Categories > Games > Halo > 'Safe and Sound

Solidarity

by coldthing 0 reviews

Catherine Hasley meets a prospect for the Spartan II project and finds him.....lacking

Category: Halo - Rating: PG-13 - Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama - Warnings: [!] - Published: 2007-05-26 - Updated: 2007-05-27 - 686 words

0Unrated
SolidarnoÅ>Ä* Records

23.10.2552 2:21

Pelican video log recording:

WaÅ'Ä sa crash site:

Star System: Unknown Planet Unknown

Present: Captain Piotr Lem, Petty Officer (1st Class) Spartan 241

Overhead the UNSC corvette /SolidarnoÅ>Ä /skimmed over the atmosphere of the unknown planet in a low geosynchronous orbit. Clouds occasionally blotted out the corvette†s flattened wing profile. The corvette class had in the past made up the majority of the UNSC†s light cavalry. Now, they rarely had use for the small, fast, lightly armed four deck ships. Most were refitted for reconnaissance and covert operations. Only about twenty-five were still rated as ships-of-the-line. The /SolidarnoÅ>Ä /was not one of them.

Captain Potir Lem cleared dust out of his throat; he could see the outline of his ship from the surface of the planet; he shielded his eyes against the hot glare of the sun. Even in service dress he felt hot and uncomfortable.

He stood on a raised bluff overlooking the deep scar the WaÅ'Ä sa had cut in to the planet†s surface as it had been knocked out of slipspace. His hands were stuffed deep in his pockets of his service jacket, and he had refused to let a medic look at the deep gash along his left cheek.

The /WaÅ'Ä sa /herself stuck up from the ground like an abandoned toy, one wing still intact; the other snapped in the impact lay a few kilometers away. Above him in a dangerously low orbit, in an attempt to hide from Covenant patrols, his own ship the /SolidarnoÅ>Ä* /was not in much better condition; it†s Stark-Fujikawa drive almost irreparably damaged. A covert drop into Covenant territory had failed before it had even began

‽How are we doing?” Lem cocked his head towards towering figure of the black armored Spartan next to him while still looking ahead at the wreckage of the /SolidarnoÅ>Ä*/†s sister ship the corvette /WaÅ'Ä sa/. The gesture was too casual to show too much of the affection with which it was intended. He wanted to reach over and pat the enormous Spartan on one of it†s armored shoulders. But that wouldn†t do.

The Spartan shifted its upper body in a movement that might have been a non-committal shrug. The light sucking MJOLNIR armor†s active camouflage compensated for the movement producing a brief ripple in the light around the edges of its figure. Even in black matted amour in the bright to day the Spartan was hard to see. The only part Lem could consistently make out was the Spartan†s designation number: 241, stenciled in red on its chest plate.

‽Spartans†232 and 177 were in cryo. If we find any survivors they†ll be in cryo,” The Spartan replied matter-of-factly, it†s voice completely with out inflection.

Lem snorted in frustration, as his gesture of affection was rejected.

The two stood in silence for a while, Lem licked sweat off his lips and the Spartan stood mostly unmoving, it†s outline flickering every few second as the camouflage system reloaded.

Finally the Spartan made a mostly indistinguishable hand signal in front of its helmet with one hand; Lem caught the faint outline the /SolidarnoÅ>Ä*/†s second Spartan in its black amour sprinting across the field of wreckage. He felt rather than saw the Spartan as it began to move down from the bluff they were standing on.

‽If you say so.” Lem called after it.

The Spartan turned around briefly, the light rippling around its suit as it moved; it cocked its head to the side; The bright sunlight caught on the only piece of it†s armor that wasn†t matted, the bronze faceplate. ‽May I speak frankly sir?”

Lem considered, he was probably setting himself up to be insulted; Lem knew both of the Spartans allotted to the SolidarnoÅ>Ä* quite well by now. 241 were known for it†s particular way of dealing with authority.

‽Go ahead Spartan” he said.

‽Fuck you, sir.”

‽Thank you, Spartan” Lem replied in mock exasperation, as watched the dust scatter as the blurred figure of 241 sprinted down the side of the bluff towards the other Spartan.
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