Chapter 8 NAME "Shit Happens" Part 4

(Fatet)

=I had passed out in that swamp, When I woke up the sentinels had stopped smoldering and were just scrap metal.
I touched my left arm. The armour was fine, not a scratch.=

I... Imagined it? Oh God... I'm going insane! I better tell someone whats happening...

=I activate my comm again=

"Silver Light, Come in. I don't know what's happening! I saw the sentinel shoot me... But I'm fine! The sentinels are scrap metal though... Can you get me out of here? Put me in Isolation or something, But tell me what the fuck is going on!"

(Silver Light)
=I received Fatet's comm, as well as a signal alerting me to the destruction of the Sentinels I sent to him=
Very well Fatet, I will place you in isolation. As to what is wrong, there is no doubt in my mind, that the Flood spores you inhaled, are causing violent hallucinations.

=while I spoke, I deployed a team of six Sentinels, as well as a seventh, designed to restrain someone in a stasis bubble. They reached Fatet's location in minutes=

ShadowHunter wrote:

=I find a chair to sit down and bury my head in my arms=

Dear God...what have I become?

=I plug Diana in and prep the ship=

Diana:=relieved= Finally. Now I can breath again.

=She sees me downcast=

Diana: You okay, Matt?

@Diana =irritated= Not now. Just check the systems and set jump coordinates.

Diana: Was it Viktor? Do you want to talk about it.

@Diana =tired= No I don't. Prep the ship and take it into orbit. We can talk later.

Diana: Alright. =Ship fires up= Drives are up. Orbit in 10 minutes.

@Diana Alright then. Wake me when we're in orbit.

Diana: Copy that.

=The ship takes off and I go to my bunk to rest=

I am human, but I am also a beast. What have I truly become...?

=I look out and see nothing but darkness and the system's sun=

Well, orbit is achieved and I need to wake up...

=I yawn and get out of bed=

Uneventful so far, but then shit happens for no reason at the oddest times...

Diana: =paniked= I picked up a distress call, but thought you should hear it.

@Diana =alert= On an encrypted channel? Play it.

Diana: Okay. Here it is.

=message playing out=

Quote :

This is Griffen 4-3-9, in need of immediate assisstance. We have wounded and need extraction now! I say again we have Spartans down. This is Griffen 4-3-9 asking for assitance from any UNSC ships within range of this signal... =static=...we need help now, Griffen out!

Oh God no...That isn't good at all

@Diana =urgent= Get on that signal, now! Trace the coordinates and jump to them, now!

Diana: Got it. But why the urgency?

@Diana I know who is sending that signal. And I'll be damned if I leave them to die.

Diana: Copy that. Setting coordinates. Jump in 5...jumping.

=We head into slipspace=

Hold in there Gold Team. I still got your back, and that is a promise I intend to keep...

(Miranda)
=I began to run through the course. I ran, I jumped, I swung. It was, truth be told, difficult. I mean, most of the walls and ramps were transparent, made of hard light, so I had no idea if I was stepping on something solid, or just air. Regardless, the armor worked better than I expected. Imagine if you will, spending your entire life as a weak and sick person, only to wake up one day, and be healed of all your afflictions. That was how it felt, using the Combat Skin. In many ways, I actually flew, instead of run. My speed was enough for me to even try a wall-run once or twice=

Xzan was at the heart of the broken CCS, which was hovering above Haven. He had just finished his last transmission, a distress call to everyone on their frequency channel. he rushed back to his controls in a desperate attempt to shake the Jiralhanae cruisers. There were to many all firing their cannons. He had sent Banshees, Phantoms and Spirits. They all were destroyed. The Battlecruisers shields were disintegrated as soon as they jumped slip-space. They were on the last legs, the Orbital Insertion Pod bay had been destroyed, as well as two of four main engines and thrusters. He turned to his advisers who were all scared, but remained at their posts honorbaly. He cracked a smile and sat back down in his chair. he looked to his control panel and pressed the big red button at the center of the controls. This button was not to be used unless it was an emergency. I hovered his finger over it.

"Advisers, Guardsmen. Go, get to the lifeboats"

They all remained were they were, they were not going to leave the Admiral on his own. His Chief Adviser looked at him, as he looked surprized.

"We shall stay until we hit the ground Admiral, we are not abandoning you!" he said

"I admire your courage warriors. Today we face the gods actions with honor!"

Xzan pressed the red button, which sounded a loud horn throughout the ship, and red lights going on and off, signalling an emergency.

The Special Operations Commander rushed in. He ran over to the Admiral.

"Admiral, I have sent my Rangers around the side of our CCS and have sent them to ambush the Jiralhanae crusiers. Our Plasma Cannons will provide a distraction. Once they have done so they will enter the Ship with Special Operation Units, via a teleportation unit and they shall work their way through the ship to the Command Bridge, were they will execute the Chieftain!"

Xzan stared at him for a while, before grappling his hand.

"Throughout the years Alduin, you have never disappointed me. I respect your efforts in trying to save the CCS, but it is too late. I want you to go through the teleport and accompany your Units"

"But my duty is-"

"No. Your duty is to accompany your Units now. I want you to command them on the ground, your calls now. Do not fail me!"

The Special Operations Commander nodded, bowed and exited. He prepared for teleportation. The Admiral, Xzan had been with this ship for thirty-five years, never once failing an objective, until now. The Jiralhanae cruisers still continued to fire at the CCS, heavily damaging it even more.
Xzan was alerted by another screeching siren. This one was for the CCS's controls, it displayed the ship. It showed that all main engines, boosters and thrusters were gone. The CCS Battlecruiser was just another million tonne brick falling to the planet's surface at a trajectory force of five miles a second. The Admiral acknowledged this and stood up and walked to the door. He left the Command Bridge and comforted fellow Sangheili, in their last living minutes.

(Dormii)
=I couldn't find anyone, after wandering around for a long time, so I went back to the fighter craft. I hopped in, making sure all of my arma were in there. I sent a message to Silver, to be sent to everyone else=

Quote :

Hey, it's Dormii. Just wanted to let you all know that I'm going to be gone for a while. If you need me for anything, I'm sorry to say that I can't help. It'll have to wait until I get back, if I get back at all. I might, but there is still the chance. Anyway, I don't know how long I'll be gone, so try to keep out of trouble. This is something I have to do myself, and I don't want to put any of you in danger.

I'll see you all when I get back.
Dormii Fortuni et Mali.

=i climbed into the fighter and took off, heading out through the now open portal out into empty space. I looked behind me and sighed. I looked back into the emptiness of space and powered up the slipspace drive=

+CONTINUED IN DORMII'S SIDEARC+

(Jeremy)

=I looked up while I was in bed=

Oh, it's you. I'm terribly sorry what happened earlier, it's a long story...

(Jason)
Well, feel free to explain.
=I grabbed a chair, and sat down, close to the wall=

By the way, sorry I couldn't come sooner. I had some.......personal stuff to take care of.

(Jeremy)

=I close my eyes and sigh=

I'm just going to get straight to the point. Me and my wife were in the middle of town, getting food for a party, when, they came. A large rebel force showed up, they killed anyone that worked with UNSC, took everyone captive, then started demanding things. Every three minutes they would execute someone. They went with children first, women, then the men. Anyone that cried, screamed, or called for help would be killed. When they reached my wife, I made the mistake of telling them not to kill her, so they nearly knocked me out, they still killed my wife. They were about half way through the lines, until the spartan showed up. It was like he was there the whole time, the rebel's didn't stand a chance, by the time the ambulance arrived, I thought I lost my sanity. After my training to be an ODST. During a mission our pelican was hit by plenty of banshee's, our pilot, Leann, I thought she was dead, but Andrea. She told me she was alive. The crash, severely affected this growing mental ability, causing it to make me scream in my sleep, my squad mates would tell me that I would grab things, punch them as if they were rebel's. Another few years, I found that the pilot, Leann was still alive, it was the only time I told her anything, it was a simple thank you. After ONI drafted me and assigned me to a new team, we left for a mission on the Reaver's Edge. There was a whole team of scientists, two spartans, the captain, and equipment to make a new AI. The ship we were on is experimental. A Zeus class Super Carrier, the meanest ship we made, currently two being completed on two different worlds. You don't want to mess with them. Anyway, one of the spartans, went insane. I don't know, but the captain sent a message through the whole ship warning us, my squad leader gave us the order to kill. When we reached the spartan, he knocked me out with maybe three punches, all in spots that really hurt. If you want me to explain more, just ask.

(Jason)
Well, that explains your past, and even a little bit of why you went slightly crazy back there.
=I leaned back, and took a deep breath=

Look, I know this is asking a lot from you, but i feel I have to ask: What was the Reaver's Edge mission? What was the mission you and your team were meant for?

(Jeremy)

I'm not sure, but ONI wanted us to go to a planet, and explore the surface. We found a forerunner building, the scientists told us it was important. They build Andrea, filled her with information, and we left. Then the captain told us we were being ambushed, which is true. Then we ended up here, with no survivors except for me. Now im sure ONI is going to search for anything about the ambush.

(Jason)
Well that's just great. Chances are, their search will lead them here, if they aren't on their way here already. Add to that the fact that I warned Parangosky herself what would happen if she or ONI ever did come back here, and things will only get worse.
=I sighed=

I had hoped that as the years progressed, we'd be able to make peace with the UNSC and ONI. But between their previous attack on us, and this search party........I don't know if there will be any foundation left for me to build peace upon.

(Jeremy)

=I sat up out of bed=

Look, they don't know that im with you, chances are they will do anything for this A.I. And I will do anything to stop the UNSC from harming your people again. When they arrive just let me handle things.

(Jason)
Alright then. I'll let you do the talking. I just hope that whoever they send, will be open to diplomacy.
=I got up, and headed for the door=

Look, stay here for a bit. When you're sure that you're good to leave --and by 'good,' I mean that you won't go crazy again-- just knock on the door, and the guards will let you leave. I know you're not part of my military, so therefore not under my command, but when you leave, report to Alpha Base.
=i left the room, and gave the guards outside the instructions, then I left=

(Jeremy)

Yeah, ok.

I hope Andrea is good with this plan

(Andrea)

Code:

And who told you I would be ok with this plan?

(Jeremy)

I was hoping she wasn't going to say that!

Look, have any better ideas?

(Andrea)

Code:

Ugh, no I don't. Let's just go with it.

(Jeremy)

Good, let me get my bearings and we'll leave.

(Jason)
=As I left the hospital, I got Dormii's message. I would have commed him to say good luck, but I had a feeling he was already gone. I got to the nearest teleporter, and headed for the Council Tower. I had a feeling they'd want to see me=

(Miranda)
=I spent an hour there, in that arena, and I was starting to get sore. The armor did a good job of keeping me cool, so there was minimal sweat, which, let's face it, would have felt weird in the skintight armor. As for water, I would stop occasionally, and take a drink from the bottle of water I had brought with me. I started to get tired of simply running, and decided to test out the armor's combat capabilities=

Alduin jumped into the air and swung his leg around knocking two Honor Guards over, before he quickly stabbed them with his swords.
The rest of his unit quickly disposed of the other Honor Guards.
Alduin rushed foward to the Chieftain, who was desperately trying to reach his hammer. Alduin pounced onto the Chieftain, knocking him over and left him shaking. He held his sword to his throat. Whilst the rest of his unit held off the reinforcements.

"Give me one good reason, why I should not carve your flesh, and let you scream your secrets to the stars?"

"I do not have to say anything to you scum!"

Alduin, lifted up his sword...(BANG!!!)
One of the Chieftain's guards must have escaped the wrath of the SpecOps and charged towards the Commander. The guard kicked the Commander sending him flying towards the control panel.

(Miranda)
=I accessed the Arena's menu again, looking for anything listed under 'combat.' Thankfully, I found a few things: hard light holograms, as well as dummy Sentinels. None of the weapons on the Sentinels would do any real harm thankfully. I began the combat session. Immediately, several holograms took shape in a circle around me. I walked up to one, slowly. It made no movement, and as I grew closer, I could see the shape more clearly: it was humanoid, armored, and in a combat position, arms raised. With a thought, I activated the energy blade built into my arm. A blue white lance of energy, more slender than the blade that formed around Jason's arm, formed around mine. I slashed at the target, and felt a little resistance meet the blade (or rather, my arm) and the blade passed through the target, the image rippling, then vanishing. I heard a noise behind me, turned, and saw one of the dummy Sentinels fly towards me, two of its forward 'arms' spread out. I sidestepped the aerial charge, then swiped at its rear with my blade. This time, there was no gentle ripple of a hologram; the searing hot blade cut through the Sentinel, melting what it touched=

Okay, this, is the coolest moment, of my entire life.

=continues wandering the bridge=

i won't leave, *chuckle*

Alduin jumped back up and ran towards the Chieftain and the Honor Guards, who now had their Hammers.

"Who's first?"

(Jason)
=I arrived at the Council Tower a few minutes later, and walked into the Council Chamber. Jeez, we were overusing the whole, 'Council,' thing. It's 'Council' this, and 'Council' that. Anyway, I arrived, and the Council meeting commenced. Mostly it was the same old stuff: economic issues, military issues, security issues......the only noteworthy thing that was mentioned was my absence. Thankfully, I wasn't in any trouble, though I could sense they did not approve of me taking leave when I had so much responsibility=

(Rover)

=I heard the rumbling of multiple Warthog engines. Shit. That meant they were going. And I needed to catch up, if I ever wanted to get the target. What to do... There had to be something. I couldn't hijack one of the Warthogs... But maybe they had an onbase Falcon. Maybe... Well, I had to try. I ran to the nearest building, seeing two guards. I slid a Flashbang out, and readied my rifle. And... 'BANG!' The flash went off, blinding the two guards, I ran across, my feet dragging the grass and mud across. I fired, and in a few shots time, the two men were down. Someone was going to notice soon. I had to act fast. I ran past the guards bodies, and ducked behind another building... I swear I'd been at this building before. And in one of those idiotic moments... I turned my head around to see that I'd walked past the god damn Falcon earlier. I ran over to it, and before the pilot could react, I brought one of my knives to his throat.=

*Pilot*: What the fuck do you want?!

(Rover): You're going to help me follow the Warthogs that just left.

*Pilot*: As if, shit head.

=I punched him.+

(Rover): Well, I can fly this myself. Im giving you the chance to live.

=Alarms around the base went off, so, I cut the comm system. Atleast the Warthogs wouldn't hear the alarm over the comms now.. That would give me sometime.=

*Pilot*: Fine! Get on the turret then!

=As I began to climb into the Falcon, bullets began to hit the aircraft.=

(Rover): Go, or we both die!

*Pilot*: IM GOING!

=The Falcon began a slow ascent, but soon, it left the area of the base.=

(Rover): Any tricks, and you die. Okay?

*Pilot*: Fine! Just don't kill me!

=Alarms were blaring in the midsection of the Shadow's Reach as it sat high over the ice planet. Aebeir was desperately searching for his squad when the ship was hit from an Ion cannon from the surface. The entire ship went dark. Aebeir found his team just as an explosion tore through the entire ship. A 'rebel' ship was jumping to slipspace in an attempt to escape the invading army. It ended up smashing head-on into the Shadow's Reach, obliterating both ships almost entirely. The mid section of the Reach stayed intact, and was launched into the portal. They each found something to hold on to, and gripped it like it was their only chance of survival. Luckily, the ship's food and water storage, as well as its emergency generator were in the mid section of the ship, and they stayed intact. The squad stayed mainly in the messhall, and lived off minimal food and water, as they had no way of telling when, if ever, they would exit slipspace. One month slipspace time later, they did. The large chunk of ship went falling towards a nearby planet, and plowed into the surface. They were all knocked unconscious by the impact=

(Jeremy)

=I knocked on the door, waiting for the guards to open the door, after they opened it, I asked for the quickest way to Alpha base=

(Jason)
=The Council meeting continued. Turns out, because of the Covenant and Flood attacks, the military was receiving a large amount of volunteers, though we decided to put a limit, as we still needed people working. Yeah, I know that sounds a little weird, but bear with me here. Point was, we now had replacements for our losses. Another matter was the opening of the Forerunner Archive. According to Silver, the Archive was a massive building, built separate from the five cities, and built into a freaking mountain. The Archive itself housed all the knowledge and history of the Forerunners (or at least as much information as the builder of Haven could store) and as such, the Council wanted to know how best to use the Archive, if at all. Everyone there knew that all that information, if used unchecked, would prove disastrous, not just for Haven, but potentially the rest of the Galaxy. So, it was decided that Silver Light would lock down certain sections of the Archive, both electronic and physical, but the rest of the Archive itself would serve as an academy, for all of Haven. Granted, each of the five cities had an academy of their own, but the difference would mainly be that the this new Academy would be.....well, extremely well equipped and staffed for one. Secondly, the Academy would also serve as a major research facility, where any of our scientists would be able to go over the Forerunner data, once they had the proper security clearance of course=

=Aebeir woke up on the floor of the messhall a few minutes after the impact. He found that his squad had already left the ship, and were waiting outside. He approached them=

A- Good to see you all made it off the ship.

T- Yes, commander.

A- So. Anyone know where the hell we are?

D- Ive been trying to get a lock on our coordinates, sir, But nothing is working. Scanners keep telling me we're outside the galaxy, but i think they're broken.

A- I wouldnt debate that.

=He sat down with them, and they began conversing about their new surroundings, and discussing what to do next=

(Silver Light)
=I was taken by complete surprise: another ship, this one a wreck, had emerged from slip-space, very close to Haven's atmosphere. It had crashed on one of the continents, in the area of the Humans, Alpha Base. I deployed Sentinels to investigate the crash site, while I also alerted the Inheritor, and Alpha Base=

=Aebeir looked up and saw something very strange: Flying robots coming towards them=

A- Droids! Get down!

=The squad wasted no time at all. They flipped over the large metal sheet they were using as a table and ducked behind it, their rifles fixed on the sentinels=

A- Open fire!

=All five of them began firing their rifles at the sentinels. The CPBR-16 "Blaster" rifles fired concentrated bolts of plasma. They were faster and more accurate that Covenant rifles, and had actual magazines. The weapons made loud twanging noises as they shot, and the rounds appeared as bright blue almost dart-looking things. They didnt stop shooting=

=One Sentinel went down, and that was all it took. Immediately aware of hostile elements, they opened fire, blasting at the wreck, and taking superior positions=


--Alpha Base--

=Alpha base received the alert from Silver Light, and they deployed a troop transport to the crash site. Inside, there were maybe a dozen soldiers, armed with Forerunner Plasma rifles=

=Abeir called out to his squad=

Incoming transport! Fall back to the ship!

=The five of them retreated to the interior of the wreck, but still close to the entrance. From their positions, they had a clear veiw on the only entrance, and waited for them to enter=

=The Sentinels maintained their distance, weapons trained on the retreating enemies location=

=The transport landed below the Sentinels, a good distance away from the wreck. The troops got out, and began moving forward, slowly=

=Aebeir opened a private comm with his squad=

A- What the hell kind of droids were those!?

D- I dont know. Ive never seen that type before.

A- That transport didnt look droid.

L- Agreed.

F- Im going out there. Cover me.

=Fable got up from his position and went towards the entrance to the wreck, his rifle ready. The others got into positions just behind the doorway so they could provide covering fire=

=The soldiers edged closer, weapons raised and aimed at what they took to be the entrance. they fanned out, six taking position in the tree line, and the other six taking position behind a chunk of debris=

=Fable stepped out of the wreck, his weapon still raised at the attackers. He yelled to them=

F- Republic?

*Lt. Tucker*
Identify yourselves!
=Tucker realized that he should have responded to the question, but felt that since the enemies in the wreck were the intruders, it seemed only fair to ask for their identity first=

=He shouted back=

F- Fable! You Republic?

Well, they speak Basic at least...

*Lt. Tucker*
Nope! You're surrounded, and outgunned! Lay down your arms, come out with your hands up, and surrender. We will not open fire, unless you attack in any way.

F- Like hell! I don't know if you've been living under a rock, but we're at war, son! We were bred for combat and unwavering service to the Republic!

=He does not place down his weapon. The other four move closer to the door, looking out at them=

A- Ey, Fable! They Republic?

=He shouts back=

F- No! But they speak Basic at least!

A- Human?

F- Not sure!

*Lt. Tucker*
This is your lat warning! Surrender now, and you will be unharmed. Resist, and you will be destroyed!

=Aebeir shouted out to them from inside the wreck=

A- All we want is to get back to our men! If you'd be so kind as to show us the door, we'll be on our way!

=Lord had his gun locked on the head of the one who was making threats, ready to put a plasma bolt in his brain=

*Lt. Tucker*
=Tucker consulted with his superiors. If all the intruders wanted was out, than they may as well get them off as soon as possible=
Alright, here's the deal: You want out, right?

F- Well, I would personally like to know where the hell we are first! Our scanners are reading that we're outside the known galaxy!

*Lt. Tucker*
Outside the Galaxy? Buddy, you're right outside the freaking core!

=He lowers his weapon and turns to the others. They all come out and stand together with their rifles lowered=

A- If we're right outside the Core, why cant we get a signal from the Core worlds?

*Lt. Tucker*
Core worlds? What core worlds? What galaxy are you talking about?

=They conversed between eachother for a moment, before turning back to Tucker=

A- How far are we from the Galactic Republic?

*Lt. Tucker*
Galactic Republic? What the hell are you guys talking about?

L- Holy hell, buddy! The Galactic Repulbic!

=Lord points to the large chunk of the ship they came down in=

L- That is part of a Republic ship called the Shadow's Reach. We were assaulting an ice world controlled by the Sepratists. Is any of this making sense to you?

=Dex stood silently, looking over their armor with great intrest=

*Lt. Tucker*
=Tucker was confused as hell=
Separatists? What are you talking about? There's no Republic here. This is the Milky Way galaxy.

L- Look, here's the deal. We were attacking the ice world. Then, a ship going into hyperspace sturck outs, and flung us into a blind jump. We've been at lightspeed for quite a long time now. Where the hell are we, and how do we get back?