Halo 2: Shadowed pasts and Ancient Runes

Chapter 10: Arrival
October 17, 2552: Planet Earth
0834 hours

Nathan walked through the jungle with Johnson, the Arbiter and the marines. They had gotten a fix on an object that had fallen from Truth's ship. Everyone had high hopes of who it could be. They had been walking for over an hour now, with the prize nowhere in sight.

Nathan thought about everyone back home. He missed Twilight more than anything, all his friends and family... It was like getting called to war all over again. He thought about Laurence and the other Spartans. They had left with him in their stealth ship back to Earth. Laurence didn't want to go. The son of a bitch actually wanted to stay with Star Trot... Nathan let out a chuckle about that. And that wasn't even crazy from what he learned from the third monitor he'd seen in his life. Here's where it got interesting.

Nathan was guided by the Elites to the bridge, along with Johnson and Miranda. The guards patted their chests and let their leaders on, hesitating with the humans.

"Ah, welcome back, Reclaimers! I see you have another in tow! Wonderful! I am 343 Guilty Spark, monitor of Installation 04." Guilty Spark exclaimed.

"God, you're the third monitor I've crossed paths with in the span of a month..." Nathan said low. The monitor chuckled and flew around him.

"I see you've found the Equineoid species once again. Tell me, how are the breeding processes going?" It asked. Nathan froze.

Johnson and Miranda looked from Nathan, back to the monitor. Nathan hesitated and turned bright red. Lucky for him, he was wearing his helmet.

"Elaborate." Nathan ordered. Spark nodded and went on.

"In the years before the rings were completed, we needed a wide variety of flora and fauna. The one world we found suitable was the Equine species. While they were not a space traveling race, their ability to use, what they called, magic, aided in the fight against the Flood considerably. It wasn't until a few years later, when a human general and the princess of the world, consummated their love for one another. They had a child, mixed species which had the ability to wield magic and fly, while looking like any ordinary humanoid, save for the wings and horn. It wasn't until their child, and the children of other mixed human and Equine breeding, entered the war, that we had a strong chance against the Flood. Unfortunately, the Flood had become too strong, forcing my creators to fire the rings. They and all Sentient life died, as planned. But, never a species to be unprepared, the Forerunners left the Equine samples this shield world to grow and evolve back into a species that could help begin the next evolutionary phase for the both of you. It is Human kinds next evolutionary step, and theirs."

Nathan just sat on the floor listening, as did the Elites, Johnson and Miranda. Johnson turned to Nathan with an odd grin. "You didn't sleep with 'em, did you?" He asked. Nathan's face was a strawberry at this point.

"Well..." He began to trail off and Johnson slapped his forehead.

"Should have never taught you the man creed, son..." He said, slapping the Spartan on the back of the Helmet. "Congrats, or whatever." He finished. Miranda rolled her eyes.

"Alright, Ship Master, can we please set a course for Earth now?" She pleaded. He nodded and spread his arms, the Elites ran for their stations and the Fleet was now on their way to a besieged Earth.

That whole conversation with the Monitor had been an eye opening experience. Not only was it natural for these two species to breed with one another, it was crucial for the next phase in human evolution. Twilight would get a kick out of that when he got home...

"Sir's! Over here!" A marine called out.

Well, that was easy.

"Damn, how far do you think he fell?" One of them asked. The other shrugged.

"Two kilometers. Easy." He shot back. Johnson took a puff of his Cigar and turned towards the men.

"Stay sharp!" He reminded them, knowing a pack of Brutes was out there somewhere. The marines fanned out around the chief, setting up a perimeter around the landing sight. Nathan leaned in with Johnson and examined the Spartan.

This was the first time Nathan met the Master Chief. He was about seven feet tall, his armor the Mark VI, glistened in the sunlight streaming from the forest canopy. It had been dented and melted in some places due to heavy fighting. Nathan looked at his own armor. It was worn to shit, just like his.

I've been through more... Nathan thought jealously.

"What do we have, Corporal?" Johnson asked. The marine plugged a data pad into the Spartan's armor and read over the diagnostics.

"Armor's locked up. Gel layer could have taken most of the impact." He sighed and shook his head. "I don't know, Sergeant Major."

Johnson looked into the polarized faceplate and sighed, breathing cigar smoke on the Spartan's face. He reached to the back of his helmet and pulled the AI chip out.

"Radio for VTOL. Heavy lift gear. We aren't leaving him hear." Johnson examined the very empty chip in his hand when he felt something clamp around his wrist. "Yeah, you're not."

Nathan jumped back as the supposedly dead Spartan stood to his feet. Nathan clutched his new MA5C tight and stared him over. The Chief did the same, not expecting to see another Spartan in his life.

"Crazy fool. Why do you always jump?" Johnson asked imploringly. "One of these days, you're going to land on something as stubborn as you are. And I don't do bits and pieces." He slapped the Chiefs arm as he plucked the chip from his hands. Johnson sighed and looked up at him.

"Where is she, Chief? Where's Cortana?"

John spaced off, looking the chip in his hand over. Johnson got right in his face and stared through the visor. John snapped out of it and quickly placed the chip into his head.

"She stayed behind." He said In his deep voice. The Chief looked at the Spartan in front of him and was about to step forward, but was stopped by the Corporal, who had to run diagnostics.

"Your armor's still in partial lock down. Just look at the light where I put it, okay?" He asked. The Chief nodded and did as instructed. Once again, he was about to approach the Spartan, but stopped dead in his tracks when an Elite materialized before them.

He quickly grabbed the Sergeant's pistol and stuck it between the Arbiter's jaws. Nathan leveled his Assault rifle, which Johnson quickly lowered.

"Chief, wait! The Arbiters with us!" He yelled. The Chief kept his finger on the trigger, digging the pistol deeper into the top of the Elites mouth. Johnson stepped forward and grabbed the Chiefs arm.

"Come on now, we got enough to worry about without you two trying to kill each other!"

Master Chief sighed and pulled the pistol away. The Arbiter clicked his jaws and gazed at the chief. "Were it so easy." He said simply.

The Chief looked back at Nathan and nodded. Nathan returned it and smiled.

"We must go. The Brutes have our scent." The Arbiter said, plodding off into the forest.

Johnson smiled. "Well, then they must love the smell of hero." He grabbed an assault rifle from the marine to his side, which John snatched from him quickly, happy to have human weapons back in his arsenal.

"First squad, your my scouts. Quiet as you can." Johnson ordered, fanning the marines out. He gave three quick hand signals to Nathan, giving him different orders. Nathan nodded and ran ahead, leaving everyone else behind.

He ran through the jungle, jumping over brush, running through streams, and up a small waterfall. He didn't stop, even when he ran headlong into a Brute. He threw his knife into the beasts chest, causing it to howl loudly, echoing through the jungle. He shot the pod of Grunts who, were a moment ago, enjoying a nap.

Another Brute howled across the jungle, hearing one of his pack in anguish. There's the alert. Guess the Sergeant can deal with that.

Nathan continued running until he reached the clearing where the Pelicans were waiting. "Pilots, we got the Chief. Let's get to the pick up zone."

The young female pilot came on through his mic. "Roger that, Spartan. Climb aboard and we'll get things started."

Nathan dove into the pelican, mounting the chain gun in the back. "Alright, Private! Get this bird up! Go, go go!"

"Come on, Chief! Get to the river!" Johnson said through his mic. He had gone the same direction as Nathan, and was in the pelican adjacent to him. They hovering over the river, just above a damn complex.

"I see them!" Nathan yelled into his mic. He watched as the Arbiter, the Chief, and their remaining Marine squad stumbled out of the wood.

"Picking up a new contact!" The pilot yelled. Nathan craned his head over the turret to see three banshees swoop above the trees.

"BANSHEES! Fast and low!"

"Break off now!"

"I'M HIT! GAHH! I'M HIT!" His pilot yelled. Nathan fell to the deck and dug his fingers into the metal, creating a handhold. He felt the Pelican hit the cliff edge and slump onto the forest floor, dangling precariously over the ledge.

Nathan rubbed his head and shook off the vertigo. He opened the door to the pilots cabin, and saw that the pilot had been skewered by a tree branch. Nathan winced and backed away. He heard the groan of of the co-pilot. She was in bad shape. Her legs were broken and her arm was pinned under a rock.

"Ma'am? Are you okay?" Nathan asked. She gave him a pained look.

"Do you think I'm okay?!" She yelled. Nathan was about to answer when he heard the growl of a Brute just outside the Pelican hatch.

Damn it. "Wait here!" He ordered. The co-pilot rolled her eyes and didn't move. Nathan kicked down the cabin's door, sending it, and the unfortunate Grunt behind it, out of the Pelican. Nathan burst out, cutting the golden Brute down to size. Even though the MA5C had a smaller clip, it packed one hell of a punch. The Brutes shields failed as his weapons clip ran out of ammo. He grabbed his pistol and shot it in the face, rag dolling it to the floor. The Grunts and Jackals cowered and fled out the door.

More assault rifle fire from outside sounded and the Master Chief peered into the Pelican. Nathan nodded and held up his finger. He ran back into the pilots cabin and pulled the rock off the woman in the seat. She screamed as Nathan hoisted her onto his back.

Master Chief looked at the Spartan curiously. Not with what he was doing, he thought it was very noble of him to rescue the woman, but at the fact that, right before his eyes, was an honest to God Spartan. He thought all of his Spartans had been killed at Reach.

But this wasn't one of his Spartans. He knew every single soldier in his unit, and none of them were this man. "Who are you?" The Chief asked. Nathan spotted a Sniper to his left and draped it on his shoulder.

"That's not important right now. Let's just get out of here and get her medical aid." Nathan said, looking at the wounded woman on his back. The Arbiter nodded.

"He's right. There's no time to loose." He said. The Chief grabbed the second sniper that was leaning on a rock and clacked it.

"Let's go."

Nathan, Master Chief and the Arbiter bolted across the small bridge, taking out a pack of Brutes who came through the tunnel on the far side.

Once they were promptly taken care of, they proceeded through the small cave, arriving on a cliff edge. The Chief and Arbiter stepped forward, while Nathan tended to the Co-pilot.

"See how they bait their trap?" The Arbiter asked the Chief, pointing to a captured Johnson being led to the concrete shack below. Johnson was thrown to the ground, but quickly shot up and punched the Chieftan in the chest. It scoffed and punted him into the room, where he was thrown into a cell with a group of others.

"I'll stay back and cover you two. Go rescue those soldiers." Nathan said, hefting his sniper. The Chief and Arbiter crawled down the slope, each one careful not to alert the soldiers until Nathan had made the first shot.

The Chief looked over to the Arbiter and whispered as quietly as he could. "Do you know who he is?" He asked. The Arbiter looked over to the Chief and nodded.

"Spartan G129. Apparently he's part of the Spartan III program. Gamma company. His real name is Nathan. Do you have a real name, too?"

The chief ignored the Arbiters question and activated his mic to Nathan. "Take the shot."

Nathan let four rapid fire shots echo. Four Jackal snipers fell from their posts, eliminating the long range threat, giving the Chief and the Arbiter a better chance.

The two sprung from their hiding spot and shot anything that moved, mowing down Grunts and Jackals, along with minor Brutes.

"Watch out Spartan!" The Arbiter yelled. The Chief rolled as the Chieftan from early lept from the top of the building, slamming the Gravity Hammer hard on the ground. The Chief unslung his Assault Rifle and let the bullets fly.

The Chieftan growled as 7.62 mm rounds bounced off his shield. He hefted the Hammer over the Chiefs head and hung their for a second. John had nowhere to go, and he covered his face and shut his eyes and waited for the end. Nothing happened... He opened his eyes to see the hilt of a knife sticking out of the Brutes forehead. It took a few seconds for the stiff corpse to go limp, then fall to the ground.

The Chief looked up at the ledge to see Nathan in a throwing position. He chucked that knife from that distance? He stood and nodded up at the hill and continued with the Arbiter to the makeshift prison.

Johnson looked at the soldiers with him. They were from his company, which was to be expected. He struggled with his bonds, hoping he could free his hands to give the more wounded soldiers some aid.

He heard a Brute slam into the ground and blood splatter through the window. He smiled as the Chief and Arbiter walked in.

"This isn't as fun as you think. Cut the power." He said impatiently. The Chief looked at the floating panel and touched the middle button. The shield collapsed and Johnson strolled out, grabbing a Needler from the crate next to him. The others grabbed Spikers and Carbines, readying themselves in case more showed up.

"Phantoms!" The Arbiter yelled. The Chief looked back outside and saw two Phantoms lower themselves over the battlefield. The first one hung above the river and provided covering fire for the other, which was now deploying more troops to the battlefield. The Chief unslung his own sniper and got to work.

He heard Nathan's up on the ridge and watched the Grunt gunner on the far side fall into the river. He aimed and fired at the gunner on his side and took it out just as easily, watching the body as it was swept away by the current.

"Chief? You got at least twenty Grunts and a pack of Brutes coming! Get ready!" Nathan yelled. The Chief clicked on an acknowledgement light and he heard him open fire. Nathan turned to the wounded soldier. She was turning pale and wouldn't last much longer out here.

"Gunship, this is Sierra G129! We need you by the dam now! We got two Phantoms, repeat: two Phantoms. Mind clearing the skies and picking our sorry asses up?"

The mic clicked and he heard the pilot come on. "Can do, Spartan. You got the package?"

"Affirmative! Sierra 117 secured and green! Please, lets keep it that way!"

The pilot scoffed. "Be there in a sec."

Nathan craned his head as the heavily armored pelican descended on the far side of the dam. The missiles flew free and slammed into the Phantom, puncturing the drivers cabin and sending it into the current below.

The second Phantom dodged the first barrage of missiles, firing everything it had at the Pelican. But the second barrage flew straight and true, striking the main engine and engulfing the ship in blue flame. It detonated and the bits and pieces plummeted into the dam.

The Pelican took the place of the second Phantom over the wall and lowered the hatch. "Your rides here boys. Saddle up and lets get back to base."

Nathan smiled and picked the wounded woman up once again. "Time for us to-" He stopped mid sentence when he saw she was no longer breathing. He checked for a pulse, but she was stone cold and stiff.

Nathan sighed and carried her body over to Pelican. The Chief looked her over and shook his head.

"You tried, Spartan. That's all that matters." John said, trying to console Nathan. He didn't say a word though, he just loaded her into the Pelican and stepped back out.

The Chief gave him a quizzical stare and turned to Johnson, who smiled back at him. "Don't worry, Chief. He has his orders. Hornet's coming to pick him up. You'll be seeing each other again.

Nathan nodded to the Spartan and ran back into the jungle. John was proud that some of the third generation Spartans had survived. He could still remember all of his who were gone, save for a few lucky individuals. Without a word, he and the Arbiter boarded the Pelican, heading off towards Crows Nest to be briefed on their next mission in this pointless war.