User:Impurest Cheese/Rally Point Bravo

Chapter 4 – Rally Point Bravo

 * The Navigation Point at Rally Point Bravo was still functioning well enough for Willow to fix the location and guide Keith to a suitable landing point around a mile away from the actual point.


 * “The Blizzard is too thick to send or receive any communications it is a miracle the Banshee was able to get us here.” Willow commented as the Banshee landed.


 * Keith was silent looking back at the blazing fireball still burning at the former UNSC base. The blast from the FERNIS warhead was strong enough to vaporize the concrete and melt the snow from around the base. Keith hoped his friends had been able to evacuate the base.


 * “The Nav Point is around a mile away to the west.” Willow informed Keith before adding, “I’m sure your team survived the blast and are heading towards the rally point now.”


 * For some reason Keith felt better knowing that he was not alone even if Willow wasn’t a real person. From the East he suddenly heard the sound of repulsorlift from a Covenant vehicle. Over the howl of the Blizzard, Keith couldn’t determine the size of the vehicle.


 * “Scans show a Shadow Troop Transport.” Willow added giving his thoughts a new clarity. “Sounds like the boost have burnt out and that there is some structural damage to the troop bay. I am also picking up Covenant Separatist transmissions.”


 * “Looks like we won’t be walking.” Keith answered.


 * Kerst’ Ledane stopped the Shadow as soon as he picked up the Spartan in the vehicle’s one remaining headlight. The Shadow had suffered more damage due to a swarm of Banshees that had escaped the explosion but they had to turn back to their home base as the blizzard sapped their fuel reserves.


 * As Keith boarded the Shadow he saw that only a few Elites and Marines had made it to safety. His anxiety rose when he heard that there had been no transmissions from Captain Cage or the other Spartans. As the Shadow stormed towards Rally Point Bravo Keith noticed that one of the surviving Marines was one of the ones that had found Dr Angleman with him. The marine revealed himself as Kane a former Spartan 1 turned Bounty Hunter for ONI.


 * “Been hunting Jerald for four months but always got distracted by Brute Ambushes.” Kane said, “Course soon figured out what Jerald was up to once I got this.” Keith looked at the palm sized computer that Kane held.


 * “Jerald was a member of ONI’s religious investigation team. She discovered the Covenant Great Journey and has been hooked ever since.” Kane mentioned pulling up the relevant files, “She was court marshalled for stealing forerunner artefacts. She was freed by your good friend Brute Chieftain Lepidus from the Eradinus Asteroid Prison. Virtually tore up the Prison to reach her and freed several Covenant prisoners.”


 * “Strange.” Willow interrupted, “I am picking up seven life signs on this Shadow.”


 * Keith pulled out a Pistol while Kane unholstered his Shotgun looking for the stowaway. From under the bench there was a squeak and Keith reached down pulling a very frightened grunt that had been eavesdropping on them.


 * “Stop” Keith shouted to Kerst, “We forgot to throw out the trash.”


 * The Warthog had really taken a beating Matt thought darkly. As soon as the bomb had detonated a group of Ghosts and Brute Choppers had ambushed them in the underground caverns. They had only managed to escape by one of the Marines using her Rocket Launcher to blow the tunnels ceiling. As he looked back out the front he saw the cave entrance and the Warthog jumped over the ridge towards a Shadow moving towards Rally Point Bravo.


 * “Everyone Out,” Claire screamed grabbing Captain Cage as the Warthog plummeted.


 * Keith walked towards the door of the Shadow’s Troop Bay when the vehicle was rocked by an explosion. The Shadow creaked and started to vent plasma. Over the communications Kerst’ gave the order to evacuate. Several bodies were tossed against the bulkheads as the Shadow began to explode. Keith jumped into the snow throwing the grunt into a nearby snowdrift. On the other side of the Shadow Kane, and Elite and Kerst’ Ledane landed on the cold floor. The Shadow erupted in blue flame showering the snow with flames and debris.


 * A hand pulled Kerst’ Ledane out of the snow. The Elite shipmaster looked up to see Captain Cage smiling.


 * “Your assistance was not necessary in helping us find the Rally Point,” The Elite said attempting to make a joke out of the situation.


 * “And you owe me a new Warthog.” Captain Cage replied.


 * For Keith’s ears only Willow whispered, “I am only reading three Spartan beacons. Spartan 219 is not in the vicinity.”


 * Keith frowned the Mute Spartan would be unable to contact them. Keith turned to Captain Cage the usually grim man with a tear in his eye.


 * “I’m sorry for your loss Red Team. The Frigate Summer Mist was buried under this position and will be ready to fly in three hours. Willow I am going to need your assistance in getting the ship ready.” Cage asked.


 * Keith reached for the AI card in the back of his helmet. He brought it out Willow’s avatar already standing, “I’m sorry” she said sympathetically as he handed her to Cage.


 * Three hours passed with no sign of James on the horizon. The heater and the reactor were online and the computers began to come online, Keith threw the grunt in the Brigg disgusted that the stunted alien dwarf had survived and James had not. The Summer Mist was raised up on the hydraulic lift and was ready to fly when a vehicle was sighted on the horizon. Claire looked through the Helmet’s view screen and swore loudly through the COM link.


 * “We have two Seraph Fighters on the horizon coming in fast.”


 * “The 50mm Cannons are not loaded and the MAC Cannon is offline we are sitting targets.” Willow replied


 * The Seraph Fighters flew in dropping a Plasma Charge each on the strafing run blowing holes in the Frigates Armour. The fight was one sided and the Covenant had all the advantages. There was a massive explosion and one of the Seraph Fighters spun out of view. The other Seraph flew away to the South as fast as its engines could carry it.


 * From the East a Scarab lumbered towards them its Anti Air Gun filling the air with plasma hitting the second Seraph causing the fighter to explode. The Scarab, Keith mused had definitely seen some battle. The front armour had been shed and the Main Cannon had been crippled. From inside the Scarab began to vent steam and coolant as a single armoured figure jumped off the Scarab’s deck. There was a single groan and the Scarab shattered with part of its leg smacking into the Summer Mist’s hull.


 * James entered the Summer Mist to find his team mates running down the corridor to greet him. Claire was the first to reach him and hugged him crying making the inside of her helmet fog up. Matt reached him next and gripped his hand in their traditional hand grip. Keith came and looked at the Spartan a single word on his lips.


 * “How”

Characters

 * Red Team
 * Spartan 115
 * Spartan 182
 * Spartan 219
 * Spartan 221
 * Captain Alex Cage
 * WLW 0291-6
 * Gnarrp
 * Shipmaster Kerst' Ledane
 * Kane

Planets

 * C2196

Weapons

 * M6G Personal Defense Weapon System
 * M90 Close Assault Weapon

Vehicles

 * M831 Troop Transport
 * Shadow
 * Type 26 Ground Support Aircraft
 * Type-25 Rapid Assault Vehicle
 * Type-32 Rapid Assault Vehicle
 * Seraph class Starfighter
 * Type-47 Ultra Heavy Assault Platform

Other
None