Chapitre 11: Helljumpers Don’t Quit (Neither Do Pilots)
The pelican hummed with tension as we flew toward the next objective. Alpha 9 sat across from us, quietly checking their gear. The camaraderie between their team was clear—they had been through hell and back together, and it showed. Even in the silence, you could feel the unspoken bond between them.
Buck was sharpening his combat knife, his eyes flicking toward the open hatch where the landscape below blurred by. Dutch, sitting next to him, meticulously checked his grenades while Mickey double-checked the comm equipment. Romeo, true to form, leaned back with a cocky grin, his sniper rifle resting across his lap.
I sat next to Ruby, my helmet resting between my feet. The whole team was feeling the weight of the mission. The Covenant weren't just on the defensive—they were preparing for something much bigger, and we needed to be one step ahead.
Objective Update: Regroup with UNSC Forces for Covenant Assault.
"Alright, listen up," Buck called out, his voice cutting through the low hum of the engines. "We're headed into another hot zone. Covenant's got a staging area set up about twenty clicks out. Intel suggests they're prepping for a full-scale assault, and it's our job to disrupt that."
"Disrupt, meaning 'blow them to hell,'" Yang added with a smirk.
"Exactly," Buck replied, his eyes gleaming. "We hit them fast, hit them hard, and keep them off balance. That's how Helljumpers do it."
"Sounds like our kind of plan," I said, cracking my knuckles. "We'll coordinate with you to take down their key assets."
Buck nodded, glancing between his team and mine. "Alpha 9 will handle the heavy lifting—blow up their armor, take down their command structure. Hawk, you and your squad will hit the outer defenses and keep their reinforcements from swarming us."
I nodded. "Got it. We'll make sure they stay too busy with us to notice what you're doing."
The pelican descended into the thick of it. As soon as the ramp dropped, we were greeted by the roar of gunfire and the flash of plasma rounds streaking through the air. The Covenant had fortified the area, plasma turrets and Wraiths dotting the landscape, while Banshees soared overhead.
"Go, go, go!" Buck barked, leaping out of the pelican with Alpha 9 hot on his heels.
Ruby, Yang, and the rest of the team followed, hitting the ground running. The air was thick with smoke and the smell of burning metal as the battle raged around us.
New Objective: Disable Covenant Defenses and Reinforcements.
I darted behind cover, scanning the battlefield. Ruby and Weiss had already taken position on a nearby ridge, their rifles snapping off precise shots, while Nora and Yang tore through Covenant infantry with the sheer force of their close-range attacks. Pyrrha's calm precision kept us moving forward, while Ren provided silent, deadly support from the shadows.
Across the battlefield, I saw Buck and his team moving with brutal efficiency. Dutch lobbed grenades into a group of Grunts, scattering them like bowling pins, while Romeo's sniper rifle picked off high-value targets from a distance. Mickey and Buck coordinated their assault, laying down cover fire and pushing toward the Covenant's command structure.
The Covenant forces were tough, but we had momentum. Our coordinated attacks kept them off balance, and for every plasma bolt that got too close, one of our own bullets answered back.
New Skill Activated: Coordinated Strike
Description: Increases squad efficiency when synchronizing attacks between multiple fireteams. Greatly improves chances of success in large-scale engagements.
"We've got movement!" Ruby called out, her voice crackling over the comms. "Banshees inbound, two o'clock!"
I looked up just in time to see the sleek alien fighters swooping toward us, their plasma cannons already charging up. "We need those things down, now!" I shouted, switching to my M41 SPNKr rocket launcher.
Yang took position beside me, grinning as she hefted her shotgun. "You take one, I'll take the other."
"Deal," I said, locking onto the first Banshee and firing.
The rocket streaked across the battlefield, slamming into the Banshee's underbelly. It exploded in a brilliant flash of fire, its wreckage tumbling from the sky. Yang followed up with a perfectly timed shot, blasting the second Banshee out of the air before it could fire on us.
"Two for two!" she called out, her grin wider than ever.
"Nice shooting," I replied, reloading the launcher. "But we're not done yet."
Objective Update: Hold Position and Eliminate Covenant Armor.
As we pushed forward, the Covenant brought out their heavy hitters. Wraiths rolled onto the battlefield, their plasma mortars sending glowing projectiles arcing into the sky. The ground shook with each impact, and it was all we could do to avoid getting caught in the blast zones.
"Those Wraiths are tearing us apart!" I shouted over the comms, ducking behind a pile of rubble as another plasma mortar exploded nearby. "We need to take them out!"
"I'll handle it!" Nora's voice rang out, full of confidence.
Before I could respond, she charged forward with reckless abandon, her grenades in hand. The Covenant forces scattered as she weaved through the battlefield, dodging plasma fire like it was second nature. She lobbed a grenade straight into the Wraith's mortar cannon, and seconds later, the tank exploded in a fiery blaze.
"One down!" she called out, practically bouncing with energy. "Who's next?"
"Got another one on our six!" Pyrrha shouted, laying down suppressive fire as the second Wraith rolled into view.
I fired another rocket, hitting the Wraith square in the side. It shuddered, its shields flickering, before exploding into a ball of fire.
"Wraiths down," I said, catching my breath. "Let's keep moving."
Objective Complete: Eliminate Covenant Armor.
"Alright, listen up," Buck called out, his voice cutting through the low hum of the engines. "We've got intel that the Covenant's gearing up for a large-scale assault on one of our primary supply bases. If they take that out, we'll lose critical ground, not to mention all the resources we've got stored there."
The entire pelican went still as everyone focused in. Ruby, sitting next to me, straightened up, and I could see the wheels turning in her head. Yang cracked her knuckles in anticipation, while Nora looked ready to jump out the door right then and there.
"They're not going to take that base," I said, pulling my helmet back on. "What's our play?"
"We're the tip of the spear," Buck replied, sheathing his knife. "Alpha 9 and your team will drop in first, take out their heavy defenses, and secure the perimeter. Once we've got the outer defenses handled, UNSC forces will move in and reinforce the base. Expect heavy resistance—Covenant will be dug in deep."
New Objective: Defend UNSC Supply Base from Covenant Assault.
The pelican's engines roared as we descended toward the base. The landscape below shifted from open terrain to fortified structures—the supply base was a critical stronghold, its walls lined with turrets, supply drops, and UNSC soldiers scrambling to prepare for the coming fight.
"Thirty seconds!" the pilot called back, and I could feel the adrenaline kicking in.
Ruby and the others checked their gear one last time, and I locked eyes with Buck. We both knew what was at stake. This wasn't just about stopping a single assault—it was about holding the line for every soldier and resource we had left. If the Covenant broke through here, it would be a cascade of losses.
"Stay sharp, and don't get dead," Buck said with a nod as the pelican's back hatch opened, the wind howling as we descended toward the ground.
"Helljumpers never quit," Dutch said, his voice calm and steady, gripping his rifle tightly as the light turned green.
"And neither do we," I added, gripping my shotgun as I led the charge out the hatch.
The pelican dropped us in the heat of the battle.
The moment our boots hit the ground, Covenant forces were already engaging the base's defenses. Grunts, Jackals, and Elites flooded the perimeter, plasma bolts lighting up the sky as they crashed into the walls and turrets. Wraiths lumbered in the distance, their massive plasma cannons firing at the outer walls.
"Move! Take cover!" I shouted, diving behind a barricade as plasma fire rained down. Yang and Nora were already charging in, while Ruby and Weiss spread out, taking up sniper positions on the high ground.
Objective Update: Secure the Perimeter and Eliminate Covenant Heavy Defenses.
"Alpha 9, take the east side," I ordered over the comms. "We'll handle the west. Make sure they don't break through."
"Copy that," Buck responded, and I could see him and his team already cutting through the Covenant forces on their side, moving like a well-oiled machine.
We pushed hard, laying down suppressing fire as we cleared out Covenant infantry. My BR55 battle rifle barked as I fired off a burst, taking out a Jackal trying to flank us. Yang's shotgun thundered beside me as she tore through a squad of Grunts, laughing like she was having the time of her life.
"Ruby, take the ridge and give us some overwatch!" I called out.
"On it!" Ruby replied, dashing up the rocks with her battle rifle in hand. Within moments, she had eyes on the entire battlefield, laying down precise shots that took out Covenant soldiers before they could close in.
New Skill Unlocked: Battlefield Commander
Description: Increases effectiveness when giving tactical orders in large-scale combat, improving team coordination and performance under pressure.
"Wraith incoming!" Weiss called out, her voice sharp as she spotted one of the Covenant tanks lumbering toward our position.
"Leave it to me!" Nora shouted, grinning as she loaded up a fresh rocket into her launcher.
The ground shook as the Wraith's plasma cannon fired, sending a massive bolt of energy hurtling toward the wall. But before it could land, Nora's rocket launcher fired, the explosion lighting up the sky as the Wraith went up in flames.
"Nice shot!" Yang shouted, giving her a thumbs-up.
But the Covenant weren't done yet. More dropships descended from the sky, unloading squads of Elites armed with energy swords and plasma rifles. They were charging fast, and we were pinned down behind cover, the weight of the enemy forces starting to bear down on us.
"We're getting overrun here!" I yelled into the comms. "Buck, what's your status?"
"We're pinned, too!" Buck replied. "But we're working on clearing the east side. You need to hold the west."
"We're trying!" I growled, taking out another Elite as it closed in. "Nora, Yang—we need to take out those Elites before they get too close!"
Nora grinned, clearly in her element. "Boom time!" she shouted, lobbing a grenade into the midst of the Covenant forces.
The explosion tore through the Elite ranks, buying us a few precious seconds. Yang charged forward, her shotgun blazing as she took down the survivors.
New Objective: Hold the Line Until Reinforcements Arrive.
"Ruby!" I called out, "Any more heavy support from up there?"
"Not yet!" Ruby replied, her voice tight with concentration. "But I've got eyes on more incoming Covenant dropships."
"We've got to hold out a little longer," I muttered, reloading my shotgun. "UNSC forces will be here soon."
The ground shook again, but this time it wasn't from Covenant fire—it was the sound of incoming reinforcements. The unmistakable roar of Scorpion tanks and the thunder of Warthogs filled the air as UNSC forces poured into the battlefield, led by Commander Bishop.
"We've got your six, Hawk!" Bishop's voice came over the comms. "Hold tight—we're pushing them back!"
With the arrival of reinforcements, the tide of the battle turned. The UNSC Scorpions opened fire, their massive cannons tearing through Covenant armor, while Warthogs raced through the battlefield, mowing down the remaining infantry.
Objective Complete: Defend UNSC Supply Base.
As the last of the Covenant forces fell, a strange silence descended over the battlefield. The smoke from the wreckage lingered in the air, but for now, we had won.
I glanced around at the team—Ruby, still watching the battlefield from her sniper perch; Yang, breathing heavily but grinning as always; Weiss, already surveying the damage to the base; and Nora, practically bouncing with adrenaline from the fight.
Buck walked up beside me, his armor scorched from the battle but his grin as cocky as ever. "Hell of a fight, Hawk."
I nodded, looking out at the battlefield. "Hell of a fight."
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
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Power Stone 
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