Chapter 5

Chapter Five

0514 Hours, September 12, 2563 [Military Calendar]/

Theta Uradis System, Maksota Town, Covenant held base

Planet Crantoras, 1239 Crantoras Time

    They reached the base after a few minutes of traveling. Just as the holo-projection showed the base was surrounded by a shied and four towers on either end. A few grunts walked around the base, others slept in the safety of the shield. A General Elite walked out of the shield and over to the group.

    "Welcome my brothers, he said. "We have been awaiting your ari-" he spotted Jake. "Who is this vermin." His scaly hand grabbed Jake's jaw and tilted his head. He had to to fight every fiber of his being not to spit at the elite, but they had a job to do, so he stayed limp. "Who is this?"

    "A human we found snooping around here, what should we do with him," Swiss' voice was rough.

    The General hit Jake, "Awake!" Jake's eyes darted open. He was astonished that it knew English. He put a scaly hand on his jaw and yanked him up to eye level, a good two feet off the ground. His lower mandibles clicked together, "We make an example out of him." He tossed Jake aside. "For now, we interrogate him, see what he knows. Major Sanorka!" At his bark a red armored Elite ran to him, "Yes General Isabala?"

    "Take this scum to cell block D."

    He snapped to attention, "Yes my hierarchy." He yanked Jake up to his feet and marched him to the cell.

    

    A rectangular room, six feet wide, ten feet long, and ten feet in height. A dull gray color all around and blue shield door on one side. Two minor Elites stood guard outside his cell, they wielded a plasma pistol and an energy sword on their right thigh. Jake lay in the corner of the room cross legged, head down, and mind at work. I need a way out. If I stay here too long I will go crazy. Wait! How do I get air in here?

    He looked up and saw an air vent on the right wall. He stood up and took out his knife he had hidden in his boot. He slide it across the surface but it wouldn't go under, it was built into the wall. What the..."Whoa!" He was pulled down by one of the minors and was slammed onto the ground. He was pulled up by the front of his armor and was smashed into the wall. The Elite's wrist blade came out and he put it next to his face, heat radiated from the blade and started slowly burning his skin.

    "Su pakraca! Jakret mu stufra mistri hu pala," his mandibles clicked. His breath went straight for Jake's face, he cringed at the smell. "Jakret mu stufra mistri hu pala?!" Jake looked at the scaly freak and spat in his face. He got a backhand to the face. "Hunyer Ishbala!" The minor dropped Jake, turned, and snapped to attention. Jake landed and looked up. Ishbala was right above him, "I am taking you to the court." He stood Jake up and marched him to the court.

    Elites stood guarding the halls and some talked. As the General walked by with Jake they stopped and looked at him. In disgust they threw trash at him, yelling things at him he could only understand as insults. Ishbala pushed him through the hall and into the open air. He reached the middle of the field and stopped, dead in his tracks. Twenty feet in front of him was one of each species of the covenant, and one of their old friends. A grunt, a jackal, a skirmisher, an Elite Zealot, a Brute Chieftain, and a Hunter. Okay so, I'm gonna die here.

    "I have brought this vermin here to test his will, his strength, his loyalty. If you talk, you will not have to fight."

    "Let me at them," Jake said.

    "As you wish," he let go of Jake's shoulder and went to the door. Jake studied his challenge, The Grunt's pistol, if charged, can tear a hole in me. The needler that Jackal is wielding plus his shield can make him a dangerous foe, I should go for him and the grunt first. That Skirmisher should be the fastest out of all them, he will be the hardest to kill, but not a problem with a needler. One good charge of the plasma pistol should get the helmet off the Chieftain, and the shielding around the Zealot. Once I have all that I can worry about the Hunter. Now, let's began.

    He looked up, stared right at the Jackal and rushed him. He was halfway to them before they realized what was happening and started shooting him. Jake tried to tackle the Jackal but it dove to the right, into the Grunt. He grabbed its foot and brought it with him. They slide a few feet and he got up, and slammed it into the ground. It tried to get up but Jake brought his foot down on its head. He picked up the shielding unit on the Jackal and placed it on his left wrist. Rolling over he picked up the needler and shot twice at the Grunt. The first hit his hand, which made it drop the pistol, the other was right between the eyes.

     Before he could go for the pistol a beam of light missed his face by centimeters. The Skirmisher had taken position at the top the building, trying to snipe him down. He pressed one of the buttons on the shielding unit and walked over to the grunts body. He picked up a pistol and a plasma grenade. He focused the needler at the skirmisher and shot a full mag into it. He saw a pink explosion and it fell off of the building, weapon and all. He turned off the unit and reloaded the needler. He ran quickly for the weapon, and to his surprise, he reached it with ease. Picking it up he inspected the amount of ammo he had left, Fifty-eight percent plasma on the beam rifle, one and a half magazine left in the needler, and full charge on the pistol. Oh and one plasma grena- he thought was interrupted by the hand of the Elite around his neck. It spun around, with Jake trying to break free, and tossed him on the ground. He heard his back pop, he curled up in pain. Looking up he saw the Chieftain towering above him. He reached back and grabbed the gravity hammer that was sitting on his back. S**t I didn't see that.

    Kody walked through the hallway, empty though, she kept to herself. Trying as best she could to find the command center. She pressed a finger to the side of her head, "Swiss, how are you doing?" A few minutes of silence then his voice finally came on.

    "Hey, good. I have little information on where it is. It seems that they trust new comers very little," the line went silent for a minute. "See how Mallory is doing, then check on Jake. Swiss out." She walked along the hallways and peeked into rooms when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Fearfully she turned around, she was really hoping it wasn't the General.

    "Can I help you find something," the General said.

    What do I say? Yes, I need to find the control center to get some information. That's not good. "I uh..." she hurried to find the words. "Am looking for...the control center." Please don't be suspicious, please don't be suspicious!

    "Okay, follow me." She gave herself a small victorious sigh then followed.

    They reached the door and she walked in, thanking him she closed the door and scanned the room. One guard and two Elites working. She walked to the guard took his energy sword off from his thigh and turned the weapon on. The blade shot out of the silver handle, heat radiated from the four and a half foot long blade. Before he could speak she drove it through his armor and out his back. The other two Elites working heard the sound of the body drop and turned. Before they could talk she was up to them and driven the sword through one of the Elites armor.

    She took it out and stabbed it through the others head. She pushed there bodies out of the way and went straight for the computer. She slide her hand over the holo computer and opened up a file. Pulling out a data pad, she pressed a button and the screen lit up. It read: Downloading...

     It was almost done when a hand grabbed her shoulder, "Who exactly are you?" General Isbalah slammed a fist into her stomach and his blade shot into her. Blood ran down his hand and she fell to her knees. She started to cough up blood; he ordered his the other Elites to carry her and follow him.

   He rolled over as the hammer came crashing down. The wave of energy shot out of it and sent Jake flying back. He rolled a few feet and stopped abruptly, the Brute had used the hammer's power to control the gravity on him. The Elite took out his sword and walked over to Jake's back.

    "Wait," Jake screamed. "You're a proud Chieftain, and you're letting a worthless Sangheli kill me instead of you?" He glared at Jake then looked at the Elite, he dropped Jake.

    "Are really going to listen to this vermin," questioned the Elite.

    "He has a good point," argued the Brute. "I was told that I was going to kill a human, and that what I'm going to do. But, if you get in my way, so be it." He swung his hammer onto the Elite and he went flying. Blue blood splattered everywhere. His helmet was caved in, and his body was completely limp. I've never seen anything take a direct hit like that. Damn, wait what's that? His sword is over there. The sword the Elite was wielding was now five feet from where Jake was lying. He crawled slowly, so not to attract attention, and picked it up. He ran his fingers down the handle and pressed a button. The four and half foot blade shot out and the Brute turned. Startled at first Jake took a few practice swings before he noticed the Brute was almost on him. Jake lunged forward hoping the sword made contact before the Brute had time to swing.

    There was a loud scream and Jake opened his eyes. To his surprise he had gotten the Brute square in the chest and it's blood was pouring out. He put his foot on the belly of the Brute and pushed it off the sword. He readied himself as he turned and saw the Hunter looking at him. It charged up its cannon and shot, Jake waited until it was right up at him. He spun left and the blast missed by an inch.

    “Too, close!” He ran straight for the Hunter and it swung for him. He stopped right before it hit him and rolled underneath it. He got up, turned, and brought the sword into the unprotected spot on the Hunter's back. Orange blood poured out, he pulled the sword out, and slashed through the unprotected spot. It fell with a boom. Jake walked over to the Brute's dead body and tried picking up the hammer but it was too heavy, so he just let it go. He grabbed two more plasma grenades from the dead Elite. Picking up the Storm Rifle and checking the amount of plasma charge, he walked to the door and opened it.

    He looked in, there were three Elites in the room and they all looked at Jake. He charged one of the grenades and tossed it at the elites. It hit on of them square on the helmet. He screamed and charged Jake, pushing the others out of the way, but halfway between he blew up, taking the others out with him. He grinned and move silently through the hall, That blast must have gotten someones attention. He walked around the corner and saw four Elite soldiers with ten Grunts and six Jackals in front. Why do I have to speak? He armed the grenades and tossed them, then ducked around the corner. He heard a few Grunts and Jackals scream and looked around the corner. All but two Jackals and the Elites were dead.

     They shot at him, he quickly pulled back. He readied the storm rifle and inhaled. He looked across from him, there was a small, just wide enough opening to take cover in. Turning on the shield and charging up the pistol he was ready. He ran into the hallway and aimed for one of the Jackal’s. It hit the shield, which went out; he quickly switched to the storm rifle and with it and brought the other Jackal's shield down. The weapon overheated, his hand burned some from the air venting through it. When it had cooled down he ran around the corner and ran right into the armor of an Elite. It picked him up by his neck. Jake smiled, and the Elite looked at him confused. One of the other Elites stood next to him still in shock. He looked down and saw a sword sticking into his torso, his grip loosened and Jake pulled out the sword. His eyes rolled back into his head and he fell on the floor, blue blood flowing out.

    Jake brought the sword through the other Elite and and ran straight for the other two. Running on pure adrenaline he reached the Jackal and sliced through it with no problem. When he got to the Elites they had their swords out, the one on the right cracked its neck.

    "Riok ni’ jinohag thugra! Riok krushex diolan iuera, buotq’en ohleru ji. Uhne ni' nonutgrimm, wa’hu wrof kiv Kig-Yar. (You don't deserve to wield the energy blade! Your destruction is the will of the gods, and I, their instrument. When I'm done with him, throw him to the jackals.)" The other Elite backed off as the he stepped up to Jake.

     "Let's go!" Jake yelled as he ran straight for the Elite. He lunged forward and the Elite brought the sword down on top of it. They clashed and struggled. Grunting, trying to break free of each others power. The Elite won, pushed Jake's sword aside, and swung at him. He rolled to the left and got to his feet. Jake ran around the Elite and jumped on his back. The Elite jerked trying to throw Jake off, but all he was doing was wasting energy. After a minute of jerking and prying Jake drove the sword through the head of the Elite and they toppled. Deciding to end it quickly the other Elite pulled out a fuel rod cannon and shot it straight at Jake. He rolled back as it hit a few feet in front of him. He was sent flying back into a wall, five feet off the ground. He hit the ground with a thud, his vision going blurry, and a ringing in his ear. Oh f*****g a! He slipped into unconsciousness. Five minutes later he woke up to see the Elite with its back to him. He tired to get up, pain shot through his spine. F**k! I need to get up, damn it! He fought with himself to get up, and finally got somewhere. He looked over himself and saw that the Elite left him the sword. He hobbled over to him, grabbed the sword from his thigh, spun the Elite around, and stabbed it straight through its armor and out the back. He let him fall and looked around. One way out, I need to find the control center. He inspected the Elite's body for any useful gear or information. He found an invisibility unit and a few grenades. He grabbed the storm rifle, activated the invisibility unit, and headed out.

    He found the control center. Inside was three dead Elites, the weapons bag, and computers. He typed in a command and the computer, the Lieutenant's face lit up the the screen, Jake smiled, "Lieutenant, sir."

    "Jake, how goes the mission."

    "Compromised sir. I was sent as prisoner as you instructed but I was taking to 'court' as they call it. I fought one of each covenant species a grunt, jackal, skirmisher, Elite, Brute, and a Hunter. Afterwards I came back inside the base and was greater by three Elites, which I treated them with a plasma grenade to the face." That made the Lieutenant smile. "Later, four grunts, six jackals, and four Elites. Blew up the grunts and shot down the jackals, but the Elites, I had to sword fight them."

    "And you killed them? All four?"

    "Yes sir," Jake said proudly. "Anyway I found my way here and we need evac sir. I can't get a hold of the others, I think they have been captured."

    "I'll get right on that." He backed away from the screen for a few minutes. "Jake, they should be there in fourteen minutes."

    "What are you sending?"

    "Assassins," He clicked off. Assassins, that word rang through his mind. He walked over to the weapons bag, and left the room turning the unit back on.

    Kody woke up out of disguise, tied up in a chair with the others unconscious around her. "Guys," she whispered. "Wake up. Where are we?" A shimmer of light passed in front of her, she tried to get loose but pain s**t through her torso. She looked down and she saw bandages around her torso. The General walked in and grabbed her chin with his hand, "Don't worry." He looked her over, tilting her head left and right. "It will all be over soon." She saw the shimmer of light stop behind the General. It had tapped him on the shoulder, "What is it?"

    Jake turned visible with his sword out, "Payback's a b***h." He drove the sword into the Elite. He started coughing up his blood, and it poured out of the eighteen inch hole. He fell in front of Kody, making a puddle around the body. Jake untied the group and got them to their feet. Jake picked up the Generals sword to duel-wield.

    "The Elites had drugged us, or something, I can't tell," Kody said.

    Jake started handing out the weapons, "That's okay, as long as you guys are alright."

    Anderson looked at his guns, he started polishing his rocket launcher. Swiss inspected his shotgun thoroughly. Anderson looked up, "If I ever see one of those splitjaws," he acted like he pulled the trigger, and jerked back from recoil. After that Swiss made an explosion noise.

    "Jake," Mallory said. "What's our next move?"

    "Head to the control center and set this place for self destruction," he said.

    "Jake," Swiss said. "I don't know if you noticed, but we don't have a ride out."

    "I called the Lieutenant a few minutes ago. He is sending evac and a group of assassins to help us. What we need to do is: Get to the control room, turn off the shield, and stay alive while the evac gets here. We also have fourteen minutes.

    "Is everyone ready?" They nodded and followed Jake out the door. They crouch-walked down the hallway and look around, Jake at point. He held his hand up, activated the Camo and walked into the intersecting hallway. Reaching the other side he turned it off and motioned for his team to follow him. They reached the third intersecting hallway and Jake stops them, turns of the Camo, and heads down the hallway. He reached the other side and a group of Elites walk down the hallway. The last stops and looks at the team. Before he could say anything Jake pulled out his knife, ran up on it's legs and stabbed it in the neck. He pulled it aside and into the hall, the others looked back, but then continued on. Sighing in relief he turned off the Camo and waved his team over. They found the control center and walked waited outside. It was open, Jake went in and check it out.

    "Ten grunts and two Elites," he said. "Get the grunts first, then the Elites." They nodded in unison and all rushed in. Jake put his DMR on his back and ran up to the Grunts. He jumped up, pushed up off the grunt's head and jump over to the Elites. He landed in a crouched position surprising the Elites. He grabbed hold of the swords and hit one of the Elites in the stomach. Pressing the button on the sword it shot out into the Elite and out its back. The other one ran for him, sword out. Jake spun out of the way pushing the button on the other sword and successfully taking off the arm of the Elite. Screaming in pain the Elite fell on its knees. Jake ran over to it and put the sword straight through its head. He put the swords away and walked over to the group. Swiss stepped on the body of a flailing grunt and pointed his shotgun at its head.

    "Have fun in hell you methane sucking freak," he shot and reloaded. "That was insane man, two Elites, two swords, one man, pure awesome."

    Mallory scoffed, "Crazy is what it was. You could have died." Jake ignored her and took out his DMR.

    "Okay," said Jake. "Mallory, see if you shut down the shield. Kody and Missy, watch her back. You two," he point to Anderson and Swiss. "Come with me."

    "Where we going?"

    "To blow s**t up." Jake lead them out of the room and down the hall to the outside of the base. They look around and see one of the sniper towers. "Move!" They jump and roll in different directions as one of the snipers shot at them. Jake put his DMR away and took Swiss' grenade launcher, "Hey!"

    Jake shot and it bounced twice and landed near the sniper tower.

    "Anderson move up. When I let go of the trigger, blow them up."

    "Got it." Jake let go off the trigger and the grenade blew up. Anderson sprinted up to the lift and got a clear shot.

    "Take it!" He shot a rocket the tower and the Jackals, along with the structure went sky high. Jake walked over to him and patted his back. "Nice job man, three more to go." Swiss ran over to them and put his hand out.

    "Can I have my launcher back?" Jake looked over and saw a Fuel Rod Cannon. He put the launcher in Swiss' hand and picked up the Fuel Rod. He found some amo lying around, he attached it to his belt.

    "We have three more towers we need to take down," he took his knife out. He drew a circular shape on the ground and four dashes in parts of the circle. One of the dashes was turned into a X. "We have three towers to destroy and three of us. We'll have to circle around the shield. Anderson you go right, Swiss go left, and I'll head back through the base and to the other side." They looked at each other and nodded, "Come back safely and meet me at my tower wen you're done." They split into opposite directions to the towers. Jake ran back into the base and through the hallways. He jumped over grunts and jackals making sure to leave them a 'present' as he left, a primed grenade. He was out on the other side of the base in five minutes. He quickly surveyed the area looking for the jackal tower, but wasn't here. He ran clockwise along the circular shield to look for it, Nothing. He turned around and went back then counter clockwise. There! He rolled left as the jackal fired the beam rifle. He pulled out the Fuel Rod Cannon and shot at the tower. A green ball of plasma shot out as the weapon jerked back and made him lose his balance. He landed on his back and sat up just the plasma hit the tower. It exploded into a clouds of black and purple smoke, and purple electricity.

    Chunks of the tower littered the ground. Jake got up and started to grab for his radio, That's right, they took it. He waited where he was to see if they would come to his location. Sure enough, after five minutes Swiss was there and so was Cooper. They started to head inside but, were stopped by the sound of the shield deactivating. Jake put his hand out and Cooper gave him his radio. "Nice job girls. We're heading back your way, stay safe."

    There was some static then the radio came on, "Okay Jake." They ran back inside and looked around. Jake stopped, the others looked at him. "Jake, what is it?"

    "Where are the Covenant?"

    "What, dead I don't know."

    He grabbed Anderson by the chest plate and looked him in the eyes, "Where are the Covenant? When we came here there was tons, now they're all gone." Anderson and Swiss had blank looks on their faces," Never mind, let's just keep going." They continued on to the control center and gather up the girls. "Let's head to the front, maybe the Calvary has arrived."

    Outside where Jake had fought the against different species of Covenant was a different place. They walked out of the base to find the Covenant held up behind barriers and shooting at the assassin that were slaughtering their ranks. Jake took out his swords and ran towards the nearest elite. Stabbing it through the chest, his team took out their weapons and backed Jake, then they started to make their way to the assassins. A few assassins blocked them from the battle and one walked up to them. His armor was blue and black. His armor was small and sleek with a rounded helmet.

    "You six come with me," he said. They were lead to an empty Pelican and on board was the Lieutenant. He smiled, "Come on guys let's get out of here." He helped them up and the walked over to the pilot.

    Jake looked at the assassin that was walking away, “Wait!”

    “What?”

    “There are two cadets left in the base. They got separated or killed, please...I need you to find them and bring them back to us.”

    The assassin nodded and ordered three others to him. They headed off into the base and disappeared.

    The pelican’s doors closed as they sat down and strapped on their belts. He walked back and sat down, "Okay guys, if everyone okay?" They all shared a look.

    "Yeah, sure," said Jake. "I did get two new weapons."

    "Good job Matthews. It suits you." They laughed and started the long ride home.