Halo: Survival
Halo: Survival is a fan produced audio drama following Rhino Squad as they attempt a routine mission on behalf of the Office of Naval Intelligence. When things go sideways, the Marines find themselves stranded and must fight to survive.
To listen to the audio of this transcript, you can find everywhere this show is hosted here, or you can listen on YouTube below.
03 - Arrival
One Hour Earlier
In a dark void segmented by various bright lights of stars and other celestial bodies, Installation Zero Seven (also known as Zeta Halo) hung deathly still in space. There were no space vessels around the ring, and no sign of UNSC activity. Indeed, from space, it appeared as if the Halo Ring was entirely dormant – the O.N.I forces on the ring seemingly hidden in plain sight from any potentially hostile entities.
As the O.N.I Prowler UNSC Swift Gist emerged from a slip space portal and began to gain ground on the installation, Captain Cooper walked onto the bridge of the vessel – where two UNSC technicians were working hard behind their consoles to guide the Prowler closer to the ring.
“Ok.” Cooper said. “Open Encrypted Channel Seven. Broadcast to all UNSC-designated assets on the ring. Let’s find out where we’re needed.”
One of the technicians turned to look at the Captain.
“Blackout protocol is in effect sir.” The technician said. “We won’t be able to raise any UNSC forces from the orbit – and attempting to do so may bring us more attention.”
Cooper sighed. Nothing was ever easy.
“Do we have an approximate location of the facilities so we can sweep in and deliver our cargo?” Cooper replied.
The second technician flicked a few buttons and brought up a holographic topographical view of the surface of Zeta Halo. The topography of the ring was fascinating – with every kind of micro climate decorating the surface of the planet. Eventually the technician zoomed into a valley thick with trees and shrubbery. In the middle of the valley, in a clearing, a large UNSC facility was visible.
“The compound is tucked away in the valley.” The second technician said. “We won’t be able to land there – but we have found a safer landing spot hidden in the mountainside.”
The holographic view changed to show a rocky plateau in the mountains. It connected onto some dirt tracks which would eventually lead the Marines to the Outpost if they took the Warthogs which were stowed in the bay. Cooper stroked his chin and nodded.
“Okay. Bring us down at the plateau and lockdown the ship once we’ve left. We’ll deliver the cargo using the Warthogs. While we’re setting up I’ll send the Marines with the Warthogs back here to secure the L.Z.” He said sternly.
“Affirmative.” The first technician replied. “You might want to buckle in, sir.”
In the Cargo Hold of the Prowler, the rest of the Marines were rapidly preparing the Warthogs for deployment once they hit the ground. O’Neill and Wisner were working on one of the M46 Vulcan Turrets – connecting up the ammunition belt of the turret to the canister which was mounted lower on the turret’s frame. Vorstock was behind them, mounting Red Jerry Cans on the back of the Warthog encase they found themselves in the field extensively and needed to top up the Warthog’s hydrogen levels. Across the hold, Holt was filling a few BR55 Magazines with 9.5x40mm rounds from a metal ammunition container which was mounted on a folding table in the hold. After she completed filling each of the magazines, she slotted them into pouches on her combat webbing – securing them in place ready for their deployment in the field.
“Hey Sarge!” Wisner called. “Are we expecting trouble or are all these weapons just so we look pretty?”
Holt placed the magazine she was filling down on the table and turned around to face the rest of the Marines as they were talking.
“You’ve all heard the stories about the Halo rings. Unpredictability kind of comes with the territory.”
O’Neill also looked up, scratching his chin.
“But the Master Chief was never deployed on Zeta Halo, right? This ring never got dragged into the war?”
Holt smiled. For once, O’Neill had asked a mildly intelligent question.
“You’re right, O’Neill. Installation 07 never got dragged into the war – but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a subject of interest for other factions at play in the galaxy right now. We can never be too careful.”
Holt turned, walking over to Vorstock, who was still silent.
“Nat – are you OK?” Holt asked. “I know you’re usually the strong silent type but you haven’t said a word since we got this mission.”
Natalie nodded and looked up at the Sergeant.
“I’m fine – just didn’t think I’d be setting foot on a Halo again. Let’s get this done.”
At that very moment, there was an announcement sound over the intercom of the Prowler, before Captain Coopers voice came over the intercom.
“T-Minus Five Minutes till touchdown. Finish what you’re doing and strap yourselves in. As soon as we land we’re taking the Warthogs out to Alpha Site. I’ll be joining you shortly.”
From a small office overlooking the troop-bay, Nate Talbot looked nervously at the Warthogs, and the weapons which the Marines were handling. He was confident he’d delivered the mission briefing perfectly – but he wasn’t so sure that this false shield of courage he had put up throughout the operation would withstand the coming journey. He wasn’t sure how the Marines would feel if they learnt that their field scientist had never actually been deployed in the field. Still, he would rather face their fury than the fury of an AI. In some ways he was surprised O.N.I hadn’t seen the uprising coming. The more they researched into the Forerunners, the more they had uncovered about their relationship with AI – and how they eventually destroyed each other when pitted against one another. It was disturbing to see humanity falling down the same path, but there was nothing anyone could do now. He let out a deep sigh and then sat in a chair behind a white, clinical-looking desk – securing himself with a waist harness as the Prowler began its descent onto the ring.
A few moments later the O.N.I Prowler was gliding past snow-capped mountains and peaks as it approached the flat landing area which they had identified from orbit. The engines began to wind down and then, with a dull thud, the vehicle touched down and began to settled atop the jagged rockwork. There was the mechanical hiss of pistons working and then slowly the front ramp lowered itself onto the rocks below. Almost as soon as the ramp hit the floor, the two Warthogs sped from the hold and onto the rocks below, bouncing and throwing themselves from side-to-side as they headed down the side of the valley and began to wind down the mountains which shielded the landing zone from sight. As they continued to descend, O’Neill and Wisner shared some banter in the front vehicle, whilst Talbot sat fiddling with the signal damper secured to the side of the second vehicle.
“Doctor – is that thing going to be ready to go as soon as we arrive?” Holt called over the sound of the engine.
“I believe so!” He said. “If it needs any work then the science team at the facility should have all the resources I need, anyway. We’ll be online in no time!”
The convoy of two vehicles made its way through a thick forest. In the distance, the moans and groans of large animals could be heard – although the Marines weren’t convinced that they would know what these animals were. The vehicles drove for some time before eventually breaking into a clearing where they saw the UNSC facility in front of them. As they approached the facility, Cooper activated his comms and spoke to the Marines.
“No sentries on guard – I’ll be having words with the base commander. I know we’re tight on resources but this is a serious breach in security.”
The Warthogs ground to a halt just outside the gate for the compound, and the Marines disembarked, quickly unloading the signal emitter. Wisner and Holt picked it up and began to carry it into the centre area of the compound.
“I’d kill for a forklift right now.” Wisner muttered as the two Marines struggled with the device.
Cooper turned to the rest of the squad before they could walk into the compound.
“O’Neill, Vorstock, I need you to head back to the Prowler with the ‘hogs. We could be a while so it makes sense to have some security at the landing zone.”
“Ah man.” O’Neill replied. “I never get the fun jobs.”
Cooper turned to Talbot.
“Come on, Doc. Let’s get this done.”
As the Warthogs began to drive away from the Compound, the Captain and the Doctor walked in through the gates and quickly stopped. They could see Holt and Wisner, weapons drawn, with the device on the ground next to them. Then, they began to take in their surroundings, and for the first time they realised that not all was as it seemed at the UNSC Compound. The pre-fabricated buildings were strewn with debris – bullet holes and burn marks adorning their exterior shells and providing glimpses at the interiors. Flames licked hungrily at the rich air and caused small streamers of smoke to waft out of little holes in the buildings. Storage crates were overturned, and here and there, an Assault Rifle or a Battle Rifle lay, rounds strewn around it, magazine empty. Cooper couldn’t help but gasp as he looked around the compound.
“Orders, Captain?” Holt said firmly.
Cooper immediately activated his intercom.
“O’Neill, Vorstock – delay my order. Find somewhere to park up in the woods and keep your heads on a swivel. We’re not alone out here.” He then turned to the Sergeant. “You and Wisner need to secure the compound. I’ll stay with the Doctor while he sets up the device. We still have a mission to complete.”
Holt nodded, and motioned with a single finger forwards. Her and Wisner crept forward whilst the Doctor moved into the clearing in the middle of the base and began to set up the device which was in his hands. He threaded cables and began to connect different aspects whilst Cooper crouched next to him with his DMR raised.
“Work fast Doc.” He said. “We don’t know what’s out there.”
Wisner and Holt continued to tiptoe through the compound with their weapons raised. Occasionally they would find blood splatter and gore which hinted that something even worse had occurred here – but there was nothing to indicate fatalities. It was strange. Judging by the amount of damage which the compound had endured you would expect there to be casualties but there was no sign of any of the UNSC forces which had inhabited the compound. They attempted to access the Barracks Building but were met with a fire which they couldn’t get through, and had begun to creep towards the far side of the compound – where a field laboratory was established – when Holt motioned for them to pause.
“Do you hear that?” She whispered.
Wisner nodded.
They crept around the corner and there they saw what they had dreaded. It was a sight Holt hadn’t seen since the Human-Covenant War, and she felt a knot in her stomach and anger bubbling away beneath the surface as she remembered all the friends she had lost to them. A pair of Jiralhanae, known to the Humans as Brutes, were stood overseeing a group of Unggoy, who were known as Grunts. They carried weaponry and were admonished in a variety of different colours – with one consistent feature. All of the aliens featured armour which displayed the bright red logo of the Banished – a dangerous and deadly mercenary faction formed in the wake of the war. O.N.I had been monitoring their activities for some time, but to see them here, on Zeta Halo, meant trouble. She was transfixed – watching as they began to pick their way through the ruins of the compound and towards where they were crouched, when Wisner grabbed her shoulder and snapped her out of it.
“Sarge, we need to get back to the Captain and get out of here. NOW.” He said.
She nodded and the two quickly retreated, beginning to move back to the Captain and the Doctor. They sprinted around the corner and made it back to the two members of their crew. Before they could say anything there was a ear-splitting boom as a Fuel Rod round exploded to the side of their position – sending green plasma searing into a building and causing debris to spit across them. Suddenly, more Banished forces emerged from around them, approaching them from all sides. Plasma Rounds and Spikes came at them from every side, and the three Marines and the Doctor desperately found cover wherever they could as the advancing Alien forces continued to pepper them with rounds.
It was clear – they had to get out of here, now, or they would die on this ring.
