Halo: Gauntlet

Chapter 9

It had been a few days since the initial landfall on the Halo Ring. The three ships had managed to drive off the attacking fleet, although they were unable to chase them down due to Seraphs targeting and damaging their engines. They had all taken severe damage to their hulls, a result of being unprepared for an ambush. The Gavel had taken the hardest hits, with most of its guns down and its engines so damaged that its movement was limited to a crawl. The casualties sustained since the Houston found the ring totaled up to 150 men and women. This number accounted for pilots, technicians, mechanics, and other staff aboard all three vessels. 

Captain Taylor was extremely stressed out, scratching his hair and biting his cheek every few seconds. He hadn't slept since they escaped from Ballast, and the dark circles under his eyes had only gotten darker. The poor man had even developed a twitch, his left-hand jittering with every thought about the ring. After 72 hours they still hadn't found any sign of the Silent Cartographer or even the control room. Scout teams in Pelicans, Broadswords, and Sabres had found multiple Forerunner structures, but they didn't have the resources to search every single one for the chance of finding what they needed. Taylor was getting desperate. Something needed to be done. He accessed the comm system and pressed a few buttons to reach the FOB channels. A bright blue hologram flashed in front of him, taking the silhouette of one of his most trusted men. 

"Captain."

"Lee."

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Chase stuck a fresh mag into his assault rifle and cocked back the slide. He examined the gun and checked its ammo counter, which glowed a dull blue and displayed in the big, blocky text the number thirty-two. Chase nodded in affirmation and attached it to his back. He left the tent of the armory and saw Jakub staring out at the valley to the east. He made his way to him, nodding his head at passing marines, who saluted in return. He reached Jakub and joined him in watching the view.

"'You know where Lee went?", he asked.

"Who cares. Just enjoy the view," his comrade answered.

Chase huffed. "You never took me for the nature-type."

"You never asked. Not like I would've told you. Now stop talking. I'm trying to see something."

Chase looked out, trying to see what Jakub was looking for. The valley had a long, dense, crystal-blue river running through it, giving way for vibrant grasses and a few big, girthy trees to grow. In the distance, all the way through the valley, one could make out one of those strange Forerunner structures that fired bolts of blue energy periodically. There was even some wildlife to be seen. Birds, or bird-like creatures, flew over the river, diving down to grab fish-like organisms for food. They wriggled in the birds' mouths before they were tossed back up in air and swallowed whole.

"I don't know, Jakub. All I see are some trees and grass."

The Spartan took a frustrated sighed. "You're such an ass, Chase. Do you know what I see? Peace. I see nature, untouched by the sins of sentient life." He framed his hands around the image as if he was trying to preserve the moment. "Beautiful."