Unsung Hero

The Silent Cartographer

"You know our motto: We Deliver." Rawley drops off a Warthog.

Chief hops into the Driver seat while Ash gets in the gunner, a Marine hops in the passenger. The Chief drives off.

Ash rubs the machine gun. "Oh, the M41 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun. Fires a 12.7X99mm round, also know as the .50 BMG. This round does fire times more damage than the 7.62x51mm rounds used in the MA% series assault rifle. A muzzle velocity of 2,900 feet per second. 550 rounds per minute of Covenant ass kicking." Ash laughs. "The weapon of my dreams!"

"Sir, are you okay?" The Marines asks as he looks back to Ash.

Ash rubs the barrel of the mountain weapon. "Oh, I'm just fine."

"Don't worry about Six, he's a 'gun nut' as some people say." Xi informs. "He's the one who designed the M850 Grizzly. He designed it when he was only 6!"

"Wow." The Marine mutters.

The two Spartans and the Marine drive around the island, encountering Covenant resistance along the way. Ash fills them with holes with his mounted weapon.

The Warthog approaches a structure protruding out of the cliff wall. A Spirit dropship beside it takes off.

"There, in the cliff wall; I'll bet the Silent Cartographer is somewhere inside that facility." Cortana says.

The three approach the structure and are engaged by Covenant troops.

"They're already inside!" Xi shouts. "We need to get in there quick, before they discover the location of Halo's control center!"

Chief runs over a couple of Jackals, while Ash guns down a couple elites, with the Marine taking out a couple nearby grunts. After eliminating the patrolling troops outside, Chief and Ash hop out of the Warthog.

Cortana then speaks to the two Spartans. "The Covenant are putting up a real fight! The Cartographer must be here. My analysis indicates that the map room should be at the bottom floor of this facility. Let's keep going inside."

The Chief and Nobel Six enter the structure and they reach the top of a slope that leads down to an open door. A group of Covenant stand guard at the door, with a Sangheili Zealot blocking the way.

"Don't let them lock the doors!" Cortana yells.

Ash and the Chief run down the sloop towards the door, as they fire onto the Covenant troops. Ash down's the Zealot's shields, but it runs through the door and it closes, locking behind the Elite.

"Crap!" Ash grunts as he and Chief stop in front of the locked door.

"You'll get him next time, Six." Xi says.

"Interesting... " Cortana mutters. "Xi and I underestimated the Covenant's understanding of Halo's subsystems. They've locked the doors, and we don't have enough firepower to get through them."

Cortana then speaks into Coms. "Cortana to Keyes.

Keyes replies over coms. "Go ahead, Cortana. Have you found teh control center?"

"Negative, Captain. The Covenant have impeded our progress. We can't proceed unless we can disable the installation's security system."

There's a slight pause, before Keyes speaks. "Understood. We're still en route to the objective. I may be out of contact when we get there. ... Here are your orders. I want you to use any means necessary to force your way into the facility and find Halo's control center. We have to get to the center before the Covenant, and failure, people, is not an option."

Rawley then speaks over coms. "Echo 419 to ground teams. I'll stay on station and keep an eye out for Covenant bogies."

Waller then speaks over coms. "Second squad, ready to roll! Soon as everybody's topside!"