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Halo Alliances: Chapter One by ChibiHalo
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Halo Alliances: Chapter One
Date: 29 December 2006, 2:34 am
The Master Chief looked around. Crowds of Covenant Separatists and UNSC troops scattered the bridge of War Angel. He stood next to Lord Hood and Sergeant Johnson and across from the three of them stood the Arbiter and Special Operations Commander Rtas 'Vadumee ("Half-Jaw"). The UNSC had agreed to "join forces" with these Covenant outcasts to finish the fight between the rest of the Covenant and the humans.
"Do you think this will work?" Johnson asked quietly. "I mean, what if they betray--"
Lord Hood held up his hand to silence him. "Master Chief, what's your opinion?"
John thought for a moment. "I think," he began. "If we don't betray them and they don't betray us, we'll be fine."
"What do you suppose they are speaking about?" the Arbiter inquired.
"Probably just last minute doubts. Do you think it was wise to join forces with the humans?"
"It is a lot better then having to face them and Truth's mindless pawns, too."
'Vadumee nodded in agreement.
"The decision is final." Hood announced to the crowd. "We, the United Nations Space Core, will join forces with the Separatists."
A murmur of approval swept through the many creatures that filled the bridge of War Angel.
"We--" Lord Hood's speech was cut off as the ship's power supply shut off.
"Status, Marine!" he ordered.
"The main power supply to the ship has been cut off by an unknown source, sir."
"Do you think it's Truth?" the Arbiter asked.
"No... it's the Flood!" 'Vadumee pulled his plasma sword and activated it.
Seconds later the rest of the Elites pulled their own weapons, as did the humans.
"What?! How the hell did the Flood get on bored of the ship?!" Johnson yelled as he grabbed an SMG.
"Cortana." the Chief said. "Cortana! She was left on bored High Charity. The Flood must have used her to find their way here." War Angel was rocked by a series of
explosions.
"We have to get off this ship and--" Johnson stopped as a large domed "ship"
floated into view.
"Is that--" 'Vadumee started.
"High Charity? It's been over run by the flood?" Arbiter pulled out his own sword.
"You there! Demon!" He still referred to the Master Chief as "Demon". "What do we do?"
"Sir, permission to leave?" the Chief asked as Lord Hood began to wave people to their places.
"Granted. With whom are you leaving with?"
"Him." He pointed to the Arbiter.
"What? Why do you wish to leave with me?"
"Because you know your way around that place better than I do."
"Fine. But only if I can bring a group of my own men to High Charity with you."
The Spartan huffed. "Deal, but we also get bring troops along with, too."
"Then it's settled. Master Chief, assemble your squadron. I trust we have your support now?" Lord Hood asked.
"Yes, you do." the SpecOps Commander replied as he turned to the Arbiter. "Can you manage alone?"
"I can."
"Then may the Forerunners guide you, Arbiter."
"You five, come with me." the Chief ordered a group of Marines. "You ready?" he questioned the Elite.
"I think the question is: are you?"
"Heh. Ready as I'll ever be."
"Then let us fight for this alliance together." the Arbiter declared as five more Elites joined the group.
The Master Chief peered into the spore-filled halls of the now Flood-infested High Charity. "Looks clear."
"Ugh! What is that retched stench?" one of the Marines groaned.
"Do you know where we are?"
"Yes. we are very close to where the Forerunner ship used to set. I suppose it would now be crawling with those vile creatures."
"What about that Grave Mind? Where do you think it would be?" The Spartan readied his Battle Rifle as he heard a Flood-like gurgle.
"Most likely near the Slipstream generators."
"Hey guys? What is that?" a Marine said shakily as something began to appear out of the fog. "Flo-o-o-o-od!" the group opened fire as a Hunter-sized Flood began to swing
at them.
"Aim for their stomachs! It's the quickest way to kill them!" Master Chief ordered.
The Flood howled and swiped at an Elite, cutting it clean in half and spraying purple blood and entrails onto the walls. One Marine tried to duck its massive shield, but was quickly killed by its flailing tentacles.
"Quick! Everyone through the doors!" the Arbiter shouted as he slashed one of the hulking beasts' arms off. As they all ran through the doors, the Flood caught and Elite and ripped him back through the doorway.
"No!" the Arbiter yelled as he reached for his comrade.
"Wait! We can't risk the rest of our men." the Chief told the Arbiter as made a grab for the other Elite's hand.
"You right." he said as he activated the doors to close and lock.
"Aw man, we're all gonna die in here!" a Marine shouted.
"Stop your whining, human!" One Elite demanded. "Be thankful you're alive at this moment."
"Still me must make haste. That was the quickest and easiest way to the
generators. We'll have to take the long way."
"How long, exactly?"
"A couple of hours. And that's without the time we'll spent fighting the Flood."
"Right then. You hear him. Let's move out!" the Chief commanded.
"We will need to find more men if we are to live through this." the Arbiter added quietly.
"I know. Keep you eyes open for any survivors, and Flood."
The Arbiter nodded and hefted his sword forward.
The Master Chief thought back to what Cortana had told him before he had left.
That, if needed, she would remotely detonate Inamber Clad to destroy High Charity, and herself. He gripped his rifle's hilt tighter. He hoped he could fine her and ultimately get her off this ship, unharmed.
"Chief?" a staticky voice crackled over him COMM. "Chief! Is that you?"
"Cortana? Hold on." he told the Arbiter. "Cortana, where are you?"
"At a pedestal near the Slipspace generators. The Grave Mind is using me to control High Charity!"
"What?!"
"I think I can still detonate--" She cut out suddenly.
"Who was it?"
"My AI. She's at a pedestal near the generators. She also says the Grave Mind is using her to control this ship."
"What? How is that even possible?" the Arbiter demanded.
"It doesn't matter. We need to focus on getting to the generators."
The Arbiter growled. Even if he was no longer part of the Loyalists it still annoyed him that a human AI was able to hack into the Covenant systems and gain control of their ship. "Very well. Head down that passage there." He pointed to a long and very narrow corridor that stretched mabey four meters long with no doors or other halls that connected to it. If they were ambushed down there, only the front and rear men would be able to kill any of the Flood or surviving Loyalists. The rest would be as dead as Grunts.
The Chief was the first down the passage followed by the Marines and Elites. The Arbiter was last. Ahead of the group bright blue blood streaked the walls and many Grunt and Brute bodies scattered the cramped corridor.
"What happened here?" The Chief asked.
"Mabey they killed each other. Or it could have been the Flood?" one soldier, called Diz, responded.
"Perhaps. But we can't stop we are wasting precious time." The Arbiter turned around. Something was following them.
Johnson fired at a Flood combat form as came leaping over head. It screeched and fired it's own weapon, a shotgun, at him. "Aw, shit! There's just no end to
these bastards!" he yelled as he fired the rest of his clip into the decaying body.
'Vadumee pulled his own weapon from a Flood's body. "We must find their point
of entry."
"Yeah? And how do you suppose we do that?" the Sergeant retorted.
"We follow them back the way they came. Then--" the Commander couldn't help but let a small smile slip.
"Will kill 'em all!" Johnson raised his gun into the air triumphantly.
"Don't do any thing foolish, Sergeant. We still have to restore main power back to
this ship." Lord Hood said.
"Yes, sir." He said annoyedly.
"Hurry! At this rate, they'll take over the ship in a matter of hours." 'Vadumee put his sword away and picked up a Needler and a Plasma Rifle. "Warriors! Form up and prepare for battle!"
The humans looked at the Serge confusion as the Separatists all began to form up.
"Well, you heard him. Lets go."
'Vadumee headed out first, followed by the Separatists then Johnson and his troops. Instantly they were all met by a hundred Combat, Carrier and Infection forms who all lunged at the small army at once. In one swift motion, the Separatists all opened fire, spewing green pus and shreds of dead flesh over their enemy. One Flood dropped it's weapon and began to charge the group. It grabbed one Marine ans tore his head from his body.
"You bastard!" The Serge fired piched up a Shotgun and began to to shoot round after round into the beast as it charged at him.
"Fool!" 'Vadumee caught Johnson's collar and yanked him back as the Brute-Flood ran through where he was just standing.
"Thanks."
"Next time move. Don't just stand there waiting to be killed." The half-jawed Elite repiled coldly.
The Arbiter shoved his was to the front of the group let be the human called "Master Chief", looking behind himself every few moments.
"What's got you all paranoid?" the Chief asked as the Arbiter came up beside him.
"Something's wrong." he said almost said shakily. "I get the feeling something is following us."
The Chief looked over his shoulder. "I don't see anything other than our guys."
"Hey, you two? Something is spookin' our men in the back." Diz came up behind them. "Any idea what it is?"
The Master Chief looked back at the Arbiter. "I think we should get moving." he suggested seriously.
"I think you may be right."
Halo Alliances: Chapter Two
Date: 10 January 2007, 3:19 am
(Thank you everyone who read my story! I do my best. If you didn't notice, I favor the Covenant. Sorry if any of this sounds girly, but I trying.)
The Arbiter pulled out his sword and advanced toward the back of the group. The blue-hot plasma illuminated the corridor and cast ghostly images along the violet metal. His heart thudded in his chest and adrenaline ran through his veins. The whispers of the other Elites echoed like sprits, filled the close quarters and added to the anticipation.
"Maybe you should reload your weapon?" he told the Spartan who followed behind him.
The Chief looked down at his Battle Rifle's counter. Three shots left. He reached down to his belt, pulled clip from it and loaded it into his gun. He wished that the Separatist ahead of him would move faster, there was no need to stealthily approach anything that could probably already see you.
"Stop." The Arbiter ordered.
The Chief squeezed the gun's hilt so tight, he heard it crack. He absolutely hated the fact that this Elite had just given him and order. "Why did we stop?"
"Don't you hear that?"
The Chief listened. The sound of low growls, gurgles, and wheezes began to fill the thick, discolored air. "Everyone, get your weapons out, now!"
"You don't mean to tell me you want to stay and fight that many of--"
"Yes I plan to stay," the Chief snapped. "And I don't give I damn if don't want to." He shoved his gun into The Arbiter's face. "I won't hesitate to kill you if you leave, you Covenant scum!"
The Arbiter growled and shoved his gun away. "I will laugh when I see those things kill you." he hissed.
"I think it's time to stop fighting each other and start fighting those guys over there." Diz pointed to a herd of Flood forms that were charging toward the group of
Humans and Elites.
"By the Rings!"
"Alrighty boys. Playtime!!" Diz yelled. The rest of the Marines responded by cheering and firing the first shots into the Flood as they leaped over head.
The Chief joined in the fight. He fired six rounds into a combat form's chest. Thick green paste sprayed his visor along with rotting chunks of meat. The Flood fell and died, then he moved onto the next one.
The Arbiter looked back at his own men who stood around with blank looks on their faces. "Do not just stand around. Fight!"
The group obeyed and engaged their rotting
once-comrades in battle. Infection and Carrier forms soared through the air and exploded as plasma and bullets cut into their pail skin.
The Master Chief reached down to his belt to grab another clip but found only grenades. "Damn." He huffed with exhaustion. He looked over at the Arbiter who's sword
began to dim and spark, indicating it was about to give out.
"What now?" the Arbiter asked at his discarded the sword's hilt.
"Grab their weapons."
"We would if they had any ammunition left!" the Elite shouted.
"Arbiter, we are losing men! We should retreat!" an Elite yelled.
"I hate to say but he's right. We can't win this battle."
The Chief looked around. Dead bodies of Flood, Humans, and Elites were beginning to pile up in the passage. "I really hate to say it, but you're right."
"Now then, every one, fall back!" The Arbiter commanded.
The Master Chief grabbed a fallen battle rifle that still had twelve rounds in it and aimed it at the Arbiter's head. Just as he was about to squeeze the trigger a golden flash appeared around him and the Arbiter.
Johnson peered into the hangar ahead of them. Multiple Flood dragged dead bodies into the corners as Infection forms burrowed into their chests. "Alright. There are about twenty of them and about..." He looked over the group. "About fifty of us." He held a shotgun he had found up.
"Wait." 'Vadumee said calmly and coolly. "We don't always have to rush into
battle." He put his hand on Johnson's gun and lowered it.
Johnson huffed. "Then what's your plan?"
"I propose that we find another way around."
"If we do that to Flood will have taken over this whole ship!"
The Commander sighed. "Fine. We will do it your way for now."
Johnson smirked. He slid around the corner and into the bay. Supply boxes stacked high filled the large room along with two Pelicans. He looked over to his right. No
Flood. To his left. No Flood. He tip-toed over to a grouping of boxes and observed the rest of the hangar. More boxes were stacked along the far wall. Dead bodies of Covenant Separatists and Humans were carelessly shoved into corners and piled on top of one another. The doors that lead to the armory had been torn open along with some of the
wall. What ever had done that was big. Very big.
"Where are they?" 'Vadumee asked.
Johnson looked around once again. The Flood had literally vanished. "What the hell? Where'd those bastards go?!"
'Rtas tapped the Human in front of him on the shoulder. As he turned around he pointed up.
Johnson looked up and say another huge hole had been ripped. This time... it was in the ceiling. "Ah, what the fuck?! How in the hell did they get up there?" He then noticed a large pile of boxes leading up to the ceiling.
"They must have fled when we were arguing."
"Okay. I know the Flood can jump high. But that?"
'Vadumee went up to the boxes and climbed up onto the first one.
"What are you doin'?"
"Your plan failed. This will be our alternate route." He continued to climb up half way until he had to wait for Johnson and the rest of his comrades.
The Master Chief remembered this light and sensation. He had felt it before, when Guilty Spark had transported him into the Library and when the Gravemind had sent him to High Charity. Where ever he was going, he hoped it would lead him closer to Cortana. Closer to the Grave Mind.
The Arbiter yelled as him and the armored Human were thrown from the rings of golden light and back into "reality". He shook his head and looked around. He could her the soothing hum of the Slipspace Generators and the sweet, metallic scent of coolant. He almost thought that he was back on the Seeker of Truth flagship he had commanded, when he was once a proud Supreme Commander. A memory that was broken by the sudden rotting stench of the Gravemind.
"Chief! Oh, thank God! Get out of here! The Gravemind! He's pl--!"
"Cortana! Where are you?!!"
"N--r mind that! Ju--s--t--out--f--"
Static was the only thing the Chief heard. "We must be close!"
"We are." the Arbiter said stiffly.
"How do you know?"
"Because... I'm staring right at the damn thing."
The Chief looked over. The huge, rotting plant-like Gravemind sat before the two. It slowly began to laugh a hollow, cruel laugh.
"I see... Even if you two have come together amidst the fight... It will not be my blood that flows tonight."
Halo Alliances: Chapter Three
Date: 15 January 2007, 8:29 pm
(Half-Jaw fans, look away.)
The Gravemind belched another hollow laugh. It laughed at the Human and Sangheili as they fought to break it's grip as it grabbed them. It laughed at the glowing
AI that was forced to control this ship. It laughed at the Prophet Truth. It laughed at the Covenant. It laughed at all of the destruction this decades-long war had brought. It
laughed at the face of death.
"Why do you bring us here, Abomination?" the Arbiter demanded.
"To witness the destruction of life, you must take a hand in that destruction. I, my dear brothers, plan to take every opportunity in that destruction."
"What do you mean by that?!"
"The 'Sacred Rings' your precious Forerunners built. I plan to use them." The plant-like Flood laughed again.
"You dare laugh at the Forerunners?!! The holy beings that may have very well created your existance?!" the Arbiter yelled. "Such impudence! Such malice! And for what?"
"Why do you feel hatred toward the very Humans who helped you break free of the lies you once believed?!" the Gravemind bellowed.
The Chief stared at the Elite. He had such constancy and creed in something that may never had existed. It amazed him somewhat.
The insults the monster spewed infuriated the Arbiter. He stood for everything the Sangheili had believed for millennia. Hope. Faith. Respect.Honor. And this... this creature danced upon them with such disdain.
"I only hate the Humans because they are the cause of what I am today!" he retorted. "You Flood bastards are all just mindless pieces of used flesh!"
The Gravemind slammed the Elite to the ground, released him and turned his attention back to the Chief. "What about you, Human? Do you wish to spout religious nonsense such as he did?"
"I have no religion, therefore I answer to no one. Especially you."
The Flood heaved a low growl. It continued to question the Master Chief, not noticing the Arbiter.
The Arbiter pushed himself up off the cold floor. He looked over at the AI called "Cortana." If she could control High Charity, then surely she could get the generators to reach critical point...
Cortana looked over at an Elite clad in strange armor as he crept over to her.
"What the hell do you want?" she snapped.
"Shh! Do you wish us both killed?"
Cortana rolled her eyes.
"Can you by any chance get the Slipspace Generators to over load and discharge?"
"I can. Why?"
"Do you wish the Human to live?" he questioned with a hint of pleasure.
Cortana looked over at the Chief. "Fine."
The Chief looked over at Cortana and the Arbiter. If he had any idea what they were doing, it would be that she was going to cause the generators to explode. That -if
successful- would kill the Gravemind, all the Flood aboard, and Truth's chance of reclaiming this wretched place.
Cortana's interface flashed red for a moment as she gained access to the workings of High Charity. "Accessing... Got it! Pull my chip out when I tell you to. I'm going to send this place far enough away so that it will not cause any damage to War Angel."
The Arbiter nodded.
The Gravemind flinched as an alarm blared. "What is this?!" it yelled. It turned its massive head and saw the Elite as he pulled the AI out of the pedestal. "You!" It
grabbed the Arbiter. "You have caused me enough trouble that you worth!" A sudden explosion beneath the Gravemind caused it to drop the two.
The Chief immediately got up and moved away from the Flood. The Arbiter, however, was once again caught.
"If I die, so will you!" it hissed.
The Arbiter grabbed the edge of the floor as the Gravemind began to fall, but was pulled down with it. He yelled as a tentacle was swiped against his head knocking his helmet off, causing him to bleed.
The Chief ran to the hole and tried to grab the Arbiter's hand, realizing he had Cortana's chip, but only caught his battered helmet. He sat on his knees as the alarm
continued to screech warnings in foreign tongues. He had no choice. It was either move
on and possibly escape, or sit there and die. He looked to his left and saw one open door.
His one possible escape.
Rtas squinted as he reached the exit of the hole. With out any power, every hall
was as dark as night. This hole lead to what looked to be the next deck of the Human cruiser. "Do you even know how to how to get to the main power grid?" he inquired
as he hefted himself out of the hole.
"Of course I do!" Johnson said as he climbed out of the hole along with his troops and 'Vadumee's. "What do I look like to you? Stupid?"
A few of the Elite soldiers looked at each other while some whispered their own opinions.
The Commander smiled but said nothing.
"So, where are the Flood?" Johnson asked. "I smell 'em all right."
"As do I. But..." He paused and pulled out a second sword. Something was wrong. It was just too quiet and still all of a sudden.
Nervous whispers and chatter broke out among the soldiers. The Elites also activated their own swords and grouped together.
"Huh! What a bunch of cowards." the Sarge said.
"Hardly. Merely the smartest." 'Vadumee replied. "Something is not right. It is just too quiet." He looked around. "Why must you Humans always had so many unnecessary objects in the way?!" he growled referring to the vending machines, benches and other things.
"Unlike you uptight Covenant bastards, we enjoy lounging around from time to time."
"That is probably why we were able to win this war for so long." It may not have been proper etiquette, but Rtas allowed his rude opinions slide out from time to time.
Johnson glared at him. "Why don't we just focus on finding the damn Flood?" Just as he said that, a sickening roar pierced through the dark.
The Master Chief found himself in a Flood-less room that absolutely reeked of Brute. He had encountered very little Flood since the Gravemind had fallen. Perhaps
because the creature had partial control them that, if killed, the Flood would group to where it had fallen.
He looked around the corridor. Bulbous masses of dead flesh hung off the violet walls. Thick "fog" prevented any light from passing through and would have made it
difficult to breath had it not been for the purification system in his suit. He could hear the whir of a broken door attempting to slide shut and headed that way. Another short wall blocked his view at the entry. He crawled under the broken door and proceeded.
The Arbiter watched as deck after deck of High Charity shot up wards as he fell with the howling Gravemind. Image after image flashed through his mind one last time. Memories of his comrades, close friends, a shameful mark. Family.
He didn't struggle as the tentacles wrapped around him and squeezed. The ceremonial armor ment to protect him stabbed through the under-armor suit and dug into his flesh.
"Heh heh. Lost all hope in living have we?"
"It is my duty as the Arbiter to die." he said solemnly. "I might as well just accept
the truth that I will die today."
"Imprudent to the end." The Gravemind flung the Arbiter away.
The Arbiter wasn't sure if he was just hallucinating or he really was seeing what he
saw. He began to laugh as he flew toward an open hangar bay that held multiple Seraph fighters. Mabey, just mabey, he wouldn't die, not yet.
He groaned as he slammed into the wall. He was lucky something didn't break with all the abuse he had been through within those three hours.
"Praise the Forerunners." he said wearily as he stood up. Pain and suffering had been his life since his branding. He looked up at the fighters. They both appeared to have sustained no damage during the time that the Flood had taken over High Charity. He was about to board one when he heard the loud clanking of heavy metal against the floor. He tried to activate his optical camouflage but it would not respond.
"Damn." he cursed aloud.
The Master Chief pulled himself into a Seraph fighters cockpit. It wasn't that much different from a Longsword Fighter. He thumbed the controls and maneuvered it to face the shielded exit.
The Arbiter jumped into a separate Seraph as he saw the shield deactivating. Who or what was in the other Fighter? Was it a Flood? Or could it have been some of his men? He didn't know but he decided to wait until it left for him to get back to the Human Cruiser. He didn't know where this "Master Chief" had gone nor did he care. His main objective now was to get out of High Charity alive. He tried to start the ship's systems but the holo pannel remained dark. He growled in displeasure and crawled out of the Seraph as the other left. He had mabey 15 cycles left before the generators discharged then... kaboom. "Damn it!" he yelled.
"What hell is that?!!" Johnson yelled as a monstrous mass of pail rotting flesh jumped out from the shadows.
"What does it look like?! Kill it!" he ordered. Everyone opened fire or threw grenades at the hissing beast as it made a grab for the Sarge and Commander. 'Vadumee grabbed its arm and tried sliced through it with one of his swords. The blade crackled and flashed as it was forced against the creature's arm. It would not penitrate despite how soft and fragile the skin looked. Rtas faltered for a split second and the "Flood" socked him in the side. The sharp spines on its knuckles broke his shield and stabed into his ribs. As he regained his compusure, he was kicked in the jaw and sent flying. There was a chorous of worried "Exellency!"s from his warriors and he smashed into the wall behind him and as rubble from the abused ship fell ontop of him.
"Exellency! Hurry get him out!" ordered a Zealot.
As the group rushed up to him, the Commander shoved debris out of his way. His eyes seemed to glow angrily and his men recoiled out of fear. His remaining mandibles clicked furiously as a sign of severe anger. He kicked himself up and slowly advanced toward the monster.
Johnson looked behind him as the half-jawed Elite charged at the Flood and rammed both both swords clean through the seemingly impenitrable skin.
The animal fell to the ground and Rtas 'Vadumee backed away, fists clenched so tight they bled.
"What the hell is with you?" Johnson asked.
The Commander did not answer.
The Sarge shrugged and began to lead the troop onward.
The monster's eyes snapped back open and it pulled out the swords. It heaved itself back up and ran at the Elite.
Rtas whirled around just in time to see the creature stab him through the chest and stomach. A disgusting sneer slid across its demented face and neon yellow slime dripped from its fangs..
Rtas yelled and tried to pull himself free but to no avail. He heard the Sarge shout something then heard the annoying sounds of gun fire. He tried not to, but coughed up purple blood. The things he could see now were fading fast.
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