M6: Battle for Refuge (Ground)

[BasedGoody]

Unggoy Minor Wippap

The Unggoy forced himself up off the ground and spun toward the human. It was crawling away. Clearly on the last stages of life! HE would win! The fear retracted from his mind and he saw his trophy right in front of him. Imagine how proud everyone would be! He could already see it in front of him. 'Unggoy kills human' and 'Brave Wippap beats Marine's face in with his own fists'. He smiled at the thought. But there was no time for smiling! NOW he would go in for the KILL!

He started in a sprint and slipped on the ground a little but picked up immediately continued. Right in front of him the human was just starting to stand, regaining his balance. What was that he was holding? The- the SPIKER? The fear smiled into his head, but the Unggoy shoved it back into the recesses of his mind. The thing was out of ammo, what was he going to do? Ha! Wippap lunged out angrily.

He was going to WIN!

Wippap would live!

[Arbiter124]

Hunter Knight
Private
UNSC

The Private grabbed hold of the weapon, and heard the footsteps and panting of the savage critter behind him. He didn’t even take the time to grab onto the handle of the weapon, just grabbing the bottom of it and turning around, lashing out.

The almost mute slicing of the blades cleaning entering the Toddler’s stomach was a disturbing, and yet relieving sound for Hunter’s ears. The Toddler’s orange eyes grew wide in what looked like surprise, pain, and utter disappointment as blood seeped from in between the blade’s and onto Hunter’s gloved fingers.

The weight from the impaled Toddler was too much for Hunter to even hold as he stumbled backwards, turned around, and released his grip on the Covenant Soldier, letting him sail through the air.

[BasedGoody]

Unggoy Minor Wippap

All the Minor felt was sheer joy before a fiery sensation ripped through his stomach and flushing him clear of hope. The blackness of fear completely wrapped around his brain and squeezed it tight. He saw the blades enter him and he was thrown forwards, over his prized kill and out the window. Light rushed into his eyes and he saw the ground, two stories below him. It seemed as if it was so far away though. It almost looked miles down. 

Was that it?

He was so close.

It took him a second to realize what was happening. He was going to DIE. This was IT! THIS IS THE END. There is nothing after this! There is no file to go back to, no love, no warmth. Just the cold grip of fear, now pulsating through his veins, filling him with what seemed like an eternity of it. There was no peace in death! Anyone who told this was wrong. His thoughts went not to loved ones, but rather to the fear that froze his body.

He wasn't even thinking of the ground as it snapped his spine.

{UNGGOY MINOR WIPPAP - - - K.I.A.}

[Arbiter124]

Hunter Knight

Private

UNSC

Hunter staggered to the windowsill, gasping for breath. He saw the splash of the water as the Toddler landed. It cracked against the pavement, and now all that the Private could see was the bright backpack sticking out of the water, not moving. The Berserkers seemed to not have followed, or they at least were out of his sight.

However, that Toddler still had caused large amounts of trouble for the Private.

Where the hell did his fireteam go to.

Hunter cursed under his breath, and walked over to his pistol, picking it up and taking out the clip, tossing it aside and shoving a fresh one into his holster. Hunter sighed, and headed for the staircase. Before he reached there however, he turned around to the open window.

Hunter unsheathed his knife, still looking towards the open windowsill, and carved one small line into the side of his chestplate. He smiled to himself, and started down the stairs.

[Huka]

Minor Chata 'Aquiree
Lost in the Dark

With an Aquir warcry-a series of harsh gurgling and clicks amongst familiar words of Sangheili lingua franca-Chata led the fire of needle and bullets against the overconfident Jiralhanae that have been hunting them relentlessly since the loss of the Artifact. In all of their legendary bravedo and resilience, not even those hairy brutes could withstand the combined firepower of Suban-mined Blamite, radioactive lances, and primitive ballistics.

When the last tried to make a wise run for it, he was face-to-face with Major Suf's curveblade. Grasping at his slit throat, the Major fell to his knees with gurgles as his bulging eyes looking into the cold-regarding eyes of his killer. Flicking the blood off his curved underblade, the Natrun major stabbed through the Jiralhanae's jaw and twisted to end with a coup de grace. No point in letting the traitor suffer.

Chata and R'od walked amongst the corpses, both to remember faces and police anything useful. Knowing his needler was almost out of ammunition, the Aquir sighed and took one of the spiker handguns. Testing the weapon's somewhat unbalanced weight-at least in his hand-and checked on the clip, Chata examined and made sure it was still good as his memory recalled back to the Field Master's training. When it was done, he took the dead traitor's bandolier for himself with a few spike grenades and ammunition. R'od stops over one body with a tilt of his head, slowly putting his still-functional carbine on his back before kneeling down and grabbed the apparently-dead Jiralhanae's cheeks. A pained groan left the dying beast's lips and the Anjar soldier gently shushed him. "Rest easy and go to what beyond is yours." He whispered before promptly snapping his neck with a crunch. With a twitch, the Jiralhanae was released from his pain.

"Anything, you two?" Moi asked as he stride over, glancing down to the body with contempt. "A few supplies useful for us, but nothing else." Chata answered naturally, walking over the larger male of the lance.

"Let's move...the fauna are approaching." Suf suggested as he cleaned his blade while watching the legged fish sneak towards the corpses, having all he need for a fatal hunting with their enemy. Everyone didn't stay long, the lance didn't had significant supplies but enough for resourceful soldiers like themselves. Taking the mid-rank with Thesu, Chata remained quiet with nothing to say like everyone else. Not even the pistoleer had a joke to crack, still burning from being the first to be forced using heretical weapons instead of proper Covenant weapons. Moi ironically also had to grab a human rifle after his needle rifle was cut in half from one of the earlier Jiralhanae attacks, which brightened the other's night abit.

Several rooks in their march, Suf halted immediately which signaled the others to bear their weapons defensively with eyes in a semi-circle. Slowly moving his eyes from the right to left of a open street, the Natrun's eyes gleamed as they pierced through the darkness and falling rain until they saw another lance. The leading figure easily Sangheilian and holding the rank of Major like himself. Heart actually drumming, the Major called out, "Brother-in-arms!"

[Randolf]

A few pebbles rained down from a ruined roof, dropping down to the still face of Private Carrick McMiller. The unconscious marine brushed his hand across his face in reflex, as he had been the subject of many pranks at the barracks. The movement made something click in his mind though, and the private opened his eyes to view the half-destroyed roof and the darkening sky beyond. A groan escaped his lips as Rick raised himself to a sitting position before looking around the building he was in. Civilian by design, it housed a few couches and chairs arranged in what was suppose to be some aesthetically pleasing way but now that half of the furniture was either smashed or burnt it had lost all feelings of warmth and comfort which was replaced with dread and fear.

"Shit! The Pelican dropped too low! Then...then..." Rick cursed, his memories flooding back of how he got here. The pelican pilot was a rookie, fresh out of flight school, and had panicked when a banshee took a few potshots at it. He had dived too deep and fast, sending the bird ahead of most of the other entry vehicles and almost into the ground. The pilot managed to gain control of the pelican only a few seconds before the EMP wave had hit. Luckily, their near death collision with the ground saved them from burning to death through reentry. Not so lucky was the fact that the pilot could no longer control the pelican and could only watch in horror as the troop transport flew head on into a mass of buildings.

The first few impacts saw the pelican bouncing off buildings mostly, nothing was hit head on to outright destroy the pelican. But the damage added up and then the bird hit a building at a bad angle, tearing off the very back of the bird and leaving it in the building while the other part of the bird continued to skip across the structures. The worst part about the tearing of back included the last two seats of the pelican troop bay along with the airlock and hind engines. Sitting in those two unlucky seats was Rick and another soldier from the other firetea-

"He might be alive!" Rick shouted out in surprise, as he realized that the other trooper might indeed still be alive. A quick glance behind him revealed the truth: Rick had landed on a couch which was promptly smashed into firewood, while the other trooper landed on the counter of the room. The large red splatter covering half of the counter told Rick that he had no need to look behind there to check on the other guy.

Rick took a few minutes to gather his thoughts and check his body for injuries: he was sore all over his body and was pretty sure he had a few cracked or broken ribs. Which, compared to the other marine, was quite light. Then the marine examined the area for his weapon or equipment that might have fell with him but did not find anything other than pelican scarp and half a engine.

"Right, I need to find my squad, better arm myself, get in contact with command, and then complete the mission- if it can still be completed." Rick muttered to himself, making a list in his mind of things to do. The nearby dead marine was spooking the private, so much so that he quickly left the room and traveled down the five story high building with effort. Once at ground level, with his M6 pistol in hand, started to heads eastward in the direction the pelican took, or more accurately, crashed.

[Faclan]

SSA-012 - Yanme'e Swarm
Continuing to lead the odd allies and still sleeping.

Thanks to the bus's roof, windows, and padded chairs the sound and feeling of the rain was greatly lessoned for the members of SSA inside the vehicle. Breathing out the now clearly air steadily the bugs continued to happily sleep in their little bug motel.

The Ultra kept moving, knowing the exact location she needed to lead them to make it back to Master Til. She ingnored the hanging humans as she went, hopping along as her wings started to feel better - the ultra making a mental note to get a more shielded anti-grav generator next mission. But then the unholy haired ones shouted out near her. Narrowing her compound eyes she ducked into cover as well as she turned to the Sangheili.

"Unoly ones cry, right in way." She said simply, knowing that unless they moved, her and her rage tag group would have to try and sneak around or engage.

Far away from the Ultra one of the male soldiers looked up from his short nap to hear talking? Talking of the weak humans! Edging over to the edge of the building he had landed on he looked down to see two humans, they seemed to be injured, walking through the alley he was watching over. Chittering in glee the bug ducked back behind the ledge and retrieved his grenade...before hissing and tossing the useless thing across the roof as he shrugged and pulled out his short crystal knife and hopped back to the edge again. Glaring down at the humans he hopped off the roof and opened his wings to enter a gliding dive, intent on giving these humans a talon and knife surprise glomp!

(Do what you must Armory and Kill, weapons free and such .)

(NPC) Nas - Kig-Yar Markswoman
Maybe food? HIDE

Sticking close to Q'ai as he walked after the Yanme'e. Still shivering a little even as the rain started to slacked off Nas started to hop up and down a bit to try and get her blood moving and attempt to heat her up. It only worked a little and Nas was wishing she had taken the precaution Cad always did and had worn a long sleeved shifrt for this to at least provide some protection for her skin from this downpour.

Though she sniffed and looked around when she smelt meat. Her sniffs drawing her eyes over to the hanging humans. Though the meat looked pretty bad...it would probably be fine after some cooking? The hunger fairly evident in her eyes before it was replaced with terror from the roar and she ducked down with Q'ai and the bug behind the car. Trying to stay calm she took a few glances over to top of the car toward the noise as she desperately hoped that they weren't coming their way.

Cad - Kig-Yar Major
Moving toward the downtown area.

(It's alright Goodz ma brah)
Grunting as he helped Web pull up Pad, whose splint seemed to be holding for now, they were all soon on the roof. Sticking his head back down the hatch to be sure they hadn't forgotten anything Cad nodded and attached his arm armor to his belt as well as his helmet. Rolling up his sleeves he nodded and started to move toward the taller buildings by the use of the rooftops. He suspected he would be getting sweaty with the wounded they would all have to help, so he pre-emptively rolled up his sleeves to get cool before the work started.

"We should head deeper into the city," he said as he clambered up the first bug step onto the next roof. "If this city is laid out anything like that Gods forsaken snow planet there will be supplies there we can scavenge as well as a way to get back on a major road to make it back to the deployment zone...it also seems like its more uphill so the water should be lower."

Nodding, more to himself than anyone else, Cad took the lead to be the scout and assessor. Thankfully the buildings around this area were essentially touching so they didn't have to try to make a jump with one of their members broken legs. Cad also taking the lead because he saw himself as the de-facto leader and therefore responsible for all of the Kig-Yar here.

After a decent amount of time of slowly making their ways across the roofs Cad called a rest as they all sat atop a building near some broken skylights, Cad looking ahead as he spotted what he recognized as a shopping center from the snow planet near a building with a lot of horizontal spaces from its walls missing? Odd...Squinting a bit he looked over the shopping center from their far vantage point - the bottom doors of the shopping center looked boarded up but it seemed to be attached to the building beside it full of vehicles. Perhaps there was a entrance between the two?

Pointing this out to the others they finished their break and started to slowly move toward it, Cad telling them to look for a way to get back to the ground as the water looked pretty shallow here.

(Hopefully not TOO fast for them spotting the soon to be dicey spot.)

Eugenius - Jiralhanae Advisor and Shaman
Putting two and two together, slowly, as the meal is prepared

Giving his pistol a spin he dunked it into the water as well before starting to clean it off with a rag as he watched his nephew prepare the male human. Though he stopped clearing momentarily as Garatus responding. Humming a little Eugine resumed wiping off his weapon as he thought about what was said.

Garatus could likely see confusion in the Elders face as he mulled it over - not much stumped the Shaman but this seemed to really throw him for a loop. Finally finishing with the clear he slipped it back into his holster as he continued to ponder. Why would his friend disapprove? Sangheili as far as he knew despised the Kig-Yar as well...was it a fellow Jiralhanae that didn't like to eat them? No that was foolish! Tapping his mangled hand against his waist Eugine screwed his face up before his expression dropped as he figured it out - the elder looking at the butchered humans as he spoke.

"Are you saying....You're 'friends' with one of those weak, godless, cowards?!" He nearly roared as he rounded on his Nephew and gripped his smacking staff tightly. The meal plan and sermon with the Field Master pushed aside as Eugine prepared to bash that foolish notion from the youngin's head.

[BetaWülf]

Captain Garatus

Garatus watch his uncles face mulled over what Garatus had just said, it was the first time Garatus had ever seen him really ponder something. He was both surprised and expecting of his uncles reaction to when he figured it out, but Garatus didn't expect him to be quite so volatile. Garatus's features contorted into a look of rage at his uncles words, since he had implied such awful things about Cad* which Garatus would not stand for. He stepped forward and he was toe to toe with his uncle, their snouts mere inches apart.

"No, I'm saying I'm friends with a strong, devout warrior as brave as any one here!" Garatus roared at his uncle, he would not stand for his friends(no matter who they were) to be insulted, especially if they were not there to defend their own honor.

He showed his seriousness through bared teeth and direct eye contact, standing straight with his chest out slightly. It was not that he was so enraged at his dear uncle(who he was mad at for his assumption about Cad) but that to allow such a comment to stand would be a sign of weakness within the pack and within Jiralhanae society in general. It would also be betraying and disrespecting his friendship with Cad in Garatus's eyes and the eyes of other Jiralhanae, even if they did not care for Kig-yar they would frown upon such acts and think less of Garatus as a person.

[CloseQuarters]

[Fire Team Charlie]
[7th Marines]
[2 Kilometers North-East of Covenant Zone: Refuge]
["I brought my jimmies, but good luck trying to rustle them"]

"Next building" Zerueyun said. Behind him, he heard splashes from the puddles as the marines ran to one side, alternately bounding to buildings and structures on the left side of the road. They wanted to follow the long road, but typically stay off of it, using the sidewalk liberally only when there was no viable cover. They felt vulnerable regardless of the environment, but tactics were tactics.

The foursome arrived at a restaurant, which was seemingly un-damaged. The door was locked though, and Zerueyun felt some sort of compunction about breaking down the door. Timothy opened his big mouth anyway as he saw Zerueyun look at the door. "No thanks sarge, I ain't hungry" he said jovially, as if Zerueyun had invited him to lunch. Zerueyun let out a growl of frustration; Matsushiro rolled her eyes; Harada just chuckled.

"Anyone hearing the call of nature? That trash receptacle right there, it's your chance until we find some more cover. Use it now" he instructed, looking around the corner, down the road. Matsushiro was next to him, and despite the physiological fact she had a smaller bladder than the males, hers was not filled.

"I'm okay" Timothy said, using the scope on his rocket launcher to scan behind them. Harada stood up from a crouch and walked to Zerueyun, muttering he had to go. Zerueyun nodded and instructed them to provide cover as Harada relieved himself in the trash receptacle, looking around even though his weapon was propped up next to him.

(If any UNSC wants to meet-up, feel free. Once my group passed the two klicks to reach the covie zone, I invite their players as well.) 

[Ultra Quor]

Ultra Quor 'Natrunai
Surviving the Night

The Sangheili was mostly dismissive towards the little ones attempt at humor, maybe under different circumstances the retort would have been met more warmly, but the shadows of twilight were not ones to be amused by humor in their depths, beyond that his own throbbing skull and bones were begging him to groan, but he resisted the urge of even the slightest futility in these moments, he was a figure of inspiration to all under him, showing excessive vulnerability was a disgrace he didn't wish to taste. 

"Yes, I have faith others have escaped and perhaps just as lost as we...or better off." Jadap replied as they ascended to the upper level. 

"If our Field Master has always been anything, he has been cunning and resourceful in his tactics. The wretched mongrels haven't seen the last of his brashness." 

Sect leader or not, the Muram were never on the forefront of his list of likable lineage, he would still give credit where it was due, even if the compliments didn't come off as being completely genuine. Til had gotten them this far, and it was unlikely that the light of any of the upper echelon of Sangheili leadership in this battle would be extinguished by disorganized beasts.

As the pair reached the top of the stairs, Quor made out a makeshift fire that was being used to warm the immediate area, crude but effective. The heat was very welcoming when compared to what he had just arrived from. It wasn't long before his presence was being acknowledged by the haggered lance, they were beaten down somewhat by the elements but were invigorated somewhat by his appearance among them, even in his own lesser state. They had prepared some of the local fish-creatures which they had been eating upon to regain their strength, they had a good haul, and the food would do well for the lot of them. 

"Please take our finest meats. You need your strength." 

Quor took the fish as he sat back against an inner wall, leaving a hand on Dadam's shoulder for a moment as a silent expression of gratitude toward the little one. Pulling back, he began to work at the fish offered to him, it was as good a meal as any could expect on the battlefield if not that much better due to the element of desperation that surrounded it. Upon finishing the food provided he once again addressed Jadap. 

"Unggoy, what is your name?" 

Upon hearing the Ultra's name he beckoned Jadap closer and continued with his order. 

"Jadap, see to it that your lance is well rested for we will be on the move come daybreak. We shall stagger our slumber, know no safety until we have rejoined the main force. I shall take the first watch, be ready for anything. A quiet night would be a gift from the gods.. were it so easy when they look to test us." 

As the lance begins to settle down and recuperate, Quor kept his senses sharp, the pitter patter of the rain relaxing from the inside. He lowers his head and drops into a fake slumber as he contemplates the plan for the group going forward.

[Wax™]

Triple Jay

Second Lieutenant 

Alone and Terrified

When the flood hit, Jay was once again split apart from those of his Platoon he managed to find, once again he was on his own, terrified, cold and alone in a high rise building, with his MA37 in hand he sat, nearly curled in a ball under one of the many office desks in the high rise building that he found shelter in, he had covered himself in two business jackets that he found on dead civilians, so far that, his uniform and the walls of the building were the only things keeping him warm.

Jay muttered, cursed and swore at himself under his breath, he was pathetic, a coward and most of all terrified, he wasn't material to be a leader nor a Lieutenant, he felt sick in his stomach as the thought of his father came to mind, figuring his father would be disappointed if he saw what Jay was doing right now, hiding from the enemy, hiding from his men. Jay smacked his head into the thin carpet that hid the thick concrete of the floor a couple of times, cursing at himself, the feeling of crying almost coming about him.

"You're not ready for this Jay, you were never ready for this." He said to himself. Sniffling a cold sweat ran down his back. Picking himself up and shrugging the business coats off his body, he looked down to his boots in shame before spotting his MA37 that he was using as a pillow.

"Ok... Ok... Breath... Get your shit together soldier... You're a marine... What are you?" He said to himself. "I'm a marine."

"...And what don't marines do?" He heard his fathers voice in his head all of a sudden.

"...Marine's don't quit!" He said under his breath as enthusiastically as he could manage, though he was still terrified and alone, shaking his head he attempted his best to get himself back in the game, sniffling he raised the butt of his MA37 and shouldered it, as he moved over to a blown out window that over looked a parking garage.

"So much for an easy first deployment." He muttered to himself as he walked to the window.

As he made it to the window he almost instantly spotted movement atop the parking garage roof, taking a knee quickly he managed to spot what looked like a shirtless human male entering a stair-well to a pelican pad, raising a brow he decided to check it out. Maybe it was a fellow marine. Looking down to the parking garage it was a good five stories below him and the alley between the two structures was a three meter gap at most.

"Need to get down there."

Jay said, he moved down a few stories till he was one story higher than the actual parking garage roof itself, he looked around outside the window at the edge and noticed the parking garage wasn't attached to any other buildings, which meant he'd need to make his way back to this building, turning around he looked about the inside of the room on the current floor, on the far wall there was a fire-hose.

"That."

He said aloud, since there was no one else to talk to, walking over to the fire hose he opened the cabinet and took the house out, fully untangling the thick hose, once he had done that he'd tie it around his waist and make his way back over to the window with a chair, throwing the chair at it with a heavy grunt he managed to break it in one go, leaning himself out the window he examined the gap once more, it was more like a four meter gap and a several meter drop.

"Ok... Ok... You can do this... Can I?" He said, talking to himself again, obviously stressed out of his mind, jogging to the far side of the room again he took his MA37 and strapped it around his chest, pacing back and forth, hopping up and down and clicking his fingers to sike him up to jumping out the window. He'd lower himself down and set himself in a running start position, he took in a deep breath before exhaling and then taking another breath in.

"Ok... Ok... One... Two, three GO!" He said to himself before pushing off the ground and sprinting toward the window as fast as he could, once he made it to the end he jumped, arms and legs flailing through the air until he was close to the ground, once he touched down he curled himself into a roll, however he failed to see what was in front of him and rolled straight into the back of a car before he could end right side up.

"Oh... Fuck..." He said, extremely winded, coughing and hacking he took several moments to collect himself before picking himself up, he looked up to the building and followed the fire hose which was attached to him down, he gripped at it and forcefully pulled it to ascertain it's strength, nodding to himself with approval he moved over to the car he hit with a limp and untied the fire hose off his body and onto the car. From there he'd take up his MA37 which was strapped to his torso and make himself to the same door he saw the man enter.

Once he made it to the door he placed his hand on the door handle, MA37 ready in his right hand whilst his left hand prepared to open the door, he counted to three before opening the door quickly with his weapon raised, he had encountered thief's before and didn't want to make the same piss poor entrance he did before.

"UNSC Marines, UNSC Marines!" He said, not exactly yelling but loud enough to get anyone's attention as he entered the stair-well, once he was about two steps in he stopped and and looked at the shirtless male, stunned at he it turned out to be. "...No shit." He said, lowering his MA37.

[MrKill]

1LT. K. KILLINGER
Seventh Marines
Hope

Kyle's eyes shot open as Axle growled, someone was explosively coughing on the other side of the door but it was clearly human and not alien simply by how it sounded. Realizing the AP mine was still active, Kyle quickly grabbed his 'abort' tool - a pair of scissors - and nearly tripped over his own feet as he struggled to get up in the darkened room.

The fire had gone out, but on the bright side it appeared Kyle had gotten some rest and he was warmer now. He considered it a win for himself, but if he couldn't cut the trip wire - which was extremely tight when the door opened up past a specific part - then his victory would quickly turn into a loss. Not only that, but he'd innocently murder someone looking for protection.

The door handle begun to move...

... The blades of the scissors hit the wire.

... But the door started to open.

... And Kyle cut the wire, with about milliseconds to spare.

He stood up and wiped a beat of sweat that had developed on his forehead.

"...No shit." The Marine said.

Kyle smiled when he realized it was Jay.

"Good to see you!"

[Deleted]

Second Lieutenant Robert McCauley
Seventh Marines // First Battalion // Alpha Company // Third Platoon
Tornado Three

One moment robert was walking down debris filled streets, and the next he was jumping across rooftops to avoid the flooding. So far, he had lost a total of eight men: Five died in the crash, and three washed away. And this was only the ones confirmed to be dead. He was also missing an entire squad due to the crash and the electro-magnetic interference. There were a few army guys that joined him though, so he was only down to 60 percent effectiveness. Right now, he had taken up an elevated position, overlooking a parking garage. Though he saw friendly troops, short of shouting across what used to be a large parking area, there was no way to contact them. Of course, they still carried some flares -both handheld and guns- that he could use, but there was no way of making sure they saw it.

Robert took a blue flare from his pack and ignited it. He waved it around in the open window, hoping that any of the friendlies would see it.

[BasedGoody]

Kig-Yar Sniper Web

"A way to the ground? Got it." Web nodded, standing up. He slowly walked towards the edge of the rooftop and looked down onto the ground below. Looking left he spotted little helpful so he spun to the right and found a fire escape. Perfect. Sure it would leave them extremely exposed, but how much more exposed could they get? He turned around to the rest of the team. They were going to have to work with what they got.

"Fire escape two buildings over. Only chance of getting down." He said, pointing towards it. 

He motioned for the team to follow and started towards the way down. He leaped from the roof to the next, rolling on the surface as there was a slight height difference and he was protecting his foot. He slightly cringed and continued on after helping his comrades down. The next roof was a little higher so he grabbed onto the ledge and heaved himself up. Web turned to lend a hand to the others. Finally they were at the fire escape. The sniper made his way down each staircase until he placed his feet in the very shallow water at the bottom.

[Huka]

Field Master Til 'Muramai
Time to resume the hunt

Sitting in a makeshift throne from the rabble around him, dressed in his most of his armor now and his organs responding positive again after that familiar scare, Til tapped a claw as he was told about the Jiralhanae's apparent inaction of what to do know that they had their ill-gotten prize beside hunting for every member loyal to the Sangheili. Satisfied of this, the Field Master later ordered the four scavengers-after the fourth awake from the hard slap-to seek out the administrative building some blocks away and send any loyal soldier to the gathering spot. He already knew they would avoid their former allies in self-preservation, so he had little urge to remark on that, and now, he just sit and recover his strength enough to return back to the headquarters himself. Especially after hearing that call some time ago.

Narrowing his eyes abit, Til looked down at his asserted equipment. He had his staff, curveblades, poisons, carbine, and a couple plasma grenades. He is still not sure if those worked after the disruptor pulse and had little urge to try it on the threat of some instability in the plasma containment. Slowly sliding off his chair and onto his knees, his eyes drifted to his newly stripped skulls and skinned pelts. It isn't easy to do with the equipment he had but it remained him of his youth in Muram. A blade is all he needed and the fish crawling around certainly helped with the remains he left behind.

Sliding his fingers under one of the skulls, looking at the etching he put to remind him that this was a former Ultra of a meager pack. Carefully examining the fractures that caused from years of internal conflicts and the Field Master's vicious kick to the temple, he rubbed a talon at the point of where his boot claw punctured through to the brain. When his musing was done, the Muram Huntsmaster put the skull back over the leather cloth before ceremoniously wrapping them up and tired a noose around it to hang on his hip. Out of all the enemies tonight, Til wanted the Chieftain's head or a good equal of his guard as retribution. With this dark determination, he slipped on his deltoid protectors, cuisses, and gauntlets before wanking his cape from its drying place. Dry enough for another few hours of traveling. Clipping the cape over the sides of his thoracic cage after wrapping it around his shoulders and into the sides, the Muram veteran snapped on his bandolier and slipped his seven darts of various poisons into their assorted pouches, followed with the rest of his equipment.

"Fight on and live for the grand horizon." He said to himself as he looked outside and jumped out of the five story window with the water softening his drop with a splash, immediately making a powerful sprint down a road with his carbine in hand.


Kig-yar scavenger Yup (NPC)
Performing the Field Master's Will...with Kig-yar logic

Rubbing on his still stinging cheek, the crocodilian Kig-yar whimpered to himself and the others had the kindness to not speak a word about the incident, knowing the dangerous line they were crossed in the hope of great material gain. Sadly Yup had to be the one to scrap on the barbed wire and trip the alarm. "He hit pretty hard." He complained, knowing his cheek will swell up later.

One of his smaller comrades nodded before halted a moment, "So...how are we going a hiding army?" Yup certainly noticed the absurdity of that himself but the last anything anyone who isn't a San'Shyuum want to do is question a Zealot, especially one of those psychotic Hierarch-sponsored groups. "We should try to find the creche in the far west of the territory, I've heard they were engaged by one of the Captains there and some packs of humans."

That perked everyone's interest for three reasons; a sizable gift for the Field Master or if they are dead, then the group can have a chance of rejoining the winning side, and best of all, cooked humans. A fine war-time necessary delicacy, much better than Unggoy." "Let's go then!" Yup suggested and the four moved in a sprint on higher ground, the journey will take a while but it might be all worth it. Along the way, one of them broke off from formation, biting his claw a moment of nervousness before sprinting off to the shadows before anyone noticed, heading towards the direction of the administrative building.

Unggoy Ultra Jadap
Safe & Sound

Jadap couldn't help but agree with the Sangheili's words, being apart of the sect a few milestones before the horrid crashing on the jungle world and was thankful to competent officers and the luck of the Gods. The large Unggoy pondered in thanks to that and prayed for another stroke of luck to save them in another lonesome objective.

Moving to a nice corner to crouch, he watched the lesser-ranked members of lance warm and praise to the Ultra, offering the required foods fit for the Sangheili, enough to satisfy a handful of Unggoy lances. Giving a hidden smile to the awe-struck Dadam's shivering and giggling to being acknowledged by one of higher rank.

The fish were skinned of their disturbingly fleshlike scales to bear a chewy boneless meat that took a few tries to extract the proper tenderness and juicy taste of fine meat. Just some spices and other precious luxuries to make it perfect...in lowly Unggoy standards at least. Jadap started to regret his decision earlier but that was quickly thrown away when he heard the Creche Commander ask of his name.

"Jadap, sire." He answered being standing to his full height, hoisting the heavy keg-like methane tank on his back with trained ease before walked over to hear Quor's words. Hiding his excitement well but he knew better than to do that, war have a cruel power of time and a simple few cycles can feel like a rotation of paranoid fear and woes. With a nod of acknowledgment, Jadap turned on his heel and looked to his soldiers, "Troops, we are beginning the sleep cycle. You know your duties and I hope you give our commander utter dedication and precision like a rock to a scrub grub!"

"Yes, Ultra!" The lance spoke in unison, answering to both officers and started to look more active in their given command, thankful to be given time to rest their minds and bodies. Most of the lance huddled to the warmth of the slightly dimming fire while the majors remained awake with fierce looks as if daring anything to disturb their charges.

Jadap was just as fierce-looking, moving on all fours and slowly moved through the house with controlled steps, beckoning few whines from the floor as he crept towards the other rooms to keep guard.

A quarter-cycle passed when he heard something. At first, the Unggoy thought it was just the critters crawling about outside...until a crunch of the trap-gravel caught his attention. Halting in a complete stillness for a moment, he listened as careful as he could through the constant rain.  There was nothing at first but then more sparse sounds and a soft crunching squeak of the bottom stair. Slowly lifting his claws to his knife's roped hilt, Jadap slowly moved towards the side of the door, across the hall from the others. 

With a sniff of his covered nose, Jadap inhaled Methane along with the scent of salt and something that gave a bad taste in his mouth. Sneering under his mask, the Ultra knew exactly what was sneaking up the stairs now. Kig-yar, the constant bane of his species. The dangerous halt and question was; which side are these intruders on? They could be being cautious and just scouting in the house for a place to rest like himself...or they could the same headhunting murderers that have been stalking them. Pressing as much of his side against the wall, Jadap slowly pulled his weapon out with a soft grind of rock against leather. 

 The nearly inaudible steps were getting closer and closer. The Unggoy closed his eyes and prayed to the Gods that they were allies. Curse this cowardice! 

Major Q'ai 'Muramee
The Heralding

Keeping behind cover, the Sangheilian Major looked around with his well-adapted eyes to see anything...but there was no visible activity towards the city from his position. However, the Spirits' chill still rubbed along his spine. There was something going on and close. Looking towards the glowing river on the other side of the bridge, Q'ai narrowed his eyes and could barely make out the flashes of a firefight in the windows several kilometers off. "Seems like the traitors found another kind of bone to chew on." He said to his comrades before gesturing to move on.

Taking the lead, he started to sprint towards the lowering curve that broke off from the highway, eager to get as far away from the enemy as possible. Suddenly the millennia of long-evolution stabbed the conscious of his mind and nerves. Unconsciously crying out in Muram, Q'ai lunged forward in a long tumble under a short-lived line of red-hot spikes and flying brute shot grenade. Correcting himself, the Nakrun rider pressed his back against the wall of the road and looked at his female comrades, "Get down!" He ordered again in the standardized Sangheili language for the two to understand.

The blood-hungry screams of a Jiralhanae could be heard, followed with the sound of at least four more trotting through the ankle-high waters. Cursing under his breath, Q'ai pulled out his beam rifle and checked his charge...not enough for fighting a Jiralhanae file in his current condition. The trio was in a deep disadvantage. However, fate blessed the Muram soldier to be apart of a traditionalist regiment of ambushers. Physical strength or prowess never was the wide specialty of the Muram legacy; stealth and hunting was. Tonight...Q'ai is finally getting some new furs and leather.

[Corporal Doherty]

Another God damned drop into another Covenant overrun back water planet.

The thought hovered over the heads of the ten UNSC Marines packed into the cramped interior of a descending Pelican. Michael Doherty had been through this before. He let the G’s roll through him as he forced his head against the restraints of his harness. In times past he would have been sleeping right now, catching what little rest he could before he had to put his boots in the battlefield. After his time on Zenith though, he didn’t like sleep so much. The Marine exhaled heavily as he glanced over at the other members of his team. They were all doing they’re own pre-mission rituals. Praying, joking, staring at the interior bulkheads with that far away glare.
Michael felt his own mind wandering far away. Back to Zenith. Back to the hectic chase beneath the canyon bridge. Back to the Covie skirmisher that tried too rip his face off. His hand, covered in fingerless gloves, traced the massive scars that ran along the left side of his chin and head. They were still red and angry despite the fact that they were nearly a decade old.

Cryo chambers had that effect. His entire team had been ripped up by the end of the fighting on Zenith, and when they made it to the evac point their commanders had dropped them in the ice boxes and forgotten about them. At least that’s how it felt. They had been woken up periodically to treat their injuries but ended up right back into cryo afterwards, apparently being shipped from one battle to another without ever actually being woken up.

Now they were here, in full battle rattle hurtling towards a planet that could very likely become their grave, their squad filled out with soldiers so young they didn’t get any of his jokes. Or realize just how shitty their lives were about to come.

That’s why he made them stand up in the Pelican. With only so many chairs Michael had made sure he got a seat. If the rookies were anxious to see some fighting that was fine by him. There would be plenty of Covenant blood for everyone.

The combat engineer had just managed to close his eyes when the Pelican lurched hideously, and inertia began pulling in the wrong direction. He didn’t need to look towards the cockpit where the pilots were scrambling to regain control of the malfunctioning craft. Or through the windshield which was quickly filling with the image of the cities towering infrastructure. He didn’t have to hear his NCOIC bellowing for everyone to brace for impact.

He just had to look at the fear in the eyes of the Private standing in front of him.
Corporal Doherty opened his mouth to shout at the kid. His arm reaching out to pull him closer to the side of the Pelican where he might not get thrown around too badly during the impact.

He never got the chance.

The Pelican collided with one of the many skyscrapers that filled the city, its metal hull shattering the reinforced glass windows with enough force to turn them to powder. Which was more than enough force to send the Private in front of Doherty rocketing off of his feet and into the bulk head above where the Corporal was sitting. The butt of the privates rifle cracking against the engineers skull.

Michael didn’t lose consciousness, but the world was spinning in blurry shapes and distant sounds.
He didn’t even realize when the Pelican, still hurtling at ungodly speeds tore ripped across the floor of the building, and through the windows on the other side. Or how long it took for the Pelican to plummet across the narrow street below and into an apartment complex seven stories below.

His mind was too busy sending one last prayer towards the Heavens before he finally met his maker.
When his eyes finally opened it was pearly gates they witnessed, but the wooden walls of an extravagant hallway. Coughed violently, the air from his lungs spraying dust from his lips like a volcanic eruptions. With a sigh he attempted to force himself to his feet. An action which sent a pounding, crippling pain through his skull.

He endured it.

”Look whose alive after all. Mr. I don’t wear helmets cause they mess up my gorgeous hair Doherty,” came the sarcastic reply from a familiar voice. Its words tinged with a friendly southern twang.

”We make it?” came Michaels weary inquiry.

Corporal Crisswell spit on the ground in response. It was a stupid question. As Doherty looked around him he got the answer to his own question. Lined up on the floor, parallel to the wall were the remains of three people. All in UNSC garb.

”The ones that aren’t dead are broken. SGT Weese might not have any unbroken ribs left, one of the new guys has a busted leg and shattered arm, and the pilots got some serious internal bleeding after taking rebar through the chest. The other Corporal paused for a moment before sniffing at the air. It was one of his only tells. And Doherty knew it didn’t mean anything good.

“Gabby. Gabby didn’t make it. Neither did her radio. Or any of our radios. They both got smashed up pretty good in the wreck.

The words hung in the air despite their weight as both men looked at the other. Gabby deserved more than a stone face. She had survived Zenith. She had survived for ten years in cryo only to be taken out by a malfunction. By an accident.

She deserved so much more.

They all did.

Doherty’s jaw pulsed angrily as his blue eyes surveyed the scene of destruction. The Pelican was covered in the remnants of fire suppressing foam, though smoke still trailed into the sky of Refuge from the damage their collision had caused. The Pelican sat in a massive hole on the east side of what looked like a hotel, surrounded by a puddle of water from the busted pipes and plumbing. Chanthalangsy had set up a casualty control point off to the side in one of the only clean and dry rooms adjacent to the Pelican.

PFC’s Musick and Toure were already hard at work salvaging what armaments they could from the Pelicans remains. Adding to a pile of magazines and rifles that had been stripped from the dead and wounded. The entire place reeked of death.

”Is Weese awake?” Doherty asked as he picked up the MA5B at his feet. A cursory glance of the serial number identified it as his own.

”Your in charge,” was Crisswells curt response. ”Try not to get us all killed pal,”

”We have to get in contact with higher. SOP says to look out for green flares if we find ourselves shit out of luck like this. Get dug in as best you can. Make sure the ordnance on the Pelican is rendered safe. The last thing we need are fucking missiles going off while we are standing next to them. Keep Musick and his machinegun with you. I’m taking Tourre. If we don’t get in contact with you in the next three hours, start lighting flares on the roof so our flyboys know where to find you. Any questions?

”Just don’t leave us up here out of the action for too long brother” replied Crisswell, his calloused hand slapping Doherty’s shoulder as he turned to get their knew position secured.
Sixteen minutes later and Corporal Doherty found himself on the streets of Refuge. Streets which were primarily deserted save for himself and PFC Tourre. She was a crack shot and a damned good soldier. Even if she wasn’t exactly personable. The city looked like it had seen better days. The damage from orbital bombardment was severe, and most of the people seemed to have evacuated. For the most part. The sound of pounding feet could be heard from a nearby building. Combat boots plodding down a set of stairs.

A Marine.

A noisy Marine.

With a hasty hand signal Doherty and Tourre split up. The young woman pulled herself into the shadowed alcove of a nearby bistro while Doherty took up position beside the main entrance of the building. Just in time to see a young Marine burst through the doors and out into the street.

”Hoorah Marine. Do you always wander around warzones alone?” asked Corporal Doherty as he stepped out from behind cover directly behind the younger warrior. He didn’t want to spook the kid, but he didn’t want to take a bullet from a friendly either due to adrenaline and hasty trigger fingers. At least this way if the kid pointed the gun at him he could push it aside.

[Huka]

Kig-yar Scavenger Kot (NPC)

Jumping along the rumbled remains of a unknown human structure, Kot tried to wipe the water off his face but completely forgot the fact it was still pouring in his constant moving! He is one of the sect's clean lances; duty is to recover bodies and bring them back to the command center to their proper burials after battles. Serving under Skirmisher Ultra Rex-where ever the vicious merc was-Kot and his fellows had the offset privilege to collect anything value of the bodies of ally or foe to sell off to the markets in one of the fleet flagships or colonies. Now look at him now, assigned as courier and guide by one of the most vicious Covenant officers in the empire.

Being one of the original Sect soldiers, Kot knew better than to disobey or second guess any of the Reticent Lance's commands (direct and indirectly), and is still baffled that the rest of his friends would gamble their lives due to their inconvenience!

Sneezing from his growing cold, Kot spat out and pat his armored chest before continuing on his journey until a crunch was heard. Letting a native sound, the avian-like soldier looked around in the darkness. Nothing but rain and ruin. Suddenly the rumble rolled from under his talons, making the kig-yar screech and tumble end-to-end until he found himself landing on something thick yet soft.

Shaking his hurting head and pressed the side of his dented beak with a soft whimper, the young traveler looked at his bloody hand, only for it be cleansed by the rain. Gaining his bearings, Kot blinked and looked under his other hand to be staring horrifyingly into the lower jaw of a Jiralhanae with the top of its head cleaved clean off.

Crawling back fast in a panic, Kot pressed himself against the wall of stone and steel and looked upon a bloodied battlefield. Jiralhanae, Kig-yar, Unggoy, and even a few Sangheili were strewn about. While many were still relatively whole, the others were in pieces that only a master butcher who perform. Covering his bleeding nose, even though he didn't smell anything of the water-preserved rotting, Kot shuddered and held himself to the horrid scene. Forcing himself to close his eyes and crawl to the closest escape, the scavenger have seen all sorts of corpses; from plasma-scorched remnants to fragment grenade and ballistic projectile-riddled pulps to kills of the refined energy sword or crushed remains of gravity hammers...but he can vaguely recall this kind of work, however never this brutal. Especially from a Sangheili.

A few rooks in his crawl, Kot felt the grim battlefield's presence leave his spirit and he opened his eyes to see a small pack of those weird, crawly fish. Hissing out angrily, he sprang up fast and kicked one clear across the street under its belly. Repeating with two others, the temporarily-horror crazed avian plucked one of the last up before tearing its spider-like legs off its wide body and biting chucks of it.

Sprinting towards the distant building again, Kot toss the dead body away and wanted to get to his objective and out of the tropical rain as soon as he can! He prayed to whatever deity favored his kind that he could get there safely, he didn't want to die on this planet. He want to retired to a nice island on one of the more simple and nice imperial-sanctioned Kig-yar worlds, get a nice roost with a fine, thick-necked wife and a clutch. The thought gave the scavenger hope and strengthened his legs.


Captain Valerius
Claiming new territory and Pack Prestige

A strix screeched through the rain as she swam through the air with her solemn-flapping wings, returning from a flight down to the southern quarters of the city. Following along the highway and catching the sight of three wary travelers before giving another warning screech, which provoked the investigations of a coming file to her master's Alpha's calls. The great bird angled and took towards those very same calls, approaching the river glowing with its odd stone-bed. With a narrow of her hunting sight, the strix hugged herself with her wings before dive-bombing through a open window of a large human facility that seemed to oversee the river's innings and goings and attacked a distracted imp as he fired bursts at a pack warrior.

The armor-shelled morsel screamed and tried to bat the talons and metal-tipped beak in vain before flipping over the catwalk's railings, falling several meters to his bone-crushing death.

Valerius unleashed another great howl as victory was within the Pack's grasp! The humans' river-post was compromised, the little hairless creatures tried to fight back with their Imps but they weren't expecting a proper ambush from Jiralhanae hunters to come from above.

Standing on the top of the second-floor's roof to look through the broken sun-roof, the Captain watched as his warriors tore through the relentless enemy. They thought the Covenant was sleeping, licking wounds from the Artifact's convenient weakening of the Imperial vanguard's higher technological advantage but that was nowhere near the case. So they were using their time to try to make a greater strike. At least in this place, Valerius had no doubt other little pockets of rebellion infested the city.

Thereus wordlessly backhanded a human off his own catwalk, who was sent spiraling in a mid-air barrel roll before gravity cruelly took action. Blood weeping from his thick-skinned arms with his armor of metal and bone was dented and pierced through, the hunter saw another human lift and fire its rifle at him. Gurgling in annoyance as the force sent him stepping back a few times, Thereus lifted his foot and stomped down with all of his might, sending the human shaking and trying to keep a grip on the violently shaking road of metal.

Taking the chance, the hunter jumped several meters through the air and hammerfisted the stunned-and cornered-prey hard to the floor. A ton of muscle and violent force broke a swift end to the human with powdered bone in the ribs and spine. However, his more louder counterpart was reviling in the chaotic battle in the lower level.

Aiming his modified brute shot, the un-googled Albus fired his deadly weapon at the resisting humans one-handed, sending the retreating and bold flying about. Some in spasming wholes, other in charred parts. "Run, little meat! Run!" He laughed maniacally and suddenly he heard a familiar ting! Ting!

Backpedaling, he pulled his googles at the same second in his jump and the shrapnel-spewing explosion send him flying back in a end-over-end fashion before he crashed into a unknown machine. Sending sparks everywhere and certainly the crushed face of the machine sent jolts through his stabbed back, sending his body in a convulsing jerks.

"Albus!" Some of his pack-brothers called out, moving fast to rescue their admired officer and pull him away from the machine when they could. The formerly albino-white Jiralhanae slammed onto the ground with all of his weight and his body still spasmed with the visible trail of smoke and burnt flesh left his blackened back.

The two young Jiralhanae growled and looked at the fallen officer's murderers, a small file of those green-armored humans. With smug looks on their worry-crested faces, they tried to make a break for the exit like so many others. Roaring out together, the twin charged after the humans with their spikers spewing velocity-heated spikes. Their fury was true and covered all but one from head to toe with their reckless flurries.

The last turned with a scattergun, firing at the two still charging youngsters but they were too apart to get a concentrated kill-shot. One of them cried out as the slugs struck his right arm, making it recoil against his chest on instinct but the other avenged his brother by raking his spiker's bloody bayonets against the human's side and nearly carved through its dominant arm. Screaming out in delicious pain, the human seemed to nearly topple over from the spurt of blood before the vengeful first minor grabbed its neck with his wounded hand-his outer finger's bone visible and the outer side peppered in several centimeter-deep holes-and yanked it up high.

"No one harms the Bloodborn!" The righteous brothers cried out, the human tossed into the air, only for his limbs to be grabbed. Looking into either other's red eyes, a evil smile came on their faces at the same idea and stared down to their faltering prey. The dawning horror on its fur-rounded face and the fluttering of his eyes from quick running of his blood was all worthy of these soldiers' direct officer before their admirable strength pulled in each direction with a sickening crunch and snapping of arms and legs nastily ripped from their sockets, followed with a thunk of a headed torso.

Ol' Mokurus let out a savage howl that made all of the surrounding youngsters shuddered in a infectious urge to kill and their blood pump as if the Old Gods were watching their spectacle in pleasure, unleashing a berserking massacre with spots of hazing blood appearing from Valerius' view point. Catching a flying Imp out of the air from a Major's toss, Mokurus' violent grasp snapped the armored creature's neck with a flex of his thumb and tense of his grizzled muscles, and used its twitching body as a shield from a ill-aimed barrage of bullets.

"Your bowels will serve as fine paste for our feast!" He screamed out as he charged with the bullet-riddled Imp like a makeshift shield of the ancient Plain Striders, his bloody axe of stone in the other hand. The four humans tried to reload their weapon and the flank were smart to move. The others were not and were helpless as the old warrior spun in a magnificent spin that popped some old joints like dry leaves, cleaving his axe in a Z-shaped arc when he lept upwards. When he landed again, one human was cut asunder in three pieces from the knees, torso and neck while the other was cut in two by the hip and neck. Their bones and flesh sliced raggedly through from the legendary strength of Jiralhanae muscle and ancient stone.

Valerius smiled and chuckled with a fanged-filled grin as he watched it all. It was a glorious night and so much more to come. Suddenly his head jerked to the side from a sudden bullet that pinged deep against his bone jaw-covered cheek. Turning his head fast while his gilded helm rang, the Captain saw another of the accursed human infiltrators pointing a black rifle at him. Growling out, the berserker was fast when more bullets were flying. Spinning to the side as bullets shot where he was and trailing after, Valerius lifted his armored left armor to protect his face.

Charging out with a low roar, the Jiralhanae Captain swung his other arm at the slowly-withdrawing Imp but it rolled under his attack before kicking at the back of his leg. Growling out, Valerius tightened his knee fast to keep his balance before grabbing both of his axes and spun again with his prized weapons twirling in a whirlwind.

A nearly inaudible gasp left the masked creature's lips and immediately tried to roll away with the blades sliced centimeter deep furrows and sparks by a hair's length, even losing its weapon in the progress. Valerius growled and stabbed the bearded side of his axes onto the other side of the Imp's rolling path. However to his surprise, the Imp continued its momentum into a upright curl before shooting both of its legs upwards while using its arms as a spring. The resulting force wasn't quite as powerful as it looked but enough to push a impressed Valerius a couple inches, allowing the Imp to flip away to a upright stance with knives in its grasp.

"Aaah..." The Jiralhanae pondered, taking the challenge as a physical duel. Interesting. Suicidal, but bold for a human. Stepping between his axes, Valerius clenched his fists with popping knuckles and got into his typical pugilist style of his offensive arm out with his fingers semi-extended and his defensive just horizontal of his bearded chin as his unseen lips curled in a challenge while getting into a sizeable and sturdy crouch on his toes, mobile and steady. One hit is all Valerius needs and no doubt the Imp knew it too.

The two stared each other down for a rook, sizing each other up before they charged with a roar and thunderous explosion of machinery below them.

[Randolf]

Rick had a hell of a time trying to navigate the building, not knowing the layout of it and frequently traversing living, bed, bath, dining-rooms plus the occasional kitchen. The civilian building was constructed in the confusing architecture of the outer colonies and so it took Rick quite some time to work his way down each floor. To add to that problem was the fact that he was in worst shape than he first thought, getting dizzy all of a sudden or almost passing out with a dose of a extreme head pain when moving too fast. So it took it quite some time before he made it to ground level, though he sped up at the lower floors thanks to him learning the layout of the building.

Then, with his pistol in hand, the marine finally walked out of the building, relief and fear equally evident in his stare. The building provided cover and perhaps a hiding place for the private while the street held the chance for running into friendlies...or the Covenant. Rick was prepared for both possibilities as he started to walk down the street, his pistol at the ready when suddenly a "Hoorah Marine." came from close by.The private, already unnerved, flinched at the sound of the voice and almost dove into the nearest cover before realizing it was a Marine's voice.

"Oh! Sorry sir, erm. My pelican crashed and I was thrown free from it while it was crash landing. I was dumped at the top of the building while the pelican continued forward, and by the time I recovered it was this late. I think...I know I got banged up pretty bad during the fall." Rick stated, once he had calmed down enough to talk again. While he was talking the private kept glancing around the area as if the Covenant would pop up at any second.

[MrKill]

{OOC: Due to the location of Killinger and Miller during the flood, I've put them into a more realistic position where Falcan could engage. Sorry for the slight god-mod! /end OOC)

COL. J. KILLINGER
Seventh Marines
Refuge

"Alright," John said quietly to Miller. "We need to get to a high place and scout the area. This flood and the way the current arrived would have destroyed the farm house, so we need to see if there are survivors." He added. In terms of weapons, since the flat lands, they were down to his single M6 and at the moment the Sergeant was likely a better shot with his vision a bit blurred - but instinctively the Colonel didn't give his fire-arm away. He never gave it a second thought, hopefully they'd find something.

At the moment, however, they were traversing through a minor part of the flooded street - keeping warm by moving. The buildings around were simply not high enough - or stable enough - to climb to the roof and used the binoculars to locate the remnants of the UNSC Forces that were regrouping. There had been a few times where John and Miller had avoided a Covenant patrol, and the closer they got into the city the further away they were from the UNSC landing zone.

"By my estimates, we're about a two clicks away from the farm house. We need to get higher." He said, but a familiar sound donned on his ears. A faint buzzing sound, like wings. It was familiar, and in this particular ally it was an ambush waiting to happen. John slowed Miller down and realized that they were being tracked, or at least being searched for, by a enemy the UNSC called Drones.

Then the buzzing got louder and from the roof above, a Drone dived. John reflexively pulled out his side-arm, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He pulled the trigger three times, silent puffs exiting his barrel as the quick trio of bullets were shot towards his targets chest.

[Corporal Doherty]

The young marine didn’t panic, and more importantly didn’t point the weapon at him. Those were both good signs. The former because it meant he wasn’t likely to do anything stupid, and the later because Michael didn’t feel like breaking another humans jaw today. He had to save his energy for the Covenant. His blue eyes casually scanned the surrounding buildings for any obvious signs of Covie forces but he didn’t see anything out of place. Not that he would see anything if the aliens were hear anyway. Half of them had cloaking devices or the ability to fly anyway so if they were walking into an ambush he wouldn’t realize it until the trap was already sprung.

That’s why he kept so much explosives on his person. If he was going to go down, he was going to go down with a very loud bang.

”You got thrown out?” asked Michael incredulously as he peered out into the street. Once it seemed clear he signaled for PFC Kumbi Tourre to join them. She didn’t waste time, keeping low and moving fast she crossed the street in just a few seconds. Just long enough for Corporal Doherty to ask the Private another question.

”You were lucky to survive kid. The rest of your team might not have been. Our own squad was nearly wiped out when we crashed, those that didn’t die are in some real need of a medevac. Something we can’t get without a radio to higher. SOP says to follow those green flares. We don’t have much farther to go, and if our team did survive they will be heading there as well. I suggest you tag along with us, because that pea shooter won’t keep the Covies off your back for very long.”

”Besides. We could use another shooter. The corporal added as he handed his own MA5B to the younger Marine. He made sure to always carry more than one primary weapon and could easily switch to the M45 Tactical shotgun slung across his back.

”You feeling alright Marine?” he asked suddenly. The kid seemed kind of out of it. Considering what he had just been through, the chances of him having some kind of traumatic brain injury wasn’t unlikely. He realized the question must have seemed strange since his own head and face were covered in dried blood but he didn't have time to worry about that. Doherty might not have been a medic but that didn't mean he was completely useless when it came to field expedient medical practice.

[Randolf]

Rick gingerly received the weapon as he had not wielded one of the assault rifle class weapons since basic training. Luckily the training was top notch and the private remembered how to handle the weapon very quickly. He started to check it over once it was safely in his hands, making sure the crash that the corporal got into did not damage it in some way. Then, satisfied that the gun was still in working condition, the marine checked the magazine inside the weapon before nodding at the corporal.


"One extra gun ready to fire, sir. Though I am better with a battle rifle, I can still handle a assault rifle." Rick commented, giving Micheal a quick salute. The young marine then glanced at the woman that had walked up to the two, feeling more assured about their chances of survival with another marine. His old squad relied on teamwork to survive their missions, as did most other squads in the UNSC if he had to guess, and two marines could not really perform most of the maneuvers.

Then the Private answered the question he had been dreading since he had started to climb down the building, saying "I...get dizzy, but I think it will pass. The fall was hard but I survived it. And though I don't really know about internal injuries, sir, my fall was cushioned somewhat. Though I have some cracked ribs for sure, I doubt I have any other problems wrong with me. Other than, you know, being thrown out of a pelican, I should be fine." Rick was actually fearful of having any internal injuries, as this was the first time he had been injured in a combat mission.

[Corporal Doherty]

”Hopefully when we reach the rally point there will be an actual medic to check you out. But I think you will be fine until then. Just make sure you fire in bursts and keep that thing pointed at the enemy and we should be ok. joked Michael, his voice maintaining the same dry, matter of fact tone that his squad mates had become accustom to.

He exhaled solemnly as he pulled the shotgun from his back and tossed the extra magazines he had been carrying for the MA5B towards the newbie. That was common practice among his squad, and the thought that the kid would drop them never crossed his mind. With everyone armed and their injuries ignored the only thing left to do was press on, and hope that what they found beneath that green flare in the sky was something worth walking towards. The streets were filled with nearly a foot of water, and judging from the general slope they were on Michael had the distinct feeling that it was only going to get deeper the closer to the flare they got.

”Alright lets head out. I will take point in the hopes that some alien prick will take my head off with a bolt of plasma, saving me from this humid hell hole. New Guy,” he said as he pointed at Rick. ”You stay ten meters behind me, Tourre will shadow us with her rifle. We’re moving into a file, bounding from cover to cover. It will take awhile but its better than getting caught out in the open with our asses in the wind.” he ordered.

For a moment he almost felt like a real NCO.

The moment passed, the moment he started slogging through the ankle deep water.

At the very least the Covies wouldn’t be very stealthy either.

He readied his shotgun, adjusted his pack, then took the lead as he headed towards where the green flare had been sighted. He had to briefly check the azimuth on his compass to make sure they were headed in the right direction, the first time he had ever had to do it since training, but he was fairly certain he had done it right.

It took longer than Doherty had expected to travel to the rally point, but they were getting fairly close. Maybe just another ten minutes of walking. It was almost enough to reassure the jaded Marine. Almost. But he was still keeping an ear out for the inevitable snap of plasma that was going to make his face even uglier than it already was.

[Arbiter124]

Kalos 'Lorahee

Minor

Kalos's white eyes clicked at the sight of the trio of Nishum. His Needle rifle was tucked under his arms, and he paced around the apartment, his ghostly white skin hidden from view under the shadows of the roof. The building was cracked and dark, and Kalos had been taking shelter in there since the flooding started.

"Sangheili, when we gonna attack?" The pathetic speaking capabilities of one of his Unggoy soldiers sounded off behind him. The Albino turned around and looked at one of his minions. One of the two minors, holding a stick with nails imbedded in it, something he had picked up early on from a straggler civilian.

"Now, actually. The water appears to be a disadvantage to them, and as such, we will hit them, and then charge in close, the honorable pursuit." Kalos knew that after all the negativity given to him for his appearance, he needed to use the honorable pursuit as much as possible.

"Get the others." Kalos ordered, and the Orange dressed Unggoy waddled off, opening a door and going to the other room. Kalos leveled his Needle rifle with one of the Nishum's head - this particular Nishum appeared to have scars and wounds all over his face, a veteran member no doubt.

'An even better trophy.' Kalos thought to himself as he pulled down the trigger.

[Randolf]

Rick managed to catch all of the spare mags thrown out of him, only because one of his other squad mates had done the same thing to him many times. After the fifth time of being slugged in the arm after dropping a clip, Rick had learned to catch the clips out of the air with amazing speed. Still, it took him a few minutes to find space on his being to place the clips and after he managed to do so looked up to see Micheal already moving out.

"Ah, yes sir!" Rick yelled out in reply, as he hurried himself over to the appointed ten meters mark. Rick kept close to that mark, never actually knowing the exact ten meters distance but figured it did not matter too much out in the field, and was using cover moderately along the way. The trek was mostly uneventful and the water made it hard going, but the worst part to Rick was the fact that the dizziness never went away. In fact, it got worse as the line moved along, so much so that his vision even started to blur. Luckily it came in waves and he recovered quickly from the fits by shaking his head.

Perhaps it was luck that, almost at the end of the journey, a particular bad wave passed over him. It was so bad that the private stopped moving and swayed on the spot before remembering to shake his head. Then with him still lightly dazed from the wave, he refocused on a brightish Elite aiming a rifle of sorts out of a window towards the leading Corporal.

Just coming out of his dazed state, it took a second for his brain to connect the image with information, though when it finally did Rick yelled out "Contact! Building to the left!" before diving for the nearest cover. Once behind cover the private pulled back the bolt on his rifle to put a round in the chamber before turning his head to look for the Corporal.

[Faclan]

SSA-012 - Yanme'e Swarm
The Rage, awakening, and tumble.

Laying flat on her abdomen as the enemy fire shot overhead the Ultra clicked in annoyance as she reached back for her grenades, only to remember that they were broken. Instead she held her knife tightly as she listened to the Sangheili. It was fairly obvious that some of the unholy haired ones had found them, and they would need to be very careful if they wanted to fight or run. But a screech caused her to snap her head up and look into the sky. A Jiralhanae scouting bird was flying around...her and her Swarms mission. Narrowing her small eyes the Ultra got up onto her feet, crouched down, and looked as if she was about to take off to deal with this interloper - leaving the others alone, before the bird dove and was lost to sight. Shaking her head a little her eyes returned to normal as she nodded and waited for the Sangheilis plan, making a note to find that bird later.
(Arial dog-fight another time :>)

Waking up to find a leathery taste in their mouths the members of SSA that had been allowed to live finally awoke in the bus. Thoroughly confused they quickly spoke back and fourth to each other about what had happened. They were still unsure what that methane attack was, as the smell was gone now, and how they were still alive as they knew humans were there. But eventually they both just decided to worry about it later as they tried the door but found it to be locked. Buzzing in annoyance they rooted around in the bus until the Engineer was able to unscrew a hand-bar off the wall and the soldier took it happily and began to work smashing a window open. Making quite a racket on the highway and the surrounding area.

The male soldier that was currently in the process of diving for the humans widened his eyes as the older one tensed before suddenly spinning around with its gun raised...hadn't see that before. Stiffening his wings he quickly tried to roll to be vertical to avoid the shots. It was successful enough to avoid two of the shots, but the first struck him in the lower thorax and with a screech the bug started to tumble. Unfortunately for all involved he was still heading right toward both humans at dive speed, just end over end rather than with claws and knife poised. The bug still alive, just horribly wounded without any feeling in its lower legs.

(NPC) Nas - Kig-Yar Markswoman
Sticking close by Q'ai

Looking from Q'ai to the Yanme'e as she sat with her back to the vehicle Nas clutched her knife tightly as she could easily hear the sounds of the approaching Jiralhanae. Her fear clear until she had a thought and her expression dropped to a more neutral one...the majority of the Kig-Yar force seemed to side with the Jiralhanae...she could leap up and try to dive away from Q'ai, alert the Jiralhanae, and be rewarded for joining their side as well as handing them a Sangheili to butcher. Slowly looking from straight ahead to turn her head to look at Q'ai she blinked a few times as she thought over this plan, but eventually shook her head as she took a deep breath and re-adjusted the grip on her knife.

"I'm with you Excellency." She whispered simply as she listened to the approaching sounds of the now enemy pack.

Cad - Kig-Yar Major
Knows humans are around and moving in.

Nodding to Web as he pointed out a fire escape Cad and the other file members started to head over it. Helping Pad leap over the jump between the two buildings Cad was pleasantly surprised that they had so far avoided detection and no further injuries had been sustained by any of them. Sure they were uncomfortable, but it was better than being dead as the Kig-Yar quickly made their way down the fire escape.

Now on the street level again they all began to make their way across the road toward the shopping center, which appear to unfortunately be a office building on closer inspection by passing through the parking garage. But Human shouting above them made all the Kig-Yar stop and look up, just in time to see a Human fly though the air, something wrapped around his waist. Tilting his head at this scene the human vanished for a little before more shouting came from the roof, but no sound of combat. Narrowing his eyes Cad nodded back at his soldiers and retrieved his Needler from Web's spotter and gestures for them to follow as he moved quickly toward the parking garage. But Cad stopped when they reached the start of a road leading down, showing that the road lead down to the floor of the parking garage and office building were down below a steep road...all of it completely underwater by at least ten meters. Growling a little he turned back to his file and gestured over his shoulder at the water.

"Humans, at least two, are on the roof of that building," he muttered as he stood at the edge of the inland lake. "They could be our way out if we swam over and surprised them...though it will be risky." He said, holding his Needler lightly as he had his back to the parking garage, asking the Gods why in his mind this mission had to keep throwing up obstacles.

(The game is afoot!)

(Edited to be more in line with the area around Kill jr and Jay with the water and office building.)

Eugenius - Jiralhanae Advisor and Mystic
Returning the challenge.

Not quite expecting his words to be met with a direct challenge the Elder did well to hide his shook besides a sudden blink when his Nephews face was suddenly right in front of his own. Returning the bared teeth and eye contact as good as he was given both of the large apes growled as they stood there, arms and legs likely crouched slightly or held back a little ready to jump or strike. But neither would make the first move, being known as brash and over eager would be just as bad as losing in this case. Instead after some growling Eugine ground his teeth slightly and spat out a reply.

"Explain, then, how one of those scrawnies could ever be as brave, strong, and devout as a proper Jiralhanae Warrior!" Eugine growled back to his Nephews challenge, but at least he wasn't roaring it back so there was a chance the challenge could be settled without resorting to blows. A large section of the pack now watching their Captain and the Elder 'discuss' a Kig-Yar some may have been familiar with.

A few of the pack that were on the outskirts of the administrative building, and as such couldn't watch the altercation, instead watched the outside. A shape running toward them made them raise Spikers and flip off the safety's when they saw it was a running Kig-Yar. One of them shouted at the bird to crouch down and slowly approach if it didn't want to be killed and eaten! The Captain could be told about this new arrival once he was done with his chat.

(Time to bring up Isolated woo \o/)

(Also edited to have them see Huka's running Kiggy NPC.)

[Wax™]

Triple Jay 

Second Lieutenant  

No longer alone - Still terrified

"Fucking good to see you too man..." Jay said lowering his MA37 and moving to rest himself against a wall before sliding down it, in response his knee would crack softly, probably due to him smashing himself into a parking car moments ago.

"Ouch..." Jay spoke softly before looking to Kyle. "...Don't suppose you've made any plans on how to get out of here and back in the fight then?" He said looking at Kyle questioningly before continuing whether Kyle was speaking or not. "...I got a fire hose attached to a car out there from the huge office building across the alley, we can use it to get back to the building? Probably better than staying around in this shit hole." He said looking around the damp and musky parking garage stair-well.

"Who knows how many virginity's have been lost in here anyway." Jay said, trying to be a little bit humerus in the cold and damp situation that he found himself in, from there he stood himself up and looked at Kyle with a somewhat blank expression, though under the expression Jay was still extremely terrified.

[Corporal Doherty]

Water and muck. That’s all he had to distract him from the tropical weather and tragic scenery. Doherty supposed he aught to have been grateful. After all, the only other distraction would have come in the form of a Covenant ambush. It wasn’t that the Marine wanted to put his life on the line, but he had been expecting to. For the entirety of the trip he had been walking on eggshells, watching for any signs of enemy forces. They hadn’t come across any, and the process of constantly waiting left him feeling mentally exhausted. Naturally now that he had his eyes on his destination, now that he was distracted and had let his guard down the Covenant would launch their attack.

The Corporal didn’t even realize anything was amiss until the rookie gave out the cry of warning.

The Corporal didn’t hesitate.

He threw himself forward, over his right shoulder the moment he heard there was a threat, pulling the shotgun into his shoulder and ready for combat. Unfortunately, that meant he ended up drenching himself in the filth and rain water that had been filling the streets since the rain had begun.

He came up with a mouthful, his muddied eyes barely noticing the pink crystal shard that had pierced into the metal frame of the automobile he had been standing beside. That could have easily been his skull. But it wasn’t, and rather than dwell on the fact that he could have been a human shish kebab he opted instead to be the leader he was expected to be.

”Suppressing fire!” he yelled as he dove over the hood of the car, putting the vehicle between himself and the shooter. They were in a bad spot. The enemy had the high ground and they were stuck out in the open. He had to change that. And fast.

Behind him was a five story office building, the ground floor protected only be a set of double doors and large picture frame windows. The windows were designed to protect against the adverse weather of the tropical environment. It didn’t do so well against 8 gauge shotgun slugs.

”On me! Move it!” he order as he charged towards the window. He squeezed the trigger of his shotgun and was rewarded by the deafening roar of the weapon, the sturdy recoil pressing into his shoulder, and the sound of shattering glass. The window didn’t break completely, it simply spiderwebbed out from the impact point.

Doherty’s armor covered body was what caused it shatter to the floor. He threw his entire weight into another head first roll, his momentum carrying through the glass and into the building.

It didn’t take long for PFC Tourre to make a similar entrance, the sound of her rifle snapping of controlled pairs at the enemies general location before she dived into cover. Apparently Rick was going to be the last one in. Which made sense. His weapon was designed for suppressing fire. All he had to do was get the general location and hold down the trigger.

Well that and make it back in in time.

The first floor of the office complex was a labyrinth of cubicles. Not great for stopping incoming rounds, but perfect for obstructing vision. Michael wasn’t a fan, so he decided to give himself a little insurance prior to relocating to the second floor. Once Rick came inside they would all run up the stairs in the back corner of the room, and Doherty was going to rig a boobytrap using his fragmentation grenade and bits of string. When the door opened, the grenade would be armed. Then it was just a matter of listening for the fireworks.

[deceit]

Major Ra'ab Xirsase
On Guard Near the Administrative Building

Ra'ab was standing guard, under cover from the rain, but watching the streets, which seemed more like rivers, carefully. He heard some commotion, off to the side, and quickly moved to see what was going on, commanding his lance to remain where they were. He rounded the corner, hopping alongside a railing and skirting along the building, his legs splashing through the water as me moved. He came upon the sight of a few Jiralhanae, the friendly ones who were occupying the headquarters. They had their spikers trained upon a lone Kig-Yar, moving along the streets towards the headquarters. The Xirsas warrior could see that the Kig-Yar was alone, but still crouched low, his eyes moving to the buildings and corners, just in case this was the beginnings of an ambush.

The Jiralahanae ordered the lone-Kig-Yar to crouch down and approach slowly. Ra'ab decided to stay close, but remained unseen, staying behind a large metal container(a dumpster, although he did not know that.) which smelled rather repugnant to his keen Sangheili nose.

[Cabel]

[City of Refuge: Captain Mark “Spade” Seamus Sorelson: Seventh Marines: Alpha Company: With Survivors: En-route to the Farm House: Current Situation: In an abandoned Office Complex]

A blue flare caught his attention, and no doubt the rest of the column save for the tired civilians that had been mostly been exhausted from trudging through a flooded city while dodging Covenant patrols, and on top of most of the civilians had been suffering from PTSD due to the abrupt attack on their home soil. Spotting the bright blue flare off to his left, Mark held up a hand and gestured to the column to come to a stop if only to rest. The column had managed to make fairly good time through the flooded city, the streets that had still been draining off the flood waters and the rubble filled streets to find themselves near what Mark had barely recognized as a parking deck though was quickly filled in on their location by one of the local police detectives. Raising the bulky sports binoculars he’d worn on a sling around his neck, Mark had been able to hone in on who or what had been waving the chem-flare. He’d managed to take the sports binoculars from a blown out sports store they’d passed along the way knowing that the EMP had disabled the functions in his own HUD, and the veteran marine had worn them on a sling around his neck for the last few hours. It hadn’t surprised him to find another survivor in this mess, but to find a marine in battered BDUs waving a chem-flare from an open window in an office complex overlooking a parking garage in their direction to gain their attention had been a surprise indeed. Taking a small chem-light from his own field pack that had been stuffed in front of him in the wheelbarrow, Mark cracked it to activate the chemicals within and waved the blue chem-light in morse code in response to the other marine’s efforts.

“Katy,…let one of the others take over. You’re exhausted, and I don’t want you or anyone else toppling over. You’ve done a great job, kid. Now, let someone else take over and rejoin your family,” he said turning around a bit to speak with the young woman that had taken up the duty of pushing him along in the wheelbarrow. The young woman on the point of exhaustion hadn’t argued with the veteran marine, and had gladly allowed one of Army troopers to take over in pushing the injured marine around. Katy, the young woman, rejoined her father and mother only a few feet from Mark’s wheelbarrow. “Move out! We’ll take cover in that office complex, and Sergeant send a couple of runners up to join with that marine up there and any friends he may have,”

With those orders, the column pushed off from where they’d stopped with the civilians desperately needing a rest and had to contend with navigating through even more rubble to simply get through the main entry doors of the office complex beneath the parking garage. The glass in those doors had largely remained intact given the notion the main entry doors to the office complex had been on an elevated platform comprised of concrete steps above the parking deck's main floor meaning neither the flooding nor looters had managed to gain entry. With that realization in mind, everyone in the column knew the interior of the office complex would be dry and warm. The prospect that they might be able to at least get something from the vending machines had brightened the mood of even the most exhausted civilian to the grizzled veterans in the column.

“String up some cans or something and, Corporal, choose some of your men to stand sentry inside the perimeter. Let’s give these people a chance to rest where it’s warm and dry,” Mark ordered once the column had managed to get deep enough with the first floor of the office complex, and though he would have liked to have made it upstairs to where the risk of a Covenant patrol finding them would have been far less he knew with the elevators out of commission the notion of having to force someone to carry him up the stairs would have only increased the fatigue. “This is fine. We’ll rest here for a while, and those of us who aren’t tired will set watch while the rest gather some rest. We’ll take turns, off and on. I don’t want a civilian on the line if it can be helped,”

One of the Sergeants in the column, a Marine gathered four of his best runners and accompanied them up the stairs to meet up with the marine that had flagged them down along with any other survivors. While the runners had gone upstairs, the little booby traps and devices Mark had ordered strung up had been seen to or were in the process of being strung in place. Old soup cans, bells, whatever could make noise and even a claymore or two had been strung in place to warn the column if they had any unwanted company. Two of the police officers with the only Army combat medic with the rank of Corporal managed to carefully help Mark out of the wheelbarrow onto one of the couches in one of the lobbies.

[Huka]

Major Q'ai 'Muramee
Selfless Battle

Appearing out of cover with the shroud of night as his only advantage thanks to his dark maroon armor, Q'ai had two ticks to aim, correcting his sharp vision to one of the Jiralhanae minors since the major was in the flank, directing orders and too armored to find a good kill-shot, and fired. A deadly beam of hydrogen gas sliced the air and burrowed through a laughing minor's skull like a hot knife through butter. A couple of its pack-brothers screamed out in emotion anger before directing their fire in the Sangheili's direction.

Ducking back down, Q'ai hissed out and looked at the Kig-yar and Yanme'e, noticing the latter's aggregated movements as if preparing to fly. The Major had the two possibilities that the insectiod might have been able to escape or become the cushion of a hundred hot spikes.

Glad that the strong-exo'ed Ultra reclined from the flight plan, Q'ai gave out orders under the heat of battle, "We are low supply to fight them. Prepare to move out to the city,-streets follow the Yanme'e. I will cover your back." Having no regard of his own life, but the safety of those under his command, Q'ai felt no self-perseverance or need to be ahead of the two.

"Go!" He ordered again before rolling down and repeated his last technique, this time crippling the commanding Major in the knee, prompting more anger. The perfect tool when applied properly or one's death wish in regards to the Jiralhanae.



Field Master Til 'Muramai
Collecting Lost Aruffa*...or Prides of Sand Prowlers

The kig-yar sniper didn't had a chance to scream as his beak was snapped shut and head yanked into a irregular angle with a sickly pop. Til sneaked a look out to the dark courtyard of a human's vehicle crossing hub, alit by well-placed fires and there in the center was Skirmisher Captain Rex and his remaining creche in a gathering with a Jiralhanae lance on their opposite side. The Field Master could taste the tension in the air and for him...that was good.

Rex, scars of war decorating both his skin and his gilded armor, paced side-to-side on the higher platform (possibly a aerial vehicle docking or security watch-post) with his fully-loaded needle rifle resting on his shoulder. His lance officers in cunning position of sniping the Jiralhanae down if they made the slightest wrong move of aggression...if the files don't get to them first. The barbaric Jiralhanae shifted with confidence and readiness for any aggression that the birds might deliver. The only one not eager for battle is the well-shaven Ultra, who had his brute shot hanging on his side in hand.

"Your soldiers will make a grand addition to our strengthening forces. As you can see, we've scattered the Sangheili and their supporters to the four winds, already being hunted and slain as we speak." he said with a rolling call of reverence and pride of the night's betrayal and accomplishments. Rex aimed his visored helm at the speaker with a hidden hint of disdain as if he've heard this speech before. "And you expect this new development have power over me and eagerly bow in your fold?"

"It would be a wise and beneficial decision." The Ambassador said, "The Artifact will be soon successfully pulled from its resting place and ripe for rewards for the successful while those who failed in their mission will be forgotten as miserable stepping stones.

Rex let out a shrill, amused laughter, "The Sangheili...the Reticent Lance are the ultimate power here. You and I both know this, until I see their bloodied heads off their shoulders, then I will consider it. Until then, you and all of your supporters are ripe for retribution that will make your formal 'introduction' into the Covenant seem like a simple theatric play!"

Some of the older members who were loyal to the old ways and apart of that battle growled angrily but the Ambassador lifted his free arm with a very small twitch of his own grievance as the Kig-yar armed their weapons warningly, "Careful with your words, Captain. The next insult might be your last."

"Did I hit a nerve, Jiralhanae?' Rex continued with a sadistic smile and threateningly callous voice, "Unlike you, my species have been the first conscripted into the Covenant! Hundreds of rotations and we are still the most untamed unlike you...dirty. Ugly. Smelly. Uneducated. Worthless, Prophet-robe tongue cleaning piles of cannibalistic asteroid-worm waste!"

The Ultra let out a ferocious howl of uncontrolled fury and violence broke, when the lance lunged, dozens of needles, carbine and beam fire with Kig-yar explosive slugs blew and maimed bodies with few of the stronger Jiralhanae breaking into the lines to brawl the Kig-yar with their powerful blades and fists but Rex's warriors were a hardened group of mercenaries and Covenant veterans; teamwork and agility were their advantage.

However a couple more lances of Jiralhanae and treacherous Kig-yar appeared to aid their fellows. Til aimed his carbine and started to fire down on them, muscles tense to keep the slight recoil steady with his long years of youthful training in the Helian Desert and campaign on a hundred Heretic-infested worlds took effect. Each shot reigned true, slowing or killing the traitors. Popping a canister out and replaced with another, Til watched as Rex's soldiers kept the scores in their favor.

The Skirmisher himself held his rifle against his side and off-handedly shot a couple of turncoats in the face, "Even if you manage to kill them, how in the Rings are you going to convince the Sangheili higher-ups that one of the best Zealots were killed overnight? The Artifact's power rendered their armor and equipment useless? Field Master 'Muramai won the Templar's Rest's Hunt twice! Field Marshal R'ha swiftly earned his rank in this war by the work of the Gods! You do think I am stupid to betray them, especially when the Third one is out there somewhere beyond this hell of a bubble!" He shrilled out and some of the enemy started to see logic in this, faltering their attack but the more convicted still fought on in their blind ambition.

"Your plan will get us all killed and I would rather die in a glorious, bloody fight than executed in the streets of High Charity!"

Suddenly the Ultra appeared in the mass of bodies, swinging his mace hard with broken Kig-yar flying in the dual attacks before jumping with powerful leg muscles to nearly land all of his bone-crushing weight on the Captain. Rolling to the side and try to shoot the Ambassador, the Jiralhanae roared out with zealous savagery and sent Rex's needle rifle flying in with a crunch of Covenant metal. Hissing out, the Skirmisher Captain pulled his energy cutlass out and prepared for a fierce melee.

Kig-yar Scavenger Kot (NPC)
Possible Salvation or Doom

With burning legs and a beating heart drumming of fear and excitement, Kot didn't know why the latter...perhaps excitement of getting a pretty reward for following orders to the letter...or surviving a unseen death. Either way, the scavenger was intent on finishing his orders and get a nice happy res-

Suddenly he saw about four thick figures in the veil of rainy mist and instantly knew they were Jiralhanae from the shouts, nevermind appearance. What are they doing here? Did the Chieftain manage to find the Field Master's forces and wipe them out...or allies of good sense. Either way, he slid to a messy stop and instinctively fell on his knees in submission with his talons up and head bowed. Kot was very keen on Jiralhanae custom and looking in their eyes was a bad thing, unless you was a Sangheili or stronger Jiralhanae.

Hearing to approach, the kig-yar looked at his waist-down submerged in slowly receding water, he slowly did so. "Don't shoot! Don't shoot! I am under direct order of our leader." The Scavenger shouted out with a shudder in his tone, gambling his life right now. He didn't know who these Jiralhanae aligned with and the slightest wrong answer can have him rolling on a spit-roast. "Orders to arrive here and speak of his coming soon." 

---

1. Aruffa: Muram prime livestock