Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Scoped and Scouted. Enjoy the 5000-word chapter. I do not own Halo and such, 343, and a few others do.

Dovan hummed and watched the last brute collapse, reloading his pistol as they looked downwards.

Below was… Something from a dream. It felt like a damn dream, so damn hard on his mind.

Below them was the greatest Spartan in the history of the UNSC, a war hero to all who lived under the UNSC's banner, and a soldier who turned their genocide into a win.

"Master Chief…." Dovan stated as the Spartan turned to face both IVs.

He made a motion to join them below which Dovan looked at Nina, the Spartan sniper nodding as Dovan took a step back… Then leapt.

Dovan landed in a crouch, sweeping the area, and then rushing to Chief as Nina opened a comm channel.

"I thought the Banished killed you, sir," Nina said as they heard engines.

Dovan brought up his BR, aiming through the scope only to be greeted by an odd sight.

A pelican, one of the D77 model, turned, engines flaring… Despite this? Dovan kept his rifle aimed.

Chief quickly understood both Spartans were young, and skilled in different areas. The azure-clad one was dodgier, clearly expecting a fight. The sniper was more reserved… Which reminded him of Linda.

It took a moment for Nina to drop down, Dovan stepping back to stand beside her as both shared a look.

She would not have allowed anything now. Both Spartans held up their weapons as the pelican slowly started to settle down.

"Are there any other Spartans?" Chief asked as Nina shook her head.

"Scattered, sir," Nina stated before she looked at Dovan. "He came to me; we came to you. Outpost Tremonius belonged to the Banished for months, something that big enough to draw an army was worth a look." Nina stated to which Dovan shrugged.

"Did not think it would be the damn chief… You have been cooking up some super plan while we fought?" Dovan asked, his tone as serious as an IV could manage.

Chief simply shook his head as both Spartans watched a man depart the pelican, collapsing to his knees now, overcome with emotion. It was clear he was the pilot of the craft; his headwear was that of a pilot.

The man finally looked up, noticing the trio as both Spartans took flanking positions alongside Master Chief, like the guards of an emperor.

It was clear something had gone on that had been harder and harder to explain now. She looked at him as if her looks could kill and the Spartan shrugged, more interested in WHAT they would be doing than anything. WHAT they were doing was the part where it would break into pieces.

She of all people wished it to be easily broken apart now… All of it had to end and it would, it would end violently now.

All they were going to do was crash and burn then roll with the punches.

"More Spartans?" The pilot asked to which the two looked at each other…. He seemed to be done with it now and for now.

"Chief." Both said, sharing a look before Chief opened his palm.

Then they were greeted by a holographic version of Cortana and suddenly both had their weapons prepared.

"Hello…. Hmm, I did not think any Spartans survived…. Oh, I know you… Nina Kovan of Fireteam Shadow and Spartan Dovan Thomas of Fireteam Broadsword." The AI stated as both looked around.

Both thought of it differently… Both wished to relax and both DID so.

"Spartans… Situation?" Chief asked as both shared looks.

"Very rocky for the good guys, sir… Most of us scattered when we touched down… Banished have spent months tearing into us… I only found Spartan Kovan because of comm chatter… I have barely seen a friendly face in a month." Dovan stated as he frowned.

He knew more and more that it was going to be hard to admit they were almost entirely crushed. The Infinity had cut and run and the small army of UNSC soldiers from her escort fleet was beaten down… Ragged.

It was equal to throwing sand into a fan. He turned to Nina who nodded, the sniper as quiet as a ghost.

"Are you busy?" Chief asked as both shook their heads. "Fall in then," Chief said as both straightened up.

"Yes sir." Both added with nods, standing ready for the elder Spartan.

"We are doing this… Aren't we?" The pilot asked as both looked at him.

He sighed, seeing 3 supersoldiers capable of tearing through armies staring at him, arguing with them was futile so he simply sighed and walked into his craft, cursing in his mother tongue.

"Spartan Nina Kovan, expert markswoman, age 26… Dovan Thomas, skilled front-line commando, age 28… Sorry, busy looking at UNSC information… You two have been busy." The small AI stated.

Neither Spartan questioned Chief, they simply lifted their guns and walked past him and into the pelican. Chief looked at the weapon, closed his palm, and then joined them.

"Mission details, sir?" Nina asked as Dovan settled into a chair, checking his BR.

"Find the source of the Banished signal… And eliminate." Chief stated before he hummed.

"Either of you have another weapon? I am down to my last clip." Dovan asked.

Chief offered another clip from a captured UNSC crate which he thankfully took.

"Thank you, sir," Dovan said before he placed it magnetically on his belt.

"We have been running low on ammo for a while, sir. I have had to steal from every single outpost I can find." Nina said as Dovan nodded.

"Rescue anyone? Most of those bases have POWS… If the brutes do not eat them." Dovan added.

She said nothing at this. Why? Because she knew why he asked that question which WASN'T for the sake of being nice.

Nina allowed herself a seat for a moment, knowing that it had been a while since they had properly talked… Well, it had been a few hours since they had MET and formed this little team.

"Dovan, you said you saw Fireteam Majestic a few hours ago?" Nina asked to which Dovan hummed.

"No. I said a few weeks… They vanished into the forest… Most of us have been moving around since the fleet crashed… Why? If you are asking if I have seen Shadow, I have not." Dovan added.

There was little mirth in his voice. All of them besides the Chief and the pilot were present for the battle of the Mortal Reverie. All the UNSC personnel in the ring were still reeling from that battle and the defeat.

They knew damn well how strong the Banished were and without a doubt? They could not hold the enemy off.

"Just figured I would ask… We are going to need as much help as possible… The Banished have not killed every single UNSC soldier on Zeta." Nina stated to which Dovan hummed.

"I know where some are kept… But I do not know how many of us are still around… I have been running around for weeks." Dovan stated before the pelican halted.

There was a sudden jolt that threw him from his seat only for Nina to stop him with an open palm. She slid her sniper across her spine and then looked at Chief who had been having a very recent talk with the small AI that looked like Cortana.

Chief leapt, then Nina… Then Dovan who landed in a crouch, brought up his rifle as did Nina who drew her rifle in one motion.

"We need to get going." Chief heard before he hummed and then looked to the side.

All three of them sat down… But Nina took a moment to look down the hill.

"Chief," Nina stated before the Spartan-II paused and turned. "Massive Banished outpost at the bottom of the hill," Nina reported as Dovan hummed.

"That would be the outpost I mentioned having UNSC marines… I do not know how many are down there." Dovan added.

There was a moment of silence as Chief took cover behind a downed tree. Both Dovan and Nina looked at the base, pausing to duck behind said fallen tree as a Lich passed overhead, the massive dropship escorted by several Banshees.

Nina focused her scope on the ship and then hit thermal… Most showed up as Banished signatures, not surprising… What was surprising was the few UNSC signatures aboard it.

"POWs aboard that Lich," Nina stated as the two looked at her.

"Surprised they still capture us…" He muttered to himself before he turned to Chief. "Sir?" Dovan asked in the same interested tone of voice a more novice soldier would.

To be fair? One would be considered a novice compared to Master Chief, even the best Spartans within the UNSC would be considered children to him, and in most cases? They WERE children with all due respect.

"First, we should capture that FOB down there… Then move on." The AI stated.

Nina looked to Chief who nodded before Dovan hummed to himself before he relaxed.

Nina looked through the scope of her rifle. Down at the base was a pair of brutes led by a captain… A pair of blue armored elites and then a pack of grunts.

"We kill them, we alert that base," Dovan stated before Nina nodded.

"We keep moving," Chief said as Dovan nodded.

"You want me to fire now, sir?" Nina asked as Chief nodded, sliding down the hill with Dovan following.

There was a thunderous crack as a 14.5 whistled through the air, the Brute Captain gurgled and then slumped over, the shot cracking right through the visor on his helm.

The remaining Banished soldiers instantly retreated, firing as they went. Nina simply prepared the next bullet.

"I will kill any who step out of cover… Dovan, handle the grunts? I do not want to waste ammo." Nina added before she went quiet.

Dovan and Chief burst from cover, Chief dispatching a pair of the 4 Grunts with 2 shots, both spinning into the ground and their skulls pierced.

Dovan circled the tree, two bursts from his BR ending the last of the grunts. He circled only for his radar to detect movement and then his shields drained by a quarter.

The Spartans cursed as the two elites fired on them, their rifles spitting out hot plasma. He counted them and the pair of Brutes left before looking at Chief who had already reacted.

He fired a grapple shot at the closest elite, pulling himself closer as he tossed a plasma at them. The soldiers screamed before they were sent crashing to the ground, burning to death.

Dovan turned to engage the others only for the brute to slam into him, tossing them to the fire and draining his shields to the breaking point, they roared and pointed their mauler at his skull only for a second bullet to punch through their skull.

The brute blinked before slamming into the ground. Dovan thanked Nina with a nod before watching Chief dodge the last elite and stab his knife into the base of its skull.

In a minute and a half, they had retaken the FOB… And then Nina leaped from the cliff, slamming into the stone, and cracking it as she slowly started over to Dovan who looked at her while he climbed to his feet.

Nina hummed as the Spartan-IV nodded at her and then thought of it as she watched Chief plug the AI into the panel next to them.

"Thanks for the backup," Dovan said.

"Anytime… They are crazier than Covenant." Nina said as Chief turned to them.

A few moments later, the base's lights turned back to USNC green as it rebooted… And then both looked over at the massive compound. The Banished had more than a massive hold on the ring.

Chief looked over at the base, several dozen soldiers… And several cages with squads of UNSC soldiers.

"Chief," Dovan said before he sighed to himself, tapping his rifle against his shoulder.

"We save them… Then we move on to the target." Chief stated as Dovan looked at Nina.

"I can take out the sentries… You take care of the hostages while Dovan runs interference, sir?" Nina suggested.

Chief nodded before Dovan hummed, looking at Nina as she took a sniping position.

"How many bullets you got?" Dovan asked as Nina held up a hand. "We're looking for more when…" Dovan started to say before he walked over, grabbed a DMR, and slid it over.

"I will join you when I am out of ammo… Until then? I work best here." Nina said as the two Spartans went to walk.

Chief turned to her as Nina glanced at him, her gaze on the base as well.

"I won't let you down, sir," Nina said before she readied herself.

Both Dovan and Chief slid down the hill toward the base, moving in different directions as they went. Both were clever enough to understand how well it would be if they split up, hitting the base in different directions.

"She reminds you of someone?" The weapon asked to which Chief nodded.

"Yes," Chief stated.

"Spartan Linda?" The weapon asked, her tone inquisitive.

Chief fell silent, not just because of the question. he looked back at Nina, the glint of her rifle the only reason he saw her.

Nina had studied Linda. The movements were clear and the tone was that of a soldier who had done a dozen operations with the precision and skill of a Spartan.

If she was any more professional? He would have thought she was an II.

There was the trademark crack of her rifle as the nearest brute crashed to the ground, helm spilling blood before 3 more cracks, all headshots.

He understood very quickly Nina was not trying to conserve ammo, simply trying to make sure each bullet, itself a precious resource… Was not wasted.

Nina waited until her rifle clicked empty and she double-checked the weapon before she discarded it, grabbing the DMR, ensuring she had ammo, and then tossed herself down the slope.

Chief snuck into the base with a few bursts of Dovan's BR as the Spartan rushed forward, making every single Banished soldier focus on her.

The M395 in her hands clacked as she slammed a clip into it and she brought up her weapon and then thought of it when it came down.

Chief watched as Nina entered the front gate, opening fire as both he and she began to engage the Banished soldiers.

He rushed and then slammed into the cage of the Banished prisoners, watching it shatter as his fist shattered the cage.

Chief watched as the trio of marines seemed to be ready to get back into the fight. He looked at the rest of the base, several dead jackals, and grunts as both were busy moving towards the cover.

Chief brought up his rifle and opened fire toward the rest of the base, several rounds spilling out of his assault rifle.

She of all things was tired, she did not at all know what was growing on her mind before she seemed to think of it.

"Chief, get them out, we're handling them!" Dovan stated before he gunned down a brute warrior. "Bring it, you damn apes! Not so fun when we shoot back, is it!?" Dovan hissed out.

He did not sound angry, disgusted… Yes. It was clear to Chief he was trying to deflect the Banished away from the Spartan-II.

Instead, Chief brought up his MA40 and cut down another brute warrior with a barrage to their chest.

Dovan felt Nina put her back to his as the two IVs fought a collection of Banished jackals and grunts. Nina's steady aim popped a half dozen grunts, their skulls rolling back from the steady barrage as he cut down three jackal freebooters.

"Are we taking out the entire base or just fighting off a few?" Dovan asked in a tone that made Nina shrug.

The half dozen grunts and jackals were greeted by more gunfire which caused them to collapse, revealing the trio of marines with maulers.

The squad ducked behind cover as a half dozen elite mercenaries and brute warriors all opened fire, shots pinging off a pile of scrap metal.

"How's your ammo?" Dovan asked to which Nina held up one hand. "Two clips… I do not think there is a lot of ammo here." Dovan stated to which Nina hummed.

The brutes began to close in as Chief fired his grapple shot onto the platform with the elites, pulling himself up as he began to engage them.

The lead brute roared only to catch an M9 which exploded at his feet, throwing him into the wall where he came to a rest, Dovan and Nina popped up and emptied their clips into the brutes, both gurgled as they collapsed.

Nina discarded her DMR and drew her magnum as a pair of phantoms swooped into the base, both unleashing a torrent of plasma.

"Go free the others, we're holding them off… Marines, find something and shoot them, they are scrapping vehicles here!" Dovan ordered as he led the trio of marines into battle against the banished reinforcements.

Nina went to argue against this plan but quickly realized she held very little in the form of weaponry, Dovan at the least was already searching for a new weapon and found it in the form of a plasma repeater.

Nina grabbed a stalker rifle before she gunned down a pair of grunt conscripts trying to flank her as she rushed towards the cages of marines.

Then again? She did not know what Dovan was like besides the fact that he was trying to fight through the rest of the Banished.

Nina watched as two of the elites crashed off the roof, landing in a pile of scrap. She had been too interested in what was growing in her mind before she seemed to think of what was happening in her mind once more.

Nina seemed to be thinking of what was growing more and more. She reached the cage and then noticed something which made her raise an eyebrow.

There were a dozen marines all stripped of their gear and weapons… And then there were two Spartan IVs in the back of the cage, one in brilliant crimson armor, another in an Anubis helm with tan color, Mark VII MJOLNIR.

The crimson one, clad in Mark VII, a Cavallino helm, raised his helm at her.

"Nina?" The tan Spartan asked as Nina hummed to herself, blinking for a moment.

"Tomas? Small world… Your MJOLNIR still working?" Nina asked to which both Spartans nodded. "Good, help me with this," Nina stated as she started to tear the welded bars from the cage.

Nina watched as both began to push from the metal, the Banished not having time to electrify the metal yet.

There were several pings off her armor as a charging Brute rushed at her only for their shields to explode in a bomb of plasma before Dovan tackled them, stabbing them in the mouth.

"How is it going? Are they almost free? We are outnumbered and I am out of bullets." Dovan stated before rolling and firing back at the Banished.

He and his trio of marines had begun to form a line, and the dozen or so Banished troops had begun to falter.

The second the door opened and the Spartans exited? The remaining Banished soldiers realized the battle had turned. They fled through the gate as the UNSC force regrouped, Dovan grunted as his shields climbed from 10% and then topped off as did Nina's.

Chief leaped down as the shields from before failed… Revealing an M820 Scorpion tank.

"Holy crap…" One of the marines stated to which Dovan hummed.

"Pretty fancy," Dovan said before Chief called the Spartans over. "Marines? Lock down the base, we could use some of this gear." Dovan said as the dozen or so marines.

Dovan seemed to think of it differently, knowing what was growing more and more on his mind. He looked at Chief before going to find a weapon in the hills of scrap the Banished were melting down.

Dovan found another BR in the wreckage, grabbing it and checking it before he put the loaded rifle on safety and then put it across his back.

"Chief… Thank god." The crimson Spartan stated.

"Vettel? What are you doing here?" Dovan asked as Vettel hummed.

He looked over to his friend as the four IVs regrouped.

"More Spartans…" The AI stated as the two nodded. "What now, Chief? They are going to try and retake the base." The weapon stated.

"Isn't that bad, we got a scorpion out of it and two Spartans?" Dovan stated as he looked at Nina. "Thanks for the help… Those Brutes are stupid crazy." Dovan stated to which he hummed before he looked to the side.

Dovan hummed and then looked to the side before he cracked his fingers. Dovan seemed to relax once more now, granted. They had a LOT more to try and figure it out more and more at the time being as he clicked his fingers.

"We still need to reach the signal," Chief said before the Spartans stared off.

It was then that Dovan guessed the signal had to be north which left one guess in his mind, the giant structure the size of a small building.

"Inside Chak Lok's tower?" They heard as he hummed. "There is a FOB right below it, we were trying to rescue someone from it… Did not go well." They heard as Dovan hummed.

"You don't say." Dovan snarked before Nina silenced him with a glance.

"Do the Banished know about it? We need to reclaim space… Push the Banished back and make a foothold." Nina said, grabbing a new rifle from the pile of scrap.

She found a fresh magazine and slid it into the rifle as she clicked the sniper and then put it across her back.

"Foxtrot… Yeah, they know… Should be a Banished patrol there." Vettel said as Nina cursed.

"Then we take it back," Chief stated.

"There will be marines held at that place…. No condition to fight." Tomas stated.

"Then we turn Foxtrot into a camp, take any marines we have, and secure Foxtrot while the rest go and assault the camp… The more soldiers we have? The more we can press them." Nina stated before Tomas shook his head.

"We need every single soldier for the push, you guys have a Pelican, right?" Tomas asked to which they nodded before he looked to the side.

He sighed to himself before he looked to himself and then thought of it all at the end of the day, something which had bothered them.

All of them were hopefully thoughtful but the group began to think of their strategy. They knew that it would grow harder and harder as time went on.

They were assaulting a fortified position, a giant base with possibly dozens of Banished soldiers… With only small arms, and one Scorpion.

"How about we end up getting the pelican to extract the rest of the survivors, take them to Golf, and hole up… While we leave the tank at Foxtrot… The more soldiers we have? The more we can press up and when we have enough? We can push back… For now? We need to punch through the defenses." Dovan stated as they started walking.

"And when we get done with the tower?" Tomas asked to which Dovan hummed.

"We need to focus on saving as many UNSC soldiers as possible. That means taking care of who we have. We attack the base from 3 directions, one takes out Foxtrot and scales the walls, the others scale the other side and the rest of us push through the front door. We make sure they have nowhere else." Dovan stated to which Tomas hummed.

"And what after we end up doing that? The Tower is a fortress, we tried to break in… Not easy." Tomas stated, shaking his head before he looked to the side.

Nina seemed to think of it when he had to relax before he looked to the side… She had been too tired now before he thought of it all.

She had been too tired… She had a LOT of things on her mind.

"We split up," Chief said as the four turned to him. "Dovan and Vettel will handle Foxtrot; Nina will scale the walls and provide cover…. Tomas? You take the marines and free the prisoners… After that? We regroup." Chief ordered as the four nodded.

"Give us a second to get some ammo," Dovan stated before he turned to Chief. "We should take the scorpion to Foxtrot anyway, they are going to want it and we don't have anything big besides it," Dovan suggested to the Spartan-II.

"Agreed, Ransom Keep is tactically secure but strategically? We cannot hold it… Not against the Banished, not that long." The weapon said as the rev of an engine confused them.

They turned to see an M15 Razorback roar up to them, one of the marine squads within it… Then came an M12B Warthog with a chain gun attached.

"Let us pick this up when we are done and dusted… I will take the razorback, and clean up Foxtrot," Dovan stated before he walked around and slid into the driver seat.

Chief turned and fired the grapple shot at the scorpion, intending to leave it at the FOB when it was secured. By attacking there? They pushed the Banish into abandoning part of their posts.

(5 minutes later)

Dovan hummed before he brought his BR up. Vettel brought up a Bulldog shotgun, having found it on the body of a dead brute.

"You want to take them head-on?" Vettel asked, raising his shotgun.

"I can see what Chief is doing, so yeah… We hit them here and then we hold off the reinforcements." Dovan said as he snapped his fingers.

The roar of the Vulcan chain gun cut through the air like a hot knife as both Spartans rushed ahead… By the time the Banished noticed them? The shielded Brute was already lying dead… Cut in half by the force of the bullets.

Dovan quickly shot a pair of Grunt conscripts as Vettel rolled and executed a jackal before turning and shooting another.

Dovan hummed to himself before he thought of himself for now. He had a lot more to do… But he caught himself as he took cover, the rest of the marines opening fire.

"Chief, head in…. They are distracted." Dovan said as he watched a phantom rotate towards them. "Ok, I am going to need a bigger gun…. Nina? Are you ready? We are buying you all the time we can." Dovan stated before he cursed.

He knew damn well the Banished were not stupid and the next wave of reinforcements would still be harder to hold off… Which was why he was hoping Chief would have the rest of the Banished beaten by the time he went in.

He watched the warthog roll out, passing by the phantom with its Vulcan blaring.

(With Nina)

Nina hummed and looked to the side, looking through the scope of her rifle as she sighed.

The Spartan-IV brought up her SR-S99 and looked at it, pausing for only a few seconds.

"Chief? I am reading at least 25 Banished foot soldiers… Most are Jackals and Grunts, maybe a half dozen brutes… One officer." Nina stated as she dialed in the scope.

"Can you eliminate their commander?" Tomas asked, his voice haggard.

"Affirmative… Might take me 3 shots, I only have 2 clips, Chief, it's your call." Nina stated.

She spotted a glint of orange at the gate. Chief, Tomas, and the trio of marines from before. Chief spotted her, holding up a hand which he then lowered.

Nina lifted her rifle and fired on the lead brute, the first bullet shattering his shields as he turned only for the next bullet to catch him in the center of his helm, making the body crash down onto the metal below with a heavy clunk.

After this? Chief and Tomas charged up, their assault rifles blazing as Nina was forced to dodge return fire from jackals prowling the upper floors.

She turned to see the battle at Foxtrot. A pair of injured marines staggered around as Dovan, Vettel and the others fought off the others. Dovan snapped the throat of an elite while Vettel executed a jackal.

"Chief? We have wounded… Foxtrot is secure, the majority of Banished are falling back to the tower…." Dovan stated as he sighed.

"Acknowledged." Dovan heard before he sighed.

"We need to get the POWs out… Chief? I think it should be a good idea to clear out a landing zone for that pelican to land." Dovan stated, looking up at Nina.

"Agreed, extraction will gain us a steady hold on the ring," Nina stated, holstering her sniper, and lifting her magnum.

She did not at all know what was to be done…. What would be done now, only that they needed help to fight back the Banished, better to focus on gathering as many UNSC soldiers as possible so they could push back.

Nina looked over at Dovan as the Spartan-IV was ready to continue combat, it became all too clear in her mind that he had not yet gotten used to fighting as a team again, presenting a united front.

None of them had, they had lived out in the wilderness… Simply surviving the Banished patrols that none of them were used to being able to fight back.

Still? All it did was remind them… That it was different.

Author Notes

Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will be 900-6500 words and will be showing the fight with Chak Lok and set up the push forwards. Until then, Lighting Wolf is out!