Shocking Spartan
Chapter 2: New Mombasa
Disclaimer: I do not own Halo or any of the characters involved except Guardian L. Lightning
The team's pelican swept over the ruined streets of New Mombasa.
"The message just repeats; Regret, Regret, Regret…" Cortana said.
"Catchy, any idea what it means?" Captain Keyes asked.
"Dear humanity, we regret being alien bastard, we regret comin' to Earth, and we most definitely regret the corp just blew up our raggedy-ass fleet!" Johnson listed before tapping one of the pilots on the shoulder.
"Oo-Rah!"
"Regret is a name Sargeant, one of the Covenant's religious leaders, a prophet."
"And he's here," Lightning added.
"Exactly," Lord Hood cut in now, "And we're going to find out why. Master Chief, your mission is to secure the Prophet's cruiser and the Prophet. This is the only place they landed."
Chief got up from his seat, grabbing one of the guide rails of the pelican as the team joined up with a recon squad of warthogs below.
"This is Recon Bravo, LZ is hot sir. Advise aborting mission," A marine reported.
"Your call sir," the pilot looked up to Johnson.
"We're goin' in."
He stepped back from the controls of the pelican and called back into the troop compartment.
"Get tactical marines, we're goin' in hot!"
The team began to prep their weapons and secure their gear. Lightning stood up and stood opposite Chief at the edge of the bay before sighing.
"Something wrong?" Chief asked.
"I've just got a bad feeling about this, and my feelings are never wrong," he said.
Chief went to reply but was cut off by the pilot.
"Incoming!"
A blast ripped past them, shredding one of the two accompanying pelicans and sending it crashing into the street below in a massive fireball.
"Scarab!" Cortana reported.
Chief and Lightning spun around, looking out the windscreen of the ship, just in time to see anti-air fire coming at them. The ship took a hit and began to list to the right, knocking Lightning from his feet. Chief stumbled, but kept his footing, before another blast rocked the ship and it turned hard to the left, crashing through a building. It eventually came to a stop in a large, ground-floor room of the building, a pile of rubble stacked up in front of the troop bay.
As the smoke cleared Chief punched a hole through the rubble that had piled on the exit of the troop bay. With a grunt of effort, he heaved the rubble off and opened the way. The few marines that were still alive and could walk marched past him.
"Sound off Petty Officer," Chief said.
"Still alive sir," Lightning groaned as he pried himself free from the twisted wreckage of the pelican.
"Good, let's keep it that way."
Chief reached for his battle rifle and took point as the squad formed up to follow him out of the building and into a courtyard. As they moved to a nearby garden structure to set up positions and deploy a mini-gun. As they were finalizing their preparations, a Covenant dropship crested over the buildings before stopping to descend.
"Incoming! We've got a Spirit!" A marine shouted.
"They're going to be dropping in right on top of us," Cortana told them.
Lightning swept his hand to his side as a battle rifle identical to the Chief's appeared.
"What was that?" Cortana asked.
"I can't tell you ma'am, at least not right now," Lightning answered as he hefted the rifle toward the dropship.
Cortana sighed, then returned her focus to monitoring Chief's suit. Lightning looked up at the dropship as the side doors opened and Covenant forces jumped out. He quickly raised his rifle and fired a burst into the head of a grunt, taking it out instantly.
"Nice shot kid!" Johnson told him as he and the marines opened fire on the forces as they hit the ground.
The Covenant squad scrambled to find cover from the barrage of gunfire as the dropship lifted up and out of the courtyard. Chief and Lightning moved forward, each taking a side of the courtyard to sweep through the enemy. It took them no time at all to mop up the few stragglers who had not gone down in the initial barrage of gunfire. As the last grunt was dispatched they returned to the building to assess their situation.
"Chief! Are you alright down there?" Captain Keyes asked.
"We're fine ma'am," Johnson answered.
"Good to hear it, Sargeant. I'm sending a pelican to pick you up, we need to get on that cruiser."
"LZ's a little tight ma'am, I'm not sure I can squeeze in there… there's a street a few klicks west of your position Sargeant. Can you and your men make it there?"
"Consider it done," Lightning answered.
The group began to file out of the building when a loud bang echoed to them from the door of a building.
"What was that?" A marine asked.
Lightning looked up and pointed, "Drones!"
A swarm of insectoid aliens darted over the rooftops, firing a barrage of plasma on the exposed marines.
"Fall back!" Johnson shouted as the group laid down covering fire while retreating to the building.
Another bang echoed from the doors. But the squad did not notice as they engaged the drones. A short firefight ensued as the marines mopped up the last of the enemy.
"Petty Officer, get on the gun!" Cortana ordered.
Lightning nodded and put his rifle on his back before he stepped up to the mini-gun. He grasped the handles and turned toward the door as a third bang echoed to them. A cloud of dust blew off the doors from the impact on the other side.
"The hell is that?" A marine asked.
Before anyone could reply, the doors were blown off their hinges and flew a few feet before grinding to a stop in the street. Two massive, armored figures lumbered out of the smoke from the door.
"Hunters!" Lightning shouted over his shoulder.
He turned around and aimed the mini-gun at them, pressing down on the trigger. The weapon whirred in his hands as the hunters looked up at him.