Shocking Spartan
Chapter 1: Reinforcements

Disclaimer: I do not own Halo or any of the characters involved except Guardian L. Lightning

Master Chief fired a burst from his rifle, downing the last grunt in the squad that was guarding the bomb. He set the weapon on his back as he moved toward the device and placed his hand on the control pad. Blue rings flickered up his arm before turning yellow, the blue light that had been blinking from the device became a solid red.

"How much time was left?" Chief asked.

"You don't want to know," Cortana answered from inside his helmet.

"Master Chief? Have you disabled the bomb?" Lord Hood's voice echoed through the station's speakers.

"Yes sir. Permission to leave the station, sir?" Chief asked.

"To do what, Master Chief?"

"To give the Covenant back their bomb."

Lord Hood paused, considering the request for a few seconds, "Permission granted."

Chief nodded before grabbing the bomb and sliding it to a nearby loading elevator, the metallic protrusions grating on the metal floor as he went. When he finally reached the elevator he set it to take him down to a loading bay. He pulled the bomb inside and the elevator closed, then began to descend.

"You know this crazy right? Even for you?" Cortana asked.

"You can stay behind if you want."

"Oh no. Unfortunately for us both; I like crazy."

The doors slid open and Chief grasped the bomb once more, dragging it clear of the elevator he left it sitting in the middle of the bay. He walked to a nearby console and input a few commands; red alarm lights began flashing as an alarm blared. Chief moved from the console to a nearby pillar. He leaned up against it and waited. After a few seconds, the doors of the bay began to open, air hissing out of the mechanisms and the bay itself as the vacuum of space was exposed. The sudden depressurization of the bay caused the bomb to start moving toward the opening doors, and as they opened wider the bomb moved faster. As it flew past Chief he reached out and grabbed on, letting the device drag him out of the bay and the station. The momentum from being launched out of the station carried Chief and the bomb for a few minutes, and as a Covenant cruiser drifted past, he oriented himself and the bomb toward the ship.

"Bombers, clear a way for the Master Chief to deliver a payload," Lord Hood ordered.

A pair of longsword bombers swept past Chief, performing a strafing run over the cruiser and clearing a path for Chief. He drifted down into the ship's now open engine room. He reached down to the controls for the bomb and touched his hand to them again. The rings from before appeared, reversing color as the bomb's red light began to pulse blue once again. Chief brought his legs up and under his chest before kicking off the bomb, sending it drifting into the core of the cruiser.

A few seconds later, it detonated.

The ship erupted in blue flames as the bomb caused a meltdown of the ship's core. The blast propelled Chief away from the ship, and right into the waiting hull of the In Amber Clad. A dull thump echoed to those inside the bridge of the ship, causing Captain Miranda Keyes and Sargeant Major Avery Johnson to both look up.

Johnson took his cigar out of his mouth as he spoke, "For a brick, he flew pretty good."

"Chief, are you alright?" Captain Keyes asked.

A green light blipped on her display.

"Good, get inside. The Covenant punched through the blockade an hour ago and have been taking the fight to the surface."

Chief reached up from his spot on the hull and punched his fist through the plating to give himself a grip. Proceeding along the ship's hull he eventually found a maintenance hatch and let himself inside. As he entered the ship, the hatch closed behind him. He turned his gaze away from the hatch and spotted a figure waiting for him.

"Chief," a young voice said from inside a helmet.

"That's… unexpected," Cortana said from inside Chief's helmet.

Standing before them was a Spartan clad in yellow Mark IV armor. He stood at attention and fired off a salute.

"Chief Petty Officer Guardian L. Lightning, sir!"

"At ease. What are you doing here?" Chief asked.

"I've been tasked with assisting in repelling the invasion of Earth from Covenant forces… and another task, sir."

"What other task?" Cortana asked.

"My people, the Guardians, have been sent out to recruit specialized individuals for a battle between our people and our own enemy force. I was hoping to borrow you for a while, sir."

"We're kind of in the middle of our own war at the moment Petty Officer," Cortana answered.

"I understand that ma'am, which is why they sent me to help you finish it."

"I don't know what kind of 'people' are in charge for you to be sent to help us. One soldier rarely makes a difference, and from the look of you I doubt you're the kind who will."

"Looks can be deceiving ma'am," Lightning answered.

Cortana went to rebut him, but Captain Keyes' voice came on over the ship's speakers.

"We're getting ready for touch down in twenty, prep your gear and find a pelican," she ordered.

"We'll talk more about this later," Cortana said.

Lightning nodded as Chief walked past him. The larger Spartan gave him a rap on his shoulder as he passed. Lightning was stunned for a few seconds by the action before Cortana's voice called back to him.

"Sometime today Petty Officer!"

Lightning jerked out of his daydream and sprinted off toward the duo. He arrived just in time as their pelican was finishing its flight preparations. He took a seat across from Chief as Johnson and his men filed past them. Johnson gave Chief a look after seeing Lightning, but Chief shook his head. Johnson shrugged before moving toward the pilot's seat.

"Buckle up marines, we're goin' in."