Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Hunter and Soldier. Enjoy the 2000-word chapter. I don't own Halo, Microsoft, and 343 do.

(2526, Eden, 01:30)

"This isn't Covenant or URF…" Gram said to Cal while the duo swung their weapons around the chamber. "You ever seen this?" Gram questioned Cal as he hummed.

"Not exactly, no," Cal responded before putting her back to Gram's who was busy surveying the room. "No contacts or automated defenses?" Cal stated which made as Gram shrugged once more.

"I don't see anything, you?" Gram asked before lowering his rifle. "Cal, I think we found what the Covenant wants." Gram stated before he turned to look over his shoulder. "I'll stand guard." Gram stated as Cal started to look over the runes.

Gram put his back to one of the rocks while Cal swung her helmet around the cavern. There were dozens of runes of differing sizes, she could see light coursing through them, leading to a massive central rune on the wall.

She turned to Gram who had his rifle trained on the doorway they had come from. Gram only looked over his shoulder once at her before returning his sight to the scope.

"UNSC Vigilance to Sierra 141." Cal heard over her COMM. "What's your status?" Cal heard which caused her to look at Gram.

"Vigilance came back?" Gram asked before Cal looked back at the glyphs. "Vigilance? This is Sierra 077; we've located the Covenant's objective. Current negatives on the WMDs and VIPs." Gram reported while the sounds of footsteps caught his attention.

"Brothers, enter the room… Wait, these blasted heretics!" Gram heard over the comm before the sound of gunfire cut them off.

"Damn it…" Gram muttered before a needle flew over his head.

He thumbed the trigger and watched a figure in the darkness which twirled before collapsing to the ground, a hole in its skull. He hummed and shook his head and continued to fire into the darkness at the various figures.

Cal took in as much as she could while turning to Gram as a giant bolt of plasma washed over the stone. The stone began to sizzle and melt as Gram flipped backward and fired another burst before dropping the empty magazine.

"My rifle's almost out, what about you?" Gram asked before firing once more. "We're not going to be able to hold the chamber…" Gram stated while watching a jackal drop dead.,

Gram hummed and checked his magazine, 33 bullets. Gram fired once again, being rewarded with an elite crashing to the ground. Gram knew his rifle would be out of ammo within seconds at this rate.

Cal joined her fire into the chorus of chaos that Gram had started. One of the elites roared before one of the bullets pierced his helmet, ending the soldier's life.

"Vigilance, we're pinned down currently." Gram said as he thumbed the trigger again and again. "Damn it, I'm out." Gram said as a click was heard finally.

Gram discarded the weapon and drew his sidearm. Another shadow was hit, giving off a human yell of pain as Gram realized the URF and Covenant were dueling outside the room.

"Vigilance Actual to Sierra, your objective is complete." The Spartans heard, Cal dropped an empty magazine and inserted her last one into the assault rifle. "Return to the surface for evac. We're reading several Slipspace signatures in orbit." Gram heard as he fired again, dropping a pair of grunts moving for a fresh shot.

Another wave of fire forced the duo back into the cavern while both scrambled for fresh cover.

"Sir, what about the WDMs and neutralizations?" Cal questioned as she turned and fired down the tunnel. "We've only completed one objective, your orders…" Cal started to say while Gram fired 4 more shots before stopping to drop the clip to the ground.

"These orders came from Admiral Stanforth himself, Spartan." Cal heard and watched Gram insert a fresh magazine into his gun. "Now get the hell up here so we can leave. We're holding position until you arrive. The mission is complete as far as FLEETCOM is concerned, your survival is your objective now." Gram and Cal heard while looking at each other.

Both Spartans knew that the Vice-Admiral had command over spartan deployment. If he had ordered their return? Then his words might as well have been law.

"Roger, sir. Give us 20 minutes." Cal said and turned to Gram. "We're leaving, think your ammo can last until then?" Cal questioned, her voice ice cold as the spartan scout hummed.

"Maybe, I'm shooting what's the biggest threat," Gram said and lowered his body. "Let's go, Admiral is waiting." Gram heard as he threw himself through the cracked doorway.

Cal followed a moment later. She felt her rifle click empty as shell casings rained like confetti from the weapon. She discarded it and grabbed her sniper, a horrible weapon for close range, but her only option currently.

Gram fired at the incoming muzzle flashes, he aimed mostly for the ones who were gunning for them. Gram knew there were FAR too many contacts to keep engaging directly.

He wasn't trying to, Cal slipped by him like a bolt of lightning as the two sprinted down the cavern. Both Spartans easily outpaced their pursuers, moving as fast as their legs could physically carry them. Gram turned over his shoulder and fired 3 more times. He heard 2 of the bullets ricochets off rocks but the final one found its mark upon a jackal.

"Why does Admiral Stanforth need us?" Gram questioned as the duo continued sprinting. "Did he assign us this op just to figure out the covenant's secret?" Gram questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Both rushed towards the opening of the cavern. If they were lucky? The covenant would have been left to deal with the URF in orbit. If not? Then Gram guessed that something would be going wrong.

They were cut off by a roar as a figure emerged from the darkness. It flashed something towards them before rushing towards them.

The zealot swung its energy sword, nearly decapitating the duo who leaped at the last second. Gram towards the 8ft hulking alien while Cal abandoned her sniper, the gun doing no good at close range.

Gram emptied the remaining part of the clip into the creature's shields. It roared and slammed Gram into the ground, knocking him to the ground, dazing the Supersoldier.

Gram's empty magnum slid away as Gram reached for his combat knife. The hulking alien grabbed him before the elite snarled and reared back.

Cal dug her knife into the creature's back, its shields flickering as the massive alien turned and kicked her to the side. Gram used this distraction to clamber up the elite's back, planting his foot on the creature's knee.

The elite thrashed before going limp as Gram buried the blade in the creature's throat. It growled before Gram flicked the blade, ending its life. The creature collapsed like a tree while Gram looked at it in interest.

"Well, it's dead…" Gram said and placed his knife back in his holster before grabbing his magnum.

The duo shared a nod before continuing their sprint. Gram opened another comm-line to Vagrant.

"Sierra 077 to Vagrant actual." Gram put in as the duo began to reach the cusp of the cave. "Sir? We've been pinned down by a covenant carrier, how copy?" Gram questioned before a flash of light caught their attention.

A large series of explosions rocked the carrier which moved away, its shields flickering in the artificial sun. They could see Vigilance moving to engage, archer missiles ejecting from its side like a dog with fleas.

"Spartans? You let me handle them…" The duo heard as a small shape emerged from the shadow of an explosion.

A pelican dropship spun on its axis, its thrusters throwing rock and stone everywhere as it hovered towards them. Gram and Cal shared a look before boarding the craft. Vigilance launched an object towards the carrier.

Both Gram and Cal's HUDs flashed a radiation alert. They didn't need to see the object clearly to know what it was.

The pelican spun around and flew upwards. Gram turned to see a massive blast of light washing over the covenant vessel. His visor darkened at this automatically while the pelican beelined for orbit. Vigilance coasted behind them, the covenant's carrier shieldless and damaged, but alive.

"Spartans? I want you both on my bridge in 5 minutes." Gram and Cal heard before they looked at each other.

They both knew the voice. It belonged to only one man with the courage to stand up to the covenant head-on like they didn't matter. Gram pondered why the admiral showed up in person… But then again? He'd figure that out later.

The pelican finally broke orbit, passing by Eden's moon. There was a small silhouette in the shadow of the moon. Both identified the ship as a Marathon Class-Heavy Cruiser.

The pelican vectored for one of the hangers and slowly descended to the ground.

Vigilance emerged before revving up once more as the ship vanished into Slipspace.

Cal and Gram slowly walked out and towards the bridge. The ship slowly vanished into Slipspace once again.

"I get the feeling this mission has some hidden details we're not seeing." Gram stated to Cal as she hummed. "I'm a bit annoyed we couldn't accomplish the other objectives… But considering the tactical situation?" Gram questioned to which Cal nodded.

If there were any URF survivors? The covenant would more than likely slaughter them…. And whatever nuclear bombs existed would be used against them, both objectives would be accomplished either way… Just without the neutralization of Covenant VIPS.

Then again? They took down a zealot… Meaning at least one high-ranking officer was done in.

Both Spartans reached the bridge where a pair of marines stood guard. Both soldiers slowly entered it and hummed as they watched a figure slowly emerge from the other end of the hanger. Both snapped to attention with machine-like precision while the man emerged.

"At ease, Spartans…" Admiral Stanforth stated, returning the gesture before slowly placing his hand behind his back. "I'm glad you're both ok, I was beginning to question if Eden claimed some of the UNSC's finniest in battle… But then again? I'm questioning Spartans." Stanforth put in as the duo slowly dropped their hands.

"We didn't expect you to arrive, sir." Gram stated while looking at his partner. "The mission wasn't complete." Gram said to which the admiral held up his hands, looking at the two Spartans who simply questioned what he was doing upon this sector of space.

"We hold the debrief when we drop out of Slipspace, soldier." Stanforth put in and turned back to the chair from which he had emerged. "I just wanted to make sure you were both living with my own eyes… Your dismissed, I'll see you in 72 hours when we drop out of Slipspace. Get some rest till then." Stanforth ordered as the duo hummed and slowly left the bridge.

Neither understood this, but neither argued against it. They shrugged and moved towards the quarters aboard the cruiser, interested in what came next.

Gram risked a look at Cal who said nothing, eager to get back to the assignment. Gram focused on what they had seen at Eden.

Eden was part of a puzzle neither really understood nor seemed to comprehend in the end. What did the covenant want on Eden? And what was the next move to be made?

Author Notes

Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that these chapters will be delayed a bit. The next chapter will be 1200-2500 words and will show more of Gram and Cal bonding and set up a time skip or such. Until 2-12 weeks hopefully, Lighting Wolf out!

P.S: Chapters will be anywhere from 1200 words to 2500 for now. I will set up a Poll if Cal and Gram should be part of the Halo Legends mission or the events of the games.