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HALO - COMBAT EVOLVED

BLADE OF THE SANGHEILI - BOOK ONE



U. COLLINS OKONKWO

PROLOGUE




Thoughts kept going through Corporal Pete Longday's mind as he sat with his mates in the open cargo-hold of the Pelican drop-ship. It was exactly in the year 2537 that his home planet, Rusein an inner colony world, was completely annihilated, or "glassed" by the Covenant.

Rusein had been completely processed and had been among those worlds terraformed in the earlier years of humanity's colonization of the Orion arm. It had been Longday's home and home to many other innocent humans. He had viewed life from a different perspective since after that day.

He was a survivor, he and his pal Coporal Roy Jefferson who sat next to him. Then they had been ordinary teenage boys who were just through with college and were looking to take on whatever challenges the next phase of life held in store for them.

Never did they realize the surprises that fate kept in stock. It was the year 2552, exactly fifteen years after and they had become what they would have never imagined themselves to be back then. It was not a walk in the park attaining a place in the United Nations Space Command as an elite marine. You had to scale through basic, you had to push through the independent armed forces, before making it to the place where you ranked with the top-boys of the violent career.

But the good thing was that UNSC recruited soldiers of every rank, ranging from mere fresh boy Private, to veteran General. As long as your records showed you were up to the task. But that recruitment was a little rampant in these times, showing just how much the dauntingly powerful UNSC was loosing this war to the Covenant. But the men finally got their chance; their dreams had been finally met.

It was a dream they never stopped dwelling on since the Covenant assault on Rusein. And the essence of it all: To get a pay-back chance on the damnable alien race. Roy had lost his mother, but his father and two sisters were safely on the original world, Earth. Not that Longday ever knew what it meant to have family.

He was an orphan living off those special organizations that were solely concerned about people like him. The Rusein Planetary Orphanage Program (POP) only catered for you until you were through high school, and then you were mostly on your own.

He had never known life on the comfortable side until he ran into Roy Jefferson. Today they were like two men sharing one soul. He never experienced what it was to have a brother but for all he knew, Roy was closer to him than any brother he would have ever known in his life.

They had played football together. From that to chasing after women, getting drunk, picking a fight, lazing about, taking a shit in the underbrush, joined the army, got shot, done drills and many other things in the past twenty one years. The two men had been with each other so long that they now existed with intertwined personalities and shared mannerism.

Even in present days, with the crew cut and the mean soldierly appearances, people still asked if they were twins; not that they slightly looked alike. On Longday's bench, apart from him and Roy was also Lance Corporal Vincent Natoli, a young lad still in his early twenties, and a whiz kid.

Natoli had breezed through high school and college faster than a speeding bullet. With near perfect scores. His joining the army was just his own personal aspirations of achieving something in a more challenging field of life. But you'd question the kind of challenges that the military life threw at a person.

The lanky lad who looked rather weird in a crew cut and antique type eye-glasses certainly knew that his life was on the line when he signed up for that life. Other soldiers kept wondering why he preferred those ancient eye-glasses in these times when other less obvious options of solving sight-impairment paraded all over the galaxy.

Unlike Roy and Longday, Vincent Natoli was born and raised on Earth and was from a relatively wealthy family. He had attained a degree in medicine and when he told his parents he was going to sign up for the army, they nearly called in a psychiatrist to check and see if their dear son was going paranoia.

The Covenant would actually have to dread men like Natoli armed with an M6D. He was so good with the side-arms, he could shoot a bug off a man's face without leaving a scratch.

Sitting next to Lance Corporal Vincent Natoli was the dark skinned Private First Class Tunde Akindele. Akindele's type was a typical rarity in UNSC. You only found a few of those African born and bred with the deep accented speech who spaced between words and kept most of their mouth open when they spoke. The marine was so huge his biceps were the literal tree trunk size.

He wore the largest fitting of armor vest there was in the corps, and since those UNSC issue vests which were designed to take a few hits from Covenant plasma weapons tended to make a marine appear a bit larger at the chest and shoulders than he should, the darn thing made Akindele look like a monster; and an Unggoy would probably make away and run for safety scared out of its skin on sighting the marine.

The steel weapon, the MA5B assault rifle which rested in the fold of his arms always seemed a little beat down in size whenever it was held by Akindele. The man's enlisting in the corps was actually something he never planned from the start just like many others.

He had secretly worked for UNSC at one of the ONI led excavations sites in Africa, as a top and most reliable informant, helping dish out rebel militant clans and clan leaders who were angry at their government for allowing UNSC stick their nose in and do whatever they wanted in another man's land.

They had thought that UNSC was digging for some valuable stuff and better enriching themselves with it without letting them know all about it. To these people UNSC was actually the real world invaders rather than the Covenant.

Akindele's stating that most of the militants were also precious stone farmers had explained the entire grudge. Akindele's first sighting of these men when they raided a UNSC compound in a restricted region guns blazing and tearing down whoever was in their path, was the first thing that motivated him to help in putting an end to the irrational clans.

Tunde Akindele had received tempting sums of money from ONI which he had explained did not mean anything to him when he decided to give information concerning the rebels. This had gone on for almost a year until Akindele voluntarily stopped receiving the money but stated that he would continue to disclose subsequent information nevertheless.

It was after this had continued for a full two years and the militant clans were reduced to small inconsistent and fearful groups that the marine corpse decided to exceptionally throw the man in uniform. And he gladly accepted. He was a natural born hero type who liked to see good overcome evil. And a constantly growing evil was the Covenant.

Their last mission before their unit was flown down to the UNSC fortress planet, Roy and Longday, had been in Africa as a replacement unit for a unit that had done their time on the excavation sites. And that was how they met with Akindele whose military career had begun on the very soils where he was born. Roy and Longday originally belong to a UNSC Earth division termed Fort Alpha.

The men had been recruited into UNSC at the level of Private first Class's but went on to rise to Corporals after numerous missions and a few notable ones in places of civil unrest around the galaxy. So they were more experienced soldiers fighting alongside Akindele who was still a fresh-boy at the time.

First on line over at the other bench was Corporal Christopher Cornwell. The soldier hat, instead of a helmet, and the four black stripes across the face were a trade-mark with the thin faced recluse.

When often asked why those stripes were so essential to him whenever he went into combat, the blond haired marine who wore a brief goatee would always tell you how the stripes were each reserved for trapping the souls of the four known Covenant races. Even at the times when they had never faced Covenant. Chris had always been part of Fort Alpha and was another experienced soldier, a more experienced soldier than Roy and Longday.

Chris kept both a Bible a Koran and various other religious books. Even when everybody else believed the man was a little sick upstairs due to his weird manners and the habit of constantly keeping to himself, Roy would always tell how he understood the guy and that there was nothing really wrong with him; and would sometimes engage in up to an hour of meaningless conversation with the man.

Corporal Roy Jefferson was that kind of person who nearly got along with everybody he came across. His hairy face which always needed a regular shave steadily maintained a soft smile...even when he wasn't smiling.

"Psycho Chris." that was what the boys down at Fort Alpha called Christopher Cornwell when they were sure he wasn't hearing. Chris owned a secret hand book he called "Death-log" in which he kept accurate record of every single magazine he had ever fired in all his life as a soldier. And number of men, women, and Covenant he had ever killed. While he never recorded any daily events, he called it his "diary".

The second man next to Christopher on that other bench was Private Hagen Simons who was the only marine seated in the Pelican who was not of Fort Alpha. Simons was a UNSC direct recruit, and a fresh-boy.

He was recruited from one of the inner-colony worlds which were yet un-invaded by the Covenant. Rather than experience, luck had managed to bring him this far. He survived the Covenant boarding parties on the Pillar of Autumn, and was one out of two marines who were the only survivors of escape pod 443B1.

While Hagen was already on the UNSC fortress world, the men from Fort Alpha had been flown in not less than six months before they were told about an important top ranking mission to capture a Covenant ship with the aid of an Elite Spartan task force in other to find the coordinates of the alien home planet.

They were going to be among the four hundred plus marines to go with the Pillar of Autumn to embark on this mission; which had the entire Fort Alpha unit which was originally a squad of twelve men, to be joined to the Pillar of Autumn's combat team Vector.

All was set and the mission was to kick off in a couple of days but a surprise attack by the Covenant on the fortress world, REACH, greatly interrupted plans. And not only did Fort Alpha company loose nine soldiers during that attack, but all the Spartans which were for the mission were lost.

And according to current reports, every single Spartan on Reach was killed by the Covenant, except for one: Spartan 117 Master Chief. The super soldiers were more of weapons or things rather than people---if they could be termed like that, because they were never called by name.

They were going to meet with this Spartan on their current mission; they were actually on their way to be deployed within a Covenant cruiser which currently held Captain Jacob Keyes, Captain of the Autumn, to serve as additional reinforcement for the Spartan 117 who was already engaged in a rescue mission.

While Fort Alpha unit managed to defend their sector on the Pillar of Autumn as much as they could, and the order to begin boarding the pods was given, they managed to make it into the same pod and had held together from that time until now.

Their Pod had crashed in the midst of a rockslide on a region of the strange ring-world. The pod 446B8 had been piloted by Pilot Lieutenant Joshua Tommasi. The landing was successful but there was one casualty. One out of two other marines who were separated from their combat teams in the battle within the Autumn, whom was a sniper named: Sergeant Jeremy Lincoln.

Together with Tommasi and the other separated marine who was named: Edmond Takayaki, who had survived, the men of Fort Alpha tried to radio and see if there were any survivors close to their crash site and if a regrouping was already being organised.

Radio was down and it was not long after their crash before one of those funny U shaped Covenant drop-ships began deploying a search and destroy party at their position. The shooting was intense, but the outcroppings and boulders in that area had made for good cover and hiding. The popping of human weapons and whooshing of Covenant artillery lasted for almost an hour but the human team was on higher ground and had made efficient use of that advantage.

By the time they were through eliminating the first group of Covenant, they were seriously short of ammo; and the next thing they saw to their disheartening was the landing of another drop-ship, and more Covenant approached their position. They had thought that it was the end for them considering the number of Covenant troops and the fact that they had nothing more to shoot at them with.

They tried again but radio was still down. It was when they had fallen short of hope that the roaring engines of a warthog sounded in the distance. First Sergeant Brad Evermoore, leader of Fort Alpha unit, handled his binoculars and took a look. "We finally get back up," he had said in relief. "Two marines and..." he had to pause in surprise before he completed: "A Spartan."

The marines of Earth's Fort Alpha division had heard stories of the Spartans and how effective they were in combat but had never witnessed one in action; even on Reach where there had been a whole company of them. They did on this occasion. One of the marines on the warthog had been a sniper, and had taken out few of the Covenant before the rest took cover amidst the clustered boulders.

It was like watching a live movie as the men observed from their elevated position as the Spartan single handedly took out the remaining Covenant with jaw-dropping efficiency. They never said much those cyborgs. When he was done, he simply asked if there were any incapacitated, then radioed for evac by help of the Pillar of Autumn's shipboard AI.

Even as the men boarded the Pelican by the time it arrived, they still watched in earnest admiration from the cargo-bay as the Spartan made off in the warthog still accompanied by the two marines, in search of more survivors.

The Pelican had flown the men of Fort Alpha unit to a temporary command post where the regrouping was already taking place. The place was a huge futuristic structure of some sort but was among the smallest scattered all over the ring-world.

The place was filled with marines, wounded marines, supplies and vehicles and ammo and every possible thing they must have needed; for the most part, food. For the first time they were surprised at how fast those pelicans could easily move troops and supplies.

The men later did some refreshing and finally got some rest but there was hardly sleep in the eyes of anyone that night, considering the devastation that was witnessed on Reach, and on the Pillar of Autumn. Report came in early the next morning that the entire Command crew on the Pillar of Autumn, along with Captain Jacob Keyes who managed to perform a salvaged landing of the Halcyon-class cruiser, had been captured by the Covenant.

A rescue team was immediately dispatched and before long it was reported again that not all of the command crew was captured. A large group of the Autumn's command crew was eventually rescued at a location where the Covenant was overpowering them in another one of those large structures where they took refuge. The Captain and a few others were reported to have been the ones already captured by the Covenant and most likely already held within a Covenant cruiser.

A few hours before nightfall the exact cruiser was located in which the Captain was held. According to reports, the aliens called it the Truth and Reconciliation. Fortunately it was not in orbit but on surface. A team of marines along with the Spartan embarked on a rescue mission. By nightfall they had succeeded in boarding the alien cruiser.

Everyone had expected something of the nature when report came in that of all nine marines that managed to board the ship with the Spartan, none remained alive.

The present situation described that the Spartan was currently having a difficult time inside the cruiser and needed reinforcement. That was when First Sergeant Brad Evermoore stepped up to state that the marines of Fort Alpha regiment were willing to carry out the task, being that the Spartan had saved their lives the day before. All the men were glad to hear that they got the opportunity to fight alongside the Spartan 117 Master Chief.

But as the Pelican soared through the night sky heading in direction of the Covenant ship, the marines seemed to do a lot of musing. Doubt and nervousness suddenly began creeping in. Being deployed within a Covenant cruiser could be compared to dropping a slice of cheese into the swarming bowels of an anthill. The men of Fort Alpha were definitely wondering if there was anyway they were going to make it out alive. They wondered what their chances were.

It might not be so perilous a task for the Spartan considering the fact that he managed to stay alive when every other marine was dead. For them it was different. The mission suddenly seemed like a suicide run. Longday knew it was exactly the same thoughts which ran through his mind that equally crept through that of his mates. The unnerving silence spoke it all.

For many of them the past hours was their first time coming face to face with Covenant. Too many deaths had they seen in the past say—sixty hours or so. Reach was completely destroyed before their eyes. The statistical four humans to one Covenant infantry-combat loss-rate was made clear to them in those past hours. Corporal Pete Longday remembered the first Covenant he encountered. He couldn't actually remember what he felt at the instant sighting of the ruthless monster.

It was an Elite. Combat team Vector had assisted in securing one of the lower decks. The alien boarding-crafts would first rock the ship on impact before they activate their anti-matter charge and melt a hole in the hull. Fort Alpha Company had stuck together and they had waited with other marines in front of one of the first boarding crafts to hit that deck.

The moment the aliens had cut a hole in the ship and began to emerge, one of the marines of Vector group had greeted them with a grenade which erupted tearing grunts in many bits before they could be seen, and letting up a shrouding smoke.

Just at the clearing of the smoke an Elite was the next thing that emerged. Longday only remembered the hairs on his body shooting up, then a blend of nervousness and anger followed, before he opened fire with the rest of the marines. They were able to outnumber and take that group by surprise but other boarding parties had already made it onto the deck.

The bloodshed that took place on the Autumn was enough to weaken the hardest of hearts. Longday had seen Elites grab men and toss them against walls like pieces of furniture, twisted necks, and cracked skulls when the marines suddenly bumped into them at a corner. Even when unarmed the aliens were a lethal enemy.

Considering a mission within a Covenant cruiser just made it clear you were dead. Londgay could bet that some of the men were already whispering some last prayers and reconciling with God, just in case they didn't get the chance again before their deaths.

Seeing so many human beings die at the same time always changed a soldier's mood and general view of life. The thought that would linger in your mind for the days to follow would be just what happens after a man's death. You begin remembering the things the religious people always said about the soul, heaven and hell.

But Longday wondered if hardened soldiers like Sergeant Evermoore who never showed any signs of being human, ever gave thought to such things.

First Sergeant Brad Evermoore though a veteran soldier, had never done any fighting against the Covenant before now. He had been part of the regiment that fought against rebels in the frontier worlds for over a decade. Even Sergeant Brad had just killed his first aliens in the past hours. But killing those Covenant bastards was different. You didn't feel the slightest pinch of remorse.

It was satisfying for Longday, peppering the last Elite he had killed with rounds of his MA5B till the darn face was just a ruin of purple blood. He knew he had never killed a man with that much prejudice. He had been waiting long years to pour some led into the alien freaks.

Sergeant Evermoore had been in the pelican's pilot cabin, and presenyly made his way out. The dim lights of the troop-bay caused the Sergeant's cap to cast a shadow over his face. "Alright you sons of bitches, this is the hour when we got really callous," he said in his slow husky tone. "We don brought the fight to their doorsteps! We're gonna let the bastard aliens realize they picked a fight in the wrong end of the galaxy. We're gonna let them know that detaining a Captain of ours is an awful lot of disrespect that deserves some serious discipline!" He paused and took a watch of their faces one by one from one bench to the other.

Sounding rather drunk as he always did, the Sergeant went on: "You know, I consider myself the only soldier with balls enough to carry out this mission, but then I look at your faces, and I just feel sorry. Hell look at all the goddamn grim countenances I'm surrounded by. I feel awfully sorry for those alien bastards; cos I know they're gonna get the darnest severest whooping of their ugly extraterrestrial asses tonight!"

Evermoore ran a hand beside his ear. "I didn't hear you sissies!"

"Hoo ah!" They all hollered.

The Pelican roared through the star dotted night sky on its jet engines, and the giant one-kilometer long Covenant cruiser which hung above a plateau of the desert region of the immense ring-world glared mightily ahead, dwarfing the Pelican even from the distance.

The Shipboard AI could be heard as the Pelican's COM crackled to life, "Cortana to Echo 419. The shuttle bay door is open. You can start your approach."

"Roger Cortana, Echo 419 inbound."

One factor kept Pete Longday positive; if they had survived all the other dangers, they were hopefully going to survive this.

CHAPTER ONE

They call me demon



"Supreme commander," an Elite Minor mentioned, standing near the access doors. Enoree Orreius stood before a holo panel, observed the giant view screen some paces away. Covenant cruisers dispersed, the giant ring shimmering in the blackness of space. The Supreme Commander kept silent a while before he said: "You may speak."


"The humans have managed to board one of our cruisers. The truth and reconciliation."
"The ship that holds the human captain?" the Supreme Commander asked.
"Yes, Supreme commander."
"Hmm." He turned around. "How daring...so they are bold enough to attempt a rescue. And the demon, is he with this troop?"
"Yes, Supreme commander. And our crew of the truth and reconciliation confirm that two Lekgolos are already eliminated by his hand."


Supreme commander Orreius scoffed, and spoke with that tone equivalent with him loosing his temper. He waved a hand toward the screen. "Look what I have out there? The entire daunting fleet of particular justice. Tell me beloved Iron heart; do I have to send every single vessel down upon the sacred ring?"


"No, Supreme commander."
"No? Then tell me why such information as this should be brought to me?" He turned about again, shook his head while he strode toward the screen. "This is an unacceptable level of incompetence. I want you to leave now, and tell Ship Master Kaziska that if he does not handle situations rightly, I personally will stuff a grenade down his throat if ever I am compelled to leave my station."


"Yes, supreme commander." The Elite whirled to make away. "Wait!" the Supreme commander ordered. "I learnt that repairs have been completed on the ship."
"Yes, Supreme Commander."

"Then it is to make for orbit immediately...with the demon still onboard. I want all issued objectives unquestioningly nullified as of now. At least that will not be too hard a thing for Kaziska to perform."
"As you command, Supreme commander." The doors shifted close at his departing footsteps as the Elite minor left.


2


Master chief tumbled into the corridor, plasma rifle searing in his grip. "Are you sure you're okay chief?" repeated Cortana's piping tone within his helmet. "I'm alright," said the chief as calmly as he always would, but the strain in his voice could not be denied this time around. He dragged himself to sit, leaned against the bulkhead.


Even though the Mjolnir armor was fitted with temperature regulation, inside of the Mark five suit presently felt like it was on fire. That plasma grenade almost tore him to pieces, though it did just that to the two Covenant Major Domo Elites. "Just need a moment to recharge," he said.


"Um, in my opinion chief that's one moment we don't happen to have. More guards are headed this way."
The chief blew a weak grunt, lifted to his feet. "How far are we from the brig?"
"About two floors away. Sergeant Evermoore and the others are currently one floor below our position. Coming through the north rout we can converge with them at the cross section just behind the last door on the opposite side of this corridor. We could do with any form of reinforcements right now."


The chief turned briskly at the shifting sound of the access door behind him, pointed his plasma rifle in the same motion. That weapon had come in handy so far, after he lost his MA5B assault rifle in a frightful battle against those twelve foot Hunter aliens.


A pull of the trigger confirmed exhausted batteries. Two furious Elites emerged. Master chief was quick to throw himself behind a com-device just to the right. Lying almost at every corner, he wondered of what use those strange structures served in this Covenant ship; for him it had been serving for good cover so far. One positive thing for now was that his shields were coming up and the inside of the suit was beginning to normalize.


But did they notice his useless weapon? If they did, things just got really ugly. He couldn't sprint the full length of this passage to the next door without getting fried. To the right was the un-girded space: a long fall back to where this climb had begun. A fall also high enough to crush the very human bones that hid within that mark five suit.


To his left was the oddly purple stretch of bulkhead. "We have to act fast Chief," said Cortana. Spits of plasma fire flashed past his shoulders next. Then nothing...He wondered...hesitated, and tried to catch a glimpse of what the aliens were about. More plasma shots almost met his visor as he quickly withdrew. The door on the far end before him abruptly hissed open and more Covenant emptied into the large square shaped area. "Oh my chief, they're trying to corner us"


"We have you cornered demon!" bellowed one of Three Elites who just entered. The chief was an open target for them but they had not fired. "Ship Master Kaziska will take you alive," The Elite continued, gesturing for two jackals to proceed toward the chief. "Only if you heed such instructions as will be given you now."


The jackals shields were activated with a loud sizzle, to protect them in their overly tentative advance. The Elite that spoke seemed to be of higher rank, John noticed, than the other two who flanked him, as well as the two who remained behind him. "You will gently stretch out your hands demon! First I will need for you to lay down every weapon such as you currently posses!"


Master chief, placing his gaze on the approaching jackals tapped against the Covenant com-device with his fingers and asked, "How much do you think this thing weighs Cortana?"
"What...you mean the--Ah, you can heft it chief, if that's what you're thinking."


The approach of the jackals got more gingerly with their nearing. The chief suddenly threw the plasma rifle in the air and in that same instance when it forced their attention; he whirled, picked up the com-device. It served for mobile cover as he ran back at the other two Elites. Their plasma rifle bolts fizzled and sputtered against the hard surface.


The door opened once again to receive one of the Elites in his backward flight. Master chief had launched the structure at them, and the other dived aside to escape the missile. Master chief received minor blasts against his back from the other group, flung himself in motion to slide forward on both knees.


He now deftly caught two spinning plasma rifles in the air, which had belonged to his victim of the com-device attack. He released bolts of his new weapons to fry the face of the acrobatic Covenant who was still at point of getting up. Master chief rolled sideways and into the door, in avoidance of the rain of assault that issued from behind.


The barrage fizzled and ricocheted off the door as it slid shut. Facing the closed door, he lifted himself to balance on one knee, weapons clutched tightly and hanging near his visor. "Wow Chief, that was some applaudable choreography," Cortana said.
"Thanks," Chief replied.


A moan that sounded more of a rumble suddenly noised behind. The master chief tendered some no-look blasts in that direction for it to fade into a monstrous gurgle. It was the knocked out Elite who tried to recover. And the chief just saw to it that there would be no future recoveries. Cortana chuckled. "What's so funny?" Master chief asked.
"It's the way you defy the Covenant."
"They call me demon, Cortana. I'm just trying to live up to that standing."


3


As though making himself part of it, First Sergeant Brad Evermoore edged himself against a wall. Four marines in like manner lined beside him. Of seven marines deployed by the pelican upon the Covenant shuttle-bay as additional reinforcement, that was what presently remained. The journey to this point had been bitter.


Mostly for Pete Longday, who seemed a little impatient settling behind cover just next to Sergeant Evermoore.

Sergeant Johnson's words came back to him: 'All you Leathernecks that wonna get up close and personal with Covenant, today's your lucky day. But I bet you might not entirely enjoy the experience when the fun and games really begin.


You didn't have to die Roy, Longday thought. you didn't have to die on me like that.

CHAPTER TWO

Dreams in detention


The restraint cords secured them with a firm clasp against their seats as the Pillar of Autumn's bridge crew, most of them face grimaced, teeth tightly gnashed, hoped that the Captain's indomitable decision was not going to get them all killed. The continued rumbling quaked and shivered the Halcyon-class warship's interior, frantic voices hurtling in terrified hysteria. A sudden elongated "boom", which gave off a most severe reverberation, spoke an abrupt end to their salvaged landing. First there was silence all over, alarmed faces calmed...before shouts of relief and victory abruptly took up the entire bridge.

Like a giant whale washed ashore by a strong tide, the Pillar of Autumn battered and shaken, sat upon an extensive desert region of the immense ring world. So momentous was the shimmering of the sun which glinted off the ships beat-up hull. Smoke danced from the sandy mound formed at the lower sections of her to float into the grey sky. "We made it captain, no reports of any casualties from the crash," bridge officer Leonard said.

"Of course we did," Captain Jacob Keyes replied, trashing the loosed cords aside to rise to his feet. "But this is no time for celebrations. You don't suppose the Covenant entirely forgot about us the moment we plunged into...this thing's atmosphere. We'll have Covenant vessels crawling all over this position in little time."

The Captain commenced a stride toward the console which faced Leonard and two other officers when he added: "We're more on the safe side now that Cortana's been separated from the Autumn. Protocols are in check and since we're sure that the Autumn is undoubtedly crippled, the main subject of the moment will be how we can keep every remaining personnel alive and away from reach of the enemy, before any next line of action can be resolved. So wha---"

"Multiple Covenant vessels incoming on our position sir!" officer Beason shrieked over his shoulder from the opposite end of the room. "Um, sorry to interrupt you sir."
"How many?" Captain Keyes easily asked, turning to have view of the bridge-officer. Beason returned his gaze to his console wide-eyed. "Um, about...there's just too many of them sir. The size of drop ships."

"And that's what they are. Either they are here to finish off whatever's left of us, or they intend to take prisoners." The captain swerved his calm-gaze back to officer Leonard, continuing with that ever untroubled tone he was known with: "Leonard, We're abandoning ship. Everyone."


"Understood sir," curly haired Leonard agreed.
"How many flights do we have left in the hangar?"
"Oh, more than enough sir. Apart from two pelicans that left the ship when we leveled into the pseudo-planet's atmosphere, no other aircrafts have left the Pillar of Autumn, and that should leave us with eight other Pelican drop-ships."

"Good. Can we by any chance make contact with those two crafts?" The Captain asked.
"I'm afraid not sir, COM systems are still down."
"Very well, I want everyone assembled at the vehicle chambers, double time."
"Right away sir," Leonard responded, before he whirled to speak into the central intercom.

Captain Keyes stuck his pipe in mouth before he began toward the bridge exit, but withdrew it shortly. "Anderson," he called, stopping near to another console.
"Sir!" a man rose to salute.
"I want you to take four other men with you and head to the armory. I want all my people armed with weapons."
"Yes sir."
"And... are there yet any marines left aboard this ship?"
"No idea sir."

The Captain whirled to be looking at Leonard's corner again, while Anderson scuttled off. Leonard's voice was already ringing around the whole ship at this point. "All remaining personnel should immediately proceed to vehicle chamber for immediate evacuation." The bridge got a little rowdy with officers abandoning their stations and heading for the exit. Keyes allowed Leonard do his job, and looking to his right, noticed Beason already on the move. "Officer Beason."
The man saluted: "sir!"


"I understand that Sergeant Johnson went with one of the life boats. But are there any marines left aboard the Autumn?"
"Yes sir. Sergeant Scofield and his team helped defend against boarders in second grid 0144 of the second deck and are still in that sector. Can't explain how they survived the crash without restraints, but I guess they should be on their way to the hangar by now."

"Okay. You can be on your way, that's all I needed to know." Following toward the door with a casual gait, Keyes delved into the privacy of his thoughts. Reach is obliterated. The painfully nurtured Spartans bitterly lavished. The one ship assigned to my command, downed. This is a dreadful nightmare. I pray to God that these aliens do not by any means locate Earth. I guess I have to an extent performed my role in making sure that does not happen. The Cole Protocol has been fully achieved. It all lies in the hands of our last Spartan to keep it that way. But I trust John. As for these aliens; they seem to be getting too confident in militarily engaging we humans. I'll make sure they get a taste of what if feels like to underestimate humanity. Even if it has to end this way for me and my crew. Oh yes, they'll know they ran into a dog-headed human Captain.

"Captain!" a voice shook him back into awareness. He was already past the first two corridors presently. The man that spoke was a sweaty Marine. He had saluted, and trailed beside the captain shouldering his rifle. "We are experiencing a major problem sir. Both routs to the upper vehicle chamber have been blocked off by an explosion. We only have access to the main hangar bay. Which means that we can't currently gain access to any aircrafts."
"When did this happen?"

"I don't know sir, but we can clear the path by hand, just that it'll take a while."
"You have to see this Captain," another man said, who was dressed in the grey of an engineering officer and stood not many feet before the approaching men. He was peering through a view window. Captain Keyes reached and stood beside him to have a look. He observed, still casually.

He had been listening to the intercom repeat the message, "enemy inbound," but did not expect this. An array of Covenant drop ships already lined around the Pillar of Autumn. "Just how fast are these Covenant?" Keyes muttered to himself. He turned around and told the Marine who stood behind him:

"You can see how little time we have soldier, get a move on, and divert everyone going towards the upper chambers." The soldier nodded, made to hurry away. "One more thing," the Captain called. "What's the exact count of your squad, Corporal...?"
"Corporal Philips sir. We should be twelve in number."
"Corporal Philips, your job is to make sure everyone is securely in that hangar in the quickest time possible. And I expect to meet your commanding officer there for more orders."

"Right sir." And he trotted off. The other man equally hurried away at that command, before Keyes stared out again. He observed the rising spire in the distance. He didn't know what that structure was or served, but that was their destination. It was the closest thing to the crash site and he hoped it would make for momentary camp while he tried to reorganize his troops, but mostly that it was not some kind of automated military base.

He simply hoped it was as deserted as it appeared, and even if they had to fight an entire Covenant war fleet, they would give a better fight upon a facility that huge.

Captain Keyes' guiding of his eyes downwards, revealed that the Covenant drop ships, long ramps thumping open, were already emptying troops which Jacob Keyes observed most of them disappear against the Pillar of Autumn's sprawling shadow. The Captain better understood the urgency required of this evacuation as he continued along the corridor in muse.

He soon noticed the horrible sight. Fires scorched here and there; human, Covenant corpses sprawled all over the place. Those freaks bled blue and purple, and mingled with human crimson, had the foul thing splattered over bulkhead and floor of almost every corner made by the Captain.

In about ten minutes later, Keyes' shoe-steps clanged lightly against the slanting floor which joined the hangar's main access hatch. All eyes were pointed at him, of marines and officers grouped below. They all saluted in a manner that did not by any means synchronize.

Hands folded behind back, the captain reached to be standing before them in the hugeness of the vehicle chamber. The crew noticed that he first arrowed a brief glance at the noses of the aircrafts which gaped from their high hung platforms.

With just the LRVs accessible here in the lower sections around them, they wondered what the Captain's intention was. "Is this everyone?" They seemed quite small in number that it dismayed Keyes, but he hoped that most of the rest of his crew would be eventually numbered with those that exited in the life-boats rather than the dead.

"No sir, Captain!" Sergeant Scofield exclaimed, emerging from the right where the marines were better orderly positioned. "Then who's left out?" Keyes asked.
"We're right here sir!" another voice sounded, tangled with multiple boot-steps that hurried down the tilted entrance. All turned to note bridge officer Anderson's entrance, with four additional men who shouldered packs just like he did. "Good job Anderson," Captain Keyes said, before he gestured a hand at the floor. "Lay em right here."

The five men were all sweaty from hauling those packs all the way from armory. They let the bulky packs slip from their shoulders to the ground with followed thumps, after which they proceeded to join behind the lines. It was then that Officer Leonard equally arrived, stomped down the entrance. Keyes briefly noticed the final arrival before he turned to Scofield. "Sergeant, I want everyone armed ASAP, lets see what we've got there."

Scofield briskly fled to squat before the packs and giving up a sharp whiz, the first pack was unzipped by the Sergeant's quick fingers; fingers that may have gained their quickness from a life time's hasty shifting of rifle trigger. The stone jawed and narrow eyed marine gathered contents of the bag in both hands. "M6Ds MA5Bs."

He dropped his first picks and rummaged for more, lifted them into sight and added: "A few frag-grenades, and lots of ammo."
Captain Keyes retrieved his peek from the open pack, said: "That looks like enough to go round to me." He tried to search out Anderson at the rear of the lines. "Officer Anderson, why on Earth did you think these other packs necessary?"

"Rocket launchers sir!" Anderson hollered from his position. "And rocket launcher ammo." At this point, Sergeant Scofield was already done unzipping one of the extra packs. "Rocket launcher," he said, looking up at the captain with a slight grin. "Hmm," The Captain went. "Excellent job Anderson, we might just be needing that much fire power. Have three of your men handle those weapons immediately Sergeant."

"Kelly!" Scofield shouted. "Mathew! Jackoby! You heard the Captain, get moving!" three marines abruptly broke the lines to scramble forward. While the three obeyed that command, freeing the M19SSMs from their leathery coverings, Sergeant Scofield stretched a hand to again reach for the first pack which he had budged to his side.

He handled and shoved it to the right such that it slithered on the smooth floor to brake in front of the file of remaining marines. The Sergeant straightened, looked to the line of soldiers as though checking to see the most suitable men for the task. "Roy! Mackenzie!" he waved a hand. "Double time, make these cakes go round."

They were quick in parting the queue and hefted the bag in no time by the two straps which they tugged apart to make it gape. Both men meddled through the lines lifting the pack in that manner, while multiple hands consecutively snatched at weapons of choice, with the exception of those already armed from the previous Covenant attack.

Sergeant Scofield looked behind just to satisfy himself with the fact that his boys as fast as lightening, already heaved the cumbersome rocket launchers against their trained shoulders. As the distribution of weapons went on, Jacob Keyes raised his face to catch sight of the gathered crew. "Alright, listen up people," he began.

"We've got bands of the enemy out there already thinking up a way to access the Autumn." The Captain had dabbed an explanatory thumb at the thatch of bulkhead behind in making that point. "And I don't consider it to have been a very difficult task for them even while we were in space. That should show you just how much time we have, to make a hurriedly planned exit."

He sent a gaze at the high flung crafts again. "As I suppose you all know, all routs to the aerial vehicles were blocked off in the Covenant's internal assault of the Autumn. So we'll have to somehow maximize the use of the LRVs, which is our only possible option in the present."

What sounded like a light and distant explosion noised on the outside, forced everyone to look in the seeming direction.

"The Covenant are already breaching the ship sir," Sergeant Scofield casually told the Captain. Keyes nodded, and went on rather too unperturbedly. "We'll have to be quick about this. I want..." he paused to observe and make estimations. "The best hands with the wheels; have ten LRVs lined in front of the deployment hatch ASAP. The rest of you, lock and load, we've got Covenant blood to spill."

Like a school of fish suddenly startled by a voracious predator, the lines abruptly dispersed. Apart from the marines, most of the other men gathered around the gun-pack for extra ammo which they stiffly tucked into their belts and pants.

The land-vehicle-deployment hatch was such that it slanted not just on this inner path but after the level platform facing the door upon which the vehicles were now lined, another slant followed and would be revealed the moment the outer ramps drop and the hatch is thrown open.

So wide was the deployment hatch that even after ten LRVs were stationed horizontally on its level platform, it still held enough space for at least half a dozen more. Captain Keyes approached the thrumming vehicles making it up the tilted path. Having handed his personal M6D pistol to the MJOLNIR armored Master Chief, the Captain now equipped himself with another of that preferred weapon of his.

Behind him was Private Jackoby who heaved one of the heavy rocket launchers along. Keyes' estimations were strikingly accurate, for apart from Jackoby and Corporal Philips whom he ordered to roll up an eleventh warthog, all other LRVs were occupied and no crew member was left out. More faint booms suggested that the Covenant were already gaining access to different sectors of the ship.

Captain Keyes stopped in front of the hatch's manual release lever, turned to refer to the armored vehicles arrayed to his right. "I hope everyone got this right. Even though we can assume that the Covenant do not have an idea of what we're about, the moment I release this door, we equally don't precisely know what we're going to be faced with out there.

"Nevertheless let us all try our best to keep focused on the main objective... And give em hell while we are at it." The captain thought he heard a silent "hoo ah" by a marine. "In my opinion people," he carried on, "the Covenant have pushed us too far. And for all I know, we did not manage to land this ship just to be obliterated by some offensively ugly aliens!" Some of them still possessed spirit high enough for a low chuckle.

Jacob Keyes unusually spoke loudly and passionately as he added: "So we aren't giving up just yet!" The Captain's words were stressed such that it reminded Sergeant Scofield of a preacher he once listened to in his childhood days on Earth. "The freaks may be more in number," Keyes continued. "But their gathered wits cannot by any means be compared to that of any human within this hangar."

The Sergeant better positioned himself, rifle in hand and battle ready in the passenger seat of the first LRV looking as ready to kick Covenant butt as he ever would. Behind him, a bridge officer gripped the turret with a determined hold nodding in approval of the Captain's words. Even if they were not courageous enough earlier on, the ardor that streamed with Captain Keyes voice came a long way in helping achieve that now.

The additional vehicle rumbled up the path to brake behind Sergeant Scofield's ride and near to where the Captain stood. Keyes concluded as he pulled the lever: "And the most imperative command that I shall issue you this hour soldiers...is that you stay alive! Let us go soldiers, for REACH!" and unlike Captain Keyes it was loud; so loud that it echoed in the hugeness of the hangar bay. "For REACH!" they all shouted in response, guns and fists flailing in the air.


A cast of natural light flashed from below to meet their faces as the lengthy hatch groaned apart. Captain Keyes and Jackoby whom he waved along, were quick to join Philips in the last LRV while the others were already barreling down the slope headed towards the lowered outer ramp.

The coalescing of many vehicle engines roared at the hangars hollow interior. The first warthog to thump the sandy ground was Sergeant Scofield's. The vehicle's shocks recoiled and rebounded but the bobbing did not stop Scofield from picking off two Covenant grunts to the left flank as the vehicle careened under the Pillar of Autumn's great shadow.

He heard the deafening turret above his head as it crackled shots that knocked protesting Covenant ground troops off their feet, fountains of sand sprayed by the mounted three-barreled machine-gun in the process. Other vehicles stumbled into the open field, which had Covenant ranks strewn all over it like insects come to feed on a substantial catch.

Turrets crackled, rifles rattled, while pistols banged at the enemy as the vehicles poured into the open. Covenant Grunts panicked, scrambled for unavailable safety. Elites defiantly fired back at the emerging LRVs unflinchingly taking fire against their armor. Of which many were leveled by the human assault.

Scofield twisted his neck further left, along the Pillar of Autumn's extensive hull, to notice Covenant drop-ships hovering at various positions, whom were vainly emptying more troops into the downed giant. Before them, about half a kilometer or so after the Autumn's shade, more drop-ships were docked whilst banshees patrolled the brilliant sunlit sky.

Naturally, the Covenant expected two things. Either the humans remained in their ship in fear of the enemy, which the aliens thought most likely; or they attempted an escape with their smaller troopships. They never anticipated this crazy move of ground vehicles hurtling across the sandy span. Nevertheless all Covenant attention was drawn to the LRVs now.

Sergeant Scofield's warthog made the lead as they managed to thunder past the Pillar of Autumn's dark shadow into brighter lit area where the sand seemed to dazzle from the sun's heated touch. One other LRV sped next to it, while the rest maintained a triangular formation behind.

Their heavy tires kicked up sand, had their quick passage engulfed in a trailing mass of shrouding dust. Presently they were free of any disturbance from those ground forces, who remained within closer proximity of the Pillar of Autumn. While they sped towards the docked drop-ships, banshees were already gathering from different angles, brushing through the sky to engage a pursuit.

Two banshees in particular had been the only ones hovering near to the docked Covenant ships and before the approaching human vehicles. They dived, approached head-on in the nearer sky and opened plasma fire. Plasma rounds shattered windshield of one speeding LRV before M19SSM rocket launcher projectiles fled from the herd to squeal toward the aerial assault aircrafts.

Preciseness of those shots met one banshee in the nose. The other was quick to veer off but lost one wing which turned its swerve into an uncontrollable reel. And it reeled out of sight of the warthogs which was a good thing because the other projectile-rammed banshee sent spinning fragments that whipped through the air lunging directly at the escaping LRVs.

The crew of Scofield's and another Hog which followed to their right ducked their heads in avoidance of what was more of an oversized spinning sword. Smoldering hot, the shrapnel halved the mounted turrets on both rides, cut both turrets and tore two gunners of the next LRVs in half who were the slowest to make an evasive move. Every other gunner dodged and the shrapnel disappeared into the dusty trail left behind by the rides, after it had destroyed five complete turrets and two men.

The rest of the shrapnel that lunged in their direction was small in comparison but were dangerously hot. One hissed past Scofield's ear. Some pierced into windshields and hung there like assassin darts, while some buried into shoulder and limbs of men who grunted at the pain.

A marine was the driver of one of the warthogs who lost their gunners: Corporal Raul. Raul tried to keep his eye on the road and at the same time urge the bridge officer who was seated next to him to make use of his rifle rather than cringe into the lower part of the car. "More fighter crafts, six o clock!" An engineering officer screamed from the next ride, tore off rounds of his rifle in the direction before others joined to make a deadly barrage.

"Make yourself and that weapon useful soldier," Raul growled. "We got more incoming!" The man finally got up to aim his rifle backwards just to witness that the gunner who had lost his torso still spurted crimson on the turret stand. He grimaced, more like one who was in some kind of pain, releasing the most awkward shots at the hastily approaching banshees.

At this point the Pillar of Autumn's crew was drawing nearer to the two docked drop-ships. The space between the two ships was wide enough to take all the LRVs in their V formation. Every gunner of the remaining three-barreled mounted machine-guns were scattering rounds at the pursing Covenant banshees. Of which the new arrivals were more careful to dodge, performed the most aerodynamically impossible maneuvers of avoidance ever seen by the humans.

Three out of what happened to be six banshees dived, closed in almost simultaneously. They fired their dual fuel-rod cannons. The first erupted near Captain Keyes' LRV which tailed behind and was not part of the formation. The impact lifted a great shower of sand and tilted the left side of the vehicle so that it continued a few seconds on two wheels before bouncing back into balance.

Shots from the other two banshees were aimed to the rear of the formation where it buried into the sand skimming the under side of one LRV. The LRV was thrown high into the air by that force. Like a piece of toy, the light reconnaissance vehicle was aloft and performed a sever spin forward, its shadow slowly flying past the other cars.

As for the banshees that dared come close enough for a fuel-rod attack, not all pulled up quick enough. Rocket launcher rounds from Corporal Kelly and Mathew tore two to shreds while the third already smoking black at its side from turret fire, was lucky to escape a last M19SSM projectile released by Jackoby which breezed wide. The exploding banshees blasted into pieces and tumbled away against the hurrying ground, and were not by any means a threat to the LRVs in this case since the attack came from behind.

The pilots of those two forward drop-ships must have been scrambling as quick as they could to make it to the guns the moment they sighted the LRVs because the U shaped Covenant drop-ships suddenly released huge bolts of scorching plasma from their top-guns, starting with the one on the right, then the one on the left wing. Wide-eyed, Sergeant Scofield threw his face backward waving an arm. "Break formation! Break formation!" the man screamed at the height of his vocals

Though Sergeant Scofield's driver swerved the vehicle to sway in avoidance of those deadly beams, it was too late for some of the LRVs. One took a direct hit that rained molten windshield into the driver's face. He screamed in agony, steered too hard to cause the vehicle to tumble violently sideways.

Their gunner was tossed into the air, hands flailing helplessly. The man's landing was greeted with one of the LRVs accidentally ramming him into oblivion. Other LRVs skewed around the tumbled warthog as it finally ended its crash upside down, tires spinning vainly; Just for another careless driver to slam into it causing both vehicles to go up in blistering flames.

The formation was broken and the humans made themselves more difficult targets swaying left and right like desperate bugs seeking a path out of a flaming maze. They showed their skills dodging those hellish spits of plasma beam that flared through the air in rapid bursts.

Corporal Mathew's hasty hands were deftly reloading his rocket launcher. The teetering of the LRV made it into a most difficult task. But he succeeded...balanced it upon his shoulders, took unsteadied aim, and slammed the fat trigger to send a missile whistling away. It struck into the top-gun of the left handed Covenant ship to completely neutralize that threat, leaving black plume that smoked from the severed spot.

While the other Covenant drop-ships were too far off to get a precise shot at them, it was just the drop-ship by the right that continued to rain hell at them. The vehicles neared the gap which separated both ships. Getting past that space would mean that they would only be faced with the banshees that stalked above.

It would be more like breaking through an enemy siege-wall in ancient Earth battles. But it was at that moment that the LRV which had been whisked into the air, which had gone spinning overhead of the other warthogs lifted by the banshee fuel-rod cannons, landed headlong in the exact middle of the gap with a dull clatter.

Scofield's LRV being the first tried to avoid but brushed past it, causing the vehicle to behave in the same manner as the Captain's ride from the earlier banshee attack. The difference being that Scofield's LRV continued on two wheels only for the briefest seconds before it somersaulted against the sand.

Other vehicles did good to avoid both crashed LRVs, whipping past in meaningful speed. Just as the remaining cars made it across the gap, Corporal Mathew released his last round of rocket launcher to pluck off the yet disturbing drop-ship gun that had been trailing their progress with frustrating spits of plasma fire.

They had made it across the gap. Their destination loomed before them as the speeding LRVs spat dust at the Covenant forces behind. An expansive super structure with an extensive spire which had some kind of beam extending from it. That was their hope for at least a good fight against the Covenant. It was all open desert from here on

As the dust of their passing cleared...a toppled LRV which had tumbled beyond the gap of Covenant drop-ships was revealed, tires spinning in poignant futility. A figure crawled into view from underneath. Sergeant Scofield bled from the nose, a bloody scar on his left temple; his left leg took on a sharp pain that told him just how damaged it must be.

His frail and trembling left hand clawed at the sand. After all that plummeting, the man had not lost grip of his rifle. His right hand maintained its clasp of the weapon as it reached across the sand. He winced, tried to pull himself into open ground. The pain in the left leg neared excruciating and Scofield grunted loudly, panted, and rested himself from the strain. He sent his gaze to the right, witnessed how hopeless his situation was by the distance his comrades had covered.

Scofield suddenly felt like life tried to force its way out of him. But then came that sound. He could never mistake it. He had heard the sound of those vehicles too many a times in his violent military life not to recognize it. The Sergeant was sure it was a warthog even though the sound echoed in his head. His mind surely did not deceive him as another LRV zoomed past his helpless self.

Sergeant Scofield tried to call for help but discovered his throat refused to function. And they had not noticed him. Swift shadows of three banshees one after the other fled past him in a woosh; Obviously in pursuit of his comrades. There was only one other option and he hoped it would work. He managed to raise the MA5B Assault Rifle's muzzle high enough to crack sweltering bursts into the air. Scofield hoped his comrades would hear that gunfire, hoped it would not be muffled by the loud sounding warthog...then collapsed.

If it was hours, minutes or mere seconds that had past the man could not tell, but felt both his arms grasped and dragged. That left leg offered a cruel pain as he felt himself finally pulled out from below the vehicle. He heard a man's voice asking: "Are you Okay, Sir?" and it sounded like Jackoby's. But there was no more strength left in his weary body. He opened his eyes and it was all blurry, but he noticed the human shape of two faces. He shut his eyes again, for keeping them open seemed to take so much out of him.

Captain Keyes threw Sergeant Scofield's right arm over his shoulders, curved his own arm around the man's torso. "Be careful with the legs," Keyes told Jackoby who hefted the man from the other side. The warthog thrummed standing about fifteen paces ahead of them. Corporal Philips impatiently glanced at them in his position of the driver's seat.

Both men scampered along the sand with Scofield supported against their shoulders, his dragged feet making a track across the sand. Perhaps Captain Keyes had purposely wanted his LRV to trail behind due to contingencies such as this. And now it seemed a reasonable idealist strategy. Jackoby had taken out one of the three banshees before they made the reverse on picking the sound of that rifle fire.

Captain Jacob Keyes knew that what remained of his escaping UNSC personnel could hold off two banshees till they got to their destination of that great spire which brooded beyond the waiting LRV. The plan had been that casualties might be incurred in the process of escape but that no vehicle was to stop for any what so reason.

And here was Captain Keyes breaking his own rule and putting more lives at stake. He disliked this soft part of him that always sprang up at times but allowed himself be overwhelmed by it nevertheless.

They were less than a meter away from their ride now, and Keyes thought he could hear Covenant forces behind them. Jackoby, even with the burden of a wounded marine upon his shoulders kept trying to glance backwards. They were there. Jacob Keyes reached out a hand to grab the upper fringes of the car..."Boom." A whitish-blue explosion tore at the LRV, threw the three men backwards.

In the next moments, Keyes opened his eyes to wince at a harsh sunlight that descended from a lingering sky. His breath heaved, rasped, and he thought he heard his own heartbeat. The silhouette figure of what was definitely not a man looked down at him. "Kill him," an acutely deep voice sounded nearby. "Kill them all." Keyes watched the barrel of an alien weapon come over his face. The weapon with a loud swoosh, released a substance over the Captain that felt as though the sun itself had descended from the sky to strike him with a heated palm...

Captain Jacob Keyes' eyes briskly shot open. He ran edgy hands over his face groping his fingers around it in frantic terror. Those anxious fingers went damp with liquid. He widened desperate eyes to look down at his outstretched palms only to realize it was perspiration. He was seated with back against a hard surface. Looking forward revealed a gleaming energy field. Keyes looked around and the realization of where he was flooded back into his mind. He took a breath of relief.

The Covenant detention cell was small and square shaped having that same dour purple color. And the shady confine was not even equipped with necessary nature-call amenities. It made the Captain wonder what the Covenant life was like outside the place of battle.

Keyes wondered for how long he had slumbered. My tired body seemed to get the better of me he thought. But that was not how it happened. Yes it was similar to the real experience but... He touched his face again. My face is not roasted... and I'm still alive. He suddenly remembered wounded Scofield being tossed into a cell opposite him. Keyes reached forward, peered out through the translucent gleam of energy field. Scofield was blissfully asleep in his cell and surprisingly his wounds somehow seemed to be catered for.

Surely there has to be a way out of this
Not without a fight
It can not end like this

Detention station main door hissed, approaching Covenant voices noised on the outside.



2

First Sergeant Brad Evermoore took another peek of the corner, turned to pass instructions to the marines. But Pete Longday whom was nearest to the Sergeant apart from the other three marines, paid attentive ears and at the same time heard nothing, for he was lost in deep muse. Thoughts swirled in Longday's despaired mind as the death of his friend in the past minutes kept recurring to him. They had lost Roy and simons to a wave of plasma shots that greeted their touchdown on the Covenant bay.

We had made it that far. I and Roy had been more than glad being sent on this mission as reinforcements for the same Spartan 117 who had saved our hopeless situation back on the rockslide of that grassy plain of this ring-world. Why did Roy have to survive all the battles against the Noruban rebels at the African excavation site of West Mutombo? Roy had learnt their language in less than a year that we served there, and had explained to me what the rebels always chanted whenever they engaged us in battle. "Leave the land of our fathers you devils sent of the beast." Roy had fought very well, and was always a better soldier than I am. Why then Roy, did you have to survive the boarders on the Pillar of Autumn? I actually concluded it was due to your luck that our life-boat managed to make a safe landing. You had survived the Covenant search and destroy party, Roy. Only to be fried by alien plasma bolts the moment we touched down in this Covenant ship. That is what I fail to understand. It happened just too easily. Just one instance and more than twenty one years of friendship ends before my eyes. What point is there in living on when one lost a friend like Roy? I'm a bloody bastard and a damnable orphan with no one to call family. I've just suddenly lost the nearest thing to family that I ever knew. Surely to me life has entirely lost its meaning.

Longday, even though he watched Sergeant Evermoore's lips move as they leaned against that wall, did not make out a single word of what his commanding officer said.

If only he had kept the ponder for a later time, he would have heard the man explain that the two hurrying Covenant Elites had just made it into the door of that next corridor, and that the plan was to stealthily trail them, for they were definitely headed towards the location of the Master Chief. And that their not noticing them to this point, meant that the Covenant must think they had eliminated all human reinforcements.

Sergeant Evermoore stole a final peep, waved the men forward to secure the next corridor. "Now, let's move it," he whispered. Longday was supposed to take point. Private Akindele who was next to him noticed he was not moving and nudged the marine forward with a jerk of his sleeve. "Come on snap out of it Longday."

Like a light bulb suddenly flicked on, Longday was once more alert of his surroundings. And the first thing he noticed was the Sergeants hands waving them into that corridor. He firmed the grip of his weapon and scrambled past Sergeant Evermoore into the corner.

The other three marines followed. They stumbled into and pointed their weapons in the directions necessary for securing the passage. But Longday was not stopping. They alarmingly watched the young man trot toward the closed door which quickly hissed apart.

Longday continued in his thoughts. The only life I know now is the one where I kill Covenant. And sure as hell I'm gonna kill me a lot of Covenant this day. The opened door revealed the two Covenant who were furious to notice the marine. They made to point their plasma rifles at him. Longday gave them a wicked grin, aimed his assault rifle at them.

CHAPTER THREE

Frantic corridors



I know what troubles you Longday, Private Akindele thought, immediately following behind his comrade who took point as they made into the corridor. But only if you knew how much I also have lost, not even to this war but to the most peaceful days in the most peaceful locations of the galaxy.

Corporal Pete Longday's oblong shadow against the forward bulkhead made for the right flank in accord with the marine, weapon pointed. Akindele knew his task was to watch the narrowness of the path which was their entrance. He whirled to slam back against that same spot from where Longday's shadow had fled. He watched Natoli fall in and make for the opposite flank.

Corporal Christopher Cornwell was next with poised assault rifle, who followed in the same direction as Longday to make two guns. "Too many damn doors and corners in this Covenant ship." Corporal Vincent Natoli whispered, aiming an M6D pistol at the door on the end of his wing, main weapon fastened to his back. The silent talk had drawn Akindele's gaze to point at the lanky and dark haired marine. Of which he withdrew it now to be aimed to his left just to notice a puzzled look on Chris's face whom stared toward the end of that other wing.

Private Akindele furthered his gaze along that section of the corridor, to notice Longday briskly trotting straight to the door and not half looking like he was stopping. "No," Akindele gasped, brushed past Chris to make after Longday who had so neared the door.

His heavy soldier boots stomped the ground as he closed in on the marine. The door drew open, Akindele managed to catch glimpse of the two Elites across Longday's shoulders. He dived, more out of instinct than any other thing. His shaved head was first to slam into his partner's hip section, followed by his arms which tried to curve around him.

For that thump against the waist to hurt Akindele's trained head so much told him that Longday would suffer some significant after pain. But the marine's life was at the moment a more important factor of consideration.

Akindele had heard Longday's weapon go off briefly. Both men crashed hard on the ground and Akindele was certain of that familiar sound of plasma bolts which swiftly traveled over their heads. Akindele rolled his body leftwards on the ground. He braked, lying on his left side, cocked his head upwards to have a tilted view of four large Sangheili legs hundred inches away.

Something had clattered against the ground during his roll. He saw that it was Longday's rifle, which now ended its distant skid near the alien feet. A feeling of rashness washed over Akindele all of a sudden, with the realization of how open a target they presently became for the aliens.

The marine's rifle was still tightly held in his right arm; he swung strong biceps, hoped he would be quick enough as he watched one of the Covenant plasma rifle muzzles begin to aim at him. Coalesced rattling that sounded from behind Akindele confirmed to be rifle-shots as dazzling energy abruptly worked around both Covenant body armors.

The Elites growled and returned fire in that direction, giving Akindele a chance to add to the hell already being unleashed on them. He opened fire.

At first he saw bullets clink and ring against the ground as they were briefly held off by the Covenant amour. Before he saw purple blood splatter against floor and bulkhead of the short corridor, his weapon still pulsing in his hands and delivering further damage.

One Covenant's crashing to the ground only caused the other to bellow in fury tossing away his overheated plasma rifle, and charging forward. He stopped before Longday, who Akindele for the first time noticed was unconscious. The Elite as though to deliver this final act with his last breath, absorbed weapons fire, raised a monstrous leg that made to crush Longday's head.

But rushing boot steps from behind was followed with what sounded like the wicked eruption of an M90 shotgun. That unfriendly weapon sent the Elite flying backwards to land some reasonable feet away from the oblivious marine. Akindele for the first time realized why Natoli preferred the short range weapon. He had argued the usefulness of such close quarter weapons with his friend in the past and didn't just see why any soldier would refer to a sidearm and shotgun as complete gear. All the battles Akindele had ever known before he joined UNSC had been against those rebels of Mutombo, whereby you had to take cover from enemy fire from a reasonable distance and return fire.

And as for pistols, he would normally consider himself half weaponless on a battlefield whenever he was left with just that toy-like weapon which always felt so tiny in his large hands.

Natoli offered him a helping hand which he grabbed and was pulled to his feet. He nodded his thanks. Natoli squatted over Longday resting his shotgun on a thigh and turned the collapsed marine over to check his pulse. "He's fine" he said, looking back at the approaching Sergeant Evermoore who changed magazines in his coming.

Private Akindele, assault rifle balanced on both hands, strolled toward the dead aliens. He sent a detestable kick to the head of one, cursed in his tongue, and spat on the corpse. "Enough of that already, Private," the Sergeant called out to him. "We don't want anyone else getting excessly emotional over the darn Covenant."

A despising scowl still hung on his face as Akindele withdrew, and that expression made it clear that he may have gone on to do more than just spitting on the dead Covenant. Perhaps emptying what remained of his clip on inert corpse just as Longday had needlessly done to the jackal that got Roy, may have to some extent brought satisfaction to the big man.

Chris' rifle still burned from the termination of the Covenant threat, which he pointed backwards now to watch their rear. "Alright, alert that marine and let's be on the move," Sergeant Evermoore told Natoli. "We probably have given away our position already."



2

Feeling more like an experimental specimen trapped in the cage of a mad scientist's laboratory, Captain Jacob Keyes stared out of the faintly droning containment field which made sure that he securely remained in his cell. The two Covenant that gazed at him seemed to be of rank. One was in gold and the other was in white armor; and they were deeply engaged in a discussion that he could not make anything of.

The way they moved those segmented mandibles told Keyes just how impossible it would be for any human to successfully utter the Covenant tongue.

"And what makes you think, Commander Reuzan," Ship Master Kaziska said, keenly watching Keyes: "That a thing so simple and doltish airs disparity among the human military ranks?"

"The humans have always behaved unpredictably, honored Ship Master," Commander Reuzan replied. "And I must mention that the data-brooders have stated it to be a confirmed human conceptualization. They are a most unpredictable race. In troop deployment, vessel engagement tactics, and every other possible thing one may imagine.

"Fabric upon the breast?" Kaziska mentioned, before he snorted. "Why would extra fabric upon the breast signify rank?"
He gave Keyes closer observation. Captain Keyes indifferently stared back at him. "This one looks so weak," Ship Master Kaziska said.

Kaziska looked to the next cell where Corporal Philips sat, who scowled at the aliens. "Perhaps I would have better believed if it were told me that this one was a Captain." He looked back at Reuzan who stood to his left. "Or what do you think Reuzan? I would consider it an interesting sight. How can a human so small have outperformed the bigger ones to earn the position of Captain?"

"I doubt if the human ranks are determined by honorable demonstrations."
Kaziska snorted again. "So glad are my of the fact that the Heirarchs have not chosen to offer these repulsive humans a place in the holy Covenant. I can hardly imagine myself battle side by side with such a repulsive race: For I even hold the Unggoy in higher regard."

He paused as one in thought, before he added: "Save for the demon of course. But his advance shall end within these chambers."

He turned to make toward the exit. "Let us be gone commander. The trap is well set." Following behind, Reuzan's alien countenance was taken in a surprised expression. "What trap if I may ask, honored Ship Master, do you speak of?"

Kaziska replied in his continued advance, gesturing with an arm: "You may withdraw your guards commander Reuzan." The other Sangheili stopped short at that statement. Kaziska expected the shock, but did not care to look back as he included: "You know how Razoor likes to work alone."

Reuzan's steps were quicker now as he tried to catch up. "If the demon can get past five of my choicest warriors, then he should no longer be considered a demon...but a god."

"I know Commander Reuzan, that you have defended the Truth And Reconciliation devotedly since the beginning days of our journey across the galaxies. But If the demon has outsmarted our defenses to this point," Kaziska said, knowingly avoiding the term "beaten". He stopped near to the exit, waited for Reuzan to be standing beside him again before he took peripheral glance of him and added:

"Would you then count it foolishness for me to entrust the duty of his destruction into the hands of a Blade Master?"
"Uhm--my apologies Ship Master," Reuzan obsequiously said. Kaziska told him in addition: "The Blade Masters are rare Commander, one to every Covenant capital vessel, and you know that."

Reuzan looked across his shoulders, and a bit let down, waved the guards out of the room. "Yes I do, honored Ship Master."

One of those arcade-like com-devices which stood at the left wing near the exit door beeped green. Reuzan made for it as the guards trotted past him and Ship Master Kaziska, door hissing open to receive their departure.

The bright light immediately lit against his face the moment Reuzan depressed the transmission button. "Commander Reuzan," the highlighted Covenant crackled. "Orders have just come in from the Supreme Commander; that the Truth And Reconciliation should make for orbit with the demon still onboard, and all issued objectives are to be considered terminated."

Reuzan shifted a confused expression to the Ship Commander. The sudden stiffness of Kaziska's face forced away his glance. Looking back at the on-screen Covenant, Reuzan nodded: "Understood. As the Supreme Commander commands, it shall be passed to the Ship Master immediately." The screen went blank again. Reuzan straightened and turned to the Ship Master not knowing whether to pass the information which he was sure he had also heard.

"You see, Reuzan," Kaziska said. "That is what I speak about. The demon has so far made me look foolish in the eyes of Supreme Commander Orreius."
"Now I understand, Noble Ship Master. Forgive my earlier foolishness."

Kaziska's turning to face the door was swift. Reuzan followed and they both proceeded through the exit. The next room was a wider space where more guards positioned at dutiful positions. In their continued stride, Kaziska told Reuzan, with a touch of anger in his tone: "Your guards Reuzan, your guards."

Even though the Ship Master did not look at him, Reuzan tried to hide the scowl that first crossed his face. Even the guards on the outside? Now they over rate these Blade Masters. He gestured an armored hand for their withdrawal. The guards scrambled in straight files to make for the next door.

Speaking the words aloud, kaziska growled: "Make it a painful death Razoor. I do not think we need him alive any longer." And to whom Ship Master Kaziska spoke...there was no form; neither was there a response.


3


Master Chief stripped off the fallen Covenant's grenade belt. He tugged out one plasma grenade into his gauntleted hand. "The Covenant don't look like they're relenting Chief," Cortana piped. "Motion sensors show more guards quickly making it to our position from this end."
"And the others are still out there?"

"Yes. And they've not given up the idea of flanking us."
Master Chief's hands moved deftly as he worked with haste and precision. He holstered the one he held and picked up the second plasma rifle which had lain on the floor. Plasma grenade in one and Plasma rifle in the other hand, he straightened and headed back toward the door where he had re-erected and positioned the com-device.

On nearing, he threw himself with back against the com-device, hardness of his metallic Spartan amour giving off a dull ram. Half crouched, in order to make sure he did not receive fire to the back of his head; he began to shuffle backwards, com-device grating ahead of the witty advance. Door drew open and they were in the next square shaped section.

Covenant artillery abruptly noised to fill the air. He could hear plasma bolts fizzle against the hard surface of his moving cover. Those most weird needler weapons also whistled loudly. The Spartan had acted with such haste that at this point he did not even know exactly what he was up to. He continued anyway.

He was not sure how lucky he was going to get this time, were more Covenant to empty through that forward door which he continuously backed away from.

Master Chief suddenly halted his advance. He remained behind cover. Probably in curiosity or caution, and remembering the demons earlier tricks, the Covenant seized fire...and there was silence.

Silence that also slightly unnerved the Spartan. But in that same fraction of a second the Master Chief realized their uncertainty. He briskly threw the plasma grenade overhead, knowing that the Covenant were sure to this time around, be in doubt of what exactly it was that traveled through the air. And he heard it bellowed by an Elite in what was probably Sangheili tongue; and the Master Chief was sure it must have meant GRENADE!

He swiftly allowed his full seven foot as he made out of cover, plasma rifle in both hands. The sight of both Jackals as they made off with activated shields on their heads almost caused Cortana to laugh. They were all 'flee', from the glowing ball on the ground.

Even the Elites, who made straight for the door behind them. Master Chief released heated spits of plasma that first took out both Jackals. Their armor dazzled of blue energy before the Elites made into the door. The grenade splayed in a flash of blue-white explosion.

Immediately after which Spartan 117 dashed toward the forward door. He rested back to the right wing of the spread of bulkhead upon which the door was wedged. He looked forward at the other door which was now somewhat distant. No Covenant yet. He edged closer to the door of his side. He knew he had to make it in there quickly but the Covenant would most likely have their weapons aimed and waiting for him to do just that.

What next? He had to think. He led his eyes to the far side of the room which was gapped by the glaring fall-space. He'd need wings or a rocket pack to make such a jump, and the corps did not issue him any. He had also looked down that un-girded space earlier, and knew how deathly a drop it was.

"Good run Chief," Cortana said. "But the other Covenant will be through that other door in a matter of minutes." Probably because she's just AI John thought. She doesn't realize how utterly annoying she can sound at times. "I'm trying to think Cortana," he responded, with the usual calm tone.
"Oh--sorry."

Just then, weapons fire sounded within the door where the aliens had taken cover. Human weapons fire. The familiar roaring of protesting Elites was followed by the door hissing open, and three Elites raging out of it.

They had it in mind that the Master Chief was still out here of course, and when they failed to see him along the corridor, turned to notice Spartan 117 leaned against the bulkhead. They made to point their weapons at him. The Chief reflexively rushed at them. His iron-hard helmeted head gave a dull thump against one of the Elite's armored chest. The Elite's rifle flew out of his hand from the impact.

The Master Chief still tried to maintain grip of his own weapons even with his arms wrapped around the Elites body. Spartan 117 displayed unlikely strength forcing that Covenant toward the un-girded fall-space, before the other two could fry his back as they intended.

Both the Chief and the rammed Covenant took an abrupt tumble down the gap.

CHAPTER FOUR

Spartan in a Tangle


Apart from the pain that throbbed at Pete Longday's waist, his aching head also felt like a different war was being fought within it. They had changed course on hearing weapons fire rise from a corner they had already gone past. Natoli and Akindele were on point as they headed backwards. Sergeant Evermoore was right in front of Longday, while Chris was in back.

Loosing radio contact with Cortana had made the task of locating his position quite difficult, but now they knew it had to be the Spartan Master Chief engaging Covenant forces. And they knew he needed their help. They were his reinforcement, and so far, since Foe Hammer deployed them upon the Covenant bay, they had not exactly carried out that purpose.

Longday kept resenting the fact that they didn't let him die back there. His current orientation was even worse and he knew it. It had been anger and hate; but presently it was sorrow and despair.

I'll still die anyhow, he thought. Me, Akindele...everyone. Why didn't they just let me die taking those two crater-faced Covenant with me? I even doubt if we'll make it outta here alive. Doesn't make any difference to me now, when or how a man died. Every man, soldier or not, is gonna die someday. And if we all die in this Alien ship today, it wouldn't make any difference. Neither would it have any effect on the course of the world. Things would just carry on without us.

"Hey, better keep it sane this time Longday," Chris's voice sounded from behind him as they continued. "If you're gonna throw your life away just because the covies got your friend, then...what about trying to stay alive so we can do damage to the enemy before they get us?"

They reached the corner and Akindele edged himself at the bend, the remaining marines leaning against bulkhead in a straight file next to him. He stole a peek. The passage was empty but a door stood at the end. "Damn it if you think that Roy was not equally my dude," Chris whispered on, watching only the back of Longday's head who did not seem to be responding to his talk.

"Roy was my friend also. And think about it Longday, what if he was able to contact you with a word from where ever the hell he is right now. What do you think he would tell you man. He'd beg you to stay alive. And that you'd be doing him the greatest favor doing so. He'd f***ing beg you to fight the damn covies for him. Stay alive Longday, and let's beat these aliens. Let's do it for Roy."

Longday finally turned his face to glare at Chris, and the look that sat on Pete Longday's face was one of surprise than anything else. For the first time Longday saw Corporal Christopher as a sane person. As well as he could remember, this was probably the first time the man ever directed a word at him, out of that silent nature. All of a sudden Longday seemed to be the one going paranoid and Chris was on the other end trying to talk him back to his senses.

Corporal Pete Longday's gaze remained on Chris a while more before he nodded, wiped his forehead with his sleeve. Chris put on a mean look, said: "That's more like it soldier. Let's give the bastard aliens hell for bringing down Roy, and every other marine we've lost so far, both on Reach and on the Pillar of Autumn."

Looking forward, Longday noticed the rest were not yet making the corner. He returned his attention to Chris and thumbed the safety of his rifle. "That's it Corporal Pete," Chris carried on. "Lets show em we aint called leathernecks for nothing. And you can be sure I got your back while we're at this man."

Just as Akindele thought of making it into the corridor, the door on the end of it slid open and three Covenant Elite stumbled into view. Akindele briskly withdrew his face. He looked back at Sergeant Evermoore. "situation?" the Sergeant quickly asked.
"We have three contacts sir."

He peeked again to see how near the aliens must have approached, but saw them crouched near to the door instead, and the dazzling energy that ringed around their armor told that their shields were recharging from fresh weapons fire. Returning his face, Akindele said: "And they look to be taking cover sir."

Private Akindele was more than pleased to see the Sergeant motion a hand for them to engage the enemy. Sergeant Evermoore had barely issued the order "Go!" before the marine stormed into the corridor, heard the others scramble behind him.

The Elites turned on picking up their boot-steps. The UNSC squad opened fire against them, weapons crackling and thundering as they advanced systematically. Quickly rising to their feet, their armor dazzled of bright alien energy as heated bullets hammered against it, and the nine foot aliens saw the barrage was too much for them to attempt firing back at the enemy.

They desperately whirled and hustled back into the door they had emerged from. The door slid shut after receiving them, causing the soldiers to swiftly increase pace so as to catch up. Akindele had managed to grab view of the room which the Covenant made into and thought he saw nothing but two dead jackals on a wider passage. He wondered what it was that the aliens had taken cover from if it had not been the Spartan Master Chief.

As though their brains functioned together, the marines and Sergeant Evermoore were brisk to file up a formation in front of the now reached door. Akindele and Chris edged closer to opposite bulkheads of the corridor, Longday and Natoli knelt in the middle and before the door while Sergeant Evermoore stood behind both of them, all weapons pointed. Akindele was just through changing magazines when the Sergeant thrust another commanding hand. "Go--go--go!"

Akindele counted tentative steps forward for the door to hiss apart. To their surprise...empty passage. Apart from the two dead jackals on the floor, the aliens were no where in sight, and though there was another door on the end of this next room there was no way the Elites would have made it there so quickly.

"Hold!" Sergeant Evermoore lifted a fist ordering Akindele. Still standing behind both kneeling marines, Evermoore lowered weapon, narrowed curious eyes. He stepped around the men in front of him, got closer to the open door, and stopped. He stood in momentary thoughtfulness before he glanced back at his men, said: "The flanks." He moved closer to the right wing, motioned a commanding hand to the left: "Natoli."

Natoli, instantly comprehending why the Sergeant issued him that order, rose to his feet, holstered his M6D and swung an arm behind to reach for his shotgun. He hurried, edged himself on that side of the corridor near to the open door. He and Evermoore moved in the same motion to completely near both edges of the entrance. Both men squatted, firming grip of their weapons. Natoli studied his commanding officer's lips waiting for the order, knowing that it would be a silent one.

Sergeant Evermoore nodded at the marine and he was quick to swing the least of himself and most of his weapon around the left corner. Evermoore did the same to the right wing. One Elite was spotted taking cover on Natoli's side, and he let loose a quick and thunderous burst of the shotgun before the alien ever saw him, and the blast sent it flying into a large un-girded space to the left side of the room which revealed just how large the full area was.

The Elites howl faded into the hollow of the drop. Though the Elite saw Evermoore first, before the Sergeant's face fully emerged for him to notice the alien on his side, the Elite had beforehand seen Natoli tear at his comrade on the other side and opened double handed plasma fire.

Natoli threw himself back inside for the plasma bolts to scorch the rim of the door. Sergeant Evermoore in that split second, squeezed trigger to release bullets against the Elites belly section. Before the alien could aim at and release bolts at Evermoore, he also sharply withdrew into cover.

The Elite was confused at this point and was still deciding his next actions when Akindele, Chris and Longday filed into the room to eat up all that was left of his shields with combined force of rattling human artillery. He lost hold of both plasma rifles that tumbled away as he bellowed and gurgled in pain, blue blood making a mar on surrounding bulkhead.

As the heaviness of his bulk met hard with the ground, the marines began swerving their weapons around in search of the third Elite. They were all in the large room now and the door closed behind Natoli who was last to enter.

Looking across the space in the middle of the room revealed another platform similar to where they stood but the gap was too wide for the Elite to have made it across. Sergeant Evermoore observed that there was no other possible form of cover apart from a com-device that stood many inches in front. Even though Evermoore knew an Elite could not completely take cover behind it without being seen, he ordered with his fingers for two marines to approach it from both sides. Natoli and Longday did.

They briskly trotted towards it from both angles with poised weapons. They reached and swiftly and simultaneously aimed behind the com-device. And there was no Covenant. Natoli straightened and relaxed after that. "Clear," he said, looking at the door on the other end. A now composed Longday also allowed his weapon to lower. Shouldering his shotgun and looking back at the rest Natoli repeated: "The room's all clear sir!"

"I know, Corporal Natoli," muttered Evermoore, who stood looking down at the two dead Jackals. "But someone took out these two," he continued, knowing he was hardly heard by the marines closer to him, not to talk of Longday and Natoli who were nearly halfway across the room. The Sergeant spoke more audibly glancing at Akindele. "And we sure as hell were not the ones that took them out. And those three bigger aliens were definitely avoiding something when we met them back there...and of which we've only taken out two."

"Covenant! More Covenant!" It was Natoli's voice and the men turned in the direction to notice, wide-eyed, the door on the other end of the room shifting open and a good number of Covenant troops pouring into the square shaped area. The only available cover was still the com-device of which Natoli and Longday were already quick to make use of and fired at the enemy from its protection.

Natoli after firing two shots from his shotgun, let it drop and un-holstered his sidearm once again. Three Jackals led the enemy's advance with two groups of Grunts, five in a group. The aliens triggered plasma weapons that rained at the men in a blinding flash of hurrying beams.

Sergeant Evermoore and Akindele had wittingly grabbed the energy shields from the fallen Jackals and it protected them from the barrage that ensued. Chris was the only one who would have remained without cover but smartly tailed closely behind Akindele as they slowly advanced in a crouch toward Longday and Natoli.

They closed up and from there returned fire at the enemy. Three Grunts were taken out at this point while the Jackals were yet well protected by those dazzling and sizzling shields. As the exchange of fire went on, Natoli sighted one Grunt reaching for a plasma grenade. He gasped, took a more careful aim... he quieted everything else around him as his M6D targeted for the Covenant's head...CLICK...of all times for him to have depleted a clip without keeping count.

He quickly depressed and clapped both palms together for the empty clip to slide out, but he would be too late. "Someone take out the hunched alien!" he screamed, numerous weapons fire overshadowing his voice. "Two oh clock, hunched alien to the right!"

The men heard him and in the quickness of occurrences, tried to figure out why a particular alien had to be taken out and at the same time tried to spot it. Sergeant Evermoore was next to spot, not the alien but a glowing orb to the right angle of the alien formation.

The Grunt had already gathered enough momentum for the throw before Evermoore quickly and most precisely shot the grenade clean off the alien's hand. It was a good thing for the marines, that Sergeant Evermoore was the one to spot the grenade because apart from Natoli and himself, no one else of them had the ability to pull off such a precise shot.

That grenade, if the Grunt had succeeded in tossing it, would have meant their deaths because trying to retreat would have left them in the open, to be easily leveled by the Covenant, while staying put would have had their guts splattered all over the place.

The plasma grenade met the ground, most of the Covenant mostly the Jackals, being oblivious of it. The aware Grunts were already scrambling clumsily for the door they had emerged from, in avoidance of the soon to explode ball of plasma. They were definitely too late. Sounding more like the frying of a dish in a pot of super hot oil, the grenade splayed and sprayed in a deadly plasma explosion.

The three Jackals and a few Grunts were whisked off their feet into the air, such that they flew across the marines toward the other end of the room. And they tumbled, rolled, and skidded against the ground.

Longday and Natoli, weapons still leveled, slowly rose to their feet as the faintly shrouding mist caused by the explosion cleared.

Chris pointed his rifle behind to make sure the felled Covenant on that side were definitely dead. Moving toward the blackened impact area, Natoli pointed his pistol at the sprawled aliens, said: "Clear sir! All contacts are down." Longday's rifle suddenly went off in alternated triple bursts as he buried bullets into what he considered still-moving targets on the ground. Sergeant Evermoore raised his face toward the marine. "Corporal!"

Longday looked, only to meet the faces of every marine in the room staring at him. The Sergeant tilted his head in a displeased expression. "Except you got some hoard of ammo buried somewhere on this half planet marine, I don't see why you had to do that." Seeming a little surprised by the attention he drew, Pete Longday explained, gesturing a hand at the dead Grunts: "They moved sir."

"First you attempt a suicidal act trying to face two armored aliens on your own and endangering the life of me and my Marines in the process... and now this." Sergeant Evermoore outstretched his weapon free hand. "Except for the one attached to your rifle, lemme' have em."

"Yes sir!" Longday obeyed, trying to hide the utter displeasure he felt. Me and my Marines, Pete Longday reasoned, not at all liking the sound of it. He ran a hand around his pouches and retrieved three rifle magazines. "Corporal Christopher!" Sergeant Evermoore called, glancing back at the marine who stood behind the rest.
"Sir!"
"Handle those."
"Yes sir." And he moved up to collect them from Longday.

They being of almost the same height, Chris on nearing Longday, leveled a disappointed gaze, his hat drawing a cast of shadow across the top side of his face. "You gotta take hold of yourself man," he whispered, before he collected the magazines from him.
"But the damn alien moved," Longday whispered back.

"We've lost enough good men today already Longday," Sergeant Evermoore said. "Any more cocky moves and the next thing I'll be taking away is your rifle. And believe it or not, I'd rather loose one more Marine than loose my entire squad."

"Look!" They all turned. It was Akindele, and he stood at the edge peeking down the huge space to the left side of the room. "It is the Spartan Master Chief Sir!" Akindele said. Apart from Chris who was cautious of the door both behind and in front, the others were quick to reach the edge of the un-girded space and glare down.

Truly it was Spartan 117. He hung upside down just one floor from their position. Natoli adjusted his eye-glasses to have better view of the Chief. It was not just one figure hanging from there. There had been a grenade explosion on that floor which ripped most of the ground to reveal tangling wires, and it was one of these wires that held the Master Chief by one cyborg ankle.

To worsen his situation of the wire which was surely not going to last longer than a few more minutes, an Elite desperately hung by the Chief's neck with a firm clasp of large Sangheili palms. Looking further down revealed the Covenant docking bay where the Pelican had dropped them off. And it was far down.

If the Master Chief and that Elite were to drop from that height...Natoli waved away the thought. "We have to help him," he said. Sergeant Evermoore straightened. "I'm sure they'd be another way around to that floor but we wouldn't want to risk getting lost. We'll have to go back the way we came and rescue the Master Chief before that damn Covenant strangles him to death. And we have to get there before the enemy."




2


John felt fire burn through his throat. That Elite's grip was going to kill him even before his falling to the ground. Pain surged through his ankle down to the entire length of his physical left leg.

The rope had tightened into the joints of his armor and was agonizing him. He couldn't even raise his head the tiniest bit due to the Elites hold, and he hadn't been able to do so for the past twenty minutes. He could feel blood flow into his head. The Spartan II program had included similar training exercises where you had to hang upside down for hours, but not with a rope pulling at your ankle and the entire bulk of a Covenant Elite tugging at your neck.

He knew Cortana had been talking to him for the past ten minutes but all he could make out was echoed noises within his Spartan helmet. He couldn't hear a thing she was trying to say even if it was useful to his current situation. He had never felt perspiration within a Spartan suit but now he felt a wave of it saturating his entire physical body.

The agony...the pain...was...EXCRUCIATING. It was the most appropriate single word to explain the amount of pain that he presently felt.

Suddenly, he felt the rope lower some more with the similar ripping sound as it had earlier. He knew he only had a few more seconds. There was no way that rope was going to hold the heaviness of him and that Covenant. He had been trying to break the alien's grip with his free hands but to no avail.

He tried to open his eyes that had been kept shut but saw nothing but white-out when he did. The rope broke again "rip" and lowered some more, having the Covenant dangle from side to side as he lost balance still holding on to John's head.

The Covenant lifted a second hand to make firmer his grip in their sway, and this told the Master Chief just how doomed they both were. The rope...he could imagine the thinness of it in his mind. It broke again and this time, "snap," it did not lower and yank...and this made it clear that the fall had begun.

CHAPTER FIVE

Lifeline


"Akindele, you have point," Sergeant Evermoore said, cocking his MA5B Assault rifle after shoving in a fresh mag. "Alright men lets get to that floor mega double time." The Marines began to obey the order. Natoli, still squatted and peering down the gap, said: "I don't think we'll ever make it there on time sir, before that rope breaks."

Sergeant Evermoore turned his attention to the lanky Marine, asked: "What then do you suggest, Corporal." Natoli rose, faced the Sergeant and added: "Making it down there sir, would be the best way we can rescue the Chief, but considering the time we've got before that rope breaks, I suggest we figure out a way of acting immediately. And Apart from that, how are we sure we're not gonna encounter enemy reinforcements on our way down."

The Sergeant was taken in muse as he thought the suggestion through. So did the others who all glared at Natoli presently. Natoli faced Chris. "Supposing we had a rope," he said. Chris quickly freed the pack that hugged his back. It thumped the floor and he un-strapped, un-knotted, and rummaged through. "Let's just hope it'll be strong enough to hold the weight of a Spartan," Natoli said.

Akindele's thick arm was already outstretched when Chris finally handled the rope into view. "At least it looks long enough," Sergeant Evermoore said, observing the bundle of rope. Akindele was quick to snatch it from Chris, waited for the Sergeant's consent of a nod before he made straight for the edge of the un-girded space.

He untangled the rope with hurried dexterity. When it was free, he threw the shorter end behind him. "What are you all waiting for?" he growled, not caring to look back at his comrades. "Take the rope, and do not expect that our Spartan is going to make a light load."

He heard what he knew to be Longday and Chris hustle behind him before he swung the longer length of the rope down toward the Master Chief. Natoli and Sergeant Evermoore joined behind the rest, and the Marines firmed trained soldier grips on the hard rope. "Master Chief Sir!" Akindele hollered, with his free hand cupped over mouth. He watched the rope make a snaky drop. "If you can hear me Master Chief, grab the rope and we will pull you up!" Akindele's eyes suddenly bulged. Just as he watched the rope lower past the Chief, he also saw the thin wire that had held him and the Covenant snap.


2


Master Chief knew that the fall had begun. It was free fall for him and the white armored Covenant. He finally felt the alien free its grip of his neck. But it wouldn't make any difference now. The Spartan II program had failed as long as he was concerned. He was the last remaining Spartan and he was soon to drop hard as a brick on a Covenant shuttle bay, to crush all the bones in his physical human body, genetically enhanced or not.

The pain still remained in his left leg while he fell, and the head felt like it was near to pulling away from his neck. He finally managed to open his eyes.

All was blurry and white-out and he could still hear Cortana's voice which sounded like a distant echo in the cavity of his Spartan helmet. His entire life as a young boy of six snatched from his parents, till the present, flashed through his mind faster than the speed of light. After which he could suddenly see something through the blur of his vision.

It was like a dream, it was like...something. A dark rope was silhouetted against the white background. It was hope...It was fate. He was almost sure that his brain never stimulated his hands to move. But the quickness with which his hands moved left questions in his mind. It was as though there was someone else in there. Not in the Mjolnir amour but within himself.

He had been taught in the totality of science but in this moment he believed in what many humans had always referred to as the spirit. He knew it was his spirit and not him, that quickened those hands to move and grab the rope.


3


Akindele's grief was even more as he watched the Master Chief drop helplessly and oblivious of the rope that dangled right in front of him. Suddenly, and with much relief...he saw the Chief stretch out his hands and reach for the rope. With this, Akindele fled away from the edge of the drop, scrambled backwards and tightened his muscular hands against the rope which he held. The other Marines knew what this meant, and equally tightened their grips also.

They waited determinedly. The rope abruptly jerked fiercely forcing the five men forward, such that their feet staggered forward on the hard ground. They clenched teeth and wore grimaces. Managing to, they halted the forward pull. grunting and gasping, they pulled back. They pulled back again...and again, before a stronger jerk of the rope threw them forward once more.

The force almost lifted the men off their feet this time around as they launched forward, and it was just a few inches to the edge of the drop that Akindele's feet managed to gain bearing again.

"The bastard alien," Akindele growled. The words escaped through gnashed teeth. Perspiration already drew glistening lines across his strained face. The Marine had trusted in his strength when he knowingly took the rope from Chris. And were it not for that strength, even his comrades knew there was no way they would have held the rope from that last tug.

"The bastard alien must have also grabbed the line," the huge Marine added, panting as he did. The other men behind him were also getting bathed in sweat. With a sudden loud grunt, he tugged at the rope, gaining about three steps backwards, away from the edge.



4


Like the stubborn canines of a hunting dog would cling to a tasty bone, such was Spartan 117's grip of the rescue line. At least he was no longer upside down. Just a few moments of rest hanging onto the rope and he was beginning to feel life and energy flow back into him. It was moments like this that always made a Spartan II Super Soldier realize there was more to him than the average human.

He felt like a machine of war as he continued to regain full consciousness. His vision was clearing and he could slowly make out his environment. He noticed the floor after floor of the strangely modeled Covenant cruiser. He looked down; saw that even the remaining distance from his position on the rope could still kill him in a fall.

He noticed the docking bay floor and it was littered with corpses of both human and Covenant. The rest of the rope below him, he suddenly observed, was supposed to be loose but it stretched thick as though it held some other weight.

That was when the Master Chief remembered the Covenant that had almost decapitated him while he hung upside down. Though there was still pain in his neck, he allowed his head to cock lower giving him better view of the base of the rope.

His ugly segmented mandible stretched wide apart revealing the pit of his black mouth as the Covenant Elite growled incoherent gutturals hanging on to the lower end of the rope. John wished he still possessed a weapon, especially one of theirs. He had come to love the effectiveness of the alien weapons, and sending heated plasma beams into the gaping mouth of this Covenant would have given him some form of satisfaction.

"Chief," Cortana piped. "I'm sure you can hear me now Chief." Trying to answer his AI partner left the Chief's throat burning in flames. But he managed. "I...(Pants)...can."
"Whew, that was the closest I've come to loosing you," Cortana added. "But now is not just the time to for you to die, because we're gonna go by your own words, Chief. We're gonna rescue Captain Keyes and we're gonna make it out of this Covenant ship alive."

The rope suddenly pulled upwards, causing the Spartan to drive a gaze there. "It's Sergeant Evermoore and the rest of our reinforcement," Cortana explained. John could not see anyone but the underside and ceiling of the floor from where the rope hung from. "Motion sensors reveal guards heading toward the floor facing us, Chief," Cortana informed.

Just then, the Master Chief heard a louder growl by the Covenant that hung below. He looked down again...and the stubborn beast was climbing. The Chief wondered what the Covenant planned to do on reaching him. And considered how badly he would perform against a Sangheili Elite warrior in a rope brawl.

The deftness with which the Covenant climbed made this very evident to John. The rope pulled up again. "Hopefully the men should be able to pull us past this floor before those guards get here," Cortana said. "And...what about him?" John asked, looking down at the quickly approaching Covenant.

She had never heard the Spartan sound so weak, such that she greatly sensed the severe weakness in his voice. On a good day, not being equipped with a weapon didn't mean that Spartan 117 could not stand against one equally unarmed alien. The rope pulled up again. Master Chief began considering his options against his infuriated opponent.

He still had his knife, a weapon of last resort. "That's unlike you Chief," Cortana told him. "That's just one weaponless Covenant. And you should be able to improvise like you've always done."

Not with a strained ankle, he thought. An injured neck; and one arm to make sure you remain on the rope while you tackle the damn alien. The door to the left side of the corridor of that floor suddenly opened, and Covenant ranks emptied into view. "They're here already," Cortana informed. The aliens, two blue armored Sangheilis and two groups of orange suited Unggoy, opened fire at the Chief without hesitation.

Brilliant plasma bolts darted in the Master Chief's direction, some impacting his armor, some running wide. The ascending Sangheili was about three yards closer to the Chief at this point. He suddenly halted his climb, blathered loudly at his mates things the Master Chief could not understand.

His mandible parted and gathered: "Stop shooting you fools! Can you not see that I will fall, should you hit the line by mistake? Especially you maladroit Unggoy." The shooting abruptly seized. And they all stood staring at their commander who hung from the rope. The rope lifted, lifted, and lifted some more.

His grip of the line was a bit too confident as the Sangheili freed his other hand and passed an order to the band of reinforcement. He pointed a large finger upwards. "Now make better use of yourselves and go destroy the other humans that make hold of this line!"

He returned the hand to the rope. "I can also see that orders have come for the demon to be destroyed!"
"Affirmative, commander Orgriah!" one of the blue armored Sangheilis hollered back.
"Good!" he enjoyably said. "Now make hurry and carry out your task!" He looked up at the Master Chief.

"The demon is mine." He sent one hand to his belt region, reached for a small shaft which he stuck between the partings of his jaw so he could still climb as efficiently as before. He resumed the ascent, strong Sangheili arms swiftly reaching up one after the other.

The Chief had recovered enough strength so that he was also climbing now. But the speed with which the Elite ascended could be equaled to two times that of the Spartan's. The rope continued to lift even as the two figures upon it climbed. And they were not very far away from the floor from where the rope lowered down.

Getting about a yard closer to the Master Chief, the Covenant stopped again, and what could be considered a smile in Covenant standards, shot across his face as he grabbed the shaft from his mouth with one hand.

He spoke in the Spartan's understanding: "It is on this grand day among ignoble days, demon; and by my hand---that you shall breathe your last."
The shaft in his hand was activated with a loud hiss that revealed a glowing energy blade.

Master Chief looking down at his opponent, did not like the look of the weapon in his hand at all. He wondered of what use his knife was against that thing. But then...it was now that the thought struck his mind. He quickly handled his knife out of its hiding. Even though the rope was still being pulled by the Marines and John and the alien were very near the edge of the floor, he began to slash at the rope just below the wrist of his grip arm.

The Covenant bellowed a protest noticing the Chief's contrivance. Methodically placing the glowing end of his blade away from the rope, he increased pace rushing upwards. Master Chief sliced faster. It was not supposed to take more than a second but the special Spartan knives were designed more for stabbing than cutting.

The Elite got close enough...close enough to be able to half the Chief's legs with one slash of his sword. Sword glowing brightly on it, he drove his hand sideways for the slash.



5


Sweat glistened, veins swelled across Akindele's dark arms as he made another yank of the rope. "Do you hear that?" Natoli asked from the rear of the line. "Gun shots," Longday said; and they spoke through heavy breaths. "We have to get the Chief up here before---
"Ngghaaaarh!" Akindele did not wait for Longday to finish that statement before he roared his next effort of three consecutive pulls, gathering more rope behind him. "Ngghaaaarh, Ouuurrhuaaaa!"

It took a lot out of him and Akindele wondered if they would really succeed in completing this task. "The alien sir!" he puffed. "It should be close enough for a clear shot by now."

The Sergeant who was second to last in the line of tugging Marines was soaked in sweat. He managed to free an arm, twisted his cap around, whisked sweat off his nose with a thumb before he glanced at Natoli who was last in line. "Get to it Natoli. Gun the alien down and make this job easier for us."

Natoli snappily let go of the line, reached for his pistol as he rushed toward the edge. He got there, squatted. He spotted the Covenant not very far below the Chief. The gunshots had stopped and he could observe the alien involved in some kind of conversation with whatever number of his comrades were on that floor. Corporal Natoli kept his M6D pistol aimed and on the ready while he still watched the Covenant Elite. Covenant armor was very effective, he knew.

He wanted a more precise shot, perhaps one to the eye region, or the exposed jaw which were the only weak spots he could mark out in the Sangheili armor. The Elite drew out a shaft which Natoli wondered of what use it was. He was tempted to pull the trigger as the alien looked upward and spoke, revealing the innards of his split jaw. But he did not, waited for a clearer shot instead.

"Well, what are you up to Marine, don't have a clear shot yet?" It was Sergeant Evermoore's voice from the rear of the line. Natoli looked back at his commanding officer, sent a finger to the bridge of his nose in adjustment of his glasses. "Not yet sir!"

Looking back down revealed the Covenant swiftly climbing after the Chief who was clearly slower than the pursuing alien. And so remarkable was that climb in Natoli's opinion. The alien stopped again, removed the shaft which it had stuck between its split jaw, and spoke looking up at the Chief. The next surprising thing was that the shaft ignited into a fiercely glowing sword weapon which almost caused a wide-eyed Natoli to gasp.


The Marine noticed that the Chief had also stopped climbing at this point. Though the others behind Natoli still pulled in the rope, he knew that the Chief was surely not trying to depend on that. It was then that he observed what the Spartan was up to.

The Master Chief's armored elbow darted in and out as he slashed at the line with a Spartan knife. Natoli saw that the Covenant had noticed, and had increased his pace up the rope. Before Natoli could realize how close to the Master Chief the alien was by now, he drove his sword aside for a slice at the Spartan's legs. The Marine had been aiming all this while, scoping out an opening where he could effectively bury a bullet. And it was now or never. It had to be now.

Natoli narrowed large brown eyes that hid behind his enhanced impairment-specific eyeglasses steadying his aim of the Elite's parted jaw. He pulled the trigger to release a rapidly traveling slug. It was one precise shot just as he planned, and it tunneled right into the Sangheili's throat stilling the alien's entire body for a second.

There was no need of it at this point considering the fact that the sword tumbled out of the Elite's hand while the other hand lost grip of the line, but the Chief was through cutting the rope; and rope...sword...and an already dead Sangheili tumbled down the height.

Akindele and the other Marines suddenly felt the load get lighter as they continued to pull the rope in. They watched Natoli drop his weapon on the floor, and the next thing they saw was the green color of an armored Spartan hand as it braced the floor.

Natoli grabbed the other hand as it also came up, before they saw the polarized visor that always hid any expressions a Spartan ever felt. Just as the rest of his body came into view, "Thanks," the Chief said, looking at Natoli. Kneeling on one knee, he looked at the Marines before him, and looked around the room. He straightened to his feet before he commended: "Good job Marines." They nodded in response, finally letting the rope drop to the ground.

Master Chief, placing both hands on his neck, shook his head vigorously. The pain was quickly settling and he knew he could manage. He began a stroll forward looking around the floor, checking out the mess the men had made of the place with Covenant corpses. Following behind, Natoli noticed a very slight limping in the Chief's stride.

"That was quite a tangle, Chief," Cortana said. "But we haven't really got much time to celebrate anything just yet."
"The guards, right?" Master Chief asked.
"Yes," Cortana replied.
"Which door?"
"The one to your right."
The Chief looked to the right door which was nearer them than the other. "Alright Sergeant," he began: "We're gonna have Covenant reinforcement coming through that door any minute."
Master Chief after that, turned to look at the Sergeant: "I need a weapon."


CHAPTER SIX

Master and Souponin


Sergeant Brad Evermoore handed his MA5B to the Master Chief. His armored hand stretched out to receive the rifle which the Spartan now allowed its barrel to hang above his shoulder. But his gaze remained on the Sergeant.

"And what about you?" the Chief asked him. Sergeant Evermoore ordered his men toward the onward door: "You all heard the Chief didn't you. Everyone file up before that door." The Marines strolled past them heading to the door, their soldier issue boots leaving light echoes within that corridor of the Covenant cruiser. Sergeant Evermoore ran a hand to his thigh and un-holstered a M6D pistol. He cocked the small weapon: "I love the side-arms, Chief."

Evermoore observed the Chief's visor point to all the dead Covenant around them. Turning away, Master Chief strolled to the right still studying the lifeless alien bodies on the ground. He stopped, turned back to Evermoore and tossed the rifle back to him: "On the other hand, Sergeant."
Evermoore deftly caught the weapon with his free hand.

John continued his stride toward the door where the men were already filing up an assault formation. He reached and bent near one dead Elite among dead jackals and Grunts. Sergeant Evermoore watched him claim two plasma rifles which had belonged to the fallen alien.

"I'll make use of these," the Spartan said, studying both weapons. He was beginning to get fund of the alien weapons, though the only problem he had with them was the undeterminable depletion rate.

"How close is the enemy, Cortana," Master Chief asked the advanced UNSC AI construct.
"Just nine meters away, Chief" Cortana replied.
"Hey, that's not gonna work right now," Master Chief addressed the assembled Marines. He straightened and continued in their direction. "You're gonna have to break that formation. I saw the size of that reinforcement when they fired at me, and it's not just a few Covenant that's headed this way."

Sergeant Evermoore presently joined behind the Chief to complete the squad. "Even if we took them by surprise," the Chief continued: "They'd still manage to hit one or two of ours." The men were all glaring back at him while he spoke, some kneeling, some standing. Master Chief, spreading his arms, gestured to both ends of the door's edges.

"Let's make ourselves safer." The men split the formation obeying the order, such that it was just the Chief who stood now before the closed door. "Anyone got a grenade?" he asked. The Marines exchanged glances, some looking to the waist of their comrades.

"Smoke!" Longday said, holding up one labeled cylinder of smoke grenade. The Chief was about to speak something to the Marine when he noticed Sergeant Evermoore fall in beside him. "Last of the last," Evermoore said, stretching out his hand to tender a M9 high-explosive fragmentation grenade.

Master Chief placed one of the plasma rifles to his thigh, before he easily took the fragmentation device from the Sergeant. "We'll take them out with one blast," he said, moving a pace closer to the door. "How close Cortana?"
"They should be into that room in the next twenty two seconds."

The UNSC squad did not have to wait longer than that: "They're in Chief," Cortana confirmed. Spartan 117 poised himself, waited. "They're advancing," Cortana added.
Master Chief sent the second plasma rifle to his other thigh. He removed the safety pin and held the grenade near to his visor like it was just a harmless piece of toy. He waited.

"One point nine meters," Cortana said. Very abruptly and most vigorously, the Chief sprinted toward the door. The door drew open as he neared and...he motioned his hand forward for the grenade to spin toward a group of evidently surprised Covenant.

The aliens were too stunned to try any evasive maneuvers, and on reaching them, the fragmentation device did not wait to meet the floor...Master Chief threw himself backward for the door to close again, just as the M9 coughed up a loud and ear ringing explosion in the faces of the piteous Covenant. The closed door lessened the actual loudness of the explosion. Spartan 117 was back against floor presently, as silence returned. His hand was quick to reach for one of the plasma rifles which he swiftly pulled out and pointed at the closed door. "Go, Marines," he ordered.

Akindele and Chris were first to make into the room from their cover of opposite edges, smoke swirling out of the opened door. The corridor was a bloody mar of alien guts that smelled of blood and smoke. All were sprawled motionless on the floor save for one kneeling blue armored Sangheili who braced a chest wound with one arm. MA5B's rattled to punch the alien's head backward so that it fell on its back, knees still bent to the ground. Their weapons motioned at the other aliens just incase of any movements, whose inert bodies were partly shrouded by the clearing smoke.

The remaining soldiers were already making soldierly gaits into the corridor when Akindele reported: "The room is clear of all contacts."



2


"Additional reinforcements are reported to be eliminated, Ship Master," stated the Elite minor who just entered into the bridge standing with rigid attention less than a meter across Kaziska's position of the center. Sangheili operators were all busy at their stations in the oddly purple enclosure of a bridge-room as the giant cruiser was being made ready for lift off. "As well as commander Orgriah," the Elite minor added.

A streak of pain seemed to shoot across Kaziska's alien eyes but he tried very much to hide his shudder from the few number of Sangheilis that looked out for his reaction of such disheartening news. No words of response were passed by the Ship Master whose finger rubbed the lower side of his face in the bridge's silence.

Two entire grids, was Kaziska's veiled thought. Every single stationed-guard destroyed. Four Reinforcements, two Lekgolo's out of the five that were dispensed to my ship. And now, my Ultra Elite, Orgriah. Just a handful of human foot warriors...The demon. That devilry appears to be making true the things spoken of it in Unggoy whisperings. This is absolute lunacy. Shall I be made to look like a fool in the eyes of the supreme commander?

Apart from the interior droning of the giant Covenant cruiser, the slight and almost noiseless meeting of Sangheili fingers upon holo-panels was the only sound that could be heard in the bridge as the remaining Covenant waited a word from their Ship Master.

The flight major who stood before a console to Kaziska's near left gathered up enough courage to address the commander of the ship. "May we commence immediate lift off, honored Ship Master?" Every other Sangheili present there increased the raptness in their study of Kaziska's mandibles of which they waited a release of words.

In his position of the bridge center, Kaziska whirled to face the Elite minor. He ran both hands behind his back looking at the Elite. He looked to his right and before he even said anything the glare he gave his operators told them the tale: "Get back to your duties!" he growled.

Their armored heads quickly returned to their panels. Centering his eyes on the flight major, he added: "And allow absolute command of this cruiser to remain of my own doing. Make this the last time I will hear your opinion, Major Shurajin."

"Yes, Ship Master," flight major Shurajin cringingly agreed. Kaziska began a stride in the direction of the exit door beckoning at the Elite minor. I have objectives that remain unmet here upon the sacred ring. And I still think the demon not to be strong enough a force to drive me from my path.

Just as the door closed behind them and they walked along the corridor, Kaziska ordered the Elite: "Go quickly---I want Reuzan to meet with me at brig section eleven immediately."
"As you command, honored Ship Master"
Let us see, Kaziska thought, at the fading footsteps of the Elite minor. Let us see how he fares against Razoor. A half-grin came upon his face. For me to determine whether he is worthy of the true might that Kaziska can deliver.



3


"Signal on the Captain's CNI transponder reads even stronger," Cortana mentioned. Master Chief John 117 and the five Marines strode along an extended passage of linear intersecting passages of the Covenant ship, which caused Natoli to complain further: "Just too many damn corridors."

"I'm sure we'll locate him in the linked set of rooms at the end of this corridor," Cortana continued: "Which I suspect should be the main holding cells." Such was the formation, that Corporal Chris tailed the pack as usual while Master Chief had point.

"The two opposite passages along this corridor must lead to other sections of the brig," Cortana informed in addition. "But according to the signals our best bet of locating Captain Keyes should be those rooms in front."

The men were alert, their rifles on the ready, as they continued their gait along the corridor. They had just gone past the two intersecting passages and were half way to the door ahead when suddenly...the lights which lit their path hanging at the high corners of the ceilings went out one after the other.

Sergeant Evermoore gasped: "What the..." The darkness that engulfed the place was the sort where you could not see your hands even if you placed them right in front of your nose. They all stood still. The Spartan's heads-up display automatically switched to night vision.

The first thing he did was to fling his face behind in his new sight of bright-green-daylight, to check what the Covenant devised. A quick count of his men told they were still complete. He ran his face further back in searching, and there was no sign of an ambush.

"What happened to the friggin lights?" Chris asked, turning on his rifle flashlights and swinging the weapon backward in a whirl. More click click clicks by the Marines had rifle fitted flashlights angling all over the place. "Cortana," Master Chief sought information from the AI construct. "The Covenant must surely be up to something," she responded. "I would have suggested an ambush but I read nothing on the motion sensors. Nothing nearby---anyway."

"What then could they be up to?" the Chief asked. "I don't know, Chief." Cortana said. "But the lights were purposely turned out just in this particular section. I'll see if I can override the sequence. Meanwhile I think we should continue into that room just incase I can't. There's a manual control located there and we should be able to make use of that."

"You don't think it was some kind of error or fault in the Covenant systems?" Sergeant Evermoore asked. "No Sergeant," Cortana said. "The Covenant did this on purpose and we are yet to find out why."

"Alright everyone, keep your eyes open and let's get to that control," The Master Chief said. He led the way again and this time around they were surprised to hear their boots echo loudly. "I don't like the feel of this," Natoli uneasily said. "I don't like it at all." Akindele thought he kind of felt colder as they continued to advance.

"What's up with the ventilation systems?" Longday suddenly asked. "Good question," Cortana commented. The Chief stopped in his stride causing the rest to stop also. "The temperature within this section has suddenly dropped by fifteen percent," Cortana told them.
"What the heck are the bastards up to?" Sergeant Evermoore muttered.

"Fear?" Cortana said. "Could it be that the Covenant are trying to induce fear?"
"What do you mean?" John asked.

"She's right sir," Natoli broke in. "It's a psychological thing; or should I say natural. We're in the enemy's camp and we've seen a lot of deaths lately. Now it's dark, everyone is naturally more comfortable having some light around. And..." he felt his hands tremble in the hold of his weapon: "The human body naturally reacts to cold, and even if we had been trembling out of fear of the unknown without realizing it, the cold just helps to amplify it now."

"Are the alien bozo's that smart?" Longday questioned with a scowl. "Let's try solving the light problem first, by getting to the control in the next room," Cortana stated. "I've tried overriding the remote controls but it's proved very difficult. I would be able to in a matter of time but since the manual control is just a few meters ahead, I'll advise that we go for that option."

"Let's move!" Master Chief ordered. They carried on, boot-steps echoing loudly, temperature seeming to drop further. Chris, tailing behind, knew it was not just the low temperature that brought such level of shivering to his body. Natoli must have been very right.

He presently thought he felt someone behind him, but he was supposed to be last on the line. Perhaps it's just my imagination, he thought. He turned around, pointed his lights. His flash light trailed along the walls and floor; but nobody. Should have known it was my imagination. He turned to continue, saw how far the others had got in his brief moment of stoppage.

He increased pace trying to catch up and this time he was sure he heard footsteps. "Son of a..." He whirled instantly aiming the barrel of his weapon at...nobody. Now that couldn't have been my head? I'm sure I heard something. He tried to glance across his shoulder at his mates and saw they were already making it into the door at the end of the corridor. He returned his face. Must be one of those clumsy Grunts. Show yourself you bastard. Give me Your soul.

Although the Spartan's night vision helped him make it out, the darkness did not allow the Marines realize how large the room they entered was. They angled their lights everywhere. "Where exactly is this control, Cortana." The Chief questioned. "Up there," She said. "There should be a holo panel hanging above that platform." Master Chief lifted the green vision of his visor to notice in the middle of the large room an elevated platform with a sloping access.

"Nghaaaaaa!" A scream of agony abruptly sounded. All the men immediately swung their weapons at the door they had just emerged from lighting it up brightly with their multiple rifle lights. The sound had lifted from there.

"What the hell was that?" Sergeant Evermoore asked."Is everyone in here?" Master Chief quickly questioned. Their weapons still pointed at the door, Evermoore hollered: "Longday!"
"Sir!"
"Akindele!"
"Sir!"
"Natoli!"
"Sir!"
"Chris!"

No answer. "Corporal Christopher!" The Sergeant repeated. And still no answer. "Where the hell is Chris," he asked. "I do not think he came through that door sir," Akindele replied. Master Chief approached the door lifting out his second plasma rifle to make two weapons in his hands. "Come on, that must've been him. The Covenant are around."

"Now, that should be strange," Cortana said. "I didn't and don't read anything on the motion sensors." The men had already edged the door at this point. Master Chief nodded at Evermoore who returned a responsive nod before they made into the corridor at the door's opening.

Master Chief with aid of his vision could see the Marines body sprawled on the floor about five meters into the corridor. Sergeant Evermoore soon found the body with his flashlight.

The remaining men still waited behind but made sure the door did not shut on the two commanding officers. Master Chief reached to see the Marine lying in a pool of his own blood, eyes pointed to the ceiling as though there was still life in it. "Shit!" Sergeant Evermoore exclaimed on his reaching. "What in God's galaxy could have done that?"

Two gaping wounds were pierced in the soldier's torso. The Sergeant still pointed his weapon forward in search of the felon. Master Chief was squatted over the dead man. He placed one alien rifle on the floor and ran his hand over the Marine's face to cover the open eyes.

"And you say you pick up nothing on the sensors," The Chief said. "Nothing," Cortana answered. "Well, there are things in here," The Spartan stated. "And they don't want to be seen by us. Now we know why they turned out the lights." He first picked up Chris's rifle, hung it behind his back, before he snapped off the marine's tag, reached for the alien weapon again and straightened.

Handing the tag to Evermoore, John said: "And the vent systems must work in accordance with the lights." The Sergeant took it from his hand but still turned to continue glaring raptly at the two intersecting passages along the corridor with a scowl on his face. "Don't you think we should ditch out the alien bastard that did this first?"

"That's the idea Sergeant, they want us to come looking for them. That's what they want. But we're not gonna play their game the way they want it." He turned and started making it back to the rest. "We'll stick together and let them come to us. Let's focus on our mission instead."

They were soon in the large room again. "Alright, everyone sticks together while I get the lights on," Master Chief ordered. He proceeded toward the slope which led to the top of the elevated platform. The men grouped themselves near the wall on the right wing of the room, their rifle lights searching the environment

"Hell, We soldiers are gonna be more alert from now on," Sergeant Evermoore addressed them. "I don't wonna loose sight of anyone either. There's some kind of stalking alien on our six and we're not gonna give it another chance to take us unawares. Corporal Chris Cornwell is the last Marine I'm gonna be loosing in this alien ship, so I'm ordering you all to stay alive." He expected an answer, but there was none.

"Do you get me Marines?"
"Sir, yes sir!" they all answered. "That's better. I'm beginning to loose my nerves over these Covenant bastards. Now they're gonna act like cowards."

. "So we just lost Chris," Longday bitterly whispered to Akindele. Akindele looked at him, but did not have anything to respond. Longday smiled wryly shaking his head: "He said he was gonna watch my back, Akin." Longday was muttering now. "He wanted to fight the Covenant on behalf of Roy. He wanted us to. But it's really funny isn't it, Akin. One moment your buddy's alive and by your side...and the next moment he doesn't even exist anymore." He chuckled. "It's funny isn't it?"

Master Chief drove a finger against the holo panel. "That's it, Chief," Cortana directed. "Just hit the first two and the last one to the left. He did. The lights that lined the edges of the ceiling flicked on one after the other to reveal the largeness of the room.

His HUD automatically adjusted from night vision to normal. Just as Master Chief allowed his gaze to the far wall to notice where the men were positioned in the brightness of the light...He saw a glowing blade that moved like lightning behind them, and before he could shout: "Behind you!" Sergeant Evermoore's head was bladed off in a swift swipe. "Shit!" and a lot more other swear words came next. The Marines were taken in terror as they watched the Sergeant's head roll against the floor, headless body collapsing after it.

With a light hiss, the blade was gone, but Natoli thought he heard footsteps making away. He opened fire in the direction with his pistol: blam blam blam. For a second they could make out the figure of a black armored Elite as one of the bullets impacted his armor to flare up a dazzle. Just for a second, and they lost sight of him again.

Natoli advanced. He was sure it headed toward one of the fat pillar structures that stood at the corners of the room. He switched weapons, handling his ever trustee M90 shotgun. He had reloaded the weapon and was sure of twelve rounds. "Get away from there, Marine!" Master Chief ordered, hustling down the slope with double handed plasma rifle. "Return to your position at once Marine!"

Having a resolute scowl on his face, Natoli could hear nothing that was being said. He reached the first pillar. You can't hide from me alien bitch. He released an explosive burst of shotgun round at the corners of the structure.

Master Chief was down upon level ground presently. He briefly pointed at the men. "The rest of you, back against that wall and keep a sharp eye," he ordered, before he went after Natoli. Natoli blasted more shots around the corners of the first pillar, began advancing to the next. On nearing the area, Master Chief pointed his dual weapon at low and mid sections of the first pillar and reduced his movement to a more careful stride.

"I gave you a direct order, soldier," he accused Natoli, while his visor motioned in many directions.

The Lanky Marine still turned deaf ears. He released another thunderous burst at the edges of the second pillar. Corporal Vincent Natoli suddenly heard something like a faint purr above his head. He froze. He gently lifted his face upward next. As though doing it on purpose, the Covenant appeared for the Marine to have view of him as he hung onto the higher levels of the pillar as easily as a spider would; before he activated the energy sword again, and descended on the human.

Natoli was easily pinned to the ground. The Blade Master Elite drove the weapon backward for a thrust...Master Chief's plasma rifles impacted against his shields, but it did not bother the alien in anyway until it satisfied itself with a stab to the Marine's chest.

The glowing weapon buried as easily as a kitchen knife would cut through butter. Corporal Vincent Natoli whimpered and vomited blood. Spartan 117 watched in horror as crimson spilled into the air from the soldier's chest; which caused him to depress harder on the triggers of his plasma rifles.

With the bolts of plasma still hammering against his armor, the Elite turned to look at the Chief, and the only thing that left its mouth was: "Demon."

He seemed to have expected it, because John thought he saw a smile come upon the Covenant's face as both plasma rifles suddenly overheated with an extensive hiss. The Sangheili rose to its intimidating nine foot, sword still activated, and began toward the Chief who stood about six meters away.

At first it was a walk, then a trot...to a sprint. Spartan 117 quickly discarded both alien rifles flinging them aside. He ran a quick hand to his back next and a MA5B came into view. He resumed fire. The alien was closing in. What the hell's that armor made of? The Chief thought, knowing it was definitely stronger than what he knew Covenant armor to be.

Master Chief deftly twisted his body sideways to dodge the first and most deadly attack of a thrust when the Elite reached him. The alien was amazed at this. Not in all his battles against other races he had encountered across the galaxy; not one was ever quick enough to dodge a Stealth Blade Master's first attack; only a fellow Sangheili Sword Master or a learning Souponin. But this demon did.

A side kick followed instantly, that landed on the Chief's rib section. The powerful Sangheili kick drove the Spartan from his feet to send him flying two meters away and sliding against the floor, until he slammed head against the pillar near to where Natoli's inert corpse lay. John 117 remained sprawled on the floor without making another move.

The Elite turned, observed his enemy's unmoving body. He took his time now, walking toward the Master Chief to deliver the finishing blow. That was when he heard footsteps behind, but before he could glance back, he felt someone pounce on him.

It was Private Tunde Akindele. One of the marines thick strong arms immediately wrapped around the alien's neck as he hung onto his back like a frenzied monkey. It was funny how Akindele suddenly seemed small nearing the Sangheili. It showed just how huge the aliens were.

Meanwhile Longday stood not so far away swaying his rifle, searching out a clear shot at the Covenant, where he would not hit his partner in the doing.

The Elite roared his loud protest trying to run a hand behind and grab Akindele. Akindele still had his rifle in the other hand. He aimed it at the alien's sword hand and released rounds against it at point blank. This caused it to loose hold of the blade which clattered on the floor and deactivated. But the Sangheili was greatly upset by this.

He bellowed even louder and ran in the direction of the corners where the pillars were situated. The roar was an unending one: until he went past the first pillar to reach the plain bulkhead on that side. He suddenly turned around and with the momentum gathered from his sprint, rammed Akindele against the wall.

It was more like squashing a bug under your feet as the Sangheili felt satisfaction hearing the human's bones crack to bits.

Akindele slumped to the ground as he moved away from the wall. The Covenant did not care to look back knowing that that particular problem was already taken care of. The next thing that followed was rifle shots from a screaming and angered Corporal Longday.

The Covenant's armor dazzled as the slugs hit home. Still screaming and firing, Longday began to advance toward the alien, who suddenly disappeared out of sight again. The marine instantly stopped shooting, screaming, and advancing. "Show yourself you Covenant coward!" he shouted. Longday suddenly remembered that Sergeant Evermoore had taken his extra magazines from him, and that the one in his weapon would be nearly depleted.

He looked around, saw Akindele's rifle where it lay on the ground. Behind him was also Sergeant Evermoore's rifle, he knew. He looked to the farther side, saw the Master Chief's rifle also, and Natoli's shotgun. He had to calculate which weapon would be easier to go for. He opted it was the one behind and began to gently motion backward swerving his weapon left and right as he did. He released more shots with a quick sway just incase the alien had neared.

It reminded Natoli of some of the antique ghost movies he had watched as a kid back on Rusein when one of the weapons on the far side lifted on its own. Just as soon as he opened fire again knowing it was the camouflaged Covenant, the rifle spun with remarkable speed as it was hurled at him.

The weapon clubbed the Marine on the forehead such that his legs lifted high into the air when he fell. The Elite reappeared after taking out the last disturbing Marine. Now it was time to end the demon. He moved over, bent and picked up his energy sword. A loud hiss revealed the deadly glowing blade as he turned to look at the Spartan.

But Master Chief had regained consciousness by now. He was seated on floor, hand rubbing against neck. The Elite would not wait for him to get up. He sprinted toward the Chief. The Spartan briskly went down and began to roll sideways, trying to get away from the approaching Covenant. The Elite knew that this was the end for the demon if that was all he could come up with. Master Chief continued to roll. The Elite continued to advance. Almost nearing the stretch of bulkhead on the very end of the large room, John finally stopped, lying on his back. The Elite looking to make things a little faster, leapt an outstanding ten feet into the air.

Master Chief saw the monstrous alien who was silhouetted by the bright lights coming from the ceiling, as the dark figure descended on him with dazzling sword in one hand. On the Sangheili's landing on top of the Chief, a loud boom erupted. For a moment both figures just lay there, Elite motionless on top of the Spartan, Spartan unmoving with the bulk of the Elite against him.

"Chief, Chief, can you hear me Chief," Cortana piped. It was obvious that the Sangheili had not made use of his sword, because it fell out of his hand presently. There was an abrupt jerk and Spartan 117 managed to push the alien aside, just for the barrel of an M90 shotgun to be revealed.

Had the Covenant been more observant in his attack, he would have noticed the Chief steal the shotgun from the floor in that deliberate roll. Master Chief's breath was heavy within his Spartan helmet. "You scared the chips out of me with that move, Chief," Cortana said. The Chief did not have anything to reply Cortana just yet but exhaled, turned a relieved face in observance of the fallen Covenant whom he knew he was merely lucky to have defeated.

But all of a sudden he saw him move. He quickly sat up and pointed the M90 at the alien again. "No, demon" the Elite spoke in a weak voice. Master Chief made sure the weapon was well aimed at his head as he slowly made to his feet looking down at the Elite. Placing one large Sangheili palm on a fatal chest wound, the alien sat up.

"You are a true warrior, demon," his mandible parted as he told the Chief in a husky tone. "So perfectly have you performed the art of deceit and surprise. I will be honored to die by your hand." John counted two steps backward, weapon still pointed, as the Sangheili tried to make to his feet.

The alien was not actually trying to stand, but managed to position himself in a knelt position before John. One knee was on floor while he balanced his weakened body on the other thigh with both hands. "Now you can kill me, champion."

"No!" a voice sounded from nearby, but Master Chief could see nobody. He swung his visor searchingly around and could spot no one. "You can still live, Master Razoor," the voice came again, before John saw another Sangheili come into view from his hiding of active camouflage. This one was also in black armor. John wondered for how long the alien had been hanging around.

"There is always a second chance. There is always a rematch," the new comer told the knelt.

"No Suringhen, I have failed you," Razoor agonizingly responded. "Just as I have failed my cause." Master Chief lowered his weapon presently. "No, demon, you must aim your gun at me. And you must use it... that I may die by the hands of one that is worthy; for that is the only thing of honor that I can know in this hour of my parting."

He managed to turn his face to Suringhen. He spoke in Sangheili tongue: "As my Souponin, Suringhen, you shall perform but one final task for me. You shall see to it that the demon does this. You have been an excellent student, and may fate find you a better Master than myself." He bowed his head. "Go ahead."

The Chief, a bit puzzled at this point, just moved his visor from one alien to the other. But he knew that the kneeling Elite had said something to the other and was awaiting a response. Master Chief observed the standing Elite. Suringhen also bowed his head momentarily as though in regret. He centered his eyes at the Spartan: "Do it, demon. Finish him."

Failing to understand this aspect of the Covenant, Master Chief looked down at the kneeling Elite, returned his visor again to Suringhen. Suringhen suddenly made toward him. On nearing the Chief, he demanded: "Do it, demon," before his sword was loudly activated. "Or you will also have to fight me." John still hesitated for a moment, but turned his face to the kneeling Covenant and pointed his weapon.

"If this is what you want, Covenant," BOOM! and Razoor fell on his back to finally sprawl dead on the ground. Eyes focused on his dead Master, Suringhen deactivated his sword. "You have done well to fulfill my Master's dying wish."

He moved over to be standing directly and very close to the human. He looked down at John from his nine foot. "But one thing that I want you to know this day; is that Suringhen, first Souponin of Razoor of Urindiya..." He lowered his face to look directly into the Spartan's visor, so that it reflected off it: "is not afraid of the demon."

He stood there staring into the Chief's visor a few more moments...before he backed away heading toward the dead Razoor. Master Chief watched him as he reached and knelt before his Master.

"I am a Souponin, demon---a learning Blade Master: and I am only supposed to observe and learn when my Master does battle." He sent his large hands to the side of the dead and heaved him from the ground. He straightened and balanced the corpse on his shoulder.

He started walking away but stopped after a few steps, glanced across his shoulder at Master Chief. "My failing to fight you this day only means that I do respect to my Master. But survive this phase of the war demon, and we shall surely meet in battle another day: for revenge is a thing that is firmly held by every Blade Warrior." He returned his face forward and continued toward the exit.

CHAPTER SEVEN

The break


With his Master's corpse still balanced on his shoulder, Suringhen walked into a sub-armory of brig section eleven. Upon his entrance stood Ship Master Kakiska facing the door, looking to be in eager anticipation of his coming; or what would have been his Master Razoor's coming. Kaziska's dotted Sangheili eyes were automatically fixed on the dead Stealth Master's inert body.

The room was a fairly narrow stretch that ran left and right having a long weapon rack which lined with the length of bulkhead that Kaziska backed.

Suringhen, shifting his head to the right wing, noticed a group of red armored Major Domo Elites standing in a straight formation and already armed with carbine and plasma rifles awaiting the Ship Commander's next orders. He pointed his gaze back to Kaziska only for both their eyes to meet.

He watched the Ship Master's dark eyes glance again at the body rested on his shoulder, before he asked: "Is he..." but could not get himself to finish.

"Yes," Suringhen said. It was then that Kaziska lowered his gaze to notice the purple blood that streamed down the Souponin's armor trickling from Razoor's lifeless body. Kaziska sighed...then scowled. Refusing to show his grief, he began a stride to the left side of the room where a single com-device was positioned.

"For so long a time," he started: "has commander and Blade Master Razoor been an integral part of the Truth and Reconciliation's special operations division." He reached and rested both hands on the com-device. "In all my days as a warrior of our holy Covenant, I have known and befriended many a Blade Masters. But never was there any like Blade Master Razoor of Urindiya."

He shifted his face to catch view of Suringhen and his dead Master. "I know he may not have said it to your hearing, Souponin Suringhen...but he always let me know that you are the best student he has ever trained." Bowing his head before the screen in front of him, Kaziska angrily said: "The demon has taken of our own more than his blood can ever recompense.

He depressed a button on the com-device for the screen to flare up in his face. "Commander Reuzan," he growled. "It is time. Give the order at once, I want every single station guard of decks three to five to converge at position...The demon is to be destroyed on sight."
"As you command, Ship Master," Reuzan's muffled voice sounded over the com-device.

Kaziska, after passing that order turned to face the red Major Domo Elites. "Go noble iron hearts, meet with your squads, seek him out and spell an end to him once and for all."

"Write it as already accomplished, Ship Master," the first Elite on the line stated. Their heavy Sangheili feet thudded the floor as the group of Major Domos quickly made it past Suringhen and out of the sub-armory. Kaziska walked to the weapon rack and grabbed a carbine rifle. He picked a few extra rounds and fitted them to his belt.

Suringhen eyed the belt to notice the Ship Master's deactivated energy sword also strapped to the right side of his waist. "Do you also go into battle, Ship Master?" Suringhen asked.

Kaziska simply frowned questioningly at him. "Forgive my foolishness," Suringhen quickly pleaded. Kaziska withdrew his gaze of the Souponin, made past him toward the door. Stopping at the door's sliding apart; he glanced to his left at Suringhen and said: "I will surely avenge your Master's death, Souponin."

It was after the doors closing that Suringhen also made towards it. On his getting outside, the Commander had taken a straight path and view of him was blocked out by a large number of blue Elites and preceding Grunts that hurried past the cross shaped intersection of passages.

Their heavy marching beat hard against the ground and they almost forced Suringhen back inside with their horizontal files of formation. His attention at this point was no longer fixed on Ship Master Kaziska as Suringhen turned his face at the group of jogging Covenant that made past him.

You do not understand, he thought. Even you, Ship Master, do not understand the way of the Blade. You do not understand that death of the demon should come by none other but me. The group disappeared behind the far corner as he watched. As for you demon, you must survive this needless assault. You must survive that we may meet again, when the time is due. He returned his gaze forward again, just to see that the Ship Master was no longer on the straight passage. But again, I trust that you will, demon.


2


Corporal Pete Longday awoke from his slumber. Everything was a blur and the bright light that filled the area caused him to wince. He erected propping himself up with both hands so that he was in a seated position. He shut back his eyes from a sharp pain that stung at his head. It was not just the pain he felt on his forehead, but an agonizing headache also rumbled within. Even the throbbing at his waist had equally returned.

Keeping one hand remaining on the floor, Corporal Pete Longday allowed his other hand motion to his forehead. He felt a cloth wrapped around his head which was lightly soaked. "It's supposed to stop the bleeding," a voice suddenly sounded. Longday opened his eyes again and though all was still blurry he could make out a greenish figure standing before him.

"Master Chief," he said in a light tone of voice...before the Spartan's huge figure slowly came into clearer view to the Marine. "And touching it will only null that purpose," the Chief completed. Longday took a look at his fingers to notice that it was his blood that soaked the cloth tied around his head.

John stretched out a helping hand to the wounded man. Longday received it and was pulled to his feet. Making observation of his environment when he was up, the Marine quickly remembered the invisible Covenant but guessed the Spartan might have taken care of it.

John 117 turned around, and walking away explained: "You got a rifle butt to the head; nothing serious." Longday was going to ask about the others when memory of it all came flooding back into his mind. Chris's death in the darkness of the corridor, Sergeant Evermoore's ghastly fatality, Natoli's gruesome stab to the chest, and...

"What about Private Akin?" he abruptly asked the Spartan who was at this point squatted over a pack about two meters and half in front of the Marine and was busy with something that Longday failed to notice. Getting no answer in the next few seconds, Corporal Longday ran his eyes to the far left wing of the room where the pillars were positioned, to notice an orderly arrangement of dead bodies.

"They're all dead," Master Chief answered.
"But Akin..." Longday started, but cut himself short and strode past the Master Chief heading in direction of the corpses.

It was considerable meters away, but he soon reached. The first thing he noticed was Natoli's eyeglasses and Evermoore's "Sergeant's cap" lying on the floor next to four fallen Marines. He looked across to the last body to notice Sergeant Brad Evermoore's headless corpse; and the head lying next to it.

Chris's double stab gaped and his soldier hat lay next to him, while Natoli's single stab to the chest was sickening to look at. The entire Fort Alpha Company was down. Their tags were not on them. He figured the Master Chief must have them.

Longday did not know what to feel next as horror despair and anger all at the same time dabbed at the fringes of his emotion. He tried to get hold of himself, kept the tears from trickling.

Guiding his eyes near to the first Marine on the line which was Akindele, he squatted before the big man. He easily noticed his right sleeve was torn. This caused Longday to run a hand to his head again, in realization that it was what wrapped his wound.

He observed the dead man's expressionless face. I saw you knocked out cold just like I was, not killed. He lowered his hand against Akindele's torso and was taken in a sudden shudder. He felt the Marine's rib cage which was shattered to broken fragments. He shut his eyes in misery. I underestimated the strength of that alien freak. He allowed himself slam butt on the floor in hopelessness and was seated before his dead comrades.

He could not hold it back any longer as a long line of tear trailed down his face. "I would have also loved to sit down and weep," Master Chief's voice sounded behind him. "Those good men saved my life not just once but twice in one day; but now there's not much I can do for them. Not even as little as a proper funeral."

The Spartan threw a pack to him, which slid against the floor to stop near Longday's left thigh. Longday glanced to notice it was Chris's pack, and the Master Chief had stuffed it with all the weapons and ammunition of the dead men, rifle barrels sticking out of it.

"Get yourself together leatherneck, now's not the time to weep. Grab that pack and be on your feet. The Captain and the others will be needing some arms if we're gonna make it outta this ship alive." Longday still sat there wiping his face with both hands.


"I just gave you an order, Marine," the Chief told him. With a frown on his face, Longday sniffed his wetting nose. The Covenant had to pay, one way or the other; For Rusein, for Reach, for Roy and for the rest of Fort Alpha unit. They had to pay.

"Yes sir!" He rose and picked up the pack and as soon as he turned to face the Spartan, his rifle was tossed to him. The weapon beat hard against his open left palm as he caught it. Master Chief turning and walking away consulted the UNSC artificial intelligence construct: "Cortana."

"There are two doors as you can see, Chief. The first one on the forward wall leads to a single detention station while the other by the right next to it leads to another chain of cell rooms. I suggest we try the single one first. And we best be quick about it because I smell Covenant reinforcements will soon arrive our position."

"Right," the Chief agreed. With Longday following closely behind, who had thrown the pack behind his back, they soon reached the far wall on the right wing of the room where a door glared. Master Chief eyed the door on his right in his stride but continued toward the onward door.

Getting closer, he suddenly halted, Longday stopping also at his side. The Chief readied his rifle before he asked Cortana: "You still read nothing on the sensors?"
"Yes Chief, nothing."
"I don't understand; if this was a brig how come there aren't any guards," the Chief said.

"Because Mr. Invisible was supposed to have taken care of that part of the Covenant scheme," Cortana replied: "Except of course if there are more of them in the main cell rooms."
The Spartan went silent at that statement. "We wouldn't pray for that by any chance," he said.

Longday drew nearer. "I've always wanted to ask, sir," he began...took a look back at the large room before he went on: "Didn't see any sign of the invisible Covenant's body." The Chief's focus remained on the door. The Spartan slowly turned his visor at Longday, said: "Long story, Corporal."

He returned his face to the door: "and we aint got the time. Get ready, we're moving in." No sooner than he said that did he engage a quick trot toward the door. Longday joined. Door hissed open and they were in, MA5B's angling left and right.

"Hey man, it's our Spartan," rose a voice from one of the glowing containment fields which covered most of the square shaped holding cells that lined along opposite bulkheads of the dimly lit room. "Master Chief! Let us out, man!" another voice sounded from the other side.

John was still being very careful having in mind that another stealth Covenant might just be lurking anywhere. The middle of the room was plain empty floor that ran all the way to the end where a single holo-panel was situated.

Master Chief said nothing yet but motioned a hand for Longday to move along the left wing. "Is that you Master Chief?" John could not mistake the voice, and it came from the last cell on the right wing. He increased his trot briskly moving over, ignoring for the moment the call from the Marine in the adjacent cell. He reached and...there stood Captain Keyes alive and untouched. "Captain Keyes," he said.

"I shouldn't be too surprised should I, John," the Captain said. Captain Keyes peeked through the gleaming energy field, viewing the back end of the room. "The power control should be along that back wall, lets get these cells open."

Master Chief had noticed the holo-panel earlier; he pointed his rifle in the direction and made towards it. "Room seems apparently clear, sir!" came Longday's voice from the left wing. On nearing the back end of the room, Master Chief opened fire.

His weapon rattled and flashed a brighter light in the shady area as he guided its barrel from one end of the back wall to the other. By the time he was satisfied and had convinced himself there was no invisible Covenant around, he threw the weapon behind his back where the Mjolnir armor's gun-grip firmly held it in place. He rushed into position to handle the holo-panel.

"Lower circular button," Cortana said: "Then the smallest square one to the left." Master Chief did as he was told and the energy fields faded away from the opening of the cells. John watched the two Marines and Captain Keyes as they emptied into freedom.

But the Captain immediately went across the room to an opposite cell. Sergeant Scofield was still sound asleep when Captain Keyes took his hand. "Are you okay, Sergeant?" Keyes asked. Scofield slowly opened his eyes to have sight of the Captain. "Yes, Captain."

Keyes was glad to see a better flare in his eyes and knew that the rest had helped him regain some strength. "I can see that," he said. Keyes freed his hold of the Sergeant's hand. He sent his fingers to the fabric that wrapped the man's temple wound. Feeling the texture of it, Keyes said: "Now who would have thought that the Covenant knew anything in the area of medicine."

Jacob Keyes arose after that, whirled and made out into the open floor again where Longday and the other two Marines were exchanging familiarities, sharing such things as what combat group they belonged to and so on. Keyes motioned a hand at them: "Help the Sergeant up Marines and let's be ready to move."
"Yes sir," they synchronously answered, before Longday and Jackoby hurried into the cell.

The third Marine was Corporal Philips, who bent before the gun-filled pack presently, getting himself equipped for the escape. Captain Keyes turned to the Spartan who strode toward him at this point. "Cole protocol article section two," Keyes began: "Destruction or capture of a shipboard AI is absolutely unacceptable. You disobeyed a direct order, soldier. I thought I commanded you to keep Cortana as far away from the enemy as possible."

Master Chief made to respond: "Forg---
"Coming here was reckless and you and Cortana know better than this..." he paused, and for once John thought he saw a smile briefly come on the Captain's face before he said: "Thanks, Chief." Turning to Philips, Captain Keyes said: "Alright someone hand me a weapon and let's get ready to exit this joint."

"Captain," Master Chief called. Keyes turned to the Spartan again to see him offering an M6D pistol. Captain Keyes collected the silver pistol and scrutinizing it, said: "Oh...you really didn't have to give it back."

"Sorry to have lost that one sir," Master Chief said: "but this one belonged to a heroic Marine."
"Then I guess I'm honored," the Captain replied. "Okay, everyone gather up," he said next, turning to and waving at the marines with his new pistol.

Corporal Philips had swung the pack on his back in which remained one extra rifle and a shotgun. He had stuffed himself with a few extra magazines. In his hands were two rifles of which he threw one to Jackoby whose left arm was busy as he and Longday supported Sergeant Scofield with their shoulders coming out of the cell. Jackoby caught the weapon.

Sergeant Scofield's movement made it clear to them that he was not going to walk on his own by any means. "Enemy reinforcements!" Cortana's feminine AI tone suddenly sounded: "and such a large number of them." Some of the men went wide-eyed while some hearts skipped a beat. "E.T.A!" Captain Keyes immediately enquired. "They're along the Corridor that leads to the next room and they'll be into that room in the next...ten seconds, and counting.

"Captain!" Master Chief called. Keyes turned to him and received two extra pistol clips. Master Chief scrambled toward the Marines that supported Sergeant Scofield. "He'll slow us down!" he said, bending before the Sergeant. "Let him go!" They did, and in an easy whisk the Sergeant was upon the Spartans shoulder. "You have the point, Chief," Captain Keyes said, cocking his pistol.

Master Chief led the way as the UNSC squad hurried toward the entrance. "Wait a minute," Cortana warned: "there's no way we can face them, there's just too many of them. But there's one other option, we can take the door to our left as soon as we out this room. "

It was almost at the same time that they made into the room that the Covenant also emptied into it from the door directly on the far opposite side. Elites, Grunts, Jackals, and leading the way...a large furious looking Hunter. Master Chief stopped to face them as the rest of his comrades hurried one by one into the door on their left.

With his other arm firmly holding onto Sergeant Scofield, he opened fire at the enemy with the right hand. The Hunter raised its large metal shield to block the human's gunfire which twanged and tinged off it.

Although the Hunter was slow in its approach, Master Chief suddenly noticed a flashing green light on its right arm before he heard the loud high-pitched sound that indicated...Master Chief hurried into the room after his comrades just as a fuel rod round was released by the Lekgolo.

Sergeant Scofield felt the heat of it as the thing missed his head by less than a meter. It erupted against the other door from where they had emerged.

The enclosure they entered was another cell room but there was a door at the end of this one. Looking to their left and right were empty holding cells and a holo-panel standing in the exact middle of the room. "One more cell room and we'll arrive at a door that connects out of the brig," Cortana explained as they ran toward the onward door. "Let's just hope firstly that it opens manually and secondly that the Covenant won't be waiting to welcome us there." Just as they were all making into the next room, they saw bolts of plasma fizzle against the edges of the door whipping from behind them. They were more than glad to hear the door shut behind them after they were in.

Running across the second room was something they considered being faster in going about. They were at the next door which opened now for them to enter into the last room. Though the last room they just left was very similar to the first, this one was different, it was smaller. It had four holding cells instead of eight.

Longday and Philips were first to reach the single door that stood at the end of the right wall. A com-device edged the door. Philips drew near and...nothing. The door did not shift apart like the rest had done. "It's not opening," he said, looking at the rest as they also approached.

"No, this can't be happening, that door at the moment is our only safe ticket out of the brig," Cortana said. Longday, standing at Philips' side went nearer the door just to make sure. He lightly banged on it twice with his fist. "Damn," Longday muttered to himself before he frustratingly made as though to walk away, faced the door again and sent a kick against it.

"Damn!" he loudly exclaimed this time. His wounded head hurt and he sent a hand to it in pain. "I'm sure you can try and override the codes, Cortana," Captain Keyes said. "Yes, Captain but with the Covenant just behind us, I don't think I have even nearly enough time to override the first phases of a 128,000-bit modulating encryption key."

"Get to it immediately," the Captain said. He headed back to the entrance. "We'll try and hold them off while you're at it."
"I knew it," Longday's voice sounded again. "Always knew we were all gonna die up in this Covenant shit hole."
That caused Captain Keyes to turn around and face the Marine. "Stow the bellyaching, soldier. No one's dead yet and I'm not planning for anyone to be. You already at it, Cortana?"
"Yes, Captain," she answered.

"Okay, the rest of you," Keyes said, motioning a thumb at the door behind him: "lock, load and edge that door at once."

Master Chief, at this point Sergeant Scofield still on his shoulder, angled his visor all over the room. He next looked to the door to notice the com-device. It held his gaze. "I think I've got an idea, Captain."


3


The humans were hopelessly cornered as long as Guard Commander Reuzan was concerned. The marching of multiple Covenant feet noised all around him. The entire Guard troop of the Truth and Reconciliation which was made up of four Covenant races was after them.

Now he would be convinced that the demon was a god if he survived this hunt. The formation was in the normal order. A Lekgolo led the way, a file of Kig yar were close behind him while three files of Unggoy were directly in front of Reuzan.

They marched on, feet hammering loudly against ground, armor chinking and ringing. Behind Reuzan were his two red armored sub-guard-commanders, and the last three horizontal lines consisted of blue armored Sangheilis. They made a corner and were now along the last corridor leading to the main cell block where the human Captain was detained.

A bit way across the corridor, the Lekgolo suddenly stopped. The Kig yar abruptly halted also, avoiding bumping into their giant comrade. But the Unggoy rammed into the Kig-yar who in return flashed their red eyes back at them and made seemingly suppressed screeching noises of protest.

Reuzan tilted a curious head trying to see what lay in front. "What halts the blue warrior," he asked. The Lekgolo not looking back, groaned some incoherent speech. Reuzan looked to the side at one of his sub-commanders. "He says there is blood in his path," the sub-commander said. "And what does he mean by that?" Reuzan asked.

"I can not tell, Commander," the sub-commander replied. Reuzan looked forward again. He walked through the midst of the Unggoy and Kig yar to reach the twelve foot alien. Stepping around him, he noticed darkening and drying red blood on the ground. Reuzan squatted, dipped two Sangheili fingers in the blood and motioned it to his nose. He sniffed. "Human blood," he said. "Could it be that Razoor wounded the demon in battle?" he muttered.

He erected. "Carry on blue warrior, and remember to fire on sight. Remember that the demon has killed two of your kindred." The Lekgolo's narrow eyes suddenly narrowed even more and what could be considered a frown came upon its alien face. He marched on; and faster this time around.

Reuzan waited for the files of Kig yar and Unggoy to scuttle past him before he joined behind. They reached the onward door in a bit. Doors hissed open and...The demon. Reuzan could have sight of him on the far side beyond the Lekgolo. He was with other humans. They were emerging out of the main cell room and it was clear that he had freed the prisoners.

Just as Reuzan thought to give the order to fire, he heard the loud piercing sound of a fuel-rod gun as it charged up. The demon fired briefly at the Lekgolo before the fuel-rod blast was released at him.

The demon managed to escape into the side door as the round whipped straight on and exploded against the forward door. "After them!" Commander Reuzan shouted. The Lekgolo seeming very infuriated at this point increased pace, Kig yar and Unggoy keeping up behind.

The humans were already making it into the next room when the Covenant troop made it into the first door. Kig yar and Unggoy were quick to fire multiple bursts of beam weapons at them. The humans managed to make it into the next room without taking a hit. "Now we have them trapped," Reuzan said as they continued to jog after the enemy. They reached the next room but the humans had already made it into the last.

"Halt! The whole of you!" Reuzan suddenly commanded. The Lekgolo stopped at the order. The Kig yar stopped, and suspecting that the Unggoy might be stupid enough not to have heard the command, briskly shifted aside for most of them to continue advancing clumsily until they bumped into the Lekgolo's large legs, and into each other. The Kig yar squeaked in laughter of the Unggoy who blamed and chided each other.

Commander Reuzan took to the sides freeing himself from the formation and advanced. He spoke into a small com-device that attached to the shoulder region of his armor. "Odinumn Commander to access control, have you locked all the brig entrances as you were ordered?"
"Affirmative, Odinumn Commander," a radio muffled voice answered in response. Reuzan raised his head at the onward door as he continued to walk past the formation. "Even if the humans manage to get that door open, more warriors await them on the other side," he informed his soldiers.

Standing about four meters away from the door, he waved a hand without looking back at the formation which was a reasonable distance behind at this point: "Commander Hazehi and Commander Uthap!" The two sub-commanders who were both armed with Plasma rifles broke away from the formation to advance toward Reuzan. These surely are your final hours demon, Reuzan thought. He grinned faintly. And you shall die by the hand of the Sangheili.

Uthap and Hazehi reached and flanked him. Glancing backwards, he addressed the remainder of the formation: "The rest of you, maintain your position and await additional command." He gestured a commanding hand at the door and the sub-commanders quickly trotted towards it. Reuzan followed with a casual walk, bringing his Carbine rifle into view.

Though Uthap and Hazehi moved close to the edges, not seeming to care whether human artillery would cut him down on the door's opening, Reuzan's advance was defiantly along the middle. The door's proximity reader picked up their nearing and hissed apart. The Covenant Elites adeptly pointed their weapons. Room appeared to be empty...the sub-commanders scrambled into the left and right wings to make sure. Reuzan also walked in, still casually. He narrowed surprised eyes at the empty room.

While Reuzan lowered his weapon, the other two Sangheili's still kept theirs pointed, searching vainly around the shady enclosure that was clearly empty. The door at the end of the right wall took his gaze and Reuzan proceeded towards it. On nearing it, it did not open. He touched the com-device on his shoulder again and spoke: "This is Odinumn Commander to access control; I demand immediate access to brig sub-exit four."
"According to your command, Odinumn Commander," The security operator crackled back: "access to brig sub-exit four will be granted in ten seconds."

With Uthap and Hazehi standing side by side behind him, the door drew open in exactly ten seconds. Reuzan moved out, and entering into a brighter lit corridor, saw a group of Sangheilis and Unggoy to his left, who were still in the motion of lowering their weapons for they had pointed it at him.

"Hold your fire!" a red armored Sangheili told the rest of his mates on the corridor: "it is only the Commander." Reuzan did not have a word but frowned at them. He looked to his right to notice more armed Covenant. "Have the intruders come through this path?" he asked.

"Not that we know of Commander Reuzan, the door has not opened since we covered this position," the red armored Sangheili replied. Reuzan's face remained on them, but they knew that his mind reasoned many other things. "Very well," he said after a while: "Stay your position and make sure they do not."

He returned into the room where his sub-commanders had been standing at the edges to make sure the door remained open. They followed him now for the door to shut again. Glancing around the high corners of the room, Reuzan muttered: "What trickery is this?"

"Commander," Uthap suddenly called. "What is it?" Reuzan answered.
"The communication station," he pointed at the device which now stood at the side of the entrance door instead of the exit. "It assumes a wrong position."


4


Luckily for the UNSC squad, the air-duct opening was big enough to take even the Master Chief in his bulky Mjolnir armor. Knowing that the strange com-devices have come to serve another helpful purpose so far, John balanced his feet atop this one and erected for Jackoby and Longday to pull him up. They soon realized just how heavy the Spartan suit was as both Marines added some extra effort in carrying out the task. John managed to place his green cyborg elbow within the gap and was able to do the rest himself.

He was the last to be pulled up. He looked to his left as soon as he was into the orange-lit multi-linked duct channels. "Cortana," Captain Keyes called, standing on a lower section of the duct channels where he and Philips helped Scofield stand erect, such that the Chief saw only their heads.

"Can you navigate us through this maze of a conduit," he asked.
"Surely, Captain, and one added good is that it leads to every single floor of the Covenant ship: Including the shuttle bay. I can easily contact our Pelican to standby a ready ride for us while we make our way straight to the shuttle bay."

Master Chief crawled through the first narrow path to notice that where Captain Keyes and the rest were was wide and high enough for standing erect. He climbed down to join them. "That's excellent Cortana," Keyes said: "you should waste no further time, the Covenant are likely to sooner or later find out exactly where we are."

They began to proceed; the air-duct was not wide enough to take three men shoulder to shoulder so Captain Keyes and Corporal Philips had to walk sideways supporting Sergeant Scofield with their shoulders. Master Chief made to follow but noticed that Longday and Jackoby were still in the upper narrow channel.

He turned his visor at them, and unlike the rest they could see up to his shoulders. "What's keeping you?" Spartan 117 asked both soldiers who stared back at him. Private Jackoby quickly hushed the Master Chief with a finger to the lip.

"Covenant are in," he whispered, then pointed at Longday's hands, which held the thin columns of the air-duct's metal cover. "And he can't let go or it drops," Jackoby added. Longday tried to hold the metal cover firmly in place. The tightening bolts were on the outside and there was no way it was going to stay if someone did not tighten it from that side. Longday and Jackoby had watched through the thin columns as three Covenant Elites entered into the room.

Longday still observed the aliens through the columns. The one in the middle seemed to be the leader. The other two were doing some needless searching. Longday felt Jackoby shift closer to have better view, and they watched his back as the middle Elite proceeded further into the room.

"I just hope they don't see my bloody fingers," Corporal Longday whispered, hoping that the Covenant would not turn around and notice his fingers that lightly stuck out of the columns.

Master Chief, still looking in the direction of both Marines suddenly heard the Captain behind him. "What's the delay, Master Chief?" John turned his visor to the Captain to notice that he came back alone, for they had already made a corner.

"The vent-cover won't hold," John said, before he allowed his attention back to the two Marines. Captain Keyes moved to stand beside the Spartan, raised his head to have good sight of the men.

Longday was sweating lightly at this point and his headache had not relented. He and Jackoby observed. The leader Covenant had spoken in that horrible guttural language of theirs and got the brig-exit door open. He presently returned into the room after spending a few seconds on the outside.

His alien eyes now searched around the high corners...and in the direction of the air-duct, and...for a moment the men thought he had noticed them. But he turned his face back to one of the other two who spoke for the first time. And just when they thought to be relieved, the damn Covenant pointed a finger at the exact lower angle of the air-duct.

"Shit," Longday whispered: "They've spotted the console's wrong position. I'm gonna let go."
"No," Jackoby whispered back.
"We'll make a run for it," Longday said.
Jackoby firmed a hand on his partner's shoulder: "Let's see what happens," he suggested. "Better if the damn covies don't know we're up in the tubes."
Master Chief and the Captain were eager to ask what was going on but kept their silence.

Longday relaxed; and they watched the three Covenant approach in their direction. They did not seem to look up yet. Closing about two meters plus to the com-device, they stopped: The leader Covenant said something and the other two continued straight on to disappear against the entrance door.

The leader Covenant stood there alone for a while, before he turned around to head back to the other end of the room. Longday and Jackoby were surprised to see him whirl abruptly, swiftly handling his weapon. The Covenant roared as he released multiple carbine rifle shots at them.


CHAPTER EIGHT

The escape


"Why they take so long?" one orange armored Unggoy said to the other as they waited in the formation for additional commands. "Me not know," the other whispered back. "Well...think maybe demon eat all commanders by now?" the first said. The other frowned at him as though offended: "Demon not eat." The first looked at him questioningly and asked: "What demon do then?" The other seeming a bit proud to have such information answered: "Demon steal soul; make sure you not see great journey...ever."

Guard Commander Reuzan shot a quick and most brief glance upward, returned his gaze to the com-device. "Do not look up," he told his Commanders in a hurried tone. "I have now learned their contrivance," he said. "Just follow me." The two sub-commanders obeyed.

They casually walked back toward the entrance door. Reuzan halted abruptly, causing Uthap and Hazehi to stop also. "Carry on," Reuzan ordered them: "Carry on to the formation and summon the blue warrior along with all the Unggoy. They both went past him and proceeded through the door into the room where the formation waited.

Reuzan still stood there making sure his eyes did not lift to the air-duct. You humans must think very low of the Covenant. You do not only think us to be foolish: He turned around as though to make away. Reuzan completed four steps of deceit before: But also blind...He whirled bringing his rifle into view with a quick whisk.

Reuzan expressed his rage with a fierce Sangheili scream as he let loose his weapon at the air-duct. The groaning of one of the humans told him he had hit home. They suddenly let go of the air-duct cover which fell and clattered on the ground, but by the time the opening was uncovered the humans had already made away.

"Where is my blue warrior!" Reuzan impatiently shouted after he seized shooting. It was just as soon as he finished saying that that the door slid open for the twelve foot giant to enter preceded by Uthap and Hazehi, and tailed by multiple Unggoy.

Reuzan pointed at the air-duct, said: "Quick blue warrior, the humans are in the air-ducts, insert the Unggoy into that opening." The Lekgolo's mighty bulk, in his own quickness, was positioned under the duct opening in little time.

Reuzan waved away the thought of mere Unggoy killing the demon, before he ordered: "Go Unggoy, little but mighty warriors, and express your part in our holy Covenant." One by one the Lekgolo picked them up from the ground like rounds being slotted into a projectile type cannon, placing them into the air-duct opening one after the other.

Reuzan, knowing that the order would be precisely carried out, made toward the entrance door to meet with the rest of his troop. He beckoned his sub-commanders in the doing and all three Sangheilis moved into the room. On entering and taking observation of the troop which stood before him, Reuzan waved a hand at Uthap who stood at his left flank.

"Commander Uthap, take a standard Two-Four since there are no Unggoy, head to all duct plates in sector five of this deck, and secure them as though your journey to the divine beyond depends on it."

Before the Guard Commander was through giving the order, Uthap had scrambled and pointed out two blue armored Sangheilis and four Kig yar who quickly formed a new formation. "Write them as secured, Commander," Uthap said before he trotted off, his appointed Covenant briskly trailing along.

Reuzan waved his other arm at Hazehi: "Commander Hazehi, take another standard Two-Four, head to the third sector and carry out the same task."
"As you have commanded, Commander," the sub-commander obeyed, moved up and pointed out his own squad. Reuzan spoke into the shoulder fitted com-device: "This is Commander to Odinumn groups two to seven, intruders are in the air-ducts, you must dispense your forces to secure every single duct plate on all decks at once."

He raised his head again, observed what remained of his troops after Hazehi had collected six more Covenant and made off with them. "The rest of you will join me in performing a different task," he said, shifted his face to glance at the door behind him: "Blue warrior."


6


Their boots clanged and echoed within the hollow of the air-duct channels as the UNSC squad tried to lose the multiple Grunts that pursued after them.

Even though the narrowness and hollow of the vents amplified the sound of their rifles as Jackoby and a bleeding Longday fired occasionally at the tailing enemy, Cortana still radioed in all the commotion: "Cortana to Echo 419. We have the Captain and need extraction on the double." After a bit of static: "Negative Cortana, I've been engaged by Covenant air patrol and I'm having a tough time shakin em. Gotta try and keep this bird in the air Cortana, sorry."

"Acknowledged, Foe Hammer, Cortana out" the AI construct stated. "Air support is cut off Captain," she explained to Keyes: "And I don't know of any other options." Captain Keyes could hear Scofield's heavy breaths close to his ears as they carried on.

Master Chief had point while the Captain and Philips still supported the wounded Sergeant. "You mentioned we could directly get to the ships shuttle bay from these conduits," Keyes told Cortana.
"Yes,"
"If you and the Master Chief can get us into one of those Covenant drop-ships," Keyes explained: "I can fly us outta here. Are there any docked?"

"Yes Captain, there's a Covenant drop-ship still docked, but it's on the highest level of the bay. This is another good thing because the Covenant will expect us to be heading down toward the lower platform if we were going to depend on our own flight."
"Then you should waste no more time, Cortana."


Longday, firing at another Grunt that appeared from the rear corner, took it out with bursts to the chest. He did not at this point know which pain was more sever as his new shoulder wound inflicted by the Covenant carbine rifle stung once again.

Jackoby, who strode next to him, had torn his own left sleeve with a knife the moment he saw the hole in Longdays shoulder, and that was what wrapped the Marine's arm now. But the pain at his head did not seize as he felt a line of blood trickle down his forehead.

In that time Longday took to wince at his pain, he heard Jackoby's rifle go off again. He wondered how many of those little bastards were after them. He was very sure that he alone had taken out up to six already.
"We're almost there," Cortana informed. "We should take the ladders to our left."

Master Chief stopped in front of the ladder which rose into a cylindrical metal covering. He went directly underneath and cocked his head to look upwards, saw how lengthy it was. "That's a long climb," the Spartan said. He looked at Scofield who was all sweaty now. "There's no way he can climb with one leg. I'll have to carry him."

He moved to them, turned around and bent. "Just hold on to me, Sergeant." Captain Keyes and Corporal Philips released the man for him to wrap his hands around the Spartan from behind. Meanwhile Longday and Jackoby edged the corner and issued more rifle fire at the pursuing Grunts.

Master Chief straightened with the Sergeant hanging on to his back, and moving as if there was no weight on his back, led the climb. His cyborg hands made firm grips on the metal bars as they progressively reached up one after the other.

Captain Keyes was next and he could hear the Spartan's iron feet echo loudly above his head in the cylindrical enclosure. "Hey, we're going up," Philips told the other two Marines who were still engaging Covenant, before he joined the climb.

"Go Corporal, I'll join up," Jackoby told Longday in the rattling of his rifle. Longday nodded, twisted around and made for the ladders. Even though he saw no Grunts presently apart from three dead ones on the floor of the narrow passage, Jackoby still aimed his heated weapon at the end corner.

It was until he heard Longday's foot steps no more that he began to back away...then twisted around to make for the ladders also. Master Chief finally reached the top and lifted his visor to notice a narrow crawl space.

This section had no larger area like where they came from apart from multilinked narrower channels only fit for crawling. "Alright Chief," Cortana began: "all we have to do now is move along the straight path until we find an opening."
"Sergeant," Master Chief addressed the man on his back. "Chief," Scofield answered in a strained voice.
"You can crawl?"
"Just lead the way, Master Chief."

Scofield freed his grip of the Spartan's shoulders and took hold of the upper shafts of the ladder. Master Chief lifted into the space. Jackoby kept looking down at the base of the ladder as he climbed after Longday, watching out for more Grunts and ready to blast them in the head if they attempted as much as a peek. He smiled inside his mind knowing how easy a head shot was from his position.

John, having Scofield and Keyes crawl fairly closely behind him, after a while, located a duct covering to his left. "That's it Chief, that's our way out," Cortana said. Master Chief guided his visor along the narrow columns to have view of the outside.

It led to a well lit corridor. He angled his gaze farther left and...two armed Covenant Elites stood there ready to violently receive anyone that came through. John angled his eyes to the right and there was another Elite and five Grunts.

"It would be plain suicide trying to go through there," Cortana piped: "I think we should find another vent cover."
"What if they're all guarded?" Spartan 117 asked, for he was already thinking up the best way to engage those Covenant.
"It's worth a try, Chief. If we're lucky, we might find one with fewer guards."

Master Chief agreed, just as Scofield and Keyes neared him, before he continued onward. Longday and Jackoby were also into the narrow crawl path at this point but were trailing farther behind. In a whiles advance, they reached another duct cover.

"This is the closest one to the shuttle bay and should be the quickest rout of escape," Cortana stated. Master Chief glanced through the columns...the right angle seemed to be without guards. He bent his visor to the left and there were still no guards.

"And fortunately for us there are no guards...at the moment that is," Cortana said. "If it's the quickest rout of escape Cortana," John curiously said: "how come it's not guarded?"
"It's either they're still making their way here, or like I said, they might be expecting us on the lower levels. I can bet the Covenant have concentrated most of their forces there."
"Which explains our too good to be true situation?"
"Yes, Chief"

Scofield and Keyes reached them. "What's the situation, Cortana," Captain Keyes asked from behind Scofield. "We've found a safe path to the drop-ship Captain.

All we need do now is drop down this space, and the ship should be docked right behind the door on the right wing of this corridor, where the bay is located."
"I should go first," Spartan 117 quickly said: "to make sure it's not a trap." He turned his visor to the Captain. Keyes nodded: "Alright, Master Chief."

Spartan 117 dropped down from the air-duct channel on the wall which was about four meters high. His Spartan II armored legs thudded the ground as he landed, and with the speed and precision gathered from years of conscripted military training, his MA5B assault rifle pointed at one wing of the bright purple corridor, then to the other wing. There was a door on both sides but Cortana informed: "The door to our right Chief, it opens to the shuttle bay. Let's just hope it's not locked."

Spartan 117 edged himself on the right wall and approached the door with aimed weapon. The proximity reader picked up his signal and the door slid open. Master Chief had thought to scan ahead, then peek to the sides of the large bay area to make sure there was no enemy in sight. But there was something in his way. A large shadow spread over him. All that John's visor could view was a mass of blue alien skin. He slowly raised his face upward to take note of a familiar figure.

The Hunter's slimy organic hive-neck seemed to wiggle and snake as John observed. This was his first time to see a Lekgolo's eyes and this one appeared to be very un-happy. And the source of that un-happiness...John hoped he was not the cause, remembering the other two which he had so managed to defeat. The twelve foot monster gurgled its rage, and the first attack was a rather slow hook with the gun-fitted arm; a bit too slow for a Spartan's quick reflexes.

Master Chief easily bent to dodge it. But the second attack...was also just as slow but...but was "reaching". A back handed upper cut with the larger shield fitted arm gave the Spartan no room to maneuver. Master Chief was amazed at the force it landed as the blow threw him upward. Spartan 117 lost hold of his rifle and was in the air...he slammed back against ceiling. He dropped hard belly-flat on floor and wondered what such a blow would have done to him were he not suited in Mjolnir armor.

The next thing he felt was a large hand that picked him up by the head as if he was some piece of toy. There was a hand behind that shield fitted arm. The Hunter held Master Chief in the air looking into his visor. Spartan 117's hands tried vainly to free the beastly grip.

The giant Covenant turned around with the human still in its hands, made into the bay floor. Master Chief, taking a glance around, noticed the docked Covenant drop ship. The giant energy-shielded bay-door that stretched all the way from the main bay floor gleamed ahead.

And to the right...he could not believe his luck...another Hunter approached looking just as mad as the first. It stopped on reaching, focusing its eyes on the Spartan too; and for a moment John thought he saw them communicate without speaking. Seeming as if they had come to a conclusion, the one that held John began heading to the wide un-girded gap in the middle of the room where the drop ship was held by clamps.

The Hunter reached and stood at the edge of the drop. Master Chief quickly understood he was going to be thrown off the edge to splatter on the lowest bay floor. The alien, seeming satisfied at staring at its foe for the last time, stretched its hand over the space.

Master Chief stole a downward glance to see that there was nothing below his feet now save a bay floor that stood very many meters below. The alien let go but...the human did not drop.

Spartan 117 fastened his grip to one of the Covenant's large fingers as would fish caught in a hook. The Hunter tried to shake him off wiggling its hand vigorously but Master Chief stubbornly held on.

An easier way of breaking the human's grip would have been pulling him by the legs with the other arm, but the Covenant's other arm could not handle but was gun-fitted. Some more frustrated shaking of its arm told the alien the human was not going to budge.

Turning to look at its partner in frustration, the two Lekgolo's seemed to decide what to do again by merely staring at each other. The alien turned away from the edge of the drop. It lifted its hand higher up with which it held Master Chief, while the other Lekgolo just waited patiently.

Spartan 117 suddenly felt himself meet hard with the ground as the Hunter pounded against it with his body. Spartan 117 lost his grip, slid two paces away and lay belly flat on the floor in pain.

The waiting alien seemed to have been waiting for its turn to whack at the Chief, for it now moved over while the other stepped aside. John's physical body trembled within his Mjolnir armor, but he knew he had to ignore the pains and get up and fight.

He already succeeded in rescuing Captain Keyes. Not at this point, not at this stage should he give up. The Covenant drop ship was docked just at the corner. The bay door glared at the end wall of the big room, and above all, there were Marines back there depending on him. Get up John---get up, he told himself: If you could defeat two of these over grown monstrosities; why not two more.

John remembered his defeat of the other two. He had taken advantage of their lack of speed and had evaded their blows and fuel blasts until they were on opposite ends of the room with him in the middle.

One Hunter had carelessly released a fuel-rod round that roasted its mate. Then he had succeeded in rolling a grenade under the others legs; the blast sufficed to wreck its hard armor, and the monstrous threats had been neutralized. He wondered what tactics he was supposed to employ in defeating these two.

Hands shaking, aches consuming many parts of his physical body, John heaved himself up to rise onto hands and knees. Raising his visor, his vision was engulfed with luminous floating dots; and one blue bulk standing to the left, and another that approached.

Spartan 117 waited for the beast. The Covenant reached and stood before him, raised both huge arms in the air to deliver what would be a death blow to the human.

Just as the monstrous Lekgolo hands descended to crush the Chief, he launched himself forward with all the strength he could gather, so that he slid underneath the open legs of the Covenant to evade the blow.

The punch thundered the ground, ripped wires and circuits and boards leaving an un-natural crater on the spot where electricity sizzled and crackled. Master Chief as soon as he was behind the Lekgolo, jumped to his feet. His knife was out in a quick grasp as he leaped onto the alien's back.

All that was in john's mind was that neck. His earlier observation of the other's neck had made it clear that it was a weak spot. The Lekgolo which always contracted to an eight feet whenever they were engaged in battle, suddenly erected to its complete twelve, raging and trying to get the Spartan off its back. But this was exactly what John hoped for, because their long necks equally receded into their body more like a turtle's whenever they contracted. Master Chief delivered three rapid stabs to the thing's slimy hive-neck so that orange fluid sprayed in thin fountains and the eel-like symbiots that made up its inside scattered all over and squirmed on the floor. The alien gurgled and shook in pain.

John still stuck to its back like magnet against metal, and the last blow he delivered was a stab and drag that split a crevice in the Covenant's wide neck. No longer did it reach for the Spartan, as the giant alien ran both hands to brace its wounded neck. The ground of that area was covered in orange blood and wriggling eel creatures in little time as the Hunter gurgled and moaned loosing life.

Finally, the Chief still on its back, its knees were first to meet the ground when it gave a final moan and fell face flat on the orange-blood stained floor. More like a hero of some fictional fantasy, Spartan 117 straightened to be standing 'knife in hand' over his fallen foe. But he heard heavy footsteps approach from his right. Master Chief turned his face only for the figure of a double angered Hunter to reflect off his visor...before he received a whack that sent him hurtling away like a missile.

So forceful was that blow that it sent John flying in the direction of the door he had emerged from earlier. And the door slid apart for the human cannon to speed into the corridor. At the opening of the door, the Hunter noticed another human to the left wall, who seemed to have just lowered from the air-duct.

Private Jackoby was surprised to see the Spartan fly past him as he watched the door hiss open. "Pull him back in---pull him back in!" Jackoby shouted, letting go of Sergeant Scofield's legs whom he had been trying to assist in coming through. "there's definitely trouble on this side," the Marine said, drawing his rifle from his back.

Master Chief landed on the top section of his back...rolled...tumbled...and finally ended his flight with a brief slide on the floor. Although the door had closed again, Private Jackoby Reynolds backed away from it with aimed rifle, for he had sighted the blue monstrosity that quickly approached.

He backed away expectantly, trigger finger ready to depress the moment the door opened again. Jackoby switched his weapon to full automatic just before the door hissed open. The rifle pulsed in his hands, bullets fled in multiple numbers, but he watched every single slug twang in bright orange sparks against the Hunter's metal shield. The Covenant defended itself very well in its advance refusing to underestimate the humans any longer. Private Jackoby kept backing away and firing until...empty magazine.

So frightful was the creature that the Marine momentarily forgot where his extra magazine was located as he trembled and awkwardly patted his belt pouches and uniform in search of it. Still backing away, he finally located the magazine, but his hands were all shaky and unstable as he tried to reload. He knew he was doomed.

The huge alien reaching him, delivered a side slap with the shield arm that sent the human crashing hard against the other wall of the corridor, rifle, magazine, extra magazine scattering against the floor.

Private Jackoby Reynolds tumbled to the ground and lay there un-moving. Longday who was closest to the duct cover from within the air-duct, tried to have view of what was going on but could only see the Hunter's large back.

The Hunter immediately looked to its original prey. Master Chief rose to be seated, looking ahead revealed three blue aliens, of which John was sure it was supposed to be one.

The ethereal images unsteadily drifted across themselves in the Spartan's blurry vision. He shook his head, looked forward again. His physical eyes blinked multiple times in their hiding of his Spartan helmet, before the images before him gathered to become one. One maddened Hunter.

And now he heard that sound again; the loud high pitched sound that always preceded a fuel-rod attack. Master Chief didn't know whether to try getting up or just sit there and get fried by the alien weapon.

Apart from not having the strength to try, what could he do to dodge that weapon in the narrowness of the corridor anyway, he reasoned with himself. A helpless and hopeless Spartan 117 just sat there and watched the green beam charge up in the Lekgolo's arm.

Until...until the alien raised its hand and fired at the ceiling. That surely awoke John from his sleepy mood as he quickly went wide-eyed. John's widened eyes though they were hidden, next narrowed in curiosity. He quickly rose to his feet and stood staring at the alien. He took better observation and noticed that some kind of glowing light protruded from its belly. The Covenant's head suddenly bowed...knees bent to meet the floor, before it collapsed heavily on the ground, just for a...just for an Elite to be revealed behind him who was still in motion of lowering the hand with which he had held the Hunter's fuel-rod gun aimed at the ceiling.

John saw that the glowing light was only the Elite's energy sword which he still held in his right hand. It was Suringhen: John noticed the black armor. Sunringhen pointed the sword at Master Chief who was about five meters away. "The deed which I have committed this hour demon, is grave and unpardonable heresy. Heresy that will cost me my life, should it be discovered." Suringhen's expression went more resolute. "But I want you to know that I have only saved your life this day, that I may take it on another."

He lowered his sword after he said that, and deactivated it. "Now make quick your escape, demon, however it is you have planned it, that my effort at keeping you alive may not come to a needless waste." Suringhen activated his stealth camouflage before he concluded: "We shall meet in a short time demon, and be prepared to face my blade." John listened to his feet as the Sangheili made off through the bay access door which opened and closed again.

"I guess I misjudged the Covenant," Cortana admitted. "Placing those Hunters to guard the upper bay platform means they're really serious about making sure we don't escape." John in the next moment quickly moved over to bend before Private Jackoby. He could hear the thudding feet of the other Marines as they also lowered from the duct behind him. Jackoby Reynolds was unconscious and bled at the head. Master Chief moved his hand to the Marine's chin, shifted it in inspection of the wound. Looking at his chest showed that Jackoby still breathed.

"Is he Okay?" Captain Keyes' voice sounded from behind as their shadows came over the squatted Spartan. "He still breaths: needs medic ASAP," John replied. He next heaved the soldier from the ground, erected and balanced him on his shoulder. Turning about, he could see Longday and Keyes as they supported Scofield.

"The drop ship's docked just out there," he said, moving over to pick up, first his rifle, which he placed on his back, then Jackoby's rifle and extra clip. "We should get going before—
"Multiple Covenant forces entering the shuttle bay," Cortana abruptly broke in.

"Chief," Captain Keyes called as soon as he heard that. "Get the wounded into the ship." He let go of Sergeant Scofield's arm, left him balancing only on Longday's. Keyes un-holstered his M6D and jogged towards the door. Philips followed. Master Chief gave the extra clip to Longday and bent to collect the other wounded man.

Spartan 117 carried the weight of two wounded Marines on his shoulders now and followed after Keyes, Longday sticking close and readying his rifle.

Door opened and they were in. Drop-ship was fortunately docked to their left while the enemy came at them from the far right wing of the bay floor. Four blue armored Elites apparently, and ten orange armored Grunts, about thirty meters and approaching. Keyes, Philips and Longday faced the enemy while Master Chief trotted to the alien ship.

Longday was surprised to hear four shots from the Captain's pistol and see three Grunts go down in the distance, before his own weapon gave up a triple armed flare as he also opened fire. Now he understood why those colors hung on the man's chest, for those were definitely head shots. Philips fired to make three guns.

Spartan 117's hard feet clanged against the Covenant drop-ship as he jumped unto it. "Where's the entrance?" John asked. "Right over there, the black metal plate," Cortana replied. John moved over and easily located a lever which he stepped on with his leg.

The entrance hatch flung open and looking down into the cockpit, it was modeled in a strange way such that it seemed more like lowering into a human Battle Tank rather than a ship.

One of the standing pillars that consecutively lined at the left wing of the large bay room served as cover for Keyes and Longday, bright flashes of plasma whipping and whooshing past them in multiple bolts. "We have to help him!" Longday screamed while he kept firing, for Philips lay on the floor at their side, brought down by a sprinkle of plasma burns from the enemy.

In the process of changing clips, Keyes spoke in all the noising of weapons-fire looking at Longday's hip: "He's clearly dead marine, and there's nothing we can do for him now.I can see you've got smoke."
"Yes sir," Longday said, returning into cover after a brief burst at the enemy.
"Lemme have it."
Longday quickly detached and placed the canister into Captain Keyes open palm. "This'll blind them while we join the Master Chief,"
"Understood sir," Longday nodded.

Keyes pulled pin and lobbed the canister into the air, so that a trail of cloudy smoke followed its flight before it landed between them and the enemy. Covenant band took cover not knowing what it was and thinking it was some kind of grenade. Some Grunts even scrambled backwards in retreat, who were immediately ordered back by the Sangheili. Both human soldiers had to wait for the smoke to spread before they made their move. "Go Marine," Keyes commanded.

Longday made out of cover glancing first at Philips body on the ground, before he headed straight for the drop-ship. Keyes backed away with pointed M6D, before he heard a voice at his side. "Leave the Covenant to me, Captain." Keyes glanced to notice the green figure of Spartan 117 with rifle leveled at the cloud of smoke. Master Chief looked at him. "You got a ship to pilot, sir."
"I'm already interfacing with the ship's controls," Cortana informed.
"No, no need for that," Keyes told her: "I'll take that bird out myself."
"Acknowledged, I'll remotely release the clamps."
Keyes hurried off.

Now, were the humans familiar with the Covenant ranking system, they would have noticed that the band that entered the bay seemed to be without a commander. Unknown to them, while the other Covenant moved closer along the pillars to the left, their Osoona stealth commander hurried along the right wall and had advanced so near, but fortunately for Keyes' idea of a smoke grenade, his stealth camouflage was now betrayed by the smoke as John caught traces of him.

John quickly allowed his weapon rattle and release an endless stream of bullets at the alien. His armor flared so that he came into full view. Unlike the Sangheili Blade Masters who were only specialized in the use of swords, an Osoona stealth commander though not half as skilled as a Proper Blade Master In use of it, wielded the energy swords also, but were more adept in ordinary plasma arms. Of which he grasped out his carbine rifle at once.

Two out of his first three blasts hit the Spartan on the shoulder, before he activated his sword in the other arm not stopping in his advance. Those two hits almost completely depleted his shield and John knew he could not afford to take another hit.

Still firing at his approaching enemy, he briskly sidestepped toward a pillar, long fingers of green carbine fire breezing past him as he did. John, as he was entering into cover, noticed that the rest of the Covenant had also made it past the clearing smoke at this point.

Additional plasma fire now rained, scorched and blackened the pillar which he hid behind. John remained there trying to think up a next move, before the firing abruptly stopped. He wondered. Stealing a peek revealed that the Osoona Elite still advanced determinedly and was less than four meters nearer to John's position. The others had stopped shooting in other not to hit their commander.


Spartan 117, to the alien's surprise, slowly stepped out of cover. The Sangheili skidded to a stop. It bent a suspicious head at first observing the human. Master Chief threw his rifle aside for it to crash and slither against floor.

The others, reduced to four Grunts and four Elites by Keyes and Longday, now closed up to be standing just five paces behind their commander, all weapons pointed at the Chief. The leading Osoona waved down their weapons without looking back at his soldiers. The Sangheili grinned, threw away his carbine rifle.

John knew he did not really have time for this, but instead of getting roasted by all those plasma weapons held by the aliens, he was left with no choice. Suringhen and Razoor in their attitude had taught him just how full of ego this particular Sangheili race was, and he had to play on that ego to stay alive. Master Chief stood there looking at the alien whose sword glowed in his hand.

He knew the Elite was going to say something before taking any action; and it came: "So, the demon wishes for a honorable demonstration?" John wondered why the hell they always had to do that. Such an excessive level of pride. Perfect he thought in addition, on hearing the drop-ship's engine squeal behind him.

"A decision you will fortunately not live to regret, demon," the alien said in addition. John turned face to his rear right wing; at his knife which lay in a pool of orange blood, near to the Lekgolo which he had stabbed to death.

The Sangheili saw it was what John looked at. On turning around to go for the knife, the Elite spoke again: "No demon, you must not turn your back on me. Only against the most disreputable of rivalries must a warrior display such contemptible behavior...You would not want my blade in your back."

John who had paused half-turned, now fully faced the Elite again. He began backing away slowly. The remaining Covenant had formed a straight line behind their commander at this point. Master Chief kept his visor fixed on his opponent until he reached and bent to pick up his knife. And at that precise moment when his hand met with the knife, he was amazed at the speed with which the Osoona fled towards him. As the alien approached, many thoughts flashed through John's mind:

The Spartan II program taught me how to dodge and parry knives and swords but not plasma ones that can easily bury into anything...Even mjolnir. It's a dangerous game I've decided to play. Any mistake from me and I'll loose a limb or take a thrust...or even be instantly decapitated. Got to be careful.

Spartan 117 had barely straightened to his feet when the first attack landed; A thrust which he skillfully dodged. He noted that this Sangheili was far slower than that Razoor. He had thrown his body forward to dodge the attack, which left him looking at the Sangheili's exposed back. He drove his knife down trying to bury it there but it bounced off the thick Covenant armor.

The Osoona Elite briskly turned around and seemed a little surprised at the Spartan's speed. He sent a quick glance at his rear shoulder knowing how easily an energy sword would have dug into him if the Spartan had been armed with one. He now laid aside his over-confidence knowing he had to reduce his attacks to quick horizontal strikes which he could more easily recover from.

He lunged at the Spartan doing so. Whip, whip, whip: the attacks were quick as they came, sword humming through the air, forcing the Spartan backwards. Master Chief tried to spot an opening in the darn armor but did not seem to sight any. He knew he could not keep at this all day. The Covenant was bound to land a blow sooner or later.

Master Chief did more of systematic retreating now as he backed away, rather than dodging, drawing the Covenant closer to the edge of the drop across the end wall.

The whining of the drop-ship engines got louder, and by the sound John knew that the Captain had steered it towards his direction as he expected he would. This was confirmed by the Osoona Elite looking past John's shoulder, and Cortana's mentioning: "I think we're ready to fly, Chief."

The Covenant noticing the plan of the humans, struck faster and angrier strokes with his sword, performed a series of vertical and horizontal attacks of which John carefully timed the slowest and most careless vertical strike, and sidestepped deftly to leave his knife stuck in the Elite's right eye.

The Osoona roared and howled in pain, and by the time he pulled out the knife to look forward again, the Chief had turned his back on him and was running to the edge where one of the Covenant drop-ship's long troop-hatches was already whirring open to receive him.

All the other waiting Covenant at this point rushed up to open fire at the Chief. With Covenant plasma fire darting hurriedly past him in countless numbers, impacting the ship and impacting his armor, Spartan 117 leaped off the edge to land within troop-hold of the ship which was already steering away from the edge.

"Are you both in?" Captain Keyes asked Cortana via the ship's COM.
"We're in Captain. I'll get the bay-door open."

The troop hatch was already quickly drawing to close when Spartan 117 turned around, and looking through the fifteen inch gap remaining for the hatch to completely close, he saw the Osoona Elite was aloft, sword in hand. It was at the hatch's exact shutting that he heard the alien's loud clang on the outside as it landed on the ship. The strangely long shaped troop hatch was suddenly lit with a bright light the moment it closed.

The space in the troop-hold was very narrow, having troop seats with fastening chords arranged in a straight line. John took his place on one of the seats, listened for the Elite wondering if he had lost his grip.


The next thing the Spartan saw was a glowing blade that pierced through the hull, extending into the troop-hold just two inches from his face. The sword withdrew, Master Chief rolled away. It penetrated again, through the low roof this time around.

Meanwhile down upon the main bay floor, a large group of Covenant waited in vain for the humans. And they all watched the underside of one of their ships as it made out of the bay door. "Who dispatches a ship without my order?" Kaziska, activated sword in hand, growled at the multiple number of Elites who were with him.

Master Chief watched the deadly sword burn the top part of the seat he had occupied. It kept withdrawing and descending at different angles. "We probably didn't have to turn our backs on this Covenant," Cortana said. John, lying on the floor, knew there had to be a manual release for the hatch.

He looked to the left to notice a lever, crawled towards it at once. Master Chief rose to his knee and gave a yank at it, for the hatch to begin whirring open, revealing the quickly passing sky on the outside. It seemed about early morning and the sky was just beginning to brighten. He erected, held on to something and freed the weapon that hung at his back.

He suspected the Covenant must have lost his grip as the hatch completed its whir and he was no where in sight. The landscapes of the ring world were eerily natural. Rocks, plants, mountains...John even spotted strange wildlife atop some hills as they sped past them.

In the far horizon hung traces of the rings immense circling arm which was its awe-inspiring foundation, and even though a refreshing breeze came with the drop-ship's journey across the sky, John could not feel any of it, trapped within that mjolnir suit. "We've got bogey on our six," Captain Jacob Keye's voice sounded within John's COM. "Five Banshee fighters: any idea why they're not firing Cortana?"

That question was quickly answered as an Elite swung from the upper ridge of the hatch plate to land inside the narrow troop-hold. John's one-eyed rival, bleeding only at that eye, appeared very intact and the only thing he seemed to have lost grip of was his sword. "We have one Covenant with us in the troop-hold," Cortana replied. "They probably don't want to bring down the ship with him aboard."

John quickly fingered the safety of his weapon and aimed it at the Osoona. He released two rounds of alternated triple bursts before the alien rushed at him. Roaring, he received the shots against his armor but reached the Spartan to ram him into that left wing of the narrow troop-space.

Master Chief's MA5B rifle flew out of the open hatch into free air as he grasped the nearest shaft his hand could locate. Just the same moment he made contact with the bulkhead, john felt large Sangheili hands that wrapped round his throat. The Elite pinned Master Chief to the bulkhead, tightened the grip of his neck in a strangling choke. Not the neck again John thought, trying to free the alien's grip with both hands.

Even though mjolnir armor also served as an environment suit with its own supply of oxygen, the Covenant still managed to still air from passing through his lungs. John realizing how strong the alien was, quit trying to break his grip. Instead he allowed his hand to search the area around him. Just as the Elite began to say: "Turning your back on me, Osoona and first troop Commander of the third capital vessel of the Fleet Of Particular Justice, demon...is the last mista—

He received a whack on the temple that shut him up. Master Chief had felt the hardness of the metal part of the fastening chords on the seat nearest to him, before he took hold of it to deliver that clubbing. He considered that blow to be a hard one but the Covenant did not relent. "Your efforts are futile demon, for you are already dead."

The Chief's vision was beginning to blur...he drove his hand aside one more time, gathered enough force, and struck the alien the second time.

The Elite merely grunted and shook his head in endurance of the pain, but did not free his grip of the Spartan's throat. John knew that one more blow would do the job...he ran hand aside again and "whack!" This time, the stubborn Elite's grip was broken. But he folded his hand in annoyance to deliver a punch to Master Chief's helmeted head.

Spartan 117 moved his face to dodge a blow which left an imprint of Sangheili fist against that portion of bulkhead. Once again the Elite was careless, allowing Master Chief to send a gauntleted fist to his rib section.

Unlike the Elite who was engrossed in his engagement with the Spartan, John was cautiously aware of the dangerously open troop-hold, and his other arm still kept firm hold of the bar.

The drop ship suddenly tilted to the side just as the Elite was still recovering from the punch to the rib. He slid across the narrow floor of the troop-hold. Master Chief sent his other arm to the shaft for better grip when this happened.

He heard the Elite grunt as he fell; but then a yank of his leg equally forced a grunt off the Chief. He almost lost grip of the bar but stiffened it now to balance both the weight of his opponent. John wondered how many times in one day a Covenant had to hang its weight off him.

The Elite, holding onto Master Chief's leg, hung in free-air and all that was about him was sky, and a lot of gravity that waited to bullet him against the passing ground that hung far below, should he loose his hold.

Five Banshees tailed as the drop-ship screamed across the sky. In the small cockpit of one of the strangely crafted alien ships, in which a pilot actually lay on his belly rather than sat, the leader pilot sighted what looked like their commander hanging off the low left side of the target ship.

"Ona flock leader to all wings," he spoke over COM. "If my vision is precise, I assume that it is Commander Duheny who hangs below the left arm of the stolen Spirit." It took a while before an answer crackled back in the small cockpit of the leader Banshee: "Affirmative Flock leader, that is surely the commander."

"Ona wing two," he growled back in muffled voice. "Break formation at once, issue immediate aid to endangered commander." The sky had brightened to reveal a sunny morning on the immense ring world, and sunlight glinted off the metallic patterns of the pursuing Banshees whose engines hummed as they zipped after their target.

One Banshee peeled away from the formation, dived, and headed straight for the low side of the drop-ship where the Osoona Elite's legs dangled desperately.

Even though half of his body was outside while half was inside the long troop-hold, John was relieved that this time around it wasn't his physical leg that was held but his metallic Spartan armor. It took considerably great effort keeping his grip with that Elite hanging off his leg.

In the past minutes, he had been stomping against the Covenant's grip-hand with his free leg, but the alien wasn't budging.

His hand was covered with blood that trailed down to his elbow and shoulder as a result of the kicks he had been receiving from the Spartan but the Elite was not one ready to tumble from such height. No matter the amount of pain affected on that hand, except it was cut off or something, he was never going to let go. Or on the other hand, the demon was ready to let go for them to die together; a thing the Sangheili would gladly welcome in his death.

His name would definitely echo within walls of the Step of Silence for defeating such a troublesome foe and dying in the process. The demon will only make him a warrior not to be forgotten.

The roaring engine of the drop-ship was loud in his ears, but even with that he could suddenly hear the familiar buzzing of a different engine. The Osoona Commander looked down to notice the curved nose of a Banshee that matched the speed of the drop-ship to be hovering underneath him.

Half regretfully and half relieved, he looked up at the Spartan and shouted out of the passing wind: "Do not think that it is over demon, I shall lift not my eyes from you until you are dead."
Master Chief on picking that, glanced down and at the same instance felt the Elite free grip of his leg. John watched the alien land on top of the Banshee with a thud. The aerial-assault vehicle made sure its cargo was properly balanced before it veered away.

"You actually meant to say 'eye', Covenant," John mocked.
The Banshee turned around in a quick arc. "Excellent Ona wing two," the leader pilot mentioned. "Now return the commander to the mother-ship,"
"As commanded flock leader, Ona wing two returning to nest."

The Osoona Elite sprawled atop that Banshee, appeared more like a cold blooded reptile laid out to absorb the day's heat. Thinking that the Banshee was only on its way to rejoin the formation, he was surprised to watch to his left as they sped past the others heading backward.

"No, where are you taking me?" he protested, with the wind beating against his face, but his comrades would not hear him without a radio. "No, you must turn about, I must see to the demons death." His protest faded with the ship disappearing into the distance.

Within the bowels of the drop-ship which was relatively small, Longday stood behind Captain Keyes' who was seated on the pilot seat. Sergeant Scofield was strapped to the co-pilot seat which was the second and final seat to be found on the ships' inside, while Jackoby was laid beside a bulkhead. "Humans!" a Covenant voice suddenly sounded over the radio: "We have removed our commander and are permitting you a chance to land the ship."

Longday waited for the Captain's reply but the man just kept his eyes on the view-screen. When the Covenant got no answer from the humans, he said in addition: "You are allowed twenty seconds to commence landing, or we light up the ship and burn you out of the sky."

Eyes still on view-screen and concentrating on flying the ship, Keyes told Longday: "That's definitely not a bluff Corporal, get back there and see if you can handle those guns."

Master Chief succeeded in lifting back into the troop-hold. He erected still holding on to the bar. "Now that they have their commander," he said to Cortana: "means they're gonna fire on us."
"Except the ship was of some value to them, which I critically doubt."

Still, in the tightness of his small cockpit, the leader Banshee locked his target on the escaping drop-ship. He had waited out the twenty seconds. "This is Ona flock-leader to mother-ship, we have safely removed the commander and will now open fire on the enemy."
"Excellent flock-leader, proceed as stated."

Longday scrambled to the rear of the ship. He saw two round hatches, one on the ceiling and one on the floor. He bent choosing to make use of the lower guns. His pull of a lever sent the hatch springing open.

He wasn't and had never been a gunner of any sorts, except for those M41LAAG mounted on warthogs which he had handled on occasional missions and mostly on their mission in Africa. Powerful piece of artillery that could mow down bands of rebels in the briefest possible times. He knew that aircraft guns were similar and wondered if these would feel the same.

A ladder led down the narrow tube into what appeared to be a gun-chair with a targeting console and guiding sticks. He slid down Marine style. On his touchdown, he noticed the gun-space was transparent and bubble shaped, so you could not only see your surroundings through the targeting screen but also through the geodesic structured frames which practically made up the entire enclosure.

"Ona flock-leader to all wings: commence fire," the leader pilot ordered over COM. He was the first to release a shining burst of bright green fuel-rod attack which chopped at the drop-ships' rear starboard side. The escaping ship staggered in the air and vomited a long trail of thick black smoke that marked its path across the sky.

An abrupt boom rocked the entire ship so that Longday lost balance, before he got back his bearing and fitted himself into the gun-chair. He ran the straps around his chest and grabbed the handles for the screen to automatically light up. The whole room seemed to move in a smooth oiled motion as he moved the sticks to aim for his first target. This was definitely nothing like a warthog turret.

The rest of the Banshees had opened plasma fire that rained in behind the drop-ship but were all forced to break formation and disperse as the ships' lower guns began spitting at them.

They rolled, veered, swayed, and were all very skillful in dodging the spurts of plasma fire.

The earlier fuel-rod blast had rammed Master Chief against bulkhead, so that he curved his elbow around the bar he held onto for better grip. There was not much he could do now but hang on tight and hope that some miracle would save them all from dying in a crash. The troop hold remained open, and the Chief could see that they were quickly loosing altitude.

The ships engine coughed and whistled, warning lights flickered all over the control panels. The former bright lighting of the interior switched to an intermittent red. Captain Jacob Keyes knuckles whitened as he fought with the controls. A deep toned computer voice spoke things in a strange language which Keyes considered should be damage alerts. The ship refused to remain aloft and was descending quickly. "Everyone brace for impact, we're going down hard," Keyes hollered.

The pursuing Banshees did not relent from showering plasma bolts at the already failing ship, dodging the lower guns that fired at them in the process. The long damage-smoke that tailed the ship was partly shrouding the Banshees at this point, making them a harder target for Corporal Longday. The leader Banshee released another ball of fuel rod that hammered at the drop-ships' other side shattering fragments of hull into the air and leaving another rupture at the rear to make a twin trail of smoke.


Comfortably inside his small Cockpit and pleased with the damage they had delivered so far, while easily dodging plasma fire that came from what he considered the poorest gunner he had ever come across, the leader pilot was suddenly surprised to see one of the Banshees explode out of the sky in a dazzling bright blue-white explosion. And it was not hit by the Spirit drop-ships' poor gunner.

He had caught it with the side of his eye but now ran a quick glance at his radar to notice a medium sized ship that approached from the rear. Another Banshee exploded to smithereens as the leader pilot steered his Banshee aside to dodge depleted uranium slugs that issued from behind.

"Echo 419 on the scene and making a scene!" Foehammer hailed over radio. The pelican left bright orange flashes that whipped at the Banshees as its twin chain guns flared in the bright morning sky. "She aint gonna hang, Cortana, just find a level spot to land that bird while ah take care'o these mosquitoes."

"Perfect timing, Echo 419," Cortana responded. "You can trust the Captain's an expert at emergency landings, cause he's got the controls not me."
"Then I guess I'll let the Captain do his job, while I do mine...Eat led alien scum."

The drop-ship lowered by many feet and was still descending. The group of ships at this point flew across a vast forest region, but ahead and bordering it was a wide grass plain; their best bet for a safe landing. Captain Keyes knew this: he knew he just had to keep the ship aloft a little longer, until they were past the vegetation and above the open grass field, then he would attempt a landing.

The two remaining Banshees dodged skillfully, performing quick horizontal evasive rolls. But one was slightly tagged on the right wing and it momentarily lost control making itself an easier target for the Pelican. It soon exploded in a cloud of blue-white dust.

His maneuvers got more precise as the leader pilot realized he was the only Banshee left in the sky. The small craft systematically swayed from side to side, chain-gun fire whipping and hissing past it by mere inches.

A quick application of air brakes had the Aerial Assault Vehicle flying at the left flank of the Pelican. The chain gun on that side instantly swiveled in accord and continued blasting away at the Banshee. The pilot instantly pulled up, leaned his controls rightwards so that he was flying above the Pelican and matching its speed. With the pressure of the chain guns off him, the leader pilot stole a glance downside at the soon to crash Spirit drop-ship.

He smiled in his mind convinced that his main objective was already accomplished. All he had to do now was get rid of the interfering human drop-ship. One blast of fuel rod should do the job.

He applied the air brakes again, this time for the Pelican to continue ahead of him; then he dipped. Now I have you, humans. He flew behind the Pelican. Just as soon as he locked his target on the tail of the medium sized ship, he noticed the troop-bay was open, and a figure stood at the edge of it...having some bulky instrument balanced on its shoulder.

"Special delivery, Covenant looser," the Marine said, before he triggered a round of M19SSM rocket launcher projectile at the Banshee. The pilot went wide-eyed at the unexpected sighting of a yellow ball of fire tailed by a spiral of black smoke which hurtled directly at him. He quickly bent his controls aside, but the missile seemed to follow.

The meeting of the rocket launcher round with the right wing of the Banshee left a violent cloud of fire and smoke, and the Aerial Assault Vehicle was erased out of the sky.

The open field was just sixty meters ahead. The U shaped drop-ship descended enough so that it clipped the top of trees with a continuous grating noise while making across the remaining length of the vegetation. A cloud of fluttering green leaves mingled in black smoke traced the path of the ship while its engines bellowed and groaned.

The grating, popping, snapping and splintering of tree tops kept on, until the front end of the ship dipped into the foliage. The noise got louder and more violent.

On its finally bursting out of the edge of the forest, the drop-ship sent splintered and uprooted roots and a shower of leaves scattering into the open field. Behind it, was patterned a wide and shallow valley of halved and felled trees across the high side of the tree line, which was still partly covered in clearing smoke.

With a deafening clang of metal against earth, the meeting of the ship with the ground shook the field; and to be compared to the waves lifted by a speed-boat in its journey across water, such was the manner with which the drop-ship lifted grass and dirt in an extensive skid along the field.

Hip-first in his plummet, Master Chief swiveled against a first branch, crashed into the next with shoulder, twisted again, struck against a third with back so that it snapped, before he rapped against a series of smaller branches that snapped consecutively, to finally land hard on the ground with a metallic thud...then grunted.

He remained still laying on his back, a shower of leaves floating down on him. He suddenly lifted to sit. John did not "technically" loose his grip; because the damn bar he had held on to was still in his hand. He raised it in observation, before he annoyingly tossed it away. Hearing the faint crackling of fire drew his visor upwards.

He noticed the carved path across the topside of the forest which was edged by dotted tongues of fire on both sides. This caused John to spring to his feet. Upon full erection his heads-up display whitened with static. He had to rid it with a shake of his head, before the thing returned to normal. And he realized just what level of abuse the suit had received in one day.

He sprinted for the edge of the forest dodging jutting branches and leaping across the underbrush. Even though his hands cleared the path, twigs still slapped off his visor and body. The undergrowth collapsed and snapped in the Spartan's sprint, and he would glance occasionally at the burning path cut along the tree tops, which was his guide out of the dense foliage.

In what would be half the time it would have taken a normal human, the super soldier's genetically enhanced speed got him to the outing of the forest.

As he stumbled into the open, sunlight glinted off his armor so that it shined to match the color of golden-green grass that carpeted the expansive plain. Twenty meters ahead, a path of upturned earth began, stretching all the way to a tall plume of dark smoke that rose into the blue sky more than a kilometer in the distance... "The ship is on fire!" Cortana said.

CHAPTER NINE

Heretic


The inner engineering section of the Truth and Reconciliation was huge as a small city on its own, but Suringhen knew his way around the ship like he knew the art of the blade. He was well hidden in the middle of two plasma conduits. The whole place was an unsymmetrical quagmire of crisscrossing pipes, service platforms, diagnostic stations and varied sizes of auxiliary-engine compartments. Steam and gasses hissed and puffed at multiple spouts.

There was a significant distribution of engineering Unggoy and hovering Huragok scattered all over the mechanical magnitude; just as always, and as he had expected. But this unyieldingly incompetent Unggoy race would be the last to detect a Blade Warrior's passing. Though he had to be more cautious in avoiding the more alert Huragok, Suringhen defied the use of active camouflage, he lurked, skipped and whipped from shadow to shadow without drawing the faintest attention to himself.

Defying the use of active camouflage and succeeding to this point was something he was sure no other Souponin could have achieved. He had always rued the fact that he was born to this generation of Sangheili. A slothful and complacent generation.

Even if his late Master Razoor never mentioned it, he knew that he had felt the same contempt for the Sangheili of this age. "Honor!" They always mentioned the word without portraying the slightest hint of it. How can one mention honor and yet have been slave to another for ages. That weak and manipulative race that call themselves the Prophets: if only he could come within sword-range with them, he would gladly have their heads and ease them of the burden of a "holy" Covenant that they claim to bare, and would cheerfully embrace a death sentence upon its accomplishment.

Suringhen knew there were a few more like him in this contemptible generation. Even Master Razoor had concealed these very thoughts in a corner of his heart, he knew. Souponin Suringhen considered the Sangheili to be the most superior race in the universe, but yet they submitted under a far weaker race.

Were he born in that age when the so-called Prophets landed their detestable space-ships on the home world, he would have encouraged that they die doing battle rather than be reduced to what they currently were.
Servants and bodyguards.

"The great journey." If his ancestors did not indulge in such delusive activities, why then would he, Enumer Suringhen, Blade Warrior of Urindiya, pay heed to such nonsense.

His elimination of a blue warrior they would now consider to be heresy. But the very thoughts that have lingered in his mind ever since he laid eyes on the Sangheili historical records have always been a far greater Heresy than they would ever know. Suringhen admired and loved his ancient fathers, noble warriors to the least of them. Urindiya was the birth place of the blade back on the home world. And the same blood that fueled the deeds and nuances of his fathers currently channeled through his veins.

He was an Urindiyan, one of the bloodline of original Blade Masters. He was proud of who he was and what he was. He felt great contempt for the instruments of battle introduced by the Prophets; the forerunner technology was greatly part of what has weakened his people in this age. In those days his fathers wielded blades of steel and with it could slice through alloy, but today the blade of light was a more powerful weapon, but only gave room for weaker warriors.

The Sangheili of this age depended more on those degrading weapons than on the natural prowess hidden deep within the hearts of every Sangheili warrior, every iron heart.

This Unggoy was taking too long. He was in his way. He had managed to evade large distributions of them on his way here, but this one was standing between him and the only path that led to his destination. The Unggoy was busy at a low hanging holographic console, taking measurements and processing relevant data. The path where he stood was merely a narrow ledge jutting off the wall, and to the right and behind him was a descent to lower platforms.

This part of engineering was poorly lit, the grinding and droning of the ships' main engines echoing loudly in the whole surrounding. A long shadow suddenly came over the Unggoy. He was startled at first but then relaxed on noticing it was just an Elite. But then...what was a black armored Elite doing in these deep sections of engineering.

He was not allowed enough time to reason that as the Elite's wide hand clasped over his face. The Unggoy made whimpering noises and kicked with his small feet as he was lifted off the ground. Suringhen carelessly tossed the alien off the ledge. He whimpered still in the air, before he fell with a splash into a cylinder of hazardous substance on the direct lower platform. Stubby hands beating and trashing, the alien tried to scream for help but his lungs appeared to have melted away, and so did the rest of his body...slowly.

Suringhen had not cared to look down at his victim's demise, and soon reached a grav-lift panel at the end wall of the narrow ledge. He fingered the panel and a narrow beam of shimmering purple radiant rose out of a circular platform on the floor to shoot upwards. Suringhen's eyes followed the ascent, which flowed into a square shaped opening in the ceiling.

He leveled his gaze again, stepped into the ray of light, and allowed himself to slowly drift upwards. Suringhen was transported into a low roofed area; he landed with a noiseless thud. The platform upon which he landed, just like where he was coming from, was also a narrow ledge and the broad space in the middle was a square shaped drop. And a notable difference here was that the ledge was girded by a low railing that went all the way round the four corners of the room.

On the walls shimmered a number of holo-consoles. This part of the ship was an "Unggoy only" territory because he had to crouch and reduce himself to half his actual height. Suringhen quickly turned around and deactivated the grav-lift from a panel behind him. His hands silently stole the bars of the railing when he turned again. Faint voices floated from below. Suringhen watched, focused eager ears from his hiding of thirty feet up. He was on time. He had eavesdropped the Ship Master and second Souponin Rofel indulge in some idle chat. He needed to hear more.

"What I fail to understand Kaziska, is how a Lekgolo's carcass can be related to your not only allowing the demon escape, but letting him take the prisoners along in doing so. You disobeyed a supreme command. You should know the consequences of such manner of incompetence, Ship Master."

Figures were seated and standing down below from where that voice rose. A dais erected near the end wall. Two sets of Elites, five to a group, flanked the room seated on long benches, who were adorned in a variety of colored armors. Two more Elites stood near the end wall, one on top of the dais and the other at the feet of it. A dead hunter was sprawled belly flat on a table next to the violet armored Elite who stood atop the dais.

The entrance door hissed open for them to all point their gazes at it in eager anticipation. Reuzan walked in, followed by a black armored Elite. They advanced until they were five paces from both standing Elites at the end wall before they stopped. "The Souponin is summoned, noble supremacy," Reuzan said, gesturing a hand at the Elite who stood next to him. Supreme Commander Orreius in his violet armor was the one upon the dais, and he glanced at Kaziska who stood at the feet of it. "Go ahead Commander," Orreius told him.

Kaziska, withdrawing his own gaze of the Supreme Commander, leveled it at the two Elites in front of him. "You may proceed, second Souponin Exaree Rofel, of Razoor," he said. The black armored Sangheili left Reuzan's side to advance three extra paces before he stopped. "I will like for you to make start by describing the role of a first Souponin, were his Master to fall in battle."

"As the Supreme Commander demands and as the Ship Master Commands," Souponin Exaree Rofel replied. "Under the obligatory service canon, chapter fifty of the eleventh tier of the order of the Sangheili ancient art of blade: It is precisely stated as both customary and binding, that upon a Blade Masters death, it is duly the duty of the first Souponin alone of the Master's seven Souponins, to shoulder the responsibility of enacting a revenge on whomever it was that felled the Master in battle.

"After which the Souponin will thus be automatically annulled of all further training in the class of a Souponin, to fittingly assume the role of his dead Master as the next Blade Master and leader of the remaining six Souponins. Only of course, upon successful completion of the aforementioned task."

Souponin Rofel went silent when he was through, causing most of the assemblage to wonder how what he had just said related to matters at hand. When the silence needlessly stretched: "And?" the Supreme Commander asked. Kaziska stepped aside, gestured at the dead hunter with one arm. "You are free to come inspect the blue warrior's wounds, Souponin Rofel."

By the rings Kaziska, what are you up to, Orreius reasoned. I smell grave trickery. "Halt!" Supreme Commander Orreius ordered, just as the Elite made to lift a leg onto the dais. Orreius casually waved him back. "Return to your position." Souponin Rofel obeyed, stepped away. Orreius turned to Kaziska next. "Have you or have you not inspected the wound before?"
It took Kaziska a while to spit out his answer: "Yes, I have, noble supremacy."
"Then I choose to be told, Ship Master Kaziska, how all this relates to the demons escape from a ship that is solely under your command."

Kaziska twisted to completely face the Supreme Commander. "Because there is in our midst a heretic." low sounding chattering abruptly rose from the seated Sangheilis flanking the room as they turned questioning faces at each other. Orreius narrowed dotted Sangheili eyes, in curiosity rather than surprise. The noise that came from the others caused Kaziska to whirl and face them again.

"Yes, I accept the fact that I disobeyed a supreme command," he shifted his head from one group to the other as he spoke: "by not lifting the cruiser into orbit while the demon was still onboard, and will humbly carry out whatever chastisement the Supreme Commander commands. But I can assure you all that there is no way the demon would have escaped the Truth and Reconciliation did he not receive aid from one of our brothers."

More murmuring rose, louder this time around. "Silence!" Supreme Commander Orreius exclaimed. Just as abruptly as it had begun, the whisperings faded out. "Do you realize the weight of these words such as you speak?" Orreius asked Kaziska.

"Yes noble supremacy. I would not speak impetuously before your honorable presence," was Kaziska's response before he shifted his eyes to Rofel. "Tell them in addition, Souponin Rofel, what number of days a first Souponin shall mourn his Master."

All attention was suddenly drawn to him and Rofel became alert, said: "A first Souponin is as stated by the order of the blade, required to mourn his Master three days before engaging in the act of seeking vengeance."

I have always known, Rofel, that you are my major adversary aboard this cruiser, Suringhen thought, from his high hung hiding.

"In order to bring you all into light and clarity of the matter," Kaziska suddenly cut in, pointing a hand at the dead hunter: "The blue warrior's wound, as even the Supreme Commander has inspected for himself, is of a Covenant blade and not of any human weapon." He began a gait toward the Lekgolo's corpse.

"The first Souponin wanted his revenge, he made contact with the demon but could not do battle with him for reason of the three days mourning. And the only way he could get his revenge was by making sure that the demon makes escape, in order for him to have revenge at a latter time." Kaziska presently stood before the table where the hunter lay."

How well drafted Kaziska, I just have to applaud your ingenuity, the Supreme Commander thought, glancing at the Ship Master. From what I observe Kaziska, you may have been the one that drove a sword into that loyal Lekgolo. But now let us see if you could also get this first Souponin to bear the blame of your incompetence. Or perhaps you have equally got rid of that one.

"Let me begin by saying, Ship Master," Orreius abruptly began: "If the demon could so easily defeat three Lekgolo's, then upon what basis do you lay the notion that he yet required aid from a...heretic, in defeating an additional one."

"Noble Supremacy, what we must consider is---
"And where is this heretic of ours?" Orreius cut Kaziska short.
A new awareness filled the room as rapt attention was focused on Kaziska while they waited an answer to this question. It was upon the Ship Master's treading forward and the echoing of his steps that they realized how much silence rested in the room.

Kaziska thought he heard something like, so unbelievable, whispered by one of two brown armored Elites seated to the left flank. He sent a debasing glare in the direction, which silently meant: remember you are under me you wretches.

He turned to the Supreme Commander before he answered: "I have upon an earlier time sent for first Souponin Suringhen to be summoned, but he was no where to be found upon the ship."
Ah, so you have truly disposed of him, Orreius reasoned: It is only one heretic that I spot here, and that is you, Kaziska. But even as it is I shall choose not to be conclusive.

"If that be the case, then all here is settled," Orreius said. Kaziska was surprised at this. Enoree Orreius was the kind that required more "convincing" in matters of such intricacy.

Orreius directed his next words to other members of the room as he leveled his gaze forward: "If the infidel has fled the ship, he will surely be brought to justice. There are more important issues that need to be met apart from this matter of heresy. If there truly has been a deed of heresy performed upon the sacred ring of all places, then we my brethren, should be sure that the gods themselves will see to it that a deserving end will find its place with such a one."

The seated Sangheilis nodded at those words, a few of them not necessarily attributing the heresy to the Souponin Suringhen; those few that remembered Kaziska crush an Unggoy to death with his bare hands once, merely out of anger. They were loyal to this captain of their ship but they also knew his stubbornness. The same stubbornness they were sure led to the demon's escape, and not some heretic.

"There are issues of more importance," Orreius continued. "The demon and the rest of those despicable humans still tread upon holy ground. They must be found, and they must be destroyed. We also have a map room to locate. And Halo's control room to secure."

He allowed his eyes at Kaziska who still stood at the feet of the dais just in front of the dead Lekgolo to his right. "As for your chastisement, Ship Master..." The words came upon Kaziska like icy water in a winter breeze, so that he missed a heartbeat.

He waited determinedly nevertheless. He had sworn an oath to this Covenant, an oath of loyalty. "You shall hunt down the demon and destroy him," Orreius said. Just as Kaziska thought how unlike a chastisement the order was, Supreme Commander Orreius added: "With one drop ship..." Kaziska watched his back as Orreius strolled down the dais heading toward Reuzan and Rofel before he completed: "and two squads of Unggoy."

Kaziska shuddered. His split-jaw dropped agape. What level of humiliation. A Ship Master, a zealot who has led the Truth and Reconciliation into countless battles and come out bold. Who has dedicated a notable service in the Fleet of Particular Justice, and in the holy Covenant as a whole. His place was here on the cruiser, from where he could command troops and give orders. The Ship Master could not remember when last he took a field operation, not to talk of doing battle beside...Unggoy.

Even if it ever came to him taking to the field, he would have a Sangheili that commanded Sangheilis that commanded the Unggoy. Surely there was no greater humiliation.

Kaziska stood tall nevertheless, noticing the eyes that glanced at him for a reaction, or plea of some kind. Enoree Orreius reached and stood a pace before Reuzan and Rofel. "You Souponin Rofel, I give to bear the task of seeking out the heretic, and returning him to this ship."
"According to your command, Supreme Commander," Rofel sharply snapped.

That is what you have always wanted Rofel, some attention. But you have just received a charge that will spell an end to your miserable life, was Suringhen's thoughts on the elevated ledge.

Orreius shifted gaze to Reuzan. "And you, Ultra Elite and commander of the guard, you will assume temporary command of the Truth and Reconciliation until the Ship Master has succeeded in his mission."
"It shall be done."

Kaziska was infuriated on the inside. This was utter abuse of his image and ego. He suddenly noticed the Supreme Commander glance back at him. "Your mission is to carry off at once Kaziska, we have not time," Orreius ordered. Kaziska left his position to make forward, answered on nearing the three standing Elites: "As you have commanded, Noble Supremacy." His tone was low, and stained with false indifference. He continued across the room making sure to stand tall and proud, for his golden armor to remind the crew of his ship that he was still Ship Master Kaziska.

As soon as Kaziska was out the door and it shut behind him, Orreius addressed the rest of them. "This council session is ended, you may all disperse." There was abrupt noising of feet and lowered voices as the remaining Sangheili rose and began departing.

"Save for you Commander Reuzan." He ordered again, just as Reuzan turned to go. Reuzan whirled to face him. Orreius said nothing yet but folded hands behind back, looked across Reuzan's shoulder until the last Elite was out of the room. "I have one additional task for you Commander, and only between us must it be known. I need for you to search the entire ship, see if you can find the first Souponin's body. When you do, report to me at once."
"As you have commanded, Supreme Commander."


2


Suringhen dropped from the grav-lift. He spotted two passing Huragok in the distance of shady orange light. They floated along the wide stretching space in the middle of the area. Suringhen reflexively dodged into shadow of nearby pipes. While one of the two Huragok continued in its glide, the other halted. Turning in the direction of Suringhen's hiding place, it uttered ultrasonic chitter. In its robotic view of the place everything was a dull blue.

It thought it had sighted something move in the shadow of clustered pipes on the ledge. It twittered some more, lurched in the direction, tentacle snaking in accord. It halted again, three meters from the ledge, then adjusted its view to thermal vision. The pipes at the topside of the wall spat down cold steam and made it hard for the Huragok to determine if the heat signature it was reading was a life form.

More ultrasonic chitter followed before it drew closer. On reaching to be hovering above the lip of the ledge, a shaft of bright-red heat signature suddenly lunged at its vision...black out. Two almost equal halves of the alien abruptly responded to gravity, clattered against the lip of the ledge and tumbled down the drop.

Suringhen's arm remained outstretched off the ledge, sword shimmering in the grip of his hand. He lowered arm, deactivated sword, and returned it to his hip. He continued his stride along the edge sticking to the shadows. With all Souponin Suringhen had heard so far, he was certain he had to flee the ship.



CHAPTER TEN

The Map Room


Night fell once again on the ring world. Suringhen's movement along the overstretched desert of rocks was like that of a ghost's. It was about eight hours ago that he managed to escape the bowels of the Truth and Reconciliation, but even with that he could still spot the massive ship in the distant night sky whenever he took a look backwards.

He would have covered more ground than he had done but the patrolling Banshees circled a one kilometer parameter and had been his major source of delay across the seemingly endless desert. He had to resign into crannies and shadows of outcroppings and boulders as their humming engines continuously traversed back and forth overhead.

At a point he also had to evade a group of Spirit drop-ships en-rout a mission as shadows of their double hulls darkened the path of his advance. Suringhen had guessed they were additional search parties dispatched on a mission to locate the Halo's map room. The ground upon which he currently tread was a forty meter deep valley. Outcroppings of varied sizes protruded and dispersed in a scattered pattern while almost knee-length groves of grass which sprouted sparsely brushed against Suringhen's passing legs.

He kept to the left wall, blackness of his Elite armor concealing him in the shadows. The moon's lighting of the ring-world was relatively bright and the night wore a grave silence. It was in such silence that the trained ears of a Souponin functioned best. Suringhen could hear the twittering and buzzing of night creatures and insects, as far as the ones beneath the rocks and above the valley's edge. A talent only possessed by those of the Urindiyan bloodline.

A cold breeze crossed his face so that Suringhen was frustrated at the ring-world's temperature patterns. The day had brought with it a sun so hot that it pressed into his armor like mild fire, and the cold that lingered now was completely contrast.

Somehow he admired the humans. They were a race faced with the daunting and overwhelming might of the Covenant but yet have chosen to fight, to fight a war that was clear in every sense that they did not stand a chance at victory. Should they fight to the death until their entire race is wiped out of existence, Suringhen would still hold them in high regards and in great honor. That was the Souponin's definition of honor. That is what he expected of his set of fathers who stooped and gave them up to those feeble Prophets.

Souponin Suringhen had thought he heard the silent treading of footsteps some paces behind him but now he was sure of it. He halted, sent a brief glance across his shoulder, but there was no one behind. Suringhen pretended as one who had laid aside his suspicions, and carried on with his stride.

I must commend that you were quick to find me Rofel, but perhaps if you are asked what it is you do in this hour you will answer that you are in stealth mode. An example of what the forerunner toys have made the Sangheili of this age into.

The increase of greener grass in the area told Suringhen there was water nearby. He kept patient. Water was another agent that betrayed active camouflage. Suringhen could hear distant trickling, assumed it must be a stream. The sound soon became stronger but Suringhen could spot no stream in sight. Abruptly, his feet stepped upon a downward slope, and at the base of ten meters below, water flowed in quick currents. A shallow crystal clear stream of which he could see the pebbly rocks underneath.

At the opposite bank, with grass and outcropping edging it, the ground also rose in a slope making the place appear like a small ravine. Suringhen made down the slope such that pebbles rolled down and dust lifted. The first deep of his feet into the water sent a slap of icy coolness up his spine. In about fifteen noisy splashing paces that broke the silence, he was at the other side.

He swung long strides up the slope of that side, disturbing the grass and assaulting the earth. He was soon atop and descended to disappear out of sight of the seeming ravine.

The dust of Suringhen's passing rested, the murky trail of his path across the stream drifted with the quick currents and all was normal and silent again, save the fainter sound of running water. For a time there seemed to be no one else making a pass of the stream; and even though there was no disturbance of the first sloping ground that led down to the water, something suddenly dipped into the stream.

The flowing water flapped against something unseen, before... Sangheili feet came into view. The fact that the Elite had lost his masking of active camouflage did not stop him from making sure his next step was just as silent as the first. A voice from ahead drew his face. "Your stealth is pathetic, Rofel!" Suringhen emerged from the descent of the opposite sloping bank.

Coming down the slanted ground his sword hissed aloud as he ignited it. "What did you plan to do, thrust me in the back with your blade? Not something you're not capable of attempting, Rofel." Suringhen reached the edge of the water and paused there. Making sure to hide his surprise, Rofel locked gazes with him. Rofel suddenly noticed Suringhen's eyes go curious and travel rightwards across his shoulder.

"There is another," Suringhen said: "come to sight, for I can hear you breath." There was momentary silence, before another black armored Elite sprang into view at Rofel's rear left. "Hmm, fourth Souponin Nosdanee Nosranos," Suringhen said in addition. "What a surprise, do you also take part in Rofel's cowardly plot?" Another sizzle of ignited sword sounded and Suringhen and Nosranos turned to see Rofel's activated sword.

"You have committed heresy upon heresy Enumer Suringhen, we shall escort you back to the cruiser. And for a point of correction, the only coward that stands in our midst is he that flees from the weight of his own heresy."

`Suringhen scoffed, and replied: "Do not speak of heresy Rofel, for I am yet to show you the true face of it." Suringhen stepped into the flowing water. "I can see that you have grouped yourselves in two's in search of me---In search of the heretic." He smiled. "Just like the training days on the death-fields."
"I am not here for talk," Rofel told him. Suringhen was standing about three meters from Rofel at this point and Nosranos' feet slopped and rippled the water as he entered also to slowly make to Suringhen's left flank.

Suringhen's eyes merely glanced at the fourth Souponin, and leveled again at Rofel. "I must commend your ability to find me so quickly and easily."
"I know you, Suringhen," Rofel replied. "I knew you would never leave the ship until you were sure you had to leave; and with that it was easy to know that you would still be in close proximity of the cruiser as soon as the meeting of the high council of Masters was over. Of which I equally assume that you must have been in that very room while your judgment was being passed."

Hmmm, you have always possessed the thoughtfulness, but not the skills of a true Blade Warrior, Suringhen reasoned, before he said: "Well thought out, Souponin, now at least we realize there is a purpose for the brain inside of your head. But did that brain fail to function when you took on such a suicidal mission?"

Rofel ignored his taunts, said: "Was it worth it, is all this worth the price of becoming Blade Master?"
"Do not mistake my actions for such a contemptible thing," Suringhen growled. "You have always thought to know me, all of you, but you know not half the Sangheili that I am. I did not become what I am in these times, Rofel. I have always been a heretic. I was already a heretic before your realization of it. I simply lay on myself the rightful duty of avenging my Master's death...who was equally just as much a heretic as I am."

"It is a dishonorable thing to accuse the dead, Suringhen," Rofel objected. "I assume Souponin Enumer Suringhen, that you are well aware that the order for your arrest comes from the Supreme Commander himself."
"To the deepest parts of the pits of oblivion with you and your Supreme Commander," Suringhen growled.

The other two Elites shuddered at the words. "You add to your heresy, Suringhen," Rofel remarked. He firmed grip of his sword, began treading along Suringhen's right flank, added: "Draw your blade Souponin Nosranos, for the heretic has resisted a supreme command...and shall know justice in this hour, by the serving and loyal purity of both our blades."

Nosranos' sword loudly screeched into sight and both Elites slowly circled Suringhen, slopping and wavering the water. Suringhen maintained his stance and only glanced at his opponents with the side of his eyes. There was a silence in the air apart from the sound of feet against water and the trickling stream. Suringhen abruptly assumed a combat posture. He ran his left hand to clasp the wrist of his main grip hand, to leverage the firmness and precision of his sword. Wielding a sword with one hand was a reckless habit and Sangheili Blade Warriors knew only to try it against far less experienced opponents.

Even though Suringhen taunted Rofel, he knew the dangers of facing two Souponin's at a time; especially when one was a second Souponin and was almost as skilled with the sword as he. Suringhen had fought against these two countless times during training sessions, but with blunt metal shafts that appeared as energy swords by means of training holo-projectors, and not necessarily real energy swords. This may serve as an advantage to him but would also do the same for them.

If nothing else, at least he knew Rofel to be a very consistent fighter, used to delivering careful and well-timed powerful blows that would normally disarm a careless opponent or stagger him into continued blocking. Nosranos was the more reckless and quicker type. But that speed always had a way of making up for the recklessness. Even though the younger warrior was less experienced, there was yet one memory of Nosranos that failed to leave Suringhen's mind. They had been on a mission as part of the Truth and Reconciliation's Special Operations force, to help secure a sacred site on one of the human occupied worlds.

The humans had forced him, Nosranos, and another Souponin named Lexars behind cover within one of the human military facilities. Their shields had been depleted and they had to wait for it to recharge, but Nosranos impatiently ran out of cover in an almost senseless berserker and before Suringhen was through reasoning how stupid the move was, he took a peek to see four humans lying dead on the ground with missing heads, in just the space of a heartbeat. On that day Suringhen had laughed aloud in pleasure and had applauded his comrade, but tonight, he had to face the quickness of that blade.

"What makes the two of you think that you can face me in battle," Suringhen said, as they continued to move round him. "You are merely outcasts, not of the lineage of true Blade Warriors. The two of you put together can by no means match half the warrior that I am. I am of Urindiya, a son of the ancient blade." They were completing a third circle of him and Suringhen did not as much as flinch or show any signs of un-certainty.

He spoke again: "And what about you Souponin Nosranos, do you not have a word to say to a heretic before you do battle with him?"
"I choose to let my blade do the talking, Souponin Suringhen."

Suringhen laughed aloud. "Well spoken words young warrior, well spoken indeed." His face quickly changed to a scowl before he added: "Perhaps I should let you both know how this battle shall end before it even begins. The flame of my blade shall burn your inside after you have received a thrust in the stomach, Souponin Exaree Rofel. And be sure that you will die in this battle. As for you Souponin Nosranos, I will spare your life, but with one arm shall you depart the scene of this battle."

"Many words, Suringhen," Rofel answered him. "Many words have you spoken to precede your death." Suringhen snorted. "Well, I await your opening strike Rofel, and be careful, that it may not be your last."

Rofel abruptly charged, uttered a battle cry as he did, so that water lifted into the air in tall splashes. Suringhen without turning, kept his eye on Rofel who approached from the right wing, and had Nosranos in mind who was at his left.

If anything could fuel him enough to defeat these two, it was the need for him to avenge their Master Razoor, whom was the one Sangheili he had loved and respected. And that vengeance, was the last honorable thing he could accomplish before his death.


2


A showering sunlight rained down shimmering fingers upon the flat and extending belly of the tranquil blue sea, so that it glistened in multiple brilliant sparkles. A Pelican drop-ship flew low to cast a dark passing shadow on the sea face. The horizon was crammed with ghost-white clouds that partly shrouded the massive circling frame of the ring world.

Corporal Pete Longday once again sat within the rear open-hatch of a Pelican cargo-hold. A cool sea-breeze found its way into the hold to gently tickle all over the soldier's face. He could not keep count of the number of times he had sat in these birds: being flown to one point or another on one world or another, being deployed for one mission or the other.

A steel weapon rested in his arms as usual. The UNSC standard issue MA5B assault rifle. A soldier could really get accustomed to this life. A life where one's tomorrow could be compared to the blow of the wind. You could not tell what direction the wind would choose to blow at a given time, it just blew where it wanted and took with it whatever could be blown along.

Such was your life in the Corps. You might have thought you would die on a particular mission but would end up seeing yourself survive two missions after it. And you had known men who were determined to live through a mission but got shot in the head at touchdown of deployment.

Longday had come to realize that the best way to keep balance and a sane mind was to prepare yourself to blow along with the wind. The more veteran soldiers knew to do this. Longday hadn't prepared himself for Roy Jefferson's death, never prepared himself for the death of the entire Fort Alpha unit. Men he had known all his life. Men he had fought alongside with and survived on multiple missions.

The Covenant seemed to have taken everything from him that made him who he was. He never even got to thank Akindele for saving his life. Then he had wanted to throw it away but now he knew he had to keep it. He had to stay alive, had to try and do as much justice as he could for his friends by taking down as much Covenant as he could, and making sure his role in every subsequent mission was met with one hundred percent efficiency.

Just when he finally got to understand who Christopher Cornwell truly was, the Covenant had to take the man's life. Pete Longday eventually got to search the pouches of Christopher's pack and had found what Chris called Death-log. The man had just been too complex for anyone to easily understand him. All that was required was a little patience. Apart from the list of kills he recorded in that log, he also left two blank pages which he numbered one to twenty. And on the first page was underlined FRIENDS.

Longday was disappointed in himself and the rest of the men of Fort Alpha division when he realized there was only one name entered in that list; and it was Roy Jefferson, the only man that ever took time out to converse with the loner. They had all called him "Psycho Chris", but war had a way of doing things to your mind. Corporal Pete Longday finally realized that every man alive today had a bit of psycho in him. All that was needed was a little something to trigger it. And war had a profound way of doing just that.

He had always thought that crying was for women and children and feminine men, but he had sat before the corpses of his friends on the inside of a Covenant ship in the middle of the fiercest war man has ever known, and had wept like a baby. Seeing men die was one thing, but seeing men you knew die before your eyes was a totally different thing.

Every one of his friends was dead, and seated with him in the cargo-hold of this Pelican were men he only knew their names, and those he merely remembered theirs. But even with that, their lives seemed to matter so much to him, just as that of his friends had mattered. But he was going to prepare his mind this time around.

Either a few or all of these men might not live through this next mission. Including himself, but he would set his mind this time around. He would fight to survive but be ready to die at the same time, for the sake of humanity, for the sake of mankind. The aliens were out to wipe mankind out of the face of the galaxy. When you gave reasonable thought to what you were fighting for, it was such thoughts that went a long way in justifying the deaths of all the soldiers that have died in this war.

Put together the events that have passed so far and it was a hopeless struggle. A statistical one to four Covenant-human death rate on ground battles and the ever overwhelming strength of the Covenant in orbital and spatial warfare, just told how hopeless a war they were fighting. But the only hope that humanity still held in these times was the hope that the enemy would not locate Earth.

It was for maintenance of this hope that Captain Jacob Keyes sacrificed the entire crew of the Pillar of Autumn by navigating the Halcyon class cruiser to this un-charted location. Pete Longday only hoped that such a sacrifice would not be in vain. The Cole Protocol demanded it, but it was up to altruistic soldiers to carry it out.

It was three days ago when they managed to rescue the Captain, and had crash landed the U shaped Covenant drop-ship upon a grassy plain of the ring-world. It was not the crash that took Private Jackoby Reynold's life. The Medics had arrived in the Pelican that helped take out the Banshee fighters that were in pursuit. They had confirmed that the blow from the Hunter had fractured the man's skull and he had died during their flee from the Banshee fighters.

Captain Keyes and Sergeant Scofield were okay, but the Medics had to dig the earth at the side of the ship to reach Longday who had been in the lower guns. By the time his eyes were finally open Longday was in the rear of a Pelican and the first thing he saw was the green figure of the Spartan seated next to his cot. "You okay," he had asked. The tone of his voice told Longday he was just as human as anybody else because he actually sounded concerned.

The Spartan fought unbelievably and was to Longday like something out of a futuristic film, and he wondered why the Corps couldn't have an entire legion of them. He hoped to see the Spartan again because the mere sight of him gave him some kind of unusual reassurance. He hoped to fight by his side again.

The last time he had seen the Spartan 117 Master Chief was during mission briefing. It was a night ago and they had all been gathered in a large high roofed room of the temporary command post. A lieutenant Helen Pedrovski and one Private Mathias had entered when all the men were seated facing the Captain. She had motioned a hand at the Marine beside her and said:

"Captain, Private Mathias Inland, Recruited by UNSC on March ten 2551 in the Doras Edorsa system. Speaks six different languages apart from English. Which include Greek, Portuguese, Russian, and four different African tongues. And most interesting of all Captain, can interpret Covenant tongue." The Captain was amazed, just as was everyone else in the room.

"He was among the first fifteen captured by the Covenant in the first refuge structure before the support team moved in to engage Covenant forces," Pedrovski continued. "Two Elites were set to watch them and they got engaged in quite some interesting conversation. And I thought you might want to hear."

"Go on," Keyes casually approved. She turned to Private Mathias. "Tell the Captain all that you heard Marine." The man snapped to attention and began: "Sir, the aliens bound our hands and set us all at a corner, guarding over us while waiting for their mates to capture the rest of the command crew. When things got a little boring for the two, they began discussing things about this ring-world. They called it Halo. And they mentioned that whoever controls Halo controls the fate of the universe. Because I still find it hard understanding the Covenant tongue, that was all I heard...and the last thing they mentioned was..."

Private Mathias dug into his memories momentarily before he said: "As soon as the search team finds Halo's controls, we shall be one step closer to the divine beyond."

There was silence in the room when Mathias was through, as everyone tried to make sense of the things he just said. That was when the Shipboard AI spoke through the Spartan's COM who was standing close to Keyes: "That's quite interesting if I must say Captain. At a previous time I intercepted a number of messages about a Covenant search team scouting for a control room. I thought they were looking for the bridge of a cruiser I damaged in the battle above the ring. But they must be looking for this...Halo's control room.

"Hmmm," Keyes went, with fingers spread beneath chin. "And what about the words divine beyond. What in God's galaxy do the Covenant know about divinity? It's rather scary because they sounded like they were talking about heaven." He turned his face to the Spartan in sudden realization: "That sort of explains the term the aliens go by...Covenant."

"One moment Captain," Cortana said. "Accessing Covenant battlenet...According to the data in their networks, the ring has some kind of deep religious significance. If I'm analyzing this correctly...they believe that Halo is some kind of weapon. One with vast, unimaginable power."

Keyes with narrowed thoughtful eyes, said: "Hmm, I guess it all makes sense now. These aliens actually remind us of militant religious groups that have caused a lot of troubles in humanities historical past. Only difference is that the trouble the Covenant can cause when they find that control room should be of far greater scale." He turned his face from the Spartan to look at the seated soldiers again.

"This definitely has to change all the plans we've made."

And it had. Every recon and infiltration mission that had been planned that night were instantly nullified. Even the Spartan got a new mission, which was similar to the one Pete Longday and the marines in the cargo-hold of the Pelican were out to execute. And it was a high priority mission. LOCATE THE HALO'S MAP ROOM BEFORE THE COVENANT.

Corporal Pete Longday still marveled at the ring construct observing its circling frame in the horizon. His wounds had been well catered for by one female medic whom he thought he liked her eyes. There was still a bandage around his shoulder though, hidden within his uniform. The head was okay, only an X shaped plaster sat on it. Even his throbbing waist had been taken care of, but pain still slightly hung there, reminding him of Akindele's risk in saving his life.

Apart from all the patchings and stitchings, Corporal Pete Longday was okay and ready for this next mission. Ready to pay back the Covenant for all the damage they had done. But somehow he knew he was going to meet the Spartan again...It was quite strange, but he just knew.



3


A lot of drop-ships and Banshees had left the bay-floors of the Truth and Reconciliation lately. Kaziska had sorted out a group of black armored special ops Unggoy to go with him on his demeaning mission; and they too had left with him in one of the Spirit drop-ships.

Two orange armored Unggoy had watched from a small rounded view-window of the upper storage sector of sub-deck B4 as all those ships, most of them filled with Unggoy, made out on dangerous missions.

The one Unggoy and the other Unggoy, both of whom you might already be familiar with, wished they could get a chance at one of these missions, but their current duty was to scrub deck, a thing they did not think worth the engaging, by fearless veteran Unggoy like themselves.

Now the names of these two Unggoy, if I knew, I would have mentioned, but nonetheless the One Unggoy said to the other as they kept watching from the rounded view-window: "Why they not send us on mission?" the other casually answered: "Maybe because we miss way in air-duct."

Now the amount of accuracy in that bit of information cannot be rightly determined since these two Unggoy being the only survivors of the pursuit of the demon within the air duct, had claimed to miss their way to a fight in the hollow of an air-duct where guns blazed aloud and the dead bodies of their mates trailed the path.

Nevertheless the first said in response, polishing his plasma pistol as he did: "Why they not send us after heretic?"
the other answered: "Yes, why they not send us after heretic?" he then looked at the first and added: "What they say heretic do anyway?"

The first returning the gaze, said: "Oh, you not know?"
The other spreading arms apart answered: "No, me not know."
The first, sending his face back to the view-window with a rather candid scowl, answered: "Heretic bad. Heretic first go into engineering, kill five Huragok and nine Unggoy." He looked at the other briefly and added: "Unggoy that do nothing to him."

The other frowned, shook head in detestation and said: "Why he kill Unggoy that do him nothing?"

The first answered: "That's why he heretic. Heretic don't have why, heretic just kill."

"Heretic bad." The other said, furthering his frown of disgust.

The first said: "You think that be all? Heretic then go and kill four Lekgolo, steal Spirit ship, and help demon escape..." he angled a resolute gaze at the other before he said: "And worst of all...before he escape, heretic fight Ship Master, almost kill Ship Master in bloody battle."

The other gasped, and was greatly appalled.

If you enjoyed this Halo novel please feel free to also see my debut novel: Invader by U. Collins Okonkwo - at Amazon, barns, or any other online and physical stores. Thank you for reading, and thank you HBO for the opportunity to post my Halo fiction here.


This is a completely free novelization of Halo: Combat Evolved, and U. Collins Okonkwo has no rights whatsoever to Halo.

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