May 6th 2556, Jovian Moon, Corinth City.
Six and a small team of militia moved deeper into the abandoned city, keeping an eye out for anyone who may stop them. The fleet needed food, water and more, so they sent their wolf packs into the city to find what they need. Six's group moved fast into one of the warehouses that dotted the city. Meant to hold tones of food and water for emergencies, these places were normally stacked to the ceiling with food. But as soon as they entered, the team realised that there was little food there.
Some food was better than no food however, so they set up several tailers with food before setting off back to the rally point. Each of the militia troopers kept their eyes on the streets and buildings around them. Just because this city was abandoned, didn't mean it was uninhabited. As they moved on the main road the driver's head exploded and the cart smashed into the side wall. In repose the team jumped off and took cover looking as to where the shot came from.
Six checked her scope, looking around for the sniper, but she found nothing. She wasn't a sniper expert like Jun, so whoever was taking shots at her was one of the best. Another militiaman's head exploded, until all four of them were dead. Six moved off the roads and into the alleyways of the city, trying to make herself a less noticeable target. She needed to find that sniper and take him down. Soon she found a mall which she moved into and began to set up placing traps in several places, and setting up at a butcher's shop at the far end.
She waited for a good hour before a black armoured Spartan walked in armed with a sniper rifle. But it was the armour that made her hesitate. A full set of scout armour with extra rounds on his shoulders. The Spartan walked in, but not too far as to set off one of the traps and took his helmet off. Six froze as she saw who was under that helmet. Jun extended his arms out, helmet in one his rifle in the other.
"Six, I know you are out there," he said. "I want to talk,"
"4.65," Six called out as she changed her radio.
Jun slid his helmet on and changed his own radio. "Hi Six, how have you being doing?" he asked.
"Surviving," Six said. "What are you going here?"
"ONI knew you were going to be coming here," he said. "We know you have been raiding planets and stations, we want you to help us,"
"Help you?" Six scoffed. "I'm done with ONI, not to mention all their secrets are out in the open. They are corrupt, recruiting me won't change that,"
"That's not why we want you," he shot back. "We want you to help us restore the UNSC, it's beginning to fracture,"
"Good, let it. Let something else takes its place,"
"Where is your loyalty?"
"My loyalty died for the UNSC when ONI had me kill a village with kids! ONI and the UNSC can go fuck themselves,"
Jun just sighed and nodded. "Fine, it seems we are at an impasse,"
"Indeed, we are, for the rest of Noble I'll let you leave this time,"
"The same goes for you," Jun said before turning and walking off.
Six slumped behind the counter with a sigh as she pulled Jorge's tags out. Looking at the tags she stood and placed them on the counter.
"Sorry Jorge, but it's time we parted ways," she said before walking away.
OOOOO Kusrago Planetside, City of Ranii, Present.
Six moved into the small city as a group of recon specialist Spartans did the same at another spot. But unlike them, who were just surveying the area, she was here for another reason. She moved though the street slowly, carefully. Her mission had one goal and she intended to see it though. Keeping down to keep a low profile, she continued to move fast and quiet though the streets dogging the Imperial patrols that moved though the city.
If she knew her target, he would keep to himself with a wide range across the battlefield. To keep an eye on who was there, and to keep an eye on his troops. Six began to recall the city layout to plan her route.
Bang!
She backed up quickly as a car exploded getting attention her way. Reacting quickly, she moved in the opposite direction and moved into one of the buildings and headed to the middle floor. She readied her smg in case anyone came to investigate. Her breathing slowed as she prepared, but after an hour of no one coming, she exited the building and moved the other way to where she was shot at. A light began to blink making her stop and press her back up against an alcove.
She blinked the light back and an image of Linda appeared on her HUD.
"I assume that shot was aimed at you," she said calmly.
"Indeed, it was," Six said as she began to move again. "My target is here,"
"If it's who I think it is, I would like to help. I owe him,"
Six smiled. "Good, can you cause a distraction then? We need to smoke his location out but I think I know where he is,"
"That will be easy," Linda said before cutting out.
A moment latter a loud explosion rocked shook the part of the city. Six smiled as the alarms sounded. Seeing her chance, she moved further into the city and found a high rise. She headed up to the top the tower and looked out over the city. The Imperials moved and shifted towards the base trying to figure out what happened. She scanned the tops of the buildings trying to see her main target. A shot impacted her shield forcing her to move and get out of the building as fast as she could.
She smiled as she and her onboard computer calculated her shot. She had found her target.
OOOOO Kusrago Planetside, Federation Alpha base, Kamu Mountains.
John looked up as the dropship came in to land on the pad. He stood straight as he prepared to welcomed an old friend. The ship landed and its doors opened while an elite stepped out. Several troopers stiffened as they saw the Arbiter step out and walked over to the chief. In one swift movement, the two grasped each other's forearms before turning and walking inside.
"I thought you dead," Vadam said as the two walked through the base.
"I'm very hard to kill," John replied making Vadam laugh.
"True, I should have realised that long ago,"
Soon the two walked into the main command centre. But as they did, Vadam handed John a datapad. As the chief read it, his eyes widened slightly.
"This complicates matters," he muttered.
"I agree, which is why I'm here to help,"
"I'm thankful for that, I could also use your help in tactics. I'm no general, like you. Your insights would be useful,"
Vadam laughed. "I will offer what I can," he said as the two looked at the map.
OOOOO Imperial Alpha base, Black Ridge Plateau.
Loke looked at the holomap with frustration. The Federation troopers had been making strange, if not confusing actions. Every day for the past week, the had been moving to and from the HIVE base. One day they'd hold the base, the next they'd be at a smaller base before returning the next day. He knew what John was trying to do, he wasn't taking the bait. Instead, he was trying to force Loke's hand, either destroy the base or lose it. Either way, the trap didn't work or fool John.
He had to try something else, but what? What could he do to get John inside? He sighed as there was only one conclusion he came up with. Pulling himself up he walked over to the HIVE communications section and walked in.
General Sturm walked in as Loke walked out of the HIVE. "So, your trap hasn't worked?" he smiled.
"I have another plan," Loke smiled. "If a fish doesn't take the bait, we use bigger bait,"
Sturm looked at him, his smile dropped. "You are going to use yourself as bait,"
"Indeed, I am,"
"What if he doesn't take it?"
Loke just smiled as he walked out of the base leaving. Sturm just tuned to watch out of the window as Theta Company, Loke's own personal combat group, prepped to move out. He took a deep breath and sighed before turning around and watched the holo-map. He pulled the map back and got a look at the disposition of troops. His forces had full control of the north, while John had full control of the south. It only took him a week to cut off Imperial forces in the south.
Once that was done, he encircled them and took each of the bases taking out the defenders. From reports, none of the bases surrendered. They fought till the last man before John took them over. Soon he had garrisoned and fortified bases that effectively created a line across the continent. As Sturm looked at the map, his mind began to calculate what would happen. Cut of from Imperial supplies, a Spartan commander on the opposite end, a Spartan hungry for glory on his end.
He shook his head; he could move on John's forces. But he had supplies and space superiority that could devastate Imperial forces. What needed to happen was a spearhead push aimed at Johns Alpha base. If he could take out John and his Alpha, then he could create a beach head in the system allowing for more Imperial reinforcements. The idea stuck, and he began to plan.
OOOOO City of Ranii.
Jun smiled as he looked over the city. He was looking forward to a good fight. Olypia Vale stood by as she looked over her comm equipment, making sure none of it was damaged.
"Your friend certainly knows how to disrupt our ops," she said.
"Indeed, she did, don't forget he was running a Nomad fleet for 7 years. She's picked up a few tricks,"
Vale just sighed as she continued to fix her comms. They didn't notice the flashbang the rolled into the room. It detonated, but despite their blindness, the two inside moved to counter the intruders.
"Long time Jun," Six said as she pushed the sniper out of a window and onto the roof of the blinding next to them.
The green clad Spartan stood facing the brown clad Spartan opposite him. Jun drew his knife while Six gripped her hatchet and readied herself for the attack.
"Indeed, it has," he said before charging in.
He tried to drive his knife into her, but she slapped his hand away and kicked him in the gut. While that did send him down, he moved to sweep her off her feet. Six fell, but recovered and she rolled away from him before he came in with a flaying kick that sent her back. He followed up with a quick one two punch towards her face and chest nearly made her fall of the building. But she grabbed onto his wrist and slammed her head against his, dazing him and forcing him back.
With him still dazed, six pulled her knife out and moved up and tried to drive her knife into his side. But he recovered and redirected her knife into his leg, before kicking her in the jaw sending her back. Grabbing her knife, he then threw it at her which landed in her arm. Before she could react, Jun ran up and drove his knife into the soft armour of Six's armour before pushing the thrown knife in deeper.
"Seem like I win," he taunted.
Six said nothing as she swung the axe into his own soft armour making him yell out. She then kicked the axe deeper into his body making him let go of her. Grabbing one of the knifes, she then kicked the axe in before throwing the knife into the knee. Yelling in pain, Six finished him off as she drove the other knife into his visor.
Jun, the last of the original Noble-6 team fell back dead. Six sighed as she sat down, saying nothing.
While the fight was happening outside, Vale turned to see Linda raising her rifle. Reacting quicky, Olympia moved and grabbed the rifle by the barrel and twisted it binging herself in closer to the Spartan's best sniper. Linda pushed herself away before grabbing her pistol and fired wo which Vale dogged like a ballerina then charged at Linda pushing her out into the hall. The two rolled into a large room before separating and grabbing their blades.
The two stared at each other for a moment before Linda charged at Vale who braced. But the Spartan II moved into a slide kicking Vales legs out from her. The intel expert fell, but before Linda could make another move, she was kicked in the face by Vale, sending her back allowing the two to recover.
"You move like an old woman," Vale taunted, but Linda said nothing before kicking a piece of wall towards the IV.
Vale knocked it out of the way but Linda had vanished. She moved closing into the room keeping an eye out. She never heard the Spartan coming up. In one moment, Vale was facing forwards, the next she was looking behind her seeing Linda. Her vision went black as her body fell to the floor, lifeless.
Linda pressed her radio. "John, Linda, me and Six have just taken out two of the Firestorm Commanders,"
"Good work, I have the Arbiter here and we have a problem. We know what the Imperials are looking for. And the Banished know where it is," John replied.