Hello again everyone, and welcome back to my Halo - MechWarrior/BattleTech crossover.
Thank you all for your wonderful patience and support. I deeply appreciate it.
I heard that y'all were a little disappointed with how 'samey' the previous chapter was. First of all, I would like to apologize for that. I could have done that chapter a little better, personally speaking.
As such, as a form of apology, here is the next chapter. We're now moving into the story arc for Halo Wars. First chapter might not seem different from what we see in the games, but watch and wait. The next few chapters will see a major divergence in the plot from the original timeline for Halo Wars.
As always, leave a review, and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Halo or MechWarrior/BattleTech franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of Microsoft Studios, 343 Industries, Bungie, FASA Corporation, FASA Interactive, WizKids, Catalyst Game Labs, Piranha Games Inc., etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's original composers and/or artists.
SLS Sevastapol
Harvest, GSO
February 4th, 2531, 1724 Hrs Local Time
"Admiral's log, February 4th, 2531. Five years, five long, fucking years. That's how long it took us to get Harvest back.
Our ground forces were capable of matching the Covenant pound for pound. Most of our infantry was equivalent to that of the Covenant's, if not greater, in terms of armament. Our BattleMechs were also able to neutralize their vehicles in rapid order. We were winning the ground war quite nicely.
"However, the problem lay in the Naval aspect of things. Our WarShips were good, but for every Covenant WarShip, we needed two of ours to stand a chance at winning. We lost too many sailors to the Covenant."
"However, I can safely say that were it not for the strategic genius of my colleague, Admiral Osman von Strauss, and the UNSC's equivalent to him, Vice Admiral Preston Cole, Harvest would still be in Covenant hands. Osman's idea of using the tidal distortions and EMP burst generated by K-F Drive emergences to disable and/or destroy Covenant WarShips has added a new chapter in the art of naval warfare, along with his constant emphasis on maneuvering and reserves. I've heard some people, even myself, call one of his tactics the 'Osman Maneuver.' Cole was also pivotal in his use of en masse firing barrages to wear the Covenant down.
"Now, Harvest might be this war's version of Hell's half-acre, but it's our half-acre now. We've driven the Covenant out of the Epsilon Indi system, all but a few hold-outs, and a single WarShip that managed to escape.
"The UNSC's stretched thin, so Cole's decided to post the Spirit of Fire's captain at Harvest and give him to goal of performing clean-up operations. Given the recent state of politics, I've been assigned to provide fire support for him as well.
"That being said, I'm certain that Harvest is not done with us yet. The Covenant wouldn't be lingering on the surface if there wasn't anything valuable to them. The fact they only glassed half of the planet's surface means that they think Forerunner artifacts are down there. If that's the case, we'll have to go down there and visit hell on them in person. Plus, the Covenant are expecting us to come and fight them anyways.
"May they not be disappointed.
"Admiral Thomas Belleau, signing off." Putting the datapad away, Belleau strode out of his quarters and to the bridge. Once he entered, he sat down and said, "Helmsman, take us in. Time to rendezvous with the Spirit of Fire."
"Yes sir," the helmsman said.
. . .
On the bridge of the Spirit of Fire, Cutter could see the surface of Harvest. What was once lush green forests, clear skies and lush fields of grassland were now choked with ash and burnt to a crisp. Oceans that had once existed were now mostly boiled away.
The scene was a reminder to Cutter of just how much the UNSC had lost in it's war against the Covenant. Not even five years in, and we've lost so much, he thought. He didn't need to read the casualty reports from other fronts of the war to know they were being pushed back.
A glance from the planet to the holo-table revealed the extent of their operations at Harvest. While not visible from space, Cutter could see the holo-marker that showed the presence of the SLS Sevastapol, Admiral Belleau's flagship, and the smaller dots that represented her escort. Turning his gaze back outside, he watched as DropShips and WarShips slowly approached the planet.
"Your orders are to provide support, men and materials for the establishment of bases planetside," he recalled Cole informing him. "General Kerensky has sent some of his forces to assist."
He sighed, banishing the memory. "Serina, status?"
Serina's avatar, a young woman with brown hair, appeared on the holo-pedestal. "Standard orbit achieved. All systems normal."
Cutter nodded. "Prep for pod launches, bring weapon systems online."
"Expecting trouble, Captain?" Serina asked.
"Harvest may be ours again, but I don't think the Covenant appreciate that fact yet."
As he turned to the holo-table, the door opened to permit another woman inside. Cutter glanced at her, noted her nametag identifying her as 'Ellen, Anders', then turned to another screen. Noting an incoming message, he opened a vid-call link.
The image of a grizzled, but young, Marine Sergeant appeared on the screen. Seated in a Warthog, he had both hands on the wheel. "Sergeant Forge," Cutter said. "Report."
"Definitely plenty of bad guys down here," Forge said. "And they've found something in the ice."
Cutter frowned. "Damnit… That complicates things. Anders, what have you got?"
Anders pulled up a topographical map of Harvest on the holo-table. Selecting a part of the northern polar region, she zoomed in. "Captain, scans on the northern polar region shows some interesting Covenant activity on the surface. There's some kind of structure down there."
"Forerunner?" Cutter asked.
"Unknown, but highly likely. What do you think they're trying to find down there?"
Cutter shrugged. "There's only one way to find out. We are to bring Alpha Base up to operational status and take control of that site."
"I'll get my gear ready," Anders said.
Forge, having overheard the conversation, said, "Lady, there's no way you're coming down here on the first bird!" Anders merely paused, then left the room.
"Sergeant Forge, pull back to Alpha Base, I'm sending you some backup," Cutter said.
"Roger that. Forge out."
"So, nothing too difficult then?" Serina asked.
Cutter stepped to the bridge viewport. "Given how important the Forerunners are to the Covenant, it might just be the key to ending this war. It's worth the risk."
"Understood. Captain, incoming call from Admiral Cole."
"Put it through," Cutter said. A moment later, Cole's face appeared over the holo-table. "Admiral."
"Captain," Cole said. "SitRep?"
"The Covenant have found a possible Forerunner structure on the surface. I'm sending my forces to restore Alpha Base to full functionality in order to investigate."
"Good," Cole said. "We can't let the Covenant get their hands onto such a structure. Find out what they're up to and report back to me ASAP."
"Understood, sir."
"Before you go," Cole said, "Admiral Belleau and General Kerensky are on-station."
"General Andery Kerensky, sir?"
"That's right," Cole said. "General Aleksandr Kerensky was kind enough to lend them to us for the duration."
"I'll contact them immediately."
"Very good. Cole out."
. . .
If there's one thing I hate more than fighting Covenant, it's fighting Covenant in a frozen shithole, Forge thought. Even with his armor and helmet on, he could still feel the biting cold air trying to worm its way to his skin.
Tightening his armor's collar, he glanced upwards at the sky. Harvest was in the throes of a nuclear winter, courtesy of the Covenant glassing the planet. Snow was falling from the sky in torrents, so much so he could barely see two hundred meters ahead.
Then, to his surprise, the snow cleared away. What he saw, however, made his heart sink. He could see Alpha Base from here, but the entire place was overrun with Covenant forces. One Marine was in one of the watchtowers around Alpha Base. Firing from where he was, he killed two Covenant soldiers, then plasma fire rained down onto the tower. A split-second later, a plasma grenade was thrown through the air and into the tower. Forge shook his head in dismay as another Marine jumped clear, while the first was killed in the ensuing explosion.
The rest, he could see, were moving through the gate in a tactical retreat. Those that remained behind, however, were quickly killed. Keying his COM, he said, "Spirit of Fire, this is Sergeant Forge."
"Sergeant Forge, Captain Cutter here. SitRep?"
"Alpha base is toast, nothing for me to pull back to. Suggest you hold that backup for a while, over."
"We need to turn that around, Sergeant," Cutter said. "Serina, what's our status?
"Sir, we've got a lot of troops retreating from Alpha Base," Serina reported. "If Sergeant Forge can regroup with them, our numbers may be sufficient to retake the base. However, if we do, we may take considerable casualties."
"Is there any way we can help Forge out?"
At that moment, Belleau called in on the same channel. "Captain Cutter, Admiral Belleau here. Do you require assistance?"
"Sergeant Forge does, sir," Cutter said. "Can you spare some men?"
"Affirm. I've got a pair of Colossus DropShips on standby. I'm sending them to assist in taking the base back."
"Understood," Cutter said. "Forge?"
"Roger that," Forge said. "I'll round up any and all survivors and get Alpha back. Forge out." Closing the COM, he looked at the other Marines in the vehicle. "You guys ready?"
"Yes sir!" one shouted.
"CROW system active!" another reported.
"We're ready to get out and provide fire support," the remaining passenger said.
"All right! We're Oscar Mike!" Hammering the throttle, Forge could feel the Warthog's ICE thrumming through the steering wheel.
The Warthog roared, it's tires digging into the snow that covered the ground. Driving along the road, Forge quickly drove off, then through a trench made by some ruins. The snowstorm that had been present before was now long gone, replaced by cold, but clear, air.
"Friendlies up ahead!" the CROWS operator shouted.
Forge glanced at one of the displays on the dashboard. Up ahead, two squads of Marines were taking cover behind some ruins. On the other side, Covenant infantry were firing at them, plasma bolts and needler shards digging craters and divots into the ruins. The Marines fired back, laser beams and bullets cutting through the air.
"Hang on!" Forge shouted. Gunning the throttle, he quickly applied the handbrake and turned to the right as he cut between the two sides. The CROWS operator mashed the trigger on his joystick.
The mounted Support Pulse Laser fired. Red-white beams of light cut through the air. Cover that had protected against the Marine's small arms was quickly destroyed. Two Grunts attempted to flee, only to explode when the laser beams cut into their backpacks, igniting the methane within. One Elite tried to fire back, only for the laser beam to overwhelm its shields, then cut into it's armor and blast it apart.
Within seconds the firefight was over. Driving closer, Forge lowered the window and asked, "You boys from Alpha?"
"We were the first ones out, sir!" one Marine reported.
"Your Warthog's good to go?"
"Yeah," another Marine said. "Armor's damaged, but she's functional!"
Forge smiled. "Fall in behind me, we're taking Alpha back!"
"Yes sir!" the others shouted. The Marines quickly mounted up onto their battered but functional Warthogs, then quickly began following Forge.
As they drove, the CROWS operator activated the satellite uplink. The image on the dashboard display changed to an overhead view of the area they were in. "Got heat signatures along our path," he said. "My guess is either Covenant patrols, or survivors."
"Have our drones spotted anything yet?" Forge asked.
"Affirm," one of the passengers said. "Got three more Marine squads to rescue along our path. Covenant forces have pinned them in place."
"Then we're getting them out of there," Forge decided. Keying his COM, he said, "Lieutenant Jones, what's the word on the DropShips?"
A different person replied. "This is Major Richard Knowles speaking. We are inbound on Alpha Base on reentry vector. Recommend we rendezvous three klicks from the base. We're hot dropping BattleMechs into your AO. Over."
"Roger that," Forge said. "Moving to Nav Point Bravo. Be advised, we've got Charlie in the area."
"Understood. Landing in three mikes. Knowles out."
"Sounds like we've got fire support on the way," the CROWS operator said.
"We do," Forge said. "SL's been in a major war already. They'll teach these Covenant a lesson."
"I hope so."
Focusing on the road, Forge drove over a pair of bridges crossing chasms in the ground. "Hostiles!" the CROWS operator shouted.
"Take them out!" Forge ordered.
The operator nodded, then mashed the joystick again. Several Grunts ahead of them promptly exploded in rapid succession. "Targets down! Move up!"
"Got some ice ahead!" a passenger shouted. Looking ahead, Forge spotted several frozen ponds large enough to fit an Olympic swimming pool a couple times over.
"I see them," he said. "Scanner says it's thick enough to drive on safely. Hold on!" Gunning the throttle, he quickly drove over the sheets of thick ice. It was only thanks to the specialized compound in the tires that the arctic refitted Warthogs didn't slide
As they rounded a bend, the COM crackled. "Tango One Four, you need to get us out of here!"
"Sergeant Forge here. We're on the way, over!"
"Copy that! Tango One Four out!"
At that moment, they drove into view of where the squad was. Forge winced when he noticed where Tango 1-4 was at. If the Covenant shoot that ice, it's bye-bye squad! "Take them out!"
Both Warthogs quickly engaged in a flanking maneuver. Driving to the right, Forge kept the vehicle moving while the CROWS operator fired on Covenant forces taking cover in their deployable positions. "Get some!" one of the passengers yelled as he opened his window and began firing out the side of the Warthog.
"Cut the chatter!" Forge barked, "and stop wasting power!" Throwing the vehicle into a hard left turn, he got behind the Covenant position, then hammered the accelerator. The engine roared, then smashed into the Covenant forces. The CROWS operator made a disgusted grunt as an Elite was smashed against the hood before being pulled under by the Warthog's wheels.
Before long, both Covenant groups were dead. "Form up and follow me!" Forge shouted.
"Yes sir!" the rescued squad said.
Looking at the display, Forge spotted a Colossus landing ahead, near the next squad, while 'Mechs hot dropped to the ground. Before long, the Covenant blips near the ship had vanished. "Sergeant Forge, Major Knowles here. Rendezvous with me ASAP. We'll provide support for your push on Alpha."
"Wilco," Forge said. "We're Oscar Mike." Gunning the engine, he quickly began making his way to where Knowles was at, the two other squads following in their Warthogs.
"Grunts ahead!" one Marine shouted.
"Run 'em over!" Forge shouted. The engines on all the Warthogs revved, then all three vehicles tore into the small wall of Grunts ahead. Blood and gore splattered everywhere, while the air became thick with the smell of rotten eggs before heating up as the Grunt's methane packs ignited into small gouts of flame.
"Ew!" one Marine groaned. "We've got Grunt bits all in the grille!"
"Cut the chatter!" another Marine shouted.
"Ease up," Forge said. "Stay focused!" With one nuisance dealt with, they continued driving to the rendezvous point.
Before long, the ponderous, egg shaped DropShip was in view. Already, BattleMechs and Combat Vehicles were being deployed. Spotting a thin, middle-aged man standing near the DropShip, Forge drove up to him. "You Knowles?" he asked.
"Yes," Knowles said. "SitRep?"
"Alpha Base is overrun," Forge said. "I'm gathering the survivors to take the base back. You?"
"Providing support," Knowles said. "I can spare two heavy lances of 'Mechs and four Von Luckners. We've also got two Leopard CV's ready to launch their fighters if you need fire support."
"Think you can rally the remaining survivors for me while I get Alpha Base back?" Forge asked.
"Negative, but you can, Sergeant. Gather up the remaining survivors. We'll rendezvous one klick from Alpha, then assault the Covenant there."
"Copy that," Forge said. "We're moving out. Good luck, Major!"
"Good luck, Sergeant!" Knowles said. With a nod, Forge rolled up the window, then gunned the throttle. Driving off from the Colossus, he passed by a smaller group of combat vehicles, with the formerly beleaguered Marine squad being picked up by them.
As they drove towards the base, they reached the one kilometer mark. "Anyone got eyes on what's ahead?"
"I do," a voice said over the COM. Feeling the ground shudder, Forge turned around to see several BattleMechs advancing towards them. One of them, a Marauder, came to a stop near his vehicle. "Lance Sergeant James Reeves reporting."
"Sergeant Forge," Forge said. "Got a UAV? The one we had returned to your DropShip to refuel."
"Roger. Launching now." There was a loud POP, then a small drone flew high into the air before fully deploying.
"OpFor composition?"
"Wait one," Reeves said. "Got it. Mostly infantry. Got two Wraiths in the base and some kind of energy gate. UAV's also detecting incoming Covenant dropships.
"Well, look at that," Serina quipped over the COM. "They're trying to keep us out of our own base."
"Looks like it. Any suggestions?"
Forge looked at the UAV feed and considered his options. "You go ahead and handle the Wraiths. We'll handle the infantry. Any word on air support? We could use some Shortswords."
The COM crackled. "Alpha 1-1, this is Shortsword wing Sigma 2 on station. Ready to begin aerial bombardment."
"Copy, Sigma 2-3," Forge said. "We'll tag an area if we need you, over."
"Solid copy. Sigma 2-3 on standby, out."
Forge looked to the others. "Let's go, people! Reeves, you know what to do!"
Inside his Marauder, Reeves nodded. "Got it. Delta Lance, form up on me!"
"Roger, lead," a lancemate said.
"Roger."
"Affirmative, lead." With everyone reporting in, Reeves advanced the throttles. The Marauder quickly picked up speed, moving over the icy terrain towards Alpha Base.
It wasn't long before they had the base in sight. True to form, it looked exactly as the UAV had showed. Several Wraiths were sitting pretty on the polycrete and asphalt, while Covenant infantry milled about the place. "Looks like we've got some Covenant loafing around," one of Reeve's lance mates remarked.
"Then let's give them a wake-up call," Reeves said. "Joffrey, Highlander Burial. I'll hit 'em with the mike 120. Everyone else, pick your targets and fire!"
"Roger that," Joffrey said. Kicking the foot pedals down, he fired up the jump jets on the Highlander. A loud roar filled the air as a trio of fusion plumes threw the Highlander into the air.
Had Joffrey known it, he would've been surprised to learn that the enemy had their own memories of their enemy. Near one of the Wraiths, Zekas 'Vortumee was barking orders in rapid succession to his subordinates. "Inform the Arbiter that the Humans are coming!" he shouted. "Zekoras, get the Grunts ready. We cannot allow the heretic filth to –"
"What's that hymn?" a Grunt asked.
'Vortumee was about to silence the Grunt when he heard it: a loud, droning, and somewhat nasal sound that rapidly changed in pitch and tone. The moment he heard it, his mind flashed back to the very day the Humans returned to reclaim Harvest.
. . .
Five Years Earlier
"Keep moving!" 'Vortumee shouted. "Don't let the vermin breath!" As he barked orders, Grunts and Jackals fired their plasma weapons at the Humans on the other side. Some humans ducked, while others died where they stood. Once the firing stopped, they popped out of cover and began firing.
'Vortumee had to duck as a laser beam splashed against his shields, slapping them down to two thirds strength. Hah! A challenge he snarled internally. Like all Sangheili, Vortumee enjoyed it when an enemy had a legitimate chance to kill him.
Leaning out of cover, he fired a few shots at the humans, then quickly threw himself behind cover. Laser beams splashed against the ruined building he was in, blasting out chunks of polycrete and sending dust flying into the air. Spotting a pair of Hunters, he roared, "Silence the heretics!"
"We obey," the Hunters said in a voice that was more felt than heard. Lumbering forwards, they began charging up their Fuel Rod Guns. The humans, spotting them, immediately fell back, while barking in their harsh language.
That's it, 'Vortumee thought. Run, you filthy heretics. We will catch you eventually. Glancing at a few Wraiths that were moving forwards, he began to proceed forwards, the Wraith's moving ahead of him.
As they did, 'Vortumee thought he heard something. It was a loud, droning, and somewhat nasal sound that quickly changed pitch and tone. What is that strange noise? he wondered.
It wasn't long before 'Vortumee got his answer.
As the noise reached a constant tone, a loud roar erupted in his ears. He barely had time to throw himself behind a building when something slammed into the ground with a loud CRASH! Turning around, 'Vortumee had barely enough time to watch the Wraith he'd just been standing next to get destroyed. The entire vehicle was promptly smashed into the ground, plasma venting everywhere as the vehicle was reduced to an enormous pancake.
It was then that he saw what had crushed the Wraith. It was a massive, bipedal, machine. It stood many times taller than a Locust and was roughly human-shaped, with two legs, two arms, five fingered hands and a head. It's entire body was armored from head to toe in solid, unyielding metal. A trio of fusion plumes coming from it's back faded out of existence.
It occurred to 'Vortumee then what had happened. Somehow, the Humans had made their own walkers, and one of them had just smashed a Wraith into the ground.
Then the slaughter began.
Three more machines of different shapes and sizes lumbered into view, then opened fire. Laser beams, particle lances and projectiles tore through the air. A Wraith that had turned to fire was almost turned inside out when a massive slug tore through the vehicle, emerging from the other side and leaving a hole as large as a Grunt in the machine.
As 'Vortumee got to his feet and began a counter attack, he couldn't help but feel a surge of exhilaration within his bosom. Perhaps these vermin are worthy prey after all, he thought. "Everyone with me! Charge!" With a roar, the other Sangheili opened fire, while the Wraiths and the Covenant's own walkers charged forwards.
. . .
'Vortumee pulled himself out of the memory. "MOVE!" he roared, throwing himself to the side. The other Sangheili, as well as their subordinates, immediately scrambled. Most of them didn't understand why.
They soon found out why.
Like the fist of an angry god, the Highlander from Joffrey's lance came hurtling down from the sky. With a thunderous crashing sound, the 'Mech immediately performed a maneuver that had made it famous: the 'Highlander Burial.' The Wraith, having failed to move out of the way, was instantly crushed into an approximation of a metal pancake. Plasma spewed everywhere out of the rapidly venting plasma generator inside of the vehicle, while pieces of shrapnel flew everywhere from the explosively compressed vehicle. Armor pieces flew off, or were melted, yet the 'Mech remained standing.
"I love my job," Joffrey said as he flattened the Wraith. Guiding his 'Mech around, he fired the Gauss Rifle at the other Wraith. The ferric-tungsten slug ripped through the Wraith at nearly eight time the speed of sound. In an instant, the Wraith was turned inside out before splitting apart almost explosively, while any Covenant infantry near it were fatally crushed by the sound wave near-instantly.
It was then that the other BattleMechs and Combat Vehicles came in. The smallest 'Mech in the lance, a Shadow Hawk, quickly fired off it's SRMs at the barrier at the entrance to Alpha Base. The emitter for the barrier was destroyed in nearly an instant, with the barrier snapping out of existence. "Forge, infantry's yours."
"Copy that," Forge said. "Moving in!" Gunning the engine of his Warthog, Forge quickly drove inside, with SLDF and UNSC forces quickly following behind him, each group moving along vectors on their HUDS to avoid overlap. Then the firefight began in earnes
SLDF and UNSC infantry threw themselves behind cover, then began to fire at their Covenant counterparts. Laser beams and particle bolts were answered by plasma bolts, filling the air with a lethal menagerie of colors.
Still, it was clear that the UNSC/SLDF strike force had the upper hand. One Jackal screamed as it's arm was severed just below the shoulder, before a laser beam promptly relieved it of it's head. An Elite dove into cover as particle bolts from a Man-Pack PPC shattered it's shields. "Grenade!" one soldier shouted, then fired his underbarrel grenade launcher. The detonation took out the cover the Elite was hiding behind, then another particle bolt finished the job.
While the infantry were clearing out the hostile foot mobiles, the Von Luckners were contesting their Covenant equivalents. One Von Luckner took a direct hit from a plasma mortar, layers of ablative armor vaporizing as the vehicle continued forwards. In retaliation, the tank fired it's main gun at the offending Wraith. A peal of explosive thunder echoed around the perimeter as the shell fired by the tank's autocannon blasted the Wraith apart.
As the firefight raged on, Joffrey looked around the battlefield. "Yo! Lance Leader!" he shouted. "Enemy tanks incoming!"
Reeves looked at the sensor map, then outside the viewport. He frowned when he saw a line of Wraiths and infantry, as well as Covenant Locusts approaching. "TacCom," he said. "Incoming enemy reinforcements. Requesting support, over."
A moment later, a welcome response came. "Delta 1-1, this is Sigma 2-1. Fire support ready. Lase a target when ready."
"Copy," Reeves said. "Lasing target now." Flicking a switch on his joystick, he activated the targeting computer's secondary function, then aimed at the incoming line of Covenant. Once he had a good fix, he tapped another button.
A moment later, he heard, "Delta 1-1, read you five by five. Standby for the fireworks. Danger close."
"Copy that," Reeves said. Keying his 'Mech's loudspeakers, he shouted, "Friendly airstrike inbound! Danger close, repeat, danger close!"
"Everyone get behind something!" Forge shouted. He needn't have bothered, as the moment everyone heard Reeves announcement, they threw themselves behind anything solid.
At that moment, the airstrike came.
Reeves watched as the menacing line of Covenant reinforcements was promptly obliterated by a cascade of bombs that fell from Shortswords flying through the sky. Flashes of light and large puffs of smoke, snow and rock erupted along the outer perimeter as more bombs fell on the area.
"Sigma 2-1 to Delta 1-1. Good effect on target. Target area suppressed. Sigma 2-1 out."
"Copy," Reeves said. "I have zero contacts on scope."
"Excellent," Forge said. "That was the most fun I've had this week." Keying his COM, he said, "Spirit of Fire, this is Forge. Area clear, situation normal. Orders?"
"Solid copy," Cutter said. "Alpha Base is ours again. Sergeant Forge, you may want to scout the area."
"Copy that," Forge said. "Major Knowles, Alpha is clear."
"Is the DropShip 'pad secure?" Knowles asked.
"Affirmative. LZ is clear."
"Copy that. Performing short range jump to the landing zone."
Forge nodded, then cut the COM line. "OK everyone, clear the area! Got a DropShip coming in!" At his order, everyone cleared the DropShip landing pad next to the base.
There was a quiet rumble, then the DropShip came into view, smoothly moving towards the 'pad. All of it's landing legs extended, then flexed as the DropShip landed with a rumbling thud. "DropShip is secure," Knowles said. "Beginning deployment now. Good to be back."
"Copy that," Forge said. "Got new orders. I'm heading out to scout out the area. Forge out." With the message sent, he gunned the engines and drove out of Alpha Base. Time to find out what the Covenant's up to now, he thought.
. . .
Up in orbit, Cutter smiled as the COM line closed. Opening another, he said, "Admiral Belleau, Alpha Base is ours."
"Good work," Belleau said. "Start sending down your firebases ASAP. The sooner we get a base up and running, the sooner we can supply our forces planetside more efficiently."
"Already done," Forge said. "Firebases on the way. Once the area's secure, we can send down the science team."
"Copy," Belleau said. "Inform me of any changes. Belleau out."
"Affirm," Cutter said. "General Kerensky?"
"Copy," Andery said. "Sending more reinforcements to replace the losses. Good hunting. Kerensky out."
. . .
At 2042 hours local time, Forge found himself crawling on his arms towards the edge of a cliff. The snowstorm that had started two hours prior had become even worse. Before, it had been a light dusting of snow, but now it was a torrential blizzard with gale-force winds.
To make matters worse, it wasn't just a blizzard, it was a thundersnow. Lightning was now flashing across the sky; great, big, jagged bolts of energy that lit the darkness up like a photographer camera's flash. If it hadn't been for the fact that Forge's helmet had infrared vision, he would've been lost in the ensuing whiteout.
Damn Covenant and their damn glassing, Forge cursed silently. If it wasn't for them glassing the planet out of spite, the weather would've been much more cooperative. Can't fix it though. I'm a soldier, not a climatologist. Still, he mentally grumbled at the planet's attempts to correct the atmospheric imbalance the Covenant had caused.
Before long, he'd reached the edge of the cliff. The storm had abated somewhat, providing a a brief window of visibility. Using the cameras mounted on his helmet, Forge zoomed in on the line of Covenant forces that were approaching the Forerunner structure. "Let's take one last look-see," he mumbled.
His eyes soon caught something new. Shifting his head slightly, he spotted what appeared to be an Elite. This one, however, seemed to be wearing armor different from the others. An officer, perhaps? Tapping his TACPAD, Forge pulled out a small drone, then let go when it's small tracks whirred to life. A small parabolic microphone deployed from it as it zoomed head, then focused on them.
The audio quality was poorer than usual, courtesy of the blizzard, but Forge could clearly hear the larger of the Elites talking to a smaller one. The translation software kicked in, allowing Forge to faintly hear what they were saying "The Hierarchs grow impatient! We can delay no longer!" the larger Elite said, it's voice deep and menacing.
"What if the infection defiles the Relic?!" the other one questioned.
"I care not for your little life!" the larger Elite snarled. "Open the Relic."
Forge glanced up at the Forerunner structure. Several Grunts approached it's base, then began forcing the doors open. A pair of Sangheili Minors ran over and began helping them. "Well well," Forge remarked. "Open sesame." Glancing back, he quickly scooted back from the edge, then carefully crawled back to the Warthog.
Had Forge known it, he'd barely avoided being seen. At the Relic's entrance, Ripa 'Moramee felt his scales hackle slightly. Turning around, he glanced at the cliff behind him. He saw nothing amiss, even as the thundersnow began picking up again. Still, he couldn't help but feel wary, and if there was one thing that he'd learned, that wariness often saved his life.
. . .
Up in orbit, Cutter proceeded through the doors an into the Observation Deck of the Spirit of Fire. The Observation Deck was one of the few frivolities on the ship, though some felt it was a vulnerable spot in the ship's design. Given Spirit of Fire's purpose as a support vessel, this was seen as a non-issue, as the ship was usually meant to steer clear of trouble.
Right now, the floor was covered in cables, desks, workbenches, monitoring equipment and other odds and ends. At the other end, Dr. Anders was working at a computer console. "What made you choose my observation deck as your lab, Professor?" Cutter asked, curious.
"I like the view," Anders said. "It adds… perspective to my work."
Cutter shrugged. "I'll bet it does." Glancing at a video feed of the Forerunner relic, he said, "Forge doesn't think it's safe for you to go down there yet. He's quite insistent."
Anders smiled. "I can be insistent too, Captain. I can handle myself."
"True, though in this case, it's better to be safe than sorry." Changing the subject, Cutter asked, "Any idea of what we're looking at down there?"
"It's all theories right now," Anders said. "I've got two theories on what it is right now."
"That being?"
"Either it is what the Covenant refer to as a Reliquary, or it is a Cartographer." Standing up, Anders picked up a bag. "Until I get down there, though, I won't know for sure."
As she stood to leave, Cutter put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm approving the mission, but the slightest sign of danger and I'm pulling you out. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Captain," Anders said. She grinned. "Relax, Captain. You worry too much." With that, she walked out of the Observation Deck.
"Maybe not enough," Cutter whispered as he turned to leave.
. . .
Down on the ground, Arbiter 'Moramee was starting to become worried. Just now, one of the Human's UAVs had done a fly-by over the Relic. That told him that they were preparing for an attack.
Now, he was in the middle of a conversation with the Hierarch. "Hierarch, the humans are closing and will soon be upon us!"
Regret nodded, his holographic head bobbing on his long neck. "No matter, the information you have gathered here is most appetizing. However, we must protect what we have learned here. Set the charges and destroy this place."
'Moramee nearly gasped. What is he thinking?! the more religious part of his mind shrieked. Stunned, he said, "Destroy this holy relic? Surely you jest!"
"The Great Journey requires sacrifice!" Regret retorted, silencing 'Moramee's next words. "Set the charges. Return to us! Our patience is not infinite!"
'Moramee sighed. He didn't like having to destroy Forerunner relics; in fact, he considered it a grave offense to the gods. Still, if the Hierarchs said it was necessary, then he would obey. "It will be done," he said, bowing his head, then turned to leave as the hologram faded out.
. . .
Twenty kilometers away, Alpha Base was a hive of activity. BattleMechs, Combat Vehicles and infantry were quickly moving about. Inside the firebase, Major Knowles was looking over satellite scans of the terrain. "Forge, SitRep?" he asked.
"The Covenant's doing something at the Forerunner structure," Forge said. "I think we spooked them with the UAV fly-by."
"My thoughts exactly," Knowles said. "Sergeant Wright?"
Sergeant Wright, a tall, reedy man with platinum blonde hair, came over and looked at the UAV footage. "I recommend a rapid strike," he said. "The Covenant might be planning on destroying the Forerunner structure, or denying access to us somehow."
Knowles looked at the map, then nodded. "Agreed. I'm sending a pair of lances, as well as some Combat Vehicles. Forge, you and Sergeant Wright will coordinate with the other officers and guide the infantry with them. The sooner we get to the Forerunner structure, the sooner we can stop the Covenant from enacting asset denial procedures."
"Got it," Wright said. "Forge?"
"Got it too," Forge said. Proceeding to the doors, he and Wright exited the firebase, then mounted up on their vehicles. "UAV scans indicate we've got some chasms to cross."
"Copy that," Wright said. "Major?"
"Move out towards the structure," Knowles ordered. "I've got ASF's ready to provide fire support."
"Copy that." Gunning the engine of his Warthog, Forge drove ahead of the IFVs and APCs transporting the infantry, while the BattleMechs and Combat Vehicles followed closely behind.
"Contacts, heading 0-2-0!" an APC driver reported. "Looks like Covenant infantry and some anti-infantry emplacements!"
"Confirmed," Serina said over the shared COM channel. "Detecting an increase in Covenant chatter. They're setting up defenses."
"Afirm," Wright said. "APCs, engage at range with your machine guns. Forge, get any infantry units out in the open behind cover. Delta Lance, Beta Squad, focus fire on any large infantry formation, but vehicles take priority."
"Wilco," Reeves said. "Scout 'Mechs are moving ahead." As he spoke, several Locusts and Commandos broke off from the group, and began scouting ahead.
At that moment, several Covenant squads appeared in view. Immediately, the machine guns on the APCs opened fire, sending a torrent of bullets their way. Some of the enemy got into cover. Some Grunts and a couple Jackals, however, were ripped to shreds. Then the firefight got going.
Driving behind the enemy formation, Forge let his gunner tear into the enemy forces while he maneuvered around. Spotting an Elite out of cover, he gunned the engine, charging for the alien. The Elite, spotting the incoming charge, threw himself out of the way, barely avoiding being clipped by the Warthog's front bumper. That, however, opened him up to the laser beams being fired by the passengers. Most missed, but enough hit that it didn't matter anyways.
Despite their success, casualties were mounting. One SLDF soldier went down without a sound, his chest speared by a trio of pink crystals that promptly exploded. A UNSC Marine screamed as his hand was blasted off by a bolt of plasma, only for another plasma bolt to blast his head apart.
Eventually, though, the firing tapered off as the SLDF/UNSC strike force eliminated all hostiles. "Keep moving!" Wright ordered. "We've still got a ways to go!"
Suddenly, something flitted overhead. One soldier behind an APC shouted as a pink crystal smacked into his helmet, driving him to the ground. "Sniper!" a woman warned the others.
"I've got 'im!" another soldier shouted "Give me suppressing fire!" The infantry immediately opened fire, blanketing where the shot came from. Taking aim, the first solder fired twice. "Enemy snipers down!"
"Looks like the Covenant are using snipers to take our forces out," Wright said to Forge over the COM. "We'll need to advance carefully!"
"Copy that," Forge said. "All squads, use your thermals! That should help you spot those bastards, but stay alert and mobile!" On they continued, their pace more cautious than before, despite already being wary.
"Reinforcements arriving on station," Serina said as a Pelican flew by and dropped off a Cobra. "Play nice."
"You kidding?" Forge said. "Playing nice is my specialty."
"Damn!" Wright said. "That's 25 tons of angry Light Gauss Rifle action. That'll teach the Covenant a thing or two. Hope it doesn't get bogged down in the snow, though."
"Tell me about it," Forge said. "Saw a pair of those things tear apart a squadron of Wraiths. We'll definitely need that firepower."
"Cobra-4 reporting for duty," the driver of the Cobra said.
"Copy that," Forge said. "Form up on us! We're heading for the Relic! Ready to get to work?"
"Send a target, and I'll nail it," Cobra-4 said.
Forge smiled. Those Cobra operators are always looking for something to destroy. As they drove along, he noticed something odd: a shield barrier up ahead. Keying his COM, he said, "Major, got a shield barrier up ahead. Advise. Over."
"Copy that," Knowles said. "Sergeant, UAV scans indicated missing Warthogs along your path. We've got two behind that barrier. Destroy the shield generator and get them out. Over."
"Wilco. Sergeant Forge out." Closing the COM, he said. "Wright?"
"I heard," Wright said. "Gamma Platoon, move in and destroy the shield generator. Get those personnel out of there." Twenty seven soldiers immediately moved in, weapons raised as they passed through the shield barrier. Placing a charge, one soldier backed off, then detonated it, bringing the shield barrier down.
"Got live ones here!" one soldier reported as six UNSC Marines came out of an outbuilding.
"Thanks for finding us!" one said. "The Covenant came by and we had to hide in the outbuildings."
"You're OK now," Forge said. "Head on back to Alpha Base for debriefing."
"You got it!" the Marines said, Getting into their Warthogs, they quickly drove back to Alpha Base.
The COM crackled to life suddenly. "Delta 1-4 here! Enemy Locust's ahead of your position! They've got energy shielding!"
"Copy that," Forge said. "Wright?"
"I heard. Sigma Lance, Beta Squad, move in to engage!"
"Copy that," Reeves said. The twin Von Luckners and Reeves' lance quickly pealed off and began moving ahead. "Delta 1-4, status?"
"We're taking heavy damage!" Delta 1-4 shouted. "Lost a component! We're pulling out!"
"Copy Delta 1-4, get out of there! We'll handle them!"
A few seconds later, Delta 1-4 came into view. The Commando was heavily damaged, ugly, plasma inflicted scars crisscrossing the armor plating. The 'Mech had also lost it's right arm, the metal still glowing red-hot.
Rounding the corner as the light 'Mech sped away, Reeves caught sight of the four legged 'Mech the Covenant used. "Enemy 'Mech in sight!" he reported.
"Multiple enemy combat vehicles on station!" Beta 2-1 added. "Engaging hostile vehicles."
"Copy that," Reeves said. "Engaging enemy 'Mechs!" Switching to his lasers, Reeves depressing the firing stud, sending emerald beams of light stabbing at the enemy 'Mech. The Covenant Locust's shields flared, with the enemy vehicle firing it's plasma lance at Reeves. The 'Mech shuddered as the plasma lance hit, just as more lasers lashed out at the vehicle.
Moving behind cover, Reeves switched to the 'Mech's PPCs, then moved out and fired. The Locust's shields sputtered, then shattered, exposing the Covenant 'Mech to enemy fire. Joffrey, spotting his opportunity, fired his Highlander's Gauss Rifle. The slug hit the enemy 'Mech on one of it's unarmored joints, tearing a leg off.
The Locust, now unbalanced, began to teeter. Firing his Autocannon, Reeves added more fire to the mix, while one of the Von Luckners fired it's Autocannon. The enemy Locust went up in flames, exploding before collapsing onto the ground.
The other Von Luckners were having fun on their own. One fired it's twin SRM-6's, blasting craters into a Wraith, while another fired it's SRM-4, tearing a Ghost apart. Then said Von Luckner nearly went up in flames as a Wraith hammered it with a shot from it's plasma mortar. While that vehicle backed off, another Von Luckner charged in and fired, sending that Wraith to an early grave.
"Got a lot of enemy 'Mechs and combat vehicles," Reeves reported. "The Covenant don't want us anywhere near that Relic."
"All the more reason to get there," Forge said. "Press on! We're almost there!"
"Major Knowles to Sergeants Forge and Wright," the COM crackled, "UAV recon flights have picked up a Covenant base ahead of your position."
"Got any extra reinforcements?" Forge asked.
"Affirm. ASF's moving to take it out. However, I need Delta Lance for it. Over."
"Copy that," Forge said. "We'll make do. Forge out." Switching frequencies, he said, "Reeves?"
"I got it," Reeves said. "Delta Lance, form up on me. Move to Nav Heading 0-4-5." At his command, the lance of 'Mechs quickly began to move towards the new heading.
While Forge and the main force moved on, Reeves and his lance quickly moved towards the new nav point. "Launching UAV," he announced. A small port on his Marauder opened, before the UAV in question launched up and into the sky.
It wasn't long before Reeves spotted what Knowles had: a large, ornate structure dominated by a tall spire with smaller structures around the central hub. "Confirmed. Covenant base on sensors. Marking for ASF support."
"Roger, Delta 2-1," came Alpha 1-1's voice. "Lase target when ready."
"Lasing now," Reeves said. The thin red laser of his TAG reached out and touched the target. After a few seconds, he heard a solid tone as the targeting computer locked on.
"Alpha 1-1 to Delta 2-1, targeting data received. Standby for the fireworks. Over." A moment later, several aerospace fighters flew overhead, prompting the automated defenses there to open fire. Most of their shots missed, while a few splashed against the armor on the fighters, destroying a couple, while scorching a few.
Then bombs began to hammer the Covenant base. Large and small explosions alike hammered the facility, tearing chunks out of the Covenant base. "Alpha 1-1 to Delta 2-1, target area suppressed. Be advised, base is still standing."
"Copy that," Reeves said. "We'll hammer the son of a bitch. Delta Lance, open fire!"
All of the 'Mechs opened fire. While the Jenner in the lance focused fire on any enemy infantry, the twin Shadow Hawks, Joffrey's Marauder and Richmond's Highlander began firing on the facility. Autocannon shells, PPC bolts, laser beams and missiles began tearing huge chunks out of the base, shrapnel flying everywhere as shells exploded.
Even with the concentrated firepower, the base was still standing strong. Spotting a pair of Ghosts, Edward, the pilot of the Jenner, growled, "Oh no, you don't!", before firing on the Ghosts. The first shots missed, a problem rectified easily by the lasers on the 'Mech, which cut both Ghosts apart.
Before long, Reeves said, "Delta Lance, pull back! The base's reactor is going critical!" Every 'Mech quickly pulled back, while explosions began tearing the base from the inside out. Just as the last 'Mech cleared the blast radius, the base self-destructed, tearing itself apart in a violent flash of light.
"Delta 2-1 to Command, target is destroyed. Over," Reeves reported.
"Copy," Knowles said. "Enemy base destroyed. Reinforce Forge and Wright. They are almost at the Relic. Over."
"Copy that," Joffrey said. "Delta 2-1 out." Switching COM frequencies, he said. "Sigma Lance, form up on me. We're reinforcing Forge…"
While Delta Lance had been busy handling the Covenant base, Forge and Wright were closing in on the Forerunner Relic. As they approached, Forge noticed something up ahead. "What's that?" he asked his gunner.
The gunner quickly focused the CROWS camera onto the entrance to the Relic. "Sarge, that looks like a detonator!"
Forge's gut went cold. Shit! They're gonna destroy the Relic! "Wright?"
"I see it too!" Wright said. "Beta Squadron, focus fire on the detonator. All personnel, disembark and take down the infantry! We can't let them hit that detonator!"
No reply was given, for there was no need. The doors on the APCs and IFV's popped open, disgorging their infantry. As the infantry opened fire, a team of technicians ran forwards, drones flying ahead and scouting out detonation wires. "Give us time to cut the wires!" one technician shouted.
"We're on it!" Sergeant Wright agreed.
Gunning his engine, Forge rammed into several Grunts, then gave his CROWS operator a chance to fire on any Elites in the area. Before long, even the enemy infantry had been destroyed. Forge was still tense, though. "Any word on the detonator?"
"All cables cut!" one technician shouted. "Detonator's disarmed."
Forge let out a sigh of relief. "That was close!"
"Tell me about it," Wright said. "Sergeant Wright to Command, enemy personnel eliminated. Sending in the infantry to clear it out."
"Copy that," Knowles said. "Additional forces are on their way to secure the Relic. Move in and clear it out."
"Copy that," Wright said. "Forge?"
"Got it," Forge said. As the infantry moved in to secure the structure, he leaned back in his seat. That was close, he thought. Let's just hope this was all worth the fuss.
A/N: And here is another piece of lore. This time, we're looking at a ground vehicle.
Warthog II
Production Information
Manufacturer: Misriah Armory, AMG Transport Dynamics
Production Year: 2520
Mission: Advance Scout
Type: Wheeled
Model: WHG-2A
Cost: 594,991 UEG Credits
Technical Specifications
Mass: 12 tons
Power Plant: AMG 100 XLICE
Speed: 162 kph
Armor: Misriah Armory Star/Slab Ferro
Crew: 4 (1 Driver, 1 Gunner, 2 Passengers)
Armament:
1 ER Small Laser
Manufacturer: AMG Transport Dynamics
Communication System: Misriah Armory TeleCOM-45
Targeting & Tracking System: Archeron Security Systems AccuTrac-20
Heat Sinks: 2
Description:
Developed by AMG Dynamics as a replacement of the older, M12 FAV (Force Application Vehicle) of the same name, the WHG-2A 'Warthog II' combines the UNSC's use of advanced, AI aided design with the technologies available to the Warthog II is designed to be an advanced scouting vehicle, and i s not meant for heavy combat. The vehicle is lightly armored, with only 4.4 tons of Ferro-Fibrous Armor, with speed being the Warthog's primary defense. This is further emphasized by the vehicle's top speed of 162 kph, with this speed being achieved through the use of an AMG's revolutionary 100 XLICE.
The original armor plating for the vehicle was replaced with the Ferro-Fibrous armor developed by the SLDF. In addition, the original M41 LAAG (Light Anti-Air Gun) was replaced with an ER Small Laser that had greater firepower and range than it's original ballistic counterpart. However, to allow this energy weapon to be used, the vehicle had to be fitted with a power converter, increasing it's mass from 3 tons to around 6, with the armor and structure replacement boosting the mass to 12 tons.
The Warthog II makes use of AMG Transport Dynamics revolutionary new engine, the 100 XLICE (Extra Light Internal Combustion Engine) to keep weight low, while still providing enough power to push the Warthog to a maximum speed of 162 KPH. The Warthog II is also the first UNSC vehicle to make use of the revolutionary OmniPod technology developed by Msriah Armory in cooperation with the SLDF, allowing the vehicle to quickly change it's loadouts in the field.
The Warthog II also differs from it's older counterpart of the same name through the use of a fully enclosed cab, complete with transparent titanium viewports. The main gun is placed in a CROWS (Crew Remote Operated Weapon System) mount, allowing the passenger sitting next to the driver to manipulate the weapon without needlessly exposing themselves to incoming enemy fire.
History:
The Warthog II first entered the R&D stage around 5 years before First Contact with the Covenant at Harvest when the UNSC requested an update to the aging, but venerable, M12 FAV of the same name. AMG Transport Dynamics and Misriah Armory, in cooperation with the SLDF, began a complete overhaul of the older M12 FAV using the advanced armor and weapons technologies shared with them by the SLDF. During the Insurrection, the Warthog II was generally in limited use due to Misriah Armory and AMG Transport Dynamics retooling their facilities to produce the new vehicle.
It was during the Covenant-UNSC War that the Warthog II saw extensive use. For the most part, the Warthog was used in it's primary role of advance scouting and reconnaissance. While it could be used in a direct battle, the Warthog II was not designed to withstand heavy weapons fire for long, as it's relatively light armor precluded protracted engagements. Indeed, the Warthog II, in major fights, was often the first casualty, further emphasizing it's use as an advance scout. After the war, the Warthog II was replaced with the Razorback, which was 5 tons heavier, but boasted significantly improved armor plating and weapons.
Weapons & Equipment:
The Warthog II is equipped with an ER Small Laser as it's standard weapon, giving it sufficient firepower against most enemy infantry and vehicles of the same size and weight. The weapon was operated from the interior of the cab using a joy stick controlled CROWS equipped with a camera that could cycle through infrared and visual scanning.
Variants:
WHG-2B: This variant of the Warthog II replaces the ER Small Laser with an SRM-4 Launcher, allowing it to engage tanks from a relatively safe distance. It is virtually identical in all other aspects to the WHG-2A.
WHG-2C: An anti-personnel variant, this variant replaces the standard ER Small Laser with an M247H, or it's SLDF equivalent, the Semi-Portable Autocannon.
WHG-2D: The first upgraded variant built in 2543, the WHG-2D is an extensive overhaul of the WHG-2A. The XLICE is removed in favor of a 100 XL Fusion Engine, and it's structure is improved, allowing it to mount 50% more armor than the original design. The use of an XL Engine also enables the WHG-2D to use energy weapons without the need to use power amplifiers. The improved structure and armor also cuts the vehicle's weight down to 5 tons.