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The Guardians by Agent Shade
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The Guardians, Prologue-Chapter One
Date: 11 July 2004, 7:14 AM
Prologue
This is not a story which will explain the existence for "The Guardians" who kill randomly in the various multiplayer levels of Halo: Combat Evolved. This story will not focus on the Covenant caste system and the various Prophets and Forerunners they worship.
This story explains the usage of augmentation, the process where limbs and inner organs of the human body are given special treatment, such as medical drugs or surgery to extend their growth and improve the test subject's overall physical and mental state.
Augmentation was first used on the Spartans, a group of "super" soldiers, designed for the extinction of the Covenant. Although the process killed off several trainees, it was evident that augmentation could be done.
After the success of the Spartans, augmentation was perfected, as the United Nations Space Command began to introduce plasma technology into their own technological creations. This opened a whole new era for medical science, and one major factor was augmentation.
Once the existence of multiple Halo ring worlds was confirmed, the Office of Naval Intelligence, which provided funding for augmentation, decided it was time to test out this process again. Since the Spartans were busy at the frontlines, battling with the Covenant, a new team of super soldiers had to be created, to deal with the threat of the Halo ring worlds.
Immediate thoughts were how a hunk of metal floating in space could be a threat? However, battle records and personal statements gathered from the Master Chief of the Spartan-IIs, who survived the destruction of the first Halo ring world, proved the existence of the Flood.
Although there were no specimens, scientists gathered that the Flood were a parasitic race, based upon the small infection forms which seek out suitable hosts to be turned into the Flood's fighters. Since there is no account of a so called "leader" of the Flood, it is assumed the Flood simply exist to wipe out all life in the universe. Currently, the human body and the Covenant Field Commanders known as "Elites" are the prime subjects to be infected and turned into a Flood being. All others are simply killed.
Other assumptions then were created, regarding the existence of the Halo ring worlds found in various systems. It is believed that these huge worlds were created as testing grounds for this race; since it is obvious they did not just spring out of nowhere.
The creators of these ring worlds and the Flood are still unknown and currently, not the major threat here. The UNSC believed that the Covenant were trying to use these Halos for their own purpose and send on the human race, the Flood. This couldn't happen. They then gave the go ahead for "The Guardians."
A select number of individuals, five to be exact, ranging from the age of twenty to thirty were searched out. All five came from the Marine Corps. They underwent extensive training that went beyond what they learned in boot camp, along with the improved augmentation processes. Since the improvements in technology, they did not have to be six years of age, with continuously growing muscles and limbs. In fact, it was assumed that more subjects would survive this process, since their body had virtually stopped growing, giving the doctors fixed specimens to work with.
All five members survived, and are now out in the field of combat. The story about to unfold explains the battles they go through, as they attempt to take out all the Halo ring worlds, to prevent the release of the Flood and the destruction of the human race.
TO BE CONTINUED
By: Agent Shade
Chapter One
Captain Isaac Baine sat in his command chair, spinning an ink pen through his left hand. He usually did this to relieve tension and stress, but right now; it was out of mere boredom.
His ship, the Guardian, sat in a secure location, just a few hundred miles away from a large Halo ring world. Surrounding the Guardian, were additional UNSC vessels that were part of a specialized Halo Hunter team. In total, Captain Baine was in command of six ships, including his own, that made up this battle group.
Like the other Captains, he didn't want to be here. Thanks to radar and recon satellites, they had discovered the existence of four ring worlds located a few million light-years apart from each other. They had to be taken care of. Baine had no idea why he was chosen. He hadn't even volunteered for the assignment, nor did anyone else sitting where he was now.
He was an excellent leader and had fought in four major battles against the Covenant. Admiral Hanson had even offered him a promotion, and an office at FLEETCOM. He had politely refused. His life was with his ship and his crew. This was no life though. This should've been a trainee mission, practice for them, so they would be a big help when around veteran ships.
But there was one thing that Baine was happy for, and that was his new ship. The Guardian was a Dreadnought-class UNSC battleship, armed to the teeth and a solid wall of armor for protection. She was shaped similar to the Halcyon-class cruisers, which were long out of use for the UNSC. Surrounding her was nearly four metres of specialized Titanium armor, which had portions of Covenant plating in it also. Since the metals used for Covenant ships were unknown, Baine wasn't given a term for the 11% of armor that was Covenant. He also didn't care, as long as it did its job. Positioned on the ship's stern, port, belly and top were "Super" MAC (Magnetic Accelerator Canon) turrets. Surrounding each turret was a smaller MAC turret and prototype pulse lasers. These weapons were mainly used for close combat. Like the other ships, she sported forty Archer missile pods, positioned around the MAC turrets.
The rest of the fleet was small compared to the Guardian. But Baine knew that he wouldn't be able to test out these weapons. Three ring worlds down, this being the fourth and still no sign of the Covenant. To quote his navigation officer, this sucked.
The bridge doors opened, revealing an extremely bulky individual, wearing a black flight suit. He slowly moved through the bridge and stood to Baine's left side, saluting afterwards.
Isaac sighed and stood, facing the man and returning the salute. Lieutenant Commander James Ryan lowered his hand and looked out the bridge view windows. He then locked eyes with the Captain.
"No word?" he asked. Baine shook his head and moved over to the communications console. The woman manning it looked up at the Captain, rolling her eyes. Baine smirked and checked out her latest update.
"Ground forces are being evacuated; we're just waiting the confirmation on those explosives. What are your...people doing down there?" Baine asked, turning to face Ryan. The Office of Naval Intelligence officer shook his head.
"Unknown, probably making last minute preparations. In the mean time, we have a bigger problem to consider" he said. It was Baine's turn to roll his eyes. He crossed his arms.
"Another ring world?" he asked, knowing he was right. James Ryan walked to an empty computer console beside communications and began to display the latest radar updates from their satellites.
"Two systems away. Once we're done here, it will take us around a day to reach it" he said, as Isaac looked over the records. He shrugged.
"Nothing special, why is this a problem?" he asked. Ryan suddenly grinned and brought up another radar scan. As the small needle spun around the green and black circle, small dots could be seen near the designated ring world. Baine raised one eyebrow and looked up at the ONI agent.
"Covenant?" he asked. Ryan shrugged, still grinning.
"No radio contact made with them, so they aren't UNSC" he said. Baine bawled his fist and grinned back at Ryan.
"'Bout bloody time. How many?" he asked.
"Counted five so far, maybe more" James answered. Isaac nodded and moved back to his command chair with renewed spirits. Ryan saved the records to the computer and hovered to the Captain's right. Isaac eventually stopped spinning the pen in his hand and looked up at James.
"God damnit Lieutenant, where are they?" he demanded. Usually Ryan would give an equal response to a rude question, but he ignored it and shrugged.
"My people are careful people Captain. You must learn patience when dealing with them" he answered. Baine grumbled and leaned back in his chair.
"I have patience, and the more I work with you and your team, the more thinner it gets" he muttered. Ryan smirked and said nothing. The communications officer suddenly turned in her chair.
"Message from Pelican Gamma Four, package has been set, they're coming home" she said.
"Finally," Isaac growled, standing up. "Open launch bay doors. Have the team meet me and the Commander in my briefing room." The officer nodded and turned back to face the computer. Captain Baine turned to face James.
"Let's debrief them, then inform them of our next assignment" he said. Ryan nodded and stepped aside as Isaac walked out of the bridge. The ONI agent gave one last look around the bridge, and then followed.
Gamma Four's troop bay doors dropped open after the pilot confirmed they were docked. The five individuals inside gathered their belongings and slowly walked out, keeping their heads low. On the catwalk, a group of medical personnel stood by, but no one had sustained any injuries.
That was the way Rook liked it best, no injuries. He and his team had moved cautiously on that ring world. The Captain was no doubt pissed, but he didn't care. He was team leader and had to ensure everyone came back alive.
A single marine slowly approached them, shaking slightly and sweating nervously. Rook stood around seven feet tall and dwarfed the marine. Not to mention that he weighed two hundred and ten pounds of pure augmented muscle. The combat uniform he wore under his armor was practically bulging as he lifted a crate full of ammo onto a nearby rack. The marine saluted.
"Orders from the Captain Sirs. You are to go to his briefing room" he muttered. Rook nodded at the man, who turned quickly and almost ran out of the docking bay. He smirked slightly and looked over at his second in command.
Frye chuckled and pretended to look scared. This brought laughs from the other team members. Shaking his head, Frye then hefted his weapons and followed Rook down the catwalk. Once they had packed up their equipment into the docking bay armory, they found the nearest elevator and headed to bridge level.
The doors parted, and the five giants walked through the hall, ignoring the shocked stares from nearby crewmembers. They reached a door positioned off to the side and walked into the room.
Rook spirits plummeted as he gazed into the cold hard eyes of Captain Baine. From the start of this mission, they had gotten off on the wrong foot. Rook merely ignored the Captain and the rude comments he often received from him. He would always dwell on the thought of picking up the man and throwing him into the depths of space. His thoughts were interrupted by Lieutenant Commander Ryan. Despite being an ONI spook, the Lieutenant was a warm, caring man. He too hated Baine and had to endure the most of him, which was where Rook and his team respected him the most. He took the blame, while they did their job.
"Welcome back team, have a seat" Ryan said, after shaking each of their hands. Like always, Baine did not stand or salute them. He simply shuffled some papers and leaned back in his chair. Rook sat next to Ryan, with Frye on the other side. The rest of their team sat on the other side of the table.
Even while sitting in a chair, Titan still towered over them. He stood around seven foot four and maintained a well shaped body, similar to his comrades. His brown colored skin made the whites of his big eyes practically glow, the same going for his teeth. He sat silent though and merely observed the room.
Kilo sat on Titan's left. He was often described as the silent giant. Although they were all tall and big, Kilo was by far the strongest out of all of them. He only stood around six feet, eleven inches, but what he lacked in height, he made up in bulk. Two hundred and twenty pounds of complete muscle, no body fat at all. He had once wrapped his big arms around a wounded Covenant Elite and suffocated the thing to death. Because of this, he was the most fluent in hand to hand combat and could beat anyone in an arm wrestle.
Finally, the last member sitting next to Kilo was Angel. She was the only female on the team and because of the feminine figure, did not appear to be as bulky as her team mates. However, like she said to so many marines that had tried to take advantage of her, never judge a book by its cover. Angel had a cold, stone hard personality and emotion made of steel. To most men, she was the Devil's bitch, since anyone who tried to take advantage of her would get a little attitude, followed by a trip to the hospital. However, when around her team, she was extremely warm and friendly, even with James Ryan. Plus, her sniping skills came in handy.
Rook then looked to his good friend and second in command. Frye was the joker of the team. You would never see him sulking in a corner, or avoiding conversation. He always started the team talk, and when things were rough, people would look to him to bring their spirits up, which he did. He stood the same height as Rook and had the same bulk also.
Captain Baine cleared his throat, indicating he was ready. Rook left his train of thought and looked over at the Captain. Baine was fiddling with an antique pen. Rook had seen it before. Some sort of stress reliever he assumed.
"Four Halos down, another one found. It's located in an uncharted system approximately four million miles away. At best speed, it will take a day or so to get there" Baine started off. There was an awkward silence that followed. Rook shifted in his chair.
"And?" he asked. This time, Ryan cleared his throat. The ONI agent stood up and walked over to a small holo-projector. After being activated, the image of satellite radar records appeared.
"This, as you know, are radar records, taken from our satellites scouting around in that system we've currently named "Cascade." The current picture is of the Halo ring world and the planet it orbits" Ryan explained, pointing at the projection.
"Uh, that's not all. What are those little dots there?" Frye asked. Rook looked back at the picture. Sure enough, a small group of blips could be seen on the radar circle, located just around Halo. Ryan looked over at the Captain.
"Those are Covenant ships Frye" Ryan said, answering the question.
"How many?" Rook asked.
"We've counted five so far, there could be more in orbit though" Ryan answered again. Rook nodded and leaned back in his chair.
"Looks like the Captain gets the action he wanted" he muttered, glancing at Baine who remained silent. Ryan hide his smile and looked over at the Captain.
"Would you care to explain our course of action, Captain?" he asked. Isaac grunted and stood up, while Ryan took a seat beside Angel.
"We get to this system and stay in the outskirts. We don't know enough to charge in there. Like the Colonel said, there could be more behind the planet. We need detailed photographs and once we've obtained those, we devise a possible attack plan. The Covenant won't simply let us maintain an orbit over Halo. They want it for some reason and we can't let this happen. Once we're secure up here, we'll send you down first. I don't want to send my entire corps down, without proper data of Halo's control room. You'll find the Cartographer; you'll secure it, determine the location and report back. Once done, the marines will move in to the control room to begin assaulting it" Baine explained.
Rook said nothing and merely nodded. This was the same plan they had been going through for the past month. However, he couldn't help but feel excited. Before they had found their first Halo world, they had been at the frontlines, battling the Covenant and Rook knew he and his team needed a workout after nearly a month of blowing up empty ring worlds. Ryan stood up again.
"The fleet is already en route to this ring world. Get some rest. I have a feeling these next few days are going to be tiring" he said, looking at each of the Guardians in the eye. Rook stood and saluted, followed by the rest of his team. Ryan returned it, and surprisingly, so did the Captain. As Rook lowered his hand, Captain Baine nodded at them.
"Dismissed" he said. Rook patted Frye on the back and the two of them walked around the table and joined the rest of their team mates at the door. They each nodded at Ryan as they filed out into the hall.
"Thank you lord, were gonna get some fucking action!" Frye yelled as they stepped inside the elevator. Rook chuckled.
"Thoughts Rook?" Titan asked. Rook always gave his team a little pep talk after a mission and before their next mission.
"Nothing much Titan. The obvious has been stated by Frye. After nearly a month of blowing up these ring worlds, we're going to blow one up that isn't devoid of life. But like Ryan said, it's good to get some rest. I too have a feeling that with five or so Covenant ships in orbit, this won't be a milk run. Head to your quarters, get at least ten hours, more if you can. Even if you can't sleep, stay in bed, it'll help the muscles" he said. Frye laughed.
"Yes mother" he said. Rook laughed too and punched Frye lightly in the stomach. The elevator door opened, revealing a long wall, crowded with marines. The Guardians pushed past them and departed into their separate rooms. Rook's racing mind came to a stop as he put his head on his pillow and slept.
TO BE CONTINUED
By: Agent Shade
The Guardians, Chapter Two
Date: 11 July 2004, 7:15 AM
Chapter Two
The trip to the Cascade system took just under twenty-four hours. Upon arrival, the entire ship's company was still asleep. However, Lieutenant Commander James Ryan was not. The ONI agent walked through the bridge doors and stood beside the empty command chair. He looked at the main view screen, which had been magnified to show the Halo ring world.
At this distance from the deadly installation, Ryan couldn't help but feel entranced by its beauty. Lush fields of grass, forests, oceans, it was an earth before industrialization and it was a huge shame they couldn't colonize it. There had been talks about it, but it was concluded that the Flood could hide anywhere within the underground tunnels and pop up out of anywhere to attack. It was too great of a threat. Ryan was saddened when he heard this.
Unlike the other agents, Ryan wasn't as loyal or as cunning as them. He would obviously keep ONI classified information, classified, but he wanted to help out the UNSC, especially with these deadly floating rings. So he became more of a passionate agent then a spook.
James shook his head and walked to a nearby console. The screen showed data records of the system which Ryan began reading over. Interesting though it was, it wasn't what Ryan was looking for. He turned away from the console and looked at a small holo-projector stationed beside the command chair.
"Friar?' he said to no one. The projector suddenly hummed and came to life. A small figure then appeared floating in it, wearing a heavy brown cloak, with the hood over his head. His body was translucent and every movement brought a small strain of data over him. However, he looked up at James.
"Ah Mr. Ryan, you should be in bed should you not?" Friar asked. Ryan chuckled at the AI. Friar was the Guardian's "super" AI, programmed to assist the commanding officer in anyway possible. However, because of the low difficulty in this mission, he was rarely used. But, Ryan needed his help to get readouts on the Covenant.
"I guess so, but we've arrived at Cascade" Ryan answered. Friar turned in the projector and nodded.
"So it seems. What can I do for you?" he said. James pointed to the ring world.
"Threats orbiting that ring?" he asked. Friar paused for a heartbeat.
"Scans indicate four destroyer-class Covenant ships, all holding a stationary position over that ring. I'm picking up trails of plasma exhaust between each ship and the ring, which could indicate continuous transfer of troops to the surface" he stated. Ryan nodded, expecting this, but there had to be more. Halo was more important than just four destroyers.
"Any satellites in the area?" he asked.
"Yes, one orbiting the planet's moon" Friar answered.
"Can we position it to bounce a scan off it and behind the planet?" Ryan asked again. Friar paused again.
"Processing..." he said. Data scrolled across his body, but he remained still. "Okay, satellite is moving. Time to scan: twenty seconds." Ryan nodded and waited.
Friar's hands which had been hidden inside his cloak appeared as he uncrossed his arms. James looked down at him, confused. He had never seen Friar move his body like that.
"What?" he asked. Friar pointed to the view screen. It flickered once, revealing a blank screen, but then changed to show the backside of the planet which could not be seen. Ryan gasped.
An entire Covenant armada sat in a geosynchronous orbit over the planet. Ships ranging from small frigates, to huge battle cruisers and carriers waited behind the huge planet, which was about the size of Jupiter. No wonder their scans couldn't pick up any other ships.
"Look" Friar said. An additional five Covenant ships appeared out of Slip Stream and moved into position with the rest of the fleet.
"How many?" Ryan asked.
"Two hundred tops, the satellite has moved out of position" Friar explained. Ryan sat in the command chair, holding his head up with his hands. There was no way their small battle group of seven ships could take them on. They would need help. But like always, the Captain had to see this.
"Friar, save copies of all the data we've collected, and take note of anything else in the system. We're going to need your help" Ryan said, standing up.
"Not a problem, wake up call is in a few hours. Why not try and sleep?" he asked. Ryan nearly fell on the floor laughing.
"After seeing this, there's no way I can sleep peacefully" he said. Friar shrugged and disappeared. James took one last look at the fleet, and then left the bridge.
The same briefing room which Rook had been in yesterday was now crowded with human officers. He recognized Captain Baine and Lieutenant Commander Ryan, and could only assume who the others were. His team filed in behind him and ignored the stares given to them from nearby officers. They stood near the back and waited for this early morning meeting to begin.
Rook took note of Captain Baine and James. The two of them sat near the head of the table and were whispering to one another. Both were extremely white in the face, as if they had seen a ghost. Rook suddenly became more interested.
"All right, let's begin" Baine called out. The conversation in the room dulled, as the other officers took a seat. When the last seat was taken, the remaining officers leaned against the wall. Baine nodded at all of them.
"Good morning, assembled here are the fleet's captains and marine field commanders. Sorry for the shortage of space people, but we've got a big problem. To start off, I would like to present Lieutenant Commander Ryan" Baine said. James stood up and backed up to the large computer screen positioned behind Baine.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, at oh-fifteen hundred hours, the fleet arrived at the outskirts of the Cascade system. Upon our arrival, the Guardian's AI; Friar, took note of the Halo ring world." The screen was activated and showed a picture of the huge installation. However, Rook was looking at the four Covenant destroyers hovering above it.
"Additional scans showed plasma exhaust trails from possible Covenant dropships, indicating that this ring world is a much more hostile place then the others" Ryan said.
"You called us here to warn us of four ships. We can easily take them out" a man near Baine said. Ryan shook his head.
"I wasn't finished yet Captain Morrison. Fearing the possibility of additional ships, Friar then sent a scan behind the nearby planet which Halo orbits. This is what was found." The picture changed and a huge gasp was heard from the gathered officers. Rook couldn't help but drop his mouth in shock.
A large grouping of Covenant ships sat in orbit over the planet. Rook's augmented eyes couldn't make out every single one; it was a huge cluster of vessels of amazing power. Rook looked back at Frye, whose eyes were wide open. The screen flickered to show five additional Covenant ships appear out of Slip Stream and move into position with the rest of the fleet.
"We assume they've been here a few days to have gathered a fleet this large. It is quite obvious that our small battle group does not stand a chance against a fleet of nearly two hundred, maybe three hundred ships" Ryan said, moving away from the screen and sitting down beside Baine. Small murmurs could be heard from the officers standing, but everyone else was still shocked at the picture. Baine cleared his throat.
"No doubt, what Friar has found is truly the definition of power, but we have one advantage. Located a few kilometers away from the ring world is a Mutara Nebula cloud. Scans show it's filled with pockets of gases that are relatively safe to UNSC ships" he said.
"Excuse me Captain, but what do you mean by "relatively safe?" asked a nearby fleet officer. Baine shrugged.
"What I mean is, if we ventured into that gas cloud, it would mask our radar signatures to the Covenant. The only risks that we've calculated are increased temperatures, environmental system malfunctions, basically things that do not relate to the well being of each ship" Captain Baine explained. The same officer nodded.
"Except for the crew" he said.
"The temperature will rise to approximately forty, maybe fifty degrees Celsius, but our own environmental systems can compensate for that and bring it back down to around thirty. What I am suggesting is, we move our fleet into the cloud and send our troops down to the surface from there" he said. Another officer looked away from the screen and at Baine.
"The Covenant would surely detect a large fleet of dropships filled with marine soldiers." Baine waved a finger at him.
"This is where I've changed the plans around. Instead of sending in our marine divisions first like we used to do, we're going to send in the Guardians in first" Baine explained. All eyes in the room turned to Rook and his squad. They glared back at each of them until their attention was at the Captain. Isaac pressed a switch on the table, and the holo-projector hummed, showing the image of a large island.
"Like all the other ring worlds, the map room, or Silent Cartographer of this ring world is on an island. The plan I have is, we drop off the Guardians in a secure area on this island and have them infiltrate the Silent Cartographer and determine the location of Halo's control room. While this is happening, we will inform the UNSC of this massive fleet and hope they provide reinforcements. Once a hopeful armada arrives and engages the Covenant, we break free of our cover and send down our marines to help provide the distraction needed to allow the Guardians to plant their bombs in the control room" Baine explained. There were no objections by the other officers as they understood the plan.
"Questions?" Baine asked.
"What if the dropship with the Guardians is discovered by the Covenant?" asked a marine Field Marshal.
"That depends on whereabouts radar contact has been determined. If the dropship is discovered in space, it retreats back to the fleet and we get the hell out of there. However, if the dropship is found on Halo, it lands somewhere until we find a way to get them out of there. The Guardians shouldn't have a problem dealing with recon or scout patrols" Baine said. Rook grinned at this, but said nothing. The Captain was right though. The dropship would be safe as long as he or one of his team members were alive.
"Make no mistake ladies and gentlemen, there is going to be some shooting and there will be deaths on both sides. Hopefully this battle will boost the overall morale, because it looks like these ring worlds are much more important to the Covenant than we thought" James Ryan put in. No questions followed. Baine stood up from his chair.
"Let's get rolling then. Ship commanders, inform your crew of our plan and get ready to move into the cloud in two hours. I will be contacting the UNSC shortly after we position ourselves in the cloud and will keep you all updated. Dismissed." The gathered officers all stood and saluted to Baine, who returned it. They then slowly filed out, with Rook and his team bringing up the rear. It was time to suit up and get ready to move.
"We ready to go?" Isaac Baine walked into the bridge, buttoning up the collar of his uniform and straightening it out. Communications officer; Lieutenant Wong spun around in her chair, with one hand to the small ear piece in her right ear.
"Battle group reports all crews ready and standing by" she said. Baine nodded and took a seat in the command chair.
"Engines to fifty percent, bring us in nice and smooth Lieutenant." The Navigation officer; Lieutenant Edwards nodded to the order and activated the ship's engines. He then slowly maneuvered them forward.
The view screen showed the amazing gas clouds that made up the nebula. Pinks, reds, purples, it was a borealis of colors all mixed into one. Slowly, it grew in size as they approached it and pretty soon, it filled up the whole screen. Hell, the Covenant should've hidden in here, Baine thought to himself.
"Now entering the Mutara Nebula" reported Tactical officer, Lieutenant West. The Guardian slowly steered into the first cluster of clouds, pushing them apart in the vacuum of space.
"Tactical, monitor interior systems, make sure nothing is affected" Baine ordered.
"All lights show green sir" West answered. The screen flickered slightly as they ventured deeper inside. All Baine could see was pink or red as they pushed through. Sweat began to trickle down his forehead.
"Temperatures are rising Captain" West reported. No shit, thought Baine.
"Friar, how much further?" Isaac asked their AI. The monk appeared beside the Captain, data symbols scrolling over his body.
"'Bout a kilometer or two, we are nearly there" he said. The lights flickered above Baine, who looked up at them. He glanced over at West, who shrugged.
Suddenly, an explosion emanated from the port side. A small ball of flame appeared on the screen. The ship lurched to starboard, nearly flinging Baine from his chair. Klaxon alarms went off.
"Report!" he demanded. Friar's image flickered several times, but he remained on the projector.
"Our engines must've ignited a pocket of metrione gas" Friar said calmly.
"Metrione gas? All engines, full stop!" Baine called out. The Guardian came to a complete stop, as did the rest of the fleet behind them. Additional balls of flame could be seen as several ships ignited the dangerous gas.
"Damage report" Baine said, walking over to Lieutenant West.
"Minimal sir, it wasn't a big cloud. Armor rating down to ninety-four percent, nothing we can't handle. Engineering reports that the hull is merely burned in some places" he said. Baine sighed. Metrione was a newly discovered gas. It was toxic to the human body, much like a poison and highly explosive. People thought gasoline was bad, metrione was worse. Baine had read the battle record of a UNSC destroyer called the Minotaur, which had run into the gas while on a scouting mission. Large pocket detonated at the back side, completely destroying her engines and rendering the ship useless. The Captain had ordered all hands to abandon ship and make a break for the nearest star base.
"Do we still have scans?" Baine asked, moving back to his chair.
"Yes sir. No damage was reported to any operating systems. I've already done a search of the nebula. The only traces of metrione were what we just blew up, I can't find anything else at this time" Friar explained.
"How much further till our rally point?" Baine asked.
"Few hundred thousand meters. Are you thinking of stopping here?" Friar asked.
"The thought has crossed my mind and is staying there" Isaac answered. Friar nodded his hooded head.
"We are within range for a quick transfer of troops to the ring world sir" he said. Captain Baine looked over at communications.
"Did any other ships sustain heavy damage?" he asked. Lieutenant Wong looked up from her console.
"UNSC Zealot reports minor engine damage and the loss of one of her MAC turrets. Other than that, minimal damage to the rest of the fleet" she said. Baine nodded and leaned forward, sighing heavily.
"Let's get this mission over with. Lieutenant West, inform the Guardians they are green for departure. Lieutenant Wong, patch me through to FLEETCOM. Time to call in the cavalry" he said.
TO BE CONTINUED
By: Agent Shade
The Guardians, Chapter Three
Date: 11 July 2004, 7:17 AM
Chapter Three
The Guardians walked into the docking armory room, already dressed in their combat armor. Unlike the marines who wore heavy Kevlar armor that was polarized, the Guardians wore flak jackets, much stronger than Kevlar. The only drawback was that it was extremely heavy. However, thanks to the Guardian's augmented bodies, they could wear two layers of this armor and still be able to function properly.
The Guardians weren't given MJOLNIR suits like the Spartans, because resources for the powerful armor were low and virtually impossible to find. Plus, with the death of Doctor Catherine Halsey, the knowledge of MJOLNIR was virtually lost. She was able to build the armor for the Spartan-IVs, but died afterwards. Therefore, to compensate for the loose of MJOLNIR, the Guardians were put under heavy augmentation, making them look like giants instead of humans. With advanced reflexes to counter the Spartans, the Guardians could quite possibly dodge bullets if they wanted.
Another function was introduced in the augmentation that was extremely classified. The ONI scientists were successful in grafting polarized steel to the bones of each Guardian. The costs for such an experiment were enormous, which was why the squad was limited to five members. If a plasma bolt got through the layered flak armor, it would first have to burn away at the reinforced muscles surrounding the body, and then tear a hole through the steel that was hidden under the muscle. It had been tested and proven to be very effective. The Guardians basically wore a MJOLNIR suit beneath their skin.
The flak armor plates were hidden inside Kevlar vests which the Guardians wore over their combat jumpsuits. The vests added more protection and hide the armor plates, so they weren't too protruding and uncomfortable. At first glance, the Guardians would look like a special ops group from ONI, but they were much more than that.
Rook walked over to the rows of weapon and immediately grabbed an MA5B assault rifle. The weapon was his personal favorite, especially when it came to killing Covenant. He slung the rifle over his back and took two handfuls of extra ammunition clips.
Because of their added strength and mobility, the Guardians could carry a total of three weapons. They would carry their primary, have their secondary over their backs and their tertiary, which was always a pistol, holstered to their hips. For a secondary weapon, Rook choose an MA7B Battle rifle, and one extra handful of 7.62 ammo clips. He wouldn't need a lot, because both his assault rifle and battle rifle fired the exact same bullet.
Frye grabbed onto two T-90 submachine guns. Like the battle rifle, it was a new weapon that had been issued to the Marine Corps. It carried a clip of sixty 5.56mm bullets. Though not as powerful as 7.62, the rate of fire would easily take out an Elite's shields after around twenty rounds. Frye strapped one of the bullet hoses across his back and held onto the other. He would only use the two of them when the situation proved necessary.
Titan and Kilo were a team within the team. Kilo took hold of a M19 SMM man-portable Jackhammer rocket launcher. He slammed two powerful 102mm rockets into the loading tubes and slung the big weapon over his back. The extra ammunition was carried by Titan in the huge equipment pack he carried. Both Titan and Kilo then took MA5B assault rifles for their primary weapons. Since Kilo already had a secondary, he grabbed a M6D pistol and stood ready. Titan decided to go with a M90 Close-Assault shotgun, just in case.
The final member, Angel, was their sniper. She immediately grabbed the S2 AM sniper rifle and loaded a clip of four 14.5 armor-piercing rounds into the chamber. She ditched the sights and scopes and sent a link to the eye reticule of her tactical helmet. She then took a MA7B battle rifle for her primary and the M6D pistol for her tertiary.
They gathered along a catwalk overlooking the docking bay, where their Pelican dropship was waiting. Warrant Officer Chambers walked through the troop bay and nodded to them.
"Captain's given us the go-ahead. Time to go folks" he said. Chambers had been their ride since the beginning of the missions and was starting to become a favorite, much like Ryan was. Rook nodded to the pilot and looked back at his team.
"Time to break open some Covenant skulls. Load up" he said. Grins were exchanged with each team member as they climbed into the troop bay and strapped themselves in. Rook sat near the loading ramp and watched James Ryan walk towards them, a grim look on his face. However, he smiled at the Guardians.
"Be careful down there. Find the map room, and get out of there ASAP" he said. Rook chuckled.
"Piece of cake Ryan, we'll see you soon" he said. Ryan nodded and saluted to them. He then turned and walked out of the bay. Slowly, the loading ramp was lifted to close off the troop bay. The docking latches were removed and the Pelican hovered in the air. The docking bay door then opened, revealing the nebula the ship sat in.
"Friar is sending us drop off coordinates, so we won't get lost in here" Chambers yelled back to the team as the mirrors they looked out from were filled with pink and red colors. The Pelican then accelerated forward, into the depths of the nebula.
Vice Admiral Frederic Hanson stood in his office, looking out the window. His office was more like an apartment, since it came with a small kitchen and pull-out couch. Luckily, Hanson had never had to stay here overnight.
The war against the Covenant was going extremely well, after they started to use plasma technology in their own technology. Ships were twice as powerful as they used to be. It was possible for an outnumbered fleet of human ships to win against the Covenant. But of course, those ships had to have the new technological advancements in their weapons and armor in order to do so.
Hanson had been currently shunned from the battle field, locked away in his office on the one hundred and fifth floor of the FLEETCOM HQ tower, located in the Jericho IV system. He hated the continuous silence and solitude. He wanted to be on the bridge of his ship, where he felt he belonged. He missed his crew. He missed the sound of the engine slowly lulling you off to sleep. He missed space, period.
Frederic sighed and turned away from the window. He moved to his desk, where his briefcase was open. However, the only homework he had tonight; was spend time with his family. He grinned at the picture of his beautiful wife and daughter. As much as he missed space, he missed seeing them the most.
He slammed the brief case shut and threw it onto one of the couches. Smiling to himself, he unbuttoned his collar and went to the door.
"Admiral Hanson?" Frederic slammed his fist into the wall at the sound of his secretary. Mumbling curses, he moved back to his desk and pressed the intercom switch.
"Yes" he said.
"Sorry sir, but there is an urgent message for you" his secretary said.
"Can it wait Anna?" Hanson asked.
"Well, it came from the Supreme Admiral, so I don't think so" Anna replied. Hanson sighed again.
"Transfer it here please" he said, sitting back down in his chair. A small TV screen slowly appeared out of his desk, with an "INCOMING TRANSMISSION" message blinking on the screen. He leaned forward and pressed the receive button. Replacing the blinking message on the screen was the face of Captain Isaac Baine. Hanson smiled.
"Isaac, long time no see" he said. Baine nodded at him.
"It has indeed been too long Admiral. I hope I haven't caught you at a bad time" he replied.
"Course not Isaac, what can I do for you?" Hanson liked Isaac, and would make an exception for the late call. The two had fought together in several battles and trusted each other. Isaac sighed on the screen.
"We've got a big problem here sir. A problem that is out of my hands" he said. Hanson immediately thought mutiny, but knew Baine was an extremely responsible commander. Frederic nodded at his friend, urging him to continue.
"We found another Halo ring world in an uncharted system we're calling the Cascade system. It's orbiting a planet the size of Jupiter, maybe bigger" Baine first said.
"What's the catch?" Hanson asked.
"Holding stationary orbits over Halo are four Covenant destroyers, and there's evidence that they've transferred troops to the surface" he answered. Frederic raised an eyebrow.
"You called me to tell me that?" he asked. Isaac held up a hand.
"That's only half of the catch sir, here's the rest" he said, touching a button off screen. Frederic's mouth dropped open as he stared at the data recording of the Covenant armada positioned behind the planet. Frigates, destroyers, cruisers, carriers, it looked as if the entire Covenant fleet was gathered here. He tried counting, but gave up as he watched five additional ships pull up into orbit. The picture then disappeared, showing Isaac's grim face.
"Jesus Christ...how many?" Hanson asked.
"Three hundred, maybe more. Our AI can't get a secure reading because we are currently hiding in a Mutara nebula cloud. Plus, that fleet is hiding behind the nearby planet" Isaac answered. Hanson leaned forward.
"What do you need Captain?" he asked. The corners of Isaac's lips lifted.
"The cavalry sir. We need a UNSC fleet out here ASAP, to counter this armada and allow us to destroy this ring world." Frederic knew that Baine was talking about his battle group, nicknamed "The Cavalry." Five years of service and not a single loss to the Covenant. Baine's ship had been part of it, until he was ordered to the Halo Hunter team. Hanson couldn't help but grin.
"You're in luck my friend. We're currently waiting for new orders, and you've just given us them. Send me your position coordinates" he said.
"Already done" Baine replied.
"How many ships?" Hanson asked. Isaac chuckled.
"A lot, since it looks like the Covenant get reinforcements every day. Four hundred, five hundred..." he said, his voice trailing off.
"You want me to split my fleet in half? Come now Captain, you know I have nearly seven hundred UNSC ships at my disposal. The Cavalry was pulled back from the front lines to defend FLEETCOM and some of the outlying systems. Since I'm in charge, I determine when we leave" he said.
"Now would be best sir" Baine said. Hanson nodded and stood up.
"Very well Isaac, we'll be at the system in a day or two. Stay alive out there" he declared. Baine grinned and saluted.
"See you soon Admiral, and thank you" he said. The screen went blank and retracted inside his desk. Frederic sighed. Looks like he would have to cancel dinner. He pressed the intercom button beside the screen.
"Anna" he said.
"Yes Admiral"
"Call all fleet Captains from the Cavalry, have them meet me in the FLEETCOM briefing room" Frederic ordered.
"All seven hundred of them sir?" Anna asked, sounding doubtful.
"Just do it!" snapped Frederic.
"I'm on it." Hanson let go of the intercom and sat back down in his chair. It seemed his wish was about to be granted. He would hear the sound of an engine one last time. But before he could contemplate his attack plan, he had to call home and inform his family of the bad news.
An endless blanket of blue greeted Rook's eyes, as the Pelican drop-off ramp was lowered, revealing a large ocean of water. They had entered Halo's atmosphere undetected, and were two minutes away from the Silent Cartographer Island.
Rook stared at a small data pad in his hand, which gave him a birds-eye view of the island. Like all the other islands, the entrance to the map room was located along the edge of the cliff, which surrounded the whole island. There were small pathways and tunnels which provided numerous entrances to different parts of the island and beaches.
"Covenant activity detected; looks like they've massed their forces around the outside of the Cartographer entrance. Radar isn't picking up anything else, so we'll land you folks east from their position. Thirty seconds till dirt" Chambers called over the radio.
Rook said nothing and watched as the blue ocean was replaced by brown, sandy beaches and green grass and trees. The Pelican hovered over the beach for a full ten seconds, before slowly lowering itself.
"Good luck Guardians! Let me know when you need pickup!" Chambers yelled over the engines. Rook gave the pilot a two-fingered salute and jumped off the troop bay ramp. His boots sank into the sand, but Rook pulled them out and jogged to the left, towards a cluster of trees. The rest of his team followed, ducking low and their weapons raised.
Rook took a knee and looked back at the Pelican. Chambers could be seen waving at them from the cockpit. The drop-off ramp was raised, closing off the troop bay and the dropship took off, disappearing into the horizon and accelerating into the clouds afterwards. They were alone now.
His team grouped around him, scanning their surroundings with their guns. Rook however knew they had to keep moving. He didn't have enough Intel to determine the best course of action yet.
"Move out, linear formation" he said. His team nodded and stood. Angel took lead, while Frye brought up the rear. Titan, Kilo and Rook stood in the middle of their small line and followed Angel, who sprinted to the cliff and stayed close against it. They moved at a small trot, leaving the small beach area and rounding the corner.
A small forest stood in front of them, with few trees. Through the trees, Rook could see the shining shields of three Jackals, who looked as if to be on a patrol route. They stood near the beach, chatting with one another. Two equipment crates could be seen next to them.
Angel had paused and was targeting them, but Rook pushed her on. They continued to stay close to the cliff and moving into the forest, using the trees and small bushes as cover. Angel held up a fist and they dropped to the ground. Rook looked to where she was pointing. The Jackals were moving away from the beach and back up to the cliff. From where Rook was, he could see a large elevated metallic platform, which he assumed was part of the main entrance. A small path, guarded by two Grunts, went up the middle of the platform and connected with the main level, which Rook could only assume was loaded with Covenant species.
The path was out of the question, which meant there had to be another way around. He scanned near the cliff and saw a large opening in the side. He patted Angel and pointed it out. She nodded and began moving in, while Rook signaled to the rest of the team. They approached the opening and clicked their flashlights on to scan inside.
The opening led to a small tunnel, which then connected to an open area, like a cave. The cave was empty as the Guardians moved into it. Another tunnel could be seen, which traveled up for a metre or two. Angel went up first, her battle rifle in her hands. She reached the top of the tunnel and crouched down quickly.
"Point to lead, heavy enemy contact" she whispered into her microphone. Rook looked up at her.
"Describe it to me" he said.
"This tunnel leads to the main platform of the Cartographer entrance. I can see six Elites; four blue-armored and two veteran levels. Company detachment of Grunts, maybe around ten Jackals and a pair of Hunters" she replied. Rook swore to himself. He knew that this was just a welcome party. He ordered the rest of his team to hold position and climbed up the tunnel. Angel backed down and allowed Rook to view the area.
The sniper wasn't lying. From what Rook could see, all the Grunts, saving for the two guarding the path were sleeping, and majority of the Jackals were gathered on the far right side of the platform. The only real threat closest to Rook, was one of the Hunters and three of the Elites. It also seemed that the Elites and Hunters were on a small patrol of their own. Rook grinned as the group of Covenant closest to him began to move away, leaving an opening for him and his team to move to the entrance.
He dropped down a bit and motioned for his team to follow. They climbed behind him and waited, while Rook looked outside. It was still clear. He looked back down.
"On my mark, move out of this tunnel and towards the entrance" he said. The Guardians nodded and moved closer to the tunnel edge. Rook looked back outside. The Elites were halfway across the platform, their backs still to his team.
"Now" he whispered. One by one, the Guardians climbed down from the tunnel and shifted along the cliff wall, into one of the entrance ways. As Rook moved, he calculated they had less then thirty seconds before those Elites came back to their position.
The Guardians moved inside one of the entrances and huddled in a corner. Angel peered around the corner, down a long hallway, which continued to the right. She looked back at Rook and shook her head, indicating no contacts. He nodded and gave her the thumbs-up.
Angel darted around the corner, keeping her head low and rushed forward. Rook waited a full two seconds, before following her. The team met up near the end of the hall, where a ramp sloped down to another door. They moved down it quickly and then moved through the door, down another hallway. They stopped near the edge, and allowed Angel too peek around the door.
"Contact: three Grunts" she said.
"Take them out" Rook replied. Angel raised her battle rifle and adapted a silencer onto the end. She then peered into the scope of the weapon and pressed on the trigger three times.
All three Grunts didn't even scream as the 7.62 bullets tore through their headsets and ruptured their brains. As they toppled over, Angel dashed forward to police their bodies. Rook watched her, then followed, with the rest of the team following.
They stood around the dead Grunts and looked through another door that greeted them. The hallway leading after it was short and continued to the left and right. The Guardians moved through the door, Angel and Frye covered them from the left, while Rook and the others went to the right.
The hallway lead to a small ramp that stopped in mid air. Rook walked onto the ramp and looked around him. He stood in a bottomless cavern, with dozens of little ramps sticking out of the walls. Rook looked down and could only see a purple mist. If he jumped to the other ramps, he could make it. His bones wouldn't break, but there would be internal damage. He stepped back and motioned for Frye and Angel, who joined up with them.
The interior of the Cartographer was exactly the same as the interiors of the four other map rooms they had been in. From Rook's position, he could see the four levels below the level they stood on now. Normally they were forced to trek through all of them, but Rook had a different idea.
He got some rope and attached it to the end of a small gun, which fired a hook. This hook had small prongs on them that spread out like fish hooks. When fired, the hook would latch onto any object and stay there, unless removed.
This technique was often used in mountain climbing, but Rook had found a different use for it. He aimed the gun at the edge of one of the levels and fired. There was a small "puff" as the hook shot forward and slammed into the metal. Rook put the gun down and took hold of the rope which was attached to the hook. He pulled twice, satisfied it would hold.
Each Guardian then took a large strand of rope and wrapped it around their gloved hands. Making sure they had a good grip, Kilo looped his hands around the rope that Rook had fired. He jumped off the platform and rode along the rope, down to the bottom level. His feet hovered above the floor and he let go. Kilo rolled once, then stood up and surveyed the area with his assault rifle. He gave the all clear.
The rest of the team then grabbed onto the suspended rope, with their own hand ropes and slide down it, until they reached Kilo's position. Rook brought up the rear. He connected his end of the rope onto another hook and then wrapped another strand of rope around his hands. Satisfied it would hold he looped his rope around the suspended one and slide along it. As he neared his team's position, he let go and hovered in the air for a second, before tumbling onto the ground. He landed and quickly rolled, to prevent his legs from breaking.
He and his team had just skipped three levels of the Cartographer. Satisfied, Rook cut the rope they used to glide down and watched it tumble into the depths below. He then turned and motioned for his team to move forward.
They exited the huge cavernous hall and rounded a corner, stepping into a new room. A huge collection of small pillars that stuck out of the ground dotted the floor. To Rook's left was a ramp that led up to a catwalk which lead only god knows where. The Guardians moved forward and took up positions behind the small pillars, looking around them for Covenant activity. Rook spotted a door ahead of them.
"Frye, Kilo, move up" he ordered. The two super humans dashed forward, weaving their way around the pillars. The door slide open as they approached it. Both Guardians crouched and peered down the small hall before them.
"Clear Rook" Frye said. Rook nodded and motioned for Titan and Angel to move up. They regrouped and ventured down into the hall. The tunnel ended, revealing a large room, which a bigger ramp that sloped down into a bigger hall. Rook stood near the corner of the ramp and peered around the wall. He quickly snapped his head back in as two Covenant Grunts walked past the opening.
Rook took another look as the Grunts left. This was the floor that the Cartographer was on. The Guardian leader recognized the structure of the room beyond. He reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a silencer. He then attached it to the end of his assault rifle nozzle and looked at his team mates.
"Looks like we're going to have to start the show early. Mount silencers and grab somebody. Angel, the moment we go down this ramp, I want you to find a vantage point to cover us from. Frye with me, Titan and Kilo move off to the right. Clear?" he said to them. They all nodded in return. Rook emerged around the corner and crouched low as he walked down the ramp. Frye moved beside him and the two of them stopped at the base of the ramp.
The two patrol Grunts had met up with three more Grunts near a large opening in the wall that sloped around the room. Rook turned to his left and targeted them. The Grunts saw the intruders and let out barks of shock. Both Rook and Frye opened on them, firing quick bursts from their weapons. Three of the five Grunts dropped backwards from head shots, while the other two each fired their pistols once, before retreating.
Rook kept an eye on the Grunt's escape, while ordering Titan and Kilo to flank them. The two Guardians moved past Rook and rounded a large pillar that was positioned in the middle of the room. Rook heard muffled coughs from their assault rifles. He then patted Frye.
"Move in. Angel, on me" he said. The sniper moved down the ramp and followed Rook and Frye, who moved through the opening in the wall.
A Covenant blue-armored Elite and the two Grunts who had retreated stood to Rook's right. The Guardian stopped and turned, firing off five quick shots. Both of the Grunts fell, but the Elite sidestepped, avoiding the additional bullets. Frye and Angel appeared beside Rook and fired off short bursts from their weapons. The Elite's shields sparked as each bullet smashed against it. It growled and fired back. Rook and Angel retreated around the corner, while Frye crouched low behind a piece of metal sticking out of the wall.
Titan and Kilo emerged on the other side of the small hallway the Elite stood in. They fired their assault rifles and drilled bullets into the alien's back. The shields disappeared. All five Guardians then fired at once and the Elite let out a roar as it fell over, dead.
It had been guarding another opening in the wall, which lead into another bottom-less cavern. The team moved into it, down a ramp to their right and onto a platform. A door on the far side of the platform opened, revealing two angry Elites, both wearing red armor. They issued a roar to the Guardians and fired.
Rook retreated behind a wall along with Frye. The rest of the team backed up along the ramp and found cover in the hallway with the dead Elite. They fired, but the two Elites avoided the shots.
Rook and Frye stuck their guns out briefly and fired quick bursts, but the Elites sent a stream of plasma fire back at them. Rook cursed as plasma splashed along the wall and burned. He reloaded his assault rifle, while Frye crouched beside him. The Guardian took out his second T-90 SMG and began to hose down the Elites with double the firepower. One Elite's shields shorted out, allowing Rook to emerge around the corner and fire a quick burst at its head. The Field Commander fell backwards without a sound, a splash of black and purple blood spraying the wall.
The second Elite began to retreat, as Angel and Titan appeared on the ramp and fired at it. The door behind it opened and it backed up into the small hallway. The Guardians moved forward and crouched around the door, spilling bullets down the hall. The Elite clutched its stomach area as its shields went out. The rate of fire increased and it fell forward with a gurgle.
"Move!" Rook yelled. The team sprinted down the hall and emerged in a small room, which an alien control console and large holo-projector in the middle. Rook observed his surroundings. Only one entrance/exit, thank god.
"Titan and Kilo, watch the door" he ordered. The two Guardians nodded and stood on either side of the door, leaning to one side to aim their guns at the other door. Rook then approached the console and observed the buttons on it. Shrugging, he pushed one.
The projector hummed to life and showed a picture of the Halo ring world. It then zoomed in slightly, to show the orbiting Covenant ships and the small dropships moving in between them. Rook whistled slightly.
"Some sort of radar" he said. Impressive though it was, it wasn't what he was looking for. He pressed the larger button beside the radar one. The room darkened, as the small holographic ring world was zoomed in on. It was then broken down into separate pieces and each piece examined. Rook watched the images carefully, looking for the position of the control room.
One piece then began to glow and was zoomed in one. It showed a huge pyramid-shaped shrine, placed against the side of a cliff. Rook observed it careful and nodded to himself.
"That's it, that's the control room" he said. Angel stepped forward and took out a small battle-recorder. She quickly taped the image of the control room and its location on the ring world.
"Get those read outs too" Frye put in, pointing to small numbers scrolling across the picture. Angel nodded and put the camera down.
"I got it" she said. Rook nodded and turned to the door. Suddenly, Titan and Kilo began to fire short bursts from their assault rifles.
"We got company" Titan muttered as he reloaded. As Angel and Frye moved to the door, Rook grabbed his radio.
"Guardians to Omega Twelve" she said.
"I'm here Rook, what's up?" asked the voice of Warrant Officer Chambers.
"Piece of cake Chambers, we are in the map room, but the Covenant have a large welcoming party waiting for us. Request the Marines be deployed" he said.
"Acknowledged Rook, I'm relaying the message now. Sit tight, we're on our way" Chambers said. Rook nodded and shut off the radio, musing over Chamber's comments. They weren't going anywhere.
TO BE CONTINUED
By: Agent Shade
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