Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Hunter and Soldier. Enjoy the 1500-word chapter. I don't own Halo, Microsoft, and 343 do.
(2526, April 5th CAS-Class Assault Carrier, Pious Rampage, 12:30)
Gram gunned down a Jackal with the last of his BR's clip. He ducked back into the alcove and dropped the empty clip.
"Damn it, we're pinned down." Gram stated as he inserted the third clip into the weapon.
Cal fired a 40mm grenade from her MA5B which flew down the hallway into another elite. Gram watched smoke emerge from the explosive as it detonated. It and a pair of grunts were taken out of commission.
Gram looked at the group of covenant soldiers which consisted of several blue armored elites and over a dozen of the grunts, jackals, and drone-like creatures. All of whom were busy firing any armaments down the hallway at the 4 Spartans.
Gram almost hoped that Admiral Cole had just blown the ship apart. They would run into even worse trouble the further they got into the flagship.
"How many of them have we killed by now?" Gram asked, feeling somewhat numb to the combat by now.
"About 25, Spartan-077," Heimdall reported before Arthur fired his SMGs, littering the floor with a new wave of bullet casings. "26… And over 200 shots have been exchanged in the past 5 minutes." Heimdall added which made Gram hum.
Part of him wondered if the AI had a sense of humor despite being more serious than Mimir currently. Then again? His mission clock read 5 minutes.
"We need to break through them and get to the bridge," Gram added while Solomon fired his grenade launcher, there was another burst of smoke as the explosive detonated.
"28," Heimdall reported which managed to gain a mirthful chuckle from Gram. "I would suggest an alternate route, Spartans," Heimdall added as Gram hummed.
"Noted." Gram said as fresh plasma splashed the corridor, deforming the metal. "Mimir, can't you seal a door or something?" Gram asked while moving to fire before a blast of plasma forced him back into cover.
Cal was silent as brought up a captured plasma rifle and fired. She aimed primarily for the elites, hoping to damage their shields and allow her teammates to attack.
"Would you like to handle fighting off covenant AI programs?" Mimir asked before snapping his armored fingers. "There, that will buy you a minute at best," Mimir added and then vanished back into the system.
One of the armored panels slammed shut on the group, closing the Spartans off the enemy who garbled commands to each other. The Spartans brought up their guns and slowly backed away, the firefight had cost them ammo and time. Both things that they needed.
"Take a left at the past junction, that should take you around the larger patrols," Mimir stated as Gram nodded. "I can't buy you that much time, I'm dividing my attention on handling the security. They're trying to keep me out… Stick with Heimdall." Mimir said before cutting the feed.
"Stuck on a covenant ship without backup, in the middle of a fleet, with a time constraint," Gram muttered as the Spartans moved down the hallway. "Couldn't have asked for a better assignment." Gram stated with amusement and kept his rifle ready.
He knew for a fact they'd run into more resistance. The closer they got to the prophet? The more covenant soldiers would be willing to throw away soldiers.
"Everyone, check weapons," Cal ordered, knowing there was no harm in speaking openly.
Wasn't like the covenant didn't ALREADY know their location. The others looked at their weapons once more as they checked their weapons.
"3 clips with my BR, 1 grenade, the shotgun is good, and my magnum is almost dry." Gram stated as he looked at the others.
"M7s are almost out," Arthur said, checking his guns as they ran. "I'm almost out as well," Solomon said which gained a look from Gram.
"Told you to pack more than the heavy guns." Gram stated before they passed another junction. "Mimir, are we getting closer to the bridge?" Gram asked as he brought up his BR.
A pair of Grunts emerged from the corridor before the Spartans slammed into the duo, dispatching them with strikes to their throats. Gram only paused to snatch their grenades and pistols.
"Here." Gram said, offering the weapon to Solomon. "Mimir? Your our navigator, how close are we?" Gram asked as he turned to cover their six.
"2 miles, Gram," Mimir stated before humming once more. "Oh, and there's a covenant defensive position unless you'd want to take the junction to the right," Mimir said to which the Spartans did that… Only to be greeted with more firepower.
"Other right, my bad. Kinda hard when you're dealing with enemy AI." Mimir added as the Spartans backpedaled, their guns blazing once more.
"Great work Mimir." Gram joked as they rushed down the other corridor. "I'm more worried about ammo than I am about running into ambushes." Gram stated as he cracked his fingers.
It wasn't something that Cal disagreed with. Ambushes against covenant infantry were easy for them… It was simply a matter of tactics… However? They wouldn't be effective fighters without ways to fight.
"There's a rather large corridor outside the bridge," Mimir added to which the group all shared a look. "There are about 50 Covenant soldiers and counting outside there," Mimir added while Gram took cover at the bulkhead.
"Well, at least they're making it a fair fight." Gram said as he and the others all looked down the corridor with interest.
"Fair fight is anyone with a gun against you." Solomon put in to which Gram chuckled. "Still think you can take them?" Solomon asked as Gram hummed.
"Yeah, someone has to keep you from getting yourself killed," Gram responded as they continued their sprint once more. "So, 50 soldiers between us and the bridge? We just punch through them to there." Gram stated as they paused once more to make their move.
Cal brought up a map that Mimir had managed to grab. It showed a quartet of blue dots which showed them. The massive carrier hologram also showed hundreds of IFF tags, the groups of covenant soldiers between them and the others.
Cal tapped their section, revealing dozens of IFF tags that stood between them and their quarry. Another tap showed it was mostly grunts and jackals with a few elites. Cal noticed something near the end, massive creatures on stocky legs which the entire group.
"What the hell…." Gram asked as drones started to join the covenant defenses. "What are these things?" Gram asked with curiosity.
"Whatever they are? They look far more lethal than the elites." Arthur stated which caused Gram to hum and look at him.
"Very brilliant deduction, Arty." Gram said before looking at Cal. "I'm more worried about the brutes. Their fast, pragmatic, unlike the elites…. One almost tore my head off WITH this armor. Also? I hate to be the maverick? The longer we wait here? The more time they get to fortify the corridor. There could be a hundred soldiers by the time we get there." Gram added as the spartan swapped to his shotgun.
Cal nodded as the group moved towards the corridor. They might have had 2 and a half hours to do this… But those hours would quickly vanish as soon as they got into a long-drawn-out fight.
"I think we keep the rest of the plan secret." Gram said while they rushed through the ship. "Hopefully some of the bridge crew abandoned their spots to come to hunt us." Gram put in while the Spartans rounded the corner.
"Take cover!" Cal ordered as the Spartans were greeted by more gunfire.
They looked down the hallway to see that the covenant had put together various crates as a way of blocking shots.
Gram hummed and turned to dispatch a grunt that was out of cover before drawing his magnum. It might not have been as good as a combat model… But he'd rather run the weapon dry before wasting his other weapons once more.
One of the elites, one clad in golden armor, paused and issued commands while he and 2 more of his kind took cover.
Grunts slowly emerged into the hallway, a meat shield between the covenant and the Spartans.
"Great." Gram stated as he brought up his pistol and sent a bullet into the head of a grunt.
The other Spartans started shooting the small creatures as Cal questioned the plan of attack.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will maybe be 2500 words and will be a harder fight than this. The next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will show the Spartans fighting through the corridor and their fight for the Prophet. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!
P.S: I might remake another halo story at the moment.