Halo: Common Denominator

Welcome to Common Denominator, the Halo Fan Fiction Wikia machinima project involving Halo 3. This is a large project, and the attribution is to many people. The machinima is already in progress and is being made: users should contact RelentlessRecusant for participation. The screenplay below is still mostly under revision and is being added to every day. Have fun!

''' Common Denominator ''By Dragonclaws and RelentlessRecusant

Dramatis Personae
UNSC Research Expedition
 * Dr. Sachs – expedition leader, sociological specialist
 * Dr. Freshney – technological and biological specialist
 * Lt. Carl Wakes – ONI intelligence officer, security chief
 * Sgt. Eisen – Marine guard
 * Pvt. Barrett – Marine guard

ONI Recovery Team
 * Cpt. Loring – Bravo Six, point man
 * Sgt. Sequard – Bravo One, sharpshooter

UNSC Sanghelios Embassy
 * Ambassador Pressley – extraordinary consul to Sanghelios, UNSC Department of State
 * General Farley Wakes – commander of UNSC Marine Corps garrison on Sanghelios
 * Captain McWhite - commander of Tango Company, Marine airborne reaction force

Ministry of the Sangheili
 * Aibu 'Ihsam - Temple Master, Ultranationalist affiliate
 * Lisah 'Ileal - Minister of Harmony, ally of the UNSC ambassador

First Episode
Voice-over introduction plays over a montage

‘ILEAL: “Humans and Sangheili. We are two peoples with much in common. Both have climbed from the lowly levels of primitive behavior and hoisted ourselves upon the rungs of the stars. We have much to be proud of, the both of us. The Covenant, however… Now, that is a wound that will not heal swiftly. Bloated on propaganda, delivered to us by the lying San’Shyuum, we Sangheili committed terrible crimes that must not be forgotten. We owe a great debt to two warriors, the Arbiter and the Master Chief, one Sangheili and one Human, both invaluable assets to civilization. It was their efforts that brought our peoples together to exterminate the San’Shyuum and bring peace to this world… Some things, however, not even legends can withstand. The Master Chief, Humanity’s finest warrior, fell even as he saved the life of the Arbiter. Grateful for his Human allies, the Arbiter went to great lengths to unite our races officially, in the ministry, to ensure that none could legally go to arms in opposition… However, Human rebels, united under one front, feared what such an alliance might hold for the future of their rebellion. While the Arbiter was in transit, his seraph was rammed by a Human fighter loaded with explosives and he was slain in the impact. This unfortunate occurrence sparked a fiery torrent of anger against the Human race, whom many Sangheili extremists blamed for their ills. Despite much progress in the effort to create a truce between our peoples, including the construction of an embassy on the surface of Sangheilios, there remains continuing turmoil, culminating in the creation of a secretive group of Sangheili terrorists, labeled ‘Ultranationalists.’ The Humans have fought hard to ensure the safety of the embassy, and my own efforts in the ministry have not been wasted. Still, though, much doubt has been put on the success of this truce… It matters not, for I will see the day in which Human and Sangheili will walk as one.”

High Ground, outside the opened gate

''There is a UNSC checkpoint by the gate: stacked crates, and a mounted machine gun. Two or three MARINES stand a vigilant guard while a GHOST draws near the gate. One of the MARINES looks to the MARINE SERGEANT from a computer.''


 * MARINE: “Sergeant! Contact inbound, heading oh-three-six.”
 * MARINE SERGEANT: “We have a bogey, team. Showcase formation.”

''A MARINE mans the machine-gun while the MARINE SERGEANT draws a battle rifle from a crate. Suddenly, there’s a flash of light from around the corner: it’s a GHOST, rounding the ridge with the bubble shield.''


 * MARINE SERGEANT: “Covenant Ghost, this is a UNSC checkpoint. You will redirect your vehicle to an alternate heading.”

The GHOST slowly draws closer.


 * MARINE SERGEANT: “Covenant Ghost, power down your systems and weapons and exit your vehicle for a search. This is a restricted area: this is your final warning.”


 * MARINE: “That alien motherfucker. I think we should waste ‘em. You know what they did at Bennings just last week. Stormed the captain, killed the whole company in their sleep. It’s time to fuck ‘em up.”
 * MARINE SERGEANT: “Stow that, Marine. Covenant, desist and prepare for detain-”

''The GHOST suddenly rams into the checkpoint, crashing into a trip mine and igniting fusion coils. The ELITE and all the MARINES fly into the air, all dead.''

High Ground, inside the COM room

''There is a tight cluster of figures: General WAKES, Ambassador PRESSLEY, and Lieutenant WAKES. It is a war council.''


 * LT. WAKES: “Sirs, you all have the most recent intelligence. A Ghost just car-bombed our checkpoint at East-Two-Five. This is the fourth of insurgent attacks on our forces on Sangheilios this week. The death-toll is now at sixty-two for this week alone.”


 * PRESSLEY: “We have no choice. We have had billions of soldiers killed in the war we’ve just ended. I can’t commit more battalions to Sangheilios to reinforce our outposts and bases here.”
 * GEN. WAKES: “No choice? Mr. Ambassador, you are the ranking UNSC official on this planet! My men are dying here, and are unable to defend themselves. Every week I write several dozen letters to Earth, to families. My men need firing authorization to defend themselves at the slightest presence of a threat. This is ridiculous.”


 * PRESSLEY: “Earth won’t allow it. The war is over and we’re disbanding the military. I don’t know how to tell you this.”
 * GEN. WAKES: “What, Mr. Ambassador? Even with a Reduction in Force, I must support my soldiers here.”


 * PRESSLEY: “General, you have updated orders from FLEETCOM Sidney. Your five battalions have been reassigned.
 * GEN. WAKES: “What? Reassigned to where?”
 * PRESSLEY: “Earth, General. Damn insurgents have been acting up lately. I’m sorry. I really am.”
 * GEN. WAKES: “We have several thousand civilians here on a hostile planet, and we’re just pulling off all our soldiers? This is madness! Who gave the fucking orders?”
 * PRESSLEY: “You know I can’t say. Casualties have been too severe here. The war just ended several months ago and we have hundreds of Marines dead on this very planet under your command. To be honest, you don’t have many boosters at headquarters.”

er of a planet full of xenocidal aliens, they’ll be dead within hours of our frigates entering Slipspace.”
 * GEN. WAKES: “You know that when we withdraw from Sangheilios, all hell will erupt! We have corporate magnates, researchers, and travelers here. If we leave them alone in the cent
 * PRESSLEY: “General, the frigates Glorious and Memory of Harvest of the Home Fleet are arriving at 2300 hours today. You will oversee a steady withdrawal of your men to the orbital vessels, and they will be taken back to Earth for permanent reassignment. You have orders to reduce the Sangheilios garrison from the present five battalions to one company of Marines for the protection of the embassy and solely the protection of the embassy.

Captain McWHITE storms into the room, furious.


 * McWHITE: “General Wakes! What’s this bullshit I hear about a reassignment?”
 * PRESSLEY: “Ask Mr. Pressley.”


 * McWHITE: “Mr. Ambassador! This is an outrage! Just an hour ago, three Marines have been killed, and now we’re pulling out? We can stop the deaths! All we need is a tactical strike and a show of force to demonstrate that-”


 * PRESSLEY: “Captain, that is precisely the point. If we continue our presence here, the only way we can continue to save lives is by killing Elites. I already have enough shit on my hands, trying to work out a truce. No one wants a truce: the Elites are disgusted to ally infidels like ourselves, and people like you want to splatter their brains across the goddamn wall.”


 * GEN. WAKES: “Captain, you’re dismissed.”


 * McWHITE: “But, General, I-”


 * GEN. WAKES: “Captain, I said you’ve been dismissed.”

McWHITE turns from the room, and storms out into a waiting Warthog.


 * GEN. WAKES: “Mr. Ambassador, we can’t do this. Hundreds have been killed, and their blood still stains the fields of the Elites! I can not and will not ship back the body bags of my men and look their families in the eye. It would be a dereliction of my very duty to let those coffins return un-avenged.”
 * PRESSLEY: “General, that’s enough. It would be a dereliction of my duty if I let this truce fall apart because of some two-bit crackheads with rifles.”
 * GEN. WAKES: “You bitch! Never insult my Marines again, or-”
 * PRESSLEY: “I can’t risk five thousand Marines sitting around with guns, bombs, and hot tempers in the center of the Elite homeworld while we’re negotiating a truce.”
 * GEN. WAKES: “This is what all this is about! Your career! You know that if this truce, doesn’t go through, you’re fucked! And now you want me to abandon my men, and-”
 * PRESSLEY: “I’m a step away from calling security and having you detained and sent back on the Glorious.”
 * GEN. WAKES: “I’ll detain myself. Lieutenant, come on. You’re with me.”

High Ground, the Spartan Laser tower

McWHITE, WAKES, and WAKES have covertly gathered just outside the command center.


 * McWHITE: “What is this, General? We’re being shipped back to home? We’ve all seen ONI’s politicomilitary analyses. When we withdraw, the entire population will collapse upon any soldiers or civilians we don’t evacuate. Even five full battalions weren’t enough to stave off the Elite terrorists from assassinating our men.”
 * GEN. WAKES: “I’m not pleased with it at all either, Captain. That’s why you’re staying behind here.”
 * McWHITE: “Here, sir? I thought the ambassador ordered that-”
 * GEN. WAKES: “We’re leaving one Marine company behind to be ‘defending’ the embassy. You’re being placed in command of Tango Company, Captain. It’s our airborne rapid-response force. The moment that hostilities start breaking out, rules of engagement open or closed, you will be exfiltrating all UNSC civilians that come under attack.”
 * McWHITE: “A company of Marines against thousands or millions of hostile, mobbing Elites who only want to crush the apeish filth that’s degraded their planet?”
 * LT. WAKES: “Captain, there’s no way that we can convince the ambassador not to withdraw our garrison. The Glorious and the Memory of Harvest are already en route: they can’t turn around the frigates in Slipspace.”
 * McWHITE: “If the ships are going to arrive tonight, then that means that-”
 * LT. WAKES: “Correct, Captain. The withdrawal orders were crafted months ago at FLEETCOM Sydney. The moment we set foot on Sangheilios and Marines died, the no-go orders were made. Several days after we arrived, the Glorious and the Memory of Harvest were already jumping from Earth to Sangheilios.”
 * McWHITE: “Those bitches at FLEETCOM! They knew very well with our restricted rules of engagement we couldn’t defend ourselves that…Lieutenant, you’re the ONI attaché to the ambassador. Surely you can do something about this.”
 * LT. WAKES: “I’ve already told the Regional Director of Intelligence. We’re outside the jurisdiction of FLEETCOM Sydney: ONI won’t be withdrawing from Sangheilios until every last UNSC ship turns for Earth and we abandon the embassy.”
 * GEN. WAKES: “I have a decidedly good feeling about this.”
 * LT. WAKES: “The code-name is Operation: DENOMINATOR.”

Snowbound, from the rocks


 * SEQUARD: “Six, One. Arms transfer is underway.”
 * LORING: “Citadel, this is ONI Recon One-Seventy. We have confirmed the ultranationalists are meeting with a confirmed terrorist sect.”
 * CITADEL: “Bravo Team, we have your coordinates. Proceed with reconnaissance operation. Do they have the package?”
 * LORING: “One?”
 * SEQUARD: “Citadel, One. Radioactive tag was appended to the package. Rifle-mounted Geiger counter confirms OpFor is in possession of the asset.”
 * CITADEL: “Affirmative, Bravo Team. Maintain covert reconnaissance. Weapons tight.”

Near the “hangar” to the underground pit, a small cluster of ELITES meet. The ULTRANATIONALISTS are in red, and the SANGHEILI DEFENSE FORCE is in blue.


 * DEFENSE OFFICER: “Here are the weapons we agreed to. Now, you will kill all the vermin?”
 * ULTRANATIONALIST LEADER: “Of course, Field Master. We will purge them from all existence.”
 * DEFENSE OFFICER: “You understand this is treachery for my men and I, a Zealot of the Sangheili Defense Force meeting with terrorists.”
 * ULTRANATIONALIST LEADER: “Your championing of our purge inspires our heart with a fervorous passion. We will not fail you, Field Master.”
 * DEFENSE OFFICER: “I trust you will not.”
 * ULTRANATIONALIST: “Miliege, they are all here as specified.”

The focus shifts to a rack of armaments: there are two MONGOOSE ULATVs, along with a rack of numerous battle rifles, sniper rifles, rocket launchers, and Spartan Lasers.


 * ULTRANATIONALIST LEADER: “Field Master, surely this is a worthy arsenal. We could hold against a company of shock troopers with these gracious gifts!”
 * DEFENSE OFFICER: “Wipe them all from the surface of our homeworld, spy. Ensure that their breath no longer taints the pure spirit of The All.”


 * LORING: “Citadel, we have confirmed that the OpFor has the tagged package. Sangheili Defense Force officers are in collaboration with the Ultranationalists. We confirm the Defense Force commander as Field Master ‘Gunomee. We confirm the Ultranationalist leader as a Cryan ‘Usho. ONI Recon One-Seventy withdrawing from station.”
 * CITADEL: “Green light to exfiltration. Pelican dust-off will be in forty-five minutes at the extraction point.”

As the ELITES continue to converse, LORING and SEQUARD creep to a waiting Mongoose, and then speed into the night.

Snowbound, inside a base and behind a blue wall

Temple Master AIBU ‘IHSAM, a purple Sangheili with notably Covenant features, speaks in hushed tones into a communication device (weapon holder).

AIBU 'IHSAM: “Worry not, my brethren. Soon shall be the hour in which these repugnant heathens flee these Holy Lands. The Gods are with us – I have seen it in the waves myself. A new dawn shall rise, and with it…”

FOOTSTEPS sound nearby. AIBU ‘IHSAM looks up, then ducks quickly back down.

AIBU ‘IHSAM: “Hush now… The traitor approaches…”

He waves his hand over the device as LISAH ‘ILEAL, a golden Sangheili with far more rounded edges, turns the corner. AIBU ‘IHSAM turns to face his opponent and steps forward, drawing focus away from the communications device as he speaks in a friendly tone.

AIBU ‘IHSAM: “Why, if it’s not the Minister of Harmony himself! Come to give your respects?” LISAH ‘ILEAL bows his head in greeting. LISAH ‘ILEAL: “Minster ‘Ihsam…” AIBU ‘IHSAM: “Oh, come now! We are not in the Council. We are but casual acquaintances here! …Ahem, it’s Temple Master.” LISAH ‘ILEAL: “Temple Master… I wished to inquire about the death of your son…” AIBU ‘IHSAM: “I am coping very nicely. Thank you for your concern.” LISAH ‘ILEAL: “I could not help but wonder…” AIBU ‘IHSAM: (talking over) “Yes, my son’s death should serve as a pertinent reminder…” LISAH ‘ILEAL: (talking over) “…Just what young ‘Ansam was doing…” AIBU ‘IHSAM: (talking over) “…Of our loyalties to our blood and to our nation.” LISAH ‘ILEAL: (talking over) “…When that Human bullet pierced his breast.”

‘IHSAM takes an angry step forward.

AIBU ‘IHSAM: “Just what are you implying? I would tread carefully if I stood in your place, Minister ‘Ileal. The words we breathe here cut deeper and cleaner than any sword forged from our Forerunners’ relics. If you are careless, my friend, you may soon find yourself dismembered twenty times over…”

An AIDE, a red Sangheili with Covenant features, steps around the corner. He speaks in a friendly tone.

AIDE: “Excuse me, Excellencies…”

‘IHSAM turns around to glare at the AIDE.

AIBU ‘IHSAM: “What?!”

The AIDE flinches back. In a much more nervous tone, he addresses his superiors.

AIDE: “Oh, the… The ceremony… Excellencies, the, uh, ceremony is ready to begin, uh, Excellencies.”

‘IHSAM turns to look at ‘ILEAL, then turns back to the AIDE.

AIBU ‘IHSAM: “Tell the orchestrator that I shall be there swiftly.”

AIDE: “Excellency! Yes, Excellency!”

The AIDE hurries off. ‘IHSAM turns back to look at ‘ILEAL. In a quieter, more formal tone, he resumes speaking.

AIBU ‘IHSAM: “I will understand, Minister, if you do not wish it… but I invite you to join us for the cleansing ritual.” LISAH ‘ILEAL: “On the contrary, Temple Master. It would be an honor.”

‘IHSAM eyes him for a moment.

AIBU ‘IHSAM: “Hm. Then I suggest you make haste, Minister.”

‘IHSAM walks out in the direction the AIDE went, ‘ILEAL following.

Guardian, the center platform

Numerous Sangheili, including AIBU ‘IHSAM and LISAH ‘ILEAL are gathered around a purple Sangheili corpse with all Covenant armor: YEHJE ‘ANSAM. AIBU ‘IHSAM steps forward to make a speech.

AIBU ‘IHSAM: “Honored guests… It is my sad duty on this night to send my own flesh and blood son, Yehje ‘Ansam, on his proud journey to the next life. I understand that there have been some… uncertainties regarding his passing… and I hope that tonight I can enlighten you. Yehje ‘Ansam was, above all else, a patriot. From the day he swore his oath to the Covenant… to the day he bowed down to the sacred monument erected to house the ashes of the Last Arbiter… to the day he fell dead to the ground, he acted only in service! In service to the promise of ascension, in service to his people, in service to the Holy Ground on which his ancestors walked as they arose from the Great Animals and were first gifted the power of sentience, and above all… service to the Gods!

“My dear friends, I speak on this day not to offer grief and acceptance, but to show you this boy’s life, who he was and what he was trying to accomplish. My son… My dear son knew in his hearts and soul what others could barely find the courage to express to even the slightest hint… He was a hero of his race, make no mistake of that. Our enemies shall doubtlessly term his actions disgraceful and cowardly, ‘criminal’… But know that as the air flows through your lungs, and as your hearts pump blood through your veins, that you exist only because of the miracle of Creation. The Gods saw fit for you to serve them in a temple of the Sangheili, not some Humans left behind because of their own foolishness.

“Now, my brothers, now is the time to protest the arrival of the Human vermin. When you leave here, this night, go to the Council and pressure for the removal of these ‘people’ from our planet, our star system, and our galaxy! I remain certain that were Yehje ‘Ansam alive tonight, he would endorse every measure to ensure their eradication from this place of beauty and light. So, when the Humans threaten to bomb us with their ‘merciful’ weapons of mass destruction, ask yourselves what ‘Ansam, what the Last Arbiter, what the Gods must think of you as they gaze down at us… My dear brothers, if there is one thing to take away from this night, it is the strength to do what must be done!”

‘IHSAM tilts back his head and ROARS. All Sangheili guests besides ‘ILEAL follow suit and ROAR. ‘ILEAL, however, maintains his gaze on ‘IHSAM. After a few seconds, the roaring stops, and ‘IHSAM continues.

AIBU ‘IHSAM: “I now shall burn this body, release the soul of my son, and resume his continuity. I can only pray that the world into which he is reborn will be one that he would wish to behold. My son… I give you my thanks. With your help, I am sure that our friends will see the light. With your actions in their thoughts, I know that they will find the strength to do what is needed. Goodbye.”

‘IHSAM steps back, and then throws an incendiary grenade on the corpse. ‘ILEAL, watching, lowers his head.

The Pit, outside command center

A pair of ELITES slowly walk towards the RESEARCH CAMP. Meanwhile, SGT. EISEN is pacing back and forth at his station. When they approach, EISEN turns around to greet them.

EISEN: “What’re you doing here?” ELITE: “Is this is human camp?” EISEN: “This is the UNSC research expedition camp. Who might you be?” ELITE: “And who are you?” EISEN: “I’m Sergeant Eisen, UNSC Marine Corps.”

The ELITES walk a bit closer.

EISEN: “I’m sorry, sirs, but this is a restricted area. I’ll need to see your identification first.” ELITE: “My identification?” EISEN: “Yes indeed, sir.”

The ELITES withdraw maulers from their sides. Cut to inside the RESEARCH CAMP.

ELITE: “This is my identification, infidel.”

The Pit, inside command center

Dr. FRESHNEY is kneeled over a Covenant gravity lift, studying it. BARRETT is kneeling in the corner, and the rest are pacing. Suddenly, WAKES turns to BARRETT.

WAKES: “Private, where’s the Sergeant?” BARRETT: “Should still be at the guard post, sir. Shifts change in fifteen minutes.”

Suddenly, there is the roll of assault rifle fire, and several blasts from a mauler. Everyone in the tight room turns to the sound of the fire.

WAKES: “What the hell was that, Private?” SACHS: “Lieutenant, is there a problem?”

WAKES and BARRETT take the BR55HB SR Battle Rifles from the side of the room and take several fragmentation grenades.

BARRETT: “Doctors, time to go. I’m going to check on the Sergeant. The pistols are just over there.”

BARRETT, with a Battle Rifle, quickly leaves the room.

FRESHNEY: “The hell’s going on, Lieutenant? I’m not leaving the camp-.” WAKES: “Take a sidearm, Doctors. We need to go. Now.” SACHS: “How the hell do you even hold a damn pistol?” WAKES: “Stop bullshitting! You just take a goddamn magnum. Until the private comes back, I’m assuming it’s not safe for you anymore, and my responsibility’s to make sure you two are alive and breathing.”

The Pit, outside command center

BARRETT looks down the ramp to see EISEN’s body.

BARRETT: “Holy shit”

BARRETT turns back in the direction of the command center.

BARRETT: “Lieutenant, it’s Private Barrett! The sergeant’s dead, and--”

Just crouching near the ramp are the two ELITES. One rises, and fills BARRETT with needler rounds. The private explodes.

ELITE: “Spread out! Find them!”

Guardian, in the sniper tower

WAKES, FRESHNEY, and SACHS are panting, running from the hammer spawn up to the tower itself. WAKES leads the way, Battle Rifle in hand.

FRESHNEY: “Mother of God, what just happened, Lieutenant?” WAKES: “Shut up! If they’re really out to kill us, they’ll find us, even here in the forest.” SACHS: “What is this place? It looks ancient…primordial…” FRESHNEY: “Looks Forerunner to me.” WAKES: “You two can figure out what this place is. I’ve stashed emergency provisions for us here, including a long-range secure COM. You two keep watch. I’ll message General Wakes at the embassy, and we’ll be exfiltrated in the hour.”

WAKES heads up the ramp for the COM transponders (fusion coils), while FRESHNEY and SACHS remain in the overshield room, looking around at the walls.

FRESHNEY: “Look here. It’s a Forerunner motif.” WAKES: “Hieroglyphics aren’t familiar. I’m guessing pre-transliteral era.”

Meanwhile, at the transmitter.

LT. WAKES: “This is Lieutenant Wakes, Office of Naval Intelligence, UNSC research expedition, Sangheilios. Transmitting secure to General Wakes, UNSC Sangheilios Embassy.” AIDE: “Pass-key confirmed. Upload receipt confirmed. Stand by.” GEN. WAKES: “General Wakes.” LT. WAKES: “Sir!” GEN. WAKES: “Son, what the hell are you doing on the priority channel?” LT. WAKES: “We’ve been attacked at the research camp! The two Marines have been killed, and-”

High Ground, in the COM room

GEN. WAKES: “Son? Come in? Lieutenant Wakes, are you there?” AIDE: “What was that?” GEN. WAKES: “SATCOM ping is green: problem is on their end. Sergeant, I want you to call up Field Ops. I want an ONI special-operator team at the research camp ASAP. I want to know what the hell happened.” AIDE: “And what about the secure transmitter’s location?” GEN. WAKES: “Prepare an airborne force, Bravo Company, immediately. I want them to be our rapid-reaction task group for this. There’s something definitely wrong, and I’m guessing the way the SATCOM cut out wasn’t a coincidence nor a technical company. Let me know when Field Ops has that ONI team.” AIDE: “Right away, General.”

Guardian, in the sniper tower

A sniper shot arcs from the far gravity lift, and in a conflagaration, detonates the fusion coils that was the transmitter.

WAKES: “Fuck! Doctors, we’re under attack! Fall back! Fall back!”

Meanwhile, in the overshield room, the second sniper shot barely misses FRESHNEY’s head.

FRESHNEY: “Oh, shit!”

FRESHNEY and SACHS frantically run downstairs, and are met by a breathless WAKES.

WAKES: “You guys still have all your limbs?” FRESHNEY: “They just shot at me, and I’m a-” WAKES: “Enemy sharpshooter, three hundred feet, north-east, by the gravity lift. SRS99D-S2 AM. It’s an anti-materiel rifle, a large-ass motherfucker. Must be contraband from the arms facility at Chi Ceti IV.” SACHS: “It nearly took his head off!” WAKES: “14.5x114mm, armor-piercing. We’re pinned down.” FRESHNEY: “And did HIGHCOM respond?” WAKES: “I got cut off. Whoever’s after us must even have a Maxwell filter: they’re tracking all transmissions with a UNSC header codon. We won’t be able to transmit without them catching us.” SACHS: “Who are these assholes?” WAKES: “They’re definitely Elites: I can’t imagine the Ultranationalist Party, for all their venom and tough talk, trying to kill us. I’m guessing mercenaries: well-armed and well-trained shock troops. Untraceable.” FRESHNEY: “Then we’re dead!” SACHS: “We still have the Lieutenant. And we have you and me. We’re not giving up.” WAKES: “Sorry to crash your party, Doctor, but it doesn’t look like we’re going to be getting out of here without reinforcements. A hunter-killer team is typically three Elites: one marksman and two close-quarters specs. They have us pinned down here, and it’s only a matter of time before they come in and get us.” SACHS: “And then what?” WAKES: “Then, we’re dead.”

Construct, peripheral balcony

ELITE: “Milord?” SENATOR: “Ossoona. What is your report, spy?” ELITE: “Our filters have picked up a distress call from the apes. Airborne telemetry indicates that several of their cohort are dead, and the survivors have fled to a Forerunner installation in the jungle. Shall we make a move?”

Guardian, near the sniper tower

Sniper shots continue to ring out as FRESHNEY, SACHS, and WAKES are clumped in a small huddle.

WAKES: “I’ve set the charges, and the motion sensor line’s been prepared. If they come close, the trip mines will blow. Hopefully, we can hold them off until my father can arrive.” SACHS: “He does know where we are from the back-trace on the SATCOM line.” FRESHNEY: “For God’s sake, he doesn’t even know what’s happening! He’ll know we were here when they find out corpses.” WAKES: “Shut up. That’s an order.”

The sniper shots stop, and suddenly, there’s a large explosion.

WAKES: “That was one.”

Suddenly, before they can respond, an ELITE falls upon them, a plasma rifle in hand. ELITE: “I’ve found them!” WAKES: “Don’t move, you son of a bitch, or we’ll blow your brains out.” ELITE: “You and what army? These…civilians?”

FRESHNEY slams the ELITE in the back with his sidearm, and the ELITE crumples, unconscious.

FRESHNEY: “That was a nice nose job.” WAKES: “Good work.” FRESHNEY: “He’s concussed. Elite physiology has a deficiency of the occipitoatlar joint between the occipital and C1. The descending corticospinal tracts should be over-compressed now: I’m guessing he’ll be out for hours.”

WAKES shoots the ELITE’s limp body several times.

WAKES: “No, he’s not going to be waking up.” SACHS: “But-” WAKES: “Doesn’t matter, Doctor. You know when he woke up, he’d kill us all.” FRESHNEY: “Had to be done.” WAKES: “That’s the-”

The sniper shots start back up again with eerie regularity.

WAKES: “Mother fuck. There’s still the last one, and he has a sniper trained on us. Undoubtedly, he’s calling for help as well.” FRESHNEY: “Well, we can’t just run into the center if he has that big-ass rifle.”

FRESHNEY glances at the corridor before them.

SACHS: “We can go underground: flank him.”