3 Hours Earlier in a UNSC Flight Carrier
The cabin was quiet, except for the faint hum of the ship's engines. Eight ODST soldiers sat on benches, their faces tense, helmets resting on their laps. Ben stood abruptly, drawing their attention as he cleared his throat.
Ben: "In roughly 3 hours we will arrive above Sangheli Our objective as a reminder to you all, is to eliminate the last remaining high Council Sangheli."
Ben: "I'd like to make it clear that we are on a strict time limit as the high council is on the move to a secret bunker. If we do not kill them, this war may never end. It will also mean we failed as ODST..."
19:00 Present Time
Ian and Jax moved as one, their boots pounding against the scorched ground, sending up small clouds of dust with every step. The wreckage of the Pelican loomed in the distance, its charred metal skeleton offering a faint semblance of cover to the hunkered-down ODST squad. Ian's eyes scanned the battlefield ahead, instincts kicking in as he unholstered his sidearm in a swift, practiced motion. He squeezed the trigger, sending three precise shots into a cluster of grunts. Their guttural cries cut through the air before they collapsed, staining the soil in grotesque splashes of vibrant blue.
Jax reached the Pelican first, sliding into cover next to the soldiers and immediately pulling his sidearm out. He took a controlled breath, steadying his aim. With precision, he unleashed suppressive fire toward the enemy, the sharp crack of his shots piercing the chaos. Behind him, Ian pushed forward as Jax's cover fire created brief moments of opportunity. The grunts scattered, disoriented by the barrage, giving Ian just enough time to dive behind the remains of the Pelican.
Jax popped the spent magazine from his pistol, slid in a fresh one, and snapped it into place with a practiced motion. His eyes flicked to Ian, who gave him a subtle nod—a quiet exchange that spoke volumes. No words were needed; they had been through this too many times to waste time on unnecessary chatter. Both turned toward the rest of the squad.
ODST 1: "Glad you made it, where's Captain Hannesson...?"
Jax's subtle shake of his head said more than words ever could, a silent acknowledgment of the weight that was just dropped on them. The group sat in a heavy, shared silence.
ODST 2: "Guy's come check this, our target, the high council is not far from here!"
Ian crept low to the ground, his footsteps deliberate as he closed the distance to one of the soldiers behind the Pelican. He unlatched his binoculars and raised them, the lens focusing on the distant battlefield. Through the magnified view, his heart sank. A towering Sangheili strode forward with an air of command, flanked by a formation of elites clad in shimmering armor. Other Covenant forces trailed behind them—a chilling tide of grunts and jackals advancing with grim purpose across the torn terrain.
Ian's breath hitched as he lowered the binoculars, his eyes wide. Without hesitation, he pivoted toward a nearby rock formation, keeping low to avoid drawing attention. His movements were swift and instinctive, his back hugging the wall of jagged stone that shielded him. The rest of the squad caught the urgency in his body language and scrambled to follow, moving in disciplined silence to his position.
Reaching the cover of the rocks, Ian flattened himself against the surface, his mind already racing. another ODST dropped to the ground. The sniper rifle settled onto the rocks, the bipod clicking firmly into place. Its matte-black barrel pointed toward the battlefield, ready to deliver one precise shot.
Ian raised his binoculars, taking in the chaotic scene. The Sangheili council member stood tall, its armor gleaming against the backdrop of Covenant forces. Around it, squads of elites moved in formation, energy swords casting faint glows. Grunts swarmed across the field, their erratic movements giving way to organized pushes, backed by lines of jackals with their resilient shields. Two hulking wraith tanks crawled through the dirt, their plasma cannons glowing ominously as they advanced.
Ian: "Wait..."
Ian froze, his binoculars still pressed to his face as he tracked the council member's deliberate movements.
Ian's breathing slowed as he focused entirely on the figure, watching each measured step it took through the ranks. Then, as the council member shifted slightly ahead of the formation, walking just past one of the elites, Ian's grip on the binoculars tightened.
Ian: "TAKE THE SHOT, PUT THAT FUCKER IN THE DIRT!"
The crack of the sniper rifle echoed across the battlefield, sharp and deafening in the tense stillness. The ODST soldier steadied themselves as the recoil jolted their shoulder, but their aim held true. The round sliced through the air in a split second, finding its mark with deadly precision. The Sangheili council member's head snapped to the side, its ornate helmet shattering as it crumpled to the ground. For a brief, frozen moment, the Covenant forces seemed stunned.
Then, like a dam breaking, chaos erupted.
The elites let out guttural, rage-filled roars, their energy swords igniting in brilliant bursts of light. Grunts chattered frantically as plasma fire erupted in waves, the angry beams streaking through the air toward the ODST's position. Ian ducked instinctively as a volley of plasma bolts slammed into the rock wall shielding them, sending shards of stone and clouds of dust flying.
Ian staggered backward, his boots skidding slightly on the rocky terrain as his heart pounded in his chest. His eyes darted frantically, assessing the situation as plasma rounds flooded the air around them. The Covenant forces were pressing forward with relentless aggression, their firepower carving chunks out of the rock wall. Suddenly, movement caught Ian's attention. One of the soldiers behind him tried to push forward, standing up to follow but the moment they exposed themselves, the barrage of plasma fire found its mark. The soldier collapsed instantly, their blood painting the jagged rock in a vivid, horrifying spray. Ian froze for a split second, his breath caught in his throat as the grim reality sank in.
Now only five of them remained.