The group of soldiers split into 2 groups, one to scavenge Covenant weapons and the other two scavenge UNSC supplies

"Alright, any supplies you find put behind that rock, next to the 'hog!" David ordered, before picking up a rocket launcher and bringing it back, placing it against the rock

An Army trooper medic was about to pick up the second rocket launcher before spotting the health pack "This will be needed." He said to himself and brought it back before doing the same with the other rocket launcher

The second group scooped up the scattered plasma weaponry and grenades, then put them with the rest

"Phantom! Get back here!" The female trooper yelled at the second group, who were in the middle of getting the rest of covenant weapons

Before they could drop the weaponry, a grunt in the left plasma turret shot a trooper in the leg, causing him to fall over

"Agh! My leg!" The trooper yelled in pain, before being picked up by a fellow trooper

The phantom proceeded to drop a squad of elites accompanied by grunts and jackals, who began to fire at the fleeing troopers, along with their support phantom

"Another phantom! Looks like it's got ghosts!" The radio trooper yelled

Three of the five troopers made it back, when the covenant focused their attention on the trooper that was carrying his injured friend

"We're not gon-" The trooper began, before being shot in the back of the head, falling on top of the injured trooper, trapping him

"Man down!" David yelled, before killing the two turret grunts "Somebody destroy that damned phantom turret!"

"On it!" The female trooper replied, picking up the launcher and firing at the phantom's turret, destroying it on the second rocket, before the other phantom dropped two ghosts next to the destroyed wraiths

The first phantom retreated, while the second phantom took it's place, closer to the group, when a trooper in the very back destroyed the turret with a sniper

The female trooper fired rockets at the ghosts, destroying them and causing the grunts that were supporting the large squad to flee in terror

Before David could say a word, a general and two spec op elites jumped out of the phantom, all engaging active camo

"Active camo! Stay sharp!" David yelled, before noticing his fellow medic being stabbed, then fired at the hidden culprit, depleting his shields and causing his camo to fail, the entire group gunned the elite down without a second thought, before the sniper trooper was decapitated

Out of frustration and anger, the female trooper picked up the other launcher and fired it at the deceased trooper, killing the second elite "There's still a gene-" she began, before being cut off, being lifted in the air and choked violently

David sprinted behind the general and stabbed him in the neck, causing him to drop the trooper and hold his neck

"Get off her, you bastard!" David yelled before pulling out his second knife and delving it into the elite's eye before he collapsed

The female trooper coughed a bit and kicked the dead elite "T-thanks." The trooper said to David, still coughing

"Don't thank me yet, we still have the rest of these bastards to deal with!" David replied, picking up his DMR and shot the incoming jackals, while the female did the same to the grunts

Somehow a group of elites snuck by and pinned down the radio trooper and the second medic, an elite officer managed to hit the trooper's radio and damaged it, before a minor elite with a needler shot him in the neck, causing him to choke and fall to the ground

The third elite shot the medic in the balls by accident, before shooting him in the leg, injuring him even further

A trooper with a shotgun rushed the group of elites, managing to kill the minor and tackling the officer to the ground, the two scrambled of their feet, both unarmed, before the injured medic threw a frag at the third elite's feet with him noticing, killing him

The shotgun trooper and the officer faced off, before the officer ignited his energy dagger, the trooper doing the same and pulled out his knife

Meanwhile, the remaining grunts and elites were being pushed back to the phantom, before two more phantoms arrived, dropping of multiple revenants and ghosts, reinforcing the squad, seconds later two of the revenants were destroyed, the same with the ghosts

The phantoms were about to open fire on those responsible, before their turrets were destroyed

The now dwindling covenant group were now being forced to retreat, only two grunts, a single jackal and three elites managed to get in the phantom along with a single revenant, before having to leave behind their officer

The trooper dueling the officer was pinned down to the ground by the officer's hoof, laughing a bit before going to stab the trooper in the neck, but was stopped by an angered Reaper, tackling the elite to the ground a second time and snapping his neck in seconds

"Thanks for the save, sir." The shotgun trooper said, getting up

Reaper only nodded and looked at the aftermath of the battle

"How many do we have?" Reaper asked David, standing up

"Four K.I.-" he began, before being interrupted

"I'm here!" It was the trapped trooper, still alive, safe because the trooper who tried saving him managed to cover him perfectly where it seemed both were killed

"Three K.I.A. One critical. Two who can't walk at the moment." David replied, pointing to each

"Sword Control, send down a pelican, I want these troopers sent to an infirmary ASAP." Reaper said, waiting for a reply

"Understood, Commander. Pelican inbound." Sword Control replied

Carter: Noble, be advised: Covenant corvette moving into position. Kat, Six, get here quick. We need you inside.

Jun: We're stalled in the tower atrium. Kat, where are you?

Kat: Opening the gate now

Six proceeds to open the gate, before halting, seeing Reaper coming towards him

"Hey, Six." Reaper began, walking towards him

Six looked at him "Sir?"

"Nice work out there. It was a pleasure working with you, and I'd be happy to do so again. Stay safe and good luck." Reaper said, holding his hand out for a handshake

Six obliged and shook his hand "Likewise." Is all he said before he ran after Kat

"What a mess." Ashley said, looking around

"I hope you faired better than we did." David said, retrieving the trapped trooper and placing him in the now landed pelican

"Yeah, but if we didn't do a full sweep, we could've avoided this mess. It's my fault for what happened." Reaper replied, carrying the other two troopers to the pelican

"Don't blame yourself. You were doing what you thought was best." David answered, placing the first fallen trooper into the pelican, while Vinnie and Scar placed the other two in it

"Maybe, but when I volunteered to become a Spartan for Halsey, I promised her I'd save as many as I could. I could've saved more if I didn't do that sweep." Reaper said

"Hey, may I request something?" David asked, putting his hand on Reaper's shoulder

"Of course. What is it?" Reaper answered, taking off his ODST helmet

"Two of these troopers I fought with. Can you request them to be placed in our squad?" David asked

"I would allow it, but I'd have to speak with Halsey. I usually let her know of these requests." Reaper answered, before speaking again "Who did you want to transfer?"

"Him" he pointed to the shotgun trooper "and her" he then pointed to the female trooper "They both fought bravely, and saved the rest of us. I would've requested a few others but..... They didn't make it." David answered, sighing a bit

"Understood. I'll see what I can do." Reaper answered, patting David's back

"I can also transfer two new-found friends." Reaper continued

-TRANSMISSION TERMINATED-