Chapter 9: TBD

(Burk)
Yes, but you asked how we use our armor. One engagement is not enough to judge preferences.

[u] you don't need to fight to know what you like to and don't like to do in combat]/u]

(Burk)
I prefer to learn through action, not theory.

(Burk)
I am talking both. A single combat engagement, in my mind, is not enough to tell for certain a preferred style. It is a single data point, and that is not enough to judge a trend.

(Burk)
Almost nothing. Like I said, we've barely used them.

(Burk)
Photogenic Tac Map.

=i waited, letting the question ask itself in the silence=

(Burk)
So it has limited learning capability.

(Burk)
Interesting. I'll be sure to let the others know.

=A few hours after the search party returned to Gold Base, Feyd recieved a message on his Tacpad while sitting on his bunk at the Barracks. He quickly typed in his password=

Code:

Amis

=French for 'Friends'=

Code:

>>>New Message
>>Subject: Station Bodycount
>>Sender: Sgt. Reeths

Hey Feyd, it's Reeths. The official list of names from that attack on the Refit Station was released. Sam, Kadie, Jack, and Claire were among them. Thought you'd want to know.

=He closed the message and set down his tacpad and removes his helmet, dropping his face into his hands. He remembered each of their faces in his mind. Sam, blue eyes, blonde hair, and a funny little goatee. Kadie, long brown hair and brown eyes, and the friendliest smile in the corps. Jack, shaggy black hair and green eyes, though the left one was missing, and a deep scar on his bottom lip. It was probably months ago, but it felt like only yesterday he saw them last before he got transferred here=

Damn... Sam was gonna be a dad soon... Three more months, I think he said... and Kadie. Wasn't she engaged? I think she told me they were getting married when she was cycled back to Earth. He sounded like a nice guy, too. Claire.... She just joined up recently. Wanted to go to college after she got out. Jack... He was one tough son of a bitch for a Helljumper. What was it, three purple hearts? Good man. Better friend...

=He paused for a moment before punching the wall so hard, the metal bent around his fist. He breathed heavily for a minute or so before rubbing his forehead and sullenly leaving the small room and heading towards the messhall. Maybe he would take up Ryan on that Whiskey after all...=

(Burk)
I wasn't aware there were any vision modes.

(Conner)
=The doors opened, and light began to pour through. My visor began to activate filters, tinting itself so I wasn't blinded by the sudden light. My vision barely effected, I was able to get a good glimpse of the field our training scenario took place in: At the center of the field, was a flag pole, a blue flag hanging from it, no wind to really let if fly. Our battlefield was a complex mix of platforms that were either raised or lowered, bridges, walls, and flat plains with blocks spread out for cover. That was all I was able to see before Chris began yelling into my headset=

(Chris)
Sir, we've got cover at our two o'clock! Recommend we move there, immediately!

(Conner)
Understood. Alpha, move!
=I broke into a run, weapon still cradled in my arms, my destination a large block of metal, almost the size of a Warthog, jutting up from the ground. Chris and I took cover at the edges of the block, while Crowe took center position, setting his weapon on top of the block to lay down fire if need be. As for Wierzbowski.....I couldn't see him with us, though his bio-signs were still going strong on my HUD=

Wierzbowski, where are you man?

(Wierzbowski)
=Currently, I was behind the rest of the team, nestled in a safe cover zone, my rifle offering me a good view of the training field=
I'm in cover, following your orders sir. I can provide significantly better cover and over-watch from my position.

(Conner)
Alright, I'm trusting you here. Now, what do you see?

(Wierzbowski)
I count 12 Sentinels, so far. They're moving down from the ceiling, and taking position. Four are hovering by the flag, and circling. The other eight are spreading out into groups of two on search patterns. Be careful, these are just the ones I can see. Chances are there'll be others, hidden.
=The suits were amazing, neurally linked to the wearers, allowing me to transmit the layout of the arena (what i could see anyway) and the locations of the twelve Sentinels to the Lt's visor=

(Conner)
Got it. Good work Private.
=I examined the layout, satisfied with what I saw=

Alright, do you think you can take out one of the Sentinels? See what they do.

(Wierzbowski)
Understood sir. Want me to aim for the one furthest from you guys?

(Conner)
That'd be nice.

I found the messhall using the map in my head and already gotten food. Now I'm eating at at table, alone. I don't really mind though. I used to being alone. Actually, I prefer to be alone.

(Wierzbowski)
=Without responding, I pulled the trigger and loosed a shot. A lance of blue plasma, as wide as my finger and as long as my own arm, crossed the distance between me and the Sentinel pair on the far side of the stadium. It impacted the side of one Sentinel and its shields flared. The plasma continued, collapsing the shields and burning through the metal of the Sentinel. Seconds later, the Sentinel exploded in a flash of light and heat=

Target down.
=Before I was done saying the second word however, four more Sentinels appeared from below a platform, hidden from view=

Crap. Four extra Sentinels.

(Conner)
=Their locations appeared on my HUD=
Any change in the other Sentinel patrols?

(Wierzbowski)
None.

(Conner)
=I didn't have long to think. Based on the mini-map shown on my visor, one of the patrols was getting close to our position=
Alright guys, here's what we're going to do; Trevor, snipe the Sentinel pair coming up on our location. That'll flush out the others into the open. When they come up, Vasquez and I will open up on them. Crowe, use your gun to mop them up.

(All)
Got it.

(Conner)
Alright, on the count of three. 1...2...3!
=A shot rang out from Wierzbowski's position, and there was the sound of an explosion from the other-side of our cover. Vasquez and I peeked out from our cover, weapons ready and I took in the scene before us: the smoking wreckage of a Sentinel, it's partner hovering nearby. Behind it, four more Sentinels rose from their hiding spots. All of their weapons began to glow, preparing to fire. We never gave them the chance=

Fire, fire!
=Vasquez and I opened up, weapons flashing blue and shooting thick lances of plasma, each of us aiming for a separate pair of Sentinels. Their shields collapsing, we made short work of them, plasma melting through their armor. As for Crowe, his weapon shot out a stream of plasma fire, impacting on the shield of the last Sentinel. It went down, but not before it managed to fire a shot. A beam of golden light flashed from it's weapon and went straight for Crowe

(Crowe)
=The lance of energy hit me in the arm, and my own shields lit up in response. A meter in my HUD showed the shield energy go down to 50%=
I'm good!

(Conner)
=When the last Sentinel was downed, we all stopped firing=
Let's move to new cover, they'll be on their way here in seconds. Trevor, move to a new advantage point, provide us with a better view, and point out incoming hostiles. Chirs, Crowe, you're with me.

almost forgot it has a database full of what me and dormii have discovered in addition to unsc,covie info oddly also has info if your in the wildnerness so u know what is safe to eat or drink yada yada

=checks his huds watch=

wow we're almost there

(Burk)
How close? Do I need to call the squad?

I finsh eating and leave the messhall, looking for something to do. Other then waiting.
Eventually finding myself at the armory. I just want to put on my armour.

(Burk)
My squad should be all ready. Once we get there, we are heading out.

=i tap my helmet=
Sanity, Splosions, Pair, get ready. 15 min till we get in the thick of it.

=they all respond with an affirmative=

=comms the bridge crew and=

we're 15 minutes out want combat stations ready and set before 5 minute out

=the crew responds and the alarm sounds and the ships crew springs to life filling the halls with people heading to there stations=

lets go

=starts heading out=

(Burk)
Yeah, let's.

=i start following Zeru. The others head towards the hanger, Simile meeting up with me as we go=
Find anything exciting?

"Just some boring rooms with next to nothing interesting in them."

You mean interesting to you.

"Well obviously."

Sirens sound and people seemingly come from no where. Flooding me in a horde of people. I push past them and continue to the armory.
I guess everyone is getting ready. No reason for me not to right?
Although it takes longer to get there I find it and walk inside. No one here surprisingly. All the better.
I start putting on my armour, starting with my legs. As I usually would.

(Punikav)
=i continued on my way to the hanger, noting on the GPS that Deniv was already there. I made sure my armor was loaded up with explosives and kept walking. I pushed past people as I went, trying not to get in anyone's way=

=Less than an hour later, Feyd's team was called up to mount another expedition in search of the Spartans. The five mounted up in a transport hog and set out across the grasslands. Probably the most boring assignment in the UNSC...=

I finish putting on my armour and try to contact Eylon, the A.I. in my head. Literally.
"Hey, are you there? I need to know where to go. Help me out?"
Then I start turn my armour on, Elane's figure shows up on my HUD.
Elane - I'm baaaack.

=the crew notices them and parts to one side giving them more room so they get to the hangar faster=

(Deniv)
=as I waited, I passed the time counting the number of people who passed by carrying some equipment. I got to 17 before the others started to appear=
We ready, Hope? Sanity?

"We're ready. We just need to drop out and Splosions needs to pop his head up and we can go."

"No answer from Eylon. Could you get her signal?"
Elane - Uh.. I don't know who that is.
"The ship's A.I. I think. I don't know how to contact her. "
Elane - What is it that you're doing?
"I'm preparing for a mission of the sorts. Which means I should probably head to the hanger."

I get up from the bench and leave the room. Heading for the hanger. Noticing that everyone is avoiding me. I shrug it off, not really caring.

(Punikav)
=i walk into the hanger and over to the others=
I'm here. We all ready?

"Yup, just waiting on you and your exploding testicles."

=i laugh=
Hey, someone's gotta have them. And it's not going to be you, Hope.

"Yeah, cuz I have the devilish handsomeness."

(Simile)
Keep telling yourself that, Hope. Keep telling yourself that.

I find the hanger easily and walk in, seeing the four armored guys from earlier and Zeru standing around.
I walk up to them silently. As silently this armored lets me be.

(Simile)
=i look at Alphonse=
Hello Alphonse. You ready to go?

"Yeah. I'm ready. Are you? Oh and uh... call me Al."
I let my left hand rest on my 44. magnum. My preferred secondary weapon.

(Simile)
Al. Got it, Alph.

=i clap him on the shoulder jokingly=

"Al or Alphonse. Pick one, none in between."
I look at his hand, wondering what that was about.

(Simile)
Relax, Alph. It's a joke.

=i take my hand back and look at the others=
So whens this happening?

Elane - Don't like the new nickname?

I stay quiet, waiting for the answer. I want to go out there and fight... with a gun this time.

(Wierzbowski)
Roger, moving to new position!
=Picking up my rifle, I stood up and fled to a new cover spot I picked out a minute earlier=

(Conner)
Alright, with me!
=The three of us ran as a group for our own cover, a raised platform opposite the central stage where the flag was held. Three separate blocks were set up, almost like sandbags, and about as small as your average sandbag cover. Crowe took center, Chris and I flanked him on his sides for support=

How many you guys count?

(Chris)
=From where I stood, I spotted one pair of Sentinels joined by four more, rising from hidden spots=
I see four more Sentinels joining one scouting pair. Make that 17 Sentinels now.

(Crowe)
Make that 21 Sentinels. Four more joined the other group. 21 Sentinels in total. And looks like they're all grouping together, except for the four by the flag.

(Conner)
So 17 sentinels committed to taking us out?

(Chris)
Looks like it. Thoughts?

(Conner)
Okay, we can't take them on directly. Too risky to split up and divide them......wait, Trevor. Look for a Sentinel in the group who's position, if destroyed in an explosive manner, would severely harm the others.

(Wierzbowski)
One sec.....found one. Top of the swarm, and in the center. I take him out and his parts will rain down on his friends. Permission to fire?

(Conner)
On my mark Trevor. Chris, Crowe, when he fires, give everything you've got on that swarm.

CossakHawk wrote:

=Aaron passes out some material to each of the team members=

Jack: What's this?

Aaron: It's a file on your cover, one for each of you except for Lucas and myself

Jeremy: (frowning) What are you doing, sir?

Aaron: Lucas and I will be keeping an eye on you and provide necessary intel as you go.

Jack: (Reading and nodding) I'm beginning to like this more and more...ONI knows me too well.

=Kait merely frowns, but sucks it up=

Aaron: Remember, we only observe for the the first two weeks, then we start preparing for the coup.

Lucas: This guy may be well protected, but they haven't been infiltrated in years. They'll be lazy about looking for spies.

Aaron: Get some shut-eye, people, we start in the morning.

=GHOST team heads to their bunks to get some sleep in the morning=

=GHOST team wakes up to formally begin operation JERICHO=

=The team gathers in the 'breifing room', where Lucas has set up the gear essential to the operation=

Jack: I see that you've been busy, Lucas...

=Lucas, taking a small nap, grins and wakes up=

Lucas: =Yawns and gets up= Been up all night organizing this gear...good greif ONI left us a lot of gear.

Jack: I imagine so...some of this stuff must be sophisticated.

Lucas: It is sophisticated, so I recommend that you handle them with extreme care...=gives Jordan a glare=

Jordan: I drop something ONE time, and you won't let it go...

Lucas: That explosive would have worked, had you not been so careless with it...

=Jordan simply raises his hands in mock surrender=

=Lucas then waits as the rest of the team files in to begin handing out the gear=

(All)
Ready.

(Conner)
Okay....mark.

(Wierzbowski)
=I fired at the top Sentinel, and it exploded in a ball of fire and metal fragments that rained on the formation below it. Their shields flared in response, deflecting the fragments=

(Conner)
Fire!
=Aiming our weapons at the formation, the three of us fired. It was a repeat performance of the last group, in all honesty: Chris and I fired on the sides of the formation, short bursts cutting them down, while Crowe unleashed a stream of plasma fire on the center of the group. There were more explosions as the Sentinels, weakened by the debris of their fallen comrade, were cut down by our weapons. It lasted all of five seconds=

(Chris)
Damn, we work pretty well together.

(Conner)
That was kinda the point. But don't let your guard down, we're not done yet. We still need to grab the flag-- Alpha Team, move in. Take down those Sentinels!
=We all slowly moved forward, cautiously, and fired our weapons at the last four. When they went down, there were no other Sentinels hiding=

Alright, Chris take the flag!

(Chris)
Got it sir!
=I ran as fast as I could, hopping over pieces of cover until I reached the stairs for the raised platform. Climbing them was quick, and moving to the center of the platform i grabbed the flag, lifting it from it's pedestal and waiving it once to signal victory=

We've won!
=All of a sudden, the lights changed. The lighting in the room, previously a sterile white, changed to light green, and a familiar voice signaled over our com link=

(Jason)
Well done Alpha Team. Job well done.

(Conner)
=Surprise kept me in silence for a few seconds, before I responded over the com=
Admiral, were you watching us this whole time?

(Jason)
=Sitting comfortably in the observation room of the Sierra training facility, surrounded by monitors, I couldn't help but chuckle=
Well, I wanted to see how you guys did. I'm not one for trusting data, so i felt I'd sit back and watch the show. Good news, you guys passed with flying colors.

=five minutes pass and the troph exits slipspace=