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Buried Treasure by Frensa Geran
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Buried Treasure
Date: 3 July 2003, 3:57 PM
Buried Treasure
Savior Is Written
"He is a God. Molded by the years of brave conquests, made eternal by his voice. He is the shining star, in a now dark day. Green was his skin, glistening above all that challenged him. Gold was his eyes, peering through the dark times like a glimmer of light. May he who rest his head, rest on him, knowing his happiness is all happiness.
Once upon a great war..." Marla closed the book, sighing.
"I've read in more times than I can count, there is no more I can derive from it." She said to herself, writing a letter,
"I fear I have failed you Father. Hundrid Colony, on the outskirts of the Nolly System will be my last chance. It is written on page 4, 'Where Nolly shines bright, he follows...' and after that, I will return home to you."
Putting the letter on the couch, she stood up, and looked across the hall to the cockpit, a red light flashing.
"Uh oh, is it time already!" She said, looking at the clock on the panel:
6:45 PM Monday June 3, 3652
The Red light flashed faster, and Marla pressed it, her eyes closed, sighing.
"This is the Nolly System Checkpoint Patrol, lower your shields and come to a complete stop to be boarded and checked." Came the grim voice of an Elite.
Marla hated the checkpoints. The ripped open boxes, threw clothes and antiques like rag dolls, looking for weapons or deadly viruses. But she could no longer complain.
The Human race couldn't either. Their numbers were dwindling, scattered across the plain of space. Their Home world, Earth, now a long forgotten memory, sitting empty and becoming old without anything to care for. She and her Father lived on Basis, in the Threshold System, on a colony, founded by unknown people. Legend has said it was the UNSC, a very old empire.
But none of that mattered now, the Covenant owned the galaxy, Humans were just citizens, living in it. Legend said the Covenant had arrived on a jihad of war, and planned on attacking Earth, when they realized, slavery was by far worse than death.
Marla was a 19-year-old girl, alone. Bright blonde hair and brown eyes, standing only 5 feet and 6 inches high, she searched the galaxy for something that may not exist. She was looking for a hero, forgotten in the political agenda of the Human Empire, hidden or buried on a far off moon. The only thing to guide her: A 6 page book, written as a poem to the Hero of Humanity.
Marla slowed down her small luxurious cruiser to a halt, watching a small purple orb slowly dock with her vessel. The two occupants were Elites, as Grunts had been destroyed hundreds of years ago, when they tried to secede from the Covenant.
A ladder collapsed under a hole in the cockpit, which opened with a swish, and down came the huge beast, his armor clattering as he hit the ground, his teeth dripping drool. Green armor, with red stripes on his shoulders, he sniffed around, carrying a device.
"It's been a while Marla, I was beginning to worry you had been killed on Thresher. Foolish place to go, I'd ask why you went, but I won't, since I like you." He said looking around with his deep voice.
"Well you shouldn't worry, I can handle myself." She replied smugly.
The Elite chuckled and lifted her letter from the couch. "What's this?" He said as he began reading.
"I fell I have failed you father... oh, how touching." He smiled and threw it across the room.
Marla grabbed the letter and stuffed it in an envelope. "Would you be so kind as to mail it? I mean, it is one of your duties." She said smiling.
The Elite snarled and grabbed the letter, squeezing it tightly with his fist. "Well Marla," He said, "Looks like you've been a good girl. Now get going, and no funny business."
Climbing the ladder again, he left, powering his engines and moving off towards his small base. She, meanwhile, moved to the tiny kitchen and opened the fridge, pulling out her cat. Cats were very illegal.
"Oh it's OK Joni! Cold in there huh?" She said in a baby voice, letting his down to the floor.
Watching the purple craft fly away, she suddenly felt alone again. She hated being alone, never getting used to it after many years. She sat back on the couch and began reading the book again:
"Once upon a great war, life hung in the balance. The footsteps of men grew softer after each battle with the devils. Reach was gone forever—"
That verse had always confused her. "Reach? What is Reach? Or where?" She continued reading:
"—Which housed the great Hero of Humanity. Built there by the minds of Gods, he was crafted to perfection. Only now does his sword lie dormant, his mind at ease. But where Nolly shines bright, he follows, carrying his woes. May he who finds him, find hope."
The book ends there. She was destined to find him, and bring Humanity back to Earth, to bring Humanity back to triumph...
To Be Continued...
Buried Treasure(2)
Date: 9 July 2003, 5:19 AM
Buried Treasure
City Girl
"Go forth, find your way through a street of criminals. The end of the road provides your answers..." Marla closed the book again, looking forward at a long cobblestone road, covered in hay.
"This colony is a bit behind on technology." She said to herself with a smile.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU LITTLE SHE-DEVIL!" A smelly tall man said, stumbling up to her from a shop across from her, beer in hand.
"No - nothing." She said in a whisper, grabbing her cloak and throwing it over her head, walking away.
"You just keep your beliefs of Nolly to yourself, ya'hear!?" He said as she walked away.
Already this place was getting to her. Chickens ran freely outside stores, old ladies with crooked teeth smiled at her from their store windows, offering terrible looking candies.
It was obvious why the Covenant left this place alone. This was the only refuge for Humanity, but also a refuge for the criminals that race lived with. But still she never forgot why she was here.
She walked along the dusty road, when suddenly from the sky a small purple orb came slowly down to the surface, heading straight for her.
She tried to run, but it simply went faster. The people around only stared, some smiling and laughing. Storeowners ignored her completely.
"HELP!" She screamed to a fat man who owned the beef jerky store.
He chuckled, his fat jiggling with every cackle. He shook his head as best he could without a neck, and she continued on.
Then she tripped. A small dog was running across the street, the owner on the other side screamed with horror.
"Fluffy!" She screamed, obviously with no teeth.
"You evil little girl, I should..." She began, before running away.
Marla looked behind her; an Elite was standing next to his purple orb ship, laughing with the rest of the crowd. It was the same Elite who checked her coming in.
"Marla dear, how nice to see you. I'm a bit sad you don't want to see me." He said with a fake sad expression.
Marla got up, looking at her ankle; it was bleeding. "What did you do that for, you could have killed me!"
Ignoring her, he stepped forward with a small version of a plasma pistol, and pointed it at the ankle. "No, get away from me!" She hollered.
He grabbed her ankle before she could move and fired the device, sending out a white light towards the wound. Like magic it healed. "You must throw away that book your Father gave you, along with your ideas that we are a savage race. I only want to help." He said menacingly, throwing a piece of paper at her feet as he walked away.
"What's this?"
"Mail my dear. Covenant Express." The ship launched up without a sound, and disappeared from view.
Marla grabbed the letter and opened it:
Dear Marla,
I have received your letter, though the Covenant ripped it a bit. Responding to your worries, I must tell you not to. Do not fear that you have failed me, I couldn't be more proud of you. If you do not find the Savior, return home immediately, as I have missed you dearly.
I do bring bad news. Your Mother has taken ill, I fear it will only be time before she is executed by the Covenant. As you know, they kill all ill-taken Humans to preserve supplies. They'll be doing a check of our house block in a week. Please return by then.
I leave you now to find Hope. Find Him. A lot is riding on this Marla, and I do hope you succeed. Our survival as a race is on a brink of destruction.
A Loving Father,
Mark Hess
Marla closed the letter, a tear riding down her cheek. But a renewed zeal overtook her heart, and quickly she got up, threw the cloak over her head, and began to run.
She kept running, passing store after store, each one as rickety and old as the next. She suddenly stopped to realize where she was. The end of the road, she had found it. No stores lied beyond her, but only the wilderness. The answers should be here.
She looked around hard to find the next clue, while opening up the book:
"The end of the road will provide you answers, look to the sky. The suns point to salvation. Reach the edge of the river, but deep in the water, Gods Rest Peaceful."
Smiling, she looked at the sky, two reds suns, one directly on top of the other, were pointing east through a dusty unused road. For the first time she was scared, scared to move on. Her Mother Ill while herself lost in a sea of evil and mystery.
"Finding your path can be difficult. But the rewards, oh how plentiful. May ye not fear evil nor mystery."
Marla turned around at the sound of a voice, finding an old man. He was smiling with a few teeth missing, his head bald and dirty. Robes of red and white downed him. He was holding a walking stick in his right and, beating the ground with it.
"Oh, I didn't believe Mark, but here you are Marla, as the prophecy proclaimed."
Marla had a puzzled look on her face, "How do you know my Father?"
The Old Man walked towards her and sat on a stump of an old tree, resting his feet, "Your Father, just like you, with that same book came here about 20 years ago. Searching for the 'Salvation of Humanity' as he called it. I was his partner. The names Rolls, Jack Rolls." He said stretching out his hand.
Marla shook it nervously and looked towards her book. "When you first spoke to me, you read a passage from page..."
"...2, yes I know. I made a personal copy of the book when your Father left. Your Mother was pregnant with you, and he said you would come looking for God. Humanity's God."
"Why - why would he send me here, when he already looked?" Marla replied.
Jack chuckled happily, "There's more to finding him than simply your eyes. It takes the right time, right people. Prophecies, one's not in that book have inscribed that you, Marla, you are the right people."
Marla was amazed, putting her hands to her head and rubbing her temples, taking in the information.
"So, you're saying..."
"You know what I'm saying Marla. Go through the old dusty road. It will not be an easy road, the journey is long and arduous, and you will be completely alone, save the cat you are hiding under your cloak." He said, pushing a bulge on Marla's stomach, hearing a cat's scream.
"Go Marla. Humanity is counting on you..."
To Be Continued...
Buried Treasure(3)
Date: 11 July 2003, 12:17 AM
Buried Treasure
Destiny's Test
"The path can take many forms oh Human Child. Be not feared of the ghouls of the night, be not feared of your path." Marla closed the book.
Before she left through the path, Jack had given her a book entitled "The Prophecy", each and ever line about her, and the journey that she was about to take.
So far the journey was quiet, all but her cat meowing for food inside her cloak, scratching it with his claws.
"Settle yourself Joni, I only have a few rations left." She said, "I don't know how long I'll be in this place."
The road never seemed to diverge, the shrubs and tress so thick she could not see through them. The setting suns ahead of her were now only a sliver of light through the overhanging branches, casting an eerie shadow over Marla. Night was falling fast.
Inside one of her pockets was her Fathers letter, something she dwelled on profusely, no matter how hard she tried to get it out of her mind. She re-read it many times before the light vanished, and now only the stars could guide her feet.
She came upon a clearing, the road seemed to widen, and the trees: less thick. It seemed the only opportunity to set up camp.
But camp for her was merely a sleeping bag and a flashlight, used to ward off anyone that dares attack. She had seen no one since she left Nolly, Jack Roll, Fathers friend, waved to her for a long time, as if she'd never return.
"Joni, sleep!!" She cried to her cat that began searching the ground for mice. The cat only hissed and continued on. She gave a hand gesture signaling her uncaring, and lied her head on her small pillow.
She slept soundly for a few hours, midnight past, and 2 o'clock finally was reached. Marla suddenly woke up at the sound of rustling branches. A deep breathing noise was coming from the forest, and a soft cackling laugh.
Marla grabbed her flashlight and pointed it at the trees. It offered little help, as the thickness of the foliage was unbreakable. Still, whatever was moving in the darkness continued, the sound of breaking twigs getting louder. It was as if metal boots were smashing into the ground, hard.
"Who - who goes there!?" She cried nervously. The only response was another chuckle of laughter.
"I - I'm armed!" She said.
The breathing ceased, and a voice, as deep as thunder rose, "I sure would hope you're not. That would violate Regulation Code Treaty #343. I'd have to take you in."
She knew right off it was the Elite she met at the Nolly Checkpoint, and again on the street. "So it's you again. Why must you keep pestering me!?" She said angrily.
"I would hold your tongue girl. I know what you're after, and I've come to stop you. The letter I gave you held an audio device." The Elite said with a smirk.
Marla pulled out the letter and looked closely at it. Just at the very top, a small device, big enough to sit at the top of a needle was located. "Bastard." Was all Marla could muddle out as she stared at it.
"Don't go looking for ghosts Marla. Jack Roll is nuts, just as stupid as your Father. Now..." He said sternly, stepping out of the trees, his green armor shining in the light. "You will come with me, and you will be charged with treason of the Covenant Empire."
Another rustling of branches came from behind them, as a hooded figure with a shotgun stepped out of the greens. "She won't be going anywhere." The man said. Marla knew who it was. Jack had come to rescue her.
He fired a shot in the air as a warning, took of the cloak and pulled out his walking stick. He was breathing very deeply, cringing in pain as he took step after step. He'd obviously had a lot of energy taken from him to not use the stick.
"Foolish Human. Don't think I won't return. I'll be bringing some friends..." The Elite said, stomping off into the forest. Moments later his purple sphere ship jetted off into the night sky.
Jack walked up, smiling widely, "Marla, are you alright? Did he hurt you?" He asked, his eyes filled with sorrow.
"No - no I'm fine." She responded, lifting the letter to show Jack. "He put an audio device on here." She said, ripping the top of the letter of and crushing in with her flashlight.
"When you left, I began reading the end of 'The Prophecy'. It said:
"God has risen to you girl, if not for your hero of the night, death would have come to you."
I knew right away who I was in this prophecy. I've come to help."
Marla looked up at him with great care, and hugged him lightly as not to hurt his leg. "What about the Covenant. They'll be back he said."
Jack rolled his eyes, "When the Savior has risen, and no amount of Covenant will stop us my dear." He said reassuringly.
Marla gave a smile and grabbed under his arm, slowly lifting him to his feet.
"So where'd you get the shotgun?" She asked.
"That's my own ruddy business..." He replied jokingly.
"Where is the girl?" The Prophet asked, slamming his fist on the chair.
"Master Fang, please - please, just give me one more chance!" The Elite said in a whimper in front of the shadowy figure of the Prophet.
He had landed his sphere ship in the city large Covenant Control Station. The base was large enough to encompass a hundred of the Battle Cruisers from a thousand years ago.
"I - I just need a few Jackals to complete the job. She's got some old Human with her with a shotgun. There was nothing I could do!"
"Thousands of years of technology put into your armor, and you were stopped by a hermit with a BB gun? I should execute you for your incompetence! You will get no support. You will kill the man and bring the girl to me."
"Yes - yes my - my lord!"
"She cannot be allowed to find the Spartan. It would cause quite a stir with the Humans. They may get their courage back..."
To Be Continued...
Buried Treasure(4)
Date: 19 July 2003, 2:16 AM
Buried Treasure
Dome
"Upon Hill so high, clouds circle the Hero, mists of cold and shimmers of steal shall greet you beyond the Gates of the Dome. You're troubles do not end Human Girl, darkness hides more than light..." Marla closed the book.
The path beyond the campsite was no different than the one before, unchanging, thick and smelling of stale air. The darkness was unbreakable, both Jack and her had their flashlights, attempting to follow the straight narrow road.
Like a laser, the first glimmers of light from the rising sun hit the back of their heads, warming them as if to greet. Marla smiled and turned back ahead. She turned off her flashlight and gazed forward at the path the sun had just revealed. It continued for a few feet, then a door.
Marla gazed at it mystified. "It looks like the building just fell there on the path. No courtyard or steps. Just... a door." She said to Jack.
"Ah, tis our first test." He said matter-o-fact like.
"T - test?" She responded in a worried voice.
Jack did not answer, but simply took our "The Prophecy" and turned to page 20:
"Though the night cast deep shadows of pain in your heart girl, 3 tests shall be tried on you. Only the true Reclaimer of the Hero will pass."
He then turned a page:
"The first Test is of wisdom. A door shall lay ahead, but up above, a window..."
Marla looked up about 30 feet from the door, seeing a large four-pane window shining in the light of the two suns. She kept reading:
"... that will be lit like a beacon. One way in will cause death. The other shall set you free."
Marla's eyes widened. What if she wasn't the right person? What if she chose the wrong entrance, killing her AND Jack?
"Jack, what if this is all wrong? I may choose wrong. I could KILL you!" She said, handing back the book.
Jack did not seem worried; on the contrary, he was smiling from ear to ear. "The test is working..."
Marla gave him a confused look.
"It is meant to make you ask these questions. Test your resolve to save Humanity. Only you can be strong enough to choose. I have full confidence in you." Jack said, putting his hand on her shoulder.
Suddenly her fears drained from her through his hand. Jack did his best not to show his missing teeth when he smiled. The idea that she was saving all Human kind was so reassuring that nothing could stop her. So she began to think, tapping her index finger on her chin.
The first thing she noticed was a rope ladder extending up to the window next to the door. It was obviously very old, and most likely very dangers, as it swayed in the small breeze that could make it through the thick foliage.
The solution hit her in the head like a brick. She looked up again at the window, noticing the light from the suns fly through glass.
"Of COURSE!" She shouted finally, waking Jack up who was resting next to the door. He looked like he was going to have a heart attack.
"My dear, if you couldn't do that again, I'd appreciate it." He said, looking to her, "So what have you found?"
"I can climb the rope ladder, look through the window for danger, and if there is, I go through the door. If there isn't we just break the window and go in." She said, it seemed so simple.
Jack nodded his head in approval.
"Wait a sec!" She hollered.
"Yes dear?" He responded innocently.
"You went through these tests with my Dad huh? You know the answers to them all! Why didn't you tell me?" She said, a bit more amused than angry.
"Yes I know the answer to this one, and the next one. The final one, I regret I do not know." He said, looking down.
"How come?"
Jack shook his head, his wrinkles rippling, "Your Father wasn't the one remember? The last test made him realize this."
Taking a moment of very peculiar silence, she began the rope ladder. "It is so simple." She was muttering to herself, taking the first step.
The ladder broke in her hands, as if it was held on strings. It snapped so far from the top she or Jack could never reach it.
"Damn! Ow!" She muttered repeatedly, rubbing her hands.
Jack stood there, trying to hold back a laugh. Marla eyed him.
"You knew that would happen didn't you?"
"Nothing... nothing... not a damn thing!" Sarong, the Elite that was pestering Marla shouted in his dark purple quarters. He was at his desk, scrolling his a screen of files and information. He typed in as many different searches he could think of.
SPARTAN
HERO OF HUMANITY
HUMAN TECHNOLOGY
All of which came up with the same information, a few paragraphs about his armor capability, year of creation, and last known location. But the last known location was "Pillar of Autumn" which got him nowhere.
He threw the small computer across the room, causing bits and pieces to smash into the walls of his cramped quarters.
Xexec, his roommate walked in, staring around at the shredded pieces of metal. "Peeved are we Sarong?" He said laughing.
Sarong merely sat there, teeth shaking as he growled some curses. "What do you want Xexec? Come to badger me about my failure with the Human. Go ahead, I've heard it all."
Xexec shook his head, an innocent tone in his voice. "No no no Sarong, I merely wanted to give you some tips of fighting. You know, when you take on that 90 year old hermit again?" He said, chuckling at his own joke.
Noticing he crossed the line, Xexec left. Once he did, Sarong stood up to find something to beat up, which later turned up to be a Jackal he found outside the hall.
"No Marla, of course not." Jack replied.
"Yes you did, you DID know that would happen." Marla said, stamping her foot.
"NOW how will I find out which way through?" She said to herself.
Jernid, a small Grunt trader was walking down the straight and narrow path, a chef's hat on his head, and a big backpack of worthless goods on top of his methane container. He seemed happy, relaxed and for the most part, not a normal Grunt of 1000 years ago.
He was on his daily route from Hundrid to Grechic, a small mining colony over the Parsec Mountains. The cool breeze tingled on his bare legs, making him giggle to himself. He was completely ecstatic at the good life he lived.
"Hey..." He said in a high-pitched voice, spotting two Humans by the first crossing. "Wonder what they're doin'!" He said happily.
He skipped towards them, humming a tune. Once he reached them, he realized they where both in a big argument.
"WHY can't you just tell me?" A small Human girl said.
"Marla please, calm down. If you just think, you can figure your way across." An old man responded.
"But I don't..." The girl said, before eyeing Jernid.
"Hello!" Jernid said merrily. "My name is Jernid, I'm a Trader. Would you like to buy some goods? I got apples, cheese cake and a few good oranges, fresh from the orchard!"
Marla didn't stop staring, her mouth open. A Grunt, they are Covenant! Why doesn't Jack shoot him?, Marla thought. But to the contrary, Jack began to barter with him.
"Hello Jernid." Jack said. "Well, we're quite fine when it comes to food. Do you... uh, by chance carry ammo? Weapons even?" Jack asked.
The suddenly merry Grunt lowered his voice, his eyes narrowing. "I didn't want to say it, but yeah, I got some. Shotgun bullets, pistol bullets..." Jernid said.
"Some shotgun bullets please." Jack said, handing the Grunt metal coins from his robe.
Once the transaction was made, the Grunt walked by them, staring at the broken stepladder, giggling to himself. "Which one feel for the step ladder trick?" He said.
Jack laughed as if he knew the Grunt for years, pointing to Marla.
The Grunt squealed, opening the wooden door. Beyond the door was... nothing. The road just seemed to continue on from there.
Jack threw his hand on his forehead. "Damn Grunt. I was hoping you'd figure it out. Oh well, we got two more trials for you to go. Better hop to it." He said, lifting himself up from the dirt and grabbing his walking stick.
On the other side of the doorway, was the same exact straight and narrow road. It seemed to go on to the end of the horizon.
"Where does it end?" Marla asked, mystified.
"Miles. Near then end is a small hill. From there it's just jungle. It was amazing, that hill. It was so perfectly shaped. Your Father named it the Dome.
"Pray to our Gods we don't get executed for this." Xexec said, strapping himself in to the purple orb. It was a very cramped fit, and there was only enough room for a small engine and computer console.
"We're going to be fine. Once the Prophet sees we captured the girl and stopped her from finding the SPARTAN, we'll be heroes. Have Faith." Sarong replied, piloting it out of the gigantic Docking Bay.
"Have Sense..." Xexec said under his breath, praying to himself.
To Be Continued...
Buried Treasure(5)
Date: 20 July 2003, 7:16 PM
Buried Treasure
Where the Path In The Woods...
"It seems like this Sarong fellow is quite the annoyance." Jack said to Marla as they continued down the path.
"And that isn't the worst of it. There was that one time when I entered the Threshold System, and he started firing on my ship accusing me of "Disobeying Galactic Treaty." I never did figure out what I did wrong, but spent two months in a prison on Basis." Marla replied, continuing on about the Elite that was following her.
"I wonder why he was so interested in you before you arrived here. He must of known what you were after. But why didn't he stop you? Quite a mystery if you ask me." Jack said.
The suns were starting to fall ahead of them, leaving a gold thread of beauty to lie on the horizon. The heat from the air and ground was comforting, like lying on a beach.
Before the sun had gone down entirely, it left the silhouette of a large, half circular hill. The Dome was closing.
"There it is! We're almost there!" Marla shouted, beginning to run. She ran as fast as she could, the distance closing. It was only about a mile away. She ran faster and faster, not opening her eyes.
Jack did not intend to keep up with her, knowing she'd have to stop. And stop she did.
She kept running, opening her eyes to find the straight and narrow road had been cut into three. The road diverged to three separate paths.
"Hey Jack!" She hollered behind her. "Which way?"
Jack finally caught up with her. He didn't say a word, but merely looked at each path. No path gave a small clue if it was right.
"Jack?" She said, "Which way?"
He again did not answer, but lifted his walking stick, and pointing to an old wooden sign on the edge of the left path:
COME ALL YE FAITHFUL
- The Road diverges here. One way leads to nothing, and other leads to town, and another... may only the Human girl choose.
- The Left road, avoids the sun, as the right path does the same. The middle aims for it with perfect precision.
- The Night will help you.
- The Light may help you.
- Oh Human Child, troubles you have. A Mind you have.
Marla read, and re-read the set of clues to herself. One way was a dead end, another to town, and another to the Hero.
"The night will help me. The light will too." She said to herself.
"The second test is not easily figured." Jack said behind her. "The light will help you Marla. You'd better hurry, as the light is going fast."
Marla turned from the sign, looking determined at the three roads. The light could help her pick the dead end.
The one on the left seemed to go until the horizon over a ridge. Beyond that she couldn't tell. The right one seemed to go straight, then stop into blackness.
"Why would it be black during the day?" Marla said. "It must be the dead end."
The middle one could not easily be seen, since the two suns began to shine in her eyes.
"The night will help me."
"And on top of it all, you didn't put a tracking device on her! How the hell are we supposed to find her?" Xexec complained as they entered the atmosphere.
"I know exactly where she is. Chances are the first test killed her. Either falling from the step ladder from high up, or the giant dagger on the other side of the window." Sarong replied as they flew over Nolly. From there it was just trees... save a small thin road.
Stepladders and giant dagger, all of these were foreign to Xexec, who could care less what it all was. He just wanted the girl to be captured, and himself not to be executed.
The purple orb sped along the thin road, till it came to a giant building with a door and a window. Sarong and Xexec both got out and examined.
"The step ladder is broken, but not high enough for her to be hurt. And she couldn't reach to grab the rope again. Damn!" Sarong yelled.
"So... uh, she isn't here?" Xexec said yawning.
"No, but she's probably not far. The three roads take time to figure. Get back in the ship!" Sarong replied, and they sped off towards the sun.
"Hum hum hum hum hummmm." Jernid, the trade Grunt said, humming a tune. All of the junk in his backpack rattled as he skipped through the forest.
He was almost to Grechic, a small town on the other side of the Parsec Mountains. He'd taken the left road at the crossing as usual.
"Wonder if those Humans ever found what they were looking for!" He said to himself.
He continued along the path, when something shiny caught the corner of his eye. He loved shiny things, since they were usually worth something. "OOOO! Gotta have that!" He said, stomping towards it.
It was half buried in the ground, but the other side was a half circle, and very shiny. He reached down to pick it up.
SNAP!
"Ah! Get it off of me!!" he screamed, once the giant bear trap snapped onto his hand. Blue blood began to trickle from the wound. The trash in his back rattled loudly as he screamed.
"Did you hear that?" Marla said, when a low scream came from the left path.
"We better help!" Jack replied, getting from the ground. They ran as fast as they could, when they found the tiny Grunt they met earlier, lying on the ground in his own blood.
"Oh you poor thing!" Marla said, leaning down.
"Hang on, I'll pull it off." She said, pulling as hard as she could. Finally it snapped back open, and his hand was free.
"Phew! Good thing for my gloves, or I'd be... out of my hands! Hahaha! Oh... well I thought it was funny." He said with the renewed happiness.
While Jack was still trying to catch up, the urge to ask was unbearable. "Which way does this trail go?" Marla said.
"Grechic. It's a small trade city." He said. "Well, I thank you young Human. Maybe we'll see each other again!"
By the time Jack got back, he had waddled off. "Was he ok?"
"Yeah, I gave him some tape and band-aids." Marla replied. "Well, we better head back to the cross-road."
"Why's that Marla?" Jack said, smiling.
"We're heading straight towards the sun..."
Sarong and Xexec were closing in on the crossroads in their tiny purple orb. "I see them!" Xexec shouted, pointing towards the left path.
Sarong smiled widely, his yellow teeth glimmering in the faded light. He gave Xexec an evil grin. "Activate disruptors."
To Be Continued...
Buried Treasure(6)
Date: 23 July 2003, 3:18 AM
Buried Treasure
Tried, never failed.
"Marla, I truly am proud of you for finding the right way. But I should've expected it of course. You were being who you are." Jack said as they walked up-hill. Moments ago they had walked up the middle path, straight into the glaring sun.
"But what is the last test? Can't you just tell me so I can plan ahead?" Marla asked impatiently.
Jack reached into his cloak and pulled out The Prophecy. "Not according to this. It is out of my hands Marla. I know you so much desire to know, but the rescuing of Humanity is much more important. There were times when our race was spread into the outer colonies, where..."
"SHH!" Marla shouted, listening intently.
"M- Marla, what's there?" Jack asked, hiding behind some trees.
Silence fell for a moment. "I know that engine."
Before Jack could even ask why, four bolts of green plasma hit the ground next to Marla. Another volley, after another. Each pound on the dirt melted it into dirty black glass.
"Marla, get down!!" Jack shouted, grabbing her cloak. He pulled her behind him into the trees.
"We'll be safe..."
"NO! We won't be safe here! We have to get deeper into the trees. Hurry!" She shouted over the dodges of plasma, striking trees and sending them ablaze.
"Xexec, if you can't hit the old man..." Sarong said impatiently, hovering the purple orb craft.
"I CAN! They've gone into the trees. I can't target there." Xexec replied.
Sarong responded by moving the ship to hover over the large grove of trees. "Continue fire..."
Hot streaks of plasma continued to send Marla and Jack running for their lives. Trees all around them had singes in their leaves. Others were shot down entirely. The purr of the engine overhead was extremely quiet.
"I can hear it but... I can't see it!" Jack said, hiding behind a large oak.
"Cloaking Shield. Jack, give me your shotgun!" Marla said, gasping for breath. She took the large gun and placed it like a Sniper weapon, closing one eye over the reticule.
She fired, and in the blue forever of the sky, a tiny bullet hit the hull of a circular purple vessel. The cloaking shield was deactivated.
"Good... uh, shot." Jack said, astonished.
"He directly disobeyed my direct command, stole one of my vessels, kidnapped one of my men, and does it all under the promise of a Human girl!" The Prophet shouted from inside his chamber.
He clenched his fists hard, beating down upon the flying seat. He glared at the Jackal that she spoke to.
"Where's a Grunt to beat up when you need one eh? Hehe... heh..." The Jackal said, trying to calm him down.
"Don't play funny with me you flightless do-do bird! Tell Strategy and Planning I want a word with them. It's time to put this sherade to an end."
Sarong growled, "Why can't you keep the cloak online!?" He asked.
Xexec shook his head, and beat his metal fists on the console, "That damn girl fired one directly into our nacelle feed. She's quite a Marksman." He said with a grin.
"Don't just sit there! Continue fire, all weapon ports." He shouted.
Xexec looked into his eyes, and saw the deep redness in them. He was convinced that Sarong had a lot of leeway in making this attempt, and failing was not an option.
Marla and Jack saw the purple orb fly overhead, continuing to fire its disruptors. Finally they waited until not the faintest noise of it could be heard.
"I think it's gone." Jack said, whispering for no reason.
"Just stay here Marla, I'll go out and take a look."
Marla sat there, frozen in fear watching Jack walk back out of the shrubs and into the path. She didn't blink, but merely gazed at what parts of him broke through the thick shrubs. She could see him looking around, and finally smiling. He put his head back into the shrubs.
"Marla!" He said with glee, "I think they're, UGH!" He was cut mid-sentence, when suddenly his eyes fell back into his head. He tried to hold on to the branches, but fell.
Marla screamed, and pulled Jack in. Once his body made contact with her eyes, she gasped in horror. Blood trickled from a black and smelly wound, caused by weapons fire. She felt his throat. No pulse. Jack, the man she relied on the most, was dead.
"What the hell did you do to him you MONSTERS!" She shouted so loud the birds in the trees flew away.
She didn't hear and answer, until she felt cold steel hit the back of her head. Blackness took her. She was fading...
"Hmm... hmmm... hm...! Hmmmmmmmmmmm...!" Jernid, the Trade grunt hummed a tune. His hand had stopped bleeding and the blue bloody rags had all been used up. He felt even happier to know he made a new friend.
He kept skipping along, until something shiny caught his eye again. This time it wasn't silver. It was very big, at least twice as tall as he was, and very shiny. It was perfectly round, and a bit purple. "OOOO! This could sell for a lot of money! Hmm, how will I carry it?" He said, putting his knobby hand to his cheek.
"Oh, I know! Maybe it can fly!"
He looked around it, and found what looked to be a door. He touched it lightly, and the sounds of hydraulics filled the jungle. When the door finally came down, Jernid was overjoyed. Gadgets and lights, and a lot of shiny metal covered the small circular room.
He placed himself on a tall seat in the middle and looked around. Luckily, there were very few controls. One button, and two joysticks were all he apparently needed. He pressed the button, feeling the ship suddenly lift off. He looked outside the window, finding the canapé below far behind him.
"Now for the joysticks. Let's see. I bet the left one makes me move, and the other makes me turn!" He said. He pulled the left one back, and the right one left.
What do you know, the ship shot off at the speed of sound to the left.
"WHOOOOO HOOOOOO!" He shouted. "I can have a lot of fun with this!"
"Marla... wake up my dear Marla..." A voice said. Everything was still black. She could tell darkness was over her. But two tall green objects stood over her.
"Get up HUMAN!" The other voice shouted, kicking her hard in the stomach.
Her eyes suddenly fell open. It was dark, and the smell of ash and smoke suddenly filled her lungs. Small pieces of ash began to fall into her eyes, as a soft evening breeze hit the burnt trees.
"Good morning sunshine. Oh, sorry about your friend Jack." Sarong said in a fake innocent voice.
"Bastard..." She said in a whisper, rubbing the back of her head.
"I'd appreciate it if you'd be a bit nicer to me. If you're not, I may not give you your letter. From your Father Marla. It was quite a tear jerker." Sarong said, handing her the parchment.
Dear Marla,
I write under grave circumstances. I know right now is not the best time for these things to be kept on your mind. I still have full confidence you'll succeed in your goal.
I will be blunt my daughter, your Mother has died. The Covenant patrols came early this week. She was executed yesterday at noon. I'm very sorry Marla. If you do indeed not succeed, PLEASE return home for the funeral. I can no longer write, so now I must leave you.
A loving Father...
Marla could see many drops of tears all over the letter, obvious that her Father was taking it very hard. She herself began to cry, adding new drops to the paper. Sarong had reached out towards the paper, grabbed it and crushed it with his hand.
"Touching, very touching Marla. But now is not the time. Your execution will be in a few hours." The other Elite said, lifting her from the ground. She wanted to fight, but lost all strength.
As she road on the sharp shoulder of the Elite, she looked back to see Jack's dead body, lying in blood. Two people she cared for very much, were now dead forever.
"WHOOOOOOOOOOOAHHH!!! This'll sell for millions!" Jernid shouted as he passed over Grechic, the small trade city he had planned to go. He made it there in one minute, which would've taken days.
He felt so free, flying high into the atmosphere, then down low to the canapé. He didn't care if all his belongings were now astray all over the cabin, after he took a mighty tight turn.
"I'm gonna buy the biggest Trade Cruiser I can get my hands on! Then I'll go to the beaches of Resic Prime, work on my tan! And then..." He said.
He was heading straight down, falling faster and faster. He was lifted upward from the momentum. A red lightly flashed on the console:
ENERGY DEPLETED
"NOOO hoho OOOOOOO!"
CRASH!
The ship landed, causing dust and debris to kick up for yards. The ship itself was undamaged. But he had no idea where he was. It was a desert. Last he recalled he was in a forest.
Getting out, he began breathing deeper, feeling the immense heat. He looked out towards the endless dry patch of land, spotting a small town a few miles away.
Still un-obstructed, he laughed, "Haha! Well, it was fun while it lasted. Best get going!"
" This IS where the ship should be!" Xexec shouted at Sarong.
"I don't understand. It was right here. You can even see the large crater where it landed! Someone took it!" He shouted, growling his teeth.
Marla opened her eyes, spying a small white rag with blue blood on it, hidden in a bush. She smiled. Jernid, where would I be without you?
"Well unless you have a communicator in your suit, we're stuck here. The closest town is miles away!" Xexec complained.
They both continued on for hours. The night was turning to day, and they still hadn't moved. Xexec had given up carrying Marla, but merely tied her to a tree while they slept.
"You, Human girl!" Xexec said as he awoke. "Make food! NOW!"
Marla rolled her eyes. "A bit hard isn't it? My hands are tied!"
Xexec looked at Sarong for a moment before responding. "We'll untie you. But NO tricky business. Don't think you can run from us, we're still armed!"
Marla was untied, and she immediately grabbed some wood and put it into a pile.
"What the blazes are you doing?" Xexec asked impatiently.
"Making a fire." She replied, putting the last piece of wood in. "Give me your gun." She said, reaching out with her hand.
"Not so fast! Why you need it for!?" Xexec said, with bad grammar.
"FINE, you do it. I just need you to light the fire."
Sarong rolled his own eyes, "Fire at the wood you incompetent fool!"
"Sir, the Strategy and Tactics department has reported back." The Jackal said as he entered the Prophet room.
"AND!?" He said.
"They've armed the warhead, and are awaiting your firing order." The Jackal replied.
The Prophet smiled widely, laughing menacingly. "Tell them to fire in 48 hours. After that, we're giving up on the Elites down there. This is too perfect." The Prophet said, "The last Only Human planet, and we're destroying it on very good and logical grounds. The Council will have no reason to cancel the firing."
ABORT ABORT. RELOAD. CRYO-FREEZE CHAMBER FUEL: EXPELLED. ACTIVATING EMERGENCY RELEASE. CRYO-TUBE ACTIVATION IN 5...
To Be Continued...
Buried Treasure(7)
Date: 26 July 2003, 11:09 PM
Buried Treasure
Rise and defeat
"YOU CALL THIS FOOD?!?" Xexec spat at Marla, chewing on a dead animal cooked by the makeshift fire. Marla didn't care anymore. She knew she'd never find what she was looking for, or ever leave the planet. She'd never have her first kiss, or go to her mother's funeral. If she still had the shotgun, she'd already of used it.
"Hey, Human slug! Are you listening to me?" Xexec said, his teeth growling. Marla didn't respond, still staring at the fire. Xexec was finally fed up and pulled his disruptor.
"Xexec! NO!" Sarong said, throwing down his meat and pushing the gun into the air. It fired, sending the tree above them into a blaze.
Even after all this happened, she still did not even look at them. She smiled at the thought of the Elite firing, ending her woes. When it didn't happen, she went blank again.
Jack... Mother... save me. Won't someone save me?
Up above in the sky, a ship the size of a small moon grew closer to orbit Nolly. In about 40 hours, it would glass the entire planet, ending the only world the Humans called their own.
The Prophet smiled at the idea, still speaking to her Jackal assistant. "Once this rock is gone for good, the rest of the Humans will die out. Think of it, the Universe will be ours..."
"Phew! Could there be any more heat?" Jernid said to himself as he moped along the desert towards the town. He had lost his smile and his active attitude, only wanting food and water.
"Note to self, never touch another shiny thing." He said, holding a finger above his head. "Note number two. Never fly a shiny thing. Number 3..." He said, before spotting something shiny on the ground.
It seemed to be almost fully buried, except for a small hatch to enter it. "No... must... not... touch!" He said, his arm slowly reaching for it.
"But... could... be... valuable!!!" He screamed, opening the hatch.
Inside was a small basement like structure, only high enough for him. In one corner, a large stockpile of water sat. "WHOOO HOO! It's no food nipple, but it will do!" He said, grabbing the first bottle and dumping it over his body.
"So Marla..." Sarong said, finishing his meal. "Tell me, just in case I forget, what is it your looking for?"
Marla looked up from the fire, her face droopy. "Hope." She said softly.
"Hope eh? If you were looking for hope, I would've built a time machine. Hope was lost long ago for your race. They should've surrendered when they first met us a thousand years ago." Sarong said grinning.
"A thousand years." Marla said. "And we're still alive. Still fighting you. We'll never fall, until our last breath is spent."
Xexec laughed loudly, shaking the singed trees. "How noble of you to say! I think I'm gonna cry! HAHAHA!"
Marla didn't respond, and went back to the dying fire, its last embers almost gone. "When do you think the Covenant will pick us up?" Xexec whispered.
Sarong shook his head, worried. "I dunno. They should've detected us hours ago. Let's just get some sleep, then we can make for the town."
Xexec nodded, and curled up like a cat to sleep. Sarong did the same, eyeing Marla, who went into the fetal position, and closed her eyes.
CRYO-TUBE ACTIVATION COMPLETE. EJECTING SAFETY PINS IN 5. CRYO-STASIS COOLANT DEACTIVATED.
John's eyes opened. Many thoughts were still running through his head. Did the make it back to Earth? Why had the cryo-sleep deactivated? Did Cortana need help?
He twisted his suited neck to the side, checking his suit status. The health bar in his eyepiece showed him fully charged. He grabbed the sides of the cryo-tube, and lifted himself up.
Looking around the tiny room, he noticed almost every single light no longer functioned. There were cracks in the hull. Even small ferns were growing over computer consoles.
What the hell happened? Are we still in space?
The Chief looked on the panel of the cryo-tube:
CRYO-STATIS POWER SUPPLY: 0
MAIN COMPUTER: OFFLINE
SECONDARY FUNCTIONS: OFFLINE
LIFE SUPPORT: NO POWER
"Impossible." He said out loud. "Cortana, doesn't it take at least a thousand years for the power supply to expel itself?"
There was no answer to his suit. "Cortana? Cortana respond."
He was getting worried. John walked towards the door of the cryo-room, expecting it to open itself. He slammed himself hard into the glass door. "Oh right... no power."
He took both hands on the sides of the door, pulling with all his might, opening them wide. He looked down the hall towards the back. He couldn't see two feet towards the door. He looked right, towards the cockpit. No light whatsoever. Even the windows were black.
"What's covering them?" He said, becoming more and more concerned. He got close to the screen, eyeing the covering closely. "Sand?" He said.
"We're buried underground? Cortana, how far are we to Earth?" He forgot she was not reachable.
John sat down at the pilot seat, and pulled her tiny glowing data disc from the computer. It was not longer glowing. It was dark and brittle, no power readings at all. Sides broke off as he held it.
"It can't be. It takes seven years to shut down. How long have I been gone?" He said.
John looked intently for a working chronometer. He took some of the power of his suit, and placed it in the mainframe. Lights lit up barely, and the chronometer what readable:
3:43 PM Friday June 7th, 3652
"June 7th, 3652... No. It can't be. Impossible. I entered that cryo-tube more than one thousand years ago?" He kept saying. He put his hands to his head, shaking away the idea.
"Earth... Humanity... where did it all go? The Covenant, was their home world destroyed? The SPARTAN Project, the UNSC, no more? Is it all gone?"
Jernid drank from the buckets of water, for what seemed like hours. The suns were now falling on the desert, and sleep began to overtake him. He hadn't dented the supply of water, which was still mammoth in proportion.
Before he had completely closed his eyes, the ceiling of dirt began to shudder. Jernid awoke with a squeal of shock, and hid behind a tall bucket of clear water. The ceiling shook with each footstep, when suddenly the creaking of the metal hatch was heard.
Jernid could see the silhouette of a man, holding a shotgun. "Who's there!?" He cried in anger.
Jernid did not answer, but his teeth shook as he trembled. What would he do if he knew that he lost 3 gallons of water? The idea of death mortified Jernid, and he hid from sight.
The Man cocked his gun, "I know you're in here! Saw yer space ship land! If you's be one of those Elites, I ain't scared! Come out!"
The man took a few feet toward Jernid, and then turned his head to the corner of the dark dusty room, eyeing 2 buckets that were empty. "You've been drinkin' me water! For this I'll kill you slowly!"
John had dug himself from his buried prison, and found himself standing on a large hill, so perfectly shaped, it seemed every rock was evenly placed. Someone had obviously buried his Long Sword after it had crashed.
Carrying two Battle Rifles that had not been rusted after 1000 years underground, he set off on the only path he could. The road was completely straight, and the trees were too close together for him to travel into the woods.
In his mind, all of the questions circled around, causing him to stop, and try to shake it all off. Wherever he was, it obviously wasn't Covenant.
"Maybe we won?" He said. "Maybe... maybe the SPARTAN Project continued on Earth. The entire UNSC could be all SPARTANS. Yeah, that's what happened. I'm sure they'll be glad to see me when I get back to Earth."
With this reassurance in his mind, he set off again, before hearing a scream. It came from about a mile down the path. It sounded like a girl, obviously being attacked.
He set off on foot, running as fast as he could, getting the 1000 years of immobility off of him. It seemed his adventure was already continuing.
"IF YOU EVER TRY TO ESCAPE AGAIN, I SWEAR I WILL KILL YOU WITH MY OWN BARE HANDS HUMAN!" Xexec said, squeezing Marla's throat.
"The nerve that you could actually leave without us knowing! HAHAHA! You're more foolish than I thought. You're execution will be quite a feast!" Sarong said, trying to pull back Xexec.
"C'mon Sarong! Let's just kill her now!!" Xexec replied, pulling out his rifle.
"Let go of her..."
To Be Continued...
Buried Treasure(7)
Date: 19 August 2003, 12:49 AM
Buried Treasure
Apocolypse
Jernid still sat behind a bucket of now heated water. The man with the shotgun stared around the room slowly, sniffing like a dog. "Whateva' you are, sure smell!" He said with a cackling laughter.
Jernid lifted his arm and smelled his armpit, nodding his head in agreement. He knew if he gave up, he'd be shot in the chest faster than he could realize. But if he stayed, he'd be killed slower, as the man had said.
The Man cocked his gun again, and fired at a bucket of water, sending gallons onto the dusty floor, filling it up to his ankles. "Now look what you made me do!" He said.
"Am I gonna have to find ye meself?" He screamed, knocking over buckets with ease, sending more water to the ground. Every step made Jernid shudder with fear. The clear water couldn't conceal him forever.
"Prophet Fang, High Command has just approved the glassing of Nolly. Schedule shows it will be destroyed in 5 hours." The Jackal Assistant said nervously, seeing the menacing smile on the Prophets face.
"Excellent work Jackal. Tell the phase cannon teams to prepare the glassing. I don't want a second to wait after I give the order." He replied.
"Y-yes, your majesty." The Jackal replied, running from the room in terror, hearing the cackling laugh of the Prophet.
Xexec and Sarong turned towards the voice, perplexed.
"I said, let go of her." The deep voice replied from over the hill.
"WHO'S THERE!?" Xexec shouted, firing a bolt of plasma into the air.
Sarong got up from his feet, letting go of his hold on Marla. He knew who it was. He knew he had failed. Master Chief, a SPARTAN from centuries ago, was back. "XEXEC! RUN!" He shouted, grabbing the girl and running from John.
"I don't think so." The voice said, coming over the hill.
Marla was the first to see him. His bulky armor silhouetted in the fading sunlight. His visor still reflected what light was left, casting an orange glow on the Elites. In both his mighty hands, lay two weapons.
"I'll give you to the count of three." John said, lifting his Battle Rifles.
Marla stared at him, still confused as of who he was. Her mind was a blank, when she suddenly remembered the passage she read on her ship:
"Green was his skin, glistening above all that challenged him. Gold was his eyes, peering through the dark times like a glimmer of light."
"God?" She muttered under her breath.
"One." The booming voice said, cocking the guns.
Xexec roared, "You pitiful human. You're behind the times. Those things can hurt us!"
"Two." John replied.
"GOD." Marla shouted, fighting to free herself from Sarong's grip.
"Arm yourself Xexec, he won't win!" Sarong said, pulling his rifle from the holster.
"Three."
"FIRE!" Xexec shouted, pulling his trigger. Two streams of green light emanated from both Elites, both missing the SPARTAN, who tucked and rolled towards them.
"Times up." He shouted, chucking a grenade at Xexec. The explosion rattled the ground, sending Sarong backwards, losing his grip on Marla.
Xexec was pushed upward from the blast, his armor ripped and shredded. Holes the size of fists oozed purple blood, and his face was mutilated. Death came to him before he hit the ground.
Marla dusted herself off, and ran to John, her eyes watery with happiness. She'd done it. She'd found the Hero of Humanity, and finally the Human race would be saved. "It's you, it really is you!" She yelled, hugging him fully. The Chief struggled to stay upright from the force of a 19-year-old girl slamming into him.
"GET DOWN!" He yelled, finding another green plasma stream coming at them. Marla ducked quickly, covering her head, while the Chief took the blast straight to the chest. Marla screamed. Had she lost him already?
She looked up at the Hero, finding a golden veil of energy wrapped around him. "I'm alright. Shield saved me. But those plasma rifles took them down a lot." He said, lifting her up.
Sarong was lying dead on the ground with a bullet in his head. Blood was dripping from it, making a purple puddle. Marla cringed at the sight, and turned back to the Hero, hugging him tighter.
"Hey, get off!" He said, pushing her away. "I'm honored that you appreciate me saving you. But it isn't like you haven't seen a SPARTAN before." John said, wiping just from his chest plate.
"A what?" Marla replied.
Reality suddenly hit John. He had comforted himself with the thought that all Marines were SPARTANS. It appeared not so. "Never mind." He said, continuing to walk. "Can you show me where the nearest city is?"
Marla giggled, "City? I don't think Humans have cities anymore." She said as she walked with him.
John stopped and held his head in confusion. "What? So we dwell in space now?"
Marla rolled her eyes, "No way, Covenant own space."
These tidbits of information were starting to come together, making John's stomach churn. "Marla?" He asked serenely, "How... how many Humans are there?"
Marla looked down, shaking her head, a small tear in her eye. "Last count, which was ten years ago, was about 2,000."
John felt like a sledgehammer hit him. "Two... two thousand? ? He said.
Marla nodded. "Most live on this planet. It's the only place that is virtually all human. The rest live on Covenant controlled colonies, like where my family live. It's more like a prison"
John felt like he couldn't move. This future, this nightmare he wanted to be nothing apart of. He wanted to crawl back in that cryo-tube and wait another thousand years.
Marla's head jerked up, a small smile on her face, "But it'll all change, now that I found you!" She said as he walked on.
"Me?" John said. "Why am I so important?"
Marla looked like she'd seen a ghost. Her cheeks turned a very deep pale. "You're... the Hero of Humanity. You're... you! You destroyed countless Covenant Worlds with your bare hands and gave peace to the old home world." She said, dropping to her knees in fright.
"What?" John said, "No. That's not true. I... I've never even been to Earth. I just got on the Pillar of Autumn, went to HALO and found myself here a thousand years later." He said, explaining as fast as he could.
All these words were foreign to Marla. "HALO? Pillar of what? I don't understand. You... you're not him?"
John shook his head. He felt so bad that he couldn't help in this world. Maybe another SPARTAN did all these things. Maybe he was presumed dead. Earth might have saved the Project, and Dr Halsey might've lived after Reach. So many things to catch up on, he thought.
"I... I don't understand. The book, the prophecy! You have to be him!" Marla yelled, her hands clenched in fists, as a tear dropped from her eye and onto her cheek. Her sadness turned to anger, and began punching John's armor futilely, bruising her hands.
"My whole life wasted!" She said, crawling onto her knees under the Chief's shadow. "We'll never win now. It's over..." She said, more tears dropping to the dusty ground.
We don't lose, John thought. All those times a thousand years ago with his Spartans, they never lost.
"Except Reach..." He murmured.
Marla got up, wiping off her knees. Reach, I've heard that somewhere, she said in her head.
" "Once upon a great war, life hung in the balance. The footsteps of men grew softer after each battle with the devils. Reach was gone forever—"
She never knew what reach was. To her, it was a verb, to reach out and touch something. Now it was something different. "Reach? What is Reach?"
"The most powerful and industrial of all of the original Human Colonies. Lost more than a thousand years ago. That's where I was made." He said grimly.
Jernid was moments away from capture. Sweat beaded down his blue skin, his oxygen mask was silent. He didn't want to die; he had so much to live for. There are so many shiny things still to see, and so many people to meet and take advantage of. Life was too good to be lost for a couple gallons of water.
"AH HA!" The Man yelled, seeing Jernid for the first time. "Oh you're in for it now my friend." He said, raising his gun.
"NO! Please, don't kill me! I'll.... I'll uh make water! I'll make food; I'll be your slave! PLEASE!" He screamed with a high-pitched voice, making the Man cover his ears.
"Ok ok, shut up!" He said in pain.
The next day, Jernid sat out in a field, a hoe lying on his back. He never imagined farming being so hard. Even with the nice shiny tools, it still was awful.
"Maybe I can sell it..." He thought, taping his long chin.
"Hey! Get back to work Grunt!" The Man said from inside his white, one-story house. The Man sipped tea and had a fan on him, smiling widely.
Jernid gave out a few murmured swears, and continued working. "The Covenant wasn't this much of an asshole..."
Hundrid colony, where Marla first arrived, was in a bustle. The ugly shopkeepers and merchants ran as fast as they could to the main plaza. Sitting on the long broken fountain was a sleek purple orb ship, and a blue clad Elite sitting next to it.
"People of Nolly." He shouted, "In less that 24 hours, this planet will be glassed."
Screams of panic and the angry yells of old men shouted back at the Elite, who meanwhile held a huge grin with his upper mandible. "Enjoy your race's last few hours!" He said, and flew away without another word.
A few murmurs came from the crowd, mostly swears. They all looked up at the sky, eyeing the large purple city getting closer, gleaming in the setting sun. The Apocalypse was at hand.
"It should be just over this hill." Marla said, pushing a bush out of her way. Ahead she could see the clearing where she first met Jack. She was back in Hundrid, and she couldn't of been happier.
As she made it to the center of the clearing, she looked to where the town was supposed to be. The entire town was gone. A large black crater stood in its place.
"My God. What happened here?" John said.
Marla's mouth was still open, "I—I dunno. It should be here. The Covenant must have wiped it out. But... why?" She said.
"They knew too much." A voice said behind them.
Sitting where Jack sat before Marla set into the woods a few days ago, a blue armor clad Elite sat, waving his rifle angrily.
"Drop your weapon green one!" He shouted.
Marla eyed John's visor, rippling in her stationary tears. "John... God." She whispered.
They stared at each other for what seemed like an hour, before the Elite yelled again. "I said drop it!"
"I don't think so." John said angrily, rolling to the side. Before the Elite could respond, two bullets launched from his Battle Rifles. One clanged off the Elites armor, the other missed.
"John no!" Marla shouted, ducking behind a tree. She could only watch in horror as two beams of plasma flew close to John's head. John fired back, and two bullets went straight into an unarmored part of the Elite's leg.
The animal screamed in pain, clutching its leg. John fired at its hands, ripping them to pieces. The Elite feel to the floor, a puddle of purple blood growing around him.
"Marla!" John said, throwing the Plasma Rifle. "Take it, and use it if you run into trouble."
Marla's eyes widened before she could even ask the question. "But, no! I'm coming with you! I can help you take town that ship up there! Please, I must stay with you. I've been searching for you my whole life!"
John looked to the floor. "You can't. I can't let another Human die in what appears to be their darkest hour. Go, go back to your ship, fly away from this planet. Avoid the Covenant and head back to your Father. I'll take care of this ship, and save this planet."
His deep words touched Marla's heart like nothing she'd ever heard. She was 19, and he was more than 1000 years old, but love was inescapable. Without another word, John set off towards the crater, finding the Elite's purple craft.
She watched as he set off into the dusk sky, becoming just a twinkle of light, and finally disappearing forever.
Marla didn't leave. She merely sat by a tree, eyeing the Capital Ship. Hopefully it would explode soon, or else she'd be gone.
Hours past, but tiredness escaped her. A couple times Jackals came out of the trees, but she idly shot them and stared back up.
Something was happening...
To Be Continued...
Buried Treasure: The Finale
Date: 29 September 2003, 5:19 AM
Buried Treasure
Taking Down the Horsemen
Once the Elite Warrior was down, John knew the decision he had to make was upon him. He had to leave Marla.
"Marla!" John said, throwing the Plasma Rifle. "Take it, and use it if you run into trouble."
John closed his eyes just so he couldn't see the stricken look on Marla's face. When she began to ramble about why he needed her, he tried to make himself def. The idea that he actually cared for her appalled him. He was a Soldier, how could he even think of caring for someone?
"You can't go. I can't let another Human die in what appears to be their darkest hour. Go; go back to your ship, fly away from this planet. Avoid the Covenant and head back to your Father. I'll take care of this ship, and save this planet." John said, walking away.
He didn't dare turn around, but simply looked around for the purple orb ship. He found it in seconds, nestled in the thick brush surrounding what once was Hundrid Colony.
Getting inside the ship was easy, but with so many controls, he might not get off the ground. He tried the first lever, and pulled it forward. Nothing.
The Second lever he pulled to the left. A low rumble was heard outside the ship. Then he tried the first lever again, and he was launched in the air at lightning speed.
It appeared the ship was automatically heading to the city-large complex orbiting the planet. It was exactly where he wanted to go.
"Prophet, the countdown has begun. The Planet will be destroyed in one half hour." The Jackal Assistant said, cowering in the shadow of the Prophet.
"Excellent work. Prepare the engines for hyper-speed. I don't want a fragment of the planet to hit us." He said.
"Y-yes Master." The Jackal replied, waddling out the door.
The comm. of the purple orb automatically activated as John came into sight of the massive station: "Pod 112, please identify." A rough voice said.
Time passed, while John thought of his very grim options.
"Pod 112, I repeat, Identify yourself." It said again.
John's mind was racing, but the best thing he could think of was far-fetched, and doomed to failure: "I've come from the Planet." He said.
"Checking the crater for survivors." John said in a deep voice.
The comm. was silent for a few moments. John began to sweat. Did they believe him? "Pod 112..."
"Proceed to Docking Bay Section 132." And the comm. clicked off.
John sighed, and his yellowy glass eyepiece fogged. Time was of the essence, and there wasn't much of it left.
Klang sat at his station, still pondering the odd behavior of Pod 112. He dare not report a hypothesis to the already over-stressed Prophet. He decided to let it go for the time being.
But he wouldn't let it escape his mind...
From that point on, the Pod drove itself, landing square in the middle of a large open bay, with a forest of other pods. He had no idea how he would make it 4 feet without being spotted.
Looking around this futuristic Covenant vessel, he noticed a few changes. Almost ever part of the ship was no longer hull, but thick plasma. If he touched the floor, it would ripple like water. It fascinated him, but not being a scientist, he didn't know what to make of it, and moved on.
He moved like a cheetah, from one pod to the next, avoiding groups of Jackals, each covered from head to toe in shield plasma. It would be utterly impossible with his 1000 year outdated weapons to kill them. Stealth was his only option.
Moving closer to a double door, he spotted what looked like a sinkhole, or maintenance shaft of some sort. He lifted the lid and looked down into it. All he could see was a single ladder, going down into the bowels of the ship, covered in darkness. It was exactly what he needed.
Klang had personally watched the arrival of Pod 112. Strangely, as it landed, something jumped out quickly that did not look like an Elite. The green armor was familiar, possibly a Wraith Captain, he thought. But something about the way it moved confused him. Its stride was more like a man beast.
"Security to Pod Chamber 4, we have an intruder."
The ladder seemed to go on forever, and darkness encroached him as ever step led him closer to the bottom of the ship. If Cortana taught him anything on HALO, it was the layout of a Covenant Ship. He only hoped it still was the same 1000 years later.
After an eternity of decent, he finally felt his feet touch the gel-like floor of the ship. Activating his flashlight helped a bit to see around. He was in a small, cramped room, covered in controls. There were three entrances: The ladder and two opposite entrance hallways. He'd remote mine the hallways, and listen carefully for someone coming from the ladder. But first, he needed to finish his job.
The first control he saw was only 3 Covenant numbers, counting down:
6:45 - 6:44
Next to it was the word countdown, and the word "destruction." He wished Cortana was here now, and do all the work for him. But he had a responsibility to Marla, and to Humanity.
"It appears this shaft was entered. We have no maintenance teams scheduled." Security Elite Darmok told Klang.
"So it is an intruder?" Klang asked, his anger growing.
"I spoke personally with the Prophet. He seemed shocked by the news. Mumbling about green Gods if I remember. We'll send Jackals first and investigate, sir." Darmok replied.
"Excellent. Carry it out."
Ever time of Covenant Computer splicing trick he ever was taught, no longer worked. He didn't know what it meant, but after every command, a red symbol appeared, and a siren went off, reverberating off the plasmatic walls.
"Damn, there's nothing I can do!" He said, thinking as hard as his brain would let him. "I could throw something in the generator of the weapon but I don't know where it is!"
The moment he shouted that, the computer bleeped, and directions appeared on the screen. Perfect, he thought. It was two floors below him. He grabbed the rails of the ladder, and skidded down.
"We've found remote weapons of some sort, but the perpetrator is nowhere to be found." The Jackal security commander said through the comm. "We'll continue the ship-wide search.
"Affirmative Commander, good luck. The firing will take place in 2 minutes."
The Chief was already looking at the generator by the time the Jackals had arrived to the floor above him. It looked similar to the HALO generator, but green, and much larger. The walkways around it were very thin, and a computer console rest just off the entrance to the catwalks. It would've been completely dark if it weren't for the eerie green glow of the Generator.
He pulled out a plasma gun he didn't recognize that he took from the purple orb ship, and fired a shot at the Generator. An invisible shied caught the plasma, and nothing happened.
"GLENOK. DERON LARGH RACHIIIN!" A computerized voice said. Whatever it meant, it wasn't good. The Jackal security party made it down the ladder, firing shots at the Chief. He dodged them, and hid behind the Generator.
All the Jackals were completely covered in shields, and there was nothing he could do to stop them. Everything seemed hopeless. He pondered something.
Would he of cried? If Dr. Halsey never took him in, if Chief Mendez never taught him crying was a sign of weakness, would he of cried? He looked up at the daunting green stream of energy. He knew it would only be seconds before it fired. He put his hands forward, and saw his hands slip easily beyond the shield. Before he could even think of the proper course of action, time froze.
He was a boy. He was standing on top of a hill, pushing boys off of it, dominating it. In the distance, a pretty girl and a man were sitting on a bench, watching him. He remembered this day clearly, but there was someone else there.
A man walked up to him, and shook his hand. His voice was faint, but he could hear it.
"Hello John." The voice said.
He responded, "What's happening?" Chief asked. He couldn't see the mans face, as it was covered by a Marines hat.
He took the hat off, and smiled like a mother to her young. "You are back where it started. You are here because I have something very important to tell you."
John gasped. Chief Mendez stood right in front of him. The man that taught him all he knew. The Man... the Father he loved.
"You know what you must do John. It is right in front of you."
The image changed. He was on the hill in summer, and on a catwalk, staring at the Generator. "This is the end of your journey SPARTAN-117. You are dying to save Humanity, just like you always knew you'd die. When you do what you must do, a change of power will occur. The Human armies hiding in the shadows will emerge with new confidence. They'll repopulate the Earth, and destroy their Covenant enemies. All because of you John.
I must go now."
"Sir! No! Stay!" John screamed. But it was too late, and the plasma fire continued.
He stared blankly into the Generator. As if his bodily suddenly went limp, he fell into the stream.
It felt good. He was letting go. He could hear the Covenant scream as the entire ship imploded. He smiled, for the first time in 1000 years.
Marla watched from below, the explosion glinting her eye. "God." She said.
"John."
The End.
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