FC RPG Shorts: Joint Assassination
This story is based off a simulation room scenario, and has no effect on the standing lore of the FC or CIoG universe. Unless i like it enough to re-write it into the CIoG subforum.
Adam looked over towards the spartan he was paired with. Johanna- 249 (R). Spartan four, six foot two inches, 246 pounds, and could hit targets practically off planet with her SRS 99. He read her file. She was interesting. Reportedly, she had run missions turned down even by other spartans, and yet she remained 'light hearted, fun to be around' as the notes had read. What stopped her heart from hardening? He looked her over, seeing every tiny movement. She shifted slightly in her suit, not moving the armour at all. He smiled and leaned forwards. "We have fifteen targets. Fourteen elites. Don't flinch."
Johanna smiled back, placing her sniper rifle on the seat beside her, she took off her helmet and cocked her head to the side. "only fourteen? won't even need this baby then." She said patting her sniper rifle. She had read his file too. He wasn't the smartest, or the strongest, or even particularly notable in his group, however, he was by far the most dangerous. He remained just under the radar at all times, and yet anyone who disagreed with him quickly disappeared. Despite his nearly sinister air, he enchanted those around him with a strange fascination and acquired followers quickly. She could already feel the curiosity creep into her.
The mission was simple. The covenant was holding a meeting in a courtyard just ahead of their position. All targets were high ranking targets of oppurtunity. What was more important, however, was the object of the meeting. A weapon, codenamed 'KIOR'. The specifics of the weapon are unknown, however it's estimated to have massive, city destroying potential, potentially greater. They were to acquire this weapon at all costs. The meeting would take place over seven hours. Most of the participants were already there, with the last ones arriving by phantom soon. Five clips of sniper ammo. Simple. Intel was sorely lacking, and there wouldn't be much time to scope out the area. The pelican dropped in low, Twenty kilometers out. The intercom crackled to life. "Alright, we're dropping you off at a good distance to avoid detection. On our way in we spotted a sizable hill about 5 kilo's up north. it's on your way to the compound, and should give you a good place to recon the area. We'll stay on station for extraction. Six-two out."
The door opened, revealing a long beach ahead of them. Johanna dropped down, grabbing her rifle, and adam dropped down beside her, close enough that his shields caused interference on hers, but not so close as to touch. She shuddered, and adam strode past without comment. To make a spartan uncomfortable, just who was he?
"Drones." The word whispered in her ear, and she darted behind the rocks.This would complicate things. They must have heard something and gone to investigate, but if they killed them, the hive would surely realize there were intruders near. she winked her acknowledgement light on. Moving down the beach, she saw the patrol that adam warned her about, four drones flying in formation. She waited for them to pass. The pelican would detect them on radar and have to bug out. She smiled to herself at the bad joke. There was a break in the rocks ahead, leading into a forest. She had completely lost track of adam, but made the turn anyways. She had a feeling he'd find his way perfectely fine. Moving ahead, she spotted a patrol of grunts. Three of them. Something wasn't right, there were far too many patrols around, especially this far out. just how high a rank where these elites? She pulled out a silenced pistol, took aim at the first grunt, and watched as it fell over, face contorting in pain.
Adam whispered a quiet warning to his partner "Drones." He had never liked drones. They always caused such a ruckus when you fought them. He took the first turn he could off of the beach, watching Johanna's acknowledgement light wink on. Three grunts walked past him as he took cover in a nook between a rock and tree. They passed less than a foot from him. He melted into the shadows and drew his knives. He readied two in his hands, leaving one that he had taken from Johanna at his side. The knives glided from his hands, striking the two rear grunts through the spine, killing both instantly. He arrived at the lead grunt before the knives made impact, cutting deep into it's neck with one swift move, severing it's vocal cords but leaving it alive. It fell over, and he caught it as it fell. He pulled the knife out and stared deep into it's eyes as he plunged the knife through it's heart. He looked up, seeing his partner with her pistol leveled out towards him. "No need to waste ammo yet." He told her, with his soft whisper. He sensed her twitch slightly, and she holstered her gun.
"I believe that's mine." She said, walking up and pulling the knife from the grunts body. He smiled and turned his acknowledgement light on. He hoped she'd understand the mocking of it. He stood up and disappeared back into the shadows. He was feeling good today, he hoped there would be many more patrols between there and the base.
Johanna finished off a jackal with a blow to the head, while cutting down another with her knife. It's amazing how quickly she lost track of adam. They were nearing the hill and she hadn't seen him for at least two kilometers now. She checked the mission timer. Six hours to go. The meeting will have started by now. Two elites were patrolling ahead, 200 meters, talking in their language. She raised her silenced rifle, breathed in, and waited for the elites to line up. With one shot, she took them both out. she moved ahead through the forest quickly, she could see a clearing up ahead. arriving at the edge of the forest just past the last patrol, she found a small covenant base along the base of the hill. She could see an elite standing guard outside of one of the buildings, but as she raised her rifle, she heard that soft whisper again. "Leave him." She lowered her rifle and began moving around. Suddenely she stopped. Who had made him leader? and yet she so easily obeyed. she shook her head. He was a spartan, he would have a good reason to let an enemy live. She felt uneasy, but moved on around the edge of the clearing. At the base of the hill, a figure walked out of the shadows. She whipped around and raised her rifle, but knew it was adam before she even saw him. "I'll advance towards the meeting point." He looked towards the top of the hill. "Ammo count? can you cover me?"
She nodded. "I've only spent three rounds. Still have four full clips and a spare." She added quickly " five kills." what was that? why was she feeling the need to impress him? her initial feelings were right. He was dangerous.
Adam nodded once, and ran off towards the base where the meeting was taking place. She began climbing the hill, switching to a full clip. No contacts anywhere on the hill. perfect. too perfect. She set up at the top, scanning the forest. She saw dozens of bodies scattered about. unmoving. dead. She could see a hill far off to the north, on the other side of the main base. Beach and ocean to her south. Forest as far as the eye could see to the east and west. She examined the base itself. Jackals and grunts moved along the walls and on the outsides of the base. An elite in ceremonial purple armour and cape stood at a podium, holding a strange device in his hands. She inhaled sharply. A supreme commander! and that much be the KIOR! Her finger twitched at the trigger. No, not yet. She checked the mission time. five hours thirty. Nothing to do now but wait.
Adam darted across a small clearing and leapt over a small stream, clearing the ten feet with ease. He had too much ground to cross to worry about being hidden. It was of no concern to him though. He tackled a surprised elite cutting him with his one remaining knife. As the elite hit the ground he was already back up and running. Three hours. He could see the base now. He slowed down. He crouched down and surveyed the area. Jackals patrolled along the wall near him. He counted five. There was no easy way to take them out. three patrols of grunts walked along the bottom. He drew his pistol and took careful aim. If he could take out the right patrol, and Johannah the left, he might be able to take out the middle if they were inattentive enough. The grunts started to get agitated. He paused, curious. two of the patrols started moving towards the woods, and he saw a drone fly up onto the wall from inside the compound. Damn, so they were found out eh? he melded into the shadows of a nearby tree and set markers and timers on the left patrol. he leveled his pistol and fired three rounds as the timer hit zero, killing the right patrol off as they panicked and looked around for the assailant. The left patrol turned just in time for three sniper rounds to burn through them. He sent off a notice to Johanna "five jackals, one drone on the wall." He set a timer, and leveled his gun at the last patrol of grunts.
Johanna watched as the drone flew off and circled the compound, and fired off four rounds, killing four of the jackals, she reloaded quickly, but as she raised her scope, she found the last jackal killed by a clean knife throw. Adam approached the door. As he broke into the door controls, her attention was drawn to a group of drones flying this way. There were too many to kill. She swore under her breath, raised her rifle, and took aim. As she trained on the lead drone, the door opened, revealing two hunters that walked out into the clear area around the base. she snapped back to the hunters, they were the more immediate threat. Adam dodged back along the wall, just dodging the smash of a shield that broke through the metal plating on the wall. The second hunter began charging a fuel rod cannon, and she fired off a single round, through a gap in it's neck, killing it. The first hunter beserked upon hearing it's comrade fall. Adam dodged under the swing of the hunter, and unloaded an entire clip of pistol ammo into it's back. For good measure he reloaded and fired off another few shots at the dying hunter. She reloaded one of her spares and took aim at the drones. Adam may have gotten into the compound, but if they raised an alarm... Her thoughts were cut short by the explosion.
Adam swore as an explosion echoed through the base. He'd have to hurry. he rounded the corner, firing off rounds off his pistol to kill off the two grunts found there. The courtyard was just ahead. He opened the door just in time to see an elite councillor take a bullet through the forehead. "dammit, who told you to engage?" he shouted at johanna, his trademark whisper gone.
"Wasn't me."
If it wasn't her, then... Smoke filled part of the courtyard, and four zealots were engaging someone moving in the smoke. A phantom moved to a landing pad at the other side of the courtyard. He couldn't let them escape. He Sprinted towards the phantom, deploying his own smoke as he went. He heard shouts to stop him. An elite charged through the smoke, energy sword in hand. He couldn't dodge! his momentum would carry him right into the elite! The elite lurched backwards, the sword straying from it's path and grazing his shoulder. he grunted as the blade sheared his armour. "Minimal visibility, i'll try and keep you covered, watch it, none covenants in there."
No kidding. it had to be the brotherhood. they were after the KIOR as well. he checked the mission time. Two hours before the rest of the phantoms arrived. Plenty of time. He dived onto the landing pad, and watched as the phantom's turret turned to him. He threw his remaining C12 charge, and watched as it stuck between plates along the edge of the grav lift. He dived off of the pad as hot plasma washed over where he stood moments before. he stumbled along the outside of the pad and headed towards the podium through the smoke. He felt something impact his back, and he fell forwards as a knife bounced off his shields. Two bullets whizzed past, depleting his shield and slanting off his armour. He watched the enemy spartan line up the killing shot, when he was struck by a fist, powerful enough to destroy his shields. The spartan flew off into the smoke, and the elite supreme commander stood, KIOR in hand. He raised his pistol, and the commander grabbed a plasma rifle at his belt, burning the pistol from his hand. purple blood burst from his leg, and the commander fell. two elites came out of the smoke and helped carry him in the direction of the phantom. He got up and grabbed the KIOR, fallen and forgotten in the confusion. He ran towards the entrance and ducked inside the doorway. "status report Jo?"
"I'm about to hit my last clip. The brotherhood spartans have disappeared. it seems we only took out a small number of the elite high command. Do you have the KIOR?"
"Affirmitive." He replied "i'll take out a few more of them, six-two, i'll need extraction immediately at a small clearing just south of the base."
Johanna chimed in happily. "Another mission done nice and neat. Pick me up on the way eh six-two/
Adam grinned. "Negative six-two. There's too much heat over by her."
Johanna's face twisted in confusion. "By me? there's nobody over here"
And that's when the second explosion went off. At the base of the hill, An elite stood by a building. This elite was held in place with a knife through the throat, pinning him to the wall. inside this building, a c12 charge detonated.
Johanna turned around in shock and confusion. watching as pelican six-two banked and turned from her position. She watched as a swarm of drones raised from the forest to the southeast. Adam? like hell. She reached for her last ammo clip, she'd take down this swarm and then find adam. Her hand reached down, and found an empty belt. her face paled. She pulled out her pistol, firing into the swarm, killing several. she dodged behind a tree, but was forced out as plasma ripped it apart. Taking cover where she could, she fired her last rounds at the swarm. What did she have left to fight them with? knives? and... one spare.... She grabbed for the last sniper round and inserted it into the empty gun. No, this wasn't for the drones. she turned and aimed down the sites. Adam stepped into the pelican and lifted off. No!
Adam watched the chaos below him, and readied his hand on the last detonator. He placed the KIOR firmly in a storage compartment and watched out the back hatch as the phantom lifted off in pursuit, or in retreat. it didn't matter which. he also watched in interest as a brotherhood pelican lifted off far in the distance, retreating to wherever the brotherhood made their base. it seemed the phantom was following them, heading south. He momentarily regretted that he wouldn't be able to confirm the kills of who was or wasn't on the phantom, but he hoped that the supreme commander was on. Getting that kill on his belt, AND 'sole' credit for capturing the KIOR? it was too much, really. he gazed down in satisfaction at his sniper, unused, and the six ammo packs he laid out next to it. such a simple mission. He hit the detonator, and watched as the phantom erupted in flame.
Johanna crawled under an overhang. She laughed. she couldn't stop laughing. Adam had saved her in his ultimate overkill victory. The phantom crashed, smashing the swarm and scattering the rest through the forest. She looked over her plasma scored armour. She would return to fight for the empire, but first, first she had one bullet. She would find Adam, and make him pay. He was dangerous, but he was a fool. He left her alive.
<<:Simulation End:>>
