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Into the Unknown Chapter 2
Posted By: Jean-Paul Allee<assassin_raven@yahoo.com>
Date: 22 May 2002, 5:10 am


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John was dreaming of what all has happened in the past few days. Everything swam through his mind as he slept. This was the first time he was able to get any real rest since he was taken out of cryo sleep back on the Pillar of Autumn. As john slept, he dreamed about the events on Halo. How he and the marines fought the Convent, finding the control room, and then the Flood. The Flood is what was most on his mind. Remembering how the Flood attached their selves to anything and take over, mutating the body and destroying the mind of whatever the host once was. Nothing was safe. Both Human and Convent were taken by the Flood; and had only one reason to exist. Kill anything and everything for food and reproduction. John had nightmares about the Flood as well, dreaming of seeing whole planets turned into Flood worlds, seeing his fellow Spartans even turning into Flood creatures.

     "Chief! Wake up! Good, you're awake. I was beginning to worry about you. Are you ok?"
"Yes Cortana. I'm fine. Just had a bad dream. That's all. What's going on?" Asked John.
" Nothing much. We are on course to Reach. ETA is 2 hours. The ship is working normally and the crew is either asleep or working at the moment. Also I might add you have been asleep for 36 hours. I checked up on you every 6 hours to make sure you were ok, and then I just now detected high levels of brain activity and a drastic change in your heart beat." John was nodding thanking Cortana for watching over him, then was taken back with what she said. "Cortana. Did you just say we are heading to Reach?" Asked John.
"Yes Chief. Oh, I forgot to inform you. On route to Sigma 3 we received a faint S.O.S. from planet Reach. Seems that there were survivors after the Convent started to glass the planet." Replied Cortana.
"Ok then. Now I have another question for you. How is it that we are getting to Reach so quickly? Didn't it take the Pillar of Autumn to get to Halo about a week or two?" Asked John. "Yes," said Cortana, "It did take the Pillar of Autumn 12 standard Earth day to reach Halo. But I am able to get us there quicker with the Longsword. While I was in the Control Room back on Halo waiting for you, I learned much about the technology that the Forerunner's had and much on why the Convent saw Halo as such a religious symbol. Very interesting that the Convent believed that the Ha..." John smacked his helmet to get Cortana back on track. Some thing he had to do a few times before. "Right. Sorry Chief. But as I was getting to, I was able to have the crew and my self modify the slipstream engines to allow us to travel faster with more accuracy. Almost like how the Convent are able to travel through the slipstream with such speed and accuracy. Hopefully one of the survivors on Reach is Dr. Halsey and she can use this to help with the war."
"I think that you have a large amount of info that the Doctor can use to help win this war.", said John. What was really in John's hope was not only Dr. Halsey Being alive, but also some of his fellow Spartans. That is what deep down inside him really mattered to him, The Spartans were his friends. And more to say, his family. The people that he knew for so many years. And though he thought them all dead, with the S.O.S. from Reach, there was a possibility of them being alive.

     Two hours later the Longsword came into orbit around the Planet Reach. John looked out the window as some of the other crew did the same. Reach glistened in the light of the near by star. All the crew looking either shook their heads as they lowered them, or looked off into space it seems as the saw Reach. John looked down and banged his fist lightly against the body of the ship. His home for so many years, once a planet full of life and greatness, now just a ball of glass floating in the vastness of space. The Master Chief went back to a chair and sat down, thinking about his memories of Reach. From the moment Dr. Halsey Told them they were going to be Spartans to when they gave their good bye's to the Spartans that died or were warped from the changes that they all under went to become so powerful and strong ,to the moment when he told Kelly that he wanted her down on Reach to help defend it against invading Convent. Now Reach, his once loved and prided home, a ball of glass.

     "Chief. I am now sending out a signal to where the S.O.S. is coming from. The source of the transmission is coming from underground sir!" John took notice of this and wondered how? Then he remembered that Reach had complexes deep underground and would be able to take a force like a planet glassing with out damages or with few damages. So what happened is that everyone that could went into the underground complexes just before the convent glasses Reach. There was still hope after all. "Cortana. Let me know when we have a connection with the survivors. I want to know how many there are and if any Spartans are there as well. Also if there are any Pelicans and or Longswords that can be flown out of Reach."
"Yes sir.", said Cortana. She went to work and started transmitting. Hopefully, thought John, Hopefully some Spartans survived.

     "Chief. I have a connection going. COM is online and ready.", replied Cortana.
"Good.", said John. "This is UNSC Longsword 229 to survivors of Reach come in over."
"This is Reach calling. We read you. Thank God some one from the UNSC heard us. We are request extraction from Reach. Over."
"How many are there with you. Over."
"We have 237 total. 108 of us are wounded that need medical attention that we can not do here leaving us with 129 that are not wounded seriously. Over."
"Reach. I need to know how many if any Spartan are with you that the moment. Over." John was ready for the worst and the best, if at all.
"There are 8 Spartans here, including my self, left. None of use that survived are wounded in a major way. Some beatings, but nothing serious. Over." The Master Chief was over whelmed with a feeling he has not felt in a long time, relief and joy. Most of his Spartans survived. John could feel a tear come out of his eye and he tried to hold his self together before he spoke.
"Reach, This is Spartan John-117 Master Chief. It is good to hear you again."
" Sir! Oh my God! Is it really you! We though you were dead! Oh man! Is it great to know you are alive. Sir! we lost the others when the Convent attacked. But were able to evac everyone into Reach before the planet was glassed. By the way sir, this is Fred."
"Great to hear from you too Fred. I need to know also if there are any drop ships or Longswords with you. Also if Dr. Halsey is with you as well. Over."
"Sir. Dr. Halsey is alive and well. And with the ships. We have some, enough to transport every one off this rock, but are unable to get them outside to the surface. The bay doors were glassed and melted over when the Convent attacked. The Ships are in working order and fueled up. But no way to get them outside. Over." John though about this. How to get his people out along with everyone one else. There is enough ships to hold everyone, but no way to get them out. There has to be a way.
"Reach. I need you to find every explosive you have there and all the supplies that those ships can hold. We up here are going to find a way to get you out of there. In the mean time, get everyone going on the supply rounds and hold tight. Longsword out."
"So Chief.", said Cortana, "What do you have in mind?"
"Well, get everyone out of Reach interior and to Sigma 3"
"And how will we be doing that? The Bay doors are sealed and glassed over."
"I know. But you and I are going to find a way to get those doors open." With that the Chief went over to the controls and got to work. "Everyone is going to get out.", thought John, "There has to be. There always is a way."





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