I fiddle with my guns as I await their decision, Master Chief, Cortana, and the Captain on comms, are having a private conversation, though it doesn't honestly take long.
During their conversation, Master Chief looks at me when he asks, "what do you mean, I fall in love with Cortana". Bored out of my mind, I'm happy I finally get asked something, "sir, the both of you spend many years alone together, and regardless how people put it, Cortana is sentient, you both deal with many problems together, though I'm not aware of the details specifically." I mean a lot happens, but I don't have photographic memory, so hopefully this is a good answer for him.
silence follows a bit after, I hear movement behind me, when the captain enters the tent, he looks at me as I stand up, and salute. "At Ease corporal, we were originally going to send you with a unit to prime the pillar of autumn, but you'll be heading with the master chief to the control center of the ring. Cortana will take the information she needs, and from there she will see if there's something for you to get started on your plan. at this point you will die in transit from the covenant, and will officially be considered KIA. congrats Mr Petrov, we will go through with your plan," the Captain looks at me as I cheer, "make sure your ready when we need you to act, if my daughter dies like you said, I will kill you myself."
I look at him in surprise, "umm sir," "Mr Petrov, I'm not a fool, from what you've told us, means that the information you gave us has changed, we will get off this ring, but we will not be returning ourselves. Only Cortana, and the Master Chief will be going back to earth". I think about it, but from what I am being told, being ready myself would be pointless, as I will follow them anyways?
Thinking it odd, I ask, "Sir, then wouldn't I still be following your orders as we depart?". He shakes his head, "No Mr Petrov, we will go MIA, but you on the other hand will officially be dead, we will prepare on our own so as not to be influenced from anything else you tell us. This way, we will still be able to return if the rest of the information you gave us is wrong, this in turn is your endeavor, and something you will have to deal with on your own."
??? how will that work out, or is he putting a bad record as well? if he does that I'll be killed for being a traitor..., this isn't something I should focus on, I need to ask, "sir, does that mean I'll still get my own AI?". He nods, "yes, you will get an AI, you can get the details from Cortana, for now, you will follow Master Chief to silent cartographer, your dismissed."
I want to ask more, but he leaves the tent, master chief motions for me to follow, leaving me confused. I don't know what they planned, but ok, I pick up my sniper, and backpack, as I chase after Master Chief, and board the pelican.
As we fly out of the outpost I see water in the distance...
Hours pass by before I see the island, as we get closer I can already see them fighting, I take out a plasma pistol from my back pack, we hover over the other Marines as Master Chief jumps out shooting. I hug my plasma pistol, before aiming at a jackal nearby. I shoot of a charged blast, taking out it's shield, the other Marines pick it off before it can run. Master chief kills one of the nearby elites while the other elite throws a grenade at the Marines. They jump out of the way but the grunts take advantage in picking them off. The pilot yells at me to get off, while stray plasma hits near me, I jump off and hide behind a rock. I start throwing grenades from my back pack as the grunts dive for cover, getting the chance, the Marines start picking at them, while master chief kills the second elite.
Another Covenant Unit comes in like the game, only half the Marines are left, and one of the elites is grenade happy, the Marines throw their own grenades, while plasma nicks my shoulder, I grunt in pain from the burn. I take out my pistol, and focus on the grunts, Master chief kills another elite, as the remaining Marines kill the rest of the jackals.
Now that they're dead, I start collecting plasma grenades, and ammo, while the Marines start collecting bodies. Since I've given them info on the flood, they've started burning the bodies, foehammer also calls in on the comms bringing master chief his warthog. Masterchief gets in the driver's seat, while a marine man's the gun, "Corporal Petrov get in the Passenger seat," Cortana chimes into my comm, feel worried cause the next area is full of covenant. I get in, and Masterchief drives off, we quickly come up to the next area, but master chief ignores the jackals on the rock, he side swipes the elite killing it, and gets out as I try to kill the grunts before they blow the warthog up. Im panicking as the gunner keeps the jackals occupied, one of the grunts manages to set off his grenade, but I got lucky and nicked him before he could throw it.
Masterchief kills the other elite as I finish off the grunt, now he starts killing the jackals while I look for my med pack in the backpack, I find it, as he finishes them off, I bring one of them to the gunner who's in pain from the plasma. He thanks me as Master Chief gets back in the driver seat as I put my stuff away, and reload my pistol.
He drives off again as I pull out two plasma pistols, we quickly come up to the next section where he drives through the covenant, I charge blast the jackals shields as the gunner guns them down, the elites hide in the building as the grunts retreat as we kill them, I put one of my plasma pistols to the side as I throw grenades in, I hear the grunts panic as it blows a few of them. Master Chief starts to head in, but some plasma grenades are thrown against the wall, he walks to the other side and throws a grenade in as the one near us blows.
He pushes in as we follow behind him, the elites start shooting back at the master chief while the marine and I move to the sides for cover, I quickly throw a grenade over the walls as the elites dive out of the way. Masterchief takes advantage killing one of the elites as I throw another grenade. The fight ends as Masterchief runs up, and smashes the last elite, I throw my plasma pistol to the side and collect two more from the grunts bodies.
Masterchief follows the way down, as we quickly follow, we see the elite talking to the silver elite with a sword as they close the door. the three of us throw plasma grenades as they panic, I get lucky and catch a grunt in the face with it, while the elite roars in anger from the Master Chiefs grenade. As the ensuing blast kills them, I take a breather, I'm tense, and rest against the wall. The marine next to me opens his satchel, and takes a drink from his water pack while resting as well.
Masterchief reloads his weapon as Cortana chimes in, "we know where we're supposed to go, but we need to follow through to keep the changes minimum, unlike the info we got from the Corporal, the unit will not have to die bringing us rocket launchers, they've brought it down before hand, and now we're just following the steps through. Once we reach the security substation, the both of you will hang back to avoid getting killed by the hunters, and cloaked elites, while master chief takes front. One of the Warthogs is waiting for us outside with what we need, they already killed the jackals below, we just need to mop up the rest, and get to the control center." The marine next to me finishes off his canteen, and heads out, while Masterchief looks at me, and brings out a chip, "take it"
I grab it while looking confused, "So I'm set up to die here?"