Immortal Warheads [Discontinued]

Chapter 14

   A few weeks had past now as the Spartans had returned from their vacation. All of them were standing around Dr. Larson's computer as she was working on something. "So this ship, you all just found it sitting in the middle of the tundra?" She asked still typing away on her computer. "Correction I found it, but yeah, pretty much." Shepard said crossing his arms. "And you said the name of the ship was?" "The Mother of Invention." Joseph chimed in taking a step forward. "Well, I found the ship, but everything that happened on it and even its purpose is all classified. All it says here is something about a 'Project Freelancer'." Aloe shook her head "Well the project obviously failed. Considering the ship the project took place on is well, you know." Larson shrugged before she turned to face them. "Well, I've done all the research I can from this end. So, you four can go and explore whatever could be left operational on that ship. Preferably medical supplies. Ever since that little deal Aloe had made I've been cut short on resources." Aloe looked away and rubbed her neck as the other Spartans looked over. "What does she mean by that Aloe?" Joseph asked as Aloe slowly inched away. "No you don't, what did you do?" Shepard stopped her looking up at her crossing his arms. " You see, that's a funny story heh. To get that vacation I had to kinda accept the fact that they will no longer provide us with, well, anything anymore. We will, from now on have to find all the resources ourselves." Aloe smiled awkwardly as the fire team all squinted at her. "So, youre telling me, we are fucking stranded and left to fend for our-fucking-selves!?" Joseph spoke first as the others groaned walking around. "Well what else was I going to do, you all wanted a vacation and we got one!" Aloe crossed her arms and sighed. "Look, lets just, raid whatever is left on that ship. We can figure out what we'll do after that okay?" The Spartans nodded before they all walked off without her. Aloe rubbed her arm before slowly following behind.

  

XXX

   The Spartans walked up to the fallen cruiser, Shepard finding the entrance and placing a breach on the door. The breach blew it open as the Spartans slowly walked in with guns in hand making sure the area was clear. They slowly made their way to the console watching the broken big screen. "Huh, this place is busted up real bad." Alex glided his hand over the panels of the computer. Aloe was looking out of the broken glass into a room. "This is the training center, no room is this empty unless its for that reason. So if I'm correct that giant screen there must have been a leader board." Aloe turned around and looked over the slightly cracked screen. "Ozzie, mind giving this thing a little juice?" The Watcher detached from Aloes back before slowly flying over to the console zapping it. The screen flashed to light flickering a little before holding its picture. A leaderboard like Aloe had predicted came to life. "States? Number one is Texas, two is Carolina?" Joseph tilted his head in confusion. "Well I know damn well the actual state of Texas aint the number one state so this must be people." Shepard added looking at the names. "They must be those Freelancers the doctor was talking about right?" Alex said before looking down the hallway. "Must be, why states though? Really, states?" Joseph said sitting down in a chair. As Aloe Shepard and Joseph continued talking, Alex walked down the hallway. As he explored he opened a door that was slightly ajar, peeking in noticing a stasis chamber. He slowly walked over to it and tilted his head side to side. "That armor looks pretty good. All black so all I would need to do is paint the cyan stripes." He looked over the black mark VI armor that sit dormant in the chamber. "Now lets just get this thing open and." As he pushed the buttons the armor sprang to life punching through the glass. Alex hopped back holding up his fists ready to fight. The armor stepped out and punched Alex through the door way into the wall knocking him out instantly.

   As the other three Spartans were talking Aloe had turned to face the training arena. "I'm gonna go down there and give that free space a test run. You stay up here and watch out for Alex." Joseph and Shepard nodded as she hopped through the window. Shepard's head slowly lifted up before he looked down the hallway. "Joseph, come with me, something feels off." Joseph shrugged and stood up. They both went down the hall noticing Alex laying limp against the wall. They slowly walked up to him before the black armor sprang out and tried taking out the two Spartans. Shepard was the first to retaliate, immediately being thrown to the side. Joseph went up and began fighting the armor, holding his own for only a little while before he himself was knocked back. As a last ditch effort Shepard tried getting it from the back to no avail, the armor simply grabbing his arm and throwing him on his back. The suit began walking down the hall as Joseph coughed turning on his coms. "A-Aloe, something bad happened."

   As Aloe was training with her Watcher her coms came to life. She looked up at the window rather confused before the black armor jumped down. Aloe took a step back before nodding. "Yeah Joseph, I can see that." Aloe slowly walked forward again. "So you beat up my team huh? Well only I can do that, and I can't let this slide without some punishment." Aloe rose her fists as the armor did the same. Both of them charged each other engaging in combat.

   Soon the three Spartans had made it back to the main room, Shepard holding Alex up and Joseph holding his side watching Aloe and the armor fight. "Whoa, holy shit, Aloe is actually kicking that things ass." As Joseph spoke a broken robotic voice came on. "That thing is an android based on Agent Texas." The Spartans looked over to the console before Joseph limped over. "Agent Texas, you mean that person on the top of the leaderboard?" "Exactly, no one has ever beaten Agent Texas. She always has been a bit of a badass." Joseph slowly looked over to the window as Aloe and the armor were still going at it. "No ones beat her huh, how about we make a bet that will change." Joseph chuckled a bit.

   Soon the sounds of combat died. Joseph limped over to the window seeing Aloe standing over the armor, it beaten in as Aloe sighed falling to her knee. "That, is what happens, when you fuck, with me." Aloe grunted trying to hold her self up. "Look at that, Agent Texas fell." Shepard rested Alex on the chair before walking up to Joseph. "Too bad the console ran out of power to record any of that." Joseph nodded before heading down to help Aloe up to her feet again. "Remind me, to like, never fight random suits of armor again." Aloe said as Joseph chuckled. "Noted boss."