Chapter 331 — The Last Defense
The five Ultramarines moved quickly through the damaged corridor.
There was no longer any reason to slow down.
The Covenant had already begun sealing sections behind them, but Gaius could sense the defenders ahead gathering around the command levels.
They were running out of time.
"Captain."
JARVIS's voice came through the comm.
Gaius looked toward the tactical display.
"Report."
"Several Covenant vessels are changing course."
Titus glanced toward him.
"Toward us?"
"Toward their flagship," JARVIS replied. "Three vessels have broken away from their current engagements and are moving toward its position."
Gaius's expression hardened.
"Reinforcements."
"Likely. Their formation is also changing. Several smaller craft have begun departing the approaching vessels."
Gaius looked at the tactical display.
Small contacts were appearing around the edges of the flagship.
"Dropships?"
"That is my assessment."
Metaurus looked toward the corridor ahead.
"How long until they reach the ship?"
"I cannot give an exact time. Their course and speed are changing as they approach the flagship. Several dropships are already moving toward it."
Titus tightened his grip on his chainsword.
"Then we don't have much time."
"No," Gaius said.
He accelerated.
"Move."
The others immediately followed.
Behind them, the Dreadnought emerged from the smoke of the chamber where he had fought the Hunters.
His armor was scorched from the battle.
One shoulder plate was damaged.
But the ancient warrior remained fully operational.
He looked toward the corridor.
The others were already moving.
He followed.
THOOM.
His heavy footsteps echoed through the damaged ship.
Titus glanced back.
"Finished, honored Brother?"
The Dreadnought's vox gave a low mechanical rumble.
"Both."
Titus nodded.
"Good."
The Dreadnought fell into formation behind them.
JARVIS spoke again.
"Captain."
Gaius turned slightly.
"What now?"
"The approaching vessels are continuing toward the flagship. More dropships are leaving them."
Gaius's eyes narrowed.
"Can you identify their destination?"
"Most appear to be heading toward the flagship. Some are being redirected toward damaged sections of the vessel."
Metaurus glanced toward Gaius.
"They're reinforcing the ship."
"Yes."
Gaius looked ahead.
"Then we reach the command deck before they can bring those forces aboard."
On the command deck, Regret received the same report.
"Hierarch."
Regret turned toward the communications officer.
"The first reinforcement group has reached the flagship's perimeter."
"Have they begun deployment?"
"Yes, Hierarch. Dropships are approaching the damaged sections."
Regret looked toward the internal tactical display.
The boarding party was still approaching.
"They are coming here."
"Yes."
Regret studied the display.
The boarding party had already destroyed multiple defensive positions.
Several sections of the flagship were no longer responding.
The Hunters were dead.
His security forces had been reduced to a fraction of their original strength.
But reinforcements were arriving.
More Sangheili.
More Jiralhanae.
More weapons.
If even the Hunters and his finest warriors could not stop these monsters, then he would bury the intruders beneath sheer numbers.
He only needed to hold the command deck.
"How long until the first reinforcements reach the command section?"
The officer hesitated.
"Unknown, Hierarch. Their forces are being deployed across several damaged sections."
Regret's expression hardened.
"Then redirect them."
The officer immediately relayed the order.
"All available forces are to converge on the command levels."
Regret turned toward the Honor Guard.
"Hold this position."
The warriors raised their energy swords.
"Whatever it takes."
Regret looked toward the sealed command doors.
The footsteps of the intruders were still distant.
But they were getting closer.
The Ultramarines reached the next junction.
Three corridors branched ahead.
Gaius stopped for barely a second.
His Observation Haki spread through the ship.
Left.
Dozens of life signs.
Right.
Almost nothing.
Center.
A heavy concentration.
"Center."
They moved.
The moment they entered the passage, plasma fire erupted from the far end.
FWOOM!
The two Bladeguard raised their shields.
Plasma splashed across the energy barriers.
Titus and Metaurus fired through the gaps.
BOOM!
THOOM!
Several Covenant defenders collapsed.
Titus charged.
His chainsword roared.
VRRRRMMMM!
He struck the first Sangheili and drove it backward.
Metaurus stepped past him and fired at a Jiralhanae.
THOOM!
The plasma pistol struck its shield.
The energy barrier collapsed.
Metaurus finished it with his power axe.
The two Bladeguard pushed forward together, shields absorbing the return fire.
The Dreadnought remained behind them.
Then his rotary cannon spun.
VRRRRRRRRRR—
The remaining Covenant warriors froze.
The rotary cannon roared.
BRRRRRRRRRRT!
Heavy rounds tore through the defensive line.
Sangheili dropped beneath the barrage as armor buckled under repeated impacts.
A Jiralhanae staggered backward, its shields collapsing before the continued fire drove it into the wall.
Another burst swept across the corridor.
Weapons flew from dead hands.
Armor plates shattered.
The Covenant attempted to fall back.
The Dreadnought simply advanced.
BRRRRRRRRRRT!
The last defenders disappeared beneath the barrage.
When the rotary cannon finally stopped, smoke filled the corridor.
Spent casings covered the deck.
Broken weapons and damaged armor were scattered among the fallen.
The Ultramarines continued forward.
Gaius did not stop.
"Keep moving."
"Captain."
JARVIS's voice came through the comm again.
Gaius looked toward the tactical display.
"Report."
"Additional Covenant craft are approaching the flagship."
"How many?"
"I am still tracking several groups. Their exact numbers are obscured by the engagement."
Titus looked toward Gaius.
"More reinforcements?"
"Yes."
Metaurus glanced toward the corridor behind them.
"Then they're going to keep sending them."
"Until we reach their command," Gaius said.
He looked ahead.
"We keep moving."
The Covenant began sealing more doors behind them.
The sound followed the boarding party through the corridors.
CLANG.
Another blast door closed.
Then another.
But the Ultramarines barely noticed.
Gaius simply went through whatever was in front of him.
One sealed door lasted less than a second.
The Dreadnought's power fist smashed through it.
BOOM!
Another was cut apart by Titus and Metaurus.
They were no longer wasting time destroying every defender.
They were moving toward the command deck.
Nothing else mattered.
On the command deck, another report reached Regret.
"Hierarch."
He turned.
"The boarding party has breached the final security sector."
The room fell silent.
"How far?"
"Two sections from the command level."
Regret looked toward the Honor Guard.
"Prepare."
The warriors moved into their final positions.
Energy swords ignited.
Plasma weapons were raised.
The remaining guards formed ranks behind them.
Regret returned his attention to the doors.
Then another report came through.
"The reinforcements have begun entering the flagship."
Regret's eyes narrowed.
"How many?"
"Several dropships have reached the damaged sections. More are still approaching."
"Are they moving toward this deck?"
"Some have been redirected here. Their progress is being slowed by the damage."
Regret looked toward the command doors.
That was enough.
"Hold them until the reinforcements arrive."
The Honor Guard remained silent.
Outside the command section, a heavy footstep echoed through the ship.
THOOM.
Another.
THOOM.
Regret's eyes narrowed.
"They're here."
The Ultramarines reached the final corridor.
There were no more defensive positions.
No more fallback points.
The massive command doors stood at the far end.
Titus looked toward them.
"That's it."
Gaius nodded.
Behind the doors, he could sense dozens of warriors.
The Honor Guard.
Command personnel.
Security forces.
And Regret.
Metaurus checked his plasma pistol.
The two Bladeguard locked their shields.
The Dreadnought raised his power fist.
JARVIS spoke through the comm.
"Captain."
Gaius listened.
"Several Covenant dropships are approaching the flagship's command section."
Titus looked toward him.
"Can you tell how long?"
"No reliable estimate. Their flight paths are being altered, and I cannot determine how many have already reached the vessel."
Gaius stared at the command doors.
"Then we don't wait."
He stepped forward.
"Open it."
The Dreadnought moved beside him.
His power fist struck the door.
BOOOOOOM!
The metal buckled.
The Honor Guard on the other side raised their weapons.
Another strike.
CRAAAAASH!
The door split.
A third.
BOOM!
The command doors collapsed inward.
Smoke rolled across the entrance.
Gaius stepped through first.
The two Bladeguard followed.
Titus came next.
Metaurus beside him.
The Dreadnought emerged last.
The remaining Honor Guard stood waiting.
Their energy swords illuminated the smoke.
At the center of them stood Regret.
For a moment, the command deck fell silent.
Regret stared at the six warriors.
His eyes swept over the shattered doors.
The ruined consoles.
The dead.
The burning command deck.
All of it carved apart by six warriors.
His expression darkened.
"You dare."
Gaius regarded him in silence.
"You force your way aboard my flagship."
Silence.
"You slaughter my warriors."
Silence.
"You desecrate a sacred vessel."
Gaius's gaze drifted across the command deck.
Then back to Regret.
"There is nothing sacred here."
The words struck the command deck like a physical blow.
Several Honor Guards shifted angrily.
Regret's face twisted.
"Blasphemer."
Gaius ignored him.
His attention drifted briefly across the warriors protecting the Prophet.
Evaluating.
Measuring.
Then settled once more on Regret.
The Prophet noticed.
And for the first time, he felt something he had not expected.
Not fear.
Unease.
The giant warrior's lenses were fixed upon him.
Golden armor gleamed beneath the damaged lighting of the command deck.
Untouched.
Spotless despite the slaughter that had brought him here.
An iron halo was mounted behind the warrior's head, its auramite surface gleaming like gold and framing him like a divine figure.
For a fleeting moment, the sight unsettled him.
Not because he believed the warrior divine.
But because he knew what humanity represented.
Old memories surfaced unbidden.
Ancient words.
Ancient truths.
Truths that should never have been spoken.
Truths that would shatter the Covenant if they were ever revealed.
Humanity should have been exterminated decades ago.
Yet one now stood before him.
Clad in gold.
Unbowed.
Untouched.
The thought filled him with anger.
No matter what the Oracle had claimed.
No matter what secrets humanity carried.
He would never allow them to threaten the Great Journey.
He would never allow the truth to spread.
Humanity would die.
As it always should have.
Regret straightened.
"You stand before one of the Hierarchs."
Gaius took a single step forward.
Then he reached up and removed his helm.
The seals released with a quiet hiss.
For the first time, Regret saw the warrior's face.
A human face framed by black hair.
Dark eyes stared back at him.
Calm.
Solemn.
Completely unafraid.
The sight unsettled Regret more than the helmet ever had.
Several Honor Guards tightened their grips.
"And?"
The simple response hung in the air.
Regret stared at him, as if unable to comprehend the answer.
"As if your title matters to me."
The Prophet's composure cracked.
"I command billions!"
Gaius's expression did not change.
"Then they will need a new master."
Titus barked a laugh.
Metaurus smirked.
Even one of the Bladeguard shifted slightly.
Regret's face reddened with fury.
"You arrogant beast."
Gaius raised his bolter.
"No."
His eyes locked onto the Prophet.
"Confident."
Silence.
Outside the flagship, distant explosions echoed through the hull.
Neither side paid them any attention.
Regret pointed a trembling finger toward him.
"You think killing me changes anything?"
For the first time, Gaius smiled.
A small, cold smile.
"It changes everything."
Regret felt a chill run through him.
Gaius continued.
"And when you're dead..."
His gaze lingered on the Prophet for a moment.
"...I suspect you'll answer my questions far more honestly than you do now."
The Prophet frowned.
He did not understand.
Titus did.
Metaurus did.
The Dreadnought certainly did.
None of them commented.
Regret mistook the statement for a threat.
"You are mad."
Gaius lowered himself into a combat stance.
"No."
His grip tightened around his weapon.
"I am here for answers."
The smile vanished.
"And then I'm here for you."
~~~
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