//------------------------------// // Chapter Three: Gotcha // Story: Haylo: Project Thunder // by Twisted Visions //------------------------------// Chapter Three 1900 HOURS, SEPTEMBER 20 2569 (MILITARY CALENDER) \ SYSTEM: CLASSIFIED, ERROR: CLASSIFIED PLANET: CLASSIFIED The lab was buzzing with activity. Out of the personnel that were on the base, only a handful managed to make it to the rally point, leaving it low on guards but making the job easier on the Spartans. "So including you there are fifteen people we need to take with us?" Brimstone said looking over the map with the Major. "That's correct son, all will be armed and ready for combat so that you can relax a little while doing your job" The Major said as he walked around the table "There is a small space around here that we can use as a pick up point, but we are going to be tightly packed if you can't get a Phantom" The major said nervously. Brimstone just shook his head and marked a line from the two points "If you were to wait there, then we would have to clear the whole vehicle depot and get on the ship from there directly. That means you would have to be at the ship in time for us to start dust off, meaning we get there at the same time. Do you think you can handle that?" He asked worriedly. The major shrugged "We have our orders. The top five scientists must be saved and removed from the planet to continue there research else where. Everyone else is to remain in the labs, in like chance that the Loyalists want something here. Last time I checked they were still going on with that whole sacred journey mumbo jumbo" He said, pulling out a cigarette. "Sir, is smoking in a UNSC establishment not against protocol now?" Brimstone said teasingly, causing the Major to shrug "The way I see it? We have some ugly ass visitors topside who want nothing more than us dead and this planet glassed. The UNSC has bigger issues than hounding me down for cigarettes" He said before getting back to business. "This base has a NOVA class nuclear war head planted one level below us set to launch at Celestia's command" He said, prompting the AI to appear "Yes Major that is correct. Under ONI's command I am to detonate the NOVA when all other resources have been spent and we have no further course of action. The blast will most likely tear this mountain to shreds and severely damage any ship in lower orbit" She said casually, as if she had full control. Suddenly Celestia looked confused "Major, it seems the NOVA is being tampered with. Attempts to activate the weapon manually are being made! Sir there is nothing I can do to prevent that! I am also detecting covenant signatures which are unverified! They got in sir!" Celestia said. Suddenly, as if to denote that a large explosion sounded from what seemed to be below them. "Smash, your push ups are complete lets move" Brimstone said as him and the rest of the team started moving. "Sargent! You need to get down..." "Already moving Sir" Brimstone said cutting the Major off. He trotted to the stair well and opened the door, the sound of battle prominent. "Alright, lets see what these suits can do!'' Star Shine said as the team ran down the stairs. Brimstone just shook his head "I wish we didn't have too" He said quietly to himself. Plasma melted the wall right where Brimstones head was not half a second before "Where did all these damn things come from! Celestia! Find the security breach!" Brimstone snapped, tossing a grenade into the enemies cover, scattering them. They hadn't been in the tunnel for a minute and they were already pinned down. Smash was up ahead bucking down a brute before planting a shell right into the things head. "Awe yea man! You bitches wanna fuck with me now? You just got fucking lucky at the camp" He said, taking out a couple grunts. "Smash pull back a little! Last thing we need is for you to get cut off" Brimstone shouted causing Smash to nod and start walking backwards, switching to his Assault Rifle so to suppress brutes now running up the hall. Star Shine was fifty feet behind the rest of the team, a slow and steady cadence of rounds turning heads into melons, giving Brimstone and the team the chance to move up. "Sargent Brimstone, I have discovered the source of the breach. It seems as if the emergency exit was opened manually from the inside. I can't close it until someone deactivates the over ride. A marker just appeared on you HUD" She said cooly. Brimstone mowed down a group of grunts before ducking back into cover "Alright Celestia, we are moving to emergency exit now. We should get there in five minutes if nothing goes wrong" Brimstone said firing at a brute that was trying to reload. Suddenly he heard the sound of a grenade hitting the wall and the tell tale whine that only a Plasma grenade could make. He dive off to the right as fast as he could just as the grenade detonated, causing his shields to flair and wash him with a wave of heat. Warnings flashed across his HUD as his shields and photo-reactive layer failed on him. Not a moment later the ground around him got riddled with spiker rounds and plasma. "I need suppressing fire!" Brimstone called out trying to get up, only to be snatched up by a brute by the throat and lifted into the air. Brimstone struggled for a moment, before driving his hoof into the inside of the brutes arm, causing it to drop him. the second Brimstone hit the floor the brute was completely peppered with round before it dropped to the ground. Brimstone got up and ran back to the fall back point with his team "What do you think we are up against?" Brimstone asked the team. Click just shrugged "An endless supply of loyalists trying to jam themselves into a hallway" He said. "They have cover set up, and we are stuck with doorways and the wall" Amethyst said quietly, ducking under a plasma bolt and returning fire. "You still have those anti tank mines Click?" Brimstone asked taking a quick look down the hall "Cause if we can thin these bastards out, then we can take over there cover before they can reinforce" He said as click was pulling out is mines. "So that sounds like a great plan and all, but how to you suppose we get the mine down there?' Click asked dryly. Brimstone almost smacked him "Your going to levitate it you idiot, now get too it! Make it follow close to the ceiling and blow it when its above them. Make sure the top of the mine is facing down and everyone else get ready to run" He said as Click did his job. A few seconds passed before a large explosion racked the hall, allowing the Spartans to run from the small amount of cover they had and too the fortified part of the hallway, with the emergency exit in site. Th door had plasma turrets to each side and about five standard squads at the door. The turrets started to fire on them but before Brimstone could say anything 2 large cracks later the turrets were destroyed. Brimstone turned around to see Star Shine taking the SRS apart to put away "Figured you would want them gone" She said as she picked everything up and walked towards the door now that the team had put down the troops guarding it. "Alright lets get this settled before..." Brimstone said before he felt a few solid rounds hit him in the back, forcing him to the ground with his HUD flashing its warning lights. "N-n-none of you m-monsters m-m-move" a scientist wielding a shotgun said "Or your friend here g-gets it!" he said pointing the gun shakily at Brimstone, who was currently laying still. His vitals where showing that he was really confused as to what was going on but stable all the same. "Sir, put the weapon down, we do not want to hurt you" Amethyst said in her calm voice. This only made the man more aggressive "Don't give me that bullshit! I know your plans! Your planning on taking over earth! Using us to train your people and get in really good with the government, then when were all friendly you slit our throats! So what did the Covenant pay you? Earth? 'Forerunner technology'? Well I don't care cause I'm just gonna kill you" The man said, his face locked in a manic grin. "I'm gonna kill you all and theres nothing you can do to..." BANG! The squad looked over at Smash. "What? was he supposed to be alive? I'm sorry but shooting my friend then saying that your gonna kill us is not a friendly action" He said slinging his shotgun to his back. Brimstone got up and shook his head "What the fuck hit me?" He asked, stretching his back out. "Oh nothing, you just got hit with two shotgun rounds to the back from forty five feet away, nothing big" Click said, walking up to the door and hitting the over ride "He must be the guy who opened the door in the first place" Click said looking at the man. Brimstone shrugged "Something in this lab must have shaken some screws loose or something, but it's over now. Lets get a move on to that NOVA bomb before it goes off" Brimstone said running down the hall. "Sargent Brimstone, the NOVA is fine" Celestia said through there radio "It has been untouched and secure since this facility was built" She said with a hint of humor in her voice. Brimstone stopped running and shook his head "Wait, but you said in the..." "I know what I said Sargent" Celestia pointed out. "Then explain to me what that was all about?" Brimstone demanded. Celestia almost seemed smug "Gotcha" She responded, causing the whole team of Spartans to face hoof. (Yea stupid ending I know but this chapter was inspired by Trollestia, what did you expect. I still think I am better at critiques then at writing, an many of my characters go without dialogue quite often. Anyway, I hop you enjoyed.)