[Halo] New! San Angeles RPG

[Naked Crook]

Meanwhile: Nighthawk watched as Marines ran into Regional HQ Bravo. His Vulture hovered above. Nighthawk: Well...at least we managed to do our good deed for the day. Anaconda: Yeah...good deed. Anaconda paused. Anaconda: Question...how long are we gonna drag around those guys in the back? Nighthawk: SHit...you're right. I almost forgot we had those three in the back. We can drop them off at Regional HQ... Anaconda: And...? Nighthawk: And...nothing. We are gonna drop them off... Anaconda: You keep ending your sentence with a tone of uncertainty. You are trailing off. Nighthawk: What? No! Anaconda: Yes! Nighthawk sighed. Anaconda: I know what you want... Nighthawk: Oh? Anaconda: We have been through this before. I know what is going through your head human. You want to do something to help. Nighthawk spun around in his chair and looked back at Anaconda. Anaconda looked back. Nighthawk sighed. Anaconda: A-ha! Nighthawk: Truth is...these are still my people. It...it is force of habit. I could not simply walk away from this. Anaconda: Of course not... Nighthawk: Look...I know you hate getting tangled up with this...I know you hate being the "odd one out"...but... Anaconda: But you need my help, and you can't do it without me. Yes, yes...I have heard it before. Nighthawk: So...is that a yes? Anaconda Yes...fine...I will tag along. If I didn't...you would just end up dead anyway...and I wouldn't want that. Anaconda paused. Anaconda: Let's just get this over with. Nighthawk sighed. Nighthawk: Thanks...I appreciate it. Nighthawk spun his chair around again. He grabbed the controls, and navigated The Vulture over the walls of the Regional HQ, and flew towards the landing pad on the roof. The Vulture landed on an open landing pad, and the engines powered down. Nighthawk got up from the pilot's seat and walked to the rear compartment. Tye, Cameron, and Sergai were still back there. Tye stepped forward. He looked at Nighthawk. Tyber: Dropping us off? Nighthawk: Yes. We are landed at UNSC Regional HQ Bravo. I have a suspicion that The Covenant have an interest n this location...but I digress. If you don't mind...we may hang around for a while. Tyber: I doubt our COs will like that. Nighthawk: Well...you owe me one. I suggest you pull rank...Commander. Besides...we make better friends than enemies. Surely, wer have proven that by now. Tyber: Hate to say it...but you have a point. However...I would be putting my neck out if I started vouching for you. Nighthawk: I put my neck out for you when I pulled your ass out of an area that was about to be carpet bombed into oblivion. Take a little...give a little. Pay it forward. Tyber: Bah...fine. Cameron stepped forward. Cameron: Tye...this guy can't be trusted. He has a documented history of betrayals. He turns his gun on people when they have exhausted their usefulness. The most noteable example was on Genesis. He used us to kill a bunch of people. You were there. Tye folded his arms. He looked at Cam, then back at Nighthawk. Tyber: The Spartan has a point. You have been known to use and betray people. Nighthawk: I have turned over a new leaf... Tyber: I guess I am supposed to take that at...FACE...value? Nighthawk: Very funny, Cameron: We appreciate the rescue...but you are...too volatile. You are not part of the chain of command, you will refuse to take orders...you will essentially be a rouge element clogging up the military machine. Nighthawk was about to reuttle, but he heard heavy footsteps behind him. Anaconda towered behind Nighthawk. Anaconda: Him...volatile? Anaconda snarled. Anaconda: You have not seen volatile. If you wat to see volatile...then by all means...reject our offer of assistance. Tye looked at Cameron. Cameron looked back at Tye. Tye then looked back at Nighthawk and Anaconda. Tyber: You make a convincing argument. Welcome aboard. Meanwhile: Jennifer was on the bridge of The King Raven when she received the signal from Harrison. Communications Officer: Ma'am...we have a Priority Zero message from Admiral Harrison. Patching it through. The communications officer opened a channel. Jennifer: Admiral Harrison...Captain Frost here. We are still awaiting orders. What can we do for you.

[Hells Sniper]

Harrison sighed. Harrison: I am pulling us out. Now. Captain Reynolds, your ship is the closest to the King Raven, and we are not leaving her behind. We are going to provide cover fire to the King Raven and the other ships as they pull out of the system. Harrison paused and looked at the holomap, the fleet was already breaking off and retreating. Harrison: Once the Raven is clear of the planet, we're going to poke the fleet a bit more, send some parting gifts, and get to Section Bravo-Four-Niner-Sierra-Nova. Harrison paused, he was almost regrouped with Reynolds ship. Harrison: Understood? Meanwhile at Regional HQ Bravo: Jacob immediately stood up and threw his helmet off. He ran his hand through his hair and headed towards the command area. He passed dozens of soldiers, passed out, wounded, hurt, crying, cleaning their weapons, trying to get their mind off of what just happened. He looked at the faces, some he recognized, others were new. But every one had a sense of despair, a sense of loss. Jacob kept walking, he lost dozens of men today. He...he lost civilians. And he could not get over it. On his way through he passed by Omega Legion, four ODSTs, sitting around, just talking. Each of them had a symbol strapped to their backs, some type of Star and column logo. Jacob kept walking, eventually finding himself in the command center.

[Kairu]

Reynolds: "Yes Sir! Helm bring us to 110 mark 98, full engines! Prepare to cover the King Raven during their retreat." Helm: "Aye aye Captain, bringing us 110 mark 98... full engines engaged. Arrival in approximately 25 seconds." Reynolds: "Bring all weapons online! Prepare to fire at a moment's notice! Keep an eye on that corvette."

[Naked Crook]

Jennifer could not believe what she was hearing. Jennifer: Admiral...with all due respect...we still have people down there. Are we seriously considering a retreat? Are we going to leave those people behind? Are we...giving up? What are we hoping to accomplish by removing the Navy from the line of fire and allow The Covenant Navy full access to the planet? Meanwhile: Tye looked at Cameron, and Sergai, and nodded to them. Tye then turned, and stepped off the Vulture, with both of the Spartans in tow. After the trio were totally our of earshot, Nighthawk turned to Anaconda. Nighthawk: Not bad...not bad at all. Anaconda: Well...I said I would help...so I am helping. Nighthawk nodded. Nighthawk: Look...before we go down there...there is something we need to discuss. I am still actively working to uncover a few...question marks in the UNSC. While we are here...we should defiantly try to access the mainframe. DIrect phycial access to the mainframes should provide me what remote access could not yield. Anaconda: What are we looking for? Nighthawk: I am looking for dirt on Constantine Spender. I am trying to link him to some of the bullshit we have seen. Up until very recently...Constantine Spender has been a very elusive man. He has worked through agents...through fronts...through other officers. Combine that with the Marines, the ODSTs, the Agents, the Officers, and even the Spartans that we have killed because, at one point or another, I have confirmed them to be taking orders from OUTSIDE the chain of command. I have always believed that Spender was the man giving those orders from outside the chain of command. However...he now he sits at the top of ONI...with almost UNLIMITED power and control over internal operations. He is a very dangerous man...almost untouchable...and now even MORE reclusive. We need to bring this guy down...and the only way we can do that...is with the most powerful weapon of them all... Anaconda: Information. Nighthawk: Yes! So...for now...let's ease our way in. When we get the chance...we will make our move as silently as possible. Nighthawk paused. Nighthawk: Let's not forget why we do what we do. Anaconda: I know why you do what we do; you are here to clean up your organization. As for me...I know why I am here. Anaconda shrugged. Anaconda: To hunt and kill in new and exotic locations. Also...to keep you alive.

[Hells Sniper]

Harrison's ship formed up with Reynolds. His weapons were already pumping at full power and the fleet was in a full retreat. Harrison then replied to Captain Frosts' message. Harrison: Captain...I have lost over 60% of this fleet. We have outlasted the Covenant as long as we possibly could. The only thing we can do up here now is to die, and I am being one hundred percent honest. Do I want to leave this people behind? Do I want to leave my soldiers in harms way? Harrison shook his head. Harrison: Of course not, but the best solution right now is to cut our losses, regroup at the edge of the system and come back for a counter-attack. Our marines now what to do...and the evac....The Evac failed. We lost the entire population of White River, and more than fifty percent of the outlying communities. If they aren't at a safe zone yet, they're already dead. Harrison paused. Harrison: This order does not come lightly, trust me. But it is an order. So follow it, or get killed and cause even more of a morale crash to the survivors down there. Meanwhile: Dangerus was aboard the Perilus Avenger. Dangerus: The humans cower and flee...with more than half their fleet destroyed, I presumed they would. Dangerus sat relaxed in his command chair. He grinned. Dangerus: Inform the Sword ships to chase the humans, once they are more than 25,000 kilmeters, return back here. Prepare the rest of the ships for infantry deployment. Meanwhile: Jacob was watching the hell that was the command center. People running around, dropping things, yelling, etc. Jacob shook his head and walked over to a command terminal. But he heard his name called by a familiar voice. Lt Mendez: Captain! Over here! Jacob turned and saw Mendez. He jogged over and nodded, and without asking, Mendez told him what had happened. Lt Mendez: As you know it all went south. We have lost contact with 45% of the division. 25% have already been confirmed KIA, and the other 30% is here, or dug in. Mendez shook his head. Lt. Mendez: And the Navy is bugging out. Jacob's eyes widened. He looked at Mendez and shook his head. Jacob: They're what!?

[Kairu]

Reynolds was silent during the remaining dialogue exchange. He saw both sides of the argument and nothing he could say would be helpful to the conversation. In addition, he didn't mind retreating. He had a secondary mission to ensure Cochraine's life and a constant losing warzone is not a place to do so. MEANWHILE ON THE SURFACE Vhat' was closing in on the UNSC Regional HQ Bravo. He had just killed another marine and was leading a part of the charge.

[Naked Crook]

Jennifer: Admiral Harrison, if I may...surely there must be an alternative to retreat. Any time we take regrouping will give The Covenant time to regroup as well. It is a catch 22...and it will only hurt us more in the long run. Jenifer paused. Jennifer: What do you think Reynolds?

[Kairu]

Reynolds: "Frankly Captain, it would be suicidal to stay. We need to regroup. I have faith our troops can hold out long enough for a return."

[Naked Crook]

Jennifer sighed. He couldn't help but think of the people that would be stranded on the surface if they left. Even though most of those numbers were now military personnel, who were more than capable of defending themselves, Jennifer could not shake the fact that they were, in fact, abandoning tired, injured, demoralized, and worn out people who had just been subjected to a crippling defeat. Jennifer had seen the reports, she knew how bad it was on the surface. She knew how many injured people were down there, and she knew that there were more injured, tired, and dying people than there were capable and uninjured soldiers. However, with all of that considered, she knew that she had a responsibility to get the ship out of danger while she had the chance. She knew The King Raven would be destroyed if she stayed, and she could not allow that to happen. What was she to do? Stay and die...or abandon her own people so they could die. She felt as if she was faced with a no-win scenario. However, she was suddenly hit with a moment of clarity. Jennifer: Captain Reynolds...standby. I am going to bring The King Raven about. We are going to link up with Admiral Harrison and proceed to the fallback zone. Jennifer paused. Jennifer: However...Admiral Harrison...we have a lot of injured and people down there. I have o doubt there are injuries beyond the abilities of simple field medics to handle. Admiral...I am requesting permission to proceed to the surface, to link up with our people. I feel I could contribute more to the survival of our people on the ground if I can provide them with my expertise. I can leave Commander Burke in forward Command, and he can navigate The King Raven to our rendezvous. You can have another ship on your roster...and I can actually do something to continue helping those people down there.

[Erex]

Sergai steps of Vulture. And looks around. Sergai: Well that was fun.