Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Scoped and Scouted. Enjoy the 3500-word chapter. I do not own Halo and such, 343, and a few others do.
When the 5 Spartans had regrouped? The rest of the Banished soldiers had fallen shortly, all of them pushing them back to the landing pad.
Dovan shot down the last brute warrior before he turned to Nina, her rifle smoking.
"That's the last of the Banished outside…." Dovan stated as Nina nodded.
"There is more inside." Dovan heard, Nina's accent poking through her helm.
"Chief? We have 15 marines, permission to transport them back to Foxtrot." Nina stated to herself before she looked to the side.
She seemed to be thinking of it as of now… Something was bothering her but she watched as Echo 216 flew around, the squad of marines all pushed forward.
Nina seemed to be on edge either way as the group reformed, all prepared for the goal.
Nina knew of the soldier in the hologram. Chak Lok, a Sangheili war criminal who had been pushed into serving the Banished.
Vettel knew as well, looking at her as he brought up his VK-78 Commando rifle.
"They captured Spartan Griffin," Vettel stated as Dovan nodded.
"Last I heard? He was hunting Escharum." Dovan stated as Vettel exhaled, his breathing heavy. "You know it is a trap, Chak wants us in. He is planning for us to do that." Dovan stated, resting his rifle in his hands.
Echo 216 flew off, hull full of marines. Tomas had talked them into waiting before they could push Banished forces back… It was then and only then that they would stand a chance.
"Let us go," Chief said as he leaped down, gripping his rifle as the 4 IVs looked at him.
Before they could say anything? The gravity lift activated and Tomas looked at them.
"We can debate when Griffin is rescued… Dovan, Vettel? With me, Nina? We still got that razorback?" Tomas asked.
"Correct," Nina said as they approached.
Dovan gripped his rifle harder as they entered the gravity lift, feeling himself tugged upwards and into the base. They felt the hatch seal behind them as Dovan hummed, thinking of it all when it was done and dusted.
They finally entered the base, the hatch slamming shut with a hiss as they landed in a crouch.
They were greeted by armor… Spartan armor which had torn off, neatly collected.
All of them were aware it belonged to Spartan Griffon, Chief inspecting it.
"Griffin…" Tomas stated as Dovan tensed in anger.
"B******s." Vettel hissed, punching the metal next to them.
"No, not Griffin," Dovan said as he walked up to Chief. "That buddy of yours known when it was taken off?" Dovan asked as the AI nodded.
"31 days." He heard as he cursed to himself before he looked to the side.
"We are getting him out," Tomas said.
"Yeah… In pieces." Dovan muttered before heading in.
"I'll keep an eye on him… Split up, we take them down level by level." Nina said as she brought up her DMR and followed him in. "Dovan, with me… Tomas? I will leave you and Vettel with the Master Chief… See you up." Nina stated as she followed.
Nina rushed ahead as the sound of gunfire claimed her ears, she turned the corner to see Dovan execute a Banished mule, seizing a Stalker Rifle from their bag. He was then greeted by an Elite enforcer and ducked their swing.
She rushed ahead, fishing her knife from her forearm as she twirled, sliced their throat, and let them slam into the wall, dead.
"With me," Nina said as Dovan followed, his footsteps far more upset than before.
'He is emotional… Thinking about Griffin… About each Spartan and marine, the Banished have killed.' Nina thought as they marched up the ramp.
Nina knew very well despite her stoic service to the UNSC. She still missed the soldiers who had died, each one another death the Banished would answer for. But? She also knew damn well she could not afford to let emotion claim her.
If they survived this assignment to save Griffin? She would calm Dovan as she assumed Tomas would with Vettel.
There was a surge of energy in front of them as Dovan was slammed into the wall by a purple elite, his squad of conscript grunts descending on Nina as she rolled.
Dovan pushed off the metal and slammed into the elite, draining both their shields as he went to reclaim his rifle only for the Sangheili to send it skittering away.
He managed a glance at Nina who gripped the lead conscript by the mask, twisting their pistol to execute their friend before crushing the nuzzle.
Nina shot the last grunt before Dovan dodged a punch from the elite, gripped their sword, and drove it up and through their chest, slamming the corpse down. He grabbed his rifle as the sound of gunfire elsewhere in the tower told him the others had already climbed.
"Dovan," Nina said before the Spartan turned. "DOVAN," Nina repeated, gripping his arm.
"I'm tired of losing friends to the Banished," Dovan stated with a growl as he turned and marched up the next ramp.
"So am I…." Nina muttered, knowing this would just get both killed if they were not cautious. "Tomas? What is your situation? We have eliminated two Banished patrols… High-ranking elites, are you still reading Griffin's IFF?" Nina stated, bringing up her DMR.
"Killed a pack of brutes and jackals… And yeah, it is weak, weak… How's Dovan? I know he has not taken what happened well." Tomas stated to which Nina sighed.
"Killing everything that is not UNSC up the tower. He's not happy Griffin is locked up here." Nina stated to which Vettel hummed.
"Neither am I…. He would not have lost us the Morte." Vettel stated, his voice gruff.
"That is enough, Vettel… We did what we could. Nobody is going to ask more." Tomas stated before Vettel huffed.
"Some of us do, Tom," Vettel said with more gunfire on the end.
There was silence, very much silence… He had been able to think of it all now…. All of it was too much.
He had been able to think of it all now and for good reason, something about this fight? All of it was odder and odd.
Nina hummed, looking over to the side…. And she was done. She was VERY done now. She had been exhausted. All of it was all said and done…. Something had been running through her mind.
Nina headshot a jackal at the top of the slope, motioning for Dovan to go through the other way.
"What do we know about Chak Lok? Besides the fact, he is a former Covenant soldier who happens to be a war criminal for the Banished." Dovan asked to which Tomas hummed.
"That he has terrible manners and didn't ask for permission to capture Griffin?" Tomas asked, trying to bleed out some tension.
"Do I need permission to put a bullet in his head?" Dovan asked, his tone less icy.
"Yes. Yes, you do." Nina stated to herself more than her friend.
"2 elites, low rank ahead…. Grunt pack as well." Dovan reported, several bursts of gunfire following as he sighed.
He thought too much of it all when he managed to relax. He had been able to think and he acted very well.
The first 2 grunts went down to a bullet each from his M6H magnum, he turned as another elite mercenary fired on him, carbine blasting out hot plasma.
The soldier turned, thinking of it all. He thought of every single little move, he thought of the pain as his shields dropped by a quarter, the shots rocking him.
Dovan turned around them, kicking them into a spare plasma coil and finishing them off with a shot to the coil.
Plasma drained his shields down to 10% as the Spartan backpedaled, the other elite chasing. He hooked a pillar next to him, swung around, and kicked the elite, shattering the rifle in his hands.
The elite growled and went to swing at him as Dovan ducked, and slammed a fist into the chest of the elite, breaking their shields.
He gripped the elite by the arms, fired his jetpack, and slammed the armored soldier onto his knee with a sickening thud.
"Area secured… Chief? 2 levels cleared, what about your status, sir?" Dovan asked, pausing to pick up the carbine.
Every weapon was good to him. Dovan paused to think for a moment, looking at the shattered soldiers around him.
This was so odd…. But he was able to think of his next move…. The idea of it ALL seemed tiresome. He turned the corner and was met by Nina.
"Spartans, form up, my location," Chief ordered as they climbed the final ramp.
There were a dozen corpses, Chief, Tomas, and Vettel surrounded by a half dozen brutes and jackals and several grunts.
"Nice housecleaning." Dovan joked before they investigated the room.
Open, metallic shields and weapons all around it, and it was clear they had a LOT more to deal with for now.
Nina hummed to herself. She spotted Griffin… Being shocked with screams of torture, both Tomas and Dovan proceeded towards the door.
"Do not…. This is a trap. We enter slowly." Nina stated to Chief nodded.
"Cover corners." Nina heard as the 5 headed inside.
Vettel, Tomas, Nina, and Dovan all raised their weapons, glancing at a different corner of the room. They saw nothing but a spot on their radars made them uneasy. They heard Master Chief give an order to the AI… And then they were greeted by the doors opening.
Brutes and Elites all emerged, over a dozen who growled in anger as a thud from above greeted them.
"Spartans, Master Chief, welcome to my tower. It is where you shall be broken… And where you will surrender your secrets." They heard from a fancy-looking Sangheili who swung around the tower.
"It's where I'm going to murder you, hinge head," Vettel stated, bringing up his Commando Rifle.
"And where you die in pain…" Dovan stated before the elites and Brutes rushed at them.
Chief engaged Chak Lok as the warlord's reinforcements engaged them, all snarling and hissing.
Dovan dodged an elite mercenary charging him, kicking it to the side and executing it with a burst to the head as a second slammed into him.
Vettel staggered back from a Brute who tried to shoot him only for Vettel to ram a plasma grenade into his chest. He kicked them away as the grenade exploded, sending burnt fur around the room.
Tomas was sent flying by a Brute berserker who rushed at him… Only for Tomas to dodge him, stabbing them in the skull with his knife.
Nina rolled under an Elite Enforcer, slamming into them, and then wrapping her legs around their neck and tossing them to the ground. They growled as she dodged their carbine and then brought the elite's rifle to their throat and pulled the trigger.
While they fought the Banished reinforcements? Chief dueled Chak, dodging his slash before elbowing the Elite Warlord back, Chak growled and cloaked, directing a pair of Brute Chosen Warriors at Chief.
"He's pathetic for someone who talks so big," Dovan stated, firing his pulse carbine at the remaining mercenary.
"Now, now…. He is a former war criminal from the Covenant." Vettel said as he retreated from a charging brute berserker, his shields at 20 before he gunned down the Jiralhanae.
"Focus, Spartans… The fight is not over yet." Nina stated as she turned to assist both.
She did not at all guess they were taking it as seriously, they did not grasp the fight the same way… None of them did. Yet? She had been able to think of it to the end of it all.
Nina hummed, tired… Very tired, and for a good reason at the time being. She felt her muscles tense as the remaining Banished soldiers seemed to swarm them.
Nina watched the others continue to dance around for now and she thought of it.
Nina hummed to herself as Dovan brought his rifle towards the soldier, trying to get a clear shot on the soldier, something of it all seemed to relax for now.
Chak growled as a burst of BR fire hit him in the chest, something which rocked him back and forwards. The Warlord was chased by Chief, being battered by grenades and bursts of AR fire which had shattered his shields.
Chak was all too interested in killing the Spartans as the rest of the forces had begun to shatter them.
Nina watched as the remaining Brutes and Elites were tossed to the ground, executed as the Spartans outmatched them.
Finally? Chief caught Chak Lok in the side, causing him to slam into the ground, gurgling on his blood, and crashing to the ground.
It had taken all of five minutes to have them kill the rest of the soldiers, all of them brought up their weapons to try and get Griffin out.
"Chief, I've popped the device…" The AI stated as the field shut down.
Master Chief caught the Spartan-IV, and all the others gathered around the wounded Spartan, he looked at them and recognized them.
"Vettel? Nina? Tomas? You are alive?" The man gasped as they looked at the Spartan.
He had been tortured, he was wounded terribly and most of the bruises on his face were so black that it seemed as if they had written on his body with paint.
"Mouse, get me vitals…" Nina said as she bent down. "Damn it… Griffin, stay with us." Nina said as Griffin chuckled.
"You always were the calm one… Chief? The Banished… They are after something big." Griffin wheezed out as Chief cradled him.
"We will stop them," Chief responded, watching Dovan and Vettel ball up their fists, knowing they had failed him.
"The Banished are after something up north, something called the Conservatory, big dig site… You can stop them, you must." Griffin rasped out as the others frowned.
"We're doing it, sir," Nina said, her voice trying to remain stoic.
"Good… Vettel? You take care of Chief… You oversee the UNSC here… You and…" Griffin said before the sound of silence fell over the room.
The others hung their heads… And then the AI watched as Dovan approached the cage that had housed Griffin. Before she could say something, he slammed his fists into it, denting the metal… Then he dug his fingers into the metal.
There was a horrid noise, a screech as Dovan tore the cage apart with his bare hands, tossing the remnants at the wall, the Spartan marching out of the room in a clear rage.
"Dovan!" Tomas yelled before he rose to his feet.
"I have him… Pack up his body, we're burying it somewhere secure, see if there are any other prisoners here, there's a control room." Nina said as Chief nodded.
Vettel bent down to gather the Spartan with Tomas as Chief started to speak to the pilot.
Nina followed Dovan as the Spartan exited through a hatch in the upper floor of the tower, he clambered like a monkey, hauling himself upwards faster and faster.
The Spartan IV reared back his fist at the top and tore through the alien metal, shattering it violently. She could tell Dovan was tired, he was angry, and each piece of his armor beat like a drum on her bios.
Dovan growled to himself as he climbed to the roof, standing on the roof. The Spartan almost looked around for a fuel line or some part of the fortress that would cause it to detonate it all.
She sighed as she looked over at him before he looked to the side, the Spartan-IV dropped to his knees, his fists balled up as if he wanted to strike something… And decided that the metal under him was it.
"Dovan," Nina said as he struck the metal, denting it as he struck it again, wires and alien power sources coming out. "Dovan!" Nina stated to which he turned.
"I know what is going on… I know we know Griffin." Nina stated to which Dovan hummed.
"It isn't about Griffin," Dovan stated, gesturing around him. "We've been screwed here, day, after day, after DAY!" Dovan stated before he hissed to himself.
"And being upset isn't going to help." Nina hissed before Dovan looked around him.
"And what is!? 6 damn months, Nina!" Dovan stated as he looked around at the rest of the ring. "How much? 10? 100? 1000? We lost Infinity, we lost soldiers… We lost Spartans." Dovan hissed as he staggered back.
He felt like he had been struck. He had not but he felt like it, he felt like had been tossed to the ground, shattered into a thousand pieces.
If Nina could see beyond his armor? She would realize the spartan was almost ready to scream, almost broken entirely now.
Dovan looked ready to curse and break but he had not, simply looking out over the ring.
"6 damn months… Griffin said Vettel could handle things and you knew how that went." Nina stated before she sighed to herself before she looked to the side, something about it all came crashing down.
She knew damn well she could not exactly blame him for how he felt, she knew more than he that something about this all was horrible… The war was one thing but this was more than a war, more than a chaos that needed to be done and dusted at the end of it all.
Nina fell to the side and then thought of it all before she managed to relax for now.
Something which had been too interesting for now at the time at the end of the moment.
Nina looked over the rest of the room, something which had been thrown off for now. She sighed and then almost brought her helm off her head before she looked at him, watching what was growing on his mind now and for a good reason at the end of the day.
It was odd, not unexpected but it was odd, and being odd was something that he could be too interested in it had come to such a thing. Thare was more and more fascinated by things that had come as a result.
Both soldiers looked off into the distance… And then slowly? All of it had been too interesting it all being, she had been too interested in it before she looked to the side.
Nina hummed to herself, watching off into the distance, Echo 216 slowly came to a stop under the tower.
"Dovan… We are still fighting, and the longer we fight? The more we avenge those we lost." Nina stated to which Dovan frowned.
"I am just… Tired of watching soldiers die here, Nina… And if we lose another Spartan? I think I might snap." Dovan stated before Nina grasped his shoulder.
"We both know that might happen," Nina said as both looked down from the tower.
"Yeah… Well, I am sick of us losing the war." Dovan sighed to himself before he started to climb through the tower, too exhausted as of now.
Dovan hummed to think of it as Nina seemed to be relaxed, she sighed… But it was clear that something was going on, something harrowing.
(5 minutes later)
Most of the UNSC forces pulled back to FOB Golf. A few stayed behind to evacuate the tower… Which had several dozen UNSC POWS, bringing up the force to 50 or so Marines.
"Ok… So, the dig site… We know it is heavily guarded and the Banished are busy there." Tomas said as the console displayed holograms of it.
"And? We are not going to break through it sticking around." Dovan stated as Vettel nodded.
"Agreed… And pushing in heavily will result in massive casualties." Vettel stated before he sighed to himself.
"We need to deploy," Chief stated as they looked at him.
"Agreed sir… But we should do it strategically." Tomas stated as Nina finally spoke up.
"We should hit them tonight," Nina stated as the others looked at her. "Attacking now leaves us vulnerable, weak, undermanned… Attacking tonight will give us the element of surprise." Nina stated to which Dovan seemed to sigh to himself before he looked to the side.
The others looked at Chief as the group looked over at him, something about the quartet made him be reminded of Blue Team in its way.
Something about it all came crashing down to the ground as he thought of it all, all of it had been something of a long day in his mind.
Still? The Spartan-II knew better. The Banished would not leave a vital site defended, even 1000 soldiers would have trouble breaking it and they had less than 100.
"We wait… And hit tonight,"
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will be 900-6500 words, it will set up the dig site and a fight with a very familiar brute. Until then? Lighting Wolf out!