Chapter 29: Honors and Dishonors: Part 2
Six POV
The deck shook violently, throwing everyone except the Spartans to the floor.
"We have taken damage on decks A through B," Cortana's voice echoed through Six's helmet, "and we're venting oxygen and taking casualties. Sealing the breached levels now." She fell silent then appeared on the console in her holographic, purple figure and reported the situation to the crew. "Boarding crafts are heading our way, Admiral. Their trajectories suggest they are going to try and assault Cairo, Athens, and Malta."
Lord Hood sighed as he looked at the battle screen in front of him, "And so it begins."
Six lowered his head. Earth was it; this was where humanity was born, a place that humans often considered untouchable. With the Covenant here, how long until they started glassing? There was no way the humans could last long against a Covenant fleet. Even if it was Earth, everyone knew in the back of their minds that this was the beginning of the end of the human race.
"Lieutenant." Six stood at attention as he heard Lord Hood say his name. "Master Chief." The other Spartan stiffened as well. "Defend this station."
Six and Chief nodded their heads. Six pushed the bleak thoughts out of his mind. He had been trained to ensure that humanity would be safe and secure, and he was willing to die trying to defend it to his last breath.
The Master Chief turned to the Sergeant and said, "I need a weapon."
He waved his arm at the stairway. "Right this way."
The two Spartans followed and entered the lower level where racks full of guns and grenades lined the metal walls. Marines and Sailors frantically grabbed what they could and stuffed ammunition into their spare pockets.
"If we live through this day," Johnson said as he removed his cap and hefted a portable heavy machine gun from the racks, "I'll never call the squids paranoid again."
"Agreed," Six said, as he glanced at the rows of weapons as well. He settled for the M7 SMG and the BR55 battle rifle. Suddenly, he remembered Emile during the final defense of Reach. Honoring his teammate, Six picked up another SMG and clipped both guns to either thigh, deciding to dual-wield them. He grabbed a handful of magazines but hesitated when he looked at the grenades. He felt eyes on him and looked up to see the Master Chief staring at him. He seemed to be debating something before he reached back into the weapons locker, took out another SMG and clipped it onto his belt, just like Six. The III smirked. Then another tremor rocked the station.
"The first boarding craft just impacted on deck E," Cortana reported. "Another is homing in on your position."
"Where," Master Chief asked.
"The second craft is going to land next to the recreation room."
Six turned to Johnson and asked, "Where's the recreation room?"
"It's right through there."
"Then let's move." Chief led the way through the portal, and Six followed close behind while the Marines and Sailors trailed after them.
The door opened revealing a small hallway, and the Spartans sprinted to the door opposite them. Its large metal doors slid open to reveal a computer room where the station's air, water, and food supplies were allotted and monitored. The group of humans were on top of a stairway, while half a dozen computers formed a parallel line below them, leaving a lot of space for infiltration. As Six scanned the room, a long shadow crept through the window. A Covenant boarding craft attached a protruding tube with tentacle-like arms onto the ship in the next room. The floor shuddered again; the craft had locked onto its prey and was now spewing out its load of Covenant foot soldiers.
Master Chief stepped up next to Six, both staring at each other when Six asked, "What's the plan?"
The Chief stopped and thought for a moment.
"You're a marksman, correct?"
"Affirmative."
"Stay up here with the machine gun and help lay down supportive fire." He then pointed downwards. "I'll lead the rest of the men and repel the troopers."
"Got it, Chief."
He rushed down the steps with a dozen Sailors and Marines following closely behind him. Meanwhile, Sergeant Johnson ran up to and stopped next to the Spartan, his face glowing yet stern as he dropped his LMG on the floor. He deployed the small stand and the foldable pole that supported the gun, allowing him to fire a spray of bullets in a one hundred eighty degree angle.
"Finally," Johnson said as he braced himself against the gun as his finger danced close to the trigger. "Something to do."
Six watched Chief divide the human defenders into different squads, each covering a different firing angle of the room, while he unclipped his twin SMGs and stood at the ready in the center of the lane. Six lowered his own rifle as he waited as well. Throughout the whole station, he could feel the constant tremors of hundreds of Covenant troops invading. His thinking turned to Shress. He hoped she was safe from the invasion, although he knew the brig wasn't anywhere near something important for the Covenant, so, chances were, they wouldn't find her.
Probably.
He snapped back to reality when sparks began to flare around the door in front of them. The Covenant was trying to cut their way through. The defenders braced themselves and raised their weapons. Six was expecting the door to be slowly sliced open; instead, there was an explosion of heat and fire. Artificial dust and a blue flash blinded everyone except the Spartans. Like specters in a fog, the Covenant flooded through the opening. Four elites commanded over a dozen Grunts, forcing them forward. Six hesitated upon seeing them. He knew they were different, but every Sangheili he saw reminded him of Shress. Then they raised their plasma rifles, and he banished the thought. With that, he caught the head of a Sangheili in his sights and fired off a burst. The shot staggered the Elite and knocked down its shields. He fired two more bursts and each one found its target: one hitting the chest, while the other nailing the head. The Elite fell with blue blood leaking from its mouth.
It was a surreal moment for Six who felt as if the whole world came to a stop. He killed a Sangheili, and, for a moment, he actually felt something for it, as if he had just killed a fellow human being. A purple streak flashes by his faceplate. A chaotic scene was unfolding in front of him. The Grunts were discharging plasma and needles, while the Elites released their savage war cries and unleashed hot bursts of plasma. Johnson and Master Chief were mowing them down, and the sight of these two fighting forced Six back to action. The invaders didn't stand a chance. The Marines and Sailors tried to copy the Spartans' marksmanship but fell short compared to the enhanced, armored warriors. Chief fired the shot that killed the last Elite, and everyone absorbed the bloody scene before them. Corpses of alien bodies dotted the floor around the breached doors.
The Marines showed their relief, while the Sailors started throwing up their lunches. For them this was their first time in actual combat. A slight movement caught Six's eye. Gracefully, he brought up his rifle and fired again. The Grunt peeking around the destroyed doors squealed as the rounds tore through its skull, flopping to the ground. The humans turned and gazed at the spartan, unable to believe how honed his senses were.
"Spartans, you're needed in the hangar bay," Cortana shouted over the comm. "Johnson, take your Marines and secure the atrium."
Six led the way as they cut around the corner and headed for the hangars. They slowed their movement as they heard the echoes of combat through the long and narrow hallways. Alien roars and human screams traveled through the air ducts. They checked each corner with caution. Years of experience and training took over as they moved. The Spartans paused when they stumbled upon the occasional carnage, most of which left few, if any, human remains. Bloody pulps, mutilated and decapitated bodies, and spineless forms littered the hallway, but so far there was no contact. As they neared the hangar, thumps and booms echoed down the hallway from behind the closed doors. They performed one last check around them before taking up positions on either side of the door. They both took out their twin SMGs and loaded them before they looked up at one another, Six giving Chief a quick nod.
He nodded in return before reaching for the control and opening the portal. They both raced in, guns held high, as they scanned the messy scene before them. It was madness. The hangar bay was cluttered with Pelicans, Short swords and Broadswords, some working, some being repaired while others were pushed into the corner. Boxes of gears, tools, and equipment were sprawled across the floor in disheveled heaps, all ignored due to the raging firefight. Two forces struggled to topple the other, but, from where the Spartans stood, the battle looked well-matched for once. The humans lacked the firepower of the Covenant, but they were able to band together. The small group of Marines, pilots, and Sailors found suitable cover behind a damaged Pelican as they opened fire upon the invaders. The Covenant troops, in turn, fought the same as they always had: Grunts first, Jackals second, and Elites last. However, among the Grunt ranks, four of the creatures were hoisting fuel rod guns and were blasting away at the humans.
As Six and the Chief sprinted into action, they heard a piercing squeal. One of the Grunts had spotted them and fired off its fuel rod. With matched grace, the two superhumans rushed forward, somersaulting into the air before landing on the floor of the hangar right as the green projectile exploded above them. Their shields flashed as debris rained on them. It was as if they were now connected. Six rushed left, while the Chief sprinted right. With the two of them firing twin SMGs, they devastated the alien's ranks. The sight of the Spartans helping to even the odds caused the humans to cheer as they left the cover of the Pelican and slowly advanced on the Covenant forces. After slaughtering the invaders, the hangar fell to an eerie silence as the humans came together in front of the open bay doors.
Six looked among the soldiers and asked, "Who's in charge here?"
They bickered among each other wearily before a CPO stepped up. "I think I am sir."
The Chief said, "The hangars are the Covenant's primary target. Set up defensible positions around the entrances and prepare for assaults from all angles."
The CPO swallowed and opened his mouth when Cortana's voice came back on through the PA system. "Spartans," she said. "You might want to listen to this."
There was an explosion of static before Hood's voice was heard, "—are you sure Commander?"
"Affirmative, sir!" a relieved and happy voice answered. "The Covies turned and ran! We won!"
'The Covenant running?' Six's mind raced.
"Cortana, where's this coming from?" Six questioned.
"From Athens station behind you, Lieutenant."
Everyone turned their heads and could not believe their eyes. Almost a thousand miles from where they were standing was another floating space station, Athens, with sections engulfed in flames and dozens of purple spacecraft fleeing from the station. The humans started to whoop, but the Spartans remained silent. In all their lives they had never witnessed the aliens ever retreat.
'So what was it that—'
Athens was abruptly consumed in a firestorm that appeared to have come from nowhere. Pieces of the space station came apart in chunks, and the MAC gun's massive barrel fell into lower Earth orbit alongside thousands of pieces of falling metal and glass. Everyone gasped at the show of destruction except for the Spartans; instead, they analyzed the situation. Athens wasn't hit as far as they know. Six was sure he saw the inferno erupt from within the middle of the station.
"Cortana," the Chief said into their private COMM channel. "That blast didn't come from outside the station. It looks like it came from inside."
"Correct, Chief," Cortana responded. "Video log confirms your observation; this leads to only one other explanation: a bomb."
'A bomb? Since when has the Covenant fallen into insurgent-style warfare?'
"There's also another problem," Cortana reported. "I'm detecting foreign substances that were released from the Athens explosion. I just cross-referenced the material and confirmed that there are traces of the same dangerous chemical emitting from Cairo and Malta."
Six wetted his lips. "Cortana, are you saying…"
"I'm saying there's a possibility that there is a bomb on Malta and Cairo," Cortana responded solemnly.
"Spartans," Hood's commanding voice booms. "New mission, locate that bomb and get it off Cairo."
Both Spartans stood straight as if the man was present and said, "Sir."
The deck shook again.
"Spartans," Cortana yelled. "We have a massive boarding party in the midsection of Cairo, and the Covenant had just taken over the secondary hangar. Without the second hanger, we can't evac all Navy personnel if needed; and, with the boarding party, it will make things a bit hazardous if anyone tries to go through the middle of the station."
The two Spartans looked at each other. Six waited for Master Chief to respond when he remembered that he was the one in charge. In the past few moments, he had seen the Chief as a fellow Spartan and not a lower or upper rank, but now that leadership was needed it was up to Six to make the decisions.
"Chief, clear the hanger. I'll handle the boarding party."
The two Spartans both turned on their heels and darted in opposite directions. Master Chief headed towards the hangar, while Six dove further into the station.
Shress POV
Shress twisted and turned, but the booming kept her from drifting off into sleep.
'What are those humans doing now?' she wondered as she finally lifted herself up from the bed.
Tenderly, she put her feet on the ground and stood up, hissing slightly as she did so. She could stand, but there was an irritable pain originating from where the metal, electrified batons had struck her.
Carefully, she made her way to the door and leaned against it. She recoiled as she smelled the aroma of smoke.
'Has there been an accident? Maybe one of their human ships malfunctioned after a battle and exploded, or something just as tragic is happening.'
"Shress, are you awake?" A light-hearted voice sounded from outside the door. She recognized it instantly as Jaka.
"Yes," she replied.
"Glad to see you're still able to move around. I've been praying for you…"
Shress muttered a "Thank you" and lowered her head. The crippled human had been more friendly to her than any members of her race, save for her mother.
A short unit passed, and then Jaka spoke, "I heard what happened to you. What those ONI Agents did."
Shress started but was cut off.
"Don't worry. They're in a cell next to yours. They will be in there a long, long time."
Silence enveloped both of them. Then a tremor shook the station, almost knocking both of them to the ground.
"What is happening? Was there some kind of accident?" Shress asked as she slumped herself against the wall.
"No," Jaka's voice became grave, an edge of defeat peaking through. "It's the Covenant. They found Earth."
Shress collapsed. Images of the Prophet of Regret and the glassing of Reach flashed through her mind. She remembered the sounds of Covenant soldiers marching over decapitated humans and brutes impaling civilians. As she slowly picked herself up, Jaka was calling out to her.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I think I just need to sit down."
She took a step away from the metal door; then, as she turned back around, she stumbled and caught herself, her weakened state making every step a chore.
"Jaka, can you open that hatch in the door that you use to drop food?," Shress said.
"Sure, why?"
"Take this." She disconnected the small cloaking device from her armor and handed it to him through the hole. "If the Covenant come here, use this and leave immediately."
"But you might need—"
"No. I won't need it. Promise me you will leave if they come here."
After a unit, he promised, and she instructed him how to use it. He faded and disappeared momentarily before shimmering back to view. He seemed pleased with himself but gave her a worried look as he stared at her through the small window in the door. She knew that look. Fear. His eyes told it all. They reminded her of the fallen soldier she sang to so long ago. The sound of human and Covenant gunfire erupted in the distance.
The Covenant had found them.
Six POV
Six fired burst after burst as the Spec Op Elite charged him. Its cloak vanished with the first volley along with its shield after two bursts, but now it was upon him, growling as it raised an energy sword. Six ducked underneath the swing and shoved the barrel of the rifle against the alien's throat. Blue blood sprayed across the wall as the Spec Ops remained standing for a moment, gagging before stumbling to its knee and landing face down against the cold floor. Six returned his gaze out the atrium window as he observed the ensuing battle. The Grunts were making steady advances against the Marines, but upon his arrival he was able to turn the tide. Now the Grunts cowered behind the cover of the atrium's trees while their commanders shouted to them to advance. One Grunt gingerly looked up the moment Johnson blew its head off with his machine gun.
"You know," Johnson grunted. "I had the situation under control before you came along."
"Yeah, looks like it," Six grumbled as he bent down and checked his weapons. He had run dry on ammunition for his SMGs, but he had a few magazines left for the rifle. He hoped it was enough for what he planned.
"Sergeant," Six said.
"Yeah?" Johnson replied before firing another chattering shot.
"Hold the line here. Keep the kids from running off." Six loaded a fresh clip into the BR55. "I'll be back."
"Back?" Johnson grunted as he fired another volley. His eyes widened as he looked back at the Spartan. "You're not going to—"
Before the Marine could answer, Six took a running start and jumped out the atrium window before landing on his feet and springing into an all-out dash. He rushed past trees as he made his way to the other side of the massive room. Occasionally, a plasma round squealed as it flew around his head, or a blue grenade exploded next to him as he lept, ducked, and slid away. A lone Jackal peeked around from a tree trunk right when Six passed. He raised a fist and punched its beak, knocking it unconscious and throwing it across the room in a twisted mess. Finally, Six weaved through the last bunch of trees before making it to the other side of the atrium. Standing before him are three Elites: two Minors, and one silver Ultra who seemed surprised.
He rushed the Ultra first, figuring it would be the biggest threat to face. The Elite attempted to defend itself, but it couldn't react fast enough. Six kicked out the alien's jutting knee, causing a loud crack as it hunched over. Once it was at eye level, he grabbed its head and twisted, nearly tearing its head off as its neck snapped. The other Elites roared as they rushed the lone Spartan. Six raised his hands and managed to deflect a few strikes before he was knocked to the ground, shields down. One jumped onto him and immediately got kicked off while Six unclipped his twin SMGs and frantically unloaded a full magazine at point blank. It lost its shield as round after round pummeled its chest. The Elite stumbled backwards and hit the wall, so the Spartan turned his attention to the remaining Minor. It attempted to grab Six's leg, but the Spartan rolled backwards. As the Elite moved, its momentum carried it forward within the Spartan's reach. He gripped the alien's arm and pulled it closer, eventually getting his free arm around its neck, and choking it to death.
Six scanned the gruesome scene and saw one of the Minors, the one he shot, slumped with its back against the wall. It was faintly breathing, blood dripping from the wound in its chest. He cautiously walked over to it. Its eyes were locked onto his visor, burning like red stars. It muttered 'demon' as its head drooped, and its chest stopped rising and falling.
'How many more pointless deaths before they understand?'
He was lost in thought for a moment before turning his gaze back to the atrium. Not much had changed. The Marines were still pinned down, but now that the Covenant squad leaders were dead he could pinch their remaining forces and tip the odds in the human's favor. With that, Six found his rifle under one of the Minors and held it in one hand while taking out a grenade and priming it. He flung it to a cluster of trees where he was sure he had seen a group of Jackals. Sure enough, there was a chorus of screeches as the creatures were blown into the air. Six then raced into the open, locked onto his target, and opened fire. The Grunts were stirred into a panic when they realized they had been flanked and aimlessly ran into the open. It soon became a shooting gallery for the Marines as they finished the job. The battle, if it could be called that, was over within minutes.
Six exhaled deeply. He wasn't tired from the combat; this felt more like a workout session compared to what he went through on Reach; However, he couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed that the Marines seemed to be in constant need of help. He watched as Johnson came down the stairs with a rifle in his hands as he looked at the bloodied corpses.
"Well, that was easy," he finally commented.
Before he could respond, the Spartan felt a powerful tremor, one more severe than ever before, run through the steel floor. If slight shaking signified the attachment of a boarding craft, what did that more energized vibration imply?
The radio crackled to life. "Noble Six," Cortana said. "Malta has just been destroyed."
Six tightened his fists. "Was it a bomb?"
"Affirmative, which means there has to be a— brace yourself Spartan! The MAC is coming online now."
"Wonderful," Six muttered before looking at the Marines and shouting. "Brace yourselves!"
All of them dropped to a crouch and tightened their muscles in anticipation while Six stood tall; other than assuming a wider stance, he made no preparations. Finally, there was a resounding boom. The sound of a mighty thunder clash resounds throughout the hallways. The sound of the firing of the mega weapon. As Six counted up to fifteen seconds, there was a loud rumble and the station shook again. However, this time was different. The entire world seemed to be falling apart. Trees shook from their place in the soil, doors open and closed, and the Marines, who were crouching, fell to the ground. Even Six lost his balance and stumbled a bit but regained his footing. For a brief moment, Six thought the bomb had detonated, but the shaking finally ceased, and all was still.
"Cortana," he asked. "What was that?"
"A supercarrier just flew past the wreckage of Malta and is heading to Earth," she gravely reported.
Six cursed under his breath. A super Carrier had enough firepower to glass an entire continent and had more than enough troops to invade multiple cities.
"Lieutenant," Cortana said. "We have another situation."
"What is it," Six responds, wondering how things could get worse.
"There's another landing party. They have landed on the lower levels."
Six's very world tilts. 'The lower levels… where the brig is.'
"Sergeant, take over," Six ordered before sprinting for the nearest stairwell.
Shress POV
Shress waited to see what was to become of her as she kneeled and began to meditate. She hoped to clear her mind, but her curiosity and the unknown kept her from calming down. Endless screaming came from all around, human projectiles bouncing off shields, plasma whizzing through the hallways, and this looming sense of anger and resentment filled the air. She had grown accustomed to, even enjoyed, the heat of battle. It was her escape. She felt an invisible sense of appreciation, but that changed after spending time with Michael, feeling only warmth of affection instead of the coldness of combat.
She shivered when she heard the human screams becoming more and more frequent.
She soon began to worry for Michael. With him being a Spartan, there was no doubt the humans would want him to be on the front lines and battle the invaders. She wondered if her alien suitor had anything to do with the constant tremors she felt or the massive boom that she heard earlier. She stiffened as she heard another explosion. It seemed to have come directly from the hallway outside. She waited and heard it again, the blast of human projectile weapons, and the whistle of Covenant plasma weapons. She stood and trudged forward before resting against the door frame and listening. She could feel the thumping of weapons and the pounding of flesh while the creatures screamed. She heard the roar of a Sangheili, a whine from a Kig-Yar, and the cries of humans.
'Have they fallen back to hand-to-hand combat?'
She waited and listened, wondering what this would escalate to. Almost as soon as it started, the noises ceased. Shress tried to listen closer, head against the wall, but there was only silence—a first in a long while.
'Have the humans repelled their attackers, or are they all... dead?'
That thought extinguished when she heard a thumping sound, beating with a careful repetition. There were few creatures large enough to make such a resounding racket.
'It must be Micheal, right?'
The footsteps came to a halt right in front of her door.
She leaned away slightly before calling out, "Michael?"
Without warning, the door disappeared within a cloud of black smoke and Shress was thrown off her feet and landed on her back, stunned by the sudden explosion. She lifted her head up and stared into the grey clouds that blocked her vision while its pungent odor hampered her sense of smell.
"Michael," she confusedly whispered into the smoke-filled room, unable to make out a shape.
Out of the black fog, something pressed against her throat and pushed her down. Her eyes wandered downwards and saw the barrel of a Carbine. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the Sangheili Ranger above her.
"Greetings, heretic," growled Dinjit.
Six POV
Six blasted away at the Grunts and Jackals, not even stopping to seek cover as he raced by. He ignored the balls of stray plasma that hit him; all his thoughts were focused on reaching the lower levels and ensuring that Shress was safe. He knew the Covenant killed humans brutally because they didn't share their view of religion, but he couldn't even begin to imagine what the Covenant did to traitors. He reached another stairwell where two Jackal snipers were positioned one level above him. Simultaneously, they fired their beam rifles. One purple laser missed, while the other grazed his shoulder, causing Six's shields to flare, but he didn't slow down; Instead, he rushed the aliens. They fired again and missed as the Spartan dodged and slid beneath the rays while he soared up the stairs, closing in on the snipers.
As he lept towards the alien pair, they screeched what Six guessed to be curses at him. He grabbed one by the neck, and, in one fluid motion, he threw it over the railing and down below at the bottom of the station. The other jumped back and readied its weapon to retaliate, but Six was faster as he raised his rifle with one arm and fired. One round hit the Jackal's chest, the second struck its neck, and the final round snapped its head back. Six was filled with determination as he gripped the rail and swung himself over the side. He fell at an angle as he dropped down three levels before he reached out with his hands and narrowly grabbed the railing on that level. He climbed over it as he rushed forward and punched the controls on the wall, forcing the door to open.
The hallway of cells was lined with human and Covenant remains. Red, blue, and purple blood was splattered floor to ceiling. He noticed a group of Grunts standing in front of a blasted door where Shress's room was located. Glancing to the left for only a moment, he noticed that the door to the room where the ONI and Marine were being held was smashed apart. The room was dark; and, through the electric sparks of the shot lights illuminating the inside, the spartan knew that those two got what was coming to them. The Spartan broke into a sprint as he raised his rifle and fired at the Grunts, who started screaming after his first burst. But he didn't hear them. The fear of losing Shress encapsulated his mind. By the time the last Grunt died, Six skid to a halt before the cell.
The entrance was blown open, and soot covered the destroyed room. The table, chairs, and bed lay in pieces, and the metallic floor and walls were contorted and dented. Six's heart skipped a beat. He stared in horror at the specks of blue blood speckling the floor and walls.
'No, no, no this can't be happening!'
Humanity might be facing extinction, yet the thought of Shress dying… the mere thought alone was enough to cause the Spartan to shake with emotion.
"Cortana, is Shress still alive?" Six's voice wavered as he shouted into the comm.
Before the AI could respond, a familiar voice called out from the room.
"They didn't kill her."
Looking up, he watched as the form of Jaka faded into existence in front of him. The wounded marine was violently clutching the familiar form of a Covenant active camouflage module, his knuckles turning white from the pressure.
"They didn't seem happy to see her, but she wasn't killed. They dragged her off…"
Six felt nothing but relief at those words. If they hadn't killed her yet, then he had a chance to save her.
Once again turning to his communications, he spoke, "Cortana?"
"She's alive," Six's relief was cut short when she finished, "The Covenant is taking her back to their ship. They're in the next room."
Six took off again. He felt his muscles strain as he moved faster than ever before. He thought of her bruised and battered body covered in blood as he neared the door at the end of the hallway. He slammed into the door full force bending the steel and creating a small hole. He wedged himself through and found himself in another hallway. Then he saw them. The Covenant troops were reentering the boarding ship. He didn't see Shress but assumed she was already inside the shuttle. He raised his rifle, ready to fire, but the last Grunt entered, and the doors sealed themselves. Emotions overpowering him, he raced and grabbed the door frame just as the boarding craft pulled away from the station. The air then rushed out of the ship whipping with the force of hurricane winds. If it wasn't for his augmented strength, Six was sure he would have been blown into space. He hung onto the frame with a death grip before finally pulling himself back into the brig's hallway. He grabbed the already twisted door and molded it back into its original shape as he blocked off the rest of Cairo from the breach.
He stood there panting. Panic and exhaustion overwhelmed him. Shress was gone… and he couldn't do anything. He felt tears starting to make their way down his cheeks before he shook his head. No. He would not give up, not now. He's a Spartan. There was one last thing he could try.
Shress POV
Shress breathed heavily, her limbs aching from the struggle. She looked up at her captors with a grim smile. Although she was injured, it still took five Rangers to subdue her, all receiving some kind of wound. She made sure to punch Dinjit the hardest. She turned her head and saw him caressing his lower left mandible which now hangs limply. She was sure that she dislocated it from his main jaw structure. The pleasure from her small victory disappeared as she looked out the window. The human station was growing smaller as they traveled closer to the massive Covenant ship. She thought of Michael and couldn't help but wonder where he was. He said he would be there. He said he would protect her. She tried not to let her tears show as she thought of what would happen to her now. No doubt she'll be tortured and openly dishonored by the Covenant before suffering a slow and painful death.
She felt anger towards Michael; anger that gave way to sadness. She knew she would always care and harbor feelings for him. If only he knew how much he meant to me, she thought as she lowered her head, thinking for the first time of the one word she wished she had told him before they stole her from him.
'I love you my suitor, my Michael, my Spartan.'
Six POV
Miranda Keyes had changed out of her dress uniform and into her grey coveralls, but Six barely noticed as he rushed onto the frigate's bridge.
"Commander," he puffed. "We need to get after that ship now!"
Keyes turned from her seat to look at Six, surprised from the Spartan's show of emotions. "I assure you Noble Six I intend to do so," she gestured to the station. "We are waiting for Cairo to release us—"
"Well tell them to hurry. We need to go, now."
Keyes raised an eyebrow, and a deep chuckle echoed from the side. "My, my Lieutenant. Ready for another round?" Sergeant Major Johnson remarked.
Six turned and wasn't too surprised when he saw him in full tactical gear standing just off the podium with an unlit Sweet William cigar hanging from his mouth. Six slowed his breathing and coldly said, "We have high-priority personnel on that ship. We need to go before they—"
"Commander," Lord Hood's voice cuts in via comm. "You are now clear to depart."
"Finally," Keyes muttered before looking down from the command podium. "Lieutenant Wei, pull us from the station and set course for Earth."
"Roger, Commander," the officer responds as the crew jumps to perform their duties.
Six watched a nearby camera as the Frigate, In Amber Clad, pulled away from the station. Fuel lines disconnected, and walkways retracted. With nothing holding them, the ship slowly slid into space for a few moments before the thrusters engaged, and they barreled towards Earth.
Six known frigates were efficient spacecraft and thus were the fastest in the fleet. He was still anxious to set course, his mind tortured with the thoughts of Shress. A pang of overwhelming guilt was starting to bloom within him.
'If she dies, will I be the one responsible?' he wondered to himself.
"Well, that might be a problem."
The Sergeant Major's words pulled Six out of his bleak thoughts, and he looked back at the monitor. His guts twisted at what he saw.
Total war surrounded Cairo space station. Navy ships engaged with Covenant shuttles that had broken off from the main fleet. MAC guns fire, Archer missiles streaked through space leaving trails of dust, plasma torpedoes burned and, in the distance, a nuke exploded. Six always despised this. When it came to ground engagements, the Spartans were usually the ones who were victorious, just as they had been taught. But once they were in the air that all changed. Spartans could only watch space battles. Suddenly, a large alien craft broke from the line and flew downwards towards Earth. Cairo's gun tried to shoot it down but merely clipped it, letting it descend to Earth while only sustaining little damage. "Ma'am, if another Covenant ship breached Earth's atmosphere, then the Covenant will have more than enough ships to glass the planet," a sitting crew member called.
Keyes nodded silently to herself before pressing a button on her command chair.
"Cairo," she said, "this is In Amber Clad. I'm requesting permission to engage the enemy shuttle."
Hood's voice responded coolly, "Negative, Commander. Not against a ship that size, not on your own."
There was another spark of static before a new voice entered the conversation.
"Sir," the Master Chief says. "Permission to leave the station."
"For what purpose Master Chief?" Hood inquired.
"To give the Covenant back their bomb."
A heartbeat of complete silence passed before Hood said, "Permission granted."
"Wait, what is he going to do?" Keyes said in disbelief.
Six reached for the monitor's controls and switched the view back to Cairo station as he said, "What any Spartan would do." He looked back at her. "Finish the fight." Keyes seemed puzzled and opened her mouth to speak when one of the crew members gasped. They all look back at the scene. A green-clad armored human was dropping through space while holding onto something as some sort of anchor. It looked like Chief was riding a purple, Covenant bomb
The Sergeant chuckles. "I knew it," he said as he broke the regulation and lit his cigar. "He is suicidal."
They watched in silence as the Chief fell until he disappeared from view behind the Carrier as it slowly chugged towards the planet. Six felt himself holding his breath as he waited to see what would happen next, wondering if Chief would be able to do it. Chief disappeared from the monitor. Then reappeared, empty-handed and hurtling towards Earth. Not a second later, the Covenant ship erupted into a series of miniature explosions, sending bundles of burning scrap metal into space. Some got caught and glided into Earth's atmosphere, shining like little yellow stars. Chief continued to fall. Soon he got so close to the camera that his entire green frame blocked the crew's and Six's view. They all looked to the ceiling as a loud clang rang from the top of the Frigate.
"For a brick," Johnson said. "He flew pretty good."
Keyes touched the same button and spoke into the comm again, "Chief, get in here. We've got work to do,"
'Yes we do,' Six thought with curled hands as they descended towards Earth, following closely behind the fleeing supercarrier.
-Author's Note-
Aaand we are back to where we started when we adopted the story from JTF. It took a long time but we are committed to quality over quantity. Stay tuned, more to come! -WR
WR carried all of the chapters in this mega update! Great work from him. - C-Dog
And so thus we are now caught up with JTF's version. Onward to Halo 2! - Pyre