(One more chapter. I'm putting The Pillar of Autumn and Lone Wolf in one chapter.)
Sword Base, Babd Catha Ice Shelf, Eposz
August 29, 2552 26:16 Hours
The landscape around Sword Base is now burnt and destroyed. A Falcon flies overhead as Ash walks out from a small hill then he walks down the rocky terrain.
Colonel Holland speaks over coms. "Noble One, this is Noble Actual. Noble One?"
Carter then speaks over coms. "...Go ahead."
"We need that base taken out, son. What's your status?"
"Still outside. Thermal on the interior shows standing-room-only. We're gonna have to thin 'em out or we'll be way too popular."
"Copy that, Noble One. Holland out."
Ash jumps over a sand dune and lands beside three ODSTs.
Carter speaks to Ash over coms. "We've got a job to do, so let's stay focused and get it done. Six, are you in position?"
"Affirmative." Ash responds and he holds a fist up.
"Good. Execute."
Ash signals the ODSTs and they move out.
Torch and Burn
Carter talks to Ash over coms. "Covenant own this sector now. They are defending for a full major strike, not a small-group infiltration. Eliminate all hostile ground air-defense so the rest of Noble can land at Sword Base for the torch-and-burn. Keep a low profile - we'll take them by surprise, this will be a hell lot easier."
"Spartan, we'll follow you." An ODST responds.
The team moves down to the flooded Farragut Station in front of a Covenant outpost, comprising of a deployable lookout tower, Shades, a few Ghosts, and a group of Infantry. While approaching the outpost, the team comes across the wreckage of a Falcon.
"Falcon down." An ODST calls out. "Watch for bodies."
Ash walks past the Falcon and sees a couple dead bodies within and he quickly looks away. 'We'll win, we'll win. We'll drive them off Reach and win. Cal need you to protect the planet.' He grabs a Rocket Launcher off the ground near the Falcon.
Ash and the ODST continue to sneak towards the outpost and they arrive outside it. Ash hands the Rocket Launcher to one of the ODST.
"Target the Ghosts first." Ash orders.
"Yes, sir." An ODST grabs the Rocket Launcher and nods.
Ash puts his DMR on his back and takes out the knife on his chest. Ash slowly moves forward and gets behind an Elite Major.
Ash swiftly jumps onto its back and stabs it in the neck. Ash lands on the ground and grabs the heavy Elite body before it falls. Ash then drags the body behind a building and he peeks around the corner and spots a couple Elites, a few Grunts up in the look out tower, with plasma turrets. A few Jackals walk around in a group.
Ash pulls out a couple grenades and does some quick math and then he pulls the pins. Ash tosses the grenades into two different directions.
One grenade lands in the lookout tower, while the other lands in the group of Jackals.
After a second the grenades go off, killing the Grunts in the tower and the group of Jackals.
The two Elites yell out while the Ghosts move towards the buildings. Ash runs out of cover and fires onto the Elites, while one of the Ghosts blows up from a couple of rockets hitting it.
The ODST drops the Rocket Launcher and all three run out of cover on fire onto the two ghosts.
Ash takes down one of the Elites and he tackles the second and hits it in the face multiple times with the butt of his gun. The three ODSTs kill the operators of the Ghosts and they move into the clear out the nearby buildings.
Then an ODST comes out. "Structure's clear, Lieutenant."
Ash reloads his DMR as the ODSTs regroup with him.
Emile speaks over coms. "Kat was right. Does seem like overkill... Sending us back here for a simple demo-op?"
Jun responds to Emile over coms. "ONI thinks it's worth it. Ought to tell you something."
"Tells me things ain't so simple."
The Spartan and ODSTs move up the road and come across an abandoned Scorpion tank. Another deployable lookout tower is seen further down the road.
"Looks like we have a Scorpion still operational, sir." An ODST states.
Ash commandeers the tank. An ODST gets into the gunner seat as the other two sit on top of the tread armor. Ash aims the turret at the tower and fires. The shell slams into the tower and blows it up.
Ash chuckles. "That makes me feel a little better." He mutters.
Ash moves the tank forward and they head further up the road and come across another tower and a couple Ghosts. But they are easily eliminated by the Scorpion's superior firepower.
Ash keeps moving and comes across another tower with some infantry around it. Ash and the ODSTs swiftly neutralize the Covenant Troops.
"Area secure." An ODST calls out. "Ready to hit that anti-air whenever you are, Lieutenant."
Ash moves forwards.
Carter speaks over coms. "Get a move on, Noble Six. Our Falcons are standing by."
The teams finally reach Airview Base, now the dwelling of two Covenant Tyrants defended by Covenant troops. Ghosts and Banshees. Hot magma and rough terrain have replaced the airfield under the base. An aerial battle between Banshees and Falcons rages above.
"AA guns dead ahead, Lieutenant."
Carter speaks over coms. "Time to get to work, Noble Six. Take out those guns!"
Ash and the ODSTs engage the troops. Ash blows up a couple Banshees and the ODSTs manage to kill the operates of the Ghosts.
"You know, what? I'm having fun with this." Ash says to himself.
Ash aims the tank turret at one of the guns as the ODSTs deal with Covenant troops. Ash fires repeatedly at the first AA gun and after a minute, it blows up.
Carter speaks over coms. "First target neutralized. Falcons, stand-by."
Ash then turns the tank turret onto the second AA gun and eventually blows it up.
"Nice job, Six." Carter calls out over coms. "Falcons, commence descent. See you inside the base, Lieutenant."
"Let's give 'em hell, Spartan!" An ODST says.
"They sure gave it to Reach..." Another ODST says.
Several Falcons, one piloted by Carter, fly over Ash and towards Sword Base. Six continues to Sword Base's gate. Ash takes a couple Banshees out of the sky.
"Noble Team: Falcon group has landed, hostiles engaged." Carter says over coms. "Jun is working on getting teh gate open."
Jun the speaks over coms. "Really, missing Kat right about now..."
Ash and the ODSTs reach Sword Base's gate area, with little resistance. But the Covenant are defending the area. Ash blows up a few Ghosts and shoots a couple Banshees out of the sky.
Ash and the ODSTs move forward and take out any infantry in their way. Ash stops the tank outside the base and continues to take out Covenant troops and vehicles.
"Got it." Jun calls out over coms. "Gate's open, boss."
The gates start to open.
Carter speaks over coms. "Six, get over here! Covies all over the base."
Ash hops out of the driver seat and turns to the three ODSTs. "Defend this area, and in twenty minutes, get out of here and to safety."
"On it, Lieutenant." The ODST hops into the driver seat.
Emile speaks over coms. "Tangos, coming from the pad!"
Jun the responds. "And the garage!"
"Double time it, Six, come on!" Carter orders over coms.
Ash runs towards the gate. "Good luck, soldiers.
"Finish the fight, Spartan!" An ODST yells out.
Ash runs through the gate and takes the DMR off his back.
Latchkey.
Ash moves into Sword base's courtyard. The rest of Noble Team are seen fighting Covenant troops.
"Just in time, Six." Emile calls out.
"Kill 'em all, Noble!" Carter orders.
Three Elites have their backs to Ash as they fire onto his team. One of the Elite's shield breaks and another is getting fired on and it's shield fizzes.
Ash runs towards the third Elite and puts his DMR on his back and takes out his knife. Ash jumps onto the Elite and stabs it in the neck multiple times. The jumps off and lands onto the second Elite and they both fall to the ground.
The Elite pushes Ash off, but he swiftly jumps back onto it. Ash brings up his knife and stabs the Elite in the face a few times and Blue blood splatters onto his armor.
Ash the jumps up and swiftly pulls his pistol out and fires a few rounds into the third Elite, killing it after a few round, but Ash keeps firing into the dead Elite until the mag in his pistol is empty.
Ash lets out a few angry breaths and he reloads his pistol and sets it back onto his hip. Ash cleans the blood off his armor and then takes the DMR off his back as his teammates deal with the Grunts running around in panic.
Ash regroups with his team and they enter the base, clearing out a few Covenant as they enter. They then head to a door at the end of the parking lot.
"Have to go through maintenance. Elevator's out." Carter informs.
"The way this place has been done?" Emile starts. "We're lucky anything still works."
"Six, take point."
Ash move to the front of the team as they enter the maintenance hall and climb up a series of catwalks, engaging some Kig-Yar on the way. They finally arrive at the top and enter the security checkpoint, which has been severely damaged.
"Where are we going now, boss?" Jun asks.
"Dot?" Carter calls out to the A.I.
Auntie Dot speaks over coms. "Please proceed to the prearrange coordinates."
"Cryptic..." Emile points out.
"You know as much as I do, Noble Four."
A door opens, and the team continues into Sword Base's main atrium.
"Coordinates nearby, Commander." Auntie Dot informs over coms.
"We're close." Carter says. "Up the ramp, and to the right!"
The team comes across several Spec Ops Sangheili and a General, along with an Engineer, guarding the atrium. They begin to engage and Ash fires onto the Engineer, it tires to fly away, but Ash manages to kill it.
Ash then tosses a couple grenades at the Elites, and one manages to destroy the shielding of a Spec Ops Elite. Ash pops out of cover and fires a few rounds into the Elites head, killing it.
Ash ducks back down and reloads and lets his shields regenerate, since it took a couple hits. Then he pops back out and fires onto the Elite General and until he manages to kill it.
The other three of his team kill the other two Elites. The team continues to the coordinates and they come across a door with the ONI emblem on it.
Six opens the door.
Noble Team enters a corridor littered with dead bodies and destroyed equipment. An unmanned turret stand behind some sandbags.
Ash sighs as he looks at the dead Army troopers. "Poor, soldiers."
"Looks like they got themselves corners." Jun says.
"Or were committed to the position." Carter gives his thought.
Emile continues through the corridor, but it's a dead end. "I'm going with cornered. There's nothing here."
"No load-bearing columns, either..." Jun states. "Sir, if we're supposed to blow this place, this ain't the spot to do it from."
Carter holsters his Assault Rifle and accesses his TACPAD, annoyed. "Dot, check your vector."
"Vector confirmed." Auntie Dot replies. "Commander, we are precisely where ONI has directed- ... Apologies. Coordinates revised. Please confirm?"
"Revised...?"
"By an AI of unknown origin. Whose clearance is well above my own."
"Well, it's pointing us a click and a half east and two thousand feet underground." Jun informs.
"And I didn't bring my shovel, Commander." Emile says sarcastically.
"We don't exactly have time for this, sir." Ash calls out.
Jun then speaks up. "Sir, I say we go AI-free on this one. Obviously, these coordinates are junk, and the longer we go chasing them-"
A sudden grinding noise cuts Jun off. Everyone raises their weapons. A wall in the dead end opens, revealing a secret passage. Emile stands in front of it, securing the way ahead.
"What is this, Dot?" Carter asks.
"Our revised route, Commander." Auntie Dot states.
"Alright, we came this far."
Carter signals Jun to take point, and the rest of the team follows him into the hidden corridor as the hidden door slides shut. The team continues down the tunnel and finds a tram. View turns to a security camera watching Noble Team entering the tram.
"You're new AI friend tell you anything else, Dot?" Carter asks, but he doesn't get a response. "Dot?"
"They've been expecting you." Auntie Dot informs.
"They?" Ash questions. "There's more than one AI?"
The tram door closes.
"That's perfect..." Emile mutters.
The view switches to a camera inside the tram as it starts to move.
Dr, Catherine Halsey appears on a holographic viewscreen. "Apologies for the unusual security measures, Commander, but the stakes demand it."
"Dr. Halsey." Carter greets. "Casualty reports have you listed as-"
Halsey interrupts. "Yes, well, as they say...news of my death has been greatly exaggerated. I only wish the same could be said of the rest of Noble Team."
"We all do, ma'am."
Ash looks down at the two dog tags in his hand.
"It may please you to learn the data module Noble Two procured from the Visegrád station contained precisely what my scientist promised: a latchkey discovery. It has unlocked, at last, the secrets of this excavation."
"Not sure I understand." Carter states.
"Your orders were a pretext to bring you to me, and have been overriden." Halsey informs. "You are here, Team Noble, to assure the delivery of this vital data to a secure location."
"Doctor, out orders are to destroy all sensitive material-"
"Others will handle the demolition."
"I'll need to confirm this new directive will command-"
"Colonel Holland will be briefed. You belong to ONI now."
Ash puts the dog tags in a chest pocket as the tram begins to descend.
.
.
.
A view of a camera is overlooking the elevator traveling down to an icy cavern Switches to Six's point of view, who walks up to the frontal part of the tram. Noble Team looks at the crashed Forerunner spacecraft.
"Wow." Ash mutters in awe at the size of the ship.
Halsey speaks to Noble Team over coms. "Before you is an alien artifact neither human nor Covenant in origin. Advanced beyond our comprehension... until now. Thanks to Noble Two, the decryption of its data is nearly complete."
Crumbling sounds shift the team's attention to a few falling boulders from the cave's ceiling.
"Whatever we're doing down here, we'd better do it quick." Emile states.
"Have your data ready, ma'am." Carter says into coms. "We're coming to you."
"The decryption process is still underway..." Halsey informs over coms.
"I don't think understand - we're out of time. If it isn't portable when we reach you, it's gonna get buried!"
"Bury any of it, and you bury mankind's best chance for survival! Commander, you've been wondering what your Spartans died for? They died for this. Please. Buy me all the time you can."
The elevator door opens and Noble Team steps out.
This Cave is Not a Natural Formation
Noble Team moves out and explores the cave complex. Four Wolf Spider turrets are located in different locations.
"Wow, these are some nice turrets." Ash says as he studies a turret.
"Commander, I'm seeing turrets already in defensive positions." Jun informs.
"ONI was expecting company?" Emile questions.
Covenant dropships begin their descent from the cave's ceiling.
"They sure as hell got it." Carter says. "Doctor, we have hostiles inbound."
Halsey speaks over coms. "Spartans, you cannot allow the Covenant to break through the door to my lab."
"Understood. Let's give the doctor the time she needs."
ONI control speaks over coms. "Noble Team, there are four defense turrets to assist you in defending the lab. Get them online, and quick! When the turrets take too much damage, they'll shut down to recharge. You'll need to reactivate them when they come back online."
The team arrives at the lab's entrance. There are a wide assortment of weapons holstered on the side and Mongooses parked near the entrance. Weapons crates and armor abilities are also available. Sandbags provide defense and Carter, Jun, and Emile hold their position there.
"Noble Six, activate the turrets! Set up a perimeter." Carter orders.
While Six moves around the cavern, activating the Spider Turrets, Covenant Spirits and Phantoms are heard as they enter the area.
Ash runs back over to his team as the Phantoms begin to land, dropping Jiralhanae, Unggoy, Mgalekgolo and Kig-yar.
"They're landing out of range, across the bridge!" Carter informs/
Halsey speaks over coms. "I need more time. Whatever you have to do, do it."
Ash moves over to a weapons cabinet and grabs a Rocket Launcher and some ammo. He sets the Rocket Launcher on his back as grabs a box of grenades and runs back over to his team, and readies his DMR.
The Covenant begin to approach the lab and the team fires onto them. Ash takes down a Grunts and a few Jackals. A pair of Hunters run towards the lab.
Ash grabs a couple grenades from the box next to him and throws them towards the Hunters, then he throws another pair.
Since the Hunters are running side by side the four grenades hurt them both. Ash takes out his Rocket Launcher and fires both rockets at the Hunters.
The Rockets hit the Hunters and they both let out a roar. Ash swiftly reloads and fires off a couple more rockets before the Hunters fire onto the group.
The Hunters go down and Ash pulls out his other weapon and fires onto a group of Jackals. A couple turrets go down and Ash runs over to them, while taking out more Covenant.
He reactivates them and moves back towards his team, when he spots some Phantoms moving in with Wraiths attached to the bottom.
"We got targets!" Emile says over coms. "Watch out for those Wraiths!"
A few Brutes charge at Ash and he takes cover behind some rocks, getting cut off from his team. Ash rolls out of cover and fires onto the Brutes, taking one down and injuring the second. Ash throws a Plasma grenade onto the injured Brute and it blows up, killing it.
Ash then runs forward and tackles the third brute to the ground, but it punches him off. Ash lands on the ground and the Brute tries to stab Ash with the blades of its Spiker gun.
Ash grabs the gun before it hits his chest and struggles against the Brute. 'C'mon! C'mon!' Ash grunts as his arms start to shake from the pressure.
Suddenly a sniper round goes through the Brute's head and it falls onto its side, dead.
"I got yeah, Six." Jun says over coms.
Ash lets out a sigh of relief. "Thank you." Ash jumps up and onto his feet and moves back behind the rock as a Wraith moves past him.
Ash then runs out of cover and jumps onto the back of the Wraith and puts a grenade into its energy cell. He then hops off and pulls out his Rocket Launcher as he notices a second Wraith.
Ash runs towards the second Wraith as the first one blows up. Ash stops and aims up his rocket launcher and fires off two missiles before reloading.
The missiles slam into the side of the Wraith, killing its gunner. Then the Wraith turns towards Ash. "Uh oh." Ash swiftly fires off a couple more rockets, but has to run back as the Wraith fires a mortar round at him.
Ash's rockets slam into the Wraith and it blows up. Ash swiftly runs back to his team and drops off his empty rocket launcher and picks up a grenade launcher.
Ash moves back to his grenade box as more Phantoms appear while plasma mortar rounds hit near the entrance. Banshees enter the battlefield to aid their allies.
"Heads up, we got more trouble!" Jun informs.
Halsey speaks over coms. "Hold on, Spartans. I'm getting close."
Ash starts to lob grenades at approaching Covenant Troops. "You get a grenade! You get a grenade! You get a grenade! Everyone gets grenades!"
"Another Phantom!" Carter informs. "Dropping troops to flank us!"
"Maybe we can grab a Banshee and bring the fight to them." Jun suggests.
Ash sees the Phantom hover in the distance and drops off its troops. Ash aims his Grenade launcher up and hums. Then he fires off a round and loads in another and fires it off.
The grenades fly into the distance and blow up, sending up a couple Grunt Bodies.
Ash notices that the assault is dying down and he takes this chance to run out and reactivate any downed turrets. Then he runs back to his team as a couple more Phantoms and banshees enter the cave. Ghosts and Sangheili Rangers join the assault.
Ash fires off his Grenade Launcher at the Ghosts and he blows them up. Ash then tosses it down, having run out of ammo. He pulls his DMR off his back and engages more Covenant troops approaching.
Halsey speaks over coms. "Package is almost ready. Just a little more."
A few Skirmishers and a couple Hunters move towards the lab. Ash grabs grenades out of the box next to him and starts throwing them. A few grenades land around the Skirmishers, blowing them all up.
Ash uses the rest of the grenades he has to kill the Hunters as they approach. Ash then engages a few Brutes running up from the side.
The Banshees in the cavern retreat as more Phantoms approach, one of them landing right outside the entrance.
"More Covenant!" Carter points out. "Get your defenses ready, Six!"
A lance of Covenant led by a Sangheili General are dropped from the Phantom.
"Oh, boy." Ash says to himself as he reloads and fires onto the Covenant Lance.
The Elite General runs towards Ash with an Energy Sword. Ash fires onto the Elite, but it manages to reach him as its shields are destroyed.
The Elite swings its energy sword at Ash, but he leans back and kicks it out of the Elite's hand, deactivating it. Ash reaches his hand up and grabs the Energy Sword and holds it to the Elite's chest and activates it.
The Energy Sword pierces the General's chest and it reaches out towards Ash. Ash just pulls his pistol out and fires a round into its face, before kicking the body down.
Ash drops the energy sword and puts his pistol back on his hip. Ash moves back behind cover and keeps firing onto the Covenant Troops.
Halsey then speaks over coms. "Well done, Spartans! I'm opening the laboratory door."
The Team slowly moves back as they fire onto any approaching Covenant troops. With Ash staying in the front and the door opens.
"Door's open, Noble Six." Carter informs. "Get to the lab."
The blast door opens and NOBLE Team rushes in. They quickly reach the corridor's end - Dr. Halsey's lab. A large sphere-shaped Forerunner artifact hovers outside the lab.
"What is this stuff?" Emile asks.
Dr. Halsey, still in the middle of preparing the Packages, moves to another monitor. "Knowledge. A birthright from an ancient civilization. This AI is its custodian, and she, along with her sister, have chosen you as their couriers."
"Chosen?" Emile asks. "By AIs?"
"By these AI, yes. Their measure you carries as much weight as my own.."
Halsey moves away from view, revealing two AIs on a holotank. One of them, a purple one, is analyzing Forerunner data. While her sister, a bright pink one, watches.
The bright pink AI looks back and sees Ash. A look of surprise is on her face and she smiles. Ash tilts his head slightly.
Halsey continues. "...Perhaps more. You are to take them to them to the UNSC shop breaking yards in Asźod. There, you will find a Halcyon-class cruiser waiting to get them off-planet."
"I understand." Carter says.
"Do you? Mankind is outmatched. When Reach falls - and it will fall - our annihilation is all but certain. Unless...we can glean from this artifact a defense against the Covenant. A game-changer. On the level of the conical bullet in the nineteenth century, or faster-than-light travel in the twenty-third."
"And what if we can't?"
"An apt question, if there were somewhere else to place our hope. There is not."
Dr. Halsey looks at Cortana and her sister one last time and shuts off her projection. Jun curiously looks at the lab as Dr. Halsey pulls out two data storage units, both wither their respective colors glowing within. Halsey, holding the Packages securely with both hands, walks forward as if she is approaching Carter, but passes him and holds it out to Noble Six instead.
"Take them, Lieutenant..." Halsey says. "They have made their choice."
Ash looks at Carter, who nods in response. The Spartan places his hands over the Packages.
"Do you have them?" Halsey asks.
"Yes." Ash responds.
"Say the words, please."
(The words, please.)
"I have them."
Halsey lets go of the units as Six looks at her.
"Spartan, if it does come to it." Halsey starts. "Do priorities the purple one over the pink one."
.
.
.
Noble Team and Dr. Halsey walking out of a tunnel leading to two Pelicans. View switches to the team and Dr. Halsey. The data storage units, now attached to Ash's lower back, emits a dim blue glow and a pink glow.
Carter turns back to Halsey. "Dr. Halsey, Noble Three will escort you to CASTLE Base."
"I require no escort, Commander-" Halsey tries to argue.
"Jun, make sure nothing falls into enemy hands."
"I'll do what's necessary, sir..." Jun says. "Good luck."
"You too, rifleman."
Ash walks over to Jun and holds up a hand, Jun grabs it. "You stay safe, testvér" Ash says.
"You too, and good luck." Jun says. "I'll see you on the other side, Brother."
"See you on the other side."
Jun and Dr. Halsey climb into one Pelican while Carter boards the other. Emile and Noble Six slowly walk back, securing the area. Cut to the cockpit of Carter's Pelican. Carter climbs into the pilot seat.
"I need a heading, Dot." Carter says.
Auntie Dot speaks over coms. "At three kilometers north, turn right, heading zero-five-zero."
"Which leads too...?"
Ash walks into the troop bay while Emile sits down on the tail of the Pelican. Both Pelicans take off.
"The ship-breaking yards in Asźod." Auntie Dot informs. "The only off-planet extraction point left on this continent. Small-scale air attacks have decimated many convoys en route. An armada of Covenant Cruisers is heading on site as well. UNSC cruiser Pillar of Autumn is awaiting your arrival."
"Wouldn't be a Noble mission if it were easy." Carter mutters.
Emile sits back as explosive charges detonate beneath the ice shelf, destroying the Forerunner complex and Sword Base's remains. The surrounding waters rapidly pours into the opening, flooding the excavation site.
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(Some of you know who the pink AI is and may be excited to see her once again. It just wouldn't be Ash without her.
And I hope your ready for the next chapter.)
03-21-2023
4616 words