The Halo RPG: RPG Thread (Story Arc 2, Sector 03)

[SurvivorX]

Please remember to not use excessive OOC posts except in the OOC thread. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pay attention to other peoples' posts around you and stay aware of what is happening. Write with good spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc, and do not godmod or your post will be deleted on sight.

Characters who start in Sector 03:
Captain Mitchell Pierce

[SurvivorX]

My Phantom approaches the staging area, and lands. Already a sizeable force has been deployed - four full lances of Grunts, Jackals, and Elites, plus two Brute packs and a group of SpecOps elites in the new Assault armor. I see four Choppers and a Wraith. Overhead, a pair of Banshees shoot past.

I grin as I descend the gravity lift to approach one of the Wraiths. My chest is still in pain from that sniper round. May the Gods damn that human to a hell worse than the death I will bring to him...and be assured, that will be a very painful death indeed.

I check my energy sword - still mostly full. Casting aside my Carbine, I haul myself up and into the Wraith's secondary turret section, while Bleadaron lowers himself into the cockpit. The coverings on the top open, revealing the menacing plasma mortar. The entire vehicle lifts itself up off the ground, despite its ridiculous weight. It is easy to feel invulnerable in this vehicle. I must endeavor to shake that feeling.

I call out to our forces (wincing as my wound pains me as I shout), "Today we shall march to a glorious victory! We shall march forward and crush the Humans! To the lake structure! Leave no Human alive!

Captain-Minor Graltorus, take your pack, and four Jackal snipers, along the edge of the cliffs, to the area above the structure. When I give the word - and not before! - order your Jackals to open fire, and charge your pack forward.

'Kaezodee, take the SpecOps team and scout ahead. Radio back if you find anything - and do not be afraid to take out targets of opportunity!

Major 'Fasemee, Captain-Major Nitroxus. Each of you take two lances, and take point on each flank. My Wraith and these Choppers will come up slightly behind, and charge in to battle should you require additional backup to take down the enemy.

The path to the Humans' structure should be clear - it will take little more than an hour to arrive there from here! TO BATTLE!"

I sit down, and I hear the Field Master's orders in my ear. "A sound plan of assault - a respectable assault force, with a flanking maneuver from Graltorus, advance recon, and vehicle reserves. The Humans stand no chance. But should they happen to scatter, the Prophet wants any tactical advantage the terrain might grant them removed - tear down bridges, crumble cliffsides, anything that might remove a tactical advantage to a well-hidden force."

"It will be done, Field Master." I feel the Wraith lurch beneath me, and we start out.

[llau]

When Captain Pierce gasped as the Elite grabbed his shoulder, his eyes lolled back in a daze, and his ears started to ring again; but not by the grenade blast. His vision blurred when the Elite raised his sword hand, and his body gave in from exhaustion as the first sniper fire echoed in the air. He weakly grabbed the alien's wrist, but for a last moment of fighting to stay awake, and then his arm went limp. The second sniper fire faded into silence when he finally lost consciousness with a pained expression over his face. He thought this was the end, and embraced death with eager arms.

The bastard Elite won, but the fight he had with it felt so good, even though he was in agony. Soon the agony will disappear into everlasting darkness, and maybe he'll find out if there really was a heaven or hell. If not, then at least he went out with a fight instead of getting blasted by a wraith or something even more boring, like getting shot by a Covenant sniper.

His mind soon started to thicken with a welcoming sense of calm as darkness engulfed him. He didn't even feel anything as his limp body dropped to the ground beside the Elite – who he didn't realize was dropped to the ground too. If only Pierce knew before blacking out...


///


When his squad and a couple of other marines showed up in a warthog and several mongooses minutes after the Covenant left with the Elite Pierce was fighting with, they carefully took the unconscious Captain and hauled him into the back where they took off the turret to make room for him. His team surrounded him in the back while the driver of the other squad sped off to regroup with the others over the cliff. A few minutes later while Sergeant Randell called for a medic, Pierce stirred and struggled to sit up.

“Holy crap, Captain Pierce,” exclaimed Corporal Weis, “You're lucky to be alive after fighting that squid-lip, you crazy son-of-a-bitch.”

Captain pierced smiled, but it was more of a painful smile. He was surprised he lived too as he looked around as a large group of UNSC members regrouped near where he was fighting.

“Sir, you got to lie down,” said Sergeant Randell to his captain.

But Pierce was already barking out orders at people to put out security, and directing action this way and that. When the very experienced medic, Specialist Smith from the other squad, put morphine into Pierce so he could treat the man's burns, the captain still kept giving orders - even telling Smith how to do his job. So Sergeant Randell told Smith to give Pierce another morphine, and finally Pierce settled down, and stopped giving orders long enough for them to haul him away to a makeshift area so the medic could treat him.

“He'll be out for a while,” told the medic while the captain's squad helped to bring Pierce in. “But long enough for me to treat his burns.”

“Good,” grinned Randell, “But you better have an extra pair of clothes and armour for him. He'd want to be back in the fight after you fix him up and wake him.”

“We'll see about that, Sergeant,” Smith nodded. “He's pretty damn lucky to not have his legs blown off by that grenade. The burns aren't serious, but they aren't good either. I'll also have to check for any other injuries. I can't do anything more if he has any internal bleeding. I'll have to work fast though, so you guys can help me since the other medics are busy treating the other marines.”

Randell, Regan, and Weis all nodded silently as they started to help Smith with what he told them to help him with.

[Hunter]

Pyro stayed silent, following the line of Covenant forces advancing in what was, as Pyro was told, the way to the human held facility.

The fog was thick and rolling, and Pyro was sure to remind himself to take no uncertain shots in this enviroment, else an ally would be vaprized, his sheild would remain his weapon.

'No matter how this battle turns out any one of us could die today' Pyro thought,

"Fight well and hard brother." Magnum called to him, almost ten meters ahead. Pyro was falling behind.

"You two brother, I'll have su muc fun fighting this dirt with my feet. Let me catch up." Pyro responded, and in moments he had accelerated, not enough to catch up, he had accelerated too much and ended up crushing into and knocking over Magnum.

This was supposed to be the quiet approach and two hunters crashing together was no quiet matter. As Pyro and Magnum struggled and succeeded to right themselves they recived nothing but cold stares from Sangheili and Jiralhanae. One soldier in particular responded, '"Quiet unfathful scum'.

Pyro took the stares to heart and followed in silence.

[aurelolus]

A collection of Elites were ahead of Aureolus and Urbs, and more on their flank. To them, it felt as though they were being lead to slaughter so the bloodthirsty Jiralhanae could eat.

They were assigned as a secondary wave against a pesky group of humans the covenant didn't want there. Aureolus had a very small understanding of this war, and would have rather been left out, Urbs however built like a wraith, was afraid if they had left, they would almost certainly die, and as such, Aureolus has to stick with his bond brother.

[SurvivorX]

I grunt bad-temperedly as the two Hunters bringing up the rear crash into one another. I mean, there's letting a twig snapping under your foot and then there's just plain goofing off. "Quiet, you unfaithful scum," says one of the Brutes, and I'm inclined to agree with him.

"This is 'Kaezodee. I've located the Humans. They appear to be licking their wounds and setting up defenses. I can radio you their location so you can soften them up with your Wraith mortar, if you'd like."

I consider for a moment. It would be like sending up a beacon to let them know we're here and we're coming, but then, they didn't appear to be doing anything active.

Still..."Negative. Mark the location for a Banshee strike later, if we need reinforcements. Remember to stay cloaked!"

"Yes, 'Talamee."

I swivel the turret around, keeping alert. We could easily be walking into an ambush. I am not in a good mood at all - the Hunters' foolishness, plus my wounds aching, plus my anxiety to go and exact revenge on the tenacious Human who eluded me...it all adds up to about six kilotons of rage simmering in my chest.

I check the location 'Kaezodee gave me, and note with some satisfaction taht I won't have long to wait - we're nearly there.

[Hunter]

OOC: Survivor, time to nit-pick, 'taht' I believe is spelled 'that'. J/k

Walk, that's all that ever seemed to happen in this campaign, however Pyro knew it would not be long until they reached the filth infested facility.

"Brother," Magnum grumbled, "we are not the only Mgalekolo here." Magnum gestured to the rear of the group with a nod of the head and Pyro looked over his shoulder and spotted the other pair of large, spiked masses of orange flesh and shining blue armor.

"I see, this battle will not be easy, two pairs of very heavy assault units may lessen the load on our vehicles but the Sangheili may not be generous enough to return the favor. We'll be amoung top priority targets."

"Indeed, being separated by waves may indeed help us still." Magnum replied, "That being said we cannot break rank and communicate with them."

True the groups for the first and second waves of attack were not very far apart, and were bound to attack within moments of each other, any break in rank would result in cruel punishment.

Pyro continued his tride with the rest of wave one, that is until the forces stopped moving.


Almost time. Pyro thought.

[scshade]

"Death is more attracted to you than women are, Pierce."

There's a man on his forties sitting in a corner looking at the fallen soldiers resting on each of their cots. Those cots could be their last resting place, and SgtMaj. Samuel Leonard knew it. He'd been there, too many times to count... and too many others to remember. However, in between those soldiers, there was one of importance. He was after all in command of this place. Didn't matter the rank the marine had, the position he'd been given was critical; his life was critical, his brains... Sam allowed the medics to take their time and help the marines around him. He didn't want to become an obstacle once again.

As usual, he would double, sometimes triple check his SRS99D-S2 AM sniper rifle, dismounting it... placing it back together... But as he picked the long barrel from the floor to mount it back, his focus was elsewhere, his mind lost in thought at the earlier bitter memories that places full of soldiers on their possible dying breath brought him. The Sergeant's thoughts were stopped as he saw the medic that was working earlier on Pierce passing by to reach for something he needed. Sam looked up at him.

"How's the..." It's been so long he forgot 'the kid' was now a Captain. "How's Captain Pierce doing?"

As the doctor continued to look for something to hang the IV to, he looked at the Captain for a moment. The wounds of his legs were surely the biggest problem, but there was a reason why the privates talked about this man. So, with that he turn to answer the older man's question. "He'll be fine."

Sam nodded as he looked at his sniper rifle. His drifted from there and followed a his right hand as he peeked outside the the tent from the inside. Squinting his eyes he had a good look of the bridge in between the fog. The old man knew anything could come through that.

"He has to be..." He simply replied.

[aurelolus]

The cold struck Urbs, causing his mass to shudder. as though a couple of banshees had miscommunicated their positions and collided during flight.

"the cold finally get to ya Urbs?" Aureolus turned.
"We told you to remain quiet, scum. I will not have the failure of this mission on my head because some noisy Mgalekolo are cold!" an elite scolded, however quietly enough.

"How much farther before the battle? the heat of the plasma would surely keep us warm." Urbs said, quietly back toward aureolus.

"Soon. just a few minutes ahead of our Mgalekolo friends ahead of us." Aureolus replied.

With all the sound hushed to just the marching of our armor clad bodies pressing forward, the silence was deafening, with only the strong blast of cold air going through permafrosted trees and boulders howling occasionally.

[llau]

Captain Pierce's squad heard the man sitting out of the way say what he said about their captain, and then they laughed quietly.

“You're right about that, sir,” said Randell as he looked over at Leonard, “But I think he cares more about death than women.”

“Yeah,” added Regan, “The Captain would rather be around death than the women he was with, but thankfully, death doesn't want him either – Yet.”

“Come on, guys,” Weiss glanced up at them from his place by Pierce's side as he held the IV up while Smith went and got something to keep it held up above the captain. “Give him a break. He's just lucky to be alive.”

“Yeah, give me a break...” murmured Peirce. His eyelids parted a little as he looked up at them groggily. “The damn split-lip shouldn't have messed with me.”

“He almost killed you, captain,” Randell frowned. “It's a good thing we arrived in time before you were sliced and diced, you stubborn bastard.”

Pierce let out a slight chuckle, and winced. “Stubborn to the core. You should know that by now, Sergeant.”

The sergeant smirked and grabbed the captain's hand firmly. “It's good to see you awake, sir,” he said, “We were all worried about you because of your injuries, but at least they weren't that bad.”

“Worried?” Captain Pierce painstakingly sat up, despite his squad's concern for him not to. He ignored them. He closed his eyes for a moment until a wave of dizziness subsided. He gazed down at himself, gazing at the freshly wrapped bandages on his arms and legs and waist.

Smith returned after talking with Leonard with something to hang the IV on, and stopped. “Maybe I should've given you more Morphine.” He grinned, hanging the IV beside Pierce. “How are you feeling, Captain Pierce?”

“Like I was ran over by a warthog,” answered Pierce as he gazed up to see a familiar face.

Smith smirked. “You never cease to amaze me, sir,” he excused himself and walked over to another marine to check on him.

Captain Pierce gazed thoughtfully at Leonard and was quiet for a moment while Randell left to get his captain an extra set of new clothes and body armour. “Huh, there's an old face I haven't seen in a while.” said Pierce as he sat on the side of the cot.

[scshade]

Sam smiled a bit at the comments made by what he read from his superiors were Pierce's subordinates; nice kids they were too. However, his eyes were back inside when he heard Pierce talking.

Damn kid... never backs down... There was a slight smirk at that thought.

"So, they tell me you're still lonely and suicidal. Are you that desperate?" Sam let out a faint chuckle at that as he got up from the chair and stood close to the rest of Pierce's men. He didn't even mind moving to help Pierce sitting up. The old man knew he was going to walk in a matter of minutes. He always admired that from the younger soldier. "And no, Captain... " Key word here was 'Captain', yet not with envy, but with pride. "...I'm not that old." Key word here of course was 'not'.

[llau]

Captain Pierce smirked a little as he kept his eyes on him. " I can't help that I'm a devil dog through and through, Leonard," he answered, "I'm crazy when it comes to war, and you know that/" He paused when he looked at him seriously, his tone of voice changing to match with his expression. "What are you doing here in this sector? You're not supposed to be around here."

His squad-mates stopped talking amongst themselves nearby his cot, and looked over to their captain, and then over at the sergeant major, and then back at their captain curiously. They knew what happened, but didn't think they should've been the ones to tell Pierce, even though Pierce was friends with Leonard's squad too. Leonard needed to explain himself.

Pierce glanced over at the three men, and narrowed his eyebrows. “If you excuse us, gentlemen,” he said to them when Randell came back with the captain's new equipment and clothing.

“Here you go, sir,” said Randell.

“Thank you,” Pierce watched as Randell placed his new things beside him on the cot before joining up with the two corporals to leave the two old friends in private.

Pierce then returned his gaze up at Leonard, and silently waited for him to answer his question as to why he was over here and not where he thought he would be.

[SurvivorX]

"Hop out, Bleadaron," I say. The hatch of the Wraith opens and as he climbs out, I climb down into the seat.

I press the holographic buton nearby and watch the image-enhancement filters kick in. The visual cuts through the fog like an Energy Sword through snow, and I can see them milling around, setting up defenses.

I quickly mark targets in order of priority - the turrets first, then the Warthog, then any areas of cover. I radio Nitroxus for a second.

"Hey Nitroxus, you read Human language. What does a red cross mean?"

"That is a sign of medical troops and equipment. Why?"

"Thank you. Are you in flanking position?"

"Very nearly. We seem to have hit a problem - to attack the enemy, we would have to go over a small section of water. I am trying to get us above the water to the hill."

I recall the area he's referring to. An idea forms in my head. "Negative. Swap positions with 'Fasemee. 'Fasemee, are you listening?"

"Yes, 'Talamee."

"You and your lance will go into the water - your shields should hold it out and prevent hypothermia. Keep to the shore nearest the structure, and remain hidden. When I give you the secondary signal, you come out of the water and bring them hell."

The plan begins to take on a life of its own. "Nitroxus, you move on the primary signal. Charge at them, along with the Mgalekgolo, and my Wraith. Graltorus, you move on the secondary signal. Your pack shall descend the cliff under the snipers' cover.

"Banshee Flight Archon, do you read me?"

"Indeed, 'Talam."

"You move on the tertiary signal. Swoop in low and destroy them. The choppers will move in as well at that point.

"So, Primary signal is Nitroxus' pack, my Wraith, and the Mgalekgolo. Secondary signal is 'Fasemee's stack and Graltorus' pack. Tertiary signal is the choppers and Banshees.

"Leave the medical tent alone. There is likely to be a Human in there whom I would like to...interrogate. Are we all crystal clear, and in position?"

A chorus of affirmatives sounds over the radio. I hop out and get into the gunner's turret, and Bleadaron resumes his position in the cockpit. The hatch closes, and I hunker down to keep my head away from enemy sniper fire.

I check everyone's location, and, content that they are located satisfactorily, I sound the charge. "FIRST SIGNAL, ATTACK!"

The Wraith lumbers forward behind the Mgalekgolo and Nitroxus' Brute pack. I feel the heat of the Wraith mortar blast above my head as it sears out towards the Humans' position...

[scshade]

-----------------------

Taking a sigh, Leonard looked down and crossed his arms. He was about to explain someone who he trained... someone who became better than he could ever be about how he failed as of recently. For a moment there, he couldn't answer. Sam was trying to look for the correct words to say to him, to say to someone who was now his superior. It was awkward to explain himself like this. But, he'd been years in this position; years of him being a lower rank than those who he trained; from officer to an E... It was, way too embarrassing. But he became used to this. So, as he raised his eyes to look back at Pierce, he decided it was better to see him as a friend rather than a superior, 'cause God knew he wasn't very good towards his superiors.

"I'm doing my job." He simply stated. "Our... job... was to search and rescue Spartan 114... We... I failed. Mission went to hell even before it started. I... lost my squad... even before getting there. My position in the chain of command... was compromised... sir... my rank lowered." Thus why explaining the scratches on the side of his arm where his rank once were and placed with a new lower rank. "I'm your human shield now, Mitch. You die, I fail my mission. I die... it's just a casualty of war." In other words, he was here to protect the Captain in command of this place, even if it cost him his own life.

This was getting him angry. He didn't want to keep talking, just do the damn mission and...

"Bad news..."

The sound of plasma cutting the air was enough to stop him from talking... he was actually glad. Sam took a look around and peeked beyond the tent again. He couldn't grasp a clear visual in between the fog, but he knew they were here. Grabbing his sniper rifle and making sure to bring his side arms, Leonard looked back at Pierce. "They're here..." Forget about the 'almost here'... they were here... for the eyes of a sniper, they were here.




OOC: I like to divide post depending on the setting. When both of the views get to the same setting then I stop dividing them. Old trick, heh. Thus why I didn't place the ------------------ after the post.

[llau]

Pierce listened while he put on his new pair of pants and combat boots as carefully as he could. He was still sore, but he managed with a long wince as the fabric covered his bandaged wounds on his forearms and legs. Smith had came over to help take out the IV so he could finish getting dressed. The captain sluggishly stood on his feet to put on his jacket and start to put on his armour with Smith's help, as he glanced over at the sergeant major every once in a while as the man explained what happened.

He paused, looking at him for a long moment once he finished speaking, and licked his chapped lips caused by the cold. He bowed his head and glanced down at his boots as he collected his thoughts on what his old friend just said to him. He sighed. All he could do was rest his palm on the older man's shoulder and give him an understanding nod.

When he heard the sound of plasma coming toward them, and everyone in the base running around, he glanced at Leonard and said, “It doesn't matter what happened. I need you to focus on what's happening now. Get ready.” He grabbed the rest of his armour he could put on while he walked outside the tent; his squad following close behind.

Pierce stopped, issuing orders to other marines who were passing by to find out what he wanted them to do next, “Listen up,” he said loudly, “I want everyone to get the fuck ready as fast as you can with all you have at really good positions. I want snipers and RPGs up high and other infrantymen down below. We need to protect the radio tower and this area at all cost! If they destroy the tower then we're all fucked! They want another go at us, then let's let them ugly alien assholes have it, but not without a fight! Oorah?”

“Oorah!”the group of marines responded in unison. He watched as they went to their squads and took up position.

Pierce turned. “Fuck,” he shook his head, “I take it our scout teams were wiped out before they could tell us these bastards were coming.” he stood there in front of the tent, finishing putting on his gear with an angry glare. Shaking his head, he looked up at Randell who was carrying an extra assault rifle and a magnum, and Pierce's combat knife. Pierce grabbed the combat knife and inserted it into it's place, and then took the magnum and put it into his thigh holster.

Randell looked at him in concern. “No disrespect, captain,” he asked, “but are you sure you should be out here fighting, sir?”

“I'm fine,” muttered Pierce. He took the assault rifle and strapped it over his shoulder. “Those other marines who are in there need more medical attention than me.” He turned around. “Follow me. We'll take our position where I can see those freaks coming.” He took several steps, grimaced in pain and started to fall.

Randell, who was at his side, quickly managed to grab him before he completely fell on his face.

“Sir!” exclaimed Randell.

The two corporals ran over to see if he was okay. “Captain?”

Randell held him up steadily, while Pierce pressed a hand over the wound where the Elite struck him at with the turret. “Smith,” he called to the medic. “Let's get him inside.” Despite the captain's protest, he walked him back into the medical tent and sat him down on the cot he was at earlier.

“Damn it...” muttered Pierce.

Smith came over. “Oh, right,” he said, peeling back the bandaged wound on his head. “You probably should take it easy.”

“He's right, captain,” agreed Randell. He put a hand on his shoulder, and said, “I'll take them to a position. Until then, stay here and relax until Smith checks that wound and clears you to return to us.”

Pierce frowned, and then nodded. “Don't get yourselves killed while I'm gone,” he told him.

“You should take up your own advice,” Randell chuckled and turned to leave the tent to take the two corporals with him to find a position to fight the Covenant and defend the area. He paused and looked at Leonard. “Coming with us?”

[scshade]

Leonard, who was right behind Pierce as he moved out of the tent and move in again, looked at Randell over his shoulder. His eyes drifted back to looked back at Pierce and frowned. Sam looked pensive for a moment there, trying to figure out what to do exactly. His thoughts were constantly interrupted by the sounds of explosions outside the camp, but he remained calmed and collected. He was under orders to keep the Captain safe. Running around to protect the antenna... or staying here... The mission at hand was much more important.

Screw this... At least, Sam knew Mitch could take care of himself. He was no private anymore. However, he was under direct orders from... 'the kid'. He knew though, that would cost him yet another stripe taken away from his superiors. To hell with ranks!

So, Sam simply swung the sniper rifle to his back and placed a hand on his side arm. "Alright... It's your call, Captain." He told him with a bit of a smirk on his features... that smirk that said he was going to twist his orders somehow... It was one of those few things that managed to lower his rank. However, it didn't mean that his slight twists came out wrong.

[SurvivorX]

Initially, the attack seems to be going well. The Humans are in complete disarray, and the Brutes and Hunters have taken minimal casualties, having nearly closed the distance. However, one or two of the Brutes has dropped, and I duck my head low as a sniper shot ricochets off the tank hull directly next to me with a resounding PTANG!

Cursing, I fire with my turret all around the area, hoping to hit something. I honestly can't expect much accuracy with it from this distance, but I can at the very least try to keep their heads down until the Brutes arrive.

I notice that they almost have, and consider my options. I could hold back on the secondary signal, or keep them in reserve in case Nitroxus can handle it...No, I remind myself. Do not assume anyone can handle a situation on their own. The operation must move as a coordinated assault, or else it will face the same fate as our last attack.

The mortar pulses again, sending out a mortar blast streaking in the direction of the Warthog. They haven't gotten it driving yet. The mortar shot smashes into a turret nearby it, destroying both the weapon and the user, but misses the Warthog. I growl as another Brute falls to a sniper round. A rocket shoots out from the structure, but not towards the Brutes - towards the Wraith!

"Strafe right! RIGHT!"

Bleadaron pulls the tank to the right, but not in time to avoid a hit on the ground just next to the tank, the force of the detonation blasting across the tank, knocking my shields to half and pushing the heavy Wraith to the right just a little bit. I grunt at the attack, and say into the radio, "Secondary signal, ATTACK!"

Graltorus' pack slides down the rock face directly behind the Marines' lines, throwing their position into disorder all over again as Beam Rifle shots lance out and pick off turret gunners. I see 'Fasemee's lance clamber out of the lake. I notice the Grunts hauling themselves out - at first I'd thought I would have to take them into account, since they didn't have shields to hold out the freezing water, but then I remembered, Right, they're from a freezing planet. They'd be used to it. Plasma fire erupts from the right flank of the structure, further destabilizing the situation.

I prepare to give the tertiary signal, but hold off. I order Bleadaron, "Bring the Wraith up. Move in close, I want to speak with the Humans before all of them are slain."

I get on the radio. "Get to cover and fire only enough to keep the humans demoralized. I will arrive soon to demand their surrender - and they will have no choice but to accept." Not only is their position wholly untenable, but we have never in the history of the war demanded their surrender, and they might just do it out of curiosity as much as anything else.

[Hunter]

Pyro barreled into the conflict. Rounds pinged off his shield as he guarded his face. Pyro took a moment to glance at Magnum, tearing through a group of Marines, but bleeding.

Magnum let out a howl and flatened one of the four humans he was only now begining to decimate the small group. Lifting his sheild again he cut a marine diagonally, from left shouler to right hip. Pyro winced it was a gory sight indeed. Magnum flexed his spines and tore a flanking marine's face apart, and then turned to face the fourth and final human in the unit.

"Please, don't kill me!" He pleaded. A young man. Magnum was regretful it had come to killing humans who were hardly grown, but war was war.

"It'll be quick." Magnum responded. He rose his fuel rod cannon and swept it towards the marine, it was far too dangerous to fire the cannon in these conditions. The swing threw the marine through the air, hurtling at tremendous speeds towards the water.

"Well fought brother." Pyro commented.

"The next group is yours." Magnum replied. He was breathing heavily and his weak point, the waist, was bleeding. It was not bleeding bad enough to kill but it was an ill omen of what was to come.

"Indeed it is Magnum." Pyro said in return, he spotted only three marines in his attack range, Pyro did not charage, but did a rather reckless thing. He fired the cannon.

There was a deafining boom followed by the incoherent screams of the volley's victims and the noise of war. The marines were blown to bits, one was missing both his arms and most of his torso, he had managed to get only a few feet away from the blast zone, a second marine was writhing on the ground two meters away, missing only an arm and a leg, this man would live to fight another day. Unfortuantely the third marine was unable to move even and inch. At the center of the crater was simply a stain.

"Fool! You could have killed ANYONE, with that blast." ?MAgnum reprimanded.

[llau]

While the battle was starting, Smith had given him an ear-piece to listen in on what was going on here and the other UNSC bases, and to communicate with anyone if needed.

“I know you hate not doing anything, but at least you can still give your orders, sir,” said Smith. He checked the captain out, making sure he didn't have any signs of a brain injury. “Good thing you had your helmet on, you're head would've been smashed in.”

“Great,” muttered Pierce.

“I think it's because you got up too fast,” said the medic, “So, take it easy for now, and you'll be out there before long. Just not right now, sir. I don't recommend it.”

Pierce shook his head, wondering what he wanted Leonard to do. He was tired and didn't feel all that great right now, but he wanted to be out fighting more than anything he'd ever wished for against the Covenant. His mind went on the elite he was fighting earlier, and wondered if he'd ever meet him again. Maybe he will, but then again, maybe he won't. He shook his head again, this time to return his attention to the radio. He held up his hand quietly at Leonard, as if to say “Hold on, just a minute.” He listened, frowned, and pressed on his communication piece.

“Staff Sergeant Andrew Hallam,” he said into the radio, “This is Captain Mitchell Pierce. I'm promoting you to Lieutenant until further notice.” Once he was finished, he looked up at Leonard, carefully stood so he could be at eye-level with him, and glanced out the tent when he heard more Covenant and human weapons fire as the battle picked up more and more.

He sighed inwardly, and fixed his attention on the older man again. “I think it's best if you help the couple of other marines here guard the medical tent,” he said, “Those guys could use your expertise to try to keep the wounded safe.”

[scshade]

The sounds of war beyond the camp were enough for Sam to stop smirking. He looked outside, Pierce's lips moving with orders, but it seemed that he didn't heard any of those words as he glared at the bridge for a moment. Placing his helmet on, he switched to thermal and what he saw pass the fog shook him. Even after the years he'd been seeing this. Every sound around him stopped... everything was doomed in silence as he watched the bodies of marines basically exploding, flying through the air, being shot at... their bodies turning from fading shades of yellows and oranges to blues... a cold blue that confused itself with the fog. Of course, some of their suits were capable of hiding from thermal, but as the blood was spilled from their bodies, they were no longer invisible. The SgtMaj had seen this before, with his own squad... This was NOT happening again. It was now or never.

His eyes turned back inside the tent, same glare he had before being covered by his helmet as he ran back to a radio in order to communicate with the troops out there. His hands quickly gripped onto the radio as he looked for the frequency that Pierce used in order to give orders.

"We need them...." That was his only explanation to the young Captain, his voice as calmed and collected as he could manage while he reached for the radio. "All units this is Sergeant Major Leonard speaking... fall back from the bridge. Take cover over the hill and cliff. Protect the antenna at all cost. This is a direct order. I repeat, fall back from the bridge." He placed the radio back and didn't even look at Pierce as he ran outside.

His eyes gaze with terror that he hid under the helmet, at the sight on thermal. He saw the units looking confused for a moment there. Sam knew they were expecting for Captain Pierce to talk. "No, you idiots... fall back..." He muttered to himself, memories of his own squad... his own people dying because he had to obey his superiors' orders. "Fall back... fall back..."

---

[llau]

Captain Pierce frowned, started to follow him out, but leaned against the doorway of the medical tent as he scanned his eyes around the makeshift base.

'Great,' he thought silently, shaking his head.

He pressed a few buttons on his earpiece to go into a private comm with Leonard. “What are you doing, sergeant major?” he demanded. “I told you to stay here, not go out on a suicide run when there's more of those Covies than you. That's my job.”

He stepped out further from the tent, continuing to look around. He heard a few marines ask him for confirmation on Leonard's order to move back. Truthfully, what he really wanted for them to do is stand their ground, and belay that order, and go and find Leonard and kick the living crap out of him for disobeying his direct order. He suddenly let out a short, angry laugh and shook his head. Now he knew how his superiors felt when he went off to do something crazy.

Pierce let out an aspirated sigh. He switched out of the private comm, and said to most of the confused marines, “Fall back, marines” he said, “Everyone form up and concentrate on protecting the radio tower.” He then went back to the private channel. “What exactly is your plan, Leonard and it better be good? Otherwise, don't try to be a hero. You know how I hate it when people try to be like me.”

[scshade]

"With all due respect, sir... there was a time when you aspired to be like me. Thank God you didn't... kid..." Sam replied back with a slight smirk. He took the chance that it was indeed private comm to talk to the Captain like that. Otherwise, he wouldn't. "Your men need to cover the antenna. It would be useless if they fight over there and die. We don't have that much resources. I suggest we use what God made." He hoped Pierce had an idea of what he was talking about.

However, he wasn't about to stay there and do nothing. With his jaw clenched, he felt his right foot starting to a walk. Then his left followed him into a jog, and soon enough he was running towards the bridge as fast as his armor and age allowed him, his back lowered, almost in a crouch. His breathing caught up with him and he mentally cursed with a: "I should've stayed in the Bingo" comment regarding his age. At least the armor was light enough and it would confused itself with the fog around him making him nearly invisible to the naked eye as the humidity of his surroundings attached itself onto his armor. The armor was made to be invisible to thermal just like the other ODSTs armor, but also made to reflect its surroundings. However, if he was or not invisible was not in his mind.

"FALL BACK! FALL THE HELL BACK!" He tried yelling through his communication device, but they weren't moving. There were a few who kept running back obeying the order he gave. But he kept moving forward running in between the marines that were about to face death. They didn't see him coming of course, the damn suit made him almost invisible. So, they would feel hands in between the fog and smoke gripping onto their suits and pulling them back desperately. At least, Pierce's giving the order helped... since they simply wouldn't move at first.

In between the fog, Leonard spotted a still yellow and orange figure on the ground. He ran towards it and knelt on the ground close to the form before he shut off thermal to recognize a young woman bleeding from her leg. He wasn't much of a medic, but he did what he could to stop her bleeding as he took cover behind some concrete from the bridge.

"What's your name, marine?" He asked as he tended to her wounds to the best of his abilities.

"Grimm... Private Annie... G-Grimm... sir." She winced a bit but otherwise remained calmed.

"Well things are looking pretty 'grim' right now..." Then he suddenly stopped tending to her leg when there was a slight moment he saw a blast coming his way, and he could only sigh with a "God..."

There was a blast of a canon his ears recognized, and he was blinded for a moment there as he covered the young marine with his own body. He tried holding back a yell as the remnants of plasma hit his back. His suit wasn't made to sustain large amount of plasma being shot him, and for a moment there he was glad for the distance between him and the enemy; probably hunters. However, that didn't save the back of his suit which gave in under the slight heat. The armor plates still held in place, but the fabric succumbed over the heat, making slight holes onto it. The screams of the marines that suffered the blast reached his ears but he still held onto the wounded marine.

"Sir..." Said the young marine.

"We gotta fall back!" That was his reply. Confusing himself with the fog, smoke, and dead marines, Sam ran back to base with a confused marine on his shoulder. "Captain, we have to 'Rock n' Roll' them now, or we're all dead." At least this time he told Mitchell of the plan ahead.

[llau]

Pierce snorted. “Who would want to be like you, old man?” He smirked for a moment before listening what Leonard was telling him. “I know we don't have the desirable amount of resources to fight them off, Leonard, but, Colonel Qiao Liang and Colonel Wang Xiangaui once said, 'Use the least amount of combat resources sufficiently to accomplish the objective.' And Leonard, I tend to remember that.”

The captain went back inside the tent, deciding to use a battle rifle since he preferred it to the assault rifle more, and headed back outside. He shouldered his weapon, and looked over at the radio tower his marines were going to be protecting.

Randell's voice came over the radio. “Captain, just about everyone has situated at the tower and build up a good defense,” he told him.

“Good,” replied Pierce, “I really don't want everyone to be around that tower though. I want my snipers to take up positions around the whole area. Shoot only what you're able to target. Keep the RPGs and the grenadiers by the radio tower. If they can see any wraiths or ghosts, and if they can get a target, take them out.”

“Yes sir,” said Randell. “Sergeant Randell out.”

Captain Pierce paused for a few minutes, listening on the comm chatter for a while at the other bases as well, and went back into the private comm with Leonard.

“Sergeant Major, report,” he said when he didn't hear from him after Leonard made his comment to him. When he looked over to his left, he saw Leonard coming up to him with an injured marine. He recognized her.

“You okay, private?” he asked as he approached them.

“I've been better, sir,” she said weakly.

He helped Leonard bring her into the medical tent, and eased her on a cot. Smith went over to them and started to check on her wound.

Pierce turned to Leonard when he heard him say, “Captain, we have to 'Rock n' Roll' them now, or we're all dead.”

“Some 'Rock n' Roll' huh?” asked Pierce with a small grin over his face. “Go ahead. I wouldn't mind listening to some music right now.” While adding, “Just...don't sing.” He recoiled a little at the thought. He heard him sing before, and it wasn't pretty.

[scshade]

Leonard smirked a bit at that under his helmet. "There's nothing wrong with my singing, sir." He looked back towards the structure. He made sure that most of the marines (the ones alive) managed to move away from there. His eyes rested on the enemy forces entering the structure, passing the lake. Then he smirked. The distance would give him a few minutes, the sound of plasma hitting their walls told him that the clock was ticking. However, he took another moment to check on the young marine he just brought, before he looked at the doctor. "You see for her."

"Yes, sir." He quickly nodded.

Leonard replied back with a respectful nod, but Grimm took a hold of his hand as he was about to leave.

"You n-need a spotter, sir." She told him, trying her best to sit up.

"Then you'll stay alive for the next round, Private." He couldn't help but to stare at her hand on his gloved one for a moment. The marine had the sort of strong will that reminded him of Pierce. Then there was the fact in the words she said. However, even though she was right, Sam spent years alone in the field. Sure, before his decay... before he lost his family, he was psychologically stable to manage long run mission on his own and a few people aiding him out of the field. But now, the field had changed, the enemy was bigger and his mental status a mess. But, as Pierce said, he needed to stay focused now and in 'the now'.

So, he slowly pulled his hand from the marine's own hand and stood up. "You stay here, and we'll see..." Sam made his way back to where the marines were taking cover behind the entrance from the bridge to the camp and peeked to the bridge, reporting the vehicles back to Mitchell. The old man's eyes drifted to the marine at the other side of the structure with a nod. He then made a hand sign, a simple one really, the ones they would use to cut communication; just that this time it was called for annihilation. The marine nodded to another one with the words: "Rock n' Roll!"

Within seconds there was an explosion over the snowy hill at their south. Then silence... Then another explosion followed by another quick one, each one from a designated spot in a designated time. Rock met snow, and with a thunderous sound they menacingly went down together, forming a combination of rocks with one direction: the bridge. Judging by the dimensions and the construction of the bridge, it was to survive the amount of weight they calculated. Hell, it was built for this place! This defense line was a last minute thing, but so was the stated situation.

"Just like Colonel Qiao Liang and Colonel Wang Xiangaui once said, Pierce... Huh... they were right, but they never had to fight the Covenant. They were... lucky..." Leonard muttered back at the Captain onto the communication device as he stared at the sight in front of him, the weight of a hill falling over the half of the strong structure and crushing anything in between including, of course, enemy vehicles within the proximity of half the structure. The ones who had just crossed the small lake ahead of the bridge would've seen it coming from their backs. The sound of snow, rock and mud coming at full speed was incredibly loud, and even more so when it settled on the structure. He saw a few 'split-lips' as they were usually called (even though he maintained certain respect to these aliens) and brutes (which in his eyes had no honor) rushing away from the crushing path of nature. Some of them even jumped from the structure out of desperation. He heard their yells... he could swear he could hear their hearts beating... and then giving up.

Colonel Qiao Liang and Colonel Wang Xiangaui were wrong about something. Sometimes the 'the least amount of combat resources sufficiently to accomplish the objective' was pretty damn big.

It was not a pretty sight. No matter what he killed, it was never pretty. As a strategist, it was wonderful, a work of art. But for a human being one that had spent years in this, it was nothing but killing. But... this was war and as always, the best thing to rely on for strategy was your surroundings. Through history that had been proven... and he was much of a history-nerd to know. From the Greeks, to the Romans, to Hannibal 'The Carthaginian' - one of the best strategist of history - what you had around you was your best weapon or line of defense. Stealth was no difference, and through years, he'd learned a lot from it. "Baby has been tugged in. I repeat, baby has been tugged in."

However, as the place fell silent under the bothered and intimidating force of nature that had settled over half of the structure, the Sergeant Major knew... he just knew... that if the structure survived and was still standing just like the calculations predicted it, it meant there could still be Covenant behind that weight... under it if their shields helped them... about to reappear, or appear... he wasn't sure. "Sorry for the loudness, Mitch." He muttered onto private comm with a slight smirk before he switched to an open channel. He could hear some marines talking about what the hell was that. Just a few of the marines, the ones closest to him had that smirk on their young faces. After all, they were the ones who helped him making the perimeter... It was his idea, but that didn't mean he could do it alone, not something this magnitude... he couldn't.

Sam took a moment to check on the temperature of his suit. He placed his sniper rifle on the ground beside him before resting on his back over the snow allowing the burned parts to release the heat with a slight hiss. Heat was visible under thermal and he was used to be invisible. Once that was done, Leonard grabbed his sniper rifle and turned on his belly. He used the tripod to place the sniper rifle on a steady position before he sneaked the barrel in between the concrete that served them as some sort of defense line or trench, and looked through the scope, adjusting it. His breathing slowed down, his heart rate as well... and again everything fell in silence as the white snow covered must of his view. He turned it to thermal expecting to see the heat of the enemy weapons in the square of thermal in the HUD. It should be easier to shoot at the targets like that. The old man's right index finger rested on the trigger, patiently waiting for a shot as he broke radio silence humming onto an 'older than him' rock n' roll at the tune of Journey... For a 'stealth man', he sure had weird habits. But then again, he was pretty old. He knew, however, that it also managed to keep the men around him on their toes. The song wasn't recognized by many, thus why he was the only one singing it, while the others remained silent.

"Wheel in the sky... keeps on... turning..."

And that wheel that placed them in this situation could actually turn. He hoped it turned in their favor... although his rather horrible singing probably wasn't going to help. It wasn't going to help Mitchell, of course. That was the only order Sam couldn't comply to.

That's when it hit him. "Captain... check our flank..." They had indeed succeeded in taking down most of the enemy forces coming from the south. But what about the north? He would have to think of something else, and there was not much time to do so. Sam closed his eyes for a moment there, a second... He wished and prayed he had the same luck the Romans did against the Greeks.

[SurvivorX]

The explosive charges boom, and I see smoke cover the structure as I quickly grab for the radio, shouting, "Get away from the cliffside!"

But it's too late. Graltorus' pack and Jackal snipers are completely swallowed in a cascade of rocks and snow. The Humans' Warthogs are both swallowed up as well. Nitroxus' pack peels off, though I don't catch what happens to the Hunters.

Those cheeky sons of bitches! Those arrogant...those...GRAH! I can't even think straight. I take a few moments to catch my breath and think things through.

The Marines, the turrets, the Warthogs...they were just bait. Those crafty sons of bitches sprung a trap on us, and now we're to be the ones hunted throughout this hellhole.

I don't think so. You think you are so clever. Your filthy infidel tricks may have given you a brief upper hand - but that's why I kept the tertiary force in reserve.

"Tertiary signal - Spread out, fan out, and search the area. Travel in pairs, and radio immediately if you come under assault. All other forces, secure the structure and stand by for reinforcements. 'Kaezodee, you take your stealth squad and go on patrol as well."

I immediately order Bleadaron to face away from the structure, backing towards it and relying on Nitroxus' force to guard my rear. I glare at the mist. You cocky assholes. You're out there, you're ready to fight a guerilla war against me. Let's see you wage a guerilla war against this.

"This is Tramis 'Talamee to Base Commander Taudros. Come in."

"This is Taudros. How goes your battle?"

"Not well - the humans have a smartass sense of strategy. I intend to punish them for their insolence. I request reinforcements to flush them out."

"Roger that. I'm deploying two additional lances, a pack of Jackal snipers, and two Banshee squadrons. Radio in if you need any additional support. Keep in mind though, they remain under my command - they aren't part of your Legion."

"Of course. Drop off the lances at my location, the Jackal snipers in pairs at random in the mist, as hidden as possible, and send the Banshee squadrons to patrol. The Humans want to fight a guerilla battle. I will fight them in the same way."

[llau]

Pierce had followed Leonard halfway, but stopped at the edge of the base, lowered himself to a prone position with a wince, and pulled out a pair of binoculars. He peered through them to have more of a closer look as he scanned the whole area. Behind him, the small group of marines around the base continued to guard the area without a clue on what the sergeant major was planning. Pierce knew, but didn't know the whole nine yards of the plan. Truthfully, he liked surprises...when they were for their sake, not the Covenant. He kept his eyes to the south, watching...waiting, and when the explosions started, he had to smirk as he lowered the binoculars to the ground.

He chuckled. “Nice one,” he whispered to himself and nodded in approval.

The captain frowned a little. “I envy them, sergeant major,” he replied, “I envy those who were lucky to never have to face the Covenant, but their legacy they left behind for us...their writings have helped us many times. I just wish they would help us more.” he paused. “One thing is for certain about war. War never changes.”

After the area finally settled down, he went to look into his binoculars again and scanned out into the mist. He sighed. The avalanche certainly kicked up a lot more mist of snow, but it drew to their favor.

“For being so loud, good job,” he commented with a smirk.

Pierce started to check around their flank even before Leonard asked him to.

“Well, thanks for destroying our warthogs and turrets, but we got them into one area for the most part,” he said as he switched to private comm. “We know where they are. Let's concentrate on them.” He went to switch out of the private comm to speak with the rest of the marines. “How'd you guys like that wonderful display? Continue to defend the area. We don't know how long this mist will last to work in our favor. Do your best, marines.”

Captain Peirce suddenly had a feeling he was being watched, and quickly looked over his shoulder, grabbing his handgun out of his thigh holster, and scanned the area behind him. He narrowed his brows. He felt an uneasiness wash over him like a cold bucket of ice water being dropped onto him. He couldn't see anything as he exhaled a shuddery breath he could see in the cold air.

“Keep a closer watch, guys,” he radioed to the ones guarding the base in a whisper. “I have a feeling we aren't alone here.”

Pierce slowly got to his feet, holstering his handgun back, and putting his binoculars back into one of his pouches at his waist. He went to hold his battle rifle in a tight grip, ready to shoot anything that wasn't human.

He pressed onto the comm again. “Leonard, come back to base with whoever you're with so me and you can work on another quick plan to attack them. We have to keep attacking them as often as we can, but we need a good solid plan before we do something stupid.”

[scshade]

There was a moment there that Sam simply stared into the mist, hearing everything the Captain was talking about. When Pierce mentioned the Warthogs, the older man made a slight face. Maybe the amount calculated of explosives was a bit over hand. Either way, the amount of Warthogs they had against whatever was beyond the mist (especially against those Wraiths) were not a choice. Call him paranoid, but he learned with the years to use risks only when necessary. The rest had to be played carefully... strategically.

As the mist hit them and covered them into thick and cold fog, he felt a bit more at ease. Actually, Leonard felt better than when they were exposed, even the slight mist that was covering them before. It reminded him of when he was younger, the stealth he used, the methods applied. This was his playground. However, this time he wasn't alone. As he looked around him, he could see the faces of the marines, their brave postures that didn't went according to their scared expressions. They were courageous, but they could die. That's why he hated working in groups like this, but there was no other way around it. If he wanted these marines to survive, he would have to use his expertise in stealth to guide them through the fog and smoke; through the valley of death or victory. That combined with the fact that they weren't ODSTs. They simply didn't count with the resources at hand that he had. It really bothered him to think that even in this war, money was that important.

' "Construct cheap armors..." Well they are your soldiers dying... bastards...' Those were his thoughts as he looked at the young men and women. That's something he actually could admire of the Covenant. Money didn't seem to be a problem.

"Alright, Captain. Regrouping..." He finally replied. However, before he made any other steps, he turned to his side, still laying on the ground and a made a second hand sign. Again, half of the marines around him didn't seem to understand, but there was a good amount of about 20 marines that caught the message and with a smirk, quickly started working on 'Making a Grave Torpedo Garden'.

Leonard took his sniper rifle away from the hole on the fallen concrete and placed it on his back before getting up. He looked around him in thermal as his 'own' troop of surprise soldiers worked. So far there was nothing... yet. Sam waited a few minutes until the 'Surprise Party' (as he nicknamed them in his head) was done with what he had in mind. Thus he made a hand sign to the troops around him and signaled them to get back to base. As they moved towards the base their movement concentrated mostly around the base, taking the chance to hide themselves in between the mist while working on the order Leonard gave them before. There was something he liked about these marines... they were silent, in every meaning of the word. Sort of reminded him of his early years in the Navy. However, he couldn't help but to feel that Mitchell was probably going to kill him for this, but keeping radio silence in this situation was better.

It didn't take them long to get back to the base, as Sam sneaked inside the medical tent where the wounded were. He looked around for that private he saw earlier and saw her trying to stand on her own. He chuckled a bit and walked towards her.

"You should wait until the injury closes..."

"Sir..." She looked around a bit surprised before she noticed him placing an index finger over his helmet where his lips would have to be. She quieted down and nodded. "You need me for something sir?" She whispered.

"Yes... I do." Leonard had a plan or two for her. But she had to remain alive. He knew there was a possibility for them to get caught, for the Covenant to lose their honor and kill even the wounded. He hoped they remained true to their paths, but after what he did, he wasn't so sure. Sam was sure they were angry. Then again, who wouldn't? That's how come he took a small device from one of his pockets. "You should be able to track me down if anything happens... You'll give this information to our superiors."

Grimm looked concerned for a moment there. "But... sir..." She was cut off.

"You need to remain alive. Otherwise, if they destroy this antenna, there will be no way for anyone out there to track us. I'll link it to the Captain. Don't bother getting me. Just Pierce." Opening her hand he gave her the small device before closing her hand. "You should be able to plug-and-play it from any computer to view our location."

"Sir... if the antenna is destroyed..."

"Then it means we're dead... or... worst. Just stay safe. If you need to get away from the base, then do so."

Her eyes widen. "That goes against the Captain's orders."

"The Captain is sort of suicidal." He chuckled a bit. "He doesn't really care if he gets caught." Of course, Leonard knew he mattered, but he had to assure this Private on her important mission somehow. "I'm hoping you'll get this intel safely to our people, Grimm. I need a long range spotter... who can spot for us."

After a moment, she nodded slowly and placed the device in the safety of her suit. She saluted the Sergeant Major, but Sam placed her hand down. He wasn't much of a man to enjoy all the honors of ranking. Maybe the fact that he'd been de-ranked so many times got to his head. Either way, the honor of fighting side by side with these soldiers was better than any rank, than any salute... than any other 'high' honor. Thus why he hated the desk. However, he did gently gave her a pat on the arm before he kept looking for Mitchell.

Once he spotted him, he walked towards the Captain. Sam took a look around him. His eyes scanned and spotted each face that was around him down there and felt calmer. They weren't just soldiers, or the marine to your right or left. They were his comrades. And when people like that died, it stayed in his head managing to wake him up in the middle of the night with each one of their faces, yelling... screaming... With his eyes still on the marines, he talked to Mitchell. "Reporting... as ordered this time, sir."

[SurvivorX]

I watch the Phantom land and drop off the two lances while another Phantom and a few Banshees fly overhead, laden with Jackal snipers. The search is on.

Already however, Banshee Flight Aura is radioing in. I allow myself to get hopeful for a moment. " 'Talam, we are intercepting radio transmissions - though the fog is damaging the signal, we are able to pick up most of it and it's not encrypted."

"Right," I say. "Patch it through to my radio, then split up and try to triangulate it if you pick it up again."

The voice comes through - it's staticky, but it's definitely the same voice as the Human that so foolishly taunted me during our battle. Thank you Human, by simply speaking you've provided me with a means to hunt you down again. "This is Captain Mitchell Pi*******delay, you were coming in with****************until we were finally able to ***********ak to the one in charg*************going on over there. Ov***"

Then a second voice cuts in. It was somewhat less staticky, but I don't recognize the speaker. "This is Master S***********ma, Captain Price. We are pinned******* on a ri******proximity to the crash *************** with Covenant troops at the bottom. We're currently in a***************istance would be mighty useful right now."

I patch it through to Zeeker's datapad. "See what you can do to clean that up. I want to know where this 'Master' human claims to be, and I very much want to know what this Captain Mitchell is saying."

Captain. I know that's a Human rank, somewhere equivalent to Major or Ultra. Plus, now I know his name. Mitchell. This is the name of my quarry.

Zeeker calls out, "Got it! Tramis, the Master Sardjent Daunteii Frost Human says he's in 'Sector Oh-One', by the Human ship. Want me to patch through the cleaned-up Mitchell Human's transmission?"

"Yes. Thank you, Jumbo, you again prove your worth is not on the battlefield."

The transmission now seems a bit blurrier, but I manage to get most of it. Most of it's just him complaining about the static and asking for a report from a Gamma Squad - probably commanded by this Frost character.

Not a lot. But it does give us something to go on. And it sounds as though they're still in communication, so I may get that triangulated position soon. I grin and send an order to the Chopper patrols.

"Slow your patrols and prepare for information regarding the Humans' location. When you recieve coordinates, converge and harry them - keep the Humans busy until reinforcements arrive."

"It will be done, 'Talamee."

Come on, come on, I think. Talk on the radio again. Do it, pleeeaaase. Make it easy for me.

[mechanizeddice]

I checked the power supply of my twin plasma rifles and my energy sword and they were both nearly full. I gazed across the hangar at a phantom then back at my squad. Rnoar’ Drescee our sniper was adjusting his beam rifle. He would make an then he’d bring it up to his eye. Vrasil’ Rlamr our heavy weapon specialist was telling his familiar story of the first battle of Harvest to a pilot. Even though I’d heard it before, there seemed to be new elements to it each time. Dthor’ Wrtinree our explosives expert poured over his explosives. Checking, double checking, triple checking, it seemed like it was an activity he could do all day.

“Valkyrie squad,” I called, “We are going to help Tramis 'Talamee fight human resistance in sector three. Mount up, check your jump packs, you know what to do. Be ready in approximately three hours. Combat awaits us brothers.” I watched as my squad dispersed back to their original tasks.

I sealed my helmet then tested all systems. My shields were functioning and my HUD clearly displayed my surroundings. Priming my jump pack I gracefully flew threw the blast shield sealing the hangar. My heads up display showed the temperature drop as I glided out into the frozen tundra. Though it wasn’t my first time, the thrill of flying never seemed to disappoint.

After a few circles of the base, I returned to the hangar and nimbly landed on the cold steel flight deck and killed my thrusters. I opened the communications channel and sent a message to Tramis 'Talamee. “Commander Talamee, this is Ksrele‘ Tdarium leader of Valkyrie ranger squad. Requesting permission to join the fight...”

[SurvivorX]

“Commander Talamee, this is Ksrele‘ Tdarium leader of Valkyrie ranger squad. Requesting permission to join the fight...”

I grin. These Humans have no idea of the hell that is about to be rained upon them.

"Permission granted, Tdarium. Begin by patrolling the area. The humans are hiding in the fog - locate them and direct us to their position. Do not engage until ordered to."