Helljumpers: Fireteam Oracle

Chapter 1 (Continue): Into the Shadows

The wind howled across the barren plain, carrying with it the scent of burning metal and scorched earth. Fireteam Oracle moved in a tight formation, their weapons drawn, boots crunching over the cracked ground as they pushed forward. In the distance, the outpost loomed-a collection of blocky structures fortified with hastily constructed walls and barbed wire, remnants of battles fought long ago.

Kassandra's voice was calm but authoritative as it cut through the comms. "Keep your eyes sharp. We're looking at unknown numbers here. Kaia, find a vantage point. I want eyes on that perimeter."

"Copy that," Kaia replied, already scanning the landscape. Her gaze settled on a jagged rock formation rising just ahead. Without another word, she broke off from the group, climbing swiftly, her sniper rifle slung over her back.

Kassandra watched her until she disappeared into the shadows. "Beta, Pup-stay close. The last thing we need is getting picked off before we've even reached the outpost."

Y/N gave a quick nod, his expression focused. "Copy, Alpha. We're right behind you."

Pup's fingers drummed nervously along his weapon's barrel as they moved, his voice a whisper over the comms. "Does it feel... off to anyone else? Command didn't exactly send us in with a lot of intel."

"It always feels off, Pup," Y/N replied, his voice a mixture of reassurance and warning. "That's why we're here. Keep it tight."

As they neared the edge of the outpost, the silence around them grew heavy. Kassandra held up a hand, signaling them to halt. The structures were ominously still, no signs of movement or life, as if the place had been abandoned in a hurry.

"Alpha, you're gonna want to see this," Kaia's voice crackled through the comms, a note of urgency in her tone. "Perimeter's clear, but I've got eyes on multiple bodies. Looks like they weren't expecting us, but they definitely saw someone else."

Kassandra frowned. "Insurrectionists?"

"Could be. But if it was, they weren't here long enough to stick around and guard it."

Kassandra's mind raced. This wasn't adding up. An abandoned outpost, an enemy who'd fled without securing their territory, and bodies left like warnings on the edges. "Oracle, weapons hot. We're moving in. Watch each other's backs."

They proceeded cautiously, stepping over bodies in torn and burned armor. Y/N knelt down beside one, brushing away ash and dirt from an insignia.

"Alpha, this wasn't just a retreat. They were hit hard," he murmured. "Some of this gear looks... foreign. Could be Covenant tech."

Kassandra's jaw clenched. If the Covenant were already here, their timeline just got a lot shorter.

Suddenly, a faint whirring sound broke the silence-a noise that every ODST knew too well.

"Incoming!" Kaia's voice warned over the comms just as an energy bolt tore through the air, slamming into a nearby structure with a deafening explosion. Fireteam Oracle scattered, each member moving on instinct, finding cover in the twisted remains of the outpost.

"Covenant forces confirmed!" Kassandra shouted as she took aim. "Hold your ground, Oracle! We're not leaving without intel!"

A handful of Covenant Grunts and Elites appeared over the horizon, their figures dark and menacing under the red sky. They moved with purpose, their weapons glowing with lethal intent.

"Pup, get those charges ready," Kassandra ordered. "If we're gonna take this outpost, we need their attention focused on us."

"On it, Alpha," Pup replied, his hands already working swiftly over a series of charges.

The firefight erupted as Oracle opened fire, their shots precise and lethal. Kassandra focused her shots on a towering Elite, her weapon recoiling with each round. Beside her, Y/N provided cover fire, his M90 CAWS-"Hole Puncher"-thundering as it tore through anything in its path.

Overhead, Kaia's rifle cracked, picking off enemies from a distance with deadly accuracy. Each shot landed with precision, cutting down advancing Grunts before they could close the gap.

The Covenant pressed harder, their numbers growing. Kassandra's mind raced, assessing their options as the battle intensified. "Pup, get ready to blow those charges. Y/N, on my signal, we're moving to the east entrance. Kaia, cover our escape."

"Got it, Alpha," Y/N replied, his eyes darting to Pup. "You good?"

Pup nodded, a determined glint in his eyes. "Charges are set. Just say the word."

"Oracle, fall back!" Kassandra shouted.

As they moved, Pup detonated the charges, sending debris and flames into the air. For a moment, the Covenant forces were blinded, thrown into chaos. Oracle took advantage, sprinting through the haze of smoke and dust, weaving through the structures toward the east entrance.

But even as they retreated, Kassandra knew this was only the beginning. Whatever was hidden within this outpost was something worth fighting over-something that both the insurrectionists and the Covenant wanted.

And Fireteam Oracle was going to find out why.