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Description
Arrival

And lo, the beast looked upon the face of beauty. And it stayed its hand from killing. And from that day, it was as one dead.

Chapter One
He held his hands around his head as the uncomfortable and noisy craft flew low over the evening jungle. Through what little light there was in the dingy cramped troop compartment, Vecr made out four other silhouettes. They possessed dexterous five fingered hands and a single nasal organ protruded from the center of their faces. Their dark eyes peered from behind visors as their hands tightened around the rifles cradled in their arms.

Vecr dropped his own four fingered hands and looked to the left. Another human picked at a larger, more precise looking, rifle. The primitive weapon cast a faint blood red glow from small lights that dotted its surface. The humans eyes met Vecrs.

“What’a you lookin at split-lip?”

Vecr simply turned away and returned his gaze to the floor. His elbows rested atop his armored knees as he recollected of the days past events. Though it had been against his brothers wishes, Vecr had left the battle raging around High Charity to assist the humans in their plight against the now Loyalists, those still loyal to the San ‘Shyuum. Upon his arrival of the humans homeworld, Vecr found that the Loyalists had severely damaged most of the planets surface and had routed a large percentage of the human population. Little military power could be found on the world, but a large portion hiding in a heavily forested valley had been rallied under the female human, whom Vecr understood was comparable to a Ship Master, and formed a highly organized resistance.

He later discovered that the deceitful Prophet of Truth and his Loyalist followers had directed most, if not all of their forces, to protecting an excavation sight where the Ark was presumed to be hidden. Shortly after establishing a connection with local human forces, Vecr had been attached to a light patrol unit that despised him so, to say the least.

And so now he sat in a primitive aerial craft waiting to be dropped off at a forward outpost. Vecr raised his head and found the human across from him had been staring. His eyes more accurate in the dark, Vecr stared back as the human turned away. The human pilot shouted over the comm-channel,

“En-route to forward post ‘White Noise’. ETA three minutes.”

Vecr had quite a struggle understanding the humans overwhelming styles of measurement. They had a separate measurement for time, another for weight, and even used two different ways to measure distance! Though these methods were nowhere near as easy as units, Vecr still felt it necessary to understand them. The ‘Pelican’ jumped as it dipped under the forest canopy, deftly dodging the ancient trees that choked the air.

“Marines, we have arrived!”

Vecr turned his head swiftly towards the Pelicans stern as it slid apart with a noisy clank and the thick, moist jungle air flooded in. A human stood up and tenderly made its way to the Pelicans exit, holding onto a rail above the crafts seating for support. He took in a deep breath, sucking in the humid air through his curious nostrils.

“Ahhh! Ya smell that? That’s the smell of a crap assignment in the morning!”

The human craft spun as it came into a small glade. As the Pelican spun, Vecr took notice of a small waterfall pouring into a stream bellow. A rocky outcropping protruded alongside the waterfall with a small cement bunker against the smooth cliff. The Pelican stopped its rotation over the outcropping, half of the ship hanging over the edge.

“Hit it marines!”

The humans leaped from the Pelican one by one and Vecr followed suit. He landed with a muffled thud against the moss covered stone and looked above as the Pelican glided up and out of the jungle. As he turned to face the cement bunker a small round object bounced against Vecrs helmet. Without hesitation, he snatched out of the air before it even began its downward decent. Holding his palm up, he found that the object had been a smooth weathered rock.

“Hurry up squid-head! The Corps aint payin us by the hour!”

Vecr closed his hand slowly, crushing the rock, and joined the humans. He strolled into the shanty set up by the humans and peered through its shadowy depths. To his immediate left lay a table accommodated by a simple computing device and a primitive radio. At the far end were two cots, one atop the other. Each was occupied by a badly wounded human sporting bandages all across their bodies with a female human attending them. In the far right corner lay a small pile of metal spikes coated in blood. As Vecr stepped into the bunkers center, more humans came out from within its shadows. Most wore basic helmets and armor, but one donned a cap instead, along with numerous scars. The aged human stared up at Vecrs twitching face. Vecr waited patiently as the human grunted and walked away.

“Any special reason why the good captain sent me an Elite?”

A marine that had been aboard the Pelican saluted as the human, which Vecr guessed to be a Sergeant, strode up to the marine.

“Didn’t say a word about it.” then it said in a lower voice, “Probably meant to keep it out of trouble.”

Though he heard the words clearly, Vecr pretended that he didn’t. The humans were incredibly prejudiced, though Vecr had to admit he didn’t blame them. Before the Sangheilis breakaway from the Covenant, many of his kind had mercilessly slaughtered the humans without question. Vecrs thoughts were interrupted by the Sergeant.

“Aight. Listen up! Howitz is going to take scouting party Zeta and check out Zone 21.” the Sergeant then turned to Vecr. “You’re gonna take Alpha party to the purification plant. Been see’n a few Phantoms flying low over it.”

The Sergeant walked over to the female caring for the wounded marines.

“They gonna be O.K.?”

She looked up. A lock of short black hair fell out from underneath her helmet.

“Yes. They just need some antiseptic injections, though the spiker rounds mostly cauterized the wounds.”

“Good.” he murmured. “You’ll be joining Alpha party.”

“Yes sir.”

The Sergeant turned and strolled to the door, grabbing a shotgun as he stepped into the shadowy morning.

“C’mon marines! Go go go!”

The nine marines piled out of the bunker and into the jungle with Vecr in the rear. He bounded to the outcroppings edge and looked at the stream below. The others had turned left and were jogging down a natural ramp as the human Sergeant stood beside Vecr.

“Follow the stream, it’ll take you straight to the plant.”

With that the Sergeant returned to his post by the bunkers entrance and leaned against it. Vecr drew his carbine and leaped over the edge, landing at the streams base with a noisy splash. He waded out of the flowing water and waited as his team arrived. Light drifted through the thick forest canopy and made small patches of sunlight on the mossy ground. The four man team stopped in front of him with soft crunches as they cracked dead twigs and the odd female approached him first, saluting as she stopped before him.

“Eve Plaisi, Medic, Private First Class, waiting for orders sir.”

She had the strangest voice Vecr had ever heard. It came from the body of a women, yet it sounded as though it belonged to a child. It had a vibe that sounded as though she was singing. Her enveloped head came only to Vecrs chest, setting her at about six feet Vecr guessed. Her face had soft features and a slim nose parted it. Deep sapphire eyes glowed from under her helmet, waiting for an answer. Small bow lips parted as the thick morning air was sucked within them. Her slim, lithe figure upon which dainty arms and legs extended from was silhouetted by the morning light sifting through the trees.

“Sir?”

Vecr snapped out of his paralysis, rolling his neck and shoulders as nonchalantly as possible.

“I will scout ahead. The rest of you shall follow behind as quietly as possible. I will give you a signal to proceed if the way is clear. We wouldn’t want to alert any slumbering enemies.”

The marines nodded their heads in agreement as Vecr bounded ahead.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She watched as the white armored alien sped ahead of the team and dipped behind a boulder. Boy was he was fast! Covering at least six meters in only a few seconds. She gave a low whistle as Adam stood behind her.

“I don’t like this Eve. That thing could lead us into a dark corner and gut us without anybody knowing.”

Squeezing his MA5C, Francisco also spoke up.

“Ya man. I don’t like the idea that that thing has probably killed hundreds of human beings and it’s now taking us to a empty factory.”

Eve stretched her arms behind her head and leaned back into a patch of sunlight. Paul fiddled with his BR55HB SR Battle Rifle as she pulled out her M6G.

“Look, I now you guys don’t trust him, cause neither do I.” she shrugged. “But orders are orders. We’re gonna have to listen to him till we get back to the bunker. Now c’mon, lets move out!”

The team moved around the boulder and followed the stream for a good ten minutes before meeting up with Vecr again. Eve approached him, mustering what courage she could as she was swallowed up by his shadow.

“Any news?”

The large alien stared at her while grinding his four mandibles. He looked further, past a slight bend in the streams path then back at her.

“Follow.”

She obeyed as the burly alien crouched surprisingly low. Following suit, she crawled behind him to a rotted tree stump. He placed his back to it and motioned for Eve to look. She wormed her way to the stump and looked over its moss covered edge. She saw there was a small ravine with a fallen tree making a bridge across it. Eve scanned the area, searching for possible hostiles. She found none.

“What the hell am I supposed to be looking for?” she hissed.

“Look to the fallen trees left.”

She looked, and sure enough, poking just barely from behind the tree, was a purple crate. A Covenant weapons crate. If there was a crate there it meant that Covenant wouldn’t be far away. She cursed under her breath.

“White Noise come in, over.”

The comm-channel sputtered static as the outpost answered.

“We read you Alpha Party. What’s the situation?”

Eve looked back at the crate as if expecting a Loyalist would leap from behind it.

“Covenant activity confirmed. I repeat. Covenant activity confirmed!”

“Good work Alpha Party, but you‘re a little late. Return to White Noise immediately. Long range sensors have picked up hostile air movement southbound. Wolfe out”

Eve glanced over to Vecr who was holding a Covenant carbine. She watched as he checked its magazine and tested its aiming. His hands, though big, were amazingly nimble, tweaking the different holographic controls. He finished and gave her an imitated thumbs up/down sign, as he had two thumbs at each end of his hands. She nodded in confirmation.

The pair slowly made their way back to the rest of Alpha Party. The three marines had taken up refuge inside a shallow hole created by an ancient trees roots. Adam was the first to see their approach.

“So what’s the word? Good news I hope?”

Paul and Francisco stood up as Eve holstered her M6G. Vecr sauntered over to the tree Alpha Party had taken cover by and leaned against it, arms crossed.

“Well!? What’s goin on?”

Eve gave a heavy sigh and stretched again, forcing Alpha Party to wait again as she gripped her elbow behind her head.

“The news… is bad. Covenant air forces are headed our way.”

Adam turned off the safety on his MA5C. He looked through the jungle canopy with alert eyes.

“So what’s the plan?”

“We are to make our way back to the outpost. Hopefully transport will be there.”

They all turned as Vecr spoke. Eve looked into his eyes. His big brown eyes. They had a tired look about them, yet there was a spark of energy waiting to go off.

Eve was about to rally the team when a distinct hum permeated through the thick jungle. Patches of sunlight disappeared altogether as a purple craft blotted the sunlight. Vecr drew his carbine and shouted,

“Phantom!”

Description
Arrival

And lo, the beast looked upon the face of beauty. And it stayed its hand from killing. And from that day, it was as one dead.

Chapter One
He held his hands around his head as the uncomfortable and noisy craft flew low over the evening jungle. Through what little light there was in the dingy cramped troop compartment, Vecr made out four other silhouettes. They possessed dexterous five fingered hands and a single nasal organ protruded from the center of their faces. Their dark eyes peered from behind visors as their hands tightened around the rifles cradled in their arms.

Vecr dropped his own four fingered hands and looked to the left. Another human picked at a larger, more precise looking, rifle. The primitive weapon cast a faint blood red glow from small lights that dotted its surface. The humans eyes met Vecrs.

“What’a you lookin at split-lip?”

Vecr simply turned away and returned his gaze to the floor. His elbows rested atop his armored knees as he recollected of the days past events. Though it had been against his brothers wishes, Vecr had left the battle raging around High Charity to assist the humans in their plight against the now Loyalists, those still loyal to the San ‘Shyuum. Upon his arrival of the humans homeworld, Vecr found that the Loyalists had severely damaged most of the planets surface and had routed a large percentage of the human population. Little military power could be found on the world, but a large portion hiding in a heavily forested valley had been rallied under the female human, whom Vecr understood was comparable to a Ship Master, and formed a highly organized resistance.

He later discovered that the deceitful Prophet of Truth and his Loyalist followers had directed most, if not all of their forces, to protecting an excavation sight where the Ark was presumed to be hidden. Shortly after establishing a connection with local human forces, Vecr had been attached to a light patrol unit that despised him so, to say the least.

And so now he sat in a primitive aerial craft waiting to be dropped off at a forward outpost. Vecr raised his head and found the human across from him had been staring. His eyes more accurate in the dark, Vecr stared back as the human turned away. The human pilot shouted over the comm-channel,

“En-route to forward post ‘White Noise’. ETA three minutes.”

Vecr had quite a struggle understanding the humans overwhelming styles of measurement. They had a separate measurement for time, another for weight, and even used two different ways to measure distance! Though these methods were nowhere near as easy as units, Vecr still felt it necessary to understand them. The ‘Pelican’ jumped as it dipped under the forest canopy, deftly dodging the ancient trees that choked the air.

“Marines, we have arrived!”

Vecr turned his head swiftly towards the Pelicans stern as it slid apart with a noisy clank and the thick, moist jungle air flooded in. A human stood up and tenderly made its way to the Pelicans exit, holding onto a rail above the crafts seating for support. He took in a deep breath, sucking in the humid air through his curious nostrils.

“Ahhh! Ya smell that? That’s the smell of a crap assignment in the morning!”

The human craft spun as it came into a small glade. As the Pelican spun, Vecr took notice of a small waterfall pouring into a stream bellow. A rocky outcropping protruded alongside the waterfall with a small cement bunker against the smooth cliff. The Pelican stopped its rotation over the outcropping, half of the ship hanging over the edge.

“Hit it marines!”

The humans leaped from the Pelican one by one and Vecr followed suit. He landed with a muffled thud against the moss covered stone and looked above as the Pelican glided up and out of the jungle. As he turned to face the cement bunker a small round object bounced against Vecrs helmet. Without hesitation, he snatched out of the air before it even began its downward decent. Holding his palm up, he found that the object had been a smooth weathered rock.

“Hurry up squid-head! The Corps aint payin us by the hour!”

Vecr closed his hand slowly, crushing the rock, and joined the humans. He strolled into the shanty set up by the humans and peered through its shadowy depths. To his immediate left lay a table accommodated by a simple computing device and a primitive radio. At the far end were two cots, one atop the other. Each was occupied by a badly wounded human sporting bandages all across their bodies with a female human attending them. In the far right corner lay a small pile of metal spikes coated in blood. As Vecr stepped into the bunkers center, more humans came out from within its shadows. Most wore basic helmets and armor, but one donned a cap instead, along with numerous scars. The aged human stared up at Vecrs twitching face. Vecr waited patiently as the human grunted and walked away.

“Any special reason why the good captain sent me an Elite?”

A marine that had been aboard the Pelican saluted as the human, which Vecr guessed to be a Sergeant, strode up to the marine.

“Didn’t say a word about it.” then it said in a lower voice, “Probably meant to keep it out of trouble.”

Though he heard the words clearly, Vecr pretended that he didn’t. The humans were incredibly prejudiced, though Vecr had to admit he didn’t blame them. Before the Sangheilis breakaway from the Covenant, many of his kind had mercilessly slaughtered the humans without question. Vecrs thoughts were interrupted by the Sergeant.

“Aight. Listen up! Howitz is going to take scouting party Zeta and check out Zone 21.” the Sergeant then turned to Vecr. “You’re gonna take Alpha party to the purification plant. Been see’n a few Phantoms flying low over it.”

The Sergeant walked over to the female caring for the wounded marines.

“They gonna be O.K.?”

She looked up. A lock of short black hair fell out from underneath her helmet.

“Yes. They just need some antiseptic injections, though the spiker rounds mostly cauterized the wounds.”

“Good.” he murmured. “You’ll be joining Alpha party.”

“Yes sir.”

The Sergeant turned and strolled to the door, grabbing a shotgun as he stepped into the shadowy morning.

“C’mon marines! Go go go!”

The nine marines piled out of the bunker and into the jungle with Vecr in the rear. He bounded to the outcroppings edge and looked at the stream below. The others had turned left and were jogging down a natural ramp as the human Sergeant stood beside Vecr.

“Follow the stream, it’ll take you straight to the plant.”

With that the Sergeant returned to his post by the bunkers entrance and leaned against it. Vecr drew his carbine and leaped over the edge, landing at the streams base with a noisy splash. He waded out of the flowing water and waited as his team arrived. Light drifted through the thick forest canopy and made small patches of sunlight on the mossy ground. The four man team stopped in front of him with soft crunches as they cracked dead twigs and the odd female approached him first, saluting as she stopped before him.

“Eve Plaisi, Medic, Private First Class, waiting for orders sir.”

She had the strangest voice Vecr had ever heard. It came from the body of a women, yet it sounded as though it belonged to a child. It had a vibe that sounded as though she was singing. Her enveloped head came only to Vecrs chest, setting her at about six feet Vecr guessed. Her face had soft features and a slim nose parted it. Deep sapphire eyes glowed from under her helmet, waiting for an answer. Small bow lips parted as the thick morning air was sucked within them. Her slim, lithe figure upon which dainty arms and legs extended from was silhouetted by the morning light sifting through the trees.

“Sir?”

Vecr snapped out of his paralysis, rolling his neck and shoulders as nonchalantly as possible.

“I will scout ahead. The rest of you shall follow behind as quietly as possible. I will give you a signal to proceed if the way is clear. We wouldn’t want to alert any slumbering enemies.”

The marines nodded their heads in agreement as Vecr bounded ahead.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She watched as the white armored alien sped ahead of the team and dipped behind a boulder. Boy was he was fast! Covering at least six meters in only a few seconds. She gave a low whistle as Adam stood behind her.

“I don’t like this Eve. That thing could lead us into a dark corner and gut us without anybody knowing.”

Squeezing his MA5C, Francisco also spoke up.

“Ya man. I don’t like the idea that that thing has probably killed hundreds of human beings and it’s now taking us to a empty factory.”

Eve stretched her arms behind her head and leaned back into a patch of sunlight. Paul fiddled with his BR55HB SR Battle Rifle as she pulled out her M6G.

“Look, I now you guys don’t trust him, cause neither do I.” she shrugged. “But orders are orders. We’re gonna have to listen to him till we get back to the bunker. Now c’mon, lets move out!”

The team moved around the boulder and followed the stream for a good ten minutes before meeting up with Vecr again. Eve approached him, mustering what courage she could as she was swallowed up by his shadow.

“Any news?”

The large alien stared at her while grinding his four mandibles. He looked further, past a slight bend in the streams path then back at her.

“Follow.”

She obeyed as the burly alien crouched surprisingly low. Following suit, she crawled behind him to a rotted tree stump. He placed his back to it and motioned for Eve to look. She wormed her way to the stump and looked over its moss covered edge. She saw there was a small ravine with a fallen tree making a bridge across it. Eve scanned the area, searching for possible hostiles. She found none.

“What the hell am I supposed to be looking for?” she hissed.

“Look to the fallen trees left.”

She looked, and sure enough, poking just barely from behind the tree, was a purple crate. A Covenant weapons crate. If there was a crate there it meant that Covenant wouldn’t be far away. She cursed under her breath.

“White Noise come in, over.”

The comm-channel sputtered static as the outpost answered.

“We read you Alpha Party. What’s the situation?”

Eve looked back at the crate as if expecting a Loyalist would leap from behind it.

“Covenant activity confirmed. I repeat. Covenant activity confirmed!”

“Good work Alpha Party, but you‘re a little late. Return to White Noise immediately. Long range sensors have picked up hostile air movement southbound. Wolfe out”

Eve glanced over to Vecr who was holding a Covenant carbine. She watched as he checked its magazine and tested its aiming. His hands, though big, were amazingly nimble, tweaking the different holographic controls. He finished and gave her an imitated thumbs up/down sign, as he had two thumbs at each end of his hands. She nodded in confirmation.

The pair slowly made their way back to the rest of Alpha Party. The three marines had taken up refuge inside a shallow hole created by an ancient trees roots. Adam was the first to see their approach.

“So what’s the word? Good news I hope?”

Paul and Francisco stood up as Eve holstered her M6G. Vecr sauntered over to the tree Alpha Party had taken cover by and leaned against it, arms crossed.

“Well!? What’s goin on?”

Eve gave a heavy sigh and stretched again, forcing Alpha Party to wait again as she gripped her elbow behind her head.

“The news… is bad. Covenant air forces are headed our way.”

Adam turned off the safety on his MA5C. He looked through the jungle canopy with alert eyes.

“So what’s the plan?”

“We are to make our way back to the outpost. Hopefully transport will be there.”

They all turned as Vecr spoke. Eve looked into his eyes. His big brown eyes. They had a tired look about them, yet there was a spark of energy waiting to go off.

Eve was about to rally the team when a distinct hum permeated through the thick jungle. Patches of sunlight disappeared altogether as a purple craft blotted the sunlight. Vecr drew his carbine and shouted,

“Phantom!”