LORC: RTS Act I pt 3

Welcome back Major

August 24 2552 (human calendar) 1124 hours
Unknown Location,  Standard IV
GSGT. Eric Green
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"I hope so..."
Alex stared out the window.

Mike looked down at a cracked screen on the control board and said. "Well- there's oxygen out there. And we were just going to die in here, so why don't we check it out?"

"I don't see why not, maybe whoever made this place had a way back to the surface." Eric said.  "Open the hatch- lets get out of here."

"Right away sir." Mike pressed a button and the troop bay hatch creaked open.

"Alright lets check it out."

The Spartans were first out with their weapons and swept the once flooded room. The entire area was bathed in a shimmering blue light from a Energy barrier that blocked the way they had entered. Fish flapped in the shallow water that remained. Eric and the others stepped out and looked at the massive pillars of Coral that covered the centre of the hangar. There was a glint of shining metal revealed in patches under the Coral. As soon as Williams stepped on to a crack in the flooring plate, it lit up with light. The light seemed to pulse in the direction of the back wall.

"Well I guess lets follow this. See where it leads." Eric said.

They followed the lights on the floor along the side of the massive coral formation and the sound of rushing wind became louder. Mysterious crates sat at awkward positions along the ground and the Spartans used them for cover. Eric and the other skidded to a stop. Before them was a massive window. A hole was ripped through the hole and water dripped to the ground far bellow.

"Where the Hell are we?" Williams whispered.

The window overlooked a massive open space. The floor was over a thousand feet bellow and mountains shot into the sky. Two massive walls rose up and met in the center and above those was a massive bright spot. Clouds drifted past the windows and rain poured in certain areas, in the distance the edges of a ceiling and a wall could barely be seen.

"I don't know... but we're nowhere near the surface." Mike said.

There was a click from behind that echoed off the walls of the hangar. The Spartans turned around and scanned the area with their rifles. There was a loud cracking sound then a synthetic humming. A blue light reflected off a coral outcrop. A floating machine resembling a unmanned news camera came around the corner. It just sat there hovering thirty feet away from the group.

"Is it hostile?" Spartan 098 asked.

"Doesn't seem like it. No one wants whatever is still running this place to be hostile so hold your fire. But keep your guard up." Eric ordered.

"Yes Sir." 098 replied.

The machine hovered there for a few moments, the Spartans helmet lights reflected of blue and red trim along its booms. A small red laser swept over the humans and then the machine beeped. A few seconds later it quickly flew directly above Williams' head. Williams leaned back and slipped on a fish. He stumbled back and fell out the window.

"Williams!" Eric yelled. The machine flew down out the hole and followed Williams down. The machine extended something and it grabbed Williams. Eric and the other watched as they both disappeared into the fog bellow. Eric jumped back from the edge and slammed his fist to the wall. "Damn-it!"

"Eric its not your fault but Williams may even still be alive," Mike said.

"Still. We should have been more careful and stayed away from that hole," Eric said angrily. "Now lets find a way down there and follow that machine. It will take us to whatever still runs this place."

***

Eric and his team had been running through the forest for the past 2 hours and their fully loaded Mongooses barely passed the trees and rocks that crowded the small dirt path Alex had found at the base of the waterfall. They had lost track of the Machine that had Williams but one of the Spartans had seen it take a sharp left around a tree up ahead on the trail.

"God if I'm going to have a last meal I want it to be a steak," Mike said randomly while running alongside Eric.

"Well the best you're going to get is a MRE 'cause it's all we've got." Eric responded.

"Oh and while I'm at it, a Warthog will do nicely at this point."

"Shut up Mike."

"Sir, We're coming up on the turn off tree." Spartan A204 stated.

"Alright lets hang a left people." No sooner than Eric had said that, he sprinted straight into a metal wall. A low twang of metal vibrating echoed through the forest.

"Eric are you alright?!" Alex asked.

"Yeah I'm..." He trailed off as he stared at a series of number etched into the lower half of the metal wall. In fact, It was not a metal wall at all. It was... a Warthog. The Warthog was covered in vines and ferns but its basic shape was still recognisable.

"Whoa how'd that get down here?" Alex asked.

"Who cares- check if there's steak anywhere." Mike said quickly.

Eric looked around and found a package all sealed up on the ground. When he had read its contense he looked down in amazement. "Freeze dried... Steak."

"Yes!" Mike pumped his arm then looked to the sky. "Beer will rain from the sky!"  Nothing happened. "Oh well, it was worth a try," Mike shrugged.

"Mike, you're an idiot" Alex said punching his shoulder.

Eric stepped away from the Warthog and looked to his left and then to his right. He was standing in a clearing wide enough for a Scorpion and long enough to count as a road. A thin layer of plants grew in the clearing and it was relatively flat. Spartan 098 knelt down and swiped some dirt and grass from a thin patch. A pulse of blue light reflected off his visor.

"Hey James- grab a shovel from that hog and bring it over here" Spartan 098 said talking to Spartan A103. He grabbed a battered shovel and walked over to 098. "Let's move some of this dirt." Together they uncovered a long metal path. Lines cut into it pulsed blue in the direction the Warthog was facing. Eric stood over them and looked at the metallic platform.

"Lets follow this, it leads somewhere." Eric said.

"Sir! You might want to see this." Spartan A204 said coming from behind a tree.

Eric walked over to where the Spartan stood. He stared at what he saw. A warthog had impaled itself onto a tree. A Human skeleton wearing shreds of clothes was sitting against another tree with a odd chunk of machinery in its hand. He saw a second skeleton in what was left of the drivers seat with the back of its skull missing. "Sir, these are civilian model Warthogs, there's also a rental agreement for both of the hogs dated 2549. These were civies sir. If they had Hogs then they got down here a different way."

"And that means maybe a way out" Eric said. "Spartan  one-o-three  and zero-nine-eight I want you to take Private Green and see if you can find the other way out. We'll meet back here in twelve hours."

"Yes sir," both the Spartans responded.

"You better be in one piece Eric when we get back." Alex said as they left.

"Oh I will be Alex- I'm worried about you." Eric chuckled.  As soon as Alex and the two Spartans disappeared into the forest Eric turned to the remaining squad. "We're going after Williams."
      
July 21, 2555 (human calendar) 2124 hours
Zelso State Military Academy, State of Zelso, Sanghelios
SpecOps Major [NULL]
Training Major Ryau 'Cinotee
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Ryau pushed up off the ground and continued to do push-ups like he had done everyday  for the past 3 years after the Device had screwed with his and Naki's age back to 16. He jumped up and sprinted for the obstacle course. Ryau ran along a beam and dodged spinning . He launched himself over a metal pole and rolled under another one. Near the end Ryau stopped on a platform and watched his Recruits run by on the same course. Not one of them fell into the pool foul smelling water bellow the course this time. They finished the course and headed over to the track. Ryau followed behind them and keep those that were falling behind in line. Once they finished their 8 laps he sent them back to their Common room. Ryau made sure they got there fine and headed to the Communications building. Inside he sat at a COM booth and dialed the number for some one he deeply cared about.
"Hello Ryau," Naki replied from the Zelso State University.  

"Good evening, how was your day?" He asked.

"Oh, it was good. My students learned about the Forerunner tech today. I look foreword to seeing you this week."

"Yeah, my recruits graduate this Wednesday. They've been doing very well. I cannot wait until I see you in person, its been what? three months." Ryau said.

"Ryau, its only been two weeks," Naki giggled.

"Well it feels like its been that long, anyway I need to get back to the common room and enforce lights out. They find it funny that I'm practically the same age as them so they tend to think they can get away with stuff."

"Yeah, they all think I'm a intern or something," Naki said.

"Well see you on Saturday, I love you."

"I love you too Ryau, see you then."

The screen when dark and Ryau headed back to the common room as the sky darkened to black. While he had gotten a position at the Zelso State Military Academy, Naki when to the University and accepted an offer to teach advanced science. The jobs were only temporary until they came of age to serve in the military again, Which as of yesterday Ryau was. Only he had to wait until August 14 for Naki to be with him. Ryau arrived at the door to the common room and keyed it open. Inside the recruits talked amongst themselves on their bunks or at the tables in the center of the room.

"Recruits- Lights out!" Ryau barked.

"Yes Major!" They all responded and quickly moved to their bunks.

"Skirmish tomorrow. Be ready." Ryau hit the lights and sat into his own bed "Just two more days," he thought.

That morning the recruits awoke and began their morning routine. Showers, dress for morning exercises and run out to the field to wait for him. Ryau walked out and led the exercises with ease. Once they were finished he led them across the academy and into the forest where he proceeded to run them 20 miles. They all returned to the common room out of breath and Ryau paused before going on.

"Recruits, don you're skirmish gear. We're having a friendly competition with Inbr 'Elaas recruits at the VMA's Skirmish field two."

"Major, that is in the Sea of Kar'un, why do we not host it in the Kama Mountains?" Endesa 'Nelum asked as she strapped her chest piece on.

"We've been training in the mountains since we began. Both you and Inbr's recruits have trained on this Academies fields. The VMA Island is new to all of you." Ryau replied.

"Understood Major." Endesa and Asau 'Asaos were 2 of his best recruits and usually part of the best squad.

Once everyone was armored up Ryau took them out to a waiting Shadow and loaded them up. Along the way he gave them a general overview of the field. 4 large islands, heavily forested with a few small structures. After a hour the Shadow stopped at a dock and Ryau ordered his recruits onto the small ferry. Inbr already had his recruits on the island and Ryau thought of something.

"Recruits, even though the skirmish officially begins when we reach the tree line do not be caught off guard. Be ready the second we hit the beach."

"Yes Major," They chanted.

The boat hit sand and the recruits vaulted themselves over the sides and into the water. The first squad hid in the tree line and was followed by another. Only one left.

"Endesa, Asau. Move up I'll cover you."