Halo: A New War (unfinished)

Chapter 6

Pods fell, one by one the covenant regiment assembled near the team's abandoned pods. Sangheili await the arrival of larger back up as their jackles are sent into the forest with new camouflage gear. Slowly, the regiment split to scouting groups and entered the jungle where Tom, Chan and Mickey has entered not too long ago.

"We must capture these worthless humans. I want them alive...for now" spoke an ultra. "Find them! And bring them to me!" The ultra shouted in a low grounded voice.

The sound of flood not too far into the jungle arose, terrifying anything who hasn't heard them before, like on recruit in particular, Tom.

~•~

"I...I must distract these covenant away from the rest, it is my duty. That's what I'm here for..." Tom speaks to himself as he sprints through the jungle. He pauses for a moment as he sees the outline of an elite just a few feet away from him.

"Shit, okay, just keep cool, they don't know you're here and they'll just move on...hopefully" Tom whispered.

"Wort wort wort, I sense their presence. The home of flood...a horrid infection.., we must keep moving. Find them before they do" ordered the elite.

"Flood...I've never heard of such a thing..., I need to find the rookie; he should know something. For now the covenant are heading the opposite direction," Tom thinks to home self as he slowly rises and dashes across the jungle once more.

"These strange noises I hear in the jungle...could it be this flood? Whatever it is, it doesn't sound good."

~•~

The Rookie:

"Looks like they've already sent out scouts, which means the rest of the team isn't too far."

The Rookie, had just broken out of the pod twenty minutes earlier when the pods had started landing. He runs in the jungle careful of his surroundings hoping that his team is being smart and worries about Chan spilling anything that's to be kept.

As the rookie runs through the jungle a sudden plasma beam shoots right past him, hitting the neighboring tree. The rookie slips in reaction and takes cover in a ditch.

"This is great, just great."

I take out my rifle carefully and turn night vision on, to find this bastard. Slowly skimming the area I see the small bright light that's usually adjusted next to a jackle's head. Carefully aiming, I Fire just to the right of the light. A small reaction screech came from the hackle as the camouflage slowly turned off showing its head first, down to its legs. Once the body fell from the tree to the ground I knew there had to be more than one. So, I started dashing even fast at a lower height behind dense bushes and trees. Next thing I know, explosions started going off in the distance; terrifying screeches filled the air; plasma shots being fired and grenades being thrown. They must've awoken the beast.

I run in the opposite direction from all the firing and suddenly I slam into what I thought was a pod and fall to the ground. I quickly look up to find Tommy dazed from our crash. All I can think of why he's out here...alone!

"Tommy? what the hell are you doing out here alone? Where's the rest of the team?!" I shout losing control for a moment.

Tom shook his head and quickly stood up, once seeing who I was, he started blabbering about what he's seen and heard.

"What's this flood I heard them talk about? They're coming for us Rookie! I needed to find you!"

I quickly pushed him against a tree to shut him up, "listen to me Tommy, we're going to be fine as long as you can shit your mouth and lead me to the rest of the team". He quickly nodded his head and started running. I follow behind, while listening to the surroundings. It's quiet now... just the sound of us running...that's odd, just a minute ago they were battling it out with the flood and now nothing.

Running steps.

Running.

Running.

Now stomps and thuds.., that's not use running, something else is nearby. "Tommy wait!" Just as I say this, a giant shield comes out of nowhere and slams Tommy up against a tree. I quickly stop at the sight of the hunter and decide what to do. I look over at Tommy...he looks crushed and isn't moving... Dammit! I can't go to the team or else they'll follow me. The hunter charges his canon, ready to fire. I quickly jump to the side behind a tree. This just saves my life but barely, for the tree was cut and began to fall. Assuming it was towards me, I started running, looking back, the tree fell on the hunter, giving me enough time to escape.

"Such a young lad, I had no choice... The hit was too hard for him to withstand so it's best for him to not go through what we're going to face."

"...m..where..you....in!" The buzzing started again! I must be close to them, "Mickey? Chan? Come in!"

"Rookie? This is Mickey, where are you? We're by a cave. We lost contact with Tom."

"Wait for me there, stay hidden, covenant are crawling through this place"

After a few moments I retraced Tommy's steps and found the cave where I grouped up with Mickey and Chan. Both looked curious on what the gun fire was about. I told them about Tom and how I believed that he was dead. Both, especially Chan stared at me as if I committed a crime.

"He was hit by the hunter and flew against a dense tree! He can't have possibly survived the blow could he?" I started doubting my decision.

"Never leave a man behind. Those are the words of a true leader. Sir...." Chan spoke out in a cool chilling tone. "There's no more keeping things confidential Rookie! Listen up Mick, this Halo ring is the world to another flood. The same ones we thought to have destroyed. They are here, the covenant are here and now we're stuck here with this guy pretending to be a big shot. Well listen up Rookie, you better know what you're doing or the next thing my sword sees is you." Chan threatened.

Mickey stood there taking in what just happened and what he's being told. He looked up at me, "I trust you Rookie, you have your mind in the right place and if Tom were still alive, we'll find him."

~•~

The ultra deactivated his camouflage so that Tom could directly look at him.

"I'm not your prisoner" Tom told the ultra directly.

"Worthless human, you do not know who you are speaking with. Take him! We must retreat for the flood are spreading outwards. And as for the prisoner... Take his weapons. And throw him in with our dead."

The ultra gives Tom a blow to the head and gives a low growl.

"I do not see what the Arbiter sees in these humans. They are nothing but worthless flesh. We shall show him the true face of humans, one by one."