 |
About This Site
Daily Musings
News
News Archive
Site Resources
FAQ
Screenshots
Concept Art
Halo 2 Updates
Interviews
Movies
Music
Miscellaneous
Mailbag
HBO PAL
Game Fun
The Halo Story
Tips and Tricks
Fan Creations
Wallpaper
Misc. Art
Fan Fiction
Comics
Logos
Banners
Press Coverage
Halo Reviews
Halo 2 Previews
Press Scans
Community
HBO Forum
Clan HBO Forum
HBO IRC Channel
Links
Admin
Submissions
FTP Uploads
HTTP Uploads
Contact
|
|
|
The Cell
Date: 29 October 2003, 4:03 AM
The Cell
By Frensa Geran
The explosion of blue and purple dazed me for longer than it should have. I had seen it before, yet the sound, and the entrancing colors seemed to still keep me immoble. Only the muffled sound my screaming men awoke me back into the real world. I shook off my dazed self, and began firing my pistol at the new Covenant pod that had attached itself to the ship. The squeals of dying grunts echoed off the purple metal of their pod.
"Hold the line men! Hold the damn line!" I screamed into the terrified ears of my men, each one grasping their AR in fright. Out of the smoke of grenades and bullets, a red-armored clad Elite stood at the door way. We all stared frightened, unable to fire until it was too late. Jerkins was first, hit by the red armored fist of the Elite. Then Mendez, with a blast of plasma to the face, melting his eyelids. It was only me and Munroe, and she was in the corner, cradling a wound. I was now face to face with the Elite, his bottom mandible clicking rapidly.
He threw his fist back, and I closed my eyes awaiting the blast. My eyes squinted so tightly I could see only darkness. Then the hit came, and the cold steel broke my jaw bone. I rolled at whole turn before hitting the ground. The whole bottom half of my face was dripping with blood, and my skull still shook from the blast. I opened my eyes to see the Red Elite roaring in victory, his fists in a fury of delight. He yelled some sort of acknowledgement through his comm. system. Then something I could've never anticipated.
A plasma of green plasma burst from the corner of the long hallway, and slammed like a rocket into the head of the Red Elite. He roared for a moment, then keeled over into a bloody puddle. The remains of the Red Elites' head was strewn about the hallway. Off in the corner I could see the bends of light, revealing a cloaked Elite. I passed out before I could see anything more.
"These resistence cells are becoming quite a nuisance, Jehmabeb. I want you to take care of it." Prophet Harjk said, his nimble fingers piloting his floating seat. "I will not allow them to disrupt our ultimate goal. I want you to find them and destroy them as if they were Humans! Give them no mercy, or I will show you no mercy."
"Yes, your Excellency." Jehmabeb said, bowing his head and leaving the small darkened room, and back into the labrynth-like hallways of the Scorch.
Jehmabeb had lived and served aboard the Scorch his whole life, and throughout time his services to the Prophet had paid off, and he now controlled his own Battle Group. It was the highest honor he could've recieved, and he now had a mission.
As he walked towards his quarters, a Grunt carrying an InfoPad ran up to him.
"Sir! Your fleet has recieved intelligence on a Cell located in the Escucho system!" He said, handing the pad to Jehmabeb.
He looked over it, finding a Covenant settlement on the third planet. The settlement was not registered. It seemed ripe for the picking by his Group.
"Tell the Ship Masters to ready their vessels. We'll leave orbit in 3 hour units." Jehmabeb replied.
Jehmabeb continued walking until he reached the Docking Bay, with a Banshee waiting for him on deck.
My blurry vision became clear, and I could see the walls of the Medical Bay around me, Captain Horner in the corner, smiling at me.
"You and your men did a hell of a job holding the line. Because of you, we were able to stop the Covenant and gave us the chance we needed to warp out. They weren't able to follow us." He said. I always admired the Captain since he had saved my life on many occasion.
"Sir..." I said, "I.... we didn't stop them."
The Captain looked confused. "Well soldier, if you didn't do it... who the hell did?"
"I.... I don't know sir." I rpelied, laying my head back down.
The Captain pressed a button on the wall. "Medical Bay to Bridge."
Yes sir?
"Did you detect any foreign objects or life signs aboard during the Covenant Attack?" The Captain asked.
Checking....
There was a slight distortion off our port bow during the end of the attack. It could conform to a Covenant cloaking device, but I'm not sure. Are you suspecting something sir?
"Just a theory Crewman, Horner out."
I layed there, gazing at the Captains eyes, wondering what was going on in his head.
"Did you see anything unusual son?" He asked.
"There was a claoked Elite that had killed the Red Elite that killed my men. But I don't know what to make of it sir." I replied.
"I think I might..." The Captain said quietly, and left.
I stared back into the eyes of the red headed nurse, who looked at me with pity.
"You're going to be alright, but you'll need to stay here for observation. I'm Linda." She said in her angelic voice.
It seemed staying here wasn't going to be so bad.
To Be Continued...
The Cell(2)
Date: 7 November 2003, 1:44 AM
The Cell
Part 2.
"Cargo?"
"Check."
"Hyperspace Engines?"
"Check."
"Intertial Dampeners?"
"Check."
Jehmabeb was going over his entire vessel's systems, making sure everything was ready on his
Capital Ship, and all the other vessels in his Battle Group. He'd grown attached to the
feeling of command, and he wasn't about to fail his first assignment.
"All systems go sir." Raik, his Second-Commander said, his control area immediatly behind his.
It had only be a few moments ago he met his Second-Commander, Raik. The Council told him
that he was one of the best, and they wanted the mission to succeed. It angered him, their
lack of trust.
"Affirmative Raik. Hrik, set course to the Eschuco System, full speed ahead." Jehmabeb said.
Three Hours Later....
Jehmabeb stared at his control panel in his dimly lit quarters. The constant color of
purple was beginning to annoy him, and even his small cot was purple. He kept reading:
Eschuco System
Planets: 4
Habitable: 1
Sun: Dying (Estimated 3 million years)
Colonies: 1, 3rd Planet. Not Registered with Covenant High Command (Military Risk).
As he kept reading, one by one the lights went out in his quarters, until he could only
see by the light of his monitor. Then it went out too. It was complete darkness, and complete
silence, save Jehmabeb's breathe. He began to feel frightened.
Getting up, he headed for the door. The door opened before he could reach it. Someone was
coming in.
"Hello? Who goes there?" Jehmabeb yelled.
The door closed.
"Who goes there!" Jehmabeb repeated.
The only answer was the activation of a Plasma Sword. The owner flicked it around with ease,
until it finally landed square in Jehmabeb's heart. Blood spurt out onto the walls, and Jehmabeb
fell to the floor.
The Sword moved to the owner's head, casting a glow on it.
It was Raik.
"Don't worry Jehmabeb, I'll take good care of your crew when I'm in command."
== The Bridge ==
Raik walked through the door, and up the catwalk to the control area.
"I have some bad news." He said. "Captain Jehmabeb took his life this morning, let us morn."
The crew closed their eyes and looked down for a moment of silence, then all chanted a
prayer in an ancient language.
"I will be taking Command." Raik said.
"We will remain on course to the Eschuco System." He said, and left.
Hrik the Navigator, a brutish Elite, was the only one still unconvinced. He'd been a good
friend to Jehmabeb, and if he knew anything, it wasn't that The Cell
Part 2.
"Cargo?"
"Check."
"Hyperspace Engines?"
"Check."
"Intertial Dampeners?"
"Check."
Jehmabeb was going over his entire vessel's systems, making sure everything was ready on his
Capital Ship, and all the other vessels in his Battle Group. He'd grown attached to the
feeling of command, and he wasn't about to fail his first assignment.
"All systems go sir." Raik, his Second-Commander said, his seat immediatly behind his.
It had only be a few moments ago he met is Second-Commander, Raik. The Council told him
that he was one of the best, and they wanted the mission to succeed. It angered him, their
lack of trust.
"Affirmative Raik. Grunt, set course to the Eschuco System, full speed ahead." Jehmabeb said,
easing back into his chair.
Three Hours Later....
Jehmabeb stared at his contral panel in his dimly lit quarters. The constant color of
purple was beginning to annoy him, and even his small cot was purple. He kept reading:
[bold] Eschuco System
Planets: 4
Habitable: 1
Sun: Dying (Estimated 3 million years)
Colonies: 1, 3rd Planet. Not Registered with Covenant High Command (Military Risk). [/bold]
As he kept reading, one by one the lights went out in his quarters, until he could only
see by the light of his monitor. Then it went out too. It was complete darkness, and complete
silence, save Jehmabeb's breathe. He began to feel frightened.
Getting up, he headed for the door. The door opened before he could reach it. Someone was
coming in.
"Hello? Who goes there?" Jehmabeb yelled?
The door closed.
"Who goes there!" Jehmabeb repeated.
The only answer was the activation of a Plasma Sword. The owner flicked it around with ease,
until it finally landed square in Jehmabeb's heart. Blood spurt out onto the walls, and Jehmabeb
fell to the floor.
The Sword moved to the owner's head, casting a glow on it.
It was Raik.
"Don't worry Jehmabeb, I'll take good care of your crew when I'm in command."
== The Bridge ==
Raik walked through the door, and up the catwalk to the control area.
"I have some bad news." He said. "Captain Jehmabeb took his life this morning, let us morn."
The crew closed their eyes and looked down for a moment of silence, then all chanted a
prayer in an ancient language.
"I will be taking Command." Raik said.
"We will remain on course to the Eschuco System." He said, and left.
Hrik the Navigator, a brutish Elite, was the only one still unconvinced. He'd been a good
friend to Jehmabeb, and if he knew anything, it wasn't that Jehmabeb was suicidal.
"He did it." Hrik said silently, but just loud enough for the Comm Elite to hear.
"What?" He said.
"Raik killed Jehmabeb, don't you see? Jehmabeb would never kill himself. This was his first
mission as Captain. I don't think he'd do it." Hrik replied.
"But Raik is..." The Comm Elite began to say.
"Mysterious. We know nothing about him. I think he's working for the Resistence." Hrik
replied.
By now, the entire Bridge crew began to hear. They weren't fully convinced, but they
knew Hrik had a point.
"Let's say you're right, and Raik IS part of the Resistence. What do we do about it?"
"We kill him." Hrik said, a bit nervous.
"Kill the Captain? And let's say he's NOT part of the Resistence, and we kill our faithful
and fully Covenant Captain? What then? We get executed by the Grand Council for subbordination.
Ohh.." The Comm Elite said, "... what if you're part of the Resistence, and you're telling
us to kill the Captain so you can take over?"
"I'm not, because I didn't kill our Captain this morning, he did." Hrik replied.
== The Next Day ==
"Sir, we've arrived in the Eschuco System." Hrik said.
"Excellent. Scan for any Covenant Vessels." Raik replied.
Hrik scanned the entire region, finding nothing in range. "Nothing sir. Either they're cloaked
or they're on the Planet's surface only."
"Agreed. Go to Impulse, and set course for the 3rd planet."
Raik secretly began sending comm. signals to Covenant Boarding Pods, hiding in the nearby
asteroid belt. It would only be a matter of time before he took this whole ship.
== Escucho System. 3rd Planet ==
"He's here." Captain Donaghue of the UNSC Intrepid said. "Good work Captain Jrek. I think
this alliance will work in both our favors."
"Agreed." Jrek said, his deep Elite voice slightly scaring the Human crew.
"Captain, could I see you in your office?" Jrek said.
"Of course."
They stepped into the small cramped Captain's Quarters, and both took a seat.
"What happens after?" Jrek said.
"After what?"
"The Covenant will come looking for their Battle Group. It isn't something that goes
un-noticed. Something I learned in my short time with them."
Captain Donaghue laughed, pouring a glass of wine for himself. "I don't think you'll
have to worry about that.
Commander Raik has become known to the Covenant Councils as extremely trustworthy. We
took advantage of that. When we destroy the Group, we'll send Raik's vessel
back, minus the crew, with Raik aboard. He will tell them that a large Fleet of Humans had
ambushed him, and destroyed his Fleet. BUT, he managed to destroy the Humans, and escape
in the very damaged Capital Ship. Because the Humans were destroyed, they'd have no reason
to return."
"What of the crew? They'll want to know where a crew of 2000 went."
"He will tell them that the Humans boarded the vessel, and killed the entire crew, except
Raik, who hid."
"And the Un-registered Covenant Colony?"
"A false reading, set up by the Humans to lure the Covenant in."
Suddenly Jrek began to laugh along with Donaghue. The laugh scared him. It was the
same one they made when slaughtering Marines. Donaghue tried to let it go.
"Now, the only problem is destroying a fleet of 11 ships." Donaghue said.
To Be Continued...
|
