User:Diijin/Another Winter

PROLOGUE
0945 HOURS, DECEMBER 3, 2556 (MILITARY CALENDAR) \ 19 STYX THETA SYSTEM, GALILEE, PLANET ORCHARD

Carlton, SPARTAN-G217, pressed himself against the sand-colored brick wall allowing the photoreactive panels on his SPI armor to blend in with the environment. The Insurrectionist perimeter guard never even realized that he'd come within two feet of an elite UNSC supersoldier, nor had he seen when that same soldier pulled himself from the wall and plunged a combat knife deep into his jugular. Carlton was in the process of pulling his blade from the guard's throat when he saw the two other guards who stood posted on the other corners of the courtyard drop; it appeared that Micah and Alexa had done their jobs as well.

With that phase of the operation complete, Carlton and Micah made their way over to the hotel building that was overlooking the courtyard. There, they rejoined Alexa who was positioned outside of a door marked "Employees Only" and Andre who had just came around the corner with his submachine gun drawn. With all four members of the fireteam together, the second phase began: Breach. Micah pulled a small explosive charge from his tactical soft case and stuck it on the door. At this point, stealth was not important to the mission, getting into that building was. After turning the dial on the charge, Micah stepped back against the wall and used his hand to count down.

5. 4. 3. 2. 1.

The charge detonated and the door was flung open. There was around nine armed men in the small lobby area who were originally listening to music on the radio, but were now all disoriented and clumsily stumbling with their weapons. Alexa and Micah were the first ones to enter the room, and killed seven of the men with bursts from the supressed submachine guns they were armed with. Carlton finished up, killing the remaining three men in fluid succession with one round each from his M6D. Andre entered through the door finally and motioned his Spartans forward; they'd have to clear each floor of the building before securing their primary target.

Sweeping the ground-level floor of the small abandoned hotel turned makeshift Insurrectionist headquarters was fairly quick and easy for the SPARTAN-IIIs. Every rebel that tried to fire from behind a corner or behind a door was quickly put down -- if these tactics were indication, these innies had to be civilians recruited straight off of the streets. The second floor was a different story though. Almost immediately after entering the stairwell, rebels pinned the Spartans down with concentrated assault rifle fire. Fortunately for them, Andre was skilled when it came to hurling grenades exactly where they needed to go and a well-placed one cleared the way for their advance.

Carlton took point and moved up the staircase. He peaked around the door frame when rounds from a M247H began pouring down the hall. Rounds from the heavy machine gun chewed the door frame apart and reduced the attached door into a heap of shredded metal on the floor. Carlton chucked a grenade around what remained of the frame once the stream of bullets stopped, killing the gunner and collapsing the surrounding walls, before giving the "all clear" to the rest of his team. From the elevator on the opposite end of the hallway, other Insurrectionists came guns blazing.

These Innies were different from the others encountered so far, as they were dressed in ODST BDUs painted red with white sharp-toothed mandibles painted onto their helmets. There was a quick exchange of gunfire between the two groups before the blue-painted gunmen were neutralized. The Spartans moved in to investigate the bodies of their foes who somehow managed to get their hands on advanced equipment utilized by UNSC special forces. It was clear who these men were; they were just a small handful of UNSC Marines that deserted, more than likely a part of the Antietam's crew.

"Yep, We're going against our own," said Carlton as he knelt over the bodies.

"They're not one of us anymore," replied Alexa.

"They're ODST. When were they ever one of us?" added Micah.

"Cut the chatter," growled Andre. "Get moving up those stairs, double time!"

They bolted back through the staircase and up to the third floor. It was then that they caught a glimpse of their primary target entering an elevator: Markus Ahlstrom, formerly a Gunnery Sargeant of the 7th Shock Troops Battalion. There was also atleast two squads worth of other rebels, all of which immediately began firing on the Spartans. Carlton took cover behind a corner and began firing on the hostiles while simultaneously watching the number indicators above the elevator doors. The elevator only moved one place: up, to the roof. Carlton turned to his commanding officer Andre who was also firing on the deserters.

"Sir, he's on the roof. He's trying to escape by air!" said Carlton. "Permission to pursue!"

"Permission granted," responded Andre. "Alexa, go with Carlton up to the roof. Me and Micah will hold these Innies here."

Andre and Micah provided covering fire for Carlton and Alexa while they ducked back into the stairwell. The two Spartans sprinted up the stairs until finally bursting through a metal door, getting to the roof just as the former-Gunny was making his way over to a blue-painted Falcon with two other BDU-clad soldiers. Carlton instantly reacted, raising his M6D and firing a slug straight into the knee of Ahlstrom, shattering the bones and causing him to collapse in intense pain. Alexa fired her magnum as well, hitting one of the hostiles straight through the polarized visor with a single slug and hitting the other in the chest.

Carlton gave a quick nod to his comrade, his way of providing a compliment without actually saying anything. The two of them moved in on the downed targets, Alexa checking her handy work on the dead deserters while Carlton went directly to Markus. He lifted Ahlstrom clear off the ground by the collar of his shirt and slammed him against the Falcon.

"So, was it worth it," said Carlton in frustration. "Does being a traitor still seem like a good career move?"

"I'm no traitor, replied Markus through his teeth. "If anything I'm more of a patriot than you'd ever be!"

"By working with the enemies of the UNSC, you're a patriot?!"

"If that's what it takes, yes!"

"You're a fool, Ahlstrom," said Carlton. "Let's see if you still feel that way with a rope around your neck."

"You don't understand," yelled Markus. "The Elites killed billions of us and the UNSC considers all of it rectified."

"That's why you deserted," asked Carlton in shock. "Because of the alliance?"

"Is it really that foolish to you? The UNSC has sided with things that've been our enemies for nearly three decades, now that's foolish."

Carlton didn't want to say anything, but in the back of his mind there was some agreement with Ahlstrom. As much as he could never think of questioning the UNSC, he couldn't trust the squid-lips or their gas-sucking friends at all. The fact that the UNSC worked with the Elites to fight a greater threat made sense at the time but maintaining a relationship with a group responsible for the deaths of billions seemed like a bad idea, no matter how much aid or technology they threw at the UNSC in an attempt to rectify their part in the genocide. Even with this understanding of Ahlstrom's motives, Carlton still didn't find it necessary to doubt the UNSC and still had a job to do. After realizing that he couldn't do anything to escape his punishment, Markus made one last-ditch act of defiance.

"So, you've decided to remain a puppet," Markus mumbled. "What a shame."

Markus dropped his left arm, allowing a small black handgun that he had strapped to his arm to fall into his palm. In a split-second, Markus pulled the small pistol up and, at point-blank range, squeezed the trigger. Their was a rapid succession of popping sounds and seconds later, the thump of a body hitting the ground.

CHAPTER: ONE
1150 HOURS, DECEMBER 16, 2561 (MILITARY CALENDAR) \ UNSC GOLDEN LOTUS, CURRENTLY IN SLIPSPACE APPROACHING ARTEMIS TAU SYSTEM