Author's Note
I once again thank my reviewers for their help in offering me and endless list of ideas in keeping my brain functioning. I apologize for the delays in between posts, I do plan to keep writing this.
As for most of this story, it is usually written moments before I go to bed at night since it is the only time I have available to do so, so my sleep deprived brain is to blame for this story from start to finish, for better or for worse, lol.
Felt a little silly today.
Uploaded
05/25/2024
LEGEND BELOW
"Chief, that's not a good idea..." = Normal speech.
''You're you, don't let it control you...'' = Normal thoughts/Receiving coms.
Chapter 43
Rated-M
M rating for blood, and language, and violence.
Music of the day
Metroid Prime 3 - Crisis
Locaion / Requiem
Six months and one week since Samus departed from Infinity
The sounds of a Pelican's engines shutting down echoed out inside the relatively empty landing bay, the ship's hydraulics groaning as it settled into place.
Commander Palmer stood before the drop ship, armored hands clasped behind her back as she leveled a gaze at the bay door. As the metal panels parted, her Spartans all began to disembark in single file line.
Hoya stepped off the ship, looking battle damaged, but otherwise fine. The rest of his team could not say the same. Grant and Buck were boasting plasma damage and signs of hard light bullet strikes, but would survive.
Walking out beside them were the members of Fireteam Crimson, the Spartans looking as if they'd just walked through the gates of hell. And that didn't even take into consideration the two downed Spartans.
"DeMarco, report." The woman exclaimed sharply, taking in the poor state of her super soldiers. "What the hell happened down there?"
For the man in question, Paul sighed as he approached her, shoulders heavy. "I'm sorry Commander, we were caught off guard. Madsen was wounded when defending Hoya." He explained briefly, glancing down to the man in question.
Madsen was rolled out on a heavy-duty medical stretcher, the device floated inches from the ground as it carried the wounded Spartan along. He was barely conscious, eyes dull behind his visor as he stared up at the surprisingly concerned face of his Commander who hovered above him.
The holes in his neck and chest had been patched up via bio-foam, but he required immediate medical attention.
She reached up, patting the super soldier on the shoulder. "You did good, get some rest." She muttered gruffly, yet her voice held a subdued sense of relief. She watched as he was escorted away, before turning her attention towards the black armored members of Crimson Team.
The mysterious super soldiers all stood before her at attention, but said nothing. Green, blue, and white were all accounted for and in one piece, while Red lay unconscious on another medal stretcher. She was far worse than Madsen, and she survival was unsure at best.
"Crimson, get Red to the medical bay immediately. Dismissed." She stated sharply, but said nothing more. The silent soldiers nodded, and made their way out of the bay. "Armor bay is waiting, Majestic." She added, turning back to the blue armored Spartans.
They all nodded before moving to leave as well.
But she stopped one of them. "Buck, hold up." She ordered, holding the man back as his team made their way out.
"Commander?" The Helljumper asked curiously, hands clasped respectively behind his back.
"At ease, Spartan." Palmer sighed, turning to glance at her side as a group of scientists moved past her, a hover bed in tow. The men moved to secure the Forerunner Artifact that the Spartans had stolen, careful not to drop it.
Buck moved to stand beside her, watching the scientists move the large metal object across the bay. Head scientist, Doctor Glassman had been escorted down to the landing bay upon learning of the artifact's retrieval. While watching the rather skittish looking man investigate the artifact as the retrieval team moved it, Buck spoke up. "Commander…? If I may speak freely?"
"Go ahead." Palmer muttered.
"What do you think the Covenant wanted with that?" He motioned to the Artifact.
"Unsure." She sighed. "Covenant net was all over its discovery. We didn't have time to figure out why before the order was called to confiscate it. You know the rest." She gave him a brief explanation.
"A weapon?" Buck murmured, eyeing the device cautiously.
"Could be, but I doubt it." Palmer murmured. "The Covenant aren't short of weapons, this is too much effort for a device that size, even if it was a weapon."
"These Covenant are more fanatical than the rest. I wouldn't out-rule the possibility, Commander." Buck's words carried a heavy level of sagely wisdom.
He'd survived more battles and wars than he could remember, he knew his enemy inside and out by now. And he knew that this Covenant were more unhinged compared to their counterparts from the past.
As if the universe was listening with the full intention of ruining her day, not five seconds after Buck made his worries known, the Artifact reacted.
An orange pulse of energy shot out from the device, rapidly flashing through the entirety of the Infinity.
Lights flickered on and off, the sounds of the ventilation systems shutting down sending a deep whirring noise across the landing bay.
That's when the ship started tilting, anti gravity subsystems malfunctioning as well.
"Roland! What's going on?" Palmer immediately switched to command bridge coms. "We're losing anti gravity down here, what the hell happened?"
''Unknown, Spartan. We're experiencing power loss on- multiple- levels.'' The A.I. trailed off, seemingly effected by the sudden power loss as well. ''I'm trying to source it now.''
The world around them suddenly shifted as the entire ship began to lose power as well, which included any sort of thrusters. Palmer suddenly found her world tilting as the Infinity began to slowly drift towards the opening of the planet.
If left unchecked, they would inevitably find themselves crashing down to the surface of the Forerunner world for a second time.
Something, quite possibly, all aboard were not interested in repeating.
''Doctor Glassman! The Infinity's losing power-'' Lasky exclaimed over coms, distressed. ''What's happening down there?!''
As the anti gravity began to fail, those not currently suited in Mjolnir began to float off the ground. The Spartans were held down via magnetic systems built into their boots, making it easier to keep themselves grounded.
The same could not be said for doctor Glassman, as the man began to float up from the artifact. As he began to babble in a panic, he suddenly found himself gently scooped from the air by Crimson Leader, the black armored woman surprisingly gentle.
The nervous man coughed to try and regain his composure and ignore the way he was being held, instead trying to turn his attention towards a computer terminal.
"Artificial gravity is offline as well sir!" Glassman echoed out over the coms.
''Doctor Glassman, we're being pulled inside the planet! What's going on down there, what's happening? Our engines are powering down as we speak!'' Del Rio's voice echoed out heatedly.
The doctor panicked as he bounced around from computer to computer, held in place by Crimson Leader as the woman carried him about like some sort of oversized stuffed animal. He'd comment on how embarrassing it felt if they weren't all moments away from succumbing to the same fate that struck them six months ago on the same planet.
"You take engines built by aliens a hundred thousand years ago, and hire a war criminal to bolt them onto the ship, you can't expect predictable behavior!" He exclaimed frantically as the world began to completely shift sideways.
Lights flickered across the Infinity as they began approaching the horizon, the gravity well fully entangling the mothership.
''All hands, brace! We're being pulled inside the planet! I repeat all hands, brace!'' Andrew Del Rio's distressed voice echoed out on all coms, the stress that accompanies his words palpable.
The Spartans on deck moved to assist those currently incapable of grounding themselves, Palmer grabbing the poor researchers that had begun to fly away. If the gravity was to suddenly reengage now, those without magnetic stabilizers would experience a sudden and intimate relationship with the floor of the ship.
"Spartans, secure our troops and hold onto something!" Palmer called out, ordering the remaining super soldiers in the room to assist those who could not help themselves as the entire mothership began to fall from the atmosphere and down inside the planet once more.
"Is this what happened the last time you were here?!" Buck exclaimed, moving to grab onto a young marine who lost her grip on the pelican. He ran to grab her before she was crushed by the dropship that had begun to slide away. "I got you, don't worry!" He exclaimed, securing the frazzled younger woman.
"Yeah, this is looking to shape up exactly how it happened last time!" Palmer exclaimed, steadying herself. She wasn't mentally prepared to endure the hell on this planet a second time, but it seemed like the universe didn't give a damn what she wanted.
She just hoped this time around would be a bit easier…
"Master Chief, the pelican is prepped, sir. The Infinity should be hailing us soon, otherwise we're grounded until further notice. My team has secured the perimeter of Castle Base."
A voice broke the stoic man from his daydreams, pulling the green armored Spartan's gaze from the window of the facility and to another Spartan standing beside him.
He was currently stationed on Castle Base, a UNSC facility built into a cliffside on one of Requiem's many mountainous regions. He'd been stationed there to protect the researchers who called the facility their temporary home, while the Infinity ran its ops from just outside the planet's orbit. He'd been bouncing from mission to mission since returning to the planet, but this was his current objective, one that was about to end.
Infinity had sent Castle-Team to secure the facility in his stead, freeing him up for more pressing tasks. It was Ernst, Castle's commander that had approached him with the news.
"Understood." He muttered down to the shorter super soldier. The other Spartan nodded at him, before dismissing himself.
Left alone once more, John's gaze drew towards the window of the room he was in, gazing up at the artificial skyline above.
''Where do you think they'll station us next?'' Cortana's curious musings broke up the silence in his mind. ''Maybe once we're done here, you could take leave? Find that green lady of yours?'' She teased with that tell tale smirk of hers.
He sighed, tearing his attention away from the window. ''I don't have time to-''
''You don't have time to seek her out, yeah yeah, you said that last time too.'' She cut him off, arms crossed underneath her breasts. ''Why do you feel like you have to be present at each and every battle? The UNSC has more then enough Spartans to throw around for this sort of thing, and after the war's end, the Didact's death, this Storm Covenant is on their way out.''
His eyes widened behind his visor, before his battle hardened gaze finally softened.
Cortana sighed, shaking her head. ''Just something for you to think about Chief. You can't just fight until you die, because if you do, you're going to die a lot sooner than you think.'' She quipped.
He raised an eyebrow in challenge. ''I think I've managed well so far.''
''If it weren't for me you'd be dead six times over.'' She corrected haughtily, arms crossed beneath her chest.
''I feel as if you are forgetting those times you almost got me killed.'' He gently reminded.
''Oh? Name one.'' She taunted, smirking.
''Back on the first Halo, you damaged my power generator in my suit, shields never worked correctly after that.'' He recalled. ''Sargent wasn't happy after he took it apart. The suit had to be completely written off.''
''Oh quit whining. It had to be done.'' She defended.
He shifted in place, turning his gaze toward the horizon once more. ''What about Cairo Station? You almost didn't get the bomb defused in time.''
''And who was it that jumped off the station with said bomb immediately afterwards?'' She teased, smirking at him from the back of his mind.
''I was under the understanding that you liked crazy.'' Came his response, eyebrow raised in challenge.
''I'll give you that one…'' She rolled her eyes. ''Come on, our ride is here.'' She turned his attention towards the pelican landing just outside the base.
He filed the conversation away for later, picking up his assault rifle and strapping it to his back as he made his way outside. The jungle cliffside he found himself on was familiar to him, but it was a different territory to engage in any sort of battle. Too many places to hide, too many shadows.
Glancing up, he saw the drop ship flip around as it came close to the ground, the bay doors opening up. "Master Chief! Hop aboard! Commander Lasky is waiting for you up on the Infinity." A marine held out his hand, beckoning the super soldier aboard.
Yet…
Before he'd even the chance, a new communication was broadcast over the coms.
And it wasn't good.
''All units, Infinity has been compromised! I repeat, Infinity has been compromised! We are being pulled inside the planet, all hands are to return to Infinity!'' Commander Lasky's voice echoed out in distress, his heavy words bouncing off the walls of the pelican.
The Spartan's eyes widened, before he quickly boarded the pelican. "Get me to Infinity now." He ordered, gripping the wall of the ship as its engines exploded in full throttle, launching away from the landing pad.
He immediately opened a channel to command, the situation seeming grim. "Commander, what's happening? What's your situation?" He asked.
''The Infinity is being affected by an artifact Crimson brought aboard. It has effectively taken our slip-space engines offline, the power throughout the ship is cycling randomly. Shields are still operational, but we can't escape the planet's gravitational pull. We're grounded!''
Chief's fist tightened on the handle, not enthusiastic about the situation he'd just found himself in.
If the Infinity couldn't escape the planet, it was susceptible to attack from other forces, the Covenant who were attempting to take the planet, or the Promethean forces that resided planet-side. She was not defenseless, but it was not an ideal situation.
If there was an artifact that could take a ship of its scale offline, it was a threat that couldn't be allowed to exist. There was also the possibility that the reaction it had on the ship was not random, but a calculated attack.
It wasn't good.
''Science team is knocking their heads together to figure it out as we speak, but until-'' Lasky's words were cut off.
''All hands, we've detected numerous Covenant vessels on approach to Infinity. Cruisers are approaching, boarding parties have been deployed! All Spartan fireteams are to return to Infinity immediately!'' This time it was the captain himself who made the call, face tense on the video feed. ''Master Chief, we need you ship side immediately.'' The man ordered, before the communication feed was cut short.
''You said this would be a simple mission.'' The Spartan thought dryly.
''Yeah yeah, don't rub it in my face.'' The digital blue woman sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
His eyes suddenly tightened, a tingling sensation washing over him. For a brief moment he felt as if someone had suddenly entered his mind, a pair of eyes gazing over him, but the feeling was foggy, distant, then gone.
He didn't have time to dwell on it.
"Master Chief, Sir!" The pilot called out to him. The Spartan quickly moved to the cockpit, gazing out through the window of the drop ship. Up in the artificial skies above he saw the Infinity descending from the skies above, just like he had all those months ago.
The only difference this time was the fact that Infinity still had power. She was not defenseless, but her wings had been clipped.
That said, this planet had too many mysteries to be stranded on for a second time. He glanced up to the massive mothership as she began launching every heavy vessel within her, her compliment of ten Strident-class heavy frigates practically exploding out from the underside of the hull, powering to life as they charged headfirst towards the foolish Storm Covenant that thought a head on engagement was a brilliant idea.
''If there's one thing I'll give the old Covenant, they weren't stupid enough to attempt this.'' Cortana mused lightly.
''Hmm…'' He hummed in return, mind growing distant.
''Something's on your mind.'' She noticed curiously.
He tilted his head to the side slightly.
''Someone is on your mind.'' She deduced correctly.
''Hmm.''
''She's not here right now.''
''I know.''
''But you think you could call her?'' She asked.
''Hmm…''
''Chief… I'm not saying having her assistance wouldn't be preferable right about now, but I'm not sure how well she'd hold up against a Covenant battle group like this on her own.'' She sighed.
''So you're saying I shouldn't call her.'' He stated.
''I didn't say that.'' She corrected thinly. ''You still don't know if you can even communicate with her. She is a telepath, you aren't. I know your body was… changed when she revived you, but I'm not sure how much she changed.''
''It's worth a shot.'' He responded lowly.
''This is crazy, you know…'' She pointed out dryly.
''You like crazy.'' He stated plainly.
Cortana sighed, giving up. ''Fine, fine, go ahead and call your girlfriend. I'm not the one that has to look after her when she gets here, that's all on you Chief. If she ends up trying to eat the friendlies, that's on you.''
''She hasn't tried that for a while. Give her the benefit of the doubt.'' He lightly reminded.
''I know, I'm just teasing you. The fact that you defended her tells me all I need to know.'' Cortana hummed in motherly amusement.
''What does that mean?''
''Not telling.'' She said in a singsong voice.
''Cortana...'' He tried again.
''Cortana's not here right now, please leave a message after the beep...''
He sighed, realizing that he wasn't going to get her to crack any time soon. Ever since she'd been healed after their initial escape of Requiem, she'd grown far more playful. He had a suspicion that Halsey had a hand in this, but neither she nor Cortana would elaborate, leaving him in the dark.
It was surely one joke he wasn't in on...
He closed his eyes, tuning out the world around him. Everything quickly went silent, the ship, the alarms, even the vents in his helmet, silent.
He looked for that sensation from before, the strange feeling of eyes staring at him from behind him, an uncountable distance away. He focused on that feeling, seeking out those eyes this time instead of being the one standing on the wayside. This time when that ghostly gaze looked his way, he locked eyes with it.
And the moment he did, he heard her voice, a voice he hadn't heard in a long time. It was distant, foggy, quiet. But it was there, it noticed him, and it was listening.
He tried reaching out to her, but he couldn't manage to speak, feeling more like he was trying to whisper while drowning. But he'd succeeded in doing what he'd set out to.
She knew something was wrong, and she knew where to find him. Now he needed to continue as if he was on his own.
The pelican sped towards the Infinity, enemy aircraft already engaging with friendly forces in the skies of Requiem.
"Hang on to your teeth, Spartan!" The pilot shouted out, Chief grounding himself as the drop ship spun in the air, deftly dodging plasma fire. He could see it now, the Infinity so close.
"Coming in hot sir, prepare to depart!" The soldier stated, throwing the thrusters in reverse as they passed through the force field that surrounded the landing bay, the rapid deceleration nauseating.
For Chief, it was Monday.
"Get to safety." The green super soldier muttered, patting the young pilot on the shoulder as he ran for the exit, grabbing a rocket launcher as he left. He flew out the back of the pelican, landing feet first on the Infinity.
"Commander Lasky, I've boarded the Infinity." He called out.
''Chief, we've got boarding parties making a beeline for the command deck. Infinity's guns are making quick work of them, but if some manage to slip past…'' Lasky's voice echoed within his helmet.
"Understood, sir." The Spartan muttered.
''We've sent a distress message to Earth, but with Requiem's disruption systems, we don't know if it made it. We could be on our own.'' The commander sighed, voice tense.
"I've made communication with Samus. She should be on her way to assist." Chief added after a moment.
''How did-? Never mind. If she is willing to render her assistance once more, we won't turn her away…'' Lasky questioned, before dropping the question.
''Master Chief, defend this ship.'' Del Rio's voice suddenly broke through the comms. ''Once we get these invaders off our doorstep, we're going to get to the bottom of this damnable artifact. This critical weakness to Forerunner relics cannot be allowed to continue…''
Chapter
43
End