The Meeting

(first-person)

sounds like the cyclops got their asses handed to them.

=No sooner had I run through the door, than another steel plate came crashing down behind me. Her voice sounded again, this time over my comms=

@ Jason- I was hoping you'd do that.

=I kept running down the hallway, towards the door at the far end=

See, I seem to remember you shooting me in the back. Ever since, I've been hoping to repay you for that. And don't worry. =she said in that high-pitched voice meant for little girls= I didn't wire the door to explode. I wan't to kill you with my own hands.

=I burst through the door, and found myself in the main warehouse room. The room was dark, except for a series of lamps along the ceiling, each dimmed to nearly nothing. There were crates, boxes, and industrial racks, turning the place into a maze=

=i see Jason run through a door and a plate come down, preventing me from helping. A few squads of...Marines? ODSTs? Some kind of soldier come in to the building and start shooting at me. i quickly run and take cover behind a fallen Cyclops=

=I stood my ground, alone in that darkness=

Where are you Kate? Still playing your old games?

=In response, her voice sounded over the speakers, both inside the room, and in my helmet=

Oh, now why would I tell you where I am? That seems to defeat the purpose of my training.

=I started to walk between the crates, and through the maze they made. Then, with her voice still over every speaker in the room, she started singing. I don't mean karaoke singing. She was singing a nursery rhyme, in a motherly tone=

"Hush little baby don't say a word, Momma's gonna buy you a mocking bird......."

=the Marines, for lack of a better term, keep shooting. I take out my rifle and start shooting. I have no idea if I hit anyone, but i know I shredded a few boxes and a large section of the wall. i reload and try to figure out my next move=

=She kept singing, and all the while, I kept walking through that maze. I don't know how I didn't shit myself right there, but maybe it was because I didn't eat=

Really, that's your tactic? Sing me a lullaby? Scare me into letting my guard down?

Because Jesus Christ lady, it's working. =I thought=

(first-person)

Wait, who is that second man? Why can't I have visual feed on the rooms! dammit!

"Let me know when Kate finishes with the Target. I'm going to see if the Spartans will let me see what's going on."

Soldier- "Sir, yes sir."

=i go prone and aim out from under the Cyclops'...well, ass. i fire off a few bursts, making sure I hit someone with each burst. The sudden loss of some people must've made the commander back off for a second, as the shooting seemed to slow down. i check the ammo in the magazine and decide to swap it. i run towards the soldier, taking cover behind the next Cyclops=

=Kate finished singing, and my instincts screamed at me to duck. So I did. Kate just appeared out of the air, and swung her knife at where my neck was moments ago. I shot up, my fist ready for an uppercut. My form was perfect. And she grabbed arm out of the air as casually as she would a tennis ball. That was when I noticed her armor. It was different=

@ Jason- Like the new armor boss? =She casually tossed me back= Turns out the suits we used to use were prototypes. Yeah, this is what you could have worn if you stayed.

=She swung at me, this time a simple punch. I blocked with my arm, and I was actually moved to the side by an inch=

Your armor, the speed and strength are increased by a factor of five. Our armor, is increased by a factor of seven.

=i call out to the soldiers=
You don't want to do this! Walk away now, and we can all let this go! I don't want a fight here, but I will if I have to!

=i wait for a response, but it doesn't come. At least, not quickly=

=She kept me on the defensive, her attacks were too fast, and too strong. There were dents forming in my armor. To make things worse, she started singing again, and it was clear she was getting excited=

Jesus, I think this is her version of foreplay.

(Narrator)

Nikolaus walks into an observation room, with the scenes of two rooms before him. One: Dormii behind a cyclops shooting at Blacked Out marines (His codename for Marines who worked for ONI on the Side). On the Second: The Target fighting Kate.

=I did the only thing I could do: I ran. I took a grenade, and dropped it at my feet. I waited two seconds, and then i leapt back. The explosion distracted her, and I darted for cover=

Argo. =I whispered. Argo appeared as a small dot on my HUD=

@ Jason- Yes Jason?

=I grabbed my assault rifle=

Listen, her psych warfare, the singing? It's working. I need something to block it out. I need you to play something for me.

=I thought about what I wanted him to play=

Play, "Won't Back Down," by Eminem.

=A second later, the song started to play, and I felt calm, and much braver than I was a minute ago=

Thanks man.

=I got out of cover, and turned to face my nightmare=

=i finally get a response, more shooting. i go prone again and start firing, hitting more and more marines with each burst. I wait for a lull in the shooting and rush forward, trying to get within melee range of the Marines=

=Kate spotted me, and started to walk towards me. I pulled out my rifle, and started firing. She moved to the side, her shields blocking most of the rounds=

@ Jason- That's your plan? Just unload an assault rifle at me?

=I didn't answer. I just did the dumbest, and boldest thing off my life: I charged her. I ran at the crate to her right, pulling out my knife as I ran. I jumped off the side of the crate, and brought the knife in a downward arc at her shoulder. She was caught off guard, but the knife hit her shields. She twisted, her hands coming up to grab me, and she slammed me into the side of the crate=

(First-person)

I sigh. Deeply. I head to the room Dormii is in, well, I would have, if a certain Spartan hadn't been in my way. He basically said fuck off, but I know now why the cyclops didn't work. Dormii Fortuni, once Dormii Mali. I sensed a flaw in the plan already. I looked over the monitors some more, and noticed a woman in the same room as Dormii, I don't think anybody noticed her. I had Sophia copy the transmission feed, and left the room, to find a more, shall we say 'private' location.

"Dormii, can you hear me?" I whisper through comms device.

=i comm back a reply as I jump and tackle a marine, hearing bones crack=
I might, why, what a) are you doing here and b)do you want?

(first-person)

"Well, a) I'm here hunting a target and b) watch your left flank."

=i look to my left=
What about my lef- shit!

=i duck and roll as I see a shot fly at me=
Thanks. Now, why are you talking to me now?

=i gut a marine with the handle blade on my rifle=

@ Jason- I don't think you get it, boss. My armor, the armor of your whole team, is superior to yours, in every single way.

=I chuckled weakly=

@ Jason- What's so funny?

=I depolarized my face-plate, and flashed her a grin=

Oh nothing, except that you're right. My armor is inferior. =I pulled out my armor piercing, semi-auto pistol, and raised it to her face= But my mind is still better. =I pulled the trigger, and unloaded the whole clip into her face at point-blank. She never had time to scream. The shields lasted for one second, then collapsed as her face-plate shattered, and her face was riddled with bullets=

(first-person)

"I didn't know you were here before. I only had audio, no video feed. 7 meters on your seven o'clock."

=Kate's body fell, and was reduced to an armored hep. I slumped to the floor, my body aching. I commed Dormii=

Dormii, you there? I did it. She's dead...... How's Miranda? She okay?

=i turn and fire my rifle, knocking the Marine over in a cloud of red mist with white pieces=
And the sound of, say plasma blades didn't sound at all suspicious? Or a high-pitched shriek that almost the ears of Cyclops pilots ears bleed?

=i duck under a shot and slam the shooter into the ground, leaving a dent in two places, his head, and the floor. i reply to Jason=
Little bust right now, sorry. I think so, I'm not seeing her body anywhere in this mess.

=I shut my eyes tight, and prayed she answered. I commed her=

Miri, you there?

(Miranda)

=Gunfire crisscrossed the room, and I was taking cover behind a crate, firing off a few shots, though I doubt I hit anything. I heard Jason's voice over the comms=

I'm here Jason. I'm okay.... for now.


(Jason)

=I felt the smile cross my face, the knowledge that she was okay bringing me new energy=

Try and stay that way Miri, and help out when you can.

(first-person)

"They have an AI Editing the feed. I received only what they allowed me to hear. Three are hiding behind the crates to your right."

=i turn and kick the crate. my foot goes in and packing peanuts flood out=
Seriously? Just packing peanuts? Why....

=i fire a burst through the crate and get screams of pain from those on the other side as a reward. i reload and emit another Banshee Scream in challenge before running off at a new group of targets=

(Miranda)

=I chuckled a little=

When you get back here, I'm gonna kill you, you suicidal son of bitch.

(Jason)

=I laugh weakly=

Yeah, well, you'll have to stay alive for that to happen.

=I got up, and ran a diagnostic on my armor. It was pretty bad. The shield emitters were damaged, and i doubted that I could fix them, plus the most of the other systems were too badly damaged, and I did not have the supplies I needed on my ship. the only thing functional was the helmet. I was suddenly struck by an idea. I looked down at Kate's corpse. The only piece of her armor that was damaged beyond repair was her helmet=

Well, it's not like she's going to need the rest of the armor. Plus, the armor is meant to be worn by all sexes.

(first-person)

"Dormii, I've marked an Exit on your HUD."

=It took me a few minutes, but I managed to swap her armor out for mine, and Argo was already doing a diagnosis on the systems=

@ Jason- Well, she wasn't joking. This set of armor is vastly superior to your old set. it's faster, stronger, more resilient, and, the stealth package has been improved. you can now stay stealthed for as long as you want, but your shields will be decreased to 50% power.

=I moved around a bit, getting a feel for the suit. It moved better than my old suit=

Alright Argo, let's take this suit out for a party.

=I ran towards the door I came in from, and sprinted down the hall=

=a waypoint appears on my HUD=
Okay, thank you, maybe later. Got a few friends I want to make sure get out of here as well.

=i draw my spear-flail and start cutting and smashing with that=

(First-person)

"We'll stay in touch."

=I opened a line to Dormii and Miri as I came to a stop at the steel plate=

Guys, listen up. I'm gonna come to you two. If there are any guards left, leave them alive. I wanna test something.

=And with that, I began to punch the steel plate, and it started to crumple like cardboard=

=i reply, to Nikolaus=
Whatever you say, Nik.

=i grab a Marine and throw/slide him towards the center of the room. towards the Cyclops. i activate another Scream and impale a Marine as he falls to the ground screaming himself as he claws at his ears=

=to Jason=
I'll try. I left you a present in the middle of the room. He should be alive.

=It took a few seconds, but the door collapsed under my assault, and fell outwards, away from me. I walked into the room, and saw a marine in the center of the room, pointing an assault rifle at me. I charged him. He fired his assault rifle at me, but I side-stepped the shot, faster than before. I shot forward, grabbed the rifle, and twisted it out of his grip=

Too slow.

=I jabbed, and he went flying across the room, dead before he hit the wall=

Oh my god, did you guys see that?

=I finish off the last soldier with a blade to the neck. I turn to Jason=
See what?

=I turned to face him=

Nothing. Let's get out of here before anyone else shows up.

=I nod, humor in my voice=
What, don't want to meet any new friends?

=I chuckle weakly=

Yeah, well as much as I enjoy making friends, I don't want to stick around for an army to show up. The sooner we leave, the better.

=I clutched my side, pain suddenly spreading across my chest=

Plus, my fight with Kate may have left me with some parting gifts.

=I go to his side, supporting him=
Kat as in the psycho bitch with a tendency to play with sharp objects? From what you've told me, I'd say you are lucky your head is still attached.

=I walked to the door, Dormii holding me up=

Yeah, but at least i came away with a nice door prize.

=I motioned to the new armor=

This is the new armor my team is using. It's actually-- =I bit down a curse as another wave of pain hit me= --superior to my old armor.

Not bad.

=I look around=
Hey, what about Miranda?

(Miranda)

=I heard my name, and I popped out from my cover=

I'm over here.

=I saw Jason clutching his side, and I knew something was wrong=

Jason, what's wrong?

(Jason)

=I depolarized my helmet, and smiled weakly=

Oh, you knowl: psychotic ex-teammates, fights against superior armor....... the usual.

=I look around=
Well, when you put it that way, it almost makes it seem like you had the easy stuff.

=I laugh a little=

Yeah, except for the part where she started singing "Hush Little Baby."

=I called up Argo=

Argo, we need to get back to the Blacklight. Any routes that might work?

=Argo appeared on my HUD=

Yes, though you still need to exit the warehouse.

=He brought up a map of the city, and highlighted a path back to the ship=

I should also warn you Jason, that courtesy of your fight with Kate, you have sustained a wide range of injuries. Both your arms have sustained multiple fractures, as have your legs. You also have three cracked ribs, and a fourth rib is broken. Finally, the blow to your head from the impact with the crate may have left you with a concussion.

=i make a sound of disgust=
Harsh. C'mon, let's get out of here.

=We got to the steel plate that was blocking the door=

Dormii, you wanna use that plasma blade of yours? I'd punch the door down, but I don't feel like worsening my situation.

=i extend my arm and turn on the blade, cutting away at the plate=
On it.

=It took him a few minutes, but Dormii managed to cut through the steel plate. We got out of the warehouse, and the Dormii, Miri, and I managed to follow the path back to the ship, though it took us longer than expected, considering my injuries. After an hour of walking, we got back to the ship, with no hassle either, though the dock master started walking towards us. I started to pull out the money, but he turned it down=

@ Jason- All fees were paid twenty minutes before you got here.

=I frowned=

Who paid the fees?

=The dock master shrugged=

Some middle aged looking guy. Said his name was Harper. Jack Harper. He also wanted me to tell you something: check your messasges.

=As he walked away, I felt stunned. Harper was here, twenty minutes ago. He was so close.=

And what the hell? He paid for my fees? And what message?

=I would have stood there like a statue if Dormii and Miri hadn't practically dragged me onto the ship=

(First-person)

"I can see that, thank you very much." I respond to a very imprudent message given to me by a certain Spartan. ONI requires me to listen to them. Kate died, some of them don't seem to be affected by her death. Fiasco finally revealed to be the long term plan. I thought it was bullshit. He's not even apart of Vigil and he knows there plans. Which is saying something, considering the Project he was apart of.