the chamber. Drake took a deep breath and hoped Tz'eal had managed to find him and was about to bail him out of the situation.
"Any last words or requests?" Harrison asked as he placed the cold barrel against the back of Drake's head. Drake watched in the window as a shimmering figure slowly moved behind Harrison. He smiled and chuckled briefly.
"Yeah I have one last request if you don't mind General. And no it's not going to be asking to let me live or anything." Drake replied, buying time.
"Oh? And what would that be?" Harrison asked, his finger tapping the trigger in anticipation.
"Don't scream." Drake replied bluntly.
Harrison recoiled slightly at the statement in confusion. He was in the position of power. He was about ready to execute this idiot in one of his own chairs, probably about to ruin one of the cleaners' days having to clean blood and brain matter from his office. He shook his head and readied himself for the kick of recoil in his hand before something heavy dropped on his head, almost pushing him to the floor, the shock causing him to drop his weapon.
"You have one way out of this alive." A voice came from behind him as his heart began to pound. Anger crossing his face he swung around to his right with a clenched fist, poised to strike whoever was behind him in the face. His fist came into contact with something soft and fleshy. Glancing over he saw a hand, only four fingers with dark leathery skin and sharp talons on each digit.
"That was not it." Tz'eal said calmly, having caught the flying fist coming towards him. He violently wrenched Harrisons arm towards him, twitching his body around while keeping his head held in place with his off hand. There was a sickening snapping and tearing sound as Harrisons neck snapped, the skin of his neck ripping violently as Tz'eal dropped his body. Harrison coughed the last of the air in his lungs that was mixed with blood as his corpse thumped to the floor.
Drake glanced around him to see Tz'eal. He smiled briefly as he glanced down at Harrison, his head turned the wrong way. He abruptly turned away and gagged, trying not to throw up at the sight.
"Are you alright?" Tz'eal asked, looking over to Drake sounding confused.
"Our heads don't turn that way. That, is fucking gruesome." Drake replied before taking a deep breath to calm himself down. He turned back to Tz'eal while making sure not to look down at the corpse.
"Our task is complete. We should leave." Tz'eal said calmly as he detached Drake's helmet and passed it over to him. Drake nodded and took the helmet quickly, removing the hardhat and tossing it aside carelessly before donning his helmet as the room abruptly began flashing bright red. A klaxon sounding an alarm which echoed throughout the station.
"Well shit. Guess we're going out the hard way." Drake said as he drew his M6.
"We move to the relative south side of the station and breach a window to escape and await pickup." Tz'eal recalled as he drew his BR55 to use it for the first time in a combat situation.
"Check your weapon, check your ammo and check yourself. We're in for a hard fight." Drake replied with a nod as he checked the chamber of his M6, making sure it was loaded. Tz'eal nodded and did the same with his BR55. He reached down to his side, his fingers grazing over the spare magazines he had for his weapon, making sure he was fit to fight. He nodded to Drake to signal he was ready.
"Good. I hope you're ready because you're taking point." Drake said as he approached the door.
"Stay behind me. Use me as a shield if you must. I will inform you if my energy shields fail." Tz'eal replied as he too approached the door and stood aside it.
"We make it out of here alive, you're going to become everyone's best friend. So lets make it out of here alive yeah?" Drake said confidently as he grabbed the handle to the door, ready to wrench it open.
"And if we perish may we die honorably, fighting and taking as many of them down with us." Tz'eal replied with a nod as he looked towards the door. Nodding a countdown Drake wrenched open the door, Tz'eal stepped outside and prepared to endure the coming firefight.