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Shadows of Archon II (part 4) - Identity Crisis
Posted By: Wado<wyamauchi@msn.com>
Date: 23 August 2002, 10:45 am
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The night is coming. Through the blackened clouds of Reach one would never know, but as light yields to the darkness there is an unmistakable wind of change. A fine layer of ash swirls in mini-cyclones around the complex. One almost forgets there is anything else in this barren land.
Five sturdy figures stand before a squad of Covenant grunts. The lead figure, the Lady speaks, "Squad leader, these aren't ordinary companions, take a closer look at this Elite."
The squad leader eyes the familiar looking Elite. Something about him just seems out of place. No way, could it be Commander Thom? But the once great hero is a traitor to the Covenant.
The Lady speaks, "You're thinking correctly squad leader, this is the one and only Commander Thom. He's been on a secret mission for High Command, and now his mission has brought him here. But, there's more to it than that squad leader, a word with you in private."
"Oh, you mean by myself?" says the squad leader. There is not much more frightening in this universe than being face to face with a Nomdian.
As the Lady and the squad leader head off, the squad of grunts approaches Commander Thom. "It's an honor to meet you sir... Can I get your autograph for my niece? Make it out to Jobo."
Behind a wall an eerie flash of light gets the attention of the squad. The flash is followed by a slow crunching and slurping sound that brings images of walking on shells and trudging through mud at the same time. From behind the wall calls the voice of the squad leader, "Tanco, get your butt over here now. That's an order."
"Yes sir, right away sir," replies Tanco as he heads behind the wall.
Another flash of light and more noises.
The voice of Tanco, "Hey Jobo, come back here, there's something I've got to show you."
"No way I'm going back there," Jobo replies. As he speaks, there are three loud thuds behind him and some rustling noises. Jobo turns around very cautiously to face the noises. He really doesn't want to see what's behind him, nor does he want to turn his back to the wall where the Nomdian went.
Jobo drops his weapons and raises his hands as Commander Thom comes out of cloak with a plasma rifle pointed right at Jobo's head. Before Jobo can say a word - thump - John the Spartan, who is still disguised as an Elite, knocks Jobo out.
The Lady comes out from behind the wall. "Delicious" is all she says.
In the background, Gunter the Hunter holds a large rock in one hand while grabbing a prone grunt by the head.
Thom stops Gunter and says, "Minimize Covenant casualties, remember. Noc give these grunts something to keep them out for a while."
"Hey, did anyone see where the hunter went, the one that was down the tunnel unloading crates?" John says with concern on his voice. All that is seen down the tunnel now is an abandoned vehicle and several crates. One of the crates is tipped on its side with parts spilled everywhere.
Cortana quickly says, "Chief, the alarm has been sounded."
"Grrrrra!" comes from above as two giant fists pound into Thom. It's the hunter, and he looks mad as hell.
Gunter dives for the enemy hunter but is rudely met by a forearm to the face. The enemy hunter follows suit with a powerful hammer fist strike to Gunter's chest. Bam! Gunter goes down.
Whack! John hits the enemy hunter with the bottom of his plasma rifle - the rifle shatters into many pieces. The hunter seems to just be angrier.
The hunter tries to grab John, but John is too quick and skilled; at least that's what it appears like at first. John applies a flurry of attacks against the hunter. Open palm strikes to the head followed by hooks to the rib cage underneath the armpits and half fist strikes to the throat. The coup de gr’ce a rising leg kick to the groin combined with a downward hammer fist to the bridge of the nose followed by a reverse headlock to break the hunter's neck.
However, John gets ahead of himself. His instinctive set of finishing strikes, although powerful, quick and precise are anticipated by the hunter. The hunter closes his knees together trapping John's lower leg. The hunter then deflects John's arms as he places John in a strangle hold from the front. The powerful grasp digs deep into John's throat even through the protective armor.
John's vision dims to a blurry tunnel -- Blackness on the sides, the hunter in the middle.
Just then the hunter releases one hand off of John's throat. More shots hit the hunter from the Lady's plasma pistol.
"Robogra!" The hunter charges the Lady while dragging John by the throat.
Whoop! Gunter grabs the hunter by both legs and brings him down. Thom jumps on the hunter's back and holds on to one of the hunter's arms. John, still conscious grabs the hunter's other arm.
As the hunter is being held down by the three of them, Science Officer Noc comes forward and injects the hunter with a quadruple dose of knock out serum.
The sound of approaching footsteps can be heard.
------------------------------------------------
Identity Crisis
From the rubble that surrounds the complex another squad of grunts approaches with weapons ready. They look at the group with distrust in their eyes.
The Lady speaks, "You fools, you're too late, they already headed down the tunnel. What are you waiting for, get after them."
The squad of grunts heads down the tunnel. In their hurry they just assumed that they were in close pursuit of the enemy. Little did they know that they were the first ones down the tunnel after the sounding of the alarm; they don't get far before auto-turrets hidden away in the tunnel open fire. The squad is no more.
John inquires, "My Lady, how did you know that the second squad would be gunned down like that?"
"My snack told me and it also told me some useful security codes. Cortana, I'm passing these codes on to you." The Lady says as she licks blood off of her facial tentacles.
Thom looks around and says, "John we have to make a decision, do we abort the mission or push on? This area going to be teaming with troops in only a matter of minutes."
John replies, "We're so close I think we don't have a choice but to go on. What do you recommend Cortana?"
"Chief I'm picking up communications, they're on to us, if we leave now in the transport pod we will be shot down. We don't have much of a choice but to go on. The good news is the security codes I received should get us by the automated defenses of the complex." Cortana says in a matter of fact voice.
The group moves on down the tunnel. Since their cover has been blown, they have no way to infiltrate the complex. It is very unlikely that any more Covenant will mistake the Lady for the other Nomdian, the Grace. They must now fight their way in.
And fight they do. Two more squads block the way to the portal. It all starts to remind John of a dream. He is not asleep though; he is alert. Small arms fire riddles the tunnel. As the enemy moves from cover to cover, John sees moments of weakness -- a left out head or limb. John fires his shots right on target. The first squad is down. The second squad hoped to just hold position until reinforcements arrive. They did not anticipate that Cortana would hack into the security systems and turn the auto-turrets against them.
The group reaches the enormous chamber that contains the Portal of the Old Ones. Powerful lights shine on the portal. The portal itself looks dark and dead.
Two shadows under the light wait in silence to greet the group. One an older grunt wearing the uniform of a 1st class Science Officer. The second a Nomdian female dressed much like the Lady stands behind the grunt.
Noc says quietly over the comm, "That's Covenstein the great scientist and his research companion the Grace."
Thom speaks, "Great Covenstein, we come on a mission to save the Covenant. We do not wish to harm either you or the Grace. Please step aside and we will go about our business. There is not need for any more blood shed."
In the shadows it was hard to tell, but now it is clear. Covenstein stands lifeless; his body falls forward, a big hole in the back of his head.
The Grace speaks, "Lady, you may have gotten the looks, but I always had the power. Now hand over the Flux key. I know you have it."
With the power of a Nomdian and all the knowledge of Covenstein, the Grace is the group's worst nightmare. The lights turn off and the Grace disappears in the darkness, even motion sensors are blind to her whereabouts.
From all around the sounds of machines moving can be heard followed by the humming of many charged plasma guns. Green glowing balls can be seen appearing everywhere.
-- Next, Big Trouble --
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