Attack on Sol (Part 8)
Posted By: Slit Throat
Date: 15 June 2004, 12:25 AM
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The Master Chief motioned Fred to the right side of the door that the Engineers had left through. The door activated and the Spartans stepped into the doorway with weapons raised. The hallway beyond was empty as were the right and left corridors.
"Which way Cortana?" asked the Chief.
"Left," responded Cortana promptly. The two Spartans crept down the hall, Battle Rifles up and ready. Another intersection loomed up before them but Cortana guided them past confidently.
After several more twists, turns and intersections, Cortana announced that they were directly outside the command center. The gray engraved door was not proximity activated, so there was a control pad on the wall beside the door.
"Be careful," Cortana warned, "this won't be as easy as the cruiser was."
"Then it might actually be hard," said Fred wryly. The Chief took a deep breath and punched the control to open the door.
The Prophet of Vengeance turned in surprise as the door to the command center slid open. He was even more surprised when two green armored Humans fired into the room killing three of the Brutes assigned to his body guard almost instantly. The Prophet overcame his alarm however and screamed, "kill the Infidels!" The other members of his bodyguard and the Elites stationed around the large chamber returned fire scoring hits on the two Humans.
The enemies did not fall, however, and the Prophet felt a streak of terror course through him. These must be the Human super-soldiers that had caused so much trouble for the Empire. They were nearly impossible to kill and were equipped with shields and powerful weapons. The Prophet realized that he might not live to see the end of this battle.
The Chief winced as shot after shot connected with him, dropping his shields rapidly. They had killed at least a third of the defending force but they could not take much more of this.
"Fall back to the hallway," he ordered and Fred immediately dove back into the corridor. He was not quick enough, however, as several more plasma bolts hit, dropped his shields and scored a burn along his shoulder pads. Fred landed and fell behind the door.
The Chief barely avoided several last shots and dodged behind the door as well. Fred was sitting against it. The left shoulder pad on his armor was blackened and burned.
The Chief looked back around the door and fired off a few shots just to keep the Covenant away. Fred stood slowly, picked up his Battle Rifle and fired at an overly ambitious Elite who had gotten too close. The Elite dropped and Fred reloaded.
"We can't hold them off all day," he said, "what do we do?"
"That... thing... floating by the wall appears to be their leader," answered the Chief as he picked off a Brute trying to cross the room. "If we can capture or threaten him, the others might lay off."
"How are we going to do that," asked Fred.
"Cortana," asked the Chief, "is there an air vent or other small opening into the command center?"
"Negative Chief," she said, "the main doors appear to be the only way in or out."
"Doors?" asked the Chief.
"There is another door on the other side of the room. You may be able to catch them by surprise that way."
"Thanks Cortana," said the Chief. "Fred, can you stay here and attract their attention while I sneak around and surprise them?"
"Sure Chief," assured Fred continuing to fire into the room, "I'll hold here. I'm not hurt very badly." The Master Chief nodded, turned and jogged down the hallway.
"Take two consecutive rights and go straight," said Cortana, "then you should be there."
A few moments later, a door identical to the one they had first gone in appeared on the right. The Chief readied his Battle Rifle, hit the door control and stepped into the room.
The Covenant force had not moved other than the addition of several more bodies on the bloodstained floor. The Master Chief saw the Covenant leader off to his left, pulled out one of his SMGs and crept along toward it.
The Prophet of Vengeance was pleased. His bodyguard had driven the Humans back into the hallway they had come from. Although his action of taking cover behind one of the control panels was undignified, the Prophet was sure that it would be justified in the effort for survival.
Suddenly, a large armored hand pressed itself over his mouth! The Prophet struggled vainly to get free or call for help but froze as he felt the cool metal of a Human weapon against the side of his head.
If this is to be my death, thought the Prophet, then I will make my death honorable. He reached for the alarm button, but the gun against his head screwed in painfully. The Prophet was still reaching for it when something hit his head and darkness closed in.
The Master Chief caught the unconscious form of the Prophet before it hit the ground. He carried the body out into the hallway and carefully laid it down.
"Nice job Chief," said Cortana.
"Thank you," responded the Spartan, "now I need to help out Fred." He moved back into the room and drew out his Battle Rifle. The Chief took aim at a Brute that was spraying the doorway with plasma fire and pinning Fred in. The first shot hit the alien's arm causing his aim to go haywire and an Elite took several shots before the Brute ceased fire. The Chief's second shot hit the soldier right between the eyes as he spun around looking for his assailant. Another Brute leveled one of the high velocity grenade launchers and fired.
The Master Chief dove to the side and the grenade missed, but the wash from the explosion drained his shields to half. The Spartan rolled to his feet and fired at the Brute. Several armor piercing rounds impacted the alien, but he did not fall.
Another grenade flew at the Chief, missing by several centimeters and drained his shields to a hairsbreadth charge. Suddenly, a plasma grenade flew from the hallway and landed on the Brute's arm. The alien stared at it and roared in anger as the grenade exploded, claiming the lives of three Elites and two other Brutes. The Covenant had forgotten about Fred.
Now being hit from both sides, the Covenant were confused. The Master Chief gave them no time to recover. He dropped the Battle Rifle and pulled out both SMGs and a frag grenade. The grenade blew apart a cluster of Elites trying to get organized and the SMGs turned a pair of Brutes into bloody ribbons.
Fred burst from the doorway and took down several Elites with consecutive head shots. The Covenant were unorganized and were quickly falling. Within a minute, all the Brutes were down and only five Elites remained in the middle of the room. The Spartans circled the surviving Covenant firing short controlled bursts and downed the Elites swiftly.
"Area secure!" announced Fred tiredly. "That was not easy."
"You all right?" asked the Master Chief.
"My armor took most of it," said Fred, "though I might be a little singed. I haven't felt how hot a plasma bolt really is in a while."
"Good," acknowledged the Chief as he picked up his Battle Rifle. "The Prophet is in the hallway outside. We have their leader, now we need to disable the weapons and main power. Lets hope Linda and Will are doing their job."
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