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Author Topic: Precious Cargo - Chapter 6 - Baited Breath  (Read 1870 times)

Offline jokerman

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Precious Cargo - Chapter 6 - Baited Breath
« on: November 20, 2009, 06:53:04 PM »
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The following story is copyrighted material and all rights belong solely to the author.  Any reproduction or republication of any or all of this publication without the explicit and expressed written consent from the author is strictly forbidden.
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Chapter 6 - Baited Breath


The pass led down to a valley that opened to an inland sea several kilometers below.  To the left and right, the walls of the valley slopped up and became covered with trees.  Standing above the valley walls, the two looked over the upwardly expanding horizon.

The Elite looked to each side.  He then turned to the right and examined the countryside.  In the distance, a part of a building could be seen just as the horizon turned up.  The Elite studied the structure carefully.

To the left, the Spartan heard a familiar noise.  He turned and walked a few paces in the direction of the sound.  Turning back to the Elite, the Spartan motioned to get his attention.  Tapping the right side of his helmet twice just above the ear, the Spartan turned and pointed toward the noise on his left.  The Elite crouched slightly and moved to the Spartan.  

Walking quietly, the two looked over a cluster of vegetation and saw an orange cone like object slowly moving up and down several meters away.  The movement matched the sound that was now recognizable.  It was the snoring of a single Grunt.

“What is a Grunt doing here?” the Spartan whispered.  “A faction of Brutes have taken control of this ring”, the Elite responded quietly.  “But what is a single Grunt doing with the Brutes?” asked the Spartan.  “Look again, Spartan”, the Elite said nodding to the snoring Grunt.

The Spartan looked at the sleeping Grunt and saw its left side and part of the back.  The Grunt was sitting on the ground, slumped over with its Plasma Pistol in its lap.  Its head was drooped in an unnatural position.  The Spartan had seen many sleeping Grunts and this caught him as curious.  Looking closer the Spartan saw the reason.  

“A Brute Enslavement Collar”, the Spartan murmured.  “Yes”, replied the Elite.  “I didn’t think they were used anymore”, said the Spartan.  “As I said, much has changed.  Some of the Brutes have returned to the old ways, before the Covenant.  The Civil War has done much harm to us, Spartan.”

The collar was just thick enough to be bothersome to the Grunt.  The Grunt fidgeted and mumbled in his sleep trying to get a comfortable position for his head and neck.

“Either the Grunt has wandered out here for a nap or…”, the Spartan said looking to the Elite.  “…Or he is bait”, the Elite said finishing the Spartan’s thought and motioning to the right.  Looking in the direction of the Elite’s gesture, the Spartan saw two human style helmets peering over a rock.  

“Well, there’s one way to find out”, the Spartan said and stood up straight.  Placing his weapon on his back, the Spartan quietly walked over to the Grunt.  As he got near, he looked over at the two human figures.  The Spartan raised his finger to his visor requesting them to remain quiet.  The two helmets looked at each other and then back with weapons raised and ready.

The Spartan moved in front the Grunt and in doing so faced the two onlookers.  He then crouched down to the Grunt and looked at the collar.  It had red and black wide vertical stripes and short spikes.  The Spartan momentarily studied the Brute design and sighed to himself.  He considered the fact that the Grunts were just cannon fodder to the Brutes, nothing else.

The Spartan reached for the Plasma Pistol and grabbed it quickly.  Standing up, he stepped backward two steps.  The Grunt jerked and looked around.  Seeing the Spartan, the Grunt tried to reach for its weapon.  Realizing it was gone the Grunt immediately looked up to the Spartan again.  The Spartan tilted his head, held up the Plasma Pistol, and turned it back and forth in his hand for the Grunt to see.  The Grunt jumped up and began to scream with its hands waving in the air, running away from the Spartan and in the direction of the two helmets.  The humans looked at each other and stood up.  The Grunt saw the newcomers and jumping straight in the air, turned around to run back to the Spartan.  The Spartan held up his hand to the observers for them not to shoot.  The Grunt realized that he was running back to the Spartan and began to run in circles still screaming.

The two humans emerged from either side of the rock.  A royal blue armored figure came from the left and a green and black figure with a dark red maple leaf on his weapon came from the right.  The Spartan looked at the humans’ armor but didn’t recognize them.  They seemed to be a mixture of Spartan and ODST armor but he wasn’t sure.  Both aiming at the Grunt and Spartan, the blue figure yelled over the Grunts screaming, “Who are you?!  What are you doing here?!”

“I was just in the neighborhood and decided to help out”, the Spartan said as he sidestepped to the left to block the Grunt from escaping.

“No sudden movements!” the blue figure yelled.  “I don’t like surprises!” he continued.

Suddenly, a growling yell came from behind the Spartan.  The Spartan did not turn but kept facing the two humans and kept a watchful eye out for the Grunt.  The humans turned their guns to the noise but could not get a clear shot because of the Spartan.  The Spartan heard the noise of running large feet approaching fast behind him but remained focused on the Grunt and humans.

As the sound neared, the Spartan heard the distinct sound of a Brute Shot being loaded.  At that moment from behind the Spartan and to his right, he heard another yell accompanied by the sound of an Energy Sword being activated.  The two humans turned their guns to the new sound and the Spartan said, “Hold!”  The two helmets quickly turned to the Spartan and then back to the noise.

The Spartan heard a couple of quick slashing sounds, a yell, and then a heavy thump.  He then heard footsteps coming up behind him and the Energy Sword being put away.  The Grunt was now cowering on the ground in front of the Spartan, shaking hard and covering its head with its hands.  The two humans looked at the Spartan and the figure behind him and moved their weapons quickly back and forth between them.

The Spartan looked at the two humans, shrugged his shoulders and said, “…Surprise…”



« Last Edit: November 21, 2009, 08:35:46 PM by jokerman »

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