August 19, 2530, 1347 hours
Eridanus system, Eridanus II, UNSC Halcyon-class light cruiser, Jutland
(Third Person POV)
Eridanus II was one of the significant planets in the outer colonies affected by the insurrectionist movements. In 2513, OPERATION: TREBUCHET was launched to address and suppress these uprisings.
In 2525, the UNSC Special Forces captured Colonel Robert Watts, a fact publicized by the Office of Naval Intelligence to hide SPARTAN involvement. Even after the Human-Covenant War began, the existence of the SPARTANs remained highly classified and censored. Their training and creation were kept secret, even from those at HIGHCOM within the UNSC.
Until a few weeks ago, Eridanus had largely been unaffected by the Human-Covenant war. The residents of the colony were not aware of the ongoing conflict. When a Covenant fleet of about two dozen vessels arrived over the planet, the inhabitants were unprepared. The UNSC defense fleet and garrison managed to hold out long enough for a reactionary fleet to arrive, which included the UNSC Jutland.
Inside the armory of the cruiser Aedan in his all-black armor sat on a crate as he lock and loaded his DMR, the newer upgrade to his armor had altered his HUD even more like the HUD seen in Halo: Reach. Obviously, he was geeking out over it in the inside, as Doctor Halsey had explained his armors built-in thrusters which were a one of a kind could now allow Aedan to properly fly in atmosphere for about 25 minutes if used correctly, essentially turning him into Ironman.
Sam thoroughly examined the weapon rack, considering his options. His armor had not only been updated but completely redesigned to resemble the CQB variant as depicted in the Halo: Fall of Reach animated series. Aedan was impressed by the design once again; while his EVA variant was practical in space, it offered limited utility on land except for its thrusters. On the ground, the EVA essentially functioned as the standard MJOLNIR armor with a dome-shaped helmet.
"Should I carry some heavy weapons?" Sam inquired of Aedan while examining some Jackhammers.
"Feel free to decide," Aedan responded. "We are tasked with evacuation duties, which means we will likely encounter covenant forces on land during the process. However, it would be advisable to carry some grenades as they can be useful."
"They sure do," Sam agreed, picking up three frag grenades. "Just wanted to ask, how is it on evacuation duties? You're the first SPARTAN to handle it."
Aedan thought before responding, "It's a headache. People don't understand why they're being evacuated, and adding us makes it chaotic. But it might differ here since the planet's already under attack."
"Let's hope they welcome us," Sam joked, grabbing an MA5B assault rifle.
"Right, let's do this ASAP," Aedan said, securing his DMR.
As they left the armory and walked down the hallway, Aedan marveled at the ship's interior. He had always loved the Pillar of Autumn's design, especially its honeycomb structure, ever since he first played Halo: CE as a child.
As they passed by multiple doors and sections of the ship, they eventually entered the Docking Bay/Hangar Bay. The vessel featured four hangar bays in the second last section. They proceeded to their designated Pelican and took their seats inside.
The hatch of the Pelican closed, and it lifted off from the hangar bay, leaving the cruiser. Aedan noted that he missed the experience of dropping in via SOIVE drop pods, despite it having been only four years since his last use. Although uncomfortable and rough, the drop pod provided a rapid descent.
"I have a feeling that things might not go well once we land," Aedan remarked.
"You know, Aedan, you remind me of Kurt with your intuitions," Sam responded.
"Let's hope my feelings are different from his because what I mentioned is purely a guess," Aedan replied.
"I'll call you a prophet if your guess turns out to be correct," Sam joked.
"Please don't, I'm not a religious guy" Aedan replied, it was a lie as Aedan did not want to share the same title as their enemy, atleast the leading species of the Covenant.
Suddenly Aedan felt the pelican shook almost lunging him from his seat and towards Sam, Aedan gripped on handle near the hatch where as Sam held tightly on his seats handle, "The hell was that" Sam asked as his faceplate faced Aedan.
"Must have been some kind of explosion outside, maybe a ship exploding" Aedan replied with the possibilities. "I'll check it out."
Aedan rose from his seat and proceeded towards the cockpit, feeling the increasing turbulence of the pelican as he moved. Upon arriving at the cockpit, he addressed the pilot: "What is our status?"
"Not favorable, Chief. The Covenant fighters are significantly hindering our ability to secure an adequate landing site. The airspace around Elysium City has been completely overtaken by them, so all evacuation efforts have been redirected to Luxor, which is our current destination."
Aedan acknowledged with a nod and turned his focus forward through the window. The sky was darkened with smoke rising from the ground below as they flew. Suddenly, an explosion occurred behind the pelican, prompting the pilot to execute evasive maneuvers immediately. "Damn it, those flyers are back," the pilot muttered.
The Pelican shook even more as the pilot continued to execute evasive maneuvers. Aedan stumbled over to a nearby handle, gripping it to maintain his balance. As he attempted to get a view of what was pursuing them, he could only see blue plasma flying above them.
"Chief, I will fly the Pelican as low as possible, but you and your partner will need to jump because there is no way we can land with these bandits behind us," the pilot stated.
"There must be another alternative. You will not make it off-planet if you fly too low," Aedan responded, expressing his concerns for the pilot's safety. He disliked situations where others had to sacrifice themselves for him or anyone else.
"I understand, Chief. At least I will keep them occupied while you assist in evacuating the civilians off the planet. Sir, the war requires individuals like you to secure victory, not like us," the pilot stated.
"But it is through your sacrifices that we achieve the glory..." Aedan paused for a moment. He knew that once a pilot had made up their mind, there was no changing it. "Give them hell, Lieutenant, and go down with honor."
"Understood. Good luck, sir, and Godspeed," the pilot responded as Aedan made his way back to the troop bay. He saw the ramp opening as Sam approached him.
"So, what is the plan?" Sam inquired.
"We are jumping off the Pelican," Aedan replied.
"Not surprising," Sam remarked as he moved towards the open ramp. The Pelican hovered approximately 65 feet above the ground. "When do we jump?"
"On my signal," Aedan said as he stood next to Sam, both of them in position to jump. "Now!" Both of them leaped off the pelican and fortunately landed in a sandy area of a park, which reduced their impact.
As Aedan got up and brushed some sand off his faceplate, he saw Luxor in the distance, approximately one and a half kilometres away. "I think we jumped out too early," Aedan heard Sam say as he got up from the sandpit.
"Way too early," Aedan replied. As he walked around the park, he noticed the area was abandoned, with rusted swings and long-dead trees. "Where did we just land?"
Sam took out his assault rifle and scanned the surroundings. "I guess we'll walk to our designated drop point then," Sam said as he started walking in the wrong direction.
"Not that way, Sam. We're heading towards the city there," Aedan said, pointing towards Luxor in the distance. Sam turned his head around and laughed wryly.
"Of course I know that, I'm just stretching my legs," Sam tried to explain.
"You're not very convincing, Sam. Let's move," Aedan said before heading towards Luxor in the distance.
As they proceeded, Aedan noticed the sound of Banshees overhead and could hear explosions growing clearer as they approached Luxor. "Was it like this at Biko as well?" Sam asked while navigating the terrain.
"Except for the rough landing and constant Covenant air patrols targeting Pelicans, yes," Aedan responded.
"It must have been challenging," Sam remarked.
"Indeed," Aedan replied.
As they descended a small hill, both paused as they heard something. Aedan glanced at Sam, their faceplates reflecting off each other. They both nodded and crawled down, weapons at the ready.
Aedan noticed footsteps above him at the top of the hill where he had been earlier. He could determine by the walking style and sound that it was an Elite approaching. He heard the Elite speak in an alien language and decided to activate his translator. With the translator on, he could clearly understand the Elite's words as they were translated into English through his helmet: "Find the humans; the Fleetmaster wants these heretics extinguished." Aedan observed that the Elite, with its authoritative tone, seemed to be of high rank as its footsteps faded away from his location.
"What was that, and what did it say?" Sam asked through SQUADCOM.
"That it wants us dead," Aedan replied over COMs.
"When don't they?" Sam grumbled.
"We need to move. Staying here puts more innocents at risk," Aedan said, getting up.
"Agreed," Sam said, walking beside him. "It'll take a while to reach the city on foot."
"We'll manage, or hopefully find a vehicle that can carry two SPARTANs," Aedan responded.
"I wish John were here; his luck would help," Sam said.
"Maybe he can give us some luck in a jar next time," Aedan joked.
"We should ask him," Sam agreed with a smile.
They continued, increasing their speed to minimize the time required to reach their destination. Aedan contemplated whether they would arrive in Luxor in time and if failing to do so would result in the loss of civilian lives. Determined to prevent such an outcome, Aedan accelerated his pace further.
Sam interpreted this as a signal and followed suit. He knew Aedan well and understood that he would not allow anyone to die under his supervision. Although the group had a strong sense of duty and loyalty to the UNSC, few were willing to risk everything, including the mission, to save lives. They had been trained from a young age to prioritize the mission, accepting that casualties were inevitable in any conflict and not everyone could be saved.
However, Aedan differed from them in this regard. While he was one of them, he also stood apart. Even the more amiable SPARTANs like Kurt and Jorge would not risk the mission to save lives, but Aedan had a different approach. He demonstrated that it was possible to save lives while simultaneously completing the mission.
Sam observed that Aedan appeared to have significant autonomy in any missions, whether with the blue team or alone. He consistently knew what actions to take, when to take them, and how to execute them. Sam recognized and agreed that while he and the other SPARTANs had been trained to be soldiers since childhood, Aedan exhibited natural soldier instincts, effectively protecting the vulnerable and overcoming adversaries simultaneously.
Sam's respect for Aedan was substantial, especially after Aedan selflessly acted as bait during their camping trip five years prior. Additionally, when Aedan saved him on Chi Ceti, it significantly impacted Sam. Aedan's actions not only preserved his life but also imparted an essential lesson to the SPARTANs: they were not invincible, could be killed, and the covenant could be defeated, although often at an undesirable cost.
Aedan halted near a small cliff and raised his fist to signal a stop. Sam crouched beside him, peeking over the edge. Below, they saw dozens of grunts, jackals, and five elites moving in a convoy with three Ghosts and one Wraith tank just 30 feet away.
"That's quite a few," Sam observed.
"But not too many for us," Aedan replied.
"Explosives?" Sam asked, holding three frag grenades.
"You know the drill," Aedan said, readying his DMR. "On my mark... Mark!"
Sam carefully pulled the pins from the three grenades and accurately threw them. The grenades landed among the covenant troops, with one grenade landing directly at the feet of an Elite Ultra. The Ultra looked down and shouted something before the grenades detonated, creating chaos within the covenant ranks.
Seizing this opportunity, Aedan and Sam opened fire. Sam targeted the grunts and Jackals, while Aedan focused on the Elites. The explosion had flipped over the ghosts, causing the Jackals to raise their shields and return fire.
As Sam eliminated the grunts who were too cowardly to fight back, he shifted his focus to the Jackals. Meanwhile, Aedan kept the Elites occupied. The Wraith had turned around and aimed its cannon towards Sam. In response, Sam leaped off the cliff, landed on the Wraith, and forcefully ripped open its hatch. He pulled out the driver, an Elite, and killed it by breaking its skull. As the Jackals and Elites aimed at him, Aedan slid down the cliff, firing his DMR and taking out some of the Jackals who were facing his direction.
Sam seized the chance to enter the wraith's driver seat, closing the hatch and pressing controls randomly. Outside, Aedan took cover behind an overturned ghost, under fire from Elites whose energy shields were difficult to penetrate. He switched to his M6D, targeting minor enemies and taking down two with seven shots, while damaging another's shield.
The Ultra threw a plasma grenade that stuck to Aedan's magnum. Aedan hurled the magnum back, injuring the Ultra when it exploded, depleting its shields. The Ultra activated its energy sword in rage, prompting Aedan to draw his combat knife, thinking, "Great job, Aedan. Way to make it worse."
As the Ultra, adorned in the formidable Halo: Reach armor, assumed a stance and prepared for action, it drew back slightly while positioning its body. The Ultra then began charging towards Aedan, who readied himself in a defensive pose. Midway through its approach, the Elite was abruptly destroyed by a concentrated plasma blast, cutting short its advance in an anticlimactic manner.
Aedan turned his attention to the Wraith, which hovered towards him before stopping directly in front of him and descending to the ground. The hatch opened, revealing Sam, who emerged and inquired, "Hope I wasn't late?"
"No, you were just at the climax of the party," Aedan said.
"Sorry about that, these covenant vehicles are quite challenging to handle," Sam replied.
"And by challenging, you mean taking control of it?" Aedan asked, slightly curious. He knew that driving covenant vehicles was far more complex than simply sitting in the driver's seat and instantly knowing how to operate them like in the games. "How did you manage to figure out how to use it in such a short amount of time?"
"What can I say, I am somewhat of a fast learner," Sam boasted.
"Indeed? Can you operate it proficiently?" Aedan inquired, reluctant to risk riding a wraith.
"Of course, I can. Position yourself near the main cannon; there appears to be a seat," Sam instructed as he re-entered the vehicle, closing the hatch behind him. Aedan sighed before climbing aboard, taking one of the plasma rifles from the fallen elites. He seated himself at the gunner's position, albeit hesitantly, given his lack of practical experience with Covenant weaponry, aside from plasma grenades and the energy sword. He then took control of the turret.
"Proceed to our destination, Sam," Aedan communicated through SQUADCOM.
"Aye aye, Captain," Sam responded humorously in a pirate voice over COMs. Aedan chuckled quietly within his helmet as Sam initiated the Wraith, hovering off the ground and heading towards Luxor.
August 20, 2530, 1345 hours
Epsilon Eridani system, Reach, CASTLE base
As their pelican landed and lowered the ramp, John, Kelly, Fred, and Linda disembarked, their Mjolnir armor marked with dents and scratches from previous engagements. They had been summoned to CASTLE base by Doctor Halsey, where Sam and Aedan had reportedly been stationed for the past weeks.
Upon entering the elevator, which began its descent, John overheard Kelly speaking, "Why do you think Doctor Halsey has requested our presence?"
Fred responded, "It must be something significant if she wants all of us here."
Linda added, "Or it could be an explanation regarding why Aedan and Sam were reassigned from Blue Team."
"I believe I concur with Linda. Command did not provide any explanation for their reassignment; at the very least, they could have informed us if it was related to a mission," Kelly stated, visibly perturbed since learning about Aedan and Sam's removal.
"We will only ascertain the details once we speak with her," John responded pragmatically.
As the elevator came to a stop, all four individuals exited into the corridors, proceeding towards Doctor Halsey's personal laboratory. John shared the same question as the rest of Blue Team: why were Aedan and Sam removed and reassigned? Even if the reassignment was temporary, John felt uneasy being left uninformed, particularly when it concerned his teammates.
Upon entering the lab, they found Doctor Halsey deeply engrossed in her research, analyzing her data pad. John and his team halted and saluted her in unison. "Doctor Halsey, Ma'am," John said respectfully as he saluted.
Halsey looked up from her data pad. "At ease, John, Kelly, Fred, Linda," she said, easily distinguishing them even though they wore identical armor.
The four SPARTANs relaxed slightly. "Ma'am, why have we been summoned?" John inquired.
"I have determined that now is an opportune moment to further modify each of your armors," Halsey responded as she reviewed her data pad.
"What modifications are planned?" Fred asked with curiosity.
"The nuclear fission reactors currently outfitted in your armors will be replaced with power plants or micro fission reactors. These new reactors emit less radiation compared to your current ones and should provide you with unlimited power, ensuring your armor systems remain active and fully powered," Halsey explained.
John nodded in approval, recognizing the potential benefits and enhancements to their combat capabilities, but he still felt there was more to the summons. Sharing his thoughts, Kelly spoke up first. "Doctor, I am certain that this is not the sole reason for our meeting."
"You are correct, Kelly," Halsey said. "There is an upcoming mission for which you and your team have been selected. Further details will be provided later, but for now, you will need to leave your armors here for modifications."
"Ma'am, I don't understand. How are we supposed to operate without our armor? It will significantly reduce our capabilities," Linda expressed her concern.
"That's precisely why, Linda. You will not be assigned any combat missions until your armor upgrades are completed," Halsey replied.
John, feeling uncertain, responded, "Ma'am, we are supposed to be out there handling our duties. Keeping us here is not only-" John was then interrupted by Halsey.
"There are others that will be filling your gaps until then, command has already agreed so you have no choice" Halsey bluntly said...she at times too was irritated by her SPARTANs sheer stubbornness.
John accepting the fact that there was no changing it clenched his fist that is until Kelly asked the one question that had plagued their minds for a long time, "Doctor, what about Aedan and Sam, weren't they supposed to be here on CASTLE base?" Kelly asked.
Doctor Halsey paused for a moment before continuing her work, "They were until a few days ago" she said, "They were the first one to receive the armor upgrades, and hence why they had been pulled out in the first place"
It all made sense now to John, but he didn't understand one thing, "Ma'am, what do you mean by a few days ago?" he asked.
"Command has decided to deploy them to Eridanus II, which is under threat by the Covenant and is the next possible place for their attack," Halsey explained. "They departed five days ago."
The room remained silent, with only the sound of Doctor Halsey working on her data pad breaking the quiet. The four SPARTANs stood still, each lost in thought at the revelation. Fred and Linda both pondered why only the two of them had been sent instead of the entire Blue Team. John reflected on why Blue Team kept being separated, starting with Aedan not being officially assigned to the team, then Linda getting pulled off for lone wolf missions, and finally Sam and Aedan being deployed without them.
Kelly, while remaining composed on the outside, was internally concerned about what challenges Sam and Aedan might face. She acknowledged Aedan's adaptability and ability to handle himself alone. However, she noted that despite Sam's physical strength and expertise in explosives and heavy weapons, he often needed someone to support him in case things went wrong. Nonetheless, Kelly reassured herself that Aedan was with him.
Kelly found herself increasingly concerned about Aedan, though she could never pinpoint the source of her unease, at times pushing her to the brink of anxiety. Despite this, Kelly ensured that her worries did not interfere with her combat performance, managing to set them aside or disregard them altogether.
During the time they spent together, whether engaging in their regular sparring matches, which were always evenly matched, or during their routine walks (or runs for others), Kelly and Aedan grew to understand each other deeply over the years. One aspect that perpetually intrigued Kelly was Aedan's origins. According to other SPARTANs, Aedan had been personally recruited by Doctor Halsey and augmented on the same day. Although initially unknown to them, Aedan integrated seamlessly with the group, which resulted in his background seldom being questioned. All Kelly knew was that he was born on Luna. One day, she would need to inquire about his past.
Unseen by everyone inside the lab, Miranda observed the four SPARTANs in Mjolnir armor from the entrance. She had heard about them from Aedan and Sam, who frequently spoke about their teammates and fellow SPARTANs. Over time, Miranda had become close to both Aedan and Sam during their stay, particularly with Aedan, who legally was her older brother.
However, she found the four SPARTANs' serious demeanor intimidating. Their body language exuded seriousness, which made her uneasy. They appeared more silent and reserved compared to Aedan and Sam, likely due to their MJOLNIR armor.
August 20, 2530, 2244 hours
Eridanus system, Eridanus II, Outskirts of Luxor
Aedan and Sam had been engaged in combat for over a day. They reached the city's outskirts ten hours earlier and had been assisting with evacuation efforts by holding the Covenant forces at bay. Their captured Wraith proved invaluable, as its superior plasma weaponry effectively decimated the Covenant forces, including other Wraiths. This was largely due to Sam's exceptional maneuvering skills with the alien vehicle, which he had only recently learned to operate.
The duo took a brief respite atop a small ridge that offered a view of the charred black plains, a testament to the intense battle with the Covenant. Sam remained inside the Wraith, vigilantly monitoring the area for any movements. His appreciation for this advanced alien technology had grown significantly, recognizing its crucial role in preventing the Covenant from breaching the city.
Aedan crouched near the edge of the ridge, carefully observing the plains and surroundings. Behind them lay the path leading into Luxor. Despite his and Sam's successful efforts in repelling the Covenant's ground assaults on the city, the Covenant's air power remained a decisive factor. Banshees were continually harassing the UNSC fortifications.
He had monitored the situation across other parts of the planet, finding it highly unfavorable. Elysium City was essentially destroyed, having been glassed by the Covenant.
"Do you think we can bring this with us?" Sam inquired through SQUADCOM.
"Most probably and logically not. It will not be long until we must retreat and leave this planet to its fate as well," Aedan replied. It was an unpleasant truth that he disliked confronting. Although he had the capability to save lives, he was unfortunately unable to alter the outcome of a battle, regardless of how hard he tried.
"I suppose we had our time with our unexpected asset. I regret having to leave it here, as it has been extremely beneficial to us," Sam said.
"There will always be more resources available on other battlefields. I am still surprised that you managed to learn how to use it," Aedan remarked.
"What can I say? I have some mechanical engineering skills," Sam responded with pride.
"Of course," Aedan replied sarcastically. Sam always had a way of turning serious situations into lighthearted banter, reminding Aedan of Kilo-2.
Aedan noticed movement in front of them on one of the small hills which led down to the plains they were overlooking. "Heads up, we got movement up ahead," Aedan said as he aimed his DMR.
"Affirmative," Sam replied as he charged the main cannon of the wraith.
Aedan observed with the scope of his DMR. Even from this distance, he could identify their foes as mostly grunts and Jackals. Surprisingly, he didn't see any elites accompanying them. This was unusual since the elites had been their primary opposition on the planet. Every small engagement had at least one elite, but there were none in this contingent of covenant forces.
Aedan heard Sam fire the plasma cannon; he looked up at the air where the blue comet-like ball of plasma hurled down towards the covenant forces like a projectile launched by catapult.
As the plasma impacted the ground directly on the Covenant, it exploded into a blue sphere of light and force. Amidst the resulting confusion and panic within the Covenant ranks, Aedan seized the opportunity to eliminate the remaining survivors with his DMR.
"That was peculiar," Aedan heard Sam comment through the COM. "Although I am not an expert in Covenant military tactics, that seemed like a significant waste of manpower."
"I concur," replied Aedan as he reloaded his DMR. Although it was only 2312 hours, dawn had already broken. The differing day cycles on various planets often unsettled Aedan; it was one of the few things he had never become accustomed to, nor did he believe he ever would.
Silence enveloped them as they observed the remnants of the Covenant forces that had attempted to assault their position. 'They did not even attempt to evade it,' he thought. He considered the possible explanations, with one theory standing out: 'Could this have been a ruse?' Aedan pondered.
As if in response to his thoughts, a small silhouette appeared on the horizon, flying towards their location. The distinct purple exterior of the ship confirmed its identity beyond doubt; it was a stark contrast against the ash-covered sky.
"Aedan, please tell me that it's just a cloud with an unusual shape," Sam asked through COMs.
"No, that is indeed a Covenant ship heading our way," Aedan replied, dashing Sam's hopes. The two SPARTANs were silent until Aedan broke it, "Sam, turn the tank around immediately. We need to return to Luxor; we are officially out of time," Aedan instructed as he quickly took the gunner's seat on the Wraith.
"Aye aye," Sam responded, hitting the controls and retreating back toward the city at the Wraith's top speed of 45 km/h.
'This situation is dire,' Aedan thought as he gripped the plasma turret tightly. They approached the city's entrance, a bridge connecting two landmasses divided by a river. Upon crossing the bridge and entering the city, Sam halted the Wraith at the first line of defense, where two platoons of marines were stationed.
Aedan dismounted from the gunner's seat and approached the Marine Sergeant in charge. "What is the situation, Sergeant?" Aedan inquired.
"Stable for now, sir. We've just rigged the bridge with explosives in case something went wrong or we were overwhelmed," the Sgt replied, looking at the bridge that Aedan and Sam had just crossed. "By the way, why are you here, sir? Weren't you supposed to be at the front?"
"The situation has changed, and we don't have much time. Blow up the bridge and immediately retreat to the second line of defenses. A covenant ship will be arriving above Luxor shortly, and this is not a place any of us should remain," Aedan answered. The Sgt's eyes widened as he processed what Aedan had just said.
"Understood, sir!" the Sgt responded, turning to relay the new orders. "Set the charges off!"
Aedan walked back toward the wraith where Sam stood out from the hatch. "How's it looking?" Sam asked as the sound of the explosion echoed, and the bridge collapsed in the background.
"Good, but not for long," Aedan replied, noticing the Sgt approaching him again.
"Sir, how long do we have until that ship arrives?" the Sgt asked. Aedan noted the Sgt's calm demeanor, rare among the marines on the planet.
"Not long. How many transports are still left to evacuate?" Aedan asked.
"About a dozen more, sir. There's significant traffic near Luxor spaceport. Local authorities are doing their best, but I estimate it will take another 30 to 40 minutes until all are off the planet," the Sgt explained.
"That's not ideal," Sam remarked.
"Direct your platoons to the second line of defense. It won't be long until the first dropships land inside the city," Aedan commanded. Overhead, he could hear the distinctive sound of banshees circling. "Move out!" he added.
The Sergeant nodded promptly and made his way to his platoon, who were already mounted on warthogs, ready to advance. Aedan returned to his position at the gunner's seat, while Sam re-entered the wraith.
"Are we proceeding as well?" Sam inquired through COMs.
"Indeed. Proceed, Sam," Aedan responded. As they turned to follow the marines, a banshee approached from behind, discharging its fuel rod cannon and narrowly missing them. The resulting explosion scattered dirt over the wraith and onto Aedan. 'This is unfortunate,' Aedan thought.
Sam maneuvered the wraith around, facing their rear while cautiously hovering backward. "Sam, just turn it around and proceed," Aedan instructed through COMs.
"Do not worry, Aedan. I have the situation under control. Trust me," Sam reassured him, further heightening Aedan's anxiety about their predicament.
'If we perish here, I will certainly reprimand Sam in the afterlife,' Aedan mused. As the banshee prepared for another assault, Aedan braced himself for the imminent impact. 'My apologies, Doctor, it appears I will be unable to keep my promise,' he reflected, anticipating the fuel rod blast. Although he could have abandoned the Wraith and left Sam behind, Aedan was no coward; he would never desert a comrade in such a manner.
Aedan observed the approaching Banshee, noting the visible green hue of its charging fuel rod cannon. Simultaneously, he heard the Wraith power up its cannon and release a blue plasma ball. As is typical, the plasma shot upwards, but its trajectory intersected with the intended path of the diving Banshee. Consequently, the plasma struck the Banshee, causing it to explode.
Aedan could only watch in amazement as Sam did something that didn't even come to his mind, "Sam… you damn son of a bitch." Aedan said, his voice filled with relief and annoyance.
"Told you we'll be fine; I got my own tricks up my sleeves." Sam said. Aedan couldn't help but chuckle.
"I have to say, you're a damn fine tank expert." Aedan praised as Sam turned the tank around, driving it towards their next destination.
"Thanks, I aim to please" Sam replied, "So what's the plan?"
"We will hold them off for as long as possible before we must retreat," Aedan stated.
"That's all? It sounds quite straightforward," Sam replied.
"Sometimes, straightforward plans are our only options," Aedan explained. He was neither a Caesar nor a Napoleon capable of devising top-tier strategies; he was simply an individual from another universe doing his utmost to save as many lives as he could.
"You make very valid points," Sam acknowledged. They encountered a roadblock obscured by debris from a demolished building. "It appears we will need to abandon our alien tank."
Aedan dismounted from the gunner position, retrieving his DMR and surveying the area. Sam also exited the driver's seat, grabbing one of the plasma grenades he had collected from the deceased covenant soldiers in their previous encounters. Activating the grenade, he tossed it into the driver's hatch. "Farewell, you served us well during our brief time together," Sam said, saluting the wraith as it exploded shortly thereafter.
"Are you prepared?" Aedan inquired. Sam unsheathed his MA5B.
"Always," Sam replied, to which Aedan nodded and began climbing the rubble. Sam followed. "Did the same thing happen in Biko?" he asked.
"Not exactly. We had more guerilla fighting instead of constant attacks," Aedan responded. The battle of Eridanus was more chaotic than Biko, even though four years had passed. Aedan often thought about the boy he and Kilo-2 had rescued from Biko.
"So it's worse here?" Sam asked as he slid down the other side of the rubble.
"Yes," Aedan said, following Sam. "Now, where are we?"
Aedan surveyed their surroundings. Tall buildings and skyscrapers blocked the sky. The road was filled with abandoned vehicles, some crushed by large pieces of rubble.
"The Covenant fighters have caused significant destruction here," Sam observed as they passed the abandoned and damaged vehicles. Aedan nodded in agreement, harboring a strong dislike for the Banshees; they were far more irritating and lethal than their counterparts in the game, reminiscent of the German Stukas he had come to appreciate through extensive use in Warthunder.
As they continued, Aedan noticed movement from an overturned vehicle. He raised his fist, signaling Sam to halt. "Wait," Aedan instructed, proceeding cautiously toward the car with Sam covering him. Detecting life signs on his HUD, Aedan gestured for Sam to lift the vehicle.
Upon lifting the car, they discovered an individual partially buried under rubble, with only one hand visible. Aedan immediately moved to clear the debris while Sam assisted. They revealed a boy, estimated to be between 13 to 15 years old. The child groaned and looked up at them. "Are you alright?" Aedan asked, kneeling beside him.
The boy coughed, "N-no sir, I'm…hit on my stomach." the boy said, Aedan's face beneath the helmet darkened, he didn't want to hear that. "I don't think I'll make it sir."
"Hey, don't say that kid, don't tempt him." Sam jokingly warned the kid to try to lighten the mood.
"Sir…I don't who you are, but…please…just get my little brother out of this place." the kid said as he pulled out a boy beneath him which he was covering with his body, Aedan's eyes widened a bit at that, he hadn't expected the kid to be shielding someone, non the less surviving beneath a car and rubble.
Aedan carefully removed the child from his older brother's hold. The child opened his eyes, displaying visible surprise and fear upon seeing Aedan. Aedan understood that the typical civilian, particularly a young child around seven years of age, was likely unfamiliar with the SPARTANs and might be alarmed by the sight of a 7-foot-tall individual wearing a helmet with an etched skull on a red visor. This observation led him to wonder why the older brother seemed to have confidence in entrusting them with his younger sibling.
"It's ok, your big brother handed you over to us," Aedan said in an attempt to calm the child, though he felt his wording was not ideal.
"That's not how to comfort a child," Sam remarked, to which Aedan responded with a look.
"Then you handle it, Mr. Childcare expert," Aedan said, handing the child over to Sam, who started patting the child's back. Aedan observed the older brother of the child and reflected on how much Miranda had influenced Sam.
"What is your name?" Aedan asked.
"E-Ezekiel, sir... and that is Emile, my younger brother," the teenager replied, coughing up blood. Aedan pulled him out and observed the metal shard impaled in his front abdomen.
'Could it possibly be the same Emile?' Aedan wondered, recalling the Emile he knew from Halo lore, the one he drew his inspiration for his helmet. Although he was well-versed in the details, he did not remember the birthplaces of all the characters except for John, who was born on Eridanus; Jorge, on Reach; Naomi, on Sansar; and Daisy, who was born on Sargasso. "Do not worry, Ezekiel. You will be fine," Aedan reassured him as he took out his medical kit.
"I already told you, sir, I won't make it. I've lost too much blood," Ezekiel said as he coughed up blood. "Please, sir, just leave me. I am unlikely to survive. Please get my brother to safety." With a final breath, the young teen closed his eyes and passed away from his wounds.
It was the first time Aedan had not saved someone he could have easily saved. He stared at the lifeless body of the teen, feeling a mix of emotions including sorrow, guilt, regret, and anger toward the covenant. As Aedan stood up, he turned to look at Sam, who still held Emile in his arms. He could hear Emile's silent sobs. Aedan was unsure if this was the Emile who would become Noble Four, but he knew he had a mission: to fulfill a request and get the boy off Eridanus.
"How long until we reach Luxor spaceport?" Aedan asked.
"Twenty, maybe twenty-five minutes if we walk. We can narrow it down to fifteen if we sprint," Sam explained.
"Let's get going then," Aedan said.
"Aedan, it's not your fault," Sam said, trying to comfort Aedan.
"Not now, Sam; we need to evacuate the child," Aedan replied. Suddenly, the city began to rumble, causing Aedan to momentarily freeze. "Run!" Aedan shouted as he sprinted, followed closely by Sam who held Emile tightly. The tall skyscrapers were collapsing due to an unknown force exerted on them, and large pieces of rubble were falling onto the road. Aedan and Sam continued running, skillfully avoiding the falling debris.
"What is happening?" Sam asked through COMS.
"It must be the Covenant ship; they are likely bombarding the city or possibly even glassing it," Aedan explained as they ran.
"You can't be serious! We won't survive if they are glassing this area," Sam exclaimed.
Aedan did not have time to respond as the skyscrapers began to collapse behind them, generating massive shockwaves and sending debris and a sea of rubble toward their location. "Just run!" Aedan shouted, emphasizing that their primary objective was to survive and get the child off-world.
As they entered a plaza, the rubble continued to pursue them like a tsunami. Aedan noticed one of the emergency doors closing automatically. "There!" Aedan indicated the door; Sam swiftly entered first, followed by Aedan who managed to slide inside just as the door shut behind him.
The interior structure shook as the rubble impacted outside, but the robust building withstood the force, with the lights inside flickering intermittently. Aedan stood up and wiped his faceplate clean of debris and dust.
Sam, who was still holding onto Emile, finally set him down and looked at Aedan. "That was a close call," Sam said.
"Yes," Aedan agreed, letting out a sigh. "Where are we now?"
"I am not sure," Sam replied with a shrug. Emile stayed close to Sam, which Aedan observed. The child had not spoken once, at least in Aedan's presence. "We could walk down the corridor and see where it leads," Sam suggested.
"Let's do that; it's better than standing here idle," Aedan agreed. Sam picked up Emile again, as his small size would be a disadvantage on foot. Taking out his MA6H, he followed Aedan into the dark corridors, their armor's headlights turning on.
They descended what appeared to be a staircase, accompanied only by Emile's occasional noises and the heavy footsteps of the two SPARTANs. As they moved downward, Aedan noticed a green square on the wall above them with the word "Subway" written in white letters.
"Excellent, a subway," Aedan thought as they continued their descent. Upon reaching the bottom, they encountered a short-nosed maglev train.
"Uh…who's driving the train?" Sam asked.
"I will do it," Aedan stated as he approached one of the entrances of the front carriage, with Sam following closely behind along with Emile.
Inside the train, its appearance was akin to the bullet trains familiar to him from his own universe, featuring multiple seats and an interior reminiscent of such high-speed trains. Aedan proceeded towards the front where the driver's seat was situated. Upon entering the driver's compartment, he discovered that the controls were considerably more complex compared to those of the Pelican or even a Longsword.
Nonetheless, Aedan located an autopilot button. Upon pressing it, the control panel's monitor displayed a map of Luxor. At present, they were positioned in the northernmost part of Luxor, with the Luxor spaceport approximately 43 kilometers southwest. The nearest proximity they could achieve to the spaceport was 1.2 kilometers.
As Aedan went ahead to set the course to their next destination, in the passengers carriage, Sam sat with Emile who still hadn't spoken a word, Sam itching for a conversation spoke up, "So… You ok kid?"
There was no reply from the boy. "Who am I kidding, of course you aren't," Sam stated bluntly. He knew the kid was still shaken by his older brother's death, which had left him an orphan. Sam had never been good with kids, often finding them annoying. However, his time with Aedan and Miranda had changed that for him, even if it was just a simple ice cream break—a respite Sam hadn't known he needed.
'God damnit Aedan, you've made me softer,' Sam thought.
"You know... I always wondered what it was like to have an older brother," Sam said, catching Emile's attention. "I had many siblings, but none fit the older brother role. Just remember, your brother died saving you. He gave up his life for you. One thing my siblings and I were taught was to never let a sacrifice go to waste."
Emile simply looked up at Sam, his eyes widened a bit, but Sam could tell that a spark lit up in his eyes, "These Alien bastards were the one's responsible for this crap, hell if I could I'd put those damn innies in the same category." Sam said, he still remembered their first mission on this system, he had done some more research on Eridanus and his history with the insurrectionist in the past few years which reignited his fury towards the insurrectionists.
Sam looked at Emile , his faceplate reflecting the face of the young boy, he could tell the boy was going to do great deeds in the future, something in his gut told him that so he decided to push it on, "Listen kid, when you grow up old, like adult old and ever decide to enlist in the UNSC, make sure you join the branch with the most action because I will tell you this, those Alien bastards kill a lot people, innocent people just like the innies do but worst, and it's our duty as soldiers to make them pay a thousand times over." Sam said, his voice filled with anger and hate towards the covenant but also determination.
Aedan walked into the passenger carriage and saw Sam sitting next to Emile. He took a seat opposite them, placing his DMR beside him, and kept the plasma rifle on his hips. Sam looked at him and asked, "How long until we arrive?"
"ETA is 20 minutes. Let us hope the Covenant do not start destroying the city immediately," Aedan remarked, leaning his head back. The sound of his helmet hitting the metallic wall of the cart echoed. Initially, Aedan thought Eridanus would be similar to Biko, but he was proven wrong; it was ten times worse than Biko. Over the past years, the Covenant had become significantly more aggressive in their assault on human planets. "I miss the days when I used to play games with my old friends," Aedan reflected.
Silence filled the train, punctuated only by the sound of the train moving and Sam checking his assault rifle. Aedan continued to lean his head against the wall, closing his eyes behind his bowl-shaped helmet. He became lost in his own thoughts, inadvertently entering a state of Zen.
But inside the carriage unbeknownst to the three, through the inner entrance connecting the other carriages, a cloaked Elite, invisible to the naked eye of the boy or the two SPARTANs walked in, slowly advancing towards Aedan its energy sword activated it went for a killing blow to the unaware and vulnerable SPARTAN.
But as if sensing danger Aedan caught the arm of the invisible elite which was preparing to thrust the energy sword into Aedan's chest, standing up and snapping his eyes open Aedan immediately gave the creature an upper cut, the force excreted by Aedan snapping the elites spinal cord in half as its head slacked backwards, the Elite fell lifeless to the metal floor, the sound of the body hitting the ground echoing through the carriage.
Sam already alerted noticed a slight shimmer off to his side and got up from his seat sending a powerful punch directed towards where he guessed the head of the elite would be located at, as the punched landed, as expected an elite de-cloaked and went flying towards the wall, the force of Sam's punch shattering its skull. Sam fist was covered in the Elite's purple blood.
Aedan pulled out his custom sword that Dr. Halsey created for him and ignited it, examining the dead bodies his attention was soon directed towards the door leading to the other carriages, he saw six more Stealth elites in their grey armor, each of them activating their energy sword, Sam pushed Emile behind the seat so that he may not get into the cross fire.
There was an eerie silence for a moment, both sides not daring to make the first move and awaiting the opposition to do so first. Then in a flash the elites charged towards the two SPARTANs. In response Sam and Aedan charged as well.
As the first Elite that neared Aedan went for an upward slash, Aedan slid under him slashing his stomach open before stabbing it in the neck. Before he could pull the sword out, the other two Stealth elites went for a strike with the first one narrowly missing his head, the energy sword screening just inches across his chest plate, Aedan kicked the elite with his knees sending the elite stumbling back, the second elite went for a back stab which was intercepted by Aedan who spun his sword around and decapitated the elite.
As the first elite regained himself, Aedan not giving the creature any opportunity swiped its legs making it fall to the ground and stabbed downward pinning the elite to the ground through the stomach and began punching it's face, breaking one of its mandibles in the process as he brutally killed the elite, getting its purple blood over his black armor.
Sam meanwhile who was facing the other three elites, grabbed the first elite by the neck and sent it flying towards another both elites crashing towards the wall, and breaking their spines due to the force of the impact which also left a dent in the carriage's titanium wall, Sam was even to the elites, a giant as the average Elite was around 7 feet 4 inches to 7 feet 11 inches compared to Sam's now 8 feet 2 inches in MJOLNIR.
As the last elite charged towards Sam, it's energy sword preparing for a thrust to his heart, Sam grabbed the Elite's arm, throwing the sword off his hand and grabbing it's head with both his hands, as he concentrated his strength, the elite's head was crushed and squashed, purple blood all over Sam's MJOLNIR.
Aedan and Sam look at each other and nod, both understanding what to do next. Sam looked back to where he had left Emile who was still hiding behind the seats. Sam looked at Aedan who walked over to the connection between the two carriages.
As Aedan went over to a control panel, across multiple carriages on the back end of the train he could see a large hole made, with Elites hoping inside the train, Aedan immediately pressed the command console, while Sam drawing his assault rifle provided covering fire, the Elites in question on the far end returned fire with their blue plasma bolts flying over and across Sam's sides and head missing him.
Aedan finally figuring out the controls pressed on the button which loosened and released the magnetic couplers, detaching their side of the carriage from the others, leaving the carriages where the Elites were at behind as they accelerated forwards due to the loss of weight.
"That was a close call." Sam said as he grabbed a handle to support himself to stand as the sudden acceleration of the train nearly threw him off his feet.
"Too close," Aedan agreed.
Aedan peered through the open door. From the tunnels behind them, where they had detached the other carriages, an explosion echoed. Aedan saw a silhouette giving chase. As it got closer, he realized it was a Covenant Shadow. The shade turret atop began firing purple plasma, forcing Sam and Aedan to duck.
"For crying out loud, can't we catch a break?" Sam complained, grabbing his MA5B.
"Guess not" Aedan answered as he drew out his DMR peeking out of cover and opening fire on the turret's gunner.
Sam turned back to look at Emile who slight peeked out of the seats to see what was going on, "Hang tight kid, this is going to be a bumpy ride!" Sam said as he opened fire on the Shadow as well.
21st Cycle, 5th year of the Ninth age of Reclamation
Eridanus System, Eridanus II, Luxor
Atop a ruined human building stood Fieldmaster Ja'khar 'Khanee, donned in his ornate Golden combat harness, he overlooked at the crumbling Human city, the Zanar-pattern attack ship hovered above the city, bombarding the city and it's already hopeless defenses, turning them into ash.
The planet was already theirs, this city was the last bastion of Human resistance on the world, he was deeply distraught that they were unable to glass this heretical world as one last saving grace for the humans appeared. Their scouts had found artifacts and relics belonging to their Gods.
The inferior human fleet that had arrived had also been swiftly dealt with, forcing the humans to pull back from the planet; their forces had reigned supreme in Space, land and air.
He watched as their dropships flew around the city, hunting for any Humans still alive. It wouldn't be long until a Ket-pattern Cruiser arrives and starts glassing this city.
As he stood there, he could hear footsteps approaching him, "Speak." Ja'khar said, his voice filled with authority.
The Sangheili that had approached him bowed his head in respect, "Fieldmaster, our scouts have located the Faceless humans." the Sangheili which was a Major said.
Ja'khar hearing that turned around to face the Major, "Where?" he asked in a deep and authoritative voice.
"Our forces have been giving chase to them in one of their underground passageways." the Major said but paused choosing his next words carefully, "But they have lost them."
Ja'khar stood there silent for a moment, his mandibles twitching as he let off a deep growl, he turned to look at the distance where the human port was located at, "Send all our warriors towards the human por.t" he ordered.
"But Fieldmaster, the Fleetmaster ha-"the major was cut off.
"I am aware of what the Fleetmaster had ordered!" Ja'khar lashed out, "His presence in land affair is not required for it is I that command on the ground." he said, "Have our warriors surround the port, make sure none leave or enter the place."
"By your command, Fieldmaster," the major said before departing, leaving Ja'khar alone atop the building once more. He had heard rumors and stories from other warriors about these Faceless humans, and how they were taller, stronger, faster, and more deadly compared to ordinary humans. Initially, he had dismissed these claims, believing that humans, or Nishum, were no more than weak beings who were heretics to the Covenant.
However, everything changed during this campaign. He had personally witnessed two of these Faceless humans causing chaos among his troops. He observed firsthand how these two individuals singlehandedly halted their advance toward the last human city, prompting him to call in the attack ship to force a retreat.
Consequently, he directed all available resources to hunt these two down. As Ja'khar descended the building towards the awaiting Phantom, he pondered the number of these Faceless humans the opposition might possess. Upon boarding the Phantom, which began to lift off the ground into the city's atmosphere, Ja'khar noticed a large explosion near the area where his forces were deployed around the port.
Frustrated, Ja'khar growled in anger and instructed the pilot, "Set course for the human port. I shall deal with these pests myself." He then proceeded to retrieve his Korva-pattern fuel rod gun.
As Aedan and Sam moved through the streets of Luxor, they slowly approached the spaceport, which was less than 800 meters away. After exiting the subways a few minutes earlier, they encountered a large group of Covenant armor heading towards the port and disrupted the Covenant ranks with an explosive trap.
Sam, still carrying Emile, also had a captured concussion rifle taken from an Elite Ultra's body, while Aedan held his DMR, which was low on ammunition but still had his sword from Halsey.
As they ascended the stairs leading to the spaceport, Aedan observed that the area appeared deserted. There were abandoned pieces of luggage and scattered clothes throughout. "This place is like a ghost town," he thought.
Aedan reduced his pace as they approached the docking bay, which still had one remaining transport ship. It seemed that there were not many people onboard. Some marines were stationed outside, guarding the ship. One of them noticed the trio and approached.
"Master Chief, sir, glad you could make it," the marine said.
Aedan acknowledged the situation with a nod. "I must say, it still feels odd being addressed as Master Chief," he thought. "What is the current status?" Aedan inquired.
"We have successfully evacuated most of the transports and civilians from the planet. This is the last transport remaining, and we had just finished refueling it before your arrival," the marine explained. He noticed Emile in Sam's arms and asked, "Who is the child, sir?"
"A survivor," Sam replied as he approached the marine. "Ensure this child is evacuated; he has already witnessed events that could be deeply traumatic," Sam said, handing over the sleeping Emile to the marine. The marine took the child and nodded in understanding.
Suddenly, a shockwave was felt across the docking bay. Realizing that it was now or never, Aedan commanded, "Go! Now!" as he readied his DMR. Sam followed suit with his MA5B. Without hesitation, the marine entered the ship, giving the two SPARTANs a final look before closing the hatch.
Aedan heard the engines of the ship ignite, lifting off the ground and exiting the docking bay. He looked up through the glass windows at the ceiling to see a CRS cruiser hovering above.
"Now that that's done, what do we do now?" Sam shouted as another shockwave occurred.
"We find our own way out," Aedan responded as they proceeded towards the main lobby of the spaceport. As they approached the steps leading downward, they had to take cover because the lobby was now filled with Grunts, Jackals, and Elites.
"Jesus, how did they get here so fast?" Sam asked through COMs.
"Dropships of course." Aedan answered. "You ready?"
"Like I said… always." Sam answered as he readied his MA5B, grabbing two plasma grenades he picked up, activating it, he threw the grenades in between a large group of covenant. As the grenades exploded, Aedan and Sam rose up from their cover and opened fire.
Catching the covenant forces off guard they were able to pick off a lot of them with ease, with Sam switching to his concussion rifle to cause even more damage. Aedan eventually ran out of bullets for his DMR and had to switch for his plasma rifle. But as the firefight prolonged both Aedan and Sam were forced to pull back further into the spaceport as covenant reinforcements endlessly poured in.
"This situation is significantly worse than what we experienced at Biko," Aedan remarked.
"I would be surprised if it weren't," Sam replied with a hint of sarcasm.
Aedan contemplated their options. They were at a spaceport that should have multiple docking bays, but given the recent covenant attack, most ships had likely departed. "Sam, do you think there might be any pelicans in the hangar bay?" Aedan inquired, considering it their potential means of escape.
"To my knowledge, Pelicans do not have a slipspace drive, so they cannot be used to travel to different star systems," Sam responded.
"That settles it. We are heading to the nearest hangar bay. If we can find even one functional Pelican, we might secure our means of leaving this planet," Aedan declared as he proceeded down the spaceport corridors with Sam. While passing a blast door, Sam fired a concussion round into the control console, sealing the door to hinder the Covenant from following them.
Upon entering the hangar bay, they discovered numerous aircraft and shuttles still docked. "Jackpot," Aedan remarked.
"It seems John's luck has indeed rubbed off on us," Sam added humorously. The Pelican they found was not military-grade but rather a civilian model used for transporting cargo over long distances and to ships.
"Let's get this bird started. The Covenant will glass this place soon," Aedan said, heading towards the Pelican. Suddenly, a green orb flew past him and exploded nearby.
Aedan spun around, with Sam already aiming his concussion rifle at the source. In front of them stood a Golden-armored Elite with a horned helmet and a fuel rod cannon, accompanied by six Elite Majors and two Ultras.
It was unmistakably a General; Aedan recognized the ornate golden armor it wore, which was the exact same ones seen on Halo: Reach, Aedan could hear Sam besides him aim his concussion rifle. "Sam…. Get the pelican ready." Aedan calmly said.
"What? Are you crazy, you'll be facing nine elites all by yourself!" Sam protested
"Just trust me…. I'm also a crazy guy like you." Aedan reaffirmed as he gripped tightly on his plasma rifle. "Now, get the ride started, we'll need it ready ASAP once I'm done."
"Don't die, Aedan. Kelly will kill me if you do," Sam said as he entered the Pelican.
Aedan saw the General aim the fuel rod towards the Pelican and so Aedan activating his thrusters, at high speed slammed into one of the Elite ultras sending him flying into the wall, the other Elites, especially the General reacted by aiming their weapons directly at Aedan.
Aedan grabbing the Plasma Rifle that was in midair, having sent it flying out of the Ultra's hand as Aedan slammed into him, now with dual Plasma rifles, Aedan concentrated all power into his thrusters which sent him flying, the Elites fired their weapons, with the General firing a series of Fuel rods before reloading, all of which missed Aedan by a long shot.
As Aedan gained balance and control over his thrusters he aimed his dual Plasma rifle, the HUD displaying the aiming reticule, opening fire with the Plasma rifle, Aedan was an Angel of Death as he rained Plasma fire upon the Elites, taking out the Majors while severely injuring the Ultra, the General however duck behind some covers and fired a precise fuel rod shot which exploded right next to Aedan in air, making Aedan fall to the ground, his thrusters heavily damaged.
'Alright, this fucker is pissing me off.' Aedan though as he got up, Aedan ditched his plasma rifle as he knew that this General was smart enough to dodge the plasma bolts. Aedan once again took out his new sword.
The General taking it as a challenge also threw away his Fuel rod cannon and activated his energy sword, as both warriors stood on opposite sides, their choice of weapons drawn.
It was like a classical tale of two warriors facing each other in an honorable dual, just that one side fought for survival, while the other fought for faith.
Aedan took a deep breath inside of his helmet, making sure to keep calm he readied his knife, Ja'khar also entered into a stance, his energy sword. Both warriors knew that there could be only one victor and only one that will walk away alive.
There was a pause, an eerie silence going across the hanger bay, the only sound being the Pelican engines being started by Sam, then in a flash both parties dashed at each other and in a flash they struck. Both of them now stood on opposite sides once more, their backs turned.
Ja'khar was the first to move and turned around to look at Aedan who was unmoving, as Ja'khar deactivated his energy sword he let off a breath, his mandibles twitching a she did so, and then he collapsed onto the floor on his back, his eyes staring into the human made ceiling of the hangar bay.
Aedan came out of his statue like state which he had entered to make it more dramatic. He glanced at his pitch-black blade which had purple blood smeared over it, as he put his sword back, he walked over to the mortally wounded Elite, stopping right next to his head.
Aedan could see that the elite would bleed out from his neck, where he had cut a deep slash, as a pool of purple blood formed around him, Aedan noticed the General say something in its native tongue, his translator had been damaged thanks to this jerk.
But he did make our one word, 'Kal'arn' before the General succumbed to his injuries, Aedan didn't know whether to feel sympathy or anger at the elite, the Elite General was most likely the one that had been in command and orchestrated all ground attacks on Eridanus and most probably the reason why Emile lost his older brother, why many innocent civilians who had nothing to do with this had to die, to leave their homes.
But another part of him felt sympathy for the Elites in general, sure they may be leading a genocidal war against Humanity, but even they themselves had no idea as to why, why they were even fighting humanity in the first place, if only Aedan could alter things right now, end it all right now.
But that would be catastrophic for this universe, his mere presence in this universe had already altered a lot of things and God knows what else would happen if he made a massively dramatic change like stating the great schism early somehow. He knew working with the future he was familiar with was the best option than working with one he had no idea in.
Aedan stared at the lifeless body for a few more seconds before a rumbling of the hanger bay snapped him out, he remembered that he still had to get off planet and that Sam was waiting for him and so without waste Aedan quickly entered the Pelican, making his way to the cockpit where Sam was already seated, taking the Co-pilot seat, Aedan nodded at Sam.
"Took you long enough, you and that elite seemed to be staring at each other like a couple of lovers." Sam joked as he grabbed the Pelican's handle.
"Fuck off Sam, you know I'm not an alien lover." Aedan replied.
"What," Sam said, pretending to be surprised. "What a surprise."
"Just get us out of here, I'm beginning to dislike this place," Aedan replied.
"Aye, aye, Captain," Sam responded as he began lifting the Pelican off the ground. He soon flew it out of the hangar bay. As they exited, Sam turned the Pelican towards the city, ascending into orbit. From the cockpit's window, Aedan observed the CRS light cruiser continuing its bombardment of the city while a CCS battle cruiser emerged from the clouds and commenced glassing the center of Luxor with its excavation beam.
Aedan reflected on the situation, acknowledging that despite their mission's success, the fall of another planet felt like a defeat. John's home planet had suffered the same fate as many other human colonies in the past and likely would in the future.
As they entered orbit, the area was filled with the debris of UNSC warships. Aedan observed the planet and noted that Luxor was the last untouched part, while the rest of the planet burned.
"Our navigation system is picking up the Jutland near the planet's moon," Sam informed as he accelerated the Pelican towards their ship's location.
"That's where we're heading," Aedan said, removing his helmet and placing it between his legs. He leaned his head against the chair and sighed.
"It wasn't your fault," Sam stated while flying the Pelican. "The individual had already accepted their fate."
"But I could have saved them," Aedan replied. "I could have saved them, but I didn't."
"Aedan," Sam paused before continuing, "you possess a capability that many do not... can you guess? Saving lives."
Aedan glanced at Sam, confused by his words. "When we were trained, we were trained to kill. We do a good job at that, but we lack the ability to properly understand how to save someone or treat civilians," Sam explained.
"But you, not only are you skilled at killing, you also know how to save lives if necessary," Sam added with a hint of admiration. "Now that I think about it, we're more like machines built to kill, but you are a true soldier."
"Don't say that. You're all just as much soldiers as an average marine, it's just that we're more enhanced," Aedan responded.
"Buffed and juiced up huh? I think I might use those words sometimes to explain us SPARTANs" Sam joked.
Aedan let off a laugh, "You know Sam, you're a darn good friend and a bro" Aedan said as he scratched his hair.
"Brothers forever as they say" Sam said
"Brothers forever" Aedan repeated.
The Pelican neared the Jutland which had most of its outer hull destroyed or damaged, a large part of the ship charred black, it was a miracle that it was still operational, as the docking bay door opened up Sam flew the Pelican inside landing it among the military grade Pelicans.
And soon the Jutland entered slip space leaving the Eridanus system for good and making way for the Epsilon Eridani system for repairs and to drop off the two SPARTANs.