Halo 3: ODST Operation Cup o' Doom

Chapter Twelve

The Pelican landed gracefully before the back door hissed open.

"Nice landing, Captain," Aria spoke into her headset.

"Thank you kindly, Sergeant Peril."

"Alright, everyone off the Pelican. We've got a camp to set up," she ordered, grabbing gear.

Once everything was unloaded, Aria, George, Chief, and a handful of others climbed back aboard to grab the last of the supplies.

"So," George started suddenly, amusement practically dripping from his voice, "you and Rha' been making the bed squeak a lot lately, Aria?"

Aria's face turned scarlet. "George!"

Yuri barked out a laugh. "You know we can hear you right, George?"

"Oh—shit! My bad."

A collective laugh broke out across the cabin.

"As a matter of fact... we are," Aria admitted, mustering what courage she had left.

"At least someone's getting something other than their hand," George teased.

"Aaahh—oh my god! Sergeant, please! Too much information!" a female Corporal cried, laughing.

Aria managed a shy smile and turned her head away from him.

George immediately sobered. "Aria?"

She sighed, gave him a sideways glance, then finally turned to face him.

"I'm transferring with you."

"What!? George, you can't—"

"We already talked about it," he cut in. "Chief, Kayla, Muhmep, and I. We're all following you."

Yuri nodded once, firm. "You're our leader, Aria. We'll go wherever you go."

Before Aria could respond—

"We have engine failure!" the pilot hollered over the comm, voice strained.

The Pelican lurched violently, cutting all conversation short.

⸻

Meanwhile, Rha' and Kayla were walking down the corridor, chatting casually as they passed the communications room—when a frantic, static-laced call echoed out of the open doorway.

A voice.
Panicked.
Broken.

Rha' froze mid-step. Every muscle in his body went rigid.

"That—" He spun around sharply. "That was our pilot!"

He didn't wait. He sprinted into the room, Kayla right behind him.

"What's going on?!" he barked.

The communications officer looked pale. "Sir... Pelican Seven-Four just sent a distress call. Engine failure."

Both Rha' and Kayla went ghost-white.

"Aria?!" they said in unison.

Before the comm officer could respond, the voice blared again—this time with screams and metal tearing in the background.

Rha's stomach dropped.

He looked down at Kayla, voice low, deadly serious. "Get to sickbay. Prepare everything."

"Yes, sir!" She bolted out of the room at full speed.

Rha' rounded on the comm officer. "What's their status?"

"We... we don't know, sir."

"Damn it, Ensign!" He slammed his hands on the console, denting the metal. "Those are my troops on that Pelican! Will they be okay?!"