New Alexandria burned as Covenant Dropships and Fighters soared high above. The UNSC desperately fought back to buy time for evacuations which did their best to get civilians out of the city and off Reach. Grunts, Jackals and more attacked. But now, Brutes were involved. The UNSC's local forces were stretched thin throughout the city with their focus being the starport where the bulk of the evacuations are being conducted. The Covenant hounded this port with a clear goal. Kill Humans. But there was one problem, or well two problems, getting in the way of a seamless slaughter. Two Space marines were chewing through Covenant Forces. Tiberius and Chairon had arrived in the city with UNSC Forces and the two dedicated their time to helping with the evacuations to ensure as many civilians as possible got out. They weren't at the starport but were heading there with a collection of civilians and UNSC Marines. Unfortunately, the Covenant took notice and attacked. The civilians were stored away in a safe building for the meantime while the battle raged. Bullets, bolts and Plasma flew across the narrow pass.
Tiberius held his Stalker Bolt Rifle while Chairon held his Bolt Rifle. They fired at the Xenos coming towards them. Grunts exploded into bloody mist same as Jackals. Tiberius reloads his bolter before he notices a charging Brute with a Gravity Hammer. He puts his Stalker away and grabs his Power Sword. The Brute does an overhead swing to try and slam it onto the Space Marine but Tiberius knocks it aside with the back of his left hand while thrusting his power sword in his right hand. The blade ripped straight through the Brute's neck causing the alien to go limp. Grabbing his Heavy Bolt Pistol, he shoots down two grunts before reversing his grip on his power sword and ripping it out of the brute's neck. Flipping the sword around to a proper grip he unloads two more bolts into another Brute eviscerating his head. Chairon meanwhile notices a Brute with a hammer trying to ambush a few Marines, so he rushed over. He switched to his Chainsword as he ran over.
With a well-timed and positioned swing, he blocks the Gravity Hammer but striking its handle just under the hammer head. The UNSC Marines turn and see this. Chairon lets out a war cry as he used his Chainsword to tear the Gravity hammer from the Brute's grip before returning his weapon right into the neck of the brute causing it to grab its neck. Chairon pulls back and thrusts his Chainsword into the brute causing a gory scene before tossing the brute aside. The UNSC marines had wide eyes while one looked sick. Grabbing his bolt pistol, Chairon shoots a grunt that had two Plasma Grenades running towards him. A plasma bolt came from above making Chairon look up and saw Drones.
"Cousin! Drones!" Chairon called out.
Tiberius turns and aims his Heavy Bolt Pistol while Chairon did the same. Together they shoot the drones out of the sky with masterful aim. The UNSC marines focus on the remaining Covenant infantry on the ground. When the last drone fell, the Astartes returned their focus to the ground troops. But when they did, they saw the UNSC Marines took care of them.
"We're clear!" A Marine said.
"You call this clear?" Another Marine said. "Nothing about this city is clear!
"Can it, Marine!" the Sergeant said sternly. "We need to get these civilians to that starport."
"How? We got half the Covenant Army between us and there." A Marine asked.
"You see who we're with? The big guys can cut us a path." The Sergeant said, before looking at the Space marines. "You can, right?"
"Indeed." Tiberius said. "And I suggest we make haste; I fear these were just a scouting party."
"A scouting party!?" A Marine asked in shock. "Then what the hell is a real force like!?"
"I suggest we don't find out." The Sergeant said.
"Can't we call in a transport?" Chairon asked.
"It depends." Tiberius said.
"On what?" Chairon asked.
"If any are available."
"I'll radio it in, hopefully some are." The Sergeant said.
While the Sergeant did this, the other Marines moved to the Civilians to check up on them. Tiberius and Chairon looked at the sky and saw three Covenant Corvettes. Those ships have complicated evacuations and the two Astartes have done their best, but the Covenant seems endless. The UNSC's troops in the city are dwindling, and they aren't killing enough Covenant troops to compensate. Tiberius begins to think that Reach has no chance of holding the line. At this point, they are just delaying the inevitable. But they can use this time to save as much possible. Then a voice entered their comms.
"Space Marines, this is Holland. Can you hear me?" Holland asked.
"Loud and clear." Chairon said.
"I have a new request to make of you." Holland said.
"What is it?" Tiberius looked at Chairon while speaking and filled with curiosity.
"We can't win this battle." Holland admits. "But we can ensure we got a chance elsewhere. I would tell you now, but I don't know if the Covenant are listening in on this conversation."
"What do you need of us for now?" Tiberius asked.
"Help finalize most evacuations then return to that base you came from." Holland said. "What we have planned needs your assistance."
The two Astartes looked at each other for a moment before responding.
"Very well. We'll get there." Tiberius said.
"Thank you." Holland said before the transmission ended.
The Sergeant moved his hand away from his earpiece.
"Alright boys good news! Two pelicans are available for pick up! We just need to make it to an open space to our east!" The Sergeant informed.
"Is it defendable, Sarge?" A Marine asked.
"Won't need to be, those dropships are already enroute." The Sergeant responded. "So Double time it Marines!"
The Astartes followed them as they guided the small group of civilians through the city. Tiberius began to get curious at how easy this would've been with more Astartes or with the right Guardsmen. The civilians would definitely be under better protection if more Phoenix Fighters or Salamanders were here. They reached the open area, and it was big enough for dropships. A statue was in the center of the zone as well as beds of flowers both surrounding the statue and along the walkways. Stone pillars appeared up out of the ground as decoration pieces. Benches and other essentials littered the area. A landing pad sat at the other side of the open space.
"Get these Civis to that landing pad!" The Sergeant said as he saw the Pelicans approaching.
The Marines guided the civilians to the landing pad to pick up. The two Astartes followed them before something felt off making them both stop and look around the area. Chairon narrows his eyes as he places his finger on the trigger. Tiberius shifted his glance between high places looking for any potential snipers. The Sergeant gets to the steps of the landing pad and turns to then see the Space Marines looking for something.
"Something wrong?" The Sergeant asks loudly.
After he asked this both of the Astartes looked at each other before walking towards the landing pad as the first dropship landed. They didn't see anything, but something was unsettling. They didn't know what but if it was a threat it would've struck by now. As civilians got onto the dropship, the Space Marines stood guard but failed to notice a small drone that looked to be Forerunner in origin. The drone scans both Astartes and tags them as Reality Anomalies and sends this data to something or someone called The Architect. The drone gets a message telling it to fall back from this Architect. The drone complies and vanishes out of thin air. The first Dropship is filled with civilians, and it proceeds to take off and heads towards the starport with Falcon escort. The second dropship lands and this one is for the Marines.
"Alright people, get on board! This is our ticket to that port! Our boys there need help!" The Sergeant said.
Tiberius and Chairon both turn while moving and walk towards the dropship while the UNSC Marines get on it. After them, the two Astartes get into the Pelican, and it takes off towards the starport. While they flew to the starport, Tiberius looked out the open back ramp and saw the destruction falling onto the city. While not as intense as what he's seen, it still reminds him of the Imperium. Considering the alternate reality theory, he and Chairon may never return to their brothers. They are possibly stuck here with the UNSC. A truth he is having trouble coming to terms with. But whether this UNSC is his Humanity or not, he will fight to defend Mankind against any Xenos who dare threaten it. When the starport came into view, it was already under attack from the Covenant. The Pelican carrying the civilians landed elsewhere so the civilians could reach the transport while the one carrying the Space Marines and UNSC marines went to zone to help fight off the Covenant. The dropship hovers over a UNSC marine position letting those in it hop off. The Space Marines get off first and land on the ground below before quickly engaging the Covenant. Bolters roaring as they cut down the Covenant with ease. But this ease wouldn't be translated to the UNSC.
[Timeskip]
As the dropship landed at the new base, both Space Marines step off the dropship that then quickly ascends and takes off. Tiberius and Chairon had safely extracted from New Alexandria and returned to that base the temporarily stayed in before being taken to a different base on Reach. Much wasn't told to them about what Holland had planned but considering how he described it, it must've been good. However considering the state of Reach and how massively outmatched the UNSC was, something good might sound too good to be true or be a desperate final shot. Tiberius thinks it's the latter as does Chairon. After they had gotten off the dropship they spot Holland walking towards them with a few Marines as bodyguards. Both parties meet in the middle.
"Glad to see you both made it out of New Alexandria." Holland said.
"What did you have planned that needed us?" Tiberius asked, getting straight to it.
"It's less of a plan and more of a final shot." Holland admits. "This involves Captain Keyes."
"The captain I saw before New Alexandria?" Tiberius asked for confirmation.
"So you do remember." Holland comments before continuing. "Anyway, his ship the Pillar of Autumn was supposed to leave for Operation Red Flag which was a risky plan to infiltrate Covenant space and capture a prophet to force a truce."
"I take it he never left." Chairon said.
"Correct." Holland confirmed. "The invasion disrupted it and forced us to cancel the operation. But we have another use for that ship."
"That being?" the Phoenix Fighter asked.
"Dr Halsey has an important package stashed away underneath Sword Base." Holland.
"What kind of package?" Tiberius asked.
"An AI named Cortana." Holland said.
Chairon seemed surprised by this and concerned. Tiberius already knew of AI but still, he was very cautious.
"Abominable Intelligence?" Chairon asked.
This term confused Holland and it showed on his face.
"We don't have the best history with AI." Tiberius said.
"How so?" Holland asked.
"Humanity nearly vanished because of it, let's just say that." Tiberius answered. "How does the package relate to the Pillar of Autumn?"
"Once things get squared away, we'll have Noble Team go to Sword Base to retrieve the package and bring it to the Pillar of Autumn at a designated drop off before the Autumn will leave the planet." Holland said. "That drop off will be the Aszod Ship Breaking Yard."
"You intend to flee." Tiberius concludes.
"We don't have many other options." Holland admits. "Whatever Cortana knows or has found must leave this planet. Hopefully it gives us a chance to survive this War."
"What do you need of us then?" Chairon asked.
"We need you to leave with the Autumn." Holland said. "Of all the people in this galaxy, you two have a chance to save Humanity. To hopefully complete any mission that even Spartans can't do. You're our last hope left."
The two Space Marines heard the desperation in his voice. Considering the odds, who wouldn't be? Humanity has lost a vast portion of their worlds with untold deaths at the hands of the Covenant. If any time could be called desperate. This would be it. But Tiberius doubts that two Astartes will change the course of a war on their own. They are mighty but even they have limits.
"I know I can't order you around. But please, we need your help in this endeavor." Holland said.
Tiberius looked at Chairon who looked at him. Chairon just nods at him before the two Space Marines turn their gaze to Holland.
"We will help." Tiberius said.
Holland lets out a sigh of relief.
"Thank you."