Halo 2: Shadowed pasts and Ancient Runes

Chapter 7: Return
Covenant Cruiser: Heart of Warriors
October 6,2552 0800

High Chieftan T'dor Oluum sat in the captains chair in his new Super Carrier, looking down at the body of the former Sangheili ship master. He scoffed and kicked it down the ramp, eliciting loud laughs from the Jiralhanae.

"How much further, my Lord?" One of the Brutes asked, throwing the body of another Elite to the ground, taking its place at the navigation console. T'dor scowled.

"A few hours at most, brother." He said slumping in the chair out of boredom, twirling the Gravity hammer in his hand.

"When we get there, are we to try and reactivate the sacred device?" Another Brute asked.

The Chieftan smiled. "No. We are to kill as many of the unholy filth as we can before we ascend on the Great Journey!" He bellowed. They all cheered and celebrated, knowing that their time to rise was at hand.

The Elites were now unworthy to continue to serve in the Covenant and the Brutes now held the power, all the glorious power as the head warriors to the Prophets. They would lead the path to the Great Journey. But for now? They would put fear into an entire planet before their ascension.

Nathan sighed at the scene before him. The Spartan captives had broken free, sending 9 guards to the hospital, and leaving one dead. Twilight walked beside him, examining the scene. She saw the blood stains that littered the purple floor and cringed. It was a miracle no one had died.

Well, not everyone...

Nathan bent down and examined the corpse. His arm was broken and his neck was snapped clean from his skull. Nathan frowned and shut the unicorns eyes.

"What was his name?" Nathan asked the lead investigator. The Stallion flipped open his notebook and read the name.

"Uh, Major Solar Trot, Sir. He headed the guard here."

Nathan leaned in curiously, examining every inch of the dead stallion. He put his helmet on and activated the IR scan and traced the body. The dead stallions hoof glowed white. He waved his hand to one of the medical examiners, who quickly trotted over.

"Swab and chemical." Nathan said simply. The orange unicorn pulled out a cotton swob, container and chemical from his bag.

"What did you find?" Twilight asked. He shrugged.

"Don't know..." Nathan said trailing off.

Nathan swabbed the hoof and dripped the solution on the tip of the swab. It came back light blue.

Fluids?

Nathan put the swab in the pouch on his side and continued the investigation. "Are all the guards accounted for?" He asked.

The investigator shook his head. "Actually, no. One of the guards reported that we are missing a... Private Star Trot."

Nathan frowned. "Any idea on her whereabouts?" He asked, knowing full well of the answer. He shook his head.

"None, sir."

Nathan stood and left without another word, Twilight on his heels. She looked up at him curiously.

"Do you want to tell me what you found?" She asked with a hint of frustration.

"A motive." Nathan said simply. Twilight shook her head.

"A motive? Why would the Spartans need a motive to kill a guard while breaking out? They probably just killed him because he got in the way."

Nathan looked down at her. "No. They left the others alive, only knocking them out. Why did they only kill him?"

Twilight shrugged. He did have a point about that. She opened the door to her office, Almya pacing back and fourth.

She turned as they came in and jumped forward. "What did you find out?! Do you know where they are?" She asked quickly.

Nathan took the swab out and placed it in the machine behind her. "I want you to do a DNA scan on this and run it against this sample." He said, putting another DNA sample in the slot opposite.

"Ooookay. It'll take a minute..." She said trailing off. Nathan went over to the desk and sat down, inserting the security recordings from last night in one of his helmet's slots.

Nathan sped up the tape, getting to the correct time. He saw eleven guards walk into the cell, but only ten leave. They left Star Trot in the cell with Laurence!

What in the fuck were they thinking?

He sped up the video to when the guards return. He saw Star Trot leave the cell and her father began to...

Oh my God...

All at once Laurence shot out of the cell, slamming her father into the far wall. He took the other guards down easily enough, then killed Star Trot's father. He watched as she opened all the cells and left with them.

Nathan took the chip out and threw it to the ground in frustration. He wasn't so frustrated that they escaped, he was angry about the situation. He threw his helmet off and ran a hand threw his hair. What the Major had done... to his own daughter! He knew now why Laurence killed that bastard.

Laurence always had a soft spot for women. He never wanted to see one hurt. He nearly died on an opp saving a certain marine lieutenant. She had gotten herself surrounded by a jackal squad.

Needless to say the kid could barely handle jackals, but he did manage to save her.

Twilight walked over and put a hoof on his arm. "Anything you want to share with me?" She asked.

"Our Major was a rapist..." He said coldly. Twilight stepped back, putting her hoof to her mouth. She was about to speak when Almya cleared her throat.

"I got the results. They're-"

"From two related ponies. Father and daughter?" He said, causing Almya to raise a brow.

"Gross, but yes." She said with a shudder. "Poor girl..."

Nathan grabbed his helmet and left the room. "Where are you going?" Twilight called out. He shrugged.

"To find our guests." He called back, sliding the helmet back over his head.

They had been running through the woods all night. Laurence could barely breath, and he figured his Spartans were having the same problem.

But he wasn't concerned about them, he was concerned about the frightened mare at his side. He knew she had been struggling the entire trip. She wasn't used to this kind of physical endurance, even in this planets military. He watched as she ran by his side the entire way, never faltering, never missing a beat.

He admired that, and it was time to reward her for her effort.

"Alright, we'll rest here for now." Laurence called out to his team. The Spartans and Star Trot sunk to the ground and took a well deserved break.

"Gary? I want you to find some firewood. Selina and Sharif? Get some supplies to make a shelter."

"Yes sir!" The three shouted in unison, fanning out in all directions. Laurence removed his helmet and took a seat next to the exhausted mare.

"Are you feeling okay?" He asked her. She smiled up at him and nodded.

"Yeah. I'm feeling better than I have in years. Thank you for doing what you did." She said, hugging him again. Laurence smiled and returned it.

"No problem, ma'am." He said happily. She laid down and looked up at the dawn. It was that moment in the morning when the sky was just turning blue, but you could still see every star in the heavens.

"I love this time of morning!" She said happily. "It's so beautiful!"

Laurence laid down and looked up. "Yeah. It is pretty cool." He said. Star Trot rolled over and smiled at him.

"You're nothing like everypony made you out to be. You're really... sweet." She said snuggling closer.

"Sweet, huh?" He asked. "How so?" She giggled and went on.

"Well, to go out of your way and save me like that. I didn't think I mattered to you..." She trailed off. Laurence chuckled.

"You were in danger with him. When I saw him touch you like that..." This time Laurence trailed off. She put her hoof in his hand and smiled.

"So, what is it like to be a super soldier?" She asked changing the subject. He shrugged.

"Well, it's no different than being anything else. It's what I was bred for. It's what I've been my entire life, so I really don't know how to describe it."

She smiled and moved closer. "Well, at what point did you become so sweet?" She giggled. He shrunk a little bit, but kept his smile.

"When I decided that someone in need should never be ignored. You were in trouble and I did something about it."

She grinned wider and yawned, getting as close as she possibly could to the Spartan at her side. "Thank you for everything..." She said trailing off.

"Don't mention it." He said, looking down at her. She was sound asleep, snuggled up to his arm. Laurence smiled and rubbed a hand through her mane.

He heard the others come back but didn't move from his predicament. He didn't want to risk waking her.

They entered the camp and nodded to their leader, lookinb back down at their guest.

"How is she?" Sharif asked, placing some wood and leaves on the ground. Laurence shrugged.

"Better. Why don't you build us a fire." He said. Sharif nodded and got to work.

Selina walked over and sat by Laurence's side. "Seems like shes taken a shinning to you, Sir." She said with a smile. Laurence returned it.

"Yeah. I get that a lot. Wish I could move though." He said looking back down at the gray mare snuggling his arm.

"Well you-"

All eyes shot to the sky as the large boom filled the stillness of the morning. Star Trot shot up and nearly shook herself silly with fear.

"W-w-what is that?!" She yelled frantically. The Spartans clutched their guns tighter and began to back up.

"COVENANT! Spartans! Move now! Go, go, go!" Laurence yelled.

All at once they began to run. They snapped small trees and branches in their wake as they did so. They had to get as far away from the cities as possible. This whole planet was about to die.

"Laurence move!" Gary yelled. Laurence looked up to see a Banshee hot on his tail. He dove to the right as it shot, grabbing Star Trot as he did.

"Phantom! Twelve o'clock high!" Selina yelled, firing on it with her recaptured BR. Laurence held up a hand.

"Save your shots for when those split chin sons of bitches come out!" He ordered. She nodded and they all stopped in their tracks as the Phantom lowered in front of them. The troops inside dove out in droves.

"Those aren't Elites!" Gary yelled frantically. Laurence studied the large apes in front of him. They weren't like anything he'd seen before. They were big, impossibly big. They had thick hides and equally thick armor. One leveled a large circular weapon with a blade on the back and fired.

Sharif ducked as the grenade detonated the tree behind him. Star Trot screamed and covered her face.

"Fire! Kill those bastards!"

All at once the Spartans opened up with everything they had. The Grunts around the Brutes fell easily enough, but the Brutes themselves were built like tanks!

Laurence threw a frag at them. "Eat that, you bastards!" He yelled. The grenade detonated, leaving all brutes unscathed.

"Oh you have got to be-"

"Laurence! Behind you!" Gary yelled.

Laurence turned all to late. A Gravity hammer sent the man flying through the air, partially imbedding him in a tree. Laurence grunted and tried to pull himself out, to no avail.

All his men were pinned down, they couldn't help him. He shut his eyes and waited for the end.

The Brute let out a choking sound and fell to the dirt, clutching at the large combat knife in his neck. Laurence looked up to see the figure run lightning quick, taking the knife and slicing the Brutes throat in the process.

The figure then threw a couple of plasma grenades into the remaining Brutes midst. Each grenade stuck to an individual Brute, who howled in fear, trying to remove the devices in vain. They all went up in a ball of blue light, leaving one last Brute to deal with.

The figure began a fist fight with the last one, dodging each blow with grace and ease. Laurence squinted to see that their savior was non other than the traitor.

Nathan.

Nathan jumped on the Brutes back. It struggled and clawed at him, but finally met its end with a combat knife to the eye. Laurence shakily tried to stand but couldn't.

Nathan walked over and held out a hand. "Looks like you could use one of these, Spartan." He said with a chuckle. Laurence took the hand and nodded.

"T-thanks I guess." He said. Nathan cocked a brow.

"You don't sound to happy to see me." He said sadly. Laurence turned away.

"I don't understand. How could they beat us so easily, even with our new armor?" He asked looking himself over. Nathan laughed loudly.

"Kid, it's not the armor that makes you a good soldier, it's who's wearing it."

Nathan strode over to Star Trot who was cowering in the dirt. "Miss Trot. Are you okay?" He asked quickly helping her up. She nodded and got to her feet.

"Please don't be mad at me! Laurence saved me! I couldn't let you hurt them! They're nice and.... and-"

Nathan cut her off. I know they are. I... saw what your father did to you..." He said sadly. She let out a squeak and he continued. "If you had told me what was going on, I would have had him arrested! You know you can trust me." He finished.

She nodded. "I was too scared to. And Laurence listened. He was the first one to actually listen to me..."

Nathan looked over at Laurence and smiled. "He's a good man. I'm proud he saved you. I promise your father won't get a hero's funeral, and you'll still receive all his military benefits. Okay?"

She nodded happily. "Okay. Thanks."

Nathan looked up to the sky and frowned. "Well, Spartans, I know I'm still a traitor to your eyes, but if we want to save Equis, you're gonna have to listen to me and follow my instructions. You got that?"

They all shifted uneasily.

"Ah, what the hell. What are your orders, Sir?" Laurence asked.

Nathan smiled. "Now, we destroy that ship."