Hello everyone, and welcome back to my Halo - MechWarrior/BattleTech crossover.

My apologies for my tardiness. I've had a lot going on in life as of late, and I needed to take care of that first.

That said, it took me a while to get this chapter just right as well. Because of the event being covered, I'm breaking up what would've been a single chapter into two smaller ones that are easier to handle.

Either way, thank you for your feedback and support. I appreciate it.

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.

Arcadia City

Arcadia

February 4th, 2531, 1104 Hrs Local Time

Arcadia City was burning.

That much was obvious as the Pelican carrying Forge flew towards the city. Once a bustling vacation resort for the rich and wealthy, it was now a war zone. Gunfire could be heard off in the distance, along with the screams of the dying.

A crackle over the COM drew his attention. "Spirit of Fire, this is Arcadian Patrol Charlie 3-1, civilians entering the city are being blocked by hostile forces! We need to clear that area! Can you assist?

Forge keyed his COM. "Arcadia ground control, this is Forge. We're inbound to aid in evacuation efforts, help is on the way!"

"Copy that!" Arcadia Ground Control said. "Good hunting. Out!"

A loud rumbling drew Forge's attention. A glance upwards revealed the Colossus and Union DropShips landing at key points around the city. "Major Knowles to Arcaida Ground Command. SLDF forces are on site and ready to provide assistance."

"Solid copy," came the reply. "Sending waypoints now!"

The Pelican reached it's destination in short order. Forge got out, clambering onto the Warthog just before it detached from the vehicle. The landing jarred his teeth, but otherwise didn't faze him. "Sir, AGC just sent us the local map," his CROWS operator said. "Covenant forces are massing near the entrance to one of the subways."

"Got it," Forge said. "Any news on those Hornets?"

The sound of turbojet engines answered that question. In the rear view mirror, Forge could see the VTOLs that had a passing resemblance to the insects they were named after. "We got you covered," the lead pilot of the formation said. "Hunter 2-1 ready to go."

"Move out!" Forge ordered. Gunning the throttle, he drove towards the subway entrance, Hornets buzzing behind him.

The subway entrance came into view. Nestled into the polycrete walls surrounding the city, it was sheltered from most attacks from above. Unfortunately, the Covenant knew this as well. Rounding the corner, Forge could see dozens of Covenant infantry firing at the entrance.

Their fire was answered by sporadic bursts from the entrance to the subway. ACPD (Arcadia City Police Department) officers were firing from behind polycrete pillars, while civilians huddled behind them. Though their efforts were valiant, the Covenant was pressing closer to them. "Arcadia Ground Control, come in!" one officer shouted. "It's a blood bath here! We need some cover now!"

"UNSC and SLDF forces en route," Arcadia Ground Control reported. "Hang in there!"

"Coming on site!" Forge said. "Hunter 2-1, mow 'em down!"

"Copy that!" Hunter 2-1 said. "Targets sighted. Engaging Covenant infantry." The Hornets flew ahead, weapons charged and ready. Some of the Covenant infantry, turning around, looked up just in time to see the Hornets arrive.

They didn't see much else after that.

The twin AP Gauss Rifles on each Hornet opened fire. Hypersonic slugs tore through the air and reached their targets instantly. Bodies were ripped to pieces by the sheer kinetic energy of each slug. Forge watched as one Elite practically exploded when a slug tore through it's shields and chest, while a Grunt simply ceased to exist when another smashed into it's tank, causing an explosion.

"Ghost!" Forge heard his CROWS operator shout.

"Take it out!" he ordered. The operator nodded, then thumbed the firing stud.

The Warthog, now sporting an AP Gauss Rifle as well, fired twice. Twin slugs smashed into the Ghost, tearing off one of it's wings. One of the slugs tore into the side of the vehicle, smashing into one of it's power cells. The entire Ghost promptly exploded, shrapnel flying everywhere.

Another Ghost came flying around a corner, firing at Forge and his vehicle. He was about to have the operator open fire again when two missiles smashed into the Ghost, blasting it to pieces. "Need a hand?" one of the Hornet pilots asked.

"Thanks," Forge said. "Move up!" The vehicle's engine roared and they drew closer to the civilians.

As they did, Forge's eyes came upon a grisly, and tragic, sight. Dozens of civilians were lying on the ground, dead. Their bodies had been ripped apart, and in a way Forge recognized. Energy swords, he growled. Damn Covies!

As they drew closer, other sounds could be heard. Forge noticed a woman cradling the mangled body of her husband. Sobs wracked her body as she held the corpse, blood staining her clothes.

One of the ACPD officers came towards him. "Thank you!" he said. "We though we were dead for sure!"

"Evac point's are to the north and northwest," Forge said. "We'll escort you there."

"Thank you!" one civilian shouted. "Get us out of here!" Forge nodded, then wheeled the vehicle around.

As he did, more COM traffic came in. "Sergeant Forge, this is Major Knowles. SitRep?"

"Evacing civilians from the subway system," Forge said. "You?"

"Keeping the spaceports free of the Covenant," Knowles said. "Managed to keep the Covenant from bombing them into glass. Do you need back-up?"

"Affirm," Forge said. "Could use some 'Mechs and Combat Vehicles."

"Copy," Knowles said. "Be advised, evac ships will launch in twenty mikes. Knowles out."

Forge nodded. "You heard the man! Let's get our asses moving now!"

"Incoming!" one soldier shouted. Forge looked up, then frowned when he saw Banshees flying towards them.

"Hunter 2-1 engaging!" The Hornets quickly went to work. Hypervelocity slugs and missiles went flying through the air as they engaged the Banshees. "Keep driving, Forge!" Hunter 2-1 said. "We'll keep our airspace clear of hostiles!"

"Understood!" Forge said. "Everyone, keep moving!"

It wasn't long before they ran into more trouble. Driving ahead, Forge heard his gunner growl. "Shit! Sir, we've got trouble!"

Forge nodded. "I see them!" he said as several Grunts, Jackals and a few Elites came into view. "Target the Elites!" The gunner nodded, then engaged.

AP Gauss slugs flew through the air and impacted one of the three Elites. The shielding the Elite had did nothing to stop the slug; unimpeded, it tore through the Elite, splattering it's organs and blood in a streak on the ground.

The others, spotting the lone Warthog, were about to fire when lasers shot past them. Looking ahead, Forge smiled when an SLDF platoon came into view. About time, he thought.

"Take them out!" one soldier shouted. Ducking into cover, they continued laying down covering fire. The Elites didn't waste time either, ducking into cover while their subordinates took some of the shots meant for them. A Jackal screeched as it's arm was lopped off, only for a laser beam to silence it's cries immediately. A Grunt charged, wielding a pair of plasma grenades, only to be consumed by plasma when a lucky laser beam punched into one of the grenades.

The Elites, spotting their opportunity, opened fire. One SLDF soldier went down without a sound, his chest armor punctured by a bolt of plasma. Another howled as his hand was blasted off, before his compatriot pulled him behind cover.

Firing again, Forge's gunner quickly neutralized one of the Elites. The remaining one, realizing it was alone, charged towards the Warthog, energy sword in hand. "Shit!" Forge heard his gunner snarl. "Weapon's jammed!"

"I've got him!" Forge shouted. Opening the driver side door, Forge leaned out and fired his laser pistol from his off-hand. Two shots later, and the Elite lay dead, it's chest ripped open by a steam explosion.

"Thanks for the assist!" one of the SLDF soldiers said.

"Just doing my job," Forge said. "Who's your CO?"

"It's me," A familiar voice said.

"Wright? Is that you?"

"Yep!" Wright said, coming into view. "Knowles sent us to reinforce you. Combat vehicles and 'Mechs are moving to secure the spaceports right now."

"What about the civilians?"

"Knowles has CV's and 'Mechs moving to escort them," Wright said. "Infantry's getting bogged down by Covenant kill teams. They're murdering any civies they find."

"Then let's get them some support," Forge said. Keying his COM, he said, "Knowles, this is Forge."

"Go ahead, Forge."

"Heard that your forces are getting bogged down," Forge said. "Need an assist?"

"Affirm," Knowles said. "Bravo Actual needs support. They've got injured civilians moving from a hospital. Need you to eliminate Covie resistance so that ambulances can transport them. Sending coordinates now.

Forge looked at his Warthog's display, saw a waypoint pop up. "Understood. Moving out." Closing the COM, Forge leaned out and asked, "Wright, can you get these civies to safety?"

"Wilco," Wright said. "Get to the hospital and get them out of there. Good luck!"

Forge nodded as the civilians began to follow Wright's platoon. "Hunter 2-1, SitRep?"

"Regrouping with you now," Hunter 2-1 said. "Hostile aerospace assets delayed for now. Orders?"

"Follow me. We're heading to these coordinates. Can you soften up the Covenant there?"

"Copy that," Hunter 2-1 said. "Moving to coordinates now." The fusion engines roared as the Hornets flew towards the hospital.

As they did, COM chatter came in. "Cargo 3 here. We're all alone out here! Can't you guys hurry up?"

"Moving as fast as we can," Forge said. "SitRep?"

"Getting shot at!" Cargo Three said. "Got Covie bastards trying to eat us alive here! We need help!"

A new voice came in over the COM. "Cargo Three, this is Delta Lance. We're moving to secure your AO. Hang tight. We're on our way."

"Understood!" Cargo Three said. "Make it fast!

Near Cargo Three's position, Sergeant Reeves checked his 'Mech's sensors. Several red blips appeared on screen. "Delta 2, launch UAV."

"Copy," Delta-2 said. The Shadow Hawk in the Lance stopped, then launched a small UAV. "Covenant infantry ahead. Two hunters. Jenners can handle them."

"Understood," Reeves said. "Delta 5, engage hostile infantry."

"Engaging," Edward said. His Jenner advanced, rounding the corner as the Shadow Hawk followed behind. The Covenant squads came into sight. So far, they were too busy concentrating on breaking through the checkpoint guarding the ship.

"Targets sighted, engaging," Edward said. Depressing a few firing studs, he fired off an octuple of SRM's. Two Elites, four Jackals and eight Grunts were promptly blasted to pieces. The others whirled around, only to get cut down by pulsing beams of emerald and ruby light.

Edward was about to report all clear when Cargo Three did something no one expected. "Cargo Three here!" Screw the EVAC! Proceeding with emergency launch!"

"Major Knowles to Cargo Three! Do not launch!" Knowles roared. "Repeat: Do! Not! Launch!" To his horror, the civilian ship began to lift off. He was about to contact them again when four Banshees swooped in and fired.

Explosions ripped through the civilian ship's hull, tearing armor plates and structural supports off. "We're hit!" Cargo Three yelled. "We're hit! Somebody, help us! Please! Somebo-" The cry for help became a scream of agony as an explosion erupted, blasting the ship apart. The cry of pain was cut off immediately.

"Son of a bitch!" Edward snarled. "Fucking idiot!"

"Fuck!" Knowles snarled over the channel. "All civilian ships, this is Colossus Actual. Do not initiate emergency launch until AO is clear! We'll escort you once the airspace is clear. Understood?"

"Understood," Cargo One said. "We'll wait until airspace is clear."

"Affirm," Cargo Two said.

The COM crackled to life. "Spirit of Fire, this is Spartan Red Team."

"Go ahead," Captain Cutter said.

"Covenant are gaining control fast. Suggest setting up new ground operations."

Forge came in a moment later. "Spirit, Forge here. I agree with Red Team. We got time to get a base up and running?"

"Serina?" Cutter asked.

"Identity verified. Spartan Red Team. Sent here to assist in evacing of civilians."

"By who?" Cutter asked.

"NavSpecWar, Vice Admiral Cole, sir."

Cutter frowned, then nodded. "Understood, Red Team. Will set up ground operations when able. Civilians are top priority."

"Understood," Red-1 said. "We'll assist where able. Red Team out."

Cutter turned his attention back to Forge. "Stand by, Forge." He turned to Serina. "Serina?"

"I've marked suitable landing zones for Mobile Field Bases," Serina said. "Clear the area before setting them down."

"Copy that," Forge said. "Knowles?"

"Reassigning Delta Lance to secure locations now," Knowles said. "Setting them as Nav Points Alpha, Beta and Gamma. Delta Lance?"

"Delta Lead copies all," Sergeant Reeves said. "Moving to Nav Point Alpha. Delta Lance out."

"Understood," Knowles said. "All Lances, keep the spaceport secured. CV and Infantry platoons, spread out through the city and rescue any civilians you find. Colossus Actual out."

On the ground, Forge was quickly closing in on the hospital, which came into sight a moment later. True enough, the parking lot was a free-for-all. Covenant forces were trying to get inside, but were being held back by a ragged civilian resistance. "Help us!" one civilian shouted, firing his pistol as he dragged an ACPD officer behind a barricade. "They're about to break through!"

"We're on them!" Forge said. "Knowles, any word on reinforcements!"

"Platoon Gamma is at your location," Knowles said.

As he said this, 27 SLDF soldiers came into view. "Sergeant Lancaster here! Moving to engage!" Forge nodded, then gunned the engine of his Warthog.

"Gunner, take them out!" he ordered.

"Firing!" his gunner said. More AP Gauss Rifles flew through the air, then laser beams followed them.

Caught off guard by the sudden attack, several Grunts, Jackals and Elites fell, their bodies being ripped apart. Surrounded on all sides, it wasn't long before the aliens were wiped out. One of the civilians shakily approached Forge and the others. "You here to help?"

"We're getting you out of here," Forge said. "Anyone here need transport?"

"We've got several wounded and critical cases!" one of the hospital employees said. "We can't move them without ambulances!"

"Ambulances are on the way," Forge said. "Anything else?"

A middle aged woman came up to him, half-sobbing, half-screaming. "Where's Andrew? Do you know where he is?!"

Forge held up a hand. "Calm down, ma'am. Take a few breaths." The woman complied, taking deep, ragged breaths. Once she'd calmed down, he said, "OK. What is it?"

"My grandson Adam Andrews is missing! His parents were on Cargo Three when it went down! Can you find my grandson? Please!"

Forge sighed. Great. First an evacuation, now we've got a potential rescue mission to complete. He looked at Lancaster. "Any ideas? Local cops are too tied up to take care of this."

"I'll dispatch one of my squads to go find 'im," Lancaster said. "Do you know where he is, ma'am."

"Last time I heard, he was at the subway," the woman said. "Please! I can't bear the thought of him dyin' with his parents! He's the only grandson I have left! Please, you must find him!" Her sobs began to return.

One of the soldiers held a map out to her. "We'll find him. Where was he at last?" The woman sobbed, then pointed a shaky finger at part of the map. "Thanks. We'll head there via APC now."

Lancaster nodded. "Good. Contact us when you've evac'ed him. The rest of you, move out!"

In another part of the city, Major Knowles was coordinating other forces throughout the city. "Gamma Lance, proceed to Nav Point Omicron," he said. "Covenant forces are assaulting a school. Take them out, then get the civilians out of there."

"Yes sir!" came Gamma Lead's response.

"Sir, Spirit of Fire has launched heavy transports," one of his assistants said.

"Understood," Knowles said. He keyed his COM. "Spirit of Fire, this is Major Knowles."

"Go ahead," Cutter said.

"Status on the Mobile Field Bases."

"Already en route," Cutter said.

"Good. Knowles out." Switching frequencies, Knowles keyed the COM again. "Delta Lance, SitRep?"

Out in the field, Sergeant Reeves was sweating profusely. Firing at a pair of enemy Wraiths, he watched as his heat meter creeped closer to the maximum limit. "Warning: Heat Level Critical," the DIC reported. "Shutdown Sequence Initiated."

Frantically, Reeves smashed his fist against the override. "Shutdown Sequence Overridden. Warning: Core Meltdown Imminent."

Just a little longer, Reeves thought as he cycled to the GM Whirlwind on his 'Mech. Another lousy minute. He waited for more resistance to show up.

This time, no Covenant forces came around the bend. With a sigh, Reeves allowed his 'Mech to cool off. Too close.

He was jarred out of his thoughts when the COM crackled to life. "Delta Lance, SitRep?" Major Knowles asked.

Reeves keyed the COM. "Delta Lead here. Banged up, but alive."

"Do you need repairs?"

Reeves checked his and his lancemate's 'Mechs. Shit, he thought. Delta-2's red on their armor. Delta 3-4 have got minor damage to their arm actuators, and Delta-5's Gauss Rifle is damaged. "Affirm," he said. "Requesting repairs."

"Understood. Mobile Field Bases are on the way. ETA: 3 mikes."

"Solid copy. Delta Lead out."

"Well, that's just perfect," Delta-2 grumbled.

"Keep it together," Delta-3 said. "A few more minutes, and we'll get repaired and rearmed."

Reeves nodded. "OK. Head for Cargo One. UAV's read a large movement of Covenant troops towards that landing pad. Satellite uplink reports that one of the repair bays will land there."

"Wilco," Delta-5 said…

At another part of the city, Sergeant Michael was swearing under his breath, and it wasn't hard to see why. Sewage flowed around his armored boots even as he stepped through the muck. Around him, his squadmates looked similarly disgusted. It wasn't the sight of the sewage that had him gagging, though; he could handle that just fine.

The real issue was the smell. "Ugh!" he heard one of his squadmates grumble. "Smells like the sewers back at Galatea! Now that place was rank!"

"Tell me about it," another soldier, Jared, grumbled. "Took me hours to clean the shit off. The smell lingered for days."

"Gentlemen…" Michael growled. The growl was enough to silence all of them. "Tom, how close are we to the subway's maintenance entrance?"

Tom checked his TACPAD. "Should be right around here."

On cue, they rounded a bend in the sewer tunnels. Ahead, Michael spotted a large red door marked, Maintenance Access: Authorized Personnel Only. Ignoring the admonition, he used his laser pistol to melt the lock, then kicked the door open. Everyone quickly moved inside of the room.

Another soldier checked his HUD. "Nothing here. Looks like…" He paused. "Contact upstairs!"

"Weapons up," Michael ordered. The soldiers raised their weapons, then carefully moved through the building. Reaching the stairs, they carefully ascended them.

Michael then spotted it, a flash of movement. Raising his rifle, he flicked it's light on, then slowly advanced. "Anyone in here?" he called out. "We're not going to hurt you. We're here to evac anyone that's still here."

There was a pause, then slowly, a young boy came into view. "A-are you here t-to help me?" he asked uncertainly.

Michael nodded. "Yes, we are. What's your name?"

"A-Adam Andrews."

Michael smiled. "Well, Adam. We're here to pull you out of this steaming hot mess. Would you be willing to come with us?" For a moment, Adam remained silent, then he slowly walked to them.

As soon as he was close enough, Michael gently picked him up and handed him to one of the others. "We'll get you out of here. I promise."

They turned to leave when one of the soldiers fired his laser rifle into the darkness. The crack of the laser beam was followed by the sound of an energy shield breaking, and a loud gurgling roar. "Cloaked Covenant!" one of the men shouted.

"Evac now!" Michael roared. Bounding down the stairs, he and the others ran through the maintenance door. Kicking the door closed, one soldier used a piece of rebar to bar the door shut.

"That'll buy us time! We need to move!" Tom shouted. There was no argument as he and the others quickly left…

Up on the surface, Reeves and the others watched as one of the Mobile Field Bases arrived. A trio of vehicles resembling semi-trucks hauling oversized trailers rolled into view. "Delta Lead, this is MFB Alpha Lead. We're ready to commence repairs."

"Roger," Reeves said. "Moving to begin repairs now." Activating the governor on his control panel, he watched as his 'Mech began moving at a 10 kph crawl. Once between all three vehicles, he shut his 'Mech down.

Right on cue, all three vehicles backed up. The trailers they carried lifted into the air, hoisted upwards by powerful electrical motors. At the same time, they opened up, revealing a series of robotic arms, feed chutes and more. Then, they closed around the 'Mech.

Over the course of a minute, Reeves watched as robotic arms tipped with various tools and grippers replaced ablated armor plates, repaired damaged systems, and refilled ammunition bins. Once they finished, the vehicles pulled away, allowing him to step out from between them.

The procedure was repeated for each 'Mech, with some taking longer than others to repair. Still, the end result was the same for each 'Mech, with each one stepping out, fully repaired.

"Ready to go, boss," Joffrey said.

"Affirm," Reeves said. "Return to Cargo One. More civilians are heading to the evac zones."

"Copy." Delta-2 said…

What they didn't know was that resistance was starting to build up sharply. All too aware of that fact, Michael ducked behind a car, narrowly avoiding a plasma bolt that whipped past his head at hypersonic velocities. Popping out of cover, he fired his laser rifle twice, then ducked behind cover.

As he did, he keyed his COM. "Sergeant Lancaster! We've got a Principal with us! Requesting assistance!"

"Solid copy," Lancaster reported. "We're on the way. ETA: 2 mikes."

"We don't have two minutes!" Jared shouted. "These fucking bastards are everywhere!"

"Shut up and shoot!" Michael bellowed. Leaning out of cover, he fired again. A loud squawk told him he'd nailed a target.

Then, before he could pull back into cover, an explosion threw him off his feet. For a few moments, Michael felt weightless, then he slammed down onto the warm but hard ground. There was a loud crack, then pain blossomed through his right arm.

He snarled, fighting back a scream. Before he could work out what had happened, an alien hand grabbed him by the throat and hefted him to the air. Michael choked as a Sangheili lifted him into the air. "Nishum," it growled. "Any last words, heretic?"

Michael winced, fighting against the pain. "Yeah…" he growled. With his one good hand, he fired the laser pistol in it twice. The first shock popped the energy shield; the Sangheili, realizing his peril, dropped Michael, barely avoiding being hit by the second laser beam. "My guns do the talking!"

Just as the Elite raised it's own energy weapon, it's body was promptly blasted apart. The comforting roar of Machine-Guns filled the air as an APC drove into view. 21 soldiers poured out of the vehicle, weapons blazing as they drove the Covenant back. "Need a hand?" Lancaster asked.

Michael nodded. "Yeah. Fucking arm's broke."

Lancaster shook his head. "I've had worse." Grabbing Michael by the good arm, he hefted the injured man to his feet. "We'll have you fixed up, good as new 'fore you know it. Is the Principal safe?"

In response, Adam tottered forwards. "Good! Your grandmother's been tearing her hair out worrying about you."

"Are Mom and Dad OK?" Adam asked.

Lancaster frowned. "I'll tell you when we're out of here." Looking at the others, he said. "Everyone, load up! We've got plenty of room for everyone! Injured and disabled first!"

Back at the cargo ships, Forge looked around for any more civilians on the way. "Is that all?" he asked over the COM.

"Negative," Major Knowles said. "Sergeant Lancaster reported in. One more load of civilians to evacuate."

"Well, he'd better hurry," Forge said as more and more red blips began to appear on the sensor readout, "because we're out of time!"

"Ground Control – T minus 60 seconds. Over," AGC reported.

Just as AGC finished, Forge saw the last group of civilians come into view. Each one bolted, running as fast as their legs could carry them. Forge could only shake his head as the last civilians ran onto one of the ships. New world record for speed, he thought.

"Major Knowles to AGC, enemy aerospace assets are dealt with for the time being."

"Copy that," AGC said. T minus in five, four, three, two, one… LAUNCH! All shuttles, launch immediately! Go now!"

"Understood," Cargo One said. "Launching in three… two… one… now!" The roar of ship engines filled the air. Fusion plumes buffeted the ground as both ships lifted into the air, then rocketed away at top speed. "Good luck down there!"

"Good luck to you too," Forge said. Keying his COM, he said, "Forge to Major Knowles. All civilians evacuated."

"Solid copy," Knowles said. "Be advised, major Covenant presence inbound. We're leaving Arcadia City ASAP. Regroup at Nav Point Epsilon. Mobile Field Bases will move with you and the 'Mechs to the outskirts of the city."

Forge watched a dot appear on his Warthog's display. "Understood." Closing the COM, he gunned the engine, wheeling the Warthog round. Let's hope more people have gotten out elsewhere, he thought. Otherwise this is going to be a really bad day, if it hasn't already become one that is.