章節 1: Into the Unknown Part 1
It is a mild morning in a temperate planet called Ruvendia. The sky is sapphire blue with shades of daffodil yellow mixed in. A small white sun beams during the early morning as several birds, hum and scatter from tall light brown trees that bear few light orange leaves.
The grass is a yellow-green shade and four Unggoy troopers stroll with plasma pistols in their hands. Plasma pistols are the primary weapon of the Covenant Empire, which is a multi-racial alien military power. This empire is led by several dogmatic beings known as the "prophets".
The plasma pistols themselves fire at a relatively low rate of fire at 330 rounds per minute (RPM). They also have a limited effective range of only 50 meters. The plasma pistols are given in bulk to lower Covenant races who are forced to use swarm tactics.
The most common rank of these Unggoy is the rank of minors, this would be similar to a private in a Human military. The minors have orange armor. These creatures are relatively short and typically range from 4'6 feet to 5'6 feet tall. They have thick exoskeletons that cover their skin as well as sharp claws that they use on second resort.
These Unggoy are also known as grunts, by the UNSC (United Nations Space Command) Human military. Their title refers to their low position in the Covenant caste system and that they are typically used as cannon fodder. Each one wears a mask which is connected to methane tanks which are strapped to their backs.
Even the methane tanks can only last for so long before they will need to be recharged. Despite this, they have advanced senses of smell which work even with their masks on.
One Unggoy minor starts sniffing, "Hey, Canap, I smell some Humans nearby!" The creatures have high pitched voices that resemble those of Human children.
Another minor responds, "Hehehe, then we will eat well."
An Unggoy major commands, "Stay focused, you morons! Make sure your plasma pistols are ready and primed for action." The Unngoy majors have crimson red armor to distinguish them from their subordinates, they also are more experienced fighters overall.
Unlike the four minors, the major has a needler in his hand. A needler is essentially an automatic pistol that fires hot and explosive crystals that are strong enough to pierce flesh and melt through armor. Too many shots fired into a single target or adjacent location can create a violet explosion, an effect that is referred to as "supercombine".
One seven foot and one inch tall mechanically armored warrior flips from a bush and lands about nine feet across the Unggoy. As he lands, the ground shakes. The trooper has dark grey armor, a cobalt blue visor, and is a spartan III. The soldier has Semi-Powered Infiltration (SPI) armor.
Spartans are the best soldiers the UNSC has to offer but the second line of them is largely seen as the best. An armored spartan III weighs around 330 pounds. The spartan is holding a MA37 assault rifle which is known for its ability to fire explosive bullets at 800 RPM (rounds per minute).
One grunt widens his eyes and another beside him screams, "Ahhhhhh!!! No, no, no, NOT A DEMON!!!" The second grunt tosses its pistol out of its hand and sprints headfirst into another Unggoy minor behind it; knocking both of them out.
The spartan pulls his trigger and melts remaining pair of minors within less than a second. The spartan III teases, "Too easy."
The grunt major screams, "Awwwwww!! Back up!! Back up!!! Die, you stupid demon!!" The grunt pulls his arm to aim at the armored behemoth, but before he can manage anything the spartan moves at blinding speed and shoots it down.
Grunt major: "Awwwwhhahaha!!" Steam flows from the spartan's rifle as he reloads.
Another spartan III slowly steps a few feet behind him, "That was the definition of a warmup, but I know I didn't need to tell you that." This spartan has a battle rifle stripped to his back, which is as semi-automatic ranged gun that fires bursts of explosive bullets and can reach up to 900 meters making it an effective ranged weapon.
Yet another spartan III comments, "But you know Blanks, he's always looking to show off. Did you really need to jump at them like that? You know they can't handle the pressure."
This spartan is referring to Jacob Blanks who is a 6'8 spartan that is the combat support specialist in the team. Blanks sets explosive charges, disarms explosives, and has a shotgun as a secondary weapon.
Spartan III: "So what was the plan again Akers?" The spartan is referring to Captain Jared Akers, the leader of his squad. This spartan is 7'1 and he is a tactical expert. Akers main job is transporting important intel to the other two team members and maintaining morale. Akers is often praised for his emotional control.
Blanks acknowledges the other spartan, "I guess you would say that, Reid." The final member of the team, Thomas Reid is the scout and marksman of the team. Reid has a 392 Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) which can fire up to 1,270 meters away. Reid also has a modified M7D magnum pistol which has the blast force of a shotgun, a scope, and a range of 470 meters.
Akers: "Command got some special information from ONI (the Office of Naval Intelligence), basically there is some Forerunner artifact that a Covenant missionary zealot leader wants and because he believes it locks to a key to some other universes."
Reid: "How the heck did you blank on that, Jacob?"
Blanks crosses his arms, "You know last name jokes get really old, Reid. But anyway, I had a headache after that last test, so it was kind of hard to focus."
Akers: "Well now you know, stay together. Reid, I want you to watch our left flank while Jacob moves in forward on the right. I'll be in center formation, and we press on until we reach that facility. Once we get in, we don't stop until we reach the center of the complex. You know how it goes, there will be some fancy controls we'll need to access in order to get that thing going."
Reid clicks his helmet and activates his HUD (heads-up display). The HUD transmits useful information through the trooper's helmet which allows him to get information about environmental hazards, enemy weapons, objects sighted, Forerunner devices, and anything else that has been submitted to ONI's database.
Spartan HUDs will even include information that is classified to most soldiers and comes with an ability to detect cloaked enemies. The three spartans run forward at a quick 15 miles an hour, but this is still a good distance from their top speed. Three grunt minors walk with two Unggoy majors.
Behind them are three jackal enforcers. Jackals are another race within the Covenant that are tall reptilian creatures. Jackals are often referred to as Ruuthians because they are a subspecies of a larger group of aliens known as Kig-Yar. Their race ranges from a height of 6'2 to 6'8.
Jackal enforcers have circular energy shields gauntlets that are transmitted by energy emitters that are wrapped around their non-dominant wrists. Two of these enforcers are minors with blue shields and one is a major with a yellow shield. In addition to the jackals carry plasma pistols with their dominant hands.
About thirty feet behind this team, two jackal snipers stand watch at Covenant DLTs (Deployable Lookout Towers). These towers are made of purple metal materials and the top portion of the tower is propelled by an anti-gravity generator. This tower is designed to hold the jackals 20 feet over the ground.
On the left, a jackal has a type-51 carbine. On the right, a different jackal is armed with a needler rifle (which is a long-ranged version of the needler that comes with a scope but fires at a slower rate of fire). As the Spartans notice Covenant in the distance, Akers whispers into his comm, "Engage camouflage."
The trio turn invisible, but their movement can be partially seen when they move if someone is astute enough. This may be particularly true for jackals which have enhanced vision, reflexes, and speed that is considered seven times faster than that of Humans.
These jackals have a yellow skin with orange spots and lanky bodies. The jackal eyes are orange or violet eyes with black dotted pupils. The jackals have frighteningly sharp teeth and claws to match. Reid steps behind a large rock as he aims and pops a bullet through the right jackal's neck.
Purple blood gushes through the creature's throat as it shrieks, "Zoooonk!!" The jackal falls backward off the tower into the grass.
An Unggoy minor cowers, "What was that?!"
A Unggoy major snarls, "Get it together!! Look alive fool!" The other jackal sniper on the left points his carbine forward and uses his sharp sense of hearing to aim exactly where the sound of the gunshot came from. The jackal fires a shot in that direction, but the Spartan is smart enough to know this.
The shot flies over the head of the rock and Akers is now just 15 feet away from the Covenant. He fires a shot from a different direction through the alien's heart. The jackal crumbles, "Owwww!!"
The grunshot briefly reveals the location of the spartan as his body moves. The grunts notice he is remarkably tall. Unggoy major: "Kill the monster!!" Akers rotates his BR and headshots two of the minors and the major. Blue blood scatters about from the falling grunts.
The two remaining grunts take aim as two jackals sprint forward and fire a volley of six plasma bolts at the spartan. Akers rolls right and returns fire; precisely blasting a jackal in its neck. A jackal major sprints right to corner and flank the spartan but Blanks steps directly across it and fires a barrage of bullets at the creature.
The jackal raises its shield to block the shots, but the spartan is too fast, and three bullets rupture its chest. The jackal drowns in its own blood while Akers head shots the remaining Unggoy major before he rotates his gun and shoots two BR bursts at the jackal across him.
The enforcer blocks the shots with its shield but the spartan aims low and shots a round of bullets into the reptile's right heel. The jackal yelps and falls on its back before Akers unloads an additional three shots into its stomach, chest, and mouth. A bullet from Reid's DMR cracks the grunt's mask and he starts violently coughing and chocking.
Captain Akers fires a bullet through the grunt's skull to put it out of its misery. Akers: "Alright, my radar says we are maybe 250 meters away from the complex, so let's hurry."
Meanwhile, the Sangheili Zealot missionary Uron emerges in berry red armor with midnight blue markings. Two Huragoks float around and collect information while two Sangheili majors strand guard in the distance. Sangheili are the highest-ranking military members of the Covenant and are one of the two founding members.
In the total Covenant caste, only Prophets are above them. Sangheili are called elites by humans due to their high skill level in combat. The Sangheili race are trained to be warriors from childhood, similar to the clone troopers in a galaxy far away. The average Sangheili height is 8'6.
Uron himself is 8'8 making him slightly taller. The missionary has a plasma rifle strapped to his armor along with two inactive plasma grenades. Uron also has an inactive energy sword on his utility belt.
The Huragok are a non-violent race that act as noncombatant engineers. Their brains are like super-computers which makes them incredibly intelligent and analytical. These Huragoks are equipped with personal shields and have emitters which also enhance Uron's shields.
Standing across Uron is Dezarto, the jackal scientist. Dezarto is a mad genius. While the Huragoks have the analytical abilities to decipher necessary details, Dezarto has the vision and wild creativity to understand what the bigger picture.
Dezarto comments, "The Forerunners have left clues, but I will find the greater meaning and put the pieces of their puzzle together. For the right price of, course.."
Uron: "WE will find the answer, together. The path is not to be selfishly claimed by one person." Uron is very religious like most of the Sangheili. However, Dezarto and most Kig-Yar (the jackal and the similar skirmisher sub-races) are function on more monetary and practical motives.
Dezarto rolls his eyes and hisses, 'Of course Uron, that is exactly what I meant."
Uron: "How close are we to completing our goal?"
Dezarto: "Honestly, I think we can get it working within the next forty-five minutes."
Uron: "Excellent."
While this is happening, the Spartan team advances toward a massive Forerunner structure. The building is made of light grey metals with shades of black and white sprinkled throughout. The entrance looks particularly grand and has several steps which lead to the entrance.
However, five grunts (three minors, two majors, and one ultra) stand guard. Most of them have plasma pistols but one minor is armed with a needler. The ultra grunt has silver armor to signify his rank as well as four grenades instead of the typical two the other Unggoy ranks have.
Behind them are two proud Sangheili warriors. One is a minor with royal blue armor and the other is a major with cherry red armor.
Both elites are armed with plasma rifles. These rifles are more like small sub-machine guns for the elites, but they fire heavy blue plasma bolts at 600 rounds per minute (RPM).
The Spartans advance with no visible cover, so they know things will get sticky. Reid takes aim with his DMR and pops the ultra grunt in his face with a bullet. Two grunts are shot down by Aker's BR rounds. As the two spartans become somewhat visible, Blanks runs closer with his AR and shoots down the grunt with the needler first.
The Unggoy major shoots two green plasma bolts at him. Blanks leaps three feet forward and still two across the grunt before he pulls his shotgun with his left hand and unloads it into the alien, "Yack!!"
The spartan straps the shotgun back on his belt when he hears the clacking of two Sangheili warriors sprinting down the stairs after him. The major shoots a volley of six shots at Jacob so he flips against the edge of the stairwell and slams a combat knife into it to keep himself from falling off.
The major adjusts his aim and fires again. Blanks detaches his knife and hops down from the stairwell entrance to the ground a about five seven feet down several right of the entrance. The fall doesn't hurt the super soldier due to his immense durability and thick armor.
The major looks over in his direction but can't get a good shot from across the stairwell, "Arrrahagh!" The minor left of him shoots four blue plasma bolts at Reid who he can faintly see about 12 feet out from his position. Thomas rolls right and takes cover behind the left side of the stairwell.
Akers fires three battle rifle bursts at the minor and the shots hit the invisible energy shields around his armor. This causes a blue buzz to swirl around him. The minor returns fire but Akers rolls behind cover. The minor runs down the stairwell after the spartans but the major warns, "Wait!"
The major noticed that Jacob used a shotgun recently to dispatch a grunt in their squad. The minor halts in his tracks as he is just inches from the steps but Jacob Blanks rolls a few feet across the stairwell and directly in front of the minor with his shotgun drawn.
A powerful blow bursts the elite's shields and knocks him down against the stairs. The major shoots at Blanks's head but the spartan rolls right again and ducks behind the edge of the stairway. The wounded minor rolls to the bottom of the stairs and Captain Akers shoots the elite in his head from a position that is too far left for the Sangheili major to notice.
The major pouts in frustration but Thomas emerges from cover and shoots three bullets from his DMR into the elite officer. The Sangheili's shields buzz, but he aims to return fire. Before the major can land a shot, Reid fires a bullet between the Sangheili's gun causing it to short circuit. The major tosses the gun left and cracks in a mild explosion.
The major takes a couple of steps back up the stairway as he hesitates but a barrage of shots from Akers and Reid breaks his shields about a second later. The major falls against the stairs and moans, "Ugghghghgh!!" Jacob joins formation as he fires four assault rifle rounds into the elite's stomach.
Violet blood glides out of the major's mouth as he huffs and takes his final breath. Two Uggnoy heavy troopers in green armor march forward with fuel rod cannons. Fuel rod cannons are advanced Covenant rocket launchers that fire large explosive green radioactive hot gel projectiles.
Both grunts fire three bright green rods of energy. Jacob and Reid both defensively run and hang against the edge of the stairway to avoid being pulverized. As the beams hit the stairwell, they knock chunks of it off, but do not cause substantial damage due to the sturdy material the facility is made from.
While this happens, Akers sprints forward beyond the explosions, leaps in the air toward the walkway that is located above the stairs, and headshots both of the rocket grunts. The captain lands smoothly besides his fallen enemies. Reid and Blanks quickly follow behind their commanding officer. The spartans run up the stairway as they make their way into the construct.
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