Halo: Forgotten Artifacts

[Orrin55]

"Let's just hope it's here" Mike replied following after the commander, He peered over at the entrance and chambered the first round into his battle rifle "Tho judging from the lack of rubble i'd say he could have just opened the door" He looked out across the enviorment checking for anything out of place. Spotting nothing he shifted his grip to relaxed and looked over at the commander "The thing could just be letting us in, Or there was something inside that could have exploded"

[Dante_Page]

"Well, either way, we're about to find out," Dante says, readying his assault rifle as he leads them all inside. "Do you guys feel something?"
Before anyone can answer the entrance begins to shake, then massive mteal/stone doors slam shut behind them, locking the few of them inside and the rest out. then light begin to shine along the walls. Slowly at first, then brighter, bright enough for them to see without their helmets extra sight. Lines of unreadable glyphs line the wall, all glowing and providing light for them.
"I don't like this. Switch your camo on, I have a feeling we may be surrounded..." Dante says, activating his own and going invisable, his suits outer layer reflecting everything around him. Keep your guns ready. Don't attack until they do, but then, in that case, let'em have it!"
He then starts moving the group, now more of a squad, down the long, high, wide hallway. It is empty for the most part, but there are a few large buolders here and there, as well as stalagmites and -tites. In the distance a mechanical noice can be heard, as well as a buzzing sound, like a plaza pistol charging up."

[Comrade Vacilli]

Siro, the new recruit was lifted up into the air and choked by the second in command of the squad Zerka. " I don't even know why Oris accepted you. You just fried the engines to the phantom." Siro managed to get past a few words, " I'm sorry, I didn't know. " Zerka threw him to the ground and said, " Now your going to get it." Siro looked around pleadingly at the humans who were looking at them backing away.

Oris activated his camo and brought out the plasma rifle. " Sentinels? I thought they were all shut down after the Ark. Brother, do you remember how to read these?" He dragged Krapap and threw him forward. " Keep moving, we don't know what might happen." Suddenly his radar picked up red dots and movement.

[The_Lone_SOLDIER]

Reassignment was the last thing Grayeson wanted, especially when it involved with him travelling with SPARTAN-IV's. The supersoldiers never did anything against him, other than being born he often told himself. Its a tradition in the 105th to dispise them, believing that they weren't even human anymore. It didn't matter on the battlefield though, every tradition from the ODST didn't break the honor code of the UNSC Marine Corps. Every man was your brother while in combat, they depend on you as you depend on them. Off the field was a different story, the SPARTANs went one way and the ODST were sent another. The two didn't mix well, with the coolness of the SPARTANs and the cockiness of the ODSTs is what regular grunts would say.

"Gunny, you're being reassigned to provide support to the SPARTAN-IV and ODST teams on the planet. They will be inserted before your team drops to the surface, you will provide security to any personnel till they finish their assignment." Grayeson's CO told him back on Shield.

Now the 105th Helljumper was with a squad from the 7th ODST Division onboard the UNSC Aegis Fate, travelling towards their destination. Inside the ODST Preparation Room, Grayeson was cleaning and checking over his Suppressed M7-SMG. The weapon was standard issue to any Special Operations team and was something the 105th took as their prized possession. No Helljumper went on any assignment without their trusty SMG. Setting the weapon down, which he checked over and cleaned twice already; Grayeson sighed as he watched the stars zip by quickly. It wouldn't be long till his team was inserted, wait for the others to finish up, and he would be back onboard towards Earth for leave. Leave was something he was looking forward to, Grayeson's wife had just given birth when he was deployed to Shield. And he promised her that he would be back soon and that was almost a year ago.

[Comrade Vacilli]

A quick movement caught Oris's attention. Then suddenly it stopped and he saw what it was. A wwalking suit of armor. It sensed him and shot him. Oris turned off the camo and fired of bolts of plasma and threw Krapap at the door. " Get it open, and when it is, go out, and get Zerka and the others. Leave the idiot Siro there. Bring whoever wants to come." Krapap scurried off and tried to open it while Oris provided covering fire. " You knew this was going to happen human?"

[The_Lone_SOLDIER]

"Any ODST that has not filled the Prep Room, needs to get there now." the frigate's A.I. announced through the speakers.

Unlike his 7th Division counterparts, Grayeson was instructed by the 105th be always prepared and be there early before a drop. Standing from his seat, Grayeson turned to his locker and started gearing up. Having already been in his battle suit, all he had left was to load up on ammo, grenades, weapons, and put on the helmet. As he was loading extra greandes, a three men walked into the room groaning about being there thirty minutes early. Grayeson kept to himself and continued loading up, figuring its best not to argue that the men shouldn't be complaining.

"Hey Helljumper, what are you doing here so earlier?" One of the men asked.

"Been here for over a hour prepping my weapons and checking my things, like you." Grayeson replied.

"Jeez, the guys from the 105th are so uptight. Dude, you got to loosen up and chill out. We're all ODST here, the best the UNSC has to offer."

"I just like to keep an edge over my enemy and if that means being uptight, then so be it."

The conversation broke off as two more ODST walked into the room, both dressed in their battle suits like him. Nodding to Grayeson, who returned the nod back, the two walked silently to their lockers and started to prep up in silence. Grayeson knew the two men, they graduated from training together and were often deployed on the same team when the 7th and 105th got together like this. One was named Michaels, who was a massively built man that looked like a SPARTAN in full battle dress. The other was named Peterson, who wasn't the biggest guy but was definately one of the smartest. Being the highest rank in the group, made Grayeson team leader much to his dismay when Peterson was a better leader. Finally done, Grayeson took his BR55 Battle Rifle and started looking it over before slinging it onto his back. Reaching down, he grabbed both his helmet and his SMG as he turned to face the others.

"You got three minutes to be ready. Michaels. Peterson. Keep them in check and make sure they get done in two." Grayeson stated.

"You got it Gunny." Peterson said, speaking up for both of them.

Nodding, Grayeson turned and started towards the Drop-Bay doors which was on the opposite side of the room. They were at least five minutes out, they were going to be dropped soon and Grayeson wanted the sixth pod. Usually the leader takes Pod-1, but Grayeson knew that was the pod where most men die. He wasn't afraid of death, he was raised on his grandfather's stories and films of the Human-Covenant Wars. Men these days think what they've seen is bad, they would die of a heart attack if they were back then.

[Dante_Page]

"Hey, you saw the holograms, you know just as much as I do." Dante says, ducking behind a stalgmite as the team scatteres. "They look like primative versons of us, don't they? Then again, who knows, they might have replaced us for the Forerunners."

As he speaks he readies a frag grenade. he only has two, but as he peeks over the rock he sees a group og them. he pulls the pin, waits a second, then tosses it, yelling "Fire in the hole," before getting his MA5B ready. Just after the explosion goes off, knocking bits of debris loose from the ceiling and making them rain down on his head, he pops up and starts firing. Two go down under his , but he isn't worried about taking them out.

"I got two, there are another eight of them, then it seems clear for hostiles." He says, checking the markers he placed on them. "According to my suits stats reader, whatever they are their running hot now. Looks like they've got an energy shield as well, judging by the way most of those bullets bounced off."

[Avalon_Summers]

Avalon smirks.
"well, do we have any energy weapons? energy shields melt like butter under engery fire." she says pulling out her standard Issued Assult Rifle. she bruses off some of the dirt and rubble from her and glances around at the others before looking to Dante.
"so, we going to go after them, neutralize all hostiles?"

[Orrin55]

"Might as well" Mike replied, "We took out two, why not the rest?" He popped out from his cover and fired a quick burst from his Battle rifle. He scowled as he watched most of them ricochet off, the last one burying deep into the armor "Energy shield aren't really up to date" He reported "Plant enough bullets and they'll go down anyway, not that i recommend it." He looked across at his squadmates and shrugged "If they're running shields, they could potentially be active for combat" He looked over at the beings "If we could capture one that be great, we can send it back to the base, two if you want me to have a quick look to see what makes them tick"

[The_Lone_SOLDIER]

Placing his weapons inside the side-compartment of the drop pod, Grayeson reached over and pressed the button on the panel next to him. An alarm started flaring up, covering the docking-bay in bright pulsing red lights. This was the indication that all members should be entering their pods by now, which none were exting the prep-room. Then the doors opened and a member started flying through the air. Colliding inside a already opened pod, Grayeson shook his head when Michaels walked out before anyone. That was the sign someone messed with the massive soldier, something that wasn't smart.

"Sorry Gunny, the young pup and I were just playing around." Michaels said as he turned his head towards Grayeson.

"I think he learned his lesson Michaels. Everyone else, saddle up because we're dropping in two minutes."

As everyone sccuried towards their designated pods, Grayeson tossed his helmet inside the pod and walked inside the control-room that commanded the pods. A technician was usually the one to check the diagnostics, but Grayeson was qualified as well. Everything seemed good at the moment, but these pods were tricky when they were deployed. If one thing was off, it could be the difference between life and death. Looking to the men in his squad, he nodded as each gave him a thumbs up. Which each thumbs up, he closed and sealed their pod doors till he remained. The technician should've been here by now, which would allow Grayeson to climb inside the pod and drop on time. Shaking his head, he walked out of the small control-room and started back towards his pod.

[Dante_Page]

Before Dante can say anything a buzzing fills the air, then a gol-yellow beam hits the rock he was hiding behind and it melts in a small explosion, sending drops of molten rock raining down on his armor. Rolling out of the way he takes cover behind another rock, then tosses another grenade. this one lands at the feet of one of the droids just before it fires it's laser, and boom, chunks of metal rain down.
"They're just like the old Covenant ships. They have to lower their shields to fire." Dante says over the channel. "Don't fire until they get ready to fire and you'll take them out-" he rolls again to dodge another blast, "-faster, easier."
This is Seragent Williams, can you here me Spartans?[i/] a voice comes over their headsets. [i]If you can hear me then this is the only channel that can get through, somebody, please copy!
"We read you Willams, copy. what's going on?" Dante asks.
You tell me soldiar. All we know is the door sudden;y opened, then it shut just as soon as you got your armored asses inside. Williams says, there is commotion in the back ground, voices, rushing sounds, We can't get it opened.

[Comrade Vacilli]

Oris chucked a plasma gernade and it stuck to on of the droids and made it go boom. " Stuck." Oris chuckled and hosed down the place with plasma rifle. Krapap on the other hand had succeeded in making a hole just big enough for grunt. He muttered happily and was about to go through when a droid shot him with the beam. It expected for the grunt to go down in one hit. Instead Krapap dodged the shot and let it cut the premade hole a bit bigger. Krapap drew the needler and let it explode killing the droid and he dove through to the surprise of the humans at the other end. He ran outside to the scene of Siro being strangled. Krapap shot Zerka and hastily told them of what happened. The team instantly scrouged the plasma charges and ran off into the main building pushing aside humans. " Oris, this is Zerka, we'll try to get in as fast as we can. Strangely the grunt sized hole had already been repaired and the sound of a machine humming outside. A contructer probaly.

[The_Lone_SOLDIER]

Taking a seat inside the pod, Grayeson pulled on his helmet and started to power up its hud. As the diagnostics started running, Grayeson noticed the door open inside the control room for the pods. There stood a black man of small stature, goggles on his forehead and a shined bald head. As the sounds of buttons started to fill the room, they were soon drowned out by the sounds of pod doors closing shut. Gripping the handle inside, affectionaly nicknamed the "Holy Shit Bar," Grayeson nodded to the technician. The pod door closed shut and was locked, ready to be dropped at any second.

"Prepare for drop.... in T-minus....3...2...1...DROP!"

As the sound of the voice disappeared, the room was instantly flooded with the sounds of pods being shot out. Grayeson's grip tightened around the bar as he felt the rumbling of the pods next to him being launched. Then the deafening blast of his pod launching made Grayeson clentch his eyes closed. After awhile, Grayeson's ears were filled with radio chatter from those down on the surface.

"This is Gunnery Sergeant Grayeson, 105th ODST, we're coming inbound on your position."

[Dante_Page]

After another few moments of gunfire the droids are all down. Most are completely offline, but there are a couple still twitching. Dante reloads then goes over and examines them. "These guys are really pretty primative. Maybe-" he is cut off when the doors suddenly open behind them, letting in the warm red-orange glow of sunset flood into the cave.

"My god, what happened in here?" Watson asks, stepping just inside the cave, her Elite assistant beside her. "What are these things?"
In Answer Dante drags one of the still twitching droids over to her, after ripping out it's power source of course. The outer shell of the droid gleams in the light of day, then a panel opens up and a tiny blue light flickers, then a hologram begins to project. It shows one of the Halo rings activating. The hologram shakes terribly, then the view turns and a large chunk of land, the planetoid they stand on now.
"If I understand this right...this is a part of one of the rings...one that malfunctioned and destroyed itself..." the doctor says, playing it back. "Alyss, scan and record everything you can from this droid."
As she speaks she holds up her watch. It glow blue and white then a tiny hologram of the princess AI Alyss appears and puts a hand on the droin. Data begins to flow across her pale dress.

[The_Lone_SOLDIER]

In a thunderous boom and a fog of sand, the dropped ODST was finally on the ground. Grayeson reared back with his foot and kicked open the pod door, which flew off with relative ease. As the sand began to settle, Grayeson had his Battle Rifle slung over his back and crouched into position with his SMG ready to open fire.

"Sound off, anyone dead?"

Silence was all that filled Grayeson's com-link, followed by static as he waited for responses. As no responses were for returned, Grayeson repeated the command. Again, no one responded to the order which made Grayeson stand from his crouched position. Walking on top of the dunes he landed in, Grayeson looked around him and saw that there was no other pods around him.

"Where is my team...? Grayeson kept telling himself.

[Hunter170]

Hunter walked out from cover and kicked one of the downed droids as he loaded another clip into his carbine. Thedroid shot sparks out from one of the bullets holes he added to it "copy cat SPARTEN robots... kinda cool huh?" He stood beside the Doctor towering over her about the same hight as the elite on her opposite side he watched the small AI hologram with intrest

[Dante_Page]

Dante watches the AI as the data scrolls across her. He sighs and takes his helmet off and rubs his slightly eyes. "What's going on doctor?" he asks after a moment.
"Hang on, Alyss is almost done, then we'll know more." Watson says, pulling her watch back and looking at Alyss.
You are right doctor. This only a small part of one of the Halo arrays. The small blue Ai says, a sterile grin on her face. It seems that they were testing this Driods here. It was a kind of test, to see what the battle armor could take and what it couldn't. But, there is a bigger threat here...there may be Flood...
"Wait, you're saying there may be flood here?" Dante asks, reloading his guns and holstering them. "I thought that together with the Elites you developed a kind of...what do you call it, anivirus to use against them?"
"We did...but that was over fifty years ago." Watson says. "The Flood, from my studies, I've learned that they evolve rapidly. They're probably immune to it by now..."

[Hunter170]

Hunter let out a loong sigh "great,sir maybe its time we bug out? i van have that door wired to blow inside of ten minutes well be out we report this and let them blow this whole place to kingdomcome no more floor no more droids no problem."

[Dante_Page]

"No, we can't do that." Watson says. "Even if we wanted to. This place somehow heals itself. After that grunt got through the hole sealed up on it's own. There is something deep inside this artifact that is doing this, protecting itself. I think you should go down there, Spartans, and figure out what it is. If we could get our hands on technology like that..."
She trails off as Alyss says something about the Flood.
"Excuse me." She says, turning and walking away.

"Well, what do you think?" Dante asks, turning around and looking at the others. "We know there will be more Droids, and now there might be Flood, and God only knows whatelse down there. You think you're up to the challange?"
As he looks around he sighs. It seems as if some of the soldiers before him have just given up, that they'd rather leave this place behind and go home. But that's not what a Spartan would do.

[Hunter170]

Hunter smirked behind his helmet befofe checking his weapons bullert counter and jacking a round into the chamber "sounds like fun to me boss"