Chapter 19: "Us"

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Time seemed to have slowed to chief, as he started at the strange otherworldly amalgamation that had seemingly come from nowhere. It had, like the other forerunner constructs had been made but so intermixed with such conflicting designs that it was completely foreign.

But that hadn't mattered. Chief had fought against horrors that would've made most Spartans quit if they'd been in the same position. None of it mattered.

The air began to hum as the conflicting technologies worked in perfect unison as the monster resembling a forerunner knight stared back.

"Chief, your armor was badly damaged in that attack.. I was able to stop it from killing you at the cost of your shields..." Cortana stated grimly. Chief didn't answer her, his mind narrowed to a sharpened point in silence as everything around seemed to fade away.

Both combatants stayed perfectly still, then like a sprint standing at the line moved into action. First the amalgamation raised its beam weapon aiming and trying to end this quickly but chief ducked and shifted to the side. Seeing how the chief was not only rapidly approaching but moving beyond what it's weapon could handle. The amalgamation opted for reconfiguring it's ranged weapon, by combining the applications of a light rifle, rocket launcher, and a scar. Creating a weapon that effectively worked like a SMG that fired micro explosive. Which was working in full display as Chief had to abandon his charge in order to avoid the rapid barrage. Every shot that had struck some blinked rapidly before exploding, but that still didn't allow him to move.

Cortana's voice, ever present, cut through the tension, "Chief, the jump core! It's almost at its breaking point. We cannot let it succeed!"

Her warning made the chief growl slightly, that was the last thing  he wanted to hear. A few more shots ranged as his cover was systemically destroyed by the amalgamations onslaught. It was a grueling few seconds as his cover shook and rattled that he could completely feel. No longer filtered through his armor and it's shields.

There was of course s moment where the perverse creation of crackhead science actually stopped firing, but when Chief dared a peek. He'd had the unfortunate experience of almost having his head blown off.

"Cortana, I'm pinned." He spoke through gritted teeth, his frustration showing as he'd felt her earlier warning playing in his head. They really didn't have time for this...

"Chief, I have a really bad idea..."

POV Seven.

Seven watched the infinity from within her body, as Y/n and his chosen team rode in a warthog to the third primary location. She'd done this on the way to the mission area, rather then staying back or doing it from a safer place simply because by her own estaminet. Y/n side, WAS, the safest place. Not because of his gorgeous muscles, sturdy strong build, and the years of combat experience behind him but rather because he actually gave her his word. Which meant something to her.

But that's not the topic to focus on currently. Instead it was the fight with the Chief that had her attention. PKinght G1225946, or what was shortened down to, PG1, then reorganized by seven to read as P1G. It was doing remarkably well for something she'd practically thrown together in a fabrication array. It gave her pride seeing how her walking pile of questionable engineering was enough to almost one shot the hero of humanity.

Although as the fight progressed and reached its current outcome, where the Master chief has been pinned to a extruding heatsink that was slowly being blown to bits by PIG. She'd began to realize a few of the flaws of her poor child, aswell as some slightly troubling news. Such as how the ships power supply was suddenly being moved into that area.

"What..?" Seven frowned, pushing herself deeper into her limited connection to the infinity and it's remote systems.

Upon digging into it, she seemed to find a faint trace of-

"You." Seven's connection suddenly grew unstable as the entire system that made up the infinity seemed to shudder under the voice of her.

"You have been meddling so much.." Her voice cold and haunting like a woman without the fear of death, flowed through the connection allowing seven to practically feel. The insanity hidden behind them.

"I've told you, and your 2nd rate spartan before..." Her, voice then quickly grew in both volume and emotion as she yelled. "LEAVE US ALONE."

Following her rampant burst of emotion, Seven was quickly thrown out of the remote systems of the infinity. With such force that he body reacted in a way that nearly caused Y/n to crash.

"Jesus!" He yelled, before stomping the breaks and swerving to one side. Causing the entire vehicle to tip for a second before stopping. The convoy behind Y/n warthog came to a stop aswell thinking that this was purposeful.... Whoops. "Seven?" He asked drawing her attention as she sat herself back in the chair properly. "Sev, are you good?" He spoke again.

"Yeah.." Seven responded. "Yead I am.. keep driving.."

"Are... Are you sure?" Y/n gave his AI companion a look but when she didn't meet his eye he sighed. "Right, I'm gonna assume that your thinking about how to tell me but you're pretty sure it's gonna freak me through fuck out so you're gonna tell me after the mission?."

Seven smiled at him, but of course it was hidden with her helmet. So she spoke; "Mm, you know me so well."

Y/n shook his head, but she knew he was smiling and thankful. He was nervous about what they had to do...

Chief POV

As soon as Cortana uttered the words, Chiefs armor began to glow with a dull neon green light. A slight electric buzz played within chiefs ears and he could feel his neck hairs rise with power. He knew exactly what this was.

"I used what's left of your armors power unit, shields and the headlight shield project you used earlier to create something that won't last! Over shields are up!" She spoke quickly.

Chief did not hesitate. Chief bursted into a flurry of movement, a true dance of death as he weaved as well as tanked the barrage of plasma explosives. Upon finally closing the distance he quickly withdrew his combat knife gleaming as it flashed in the light. Racing to find purchase within any soft spot of the amalgamations body.

The amalgamation, taken aback by the ferocity of Chief's assault, fought back with equal vigor. It quickly, crudely, reconfiguring is single arm into a blade like shape. Clashing against Chief's knife, sparks flying with every contact. The sounds of combat echoing with the sound of their battle, a symphony that seemed to grow more violent as both fighters pushed themselves to take the others life.

Chief's tactical mind raced, searching for any advantage. He feinted, dodged, and struck, each move a calculated risk. The amalgamation adapted, its own combat protocols adjusting to counter Chief's relentless aggression but then something stranger seemed to happen.

In the midst of fighting, the entire ship shuddered. A wave of energy flowing through the walls and exposed cables. A bunch of text blocking chiefs vision, granting the amalgamation an opportunity to strike the chief in the face shattering the first layer of his shields and stumbling back.

Cortana's voice came again, glitching, unfocused, unfamiliar. "LEAVE US ALONE!" Thinking that it was directed at the amalgamation, chief surged forward.

In a final, dramatic exchange, Chief managed to out maneuver the large monster. Exploiting it's wide body and insect like reaction and drive his knife deep into the amalgamation's side. Upon it reacting the way he expected by momentarily throwing its blade arm with a roar. Chief ducked underneath and downright punched the exposed human face as hard as he could. It's digitized face caving in like a holographic melon. Then while it tried to recover the hero of humanity took his knife and jabbed into its face until it fell, defeated.

Silence descended upon the jump core room. As chief recovered, the immediate danger was neutralized, but as he quickly turned to deal with the jump core. He realized that there was no light coming from it and all the moving parts that were moving had longed ceased function.

The jump core was disabled, leaving the Infinity stranded on this planet, Chief had failed.

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Still trying to get my groove back, let me know if you guys are enjoying this. Or got something to tell me.

Edit: sorry for reuploading this, was glitched out and didn't know how to fix it.

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