Brothers-at-Arms
Chapter one
The escape
The news had come in a little over a week ago. The Covenant were moving in on something. There were 2 frigates and a Carrier Flagship spotted by the UNSC slip space drones moving towards a small, mostly uninhabited world. The UNSC managed to get there first by some miracle. The Frigate class Ares Wrath had come in system just hours before the Covenant. The small frigate didn’t stand a chance against the 3 Covenant ships but with no choice left the captain ordered all hands to abandon ship except for those willing to stay behind and pilot the ship as a distraction.
That was just over an hour ago and the explosions of the human craft and Covenant plasma could be seen in the broad daylight. Now, sitting in 2 pelicans that managed to stay together during the chaos, a platoon of marines and a squad of 5 SpartanII’s from the Master Chiefs infamous Blue Team. The Covenant drop ships had been dropping to the planet ever since the explosion, pelicans and other human vessels used to escape could be seen in the distance being shot down but somehow the two pelicans had escaped, for the moment.
No one spoke in the close confines of the pelicans. The Spartans sat near the hatch of one of the pelicans holding an unheard conversation over their comm. Systems in their air tight helmets. To the marines their was no indication of a conversation outside of an occasional head nod or hand gesture, of course none of them paid attention to the great, scary looking hulks. ODST’s know how to deal with fear, they are dropped from outside the atmosphere in nothing but a small pod that has good odds of disintegrating before touching down. But these things in the pelican were beyond that. Those who had been in battle with a Spartan at his side had seen what they can do. They had seen them tackle an Elite, capable of tearing a regular man apart in a fair fight, and beat it into unconsciousness. Even death.
The conversation was between Grey-101, Will-092, Zeon-001, Eric-042, and Derrick-128. Their conversation was that of a typical Spartan in a dangerous situation. It was a conversation on how to fight their way out. After coming up with nothing useful they began to do equipment and supply checks. They had enough ammo between the 5 of them for each with an Assault Rifle to have 5 extra clips. Will had enough shot gun ammo for 3 full reloads and 4 magnum clips. Derrick had 2 sniper clips and his spare Assault Rifle ammo. Zeon had his field knife sheathed and Assault Rifle cleaned and loaded with ammo clips in each pocket of his slightly bulky but comfortable MJOLNIR Mark VI armor. Eric had 2 rocket reloads and 4 magnum clips. Grey was ready to go with anything that came at them with his Battle Rifle and Assault Rifle at the ready.
Chapter 2
Downed pelicans
The ODST sergeant Greygor Drakes was sitting near the cockpit of the pelican watching the great 7 foot tall beings at the back of the bird. He had seen them fight before. These five specifically. Chief relies on them for spec. ops. Missions usually. They had saved him from a hunter pair earlier in the war.
It was not to long after Harvest and it was just another nameless colony being attacked by the alien bastards. Greygor and his squad had been backed into a small compound they had been using as a bunker during the ground assault. The UNSC managed to get enough ships in system in time for the odds to be even topside so the Covenant’s small fleet wasn’t getting past to glass the place for a little while at least. Greygor and his boys had been ground side with 2 other squads hold up in the makeshift bunker for *** near a week and were starting to get low on food. They weren’t prepared for the siege and the building was more of a small business building then anywhere to hold out.
As the covenant managed to land some drop ships and began sweeping the planet for….something. To be honest Greygor didn’t even know why he was there he was just following his orders. Covenant squads began to sweep the city he was in and killing anyone they found. Fire fights had been breaking out in the streets and civilians had even had some kind of body count in all the carnage. They were just wanting to save their families and a few went so far as to pick up the weapon of a dead marine and stand with the soldiers on the front.
So the Covenant had been patrolling for nearly a week and there were hardly anymore gunshots heard except for a few when another squad was discovered and destroyed. The sergeant for one of the squads in the building had snapped and they barely managed to keep him from running out into the streets and giving them away. The other squads’ sergeant had taken a pretty good plasma blast and was nothing but carbonized bone when he was found, so a Greygor took command from the acting command and was now in lead of the other 2 squads as well as his own depleted one.
The three squads of weary marines were sitting in hiding for the 7th day in a row when they heard the sound of big stomping feet and the skittering of smaller ones. There were high pitched squeaks and some low rumbling from some grunts and split lips. Then through one of the windows one of Greygor’s Privet first class, James Marshall had seen the shadow of a hunter pair. Every marine had come to hate hearing those words put together by now. The privet had panicked and let loose a small burst into the nearest elites face, of course it didn’t do much because of its energy shields. The whole scene turned into chaos. Plasma was lighting up the air and making the air thin and gunfire was ringing all through the building. Greygor acted as quick as he could and took out the Elite in charge and made for the back room yelling “Fall back boys we cant hold em. Fall back to the back rooms and hope for a miracle” and shooting scared grunts as he went.
After reaching the room with his few survivors from all three squads they held for maybe 10 more minutes before the covenant let the hunters do their job. They had just gotten into the building and began making their way to the room when our of the shadows jump three 7foot tall fully clad…..humanoids would be the word. They didn’t look human but the MAJOLNIR told them to be Spartans. It was painted black to signify spec ops.
So three of the Spartans jumped out and began hit and run tactics on one hunter and kept it confused while the other 2 drew the other one of the pair away and began to dart back and forth tricking it into shooting its own allies. Then the hunter being attacked by the three, in its rage, took aim directly at Greygor and began to charge a shot when one of the Spartans moved faster then his eye could follow and picked him and privet Marshall up, one in each hand, and threw them like they were weightless out of the way.
As the black clad savior did his job the rest of the Spartans finished the hunters with precision and finished the rest of the hunting party the one that saved Greygor removed his helmet revealing a strong face with experienced piercing eyes. This was Zeon-001 leader of the spec ops. Spartan II’s that were called in to stop the alien pricks.
That was the beginning of the war. Now as he sits on a pelican with a *** storm going on outside he was glad to have these precise instruments of war at hand.
Just as Greygor began to remember some more combat situations he had been in the Pelican shook violently and jarred everyone in its passenger bay. Greygor looked out of a side window and saw, to his amazement, Anti-Air batteries were already in place and firing at them. Before anyone could react or think of what needed doing the front of the Pelican burst into flame. There wasn’t time to think but Greygor didn’t need to to realized both pilots were more then likely incinerated beyond recognition.
The pelican went into a steep dive but the wind under the wings was just enough to keep it from a certain death vertical dive. Greygor, with a stinging back from the extreme heat, managed to get more towards the hatch and brace for impact as the bird erupted into deafening sound of metal tearing apart. Suddenly he was weightless for a few seconds.
The last thing Greygor say before losing consciousness was the ground coming up to meet him and the pelican hitting some hundred yards away.
Chapter 3
Survivors
Zeon-001 awoke a few hours later. He had pain everywhere and wasn’t to sure where he was at first. Then it started coming back to him. He was on a world uninhabited by men and had just made and escape from UNSC Frigate class Ares Wrath. He started to remember the scene, picture by picture, he and his Spartans had saved….maybe 10-15 marines. As they got closer to the ground the SpartanII’s has saved as many as they could with their incredible reflexes. As they got closer and closer to the inevitable they began to throw the marines out of the hatch of the pelican. They gave them enough upwards force to slow their downwards momentum, causing them a slightly lighter impact on the awaiting ground.
Surprisingly the ground around them was moss and sand so it wasn’t as hard as suspected, but it still brought unconsciousness. A little ways off Zeon saw a fire and saw the wings and tail section of the pelican. It was night by now so the fire lit the sky around him. Off to his other side he saw the other pelican that was flying along with them. It’s right wing was destroyed and the tail was almost gone but it managed to land and it appeared the occupants were just fine if not shaken up a bit. The troops from the second pelican were moving around the area checking bodies and helping survivors.
Just a few feet away he saw one of his team. He checked his radar learned it was Derrick-128. His foot twitched slightly. Then over his comm. He heard a groan. Then another and another. “you guys ok?” he asked with the pain heard in his voice.
“Ya, just fine sir, don’t worry.” came Grey’s voice.
He could hear more groans from the comm. as his team started to move. He could see one over closer the pelican but his head was still spinning a bit to much to check his radar again. He felt a hand rest on his shoulder as he went to sit up. It wasn’t one of the massive gauntlets of his teams MAJOLNIR though. It was smaller, just a normal mans.
“easy there petty officer. You took quite the fall there. You guys must be pretty half cocked to willingly dive out of a falling bird. But hell you saved half the crew.” it was to dark to tell who the man was by his face but at the moment Zeon didn’t really care. His left arm hurt a little bit and he didn’t want to move it, but he had to get up and help his squad. So he shrugged off the hand trying vainly to restrain him from getting to his feet and helped derrick to his feet. He stumbled on what could be a broken or sprained ankle. Impossible to tell in the darkness and with his armor on. Next he found Will. He managed to prop himself on a rock.
“I’m fine I’m fine I just got the wind knocked out of me. Go check on Eric though, he hasn’t been able to get up yet and Grey is already checking on survivors.”
On his way to Eric’s struggling form Zeon passed a sprawled out form that he managed to recognize. That one sergeant he had saved from the hunter pair. He saw him on the way down and was the first person he manually ejected from the crashing transport. he kneeled before the form to check his vitals. His heart was beating, but faintly.
“can you support a couple of pounds Derrick?” he asked his squad mate.
“course, sir” he replied as Zeon put the limp form of the brave sergeant in his arms.
“Take him to the medic. It seems there is a small tent over there for wounded” He gestured to a tent where Grey was helping wounded into so the medics could do their jobs.
Zeon made his way to Eric and found him struggling with one leg bent in a odd direction and the other bent so far it was under him. He was trying to push him self up again and again but kept collapsing.
“Let me help you soldier” Zeon said as he grabbed the Spartan by the shoulders and hoisted him up.
Eric nearly toppled till Zeon caught his arms and steadied him.
“anything broke?”
“No, sir. I just need the muscles to unclench and I will be alright. I think I just need to lay down for a bit.”
“ill help you get to the med tent. Get your rest and report to me when you feel fit.”
“I feel fit now, sir”
“well you don’t look it enough soldier”
“YES, SIR” Eric barked and allowed Zeon to take him to the med tent for his ordered rest
Chapter 4
The relic
Greygor woke up in a tent a little after sunrise when the light rays were at just the right angle to cause him a major headache on top of the one he already had. More or a migraine really.
As that thought passed through his mind he realized that whatever nutritious snack he had left in his stomach wasn’t going to be there long and bent his head over the side of his cot to a conveniently placed bucket.
He groaned as he laid back “ugh what the hell happened” he said as he put his arm over his eyes to shield them from the glare.
He was greeted by the smart assed tone of Privet Marshall “Well we were on a ship in space and….”
“I know that happened. I meant why dose my head feel like you tried to commit a mutiny and bashed it in with a hammer.”
“Ah that part. That would be from, oh, id say the ridiculously long fall from the crashing bird you were thrown out of by those great heroes of ours” he said again with his smart assed way.
“Your d*mn right they are our heroes and you wont forget it any time soon” as he said it Greygor remembered the feeling of a massive gauntlet grabbing his battle armor at the back like a pup would by the scruff of its neck. That is two reasons he owes a Spartan his life. And he had the fear that by the end of this mess he very well may have to do so.
As he and the privet conversed a little longer a medic came in with a field x-ray machine and checked his ribs, which hurt like a b*tch.
“well one rib is broke and you’ve got 2 more bruised around it and another bruised on the opposite side. You are very lucky that is all you have, sir. Although there is one thing I don’t get. It seems the broken rib has realigned and is fix itself. It is the most amazing growth rate I’ve ever seen.” the medic told Greygor looking at the small screen in amazement.
“what did I miss while I was out?” he asked Marshall.
“nothing much, sir. Two of the Spartans have been in and out of here already and another one has been up all night helping wounded get here from the canyon. Oh yeah I forgot to mention we crashed in a canyon. Thought id share that little fact”
“would have been nice to know sooner privet. Anything else.” he said with a slight edge to let the privet know say it now or shut up.
“yeah, there is no way out. We can see both sides and there aren’t any paths up. There are caves but they aren’t good for much. We could use them for fall back points.”
“huh, help me up would you.” Greygor said to the privet as he began sitting up
“Whoa sir I don’t think so. Doctors orders are to lay in that cot for a week” the medic said as he tried to push the sergeant down.
“And my orders are stand back and remove your hands before I show you how many ways a finger can be broken at once.” he said with the authority clear in his gruff tone. The medic stopped for a second, checked his charts again, and switched between the charts and the face of the stern commanding officer.
“Ok, you can go” the young medic said, his voice cracking slightly in nervous anxiety of not knowing if the sergeant was just making a threat or really going to destroy his well needed hands. “I have other troops i have to attend to. Your free to go.” he said as he started walking away trying to seem unafraid
Just after Greygor got to his feet and got his clothes on there was a crashing sound outside. He grabbed his assault rifle in one hand and expertly strapped on his magnum holster with the other as he bounded out the door with almost no sign of pain.
Off near the destroyed pelican he saw what the crashing was. A plasma grenade had gone off in the wreckage and looking past the blue mist from the explosion he saw possibly a hundred grunt and maybe 15-20 Elites standing with weapons ready about to charge the camp.
Greygor began barking orders to the troops around him and started forming them up. “front line on your stomachs, second line kneel behind them, third line standing up. Once they get close enough let em have it. If they get to close, well then best of luck with hand to hand boys and girls.”
As he barked out orders he saw off to his right the Spartans calmly getting their gear around. He saw one, Eric most likely because he seemed to like the heavy stuff that goes boom, hoist a rocket launcher and strap some more spankers to his hip like they weighed no more then a few pounds. The sniper of their group, Derrick he believed he was called, was casually leaning on his sniper and looked like he was holding a conversation with some old pals. Which if he had heard right all of them were old pals.
He saw Zeon expertly twirl his field knife and sheath it with natural expertise. He was most noticeable for his bulk. Will had a magnum at his hip and a shotgun resting barrel up on his shoulder. Grey was in the process of deciding which he wanted to start with, battle rifle so he could soften em up before he reached them, or assault rifle so he could just give em a face full of lead. He held each gun one handed while deciding and finally put the assault rifle on his back, deciding to start with the battle rifle first.
The moment came back to Greygor of his soldiers getting ready for the attack and he realized he had stopped giving orders to his men as he watched the seven foot tall men prepare. “Be sure to check your line of fire for the Spartans. We want to cover their backs not make em full of lead.” he said and stood in line with his 3rd line as he raised his assault rifle and leveled it on the elite in the front. There was a moment of silence and then alien cries went up as they charged. In an instant he saw the Spartans go from casual to blood thirsty and ruthless.
Eric shot both his rockets into the heart of the enemy group and Greygor saw chunks of fried grunt land on some of their fellows. There was a moment of panic in the midst of the enemy before the Elites got control of their lowers.
The front line of the Covenant troops got close enough and the marine, ODST mix began to open fire on the front runners. Greygor shot in short controlled bursts that tore grunts apart and lowered the elite shields enough for his men to do their job.
Off to the right at the enemies left flank he saw Zeon, Grey and Will charged the enemy and went full auto. When an enemy would get to close to Zeon he would lash out with his knife wipe it and sheath it all in one fluid motion. It happened so fast that the splashing blood was a surprise every time. Will would simply shoot a buck shot at point blank into the enemies face or do with his pistol like Zeon did with his knife.
Derrick couldn’t be seen but elites and grunts were falling from streams of white that came from no direction specifically. It was from a different spot each time. Eric was still loading and shooting rockets into the enemy when they grouped closely together. Grey was side by side with Zeon and Will going full auto by now with his assault rifle. His battle rifle strapped neatly on his back with most likely an empty clip.
The marine lines were all firing straight into the faces of the enemy now and weren’t worried about conserving ammo. Every shot would connect in one way or another. The 2nd and 3rd lines stopped shooting randomly as the first line jumped up and began hand to hand with the enemy.
Then a thought crossed Greygor’s mind. The Covenant hadn’t fired a single shot. They had been trying all melee. Then he looked around wondering what would cause them to charge and not even use their weapons of destruction. What was there around them that could be so important. Then his eyes were drawn to something near the underside of the damaged but not destroyed pelican. It was shining pretty brightly and even from this distance he saw unusual markings. Alien markings.
By now the enemy was down to almost nothing and was still trying to throw themselves at the humans, vainly.
Then there was nothing left of the enemy troop that has attacked them except mangled bodies and chunks of blue and purple blooded meat.
Then Greygor brought the items attention to everyone else and they began to dig it out.
Chapter 5
The canyon
As the efforts to dig out the artifact began Greygor called Privet Marshall aside as well as a few other marines and an ODST.
“I want you guys to scout out the entire perimeter of this canyon. Find what you can and report back. If you find anything suspicious I give you permission to investigate but do so covertly, we don’t need another attack with our platoon digging out that artifact.” Greygor said to the marines under his command. “Privet Marshall I give you a field promotion to corporal and make you squad leader of this small band. Do you understand your orders, son.”
With a slight surprise and shock in his eyes he replied “yes, sir” and swallowed down the two emotions. Good soldier.
“good, head on out ASAP.”
“Sergeant if I may make a request?” asked Zeon in his strictly professional way.
“Very well” Greygor replied.
“Perhaps I could send one of mine with your squad. He will follow Marshall’s orders and follow like a loyal soldier. I just want to be sure one of mine is there in case sh*t hit’s the fan.”
“good idea Petty officer. Fine send one of your boys with em.” Greygor said.
Not to long after the orders were given Marshall and his squad of four marines, and ODST, and Will-092 met at the edge of the camp. The marines and ODST carrying their supplies. Will with nothing but his trusty shotgun and magnum.
They started off down one side of the canyon. It was a bit dark from the shadow of the wall but that was perfect for cover. They followed the wall for a few hours and stopped for a quick rest. The marines sat and joked while Will kept watch over the width of the canyon. Summing up any spots for an ambush they may run into
After the short rest they started off again. They found a ridge that they followed until they came to a cave. Is was just a cavern with two openings, theirs and another at the far end. They went through the cave. None spoke.
As they emerged out of the other side there was a pain of sleeping grunts that were most likely supposed to be keeping watch for anyone sneaking through the cave. The squad ghosted them with no problems at all. Will hit one in the back with his massive gauntleted fist and the ODST, a woman named Samantha Davids, hit the other with her Assault Rifle butt. Everyone called her Sam for short. She found her full name to girly for a marine, not that she wasn’t womanly in body or mind, she could get what she wanted with some feminine persuasion, but as a marine she needed to be taken seriously.
As the squad moved a bit farther along the ridge they found and elite relieving himself and his squad snoring their little black hearts out. The marines each took a grunt and will took the elite out. All silent. All deadly. No alarm.
The squad made their way down the hill and just over a small hill that looked like it would be ok cover in a fire fight, then they saw it. A smallish bunker looking construct. They advanced slowly. Ghosting a jackal or grunt her. Slitting the throat of an elite without his shield powered there. The only evidence of them being there were slumped bodies. They covered the bloody sand with clean so it would seem the bodies were sleeping soldiers.
They made their way in a door. Surprisingly there were no guards inside. They made their way to a middle room of the small bunker. There they saw a pad with lighted buttons on it. Forerunner. Will recognized one button. It seemed….familiar. He pressed it and the entire floor began to shift. Then it slowly moved downwards to an open room. The floor fit into place of a larger platform that also descended. As they went down the squad stood in amazement at the vastness of the lift. It could hold….hundreds of soldiers at a time. The realization startled will. The fact that the covenant could get a massed army down there on foot within who knows how short a time period scared even a Spartan.
The lift eased to a stop then began a horizontal movement down another passage. It continued for about 2 minutes, 2 minutes of absolute silence, and then started up another one. This one longer then the other 2 motions. Again it was spent in silence.
Then the lift eased to another halt and will tapped another familiar button and the smaller lift ascended into another bunker looking thing.
The squad carefully moved outside and again ghosted the few guards there were. And then proceeded to a near by ledge.
They were over looking the canyon and were amazed at how far they had trekked. The base camp was almost at the exact half way mark on the canyon. And it appeared at the other side was another bunker that shined slightly in the light.
“I dub this canyon Coagulation” said Sam jokingly.
“sounds good to me” said another marine as the others started agreeing.
“wow will you just look at all that. Hey Will can you record this on your helmet camera so we can show the sergeant and Petty officer?” asked Marshall to the 7 foot tall giant.
“yes, sir” Will said emotionlessly. His pride stung slightly at taking orders from someone of a lower rank then he was but orders were orders and he had command. So Will swallowed his meaningless pain and started recording everything. He caught caves and places that could be used as fall back points as well as good booby trap and ambush spots. Choke points and spots to lure the enemy for distractions. None escaped the Spartans attention and he would be sure to remember all for his report back to Zeon.
“hey do you guys hear a buzzing sound?” one of Marshall’s marines said.
“yea I’ve been hearing that for the past few minutes but just thought it was my ears.” replied Sam.
Will turned around and saw in the distance a swarm of shades coming and more then likely packing one hell of a lotta fire power and troops. “RUN FOR THE LIFT!” he yelled out and made sure everyone was heading there. He got one last good recording of the incoming enemy before he headed into the base and hit the lift button.
As the lift descended Marshall called Greygor on his comm. And Will got Zeon on his own. He reported the incoming and what they saw and sent Zeon the feed. They would let Marshall report to Greygor and give the same news so they weren’t accused of undermining him and causing trouble.
“Will there is one more thing. We managed to get a pelican running. It is in good enough shape for one run to a near by base we made radio contact with. I’m sending you and only you. You are to get Alpha and Bravo companies to come here and help us save this d*mn relic. When you get back you are being shipped out, we will buy you time to get out of the canyon.”
“Yes, sir” Will said, reluctance in his voice at leaving his brothers behind to stand against the hundreds of alien pricks that were headed their way.
Chapter 6
The pelicans escape
The squad made their way back to camp with Covenant right on their tails. It took them a day and a half of marching with little rest but they made it and as they got to base camp they were greeted with newly made defenses. The platoon had managed to rig some turrets on the hills as well as dig some fox holes and even a trench where several marines with battle rifles and assault rifles sat with their weapons leveled to cover the returning squad. Just a precaution.
The fixed pelican stood in the middle with some preparations still being made. The armor off of the crashed pelican had been stripped and added to vulnerable spots on the fixed bird as well as double layering most of the underbelly. They took the guns that managed to survive the crash from the downed bird and attached them to the fixed one along with its own so it had dual 50. Caliber full automatic air-to-air and air-to-ground full metal jacket round guns on each wing. There was also a four missile canister on the outside of each wing.
With all the weapons there was only enough power in the Pelican to carry either a single Spartan or a squad of marines. Zeon decided Will-092 would go. The platoon had made radio contact with Alpha and Beta companies from the ship but only briefly. The two companies managed to get their positions in another near by canyon across before the feed was broke, so Alpha and Beta didn’t receive the downed platoons co ordinance.
As the squad made their way to Greygor and Zeon they passed a few piles of boxes. Most likely food, ammo, and explosives. Resting on top of them was the relic. It was almost a perfect square that was glowing from nothing in particular and had alien markings all around it. As they reached their commanding officers Zeon pulled Will to the side as Marshall reported to Greygor.
“Zeon we have hundreds of Covenant inbound and a few were right behind us. We need to move fast what are your orders.”
“you are getting on that bird when those few minor adjustments are made. You are going to get help and get them back here. That is your main priority and don’t try and get me to let you stay behind” Zeon said as if he read his friends mind.
“Yes, sir.” Will said as he saluted and walked over to his fellow squad mates. They had their helmets off and were having a meal when he came up. Derrick and Eric were messing around like they were brothers. Tipping each others drinks or nudging each other when one made a joke. Grey just sat nearby watching in his strong silence. Watching. Observing as always. Will joined them and took his helmet off as well to join with the conversation. He wasn’t happy with his orders but he would do his job without a grudge.
Zeon looked over the finishing touches of the Pelican and then went to talk to Greygor.
“So we got some split lips inbound with their pain in the asses huh?” he asked Zeon in that blunt way marines are.
“apparently. Will said he saw hundreds. Maybe even more then a thousand. I don’t think they will hit us all at once. They will do it in waves and test out defenses. We just have to hold out. I thing we should set up a fall back point in that cave. It has water that is clean for us and we can move some supplies in there so we can make a stand if we must.”
“Sounds like it would work. Ill get some men on it right away.” Greygor said as he looked at the now finished Pelican. “I think its bout time your boy geared up. We need to get some re…” he was cut off by gun fire.
Every Spartan sprang into action at once. Their helmets were on and weapons were leveled at the enemy. Three shots rang out from Derricks sniper rifle downing 2 Elites. One took a shot to the head and his tongue exploded out of the back of his skull. The other took two rounds to the chest. Grunts began pouring over the hills and the turret emplacements opened up showering the ground with blue and purple blood.
“Will get your ass in that bird NOW!!!” Zeon said over his comm. with authority.
Will nodded and sprinted to the bird. He jumped on as the engines roared to life and it began to lift off the ground. He looked out of the back hatch at the flood of enemies over the hill coming into view as he rose into the air. The ground was covered in all directions and the only thing keeping the flood of aliens away was a circle of turrets around base camp that were unloading box after box into them. It looked like they were all grunts. But he remembered the lifts. There would be more coming and with bigger guns. And just as the pelican lifted over the lip of the canyon that is what he saw.
Hunters, Jackels, Elites, Grunts, Brutes, and Drones all were pouring towards the lifts. There were camps and they stretched for a few miles before the flood beneath them disappeared. Again Will noticed they didn’t shoot. Maybe they feared the Relic was on board. Maybe that was the only thing keeping him from becoming carbonized bone.
"Take a few with you, and never die alone"-my spartan code
"There is a fine line between offense and defence, to master both is to master all" -me