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Shadows of Archon II (part 32) - The Return
Posted By: Wado<wyamauchi@msn.com>
Date: 16 December 2002, 2:34 am
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The battle had been hard fought by the alliance but when the black smoke lifted like a shadow retreating across the land, it only revealed the charred remains of the dead. Those few stragglers that remained on the battlefield were quickly gunned down from above or dragged away by the Flood.
The hope of the galaxy had rested on the alliance. For a time it seemed they might succeed, having taken control of two out of three of the Alpha Halo's control rooms they were well on their way to accomplishing their mission.
However, that was before a single Omega Flood appeared. The ultimate warrior of the Flood Creators, a world destroyer, death's incarnate. A simple but unreal power it does possess, it echoed through dimensions to a negative universe, creating perfect duplicates of the alliance forces. How it accomplished this feat is a long lost science from billions of years before our creation, nevertheless, Elite fought Omega Elite, ONI fought Omega ONI, and Spook fought Omega Spook. The result, in all the cases, was the same -- total victory for the Omega.
The only contested zone was the third control room of the new Forerunner Alpha Halo. Only this one battle remained. There stood the Master Chief, John 117; with him was Cortana, the human construct, and beside him the Forerunner construct, 343 Guilty Spark, and the Covenant Grunt scientist, Master Noc Covenstien.
Before the group, stood an Omega 343 Guilty Spark, an Omega Spartan with Omega Cortana, and an Omega Covenstein. Everything was weighted heavily in the Omega's favor.
It had all come down to this -- The moment of triumph or utter defeat. Lights flickered and the mind went blank.
John danced around cover, as did the Omega Spartan. 343 Guilty Spark headed to the control panel. The Omega Covenstein stood holding his hand up high -- Something big was about to happen.
From his hand, the Omega Covenstein fired a single energy bolt that homed in on 343 Guilty Spark. Striking with an array of pulses like lightning shooting from cloud to cloud, each pulse weakened the poor Forerunner Construct until his blue light faded and he clanked lifelessly on the ground -- Omega 1, alliance 0.
"A positronic disrupter," said Covenstein. "These Omega don't fight fair. If only I had a..." Covenstein did not have time to finish his words before John pushed him aside and behind cover. Ever so calmly and quickly, John had taken to initiative to save Covenstein from the enemy.
Above John's head fizzled a plasma energy lance projecting out from the Omega 343 Guilty Spark. The lance cut effortlessly through surrounding works of art and tapestries strewn about the control room, but that was far from the worse of it. The lance had no need to do any damage; it served its purpose nicely to distract the alliance just long enough.
"Look out Chief," shouted Cortana.
The Omega Spartan had teleported behind John. "Spartan, I am your superior and every way," it said in a tortured voice. "All your powers plus the power of Omega."
In a flurry of attacks by the Omega Spartan, John's shields faded and his insides broke. The Omega Spartan knew everything John was going to do before John did it.
John crumpled to the ground, his visor cracked, ribs broken. The Omega Spartan grabbed around John's head. One quick twist with sufficient force and John's neck would be snapped like a twig.
The end was near, but in the face of certain death, John's mind was blank, in the clearness of his thought, he was hundreds of light years away, in another place. Beside him is she -- Dark hair with strands of gold, silver eyes as gray as the night sky and as piercing as an eagle's stare. Her beauty cannot be done justice by my mere words. Her sweetness is beyond simple description yet cannot be expressed with complex thoughts. With a smile, she reveals all and John snaps back into the reality of the moment.
Without a word, but with the precision and focus beyond even a Spartan, John did three things at once. Grasping Cortana's chip, he threw it at the main control panel. Pulling a plasma grenade from his side, he tossed it like a Frisbee at the large transparent sphere near the middle of the chamber, and with all his remaining might, he struck into the ribs of the Omega Spartan.
The Omega Spartan was well prepared for the latter action, bracing for the blow, he quickly snapping John's neck -- Omega 2, alliance 0. Then, turning to the control panel, he threw his Omega Cortana's chip.
However, there was not the time to stop the plasma grenade from exploding from under the sphere. The sphere contained the Grace, a Nomdian prisoner. In the flash of exploding plasma, the Grace was freed. Faster than an asp's deadly strike, she leaped on the Omega Covenstein with renewed strength. Purple lightning shot out across the room, both the Omega Covenstein and the Nomdian collapsed -- Omega 2, alliance 1.
Looking at the mess of the situation, the Omega Spartan fired a few rounds into the downed Nomdian, just in case, and then turned his attention to Covenstein.
"If this is the end, I'm going out with honor," said Covenstein. The little Grunt stepped out from behind cover with an energy sabre, a weapon similar to other Covenant designs, but still a weapon of his own making.
"So the renowned Grunt scientist wishes to fight us with an energy dagger," said Omega 343. "You are such an idiot... muahahahahahaha."
"Pathetic is more like it," stated the Omega Spartan. Both the Omega Spartan and Omega 343 laughed insanely.
Covenstein stood proudly, a long heritage of great Grunts was at stake. In soft words he spoke, "I could never defeat a Spartan in hand-to-hand combat, but you, a construct is much more to my abilities. I challenge you Omega 343 to a duel to the death."
"I accept your death wish idiot," replied Omega 343. "It's just too bad for you that Omega never fight fair."
With that statement, the Omega Spartan lifted his weapon, a fuel rod cannon, and prepared to fire it at Covenstein.
"Bullocks," mouthed Covenstein as the green glow of the cannon reflected off of his visor.
Bam! The Omega Spartan went down from a blow to the back of his head. From out of nowhere, John had picked up 343 Guilty Spark's lifeless shell and hit the Omega Spartan with it. John then proceeded to drive the fuel rod cannon that had fallen to the side, through the Omega Spartan's visor and into his brain.
"Why don't you pick on somebody your own size," uttered John, who was obviously in great pain. To finish the job, John fired the fuel rod cannon inside the Omega Spartan's brain. The explosion finished off the Omega Spartan and blasted John back several meters where he landed on a pile of tapestries and pillows -- Omega 2, alliance 2.
Covenstein, the super genius, knew exactly what had happened. The Omega Spartan had broken John's neck and the resulting pull on John's brain stem had caused him to blackout. John was dying with his neck twisted, he was paralyzed and blood was not getting to his brain. However, John's MJOLNIR armor is controlled by a neural implant. Although paralyzed from the neck down, John came too and was able to control his armor via his neural implant. He realigned his neck thus freeing up blood to go to his brain and relieving some of the pinched nerves in his spine. The MJOLNIR armor then hardened at the neck to immobilize the torn ligaments. John then proceeded to get up and do what he did, taking out the Omega Spartan.
John is still in great need of medical attention; Covenstein must act quickly. With renewed confidence, Covenstein looked at the Omega 343; in short, Covenstein got his grove. In one swing, Convenstein's energy sabre grew to the length of seven meters. Matching the length of the Omega 343's energy lance.
The tip of the energy sabre cut across the Omega 343 and for a moment its shields flicker down. "Not so tough, are ya?" taunted Covenstein.
"Idiot!" replied Omega 343.
"I'll bite your kneecaps off," said Covenstein as he swung the sabre again, but this time Omega 343 parried it with his energy lance.
"I don't have kneecaps you lower class infidel," stated Omega 343 as the energy lance is thrust at Covenstein.
"Whee!" exclaimed Covenstein as he back-flips away with the aid of his anti-gravity belt. "I'll bite your engines off."
"You are redundant," insisted Omega 343.
The energy lance dashed around and by Covenstein who parried, bobbed and weaved, and skip-stepped from side to side. "It will take more than that tin box."
"I am a cybernetic construct, you fool. My programming is invincible!"
"I see Omegas have a dander," said Covenstein. "Have you thought of anger management therapy?"
"This is getting so mundane," snapped Omega 343. "Oh my, you are a tricky and vile creature."
The lights flicker and strange wavy pulses move through the room. While Covenstein and Omega 343 dueled, Cortana and Omega Cortana fought for control of the Alpha Halo's star gate controls.
In an instant, the Alpha Halo and all the surrounding ships are pulled through the star gate to the Praetor's home system. A battle ensues between Morgoth's Forerunner vessels and the Praetor's Forerunner vessels.
"You have lost Omega," shouted Covenstein.
The lights flicker again as the Alpha Halo and all the surrounding ships are pulled through the star gate back to the Juken system.
"You speak too soon," stated Omega 343. "Now I will purge your construct from the core."
"Over my dead body," snarled Covenstein.
"That can be arranged," stated Omega 343. Just then the control room doors open and an army of Flood warriors approaches.
The lights flicker once more, this time the destination is the Nomdian home system. However, the stay is shorter this time and soon the lights flicker and back to the Juken system goes everyone.
"Can't we talk this over like civilized beings?" whimpered Covenstein.
More flickering lights.
"I purge her now," said Omega 343, but nothing seems to happen. "Strange, that's not supposed to happen."
"What were you expecting, maybe a red carpet and trumpets," said Cortana whose holographic image appears on the main control.
"Or maybe this bastard was expecting the Spanish Inquisition," said a second Cortana whose image appears next to the first Cortana. A third image of a lifeless Omega Cortana appears at their feet.
"Two constructs in the core, this is highly..."
"Save your comments for your maker," interrupted a lone female in Archonian Shadowguard armor. "Nice work Cort, and you too Cortana."
Omega 343 looked at the Shadowguard, in a failed attempt at humor, it simply whimpered, "Your combat skin scans off the scale, I recommend degrading to level 2."
On two other sides appeared forces to battle the Flood. On one side Nomdian Deathstalkers, on the other side Praetorian Guard. All around the control room, the Flood warriors are cut down in a matter of seconds.
There is no escape for Omega 343 who perishes quickly afterwards and with it so do all the creations of the one Omega Flood.
"My sweet Cort and dearest Cortana, I am so proud of you," sniffled Covenstein in tears of joy. "Thank you all, you arrived in just the nick of time."
"It's not over yet," said Val the Shadowguard. "Margoth comes."
Indeed the ground shook and darkness fell upon the alliance once again.
The combined might of the Archons, Nomdians, and Praetor could easily defeat an already weakened Omega Flood or even the might of an insane Forerunner god. However, that was not to be the case with Margoth, for Margoth had an army of Omega Flood. To release the army meant the Forerunner god himself would have to bend to the will of the Flood Creators, those masters from another place, unheard of in billions of years.
So Margoth did make the deal that sealed his own fate and the fate of the universe. One by one the Omega Flood army awakened. Nothing could stop them once they exercised their powers.
"Thus comes to pass the greatness of a god and all we have now is the bleak reality of total Flood domination," said the voice of Margoth who appeared in the control room. "You have no one to blame but yourselves. Margoth, Bringer of the Flood, only wanted to protect you from them. Now you face them on your own. Without the power of the gods behind you."
The voice of Margoth was flesh again, but he still feared nothing. How strange the twist of events that followed.
"You are flesh," said the Nomdian Deathstalkers, "and we are the Lady DeathStalkers. We are the next generation; we bear with us the knowledge and memories of the Lady. We should be more clear, you are food."
With that, the Deathstalkers brought down the mighty voice of Margoth and consumed his brain. They gained all the knowledge bestowed in him, including information privy only to Margoth.
"We don't have much time, we must contain the Omega Flood," said the Deathstalkers. "We must interface the ring's pulse with null space."
"It just could work," blurted Cort and Cortana.
"Excellent," said Covenstein.
John usually remains silent at times like this, but he just had to know. "What could work?" he asked.
"It's so obvious," was the reply.
"Indeed," said 343 Guilty Spark who was still lying on the ground but recovering from the effects of the positronic disrupter. "Ouch, how did I get this dent in me?"
Val approached John saying, "Almost forgot about you stud, we need to get you healed. I missed you..."
The lights flicker and go dim.
"It is done," said the Deathstalkers. "We have surrounded the system in a stasis dampener field -- the Web of Juken it shall be called. Time is no long the same for us."
"And neither will we have power and life support for long," said Cortana. "Those of us that can live at low power levels and in stasis will survive, the rest, these are the last of your days."
"Who will die?" panicked Val.
"You will live, you will sleep in your Shadowguard armor," replied the DeathStalkers, "and the constructs will survive at minimum power levels. The rest of us will die if we do not find some stasis chambers that will work in the web. We must all remember, this is for the greater good, the Omega Flood must be contained."
Only very dim lights remain as the power fluctuates to minimum levels. The constructs are gone, asleep. The cold of space begins to permeate the chamber.
As the hours pass in the dim light of small cooking fires, Val and John talk. She covers him in tapestries and lies next to him. They speak of times forgotten, and lost hopes and dreams.
The Nomdian Deathstalkers pass the time in meditation, conserving energy to the very end; their strength in silence is felt by the Praetorian Guard who plan a journey to the far reaches of the ring.
"We could use your help Archon," said the Praetorian commander.
"John cannot be moved, and I will not leave him," said Val. "Besides, Cortana and 343 said that the stasis chambers on the other side of the ring won't have enough energy to activate."
"We will march there and run on a treadmill to generate the power if we need to."
Val looks to John, his eyes told her the answer. "John, there is a chance to save some of the Praetorian Guard."
"No need for explanations, Val, you cannot take me. I will only slow you down, go before it is too late," whispered John. "I do not like long good-byes, go now."
"I will stay with the Spartan," said Covenstein. "I cannot make the journey. The curse of having short legs and a big body." He laughs a bit, breaking up the sadness for just a moment.
As John wished, there were no long good-byes. Val and the Praetorian Guard left on their journey to the far side of the ring. They traveled many days through ice and snow covered lands. Val never did give up hope that somehow John and her other friends would survive. Perhaps that genius Covenstein would come up with something. Val prayed for a miracle.
On the fifth day, the Praetorian Guard began to feel the hopelessness of the march. On the sixth day they dragged along the snow at a snails pace. They were the walking dead. Every path and corridor looked the same, and the bitter cold stayed, it was the same through night and day.
On the seventh day, all hope was lost; they reached a great barrier with no visible ways to scale the wall and no tunnels below were found. To go around this barrier could take days more.
Val too felt the calling of an eternal sleep. In the stasis of her Shadowguard armor, she could survive for ages, but she had to keep going for the Praetorian Guard and because of John. John was with her in spirit, giving her inspiration. She could not let him down.
The grouped moved on, they would find a way around this barrier or die trying.
That night, lights were seen shooting across the sky. Some strange static, almost like a song was heard on Val's comm.
On the morning of the eighth day, three of the Praetorian Guard did not wake. The great warriors died peacefully in their sleep.
Again, the lights and noise at night. This time huge signal fires were built.
In the morning of the ninth day, they came. In large ornate ships, triangular in shape. Similar to Archonian ships, but much older. These were the ships of the Old Ones, traveling from null space.
A ship hovered above and lowered a ramp. From the mysterious ship came an Elite, a Grunt, an Archon, and many short Hunters in strange armor.
"Greeting, I am the Dread Pirate Sabathan," said the Elite, "and this is my first mate Dax, and last but not least, my trusted advisor, the Archon Catsandravalahundra."
"Greetings, I am the Archonian Shadowguard, Knight Shade," replied Val slowly, she almost felt this was only a dream, "and these are Forerunner Praetorian Guard."
"It is good to see you Knight Shade," said Catsandravalahundra. "Commander Sabathan, the one known as Knight Shade is also known as Valerie Sinclair. She was a friend of the Spartan and your great, great grandfather." Turning to Val, Cat continued, "Val, we have returned from null space to rescue you. Sabathan is a descendent of the late Commander Thom and Dax is a descendant of the late Sub-commander Zax."
Val stood unable to answer, she was speechless. Her miracle had come.
-- Next, Farewell to the Spartan --
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