[Halo] New! San Angeles RPG - Page 100 - The New Order

Naked Crook · 10-14-2013

Burke nodded as Reynolds spoke, giving his support as well.

Burke: Yes...what is the status of our ground teams? What can you update us with? What are our people currently up to, exactly? Would it be farfetched to assume that they are still engaged in active combat...or have things cooled down a bit?

Meanwhile:

Jennifer thought for a moment. She was unsure on how to proceed. Every option carried extreme risk and danger to it. This was by no means a simple decision, as anyone going up against The Risk Takers, would be putting themselves into a grave amount of danger.

Jennifer looked at Nighthawk, who then looked back at her.

Nighthawk: What is it?

Jennifer looked at NIghthawk. She knew that he knew that something was wrong.

Jennifer: Jacob reports that there is a very large team of Spartan's coming this way. Based on what you have told me...they may be here for you.

Nighthawk: Shit...I have expected that I would see them sooner or later.

Nighthawk paused. He thought for a moment.

Nighthawk: Where are they coming from?

Jennifer: They are moving through the main corridor. We branched off from it a while ago. Chances are, they will move up on our six.

Nighthawk looked back the way they had come, and then back at Jennifer.

Nighthawk: I will move to intercept. I will try and keep them off your ass.

Jennifer: Jacob says that he could try and intercept them.

Nighthawk: Negative...I don't need his death on my conscious. I have enough to answer for. Tell him to proceed as he was. I will deal with these Spartans...somehow.

Jennifer gave Nighthawk an unsure look...but she gave way, and then spoke to Jacob again.

Jennifer: Jacob...carry on...as you were. Do not engage. Repeat...do not engage. Can you acknowledge?

Kairu · 10-14-2013

Robertson entered the large Engineering room. He was about four floors up in an observation room, overlooking the rest of the engineering facility. He moved the barrel of his shotgun back and forth, securing the immediate room. On either side to the left and right of the door he entered from were arches that descended to the lower levels. Robertson lowered his gun and checked the consoles in the observation room. He saw many monitors, all of which helped regulate and monitor various functions throughout the Trust facility. He looked out the window and saw a generator of unknown design, among other generators and machinery.

He could see the massive power generator at the far end of the facility along with dozens of Trust ODST patrols scattered throughout the engineering area. Robertson then surveyed more around the consoles and found one that seemed to have the same odd mystery as the generator below. He thought about what to do about his situation and the options he was presented with. He could cause the power generator to overload, flood various chambers of the facility with gasses, shutdown and lockout the power itself, take out key systems, but the one thing that stood out was the elusive machine below.

Robertson looked around the consoles when one of the engineers had entered from the right rear archway.

Engineer: "Who are you and what are you doing?"

Robertson turned around raising his shotgun to the woman who immediately threw her hands up.

Robertson: "Do you work here?"

Engineer: "I'm not answering your questions until you lower your gun."

Robertson lowered it slightly, but not completely.

Robertson: "I can't be too careful. Please answer my question. I'm a little impatient and not very tolerant right now."

Engineer: "I do work here. Who are you? You're not one of the others."

Robertson: "No, I'm UNSC. What is that odd machine down there?"

Engineer: "It's the facility's stealth generator. It's secret machine we keep from the UNSC. It hides us from all sensors. Anything you do will alert the guards."

Robertson: "Do you plan on telling them I am here?"

Engineer: "No. I don't want to be here. They promised me that I was doing good for the better of Humanity. That my work counts and matters. All they have us do is test new weapons and tech to use against Humans and aliens."

Robertson: "So then help me cripple the facility."

The Engineer approached one of the consoles, only having Robertson bring his shotgun up and pointed at the engineer.

Engineer: "Relax, I'm not going to alert anyone. I want to show you what to do. What's your name?"

Robertson lowered the gun again.

Robertson: "Robertson. Sergeant Robertson. You?"

Engineer: "Allison Hamilton. Here's some of your options. You can disable the facility's stealth, revealing the entire complex to your fleet's sensors. You could overload the generator, kill all of us and likely take out the entire facility. You can shut down the facility's AI, but the problem is that there are backup generators in multiple areas of the facility. And unless you have 10 other ODSTs, you won't make it pass the third one."

Robertson: "Disable the stealth. I'll radio my superior that the fleet should be able to see the facility. I would suggest evac-ing the facility afterwards. I doubt they'll be merciful when they're done."

Hamilton: "Will do, Sergeant. Good luck."

The console controlling the generator went dark as alarms went off around the engineering levels. The scattered patrols began to close in on Robertson's location. As soon as Hamilton stepped away from the console, he used his shotgun and blew the console apart, permanently disabling the computer.

Robertson then turned around and ran out the door he came through and down the halls.

Robertson: "Captain Frost, the facility had a stealth field generator. I was able to permanently disable it. What is your position so I can re-group."

Hells Sniper · 10-16-2013

Harrison shook his head.

Harrison: As always, our boys and girls are still fighting. They had managed to repel the invasion on the spaceport, so we do have some breathing room down there. But right now most of the senior officers are engaging a Trust facility, or at least, what we assume to be a Trust facility.

Harrison paused.

Harrison: We lost a lot of good men and women in the defense, along with the initial assault on the city, but they are still fighting. More resilient than ever I should add. The Covenant have backed down, both up here and down here, so we have time to regroup and formulate ourselves before anything else goes to hell.

Concurrently:

Jacob had already begun to move down the hallway towards the Risk-Takers, sticking to the shadows and doors as he heard their footsteps hit the ground. They had stopped sprinting and were down to a casual walk.

Jacob could hear the conversation between Nighthawk and Frost. He knew he was on his way, and Jacob would have loved to see Nighthawk get his ass handed to him by seven Spartans, but he also knew it wouldn't stop there. The Spartans would keep moving and try to hunt down Anaconda, too.

Killing all of his comrades in the process.

By now, Jacob was right behind the group of Spartans, who had now stopped in the hallway and were checking rooms. He was again, hiding in one of the rooms they were bound to check. Jacob clicked the safety off of his assault rifle.

Jacob: Ma'am. To be blunt, I don't think that's an option right now.

Jacob could hear one of the Spartans about to enter his room.

Jacob: I'll meet you at the archives, ma'am. Sharpmen out.

With that Jacob stood upwards and exited the room. Standing just a few feet away, staring him down, was a Spartan, armor-clad in dark black armor holding a turret.

William: Sir.

The Spartan moved towards Jacob. Jacob couldn't move, he was amazed at this group of Spartans. The other six Spartans turned around and raised their own weapons.

William: He's UNSC, should I terminate?

Liam walked right next to William and eyed Jacob up and down. He shook his head.

Liam: Spartans, may I present to you the one and only Jacob Sharpmen.

Jacob could feel chills go up his back as he began to back away.

The Spartans started walking towards him.

Liam: Captain, put your weapon down and come with us.

Jacob: Now, why would I do that?

Jacob continued to back away, further down the hallway and away from the other UNSC forces.

Liam: Someone I know would love to see you.

Jacob kept walking.

Jacob: Now, who would that be?

Liam: I think you know her very well.

Jacob stopped suddenly. So many things rushed through his mind, the Spartan couldn't very well mean her, could he? No, that was impossible. It couldn't have been her, but then again, who else would it be?

Jacob shook his head and than turned around and ran down the hallway.

Liam shook his head.

Liam: Savannah, with me. The rest of you, stay in formation. Comms are indicating Nighthawk is alone. Kill him.

The five Spartans nodded and then turned around and headed down the hallway again. Savannah walked up next to Liam.

Savannah: I thought you said he didn't concern you.

Liam shook his head and started walking, Savannah followed.

Liam: He does.

Naked Crook · 10-16-2013

Jennifer heard Jacob close the comm line. She looked back at Nighthawk.

Jennifer: Damn it. Jacob may possibly be engaging.

Nighthawk sighed.

Nighthawk: Alright. I am gonna go find these guys and see if I can lure them away. I will try and draw some hear. I want you, Tye, and Cameron to keep going. See if you can get to anywhere in this facility that might be of any sort of tactical importance.

Jennifer: Jacob suggested the archives. However...I have no clue where that is.

Nighthawk: Find it. Once you get there...contact me.

Jennifer nodded.

Jennifer looked over the cover that she and Nighthawk were behind. She saw Tye and Cameron were still engaged with Trust forces. She knelt back down and looked at Nighthawk.

Jennifer: Look...before you go...

Jennifer paused.

Jennifer: Promise me you won't take any boneheaded risks. The last thing I need for you to do is end up dead.

Nighthawk looked back at Jennifer, and could see a genuine look of concern. However, he had to be blunt about it.

Nighthawk: I can't make that promise. In this line of work...boneheaded moves are pretty much the norm.

Jennifer: Then just be careful.

Nighthawk was going to speak...but he stopped himself. He shook his head.

Nighthawk: Careful isn't part of this job Jennifer. I'm sorry...but I am not gonna lie about it.

Nighthawk paused.

Nighthawk: Besides...careful is more your thing, than mine. If you want me to live through this...make sure you are still around for me to come back to. As long as I have that...believe me...very little can keep me down.

Nighthawk holstered his sidearm, and reach to his back and grabbed his Shotgun.

Nighthawk: Wish me luck.

Nighthawk was about to get back to his feet, and begin backtracking, but he stopped when he felt Jennifer grab his arm. He stopped, and looked at Jennifer. He looked at her hand grasping his bicep, and then looked back at her. Nighthawk was confused. as to why she held onto him.

Nighthawk: What?

Jennifer simply stared. She was about to speak up, and say something, but he throat felt tight.

Nighthawk sighed. He thought for a moment.

Jennifer: You are not obligated to go and fight these guys.

Nighthawk: No, I am not. However, it is my responsibility to go. I am the reason they are there. I have no right to let those Spartans move through this base, letting them kill our people...just so they can lure me out. It is the morally right thing to do to face them. I always forget why I do what I do. At times like this, I ask myself how I got here. However...it is after the fact that I remember exactly why I do what I do.

Jennifer sighed. She loosed her grip on Nighthawk's arm.

Jennifer: Paragon in your wisdom...totally batshit crazy in your methods.

Jennifer released her hand completely.

Jennifer: I fell in love with the latter.

Nighthawk: Who wouldn't?

Jennifer grinned, as Nighthawk got up. He gave Jennifer one final nod, then took off, backtracking in order to find The Risk Takers.

Jennifer, on the other hand, simply watched Nighthawk bolt off.

Jennifer: Why do I get the feeling that this is the last time I see him alive?

Meanwhile:

Burke: The Covenant will not stay out of this forever Admiral. To be honest...we need to capitalize on the reprieve while we have it. We should accelerate evacuation effrots of New Havanna and New Armstrong immediately. We should not wait for The Covenant to restart hostilities in order to make these priorities. We need to We need to consolidate every combat unit and get evacs underway.

Burke paused.

Burke: Carver is losing strategic value by the second. With each evac shuttle that leaves, we march closer and closer to the innevitable conclusion that there is nothing left to do in Carver. We should evaluate the ratio between needed man power for defense and needed man power for evacuation. With every evac shuttle that launches, fewer marines are needed in Carver to protect the Spaceport. We should start moving those men and women out...now! We need to start coordination of evacuating the other two major cities...now!

Burke paused again.

Burke: To be frank...some of The King Raven's best people have either been killed, or they are deployed and either in combat as we speak, or sitting around and watching shuttles fly away. We cannot spare marines for the glorious task of watching shuttle fly away.

Kairu · 10-16-2013

Reynolds: "I agree with the Commander. Panic is sure to have already hit the cities. If we don't deploy troops soon to reorganize the evac efforts, they may lead to their own downfall. We can't risk letting that happen. We should use what resources we can spend to divide up our ground forces for evac. If the Covenant have been pushed back from Carver's spaceport, whoever is left can oversee the final launching of shuttles allowing us to redeploy marines."

Hells Sniper · 10-16-2013

Harrison leaned on his holotable, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Harrison: Too be blunt, Commander, and Captain...I am aware. I was down there not a half hour ago, and I understand what must be done. You two act as if I haven't been down this road before, as if I do not understand what needs to be done.

Harrison sighed, he stood straight.

Harrison: I have a lost a lot of good people as well, Commander. Including an entire platoon of ODST strike teams on an effort to give us this chance. The Covenant are licking their wounds, I of all people, understand that. Reallocation efforts on the ground have already begun, minor cities have been evacuated and we are beginning the evacuation of both New Armstrong and New Havanna. I understand what you are both saying, and I know what needs to be done.

Harrison looked at Burke.

Harrison: Troops are being rearmed, regrouped, and reorganized as we speak. If you're marines are sitting around, they obviously haven't paid attention to orders.

Harrison turned to Reynolds.

Harrison: Dividing our already dwindled forces is something I won't allow. We have soldiers down their bruised, beaten, and bloody and you want to split them up? When in actuality we have dozens of combat teams suited up and ready to drop up here? Captain, evaluate your response next time.

Harrison paused.

Harrison: Do not think I don't know what needs to be done. I do. And I will get it done.

Meanwhile:

Jacob was running down the hallway with Liam and Savannah following him. He was hoping to make it to the archives and lose them in there before anything went to hell. Jacob's only hope was that his wounds wouldn't come back to haunt him and he could keep up.

Yet, with every step, he could feel his ribs burn, he could feel his cuts grow larger, he could feel the blood pour out of his body. Slowly, Jacob began to lose his speed, but he was close.

So, very close.

Naked Crook · 10-16-2013

Burke: With all due respects Admiral...I don't think you have been down this road before.

Burke frowned.

Burke: Yeah, sure...you may be familliar with how to conduct operations with JUST The Covenant hanging over your head. I acknowledge that. However...you have The Trust sitting off to the side, turning this duet into a trifecta.

Burke paused.

Burke: You might think you have things under control, comfortable in the idea that you have teams assaulting what you strongly believe to be a Trust sleeper facility...but I assure you...you have gravely underestimated The Trust if you think that is going to slow them down, or even make them step back and "lick their wounds" to use the vernacular. The Trust is relentless, they are ruthless, and they are patient. If you wound them bad enough...expect them to retaliate. We have The Trust on the defensive, and we have The Covenant on the ropes. An army of men can do two things: They can defend a spaceport...or they can fan out in a city and get people to a spaceport...but they cannot do both at the same time.

Burke paused.

Burke: I am fully aware that we have people prepping and rearming as we speak. However, we both also know that there ARE soldiers down there who are still assigned to patrol and protection of that Spaceport. THis is not classified as "not listening to orders" as you put it. This is called procedure. My recommendation was to start thinning the patrol and protection numbers, little by little, as more shuttles leave San Angeles, in an effort to maximize the amount of boots we can send outwards. I am suggesting an ongoing and dynamic reassignment of manpower...not static distribution of it. Time is not on our side Admiral...so we need to start cutting corners anywhere we can.

Kairu · 10-16-2013

Reynolds took initiative to be quiet. Sure he had dealings with the Trust just prior to meeting the Brass, but he was to be subtle as the Trust. Reynolds knew that San Angeles would tip in the favor of those who he felt was right. At the moment, two of the most important people in the UNSC fleet are fighting over the course of action. The Trust on the other hand, doesn't squabble like children in a playground.

Reynolds knew what the Trust's mission on San Angeles was and that the Covenant was there because of the 'leaked' information. From a covert side, he had to pretend to know nothing. He was now just observing. As the argument continued, he felt that time was wasting that the UNSC could have further pushed the Covenant back.

Hells Sniper · 10-17-2013

Harrison nodded.

Harrison: I understand, Commander. I know you have more experience with the Trust than anyone in this room. So I will not squabble with you on that fact. I do not expect this single attack on this facility to go unanswered either, I am aware of the possible retaliations, especially of how dire they may be.

Harrison paused. He stood straight, trying to keep his composure.

Harrison: Commander. I did not mean to come off as rude or intolerable. I simply meant to convey the situation on my point of view. I understand your experience with the Trust, thanks to our very good friend Admiral Vernette. Your experience is something I need right now, and something that will not go unnoticed.

Harrison paused, he tapped a few buttons on his holotable and then looked back to Burke.

Harrison: As of now, Captain Burke, you are my closest adviser on the Trust. Don't worry, I will not pester you much more than I already have, but I need you close by. As of now, the King Raven is to be by the side of this ship at all times. I am going to need your help on this, Captain. I hope you will help me in this endeavor.

Meanwhile:

Jacob had ran so far in the past few minutes that he hadn't any idea where he was. He knew he was on his way to the archives, but he also knew he had Spartans trailing him. They were Spartans, too, not ordinary soldiers. Jacob shook his head, he looked around, he had three possible ways to go.

In order to do what he wanted, what he needed to do, he had to go to the archives. He had to find out what was really going on, with him and The Trust and with the planet he was now standing on. Jacob shook his head, he ran to the left and headed straight towards the archives.

A few dozen meters behind him, Liam and Savannah spotted him enter the archives. Liam stopped at the intersection and looked to the left. Savannah stood by him and looked at him.

Savannah: What is it, Liam?

Liam: He's going to the archives. What exactly do we have on him in the archives here?

Savannah shook her head as she lifted her arm, checking her tacpad. Liam started walking again, Savannah following.

Savannah: Anything the Trust had on him, it's here. They knew he was gonna be here in the defense, so they wanted to take precautions. At least, that's what the facility Commander said.

Savannah dropped her hand back to her rifle.

Liam: Why do they want this guy so badly?

Savannah chuckled.

Savannah: His service record is off the charts for someone only 15 years into a military career. He was tracked by the Trust since he started boot camp back in 2523, they tried to recruit him and several dozen others during the Mars escapade. Present at First Contact, Battle of New Harmony, Genesis, and Paradise Lost to name a few.

Liam nodded.

Liam: Right, he was the leader of the coup against Yates at Genesis.

Savannah: Since then, he's been on the Trust's radar even more. They've been gathering everything and anything they could on him to try and join our side.

Liam nodded, it was at this moment they had entered the archives. Liam looked around, regular Trust facility archives, right in the middle was the main terminal area. Savannah rolled her shoulders.

Liam: Alright, let's try and talk to this kid before we get some take out.

Savannah chuckled as they began walking forward.

Savannah: Left side, hitting the terminals all the way in the back. Thermal;s got him.

Liam nodded and pointed his figure as they began walking towards Jacob.

Naked Crook · 10-17-2013

Burke cocked an eye brow.

Burke: Captain...you say? Chances are I am guessing this is provisional...right? This is only temporary until this whole fiasco is over and done with?

Meanwhile:

Nighthawk was in a full sprint, as he backtracked towards the main corridor. He soon came to a 4 way junction, with the perpendicular hallway being the main corrdiro. Nighthawk slowly approached the corner. He pressed himself against the wall, as he listened intently. He could hear the sound of very large and very heavy footsteps coming down the wallway. Nighthawk listened for a moment, and managed to count at least 5 distinct pair of footsteps.

Nighthawk: No...that can't be right. There are seven of them...not five.

Nighthawk was unsure of exactly how many there were. However, to ensure that he was ready, he planned his next move in the expectation that there were, in fact, 7 Spartans, and that two were moving in unison with two others to mask their numbers. Nighthawk analyzed what his current surrounding was, and he realized that with the tight corners, and smaller side halways, that his best bet was to get the Risk Takers out of the main corridor. The first thing Nighthawk did, was move forward, crossing the main corridor, to the adjacent side, such that he was now in cover, behind a corner on the right side of the corridor, as opposed to his previous position, which was the left side.

Nighthawk then holstered his Shotgun on his back, and drew one of his side arms, and held the gun in his right hand. He then reached to his side pocket, and pulled out a small explosive device, with an adjustable timer, and wall mount. Nighthawk took this device, and stuck it to the wall, in such a way that it was behind the corner, and out of immediate sight of the Risk Takers.

Nighthawk then proceeded to set the explosive device to a manual trigger. The last thing Nighthawk did, was grab a grenade off his belt, and hold it in his left hand. Nighthawk popped the pin off, but held the triggering fuse down, such that the grenades timer would not begin its countdown.

Nighthawk: Alright...I am gonna draw the attention of these Asshole, lure them to take chase after me down this narrow ass hallway...and when they turn the corner to take chase...I am going to detonate this mine. HOpefully...I can put a dent in that shiny new armor of theirs.

Nighthawk simply waited.He could hear the Spartans getting closer. He knew that at any second, they would be in optimum firing range of his Magnum.

Nighthawk took one final breath, as he turned the corner, and he faced 5 members of The Risk Takers. Nighthawk had his Magnum pointed forward right at The Risk Takers.

Nighthawk: Looking for me assholes? Well...here I am. Come and get me...

Nighthawk tossed the grenade down the hallway, placing it right in front of the Risk Takers, as he pulled the trigger, laying down additional suppressive fire. His only goal was to bait these asshole into taking chase after him. Nighthawk knew that he had to be as arrogant and annoying as he possibly could to ENSURE that this happened.