User:Kougermasters/Insubordination

In the year 2551, the Human-Covenant War had reached its worse. Billions of humans had already been killed by the tyrannical Covenant Empire since 2525, and in April, one more was about to fall. A small Covenant fleet had entered the Delta Beta System, destroyed the human ships in the area, and deployed ground troops on Delta Beta VI.

“Chris, how many times do I have to tell you, I am in command here, and what I say goes?” the woman said.

“No Anna! There is a better way-!”

“Listen to the lady, she’s your CO.” the tough looking Sergeant remarked.

“Don’t give me orders, Sergeant.”

“Stop arguing, and be quiet! We’re approaching the camp now.” Anna said sharply.

“Yes ma’am!” the two men said in unison.

The Pelican was quietly approaching the UNSC Gamma Base, which was currently under the control of a certain Lieutenant Commander whose record gave others the impression that he was very tough and very brave.

Sergeant Dylan Brian quietly observed the bickering between the Lieutenant and Anna. Anna was their CO, and it troubled Brian that she wasn’t enforcing that.

“I am a Lieutenant Commander in the UNSC Navy and I currently outrank all personnel on this aircraft. Therefore I am in command and you are not. Do I make myself clear, Lieutenant?” Anna said slowly to Lieutenant Chris.

“You’re pathetic… ma’am.” He replied.

The Sergeant stared at Anna, then stared at Chris. They were SPARTANS, legendary warriors who had been picked from the UNSC’s finest. Currently they weren’t wearing their strange Mjolnir armor, and so they seemed less imposing than usual. But only a little less, he thought. The SPARTANS were all over 7 feet tall, Chris was 7’2” and Anna was 7’6”. In their armor, of course. Without it their heights were reduced by no less than 4 inches. That didn’t mean much, Chris was still 6’10 and Anna was still over 7 feet tall. The Sergeant felt another twinge of unease.

Lieutenant Commander SPARTAN Jason-092 was a cautious man. He knew that someone was arriving to take command of Alpha Base. Maybe, he thought, she might just be coming to- His thoughts were interrupted as the Pelican landed, and Lieutenant Commander SPARTAN Anna-297 stepped down.

“Anna, I’m glad to see you.” Like Anna, Jason was one of the taller SPARTANS, exactly 7 feet tall without his armor. Still two inches short, he said to himself. He sighed and said, “Welcome to Gamma Base Commander.”

“I’ve come here under the Admiral’s orders to take-” Ah, Jason thought to himself, to relieve me of my status as CO of this base. “-control of this base. I’ll need a willing XO though. Are you up to it?” she looked down at him. “I’ll need a co-operative candidate though. I’m sure you’re not happy that I’m taking command, are you?”

“No ma’am,” he replied, his heart sinking.

“Well, I hope you’re up to it. You can be my XO. Now, please, give me a tour of this place. It seems clean and well-maintained.”

“Yes ma’am,” he said.

The Sergeant witnessed the exchange and thought, another Spartan? How many of them are there? Anna nodded to Chris and him, and they followed Jason.

“Welcome. I am Elena, and you must be Anna. I’ve heard much about you,” the AI said. The Sergeant observed the AI closely. She had female programming, and her avatar had taken the form of a tall slender female with long straight hair. She had a clear voice with no accent, and she was very polite.

‘You have, have you?” Anna said with a laugh and a look at Jason, who had turned green. Chris started shaking and turned red with anger.

“Perhaps, the Lieutenant Commander should ah, continue the tour,” he said slyly. He walked towards Jason and continued, “It would be a great ah… shame if the Covenant attacked before she knew her way around the base… she is, after all taking command.” Jason glared at him and they continued the tour.

Not too far away, in the Covenant encampment, Zazap the Unngoy was thinking. Not about the inevitable battle, but of the incompetent Kig-Yar warrior approaching him. “Stupid gas-sucker! It is time to go… the Sangheili grow very impatient!” The Kig-Yar stopped in front of Zazap.

“I am aware, Kig-Yar. However, though you may be higher on the caste system then me, you are a common solder. I am an Ultra, and I demand your respect!” Zazap said. The Kig-Yar seemed taken aback, he stared at Zazap with maybe a little newfound respect.

“So, what news?”

“The Sangheili have declared that the attack happens tomorrow!” the Kig-Yar replied.

“Good. You may leave.” The Kig-Yar left, and the Unngoy (who, by the way, was much more intelligent, imperious, influential and powerful than most of his kind) went to prepare his weapons and equipment.

“When will they attack Lieutenant?”

“I think tonight. They may attack tonight,” the Lieutenant told Jason.

“Why tonight?”

“Because it will be raining, dark, and stormy. The perfect night for a Covenant attack.” The ONI Officer replied.

“What should we do?”

“I recommend that you prepare for this attack now, and take this more seriously then the previous skirmishes. This will be big, I can feel it,” Lieutenant Anders said.

“Right. Anna, did you get that?” Jason said.

“Yes. I did, thanks,” she said grimly.

“Ma’am! Ma’am! MA’AM!!!”

“What? What is it Corporal?”

“I just saw a patrol of three Covenant Banshees fly over the camp! The anti-air managed to take one down but…”

“Thank you. There’s nothing more anyone can do.”

“Ma’am.” The Corporal exited the room and Anna looked towards Jason.

“Lieutenant Commander, I know miffed about me arriving and taking command. Like I said before, I need your unwavering loyalty. I need a good Executive Officer, someone to back me up! You said you were ready for the job, but you just can’t seem to step down. We may be the same rank, Lieutenant Commander, but the Admiral gave me clear orders that I am to take command. I may have to charge you with insubordination for this. I don’t want to but… Please, relinquish command or I will have to take it from you. A Covenant attack is coming, and I need all the men and women here. So, Jason, are you ready to stand down?”

Jason stared at her for a second, shocked. He wasn’t the only one; Lieutenant Anders, Sergeant Brian, and Lieutenant Chris were all looking at her in awe. For a second no one moved, until Jason took a deep breath and said, “Yes… yes Ma’am.”

The Sergeant sighed in relief, then winced as he saw Chris’ face. He had an ugly look of anger of his face, mixed with hatred. The ONI spook had noticed too. She took action.

“Erm, why don’t we see what preparations are uh… um… Why don’t we all go outside?” she glanced towards Chris, then towards Jason. The Sergeant followed her gaze, and gasped as he saw a look of love and hurt on the former Commander’s face. Chris noticed too, and the Sergeant gulped as he saw who Jason was looking at.

“Get out of my way!” Zano ‘Kamalee snapped at the group of Kig-Yar. He grumbled, and sighed explosively. Their spy at the human encampment had informed a certain human who was associated with the human’s “Naval Intelligence” or something like when the Covenant were attacking. The plan was working, but it was stressful. The Intelligence Officer suspected the spy, and if the spy was discovered, all would be lost. Only a few more hours, he thought. Then the battle will be underway, and this planet shall be ours! That thought cheered the Ultra Field Master Sangheili as he walked towards the tent where the debate with the Fleet Master would begin.

The night passed without incident. No attacks, no huge armies of Covenant, not even a Ghost or Banshee patrol. The night was quiet. Too quiet, Sergeant Brian thought. Had Lieutenant Anders’ information been wrong? Then his mind slipped to the meeting that day. He remembered the look on Jason’s face, and the look on Chris’s face. He visualized Anna’s indifference, and her disinterest. He understood Jason’s attraction to her. She was tall, she had long blonde hair (she being a Spartan, and on duty for a very long time, she had no time to cut her hair to regulation length. And he had remembered her saying once that she liked having long hair, and that she was Navy). All Spartans are in the Navy, he reminded himself. Anna had blue eyes, and she was the same rank as Jason. Yes, and the Sergeant understood the jealousy in Chris’s eyes. Or was it jealousy? It looked like hatred, or envy. He is horrible to Anna. I wonder how it would turn out if he ever went out of control? As he stood in the dawn light pondering these things, the Covenant attacked.

Special Operations Officer Zuka ‘Zamamee ordered a small and tentative group of soldiers. The soldiers were spies, the best of their kind. ‘Zamamee watched the sky as twelve Banshees flew in formation and randomly fired at the human base. ‘Zamamee saw explosions and heard screaming. The Ghosts came next and pummeled the human defenses while the Banshees regrouped for another run. Suddenly two exploded, and the rest retreated.

Behind the Ghosts in the trees, over one hundred Unngoy had set up portable gun turrets and the larger versions known as Shades. They had both versions, the lightly plasma shielded version, and the more popular heavily shielded maroon Shades. ‘Lanodee was fonder of the smaller Shades, but they were crippled to easily; they may have had powerful plasma weapons but there was virtually no protection for the gunner.

Lances of plasma flew through the air towards the human base, cutting down the human snipers who dared stick their heads above the walls for a minute. As the sun rose higher, ever a symbol of hope for both human and Covenant soldiers, a Wraith fired, and ‘Lanodee grinned. Soon his part in the battle would come. And he was would be ready for it.

“You said they were going to attack tonight!” Lieutenant Commander Anna said furiously.

“Well, yes I did but-”

“You are supposed to be my intelligence officer! How am I supposed to gain intelligence from an unintelligent intelligence officer?!”

“But I-” Lieutenant Anders stuttered, “I didn’t know!”

“You didn’t know? Half of my men are dead, the Covenant have taken the outer base, and we’re trapped underground here like rats!”

Anders cowered under her CO’s angry stare, “But I thought… they told me…”

“THEY TOLD YOU? WHO TOLD YOU WHAT?!!?!” Anna screamed furiously.

“You are an incompetent commander. I’ve heard stories about you. You lost an entire planet to the Covenant, you were brave, but alas, you were the only survivor. Commander Anna. The Valkyrie sub-program, so unlike the Spartan program failed. You failed. You are a disgrace to the UNSC, and you will be the death of us all!” Anna seemed shocked for a second and regained her composure.

“You betrayed us?” she whispered. “How many men and women have died because of your actions?” Anna said, her voice rising slowly.

“Don’t be stupid, I didn’t… what gave you that… don’t be absurd!” Anders sputtered.

“You didn’t betray us? How am I supposed to believe that?”

“Because I did!” a new voice said loudly.

Anna and Lieutenant Anders spun towards the source of the voice and stared in shock at Lieutenant Chris, pointing a Battle Rifle at them.

“I told Anders that the Covenant would attack last night, I told the Covenant to attack today, I let them inside the walls! And now, after I deal with you, I’ll go kill Jason!” Chris laughed, and Anna stared at him.

“You’re crazy. You’re insane!”

Chris sneered.

“So, what if I am? You are in no position to do anything!” Chris pointed his Battle Rifle at the two women and fired.

‘Zamamee ushered his troops onward. “Just a little further, yes, just a little further!”

They snuck past the walls and into the human base. They mingled with the humans and entered as it was locked down. They weren’t seen, however, for their Active Camouflage was on at its most powerful. Their mission was that of extreme importance. After the human had finished off his commanders, ‘Zamamee’s team would move in and finish the rest, including the traitorous human. They moved through the underground base, and killed any lone humans. Zeno ‘Lanodee would find his prey, and in the end, he would get his reward.

Anna screamed as Lieutenant Anders dropped, and she pulled out her Magnum. She hastily pointed it at Chris as he brought his Battle Rifle to bear.

“What the hell did you do that for?” Anna screamed. She fired her pistol twice and dropped it as she felt two rounds go through her right arm. She looked at Chris; he was bleeding from the throat and his shoulder was punctured.

“You little-” he began. Anna laughed and picked up the Magnum again. She fired as Chris cursed. Chris dropped, his knees crippled. Anna walked over to him, and he looked up at her.

“Kill me, kill me now. It won’t matter; the Covenant will kill you all! They only spare those loyal to them, like me! Their most loyal servant!”

Anna looked at him with disgust, contempt and pity. “Oh Chris, I’ve seen the looks you’ve given me. I’ve noticed Jason too, and your hatred and contempt for him. You could have been a great Spartan. Why, oh why did you betray us?”

“I didn’t betray all of you… Jason must die- I didn’t want to kill you… Anders had to go, she knew too much. D-don’t… don’t get me wrong. She didn’t betray you, it was only me. I should be the leader, you… Jason… both of you have proved to be incompetent l-l-leaders… I…” Chris’ voice failed as he bled more from his throat. He sputtered, and made a horrible gurgling noise. His body convulsed, his limbs twitched, and he fell forward into a pool of blood. Then he was still.

Anna looked at his body, and ran over to Lieutenant Anders. Anna observed her, and saw that she was still breathing. Anna yelled for help, and then she stiffened as she saw a dark hunched silhouette in the doorway.

The battle outside was getting messy. The surviving Marines were locked outside, and Lieutenant Commander Jason was having trouble rallying the surviving troops.

“To me, to me! Regroup!” he screamed. Then, just as the traitor Chris was struck down, the human’s doom slowly approached. Even then, as Sergeant Brian lay dying, cut in half by Field Master Zano ‘Kalamee’s Energy Sword, the wave of Major Elites cut through the Marines and slaughtered their way to the small remainder of soldiers led by Jason.

But the real problem was looming over the army, its huge green plasma cannon charging slowly, the sunlight shining off of its silver armor.

Zazap ran around the Scarab walker, issuing orders to the pitiful Unngoy crew onboard. Two Major Sangheili piloted the Scarab, and a few Minors guarded them. All around the Scarab, Unngoy led by Zazap fixed the Scarab, corrected system failures, and installed plasma turrets. Zazap was very frustrated by the stupid Unngoy that were under his command; they were useless stupid blobs. True, some tried, but they just couldn’t get anything done. Zazap walked to the front of the Scarab, watching their Banshee escort. Suddenly, one of the Banshees burst into flames, and crashed into the Covenant army on the ground, exploding and causing great injury. Zazap gasped as he saw two more Banshees explode, then a fourth. He was so preoccupied with the Banshees that he almost didn’t duck in time as a sixth rocket raced past him, exploding on the rear of the Scarab and killing half of his useless crew. Zazap screamed, and ran inside of the Scarab, just as an energy barrier deployed over the opening to protect those inside. The Sangheili, Zazap, and a few of the luckier Unngoy were safe from the rockets. The Unngoy outside however, were not so lucky. Five rockets hit one of the front legs, and three more hit the other. The Scarab jerked, and those inside were thrown to the ground. Those on the outer decks of the Scarab, however, tumbled off and fell a hundred feet to the ground. Those who had managed to hold on hammered on the Energy barrier with their fists, until another barrage of rockets obliterated the remaining Banshees and blew the top off of the Scarab. Many more Unngoy were blown to pieces, or thrown to their deaths. The Sangheili pilots were desperately trying to regain control of the tilting Scarab, and they were firing at anything in range, including their own army. A final barrage of rockets destroyed the front legs, crippled the back legs, and was sufficient enough to cause the Scarab to crash into the dirt, where it exploded, killing anyone in a fifty foot radius of the blast. Zuka ‘Zamamee stared into the human female’s eyes, and she stared right back. His task was almost complete and his reward was very close. He lifted his Plasma Rifle and then he heard a bang as it was blasted out of his hand. The female was standing before him with one of the human’s pathetic firearms in hand. ‘Zamamee smiled, and drew his Energy Sword. He uttered a fierce battle cry, and then he charged. Anna yelped in shock as the energy blade sliced her magnum in half, then she kicked the alien in the knee. It fell over, and she fell with it. The alien then jumped up and stared at her, laying at his feet. He approached her, grabbed her by her collar with his free hand, and pulled her up. He lifted the sword, and prepared to embed it in her chest. Just as Anna gave up hope, the Elite’s shields flared, and died. In what seemed like slow motion, it dropped her and turned around. Anna watched in horror as she saw it charging towards Lieutenant Anders, who was shooting at the alien with the alien’s discarded Plasma Rifle. Anna watched in a kind of limbo as the Elite raised the sword, and severed the Lieutenant’s head. The Elite limped away, and everything went dark. Zazap coughed and tried to look around. He was trapped in a tight space that was filled with smoke and fog. The sounds of battle had yet not died, indeed they had gotten fiercer. He wondered what had happened. First, he had ran into the interior of the Scarab, many explosions had rocked the exterior, and finally, the whole thing collapsed. That was the last thing Zazap knew until he woke up. Then the thought hit him. I must still be inside the Scarab, otherwise I’d be dead by now! But then why had he not died in the crash? He wriggled out of the hole we had been trapped in, and saw the bodies. The Sangheili pilots were dead, their guard was dead, and the Unngoy corpses were gone. The interior of the Scarab was blackened, and there was a gaping hole where the entrance to the cabin had been. Zazap gingerly crawled past the bodies until he got to the exit. The sunlight hurt his eyes as he crawled through the wreckage. When he got out onto the battlefield, he gasped. He saw thousands of corpses. Human, Sangheili, Kig-Yar, Unngoy, and Lekgolo bodies were all spread across the plain. He also noticed many crashed Phantoms and human dropships. He saw destroyed Banshees, Ghosts, and human vehicles. The whole place was dusty and silent. In the distance, more towards the human base, he saw the remainder of the Covenant forces still fighting the human defenders. Zazap walked around the battlefield until he found a Ghost in good condition. He boarded it, and started in the direction of the Covenant HQ. ‘Zamamee was furious as he fled the site of the battle, supported by his Sangheili underlings. He had failed horribly in his task; not only had the human leaders survived, but the remaining Covenant forces were fleeing the battle. The, a plan came into his mind. A very clever plan. “And so, though the battle was lost, I managed to kill the human leader in charge of the base. The lesser ranked had to take charge, and overall, though the siege was a failure, my mission was a success,” ‘Zamamee concluded. His Sangheili glanced uneasily at him, but he gave it no thought. He had been promoted to Special Operations Officer, and most importantly, ‘Zamamee had lived to see another day. The battle was over; the humans had won the Battle of Gamma Base. Anna stumbled through the base past countless burning human bodies. Yes, the humans had won, but at a terrible cost. Though roughly 3/4 of the humans had been killed, little did Anna know of the most terrible sacrifice of all. She thought about Lieutenant Anders and her pointless death, she thought of Chris’ betrayal. How pointless all this has been. My close friends dead, billions glassed. Can’t the Covenant and the humans have peace? Anna, like her superiors, knew that unless the UNSC had some great stroke of luck, humanity was doomed.