Halo: Extermination

[LoneWolf]

This is my first RPG, so please be gentle.....Anyways, this is an RPG based on the Halo series.I recommend this for people who have actually played the game, but is open to everybody. If you've played the game, and enjoyed it, this will be easier for you to imagine what I am talking about. For those who haven’t played it, i will supply some images of the various species and such.


Playable Characters
For those of you who are familiar with the Halo Universe, you can be any type of Human or Covenant Soldier. For those of you who aren't so lucky, here’s a basic layout of the human and Covenant Military. If something looks interesting to you, PM me and I will be happy to go more in depth about the species/person you're interested in, and probably some more images about the topic.
Humans:

Spartan: A seven-foot tall male/female that has been biologically augmented with enough strength to flip a car, super-hardened bones, and amazing reflexes. They also have Armor (Mjolner armor) that has a shield that is able to stop a certain amount bullets, fire, etc. The shield weakens the more bullets it deflects, but after given about 7 seconds, it will slowly recharge. This is probably the most powerful playable human.

A Spartan


ODST: ODST stands for Orbital Drop Shock Trooper. They drop from frigates in low orbit in a type of one-man escape pod called an HEV (Human Entry Vehicle). The HEV carries a single ODST, plus a small amount of ammo/weapons. ODST are known for their Jet-black body armor. ODST are considered as crazy because of the amount of people that die from the orbital drops.
Types: Pretty self-explanatory

• Medic
  
• Sniper
  
• Rifleman
  
• Grenadier
  

2 ODST's


Marines: Your standard Infantry. Marines have a relatively narrow knowledge of Covenant forces, but still cunning in battle.

• Sniper: The squad’s sniper
  
• Medic: Pretty self-explanatory
  
• Infantryman: Well-rounded marine with a specialty for battle
  

A pair of Marines


Covenant:

Elites (Sangheili): Eight-foot tall snake-like creature with four mandibles. The philosophy of EVERY elite is to find honor, even if that means fighting to the death.

• Spec Ops Elite: A highly trained Elite that uses a "Stealth Suit" to infiltrate an enemies' base.
  
• Arbiter: Only room for one person to be an Arbiter. An Arbiter will be sent on suicidal missions for the sake of honor
  
• Standard Infantry: Average Covenant unit. You will start out as an Elite Minor, and work your way up the ranks. You will eventually reach the rank of Zealot, or Councilor Elite.
  

An Elite Zealot Armed With an Energy Sword


Jackal(Kig-Yar): One of the lower ranks on the Covenant caste, just above the Grunts. Known for deceptiveness, and tendency to steal human weapons

• Minor: The least experienced of the jackals. Is vaguely Bird-like in appearance and is equipped with a circular energy shield. The Energy shield can take only certain amounts of munitions before overheating and shutting down, leaving the jackal more vulnerable to gunfire. After you play for a while you will be promoted to a Jackal Major, making you more accurate. Besides the shield you also have a plasma pistol at your disposal
  
• Sniper: A sniper Jackal is equipped with a Beam rifle (kinda like an alien sniper rifle) or a Covenant Carbine. The longer you play the more accurate you will be
  

Grunt(Unggoy): THE lowest on the caste of the Covenant. Grunts are often used as canon fodder to weaken the enemy for the Jackals and Elites. Grunts need methane to breath, so you will almost always see them wearing their breathing apparatus'

• Infantry: Consists of 4 separate ranks. You will start at a Grunt Minor. Once you get to the fourth rank, you will be able to command other Grunts (up to 4 or 5)
  
• Spec Ops: A special type of Grunt, that works with other elites, and usually is equipped with a stealth suit. Their are no ranks for the Spec Ops Grunt.
  

Below is a more in-Depth site with information about the covenant:
halo.wikia.com/wiki/Covenant
If you find a more interesting covenant species, PM me and ask about it.

Promotions: After playing for so long, or after killing so many opponents, i will PM you, saying that you are eligible to get a promotion. I will tell you what your promotion is, what rank you will be, what your armor/weapons will be like, etc.

Depending on what race you are will depend on how much you get promoted. For example, the Special Operations Grunt cannot get promoted, whereas an Elite has around 7 ranks.

Also, the more you are promoted, the harder it will be for you to be promoted even further. There may be more than one position you can choose from if you want to be promoted. This is extremely rare, and only really works for the Elites.

You can (though i wouldn't encourage it) change species. The new character can't have the same name, and will no longer be mentioned. Any and all promotions/weapons that you have earned will be lost, and will start back out with the standard weapons of that species. You MUST PM of this change before it is official. I will reply to your PM telling you if its okay (Most likely it will be), and give you your basic information about your new character.

Weapons

Human:

M6C Pistol: Standard UNSC firearm. Shoots six 12.7mm semi-armor piercing rounds


BR55 Rifle :Fires 9.5mm rounds from 36 round magazine. It has a 2X scope, and fires in short bursts of three rounds. This weapon is extremely accurate.


Sub Machine Gun (SMG):Fires a sustained burst of 5 mm rounds in a 60-round magazine.This mini machine gun is not accurate over long distances.


S2 AM Sniper Rifle: Able to fire 4 14.5mm armor piercing, fin-stabilized, rounds. Has to levels of Magnification, 5X, and 10X. Made for long-range shots only.



M19 SSM Rocket Launcher: A shoulder-fired rocket launcher with 2X level of Magnification. Shoots 102mm shaped-charge tracking rockets. Deadly if the rocket detonates too close to you



M90 Shotgun: Powerful Pump-action that uses 8-gauge rounds with strong recoil. Best when used in confined spaces, or from short distances. Has a total of 12-shell capacity.



Fragmentation Grenade: Basic grenade with a 15-30 foot radius



Covenant:

Plasma Pistol(Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol): Semi-automatic energy weapon that is able to fire rapid bursts of superheated plasma. Holding the trigger for an extended period will overcharge the plasma bolt, making the expended shot more powerful. but once the charged shot is discharged, it will overheat and becomes temporarily unusable for a few moments



A plasma pistol about to release an overcharged shot


Plasma Rifle(Type-25 Directed Energy Rifle): Mostly used by Elites, the Plasma Rifle can be automatic or semi-automatic. Like the plasma pistol, it will overheat if you overuse it for too long

A spartan using a Plasma rifle


Needler(Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher): Fires crystalline projectiles that home in on organic targets. The needles pierce the flesh, and then explode. The only defense against this is an energy shield(Like that of a SPARTAN or Elite), or ducking behind cover.30 rounds per magazine



Covenant Carbine(Type-51 Carbine): Fires single rounds with high power and accuracy. Has 36 rounds per magazine



Particle Beam Rifle(Type-50 Sniper Rifle System): A very precise weapon, with both 5X and 10X magnification. Their are 18 bursts per charge. Used mainly as a sniper rifle



Covenant Energy Sword: Carried only by high-ranking elites, the energy sword has been rarely seen in combat.



Fuel Rod Gun(Type-33 Light Anti-Armor Weapon): Launches highly radioactive fuel rod projectiles. Its big, bulky, and heavy, having only 5 rounds per clip.



Plasma Grenade: Grenade that is able to adhere to combatants or vehicles, often called a "sticky grenade" for this reason.
An unused plasma grenade


A plasma grenade smoking blue smoke


Mutual Enemy
The Flood

Infection Form:The Flood Infection Form is the first stage of the virulent Flood xenoform and is the most commonly seen stage of the Flood and the form that infects lifeforms to spread the Flood infection.The Flood Infection Form appears at first glance to be repulsive yet harmless, but once it gains physical contact with a biological host, it becomes an instantly deadly foe. Small tentacles underneath its body penetrate the skin, tap into the victim's spinal cord, and unleash an attack on the host's nervous system via direct contact with the spinal cord, thus rendering the host's legs useless, so that he/she won't be able to run. Once this is accomplished, it rewrites the neural pathways of the victim's brain with its tendrils, forcing a resonant frequency match between its neural signals and the host's. Then it releases the Flood Super Cell which overwrites the host DNA and causes rapid mutation. The creature being infected during this process is still alive but has no control during this process. After this is accomplished, it starts to edge its way into the body, liquefying the organs to create the tentacles on the left hand from the calcium obtained and finally nest itself within the chest cavity of its host. After liquefying the insides, it will begin to liquefy the outside body to harden, making a very hard "carapace", all this happens within a matter of seconds. If a match cannot be obtained, the host will be left alone by the Infection form, although it is likely that the Flood will eliminate it (if it is not already dead) and save the host's body for later sustenance. An Infection Form may also abandon its host if he/she has been critically injured, and look for a new one. Several Infection Forms, sometimes ranging from 5 to 15 Infection Forms at once, can attack certain victims.



Combat Form:A Combat Form is not a natural organism, but rather a mutated host infected by parasitic Flood Super Cells implanted by an Infection Form. Successful creation of a Combat Form requires a host with sufficient biomass and calcium store. After mutation begins, the infection form attaches with a protruding neural connection that allows it to command the host's nervous system, thus rendering command of the legs or arms useless. During the infection process, the host's internal organs are liquefied and the nutrients from them are used to develop the tentacles and other appendages.

The host stays alive during the transformation process and can even be conscious and aware after the final transformation. This process is presumably very painful and terrifying. Once fully transformed, the Infection Form has total control over the host's body and changes the physical appearance of the host to better suit its own needs. (Although an infected host will be roughly the same size as it was before.) Combat Forms retain the host's previous skills and so can wield weapons(not dual wield), drive vehicles and board enemy vehicles. However, Infection Forms do not require their hosts to still be alive for infection. Even dead hosts are suitable for conversion into a Combat Form, reanimating again after being infected. Though the brain tissue remains dead, the victim's biomass and calcium reserves are sufficient to warrant infection. In the initial stage of a Flood outbreak, the Feral Stage, Combat Forms communicate using pheromones and have one instinctual behavior: to secure new hosts to strengthen the local controlling intelligence. Once a sufficient store of biomass is available for the Flood to enter the Coordinated Stage and begin forming Pure Form Flood, the Combat Forms are used either as defensive units or calcium/biomass reserves. According to the Master Chief, it looked like an Elite, except it appeared that someone had "killed him, buried the body, and dug it up two weeks later". Flood infection is a rapid and efficient biological process, which can take under a minute in extreme cases. The Flood can recognize if a potential host is immune, and will focus on that organism above other threats in the area. A group of Flood will occasionally go after Sentinels if they are perceived the greatest threat in the area, although Sentinels are unable to be infected by the Flood. The Flood will not attack the player, but simple stand idle. Implying that the memories the Flood has absorbed seems to have a degree of influence over their actions. However, if other Flood arrive it will resume attacking.



Carrier Form:is a type of normal Flood form primarily used to both create and transport Infection Forms thus effectively spreading the Flood.Carrier forms are formed from older Combat Forms or from bodies that are unsuitable for combat, such as a Unngoy but Kig-Yars can't be infected because they have low calcium. Combat Forms may be converted when they reach the end of their life span, or become too damaged to fight. Carrier Forms perpetuate the Flood species by acting as incubators for newly created Infection Forms and keeping them safe until they're fully developed. Eventually when a Combat Form has lived long enough, it will also evolve into a carrier, regardless of its status.

Once the Infection Forms are ready, the carrier simply explodes spontaneously, sending the new Infection Forms flying into the air. As soon as the Infection Forms are released, they begin searching for new hosts. It should be noted that Carrier Forms won't wait until full maturation has occurred.

If potential enemy hosts are nearby, it will simply get close to them and explode, sending the Infection Forms flying at the unsuspecting and often injuring or killing enemies. The explosion of a Carrier Form is like the explosion of a fragmentation grenade, and deals damage to anything nearby.



Pure Forms
As implied by their name, Pure Forms are not the product of infecting a biological host, but are instead composed entirely of Flood biomass. Because they employ a calcium-based exoskeleton for protection, these forms are significantly more resilient than the conventional Flood forms

Tank Form:Tank Forms are large and easily spotted. Unlike the other Flood Pure Forms, they can not climb on walls and ceilings. These Flood can take a tremendous amount of damage,they also occasionally spew Infection Forms from their 'mouths'.


Ranged Form: Ranged Forms can usually be found clinging to ceilings or walls, though unlike the Stalker Form, they rarely move from a given spot. They can fire sharp projectiles at you, without the need of a weapon. These are slightly more tricky to kill due mainly to the fact that they can have you pinned down in a position for a very long time. If they are left alone for some time, they will change back into a Stalker form, get a better angle, and become a Ranged form again.



Stalker Form:Stalker forms are extremely agile and can jump large distances. They tend to crawl on ceilings and walls before leaping at an opposing enemy. Generally speaking, the Stalker Form are too fast to be aimed at for any significant period of time. However, should one drop down from the ceiling, the best policy is to melee it. Don't waste ammo trying to shoot it, they are very resistant to bullets. They attack far more rarely than the other two forms. If you leave one alone for some time or if you get close to it, it will either become a Tank or Ranged form


Rules

Okay, basically, I am GOD. I control everything EXCEPT you. I decide whether your shots aim true, or if you miss. You can't state your environment; I will state it for you. You can't control other characters unless they are your own. That being said, I’m not gonna make you miss every shot, I’m going to try to make it as realistic as possible. What I do not make clear in my post you can use to your advantage, and vice versa (within reason; you're not going to just randomly find a fully-loaded rocket launcher on the ground, and stuff like that). I’m kinda taking some other RPG's thunder with this, but this particular system tends to work, so that’s what I’m sticking with.

And if you can't post at least every other day, then don't sign up, please. If you cannot post, and know about it, PM so i at least know about it. If you are sick, that is an exception, too. But if you were having a conversation with someone, and you don't post for a week, because you didn't feel like getting on, there will be consequences.

Please try to spell things right, we have a spell check, if you can't spell, use it.

Objective: (I will give your character more specific objectives, but each characters objective really depends on their species/branch of the military)

Humans:To rescue any civilians, destroy all flood outbreaks, and obliterate the Covenant bases.

Covenant: Destroy everything that has no allegiance to the Hierarchs


Profile
Okay, so if you decide you want to join this RPG, i want you to PM me your profile in this format. If the Species you decide has a rank, then you will automatically start out at the lowest rank. But don't worry, you WILL BE PROMOTED. The more your promoted, the wider variety of weapons you will have, better aim, etc, etc.

Species:
Name:
Gender:
Desired Rank:(Only neccessary if there is more than one rank)

Desired Weapons:(You won't start with an energy sword and Rocket launcher, but will have the chance as you are promoted)If you are a human you start with a SMG and a Pistol/3 Grenades. If you are Covenant, You have the choice of either a Plasma Rifle/Plasma Pistol and 5 plasma Grenades. Though i will make sure you end up with the weapons you want.

Backstory: Your characters past. Here is where you put anything and everything about them that makes them unique. Please try to keep these at least semi-realistic
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Getting Started
Once i read your Profile, i will send you a PM, telling you where you are stationed, who your comrades are, etcetera, etcetera. I will then write an "Intro RPG" that will give you a description of your surroundings. Then you are free to Role-Play away.

Once i get at least two people signed up, i will start this baby up. just as a reminder this is my first RPG, so it probably sucks. So if you have questions about something i didn't make clear, just PM me and i will gladly answer them.

I'm sorry that some of the pictures are really big while some are small.

[LoneWolf]

Covenant Setting


Current Location: Just above the Flood and Covenant occupied Alpha Halo, Aboard Covenant Assault Carrier preparing to depart into Slipspace
Current Time: Ninth Age of Reclamation

Fleetmaster Derzo Yetillamee stretched his lower mandibles as his Assault Carrier Swift Pursuit departed from the 1rst discovered Forerunner relic.

The Holy Prophet of Truth ordered Derzo to disengage from the Halo ring, and engage the humans on a planet they call Plootoh.

"Shipmaster, we are ready to enter slipspace on your command." Kano Frillamee, his Navigations Officer announced. Derzo rose from his throne-like hover chair, and analyzed the multiple screens in the cavernous Brig. There were no humans to slaughter, just the star speckled emptiness of space.

"Very well, Frillamee, take us to the Sol system so we may purge another planet of the human plague." Derzo ordered calmly, not taking his snakelike eyes from the many screens. Kano did as was told, and before long, a slit of black energy came into being. Slipstream space. It amazed him every time.

Derzo quickly returned to more appropriate thoughts, and surveyed the screens as the bulk of Swift Pursuit glided through the portal. Immediately after the Carrier was enveloped, the opening sealed, leaving no sign of the Covenant ship.

The Shipmaster relaxed, enveloping his gold-armored head in his hands and hissed a sigh. The rest of the fleet would rendezvous in the Tilling system, where they would sweep away the human defenses and glass every square inch.

He was tired. After being alert and conscious for over 3 units, he felt drowsiness pull at his thoughts and movements. Knowing that a tired Shipmaster was a careless one, he stood from his throne, and moved to his bridge crew.

"I'm going to rest. Alert me when we are near within 5 cycles of exiting Slipstream space." He commanded to his lower-ranking Sangheili. With that, he turned and left the silent Elites.

The violet metal doors in front of him split open allowing, showing a deserted corridor that led for miles, and branched off into other sections of the ship. But he knew where he was going and moved forward until he reached his first split in the corridor. he could take left or right. Derzo instinctively moved to the left path and continued his trek through the well-lit, silent hallway.

After 15 more cycles of walking straight, he finally reached a doorway that was unique among the rest of the ship. A faint green light hung in the air around the air, signifying the Shipmaster's personal quarters. He closed in, and the proximity-based doors slid open.

Derzo moved groggily through the entranceway, to find his room just as he'd left it. The sleeping bunk was positioned against the far wall, his weapons were still stacked against the luxurious weapon rack of to his right, Food and drink dispenser of to his left, among a computer console and screen.

Without hesitating, Derzo moved straight for his bunk. It only took a couple minutes for him to drift off to sleep.

It seemed like he'd only just fallen asleep when he heard the computer console elicit a series of whirring buzzes to alert him of someone trying to communicate with him. Derzo slowly sat up, forcing himself awake. Next he moved to the console next to his food dispenser.

Derzo tapped in a string of buttons, allowing Kano Frillamee's drowsy face appear on-screen.

"Greetings, Excellency. I trust you slep well, hmm?" He asked respectfully, slightly envying him. Derzo winked away the remnants of all drowsiness before responding.

"Yes. How long before we depart from Slipspace?" Derzo countered calmly, eying a pulsing red orb to the upper right of the screen.

"About 10 cycles, Excellency. It was difficult to wake you." Frillamee responded truthfully.

Derzo nodded, and said, "I've got someone else trying to contact me. I will be at the bridge in just a few cycles," his gaze turned to glowing red orb, which he tapped. Kano Frillamee's face dissapated, and was replaced by a Major Domo by the name of Jara Vervtee.

The Major Domo's vibrant blue armor was battle damaged, filled with bullet holes, dents and scratches. A look of pain, anger and shame all were upon his face.

"Excellency, a great shame wracks my body this day." The inferior Sangheili said as his arm cradled his stomach with one hand, and clutching a Plasma Rifle with the other.

Derzo caught his breath , "What has happened?"

The Elite opened his mouth to speak when he turned his gaze off-screen and verbalized a low growl.

"There’s another batch of them! Check your surroundings you incompetent fool!" The Major Domo chided to someone off-screen, when a series of cries and screams caused him to level his plasma Rifle fired. Blue streaks of plasma lanced to the side somewhere as another elite and a grunt retreated back to the Major Domo's position.

A hail of bullets plucked the grunt into the air like a flower, and then was hurled back to the ground thanks to gravity. The other elite roared, firing until the weapon stopped firing. a slide on the weapons flank slid back and superheated air escaped, cooling the weapon, making it usable again. But before the inexperienced Sangheili could fire at the unseen enemy, a large mass of flesh landed on top of him, leaving only the Major Domo standing.

The Combat form wrapped its whip-like arm around the wounded Elite, and jerked its arm to the right, snapping its foe's neck. The Major Domo brought his weapon down onto the course exoskeleton, now only a remnant of the human it once was. It absorbed the blow, but stepped back. The human head was tilted at a sickening 90-degree angle, and in its place was a throbbing Infection Form lodged deep into the torso.

The Major Domo growled and fired a sustained burst into the Combat form's chest, causing the exposed infection form to detonate harmlessly. Having eliminated all resistance, the Sangheili turned back to Derzo.

"The Flood. They have found a way onboard. I am sorry sir. They have been on Since we departed with the ruined Halo relic." With that, a pale balloon-like pod plopped down on the downed Combat Form, and quickly wriggled its way into the things torso, reanimating it.

Derzo was about to alert the other, but it was too late. The Flood form was already on its feet, and brought its weapon to bear. A sudden burp of SMG fire and violet blood spewed from the Major Domo's chest cavity. The Elite grasped his chest, looking down at it in awe, knowing he was about to die.

Derzo cut the connection, and activated the ships COM.

"This is Fleetmaster Derzo Yatillamee, speaking. I want every able-bodied soldier to report to the brig. A cluster of Flood has boarded our ship. Come with every weapon you have." He announced in as calm a voice he could manage.

The Shipmaster turned to his weapon rack, snatching the deactivated hilt of his personal energy sword, and holstered it on his thigh. Next he snatched two Plasma Rifle's, and quickly exited his room, to find dozens of retreating covenant. All were headed for the safety of the Bridge.

A feeling of shame coursed through his veins as he sprinted for the Bridge. The Flood. He had only engaged them once on the Halo ring, and he absolutely loathed them. The Shipmaster hated the flood out respect, and fear. They were a worthy enemy.

Thats when he heard a surprised yelp of pain and surprise. Yetillamee turned to find a wave of Infection forms swarming a large brute.

"Everyone, get to the cabin!" Derzo bellowed firmly to the rest of the Covenant populace, leveling his dual weapons at the infected Jiralhanae, whose roars of agony were silenced as it fell to its knees. For a moment, the only move it made was the slight twitching of various muscles as the Incection form toyed with the Jiralhanae's muscles. Obeying orders, and listening to common sense, the retreating group of Grunts, Elites, Jackals Brutes and Drones all ran for the Cockpit. This left Derzo to face a feral Jiralhanae Combat form.

The Combat form lunged for the Shipmaster, who reflexively fired at the beast. Azure plasma hissed from his Type-25 Directed Energy Rifle, through the air and struck the Brute, but it wouldn't slow. Instead, it rushed the warrior with vigor, ramming him to the ground, causing him to drop his rifles. His Shield overheated and died. Panic poisened his heart when he reached for his Energy Sword to find it gone. The Combat form stepped forward, raising both hands for the fatal blow. Derzo frantically searched for his Sword, finding it just within arms-length.

His fingers curled around the curved hilt of his deactivated energy sword, flicking his wrist to activate it. The Combat form roared and began to bring his arms down. His shields wouldn't be able to recharge in time. The Shipmaster swung hard to the left, successfully removing the reanimated Jiralhanae's forearms from its body. A dull, greenish-yellow mist was secreted from the wounds.

To finish the creature off, Derzo deactivated his Energy blade, holstered it, and snatched his Plasma Rifles, and held down the trigger. Once the creature was dead, he turned and sprinted for the bridge. A feeling of slight vertigo made him realize that they had just exited Slipspace.

3 Elite Combat forms dropped from an air duct, surrounding him. He had to get to the Cockpit, now. Derzo was able to take the trio out of existence with little incident, allowing him to resume his journey.

He finally reached the doorway of the Bridge, tp the find both doors had been broken down. Derzo moved to where the wall meets the doorway, and peeked into the room, to find-nothing. Absolutely nothing, except for steaming Flood corpses. Where was everybody. His heart skipped a beat when he saw where they were on the computer consoles. They were currently piercing Pluto's artificial atmoshpere. They were on a collision course, and there was no stopping it.

A low grumble caused Derzo to turn, to find hundreds of Flood, all ready to fight to the death to slay him. A righteous anger coursed through him as he dropped one Plasma Rifle and replaced it with his energy sword, and jumped into the wave of Enemies, roaring, "For the Hierarchs!". Soon he would transcend the physical, and be on the great Journey, to meet his Gods.

[LoneWolf]

Human Setting:

August 13, 2552 (Human Military Calendar)/ Aboard UNSC Destroyer Passin' Through orbiting Pluto

Commander William H. Wallace felt a pang of fear, joy, and bewilderment as the Covie Assault Carrier dipped into Pluto’s synthetic atmosphere. It, along with a fleet of fellow carriers, had just exited out of Slipspace a few minutes ago. But the sabotaged Carrier must've sent out a distress signal, because the rest of the ships had reentered slipspace. This left a single ship, which was accelerating towards Pluto's surface.

By the grace of god, the other ships left. William thought. Because I would simply be a nuisance to all those Covie’s. He wondered why they had left, but pushed it to the back of his mind.

As long as the other covenant ships didn't circle back any time soon, Commander Wallace would remain calm and contained. His immediate objective was to alert the rest of the Sol system that the Covenant knew they were here, and the secondary objective was to notify Plutians of the occurence.

The Commander moved away from the large viewport, closing quickly in on the command station. He stopped next to Ensign Mendell. The loyal navigator had served several campaigns with Commander Wallace. But now was not the time to share war stories.

"Ensign, bring us closer to Pluto." He snapped, before turning to his tactical officer, Lieutenant Strendel.

"Report these happenings to EarthCom. Then Alert the Tuumn Military Base on Pluto. That was where the ship was closest to crashing." William commanded. He prayed to god that the thing didn't land anywhere near the base.

***

Several Weeks later......

Ninth Age of Reclamation (Covenant calendar) Aboard Covenant Super Carrier Doppelganger, exiting Slipspace in Sol System near Pluto.

Communication was linked with the doomed ship Swift Pursuit, with a Navigation's Officer by the name of Kano Frillamee. The flood had found a way to force them out of Slipspace, instead of being taken to a more secure location as was planned. But almost as soon as the Officer had sent the SOS, he was consumed by the flood. The rest of the fleet knew it was suicide to attempt to save the ship, so they quickly dipped back into Slipspace, to get as far away from the super-heating form of Swift Pursuit as it descended onto Pluto's surface.

After the devestation of a flood outbreak near the human home world, the Hierarch's felt an unprecedented amount of shame and hate. Now the flood had successfully landed on a heavily populated planetoid, with the probability of ships to scour the universe for more sentient life. The High Prophets knew they must send a warrior with skill, and warrior's to match it.

The only able Sangheili that fit that criteria was none but the Councilor Elite, Rago Ratonamee, and his Super carrier Doppelganger

On the Doppelganger deep in Hangar Bay 3, a Kig-Yar Sniper by the name of Kyr’griel Elumium re-checked his inventory of a Covenant Carbine with 7 extra clips, Plasma pistol, Energy Shield and two Plasma grenades, while chatting calmly with a pair of fellow Kig-Yar preparing to land on the Human planet of 'Plootoh'. With the trio of Jackals, a pair of grunts yowled and whined about their rest deprivation. At the head of all of this stood a calm and fierce elite clad in pure white armor. It was the groups Elite Ultra, whose name has long been respected among the Infantry of the Doppelganger. His name was Anto Kerasee.

"Eh Kyr'griel, your going to watch my back?" Gavatan Numoir asked threateningly. Gavatan was by far the largest of the Jackals, and had a bad reputation for picking fights with other Kig-Yar, like the other Jackal in the group, Ukatar Bavar. Before anything could escalate, a large U-shaped Spirit dropship hovered to their position from the other side of the Hangar.

Up until now, the cavernous, crate-littered Hangar had been deserted, but a trickle of Grunts and lowly jackals began to make their way into the bay.

The Dropship slowly descended until it silently grazed the ground. Its side flaps flipped outward ninety degrees, creating two ramps for entry. Anto Kerasee snapped his gaze to his inferiors.

"Enter the Dropship fools, we successfully exited Slipstream space. Today we fight the Flood!" He roared, snatching the deactivated hilt of an Energy Sword from a small ammo crate, siding his Plasma rifle.

More and more dropships entered the hangar from a large crevasse in the cieling, and numerous Covenant streamed in to embark into the unknown. The fight was about to begin.

[Aseigan Cetanu]

As the numerous ships descended to the ground, the near dropship's ramps folding outward, Kyr'griel snarled a reply to the larger Jackal. "I'll watch you through my eyes if you behave, Gavatan, through my sights if you don't."

Locking a magazine into the Covenant Carbine that Kyr'griel now carried, he looked over his available weaponry and defensive items. He strapped the energy shield generator on, sliding the plasma-pistol onto his right hip's holster and locking the grenades onto his left hip with trained proficiency, before turning back to their leader, Elite Ultra Anto Kerasee. "Elite Ultra Anto..." Kyr'griel began, stating his title as a term of respect. "...how far until we engage the Flood?" the jackal asked in a growling, dog-like voice with a screeching hawk-tone underlying the carnivorous accent.

He followed the group towards the dropship, following the Elite Ultra until they were aboard the ship and waiting for his response. As he waited, he attuned himself for battle, his mental exercise of slowly paying more and more attention to the environment around him allowing him to pay close attention to Anto Kerasee while still maintaining alertness to attacks from other sources. Fighting the Flood, one had to be as awake and focused on not being caught by surprise as possible.

[LoneWolf]

(sorry it took so long for me to reply Aseigan, i was having computer troubles)
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More and more Covenant streamed into the rapidly filling Hangar. The Spirit’s two mandibles were exposed, showing 4 separated seats, sectioned off by curved barriers. One seat at the very front was the largest, made for an average sized Sangheili, looked the most comfortable, with delicate armrests. The next two were somewhat shorter, with stubby armrests, and looked quite a bit less comfortable, they were made for the Kig-Yar. The last seat was stout, squat, and looked the least comfortable. This one was designed for the Unggoy.

Anto took the first seat, Kyr’griel the 2nd, Ukatar the 3rd, and an Unggoy by the name of BoBoh vacated the final seat. Gavatan Numoir and the final grunt embarked on the second prong.

Anto began strapping in, placing his Plasma Rifle, and the curved hilt of his Energy Sword on a weapons rack that was placed on the wall separating him and Kyr’griel.

“To answer your question, we’ll be leaving shortly. It may only take about 2 minutes to land, and a half-hour to find our objective.” Anto whispered quietly, checking his surroundings for eavesdroppers. He then leaned forward, his gaze dead serious.

“I cannot tell you, or the rest of my underlings the full extent of our mission at our current location. But I will inform you as soon as we reach Plootoh’s surface. What I can tell you is that this mission is crucial to the Covenant.” He finished, sitting back. The ramp then flipped forward, smothering Kyr’griel in darkness.

A deep purple light flicked on with a light buzzing noise, and the monotonous shiver of the Spirit’s engine’s came to life, massaging his back. Next came the sensation of his stomach dropping to the floor as they lifted off, and glided forward.

The Spirit was like a speck to the enormous Assault Carrier Doppelganger. But Phantom’s, and other Spirit Dropship’s surrounded this specific carrier. This changed when the Pilot jerked the control yoke to the right, causing the flier to turn to the right as well, removing itself from the flock of ships without crashing. Before long, the metallic wall that kept Kyr’griel pinned inside hinged outwards. His safety belt automatically released its captors, and the small squad of Covenant leapt of the curved ramp, where they landed on the ground one-foot later.

The squad had been placed in the center of an opening in a wave of trees and vegetation. Waist-high grass whipped back-and-forth, completely surrounding them. By the way the Sun was positioned in the sky, Kyr’griel could tell it was what the human’s called “afternoon”.

“You all are probably unaware of our mission objective,” The Ultra said, facing his underlings, “Now I may tell you. We are to find the downed Covenant Carrier Swift Pursuit, and trigger the self-destruct. The Covenant cannot allow any of our technology fall into the large Ape’s hands.” He looked slowly into the face of each of his soldiers, respect filling his stare, before continuing.

“We will most likely encounter opposition. It could be human or Flood. So be on your guard-we have a long walk ahead of us. From here on, use only hand signals to communicate.”

Anto Kerasee curled the fingers of his left hand around the handle of his stout blue Plasma Rifle, and used the other hand to issue a series of hand gestures. They meant, 'move fast, but silent'. The white-armored Sangheili trudged forward silently, and everyone else quickly did the same. They were going east, into the thick of this foreign jungle.

[Aseigan Cetanu]

Kyr'griel nodded silently as they descended, the drop ship taking under two minutes to reach the grassy surface of Pluto. As the ship's momentum caused the grass to sway and flatten beneath it, the Jackal felt his seat belt slide off, and knew that his mission had begun.

Filing out with the rest of his squad, he glanced around the area, but before he could do an adequate search of the surrounding area, he was directed by his leader to go forward, the mission objective burned fast into the Kig-Yar's memory. As they began their trek to the downed Covenant Ship, Kyr'griel sank low to the grass, all but the black spines atop his head and the two, red, glaring, predatory eyes disappearing below the waving foliage. He shouldered his Covenant Carbine, making sure the safety was off, the magazine tight in its place, and the aim locked dead into the center of his vision, before slowly making his way behind their leader, Anto Kerasee.

As they trekked through the forest, the Jackal kept his keen eyes focused on the surrounding woodlands. He knew from long experience, dating back to the day the Flood ambushed him, the day he first tasted human flesh, that ambush could occur at any moment; the alien being refused to become dead or worse, host to the Flood, because of simple carelessness. His eyes scanned the surrounding area, ready at the first sign of confrontation to put a Carbine bullet into the skull of whatever being dared oppose the Covenant.

Because of his position in the grass, Kyr'griel was rendered invisible to any creature at normal human or lower elevation that happened to be less than 2 or 3 meters away. As a Sniper, the art of hiding was crucial to the savage Jackal, and he had well-mastered its usage. Creeping silently behind the Elite Ultra like some avian dog from the bowels of hell, Kyr'griel once again practiced this technique, blending like a chameleon and becoming one with his environment.

Kyr'griel, at the first sign of danger or trouble, would, keeping his shooting stance, turn on his heel to face the closest or fastest incoming threat, obtain the best possible aim, and then fire on it, before backpedaling, regaining a shooting stance every three or four steps and seeking to take out the closest or fastest target, until there were no targets left. If he was surrounded, or being fired upon by accurate shooters, he would activate his Energy shield and lay down a suppressing fire with his plasma pistol, break a hole through the lines, and escape to the nearest cover on an elevated position, before using his Carbine to cover the others in the group.

[LoneWolf]

For the longest time, the Covenant squad moved through the woodlands without incident. The only thing breaking the monotony was the grumbling, of the pitiful Unggoy.

Only the gentle sound of birds singing foreign music, and the local insects chittering and buzzing, filled the air once the Unggoy stopped complaining.Anto lifted an open hand, gesturing everyone to stop, his armor clinking as he did so. The indigenous birds had stopped chirping. The bugs had ceased making any sort of noise whatsoever. All the raucus had just stopped. And the rancid smell of rotting flesh filled Anto's nostrils.

Next came the unforgettable scuttling sound made from an Infection form, eager to infect its hosts mind and body. Kyr'griel was very experienced when it came to combatting the flood, and immediately knew what the horrendous noise was. Anto, whoever had a minimal knowledge on such things.

"Ughh, by the Hierarchs! What is that ungodly stench!" The Ultra bellowed when it became unbearable, not following his own command.

Suddenly, 3 gargantuan Flood Tank Forms lumbered forward. Each of the creature's large arms were like thick tree trunks. Their hands ended with many short tentacles. Instead of a face, the Tank Form had a large gap, with a thick tentacle on each side. Inside its mouth, two feelers probed the air, with crimson tips on the end.

The eye-less Pure Forms moved forward, even as waves of super-heated plasma streaked forward, sizzling their rotting hides. More, smaller Elite and human combat forms dropped from the trees, while wave upon wave of the ballon-like Infection forms rushed in behind the hulking Tank Forms.

Anto roared as he took several steps back, firing a sustained burst of azure plasma into the Infection forms. One exploded in a hail of fleshy tan shreds, that caused a chain reaction, forcing a dozen near it to detonate.

The Unggoy called Boboh activated two Plasma grenades, tossing them both at the tank forms. One missed its mark, but the other landed and chemically fused itself to the Tank Form's leg. It detonated, cleanly removing its leg.

[Aseigan Cetanu]

Kyr'griel took aim at the nearest Pure form Flood, firing off a round from his Carbine with lethal precision. As the round streaked through the air, Kyr'griel already had managed to re-adjust his aim, and within the shortest possible time period, thanks to his extensive training, had fired off two more rounds, each at a different Pure Form, every one of the three rounds he fired aimed perfectly at the Flood's weakest point of defense. He yelled, as he watched the Flood be cut down by his fellow team mates and saw what his rounds could do to the Pure Forms, "Elite Ultra!" in his snarling, carnivorous voice that rippled with never-ending hunger and instinct, "We have to find some place elevated we can fire on them from! Fighting them on flat ground isn't going to work! They're too fast!"

He changed his aim again to whichever of the Pure Forms was left standing closest, or if there were none, he fired upon the closest concentration of Infection Forms so that his round could destroy the most possible targets. Counting now that he had 32 rounds left, as opposed to the huge number of targets around, a wave of familiarity swept over the Jackal, the sense of hopelessness long gone that he would have felt, that conquered emotion removed from his repertoire of feelings.

"We've got to lay down a suppressing fire!" he shouted above the roar of hot plasma that blasted around them with the loud sound of round after round being pumped into the Flood. Snapping his teeth, the Jackal took aiming at the largest standing Pure form, or the closest grouping of infection forms, and backpedaled, stopping only to fire and readjust his aim before backpedaling again with his sights always locked on his target. In this way, he tried to find his way to a tree he could easily climb so as to have a better position to fight the Flood.

[LoneWolf]

Both Pure forms yelled in pure agony, writhing furiously, before falling to their knees, then to the ground. Kyr'griel's aim was perfect, as always.

Anto Kerasee growled as the last of the Tank Forms collapsed from the combined plasma that burned its mottled green hide. He stepped back, not daring to take his eye of the Flood, moving right next to Kyr'griel.

"There are no hills, or caves of any sort of geographical sanctuary that i'm aware of." Anto answered as he fired another burst from his Plasma rifle into a Combat form.

Another Sangheili Combat form surged forward from the bushes. Anto leveled his firearm, and squeezed the trigger. Nothing. It was rapidly gaining on him. He frantically squeezed the trigger again. Still nothing. Before he could draw his Energy Sword, the reanimated Elite tackled him.

The Ultra quickly pulled his knees to his chest, and shoved the Flood Form off him. He rolled forward using his momentum from the kick, and ended up in a bow. Anto turned to Kyr'griel.

"You are the second in command, here. The Swift Pursuit is due east from here. You're in charge now. Go, Its my time to embark on the great journey. I will slow them down." Anto grabbed the hilt of his deactivated Energy Sword, and flicked his wrist, and two motes brilliant purple-white light formed a triangular blade.

The Sangheili then turned from Kyr'griel, into the arms of evil. The first Flood to engage him was a Stalker form, the clawed at him furiously. Anto parried and uppercut the squat creature, slicing it in half. Its decapitated corpse loosed a light green mist as it crumbled to the ground.

Next came a Human combat form, that leapt fifteen feet into the air, before landing in front of the Sangheili. He responded by ducking just as the monstrosity swung it whiplike arm at him. The creature hissed in agony as he plunged the superheated blade into the tiny infection form buried deep into the Combat Forms torso.

After that, another lumbering tank form appeared, slamming its enormous arm down on Anto, who barely had enough time to step out of the way. The large limb created a large, muddy divot where the Ultra was just a moment before. Moving quickly, he stepped into the opening lunging the blade deep into the Tank Forms mouth, and out the back of its skull.

Things were starting to look optimistic, when another cluster of Infection forms scuttled up from behind Anto. He turned, and swung crazily at the infection forms, missing the majority. By this time, Anto knew he was doomed, and the feeling chilled his blood. But he didn't give up, even as two, Infection forms landed on his torso, wriggling around his body, stabbing randomly deep into his flesh, searching for his spine. Anto began to roar furiously, ripping one off, then squeezing it in his palm until it popped. More and more Infection forms attached to his body,finally gaining a small foothold in his spinal column.

Anto was on his knees, panting heavily, beginning to sob, when he began to twitch. They were playing with his nerves and muscles like a toddler with a new toy. He would have to move fast. Kerasee dropped his energy sword, and grabbed a grenade. He pushed the activation button, and a blue-white fog encircled it. In his last moments of life, Anto thought of his homeworld of Sangheilios, and of his many wives. He would leave all that behind now, he would begin his Great Journey

[Aseigan Cetanu]

Kyr'griel yelled to the surrounding Kig-Yar and Unggoy, "Follow me!", turning his back to the east and activating a single Plasma-Grenade. As he sent the powerful explosive hurtling towards the mob of Infection forms, he made sure it landed an acceptable distance from Anto's grenade, to kill as many of the Flood as possible. He shouted as the first grenade, the Sangheili's grenade, his commander's grenade, exploded, "Say hello to the gods for me Anto. Your great journey is here!"

With the second grenade's explosion, he turned to the east, and with all the speed he could manage, he led the rest of the Covenant forces eastward, towards the Swift Pursuit, away from certain death. As he ran, he thought about when his journey might come, his sacrifice for the Covenant. His leader was dead, and now he was in command. And he wouldn't allow his team to die. He rushed as fast as he could, checking every half minute or so to make sure all of his team was behind him, making sure they kept pace. His eyes darted over the landscape, and at the first sign of danger he would dart like a bird away, firing a Carbine round at the enemy as he retreated and leading the Covenant forces from their premature journey.

The Jackal's red, glaring eyes darted across the landscape, a sparkle of regret hidden behind the warrior's lenses was all that remained visible, of Anto Kerasee.

[LoneWolf]

The twin detonations had effectively slaughtered the remaining flood opposition. Kyr’griel wisely choose to continue to move east. The new leader of the Covenant squad had effectively lost the mob of Flood. Or so it was for the time being. Kyr'griel and his underlings moved quickly, anxious to leave their foes behind.

After traveling for almost 15 minutes, the trees around them were relieved of any leaves or vegetation. The trunks were also a deep black. They had been scorched by some superheated material. The further east they got, more burned everything was, until nothing remained but the charred ground.

What they saw in the absence of the indigenous flora was an enormous ditch. The ground had a long gash in it, about a mile long, and a quarter-mile wide. One end slowly moved back into woodlands, while the other end led to the remains of the Swift Pursuit. The stern of the ship jutted from the trench, extending far into the evening sky. Luckily, the squad was relatively close to the downed Swift Pursuit.

It would be dark soon, the sun was low in the sky, and not even Kyr’griel’s keen eyes were as attuned as the Flood’s senses. He would have to move quickly to achieve the highest probability of survival.

[Aseigan Cetanu]

Kyr'griel motioned for his squad to follow with a quick gesture of his taloned hand, then like a prehistoric raptor, was off. The Jackal held his Carbine forward, the ever-so-slightly glowing tip pointing his direction like the North Star to the Underground Railroad, long ago in human times.

The Jackal made his way across the charred and barren plain, each footstep bringing him and his small force closer to their goal. As they neared the Swift Pursuit, the leader of the group, the Kig-Yar Sniper himself, motioned for them to halt. He stared up shortly at the giant ship, embedded so firmly in the burnt ground it had created. Then, without a second's more pause, he waved forward, and unmistakable 'go', and rushed to the ship.

As his companions followed him, Kyr'griel walked to the nearest hole in the stern or entrance, his Covenant Carbine's illuminating barrel leading the way, and slowly entered, sweeping the barrel from side to side in an attempt to find any being, Flood, Covenant, or Human, who might be hiding amidst the wreckage of the ship. If all was clear, he would motion for the others to come through and into the room, then use more complex hand gestures to indicate that they should spread out and form a V-shaped unit, with the pointed end of that V being him.

However, if all was not clear, the quick Jackal would fire off a Carbine shot at the closest threat, jump back out the way he came, and motion for his team mates to train their fire upon the hole he had just left, before aiming the weapon at the hole himself and waiting for the enemy to exit. However, Kyr'griel would make sure that he wasn't firing on a Covenant soldier before the attack, and would motion for his team to enter in V-shape as before if he found any Covenant.

[LoneWolf]

They moved as one, marching bravely through the large trench, to the immobile Swift Pursuit that jutted awkwardly to the heavens. As they entered the carrier through a large tear about three feet wide, Ukatar noticed that the lower tip of the sun was probing the lush horizon. It would be dark soon.

An eerie, foreboding silence wracked the squad with fear as they began to form the . Kyr'griel seemed the most composed of all of the team. But showing fear around one's inferior's would cause panic, and, in a domino-effect, instill fear in others.

The interior of Swift Pursuit was a mess. Deactivated cables hung limply from the cieling, while doors were unhinged, and dead flood, human, and Covenant corpses were strewn across the floor. And worst of all, all of the lights had either run out of power, or shut-off.

Finding no movement, or resistance, the squad moved forward into the mysterious abyss. The only lights were those that emanated from the squad's energy weapons, illuminating the walls in a dull blue and green.

Kyr'griel began to move his group towards the Swift Pursuit's Navigation Sector, or what humans refer to as the Bridge, or Cockpit. That was where they would find their objective. They would have to hack the command console, and activate the self-destruct sequence. It would take a special skill to hack the console, so the squad was given Ukatar Bavar, an expert in the ways of technology.

The V-shaped assault unit trekked warily through the dark, ominous hallways, ready at a moments notice to fight and kill anything in their way. Once they reached a curve in the endless corridor's a universal feeling of omen passed through the fellowship of warriors

Parts of the walls of the corridor caved in from the crash, creating cover, and possible hiding spots. It made Ukatar nervous. So nervous, in fact, he decided to verbalize his fear.

"Uh, Kyr'griel? I don't like this. My gut tells me we redirect our route somewhere else." He muttered respectfully, his eyes glued to the floor in sumission.

This was the most direct route to the Bridge, Kyr'griel knew that. But Ukatar could be right. This might be some Flood ambush waiting to happen, or simply just a feeling. Another factor to keep in mind was the sun's untimely setting. When it was dark outside, as well as inside, the Covenant squadron would loose any advantage they had over the flood. But the choice was purely, and only Kyr'griel's.

[Aseigan Cetanu]

Kyr'griel thought for a few moments, and then said to his underling, as he too stared at the ominous wreckage, "...alright, we can find another route. You know mechanics and blueprints of ships like these better than me, in a generic layout which way is our best bet to getting to the Navigation Sector?"

The Jackal turned his head to the fellow Kig-Yar, looking him square in the eyes with a confident stare in an attempt to encourage him out of their frightened stupor. He kept the Carbine pointed at the corner, but lowered the butt from his shoulder, keeping ready to jerk it back into a firing position at a moment's notice.

"And don't be worried if you don't know, Ukatar. We can always find another way, its the center of the ship."

The Sniper permitted himself to smile a little, trying to instill as much hope in the group as he possibly could. He, himself, did not feel very hopeful, but he knew that the morale of a fighting unit was the key to success, and he wasn't about to let him team mates die because they were too afraid, justifiably, to fight well.

[LoneWolf]

Ukatar listened intently to his superior. He felt his heart skip a beat when Kyr'griel complemented him on his knowledge of Covenant Blueprints.

He moved to an arched doorway, which branched off into a hallway. Ukatar was deep in thought, nervously scratching the underside of his beak, pacing slowly back-and-forth.

"We go here." The Kig-Yar announced slowly, pointing down the second hallway. It was extremely narrow, room enough for two people to stand side by side in. It wouldn't be good if they were ambushed, and would be much easier to slaughter than the rather spacious, debris-filled hallway. Now Kyr'griel was faced with another decision.

[Aseigan Cetanu]

Kyr'griel looked down the narrow hallway, thinking intently to himself. Strategically, that hallway was a nightmare, but this could work... if they were ambushed by greater numbers, this would be a much easier hallway, with no chance of them being surrounded. However, this would also mean they couldn't all fire on one enemy at a time, at least not easily, and it would be harder for all of them to even fire in the first place.

The Jackal walked over to the hallway, looking down it, and then looked down at his off-hand arm, an idea striking him. He said slowly, "This hallway might be a nightmare if we get ambushed, but... I think I have a solution. I'll lead, Gavatan, you cover our rear. Ukatar, if you can direct me through the hallways, Gavatan and me can use our Energy Shields as a kind of blockade on the way there, so that any attackers will need to at least waste ammunition getting through it, instead of cutting through us, and giving us time to retaliate. If we are met with... resistance, we'll need to form tight-quarters firing positions. First row forwards goes prone, second set kneels, third row stands. Everybody got that?"

After waiting for a reply, and receiving one, from everybody, the Jackal would continue. "This way, if we're attacked, we can all still attack from our respective positions. Nobody goes prone until the shields go down, though, understand? Only front row, Gavatan or me, will be firing until the Energy shield nearest the opponent collapses, alright? Here's how this is gonna work. I'll enter first, then you, Ukatar, followed by BoBoh and his fellow Unggoy, and finally, you Gavatan."

Kyr'griel slid his Covenant Carbine into its sheath upon his back, the covering built so he could draw the weapon in an instant, then he pulled forth his Plasma pistol and squeezed his fist, the glowing, blue shield whirring into life. "Are we ready, everyone?" he said confidently, ready to depart.

[LoneWolf]

Everyone happily complied to Kyr'griel's wise orders, except Gavatan, who grumbled as he activated his emerald Energy Shield. Each grunt and Jackal moved into their designated position. Overall it was a very effective maneuver, and probably the easiest. It shifted this hellish nightmare into an uncomfortable trek, of which they might actually survive.

But there was very little room for mistake in this ancient but capable tactic. If one of the vital sheild-bearing Jackals were to fall, morale would plummet, and the lines would be broken. If one of the Grunts fell, they would lose a fundamental amount of covering-fire that they needed. Everything would have to be perfect.

Ukatar guided Kyr'griel through the foreboding, hushed hallways, eager to reach the Command Room, and get out. Finally, they reached a split in the hallway, and left a potentially troubelsome problem for the leader. They would be open on one side.

"We need to go left." Ukatar said shortly, pointing a clawed hand past his raised shield, and into the left section. Now yet another decision was to be made. Would he keep formation, and risk his teammates, or find another way to get through.

But, as Kyr'griel was trying to decide what to do, an unwelcome stench creeped slowly into his nostrils. It smelled of corpses, rotting and decaying. And by the rising tempo of the stench, the Flood was getting closer. He would have to think fast.

[Aseigan Cetanu]

Kyr'griel's nose did not welcome the horrid stench, knowing what it brought. But all the same, it was his to bear. He knew that, as those monsters could attack at any moment, he would have to break their formation. He turned quickly to the others, wanting to get this done before the Flood pounced upon them from both corridors.

"Alright, we can't use this formation to cross here. I know we can all practically taste their stench, and if we leave our side open, we'll be toast. Everyone, line up in our marching order, we'll strafe across this opening, guns at the ready, and resume marching positions when our sides are no longer open. Ready?"

The Jackal waited for every head in the room to nod before he turned so that his side faced the left hallway, and he was staring into the right passage's open, gaping maw. "We'll be going down the left, as Ukatar said. Line up, like I have, guns at the ready and shields down if you've got a better weapon than your Plasma Pistol."

Kyr'griel waited for everyone to get into formation, his glowing shield falling with the whirring of the magnetic field that kept it in place. He drew back from its sheath the Covenant Carbine, pointing it forward, sights as always lined up right in his center of vision, and began the countdown. "1..."

The Jackal smelled the Flood approaching, felt the stench of carrion burning in his nose. "2..."

Kyr'griel couldn't wait any longer for his team to be ready, they had to go, and fast. "3!"

With a jolt of movement, the Kig Yar Sniper began strafing to the side, his gun held well at the ready, ready to kill. Each step brought him closer to safety, the safety of a closed hallway where their shields brought them all the defense they could need.

[LoneWolf]

In a blur of movement, the covenant squadron moved forward, anxious to get to the relative safety of the narrow corridor. they had just left the narrow sanctuary, when the first Brute combat form fell to the ground from the roof, crushing the unnamed grunt underneath it. bones cracked and fluorescent blue blood soaked the ground around the crushed corpse.

The combat form bellowed angrily, backhanding Gavatan, sending him into the nearest wall. Gavatan screamed firing off a stray bolt of superheated energy as he slammed into the wall. He fell to one knee, dazed.

Next, a group of twenty to thirty infection forms emerged from the shadows at their rear, while a pair of carrier forms lumbered forward at the squad's front.

The flood had effectively coldcocked the rearguard, and flattened one of the Unngoy in less than a second. Ukatar felt panic course through him, but quickly quelled it. For him to panic would cause his men to panic, and death would be swift. Ukatar only hope Kyr'griel had a plan.............