The Rise: A Post Covenant War Story: Mission Two

I comm the New Kid back

Don't move. Stay in that position.

I'm interrupted before i can say anything further by Trident falling upon me from behind.

=I'd landed on Sparrow. It wasn't the greatest start...=

Uhh... Well.... Hey there Sparrow.

Yeah...Thanks Tri.

I roll him off of me and stand up to see Whisper also entering the clearing from the opposite side.

At least we're all here.

=I lie on the ground for a second, then stand up to see Whisper enter the clearing.=

What's next then Sparrow? We off to try and find the tunnel system thing?

Shelby wrote:

Yeah...Thanks Tri.

I roll him off of me and stand up to see Whisper also entering the clearing from the opposite side.

At least we're all here.

=I comm Sparrow=

Ma'am this is Echo Squad. We're airborne.

=I check my altimeter=

We're now 4 km out from our LZ. Hawk out.

=I tap my comms and get static=

Damn...this isn't good

I hear chatter from Echo team but don't really listen. The comm system seems damaged in a way as it seems to repeat the message over and over with a high pitched beeping noise. I give up on trying to actually listen to what it says and throw it away instead.

Well. One more faulty piece of equipment.

I look at Trident as Whisper comes on over.

We've got to find the new kid first, he's been stuck on our squad and he's our responsibility.

What's happened to the new kid? Did he land in a tree or something?

=I had made the drop alone. My team, nowhere to be found. Shield was gone. Black Burn was gone after the first mission, and Markov... the hell would I know... I was better off alone anyway. Less people to worry about and more of a success rate=

=My mission was to sweep a few villiges and colonies to see why they had not been reporting in. Simple enough. Just like the last one. I hit the ground hard, but quickly recover. A marker points my direction North and I follow it=

=It's a decently covered area. Trees grown out. I keep it silent as I walk. Who knows, there could be an enemy in waiting=

"There!" I say, marking the exact location on the HUDs of my squad. We were starting out in what looked like a canal. There were steep sides, and the canal itself was dried, probably to capture rainfall.

N wrote:

"There!" I say, marking the exact location on the HUDs of my squad. We were starting out in what looked like a canal. There were steep sides, and the canal itself was dried, probably to capture rainfall.

=I see the marker on my HUD=

Copy that, sir. I see it too.

=I change my angle and head towards the canal=

The squad nears the canal. They were now entering the outskirts of an old city. The canal was littered with boxes, mattresses and various other things associated with the homeless.

=i angle down and land. I jog a bit, as I landed kinda fast. I took off the glider and looked around, keeping an eye out for hostiles=

Garth wrote:

=i angle down and land. I jog a bit, as I landed kinda fast. I took off the glider and looked around, keeping an eye out for hostiles=

=I hit the ground and land, stripping off my glider and bringing up my rifle=

LZ is secure, sir. Echo is ready to move.

=I scan the LZ, watching the slopes of the canal=

Aegir lands and dispatches the parachute. "Let's move forward!"

N wrote:

Aegir lands and dispatches the parachute. "Let's move forward!"

=I thread on my assault rifle's silencer=

Aye sir. Moving out.

=I move forward and keep my eyes peeled=

=I ready my SMG and move forward. Keeping an eye out for any hostiles=

Shelby wrote:

I comm the New Kid back

Don't move. Stay in that position.

I'm interrupted before i can say anything further by Trident falling upon me from behind.

=over the comm= "I think I might-" I remembered that I was speaking to my commanding officer. "Yes ma'am" I turn to where I previously heard the voice. But it was silent, in a creepy way. I do a scan to the area, and jog off to where I had landed. Nothing waited for me, nothing attacked. So it seems like whatever it is, left.

=Over the comms= "Alright I'm here"

Paarthurnax could see the first checkpoint up ahead. There were two targets, both talking together. Paarthurnax moved his hands to his back and grabbed his Beam Rifle. He rested it on a log in front, and aimed at the two targets.
He aimed down his scope and lined it up with them. He rested his finger on the trigger, before pressing it. A quiet yet vibrant electric sound flew through the air. A few seconds later both targets fell down, lifelessly to the floor. Paarthurnax smiled and sprinted foward racing to the first checkpoint. He continued on racing through the forest when he heard something, he stopped and slid across the floor before taking cover.

"Minors, take point"

Paarthurnax thought for a second, then he was sure.

"Vee, where are you?"

"Paarthurnax, aha I thought you were dead"

"Likewise, what is your position?"

"Ahead is a checkpoint, the first one we have saw"

"I have just past one, you must be on the otherside, continue on, we will meet soon enough"

"Fair"

Paarthurnax continued on, not as fast as before, a rather unique walking pace. He knew that both checkpoints would lead to the same exit, and that they would meet for the entrance soon enough. There it was, the second checkpoint. This one had a lot of humans guarding it. Once again he equipped his Beam Rifle and eyed up all the targets, then he pressed the trigger, and something unexpected happened.

"Hotel's last known signal came from this area. We'll check the sewer system before we check the above ground."

N wrote:

"Hotel's last known signal came from this area. We'll check the sewer system before we check the above ground."

=I nod and suppress the urge to gag=

Aye aye, sir.

=I get the sewer and get ready to go in=

Explosives and sounds will be amplified. Gotta be extra careful.

Aye sir. Any idea what we might find?

=I kept my SMG raised as we moved into the sewer=

Aegir, "Rubble, I don't know."

=Aegir stands in front of the entrance to the sewer.=

"But I've got a bad feeling about this."

Glad I'm not the only one, sir.

=i looked in all directions, using my SMG as my guide=

N wrote:

Aegir, "Rubble, I don't know."

=Aegir stands in front of the entrance to the sewer.=

"But I've got a bad feeling about this."

=I look back=

You're not the only one.

=I get out my SMG and enter=

Don't thow up, don't throw up, don't throw up...

(Markov)

=I wondered if I should even jump, I would be late and miss everything, until the officer approached me again=

Sir?

(Officer)

Your being assigned a different mission Markov, there is a town thought to hold some information that we need, your being sent in alone. Ill let the squads know whats going on when I can reach them. Your deployment will be by drop pod.

(Markov)

Ok, you sure you want to send me alone?

(Officer)

Im sure, its for testing your new equipment, get to the loading area and ill brief you more accordingly.

(Markov)

=I walk off to the loading area and wait to be briefed=

(Officer)

=I begin to comm the spartan squad leaders=

This is ONI Officer Jenkins to all spartan squad leaders, Markov has been reassigned to weapons testing and information retrieval in a small town. He will be unavailable until he returns from his mission.

=i move forward a bit, stopping at a nearby corner=
Clear. So far.

Garth wrote:

=i move forward a bit, stopping at a nearby corner=
Clear. So far.

=I turn on my VISR and continue to look=

Clear over in this area. But it still smells like a donkey's behind.

=I continue to look around when I get a faint ping=

I'm getting a ping on my transponder. It's a faint signal...but its UNSC.

Paarthurnax kept his head low, but he could definately make out Plasma rounds flying from the opposite side. He knew it was the Zealot. Paarthurnax aimed down his scope and eyed up the one running for the alarm, he buried a shot straight in his head. He fell down like the pathetic human he was. He then eyed up two other targets until they were all dead. Before the Zealot and the Minors had taken out the last of them, he sprinted over to them.

Paarthurnax smiled when he saw them, both Minors and the Zealot.

"There you are friend"

"It appears so"

Paarthurnax moves in to hug the Zealot.

"Why were you not in the Phantom?"

"We were sent flying out into the canopies, there was no way back up, so we decided to scout out the area"

"Interesting"

Vee looked at Paarthurnax, happy he was alright.

"Were...Anyone else alive?"

"Unfortunately no. All dead"

"Well they died with honor"

"Indeed they did"

"Lead on, we will follow you"

Paarthurnax nodded and they walked on cautiously.

"I have contacted the Shipmaster. He will be sending down reinforcements soon"

"Good, that is good"

He hit something I think, must have knocked him way off course. We aren't going to get him yet. We'll get to higher ground first and see how far out he is. Then we'll decide whether its worth going after him.

I look around and point to a hilltop not too far away.

And there's our high ground. Trident. You're on point, Whisper bring up the rear. Silencers on people.

Scorch wrote:

Garth wrote:

=i move forward a bit, stopping at a nearby corner=
Clear. So far.

=I turn on my VISR and continue to look=

Clear over in this area. But it still smells like a donkey's behind.

=I continue to look around when I get a faint ping=

I'm getting a ping on my transponder. It's a faint signal...but its UNSC.

"Well, let's go find that signal source." Says Aegir, moving forward.

I sit and wait patiently. I scan every so often, making sure nothing attacks.

It was strange though, It was oddly quiet for a forest.

=they check their gear make sure the weapons are loaded, signals are good and set out to find the new guy by heading to the hill=

=i stay quiet, but turn on my acknowledgement light. Even though we were on internal comms, I still didn't feel safe saying anything in the tunnels=

N wrote:

Scorch wrote:

Garth wrote:

=i move forward a bit, stopping at a nearby corner=
Clear. So far.

=I turn on my VISR and continue to look=

Clear over in this area. But it still smells like a donkey's behind.

=I continue to look around when I get a faint ping=

I'm getting a ping on my transponder. It's a faint signal...but its UNSC.

"Well, let's go find that signal source." Says Aegir, moving forward.

=I wink my aknowledgment light and start to follow=

Easy now...easy now...easy now...

=I listen to the signal to guage the direction we should take=

"Let's take this slow. I'd rather not run into something."

=i nod and slowly start walking forward, further into the sewers. I keep checking any and all places we could be ambushed from=

N wrote:

"Let's take this slow. I'd rather not run into something."

=I give Aegir a thumbs up and slowly move forward=

Come on, come on...where is that damn signal

=I listen to my comms and hear a slow series of beeps=

Gotcha you slippery sucker...

=i comm Hawk=
Got the signal? This place is like a damn maze.

Garth wrote:

=i comm Hawk=
Got the signal? This place is like a damn maze.

=I nod=

Yeah Rubble, I'm getting something over my comms. And its on a UNSC standard frequency.

=I motion in the direction of the signal=

=the sound of water splashing is heard, like something is moving through the water.=

Aegir moves forward.

=The sewer darkens, the VISR doesn't seem to see as far as it should.=

Aegir follows Hawk, letting him track the signal.

=The sound of a door on a metal hinge is heard, slowly grinding against it's frame.=

Spoiler:

N wrote:

=the sound of water splashing is heard, like something is moving through the water.=

Aegir moves forward.

=The sewer darkens, the VISR doesn't seem to see as far as it should.=

Aegir follows Hawk, letting him track the signal.

=The sound of a door on a metal hinge is heard, slowly grinding against it's frame.=

Spoiler:

=I raise a fist to halt the squad=

=I wait again and motion for the squad to follow me=

And I still got a fix on the beacon...

=i follow behind Aegir, keeping an eye on our six. This is a bad place to be ambushed in. Almost no cover, long sight lines. Fairly blind corners. Death trap=

=The sound of water dripping echoes through the tunnel=
Aegir stays sharp, looking around. He was growing weary of following such a linear path.
=The Comms begin to pick up more static.=

They had been walking for a fair bit now, it had taken its toll on everyone. They had finally reached the entrance to the camp, though it was not pretty.

"What about a squadron of Banshees?"

"Possible, although we could ground the place. I have enough Plasma charges to blow this entire place into Oblivion"

"That sounds like a healthy option brother"

"Indeed so"

Paarthurnax looked down, whilst placing his hand near his hip, and then his utility appeared out, on both sides. In his utility there were Plasma charges. He handed some to the Zealot.

"You three take the left side, I will do so the right"

The Zealot had taken the Charges, and placed them into his utility.

" I will do so or die trying"

The Zealot went with his Minors to plant the Charges on the left side of the base, whilst Paarthurnax covered the right. A few minutes later he arrived at a building. He set up a Plasma Charge on it. Within a few seconds he was off and charging the next onto the other building. As he moved off he noticed an, unfamiliar shape. This was one outlined like his Cloaking device. It got closer and closer until it was deactivated. A sigh of relief was heard from Paarthurnax, he saw that it was a Special Operations Minor.

Paarthurnax looked at the Minor.

"I guess you are the reinforcements I sent for"

"Indeed we are. The rest of the Lance are around the otherside, awaiting your arrival"

"Good. Lead me to them"

"As you wish"

The Special Operations Minor showed the Officer to his Lance.

I look at a couple of birds, their beaks are moving but no sound. I realiize my hearing is gone. Immediately I take off my helmet, then there was noise again. I sigh in relief, and my comms still worked. I examine my helmet, then I seeing nothing, but I keep doing so.

Paarthurnax walked around the corner and he saw his Lance preparing. He smiled before walking over and making a hand motion, signalling for them to follow. About seven Sangheili were in the Lance. They all engaged their Cloak as they entered the Building, which was the main one.

=my comm unit buzzes with static=
Comms are out. We're on our own now.

Garth wrote:

=my comm unit buzzes with static=
Comms are out. We're on our own now.

=I curse in my helmet=

=Spoken= Chyort!! and I had a fix on that beacon too.

=I unlimber my SMG and continue on point=

Naughty Hawk. Saying a bad word like that.

=i chuckle lightly, trying to ease the tension=