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Shadows of Archon (part 3) - Out of Reach
Posted By: Wado<wyamauchi@msn.com>
Date: 10 August 2002, 8:21 pm
Read/Post Comments
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This just in, the results of our listener poll: More stuff less fluff.
Well we're having an action reaction here at CBN, the Covenant Broadcasting Network. Stay tuned for a special report from inside the forbidden zone...
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Inside their Covenant scout ship, Seeker 157, the crew listens to CBN for the latest on flood activity. Commander Thom doodles on a writing pad, pictures of a pirate elite with a patch over one eye. Sub-commander Zax relaxes to the music of the Covenant Angelic Quartet.
The lights dim red and a mechanical voice on the loud speakers says, "Alert level 1, incoming fire!" The ship shakes and accelerates.
Commander Thom braces in his chair, "Nav status."
Navigator replies, "Seeker detects incoming missiles and has entered evasive maneuvers. Point defense weapons firing."
Thom, "Scan status."
Science officer replies, "Cloaked sentinels, at least three, 30,000 k in 2, 1, mark. 24 type-3 missiles impact in 10. Signatures all match, commander they're ours -- friendly fire."
Thom, "Com status."
Communications officer replies, "Nothing. They don't respond to our security codes."
Navigator, "Commander, Seeker set course for asteroid field, gives us a 3 percent survival probability."
Science officer, "Six through counter measures, impact in 5, 4. What the...? Ship at point blank, signature seeker. Incoming missiles now tracking second seeker. Impact, second seeker destroyed."
Thom, "Override, code 86, shut down the engines, shut down everything now!"
[Lights go out, everything goes dead.]
Seeker 157 drifts in space, all crew are now suited up in self-contained breathing skins. The crew huddles together, the only light is from their dimly glowing headgear.
Commander Thom whispers, "Science officer Noc, give us your report."
Noc speaks, "The cloaked sentinels matched stuff we had 30 years ago, same goes for the type 3 missiles. These things aren't cheap but could have been acquired through the secret market. The part that makes no sense to me is the other seeker that appeared, maybe it came out of cloak but I swear it wasn't there cloaked or not before it suddenly appeared. Now get this, its signature matched us."
Thom with a concerned look on his face says, "What do you mean its signature matched us?"
Noc replies, "It wasn't just a second seeker, in all regards it was an exact match to us -- sir."
Sub-commander Zax interjects, "It must have been sensor feedback or a ghost image. Recheck your figures Noc."
Noc says, "Sir with all due respect, I've checked the figures a dozen times and always get the same readings."
Thom speaks, "I think Noc might be right, Zax - I've never heard of missiles tracking a ghost image over a real ship. Nevertheless, we can't stay out here like this forever. Any suggestions, Zax?"
Zax replies, "Yes commander. If those sentinels are 30 years old, maybe their sensor equipment is also. We've pretty much drifted to the asteroid field, if we power-up the cloaking field and move really slowly, I think we might be able to sneak by them and get to Reach."
Thom, "Let's do it."
[Fade to black.]
As Seeker 157 approaches Reach, the crew gazes out an observatory window at the spectacular sight that beholds them. From space the planet Reach looks dark and dead, however, through the devastation move enormous electrical clouds the size of continents. Tendrils of energy skip about like dancing lights inside an anti-matter reactor.
Commander Thom speaks to the crew. "Here we arrive at the end of the line. Below, somewhere in all the ruin are the forerunners. Most likely in the very spot where the mighty 7th Legion fought its last battle three years ago. It won't be pretty; it won't be easy; some of us won't make it back. This goes well beyond the reasonable call of duty. We don't have orders from high command -- we act alone, no one cares if we succeed or die trying. You've all read the mission briefing; you have all already vowed your allegiance to the cause. Now is the last chance you have to speak out. We enter the atmosphere in 30 minutes."
The crew is silent for a long moment. Sub-commander Zax breaks the quiet with his words, "I was once told honor above all else. I lived this, and that day three years ago we of the 7th Legion died with honor. Even those of us that still live, died that day in some way. With death can come realization, enlightenment -- a sudden release of all mortal inhibitions. I realized that day that you cannot live by honor alone, hence the phrase 'above all else'. Honor is nothing by itself; honor is truly measured by all else. What we do today is not about honor, it is about greed and treasure; do not confuse it with anything honorable. However, how we act in this endeavor in times of success and failure, that will be a true measure of our honor. I choose to go on and finish what we started, are you with me?"
Everyone in unison, "Yeah, let's do it."
[Fade to the ship entering the atmosphere of planet Reach.]
Landing gear extends as Seeker 157 descends onto a large cracked platform. The area is in ruins, Terran symbols can be seen in the rubble.
Before the ship completely touches down, a squad of heavily armed Covenant grunts jumps out from rear doors on the ship. Sub-commander Zax is at their lead, he says, "Move out, check out those blind spots."
From around the area, grunts sound off on their communicators, "Clear. Clear. Clear..."
Soon the area is secured. The squad, Commander Thom and Science Officer Noc move down some access tunnels into the destroyed complex.
Noc says, "Scanner sweeps show that the unusual power readings we picked up from orbit are emanating from the end of this tunnel. The reading matches what we believe is forerunner technology."
Thom says, "Okay folks, this is where it gets a little tricky. The energy source is some powerful forerunner technology discovered here three years ago. It isn't the ship we're looking for, but I do expect to find the ship's crew here. Why else would they come to Reach. We need them alive so that they can tell us the location of their ship. Everyone, lock and secure your weapons. Noc, hand out the plasma tasers."
(Note to reader: plasma tasers are a one-shot plasma pistol combined with an energy absorbing reinforced-net. The plasma bolt will take down the forerunner shields and the net will immobilize the target, the energy absorption properties of the net will then disable the mechanical forerunners. Each net has its own power supply so the weapon can be reloaded during combat.)
Sub-commander Zax holds up a scanner and says, "Detecting weapons fire ahead, looks like someone else beat us to the forerunners."
Thom, "Let's go, double time."
The group moves quickly down the tunnel, periodically stopping to check for surveillance devices and traps.
When they reach the end of the tunnel, Noc says, "Sir this can't be, that ship is reading as forerunner, well sort of." What Noc is referring to is a Terran Long Sword fighter that is parked in the enormous chamber.
In the middle of the chamber is a large, circular ring about 12 meters in circumference. Inside the ring multi-colored energy swirls around -- This is the source of the strong energy emissions.
All eyes focus on two moving figures, a sight so strange to the group of Covenants that they all just stand there and watch. Two armored figures are locked in combat -- both are Spartans, bio-engineered human super-soldiers.
Spartan #1 kicks Spartan #2 in the groin. As Spartan #2 is propelled into the air, he hits his head on the bottom part of the Long Sword fighter. Spartan #2 then falls back to the ground momentarily stunned, but before he hits the ground, Spartan #1 grabs a strange weapon resembling a Covenant plasma rifle combined with a Terran shotgun and unloads two shots into Spartan #2. Spartan #1, "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Die you imposter."
Bam! A flash of green light followed by an explosion. Spartan #1 falls to his knees stunned. Bam! Another flash and explosion, Spartan #1 is blasted into pieces as his limbs fly off in different directions, his armored torso imbeds an inch deep into the chamber's stone walls.
Sub-commander Zax stands alone holding a smoking fuel rod cannon in a death grip. "The only good Spartan is a dead Spartan," he says with an insane look on his face.
Command Thom in a shocked voice, "Holy moly Zax, what the heck are you doing? I gave orders to take prisoners. The rest of you, secure the area."
Zax replies, "Sir, the last time I checked, Spartans weren't forerunners. You gave the order to capture the forerunners."
The group secures the area. Science Office Noc says, "Commander, this one's still alive, barely," as he checks Spartan #2.
Thom, "I want him alive, do what you can for him Noc. Sub-commander Zax, a word with you in private."
In the background Commander Thom can be seen waiving his hands around as he speaks to Zax. In the foreground, Noc works on the Spartan, "Now how do I heal something when I don't know how to get under the armor?"
A small holographic image of a woman appears and says, "I can help with that."
Noc, "Hey, commander, this one's got an AI."
AI speaks, "Cortana is my name, Science Officer Noc. Battle suit now opening, you may apply your healing solutions."
Thom and Zax approach. In the background the portal's energy can be seen flashing.
[Pan to the mysterious portal. Fade to black.]
-- Next, Mirror Mirror --
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