Halo_ Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe - Eric Nylund [66]
When the duo reached the peak of the final ridge before the forest descended into a sweeping, picturesque valley, it had been just over four hours since they had set their trap at the foot of the sniper’s tree. Though briefed and rebriefed by Beta-5’s intelligence officers in regard to the specifics of their mission, Roland and Jonah had yet to see any of the target camps with their own eyes.
Over the course of the countless drills, both back in training and their twelve live-combat field insertions, they had learned not to rely too heavily on intelligence reports. Although a needed tool, such reports were limited in their use during real-time battlefield situations; there were just too many variables to account for in between the time a final mission brief is run and the actual moment of combat. Did the enemy alter its protocols for any reason?
Have their defensive measures been upgraded, downgraded, or modified in any other fashion? Have the patrols changed within the last day?
The last ten minutes? Were there clouds in the sky?
Had it rained? Some of this could be predicted to a relative degree of certainty, but predictions weren’t always reality, and for Headhunters the only intel worth relying on was gathered firsthand.
After settling in to check their equipment, Jonah inched ahead of Roland, pulling himself to the edge of the craggy rise they’d chosen for their observation post. The vantage this jagged rock outcropping provided was ideal for keeping tabs on the goings-on below, and the haphazard formation itself gave perfect cover for anything but the most thorough of inspections.
Careful to maintain his focus, Jonah moved at a deliberate pace as he lifted his head to gaze down on the Covenant campsite below. The wide valley that swept out beneath them and into the distance was marked by a small clearing nestled into the foot of the nearest mountainside. Target one was less than seventy meters in diameter, housing six sleek, gleaming purple structures and a series of energy barriers set up over well-lit excavation sites. In the distance Jonah could make out the lights from the other base camps peppered across the darkened basin, surrounding a massive complex of swooping buildings and ornate towers that loomed over the forest like a mechanical mecca to some forgotten god.
Taking it all in, the first thought that popped into Jonah’s mind was simple, comforting, and more than a little malicious: I can’t wait to burn it all down.
As impressive as the whole scene was, it also gave rise to another, less comforting thought. “Ya know?” Jonah said. “This place’s gotta be pretty damned important to the Covenant for ONI to be wastin’ so much firepower on a glorified dig-site so far back from the front.”
Jonah understood the value ONI placed in the strange alien artifacts the Covenant cherished so deeply, but found it hard to believe his and Roland’s services were best utilized against such a remote outpost, especially with the UNSC suffering such heavy losses on the frontlines of the war.
“ONI says it’s hot, it’s hot. Ours is not to question why,” Roland explained, as he removed a cleaning kit from his pack.
“Not really sayin’ otherwise, more just thinkin’ out loud.” Jonah continued his visual sweep of the valley. “I mean, two infiltration teams? We haven’t had two squads ’a Headhunters infield for the same drop . . . ever.”
“The Covies seem pretty enamored with these alien leftovers they’re always scroungin’ for,” Roland offered. “So, who knows what kind of weapons system or whatever they’re hopin’ to uncover here. And what does it matter, right? They could be diggin’ for earthworms, in which case . . . it’s our pleasure to make sure they don’t find any.”
The Spartans sat in silence as Jonah scanned the