Unsung Hero

The Babysitter

"What do you mean, they're not identified?" O'Brien asks.

"The architecture is not Covenant design and it sure as hell wasn't built by humans. They predate both sides. This site is of the utmost importance. We photograph everything."

"That will be all, Master Sergeant." The Officer says to Cortez. "You can rejoin to your men now. We will be dropping in precisely five minutes. With this mission there is no room for delay or error. Good luck, and godspeed."

The destroyer deploys the SOEIV pods with the Helljumpers inside them straight into the meteor shower. Checkman's pod is struck by a meteor, tumbling off course and burning up in the atmosphere. The Covenant look skywards, not knowing that the pods are mixed with the meteors. The other SOEIVs land safely, save for O'Brien's, which glances off a rock and lands in a swamp and begins to sink. The Helljumpers blow their hatches and climb out

"Dutch?" Cortez calls out over coms. "Come in!"

"I'm all right." Dutch replies. "Where's O'Brien?" Dutch recovers and activates a tracker. "Over there!"

The two find O'Brien's pod sinking into the mud. The SOEIV is leaking gas while the two struggle through the mud.

"His oxygen tank!" Cortez points out. "Dutch! Get the gear. We gotta get him outta there!"

Dutch turns to find the SPARTAN wading through the mud easily, despite weighing half a ton. The soldier uses the Spartan-II strength augmentations to heft the pod out of the swamp and throw it clear of the swamp. The pod opens as the three make their way to the pod. The ODSTs opens the pod and O'Brien falls out, gasping for air.

"Are you nuts?" O'Brien shouts. "Why're you guys throwing me around like that?"

O'Brien looks up to find the supersoldier looking down at him. The SPARTAN acknowledges O'Brien, then calmly walks away.

"We lost Checkman in the atmosphere." Dutch informs. "And we almost lost you too."

Dutch and O'Brien look up to Cal, as she looks over a hill and guards the group.

Cortez unfolds a map, pointing out their target. "The logistics and refuelling base is here. We're here. The Prophet will be coming in at exactly 0800. Everything depends on us getting a clear shot from this location and we've got to hit him as soon as he's exiting that ship. It's two miles from the target, and should give us the elevation for the shot. It's pretty far. But it will give us enough cover to make our extraction."

"Assuming the Spartan can make the shot, that is." O'Brien says.

The SPARTAN continues to appraise the situation, apparently unfazed by the loaded comment.

"And if we don't make it to the target in time?" Dutch asks.

"There won't be any second chances." Cortez states.

"That's a long-ass march." O'Brien points out.

"Then we'd better get marching." Dutch states.

The four begin their march, with the SPARTAN ever vigilant. The group stops just beyond the ruins. The SPARTAN observes though a compact telescope.

"Wanna take the lens cap off?" O'Brien asks.

"Knock it off, O'Brien!" Cortez orders.

The team joins the SPARTAN. They come across the ruins, which have a distinctly Japanese look to them, down to the lanterns hanging off the eaves. The ruins are occupied by Covenant. The four get closer to the ruins, where the SPARTAN indicates that they should neutralise the threat...quietly. Cal, Cortez and Dutch kill three of the Grunts successfully, but O'Brien steps on a twig, alerting his Grunt to his presence.