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HALO: A New War of Old Enemies Part 1
Posted By: Jeff Graham<lunar_rain98@yahoo.com>
Date: 5 December 2002, 1:54 am
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-Prologue- For hundred of years, the Covenant have been traversing the stars, conquering, and destroying, for the gods demand it. This great alliance began with the Ku'nnar or Elites, as they are known as to date. The Ku'nnar follow a religious text called the Dig-sonar. The text told of a great Covenant of races that would collect power and strength, and dispose of weakness. The Dig-so'nar also spoke of a great destruction; a race known as "humans", that had been a blight upon the Galaxy; a disease that the Covenant were the cure for. The Covenant began their journey and systematic destruction of the human race. Another part of this ancient text foretold of great warriors that would defend the humans. These warriors were to bring the destruction of the races of the Covenant as the Covenant destroyed the Humans. Although the Covenant attempted to stop the coming of these great warriors, their attempts were futile, for it was written in stone. "The Warriors will come, a great destruction following them where ever they go. Like a plague, they will destroy the planets and the very souls of the Covenant. All will fail and fall before these mighty warriors, this era will end and a new age would come forth, a new age for Humans, but the extinction of the Covenant."
It has been over 50 years since the Covenant attacked the UPDI, and for 30 years they have been toying with the UNSC. The day when the prophecy comes true has finally come, the warriors unite and the fall of the Covenant will begin. Chap. 1
The Master lives.
1304 Hours, September 16, 2552 (Military Calendar)
UNSC Long Sword Bomber, Unknown Star System (UPDI [United Planetary Defense Initiative] Outskirts of Halo Planetary System) The cruel, insane silence of space; not a soul, human or otherwise, for light years not even a Planet. Nothing but a lowly star; or so they think.
BEEEEEEEEP! BEEEEEEEEP! The Long Sword's alarms begin to wail. Master Chief, startled from the sudden noise, jumps up and instinctively whips his pistol around, checking his surroundings; he aims to the back of the bomber as he backs into the cockpit and shuts the doors.
"What's happening, Cortana? Is it Covenant?" Master Chief's hands cascade over the control console as he checks for hull breaches, incoming fighters or anything else he could think of. "Well what is it Cortana?"
Cortana pops up on hologram display "Nothing, Chief," she says playfully, "I couldn't wake you up any other way so," She rolled her eyes, smiled and looked back at chief, "I activated the alarm system to do the job."
Master Chief just glares at Cortana, for her tactless approach to wakening him, "What did you wake me up for then?"
Cortana disappears and brings up what looks like a UNSC Destroyer. "I picked this wreckage up a few minutes ago as I was scanning for Covenant. I thought you would like to know." Hologram disappears and Cortana re-appears. "I thought that this was a UNSC ship until I did a hull scan. The ship is very similar except for the weapons, armor, and over all hull design and construction, but from a human's perspective, you can't tell the difference"
Master Chief Looks around at a small hologram on the bomber's command console. "Are you sure this is not UNSC? It could just be new design."
An annoyed look comes over Cortana's usually calm face and her data lines turn from a cool Blue Violet to Crimson. "Yes, I'm sure." she snaps, "This ship has different markings." Cortana brings up the large hologram again. "This ship is the Destroyer Nexus of the UPSDC."
Master Chief looked over large holographic model. "So then," sitting down in pilot's chair, "what's our E.T.A.?"
Cortana pops up again, "Twenty minutes." She smiled, reminding Master Chief of Dr. Halsey, "but I could make it quicker."
John just looks at her and cracks a small smile, "No that's fine, just get us as close to that ship as possible by drifting, then fire the stabilizers so I can board the ship. I want to go onboard and see who/what is or was manning it and also to restock my supplies."
"Very well, and while you're doing that, maybe I can find out where we are."
As the Long Sword drifts, Master Chief gets his gear ready: Loads his rifle and takes 8 Plasma grenades. 20 minutes later the bomber then pulls up along side the Nexus. Master Chief makes his way to the door of the Long Sword as he fastens his helmet.
"Ready Cortana?"
"Of course."
Master Chief opens the Long Swords door and makes his way to the ship as Cortana begins to think out loud.
"This is definitely not UNSC design. This is too elaborate and precise." Cortana pauses. "Chief! This ship still has power. I can't believe it, how did this ship survive in such bad condition and still have power."
"What? "Asks Master Chief, "This ship has too much damage for any ship to still have power? The main core would be leaking or have blown up" Master Chief moved from the interceptor and over to a door on the ship and attempted to pry it open but to no avail.
"Try pressing the button" Cortana said playfully.
"Why not?" he thought. As soon as the chief taps the button the door slides open quickly. The Chief, looking around in amazement, step inside a small room, "An air lock?" he asks Cortana.
"Yes, this ship has air-locks everywhere in case of something like this happened. Good design idea, eh?"
Master Chief nods in agreement as he presses the recompression button. The door behind him closes and atmosphere rushes into the room then a split second later the door in front of him opens. He cautiously steps into the Nexus and begins to investigate. "Cortana, How can there possibly be survivors in here. There is only 45% atmosphere in here, maybe less".
"I know but I did" Cortana pauses, "THERE!" she yells. "Look!" Cortana lights up Master Chief's Motion sensor. "There! There is somebody! See there is at least one survivor onboard, so there."
Master Chief sighs as he heads for two large black doors. "Is this where this signature came from?"
"Yes. It was too small to be a Hunter but too big to be a jackal or a grunt, so it is either"
"An Elite or flood."
"It could quite possibly human." Cortana says carefully.
"Maybe," said John "maybe" Master Chief attempted to push the doors open but the two black doors were very heavy and seemed to be locked. Master Chief backed up, got a running start, and kicked in one of the doors. Keeping his momentum he rolls in and then comes to a stop, kneeling in a very large and dark room. He then jumps off to his left, taking advantage of the low gravity, as to not be a sitting duck for weapons fire. Cortana then turns on the lights. Master Chief slowly stands, looking around the room in awe, for it was filled with what look like people. They look dead, but are breathing- barely. Master Chief moves over to one of them turning him over. "How are they, Cortana?"
"Hmm, not good. They are almost dead."
Master Chief turns the man back over and hears a hammer click.
"Who's there?" says a raspy, dry voice. "Well, who are you?" He steps out of his little corner holding an assault rifle and wearing an oxygen mask. "Oh, my God." A wide smile covers his face. "You have come to help us." The man runs over and hugs Master Chief. "I thought that you hadn't gotten our S.O.S. Oh God, thank you." Man looks up, "Where's the rest of your team, though? There is no way they would only send one guy."
"What are you talking about?" Master Chief pried the man off of his waist. "They're dead."
The man looks up at Master Chief perplexed, "Who are you then?" The man stepped back looks up at Master Chief, perplexed, "What?"
"I think you have me confused with someone else."
"Who are you then?"
"John, Spartan 117. UNSC Spartan Special Forces." He looks down at the man who is still looking at Master Chief with a stupid, confused look on his face.
"UNSC? What the hell is that? What are you?" he asks as he walks around Master Chief, looking him up and down. "Your suit looks like a sentinel's, but you're not one," Man gasps and then hops back leveling gun "Don't move asshole!" The man now had his assault rifle aimed at Master Chief's head. "You wait for the rescue team, buddy."
Master Chief cocks his head, "What if they don't come?"
Man scoffs, "Yes, they will."
"Chief," Cortana yells excitedly, "Go to the window! There is something happening and the external cameras don't work. Please go see."
Master Chief's hand flew forward in a blur and grabbed the barrel of the gun while twisting it out of shape. The man dropped his gun as well as his jaw as the chief turned and walked away, ignoring the dumbstruck man. He walked up to a window and saw one of the most spectacular sights he had ever laid eyes on. "What's happening, Cortana?" he asked in amazement
"That ship has folded space," Cortana said excitedly, "According to the readings, it's using an artificial black hole to fold space creating a doorway. Amazing."
The man cautiously comes walking up, and looks out the window to see what the chief is so mesmerized by. The man gasps and then smiles "They're here, the Invincible is here!"
Master Chief turns to the man. "What is it?" The man turns and looks up at Master Chief. "All you need to know is that you are in deep shit." The man smiles and begins to laugh. On board the Cruiser Invincible. "Captain. There's the Destroyer Nexus. I can't believe she is still almost in one piece."
The Captain hops down from chair, and walks out to center of bridge, "me neither." Says the captain ever so quietly. He walks over to the communications terminal and stops to think. "Hmm. "he says as he rubs his chin "I want one platoon in that ship in 30 minutes." Captain looks to Soldier standing near door. "Do it!"
Soldier jumps, "yes, Sir!" Turns and runs down hallway.
A man of obvious Asian descent standing behind the Captain walks next to him, and then looks over to the Captain. "Sir, we could just send in 3 or 4 Sentinels, they will get it done a hell of a lot quicker and with fewer casualties if there are Covenant on board.
Captain looks at him with angry stern face. "Colonel Hikowa, when I want your opinion I will give it to you. Besides the Covenant is long gone. Hell, even if they were here my ship would lay waste to them. Anyway, your little toy soldiers will blow the damned ship up. I have seen them fight; they're big, stupid and slow." The Captain, happy with belittling the Colonel's troops, smirked and looked back at main view screen, smiling.
The Colonel, taking offense to this, pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket and smiles. "Well Captain Bellow," saying it sarcastically, "I have here an order from Admiral Skye that says I can send my team into combat when I see fit, if I get clearance from the Marine officer heading this assault." Hikowa shrugs his shoulders, "You have no say so."
The Captain turns around quickly snatching the pieces of paper. He reads it over quickly, "This is bull shit! She doesn't know what it is like using those things in space." Looks as if he will attack but he cools down and begins to smile, "Okay, get Colonel Ritter, He will lead this attack then, not you." The Captain, pleased with his choice of choosing the only Marine officer on the whole ship that does not like the Sentinels, smiles and just looks at the Colonel.
Hikowa smiles, "Gladly sir." Turns to Major Keen who is standing roughly 5 ft behind him. "Major Keen, get me Colonel Ritter."
Keen turns to get the Colonel, but stops in half stride, "Um, sir," he says while turning, "Colonel Ritter was moved to the Excelsior last week."
"Really," acting surprised "did you hear that sir. Ritter isn't here," smiles "so I'll be on my way to assemble my team." Hikowa turns and leaves bridge.
Captain turns back to main view screen looking over the Nexus while clenching fists and teeth "Damned Marines." "Chief, I've got something very big on the motion sensor." announced Cortana
"Where is it?" ask John
"Down the hall, passed the air-lock."
The Chief checks his weapons and looks at Nexus, then turns and proceeds down the hall.
"What are you doing?" asked the man.
"I'm checking something out, loudmouth."
"Oh, no you're not." The man pulls out his pistol and levels it with Master Chief's head.
"Really? "Master Chief kicked the gun out of the man's hands and punched him in the face, knocking him out cold.
"I would have liked to ask him some questions. " Cortana says in a disappointed fashion.
"Later Cortana. " Master Chief loads a round into the breach of his gun and begins to walk down the hall when the ship shudders violently.
"What the hell was that?"
"That was the boarding ships locking onto the hull. The Invincible has sent its rescue forces."
"D**n." Master Chief breaks into run down hall. "How close is that airlock?" "Other side of that door."
Master Chief stopped, pulling the door open and rushes down the hall reaching the door. He hugged the wall next to the door, with rifle pressed snug against his shoulder and one hand ready to grab a couple of grenades, just in case. The ship shudders again and the motion sensor goes crazy as the Marine Platoon storms the ship.
"Um, chief, we have company."
The UPDI soldiers begin to move through the decks they've landed on to search for the survivors. After roughly 2 minutes on the ship, a crisp deep voice cracks over the COM Channel.
"This is fire team Sigma. We have picked up movement signatures in section 002 of Deck E; we are moving in to investigate."
Another deep, but soothing voice breaks the unnerving silence, "Fire Team Sigma, this is Sergeant Howard, hold your positions and I will send back-up." The Sergeant waits impatiently for a response. "Sigma, do you hear me?"
"Negative Sir, you are breaking up, I can hardly understand you."
Sergeant scoffs, "Bull, I want you to wait for my team to arrive; we will both handle this Marine."
"Can hardly hear you, Sir. I'm going in with my team. We will report our findings."
"Sigma! Damn it," The Sergeant looks over to the Corporal of his team, "Jones."
The small man jumped at the noise. He turned around quickly gathering himself. "Sir?"
"What is the closest unit we have to Sigma?"
Corporal fumbles over his fingers as he types in the search order on a computer access terminal. "Scanning now, sir." A moment later the Corporal turned, looking at the sergeant with a nervous looking half smile. "Deck E section 004 Sir; Sentinel 117 Sir, Wolf."
Sergeant sighs a sign of relief. "Can you patch me through to him?"
"Um," Corporal twiddles thumbs. "I might, Sir."
The sergeant takes a step closer to the Corporal putting his hand on his shoulder and cocking his head. "Calm down. Now what do you mean by, "Might"?"
"Well Sir," he says as he takes a step back, and takes a deep breath. "They use," But a tough, but calming voice breaks into the conversation.
"This is Wolf, Sentinel 117."
The Corporal jumps from the sudden noise, almost falling over his feet.
Sergeant sighs as the disgraceful Corporal. "Sir. Glad to hear from you. We need help with Fire Team Sigma." The sergeant turn around and took a deep breath, "They have disobeyed a direct order and investigated section 002 of Deck E,"
Wolf loads his gun, "Don't worry Sergeant, I'll get them back." With that Wolf opens the air lock, he then proceeds, quickly but carefully, to his target.
Sigma arrives at the section 002 air lock.
"Sir, are you sure this is a good idea?"
The Corporal just looks at the private. "Are you scared, Private?"
The Private shakes head. "Hell no, Sir," The private raises his gun, pulling back the hammer, loading the chamber. "Let's kick some ass."
"Very well men." The Corporal then stands up, checking his weapon. "Carrera, open that door."
Private Carrera rose from her position and hit the emergency release button on the door. It flew open, atmosphere vented into the hallway.
"I don't like this sir." said Graham
The team moves as one as they enter a very dark hall. The motion sensor in the hall picks up the marines and activates the lights. The marines jump in surprise almost opening fire on the lights.
"Sir. Look" Private Graham pointed to the other side of the hall. A dim, but growing green light could be seen emanating from around a crate.
"Hold it, Graham!"
Graham raises hand. "Sir, I think I see something." Graham squints to get a better look. "Sir, it looks human, very tall, but human." Graham moves a little bit closer, stepping out from behind a crate, exposing himself fully. "Sir, the skin and face look reptilian."
The Marines speaker clicked on. "Die, Humans." said a deep, dark voice. The private gasps at the sight of an Elite stepping out from behind a crate.
"Sir!" Yells Graham. The Elite fired the charged plasma pistol, hitting Graham in the chest. The Plasma impacted, washing over him like water. Graham flew back against the wall with a hole the size of a basketball in his chest. Graham struggled to raise his arm, a look of distress covering his face. The second in command raised his rifle, opening fire on the shadows, hoping to hit something.
"Die, you bastard!" The shadows explode with sparks, but no blood. He stopped firing. "Where the hell are you, you bastard?" The Private looks back at Graham, who is lying lifeless on the deck. Snyder turns and a plasma bolt hits his gun, melting his weapon and his hands off. He then falls to his knees in shock. After 5 seconds, he realizes what has happened. "OH GOD! MY HANDS!" He screams. He draws his hands into his stomach, rocking back and forth in shock.
"This is Fire team Sigma," yells the Corporal, "We are under attack by unknown creatures. They have a vague reptilian shape." The Corporal waited. "Does anybody read me?" His COM link crackles then goes silent. "Hello?" Asks the sergeant with a hint of hope in his voice.
"This is Wolf, I'm headed to you." He says as he is running down the hall, loading a grenade into his rifle. "Open the door."
The Corporal signaled the youngest of the group to open the door. He crawled over to the door and pressed the button. He pressed it again and again. "Sir." The door is jammed!" The door had been melted shut by plasma rounds, but in the rush the private didn't notice.
"Try again." Yelled the sergeant, hoping it would open.
"Yes sir!" Stern rose again unknowingly exposing himself. One of the Elites saw him and began to laugh. It raised its rifle and opened fire. The rounds pounded into Sterns' back, melting his armor and skin. Stern began to fall and the Elite, still firing, hit Stern in the head, melting his helmet and burning through his skull, killing him instantly.
"This is Wolf, open the door!" Wolf began to bang on the door, finding this useless; he tried to pry it open.
The Corporal just sat there in disbelief. He had lost 2 men, and one was out of action. He looked over to Jode. "Do you have grenades?"
Jode looked at the Corporal. He had in his hand a cross that he was using to pray. He broke his stare from the cross pendant. Dropping it, he dug into his bag. "Yes sir. I have two."
"Give them here."
Jode reached across the open area separating their two crates. "Here."
The Corporal grasped them and smiled. Now you die you alien bastards.
The COM channel popped and the dark voice was heard again. "No, Human. You die, for the gods demand it."
The Corporal stopped and saw two blue dots fly over him. "What the hell?" The two dots stuck to the wall and slid down. His eyes grew wide and he gasped "Shit." The two dots exploded. The blue flame washed over them, incinerating them all.
The explosion shook the whole ship, alerting all onboard of trouble. Master Chief braced himself. "What was that?" He asked Cortana.
"An explosion. Plasma Grenades."
"Damn. So there are Covenant onboard" Master Chief could hear laughing in the room next to him. "Elites." Master Chief for the first time in his life felt an anger that he could not just push off; he wanted blood, the blood of Covenant. Master Chief started to pull on the door: he wanted to go in and kill every single one, showing them the same mercy they showed his friends and fellow troops- none.
Cortana "Chief, I hear something."
"Damn door!" Wolf was still attempting to open the door. "That's it." Wolf pulled out a canister of Venom high explosive foam. This stuff could blow up almost anything, and if used well, could destroy an entire ship with just one can. Wolf lined the door with it and stepped back. He fired his pistol and blew the foam. The doors opened roughly 2 cm. Wolf stepped up and began to pry them apart. When he had the door open he felt his stomach clench. Sigma was fried. The men could still be made out, their final seconds of life showed in the charred remains. Wolf walked around the small area, "What?" Wolf raised his rifle, leveling it where he heard the sound.
His COM channel popped and a dark voice could be heard laughing. "Foolish humans. You are stubborn, but you will all die by our hands. Your races faults will be rectified."
Wolf dropped behind a crate as Plasma rounds flew overhead, scorching the top of the crate. Liquid metal dripped onto Wolf's armor, sliding off of his shield. "What the hell?"
"Stupid Human!" Said one of the Elites as the other laughed.
Wolf raised his head; he could see 2 tall creatures. They resembled reptiles, and each one carried something in its hand that looked like a claw. "Stupid alien." said Wolf, laughing a little.
"WHAT!" Yelled the Elite, enraged that a disease had just insulted them.
Wolf kicked a crate into one of the aliens, pinning its legs against the wall. The other creature jumped onto a crate and fired where Wolf had been. Wolf moved like a blur, dodging the rounds like child's play. The Elite on the crate froze.
"It can't be, it's the Human, from the Halo."
Wolf disappeared and the alien looked around frantically. "Where is it?" Wolf jumped up in front of it, grabbing the Elite. The pinned Elite fired on Wolf. Wolf sidestepped, pulling the Elite he had grabbed into the line of fire. Wolf punched the alien in the face, knocking out its shields. The pinned Elite adjusted its fire but Wolf just moved, dragging the struggling Elite around, like a rag doll. Wolf ditched the Elites burning corpse, throwing two grenades near the immobile Elite as he jumped over a crate.
"HUMAN!" The Elite then exploded into a white flame, Violet-blue blood splattered against the wall.
Wolf, catching his breath and checking himself, looked at the half alien near the wall. "Stupid Elite." Wolf walked over to the alien he was dragging around and shot it in the head, for good measure. "This may prove interesting." He knelt down next to the scorched Elite body taking its Plasma Rifle and Grenades. He then stood up, checking over the COM channels. "This is Wolf, can anybody hear me?" The COM Channel is dead silent. "Hello?"
"Hello?" answers a cool female voice.
"Who is that?" asks Wolf cocking his head.
"This is Cortana. I'm stuck in section 001, Deck E. What is your location?"
"Section 002, Deck E. Are there any other survivors?"
"Yes, a whole room full. The entire mess hall is full of them."
Wolf walked across the room quickly, stopping at a sealed door. "I'll be there in a few minutes. Stay safe."
"I will." Cortana closes the link. Chief, There is something over there that is against the Covenant as well.
Master Chief ignored Cortana, focusing all of his strength and attention on the door. The door suddenly slides open 5 cm.
"I've got you now." Master Chief pulled out his Plasma grenades and activated them all. He threw them all into the room. The Covenant inside the room yelled and began to fire on the doors, hoping to melt them, but before they could, the grenades detonated, vaporizing all inside the room.
"Gotcha!" Wolf flings the door open and is greeted by blue flame "Oh."
The flames send Wolf flying back to the other side if the hall, the blue flames pursue, engulfing the entire area within seconds.
Master Chief stood staring at the smoldering door. Smoke came through the small area the door was open. "Are they all dead?"
Cortana did a quick scan. "No, there is one left."
Master Chief backed up and hid around a corner near the door. He watched the door and started to walk towards it. Suddenly a pair of hands grabs the door, and begins to pull.
Master Chief jumped back, spun and hugged the wall again. The door opened slowly and Master Chief readies himself. The door open suddenly, and a tall dark figure walks out.
"This is Wolf. I'm in section 001. Ma'am, what's your location?" Wolf begins to step all the way out when he disappears back into the room.
"HUMAN! YOU WILL DIE!" A gold Elite throws Wolf back out against the wall and grabs him around his neck. It lifts Wolf up above its head as it laughs at Wolf's futile attempts to free himself.
Wolf raises his hands above his head, locks his hands together and slams them down onto the Elite arm. The shield flickers; he does it again and again, raises his hands for last blow. He swings sending roughly 2,000 lbs of pressure onto the Elite' arm. Its shields flicker, and then falls, its arm shattering under the weight. The Elite stumbles back in disbelief that a human had done this. Wolf, taking advantage of the Elites stunned state, pulls out his pistol and fires. The Elites abdomen explodes as the monster receives the bullets, one right after the other.
"Die Human!" The Elite hit's the gun out of Wolf's hand and activates its energy blade. "It ends, Human." Wolf pulled out his knife, but before he could strike a flash of green caught his eye.
"You die!" The Elite turned its head and looked directl
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