Halo: Fireteam Phoenix

Chapter 7: To the Sky

In the ensuing chaos and fiery shock, Richard was faintly aware of a garbled buzzing. Buzzing? It was his radio. Of course.

He looked back at the radio, cursing his thoughtlessness. The radio! Finally, comms were back online. "UNSC frigate Sunbreaker to all UNSC troops, we are severely damaged and in need of immediate assistance. We will be forced to commit a tactical retreat if we do not receive assistance!"

"Patch me through," Sarah ordered, pacing the cockpit. When the signal connected, she immediately began to explain "Sunbreaker, this is spartan B133. Fireteam phoenix is available to assist, over,"

"Copy that, spartan. We're holding out for reinforcements now,"

"Reinforcements?"

"Yes. The plan has changed, commander. The admiral believes that we have the covenant on the run. If this is all they have, we can stretch forces and destroy the cruiser."

"What's the plan? Can we help in any way?"

"The plan is to continue as is. A Marathon-class cruiser is on its way to back us up. Maintain your position and assist the ground forces until it arrives, over." Sarah heard these orders. Her mind registered them. It told her they were sound. Her body almost followed them. It was only when the great, sleeping beast roused that she disobeyed.

A CAS Assault Carrier had engaged its weapons. From the belly of the beast, a single, enveloping blast of plasma smashed into the ground.

On impact, the world shook. The pelican buckled in the air. "Is that what I think it is?" Derek cried.

"Assault carrier, dead ahead! Hold onto your helmets, this'll get messy!" Richard heaved the pelican around, thrusting as fast as he could away from the all-consuming energy. The carrier continued to fire, blasting a world-eating energy torrent onto the UNSC forces on the ground. They wouldn't even have time to scream. Sarah had to look away. The thought of those soldiers, those people...Plasma like that didn't burn. It turned the foes into so much glass. Sarah was glad the others couldn't see her face. All of this...it was too much to bear. Aaron approached her, a hand on her shoulder. "Commander, we need to do something."

"Like what?" Derek cried. "Have you seen what's out there? Commander, tell the frigate and the reinforcements to turn around and bug out."

"And abandon those defenceless soldiers on the ground? I think not!" Marie cut in. "Derek, you cannot be so cold!"

"Oh I'm colder than you realise, lieutenant. When it comes to not dying, that is,"

"Whatever you're gonna do, commander, do it now! I can't hold her together in this!" Richard's voice quaked and he struggled with the controls. The glassing beam was scorching the earth and scattering glass and dirt and debris. This was swirling in a boiling maelstrom of air and steaming rain. The beam was so unimaginably hot, it was brewing a tornado and storm clouds. Harsh, biting winds snatched the sand and glass and rain, whipping it around like a flail. It plinked against the hull like deadly hail. Sarah's heart was palpitating. This was suicide. Derek was right, they should leave. Live to fight another day, fight the covenant on their own terms. Except..."We won't have a better time than now! I don't know where that carrier came from, but you can bet there are more. We will need every ship and soldier we can spare."

"So leave now! We can come back another day!"

"No! The last thing that carrier will expect is for us to stay and fight." Sarah connected to the frigate again. "Negative on that directive, Sunbreaker. Draw the fire of that carrier as long as you can. We'll deal with it."

"Commander, are you crazy?" Derek exclaimed. "They'll tear us apart before we get within a hundred metres of that thing,"

"I agree commander," a voice said. Admiral Ball, Sarah assumed. She sounded younger than expected. "My frigate is damaged. I cannot continue evasion against a carrier and the cruiser. Not to mention, what was your plan, I wonder?"