M6: Battle for Refuge (Ground)

[MrKill]

COL. KILLINGER
Seventh Marines
Wounded In Action (W.I.A)

It had happened a bit to quick for John to anticipate. He was wiping the sweat of his forehead with his helmet in his hand in one moment, then being carried away by a current of water that had risen from seemingly no where with a mild concussion he suffered when his head collided with the frame of the building. Instincts crept into him as he struggled to stay afloat, expending enormous amounts of energy and using his physical ability as a life raft.

The two hundred thirty pound senior officer, however, was rescued by a non commissioned officer that he had brought with him for the supply run. The man had risked his life and succeeded in bringing the Colonel to shore.

Killinger didn't last much longer, with the trauma he had suffered it was a miracle he wasn't knocked out immediately after the impact to his noggin. He put is right hand on the back of his head and it came away sticky and warm - blood. He was bleeding from the impact and judging by how red him hand was in the darkening sky... pretty bad.

"Oh," he managed to struggle out. "This is new."

1LT. KILLINGER
Seventh Marines
Alive!

"Axle," Kyle let out a soft whistle as he stood shirtless on the roof of a parking garage. Water had gradually crept up from time to time and threatened to flood the ramps and levels, but it never rose past the second level of parking. The ramp to the third level was only half way submerged when the water seemed to cease rising, though the current tore pieces of the structure and vehicles away. "Come here, boy."

Kyle had stripped of his armor and clothes. Well he was in the harbors water, he noticed immediately that the water levels were rising. They barely managed to make it to the ground floor of the parking garage when the waters crept above the shore line and started flooding. Still, the cold water had gotten him wet and he needed to warm up.

A car was burning slowly here, the red flames crackled steadily as the frame of the vehicle blackened. The fuel for the fire, Kyle thought, would have been the interior - things like lather seats, wires and what not. The frame its-self wouldn't provide the fire with the means to sustain its-self... but Kyle didn't care. It was warm, very warm.

He placed his clothes and armor next to the burning wreck and cuddled with Axle with his back to the wall, scratching at the canines ears. Some where, out there, his dad was doing his thing - he knew it. If Axle was down here then his father was, too, but Kyle knew he had to steel himself for what could be the worst news he'd receive in his life time.

He refused to even think about it.

He also noticed the green flares had stopped. Perhaps everyone at that specific position was swept away by the current or killed by it, but it had been a while since a green flare burst into the air. Kyle could only wonder if it meant having hope, even for a minute in this situation, was fatal.

[Cabel]

[City of Refuge: Captain Mark “Spade” Seamus Sorelson: Seventh Marines: Alpha Company: With Survivors: En-route to the Farm House: Current Situation: Hunkered down on an elevated highway]

The notion the aliens, the Covenant had been bitten by the curiosity bug and had investigated the elevated highway the column including Mark and others had sought refuge on hadn’t surprised the veteran marine. The chitinous fliers had been close enough that the personnel throughout the column hadn’t need their field issued knives to keep track of them, though if they’d been able to see the bugs in the titanium blades of the knives then the bugs could have seen them. It hadn’t been a risk Mark had wanted to take, with the amount of civilians they’d managed to gain along the way and with the lives of the charges in his command or rather the make-shift coalition between three separate branches had meant other measures had to be taken. Ever since he’d sworn to the oath and taken up the uniform, Mark or Spade as those in the various units and companies he’d been assigned to over the years including the previous Regiment that had folded after a route and the Seventh Marines First Battalion had made the safety of civilians to those under his command as being the utmost priorities even to the point they were involuntary.

He’d lost marines in the past, even those civilians that had panicked to the point the Insurrectionists and later the Covenant had opened fire on them, but the old marine had never forgotten a name or the context of how those he’d lost had fallen. Context had been everything and even if you couldn’t remember a person’s face, the mind had a nasty habit of recalling the context of the given situation and the current situation had been one he’d never forget either. Hunkering down on an elevated highway after falling into a bombarded city with Covenant patrols tightening their grip around some artifact that for all he knew could be a deity’s hemroid cream had certainly deserved the FUBAR label, but that’s what Marines looked forward to. There had been an old saying, that Hell hadn’t been able to contain the Devil-Dogs and had spat them back out to give the Cosmos and any other like-minded bullies that happened to think Earth had been a dust ball speck time to reconsider while having a field-issued boot slam on their backsides. The Marines with the Army troopers had trained for the worst-case scenario, which in his mind the current situation hadn’t even come close to, but the police and other civilian emergency services hadn’t trained for it. His thoughts came back to him, as the clatter of little bug feet or claws clacked on the instacrete that made the barrier he’d hid behind and directly above him. Thankfully, the barriers had been tall enough to obscure the column that hid behind them since they‘d slid into place at the foot of the barriers.

Feeling the young woman‘s hand clasped in his own right hand, Spade had been able to tell the young woman…a teenager had been starting to feel the effects of panic at the presence of the alien-insects above them and while he could have gripped her hand more to reassure her an idea formed. If the alien insects had been similar to the insects back on Earth that he’d encountered many times in his younger years, they had to have feelers sensitive enough to perceive a change in pheromones or at least a change in temperatures. They couldn’t simply take the bugs down with a controlled burst of rifle fire or handgun fire, as much as it may have seemed a good idea otherwise if their ammunition hadn’t been finite, but their ammunition supply had been finite not to the point of it being a danger though and there had been a possibility the bursts might have attracted other unwanted attention. A sound, a rumble only a few bodies down from him in the column caught his attention though only briefly before an melodious stench offended his olfactory senses and of those nearby. Carefully, and slowly looking down to his right along with everyone else on that side a teenage male probably around fourteen or fifteen years of age had decided to unwisely have a couple of chili-cheese dogs with nachos from a restaurant his group had hidden in had apparently felt it double back on him in a most inopportune time. The instacrete of the elevated highway, with the draining water on the highway along with the uncertainty of the situation had caused it to not only ripple, but for its area of effect to have expanded. Kid, put a cork in it. Geeze, and I thought Taffy was bad. Oh…you need to cut back. My eyes are starting to water, Mark thought as his eyes along with those near him had started to water from the kid’s gas. Though, for the safety of those in his charge, he’d tried to keep his eyes open while praying he didn’t die from methane poisoning. There had been a definite certainty, he’d never touch a chili-dog or a platter of nachos again after the current mission. The sound of gasping caught his attention along with the rushed clacking on the barrier above him before one of the chitinous bugs fell forward with its legs twitching apparently having inhaled the worst of the kid’s foul odor enough to have been rendered unconscious.

(The bug that fell wasn't Faclan's, but the other one that had accompanied his)

[Faclan]

SSA-012 - Yanme'e Swarm
Watching the panic and falling to the chemical assault.

The Ultra of SSA would be doing what Yanme'e would call showing glee as she watched the Kig-Yar panic and plead with the Sangheili for its life. What happened mattered little to her, as the Sangheili was what she had been commanded to retrieve. Keeping her wings flapping slowly she hopped off the car and to the pack the Kig-Yar had. Reaching down to near the bag she retrieved the dropped rations from a puddle and wasted no time in stuffing it in her mouth. Better than to let the unholy ones eat it or have them go to waste. The energy would help her make it back however as she watched the life and death situation. The Yanme'e seeing it as a show while she sat on the sidelines eating popcorn.

The female Engineer and Male soldier, on the other hand, were sure Humans were here now. Chittering to each other they hopped up on top of a concrete barrier, knives held high as they knew the humans were right near them. But a smell wafted across their faces as they froze. Turning to each other they began to whistle and hiss back and fourth to each other as they discuss this new very strong smell. It was Methane, that much was clear; had a Unggoy died near them and they were just now smelling the aftermath of that? Had a transference pipe broken? Did this section of the city just happen to have this pungent order. But before they could agree on the cause of it the smell suddenly intensified as quiet whimpering was heard as well. With no choice but to breath the tainted air, as they were both still exhausted, they pressed on, the male lagging behind a bit as he found it hard to breath. Both of them go the edge of large crass barrier they had been perched on and found to their horror and elation as a treasure trove of humans ripe for the slaughter were shown to be hiding here!

But before they could begin the male gagged and tried to take a ragged breath before he collapsed off the barrier to land right in front of a human with a wounded leg, He had landed on his back, but thankfully his exoskeleton had closed around his wings to protect him as he twitched, alive at least but unconscious as the female hissed and clicked at this wounded human. Managing to drag herself over to the ledge she raised her knife shakily up into a stabbing position as she looked down at this wounded human. Spitting out a weak Human! with her last real breath she mostly just let her knife fall toward the male. Her stab clearly all she had as she collapsed right above the male, just barely still awake but clearly not going anywhere as the air seemed too thick for them to breath fully.

(Time to see Marks Killer CQC skillz against this super dangerous opponent!)


(NPC) Nas - Kig-Yar Markswoman.
Praying she won't be butchered where she stands.

Eyes still full of terror Nas gulped as she watched Q'ai turn to her and ask of allegiances, Nas's attention locked onto the metal curveblade that was pointed in her direction. Breahing deeply she hulped a few times as she managed to make her self stop backing up, ingnore the blue Yanme'e that hopped off the car to help itself to the rations she had packed as she shook her head at Q'ai.

"N..No! No Excellency I don't! My loyalty is to you and the Sangheili race, the true commanders of our holy army!" She stammered out quickly as she dropped to a knee and bowed low to Q'ai. She tried not to think to much about the puddle she was kneeling in as well as not thinking about what a great target she just made her neck to the two possible murderers in front of her as she looked at the asphalt. Despite not being that big of a believer in the Great Journey she was praying now as she waited for her judgment.


Cad - Kig-Yar Major
Scenting out possible problems or targets.

Sitting in the darkness beside the windows Cad watched and listen to the night around himself and his new slightly larger than average file. He was glad Web and Tib seemed like they had good heads on their shoulders so they wouldn't be a burden. But eith the injuries some of them had sustained they likely wouldn't make it back to the Covenant zone even if they didn't run into any opposition.

More likely they would need to try and find something closer to them that would help them get back. Either some kind of allies or maybe....a hostage in case they were found out. Cad growled a little as he thought of that, something like that he saw as cowardly, hiding behind the body of the enemy to save your own skin. But, he rationalized, as he looked back at Pad as she slept; he had a duty to her and to his file to try keep them safe and alive. So if that was their only option it would have to be done.

To that end he began to carefully listen and smell as much as he could to try and find possible outs. As his shift ticked down he got two possible leads. The sound of human and Jiralhanae fire fairly near by, and the smell of human and wet fur of...something down the other side of the street. Nodding a bit he rested back against his chair and waited the last few minutes for his shift to finish so he could get the others up and let them know their plans. Cad adjusting the human coat across his chest as he nodded a bit, for being unholy scum they have some comfortable clothing.

(Goooooodz, mai brah. We could either try to just make it back to the Covenant base, and either group up with Til or the Jiralhanae separatists, or maybe go after either Arby's marines or Kill junior and his puppy (Assume when you post next that when your guys woke up Cad let them both know of their three choices, and can pick one or try to suggest another way) - up for whateva dood.)


Eugenius - Jiralhanae Advisor
Discussing assaults and alliances...and dinner.

Eugine kept his smile as his nephew spoke, it made the old Shaman very happy to see that the young warrior was actually thinking of tactics as he nodded after he finished speaking with his Major. "Well done Garatus, a pincer move would be helpful as we would also then be closer to the artifact to protect it once the Heretics have been sent to Hell. If we move in strategically we may even be able to use the catapults you set up to combat the humans and Heretics. I'm liking our chances more and more." He added at the end after he retrieved his staff and stood up to be beside his Nephew again.

At the mention of supper on legs he gave a short barking laugh as he unclipped his small book of scripture from his bandolier and hefted it. "If your hunt for food is successful you should invite Field Master Til to dine with you, a blessed meal of you two would fortify the alliance and make sure the Gods are on our side for the coming battle." He said, his larger notebook swaying a bit as he thought about the paint. He hoped he wouldn't have to try and paint his silver fur, that would take weeks to wash out...

[Huka]

Field Master Til 'Muramai

The Field Master glared at the second the Jiralhanae lifted his crossbow, admittingly he was quick enough to dodge the bolt before it closed the gap between them but if he was too slow, it could wound him profoundly without his shields. Luckily the Blacksmith kept his weapon half-lowered and listening to his reason of apparent allegiance is money. Inwardly, the veteran scoffed. Just as loyal-flux as Kig-yar mercenaries and that is always dangerous, but probably what annoyed the Field Master more was the other's apparent air of business security as if he actually needed his equipment. The Field master could kill him now and make better use of his pelt and leather for a good gift of night-armor to his nephews back in the keep. "Captain Garatus and his ilk is back in my command center, I am sure they will require your wares." He said, pointing in the general direction of the administrative center, "It is the largest building in the quarter. Also, beware of the legged fish stalking around."

With that, the Field Master disappeared behind the roof's edge to continue his scouting around his new territory back to the headquarters, having little else to say to the arms-merchant.



Major Q'ai 'Muramee

Q'ai watched the female as she shuddered and knelt in submissive fear to him as she squeaked her allegiance. The Muram could practically taste the self-preserving fear, nevermind see it before his eyes, and he had little faith to trust her in that quick speech. However, he wondered how long the Jiralhanae Chieftain have been plotting this little rebellion and if the Kig-yar was ever recruited to such a thing. Staring down at the avian and her possibly unintentional exposure of her frail neck, the Major felt a pinch of pity. Evaluating the Kig-yar, he let a air of security come around her. If he was a sadist, he would have cut and tortured her on the validity of her allegiance but he sheathed his curveblade, "Get up, if you haven't stabbed my back by now, then I will have enough faith for you not for the duration of our companionship.' He said with a elegant gesture of his hand for the Kig-yar to stand up. Then he looked to the Yanme'e as it ate for energy.

"Thank you on the warning, Yanme'e. If you can, guide us to our new regrouping location. There is little time to spare with traitors and humans stalking about." The major said with a air of earned authority but the wear and tear of the wet environment was stabbing to his bone, but he will endure. He is Sangheili and will only peacefully die old or war.

[BetaWülf]

Captain Garatus
Making dinner plans

Garatus nodded to his uncle and drew his combat knife, he took a seat upon a large piece that was vaguely throne-like and started sharpening his blade for when or if Humans were found for dinner. Garatus lovingly and gently ran the stone down the edge of his combat knife, again and again. The reason he was so fond of the blade was because his father gave it to him shortly before his death and it was a good, trustworthy blade. Strong and dependable, like himself. They were kindred spirits, the knife and him.

"I think that is and excellent idea uncle," Garatus said while still sharpening his knife, "I will have several things prepared in case he accepts, in case he does not care for Human and the like" Garatus said with a little shrug, he personally didn't care as long as it was meat.

Garatus looked up as two of his pack returned with two bound Humans, civilians Garatus guessed from their clothing. Garatus rose from his seat as they were pushed to their knees before him, his knife at their eye level. He bent down and gave them a sniff, one was male and one was female. He guessed the more hideous of the two was the male and decided he would make a good... example since Males are of course the dominate gender, the symbol of strength. At least in Garatus's mind that's how it was.

"Uncle, perhaps you would like to take this mongrel," Garatus said as he tossed the male Human forward, "And give the troops a sermon? Valorus! Come hold this whelp for me!" Garatus bellowed to his right hand man.

Bahtarus

Bahtarus could see the Sangheili's dislike of him in his eyes, Bahtarus liked him just as much. He nodded to the Field Master, who directed him to the loyal Jiralhanae, but the Sangheili's use of the word "ilk" made him narrow his eyes.

"Much obliged Field Master, I'll make sure to keep my good eye watchful for them" Bahtarus said nodding to the Sangheili as he passed him as he headed towards the camp. He stabbed a legged fish that was swimming up towards him and pulled it further down the blade so he could have a whole string of them when he reached the encampment.

[Ultra Quor]

Rnnnghhhhh........

There was the faint pitter patter to rain, a dull sense of pain, and a ringing of the ears. Vision was all but a blur in the moment of heavy breathing he began to stir. It was so relaxing he may have just gone back to sleep, his head told him it would be a bad idea, the palm sized rock that clunked his helmet only moments after lending a helping hand.

Mghhhhhhhh....

Sangheili Ultra Quor 'Natrunai 

Coming to 

For awhile Quor would do nothing but lay still, struggling to breathe against the weight on his chest, consciousness flooding back into his frame of mind as his eyes slowly began to adjust to his surroundings. Mustering his strength, he manages to slide the slab of concrete above him off his body, air now free flowing through his system once more. Every inch of him ached and groaned, he had no idea how long he had been out for, he didn't even quite remember how he got where he was, as his back continued so lay against more cold slabs and fragments of rubble. The taste of blood was faint in his maw he realized as he gazed at the dim lights peeking through the cracks immediately above him, water rhythmically dropping down from them onto his face and eyes, helping to bring reality back in a rush. Surveying his arms above his head for a moment he could make out the chalk-like dust that covered every inch of them, the rubble had left him ghostly grey, in a broken shard of a mirror he could make out the same of his face and helmet, stripes of grey dust and clear spots where water had run over him, his honeycomb eyes seemed to reflect back at him magnificently against the cold industrial backdrop of concrete.

It was coming back to him now, Quor and the rest of his Pious Creche had been paroling near the outer reaches of the Covenant controlled grounds, moving in and out of combat with various human troops hell bent on making it to the sacred artifact. The streets were a frenzy with such a high concentration of both factions in such close proximity in such limited battleground, ducking through buildings and fighting in the streets in the frantic pace of the warfare. Then came the short and loud chatter over the comms before popping sounds, he felt a strong wind move through the area.. the cracking and shaking... Ah yes... in a glimpse he had caught the building finally give way to the beating it had taken, and as it sprawled out it blanketed the surrounding area, and caught Quor in its demise. The rest was nothing but blackness. Quor had retained the fundamentals needed to continue onward, he remembered who he was, he remembered basic mechanical function, and he remembered what had happened just prior to his current predicament.... was it just prior???

Is the light above me of sun or of moon.........ughhh.. curse this primitive human architecture, so frail a gust could bring it down..

Even his thoughts groaned as he spit blood out to his side.

Moving to sit up, he quickly halted, feeling a sharp pain in his torso.

ACK!

Looking down it was painfully obvious that the gods hadn't completely spared him from harm, a spear of rebar had punctured the lower left side of his abdomen, and while it was only shallow to his side, it had gone completely through him.

Slamming his fist to his side in frustration and sighing in disbelief and anguish, he reaches for his energy sword, trimming the metal would make movement so much easier. However, upon activation the comfortable hiss of life was nowhere to be heard, nor was the light of the holy equalizer. Despite multiple attempts, neither sword could be beckoned to form. Like dominoes, this realization only brought him up to speed... he hadn't even realized until now that his HUD was not displayed, and that he could not hear ANY chatter over the communications array, even in no warfare there was still information exchange and in the time he had been coming to, there was none. Attempting to access it himself there was no confirmation, there was no return. He could hear no one, and no one could hear him.. he was isolated. He closed his eyes for a moment as he once again relived the collapse of the building, reliving the moment in perfect clarity, his mind replaying it in slow motion, he felt the gust and looked over his shoulder as he heard the crumbling, there was a flash of light..

The visualizations in his helmet died at that moment... a mere afterthought as a massive building and its impending embrace loomed large. He wasn't sure if the true was the same for the rest of his equipment, but in that very moment before he had been buried, his electronics were already going out... Had the humans found out how to disable Covenant technology.. was such weaponry even within their capacity to create? If so the threat was greater than before, that is an X factor that can turn the whole tide of a war if implemented properly. And what of his creche, were they also buried in this destruction.. no they had been farther ahead of him, scouting the intersection.. was he abandoned here, did human forces force his allies inward... was he behind enemy lines... was the battle over?

These thoughts and many others swirled in his head, his brain catching up to the present in a torrent of information as best it could, trying to grasp at whatever straws become available to triumphantly climb out of the darkness of unconsciousness. He wasn't going to find any of the answers he sought out by staying here, he would be damned if he would be dying today, or in this fashion.

As his strength returned, Quor fought to escape the slab. A surge of adrenaline propelling the sangheili ultra off of his rebar staple in a horrific roar of pride and pain, the sound of tearing flesh coming to a climax as he clears the final inches. The wound was deeply painful but didn't appear to be immediately mortal.

At a glance, you might even miss it...

~~~~~~~~ Some time passes as he recovers from the action ~~~~~~~~

He coughed as he thought to himself, his essence seemingly sinking into his stomach as he continues to rekindle his might, watching purple trickle down over the grey powder that enveloped him. Only more so as he disturbed the sitting debris. He took one last moment to take in breath and feel his heart beat before disrupting the silence around him, forcing a large punch through one of the cracks in the panels of cement rubble, the jagged stone concoction scratching his armor and hide as it reached his shoulder, the feeling exposing without the aide of his armor's defensive systems. He could feel the rain water en masse on his palm as feint thunder crackled and shook the heavens above... mustering all of himself, he was able to dislodge a massive chunk and pull himself through the gap as the cavern collapsed in on itself. Tumbling down the hill of remnants, he collides with solid ground with a thud and a shallow splash, quickly rising to a knee to scout his immediate surroundings. His first exhale was but a cloud of dust, trapped in his maw and not relieved by the chalk filled air of his prior location.

The now dusty-grey Sangheili rose from the ashes to his full height, the looming statue of a warrior specter in grey, all was quiet except for the rain and himself, the backdrop illuminating his amber gaze to the destruction around him. There were corpses of both human and Covenant alignment, none of which he seemed familiar to. A good portion of the area seemed to have been leveled by the pulse, and he was not the only casualty of the fallout. Water ran through the streets freely, up to his ankles, the feeling was one of refreshment, however it couldn't be a good omen, unless the humans had gills he was never aware of.

Looking to improvise, Quor was able to salvage a metal rod nearby, there was a red triangular metal shape on its back end with some unintelligible nishum rambling written across it, all that mattered was that the other end of the pole had been snapped off violently, it came to a point that was neither exactly sharp or dull.

It seems sturdy enough to impale.. should I have to.

Makeshift spear in hand, the ultra began to wade down the shallow street creek to regain his bearings so that he could regroup with allied forces and secure the artifact.. with any luck the battle wasn't already won, an extended permanent vacation was not on his to-do list.



****

[If possible I would like to enlist the aid of a mod or administrator (Duffle, Til e.t.c.) who has some control over the story at this point. Rather than decisively place Quor myself I was thinking I'd have a development orchestrated by one of you to bring the character up to speed, while also placing him somewhere on the map of your choice.. I figured that would be more fun than just placing him somewhere either deep in Jira controlled territory or in a safe Sangheili controlled area..


For the sake of the story I'd really like to collaborate something to move the story along for Quor before he is (or isn't) able to become aware of the situation and find loyalist forces, since sometimes NOT being in control of the situation is the best thing for me as a writer to help bring out better material, it makes sense for me to be as unaware as my character as possible. ]

[MrKill]

1LT. K. KILLINGER
Seventh Marines
Stressed...

"You never pause to look up at the stars, do you?" Kyle mumbled, staring up at the night. It felt nice to get away from the shooting, the killing and the screaming. The stars were completely different compared to when they were on Reach. New alignment, some were brighter and others duller - but it was all new. It was always new. A whole different planet.

Kyle sighed, rolled over and grabbed his gear in the darkness.

Kyle and Axle moved into a stair case that lead to a landing pad for a pelican to stay warm. The car had stopped burning and Kyle found that it had gotten colder without the fire anymore, as predicted. Still, the enclosed area provided decent security and he wouldn't freeze. Unfortunately, his clothes were still wet.

Kyle groaned, shook his hands for warmth and dug into his pack for the two anti-personnel mines he had. He set them up at the sole entrance and wired them to detonate when the door opened to a specific point. He tested the wire with the door three quarters of the way open, heard the soft hum of a tight wire and closed the door. He repeated the process at the top, where the stair case met the landing pad.

Satisfied he was secure and hidden at least reasonably, Kyle climbed up to the mid point of the stars, a small level that acted as a joint for the two stair cases. He placed his gear along the wall, sat down and slid his head onto his gear. Axle crawled forward and pushed his way through Kyle's arms. Axle was shaking.

"You're cold too, hey?" Kyle said, scratching behind Axle's ears.

Kyle sat up once more, his eyes adjusting to the near total darkness. Only a single ray of moon light shone through the small windows in the door, illuminating the room by only a fraction. Kyle grabbed his pack again and dumped it out. He was a weapons platoon officer, there had to be something good in here. It was a rucksack full of things.

As he pushed things aside, he eventually found a lighter. He flicked it on and was satisfied that the room glowed a dark misty red. He stood up, took the roll of duck tape he had brought and tapped his uniform to the window so the light of the flame wouldn't get out. He repeated the process with the lower door as well, using part of his pants he ripped off.

On the messy floor, Kyle found his fathers journal. A thick, four hundred page book that never recorded a single event. It was passed down to Kyle. He remembered his father saying 'Save this, for when you need it the most." and now, fighting the potential of hypothermia, he needed it.

He ripped a hundred pages out, crumpled them all together and lit them on fire in the corner of the stair case to test the flow of smoke. The paper was a waxed paper, so it burned fairly well and kept burning longer than normal paper would. Obviously, Kyle had to toss something in to keep the fire sustained as well... and he did. He tossed in one of his tactical pads and poured a bit of lighter fluid onto it. The device slowly caught on fire, and it didn't generate much smoke.

"Well, it's not much... but it works."

[Armory]

Sangheili Major Vel 'Katolai 

Physical/Lance Status: All vital level functioning at normal, Lances functioning under full leadership and manpower capabilities

Emotional Status: Fine though on edge due to all the nearby gunfire.

Time Zone: 20:34 Hours Refuge Planetary Time

Location: Holy Relic Site, Refuge Colony

Current Mission: Protect relic from human Military Forces/Find out reason for the nearby gunfire.

(Before hostile takeover)

Guard duty was never something any Sangheili asked for, but in the end it was something that needed to be done. With the water levels rising the artifact seemed to submerge under the rushing flood waters. The Major watched the mighty relic, still trapped in its watery tomb. It was around this time the Jiralhanae pack would once again return and this moment of silence would be broken. Around the camp the rumors seemed to gather that the Pack was up to something vile as their forges ran hot into the late hours of the night. It was if they were trying to build more arms. Vel looked over his type-31 in silence, the crystalline needles shone brightly in the darkening sky. Vel woulc have much preferred a carbine, but since the EMP there was a rush to the armor to acquire such weapons, and Vel happened to be on duty at the time. Still he made due with the Kig-yar made weapon as it was the only weapon he had other than his needler at the moment. Vel straightened up as the sound of the pack drew near, however today was strange.

Usually when the Jiralhanae returned in was followed by a torrent of noise and boasting. However today they were quite quiet. Vel watched the pack marched through the excavation site towards the Field Marshall's camp. Vel was silent as he moved back towards his group before the loud sound of voices could be heard in the distance. Vel chuckled at the thought of the Jiralhanae beginning their wild hunt celebrations before returning to his post. Then the voices seemed to die down before a loud crack of gunfire broke the silence. Then as if setting off a reaction that bit of gunfire was answered by a blaze. Vel stiffened before the Ultra leading the guards in the area raised his hand for him to remain stationary while he sent forward two off duty lances towards the source of the noise.


Vel remained silent as he made a small motion for his lance leaders and lances to prepare for trouble. The darkness around them seemed to act as a shroud as a small group of Brutes began to move towards the Ultra and his guard. One could see them talk for a moment, their voices muffled by the distance. The Brutes seemed to pause for a moment as the Ultra tilted his head before the sound of gunfire erupted through the air as the Ultra and most of his unit fell. Vel's eyes widened in horror, the Jiralhanae had opened fire upon them. "All lances ready yourself for combat the....!!"

The first round whizzed past Vel's skull and impacted into a nearby Uggony. The spike had drilled into the Uggony as the creature made a choking sound before falling. "Cover!!!" Vel snarled as he grabbed the wounded Uggony and began to drag it behind a cement wall the had found refuge behind. The sound of firefights in the distance echoed in Vel's ears as the Elite turned the safety off of his firearm before barking combat orders to the lances. The rain was falling hard now as Vel broke cover for a second to return fire on the Jiralhanae incoming.

The first few needles impacted into the chest of a Jiralhanae as it charged forward before getting cut down by the suppression fire from his files. The air starting to fill with smoke as the sound of a spiker round made impact with a nearby Kig-yar from Vel's lance the creature's throat being impaled through by the spike causing the Kig-yar to make a gurgling sound before dropping to the ground. Vel cursed in his native tongue before continuing to fire on the oncoming Jiralhanae. The first of his needles found the side of a pack Captain before Vel sent one straight into the creature eye socket.

The Jiralhanae howled in pain before collapsing to the ground, its blood pooling out onto the cold, wet earth. Even with the success Vel knew they were fighting a losing battle. The Jiralhanae continued to advance undeterred, the Elite let loose another burst from his type-31 dropping an incoming brute minor before motioning for his files to start falling back. The group started to slowly move backwards as a the spikes began to blaze uncomfortably close flight paths to them. The whole event made Vel mad as he reloaded his weapon. The Jiralhanae had done a horrible thing today and they would face judgement for their actions. Vel and his lance began their retreat through the desolate city. Vel could hear the howls in the distance as he urged his lance forward "We must not stop now..." He commanded firmly as they began their slow crawl to safety.

(Time Skip after battle)

The Jiralhanae would try and send patrols after any stragglers. Vel marched forward carrying the heavily wounded Uggony himself though he wasn't sure how long the wounded creature could last exposed to the elements. Vel glanced around for any structure that could be locked down and provide semi safety. The lance continued on until the howls of the pack seemed distant and they started nearing the edges of the Covenant controlled territory. The sounds of the scout packs had long died and Vel and his Lance were seemingly in no man's land, the area between the two territories. A brief silence came upon them as they continued walking on in hopes of finding safety.

[BasedGoody]

Kig-Yar Sniper Web

The Sniper's eyes cracked open and he snorted himself awake. Where was he? Oh, right. His foot still hurt like all hell but at least the bleeding had stopped. His spotter was awake as well and pushed himself into a standing position. Web followed suit and placed his hand on the cold floor, lifting himself to his knees. From there he sprang up with a small bit of energy before leaning against the wall in pain from his back, it was not easy sleeping on a floor. 

The Sniper listened to his friends words.

"Hm. We can't waste time going for reinforcements, we need to hunt down the humans! Then again, with our injuries it would not be easy. We will make our way to the nearest Sangheili leader and tell them about any threats." With that, Web grabbed his Needle Rifle from the table and walked to the door. He stopped again.

"We should travel by rooftops, no?"

[Cabel]

[City of Refuge: Captain Mark “Spade” Seamus Sorelson: Seventh Marines: Alpha Company: With Survivors: En-route to the Farm House: Current Situation: Back on course]

The moment the chitinous alien had fallen on its back at his feet, Mark knew the other hadn’t been far behind. He wouldn’t have, if he’d been in that position though for all his luck the poor kid that farted have more backed up to knock them all out the bugs included. Hearing the clacking growing near including a hissing that hadn’t taken a genius translator to figure out had been spat with the venom of a curse. The teenagers around him, including many of the civilians though being quieted down by those Army and police officers nearby began to quickly roll to the side or managed to their feet as the veteran marine used the sling of his rifle to slip around the bug’s tiny arms and the knife it wielded. Mark knew if the bug had managed to slip from his own grasp, not that he would have had a strong one to begin with from that angle, it most likely would have resulted in losing an arm or worse and so he’d utilized the one thing mostly overlooked as being useful in close quarters. Throwing the sling around the bug’s tiny arms, he managed to quickly knock the knife from the bug’s grasp without breaking the creature's arms to hear it clatter on the instacrete highway surface and with a swift hook with his right hand pummeled the bug both on its shell and the side of its head to knock it out. Though, considering the bug had managed to get a lung full of the poor kid’s flatulence it hadn’t taken that much of an effort to knock the creature out.

“Detective, Private, give me a hand here and help me get our friend here off this barrier. I need two volunteers to grab the other one, and we’ll move them into that bus over there. It doesn’t have power, but that’s not going to be an issue,” Mark ordered gesturing to a police Detective nearby and an Army Private that hadn’t been doing much of anything. With his shattered thigh, there hadn’t been any way he could have gained enough leverage to slide the chitinous alien off of the instacrete barrier or its unconscious colleague. The two volunteers checked to see if there had been any other Covenant nearby, and once they had been satisfied moved to help the marine Captain in moving the unconscious aliens. “It won’t bite, but keep your hands away from its head,” he advised both of the volunteers, noting the young Army Private had been little older than a teenager perhaps seventeen years old and fresh out of boot. “Easy, son. It won’t be the only alien you’ll ever set eyes on, but these will be the only two you’ll find knocked out by a burst of friendly methane,”

“That’s it. Someone open the doors on that bus, and set them on two of the seats,” he gestured to an abandoned single-decker coach bus that lay near the center of the highway. “Once you’ve put them on the seats, jam the doors,”

“Aren’t we going to try to get information from them on the Covenant strength and plans?” the Private asked, taking hold of the bug.

“Can you speak insect?” Mark asked.

“I…no,” the Private replied.

“I thought so. I can’t speak it either. I don’t think anyone here can, and if they tried they’d wreck their vocal cords. We’re not going to wring information from them because we can’t even ask them if they want to use the head,” Mark explained being helped to his feet carefully and sat into the wheelbarrow by the young woman he’d helped try to keep calm. “We’re leaving them here. We can’t carry them since it’d slow us down, and it’d tire whoever had to carry them. I don’t think they’ll be held for long inside that bus, but it’ll be enough to slow them down long enough for us to get clear of this area and maybe regroup with a larger group. Thanks, Miss,” The young woman smiled a little at the compliment, and didn’t mind pushing the marine that had helped her around.

“Now, set the bugs inside on the seats and jam the doors. Break the controls,” he ordered before taking hold of the MA5C rifle and sheathing the field knife. He watched quietly as the police Detective with the young Army Private managed to haul the chitinous alien into the single-decker coach bus followed by three volunteers that carried the other bug into the bus as well before a steel pipe had been wedged between the hinge of the doors and the door controls broken. “Let’s get out of here, unless anyone wants to take a dip over the side and wait for their friends to arrive? Oh, and kid, the one that farted…I’m putting you on an MRE diet,” he shouted over his shoulder knowing the teenager that had the flatulence attack earlier shrunk a little. The entire column moved out, with flankers or at least scouts sweeping streets and buildings methodically while the rest of the column with Mark being pushed in the wheelbarrow followed. Their main objective had been to regroup at the Rally Point, the main Rally Point while avoiding attracting or attempting to avoid unwanted attention both by the local fauna and from the Covenant patrols. With their progress, the column under Mark's command had been careful to keep from view of anything in the sky and would seek cover only if a patrol had been sighted in the nearby area.

[Faclan]

SSA-012 - Yanme'e Swarm
Beginning the long walk back and getting some much needed rest.

Finishing up her small snack the Ultra was slightly disappointed she didn't get to see the Kig-Yar get butchered like most of their race deserved to be. But she was sure the bloodlust of both herself and the Sangheili would get sated once they made it back to the Masters base. They would likely meet the unholy ones on patrol on the way. Hissing a bit at this thought she finished up her ration and nodded, bowing once more she turned and started to hop walk down the highway.

"Unholy ones may on way. Be ready." She said as she went, hoping that her strength would return after she walked for awhile in case they did happen to run into threats. Adjusting the knife across her thorax so it was in a better drawing position she kept leading the rag tag group down the highway.

Both the Yanme'e now in the clutches of the humans would be surprised when they woke and were able to accomplish that feat. But while they slept and were carried about they only breathed as steadily as they could as their systems tried to purge them methane and their feet and hands twitched occasionally. But they were eventually deposited on the padded bus seats, the seats barely large enough to hold the large space bugs, and they returned to sleeping peacefully. Their knives were left on the highway as the humans moved on, the two getting some much needed rest after they had oddly been shown mercy.

(NPC) Nas - Kig-yar Markswoman
Thankful she isn't without her head but worried it won't last.

Coughing out the breath she had been holding Nas sucked in a few good large ones as she clapsed her hands in front of her and shook them a little. "Thank you Excellency! I'll serve without question for allowing me to live!" Getting back to her feet she wiped some of the water off her arms and kicked her feet and legs a bit. Watching the Yanme'e start to walk off she quickly retrieved her supply bag and knife and reattached them to herself.

She stuck close to Q'ai as he was the only one with a proper weapon besides a knife - but now that she wasn't having her life threatened the cold quickly started to cut deep as she held onto her bare upper arms with her hands. Thankfully because she was moving she wasn't shivering too badly, but she was defiantly shivering as she kept going. She desperately hoped that they wouldn't run into any Humans or Jiralahane, but if she remember the deployment map they had a lot of ground to cover without being unfortunate.


Cad - Kig-Yar Major
^-- Hates ladders

Nodding to Web and his spotter as they both finally woke up he nudged Pad to get her up so they could plan. Thankfully the pain in his legs had mostly died, but he was well aware the small fractures were still there, and if he took any hard impact the pain would come back full force. He would have to be awful careful so he wouldn't become a liability. But, he thought to himself as he looked around at the rest of the joined file, three of them had leg or foot injuries - so all of them may end up being a liability.

Listening to Web as he offered his thoughts on their current situation Cad just nodded. Allies would be good...but the more he thought about their injuries the more he wanted to at least have some kind of collateral should the worst happen. But if the humans found them with their own they would be in just as hot water as before, just with more reason for them to butcher the file. He grimaced at this, things were looking fairly bleak, but focusing on their probably incoming deaths wouldn't help. So instead he shut his eyes momentarily and prayed to the Gods, asking for their assistance for all of them to make it back safely.

Opening them again as Web suggested the footsteps Cad walked over to the window and glanced down, the water had gone down a lit but was still around three feet deep...and even in the dawns light he could see several of those biting fish down there. Nodding he turned back to them and then gestured to the hatch in the roof.

"Unless we want to feed the fish we don't have much choice. We just need to hope that the rooftops are close together and not that much different in height with all our current states." Glancing down at his weapons he grunted and removed his Needler from himself and handed it to Webs spotter (If he has a Needle rifle or Needler himself Cad kept it) as he slipped his shirt back on and started to reattach his armor. With that finished he moved over to the ladder and grunted as he started to climb it.

"Damn humans and their lack of gravity lifts." He muttered as he climbed then worked on getting the hatch open, his legs starting to sting a little from the climb. But the hatch finally creaked open as Cad climbed up onto the roof into the early dawn light, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the scene.


Eugenius - Jiralhanae Advisor and Shaman
Performing the sermon and preparing the dish of the day.

"Not like Human!? What kind of warrior is he? Pfft...he should try Kig-Yar then, he would likely like them more." Eugine mused as he watched his Nephew sharpen the old blade. He remembered the boys father getting that from Eugines brother...didn't really remember where it came from before that? Shrugging a little he busied himself while the meals were searched for a good sermon for the coming meal as well as a blessing for if Master Til joined later. "Ever had Kig-Yar Nephew?" He asked as the humans were brought forward, smiling he used his good pinky to mark the page as he moved over to the human female that was held before him, the creature struggling madly as well as the one held for his Nephew.

Clearing his throat he stood in front of the female as the pack watched, hunger in their eyes as the waited for the cooking to begin - but as true Jiralhanae they would not start until the sermon was completed. "Brothers! Sisters! We have been handed a test by the Gods! Despite the lust for power we have all stayed true to the Path!" The Elders voice likely carrying to the returning Field Master as he continued. "We will prove our purity by assisting the venerable Field Master on his righteous mission, and extract the remaining purity of our fallen brothers from their dead hides!" Cheers arose as he waved his mangled hand to call them quiet as he began to conclude the sermon, slipping his scripture book back into his bandolier as he removed his pistol and rested his bad hand on the females shoulder. "But to fight you must be well fed, and these Humans will offer what little Faith they have to strengthen our resolve," the bayonet on his pistol slashed down, his strength and superior positioning nearly severing her head clean off, but another good slash got it as the head rolled toward the male, the scremas of the dying human drowned out by the roars of the pack as Eugine hoisted the dead body over his head and roared with them.

With that all done however he handed the body off to one of the soldiers to prepare for eating as he cleaned off his hands in the shallow water and smiled at his Nephew. He waited for his answer is he hadn't answered him already about the Kig-Yar and waiting to see what he had ready if the Field Master didn't like the main course.

(Hope I got the humans right and did what we were supposed to do XD, ah well both are going be delicious soon.)

[deceit]

Ra'ab watched the barbarism of the Jiralhanae slaughter with distaste, even hatred. He narrowed his eyes at the Jiralhanae and left the building in disgust. He would choose to stand guard outside, rather than view their barbaric traditions. Prisoners they may have been, heretics, perhaps. But at least give them a good death. Death on the battle-field had been stolen from them, or given away through a cowardly surrender, but at least do it quick and clean. It was for this reason that he hated Jiralhanae, and even some of his own Sangheili brethren. His lance, the Unggoys, seemed to be oblivious of the barbarism and of Ra'ab's feelings, simply following him out and grumbling that they were outside once again. The Kig-Yar seemed thoroughly amused by the Jiralhanae ceremony, though, a bitter and sobering realization for Ra'ab.

He stood vigilant, standing under cover of the rain, but keeping a watchful eye on the streets, sniffing every so often to see if he could catch a strange scent.

He would elect to stand guard at any shitty post than be in that building at this moment. The thought of the feeding frenzy made his skin crawl, despite his own hunger and the length it had been since he'd eaten.

[BetaWülf]

Captain Garatus

Garatus listened intently as his uncle gave one of his sermons, Garatus always enjoyed them as they stirred up his passion for the Forerunners. He watched as his uncle prepared his pistol and Garatus readied his knife on the males gut. Eugenius decapitated the female human nearly in one swing before it rolled in front of screaming male that Valorus held with its arms spread out. Garatus ripped his blade across the humans gut and blood spurted everywhere and organs spilled out onto the ground before Garatus slit the the Humans throat.

Garatus was unsure of how to answer his uncle, he knew Eugenius was rather partial to the taste of Kig-yar. He also believed his uncle was unaware of who Garatus's best friend was. Cad, a Kig-yar. Garatus paused for a moment before responding. He set the organ lacking Human on a stone slab, then turned to answer his uncle.

"No, I haven't had Kig-yar before. I doubt my friend would approve of it...." Garatus said as he started cleaning the Human, trailing off at the end of his response.

He made a horizontal cut around the midsection of the Human to separate the skin on the lower half from the skin of the upper half. Garatus peeled up the edge of the upper half before pulling the skin up over the head with several yanks. He took his combat knife and with one chop severed the head just below where the skin had been pulled up to, he pushed the skin up to the wrist on both arms and did the same.

It wasn't as red and bloody as one might expect, it was in fact more slime than gore. Garatus repeated the process with the lower half of the body, severing the feet and such. He then split the belly vertically from as far down he could go all the way up to the neck, though he left enough of the neck intact for it to be mounted on a spit. He took a rag and proceeded to clean off his hands and armor before stepping off to stand beside his uncle who likely noticed Garatus's uneasiness when he answered his question about if he had ever eaten Kig-yar before.

[Huka]

Unggoy Ultra Jadap

Jadap looked down lamenting at the recent cycles of deceit and death in a safe house, based on the furnishing. The fleabags! Treacherous, smelly, bad-breathed, ugly fleabags! Them and their bird-faced lackeys...and those cowards who think Jiralhanae are better than the Sangheili! The Ultra cupped his masked face under his large hands as he tried to dismiss the faces of Mukip, Fiwip and Dazap...

Mukip looking at the chaos before that treacherous Kig-yar-in-disguise Fwazzam blasted half of his face off with a human pistol.

Dazap was kicked several feet through the air by a Jiralhanae and vanished in the midst of the chaos. Jadap certainly doubts he would have survive such a savage attack.

And Fiwip vanished in the darkness of the city while he was keeping some Kig-yar distracted when the lance escaped from the fight. Jadap heard his screams...

"Ultra..." Vakak whispered respectfully, or rather the best he could manage in these accursed masks. Lifting his head, Jadap looked into the eyes of the second-senior to the lance. "Eat." The soldier advised, pointing to the rest of the unit who were eating on the remains of cooked legged-fish. The Ultra was about to object and just say he wasn't feeling too well when he heard something outside of their hiding place, nearly pitch-black of late night with a few lightning crashes. Traveling till their legs were sore, the lance found this place amongst some rubble and didn't look back without a sense of direction. The flood washed as much death away as it could but bodies of Covenant warriors and Human infidels still littered here and there with some useful equipment.

Unsheathing his stone-knife and needler, Jadap looked out into the rain and to Vakek, who nodded in the affirmative that he heard it too. "Stay here..." The Ultra whispered. Vakek looked at his leader wide-eyed, "But."


Jadap looked sternly with wordless commands, 'Do as I say.' The Major nodded in defeat and watched Jadap started to sneak out of the house with wary eyes. Sniffs here and there, he looked on either side of the street for moving through the collapsed ruins of the Covenant's conquest. Stepping over rocks and bodies, Jadap crouched and kept himself as less of a target as possible, using the slight fog of rain and water to cloak his white armor. Blinking abit, the Unggoy couldn't see much either but he kept moving through the debris. From the looks of things, he was in the northern quarters of the formerly unified sect's territory.

The Ultra actually wondered what was the Covenant conquest forces doing outside of this city? Did they even know that their most prized vanguard was gone or unable to be contacted? Or did they know and are acting on some self-preserving protocol? Questions and little answers he could conclude happily. However, besides his worry over this unknown threat, the Unggoy veteran wondered...and prayed...that their leaders will return power and find them soon.

There was unsettling stillness in the air, just like before.

Finally, Jadap halted at the sound of something and turned towards one of the crossing streets, seeing something moving in the rainy fog. Blinking thrice, the Unggoy didn't know to shoot but his trained eyes narrowed until the figure became clearer. The headdress certainly gave him a clear clear. "Ultra!" He called out, praising the sign from the Gods to see a Sangheili in these parts, "Creche Commander!" Jadap waved his large arms to hopefully grab the other's attention, unware that more things stalk in the rain. On one of the nearby buildings, a Kig-yar stared at the two figures with keen murderous eyes and a flared quill-like plumage shifting in vicarious colors before slipping into the shadows. 

[Ultra Quor]

Ultra Quor 'Natrunai
Haggered and Drenched

Quor's heavy footsteps resonated through the drenched city thoroughfare, with only the rain to contest them, they were obnoxiously loud. When you are a fully armored Sangheili that is built to see eye to eye with even some of the larger Jiralhanae stealth would never be your forte, nor would it be useful in typical combat. He clutched over his wound for a moment as it throbbed, the distressed muscle structure around it throbbing in discontent as he trudged onward, forcing a slight limp out of his frame. As of this moment, reconnecting with the ground command was priority one, rest and tending to himself were secondary. Hunger was also beginning to catch up to his fatigue, being unconscious for some time had allowed him to conserve some energy but the long walk and his bodys own mending and adrenaline did his reserves no favors.

The city looked dead, there were no immediate sounds of battle and anything over a vast distance was being blanketed by the storm, the only lights came from small cracks in the clouded and storming night sky, the mist reducing visual distance to an extremely limited distance. The downpour had all but washed away the chalk dust of the rubble from earlier, small streams constantly washing over the brim of his helmet and over the rest of his form saw to that. The air was notably sharp as well, carrying with it a chill. It was uncomfortable, but stopping in uncontrolled zones was never a favorable decision to make.

This silence was unnerving, earlier the streets were ablaze in gunfire and now, nothing. It was almost as if the gods themselves had swept in and erased everyond locked in conflict. Pious had made it to safety..

They had to...

The worries about his creche were quickly cut off by a crack of lightning that harmonized with a sharp pain emanating from his wound to which he loudly groaned, allowing his weapon to slip from his grasp for a moment as his attention was broken, the metal making a quick crack off of the concrete before regaining his composure and retaining his control over it. Blue seeping through his suit was being quickly swept away in the water running over him, making the damage look unobvious without a keen eye on first glance from the front. Unaware to him, the backside of his torso was more noticeably wounded, the suit more obviously stripped away at.

He wasn't wandering for much longer before he heard a sound cut through the pitter patter in the distance.. a familiar sound.

A voice?!...

It was quiet against the rolling thunder but he was able to pinpoint it, a sillouhette in the distance, waving frantically.

"Creche Commander!"

Quor straightened his posture and approached at a heightened pace, ignoring the resistance his body was giving him. An Unggoy awaited him in the distance, as he drew closer he could see that this one was not in particularly great shape either, not horribly off but still showing the weather of battle.. Allies were alive in this quiet insanity and he had found one.

"What became of your lance?!"

The Sangheili ultra shouted over the rain as he approached. At first it had not been clear to him that he was addressing a rarity in the form of an Unggoy ultra, but even as he gathered that much in closer proximity the question was still one of relevance. He could now clearly make the Unggoy out.. it was uncanny in a way.. large for his species.. though lighter in tone he carried a brown hide and honeycomb eyes.. it was as if he was looking at a smaller still-ultra version of himself in a different species' skin. He was now within a couple arm lengths away, looming large over the smaller Ultra.

"Why are the streets dead?.. Are the Nishum extinguished!? What of the artifact!"

He noticed the primitive dagger and the Needler in its hands and figured that not all was right with the situation.

"And what of our weaponry and armor, it has all been useless..."

It was probably a little too much all at once, but this was the first living thing he had encountered since his incident, and his head was still throbbing and awash with so many questions. Lightning crackled and thunder boomed as he thought he caught a movement out of his peripheral vision but made no mind of it, merely an illusion of reflections and dismay in the atmosphere.

A strong gust forced its way through the city, crashing into Quor's back and shaking him slightly as it passed through the puncture in his suit. It carried an unnatural chill. A warning from the gods perhaps... or just more unlucky weather.... He missed the rolling sands from back home.

[Huka]

Ultra Jadap

The Sangheili lumbered closer towards him and Jadap inhaled a lungful of methane before remembering he had to preserve, if none of the Unggoy get out at least by the weeks-end, they'll all suffocate. Seeing the terrible wear and tear on the larger elite of the Covenant hierarchy, Jadap is once reminded of the Sangheili mortality. So often the arrogant ones try to perceive themselves as living gods of war-and some cases it was quite true especially for the older and more experienced commanders-but they were all mortal and that was sweetest bitterness of all in times like these.

Then the first interaction came in a common, and reasonable, protocol, "A few dead but the others are safe in shelter., Excellency." He replied finally, but then an short barrage of questions. Jadap was Unggoy, they were meant to be lowly in mind and body but Jadap wasn't stupid...at least in his species' standards. He could feel the ache in the Sangheili's body, whom he finally recognized as Creche Commander Quor 'Natrunai, one of the higher-trusted Ultras in the sect.

"The battle, sire." The Unggoy Ultra answered with a respectful bow of his head and shoulders, weighted by his helm and harness. "It have been quiet with the humans for many cycles now...but they are not dead, the Jiralhanae have betrayed! Fought and broke sect apart, now we are everywhere and hopefully the humans don't know. Artifact is Jiralhanae's prize for now."

Then a strong gush of wind pressed at the two, enough to make Jadap squint his eyes to keep the water out and saw Quor shivering. No doubt a lot of Sangheili are suffering the same in their vengeance. "Come, Commander. We have shelter and food." He insist, waving his knife and moved to take the Ultra's side, guiding him through the path he just took.

[Ultra Quor]

Sangheili Ultra Quor 'Natrunai

Even in his roughness, the Unggoy Ultra managed his show of respect, it was a clean bow, and while it would be expected in normal interaction, Quor was almost caught off guard by his adheration to the tradition in these harsh circumstances.

"Very good."

The response was as much a response to the little one's first answer as it was in admiration to his form. The sharp second response he would receive, however, quickly shattered any illusion of normalcy.

"It have been quiet with the humans for many cycles now...but they are not dead, the Jiralhanae have betrayed! Fought and broke sect apart, now we are everywhere and hopefully the humans don't know. Artifact is Jiralhanae's prize for now."

What..

He thought to himself, a slight rage at the thought of the primates turning on his brethren, to possibly take advantage in a moment of weakness. There had always been mutual disdain between their species.. It was still hard to believe they would take such a brash turn at at time like this. The shock of the news and his fatigue left him unable to properly respond in the moment aside from his shift in demeanor, his focus returning to the Unggoy as it beckoned him through the gusts.

"Come, Commander. We have shelter and food."

He acknowledged him with a slight nod, and began to follow back through the streets littered with their corpses and other minor obstructions. He didn't want to necessarily stop anywhere before reconnecting with the chain of command but all of him ached, and the more likely outcome should he continue on would have seen him collapsing like a fool in the streets under the great weight of his pride.

"Yes."

He followed as the little one led him with a waddle through the bruised and battered avenues and alleyways. He wasn't able to muster his usual fervor but his emotions wouldn't let him retain his want for vengeance.

"When we make it to where we're going I want to know everything you know..." He pauses for a moment to let his wounds' tantrum subside. "..We're going to restore order, and may the gods show no mercy to the savages for their heresy when we send them kicking and screaming into their everlasting embrace."

The thought of disemboweling the apes was a gleeful one in the moment as the grip on his metal spear tightened. A heavy breath escaped his maw, the cloud of exhaust quickly streaming behind him to either side of his face before being swept forward and away by another wisp of a breeze.

[Huka]

Unggoy Ultra Jadap

The hardened veteran moved with good familiarity to the environment, thankful of his good memory and training. Halting by a human four-wheeled vehicle, a terrifying norm on the battle that spat body-rippling ballistics, Jadap scanned around for a moment. Feeling like he was being watched, felt that since before finding the Ultra but he brushed it as a mere affect of fear. Scolding at the tropical rains, the Unggoy continued in time to hear his Sangheilian counterpart began his words of vengeance.

Naturally, Jadap would shake in the fierce power Sangheili possessed and knew from the stories of their valor-nevermind watching their very skill in combat-that their views of retribution is brutal and precise. That made him smile under his breathing apparatus, the Jiralhanae and their treacherous lackies will all suffer for wounding his lance. That is what he cared about right now.

"Sangheilian order is far better than...this." He said, waving his knife in gesturing the lonely city and its eerie silence in the rain. When he knew he was close to his lance's resting spot, the Ultra sheathed the blade finally and turned a corner in time to have a needler in his face.

Angling his cross-pupils, Jadap was face-to-face with his Heavy Specialist Olama's slit-eyed googles, tapping his knifetip under the Unggoy's soft spot between his thigh and leg. The Major jumped back fast, "Sorry. Thought you was Kig-yar." Jadap grunted and sheathed his weapon, "Not at a chance. Present yourself proper, we have honored guest!" Olama tilted his head in confusion before just seeing Quor.

Life-time of conditioning and protocol, The green-armored Major stood up as straight as he could in attention before bowing lowly, "Hail the Gods, a Sangheili at last." Jadap gave a dismissive wave of his claws, "You are not worth his time, Olama. Tell the others to prepare our best fish and find some healing gel for the Ultra." Nodding submissively, the Heavy did as told and rushed into the open hole in the wall, slightly damping the floor inside.

Exhaling softly, Jadap followed behind to guide Quor inside their little 'home' for now; a two story house with water-damaged furniture here and there, a toppled plant with a noticeable dusts of graveled soil by every entrance and windows in the visible area and moved furniture in places the Unggoy could block. Olama climbed up the stairs with more crunches of soil and thumps of carpeted metal. "Living quarters are up the stair, sire." Jadap said in a gentle way as he moved towards the stairs himself, the smell and heat of roasted fish graced the air while the rain out dampened the scent.

-

Major Q'ai 'Muramee

Waving his hand dismissive to the 'graceful' Kig-yar, Q'ai continued his walking along the highway and under the rain. Blinking his secondary lids-evolutionary gift for desert-dwellers like himself for sand-digging ambushes-the Major halted and just realized he was back where he started in this campaign. The bodies of skinned humans were still hanging by their feet from the dangling rope, pale and pink from the constant raining. Looking down, he could see hundreds of scale-crawly legged fish swarming around the dark pools with snapping jaws. "Disgusting..." He whispering before looking along towards the glowing river that gave the city its only light in the pitch darkness, at least from this position.

"How close are we-?" Q'ai was about to question before a loud howl ripped through the rain's pitter-patter, making the Sangheili instinctively duck behind a vehicle. It sounded close. Then more howls rippled from different part of the city, some abit more desperate than others. "This isn't good...the Jiralhanae must have caught a lance" He muttered to himself outloud, praying to every Spirit that he think of that it wasn't is lance.

Labus 'Adantee (Minor of Q'ai's Lance)

 The young Adant warrior winced abit with a twitch of his upper mandibles when his hand touched the gel-covered wound. It still stuck like a Queen-sting but...he'll live. Closing his eyes in slow exhales like his mentor taught him, Labus rested his unhelmed head against the wall of the lance's hiding spot, a herbal facility with samples of odd glowing rocks and waters to keep numerous specimens of alien plants. Thankfully he was in a nice darkened room upstairs aware from their eye-sores. His new spiker by his side, Labus looked over to a idle Jhao, who was meditatively applying blood over a newly positioned Jiralhanae's skull with the tip of his finger whispering from ritualistic nonsense. 

 Looking away and remotely respectful of the other's cultural splendor, Labus spotted Yeg crouching by the window with his new needle rifle on his lap while keeping watch outside. The facility was northeast of the Artifact, far enough to evade the Jiralhanae but close still for danger, that put everyone in paranoid urgence. Well almost everyone...the Unggoy were huddled together in a corner, sleeping in the hindsight of a wounded ally equaled a few hours of rest. Sounds good when one thinks about it, but something worth for Major Q'ai to bark and box a lazy subordinate on the side of the head. Unknowing rubbing the side of his bare head, Labus heard Jhao chuckling softly. "Thinking about the Major?" Feeling his face burn to the easy mind-reading of his fellow Sangheili, the Adant looked over to the Tilam with a soft growl. "I know...I am worry to but he is a hunter. He probably do better without us." Jhao said with a soft sigh before putting the skull down with the two others. Then loud howls rang outside, making the three looked outside with quickened hearts. "Labus...ready to move?" Jhao asked. As if he even needed to for the restless Labus, who looked directly into his eyes with a certain burning.

[Ultra Quor]

Ultra Quor 'Natrunai
The Safest of Houses

It wasn't long before the pair reached their temporary hideout, a modest dual leveled hut of sorts that Nishum must have used for their place of stay. It showed some damage from the bombardments, mostly residual from other buildings however, leaving it structurally intact.

"Sorry. Thought you was Kig-yar." The Unggoy that served as a welcoming committee of sorts seemed to fall more in line with the standards of his race, loyal but simple on most levels, taking a few moments and a little aide to ease up at the sight of what should be a familiar face to him. The words did perk his interest however, up to this point the Jiralhanae were the only identified threats, but it seemed as though there were allies in their defiance and defection. It was troubling to the extent that, when used properly, the Kig'Yar spotters could be used to create a network of eyes, ears, and noses across a good portion of the city, and knowing the Jiras, if they felt that they had Quor and his brothers on the ropes, they wouldn't use such a network to protect the artifact.. no such simple things as securing their assets were beyond their narrow mental band..

No. The spotters would surely be used to help better execute their hunting parties. The Jiralhanae had access to knowledge and updates of the terrain and targets that the Sangheili would, most likely, not.

Quor broke from his thoughts as Jadap waved the Unggoy major away. "You are not worth his time, Olama. Tell the others to prepare our best fish and find some healing gel for the Ultra." With that, the heavy scurried away inside as the pair followed behind. The floor creaked under his footsteps, these residencies weren't designed for someone with this type of localized weight.. but while the floor complained, it seemed as though it would tolerate him, the residency was not poorly constructed, at least by Nishum standards. However it would be best to stay away from the outlooks in the walls, lest they be caught by a spotter's eye.

"You did well to secure what you have in these trying times."

Even to him the smell of the crudely cooked fish upstairs was alluring as the it wafted downward and around the room with a faintness as they moved towards the second level.

"This place will make for a modest refuge as we regain our strength and figure out our next move. Retaking the artifact and our military presence in the area is going to take numbers, we're going to have to work to re-unify.. Even at this very moment I'm sure packs are out in the streets looking to pick off the stragglers in our disarray."

Quor makes a gesture to the windows with his head. "You and your lance would do well to stay far from the outer walls. All it would take is one misstep and we could find this night to be quite the trial of fate." He could only pray in silence that their location was not already compromised.

[Arbiter124]

Private Hunter Knight

There ain't no rest for the wicked

"Kill those things!" Hunter snarled as the massive beasts approached. Andre, Chaz and Hunter himself were opening up on the approaching Berserkers as Riley knelt in the already knee deep water, trying to help James.

The creatures were switching from car to car for cover, but Hunter could already tell that they didn't need to. They had absorbed and taken enough bullets to kill a dozen Toddlers but come out unfazed. They were organic, walking tanks.

Chaz stood out of cover, and didn't even flinch as two spikes flew by him. He shoved his eye into his rifle, snarled his teeth, and let a round fly out of the muzzle. The bullet flew straight into the face of the furry Berseker, and it stumbled backward. Hunter let out a roar of happiness when it looked like it would collapse, but it didn't do so. The thing turned its massive head back to them, and grinned a wicked smile, huge, sharp teeth covering his gums.

"We need to move!" Andre snarled, and Chaz tapped him on the shoulder, pointing to a building with an open door. Hunter looked at them and, seeing no other option, started his way through the thick, muddy water. He sprayed with his rifle towards his opponents, a weak attempt at trying to get them into cover.

Riley and Andre made it inside first, Chaz following closely behind. Hunter was only a few yards away when he looked to his right, and saw a figure, too small for a Berserker but too big for a Toddler approaching.

It was human.

Hunter called out to the figure. "Hey, get over here!"

The Private through up his arms to signal the figure, and an object landed in the water beside him. He backed up, instantly sensing the danger, but too late. The water erupted, and spikes flew in every direction. One skimmed Hunter, and the force sent him sailing through the air into a car, and then submerging under the water in the street.

[Huka]

Field Master Til 'Muramai
Seeking the Remnants of Lamenting Consecration


Sitting in the remnants of a building, out of the rain. It was one reason to be out in that endless rain with fully-functional armor and then there was a time to gain an alien sickness from being out in the rain with practically archaic armor. Armor off and cleaned with just his sleeveless jumpsuit and armored mantle on, Til didn't even pay attention to his disfiguring burn scars over his toned arms anymore. Once his body was dull pain in the first few milestones of this...fate but now, nothing but slight discomfort here and there. Flexing his freed toes first with firm scraps of their thick sand-digging claws over the floor before lifting his cold fingers and let a taste of the tropical rain fall from his talons into his gaping maw of fanged mandibles and inner teeth. He missed the spring water of the Paragon Mountains, the sweet aromas of a prime-cooked rus'maktu from the Golden Plains and meditative scents, and most of all...just then the thunder clashed!

Shouting out in sudden cognitive fright and pain, the Field Master wrapped his arms around him in a defensive hug with a terrible spasm as if he've just been kicked by a Xirsas pugilist and pupil narrowed into a postmortem state before limply falling on his side with a hand clenching at his chest.

-

"Is this how it end?"

"It better not be." An familiar voice said. Sight wavered back and slowly lifted up to see a figure at first before it flashed into the form of Tibur. That thick-headed Moram of a Muram staring down at him like a novice beaten by a lesser. Til felt like a thousand Unggoy corpses were ontop of him...and he personally knew the disturbing feeling.

"Still scared of the little discharge, Cousin." Tibur asked with a twitch of his mandible. Til narrowed his eye, he knew this was the Spirit of his cousin. Others would call it dying delusions or insanity manifested. Right now, the Spiritualist didn't care which.

The large fool slowly crouched down and stared into the downed counterpart's good eye with his own. Still bearing that silver armor of the Arbiter, even in death, and forever bore a resemblance to Ripa. Two insultingly wonderful memories.

"Is this how you die, Older Cousin? Killed by a failure of organs on a backwatch human planet in a failure of Artifact Retrieval? Your specialty?" Tibur questioned, voice laced with taunting mockery. "Whilst I fell to a mighty beast of a still-unnamed planet in a glorious finale! In the end, I seems I win."

Til didn't let out a noise but his fanged mandibles twitched in anger. Not angry of the mockery. Angry because it bit at the truth and his fear. Dying from ill bravedo and heroism. Tilting his head ever so slightly, Tibur's sand-yellow eye gleamed in a wordless laughter. Til knew it all too well. Childhood spoke of fierce lessons of the Battlemaster's beckons, scolding, and praises. The two were both prideful. They knew that. As far as Til knew they were still on draws in most of their youthful spars until the younger Muram took the rank of Field Marshal, which demanded off-world strategies and command instead of frontline battles.

"No." Til finally said firmly. Then his body twitched amongst the floor debris. "What? I didn't quite...grasp that, Sand Prowler. What was that?" Tibur said with a more tender gleam in his eyes and mandibles flexed. Til inhaled sharply and his body started to wiggle as if escaping the dull numbness of limbo, then his limb struck out in a punishing back-hand with a good extort of his strength.

-

A kig-yar screeched out painfully as he was knocked off his feet and landed a meter away with a bruised-and cut- cheek, unconscious. Til gasped and took in every precise breath like the sweetest nectar as his eye glared out, "That's for dying without my permission."

Blinking and taking the area around him, the Field Master saw his armor tampered with and three other Kig-yar staring in place. One of them holding his helmet closely. His single eye glared venomously and held his hand, "Give it here." He ordered with a strick firmness that spoke volumes better than barking and roaring. Jumping in place, the guilty Kig-yar stepped forward gingerly and tried to give the high officer his mask back with his arms as stretched out as possible to easily escape the Zealot if he tried to snatch the bird instead.

Taking his helmet back and sliding it over his face without his eye leaving them for a tick, the fearsome Field Master popped his neck before asking,"Friend or foe?" The three looked at their unconscious friend with the useless carbine in his talons and quickly answered, "Friend!"

"Good. I have a job for you."


Unggoy Ultra Jadap

The Unggoy leader blinked at the rare compliment and took it with a humble bow of his head, "Thank you, Excellency. I prefer a living lance to a dead one." He morbidly joked, halting half-way up the stairs before turning to look at Creche Commander Quor, "Yes, I have faith others have escaped and perhaps just as lost as we...or better off." When they made it to the top floor and took a large room that seemed to once been a office of some kind, furniture was moved to make a fine holding of warmth and comfort with a protected fire in its heart, the smoke drifted out in different places for ventilation.

The Ultra's soldiers were huddled together in front of the fire near the window before quickly scrabbling to their tired feet, away from the pointed-out position and saluted on hard-drilled protocol, "Hail, Excellent. Welcome to our temporary dwelling." They said as once before giving a bow and the youngest of the group pulled out a bone-white platter to present three fine-cut fish with their cores ripped out to pick away as much bones as possible, cooked in all of the right place.

"Please take our finest meats. You need your strength." Dadam said with a squeak of his voice. "All praise the Gods for this wondrous finding!" Yumam outcries in pious joy of seeing a Sangheili, to him a sign from the Gods for their favor.

On the roof of a neighboring building, a dark green-armored Skirmisher commando and the Kig-yar from earlier watched the window, seeing the Unggoy in their servile excitement. "Why did we kill them on their way here?" The Kig-yar sniper whispered in curious eager but the larger male placed a taloned hand on his shoulder, "Patience, brother. What better way there is to kill a large bounty, then to wait till it is drowsy and sleep?" The commando questioned with a fiendish look to his masked face as he looked at the fools' hiding den, "For now...we wait. Dawn won't come for them."

[CloseQuarters]

[Fire Team Charlie]
[7th Marines]
[3 Kilometers North-East of Covenant Zone: Refuge]
["I'm pretty sure the murder-fish go better with garlic and oregano"]

"Please just shut up about it" Sergeant Zerueyun moaned. He was happy the storm had let up, and that so far they hadn't encountered any hostiles, but boredom was beginning to replace fear in everyone but him. 

Corporal Timothy and Matsushiro were having a go at each other about the murder-fish they encountered (dead, thankfully). Matsushiro considered herself a seafood connoisseur. Timothy told her that her people's fascination with puffer-fish had fucked her mind as well as her tastebuds. He posited that the fish were freshwater, and therefore if prepared properly, would go well with garlic and oregano. Matsushiro disagreed. So did Harada, but a stern and exasperated look from Zerueyun had silenced him.

"Damn backwater hick. Everything gets a western treatment huh?" she responded, plainly ignoring her team leader. If not for weapon discipline, Zerueyun would have thrown his hands up in frustration. But his right hand held a MA5B, and he needed all the bullets it held.

The foursome walked along at a pace slightly less than brisk, taking in the destruction and atmosphere around them. A lull was in place, they could tell, but they had started late. They had spent over an hour with the Pelican after it went down, taking with them what they could, and trying to find a place to bury the crew and carry who didn't survive the crash. They moved in a staggered column, preferring this over the wedge because of the debris, even if the roads were wide enough. Even now, technology made ruin look better than historical past. Few fires, few black hulks. Even splintered buildings looked dignified in their demise, a sort of testament to human ingenuity and perseverance. 

Zerueyun motioned the team to halt as they came up to an intersection, wider than the ones they passed before. He reached into his carry and pulled out the map they had procured a few klicks back. They were lucky, for it was a topographic line map, and even though they had to scrutinize it painstakingly, it gave them a very good idea where they were headed. The hard part would be knowing if the route was occupied by friendlies or foes. The team took position together near an alley on the last building before the intersection, Matsushiro taking the left with her M392 DMR. Timothy with his M19 took the right (though he was instructed to use his sidearm unless otherwise directed to). Harada held the map with Zerueyun, going over it as well because of his great navigational ability (the team driver, right?). He wielded an MA5B as well. 

"It's a straight shot from here, along this road" Zerueyun indicated the route going across the city center, attaching to the highway that was now behind them. He had no idea that the Covenant Zone was directly along this route, right in their path. "We don't know what's down there though" he added, feeling like the map was possibly fucking with him now. Harada leaned over and looked down the route, then back to the map. He saw no movement, not from this far away. 

"The buildings here, here, and here. If they're still up, we'll have cover to bound to. Matsushiro can use her DMR to scan ahead" Harada added, remembering that, from their travels before, they had seen fire in that general direction. Something was out there, and with the city walled up, there was nowhere else to go. 

Zerueyun nodded and folded up the map, adjusting his helmet. "No doubt. Alright team, let's go" he said. "Matsushiro, you take point, right side. I'll stagger behind her. Timothy, behind me. Harada, cover our flank" he said. They all responded to the affirmative and continued moving.

[BasedGoody]

Kig-Yar Sniper Web

"My thoughts exactly," Web grunted, "Why can't the humans invent something useful, eh?" He muttered as his spotter graciously accepted the weapon. By the rooftops it is. He wandered over to the ladder and placed his hands on it, climbing to the roof. The sky looked torn as much as the city and the water sloshed around in the streets. Web spun around and laid his hands down for the friend of Cad. He pulled the Kig-Yar up to the roof with the help of the ladder. Next he helped up his own comrade, and held down his hands for Cad.


Traveling along the rooftops with so much wounded parts to get to reinforcements would surely be intercepted by some form of UNSC force. And any force, big or small, would be enough to kill the four weak alien birds leaping from roof to roof. Even if they could fight back, what did they have? Even with a sniper, he could not fire accurately. Either way they would have to try.

((Hope ya don't mind the slight PP with your friend Faclan XD))

Sergeant Garret Gizinski

He saw the waving arms of the fellow human and his emotions spiked. Another soldier! He smiled and started limping quickly before an explosion erupted into the water and the human hit the ground instantly. Garret attempted to run but fell on to his face. He lifted himself up to see a Brute spin to the Sergeant and fire a volley of spikes in his direction. His eyes widened and he dove behind a car. He lifted up his arm and blindly fired a few rounds out with terrible accuracy.

More rounds flew into the car and he cringed. He fired another round before it clicked to show it was out of ammo. He pulled it down and ejected the clip before he pulled out another. It was full. The Sergeant shoved it into the feed and cocked it back.

Minor Wippap

Wippap charged in with his furry comrades at the marines running away. He fired with his spiker and yelled out random curses. It was easily a battle he could win, and he would not die! They attempted to fire back and he simply dove for cover, and returned fire. The spikes impaled themselves into walls as he was not a very good shot, but they still caused the humans to cower in fear. Suddenly the Jiralhanae bullrushed out.

Wippap followed. He noticed the enemies run into a building, and in an attempt to stop them one of the beasts threw a Spike Grenade, it exploded separating the team. One marine was alone, facedown in the water. Wippap smiled and moved in for the kill. 

[Arbiter124]

Hunter Knight

Private

UNSC Marine

Hunter's hearing was completely disrupted as the cold water surrounded him. He placed his palm against the wet pavement and pushed upward, escaping the watery abyss. He searched around for his assault rifle, but as three glowing spikes dug into the building's wall behind him, he quickly lost interest in finding his rifle and leaped into the building. He shuffled in, collapsing on one knee, and looked back, to see the small Toddler with his Spiker moving towards him. It held a spiker rifle in its grubby hands.

"Shit..." Hunter mumbled, and looked around for his team. No where to be found, the Private quickly made his way for the staircase of the building, and staggered up it, clumsily moving as he clutched the railing. He made it onto the second floor, and leaned against a chair. The chair toppled over, and the still stunned Hunter fell with it. Landing on his ass, he moaned.

"Fuck..." He mumbled, and the Marine's eyes widened as he heard the light taps of footsteps coming up the stairs. He quickly kicked over a chair beside him and sat behind it, upholstering his pistol and aiming it at the staircase.

[BasedGoody]

Unggoy Minor Wippap

The Unggoy saw the Marine run away and up the stairs. He growled and attempted to follow. He ejected his spiker clip and placed another one in. This human didn't even have a weapon! What an easy kill. He would be called a champion by everyone, and his file would rejoice at his skill. He hopped up one stair at a time, planning out how he would kill the thing. How else could it go? He would chase down the being and empty every spike he had into the thing! How hard could it be? He reached the top step to see the marine aiming a pistol at his forehead.

"Oh."

He didn't know what else to say.

"Damn."

The Minor growled and leaped at the human with all the pent up willingness inside him to live, throwing his body at it. He heard the magnum go off, how many times? Once? Twice? Neither shot connected and he ended up slamming shoulder first into the human. Hopefully it would knock him to the ground.

It would be easy.

Right?

Right...? 

[Arbiter124]

Hunter Knight

Private

UNSC

"Fuck off!" Hunter snarled as he pulled down the trigger twice rapidly, but without succession. They made impact with the wall behind the little Toddler, and its shoulder slammed into his nose. Hunter's head kicked back and he was laying flat on the floor. He opened his eyes, recovering from the blow to see a furious Grunt over him, with its Spiker in right hand.

It was a major sense of deja vu back from the jungle planet, but this time Andre wasn't around to save him. The Marine snarled and brought both of his hands up, determined to if not get his first kill, at least get the hell out of there. His fingers wrapped around the stubby thing's neck, and he shook it left and right, eventually using all of his might to throw the thing off of him to the right. Hunter rolled onto his knees, gaining some space, but bumped into a counter. He turned around to see an array of kitchen knives.

Hunter stood fully up and unsheathed one of the thinner, longer ones. He turned back to the Grunt and charged him, fully intending on coming back to Andre with an exciting story of his first kill.

[BasedGoody]

Unggoy Minor Wippap

Wippap tumbled to the ground but quickly recovered to see his enemy pick up a knife. The human charge at him. Wippap followed by charging back with the same aggressiveness. He had full intent of murder. There was a moment of fear back then with the human's pistol, but that was far gone. Now it was blade, versus gun with blade. To Wippap that showed an obvious winner. The marine swung down with the knife and the Unggoy responded by raising his Spiker, blocking the swipe. 

The Minor then leaped back and aimed his weapon. He fired off a volley of rounds but as he was still panicked and only using it one-handed, recoil pushed the barrel up landing the final shots in the ceiling. He growled and brought up his other hand to assist in accuracy. Before even looking he pulled down the trigger to hear the ever-ominous click of an empty magazine. SHIT.

[Arbiter124]

Hunter Knight

Private

UNSC

Hunter hit the counter hard, dropping his knife as he turned back to the Toddler, who had its firearm aimed at the Soldier. Hunter gulped, and dove for the couch, as a volley of shots cut through the fabric and foamy filling. His stomach was pressed against the floor, and he could see under the couch, the small feet of the Toddler stagger around, and he heard the click of the weapon.

The Private leaped from the couch, rolled over, and swung one hard fist toward the Toddler. The Grub was smart enough to leap backward, but the glancing blow still sent it toppling down into the chairs. Hunter watched as the Spiker skid across the floor, but he turned back to the dazed Toddler and grabbed one of the wooden chairs.

"Dodge it, bitch." Hunter growled as he raised the chair above his head, and swung it down towards the Toddler like some sledgehammer.

[BasedGoody]

Unggoy Minor Wippap

The Minor had just dodged the humans swipe, sending him into a group of chairs. He recovered, staggering around. He formed his hands into a fist before realizing he had lost his only source of victory. Not even a gulp could escape before he was thrown back into battle. The marine raised one of the chairs above his head and spoke something that the Unggoy didn't hear. He gasped and jumped to the left but the wood nailed him in the leg. He winced in pain.

"You want to FIGHT huh!?" He yelled out as the human's makeshift weapon splintered and shattered over the ground. He grabbed a leg of it and charged in with a new burst of rage, swinging the stick left and right, trying to make contact. He would have to win this thing. He couldn't lose. Right? The Unggoy repeated this to himself, trying to desperately convince himself of it. Slowly a black fear of death had been crawing into his brain. It engulfed his good judgement and skill causing him to grow sluggish. Now he fought to keep fear from the last part of his sanity left-

-Hope.

[Arbiter124]

Hunter Knight

Private

UNSC

Hunter heard the creature snarl some alien language, and glared at him. The Toddler swung the chair's leg, and Hunter was too slow to even dodge the swing as it connected with the side of his leg, sending him onto one knee. He was at eye level with the Toddler, and four clenched fingers making impact with his right eye sent him onto his back.

The Toddler roared and leaped towards him, but Hunter's boots were planted on the things stomach, and he kicked out, launching the thing through the air. It landed on the ground some ways away from him, and Hunter rolled onto his stomach, seeing the Spiker beside the open window.

"Shit, shit, shit..." The Private murmered as he crawled towards the weapon as fast as he could, dragging himself along.