[Halo] Onyx Wind

[RagingKrikkit]

The call to arms was almost a relief to Jason, after watching the hours crawl by with all the speed of molasses. He peeled himself from the wall, returned Casey to her slot, and made his way down the ship to the war room, where he silently fell in line with the other SPARTANs. Back to buisness, back to something he could focus on.

[Erasmas]

You all make your way back to the War Room in the Cargo Bay (some of you with a little help in finding it), to find Valen already there waiting for you. As the last of you enters the largest room on board the Dawn Evader, the Lt. Colonel walks past you, brushing his fingers absentmindedly along Drop Pod Alpha. Those of you from both Onyx and Ivory teams notice that the Drop Pod has been cleared out... no longer containing the memorabilia dedicated to your fallen brothers and sisters.

"T-minus ten minutes until we arrive at the outskirts of the Belt of Dynnar."

"Alright, listen up. There are nine of us and the Evader is only equipped for eight - that means that there aren't enough Pods for all of us. So here's how this is going to go down. Eight of us will get dropped into the designated area and will immediately establish a perimeter for an LZ. The ninth...", Valen said as he approached one of the Sabres. Once he reached it, he laid his hand on its hull and tapped it, "... will stay behind and come down in one of these once we are settled in down there. Whoever it is is going to have to come in fast and hard to limit the chances of being detected by any Covenant sentries that may be out and about with their eyes on the skies. Do I have a volunteer?"

[Erik Vale]

Argyle steps forward from the line.
"I can drop without a pod, however I do volunteer to pilot the sabre."
As Argyle speaks, he motions his head towards where his jetpack is stored.

[darklink_shadow]

Are we planning on taking out the sentries and any AA before the sabre comes down? Vidarr asks, switching the gun he is holding to his sniper's rifle. Have we any demolition gear for a noisy smash and grab?

[DoctorFaust]

"Most, if not all of us, carry grenades of some kind of another. Also, in a pinch, the rounds of my bruteshot could be used as an explosive charge. We should be well supplied with big-a*s explosions."

[Erasmas]

"As much as I would love to shoot your @$$ out of a cannon aimed at a really large rock, Argyle... this particular rock does have at least some amount of gravity to it. I don't think your trusty jetpack would have enough time to slow you down to the point where I wouldn't have to dig you out of a Spartan-shaped hole.", Valen replies to the Major. He then addresses Vidarr's concerns, "Negative on that... we will be approximately anywhere between three to five klicks outside of Klagashar, depending on the accuracy of our drop. We expect zero resistance at the place we have pegged for the Sabre's LZ. As for demo... you are welcome to grab whatever you'd like, but keep it light and portable - we will be traveling on this operation."

When it was obvious that there were no further questions, Valen then crooked his arm out beside him, pointing upwards, and moved his index and middle fingers in a circular pattern. "Right then. Let's move out!"

As you each approach a pod and climb inside, you place your weapons and into the securing panels beside your seat, enabling their various safety functions. Magnetizing the contact point on your back and both of your feet to the adjoining points within the pod, you then also fasten the harness in its 'x' style pattern across your torso. Your heart beats furiously, but your hands remain steady as they work the various buttons and switches as you ready your pod for jettison... this was never an easy way to travel.

You were about to be "fired", essentially, towards an asteroid that was located within a field of other asteroids. The trajectory calculations had to be incredibly precise - or else you could collide with the wrong one or be knocked off course and into oblivion. You found yourselves thankful that it was being handled by a computer.

Once all of you were in your drop pods and everything was set, the hatches containing the pods closed and then began to pressurize. A red light came on within the Cargo Bay and began flashing, and then promptly went dark again.

"Hold on, boys. Spirit dropship just now leaving Klagashar. We're cloaked, so they should pass by us without incident... but I think waiting for the drop until they are gone would be advisable.", came Valkyrie's voice over your comms.

[moomoo]

Anex relaxes a bit in his pod. Being used as a bullet was never one of his favorite ideas, but he guessed he had to live with it.
I would rather hijack that ship and use it to land than sitting here in this flying death trap.
He mumbles into the darkness.

[Erik Vale]

Argyle waits in his Sabre, completing pre-flight checks.

[DoctorFaust]

"Heh. So, into the valley of death we charge once again, neh?"

[Erik Vale]

"Oh please, we've taken and held the valley of death for generations and use it as a forward base, they call us demons, but little do they know that in the hell of war, we are the devils generals."

[DoctorFaust]

"As optimistic as ever, aren't you Argyle. We're supposed to be some of the best soldiers in the UNSC outside of the few Spartan-II's still operational, right? So how come nine of us have died on the last three missions."

[Erik Vale]

You think you can hear the grinding of teeth, maybe.

[DoctorFaust]

"Erm, sorry if I touched a nerve there. Just something that's been on my mind a lot recently. Being the corpseman and all."

[Erik Vale]

"It's ok. Just remind me to let you check my teeth. Or find a job with dental."

[DoctorFaust]

"I'm afraid that the only tooth related operation I can do is removal. And I have to do that with my fists"

[Erik Vale]

*snort* "I'll find you a extra toothy Squidhead then. Or maybe a Jackle."

[DoctorFaust]

"You always know just what to say to cheer a me up. See you on the other side Argyle, one way or the other."

[Erasmas]

"We are a go, Fireteam Eclipse. You are clear for launch."

The red light came back on and began flashing once more. Following three long wails of a siren, the Drop Pods were each fired in turn. One at a time, they tear through the space between the Dawn Evader and the now-rapidly approaching asteroids of the Belt of Dynnar. You watched as the pods in front of you narrowly missed the tumbling and orbiting rocks, the majority of which were many times the size of the ship you had just left.

"Whoa! That was way too close.", Valen called out as his pod, Alpha Pod, passed through a hole that bore its way entirely through one of the asteroids.

"Apologies Lieutenant Colonel. Several of the trajectories were sub-optimal but necessary in order to set you all down in the narrow window of time provided."

"Ahh.... I think you did that on purpose.", your leader came back. Those of you that had known Valen for any real length of time knew that he hated flying with a passion - he would do it, but he had never been comfortable with it.

Valkyrie answered, "Perhaps. But if I did, it was only for your own good."

One of the larger asteroids came into view, a decently large area around it cleared of smaller rocks... possibly due to it having some gravity of its own. Your Nav Marker did, in fact, indicate this asteroid as Vil’shima; showing Nav Point Alpha on the surface facing you - what you presume to be just outside of this facility called Klagashar. Looming behind your rocket through space rocks was the enormous face of Gilgaddeon - the gas giant. Sure enough, there was a huge swirling patch of darkness pointed directly towards you... like some kind of monstrous eye watching your approach. You find yourself hoping that you didn't miss Vil'shima, considering that as a backstop. As luck would have it, however, you appear to be on target and are soon entering the thin manufactured atmosphere of the asteroid. Your pod begins shaking and rattling, though nowhere near as it does when passing through true atmo. Jagged mountain-like rocks pierced the sky almost like they were reaching for you as you plummet towards the surface.

Spoiler

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The HPPM (Horizontal Plane Proximity Meter) in your pod begins beeping. That damn thing is so annoying, you remember as you deactivate the noise-maker.

"Brace yourselves, boys!"

[Otep]

Wilhelm sat quietly in his pod. He hadn't really spoken since he found out about drake.

"EVIL patch me through to all the pods and gunship.

Anyone remember to grab any Demo Charges? I got mine but more are always helpful... Hell even a half dozen Plasmas might work if we place them correctly."

[darklink_shadow]

Of course. Vidarr replies simply, a little annoyed that they were breaking comm silence for something like that.

Good news, it worked. Comes Olivia voice out of nowhere.

What worked? Vidar thinks, but he doesn't manage to produce a syllible before he knows.

Looks like I'm going to have to wait on that honorable death, Sir. The all too familiar voice brings a smile to Vidarr's face, but he has no time with which to celebrate: the pod will land soon and then everything will be serious. Aim, pull, rock. Aim the gun, pull the trigger, rock with the recoil. Run and Gun. Vivian will still be there when they get back home. I hope.

Good to have you back. Olivia, fill Vivian in on the SITREP. I can't explain it as fast as--

It's done. She has. The voices speak simultaniously in his head and he grins. It's good to have the gang back together. Low-G out there? Is the suit ready to go, Olivia?

Everything nominal, all systems green, and settings tweaked.

[DoctorFaust]

The sounds of quiet retching come over the comms, accompanied by muffled groans of, "Why Valyrie, why."

[Erik Vale]

"Pods descents are looking good. Almost got- got the controls set for Nil-G and AI's are fully dual integrated and set for quick pull out. So, you boy's nice and toasty in there, wishing you got to fly first class with me?"

Argyle sounds almost chipper as he finishes pre-flight checks. He liked flying almost as much as Valen hated it. The view, the thrills both in LR and Dog ranges, making something not even remotely him dance as if it was... Of course, Valen happened to be flying in a huge hot metal coffin going only one way, which might have something to do with it.

[CaptianMorgan42]

Knowing that Argyle out ranked him Simon did not protest and got in his pod. In truth this was not a bad deal this was the one way he could feel like he was flying on his own. The only thing he did not like about them was the lack of control.

[moomoo]

Anex stays silent in his pod while the asteroids flash by. When his HPPM begins to beep, he immediately deactivates it and prepares himself for the impact.
We almost made it out alive, thank god!

[Erasmas]

One by one, each of your pods slammed into the surface of Vil'shima. It was enough to rattle your teeth, even with low gravity, the impact countermeasures, and your Mjolnir combat armor all taken into account. Honestly, you weren't entirely sure how those ODST guys did this without it.

A little cloud of rock dust and smaller chunks of rocks had been thrown into the air around your pod, hanging in the air for a long time before finally floating back down to the ground.

It appeared that you were in a mostly flat area roughly the size a familiar boxed canyon where you all spent some time during training exercises.

"V21 - touchdown. Jettisoning the hatch now and leaving the pod.", Valen broadcast even before the last one of you had landed. He pulled the disengage lever on the door hatch after disabling the safety measure that kept it from being activated while mid-drop. The door hissed and shot off, landing nearly five meters away with a heavy CLANG. He unharnessed himself and stepped out, turning around to grab his weapons and re-magnetize them to his armor.

"Report in Fireteam Eclipse. I wanna know who's awake and who isn't. We've got a perimeter to establish."

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Alright everyone, I need Fortitude saves please! If you passed a DC of 15... then you can post your landing and subsequent exit of your pod. For those that did not pass... you are unconscious for the time being.

Fortitude {Valen} (1d20+12)[26]

[moomoo]

Anex's pod lands on the ground with a smack, rocking Anex in the pod. After the landing, he tries to disable the safety on the door, but diziness made him reach a few times before he succeeds. After some time, he succeeds in opening the door and stumbles outside, unsteady on his feet.
I'm alive.... a bit.
He replies to Valen's call.

[Clarkson]

Gunnar's pod crashes to the ground, but he's very quickly up and about. Kunskap, everything functioning correctly? He asks his AI before reporting in via radio G-527 reporting in. Opening Drop Pod while he takes the door off.

[DoctorFaust]

Volsung's pod crashes down heavier than normal, hard enough to cause him to black out momentarily. Struggling back up from the pit, he gasps out, "R36 still here, but something went wrong with my pod. Opening the bay doors now." Kicking them open, Volsung grabs his kit from the walls of the pod and wanders off towards the rest of the squad.

[darklink_shadow]

The happy reunion ends with a sudden impact. Vidarr wasn't quie ready for it, but Olivia's control over the suit forced him to brace for impact just before touching down.

Vidarr reporting in. Little bit bumpy, but everything is great.

Vidarr waited for Vivian to hack into the drop-pod controls and eject the door herself. Pleased that she knew what to do without a word, Vidarr stepped out, swung his rifle around, scanning the horizon with his scope.

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Spot check (d20+11)[20]

[Erasmas]

Everyone checks in and it seems that you all managed to not only survive the drop, but also remain conscious. As you all exited the steel boxes, you could see each of the members of your team spread out a fair bit. Looking around, you did not see anything else except for formations of rock that resembled small mountains and valleys between them. Off to the right, behind some of the lower ranges and listed at just over 300 meters, was Nav Point Beta - Klagashar. You could barely make out a few purple spikes that towered above the rocks in that direction... indication that the nav computer was up and running properly.

"Alright, Spartans... let's get that perimeter up and cleared so that Eclipse Two can set down! Move out half-a-klick from your current positions and make sure that we're alone. Keep your eyes peeled on these mountains for lookouts and snipers. Eight - I want you stationary somewhere near the middle of us; set up shop and get that sniper rifle ready. Anyone sounds off with a spotted tango, I want you all over him. Roger that?"

Vidarr didn't see anyone at the present, but he did spot a nearby rock formation that could easily be climbed on top of. And with Valen's direct orders, it looked like a good vantage point.