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Return to the Ring by MasterCD
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Return to the Ring : part1
Date: 10 January 2004, 4:55 AM
Master Chief gazed out the window of the aircraft. Below him, green grass, trees, waterfalls and the occasional cliff was spread out as far as the eye could see. He sighed, memories assaulting him. This may be another Halo, but it was remarkably similar.
"Preparing to land in 10 seconds...9...8...7..." The pilot's voice crackled slightly on the speakers.
There was slight jerk as the Pelican hit the ground, followed by the hiss of released air as the hatch opened.
"Okay, everybody out. Hurry up, ladies, we don't got all day!" The sergeant had a voice like a jet taking off, and spared no one mercy.
Cortana's voice sounded through his helmet.
"The signal came from about south of that cliff. We should try there first."
The sergeant paused, and scratched his chin.
"Meaning no disrespect, marm, just what the hell are we looking for?"
"Three days ago, the main Earth Headquarters received a transmission, offering help. We are to investigate the signal, and see if it's false or not."
"False? Why would it be false?" piped up Marine, newer than the rest.
"The signal was similar to those emitted by the Covenant. It may well be a trap."
Doubtful muttering broke out among the ranks. No one liked the idea of calmly strolling into a trap.
The Master Chief turned, and stared in the direction they were to head.
"Let's go." His calm voice interrupted the Marine's hisses, and reminded them of their duty.
The sergeant coughed, and ordered the Warthogs to be released. Everyone moved well back. Being squashed by an armoured vehicle was not on anyone's list of priorities.
The Pelicans hovered above, and dropped three Warthogs onto the grassy slope. The Master Chief strode forward, and swung himself into the driver's seat of the closest jeep. A Marine clambered into the gunner seat at the back, while another jumped into the seat beside him.
"Okay men - forward out!" the sergeant boomed. Three sets of feet pressed down on the accelerator, and three jeeps roared into life. Riding a Warthog is not the most comfortable experience. It has the tendency to bounce and skid on every single hill, rut or rock.
After an hour of sliding and jerking, and no sign of Covenant forces, Cortana stopped them. The Master Chief jumped out, analysing his surroundings the moment his feet hit the ground. The Marines were a bit slower to follow, because they were a lot stiffer, not having battle armour to soften the ride.
"Are you certain this is where the signal came from?" the Chief said quietly.
"Not right here, a little further ahead. But the Warthogs should probably stay here. It's too rocky, according to your terrain scanner."
The Master Chief hauled himself onto a rock, to get a better view. Just ahead, there seemed to be several rocky outcrops, and possibly a cave, though he couldn't be sure from this distance.
"It's this way," he called down to the cluster of Marines below him. He turned, leaped down, and started walking towards the cave. Behind him, he could hear the sergeant ordering two Marines to stay behind, and guard the jeeps.
The Chief wove his way between the rocks, steadily advancing. Now that he was closer, he could see it WAS a cave.
"Could the signal have come from the cave?" he questioned.
Cortana considered, before answering. "Maybe. I'll send out a sweep. That'll locate the exact position of the signal. This may hurt a bit." A sudden throb ripped through his head, setting his teeth on edge. He grimaced, but concentrated on Cortana's report.
"The sweep has confirmed your theory. The signal came from the cave, or somewhere really close by."
The Chief paused, thinking, then decided to explore. The Marines had caught up, so he set off again. Everyone was tense with expectation. He could feel it on the very air.
At the mouth of the cave, he hesitated, then flicked on the torchlight. The light illuminated the walls, which seemed to glow eerily. Taking a deep breath, he ventured inside.
The cave was fairly straightforward. The Master Chief had feared a labyrinth, but there was only two times when Cortana had to do the sweep again, to discover the correct tunnel.
They turned left, and the tunnel suddenly opened out into a massive cavern. Everyone gasped, and took a step back, instinctively raising their weapons.
A voice drifted over to them.
"Ah, you've come! Excellent. I wondered if you got lost, or didn't receive my signal!" A figure emerged from behind a rocky pillar. The Master Chief gaped.
He hadn't expected this!
Return to the Ring2 : Some secrets revealed
Date: 11 January 2004, 11:16 AM
A human girl, about 15 years old strolled calmly into the light. At least, she seemed to be human, yet there was something strange about her. Her skin had an almost bluish tinge to it, though that could be the lighting. She was unnaturally tall. And her eyes. They were a pale yellow and glimmered as the torchlight fell upon them. As she raised her hands to show she was unarmed, the Master Chief noticed something else.
Her hands were frighteningly similar to Elite's hands - the same structure, though slightly smaller. Everyone tensed, and raised their weapons. The girl looked startled, then smiled sadly.
"Of course. You will be wary. I assure you I mean no harm. I am not a Covenant - well, not completely." She sighed when no one relaxed. "I can see you will need some convincing. Maybe if I tell you my story, you will trust me." She paused and ran her fingers through her hair. Her hair was amazingly black, but cut quite short.
"I am a compound. Part Elite, part Human. My mother was captured when the colony of Iena fell. I was not yet born, though my mother was pregnant. She died soon after she was taken, but the Covenant extracted my foetus from the womb, and added certain - adjustments.
You see, the Covenant plan to make a race of spies. Covenant warriors that look Human, but are following orders laid down by the Covenant commanders." She smiled grimly. "I am a failure. I look too much like an Elite, and I have too many Human emotions. Elite genes are the preferred type, them being more humanoid than the rest. The Covenant have yet to perfect the procedure, but they are getting closer.
Anyway, to cut a long story shot, they planned to terminate me. I escaped with a few others, and we set up a resistance here. We want to help. As I have just shown you, we know a lot about the way the Covenant function, and their plans for the future. We even have a few pure Covenant followers that have joined us, deciding they don't approve of the casual extermination of the Human race. Will you accept our help?"
The Master Chief didn't answer, his mind reeling with the information he had just absorbed. All around him, looks of disgust and horror registered on the faces of the Marines at the thought of what had been done to innocent children. A few Marines were even looking at the girl with revulsion, as though she was revolting, a contaminated creature.
It was these looks of loathing that spurred him into action. For, as a genetically advanced SPARTAN-11, was he himself not a creature of mixed materials? This thought decided him.
"We will meet your companions, and go from there," he said, then added warningly, "I can make no promises. We will merely see your friends." The girl grinned.
"Excellent! It's a start. This way, stay close please, it gets easier to become lost further on." The Master Chief fell into place beside the girl. She led the way with ease, apparently able to see her way without a light. Abruptly she turned slightly, still moving, and stuck out her hand.
"By the way, I'm EH-518, or Shadow, Phantom Extraordinaire." The Master Chief hesitated, then returned the gesture, shaking her strangely shaped hand.
"SPARTAN-11 C21MC, or the Master Chief." Shadow looked at him with apparent interest.
"One of the cyber-soldiers? Then you and I are somewhat akin, eh?" Her eyes glittered with...curiosity? Satisfaction? Or malice? Cortana cut in, her voice laden with suspicion.
"What do you know about the SPARTAN-11 project?" Shadow looked startled, and looked about her, before realizing where the voice came from.
"Ah, an AI. I don't know much, only rumours of a race of super humans with advanced battle capabilities, that were supposedly all destroyed." She smirked slightly. "This piece of news should cause a bit of disruption, especially after 343-Guilty Spark brought the news of the destruction of Halo 04."
The Master Chief stopped dead. "What did you say?" he said, voice deathly quiet. Shadow looked at him, surprise and alarm etched into her face. "Haven't you heard? It's all over the Covenant stations. Halo 04 was destroyed, by an unknown culprit-" The Chief interrupted. "Yes, I know about that, I destroyed Halo 04. But - did you say 343-Guilty Spark supplied the news?"
Shadow stared at him. "YOU destroyed Halo 04! That's incredible! How did you-" This time Cortana intervened. "Just tell us what you know about 343 already!" The Covenant compound shook her head in silent disbelief. "Guilty Spark has been supplying the Covenant with information for several months now. You speak as though you know of him, but he said he has had no interaction with Humans." She frowned. "I had doubts about that, because he seems to know so much about you and your way of life."
"He did lie." The Master Chief's voice was stunned. "He was on Halo 04, but we thought he was destroyed in the explosion." He turned, eyes bleak behind the mask. "And he knows almost everything."
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