User:Brodie-001/Halo: Last of the Brave

Insertion
//JANUARY 22ND, 2579\\

//UYANA, EPSILON ERIDANI SYSTEM\\

//0700 HOURS\\

The Sun rose slowly over the mountains. The entire valley below became swathed in sunlight, revealing the vast jungle. Beneath the canopy, next to an ancient tree, SPARTAN-X112 surveyed his surroundings. Barely 20 minutes ago, Wulf Team had been dropped onto the planet, with orders not to move until Sunrise. As the light penetrated the canopy, Maynard turned off his helmet's night vision. He checked his weapons. A BR60 ABR, newly manufactured for UNSC Special forces. As far as he knew, only Spartans had been given it for combat use. His was customised to fit his purpose; a medium-to-long range sight, and an undermounted grenade launcher. He felt sorry for the soldiers in the refinery. He checked the time: 7:05. Time to move.

Chief Petty Officer Maynard was one of the finest Spartans in X-Ray Company, and for good reason. He activated TEAMCOM,and four green lights winked. "Team, we rendezvous two clicks to the north, I want this job done as quick as possible, understood?". Green lights flashed. Maynard began to move through the dense jungle as fast as he dared; the Legion rarely sent drones into the jungle any more, but he had to remain cautious. Eventually, he reached the small clearing that marked their RV point. He had arrived first. Looking around, Maynard knew that something was wrong. He muttered under his breath. "So that's the way it's gonna be, is it?" Taking out his rifle, Maynard slowly prowled the area,noticing a shimmer to his left, he grinned. Without warning, he spun round, reflexes faster than any normal human, and pointed the barrel of his rifle until it seemed to stop in mid air. Maynard looked down the sights. "Nice try".

The space in front of his rifle shimmered, revealing an armoured Spartan. He held his hands up in surrender. "Well, ya got me!" Maynard lowered his weapon, and helped the Spartan to his feet. He stepped back as the Spartan removed his helmet. He had not shaved for several weeks, his dark brown hair was matted, and there were bags under his eyes. A typical Headhunter. "Artyom!" Maynard shook hands with his former squadmate. "It's been a while, how's the recon going?". Artyom put his helmet on. "We've been here for a week now, and those bastards have been fortifying the place. They know something's up". Several yellow blips appeared on his radar. Wulf Team had caught up.

First came his second in command, Mateo-X234, the team's sniper. He was followed closely by his best friend, Ross-X090. Bringing up the rear were Kate-X500, and Devin-X432. They crouched into defensive positions. Maynard looked back at Artyom. "What's the plan, then? Our evac arrives at 0900 Hours". Artyom motioned with his hand, and two other cloaked Spartans came into view: Erik-X109 and Stuart-X352. Artyom lay down a small holographic device, and it activated, revealing the Refinery and the jungle around it. "There are roughly two-to-three hundred rebels in there, some are Legion members, some are just the militia". He motioned to a small ridge slightly above the complex. "Get Mat over here, he can cover the main entrance while my two cover him with Heavy ordnance" Maynard nodded. "What type?". Stuart lifted up a rocket launcher for all to see. Artyom pointed at it. "M119-B SAM Missile Launcher, it'll blow any drones to shit". Ross chuckled.

"Anyway..." Artyom continued. "These lot aren't the best with security, there's a hole in their perimeter fence, a few of us can easily get through, and they don't even patrol their Eastern gate, near the vehicle bay, very sloppy..." Maynard sighed. It was just like Artyom, SPARTAN-X043, to pay attention to everything. He stood up. 7:28. It was time to move.

Assault
The 8 Spartans moved through the jungle silently. They couldn't risk talking now. Artyom knew the area, and led them, hand signals sending the rest of the team to their ambush points. Maynard, Ross and Devin would assault them from the Northwest, using the broken fence to enter the compound. Artyom would sneak in through the Vehicle Depot and set a charge on their main AA gun while Kate liberated a vehicle for extraction, planting explosive charges on the rest. Mateo headed towards the ridge, while the camouflaged Headhunters Erik and Stuart would clear out the western barracks.

Maynard moved up, towards the fence. He saw the hole Artyom had mentioned, and turned to Ross and Devin. They both nodded. On his HUD, lights winked green. Everyone was ready.

Ross went first, getting through the fence and taking cover next to a low wall. Maynard followed, as did Devin. Maynard motioned with his hand, and Devin hefted his SPNKR Rocket Launcher, before edging around the corner of a nearby building. Ross set a breaching charge on a doorframe. Maynard moved up, covering Devin. He spoke over TEAMCOM. "Everyone, get ready for some action".

Across the compound, Ulrik and Stuart set charges on doors, and hefted their BR60's. Kate began busily setting charges on enemy Warthogs, choosing a nearby APC for their escape. Mateo finished cleaning his scope, and stared down the sights, waiting for a chance to fire the moment those doors opened.

7:59.

Maynard counted down."Three...two...one...GO!". In the rebel Refinery, all hell Broke loose. Devin's carefully aimed missile impacted the refinery's reactor, which exploded, setting the whole place alight. BR60 Fire echoed around the camp, accompanied by the crack of Sniper Fire on the alerted guards. Maynard and Devin raced out toward the command building in the centre of the Compound, their MJOLNIR armour shielding them from most of the enemy fire. Devin kicked open the door, revealing several Legion Commandos and the man they were looking for: General Alfred Bates. The Spartans took cover as all six commandos opened fire with their customised rifles. The team had already been briefed about the commando's favour for using Armour Piercing rounds. Their quarry ran deeper into the building, flanked by two bodyguards. "Artyom, the HVI is on the move, we need you to cut him off!"."I'll do it, give me one minute!" Artyom's voice answered, as calm as ever. He had been picked as the Headhunter commander for precisely that reason.

Devin looked at Maynard, and lifting up his hand, closed his fist. Maynard nodded. Devin threw a flashbang into the room where their assailants lurked, followed by Maynard's Frag grenade. The moment the explosion sounded, the Spartans rushed the room. Three commandos were dead. The fourth, covered in his own blood and the blood of his comrades, crawled for a radio. His left leg had been blown off. He turned over as the Spartans entered the room, pulling out an M6G pistol. He fired three shots, all of which failed against Maynard's shields. Devin shot the man in the head. Kneeling down by the body, Maynard checked the commando's equipment. It was Legion Standard issue, but with several empty syringes in the backpack. He passed them to Devin. "Dev, you keep hold of these, try and analyse what is in them, i'll get Bates." Devin nodded. "Yes sir!".

Chase
Maynard, keeping his weapon raised, ran as fast as he dared into an underground bunker after the General. he contacted his friend."Artyom, I am currently in pursuit, how close are you?!". "Not close enough, but i'm almost there!" replied the Headhunter. An explosion from above shook the walls, Maynard staggered for a few moments round a corner. Glancing to his left, he saw the General along with his two bodyguards, both of whom began firing at the Spartan. Maynard ran at them rolling as he did so. A burst from his BR60 hit one in the chest, killing him instantly. the other one pulled out a combat knife and slashed at Maynard, who evaded, and punched the man in the mouth, splattering his face with blood. The man howled and raised a shotgun, firing it at almost point-blank range. Maynard's shields were drained, and he was knocked to the floor by the force of the hit. The Commando pumped the shotgun once, and aimed it straight at Maynard's face. This was the end.

The man's bloody, grinning face froze. His eyes bulged, and he coughed up blood. He froze, unmoving, dead. Maynard's shields recharged and he stood up. Artyom uncloaked, one hand pointing his rifle at the trapped General, the other had a sharp plate protruding from his gauntlet and into the back of the Commando's neck. Maynard shook his head in disbelief. "You were cutting it a little close there weren't you?!". Artyom's Wristblade slid back into it's sheath. The man dropped. "Maybe, I do like to make an appearance". Maynard nodded, and grabbed the general. He bashed his head against a wall, knocking him out. He then checked his pulse before turning back to Artyom. "He's fine, he'll wake up in a while, we should be offplanet by then".

The two Spartans made their way towards the remains of the Compound, where Kate and Ross were loudly arguing, with Devin, Stuart and Erik watching. "They were rebels! who the fuck cares if they die?!" Not this again. Maynard began to walk towards them. "They are people Ross! People! They surrendered, and you fucking blew them up! What the hell is wrong with you?!". They both looked over as Maynard approached. They began to speak, but Maynard held his hands up, silencing them both. "Look. I know you have your morals, and your differences, but now it not a good time to discuss them" Ross shrugged, and began to walk towards Mateo, who had just arrived. Kate Stared at him. "Sir. I know this is not the time but I saw him! I have proof!" She pointed at her helmet-mounted camera. "It's all in-" The camera clattered to the ground, a smoking hole in it. "Snipers!" Devin's shout brought all of the Spartans back into combat mode. They fell back in threes: Maynard, Artyom and Kate, Ross, Devin and Mateo. Erik and Stuart had cloaked immediately and begun to fall back towards the vehicle depot. Artyom, who was carrying the General's prone body, was forced to run while Maynard fired bursts from his rifle at their attackers.

8:37

Inside the depot, Kate clambered into the drivers' seat. Devin mounted the gun, and the others hopped into the back. Ulrik rode shotgun, hefting his SAM launcher. The machine began to drive, slowly at first, due to the combined weight of the Spartans inside. It began to speed up. Seconds before the base vanished from view, Kate detonated the explosives. The depot lit up like a fireworks display. They were barely half a kilometre away from the extraction zone. They abandoned the APC, and began making their way up the rocky hill. Several MAKO drones hovered overhead, attempting to pin the Spartans down with missiles. Ulrik, Stuart and Devin unleashed a volley of missiles, destroying the Drones. At the top of the hill, Maynard fired a flare, while Ross hailed their Evac on the radio. "This is Wulf Team, we require immediate pickup from the Extraction Zone, we have the package, repeat, we have the package!".

Over the nearby jungle, a single Pelican dropship roared towards them. "This is Yankee 5-2, we see you, Spartan Team, we are on hot approach, there are a LOT of hostiles down there". The pelican hovered in low, opening it's rear doors. Devin hauled the feebly stirring General Bates in, then clambered in himself, closely followed by Ross and Kate. Mateo, out of ammo, shrugged, stood up and climbed in next. Maynard waited at the entrance. The three Headhunters moved back slowly, checking over their shoulders to make sure he was in. He understood. They had an image, a reputation to uphold and maintain: First in, and last to leave. Maynard hopped up onto the dropship. Noticing that he was aboard, the three other Spartans turned and jumped aboard. The back door closed, bathing the Spartans in the red emergency light. They rose quickly, away from the planet, away from danger.

9:00

Meeting
//JANUARY 24TH, 2579\\

//UNSC HELIOS STATION, IN ORBIT AROUND MARS\\

//1143 HOURS\\

Maynard strode down the hall towards the Commanding Officer's Quarters. He hesitated before entering, and took a deep breath. The door slid open and he walked in, Saluting the man sitting at the desk. Lieutenant Marco-025 was a living legend. He had been fighting longer than almost anyone in the UNSC today. Marco had fought in the Great War from start to finish, and at the age of 68, he had not even slowed down.

Marco regarded the younger Spartan with his one eye, then stood up. Even out of armour the LT was huge. He held out a hand, and Maynard shook it. Marco spoke first. "take a seat, Maynard. I heard you mission was a success, true?". "Yes sir" he responded. "Spartan-X500 required repairs on her helmet, but other than that, we all got out without a scratch". Marco's eyes narrowed. "What happened to her?" Maynard knew this was dangerous territory. "A sniper sir, he missed her by inches. She's fine though, it only took the camera off her helmet". Marco heaved a sigh of relief. "Allright then, down to business. We have General Bates in custody now, and he is talking like mad. Seems like you Spartans scared the shit outta him"

Maynard smiled. As grim as the LT seemed, he never stopped cracking jokes. Maynard suddenly remembered what he had come here for. Reaching into his backpack. He took out two of the needles recovered from the Compound on Uyana, and placed them delicately on the desk. Marco surveyed them carefully. "Sir, these were recovered from several Legion commandos stationed at the compound. It appears they had been taking enhancers just before combat". Marco picked one up gently, and twirled it around his fingers. "I've heard of innies taking strength enhancements before, what's so special about these?". Maynard then retrieved a datapad from his backpack, and showed it to the LT. He stared at it for a few seconds. Shock registered on his face for a moment, before he turned back to Maynard. "How did they get their hands on this stuff?"

Maynard shrugged. "I have no idea sir. This drug, classified as 009762-OO, is illegal, and highly dangerous. It enhances the aggression level of the taker to very high levels. It's a mental drug, and will eventually send the taker out of control." Marco brought up a computer screen, and began typing. Fast. Maynard leaned over and realised that Maynard was doing something very illegal, and very dangerous. He was hacking into ONI files. "Sir, I don't think that your'e all'" Marco held his hand up, silencing him. Eventually, he seemed to find what he was looking for. "Here we are...009762-OO...technically, it is illegal, but since ONI pretty much makes the law, they don't really care. It was used as part of the augmentation procedures for the third generation of SPARTAN-III's, in order to increase survival rates" Maynard was shocked. He had never known what lengths the UNSC would go to in order to train Spartans

"In addition" Marco Continued. "It was to be used in conjunction with drugs 009127-PX and 009927-DG, in order to counter the drug's negative effects. It looks like the Legion have got their hands on the stuff, without taking precautions...". Maynard stood up, and saluted the Lieutenant. "Sir, if that is the case, we need to move. We got word that the Legion was preparing to attack Rell, and if their commandos are drugged with that, we are going to have a major problem on our hands". Maynard remembered the Commando who had been punched in the face and not gone down. He had nearly died fighting them. An army...would be a problem.

As he turned to leave, Marco looked up from his computer. "I'm coming with you" he said. Maynard froze. "Why, sir?" Wulf Team is ready for Combat, as are the Headhunter teams, and the rest of the company. Marco's one green eye bored into him. "Not necessary. The rest of the company is currently deployed in another system, and there is no point in sending in Headhunters. I will accompany your team to Rell, where we shall meet up with Yankee Company".

Maynard blinked several times. Yankee? they were the second generation of SPARTAN-IV's due to finish training this year. Had it really been that long since he had 'graduated'?. "Has the company faced Insurrectionists before, sir?". Marco stood up, pushing his chair under his desk. "No, this will be their first combat mission. They have been training for 10 years, and only graduated in December last year. They are eager for action". Maynard nodded, and left the LT in his room. Inside, he was worried. Marco would be joining them in battle. He would tell the others, and they had better not screw up.

Feet First
//JANUARY 29TH, 2579\\

//UNSC ROMULUS, IN SLIPSPACE, EN-ROUTE TO RELL\\

//0900 HOURS\\

The elevator doors slid open, and light from the Hangar bay flooded in over the five Spartans. Maynard stepped out first, and gasped. On the deck below, usually wide enough to hold 12 pelican dropships, stood 1000 SPARTAN-IV Commandos. Regaining his senses, he and his team descended to the main bay.

Two Spartan-II's stood in the centre, poring over data pads. In armour, they towered over the smaller Spartans. Yankee Company stood to attention as a black-armoured Spartan turned to them. Wulf Team approached the commanders, who turned to look at them. Maynard Saluted. Marco responded, as did the Spartan in Black. Two NCO's, both SPARTAN-III's, turned and began barking orders to the company. Maynard recognised one by the Robotic prosthetic in place of his right hand: it was Warrant Officer Alex-A121, the man who had made their lives hell during their Spartan training. Maynard knew to respect him; he had lost most of his fellow trainees and squadmates in the Great War.

"Sir, Chief Petty Officer Maynard-X112 Reporting for Duty!". Marco nodded, the other Spartan removed his helmet. "Good to meet you son, I've heard quite a lot about your team from the Lieutenant here, I hope you will be a valuable asset to this mission." the Spartan held out his hand. Maynard shook it. "I am Lieutenant Commander Kane-099, and I shall be running this operation". Maynard's hand went numb. He had no idea that he was shaking hands with a Legend like Kane-099. He had almost named the team after him!. He had to speak up. "It's an honour to meet you sir, i'm looking forward to working with you." Maynard managed to get the words out, before turning back to return to his squad, who were going over the mission details.

Back in the command area, Marco chuckled, turning to his old Squadmate. "It looks like you've got a fan" he murmured. Kane glanced towards Maynard and Wulf Team, and shrugged. Kane had always been a man of few words. Marco spoke again. "Do you know when Jax will be finished with his lot?" Kane looked up from the datapad. I don't know, Marco. Believe me, I want the team back together as much as you do, I just want this war to end". Marco looked over at the Legion of Spartan-IV's in their ghostly green SPI MK-III Armour. "Remember years ago, it was just us standing between victory and destruction?" Kane nodded. "Well now maybe, we have a chance".

Maynard looked at each member of his team in turn; they all had their helmets off.

Mateo-X234, the team marksman. A true sniper, he rarely spoke. He would have been made a Headhunter if Maynard had not picked him for Wulf. Mateo was a solid soldier, and followed orders to the letter.

Ross-X090. Mateo's best friend, and Maynard's go-to guy if he needed anything done. His parents had been killed when he was only three years old on Reach, according to his file, a Spartan had saved him and taken him to a transport. His, cold, black eyes bored into his rifle, which he was cleaning.

Devin-X432. A former miner on Mars, Devin knew everything he needed to know about explosives, and used them well. Maynard had noticed some rivalry between him and Ross, but nothing serious. Devin also seemed to have an addiction to chocolate as well, which was considered unusual among Spartans.

Kate-X500. The youngest member of X Company, Kate was a former marine, like many other members, Maynard included, who had signed up for the program. Maynard knew that the LT always kept a close eye on her, but she would not have been selected for Wulf team if she didn't have the skill to match. Kate was deadly at any range.

Maynard glanced away from his team, ,and back to Y Company. If there were any innies, they were in for one hell of a surprise. A voice spoke over the intercom. "We should be exiting slipspace within 10 minutes, all crew, prepare for possible combat".

Wulf Team put their helmets on and proceeded to the launch bay, as did Kane, Marco and Y Company. The Romulus was renowned in the fleet for having the most SOEIV's in the fleet, 1378, precisely. The Ship exited Slipspace, and antered the Rell System. Maynard ran to a viewing window. Rell had already been taken.

Alarms blared around the ship as it manoeuvred into position. The Captain had been ordered to get the ship close to the planet so they could launch the drop pods. Several ships were clustered above the northern hemisphere of the planet, awaiting the Romulus.

Maynard boarded his pod, and the hatch closed behind him. The Captain's voice rang out again. "Hang on, everyone, prep for pod launches in t-minus 30 seconds"''.

Maynard sighed. A lot could happen in 30 seconds. The pod shuddered as the Romulus' main MAC cannon fired. Maynard looked around the cramped pod. He suddenly realised. "I'm in a tin box built by the lowest bidder about to be shot at a planet...".

The intercom sounded again. "Seven seconds, Spartans. Good luck, and Godspeed".

Six...

Five...

Four...

Three...

Two...

'One...

Maynard's pod was released, and began it's rapid descent onto Rell. Clouds streamed past. Maynard activated manual control. "Wulf Team, adjust trajectory, head for the coordinates I am marking".

On his teammates HUD, a waypoint appeared several hundred meters below them. Mateo spoke in a strained voice. "Sir, I've got eyes on enemy contacts in entrenched positions below!".

Maynard zoomed in on his helmet. Despite the shaking of the Pod, he could see Anti-Air positions being set up. "Copy that, Wulf Two, stay on target!". Their pods smashed into the ground. Moments later, their hatches sprang open, and Wulf Team sprinted towards their Waypoint-A small rock face barely 50 yards away.

Maynard met the others there, they were all unharmed. He looked over the rocks, and saw Legion soldiers setting up machine guns in their main trench. They had obviously been expecting Spartans. "Team, we need to split up. Devin, I want you and Mateo to flank to the left, and cause as much mess as you can. Kate and Ross, come with me, we're going to storm these trenches".

Fire and Sword
The three Spartans crawled through the dirt towards the trenches dug on the hill above them. Maynard's motion tracker read 4 hostiles. He looked across to Ross, who unbuckled a grenade from his bandolier. "Incendiary Grenade, it'll burn them out..." Maynard could have sworn that Ross was grinning under his polarised visor. "Do it".

He knew without looking that Kate was glaring at him, but this was War. If they didn't clear out these trenches, Y Company wouldn't stand a chance. Ross lobbed the grenade over the crest of the hill, where it detonated. Screams sounded from the trenches as the three Spartans leaped into them, firing their rifles as they did. The surviving rebels ran from the Spartans in disarray. Maynard ran after them, firing as he did so. Eventually he came to a small, hastily constructed staircase. Looking around, he ascended and found himself at the top of the hill, facing the barrels of four Warthog LRV's.

Time seemed to slow down. Maynard stared into the barrels, and their gunners; faces hidden behind face masks and helmets. The barrels began to spin up, moving millimetre by millimetre. The Spartan blinked once, and the gunners jerked, and fell from their seats, into the dirt below. Maynard turned his head to the right, to the collection of bunkers and bases along the entrenched hills of Legion resistance. In the distance, a bunker exploded. All around him, rebels were dropping like flies, plumes of blood flying through the air. Shapes moved swiftly, kicking up the dirt. In the valley to his right, fires raged and gunfire rang out as the Legion engaged an unseen foe. Men shot wildly at things they could not see, others brandished knives and machetes, others fell to their knees and begged.

All were killed by the army that faced them. An army of Ghosts.

Ross and Kate caught up with Maynard, ans they too paused to see the Legion troops being massacred in the valley. A shimmer waved in the air, then disappeared as a Spartan uncloaked. Several others around him did the same. As he turned to Maynard, the Spartan gave orders to his squad. "Travis, Reginald, secure the perimeter. Juan, see if you can find anything useful around here". He saluted Maynard. "Lysander-Y050 reporting for duty, sir!"

Lysander's helmet depolarised. He was barely seventeen by the looks of him. "Spartan, get your team into position, we'll use this point as a forward observation post" Lysander snapped to attention before running off. Along the ridge, the rest of the SPARTAN-IV's had taken up positions, and were awaiting orders. Maynard looked into the dense forest in the valley below. All was quiet. The shooting had stopped. Something was wrong.

"COUNTER ATTACK!" Ross and Kate immediately dived to the sandbags and began firing as hundreds more appeared, shooting wildly at the dug-in Spartans. Maynard had a bad feeling, it made no sense to rush an entrenched enemy like this, unless it was a feint. A roar sounded above the lush forests as 8 shortsword bombers, painted with Legion markings, flew over. 3 were shot down by a barrage of missile fire, but the others flew over the ridge. they dropped incendiary bombs first, followed by explosives. Below, tanks and infantry continued to move up. "Ross, take out those soldiers, Kate, I want you in those trenches!" Maynard then contacted the others. "Devin, Mat, we've got a situation here: tanks and a mass of infantry moving up, we need them taken out!". After a few seconds, Mateo's calm voice responded. "On our way sir, don't worry, we won't miss the party".

Maynard opened fire on the Legion infantry, hitting several men. They would stumble, then keep running until bullets shredded them and they dropped. They had all taken 009762-OO. This would be a problem. "Ross, we need another incendiary over here!" The blue-armoured Spartan nodded, and unhooked another from his belt. As he hefted it up to throw it, the grenade detonated, sending the Spartan flying back into a wall. Kate ran to him as Devin clambered into their trench, followed closely by Mateo. Ross' visor had been cracked, and the left side of his face had been burned by the incendiary. His armour was scorched. It took several moments for his shields to recharge.

Mateo also ran to the injured Spartan's side as Devin hefted his missile launcher and fired it, destroying an incoming tank. Maynard glanced to his right. Lysander's squad were still alive, firing on the incoming rebels. He activated TEAMCOM. "Lysander, we have wounded, we need covering fire until evac arrives!". He saw the team leader look over to where Ross sat wounded. After a few seconds, he replied. "Copy that Wulf One, we'll give you all the time we can"

The enemy forces were in the trenches now. Although they were still no match for the better armed and equipped Spartans, the drugged rebels fought on, not giving in. Kate sent up a flare as two Y-Company members from Lysander's team joined them, driving off the rebels that had made it past Mateo's sniper fire. Maynard was impressed by their tenacity. Their names flickered up on his HUD: Reginald-Y068, and Juan-Y581. Kate stood alongside them, easily visible in her red armour through the dust and mud.

Demons
After what seemed to be an eternity of fighting, two pelicans swooped in from behind the Spartans, touching down not far from their position. Maynard was crouched next to Lysander, firing over the rim of the trench. The rebels unrelenting attack had cost them dearly, hundreds of corpses lay along the hillside and the valley, along with the burnt-out shells of several tanks. The planet's twin suns had already begun to set. As Maynard reloaded, a grenade soared over the top, landing barely an inch away from him. Before he had time to react, Lysander grabbed it, and dived away as it detonated in his hand. Maynard reached over to help the young Spartan, but a shadow appeared over him. He turned around, slowly, to face a black armoured giant. Kane-099 looked down at Maynard. "There was nothing you could do Spartan, i'll handle him". In one fluid motion, he scooped up Lysander and span around, sprinting back to the dropship. Ross was also being carried in. Maynard stood up, only to have someone put a hand on his shoulder.

It was the LT, Marco-025. He strode calmly towards the edge of the hill, then looked back at Maynard. "It's time to leave, turns out that HIGHCOM changed their mind about the Spartan deployment" All along the hills, Pelican dropships were being loaded with Spartans. Some of them were being dragged on. Maynard followed his commander, along with the rest of the two teams onto the Pelican. As it lifted off, two longsword bombers flew overhead. They swooped over the valley, and spiralled upwards. Seconds later, four orbital MAC rounds hit, obliterating most of the forest.

Maynard removed his helmet and sat down with his head in his hands. The pelican doors shut, bathing the Spartans in the red emergency light.

Aftermath
Maynard stood on the observation deck of the Romulus and watched the steel coffins float away into the emptiness of space. Thirty nine Spartans dead. Dozens more were in the med bay. This was only their first mission. Kane-099 had said nothing as they travelled back towards the ship, and when the arrived, had gone to check on his soldiers.

Devin approached him, and cleared his throat. Maynard turned round. "Sir, Ross will be OK, Mat's with him in the med bay. He's got some pretty heavy burns, and his armour is scorched to shit". Maynard nodded. It was good that Ross was still alive. Despite his unorthodox tactics and excessive violence, he was a good squadmate. Devin continued. "The LT wants you as well, sir. We're gonna jump back to Earth where the rest of the company is. I think something big is about to come up". Maynard turned away from Devin, and back to the viewing window. "Thanks Dev, that will be all".

The Brown-Armoured Spartan exited the room. After a few moments, Maynard walked to the elevator and descended to the medical bay. It was packed with various doctors, medics and technicians running from bed to bed. On the nearest one, a Spartan pushed the various people aside and made for the door. "I'm fine, i'm fine!" he protested. A newly-fitted robotic prosthetic arm gleamed. It was Lysander. Catching sight of Maynard, he walked over and tried to salute. His robotic arm shot up violently past his head. He lowered it slowly. "Sorry sir, i'm still getting used to it, I was luckier than most though" Maynard smiled. The young Spartan had guts. He tried looking past the chaos, but gave up. "Lysander, have you seen one of my team? Blue armour, bad attitude?" Lysander pointed with his good arm to a bed in the corner. "I've gotta find my squad, good luck sir, it's been an honour fighting alongside you".

Lysander walked out as Maynard made his way past the crowd. on his left and right, several dozen injured Spartans lay, some in critical conditions. At the farthest bed lay Ross, Mateo sitting near him. Ross' armour lay on a nearby table, scorched and dented. His helmet's visor was cracked. A bandage covered the left side of his face and much of his upper torso. He looked over as Maynard approached. "Hey boss, sorry you had to see me like this, damn cheap-ass 'nades..." Mateo smiled. "Well Ross, it's got you a few weeks of R&R, it ain't that bad". Ross chuckled. "Damn, Mat, it hurts when I laugh" he turned to Maynard. "I'm afraid i'll be out of action for a week or two sir, sorry"

Maynard shrugged. If anyone needed a break, it was Ross. "That's fine, your armour will need repairs anyway" A voice came through his helmet's COM channel. "Spartan X112, please proceed to the hangar bay" Maynard knew the LT needed him, and sighed. "I've got to go, the LT wants me". The other two nodded and Maynard exited via the elevator.

Home Sweet Home
//FEBRUARY 4TH, 2579\\

//SPARTAN-IV HQ, SPECIAL WARFARE CENTRE, SONGAM, KOREA\\

//1304 HOURS\\

Two UH-144 Falcon's flew in over the high perimeter wall, past the targeting sensors of the AA guns. They touched down on one of the facilities landing pads, and Wulf Team dismounted. Maynard led the other three to the main elevator, that would take them to the centre of the complex. No one spoke on the ride down.

Eventually, the elevator doors opened, and the Spartans were greeted by several others playing cards at a nearby table. Maynard coughed loudly, and the others all stood up quickly, one knocking over his chair. "At ease, guys, i'm looking for Jason, do you know where he is?" One of the others, Gerald-X347, spoke first. "he's in the training room with the rest of Ochre, you're armoured up too Maynard, maybe you'd like to join them?" Maynard had always liked Gerald. They had been put together in training, along with the man that he had come here to see.

"I think I will, Gerald" Maynard replied. He turned back to the others. "you guys can make yourselves at home for now, I won't be long" Kate and Devin headed for the Cafeteria area, while Mateo joined Gerald, Isabelle-X021 and Nathaniel-X476 in their card game. Maynard knew his way around. They had gone through a year of training here. It was hell, but the UNSC desperately needed some Spartans to quell the 'innies'. Now it was a full-blown war.

Maynard entered the viewing Gallery, where he encountered several more SPARTAN-IV's: Francis-X421, Faisal-X166,  Loraine-X390 and Duncan-X022. They were viewing the battle below in the vast training Hall, where Ochre Team currently fought against computer-controlled 'Sentry' robots firing TTR rounds. Looking at the dozens of burnt-out bot shells, the Spartans had the upper hand.

A flashbang grenade detonated inside, momentarily scrambling the bot's sensors. Ochre Team struck, taking out several more before diving for cover. The remaining robots formed a Phalanx, covering every angle, and slowly began to move forward on their wheels. As they did so, a Spartan jumped out of cover, running. All 12 bots opened fire, several shots hitting the Spartan and knocking him to the ground.

As this happened, however, the other three, taking advantage of the opportunity, opened fire, hitting several more. Maynard watched this, arms folded, as a Silver-Armoured Spartan leapt, his combat knife out, and stabbed at the exposed wires of one bot. he ripped the wires off another one. His team quickly finished off the rest. The four Spartans stood up, and exited the training room, where where they were met by clapping from their brethren.

Maynard approached the Squad leader, Max-X489. Max was one of the top 3 Spartans in X Company, alongside Maynard and Artyom-X043. He was currently the field commander of the entire company. He took off his helmet, and approached Maynard. It had been 3 years since the had seen eachother. To Maynard's surprise, the usually stoic Spartan smiled and shook his hand. "I was wondering if i'd see you again, Maynard. So, what is it you need?"

Maynard didn't expect Max to be so friendly after all this time. "Max, I got word that your squad is here for a month 'til the fleet gets back from Eridanus, so I need a favour: I need Jason for a few weeks" Max's smile disappeared, and he spoke in a more businesslike tone. "What's up? Something wrong with Wulf?" Maynard shrugged. "Ross got himself wounded and is stuck in a hospital for a few weeks, so I need Jason to fill his place for a week or two while we go on a mission".

Max nodded, and cocked his head quizzically. "So, how did Wulf Team's resident killing machine get himself hurt? did someone nuke him, or did that just piss him off?" Maynard smiled. Max was difficult to read, at the least. "well, you probably know that Yankee just got out of training, so we get packed with them and sent to Rell, y'know, that farming place in the Outer Colonies" Max nodded again. "Well, we get packed in eggshells and shot down right on top of an innie army. So, we fought our way up and after fighting on a ridge for a while, Ross tried to toss an incendiary, and the damn thing detonated in his hand!"

"Ouch" Max replied. Maynard continued. "In the end, those idiots at HIGHCOM thought it would be better if they pulled us out and MAC blasted the place. Thirty-Nine Spartans were killed". Max's hand clenched into a fist. "Typical. We lose good men and women, and they change their minds when they feel like it!" He put his helmet back on. "Oh, you can take Jason, i'm gonna get some rest. See ya around, May..." He beckoned his team over, and pointed towards the door with his left hand. He looked at Jason-X250, and nodded towards Maynard, who was waiting in the corner. He left without another word, but the waiting Spartans knew what he meant: ''"Private conversation. Everyone out. Jason, Maynard wants to see you"

Maynard waited for the doors to slide shut behind the last Spartan before Speaking to Jason. He was an average-sized Spartan with a friendly face, but his skills qualified him as one of the best. Maynard knew from personal experience that Jason was one of the toughest, bravest fighters he knew. The only reason he wasn't in Wulf Team was that he had declined the offer, preferring to fight on the frontline. Maynard respected his decision. Jason spoke first. "So, I know what's going on. Where are we going, and what are we gonna blow up?"

Discovery
//FEBRUARY 7TH, 2579\\

//DHARMA RIDGE, PEGASI DELTA\\

//0500 HOURS\\

The factory was close. Maynard lay overlooking the site from their elevated position on the ridge. Mateo was next to him, scouting with his sniper rifle. Behind them, Jason-X250 and Kate-X500 were busy poring over tactical readouts while Devin-X432 sat on a rock, cradling his customised Jackhammer missile launcher. It had an extra barrel, and several markings representing kills scratched on the side.

Mateo looked up. "Maynard, i'm not too sure about this one. They've got that perimeter sealed in tight, i'm not sure even the Headhunters could get through without raising the alarm". He glanced at Jason. "And anyway" he whispered. "I'm not sure that his armour is exactly the most subtle, this would be a better job for Yankee" Maynard sighed. Mateo was right. He was always right.

Mateo looked down the scope of his rifle for a few seconds longer. "Oh" he said matter-of-factly "And we've got those to worry about". He passed Maynard the gun so he could get a better look. Far away, beyond the concrete human buildings, sat four purple structures, glowing slightly. "Covenant" he growled.

He turned to the others. "Jason, get on the radio, we've got a situation". Jason typed in commands on his TACPAD. a red light shone. "Nothing" he replied. "We're in a dead zone". Devin shook his head, Kate close the holographic map and stared at Jason. Seconds later, the entire team looked to Maynard. He put on his helmet. "We've got 4 hours 'til our Black Cats run out of juice, and we need to be gone before then" The team readied their weapons. "Let's move Wulf, we've got a lot of work to do"

Maynard and Kate, moving as quickly as they dared, climbed down from the ridge, and began moving across the sand, towards the Factory. To the east, Jason and Devin were moving to attack from the other side. Eventually, they came to a high perimeter wall. Maynard could see no way around. "Devin, Jason, is there any way in on your end?" Jason replied after a few seconds. "Nothing, the only way in is covered with floodlights and Heavy MG's, we'd be shredded if we tried"

Maynard nodded to himself. After Uyana, the Legion would be stepping up their security. "Okay then, we're gonna have to go loud" He contacted Mateo, who was back at the ridge. "Mat, as soon as the shooting starts, kill as many innies as you can". Kate took out a remote detonation charge-a small, circular device that packed a heavy punch. She stuck it to the wall. Maynard checked the detonator. A second green light appeared, indicating that a second one had been placed. "Prepare for entry" Kate ran back behind a rock. Maynard joined her. "Three, Two, One, GO!"

The charge blew a sizeable hole in the wall, and the Spartans climbed through. This place wasn't heavily guarded. A few security guards fired on Maynard, his shields deflecting their rounds. He span round and shot both men in the head. A dozen men and women in white coats, led by several commandos, ran toward a landing pad, where a small freighter sat. "Oh no you don't..." Maynard thought. He fired the undermounted grenade from his BR60, which hit the metal stairwell leading to the pad, destroying it.

This was too easy. Most of the commandos were dead, and the scientists had surrendered. Devin pushed each one to the ground in the main courtyard, while Jason and Kate set up more charges in the factory cooling towers. With their drug production facilities destroyed, Legion power would decrease. If they were lucky, they could end the war this year. If only they could find Maxon...

Maynard went over to Devin, who was keeping a close eye on the scientists. Most of them sat quietly, terrified of the Spartans. "Dev, is this everyone" Devin nodded. "I think they were preparing for this, sir. If you hadn't stopped them, I would've had to use this" He hefted his 3-barrelled missile launcher. "Anyway, we need to get command and-" Two scientists keeled over, burned through their skulls. More plasma came at them, from various angles. "Hit the deck!" Maynard roared. Devin threw himself to the floor, aimed his missile launcher, and fired all tubes.

The rockets exploded, and several corpses flew up into the air, landing with a thud. Maynard rolled over to them as Jason and Kate arrived. Jason ran over to him. "Crap, is that what I think it is?" The creature was scaly, yet strangely avian in appearance. Maynard looked up, and shouldered his rifle. "Jackals". As if the Spartan's word had called them, a dozen more ran through the alleyways around the factory buildings, activating shield gauntlets and forming a phalanx. As Maynard and Jason opened fire, the Jackals unleashed a swarm of plasma bursts. Two hit Maynard in the chest, causing his shields to flash. As one, the team began to fall back, pressed by the plasma fire. Several of the aliens fell to Mateo's sniper fire from the ridge, but more took their place. Jason, still firing his BR60, glanced at him. "May, we're in deep shit, any ideas?"

Purge
Wulf Team fell back behind what had once been the perimeter wall. The line of Aliens slowly edged closer. Maynard cursed under his breath. They hadn't trained for this. Kate, who was taking cover next to him, tapped Maynard on the shoulder. He looked round and saw her waving a detonator in her hand. "Permission to blow up some alien ass sir?" He nodded, and the factory exploded.

Blocks of concrete and flaming machinery rained down inside the facility, where the Jackals remained. They scattered under the rain of fire, explosions blowing some apart. The Spartans shot those that remained, before storming back into the area. One Jackal attempter to crawl away. Kate kicked it over, stood on it's neck, and shot it in the head. "Strange" Maynard thought to himself. "She tries to spare human prisoners, but she's as bad as Ross when it comes to aliens".

As Maynard and the others ensured that the Jackals were dead, Jason attempted to contact the prowler that would be waiting for them on the edge of the system. He smacked the radio. "Still nothing, the Legion factory wasn't blocking our transmissions, it must be those" He pointed to an alien structure, a pylon-shaped piece of machinery, supported by three legs. This had to be the source of the 'dark zone'. "Devin, set some charges on that thing, Command needs to know about this. Several meters away, Kate was sifting through the rubble of a destroyed building. She waved him over. no comms. Something was up. Maynard moved over, and kate nodded at what had been a steel trapdoor, it's metal blackened and twisted by the explosion. From underneath, quiet noises could be heard. She took out a small det charge and slapped it onto the door.

The Spartans stood back, letting it detonate before they stormed down the steps into the dark basement. Activating his helmet's night vision, Maynard moved slowly, keeping an eye on his motion tracker. He opened the door into another room. Jackpot. A whole row of terminals were lined up against the wall, no doubt full of valuable data. Maynard edged towards the nearest terminal, his eyes on the prize. Suddenly, a blur appeared on his motion tracker, and the screens exploded. The two Spartans were thrown back into the wall, their shields flashing. Maynard sprang up first, and ran out after the unseen attacker. He felt a bad pain in the back of his head. Crap. His armour had taken most of the impact but he was pretty sure that he had a concussion, a cracked skull at the very worst. The tunnel ended and led out to another landing pad, where a single ship was docked. Maynard ran up the stairs, and opened fire on the retreating figures. Several dropped, but others, Commandos by the looks of them, ran at Maynard.

Maynard was able to get a few shots off, hitting one Commando in the head, killing him instantly, and another in the gut, before the four of them cannoned into him, knocking him down. Maynard rolled over, unsheathing his combat knife as he did so. He plunged it into the neck of the first commando, and punched the second in the face. He staggered back. A shiver ran down Maynard's spine. The man should have been in no position to move, let alone fight back. As he changed his stance, ready to fight them off, a second explosion hit just behind the Commandos, killing them and throwing Maynard on his back once more. His helmet rolled off. As he tried to reach for it, he felt a pain in his neck. Maynard's whole body went numb. He couldn't move. "well" He thought. "This can't be good".

Perspective
Maynard struggled to move with all his might, but all he could do was look around. A shadow loomed over him. He looked up, and saw a tall man, wearing typical commando armour over an ornate uniform. He must be a Legion commander, come to oversee the facility. His face seemed blurred, Maynard could not make it out. The man knelt beside him, reached down, and took something from the Spartan. He held it up for him to see. It was a tiny dart, barely an inch long. The man stowed the dart in a pocket. He observed the Spartan attempting to move for a few more moments before he spoke. "it's a paralysing dart, Spartan, don't even bother trying to resist, it will wear off in a little while anyway" he leaned closer to Maynard, his face coming into focus "But by that time, you will be dead!" Maynard felt as if his whole body had turned to ice. He knew this man. He was on the news vids, mission dossiers. He was top of the 'Most Wanted' list. It was Roger Maxon, the founder and Commander of the Legion.

Maxon stood up, looking at Maynard with utter contempt. "So, you must be part of the famous 'Wulf Team' my agents have informed me of. You've been a bother for quite some time" Maynard studied the man who had become a symbol of hatred for the UNSC. According to the files he had read, Maxon had fought as an ODST, commanding an elite Special Ops unit, known as Whiskey-04. In 2571, 8 years ago, Maxon had taken control of several ships, eventually building up an army against the UNSC. Initially, it was thought that these attacks were simply random insurrectionists, until in 2572, Maxon had contacted the UNSC personally, declaring war. In the following months, several UNSC colonies fell and rebellion rose up in many others. Maxon was always at the centre of this; a ghost, untrackable, untraceable. It must have been coincidence that he had even been on the planet at the time.

Maxon took a deep breath, as though he was about to say a well-rehearsed speech. "You, Spartan, are a tool of greedy oppressors, you kill for them without thought or mercy, you do nothing but bow down before tyrants in the guise of leaders" he kept staring at Maynard, his grey eyes boring into him. Maynard could do nothing but listen. Maxon continued. "I pity you, Spartan, because you are unable to see the truth about these men. The United Nations Space Command ruled humanity, whether we like it or not, and it is my desire to be free!" His gaze had not moved from Maynard, who stared back into his eyes, seeing a fire burning in them. "this guy is nuts..." he thought. Others came to him "what if he is telling the truth?" "are you really a tool?"

Maynard closed his eyes, and the thoughts stopped.

Maxon sighed wearily. "Very well then, I suppose there is no saving you" He unholstered a pistol, and cocked it. "I'm sorry, Spartan, it is a great shame that I have to do-" Maxon dived aside as a silver blur rushed at him. Jason tried to grapple with him, to render him unconscious, but the older man dodged. There was a flash of light and Jason fell back, his armour smoking. Maxon stood, holding an elite energy sword, panting. He began to walk towards Maynard when an explosion sounded nearby. He turned and ran to his ship, which began to take off. Kate ran up, her armour slightly blackened from the missile. Maynard felt feeling returning to his body as he watched Maxon's ship rise, and fly off. Kate was crouched by Jason, who was moaning weakly.

Mateo's voice came in over the radio. "Guys, me and Devin took out that alien pylon, comms are back online!" Maynard slowly got to his feet, still feeling stiff from the paralysing dart, and walked over to where Jason lay. The sword had slashed a diagonal line through his chest plate and skin, leaving a freshly cauterised wound. Jason looked at it. "well, that's gonna leave a mark", He struggled to his feet, Maynard supported him. Kate holstered her pistol. "May, we need to get to our Black Cats soon, I don't like this rock. She tried supporting Jason, but he pushed away from both of them, and walked unaided to the security gate. "Anyway" Kate continued "who was that anyway? some Legion Higher-Up?" Maynard shook his head. "No" he picked up his helmet from the floor and put it on. "It was fucking Roger Maxon" Kate froze as Maynard kept on walking. He looked back. "Come on, let's get out of here"

They met with Mateo and Devin near the front gate, and set out towards the location where their Black Cat-class Subprowlers had been inserted. Eventually they came in sight of their single vehicle. As they walked towards it, Maynard noticed something gleaming near some rocks. He walked over, and picked it up. It was a Helmet. Maynard brushed the dirt from it until it became recognisable. It was a Mark I SPI helmet. He stared at it for a few seconds before the realisation hit him of where they were. The Pegasi Delta. A bad place for a Spartan to be. Maynard placed the helmet down carefully, respectfully, then joined the rest of Wulf Team on the Black Cat.

On the trip back to the prowler, the UNSC Grid Iron, Maynard reflected over what Maxon had said, before coming to a conclusion. "I'm no tool, I'm a Spartan" he said aloud. The others looked at him, and at eachother. Mateo spoke first. "Sorry sir, but what are you saying?" Maynard laughed and patted Mateo on the shoulder. "I'll tell you guys about it when we get back, don't worry, I haven't gone crazy". In his mind, Maynard knew what he needed to do. "I'm gonna find Maxon, even if it takes me years. That bastard is going to pay".

Cloak and Dagger
//JULY 8TH, 2583\\

//SARGON, EDEN V\\

///1304 HOURS\\\

It was another hot day on Eden V. The planet, colonised barely a few years after the end of the Great War, was a popular tourist location and holiday destination. Maynard hated the heat. He strode along a busy, crowded street, Kate and Mateo in his wake, past busy shops and market stalls. It felt strange to be out of their armour, but three suited-up Spartans would have attracted a lot of unwanted attention here. Ducking into a side alley, Maynard activated his comm device. "This is Wulf One to Wulf Actual, we are nearing the rendezvous point, over"

On the other side of the city, in what appeared to be a large cargo truck, sat Warrant Officer Alex-A121, along with Ross-X090, who was cleaning his rifle, and Devin-X432, who was observing a monitor that linked to a UNSC drone in low orbit, which gave them footage of the others progress. "This is Wulf Actual, proceed to the RV point, we will be standing by if anything goes wrong". Maynard responded "copy that Wulf Actual, Wolf One out". The three Spartans in the truck were fully suited up, minus their helmets, for combat. Ross put his BR60 down, and leaned over Devin's shoulder to examine the footage. Three white dots, indicating the rest of Wulf Team, moved along the street toward the rendezvous point in a three-storey building. "I still don't get why we don't get to back them up" Ross grumbled.

Alex ignored him. Devin sighed, then spoke. "Well Ross, I'm best at operating the drone, the WO here needs to be at a place where he can provide tactical support and info, and you've got a big-ass scar covering half your face, and if that doesn't scream 'UNSC' then the fact that you like to shoot first will!" Ross shrugged, and began making modifications to his BR60, adding a scope and attaching an under-barrel shotgun. He glanced up and noticed Devin staring a him. "Well Dev" he slammed a clip into the rifle. "you've gotta be prepared".

The building was in sight. Maynard kept walking, not looking around until he reached the door. He rang the bell, and the door opened. The three Spartans stepped inside. The sounds of the market outside were muffled. The room was dark, with a solitary table and several chairs. A voice came from the intercom. "Sit" It was strange, probably put through a synthesiser. Maynard sat at the table, as did the others. "ONI always has to make things difficult" Mateo grumbled. A slightly different voice sounded through the intercom. "Hope, Remember". Maynard recalled the code he had been made to remember before the mission. "Juliet Oscar Hotel November" he paused for a second. "Romeo Echo Alpha Charlie Hotel". Several moments passed before a door on the other side of the room slid open.

The three Spartans stepped through into another, better lit room. Six men and two women sat in various seats, going over logistical data or working at terminals. "Spooks" thought Maynard. The door to a side room opened and two men exited. The first was strongly built, in his early forties by the looks of him. He was wearing an Officer's uniform; a single gold leaf gleamed: A Lieutenant Commander. The other man was taller, slightly broader and muscled. His hear was light brown, with flecks of grey. He was wearing combat pants and a vest. On his right arm, six names were tattooed: AMY, JACOB, NEF, FENN, RESK, WULF. Above the names there was a tattooed skull. This man was a Spartan.

"Codename: MATADOR?" Maynard inquired. The Spartan stepped forward and shook his hand. "That's me" he glanced at his colleague. "I'm not a big fan of these codenames really, so you can call me Jax. Jax-007". Maynard nodded, and shook hands with the Lieutenant Commander. "I'm Harper, no first names here, i'm afraid". Harper walked past Maynard and over to where the other ONI members sat. He picked up a datapad, and started to make notes. "Don't mind Harper" Jax said. "He may be ONI, but he's allright in my books". Jax gestured to several unoccupied seats. Maynard and Kate sat while Mateo stood. Jax looked at him inquiringly until he spoke. "Sir, I have to report back to our OC so we can confirm we have made contact" Jax nodded, and Mateo exited.

Jax gave Maynard and Kate a datapad each. "These contain information about the Legion's dealings with former Covenant Species, more specifically the Kig-Yar, or Jackals, which you encountered several years ago, and the Jiralhanae, also known as Brutes". Details of the Alien races scrolled onto the screen, along with satellite footage of Roger Maxon meeting with several. Maynard's eyes narrowed. Jax reached over a table and picked up another datapad. "We recently found out that several high ranking Legion members have arrived on Eden V. Generals. in fact. We've identified three of them, and we need your team to help us pinpoint their location before they get ours".

Maynard frowned. "What do you mean, 'before they get ours', sir?" Jax sighed, and glanced out of the window before pulling the shutters down. "What I mean, is that this place ain't exactly UNSC friendly. The tourists, fine, but if the military tries to poke it's nose in, the people here get aggressive" He stared at the names etched into his right arm. "Out here, we haven't got any friends". Maynard's communicator buzzed. He answered it, and Mateo's voice came through. He sounded worried. "Sir, I just saw a couple of 'hogs' filled with militia heading your way, I'm gonna head back to base and suit up" This wasn't good. "Copy that Wulf Two, we'll be on the lookout" he turned to Jax. "Sir. we've got innies heading our way!"

The operatives in the room looked at him, then began packing up their equipment. Harper checked the security camera. Outside, two warthogs had pulled up, and a dozen armed men, all in olive military fatigues, were milling around. Jax stood up, and ran towards a locker near the door. He opened it, revealing an arsenal of weaponry. He began handing out weapons, taking a shotgun and an Assault rifle for himself. Three of the men, whom Maynard had previously thought to have been ONI 'Spooks' were suiting up in black combat armour. They were ODST's. The ONI personnel were putting on bulletproof vests and loading their SMG's. Jax turned to Maynard and Kate. "you have anything?" he asked. Maynard pulled out a single pistol: an M6C/SOCOM. Kate pulled out two pistols. a handful of grenades and a combat knife, which she had hidden in her boots. "What?" she said when the other Spartans stared at her hidden arsenal. Jax passed two Assault rifles to them, before turning to the ODST's. "Sergeant Willard! we need to get these agents out of here!" The ODST saluted. "Got it sir! Colby, Michaels, get-" The rear wall exploded, sending those nearest to it flying across the room. Maynard ducked and took cover behind an overturned table. Jax dived into cover next to him. "Well Maynard, this is where the fun begins!"