Halo Alliances: Chapter One
Posted By: ChibiHalo<ssvaltinson@msn.com>
Date: 29 December 2006, 2:34 am
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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."
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