Location: Bridge, UNSC Pillar of Autumn
Time: 04:27 AM
The ship trembled beneath my feet as I stepped out of the bridge, the weight of Captain Keyes' last words bearing down on me like the gravity of the mission itself: Get Cortana off this ship. Keep her away from the enemy.
The Pillar of Autumn groaned again, this time more violently, as though the hull was crying out under the stress of the Covenant assault. Lights flickered, alarms blared, and every creak felt like the ship was moments away from tearing itself apart. I clutched the M6G pistol in my hand—its weight offered little comfort against the growing storm of enemies that awaited me.
"Cortana," I muttered as I moved down the corridor, my steps quick but steady.
Her voice echoed in my helmet, sharp but calm under pressure. "Chief, the lifepods are this way, but Covenant forces are swarming the corridors. It won't be an easy path."
No surprises there. Danger had been waiting for me ever since I woke up in this alien world. But now, it felt different—more urgent. I wasn't just surviving anymore; I was fighting to save the last thread of hope for humanity. But there was no time for reflection, not now.
Location: Deck C, Corridor 7
Time: 04:29 AM
The ship felt like a war zone. It was a war zone. The air was thick with the acrid scent of plasma burns and the distant cries of wounded marines. The distant pops of gunfire mixed with the occasional, terrifying shriek of an Elite, echoing off the bulkheads. Every step felt heavier as I made my way down the corridor, the weight of my mission pressing against me.
As I rounded a corner, I heard Cortana's warning in my helmet. "Covenant! On the landing above us!"
I barely had time to react before I saw them—Grunts and Jackals on the upper platform, their weapons already trained on me. Plasma bolts streaked through the air, narrowly missing me as I ducked behind the debris of a collapsed bulkhead.
Damn it.
I peeked over the debris, my eyes scanning the situation. The Covenant had the high ground. My M6G wasn't going to cut it against their shields and numbers, and time was slipping away. I had to think fast.
Ahead of me, I spotted a group of marines pinned down behind makeshift cover, desperately firing at the Covenant above. Their faces were pale, fear etched into their eyes. They were outmatched, outgunned, and barely holding on.
"They could use some help," Cortana remarked dryly.
No kidding.
I didn't hesitate. I bolted from cover, the sudden movement drawing a barrage of plasma fire toward me. The heat from the near-misses sizzled in the air, but my armor held. I slid behind the marines' position, my breath steady despite the chaos.
"Chief! Thank god you're here!" one of the marines gasped, his voice strained. "They've got the high ground, and we can't break through!"
I peered over the cover. The Jackals' shields were glowing like faint blue domes in the flickering light, their energy shields absorbing every round the marines threw at them. Behind them, Grunts scurried in panic, but they were still dangerous. One well-placed plasma grenade could turn this entire corridor into a death trap.
I turned to the marine. "We can't stay pinned. We push forward."
His eyes widened in disbelief. "Push forward? Sir, we don't have the—"
Another explosion rocked the ship, cutting him off. The metal groaned under the stress. The Pillar of Autumn wasn't going to hold much longer, and the enemy wasn't going to stop. If we stayed here, we'd be dead within minutes.
I scanned the area again, spotting a fallen marine nearby. His assault rifle lay just within reach.
Perfect.
Without another word, I sprinted toward the weapon, sliding across the blood-stained deck as plasma bolts peppered the floor around me. I snatched the rifle and felt a surge of familiarity—like slipping into an old, trusted role. I checked the ammo, the click of the magazine settling into place felt like an unspoken promise.
"Cover me," I ordered the marines, standing up and bracing myself for what came next.
The marines responded, their fire drawing the Covenant's attention just long enough. I moved swiftly, firing controlled bursts at the Jackals. The first few shots collided with the energy shields, but I knew their weakness. A few more rounds, and one of the Jackals' shields flickered and dropped. I didn't hesitate—one well-placed shot dropped it from the platform.
"Move!" I shouted.
The marines followed, pushing forward with renewed energy. We advanced through the corridor, the Covenant's defense faltering as we pressed the attack. Grunts scrambled, panicking as we cut through their ranks, and soon the path to the lifeboat access was clear.
But we weren't out of danger yet.
Location: Lifeboat Bay, UNSC Pillar of Autumn
Time: 04:33 AM
The lifeboat bay was chaos incarnate. Crew members and marines were running, some dragging the wounded, others trying to hold back the Covenant forces that had breached the bay. Plasma bolts and gunfire filled the air, a deadly symphony of destruction. Several lifeboats had already launched, but the bay was still full of people desperate to escape.
I scanned the room, assessing the situation in seconds. Covenant forces were already breaching the barricades near the last few lifeboats. A group of Grunts were lobbing plasma grenades toward the marines, their high-pitched chatter filled with excitement at the destruction they were about to cause.
"We've got wounded!" a medic called out, his voice frantic as he dragged a bloodied crewman toward the nearest lifeboat. "We need more time!"
Time we didn't have.
I reloaded the assault rifle, my eyes narrowing as I spotted the Elites pushing their way through the defense line. Their energy swords crackled ominously in the dim light as they slashed through anything in their path.
"We're not leaving anyone behind," I growled, charging toward the nearest Elite.
The Elite saw me coming, its mandibles flaring in anger as it raised its energy sword. The blade swung through the air, but I was faster. I ducked under the strike and drove the butt of my rifle into its stomach, the force sending it stumbling back. Without giving it a chance to recover, I unleashed a burst of gunfire, the rounds tearing through its shields and dropping it to the floor.
The other Elites were closing in fast.
"Chief, the Covenant are breaching the west airlock!" Cortana warned, her voice tense in my helmet.
I turned just in time to see a fresh wave of Grunts and Jackals pouring through the airlock. The marines were holding their ground, but they were exhausted, barely managing to keep the enemy at bay.
"Get those pods loaded!" I shouted over the din of battle. "I'll cover you."
The marines scrambled, dragging the last of the wounded toward the remaining lifeboats as I laid down suppressive fire. My assault rifle barked out round after round, cutting through the ranks of Grunts as they tried to push closer.
"Pods are full!" a marine yelled, his voice barely audible over the noise. "We're ready to launch!"
I glanced at the Covenant forces—there were too many. I couldn't hold them off forever. We needed to move.
"Now would be a very good time to leave," Cortana urged.
I backed up toward the nearest lifeboat, firing one last shot before jumping inside. The door sealed shut behind me with a satisfying hiss, and the launch sequence began.
Location: Lifeboat, UNSC Pillar of Autumn
Time: 04:39 AM
The pod shook violently as it launched from the Pillar of Autumn, the ship's hull receding rapidly through the viewport. I watched as the once-mighty ship shuddered under the weight of the ongoing battle, her hull glowing with the heat of plasma fire. Massive chunks of debris were breaking away, and explosions lit the dark void of space.
Inside the pod, the marines were silent, their faces pale as they stared out the viewport. One of them, a young marine barely in his twenties, glanced at me nervously, his voice trembling as he spoke.
"We're gonna make it, right, Chief?"
I didn't answer immediately. The Pillar of Autumn was burning, her fate sealed. But there was something about the way the marine asked that question—like he was grasping for hope in the middle of a storm. I placed a hand on his shoulder, the weight of the armor a silent reassurance.
"We'll make it," I said, the certainty in my voice masking the uncertainty of what was to come.
As the pod descended toward the ringworld below, my gaze shifted toward the viewport. The looming structure of Halo stretched across the horizon, massive and mysterious, a reminder that this fight was far from over.
"Look," Cortana whispered, her voice soft in my helmet.
I followed her gaze. There, in the distance, the vast ring stretched into the sky, an impossible structure that defied logic. I felt a chill run down my spine.
This was Halo. And the real danger was only just beginning.