Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Iron Cross. Enjoy the 7200-word chapter. I do not own Warhammer or Halo, Gameshop and 343 do.
(May 2nd, 2531, Rohl Asteroid Field.)
The UNSCParis Class Heavy Frigate Loaded Bullet entered the asteroid, pausing only to unleash most of its archer missiles.
The Covenant fleet consisted of several CRS-Class Light Cruisers and 3 SDV-Class Heavy Corvettes. The crew watched as several bright suns within the asteroid as the majority of the 60 missiles were either shot down or did minor damage… One SDV was hit, however, swerving into an asteroid with secondary explosions erupting from its spine.
This, however? Became irrelevant, the frigate never intended to take on a Covenant patrol alone. It merely intended to put up the appearance of the fight.
In the chaos, nobody noticed the 8 figures who left the frigate as it turned, engines blaring and punched a hole into Slipspace before vanishing like a shark.
"Insertion successful," Halius stated, gripping one of the smaller asteroids, Linda clinging to his back for purchase.
Rather than take a larger group? Halius had decided to take Igaros, Kasbiel, and another new Ultramarine known as Suriel. He liked his old squad; they served him well.
Halius paused, stopping only to collect himself as he and his teammates regrouped with the Blue Team atop the asteroid. They took a deep breath, their equipment and augments allowing them at least 3 hours in the vacuum.
Not that they would need or take so long. He paused to take a breath, communicating over the voxbox which had been tuned slightly to UNSC tech.
"Now for your phase…. Where is this Repenting Sorrow?" Halius asked, pausing to repeat the name.
Chief motioned towards them as a large warship which was smooth, streamlined like a shark, and roughly 1.5 kilometers, adjusted heading through the thicket. They had heard the CCS-Class Battlecruiser was used for patrols as it was the largest warship within the flotilla here.
"Everyone knows the strategy?" Chief asked.
"Get in, shut down life support from the bridge… Then set the ship on a collision course with the station." Kelly stated.
"Let us get on with it," Halius stated as they nodded.
Halius gripped the asteroid, pausing to check his bolter as they took a moment to be ready for their operation. They punched and kicked handholds into the asteroid as Kelly and Fred produced something from thigh pouches.
C9, several grams of the high explosive, securing it into small little weak points.
Halius had found their plan genius on the way here… It was regularly an issue the asteroids drifted from their orbits, usually clashing against one another in a violent display of art.
Chief had agreed with setting up a larger asteroid to break loose, coming crashing down on the Sorrow, crippling it from the impact as they boarded it.
"Spartan? We have Covenant strike craft." Halius stated, looking at them.
A group of 12 lights began to approach, swerving in midair as they all adjusted headings. Halius had little idea what they were… But Chief did.
"Seraphs," Chief stated as Halius hummed.
"We need to board," Halius stated, gripping the point of the asteroid, eager to get to work.
The sooner they boarded the Sorrow? The sooner they could focus on busy work like they were meant to.
"Do not forget… We each go with a Spartan." Igaros said, eying Kelly as they marched across the asteroid.
He knew this. The bigger the force? The more obvious, an entire fleet could have done this… But so could a handful of nukes. The problem? Such a show of force would make the Covenant escalate.
He had a lot more to deal with for now and such when it comes down to it. They motioned it for now as he clicked it into place.
Halius paused to leap from one asteroid to another, letting their momentum carry them.
The asteroid behind them split in two, each little bit being thrown apart… He watched as several bits, each the size of land raider rained down on the giant warship, several cerulean points as the shields faltered…. And then finally? A fireball as one impacted the warship, deforming a portion of the hull the size of a small house.
They passed inside the hull, pausing to latch onto it.
"I shall head with Spartan Linda, secure the weapon batteries…. Who shall deal with the bridge?" Halius asked.
"Me," Chief stated as Halius nodded.
The Spartans and Ultramarines slowly pulled themselves along the hull, pulling themselves alongside the alien metal by stabbing holes into it as they monkied towards it.
Halius gripped the cannon before Linda latched onto his back as he swung around the corner, floating towards a hanger bay as he wished to think of it.
The duo landed in the hanger bay, pausing to ready themselves as he looked at Linda, watching as she removed her BR-55 from the metallic rack on her back.
She was eager to get to work, turning and motioning for Halius to move ahead as did Halius now.
He of all people did not wish to understand how it was that they were paired… But he did know they both shared a willingness to do their job.
"Spartan," Halius stated as they took cover next to a wraith. "I shall clear this floor… You can handle the next?" Halius asked as Linda nodded.
"I can't reach it unnoticed," Linda said before Halius hummed.
He motioned for her to walk to him as she did so, he gripped her by the foot, cradling her in one hand.
"Prepare yourself," Halius stated, resting her feet against the palm of his hand.
Before she could even argue it? She was tossed into the air, tossed like a spinning top, reminding her that they were both different with it for now when it came to it.
She knew this to the end. Linda landed in a crouch on a spirit, crouching atop it as Halius began to advance into the hanger.
Linda pulled her combat knife from the holster and tossed it towards a crimson armored elite which crashed to the ground. Their shields flickered as she thumbed the safety on her BR55, opening fire with 9.5x40MM rounds rolling down the fuselage of the spirit.
A pair of grunts and a jackal fell to the ground, she turned and shot another jackal before a blue armored elite charged at her.
The Spartan-II drew her M6G and fired into the elite's head, slamming her shoulder into them as she knocked into the creature, sending it to the ground, its shields broke in a flicker of light.
Linda executed the elite with one headshot, splattering the platform with purple blood.
She looked downwards to watch Halius dueling with a pair of crimson elites… He stabbed through one, their shields dying in the process before he ducked a strike to his hip.
He elbowed the crimson-armored elite before they recoiled, he gripped them by the head as he tossed them through the field, their shields flickering as they gasped for air for a few minutes.
"Spartan Linda?" Halius asked as he pulled Willbreaker from the corpse of the elite major.
"Second level secure," Linda stated as she moved to the door.
"Ground level secure," Halius stated, marching through the door.
It seemed there was a skeleton crew in this hanger, no alarm in this general area was sounded.
"Do you know where the weapons batteries are?" Halius asked Linda as she accessed the holographic controls.
"No," Linda stated as Halius hummed.
"Which areas are the busiest?" Linda heard as she paused.
"Why?" Linda asked as she turned to look at Halius.
"The busiest areas are usually the most important. Engineering, weapons…." Halius stated.
"Seems the most of it is from this area," Linda stated as she pointed to a small area on the cruiser.
"Lead the way, Spartan…" Halius responded, bringing a hand to his helm before he started to speak. "Igaros? We have entered a hanger area. What is your status?" Halius stated.
He seemed to be done and dusted now. They had something to deal with for now.
All of them were prepared for an operation…. But it was clear that having boarded this ship? They all held the same objective.
"Killed a patrol… Heading to the bridge, minimal resistance so far." Igaros stated before more gunfire came over the radio.
"Stay safe, Sergeant," Halius stated before he turned to Linda. "We need to move. Do you know a path towards the bridge?" Halius asked.
Linda raised her left pointer finger towards the door at the other end as they raised their rifles, creeping slowly forward.
Both took positions outside the door, both shared nods as they tapped the door.
Both slowly and surely slid open, both raising their weapons as he noticed a rather large rifle on her back.
"You brought a long-range weapon in confined quarters?" Halius asked.
"You brought a sword." Linda pointed out.
"Simply curious… Lead the way, I will aid you." Halius stated before he hummed. "I expected more resistance," Halius stated.
"Hmm," Linda stated. "Maybe the crew doesn't know," Linda stated.
"We opened fire on them then boarded it… Surely by a few minutes, they should realize something… At the very least? The crew should be less lax." Halius stated.
A valid concern. They had distracted them but even so? It should not have been something to brush off.
Still? The mission came first and both knew it to be harder and harder… She looked over at Halius and motioned ahead.
The two continued to walk, putting their backs together as the doors were swept and they slowly yet surely began the walk forwards… All of them knew exactly how well it worked, exactly how well this would possibly go.
A door opened and Linda gunned down a grunt and another, and Halius stabbed a jackal with his knife, smattering the bulkhead. Both moved through it all without further incident and sighed.
He tried his best to try and deal with it as he could, reasoning that he had to deal with it now and for good reasoning… Well, better than before when it came crashing down to it more and more.
He had a lot more to deal with it now when it came crashing down to it as of now.
He had been too eager to deal with it for now.
She and he were both tired, too interested in it all for now… Both looked out the window as of now… It was clear, very clear that something had to come crashing down.
Oddly? They had something different to think of now when it came to it.
Linda and he rounded a corner, both curious at the end of the day as to what was growing on the mind. She and he did not even know what was going on now and for good reason…. Both times did they end it, now? She had more on her mind when it was all said and done.
Both were tired, too ready to get done with this.
"Lieutenant? We have met resistance… The Master Chief has killed most of the patrols…." Halius heard from Kasbiel as he hummed.
"Continue towards the bridge, Ultramarine. The sooner we shut down the life support? The sooner we get this task done." Halius stated.
He did not blame his men for needing to get work done when it came all down the line. Some of the second company was still adjusting to this place and Captain Titus had taken to talking with the rest of the upper crust. Halius knew he was managing 25 to 50% of the front-line work when it came down to it.
The problem? It was because of this that he had so many problems when it came crashing down to the ground it caused it to break down now, and too distracted for the moment when it came.
It did not make his job a damn bit easier. Though? He was an Ultramarine; they were not expected to have easy work in this sort of thing…. Not at all, not once would it end this way.
(On the bridge)
"Why have you given the heretics the formation such as this?" The shipmaster asked.
"Because…. We needed to lure them in. If we did not? They would have simply continued to destroy…" The other figure stated.
"I am down 20 warriors already and the heretics have wounded at least 40 more." The shipmaster stated.
"Obey the prophets…. Or I shall find a servant who can do better." The other figure stated before they hummed, preparing for combat with such ideas.
(With Halius and Linda)
Halius hummed and opened fire over Linda, spent shells rolling onto the floor as a golden elite crashed to the ground.
"There is much more resistance now… I count 20 soldiers with another 60 coming down the hallway." Halius stated.
"80," Linda stated as Halius hummed.
"I lost count of how many we have shot… Hunter!" Halius stated before a massive bolt of plasma flew over their heads.
Halius watched as Linda dropped a magazine, pulling another clip from her hip holster and then slamming it into the rifle as Halius opened fire to cover her.
"Chief? We need a hand." Linda stated before Halius hummed.
"Agreed, we are suppressed for now," Halius stated as both he and Linda fired down the hallway at a group of elites and jackals. "I am packing much more ammo next time…" Halius muttered.
Before either Spartan-II or Ultramarine could do something, a 102MM rocket flew overhead, slamming into the lone hunter and its backup. There was a gory thud that followed as they vanished into the fire, their broken bodies falling to the ground.
Halius turned to see Chief and Kasbiel as the Spartan dropped a spent M41 launcher.
"Chief," Linda said as Halius nodded.
"We encountered more resistance… The Covenant are attempting to pin us down." Kasbiel stated.
"Agreed. We have been flushed this way." Halius stated before he turned down the hallway. "Spartan Linda, do you still have a route to the bridge?" Halius questioned before he sighed.
"This way…. You find Fred, Kelly, and the others?" Linda asked to which more gunfire came down the hall.
"Secure the bridge," Chief stated, pulling his MA5C from his back.
"You will secure the others?" Halius asked to which Master Chief nodded. "Stay safe, Spartan," Halius stated before he turned.
"Fine taking orders?" Halius heard from Linda as they walked.
"A little…. I am fine TRUSTING a Spartan. Master Chief?" Halius asked as he turned. "Protect your men… And mine, that is all I ask, from one soldier to another." Halius stated before Chief nodded for now.
Both soldiers started to think once more and for good reason at the time being. Halius was interested in the time being and what this mission would hold. They had a lot of plans when it came crashing when it was all said and done and dusted.
They had a lot more to try and figure it out now and for good reason now when such was over.
Halius and Linda slowly started to walk towards the bridge, both tried to think…. Both were eager to get it done.
"Do you know the layout of the bridge?" Halius asked as Linda looked to the side. "Then we must improvise. I will breach from one door; can you kill the officers in the confusion?" Halius asked.
It was clear to him that Linda was skilled as an assassin as she was a soldier. If he could use that? He would understand a stratagem.
"What about you?" Linda asked.
"I will ensure they do not notice you. I have heard you are a master markswoman." Halius added.
"And?" Linda asked.
"And they don't know this," Halius stated as Linda nodded and drew her SR99.
Halius hummed to himself as he clicked to be done and dusted at the time being as he was eager to think of what was growing for now.
(On the bridge)
Prelate Dhas Bhasvod watched as 10 special operations Sangheili all took positions at the door.
He decided to take a position at the door. The demons would prepare to breach the hanger as of the time being… And he would kill them.
"Kill them." He stated before he looked to the side. "Shipmaster? Prepare the self-destruct." Dhas stated before he stared at the other door.
"You would ask me to discard my ship!?" The elite asked to which he turned.
"If you are not willing to sacrifice for the Great Journey? You are not ready." He hissed.
(With Linda and Halius)
Halius stopped before Linda motioned for him to do so. She hummed and looked at the door and then thought.
Halius stopped, walking backward as Linda boosted her motion tracker.
"Hmm," Halius stated as he checked his supplies.
"Don't, bad idea, really bad," Linda stated before she turned and investigated the corner.
Halius watched as she raised her magnum and fired into the corner, an explosion of sparks before another followed.
"Security?" Halius asked.
"Correct," Linda stated. "Do you have any grenades?" Linda asked.
"Several… You plan to bait a trap." Halius stated.
"Yes… What is the range on those?" Linda asked.
"Enough to destroy a tank… They will perhaps punch holes in the armor." Halius stated.
"Better," Linda stated before she pulled something from a pouch on her belt. "2," Linda stated before Halius handed her two of the grenades. "Plant two of those next to the other door," Linda stated before Halius hummed.
Linda watched as he paused to look at her.
"You think I might be an enemy." Linda heard.
"I don't know you," Linda stated before she looked to the side, wiring the improvised mines.
"And I do not know you… But I wish to." Halius stated to try and figure it out when it came down to it for now.
She would be done and dusted when it came to the end of the day before she looked to the side as she wished it to be willed into the day before she wanted to think of it now.
He seemed to be done and over it more and more with it and more…Each little tug of the pin through the ring.
He sighed, too focused on the result, too fascinated by what had to be done next.
All of it? All of it became tedious harder and harder now to figure out…. None of it became any easier.
He of all people was just as done by it as anyone else…. All of it? All of this reminded him of worse punishments.
"You think this war will end?" Linda asked.
"I do not know…. I intend to help end it as rapidly as possible…. The only thing that I do know is our work is not yet over…. If it was? They would not be sending us." Halius stated. "Can you kill the bridge crew while they are distracted?" Halius asked.
"Yes," Linda stated before a motion was seen, making her bring up her magnum.
Halius brought up his bolter pistol only to be greeted by the Master Chief, Fred, Kasibel, and Suriel.
"What's the situation?" Master Chief asked, raising his rifle, and noticing the tripwires.
"10 hostiles on motion sensors, just through the door…. I took out the hallway cameras." Linda stated as Halius hummed.
"Where is Spartan Kelly and Igaros?" Halius asked as Fred hummed.
"Securing an exit…. Breach the bridge?" Fred questioned.
The group shared looks. By the lack of enemy fire and probable hesitation now? The enemy was EXPECTING a breach of the bridge, it was a bottleneck and even the most basic of enemies could use it.
"We need a way to bring them outside…. How many entrances to the bridge?" Halius asked.
"2," Fred stated before Halius hummed.
"How about the walls?" Suriel stated as the group looked at him. "There is a wall next to the bridge… We could break through it." Suriel said, bringing up his hands.
"It might cause damage," Halius stated. "However? You have given me an idea, brother. Do we still have the melta bomb we planned to breach with?" Halius asked.
"It is for destroying bunkers…." Suriel stated.
"Yes… And if we make them think we are destroying our way into the bridge?" Halius stated as Fred hummed.
He brought up a hologram of the cruiser and then scrolled around it as Halius pointed to a point.
"Wait plant it for 10…. Whenever it starts to activate? We breach the second door." Halius stated.
"While they focus on the breach in the wall… Gives me an idea, go get me one of the dead Elites." Fred stated as Suriel went to do so.
"When we breach…." Master Chief started.
"Someone head straight for the controls… See if they can tip the balance in our favor further…. That or turn off life support." Halius stated.
"During the middle of a fight…" Chief stated.
"We can survive without oxygen for a few minutes, I count on the idea they aren't expecting us to disable the entire oxygen reserve," Halius stated before he turned to Suriel. "When the ship is secure? Find Igaros and Spartan Kelly… We must escape before this ship hits the station." Halius stated as the others nodded.
Halius cursed as he realized just how stupid the odds of breaching the bridge would be… Then again? The Covenant was not focusing on being smart.
"Are there any other reinforcements on the bridge?" Halius asked to which Linda shook her head.
"No, but they are probably…" Fred stated.
"Boxing in… Good, it means they still do not know… We breach in 5 minutes… If nothing occurs? Complete your mission." Halius stated.
"You are implying we die," Suriel stated before Halius paused and looked at him.
"We are soldiers, we risk death every single day, brother… Now then? Let us get back to work." Halius stated as he and the other two Ultramarines departed.
Chief put his back to the wall, guessing that more and more would they be stuck doing work they did not wish to. Now? Now he could guess it would be harder and harder to work with the others dealing with such a thing.
To be fair? They had a lot of things left on the line…. And he guessed Halius considered work as vital to the UNSC as anything.
He at the very least respected his dedication to his duty and his desire to put his life on the line like a soldier…. If the Ultramarine still was not odd.
"We got work to do," Chief stated before he sighed and then thought of it all further and further.
To be entirely fair? He also knew failure here meant a lot more soldiers would die in combat which was the LAST thing he wanted at the end of the day.
(With Halius)
Halius turned and put a shot through an elite, watching as they collapsed to the ground. Every single round he spent was one less he had for future fights… Which almost made him wish to be pragmatic and recycle enemy weapons.
If only he held onto any idea as to WHAT they were and HOW they would work. In his mind? He had no idea how Covenant weapons worked which could cause problems if he improperly deployed them.
He sighed, too distracted even as to which it would come crashing down to the ground. Now? Halius focused on the work he had been assigned.
"They don't give up easily." Halius heard.
"They fall as any enemy does," Halius stated, cocking his head to the side as plasma raced by.
The Ultramarine counted at least five elites… It seemed rather than sending the more common jackal or grunt. The more skilled soldiers of the Covenant army had taken to setting up problems.
He would respect their skill… If it was not matched by their zealous need to win. The saurian Xenos seemed to be eager more to KILL than any sort of tactic.
Granted? Any tactics should lead to killing… But this one did little to make them seem more and more dangerous…. They were zealous, not as captivated, or as skilled as they were led to believe…. Not now and not ever whenever it came down to it.
He had been too interested in what was going for now…. And now? He had an idea as to how it would have gone on when it came crashing to an end…. Now and for good reason, they had something else to imagine.
All of it became harder and harder to do something now and for good reason…. He of all people was distracted by a multitude of reasons not even he could defend.
Though, to be fair? There was something about it that Halius found odd.
"How long has it been?" Halius asked, turning, and firing a 3-round burst before ducking into the bulkhead.
"3 minutes…. The bulkhead is just beyond them." Halius heard as he hummed.
"Suriel?" Halius asked.
"Yes, Lieutenant?" Suriel asked.
"Grenade," Halius stated as Suriel nodded.
He produced the last frag grenade from his armored hip and chucked it down the hallway. There was a scream of pain and Suriel recoiled as plasma scorched his shoulder pauldron.
Halius turned and walked past the recovering elites, finishing them off with a headshot each which painted the walls purple as he placed his depleted bolter on his hip and drew his bolt pistol without missing a beat.
"Master Chief?" Halius asked before an explosion rocked the corridors. "Spartan Linda? Grenades?" Halius asked as Suriel began to prime the Melta Bomb.
"3 dead elites, they got antsy," Linda stated.
"Understood," Halius responded. "And your condition? Your armor is damaged? Any wounds?" Halius questioned, raising an eyebrow at the time being.
"Shields are down… Recharging, have you primed the charge?" Linda asked as Halius turned, glancing at his friend who nodded.
"We have…. Breach in 3 minutes, no matter what happens? Fight until you are either out of ammo, dead, or victorious. I can offer no further suggestion than that." Halius stated before he sighed to himself.
All his mind raced with ideas on how well to dismantle the enemy. He knew more and more that the Covenant would continue to escalate, he suggested mentally the next battle would be MUCH harder to fight.
That? And he knew more and more that each little fight brought them closer to victory, something he was fine with at the end of the day…. An idea he had been privy to now and forever.
Halius motioned for the crew to turn and leave, rationalizing that the loss of the controls on the warship would take care of the crew.
Then? They turned and retreated, leaving the bomb affixed to the wall, knowing that if the covenant were privy to touching it now and for good reason, now and forever? It would detonate anyway and take the wall and possibly several bulkheads behind it.
Such was war. A good soldier could adapt to it and any such problems that came because of it… The covenant seemed more focused on trying to kill them than any real attempts to get through this part of the course now.
Such was the way of war for an Astartes. They had been able to try and figure it out now when it came down to it as he seemed to be done and dusted for now.
(With Linda and the Blue Team)
Linda was able to try and figure it out once more as it came crashing to the ground. Something else would grow more and more odder when it came down to it.
Linda felt her shields recharge, slowly… With effort, it became clear to them that something would break.
There were finally roars of confusion as the bomb went off, a jet of concentrated plasma burning a hole 3 meters in diameter through the metal and cutting through rows of electronics and armor plating.
It was through this that Linda and Chief tossed a pair of frag grenades through the door with Fred doing the same. The M9s all rolled through the door, catching them off guard as a fireball tossed several injured elites to the ground, several bloodied ones falling to the ground.
Then came the group of 6 super soldiers as they crashed through the doors, a barrage of gunfire greeting several soldiers now at the time being.
Linda watched as Halius drew Willbreaker from his belt, firing his bolt pistol as the Ultramarine Lieutenant began to slice at the screaming elites.
Linda brought up her sniper, firing over John's shoulder at a charging Ultra Elite and then they toppled into the pit, a bullet through their split helm.
It was then as Halius kicked away an Ultra Elite that a gangly and spindly soldier descended on him, flicking a blade of plasma at them. Halius barely defected the strike, backpedaling as Willbreaker glowed.
"Demon…" The soldier hissed as Halius raised Willbreaker.
Halius raised Willbreaker, the blade crackling as the unsung challenge came across clearly.
"I shall show you damnation, Xeno," Halius stated before the spindly creature continued to lash at him with a glowing stave.
Halius backpedaled, taking a quick moment to assess the situation. The rest of the bridge crew was dead or being engaged. However? He noticed more and more reinforcements coming through at a door on the other end.
He cursed, forcing the spindly creature away with an open-palmed shove before shooting a pair of grunts who spun before dropping to the ground.
He turned in time to block the stave. Bits of plasma danced from the stave as it contacted the energy of the sword.
"I will exterminate you." It hissed as Halius snorted before elbowing them back.
"I have fought worse," Halius stated, his tone bone dry and serious as the Ultramarine began to duel the creature anew.
Was this a trap meant for them? The sheer bluntness of it had reminded him that traps could… And would, come from a thousand different directions… They would never relent, and they would never cease when it came to trying to be better now, and for good reason.
It was then his feet left the ground and they were tossed off their feet as the ship inverted due to the damage caused by the bomb. Halius activated his boots as the Ultramarine was magnetized to the roof of the warship.
He had been too easily distracted now and for good reason. Such was life and life seemed good with that.
Halius slashed the fragile Xeno back, not noticing the pair of Elites, one a Zealot and another Special Operations who went to backstab him, raising their blades.
Right when they went to strike, a crack of a sniper split the air of battle. Halius turned to see Linda, clinging to a console with one hand and her rifle pressed against her chest, barrel smoking. Both elites left the ground as their armor failed them, a solid hole in their helms.
The spindly thing as well turned before backup generators kicked in, dropping the entire group to the ground. Halius rushed the alien and raised his blade, the Xeno brought up his stave.
Only for Willbreaker to slice a piece of it, damaging the weapon as Halius shoulder-checked the Xeno into the wall, slamming him off the center platform which cracked his helm.
"Damn you…" The alien hissed before turning and firing a weapon at Halius which he dodged, pushing out of the way.
Halius fired back as the creature fled out a doorway. He blinked in time to notice his duel had taken the time the other had used to clear the bridge.
It was then and only then this was a trap… They were retreating but they had PLANNED for them to breach the bridge.
"Spartan… What was that?" Halius asked as he sheathed Willbreaker.
"Unknown," Chief said.
"Then extremely dangerous. It knew we were coming; I have heard them use demon anytime we or you appear." Halius stated.
"Guys? We have a problem." Fred stated before they walked over towards the console. "They set the ship to self-destruct… At least, it is telling me so." Fred stated.
"Can you shut it down?" Chief asked.
"Going to need 15 minutes… We have ten." Fred stated.
"Then set it for the station… We were never planning to keep the ship… And they were always planning to sacrifice this ship to kill us." Halius stated. "I should have realized the information we captured was too easy," Halius stated as he clenched his fist.
The Xenos had played a smart game… But the trap had been sprung and their captors seen. Now it was their turn.
"An entire covenant ship to kill 8 people… I am touched." Fred stated as he accessed the controls. "Chief, this thing will hit it… But we also have every covenant ship bigger than a warthog after us." Fred stated.
"Worry about it after… This ship is going to detonate, the wreckage and explosion will do as much damage to their fleet as with us." Halius stated.
Fred sighed before he realized both were right. The mission came first, and it would continue to be the mission that came first as Fred tried his best to decode the covenant code.
It became clear to them both that more work was going to be needed… Much more work than before, a LOT more work when it came down to it.
He sighed as of now and then thought of what the next move would have been when it came crashing to the ground.
"We need to move," Chief stated as Halius brought up his hand to his ear.
"Igaros. We need an extraction point." Halius stated.
"I got hands on some shuttle craft…. Going to need a few minutes to get it running." Halius heard before he snorted.
Before the others could react, Halius reached his fist above his head, tightening it into a fist before bringing it crashing down on the console, shattering it to scrap under his fist.
"Now they cannot reverse course," Halius stated before he spoke up over their channel. "Mark position…. I will see you in the hanger bay." Halius stated before he and the others fled the doomed bridge.
His mind thought back to the alien he had engaged. It had gone after him and only them, someone within the Covenant had seen that the Ultramarines were a danger and began to organize a response to them.
He would confer with Captain Titus for council… Provided he survived today as he and the others fled.
They rounded the corner and came face to face with more and more elites. They turned the corner, and Fred and Chief tossed plasma grenades. The ship shook under them as the surrounding Covenant warships possibly began to scuttle it.
They rushed through the corridor, Halius letting the others take charge. He did not know this ship and they could track their comrade just as simply.
Halius cursed as an explosion knocked him into the wall, Linda being slammed into him as her shields flickered from the impact. He turned and shielded her from another as they continued down the corridor, flickers of plasma lashing out at them as he cursed.
"Tell me you can escape this inferno, Igaros," Halius stated before Kelly hummed.
"A phantom will fit us… Barely." Kelly stated.
"If we need? We will find better ways out." Halius stated before another gout of plasma licked at their armor. "Master Chief, did your superiors arrange an evacuation?" Halius asked.
Halius was silent afterward as Chief nodded. Good, that left the final part of their operation to escape… Then? They were out of danger.
Well, into an armada of covenant vessels… But he supposed that the explosion took care of them when the station would detonate as well. Then? Then he would not have worried when it came down to it.
They rounded the corner into the hanger. A tear-shaped dropship was being fired upon by several elites and jackals as it turned, burning them away with its chin gun.
They began to board, the burning and screeching of plasma greeted them from every single angle as the ship began to tear apart. Halius felt the platform decay under them and then a wraith tore free and hurtled towards them.
He and Linda who remained next to him, turned towards her before he was sent flying with her soon joining them as a dozen explosions caused the entire hanger to collapse around them.
Both Linda and Halius were sent flying into the void of space spinning as flames and charred metal met them.
Halius reached and grabbed Linda in one hand, using his armor to shield her from the brunt of the explosion. Her shields crackled as both spun in the void before he used his other hand to grab an asteroid, digging his fingers deep into the stone.
Halius took a deep breath as he realized that both were in the void of space, once away from the cruiser.
The warship which they had been upon finally impacted the station, shattering into dozens of burning pieces while it detonated.
They were greeted by a small sun detonating in front of them. A fireball the size of a small star greeted the duo. It slowly built, growing in stature as the station which had been in front of them.
The station slowly began to collapse inwards, its towers snapping in half as the station folded inwards… Then came an explosion which magnified several times as it overtook the CRS-Classes… Then the destroyers.
Explosions around them went off as the station exploded into dozens of fireballs. Finally? Both Spartan and Ultramarine were left within an artificial asteroid belt.
"Igaros, where are you?" Halius asked to which he got static. "Igaros," Halius stated before looking around.
The phantom that the others had stolen had been snapped in half, a massive gash marring the hull.
"We're here… Dead in the water," Fred stated before Halius cursed.
"And with no way to leave… Great." Halius muttered before a signature came across his HUD.
Almost as soon as he had said so, a ship entered the asteroid field, adjusting its heading as it slowly approached them.
"Sierra… Lieutenant? This is Captain Admis Reginald of the UNSC Grand Express. Mind if we give you a lift?" They heard as a comm channel snapped in.
"You are just in time, sir. Missed the fireworks." Kelly stated as Halius turned to Linda.
"Are you injured?" Halius asked to which Linda shook her head. "Good, then secure your hold…" Halius stated before he gripped the asteroid.
The Ultramarine pushed off it with all due power, sending himself floating through the abyss as Linda clung to his back. Halius adjusted himself for a moment then gripped the barrel of one of the point defense guns on the UNSC Paris Class Heavy Frigate.
A few moments later, a Pelican flew past them, carrying the remains of a damaged phantom with them.
Halius and Linda slowly clambered from the gun down towards the hanger bay, letting gravity do the rest of the work as they floated inwards… Now and for good reason? They held onto something and for no good measure could it have been done and dusted.
It would forever become something odd and odder for now at the end of it all.
None of them noticed the Ren shuttle which flew across the stars, finally vanishing as it went to Slipspace.
(Inside the ship)
"You failed!?" The Prophet of Truth hissed as he wrung his head. "I told you to destroy these heretics… And you failed!? These new demons put the whole of the war at risk!" Truth hissed.
"We did not know their true strength until now," Dhas stated.
"But they know we are onto them! The more you attempt to clean up this mess, the more we are reminded that we need something more…" Truth hissed before sighing. "Return to us. We will plot a way to destroy them all, then we can get back to the holy cleansing." Truth stated.
It was clear to him these 'Ultramarines' would be harder to defeat than the rest of humanity. Fine, he would find a way to destroy them sooner or later, even if he had to destroy everything to kill them.
(Aboard the Grand Express)
Halius finally found relief enough to remove his helm, the Ultramarine more put off than exhausted… However, he planned to sleep when possible.
"Is there ever a time we don't have to deal with being hounded?" Halius heard from Igaros.
"No, because that would imply your jokes do not give us away." Halius quipped as Igaros chuckled.
"I heard you and the Sniper Spartan made a good team, she saved you from being murdered on the bridge," Igaros stated.
"She did. I decided to return the favor." Halius responded as they looked over at him.
Halius watched as Linda and Fred removed their helms, comfortable in the company of each other to talk. Linda's fiery red hair reminded him of a flamer's burn and crackling flames.
Halius slowly walked over as the two Spartans finished speaking. He took a moment to clear his throat while looking at the Spartan-II.
"Are you and your team injured?" Halius asked.
"No," Linda responded as Halius nodded.
"Thank you… For your actions on the bridge. I did not expect to be flanked during my duel with that Covenant warrior." Halius stated. "And as I said before? I am happy to work with you, Spartans have twice now reminded me of what a single soldier can do and have twice earned my respect." Halius stated.
"We do our jobs and we do them well," Linda stated.
"As can be expected of any," Halius said with a nod. "That warrior I fought. Have you or your comrades fought any? He moved like one of us and fought with skill and speed equal to most augmented warriors." Halius stated.
"No… But we have seen special ops teams before, they are rare." Linda said as Halius frowned.
"Then we have a larger issue to deal with."
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! A few things.
Yes, I know Ultramarines are probably God-tier super soldiers. They are still human like most super soldiers, Halius is not able to rip cruisers in half.
I plan NOT to have the Spartans and Ultramarines take off their helmets regularly.
Because it is stupid during a fight.
Because I want to show the Spartans and Ultramarines are more stoic and less emotional than humans.
I plan for the war to be a few years. Not 20… A few.
The banished might show up early…. But I doubt a long-term alliance would occur.
The next chapter will end up showing Blue Team and Halius bonding a bit and part of the battle of Jericho VII and how it differs here. Until the 900–6500-word chapter in 2-10 months, Lighting Wolf out!