Episode XIV: Harcolni fogunk az utolsó lehelete
| 0244 Hours, July 30, 2552 (UNSC Military Calendar), on board the UNSC Mother of Invention, in orbit around planet Reach above Pálháza, Epsilon Eridani system |
* Agent_Carolina stares at her TACPAD, studying images of Covenant ships over Reach.
<Agent_Carolina> Damn.
<Agent_Carolina> They weren't kidding when they said it was bad.
<Agent_Texas|AI> The fighting sure started quickly.
<Agent_Washington> They're all over the place.
* Agent_North is sitting nearby, holding his helmet.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Apparently most of the planet doesn't even know about it yet.
<Agent_Washington> The local nets aren't even reporting this stuff.
<Agent_Texas|AI> What the hell is ONI playing at, trying to keep this quiet?
<Agent_Carolina> How the fuck that makes any sense is beyond me.
* Agent_York peers over the images of the Covenant ships, his heart pounding inside his chest. His signature weapon, an M45 shotgun, is lying beside him.
<Agent_Texas|AI> If the Covenant glasses Reach, ONI'll only have themselves to blame.
* Agent_Washington shakes his head.
<Agent_Washington> It must have something to do with operational security.
<Agent_Washington> They never do anything without a reason.
<Agent_Texas|AI> The question is, how many lives are they going to give up for those reasons?
* Agent_York huffs rather nervously and begins pacing.
<Agent_Carolina> ONI's up to something.
<Agent_Carolina> But we have more... immediate problems.
<Agent_York> Of course they are. Aren't they always?
<Agent_York> Keeping us in the dark, even when the only thing in the way of Earth is on fire.
<Agent_Washington> We haven't lost yet.
<Agent_York> I know, Wash. I—I'm just nervous.
* Agent_Texas|AI pauses, having received intel.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Carolina? The ODST team is here.
<Agent_Carolina> Good.
<Agent_Texas|AI> They're waiting for you in the briefing room.
* Agent_Carolina turns and walks out of the room, heading for the briefing room, fully armored and helmeted with an MA37 across her back.
* Agent_North watches the others, placing his helmet on after a few seconds.
<Agent_Texas|AI> You might have to do without Florida.
<Agent_Texas|AI> ONI's pulled him for something important elsewhere.
* Agent_Texas|AI looks around at the team.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Hell, they've spread most of us out pretty far.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Guess they need all they help they can get.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I've seen a fair share of Spartans running around all over the place too.
* Agent_York shakes his head and heads for the briefing room with Carolina, his shotgun now on his back and his helmet adorning his head.
* Amelia_Dawson and her ODSTs snap to attention as Carolina and the Freelancers enter, holding her helmet under one arm.
<Amelia_Dawson> Ma'am! Sergeant Amelia Dawson, 15th Marine Regiment. 28th Shock Troops Battalion, Alpha Company.
<Agent_Carolina> At ease, Sergeant.
<Amelia_Dawson> Yes, ma'am.
* Agent_Carolina is inscrutable behind her visor, but seems to regard Amelia for a moment before turning to the others.
* Agent_York glances to Carolina for a moment.
<Agent_Washington> ODSTs?
<Agent_Washington> What sort of op is this, anyway?
<Agent_Texas|AI> What happened to not questioning orders?
<Amelia_Dawson> Hell if I know.
<Amelia_Dawson> But the Covenant's tearing up the planet, and we've been assigned here by ONI.
* Agent_Washington nods at the mention of ONI, as if that answers everything.
<Agent_Carolina> Good, Then I expect no issues to affect our working relationship.
<Amelia_Dawson> Of course not, Major.
* Agent_York sighs for a moment and decides to take off his helmet, slipping it under his arm. He nods towards Amelia.
<Amelia_Dawson> You have utmo—
* Amelia_Dawson breaks off and blinks when she sees York.
* Agent_York blinks twice. Amelia would most certainly notice his blind eye.
* Amelia_Dawson returns her gaze to Carolina.
<Amelia_Dawson> ...uh...
* Amelia_Dawson has forgotten in her surprise what she was going to say.
<Amelia_Dawson> ...we're, um, awaiting your orders.
* Agent_Washington suppresses a smile behind his helmet, in spite of himself.
* Agent_York smirks before putting his helmet back on, straightening his posture.
<Agent_Carolina> We aren't Spartans. But we're here to hold the line. Agent York here is going to do his job, and I expect you to do yours.
<Amelia_Dawson> Yes, ma'am. Of course.
<Agent_York> Carolina. When do we move out?
* Agent_Texas|AI flickers into view and activates the main holotable.
<Agent_Carolina> Our mission is to hold down a key position in a small city while the civilians are evacuated.
<Agent_Carolina> It's a hotspot for the Covies. If we lose our grip on the city, they'll come pouring through.
* Agent_York decides to listen, putting his hands behind his back.
<Agent_Texas|AI> The Covenant hasn't overrun this position yet, but it's a good tactical point to keep them at bay.
<Agent_Washington> So we won't lose it.
<Agent_Texas|AI> It's the first city to be evacuated, but it won't be the last.
<Agent_Texas|AI> It has only a population of five hundred thousand, but it makes an excellent choke point.
<Agent_Carolina> We're looking at heavy oppoisition. The UNSC has defensive assets installed, but we'll have to maintain them ourselves.
<Agent_Texas|AI> There's an underground Forerunner facility located three hundred klicks from the city, which is most likely the Covenant's objective.
<Agent_Texas|AI> But if they can't get past us, they won't get to it.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Assuming the Spartans can hold off the other fronts and whatnot.
<Agent_Carolina> This city is called Pálháza. Learn it by heart. It's going to be your first and foremost concern now.
* Agent_Washington nods, tapping his battle rifle.
<Agent_Washington> What kind of support can we expect from Command?
<Agent_Texas|AI> Spartan Noble Team will be inbound to defend the facility itself as soon as they disable a network of Covenant cloaking arrays on the far side of the continent.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Once the worst of the fighting is over, they'll help us set up a trap to lure in three Covenant cruisers that will try to deploy above the city in roughly eighteen hours.
<Agent_Texas|AI> If all goes well, we should be able to take down all three capital ships.
<Amelia_Dawson> That's quite a tall order.
<Agent_Carolina> It's doable.
<Agent_Carolina> I know humanity's lost a lot of colonies to these alien bastards, but Reach is our last line of defense.
<Agent_Washington> We know where their ships will be?
<Agent_Washington> Love to know how we got that intel.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Their battle network isn't the most secure.
<Agent_Texas|AI> They're on a busy schedule, so a few of ONI's AIs managed to slip through.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Dropships are already prepped. The Army is expecting us, so let's not keep them waiting.
<Agent_Carolina> Let's move out, people.
* Agent_Washington nods.
<Agent_Washington> Affirmative.
* Amelia_Dawson moves her eyes to York as her ODSTs follow the Freelancers out of the briefing room.
* Amelia_Dawson waits until everyone else is walking out before approaching him.
<Agent_York> Hey...sister. Sorry I couldn't find the time to write to you.
<Amelia_Dawson> Clyde, what are you doing here? What happened to your eye? Why are you a Freelancer?
<Agent_York> Amelia, I had my reasons. I wasn't just going to lie around jobless after getting out of college.
<Agent_York> I meant to write you about the...eye. Training incident.
<Amelia_Dawson> Geez.
<Agent_York> Hey, it was you who told me to get my life together.
* Amelia_Dawson can't help but grin.
<Amelia_Dawson> Well, you've certainly turned yourself around.
<Amelia_Dawson> Never would have thought you'd make it into a project as ambitious as Freelancer.
<Amelia_Dawson> Although if you lose the other eye, I'm sending you straight back home, Agent York.
* Agent_York chuckles, shaking his head.
* Amelia_Dawson looks out into the havoc-ridden city in the distance.
<Amelia_Dawson> If we don't lose our home, that is...
* Agent_Washington shakes his head as he passes York and Amelia.
<Agent_Washington> More siblings.
<Amelia_Dawson> I heard something about a leaderboard in the project.
<Amelia_Dawson> I hope you're not ranked at the bottom of the list, Clyde?
* Agent_Carolina heads for the Pelicans waiting outside the base, slipping Tex's chip into her helmet.
<Agent_York> You would be right. I got myself in gear and made my way to the top.
* Amelia_Dawson looks impressed.
<Amelia_Dawson> Well, I can't wait to see you in action then.
<Agent_Carolina> Something about this whole operation rubs me wrong.
<Agent_Texas|AI> What do you mean?
<Agent_Carolina> I'm not about to shirk orders... but Command's got its head up its collective ass.
* Agent_Washington follows Carolina and the ODSTs onto the Pelican.
<Agent_Carolina> I can't even make sense of their tactics. Warning only half the planet? Really?
<Agent_Texas|AI> I don't think even they'd mess around with a planet as important as Reach.
<Agent_Washington> Command knows what it's doing, Carolina.
<Agent_Carolina> There's something else going on here, but I'm either stupid or blind enough to miss it.
<Agent_Texas|AI> We'll do everything we can.
<Agent_Washington> Just because we can't understand the full picture doesn't mean they don't either.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Nothing wrong with our orders right now.
<Agent_Carolina> Fuck it. Let's go. Bitching won't save those civvies.
* Agent_Carolina huffs, tense but focused on the here and now.
* Amelia_Dawson sighs rather wistfully.
<Amelia_Dawson> I think mom and dad would have liked to see you like this.
<Amelia_Dawson> Well...not the eye, but...everything else.
<Agent_York> ...Yeah. And seeing me a grade above you.
* Amelia_Dawson checks York's rank on her HUD and sure enough, sees displayed the electronic chevrons of a Staff Sergeant.
<Agent_York> For once, I'm on top. I'm glad I got given this chance. And I wouldn't have made it without our mutual teal-armored friend.
* Amelia_Dawson blinks.
<Amelia_Dawson> Wait, what?
<Amelia_Dawson> ...huh.
* Amelia_Dawson glances at Carolina.
<Amelia_Dawson> You mean...are you two...you know...
<Agent_York> You...wouldn't be far off, actually.
<Amelia_Dawson> You two close then?
<Agent_York> ...Yeah. She's a bit rough, but she's alright when you know her.
* Amelia_Dawson grins.
<Amelia_Dawson> Well, you have my approval.
<Amelia_Dawson> Better than that ragtag street girl you used to run around with.
* Amelia_Dawson climbs on board with York.
* Agent_North climbs aboard.
* Agent_Carolina turns her helmet toward York.
<Agent_Carolina> "Ragtag street girl?"
* Agent_North smirks behind his visor.
<Agent_Washington> Oh, boy.
* Agent_Texas|AI laughs quietly.
<Agent_York> That was before you and me!
<Agent_Carolina> Good.
<Agent_York> I swear. I look back at myself and what I was when I was younger, and I'm like...
<Agent_York> "Jesus, what was I doing?"
<Amelia_Dawson> I've asked that question myself, believe me.
* Agent_York tries to maintain a straight face behind his visor and fails.
<Agent_Texas|AI> We're on approach to Pálháza. Deploying in four minutes.
* Agent_Carolina checks her gear, hefting her MA37.
<Agent_Carolina> This army stuff isn't my cup of tea.
* Agent_York totes his M45, checking for any signs of the weapon wearing down.
<Amelia_Dawson> Alright, Helljumpers! Get ready!
<Agent_Texas|AI> Strange to be away from home for a while, isn't it.
<Agent_York> Hey, I'm right back at home.
* Agent_Carolina glances out at the scenery, at the distant trees and mountains.
<Agent_Carolina> Guess it could feel like home if it wasn't under attack.
<Agent_York> Only more reason to keep fighting for it, isn't it?
<Agent_Texas|AI> Doesn't look like the Covenant's hit this place yet.
<Agent_Carolina> Then we'll have at least one advantage. Take us down.
* Amelia_Dawson waits until the Pelican descends to ground level next to an undamaged UNSC base, where a dozen Army troops are waiting, before hopping out.
<Agent_York> I'll defend this city without both eyes if I have to...heh.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Looks like they've already set everything up.
* Agent_Washington exits the Pelican, getting into a security formation with the other ODSTs.
* Agent_York makes his way off the pelican, his shotgun at the ready.
* Agent_York checks his bracer after he's landed and forms up with Wash.
* Amelia_Dawson looks over the numerous Gauss cannons, organized array of vehicles, and weapon racks laid against the wall, along with the two MAC guns sitting on top of the base.
* Agent_North exits the dropship, drawing his sniper.
* Agent_Carolina surveys their surroundings, walking calmly.
<Agent_York> I'm guessing that was the trap they were talking about...
<Agent_York> Damn.
<Amelia_Dawson> Covenant's gonna have to make a real go-around to get pass this choke point.
<Amelia_Dawson> And there's an entire division of Army troops holding the line.
<Agent_Carolina> They'd die by the thousands for their Forerunner trinkets.
<Agent_York> That'll be their downfall, Carolina.
<Agent_Carolina> You ever read Sun Tzu, Clyde?
<Agent_Carolina> You lose wars when you underestimate the enemy's will to win.
* Agent_Carolina is quiet for a moment.
<Agent_Carolina> You're right. They can't win forever.
<Agent_York> Precisely.
* Amelia_Dawson speaks briefly with an Army officer before walking over to Carolina.
<Amelia_Dawson> Trap's all set, Major.
<Amelia_Dawson> The Covenant will see the two MAC guns and think they can overrun it if they send in capital ships and bombard it.
<Amelia_Dawson> ONI confirmed as much on the Covenant's battlenet.
<Agent_York> Mmh. They're too cocky for their own good.
<Amelia_Dawson> There are actually six additional guns hidden inside the base that'll pop out when the time comes.
<Amelia_Dawson> With this much firepower, we'll bring them down in no time.
<Agent_York> No kill like overkill, huh?
<Agent_Texas|AI> Let them see the big guns and think that's all there is to it.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Hidden in plain sight. Smart.
* Agent_North walks around, looking at the defences, impressed.
<Agent_York> If only we had something like this sooner.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Then we should arm up.
<Amelia_Dawson> Lieutenant says there's Covenant inbound on this position and they'll reach us in ten minutes.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Only half the Gauss guns are occupied.
<Agent_Texas|AI> That's a bit of a waste.
<Amelia_Dawson> Agreed.
<Amelia_Dawson> And these vehicles look like they could do a lot of damage.
* Agent_York grins behind his visor.
* Amelia_Dawson looks up as a trio of Pelicans fly overhead and up into the clouds.
<Amelia_Dawson> Evacuation's going well.
<Amelia_Dawson> Let's keep it that way.
<Agent_Washington> Copy that.
* Amelia_Dawson turns to her ODSTs.
<Amelia_Dawson> You know the drill, Helljumpers!
* Agent_Carolina walks by York and nudges him with her elbow.
<Agent_Carolina> Sorry, Clyde.
<Agent_Carolina> Something's just got me rattled.
<Amelia_Dawson> Fireteams of three, take key positions on your assigned points.
<Amelia_Dawson> Take whatever firepower you'll need.
<Amelia_Dawson> One sniper and heavy per team.
<Amelia_Dawson> Assault weapons will hold off the infantry.
<Amelia_Dawson> Move it!
* Agent_North checks his weapons.
* Agent_York turns his attention to Carolina.
<Agent_York> What's on your mind? You know I'll listen, Victoria.
<Agent_Carolina> ONI's on my mind.
<Agent_York> They're on all our minds at the moment. I don't like it either.
|
<Agent_Carolina> Keep an eye on Amelia. |
* Agent_Georgia stands within the cramped confines of a Covenant Phantom dropship, surrounded by warriors from the Governors of Contrition faction. |
* Agent_York peers down the scope of his DMR and fires off two shots. One hits an Elite piloting a Banshee, causing him to fire it's cannon into a group of Ghosts, and the other hitting a Grunt through the head manning a Wraith turret.
<Agent_York> Wow. I made that shot.
* Agent_Washington keeps the Warthog moving as his gunner takes down a Banshee that made the mistake of flying too close to the ground.
* Agent_Carolina finds a good position and takes aim with the target locator, the thin green beam focusing until it turns red and beeps affirmatively.
* Amelia_Dawson empties her last sniper magazine into an Ultra's head and snatches up a nearby Staunchion.
* Amelia_Dawson brings up the heavy-slug weapon and fires at a Banshee, blowing it apart out of the sky.
<Amelia_Dawson> Shit, that's got a lot of kick.
* Agent_York looks at the rifle for a moment, then over to the Banshee going down in flames, then back to his rifle.
* Amelia_Dawson reloads the rifle and aims it at a Revenant fifty metres away, taking the driver through the torso and obliterating the left side of the vehicle.
* Agent_North reloads, grumbling, and looks up to see a banshee firing its fuel rod right at him.
<Agent_North> Oh, crap!
* Agent_North dives out of the way as the green blast incinerates part of the bridge.
<Agent_Carolina> (COM) Artillery incoming!
<Amelia_Dawson> Cover, cover!
* Amelia_Dawson scatters with her ODSTs as mortars rain down on the defensive line.
<Agent_Washington> Oh, shit!
* Amelia_Dawson gets up and grits her teeth.
<Amelia_Dawson> Oh, no you don't.
* Amelia_Dawson brings up the rifle and fires at a Wraith's firing mechanism, blowing it to chunks with the Staunchion.
<Amelia_Dawson> Phillips, we've got infantry bearing down on us! Take them out!
* Agent_Carolina watches as orbital fire slams the clustered Wraiths, blowing them to bits.
<Amelia_Dawson> ...or we can do that.
* Agent_Washington swerves his 'Hog through streams of plasma as the battlefield becomes cluttered with the shells of more and more wrecked vehicles.
<Agent_Washington> (COM) We're taking a beating out here!
* Agent_York dives towards a bit of cover as a plasma round almost blows him to bits. It kicks debris and grime all over his armor.
<Agent_York> That was a bit too close.
<Agent_Washington> (COM) I've only got three 'Hogs left and it's getting hot all over the place!
<Agent_Texas|AI> Looks like they're closing in.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Time to get up-close and personal?
<Agent_Carolina> Past time.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Then let's make a mess.
* Agent_Carolina heads for the thick of the skirmish, MA37 at the ready.
* Amelia_Dawson notices that the soldier on the Gauss cannon beside her is dead and takes over, shooting deadly bolts at the closing Covenant vehicles.
* Agent_North takes a running jump, and lands on the banshee that nearly killed him. He pulls open the cockpit and puts a few rounds in the pilot's head before taking control and pulling up.
<Amelia_Dawson> Clyde, cover me, will you?
<Agent_York> Don't need to ask, sis.
* Agent_Washington spots a gaggle of Covenant infantry and speeds toward them as his gunner cuts down a pair of Ghosts.
* Agent_Carolina fires at a squad of Grunts, using the smoke and confusion to her advantage. She runs forward and kills the last of them with a melee, then whirls as pink needles thud her armor.
* Agent_Texas|AI plots weak points in the Covenant attack line and puts them on Carolina's HUD.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Frag grenade, there.
<Agent_Carolina> Right.
* Agent_Carolina hurls a grenade at the Jackal, and it rolls under the creature's shield, then blows it up.
* Agent_York starts taking the hats of Elites with more DMR fire, the bullets whizzing majestically through their heads and causing clouds of purple blood to splutter from the area of impact.
<Agent_Texas|AI> And disable that Wraith at two o'clock, it'll block off the two behind it.
* Agent_Carolina turns, seeing the Wraith.
* Agent_York has a Jackal close in on him and delivers a swift uppercut to its jaw, before removing its shield and smacking it over the head with it.
* Agent_Washington slams into the infantry, sending their corpses sprawling.
* Agent_North fires the banshee's fuel rod cannon, destroying two ghosts before pulling back
* Agent_Washington notices a Wraith incoming and tries to pull out, only for his 'Hog's tires to catch in the corpses of the Covenant he just killed.
<Agent_Washington> Oh, shit.
* Agent_Carolina runs and jumps, snapping one hand on the Wraith's mounted turret for stability. She punches through the Grunt gunner's head, then turns her attention to the pilot, protected by a conspicuous hatch.
<Agent_Washington> Not the time to fail on me, car!
<Agent_Washington> Come on!
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) Sergeant Dawson, take out the Wraiths at this position on my mark.
<Amelia_Dawson> (COM) Affirmative.
<Agent_York> (COM) ...wait, which Dawson?
<Amelia_Dawson> I think she was talking to me, but you're welcome to help out.
* Agent_Carolina reaches down with her other hand and pries the hatch up, breaking it off and flinging it aside. She then drops down and quickly snaps the Elite's neck, and the Wraith comes to a halt, folding into neutral mode.
<Agent_Carolina> Tex. Do you have any data on how to pilot one of these things?
<Agent_Texas|AI> Yep.
* Agent_Washington fights uselessly with the Warthog's six pedals as the Wraith shoots towards him.
<Agent_Washington> Everybody bail!
* Agent_North tries to avoid the plasma fire, but is winged by a wraith's cannon. The banshee begins to lose altitude.
<Agent_North> Crap.
* Amelia_Dawson sees that the two Wraiths behind Carolina are blocked off from moving forward, and takes the chance to blow them apart with a half dozen Gauss shots.
<Agent_York> Well, I'll see if I can't contribute.
* Agent_North leaps off the banshee a split second before it crashes into a line of enemy infantry, tumbling across the ground in a heap before coming to a halt by a wall.
* Agent_Carolina heaves, dragging the Elite up and out of the tank. He slides down the curved front leaving a trail of indigo blood from his splayed jaws.
<Agent_Carolina> Upload it to my HUD.
<Amelia_Dawson> Get rid of the infantry swarming your girlfriend, would you.
* Agent_Carolina slides in, dropping into a surprisingly snug area filled with glowing glyphs and controls.
* Agent_Washington throws himself out of the Hog just as the Wraith carreens into it and destroys it.
* Agent_Washington tumbles down onto the ground amidst the combat.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I think Wash needs some help.
* Agent_York picks off the Covvies manning the turrets on the Wraiths, the bloodsplatters making targets for Amelia to fire.
* Agent_York notices an Elite scrambling to get on top of Carolina's Wraith and shoots it through the knee, watching the hingehead tumble off the vehicle.
* Agent_Washington scrambles up, firing his battle rifle at the Covenant warriors all around him.
<Agent_Washington> Why do cars hate me?
* Amelia_Dawson swivels the Gauss turret to cover Wash and clear him an escape route.
* Agent_Carolina blinks as her HUD is filled with instructions. She grasps the tank's controls, then taps a glyph. The tank comes back to life, heavy mortar launcher active again.
* Agent_Carolina sees a Banshee coming down to strafe her.
<Agent_Carolina> Oh, no you don't.
* Agent_Texas|AI pauses, hearing the reports.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) We're being pushed back. The evac ships are having trouble getting out.
* Amelia_Dawson grits her teeth.
<Amelia_Dawson> (COM) We have to buy them more time.
* Amelia_Dawson snaps off another shot, vapourizing a trio of Skirmishers running at North.
* Agent_Carolina fires a plasma mortar as the Banshee comes screaming down, blowing it to bits. Pieces fly everywhere.
* Agent_Washington turns to run, then sees his gunner lying wounded in the mud and bends down to help him.
* Agent_North rolls over, and takes out a trio of jackals with his SMG
* Agent_York 's DMR fire punctures the shields and helmet of an Elite trying to sneak up on Wash.
* Agent_Washington spins in time to see the Elite collapse behind him.
<Agent_Carolina> (COM) Someone man the secondary gun on this thing! I can't have them sticking me up close!
<Amelia_Dawson> Damn it!
* Amelia_Dawson sees a Spectre speeding straight at Washington, and fires at it with the Gauss cannon but misses.
<Agent_Washington> Oh, come on!
<Agent_Texas|AI> I have an idea.
* Agent_Texas|AI takes control of the Wraith's secondary guns and fires the plasma turret.
<Agent_Carolina> ... thanks.
* Agent_Washington bends down and hoists the wounded soldier over his shoulder and sprints towards the nearest friendlies.
* Amelia_Dawson fires again, blowing up the Spectre just before it reaches Wash, causing it to explode in his face.
<Agent_York> (COM) Yeah. Wash, cars hate you.
* Agent_Carolina starts "driving" the Wraith, moving a bit clumsily, splattering a Jackal attempting to flee the field.
* Agent_North climbs to his feet, and sprints back towards the UNSC lines, taking out some infantry before diving into cover.
* Agent_Texas|AI keeps up a consistent stream of plasma fire, hosing down aliens with deadly efficiency.
* Agent_Washington deposits the wounded soldier, then turns back and immediately heads into the fighting again.
* Agent_Carolina focuses on aiming at clusters of infantry, sending plasma mortars that break up formations.
* Amelia_Dawson casts her gaze skyward and sees Phantoms converging on the line of defence.
<Amelia_Dawson> Dropships, inbound!
* Agent_York turns his head to find another Gauss cannon gunner dead, and slides him off the turret.
* Amelia_Dawson fires shot after shot at the nearest Phantom, trying to bring it down.
* Agent_North takes the head off a Sangheili officer, causing his troops to panic and scatter
* Agent_York fires a shot towards one of the Phantoms, watching it explode the dropship, which soon crashes into the ground in a spectacular blast of purple fire.
<Agent_York> Hey, Amelia. Let's rain down hell on these Covvies.
* Amelia_Dawson flinches as one of the MAC guns behind her fires, blowing apart one of the Phantoms in one clean shot, the reverberations of the shot sending shudders coursing through the ground.
* Agent_Georgia notices the dropship's escort Banshees diverting to make attack runs on the evac craft.
<Amelia_Dawson> (COM) Dammit, cover the evac ships!
* Agent_York waits for the cannon to cool down and fires another shot, this time blowing apart the plating covering the pilot.
<Agent_York> Sister! Take the shot!
* Amelia_Dawson fires at the already damaged ship, causing its turbines to overload and consuming the Phantom in a blue-white explosion.
* Agent_Texas|AI sets a line of trajectory on Carolina's HUD, compensating for the Wraith mortar's downward trajectory and allowing her to hit the Phantoms accurately.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) Fire along the line.
* Agent_North keeps firing at the seemingly endless waves of Covenant
* Agent_Carolina fires, gritting her teeth,
<Agent_Carolina> Take that, you bastards!
<Agent_Carolina> (COM) All heavy weapons, focus on those dropships!
* Amelia_Dawson looks down.
<Amelia_Dawson> Dammit, hostile infantry is eighty metres and closing!
<Amelia_Dawson> (COM) Helljumpers, switch to close quarters weapons! Let's give them a bad day!
<Agent_Washington> Come on, soldiers, hold the line!
* Agent_Washington arrives below Dawson and the other ODSTs along with a platoon of Army infantry.
* Amelia_Dawson dismounts from the turret as a Private relieves her, pulling out her M45 and pulling the slide.
* Agent_York swaps out his DMR, clutching his shotgun and pulling back the pump, making an eerily satisfying chick-chick as it does.
<Agent_Washington> Stand your ground!
<Amelia_Dawson> Okay, Clyde. It's hunting season.
* Amelia_Dawson leaps down from the elevated wall and takes cover behind a barricade, tossing grenade after grenade and firing lethal blasts of shotgun shells into the lines of the enemies.
<Amelia_Dawson> (COM) They're thinning out! Keep it up!
* Agent_Texas|AI scans the area.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) Good news, they're running out of ground vehicles.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) But we have to keep those Phantoms busy.
* Agent_Carolina drives her Wraith to escape incoming Phantom concussion blasts.
<Agent_Carolina> They seem pissed I hijacked one of their precious tanks.
* Agent_North attempts to angle a shot at the incoming Phantoms, hoping to hit something important
<Agent_Texas|AI> Keep them busy, will you?
* Agent_York manuevers around an advancing line of Grunts and drops his eye level a few inches, firing a powerful blast into the formation, taking out all of them rather messily.
<Agent_York> Ahah! Another one!
<Agent_Texas|AI> I need to make a quick call.
* Agent_Carolina taps an unfamiliar glyph and the Wraith speeds up briefly, slamming into a few infantry stragglers and sending them flying.
<Agent_Carolina> The translation says these symbols are directions. Why the hell are there six?
* Agent_Washington fires at the oncoming Covenant as he and the soldiers make a stand beside a makeshift barricade of wrecked vehicles.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) Ground teams in Pálháza, you've got enemy dropships on approach!
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) Anyone copy?
<Agent_Minnesota> (COM) I copy.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) Min! Good to hear from you!
<Agent_York> (COM) Hey Min! I was beginning to miss you!
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) Listen, you've got to protect the evac ships, that's your number one priority.
* Agent_North runs to find higher ground
<Agent_Minnesota> (COM) Got it.
<Agent_Minnesota> (COM) I'll ask about why you're in AI form lat—shit.
* Agent_Minnesota carefully picks off the advancing Covies with his BR55.
* Agent_Texas|AI cuts the connection.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I didn't know ONI put a Freelancer inside the city.
* Agent_Carolina moves as quickly as the Wraith will allow, using its burst speed to elude concussion fire, but the tank is looking poorly, purple arcs of energy sparking from its hull.
<Agent_Carolina> Damnit. Don't they run out of those concussion rounds?
* Agent_York closes in on a jackal and shoots it in the head at point-black range, blasting its brains out and splattering blood all over his armor.
<Agent_York> Carolina will be disappointed. I'm keeping this paintjob.
* Amelia_Dawson blows an Unggoy's head off with a blast, then turns and takes down an Elite's shields with another.
* Agent_York carefully slides off the shield off the deceased, now headless jackal, throwing it like a high-tech frisbee towards an Elite. The dazed and confused Sangheili stumbles before meeting its demise courtesy of the end of York's M45.
* Agent_North headshots a trio of Sangheili advancing on him.
* Amelia_Dawson pulls the trigger again but it clicks empty.
<Amelia_Dawson> Shit!
<Agent_York> Amelia!
* Amelia_Dawson backpedalls and reaches for her sidearm as the alien advances on her.
* Agent_York makes his way to cover his sister, sprinting towards an Elite with a furious gaze in his eyes.
* Agent_York unslides the knife from its comfortable holster, before leaping on the split-lips and shoving the knife deep into the alien's throat.
* Amelia_Dawson brings up her M6D, putting three rounds through the head of an Energy Sword-wielding Sangheili lunging at York and killing the alien.
<Amelia_Dawson> Thanks.
<Agent_York> Thanks.
* Agent_Carolina continues to distract two of the dropships, which are doing their best to pummel her Wraith with concussion fire.
<Agent_Carolina> Damnit. What does the flashing red light mean, Tex? Says "untranslatable."
* Agent_Texas|AI examines the text.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Aw, shit.
<Agent_Texas|AI> That's a fail-safe!
<Agent_Texas|AI> Bail out, now!
* Agent_Carolina immediately scrambles to climb out, managing to extricate herself and slide down, then roll across the ground. The Wraith blows up, a blinding white explosion that leaves a wide circle of blackened earth and charred metal.
* Agent_Washington appears beside York and Amelia, firing his battle rifle into the oncoming Covenant as soldiers flanking him on either side lay down covering fire.
<Agent_Washington> Come on, you two!
<Agent_Washington> We're pulling back!
* Agent_York has the energy sword land literally inches next to him, and he eyes the weapon curiously before pulling it out of the ground.
* Amelia_Dawson quickly reloads her shotgun, pumping the slide and bringing it up to bear as she regroups with Washington.
<Amelia_Dawson> (COM) All enemy vehicles destroyed. Just got some infantry to mop up and we'll be all done.
* Agent_Carolina lifts her helmet and stands slowly, noting how the Phantoms have moved off.
<Agent_Carolina> Huh. Thought they'd stick around to finish me.
<Agent_Carolina> Unless... shit.
<Agent_Minnesota> (COM) Uh, they've got Wraiths over here! Lots of 'em!
* Amelia_Dawson looks around.
* Agent_York regroups with Washington and Amelia, the sword now in his hand.
* Agent_North smashes another elite into the floor, and finishes it off before looking around.
<Agent_North> Huh, where'd they go?
<Agent_Washington> Do either of you know what happened to Carolina?
<Agent_Washington> We've lost contact.
<Amelia_Dawson> She was in one of the tanks...
* Amelia_Dawson trails off when she sees Carolina's destroyed Wraith.
<Agent_Minnesota> (COM) Tex, I can't hold things together here much longer! They're throwing Grunts at me faster than I can kill them!
<Amelia_Dawson> There she is.
* Agent_York spots a small hint of teal armor near the wreckage of the Wraith.
<Agent_York> Oh, thank God...
<Agent_Carolina> (COM) Two Phantoms are heading into the city!
* Agent_Carolina coughs.
<Agent_Carolina> (COM) I repeat, two Phantom-class dropships are inbound! My Wraith is toast. I'm moving in to assist.
<Agent_North> (COM) On my way.
<Agent_Washington> (COM) You heard her, we need to get the Phantoms!
<Agent_Washington> (COM) They're trying to get troops inside the city!
<Agent_Carolina> (COM) All Freelancers, rendezvous at these coordinates.
* Agent_North runs forward towards the site of the Phantoms.
* Agent_Carolina transmits a location inside the city.
<Agent_Carolina> (COM) All available Army and Marine units, converge and hold the perimeter.
<Amelia_Dawson> (COM) Yes, ma'am.
* Amelia_Dawson looks at York.
<Amelia_Dawson> You'd better get going.
* Agent_York nods, deactivating the sword and planting it on his hip, before double-timing it to the rendezvous.
<Agent_North> (COM) How's the evacuation going?
<Agent_Minnesota> (COM) Getting messy.
* Agent_Washington taps York on the shoulder.
* Amelia_Dawson looks over the troops and is satisfied to see that a great number of them are still alive.
<Agent_Washington> Let's move.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) Min, we're coming in to assist. Hold out.
<Agent_Minnesota> (COM) Can do.
<Amelia_Dawson> (COM) Good luck, Freelancers.
<Agent_York> (COM) Sister?
<Agent_York> (COM) Promise me you won't lose yourself.
<Amelia_Dawson> (COM) Same goes for you, kiddo.
* Agent_Carolina moves as quickly as she can into the city, past dead humans and even more dead aliens.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Looks like they had a bit of a tussle here.
<Agent_Carolina> Gave the Covies hell, too.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Still, could have been a lot worse.
* Agent_North heads through the besieged city, wary of Covenant troops.
<Agent_Texas|AI> The Covenant lost a lot of their forces just to get a few dropships inside the city.
<Agent_Carolina> Gave the Covies hell, too.
<Agent_Minnesota> (COM) Yeah, but they decide to pack those couple dropships with fuckloads of grunts.
<Agent_Minnesota> (COM) Almost every civilian life in the city is in my hands right now. No pressure.
* Agent_Texas|AI grimaces when she sees one of the evac ships in flames crashed on a street corner.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Looks like they didn't all make it.
<Agent_Carolina> Any survivors?
<Agent_Texas|AI> Negative...
* Agent_Carolina says nothing and keeps walking past the crashed ship.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Right, Min is about seven klicks away. He's over at the evac centre, lending support to the local Army unit.
<Agent_Texas|AI> He's managed to keep the Covenant away for now, but some of them have found civilians heading towards the evac centre, and...well, you know...
* Agent_Texas|AI looks around and sees that everyone is present.
* Agent_Carolina emerges from a gutted building and heads for the rendezvous, limping slightly.
* Agent_Texas|AI scans Carolina's injuries and sees to what she can.
<Agent_Texas|AI> These plasma weapons aren't exactly soft, huh.
<Agent_Carolina> Damn armor. Skin blisters under it even without a breach.
<Agent_Carolina> I'll be fine.
<Agent_Texas|AI> If Halsey could figure out how to get her MJOLNIR to work for Freelancers...
<Agent_Texas|AI> Well, at least you have shields now.
* Agent_York rests his hands on his thighs and bends over slightly, his panting stopping.
* Agent_North checks his TACMAP, seeing that the RV point is not far off.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I'm seeing more alien casualties than human, not counting civilians.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Troopers really gave them hell.
* Agent_Minnesota headshots a suicide grunt, causing its grendes to stick to a grunt behind it, which panics and beelines for an elite, killing both them and several other aliens in the ensuing explosion.
* Agent_North creeps along a side street, stealthily taking out a patrol of Grunts with his SMG's.
* Agent_Carolina looks around, noting the empty restaurants and shops, all of them with unfamiliar Hungarian names and titles.
<Agent_Carolina> This place was barely more than a bunch of farms back before the war. Now it's so... big.
<Agent_Carolina> What a shame.
* Agent_Georgia follows the sounds of the firing and rounds a corner just in time to see Minnesota finish off the last of the latest Covenant assault.
* Agent_Minnesota turns.
* Agent_Georgia begins to bring his railgun to bear, then stops and lowers it.
<Agent_Georgia> Minnesota.
<Agent_Minnesota> I almost shot you.
<Agent_Georgia> So did I.
<Agent_Minnesota> Wait, you're not...
<Agent_Minnesota> Fuck.
* Agent_Georgia glances around the evac zone.
<Agent_Georgia> You shouldn't worry about me, Minnesota.
<Agent_Georgia> Try to save as many of these people as you can.
* Agent_North checks his surroundings, draws his sniper, and carries on.
<Agent_Minnesota> Then get out of here.
<Agent_Minnesota> I don't have time for this.
* Agent_North comes into view of the extraction point, seeing Georgia and Minnesota.
* Agent_Georgia nods and turns away, heading away from the evacuation site and towards Pálháza's nearest government building.
* Agent_North takes aim, and opens fire on the pair with his sniper.
<Agent_Texas|AI> North has opened fire...
<Agent_Carolina> (COM) North, what's going on?
<Agent_Minnesota> Uh, not me!
* Agent_Carolina brings her rifle up, looking around.
* Agent_Georgia 's improved senses allow him to hear and avoid the shots before they hit him.
* Agent_Georgia doesn't engage and instead runs further into the city.
<Agent_North> (COM) Georgia. That's what's going on.
* Agent_York is sprinting as fast as his legs can take him, vaulting over the edge of a balcony. His armored boots land on the ground below, and is almost at the rendezvous.
* Agent_Georgia tuns to see North.
<Agent_Georgia> Damn it...
<Agent_Texas|AI> Carolina, get a move on.
<Agent_Carolina> (COM) North! Respond!
* Agent_York see an Elite comes rushing at him and York draws his stolen Energy Sword, swinging towards the feral beast.
* Agent_Washington covers York as he advances on the Elites with the sword.
* Agent_Carolina starts moving, following the direction of the shots.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) North, hold fire!
* Agent_York 's sword is plunged into the Elite's gut, and he twists it, liquifying the alien's organs and killing it as he draws it back out.
* Agent_North fires dangerously close to Minnesota, before putting a round into Georgia's shoulder.
* Agent_Georgia stumbles, grabbing at the wound.
<Agent_Georgia> Argh!
* Agent_York peers towards where the shots are coming from.
<Agent_York> Hear that, Wash? Let's go see why Georgia's paid us a visit.
<Agent_Washington> Right, let's go.
* Agent_North slowly advances.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) North, stand down! Min is not hostile!
<Agent_North> Min, get back. Now.
* Agent_Minnesota complies.
<Agent_North> (COM) He seems chatty enough with the traitor, Tex.
<Agent_Minnesota> (COM) I was chatty with you, dumbass.
* Agent_Texas|AI 's avatar flickers into view as Carolina reaches North.
<Agent_Texas|AI> What's the matter with you?
* Agent_Carolina approaches North.
<Agent_Carolina> Who the fuck is tha—
* Agent_Carolina freezes, catching a glimpse of Georgia.
* Agent_North glances towards Carolina, and back to Georgia
* Agent_Georgia gets up and continues to run, not looking back.
<Agent_North> Oh, I don't think so.
* Agent_North fires at the retreating Georgia
<Agent_Carolina> Take him down!
<Agent_Minnesota> (COM) Did I mention I stuck a tracking device to him?
* Agent_York approaches North and Min with Wash, suddenly stopping in his tracks as Agent Georgia comes into view. He quickly draws the not-ditched magnum and starts firing.
* Agent_Georgia ducks around a corner, crying out with pain as he pulls the sniper bullet out of his shoulder.
<Agent_York> Damn it.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Guys, we need to stay with the evac ships.
<Agent_Carolina> This mission just got a lot more complicated.
* Agent_North runs after Georgia
<Agent_Texas|AI> North!
* Agent_Carolina clenches a fist.
<Agent_Carolina> Stand down!
<Agent_Washington> Georgia's here?
<Agent_Texas|AI> Dammit.
* Agent_Texas|AI turns to look at Min.
<Agent_Texas|AI> He didn't shoot you, did he?
* Agent_Georgia continues to move away from the evac zone, pausing only to gun down a pair of surprised Jackals as he retreats.
<Agent_Minnesota> Nope.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Good.
<Agent_Texas|AI> All the same...
<Agent_Carolina> (COM) Agent North, you will be charged for desertion if you abandon your post!
* Agent_North slows down slightly for a moment, then keeps running.
<Agent_North> (COM) Agent Carolina, would you kindly fuck off. Thank you.
* Agent_Texas|AI blinks.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Did North just say that?
* Agent_Minnesota ignores the question, dumbstruck.
* Agent_North continues pursuing Georgia
<Agent_Carolina> (COM) I am ORDERING you to stand down! These civilians need us!
* Agent_North switches off his COM.
|
<Agent_Texas|AI> He's gone dark. |
* Agent_Georgia emerges into a large plaza, stopping when he realizes that it is full of dead civilians. |
<Agent_Carolina> ... you okay?
<Agent_York> As long as you don't complain about the paintjob...
* Agent_Carolina gestures at her own spatter.
<Agent_Carolina> We match.
* Agent_Texas|AI frowns, running another scan.
<Agent_Texas|AI> The civilians aren't here.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Odd.
<Agent_Carolina> What do you mean, not here? Where are they?
* Agent_Texas|AI sets up a navpoint.
<Agent_Texas|AI> This was their last known location.
<Agent_Texas|AI> They just...disappeared.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Wasn't Covenant, otherwise I'd have picked them up.
* Agent_York grins at Carolina's previous comment, although it's not visible through his visor.
<Agent_Carolina> Let's investigate.
<Agent_Carolina> Come on. People don't just disappear.
* Agent_York 's sword sparks briefly, and the sword's blade retracts, indicating it's out of charge. He tosses the useless weapon aside.
<Agent_York> I'm comin'.
* Agent_Carolina gestures at the pink Elite's sword.
<Agent_Carolina> Refill.
* Agent_York picks the hingehead's sword and hooks it onto his hip plate. The DMR he had previously is also gone.
* Agent_Carolina starts walking toward the navpoint, though she waits for York to fall in before proceeding.
* Agent_York nods at Carolina, putting on a smile as he walks with her to the navpoint. He looks around the ruined city.
<Agent_York> They put the hammer down on this place...
<Agent_Carolina> Yeah. I don't remember Innies doing anything half this bad.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Strange...
<Agent_Texas|AI> Reports say there was an engagement with the Covenant not a half hour ago.
<Agent_Carolina> What?
<Agent_Texas|AI> And I checked with the superintendent.
<Agent_Texas|AI> This evac route wasn't in the original plans.
<Agent_Texas|AI> In fact, it's been registered as an anomaly and apparently confirmed that no one went through here.
<Agent_Texas|AI> But I know I picked up civilians exactly in this area earlier.
<Agent_York> Then who's route is it?
* Agent_Texas|AI narrows her eyes.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I suspect ONI.
* Agent_Carolina sniffs.
* Agent_Texas|AI swears.
<Agent_Carolina> Who'd have thought?
* Agent_York clenches his fists as soon as he hears that.
<Agent_Carolina> Hmph.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Even in the middle of a crisis they'd fuck with peoples' lives like this.
<Agent_York> Knew it.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Well, we could forget about them and focus on the rest of the civilians.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Or we could look into this and try and find out what happened here.
<Agent_Carolina> I say we look into it.
<Agent_Carolina> If ONI's fucking with our game plan, the whole mission could go to hell.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Yeah, and every life matters.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Not that they know it.
* Agent_Texas|AI starts running scans of the area, trying to find anything that's out of place.
* Agent_Texas|AI perks.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Got North's FOF on my sensors.
<Agent_Texas|AI> He's heading this way.
* Agent_Texas|AI continues to scan the area.
* Agent_York has drawn his shotgun again, glancing around for any sign of trouble.
<Agent_Carolina> ... Good.
<Agent_Carolina> I have some words for him.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Dammit, I just know it's around here somewhere.
<Agent_Texas|AI> There aren't any more civilians heading this way.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Not that there should be.
<Agent_Texas|AI> My guess is, ONI has what they want.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Or maybe someone in particular among them.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Hang on, I'll check the list.
<Agent_Carolina> Fucking spooks.
* Agent_Washington spots North.
* Agent_York makes his way around Carolina's back, pointing the shotgun at any suspicious noises.
<Agent_Washington> Hey, I've got a visual on North!
<Agent_York> (COM) Where is he?
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) North, come in. Where the hell have you been?
* Agent_North sighs, and reactivates his COM
<Agent_North> (COM) Georgia's dead.
<Agent_Washington> (COM) The last evac ships are away.
* Agent_Texas|AI is surprised.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) You killed him?
* Agent_Texas|AI exhales.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Finally.
<Agent_Carolina> Dead? That's great. Just fucking great.
<Agent_Carolina> It doesn't change the fact that you ignored a primary directive.
<Agent_North> (COM) Yeah.
* Agent_York sighs with irritation.
<Agent_York> (COM) ...Damn it, North.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Well, can't say I'm going to miss him.
<Agent_North> (COM) Carolina, do you honestly think I care about 'primary directives' right now?
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) North, you're going to have another check-up when this operation is over.
<Agent_Carolina> Now form up on my position, or so help me I will have you court-martialed.
<Agent_North> ...
* Agent_North heads over to the other Freelancers, albeit reluctantly.
* Agent_Texas|AI 's avatar appears as North, Wash, and Min reach them.
<Agent_Carolina> (COM) We have a group of civilians fucking disappeared into thin air, and more hostiles inbound at any moment. Now get. Your insubordinate ass. ON THE LINE.
* Agent_Washington shoots North a look, but doesn't say anything.
* Agent_Texas|AI "walks" over to North, her expression resolution but with a hint of sympathy.
<Agent_Texas|AI> North.
<Agent_Texas|AI> What were Montana's last words to you?
<Agent_Texas|AI> What was the promise you made her?
<Agent_Texas|AI> Remind me, please, because I wasn't there. I can't recall.
<Agent_North> I think I remember.
* Agent_Minnesota is exhausted.
<Agent_North> Something about not changing because of her death, I believe.
* Agent_York waits aside Carolina, his shotgun resting on his shoulders behind his neck.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Not just her death.
<Agent_Texas|AI> But everything.
<Agent_Texas|AI> This whole war.
* Agent_Texas|AI looks away.
<Agent_Texas|AI> And it's not just you I'm worried about, North.
<Agent_Texas|AI> We have lives to protect.
* Agent_York approaches North.
<Agent_Texas|AI> We have missions to carry out.
<Agent_North> Yeah.
<Agent_York> Remember what she said, Theodore. She said she'd hate to see you change.
<Agent_Texas|AI> We can't let others die because of some personal vendetta.
<Agent_North> hmph.
* Agent_Texas|AI turns back to glare at North, all traces of sympathy gone.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Or you'll have to answer for every life you let go to waste.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Do you understand?
<Agent_North> I understand what you're saying. I don't like it, but I understand.
* Agent_Texas|AI nods stiffly.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Good.
<Agent_York> C'mon, North.
<Agent_North> After what happened with the Director, I'd have thought that some of you would have learned a thing or two about vengeance...
* Agent_York looks at Tex's hologram and looks back to North.
* Agent_Texas|AI sighs.
<Agent_Texas|AI> We stopped him because we had to.
<Agent_Texas|AI> We didn't kill him even though we would have very well had the right.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Just remember that.
* Agent_North frowns beneath his helmet, and doesn't reply.
* Agent_Texas|AI turns back to the others.
* Agent_Carolina is quiet.
* Agent_Texas|AI forms a holographic array before Carolina, each frame with the projection of a human face.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I've consulted the Superintendent and got a confirmed list of the missing civilians.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I had to wipe the Super's database though, in case ONI knew about it.
<Agent_Texas|AI> These are the ones that disappeared.
* Agent_Carolina looks the faces over.
<Agent_Carolina> Huh.
* Agent_Texas|AI snaps her fingers, causing most of the faces to disappear save one.
<Agent_Texas|AI> This one, however, caught my interest.
* Agent_York turns his head back to North and nods slowly.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Because she was supposed to have been evacuated 4 days ago.
<Agent_Texas|AI> In a UNSC relay station at Visegrad.
<Agent_Washington> It must be some sort of error in the system.
<Agent_Texas|AI> She actually encountered Noble Team and was taken off-planet.
* Agent_Washington leans forward.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Her name is Sára Sorvad, and I want to know how she ended up back on Reach.
<Agent_Texas|AI> And I suspect that she's the one ONI decided to go after.
<Agent_Washington> How can you confirm that?
<Agent_Carolina> Why would they go after a... a kid?
<Agent_Texas|AI> Her father was a researcher who worked with Dr. Halsey.
<Agent_Carolina> ... oh.
<Agent_Carolina> Now that makes sense.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Now, as I understand it, Halsey and Dr. Laszlo Sorvad uncovered some Forerunner dig site elsewhere on Reach.
<Agent_Texas|AI> ONI wanted to cover it up, and it's possibly related to why they kept the Covenant's presence a secret.
<Agent_Texas|AI> But since Dr. Halsey went and revealed it to HighCom, they're very interested in finding out more.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Obviously, ONI isn't pleased, but they can't do anything apart from go along with it.
<Agent_Texas|AI> But it seems Miss Sorvad had found something in the Visegrad Relay, something ONI might have wanted for themselves.
<Agent_Washington> What's a civilian doing going over ONI's heads like that?
* Agent_Texas|AI gives Washington a look.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I'm more concerned with why ONI is letting civilians die to hold onto their secrets.
<Agent_Carolina> It doesn't matter.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I'm more concerned with why ONI is letting civilians die to hold onto their secrets.
<Agent_Carolina> We'd better find her.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Yeah. The rest of the civilians casualties were collateral.
<Agent_Texas|AI> No witnesses.
<Agent_Texas|AI> You know how ONI operates.
<Agent_Washington> That can't be true.
<Agent_Washington> You're just jumping to conclusions.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Wash, trust me on this.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I had a surveillance drone watching these civilians a half hour ago.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I saw them heading this way.
<Agent_Texas|AI> And if they disappeared, we're going to find them, ONI be damned.
<Agent_Washington> Still, we're in the middle of a planetary invasion and you're diverting us for a handful of civilians?
<Agent_Washington> Didn't we just rake North over the coals for pursing a personal agenda?
<Agent_Texas|AI> I want to know why ONI isn't warning the rest of the planet.
<Agent_Texas|AI> And I have a feeling this is a lead.
<Agent_Carolina> Those civilians could be important to the war.
<Agent_York> Let the few Spartans left and Noble Team fight the invasion. We'd do better to go after these civvies.
<Agent_Washington> You have got to be kidding me.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Min, can you keep ONI distracted for us?
<Agent_Texas|AI> Don't let them know where we're going.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Make it look like we're still defending the city.
* Agent_Minnesota nods affirmative.
<Agent_Washington> Make it look like...
<Agent_Washington> You realize this is desertion, right?
<Agent_Texas|AI> I said, make it look like we're still defending the city.
<Agent_Minnesota> Don't get killed.
* Agent_Minnesota glares at North.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Same for you.
<Agent_Washington> You people really are serious, aren't you?
<Agent_Texas|AI> Now, I've linked up with the city's surveillance system, which was encrypted a little more carefully than...surveillance normally would.
<Agent_Texas|AI> That was my first clue.
* Agent_York scratches his helmet. He averts his gaze to Tex's hologram.
<Agent_Texas|AI> And I've caught footage of a camouflaged Phantom dropship bringing the civilians on board.
<Agent_York> Odd.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Doesn't seem very Covenant-like, if you ask me.
<Agent_York> Wait, what?
<Agent_York> A Phantom?
* Agent_Washington withdraws from the group, shaking his head.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I've managed to pick up on its trail just a minute ago.
* Agent_Carolina listens intently, inscrutable in her helmet.
<Agent_Carolina> Good.
<Agent_Carolina> We have a heading.
<Agent_Texas|AI> It's headed towards that underground facility on the far side of Pálháza.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Not far from here, but heavily guarded by ONI troops.
* Agent_Texas|AI points the location on the Freelancers' HUDs.
<Agent_York> That looks like a no-no if we go after it.
<Agent_Texas|AI> We're not going to be shooting our way in.
<Agent_Texas|AI> The fighting's a little too extreme right now to be turning on our own side.
<Agent_Texas|AI> So, we'll be getting in another way.
* Agent_Washington clenches his fists, but remains silent.
* Agent_York rests his hands on his waist.
* Agent_Texas|AI begins establishing a connection.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) Noble Two, this is Agent Texas. Come in, Noble Two.
* Agent_Washington moves several feet away and tries to open a channel to the command frequency, only to realize that his signal is being jammed.
<Catherine-B320> (COM) I read you, Texas.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) I understand that your team is currently being deployed to defend the ONI facility on the outskirts of Pálháza?
<Catherine-B320> (COM) That is correct. We're wrapping up. I'm... attending to some delicate matters at the moment.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) I'll bet. I need you to do me a favour, Lieutenant Commander.
<Catherine-B320> (COM) What sort of favor?
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) One that can get a team of Freelancers into the underground levels of the facility.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) ...preferably without resorting to violence.
<Catherine-B320> (COM) Sounds naughty.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) Naughty? Commander, are you a puppet or a Spartan?
* Catherine-B320 laughs softly.
<Catherine-B320> (COM) I've been manipulating comm channels since we landed. There's more going on here than my Commander wants to admit.
<Catherine-B320> (COM) You're the perfect means I need to satisfy my curiosity.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) That much is obvious. Listen...you've fabricated false orders before on missions because you didn't think ONI had the best judgement for how to carry out a deployment?
<Catherine-B320> (COM) I make a habit of shaping circumstances to our advantage, if that's what you mean.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) Such as the operation on Arcadia three years ago, when you "gained clearance" on the orbital MAC guns and used them to destroy six Covenant battalions on the surface.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) I've also caught word that Dr. Halsey has confiscated a data module from you two days ago, the one you retrieved from the Visegrad Relay?
* Catherine-B320 is quiet for a few seconds.
<Catherine-B320> (COM) You're correct. But I learned enough from what little I was able to access.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) Long story short, ONI is up to no good and I want to know why. Maybe we can kill two birds with one stone.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) So can you arrange some clearance for my team to get into the facility?
<Catherine-B320> (COM) Our interests are mutual. Of course you'll get clearance.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) Good. We'll see you in ten minutes.
* Agent_Texas|AI cuts the connection.
<Agent_Carolina> Who was that?
<Agent_Texas|AI> You've met her before.
<Agent_Texas|AI> SPARTAN-B320, Noble Two.
* Agent_North watches the others, checking his rifle as he does.
* Agent_Carolina glances at North.
<Agent_Carolina> Agent North Dakota. I need you to return to the line and hold it. Any more screwups on this mission and we could all face execution.
<Agent_North> I'd say that this mission is already pretty screwed up...
* Agent_Carolina steps toward North.
<Agent_Carolina> Which is exactly why I can't have a soldier with contempt toward my command, on a mission that deals with top-secret alien technology.
<Agent_Carolina> You have your reasons. I'm not going to argue over them. But I have to draw the line.
* Agent_North walks off.
* Agent_Washington approaches York and opens a private channel.
* Agent_York sees the notification pop up and opens his link to Wash's private channel.
<Agent_Washington> (Private COM) You can't seriously be going along with this.
<Agent_York> (Private COM) This is war. It's a dirty business, Wash. But it's what we have to do.
<Agent_York> (Private COM) There's nothing you and I can do about it. David.
<Agent_Washington> (Private COM) Clyde, this is treason.
* Agent_Texas|AI taps into Washington's channel, having been listening in.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) And what ONI is doing is committing war crimes.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) I don't know about you, Wash, but I'm not going to stand for that.
<Agent_Washington> (Private COM) I should have known you'd listen in.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) We're not going to cause any damage to ONI.
<Agent_Washington> (Private COM) Not going to...
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) Just undo any damage they're doing.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) And get these civilians off-planet where they belong.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) You are a human being before you're a soldier, Agent Washington.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) Don't you forget that.
<Agent_Washington> (Private COM) I took an oath, as a soldier of the UNSC, to obey the chain of command.
<Agent_Washington> (Private COM) Not be part of Carolina and your little private army.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) Wash, the last time we obeyed orders blindly from someone we thought knew better than us, it didn't end so well.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) Remember what almost happened to you? With Epsilon?
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) ONI doesn't care about your life any more than the director did.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) Now, we're still on the same side. We just need to correct their mistakes.
<Agent_York> (Private COM) This is something we need to do. Screw the rules. We do what's right, not what the spooks tell us to do.
* Agent_Washington clenches his fist.
<Agent_Washington> (Private COM) You do what you think is right.
<Agent_Washington> (Private COM) You don't know the full story. You could have guessed this entire thing wrong.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) Maybe. But if ONI didn't kidnap any civilians, then we won't have to cross them anyway.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) Doesn't hurt to make sure.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) If they're really as righteous as you say they are, then we won't have any problem with what we find in that facility.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) Now come on, we're wasting time.
<Agent_Washington> (Private COM) We'll have abandoned our post during a time of war.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) What post?
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) The civilians are all evacuated, except the group ONI decided to kidnap.
<Agent_Washington> (Private COM) Maybe you didn't get the memo, but this planet is being attacked.
<Agent_York> (Private COM) Damn it, Wash. We know that.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) Our orders are to protect these civilians.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) As far as I'm concerned, we'll not have completed our objective until they're safely off-planet.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) So if you want to follow orders so badly, then get ready to move out.
* Agent_Texas|AI turns her back on Wash, looking at North.
* Agent_Washington laughs coldly.
<Agent_Washington> (Private COM) Well, it's like Georgia said when he gave Carolina that Forerunner artifiact.
<Agent_Washington> (Private COM) Nothing any of us can do to stop you, right?
* Agent_Texas|AI spins around, glaring at Washington.
<Agent_Texas|AI> You make it sound like I'm the threat here.
* Agent_Carolina shakes her head.
<Agent_Carolina> That's enough.
<Agent_Carolina> Both of you.
<Agent_Carolina> As your commanding officer, I am ordering you to do this. We can decide who's committing treason after those civilians are safe.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Right.
* Agent_Texas|AI indicates a flipped Warthog near a barricade.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Come on.
* Agent_Washington clenches his fist, but steps back in line with York.
<Agent_Washington> Yes... ma'am.
* Agent_York turns his head and nods at Wash.
<Agent_York> C'mon. I had a hard enough time with North.
* Agent_Washington follows reluctantly behind York, fingers clutching his rifle tightly.
* Agent_York grips his hands underneath the warthog and groans as he tries to flip it.
<Agent_York> Lil' hand here?
* Agent_Carolina moves and helps York flip the 'Hog.
<Agent_Carolina> I'll drive.
<Agent_Carolina> York, you get on the gun.
* Agent_Texas|AI plots a NAV point on Carolina's HUD.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Got lots of Covenant activity in that area.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Noble's holding them off pretty well though.
* Agent_Washington gets into the passenger's seat.
* Agent_Texas|AI checks on Amelia's team and the Army line.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Sergeant Dawson has successfully repelled a third wave of Covenant.
* Agent_York hops to the turret, clutching the non-business end.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Their numbers are flagging though...let's do this quick.
<Agent_York> I'm not letting her down. Step on it.
* Agent_Carolina sees the navpoint on her HUD.
<Agent_Carolina> Right.
* Agent_Carolina accelerates, easing the 'Hog over some debris and then following a road.
* Agent_Carolina drives through the ruined city, passing into the outskirts. The terrain is desolate, littered with crashed ships and alien bodies.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Damn, fighting didn't go so well on this side of the city.
* Agent_York swerves the turret about, looking for any Covenant stragglers.
<Agent_York> Damn.
* Agent_Carolina drives through a cluster of trees, that leads into thicker forest. The 'Hog bounces over tree roots and rocks, finally coming out to a clearing. An encampment has been set up beside a metallic structure that seems to extend down into the ground, covered up with attempts at a mock civilian structure.
* Agent_Carolina stops the 'Hog upon seeing what appear to be Spartans.
* Carter-A259 sees Kat typing rapidly into a data module and walks over to her.
<Carter-A259> What's that you've got there?
* Catherine-B320 glances at Carter and clutched the module in her robotic hand.
<Catherine-B320> Nothing that should worry you. Just some extra credit work.
* Jun-A266 looks up when he sees Carolina.
<Jun-A266> Commander, we've got visitors.
* Carter-A259 decides not to ask and hears Jun.
* Carter-A259 walks over and recognizes the Freelancers.
* Agent_Carolina climbs out of the 'Hog.
<Carter-A259> Major O'Connell.
<Agent_Carolina> Commander. Sir.
* Agent_York swerves the turret to the front and jumps down from the turret.
<Carter-A259> I don't suppose you're here for trooper support?
* Agent_Texas|AI 's avatar appears.
<Agent_Texas|AI> If we were, there'd be more of us, Commander.
<Agent_Carolina> We're here to investigate the disappearance of some civilians.
* Emile-A239 approaches as well, eyeing the Freelancers.
<Agent_Carolina> We have reason to believe they may... be inside this structure.
<Carter-A259> We've been here all day.
<Carter-A259> Haven't seen anything out of the ordinary.
* Carter-A259 looks around at the battle-strewn courtyard.
<Emile-A239> The ordinary being all the aliens we killed.
* Jorge-052 emerges from the structure, looking up at the newcomers.
<Jorge-052> About time we got reinforcements.
* Agent_Texas|AI spots Tess walking out behind Jorge.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Oh, hell...
* Agent_Washington peers around Carolina.
<Agent_Washington> Friend of yours?
<Agent_Texas|AI> Not exactly.
* Jun-A266 leaps down from his perch next to Jorge.
* Agent_Texas|AI raises a holographic eyebrow.
<Jun-A266> Hey, it's those Freelancers you said you worked with before you joined Noble.
* Tess-B312 seems to stay in Jorge's shadow, DMR gripped tightly.
<Agent_Carolina> Does ONI send a Spartan on a mission with us whenever they want to put someone on the team?
* Jorge-052 glances from the Freelancers to Six, tilting his helmet.
<Jorge-052> I'm guessing you've got some history, too.
<Agent_York> We...ran into her on a mission, to say the least.
* Agent_Texas|AI 's avatar strides over to Jorge, ignoring Tess completely.
<Agent_Texas|AI> We're looking for someone.
* Tess-B312 remains silent, standing off to one side, aloof.
<Agent_Texas|AI> So I got your Lieutenant Commander to lend us a hand.
<Jorge-052> Looking for who, exactly?
<Agent_Texas|AI> A civilian. A young woman by the name of Sára Sorvad.
<Agent_Texas|AI> You found her at Visegrad 4 days ago, right?
* Catherine-B320 doesn't so much as look up, appearing innocent.
<Carter-A259> Yes.
<Carter-A259> We also had seen her off for evacuation.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Looks like ONI had other plans.
<Agent_Texas|AI> On my way here, I found a bit more intel.
<Agent_Texas|AI> From the sounds of it, Sára's been keeping a low profile in the last 4 days.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I'm not completely sure, but I think she escaped ONI custody and they tried to cover it up.
<Agent_Texas|AI> And if I'm not mistaken, maybe she tried to blend in and get off Reach by waiting for evacuation in Pálháza.
* Agent_Texas|AI turns to look at Kat.
<Agent_Texas|AI> All I know is that ONI's not pleased with Dr. Halsey at the moment, and they're trying to figure out what Sára found at Visegrad.
<Agent_Texas|AI> They thought they could get away with it amongst all the fighting.
<Jorge-052> Sára's innocent. Her father was the scientist, not... damn. As if we don't have enough problems.
<Carter-A259> Sounds like you're getting in pretty deep.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I've asked Noble Two to fabricate clearance for us to get inside and get those civilians out.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Most of them were only taken because they'd have been witnesses.
<Agent_Texas|AI> ONI even went as far as to kill the civilians' Army escorts to keep it quiet.
<Agent_Texas|AI> It all happened in a district where there was fighting earlier so the bodies would pass undetected.
* Jun-A266 listens intently to what was being told, deep in thought.
<Catherine-B320> It's true, Commander.
* Tess-B312 stands beside Jorge, looking from Freelancer to Freelancer, quiet.
* Carter-A259 ponders the information.
<Jorge-052> Commander, we can't just leave her.
<Carter-A259> You have the clearance ready, Kat?
<Catherine-B320> Ready as it'll ever be.
* Carter-A259 nods.
<Carter-A259> Jorge, you and Six go with them into the facility.
* Jorge-052 picks up his turret, hefting it. "Yes, sir."
<Carter-A259> Kat...you'd better stay away from all this or ONI will suspect your hand in it.
* Carter-A259 gives Carolina a long look.
<Carter-A259> If this goes wrong, you'll have to take full responsibility, Major.
* Tess-B312 shifts uncertainly, but doesn't budge from Jorge's side.
<Agent_Carolina> I'll be glad to.
<Carter-A259> And Six...
<Tess-B312> Sir?
<Carter-A259> It wouldn't be anything new for you, but keep your gun pointed away from ONI personnel, if at all possible.
* Tess-B312 nods.
<Carter-A259> I don't want an inquiry in the middle of a battle against the Covenant.
* Jorge-052 looks from Six to Carter.
<Jorge-052> She'll do her job, sir.
* Carter-A259 nods.
<Carter-A259> Okay Kat, give them the clearance.
* Catherine-B320 taps her datapad and it chimes.
* Agent_Texas|AI watches Tess closely, and notes the tone of Jorge's voice.
<Catherine-B320> There. Nobody will think twice. You really don't want to know how many people on my hit list will take the fall if this goes south.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I think they'll be more worried about the Covenant glassing the planet.
* Agent_Carolina raises both eyebrows under her helmet.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Okay, let's get going.
* Agent_Carolina heads for the entrance to the strange facility, past Carter, Kat and Jun. She stops to regard Six, then continues on.
<Agent_Carolina> Form up.
<Jorge-052> Yes ma'am.
<Jun-A266> Contact. Got Covenant coming in on our position.
* Catherine-B320 slips on her helmet.
* Carter-A259 signals for the Army troopers assembled around the facility to get ready.
<Catherine-B320> A good distraction. You'd all better get moving and quick.
<Carter-A259> Good luck, Freelancers.
<Carter-A259> We'll keep them out.
<Agent_York> Thanks, Commander.
* Agent_Washington forms up silently with York.
* Agent_York nods and falls into formation with the other Freelancers and the two Spartans.
* Agent_Texas|AI examines the data module.
* Tess-B312 sticks closer to Jorge instead of going near the Freelancers.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I guess you just scan the module to open the doors. Simple.
* Agent_Carolina walks up to the door and holds the module in front of a human scanning device. It blinks green and the door swishes open, revealing a dark interior.
<Agent_Carolina> I guess ONI's been crawling in and out of this place for a while.
* Agent_Carolina steps in cautiously.
* Agent_York follows in beside Carolina.
* Agent_Texas|AI observes the ONI personnel walking in and out of the doors of the facility, too busy on their work to make much observation of the unlikely group.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Accessing the system now...
<Agent_Texas|AI> This clearance is handy. No need to break in.
* Jorge-052 follows the Freelancers, grunting in disapproval as his huge gun catches on the side of the door. He lugs it in with some effort.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Okay, confirm the presence of sixteen unidentified "subjects", likely the civilians.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Wait...most of them are scheduled for execution.
<Agent_Carolina> Execution? For what?!
<Agent_Texas|AI> Oh, I imagine ONI just doesn't want any witnesses.
<Agent_Texas|AI> All they need is Miss Sorvad alive.
* Agent_Texas|AI 's expression is one of utmost disgust.
<Agent_Texas|AI> They'll probably do it quietly too.
<Agent_Texas|AI> And then make the bodies disappear.
<Jorge-052> Not if we can help it.
* Agent_Texas|AI 's avatar appears in front of Washington's face, and her arms are crossed.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Well? Do you still think this is no big deal?
* Agent_Washington says nothing, but just returns Texas' glare from behind his helmet.
* Tess-B312 clears her throat.
<Tess-B312> I know how these things work.
<Tess-B312> My... expertise may be of some use.
* Agent_Texas|AI shoots Tess a look.
* Jorge-052 looks at Tess as if surprised she made noise at all.
<Agent_Texas|AI> If you can get them out alive, then by all means.
<Tess-B312> It's just a matter of killing the captors first.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I'm a little short on sympathy for them at the moment.
* Agent_York glances at Tess for a moment, then back to Tex. He lifts his arms for a moment and then they fall down.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Come on, they're being held five levels down.
* Jorge-052 places a hand on Tess's shoulder.
<Jorge-052> Remember what the Commander said.
* Tess-B312 hesitates, then shrugs it off.
<Agent_Carolina> Keep it together.
<Agent_Carolina> These people are depending on us. Now let's do this quickly and quietly.
* Jorge-052 looks down at his massive, inevitably noisy gun.
<Jorge-052> Er.
<Tess-B312> I'll take point.
* Agent_Carolina shakes her head.
<Agent_Carolina> I'll take point, and—
<Tess-B312> No, listen.
<Tess-B312> They'll react as soon as they know something's wrong. Wipe the slate as quickly as they can.
<Tess-B312> I'm fast.
<Agent_Carolina> ... alright, Lieutenant.
* Agent_York hasn't said a word since walking in the door.
<Agent_Carolina> I've seen what you can do.
* Agent_Carolina sounds a bit cold, maybe disgusted.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Just don't go mutilating any of them.
<Agent_Texas|AI> We don't have time for that.
* Jorge-052 looks at Tess.
<Jorge-052> What?
* Tess-B312 doesn't react.
* Tess-B312 moves forward quickly, heading down the stairs with more stealth than her size suggests.
<Agent_Carolina> Come on. Let's go.
* Agent_Carolina follows Tess, assault rifle at the ready.
* Agent_York clutches his shotgun and follows the two downstairs.
* Agent_Washington trails behind York, keeping guard on the rear.
<Agent_Texas|AI> There's something different about her.
<Agent_Carolina> Different?
* Agent_Carolina mutes her comm from outside listeners.
<Agent_Carolina> (Private COM) That woman's a maniac. Why is she even here?
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) Isn't it obvious?
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) She's part of the team.
<Agent_Carolina> (Private COM) She's a fucking psycho.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) And although she hasn't admitted it yet, she likes being part of the team.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) This team, at any rate.
* Tess-B312 encounters a black-uniformed guard and kills him by simply grasping his neck and crushing it, then tossing him aside.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) She's still getting used to it, but if she didn't want to be with them, she wouldn't still be here.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (Private COM) I don't think orders would stop her if she wanted to be on her own.
* Tess-B312 reaches the lower level and sees a cell block. There are civilians inside, guarded by armed personnel. They seem to be waiting for something.
* Agent_Carolina creeps up behind Tess.
* Tess-B312 holds up a fist, then motions for Carolina to stay put. She pulls out her knife, is still for a moment, then lunges inside.
<Agent_Carolina> ... shit.
<Agent_Texas|AI> ...wow.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Not even I would've done it like that.
* Agent_Washington pauses beside the dead guard, inscruitble behind his visor, before looking ahead and then quickly averting his eyes.
* Tess-B312 grabs the nearest guard and spins him around, hurling him at another with enough speed to break their spines.
* Tess-B312 then catches the guard's weapon as it sails in midair, opening fire with precise, controlled bursts. The guards fall one by one, killed by headshots.
<Jorge-052> ... dammit.
* Jorge-052 follows after Tess, ignoring Carolina for the moment.
* Agent_York has to shield his eyes with his forearm.
<Agent_Carolina> Wait!
<Agent_York> Holy shit.
* Agent_Texas|AI grunts.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Spartans.
* Tess-B312 seems oblivious to the frightened screams of the trapped civilians. She stalks up to the last guard and puts the barrel of her pistol to his forehead, even though he's on his knees and staring up at her with hands raised.
<Agent_Carolina> Stand down, Lieutenant!
* Agent_Washington raises his rifle, unsure of whether to threaten the Spartan or not.
* Tess-B312 seems to ignore Carolina, turning the pistol at an angle instead.
* Agent_York wiggles the fingers that are coiled around the pump of his shotgun.
<Agent_Washington> She's going to...
* Agent_Carolina lunges forward.
* Jorge-052 glances at Carolina and grabs her arm, swinging her around so she ends up facing the opposite direction.
<Jorge-052> Hey.
* Jorge-052 puts a hand on Tess's shoulder again, this time firmly.
<Jorge-052> It's done. They're safe.
* Agent_Texas|AI flickers into view.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Let's stay objective here.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Knock this goon out and get the civilians away from here.
* Agent_Carolina emits a furious strangled noise but manages to remain composed.
* Tess-B312 lowers the gun, then clips it to her thigh and steps back.
* Tess-B312 then decks the guy in the jaw, but not hard enough to kill him. He sinks down.
<Agent_Washington> Well, so much for not killing anyone.
* Tess-B312 looks up at Wash.
* Agent_Texas|AI uses the clearance codes to open the cell doors.
* Agent_York raises his shotgun, in a less-threatening pose. He shakes his head at Tess, showing his obvious disapproval.
* Agent_Texas|AI scans the faces, looking for Sára Sorvad.
* Agent_Washington simply turns away, adrift in his own thoughts.
* Sara_Sorvad bangs on her cell door.
<Sara_Sorvad> Hey!
* Jorge-052 releases Tess's shoulder and turns, seeing the familiar face.
<Agent_Carolina> Is that our girl?
<Agent_York> I think so.
* Agent_Texas|AI "walks" over to Sara's cell.
<Sara_Sorvad> I think my cell's programmed differently.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Ne aggódj. Most már biztonságban vagy.
* Sara_Sorvad tilts her head.
<Sara_Sorvad> ... ah.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Hozok neked ki.
* Jorge-052 clears his throat.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Dammit...the clearance codes don't work on this one.
* Sara_Sorvad seems almost afraid of Tex, but looks hopefully at Jorge.
<Jorge-052> If I may.
* Agent_York stands guard outside, his eye peering cautiously for any sign of danger or intrusion.
* Jorge-052 approaches the cell and exchanges a few murmured words with Sara.
* Sara_Sorvad nods and steps back.
* Jorge-052 grabs hold of the cell door, wrenches it, and it comes off, the electronic lock sending out a mess of sparks before dying.
<Jorge-052> There.
* Agent_Texas|AI raises an eyebrow.
* Agent_York deadpans at Jorge, before slowly raising his own brow under his visor.
<Agent_York> Very subtle.
|
* Sara_Sorvad steps out, steering clear of Six. |
* Agent_Georgia finds himself standing in a dark haze, alone and naked without his armor. |
| 2617 Hours, July 30, 2552 (UNSC Military Calendar), exact location unknown, planet Reach, Epsilon Eridani system |
* Agent_Texas|AI notes that the lights in the hallway here seem to have fallen into disrepair. Some are flickering, or completely burned out.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Doesn't look like they did a regular maintenance check here.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Exit should be up ahead.
* Agent_Carolina continues on, still nervous.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I couldn't get a bearing on which direction we were heading, but I did a rough calculation of the mission log, and we should be moving back towards Pálháza.
<Agent_York> Tex, is North still there?
<Agent_Texas|AI> Should be, unless he decided to run off again.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I hope Min kept a leash on him.
<Agent_York> I...doubt he has any reason to.
* Agent_Texas|AI sees the small doorway at the end of the corridor.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Erm, try the clearance codes, I suppose.
* Agent_Texas|AI does so, but receives no response.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Old-fashioned way it is then.
<Agent_York> ...Shall I?
<Agent_York> I haven't hacked a door for quite a while.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I don't see controls anywhere.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Uh...Carolina. Kick the door.
* Agent_Carolina kicks it deftly. The door nearly gives, but is stuck.
<Agent_Carolina> That's about as good as it gets.
* Agent_Carolina kicks it again, frustrated.
<Agent_Carolina> Come on!
<Agent_Texas|AI> It's not like ONI to be this deficient.
* Agent_Carolina finally just lurches, slamming into it shoulder-first. The door gives way and she hurtles through.
* Agent_Texas|AI stares in disbelief at what she sees. They are standing in an alleyway, or what's left of it. Every building surrounding them seem to have collapsed, and are smouldering and broken. There is an eerie quiet over the city and there's no sign of movement.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Can't be...
* Agent_York 's jaw slowly drops at the sight of the carnage that has passed, turning his head at various angles.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Surveillance indicates that we're in downtown Pálháza. But how did this happen so quickly?
<Agent_York> No...no...shit...
* Agent_Carolina is utterly perplexed.
<Agent_York> Don't tell me that trap failed...
* Sara_Sorvad gets a glimpse of the devastation and puts a hand over her mouth.
<Sara_Sorvad> .... nem lehet....
* Agent_Texas|AI detects a Banshee patrol flying overhead.
* Agent_Texas|AI is running scans all over the city and sees that it's been completely overrun by the Covenant.
* Sara_Sorvad breaks from cover and runs out a few feet, shoes crunching on broken glass and rubble.
<Sara_Sorvad> ... Isten...
<Agent_Texas|AI> Hey, be careful!
* Sara_Sorvad turns to look at them, red-eyed and lip quivering.
* Agent_Texas|AI stiffens as she detects three Covenant cruisers emerging from the cloud cover, looming ominously over the city and looking very much intact.
* Agent_York 's heart drops as he sees those ominious cruisers looming overhead, his pupils widening.
<Amelia_Dawson> Don't move!
* Sara_Sorvad jumps.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Sergeant Dawson?
* Amelia_Dawson emergees from cover with three of her ODSTs, rifle raised at them.
<Agent_Carolina> ... Amelia.
* Agent_York sighs with relief, putting a hand to his chest.
* Amelia_Dawson is looking a bit worse for wear, her helmet missing and her face blackened. Her armour is ripped and battered.
<Amelia_Dawson> Oh, it's you guys.
* Amelia_Dawson lowers her rifle.
<Amelia_Dawson> I thought...
* Amelia_Dawson bites her lip and looks down.
<Agent_York> Amelia...
<Agent_York> Thank goodness.
<Agent_York> I thought the worst, sister.
* Sara_Sorvad turns away from them all and cries quietly.
<Amelia_Dawson> So did I.
* Amelia_Dawson clenches her teeth and grips her rifle tightly.
<Agent_Texas|AI> How did this happen?
<Amelia_Dawson> It's over. We've lost Pálháza.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Where are the others?
<Amelia_Dawson> Your Freelancer friends met up with us just before we took the hits.
<Amelia_Dawson> But something went wrong.
<Amelia_Dawson> Our weapons all went offline.
<Amelia_Dawson> The Covenant overran us...it was a slaughter.
<Agent_Texas|AI> How did they do this?
* Amelia_Dawson 's eyes darken.
<Amelia_Dawson> Well, your friends say it was Georgia.
<Amelia_Dawson> One of yours, as it were.
<Agent_Carolina> ... that's impossible.
<Agent_York> What the hell? I thought North got rid of Georgia...
<Amelia_Dawson> That's what Sergeant Hawkins said.
<Amelia_Dawson> But we all saw that bastard breaking out of our weapon battery generators. When Hawkins saw Georgia, he took off after him.
* Agent_York looks back to Tex.
<Amelia_Dawson> So did Sterling.
<Amelia_Dawson> They're both gone. They're going after him.
* Amelia_Dawson gives a short, humourless laugh.
<Agent_York> Looks like I jinxed us.
<Amelia_Dawson> As for the rest of us...
<Amelia_Dawson> At least they died a quick death, huh?
<Amelia_Dawson> Just a few hundred to add to the millions we've already lost in the war.
* Agent_York turns back around to give Amelia a frown, although it's not visible behind his visor.
<Agent_Texas|AI> We need to find North and Min.
<Agent_York> Straight away.
<Amelia_Dawson> Look, I don't know where your buddies went.
<Amelia_Dawson> But they didn't seem to notice that they were leaving the others behind to die.
<Amelia_Dawson> But right now, I don't know what the hell is going on.
<Amelia_Dawson> I'm not saying it would have done any good to make a last stand.
* Agent_York sighs, exasperant.
<Agent_York> We'll find them, Amelia.
* Agent_Carolina is quiet as she observes the devastation.
<Amelia_Dawson> Clyde.
<Amelia_Dawson> We have a war to fight.
<Amelia_Dawson> A planet to save.
* Sara_Sorvad sniffles and wipes her face with her sleeve, scowling.
<Amelia_Dawson> If we go after them, we'll just let more cities go to ruin like this.
<Amelia_Dawson> Now, the civilians that were here were lucky to have gotten out before the shit hit the fan.
<Amelia_Dawson> But that won't always be the case.
* Agent_York lowers his head and puts his shotgun to his side.
<Amelia_Dawson> And if your friends are deserting, we don't have time to go chasing after them.
<Agent_York> You've got a point.
<Agent_Texas|AI> No.
* Amelia_Dawson turns to stare at Tex.
<Amelia_Dawson> What do you mean, no?
<Agent_Texas|AI> I mean, no.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Something's not right here.
<Agent_Texas|AI> Why is Georgia not dead?
<Amelia_Dawson> I don't know. Does it matter?
<Agent_Texas|AI> Yes.
<Agent_Carolina> People don't just survive executions.
<Agent_Texas|AI> And if he knows how to stop himself from dying, we need to figure out why.
<Agent_Carolina> North never misses.
<Agent_York> Georgia's always been good at surviving, but I didn't know he could raise himself from the dead.
<Agent_Texas|AI> If it's some Forerunner technology he's found, we have to make sure the Covenant never get it.
<Agent_Texas|AI> And so help me, if I have to find Georgia and wring the answers out of him, I will.
* Agent_York lifts a hand on to Carolina's shoulder.
<Agent_York> I want your say, Victoria. Do we go after him?
<Agent_Carolina> ... not until Reach is safe.
<Agent_Carolina> That's not my call to make.
<Agent_Carolina> We have to do our duty here.
* Agent_Texas|AI exhales but doesn't argue.
<Agent_Texas|AI> I hope North and Min can take care of themselves for a while then.
* Agent_York nods, looking back to Amelia and taking his hand off.
<Agent_York> Agreed.
<Agent_York> ...what now, though?
* Agent_Texas|AI glances at Sára.
<Agent_Texas|AI> In the meantime, let's find somewhere safe to put her.
<Agent_Texas|AI> And then we'll report in for our next mission.
* Sara_Sorvad kicks absently at some twisted metal, hugging herself.
<Agent_Texas|AI> And I will see if I can get a fix on Dr. Halsey.
<Agent_Texas|AI> We'll figure this out. We have to.
* Agent_York makes his way over to Sara, taking his helmet off.
<Agent_York> You alright, there?
* Sara_Sorvad looks up at York, fearful.
<Sara_Sorvad> ... y-yeah.
* Agent_York gazes to the ruins of the city, blinking.
<Sara_Sorvad> It's weird, seeing faces under those masks, I guess.
<Sara_Sorvad> I thought you were all robots.
<Agent_York> I know how you feel. More than you'd think.
* Amelia_Dawson can't help but grin despite the grimness of the situation.
<Amelia_Dawson> My brother the robot.
<Amelia_Dawson> Who'd have guessed.
* Agent_York chuckles weakly, brightening up a bit.
<Agent_York> What I'd give for a robotic eye at this point...
* Agent_Texas|AI appears to be concentrating intently on something.
<Agent_Texas|AI> (COM) Okay, patrols are clear for the next eight minutes. Move quickly.
* Four-Seven-Niner (d1c37aba@wikia/Sonasaurus) has joined #halo-fanon
* ChanServ gives voice to Four-Seven-Niner
* Four-Seven-Niner swoops in over the ruined alleyway, settling the Pelican in for a landing.
<Four-Seven-Niner> (COM) Then get on quickly, if you don't mind.
* Agent_Carolina leads the way, entering the Pelican and sitting.
* Sara_Sorvad gives York an uncertain smile.
<Sara_Sorvad> I think I trust you.
* Agent_York smiles, giving her a reaffirming pat on the back.
<Agent_York> Well. Thanks.
* Agent_York gazes up to the pelican and makes his way inside, taking a seat next to Carolina. His helmet is still under his arm.
* Amelia_Dawson climbs on board the Pelican, giving Sara a hand strapping in next to York.
* Sara_Sorvad follows York and sits beside him, absurdly small compared to the armored figures.
* Amelia_Dawson waits until her ODSTs are all strapped in before securing her own harness.
* Four-Seven-Niner immediately takes off, flying low to avoid the Covenant patrols and heading out of the city with all haste.
<Amelia_Dawson> This isn't over.
<Amelia_Dawson> Not by a long shot.
* Agent_Texas|AI nods.
<Agent_Texas|AI> We can save Reach.
* Agent_York mutters to himself.
<Agent_York> Az utolsó lehelete...
<Agent_Carolina> Something tells me we'll be seeing more of those Spartans.
<Agent_Texas|AI> If not them, then definitely other Spartans.
* Agent_York turns to Sara.
<Agent_York> Minden rendben lesz. Megígérem.
* Sara_Sorvad hasn't quite overcome her shock of seeing the destroyed city, but looks a little more reassured.
<Sara_Sorvad> Én hiszek benned.