EliteCommander

The Cradle

The action moved quickly as the beasts pounced upon them. They moved with speed and ferocity, and after firing on the encroaching creature’s legs, Vreta had only seconds to react. They were seconds which Rhia intended to use wisely. Her processor clock ticked over from one nanosecond to the next as she watched the creature inching steadily closer through the air through Vreta’s eyes. The neuron connections between his artificial eyes and brain had been replaced with higher speed connections, so his vision could actually update their mind fast enough to take advantage of her processing speed. And of course, she had his other sensors available to feed her data. Between his vision and echolocation data, she had precise measurements of the position and velocity of every part of the creature they could detect.

Naturally, trajectory calculations were trivial to Rhia. Even the simplest of AI could handle basic physics calculations. What was more difficult would be making accurate analysis of their strategic options based on the observational data she had collected so far. Regardless of how quickly she could think, Vreta was still limited in how well he could react to her recommendations in the seconds he would have. She had to make sure that every bit of the information she gave him was accurate.

Let’s see, what can we do about this? Rhia thought as she took a good look at the numbers the physics algorithms were giving her. Plotted out visually, the creature would be landing pretty much right on him, spiked legs first. Okay, not a great start. Need some penetration values; what have I got?

The likelihood of armor penetration would be given by the force that would be applied on the contact area, combined with the estimated strength of the spikes’ material composition, compared to the known strength of Vreta’s armor. Luckily, Rhia did have a few points of reference to estimate the material density and approximate strength of the carapace. Assuming this creature was not exceptionally different in composition from the female, she had observed values for its impact force against 595, as well as its speed and resistance to changes in motion. From that, she could get a reasonable estimate on its mass and density. The carapace’s strength was harder, but between the two creatures, their legs had taken three shots of known power from Vreta’s weapon. That provided enough data points for her to make a ballpark estimate of the material’s durability. Combined with the velocity calculations, the lower end of that range would still have Vreta’s armor holding, though the upper end became more worrisome. Of course, that would not do.

Okay, definitely got to do something about that. Start strafing right, rotate the hips, and… Rhia projected a few of the possible positions Vreta could take before impact. With quick enough movement, he could angle his torso so that the spike would strike a glancing blow against his armor, while still keeping in a position to defend Freyr. Adjusting for the force of the new impact, the armor would hold for any values within the range of Rhia’s estimates. Better. Now for the counter

Rhia did not estimate that Vreta could overpower the creature, but he did have the strength to fight back. He would just need to leverage the creature’s momentum against it. Based on the position he was going to move to, Rhia identified the points to grab on the beast’s underside so Vreta could duck underneath and throw the creature mostly in the direction of its own momentum up against one of the columns behind him. From there, Vreta would have a chance to open fire.

Rhia had the plan set, and so she projected each recommended action on Vreta’s HUD from moment to moment. She also spurred his muscles to move at the right times in the right ways to make each motion seem almost like instinct. Still, regardless of how much detail Rhia put into planning, they were still limited by Vreta’s ability to execute on that plan in real time. He could think quickly, but not nearly as quickly as her.

To Vreta, following Rhia’s instruction was like following a sixth sense. It felt like his subconscious guided him from one movement to the next. He started to strafe and turn his body so the spike would glance off of his armor. He let go of his rifle, ducked down low, and went to grab the creature as it flew overhead to throw it up against the column behind him. At the same time, he used his tail to push Freyr out of the path of danger. If all went well, he would draw his pistol and open fire into the creature’s underbelly at full power until it died, or something else happened. A Rothian sidearm did have comparable power to a rifle, but merely lacked in the versatility of firing modes and long range accuracy.

Halo: Aegis Team

Vael 'Virisusai

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Being aboard the Blockade Runner once again brought Vael back to familiar territory. Time spent among Humans was often spent in cramped quarters among suspicious and unusual people, so being back on a Sangheili vessel was something of a relief. Granted, Blockade Runners were somewhat uncomfortable even among Sangheili. The scented air and constant subsonic sounds of the vessel were not present on the Covenant vessels most Sangheili had been accustomed to serving on. There were still vessels from the Covenant among their fleet, but as they could not be replaced, more traditional Sangheili designs had come to the forefront the longer this war lasted. They tended to have less refined efficiency, relying more on sheer power in weapons, propulsion, and other systems. A lack of safeties meant that ships such as this could be pushed beyond the limits of Covenant vessels, but for less experienced crews, that made catastrophic failures more likely.

Stepping out of the pelican, Vael did notice a Human standing nearby, seemingly waiting for them. Ethat had already handled directing them to necessary locations around the ship, though it was possible that the Humans had some matter of importance for them. The UNSC was also contributing soldiers, vehicles, and equipment to this mission.

Out of Aegis team, Vael was the first to approach the Human. He was small, even by their kind’s standards: a fact that became all the more prominent as Vael towered over him. ”You have something to say, Human?” He asked.

Halo: Aegis Team

Hekar Taa-pattern Blockade Runner Magnificent Defiance, low-Earth orbit

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Given that they would be leaving that day, Aegis team were encouraged quickly into the pelican, though once they were aboard the Blockade Runner, they would be able to do as they saw fit until they arrived at Brissekh. Covenant slipspace drives were far superior to the traditional Human Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engines. Journeys that, before the reverse-engineering of Forerunner slipspace technology, took Humans months, the Covenant could complete in minutes to hours. Brissekh was not too far outside Human territory, so it would only take a few hours to reach their destination. They would likely be waiting longer than that for the rest of the fleet to be ready to start the diversion.

Although a corvette by Sangheili standards, the Blockade Runner in orbit, Magnificent Defiance, was even larger than the Autumn-class heavy cruiser they had used during their first mission. As the loading ramp of the pelican opened, they were greeted with a curious mixture of UNSC and Swords personnel and equipment. Sangheili and Unggoy crewmen coordinated with Human marines to organize the vehicles and equipment that were being delivered by a constant stream of cargo pelicans. Obviously, the ship did not have proper storage facilities for Human equipment, not to mention differing organizational conventions between their two militaries, so there were no doubt no shortage of logistical issues for the two groups to iron out. Fortunately, that particular task did not fall to Aegis team.

Before leaving the pelican, Ethat sent each member of the team a map of the ship highlighting relevant areas. Quarters, mess hall, training rooms, and likely most relevant, the armory with their equipment. Given that they would not be staying on the ship long before the start of the mission, they would not likely need to stray far if they did not wish to.

The Cradle

Rhia was surprised the first shot did not take down the female creature. She expected the heat to burn through its skull from underneath, though it was entirely possible it had unusual biology. Regardless, Vreta had to keep up the pressure, since the Agent did not seem to be able to defend herself at the moment. As soon as Vreta’s own shields flared, he tugged his tail to the side to encourage Freyr to stand in a more preferable spot. He also heard her warning, though Rhia had been tracking the other creature the entire time. It was still distant enough, being on the other side of the platform, that Vreta could spare a few shots to assist 595.

Since they did not know the creature’s internal biology, Rhia marked more general targets on the female creature. She knew their weapon could penetrate the creature’s armored exterior, it was just a matter of picking the right targets. Vreta’s first shot was towards the creature’s neck, which was one of the most common vital areas across most animals. The second was towards one of its front legs to compromise its mobility and help give the Agent an edge in protecting herself.

Vreta had to swap targets quickly to the second creature. Agent 595 had already cut through its beak during her struggle, so Vreta focused on disabling the other weapons the creatures tended to use. As it was sprinting towards them, Vreta fired shots at both of its front legs. They were relatively thin, so successful hits could potentially melt them in half. Likely not lethal damage, but ultimately, they did not need to kill these creatures. Crippling them to the point that they could escape would be just as much of a victory.

The Cradle

Overall, Rhia was more effective in combat when she was in control, but if there was an advantage to being in the backseat, so to speak, it was that she could devote more processor time to analysis. These creatures were yet another new monstrosity to be thought up by some twisted intelligence in the Cradle, or perhaps Rothia’s Object, if it was already joining with the Cradle. She did not know the purpose behind these creatures, as many of them, witnessed both here and on Rothia, did not seem to be natural. Were they created intentionally in these forms, or perhaps they were allowed to evolve over time in a Cradle-like environment? But then, what would be the reason for an existence adapted only to the artificial environment? The entity in the Object had claimed its people were life-seeders, but none of the creatures in the simulation would be at all adapted to any sort of known habitable environment. Something simply did not add up.

For combat analysis, the situation was simpler. The creatures were quick, but still easy enough for Rhia to track. It helped that the female creature made her target abundantly clear. With he speed of Rhia’s processor, she could plot out its projected path on Vreta’s HUD while marking potential weakpoints. In this case, she pointed out its open beak and the jaws emerging from within. As Vreta took aim, she adjusted the choke to maximize hit probability, as well as making minor adjustments to his aim as he moved. Vreta fired a scattershot at the lunging creature, intent on putting an unhealthy amount of superheated plasma down its throat.

The Cradle

There were a handful of reasons that Vreta had Freyr hold on to him. The foremost was to reduce the chance of her panicking. She simply did not have the training to stay calm under this much pressure. Physically holding on to him would be a constant reminder that he was there and able to protect her, which, unless Human psychology was drastically different from his expectations, would reduce panic. Even if it did not, it would at least make sure she knew which direction to go at all times so they did not end up separated. At this stage, they could not afford any delays or detours.

“We will, just hold on and stay close.” Vreta replied. He did not have near as much of an academic interest in these creatures, as his focus was purely on survival. Even if it wasn’t, he did not have enough background knowledge on the Cradle to know why the creature was significant. He fired another pair of shots at the creature, but kept moving at a steady pace to catch up to 595. “Agent, we’re behind you! Moving to catch up.” He shouted ahead, intent on shooting his way through anything that might get in his way.

The Cradle

Seeing as 595 was leading the way, Vreta took up guarding the rear alongside Freyr they were moving forward. As such, he was in a position to notice when she strayed. She was frightened, understandably. Vreta was frightened, and it was only training that kept him calm and focused. He just kept his mind on moving from one moment to the next, and in this moment, he needed to keep their team cohesive.

Freyr would find herself stopped as Vreta took hold her her arm. It was her weapon arm he grabbed, just to make sure she did not fire on him in a panic. At the same time, Rhia had been observing 595’s fight with one of the creatures. She analyzed the effect of the Agent’s shotgun on the creature and used the data to calibrate the efficient power setting for Vreta’s own weapon. As Vreta took aim, holding his rifle underarm in his other hand, she swapped the rifle to its scattershot setting. While not the most stable firing position, the reticle painted on his HUD allowed him to put shots on target.

Having Freyr firing wildly at anything that moved was more of a risk than a benefit, so Vreta took immediate action to address the issue. “Stay calm, and just stick close to me. You don’t need to shoot unless they are getting close enough to threaten you. Just stay with me and let me protect you. I want you to grab my tail, and don’t let go.”

The Cradle

Taking 595’s knife, Vreta activated a magnetic holster on his thigh to secure it, since he did not have a scabbard meant for it. He reasoned that his plasma blade would be better served in 595’s hand for the moment, since it could cut through most materials with little effort. Since he had greater strength than her, he was more likely to be able to successfully make use of the knife. His past experiences with the Cradle’s creatures taught him that they tended to ensnare their foes, so he wanted as many of them as possible to be able to cut themselves free of whatever might grab them.

Following the Agent’s lead, Vreta ran when she gave the order, though he did not run at a pace any faster than Freyr could keep. They would only be as fast as their slowest member, after all. As soon as the vines started to move, Rhia started marking the most threatening ones in their path, as well as taking the liberty of swapping Vreta’s rifle to its plasma thrower firing mode. As Vreta took aim, Rhia engaged the choke to keep the plasma stream narrower and more concentrated so Vreta could focus on burning away only specific vines. Starting too many fires would likely just end up being a hindrance, so Vreta tried to be precise. The three were still moving close together, so Vreta focused on burning vines in their direct path.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Given that they were still fighting back the Daedra, not all of the pack had been watching what happened, but when the order was given, they followed it without question. Even Ri’vashi followed through without hesitation. She tightened up her warriors’ formation and fell back closer to the lift to ensure it was protected. She was at the front, her Akaviri katana in constant motion towards each threat that approached. A Dremora lord and a Skaafin officer both tried to surround her, but every swing they made was met with the perfect response. She would parry one, and with one deft, fluid motion, switch targets to the other to place her blade between the gaps in their armor. Ri’vashi had been leading their war effort for so long, it was easy to forget how deadly she was on the field of battle. However, even she still had her limits, and the Daedric army converging on their position was nothing short of overwhelming.

Meesei’s pack moved quickly to get themselves into the lift. While there was enough space for them, it was still a tight fit, and there was a certain amount of chaos involved with squeezing everyone in quickly. In that chaos, there was a certain detail that was easy to miss until it was too late. The jagged metal bars of the lift’s gate slammed shut as soon as Fendros pulled the lever, though Lorag let out a growl in protest. “What are we doing? Ri’vashi will never hold long enough for us to get to the top!”

“I know.” Meesei could be heard replying, but not from within the lift. Her words turned the collective gaze through the bars…to where she stood outside the lift. Without a word, she had stepped out as Fendros pulled the lever, and now, the world around them slowed to a halt as Meesei brought them out of time to draw out this one moment into minutes. It was a tiring spell, but she did not seem to care anymore about over-exerting herself. She took the Rueful Axe and tossed it through the bars onto the floor of the lift, then gripped the Staff of Magnus tightly to hide her shaking hands.

The Cradle

Vreta focused wholly on his surroundings, keeping himself ready in the moment to react to anything. Based on how 595 was acting, he had questions in the back of his mind about how Rhia had been behaving in his absence, but now was not the time for that. Something was in the area, and he tried his best to get a lock on its position, though that was before the environment…shifted. This, unfortunately, was not new to him. The Cradle was taking control of this area, which did not bode well for the headquarters’ defenses. In the event that their actions here did not solve their problems entirely, Vreta hoped the events here would be the wake up call needed to get Outremer to accept help more willingly. They were very clearly not in control of the situation.

“Keep moving forward.” Vreta said, calmly and firmly. If the Humans were no longer in control of their own headquarters, then the defenses they had against these sorts of intrusions were certainly failing as well. Threats could appear from anywhere, at this point. “Cradle beings can behave in ways that would be irrational in the real world. There is no sense in trying to track them in the ways we normally would. Be ready for sudden attacks. Agent, you can keep my plasma blade for now. You may need it more than I. Just give me your knife.”