Chief prepared to exit hyperspace. He checked his gear one final time.
Assault rifle. Multiple magazines.
Battle rifle. Same thing
Magnum. Same thing.
Knife. Sharp.
Jetpack. Full on fuel.
"Can you give it a rest?" The AI said showing herself on the holo communicator for the Twilight. "I've lost count on how many times you've checked and rechecked your gear."
"Maybe next time." The Spartan said with a small smirk.
Cortana rolled her eyes, "At least put your helmet on. I don't like that smirk of yours. We're about to reach our destination soon anyways."
Chief puts his helmet on with the sound of a click signaling it's locked on. He looks out to the swirling blue before the ship exits hyperspace and an entire part of space just filled with scrap. It's mostly Covenant ships but a few UNSC ships are still around. Mostly Amber Clads. Every ships is either torn in half or in peices, but all of it is just floating around.
"Let's get to one of the Amber Clads. I would prefer it over anything Covenant." Cortana said.
Chief flew the ship over and docked near the hanger of said ship. This one was the most intact one. Or at least it looked liked it was. Chief exited the Twilight and into the ship with his boots being mag locked on the surface. "Seems like everything is in working order."
"Minus anything that needs power." Chief said. He continues through the hanger and past the Scorpion tank and few Warthogs that were still not destroyed. He will check the multiple crates after he reaches the bridge of the ship. Chief forces open every door that he needs to get through. 'Restoring power is priority one, then we can try and get a ship flying again.' Chief opens another door to see multiple-
"Marines." Chief looks away as he sees something else. "A hull breach...they didn't have time." Cortana says. "We should keep moving."
Chief carefully grabs one of the bodies and grabs his helmet. He grabs a chip on the back of it. "Let's see what happened. We don't know if Covenant did this or something else."
Cortana understands and starts to show the soldiers helmet cam video.
"Can't believe thus could be it." The video played. The helmet was being held by the soldier and what could be guessed was his friend next to him. "Next few days is the last of the Covenant. What's going to happen afterwards?"
"We're going home. That's what will happen. At least the ones that still have a home to go back to."
"We should make the Covenant not have a home to go back to."
"What about the Elites? They're helping us."
Chief skipped forward past the small conversations he had. The marine saw the edges of battle but wasn't in the thick of it. Mostly supply runs. He then reached the point he wanted. Before their death. "He died only a few hours ago." Cortana says.
The marine was held up next to the bridge heavily breathing with other soldiers, "How the Hell did we get here? Everything is saying we are not even in the Milkyway. How are we-" Sounds of a ship flying by is heard, "What is that? Help?" The origin of the breach is shown. A spike as big as the wall pierces through and sucks up the air, killing everyone inside. The video cuts off.
Chief wanted to punch the wall next to him but he resisted. He looked to see the bridge was already open. Forced open. A few steps in and the crew were dead, shot, by blasters. "Let's get the ship online. We could see who did this." Cortana says gently as she can tell how much rage is building up in her friend.
Chief went to one of the consoles and put Cortana in a port. The lights come on and they are already detecting unknown ships. "What is it?"
Cortana shows herself on the port. "Three unknown light scout ships. The kind pirates use in the Outer Rim. They are all coming to us. Wait...one of them is hailing us."
"Put them through."
"Uh...hello. Is someone there? If you are looking for taking this scrap for yourself, forget about it. I've been hired to take everything. Now, if your looking for business, Hondo Ohnaka is at your service."
"Hondo. A pirate wanted by multiple factions and even the Separatist." Cortana says. "Somehow held Generals Skywalker and Kenobi and even Count Dooku... at the same time."
Chief looks over at the AI, "Would anyone care if he is taken out?"
"No."
"Can we use the MAC gun?"
Cortana laughs, "I know what you're thinking Chief. Round is already loaded, but the ship is drifting."
"Is anyone there? Am I talking to someone or am I talking to a ghost of the ship."
"Luckily, one of them is about to go right over the barrel."
"We see the ship has power again. We also know you picked up the call."
"Fire when ready." Chief commanded.
"Ok this is getting annoying. Time is credits and right now we are wasting time."
"Just a bit more."
"We'll just check inside to see if anything is in there again."
"FIRE!"
The MAC gun fired and went right through the pirate ship. Blew a hole right threw and continued flying through space. "Nice one. Now let's get the other two. One of them seems to want to board us."
_______________
Hondo stood up surprised, "What just happened? What did that ship just do?"
A crew member checked his console. "We don't know sir. I don't think that's a ship. I think it's a giant slug thrower."
Hondo took a moment to think about that, "A slug thrower able to destroy ships. If we turn that into a ship, imagine the profit from it."
"Your Lieutenant is boarding it now."
"Well? Put it on screen. I want to see what's in there."
Holograms of the ships boarding party is shown. Hondo sits back in his captain chair and pulls out a drink for himself. He sees his men blow open another door but the feed cuts out, "What's going on?"
"Sorry boss. Having difficulties with the cameras."
"Well get them back. We're missing all the action." As soon as he got done saying that it comes back to the boarding crew dead with blood leaving their corpses. "Uh...that's not our fault, I presume." The crewmate switches to other cameras to see the crew of the ship taking fire from a mech. "What is that thing? It's ripping through my men. Get to them before they're all dead." Hondo yells out in anger. The crew moves them to the boarded ship with the holograms showing more of the crew being killed. "I want his head!" Hondo shouted before he sees the final man being choked slammed and then beaten to death by just a few punches. His face was caved in and his blood was on the mech's hand. The feed cuts out. "That's it. Well make a profit with that things armor."
"Sir, it's hailing us."
"Put him through. I want to talk to this scum myself. The hologram of the mech comes through, "How dare you interrupt my business and kill my men. What's is the meaning of this?"
"You killed good men as well." It said with no emotion. "How many other ships have you boarded and killed everyone on board?"
Hondo scratches his chin as he thinks, "Uh...a lot actually. How everyone I think. But so what. It was just simple business, or at least it was until you showed up you mech."
"I am Spartan 117. I am a soldier of the UNSC. I will protect Earth and her colonies and anything for her. That includes these ships you tried to take and the men you killed."
"Uh,Sir? Isn't that the mercenary working for the Republic?"
Hondo realized who it actually was. He signals his crew to get out of there with slight hand movements. "Well, I am sorry for your loss. How about this, we can make a deal. I am a man that can make a man like you retire in the next few weeks if you work with me." He nervously laughs as his ship starts to leave the area. He signals them to hurry up. "So all I will need from you is to just stay there and I will get your payment."
______________
"How much longer?"
"They'll be gone before the weapons kill them, even if we fire now." Cortana says, "I'm sorry Chief."
The feed cuts as the pirate ship hyperspaces out. Chief looks out the window where he was looking at the ship. "It's fine. Let's just get what we came for and get out of here."
"Alright Chief. I've already set a marker down so all we need to do is just get whatever we want and head back to Republic space."
Chief understands and goes back to the Amber Clad.
_____________
"You trusted pirates to take him down?"
"No my master. I was merely distracting him. He won't be able to get back in time before our attack on Kamino."
"For your sake, I hope you're right."