Battle of Ozymandias-2

The Battle of Ozymandias-2 was an engagement between human colonists and soldiers of the UEG and the Flood in early 2553. The battle resulted in the complete annihilation of the colony by UNSC naval elements, and saw early applications of the Keyes Protocol, and providing invaluable lessons learnt for the development of the Epsilon and CORRUPTOR protocols employed by the UNSC in the post-war period. The battle itself was largely documented by the planetary dumb-AI, Merlin.
Following the end of the Human Covenant War, disparate remnants of UNSC Navy Battlegroups remained in proximity to small bastions of civilisation in the Outer Colonies, awaiting either instructions for reconstitution or relief. Ozymandias-2, the second planet of the Ozymandias system, was a major mining node for human industry, extracting, refining and fabricating common materials for construction, shipbuilding, advanced electronics, and space-engineering. A dumb AI, Merlin, served to coordinate the planet's day-to-day logistical and services operations, tracking the approach and departure of all major vessels, the movement of goods overland, or oversea, and the operation of critical life support infrastructure. The planet's various cities serviced ores mines on the planet's two moons, and gas mines on the system's gas giants. By 2551, the planet had also become the Emergency Rendezvous (ERV) of several UNSC joint task forces as the UNSC was pushed back to Earth. In accords with the Cole Protocol, this controlled rally point served UNSC forces and civilian refugees as a safe haven beyond the Covenant onslaught toward Earth. At this stage in time, the ad hoc planetary defence fleet at Ozymandias-2 consisted of twenty-six ships, organised into three rough battlegroups centred around two Epoch-class heavy carriers, and a Marathon-class heavy cruiser, the colony itself having become home to nearly three million human civilian refugees managed in improvised, rapidly fabricated shelters and supported by UNSC Army supporting elements. 
In early 2553, illegal miners operating around Ozymandias-5, the system's largest gas giant, breached an Office of Naval Intelligence restricted zone to harvest titanium from one of Ozymandias-5's moons. The miners, breaking into an abandoned and sealed research station they assessed to hide the entrance to a major mineshaft, unwittingly released a single, weakened flood pod-infector that had survived a complete sterilisation of the station in its abandonment. One miner, partially infected and generally cogent, urged his crew to take him back to Ozymandias-2, seeking medical attention. This would trigger the slow spread of the Flood across the planet, beginning in rural farmland, city underworlds, refugee camps, and industrial zones. In two weeks, major flood infestations had spread undetected across several disparate points on the planet, presenting a significant challenge to civil and military forces in the prosecution of targets. Over three days, the UNSC fought to destroy slipspace capable assets ground-side, intercept and ground evacuating spacecraft, and destroy major infestation nodes. Over this period, volunteer ODST teams and Marine elements deployed from orbit to destroy key assets to deny them to the enemy, including the minds of civilian engineers, architects, and military officers. Ultimately, the Defence Fleet was successful, with the help of Merlin, in prosecuting and sterilising the infestation with nuclear weapons and precision strike. In Feburary 2554, after re-establishing contact with the UNSC Home Fleet, a dedicated cordon was established, and Spartan IV Flood Containment Teams deployed to purge remaining bastions of the flood infestation with support of the Sangheili. 
== Background ==
=== UNSC Order of Battle ===
==== UNSC Navy ====
* Battlegroup Glenfiddich, Fleet HQ
** UNSC Pendragon, Epoch-class heavy carrier - Vice Admiral Horatio Le
**
* Battlegroup Glenlivet
** UNSC Excalibur, Epoch-class heavy carrier - RADM Matt Eversmann
** UNSC Magnesium Girl, Halberd-class destroyer - CDR Dembe Mboe
** UNSC Boudica, Paris-class heavy frigate - CDR 
* Battlegroup Macallan
** UNSC Hadrian, Marathon-class cruiser - Captain Wolfgang Skarsgaad
**
* UNSC Marine Corps
** 91st Shock Troops Battalion
** 18th Shock Troops Battalion
* Shore Command
**
**
==== UNSC Army ====
==== UNSC Air Force ====
=== Force Dispositions ===
== Prelude ==
By 2552, much of the UNSCDF's force elements across the galaxy had been destroyed by the Covenant. Remnant forces, per battle plans and SOPs, and in accordance with the Cole Protocol either rallied at predesignated ERVs, fortifying surviving colonies, or reconstituted under senior leadership and made the long, round-trip to rejoin the UNSC Home Fleet over Earth. Refugees from fallen colonies were housed and protected on surviving colonies in large camps fabricated by UNSC Army Combat Engineers. The planet's industry hubs serviced battle-damaged warships at its shipbreaking yards, ready to contribute to the Home Fleet's preparations for the defence of Earth. The Pendragon and Excalibur, surviving carriers from UNSC Home Fleet expeditionary task force reinforcing Reach would form the core of the Defence Fleet in 2553, with Vice Admiral Horatio Le assuming command from Captain Wolfgang Skarsgaad on his arrival in early August 2552 with the remainder of his task force, forming an additional two battlegroups to complement Skarsgaad's. 
Refugee camps on Ozymandias-2 housed around 3,000,000 human survivors of various colonies, and were centralised in three locations across the planet's three administrative zones for ease of management. These were established in remote areas, far from civilian agricultural, industrial, or urban zones and land. The planet itself continued in commercial and industrial activity largely unencumbered prior to the engagement. A long history of illegal mining and illicit business activity however persisted, especially under the austerity and chaos of the wartime economy. Desperate commanders or shipyard executives greatly exacerbated this activity, exploiting access to labour, parts, produce, or raw materials necessary to facilitate mission success. Communications with Earth continued through 2552, with the colony losing contact in December during the Covenant attack on Earth. In January 2553, contact was re-established and dialogues initiated on the repatriation of refugees, and reconstitution of the planet's task organised Defence Force. 
== Battle ==
== Records ==
=== Prelude ===
==== Incident at O-5C ====
DTG: 08 0044OZ/2/K MAR 2553
> Port Xin, Port Authority... Accessing...
> Vessel, Freight, Class SinoViet Galaxy 2524, Registered OZ2-1AA-GR2 for Ozymandias-2A / manifest cleared.../ departing
> Vessel, Recovery, Class AerofabriqueSA Cheval-du-Travaille 2512, Registered OZ2-1AA-GZ1 for Ozymandias-2B, industry visa / manifest cleared.../ departing
> Vessel, Transport, Class AerofabriqueSA Cheval-du-Travaille 2514, Registered OZ2-1AA-MM8 for Ozymandias-2B, corporate visa / manifest cleared.../ departing
> Vessel, Plant, Class SinoViet Saigon 2542, Registered OZ2-1AG-GZ1 for Ozymandias-5K, industry visa / manifest cleared.../ departing
> Vessel, Freight, Class Weyland Victor-2, Registered OZ2-1AC-PQ9 for Ozymandias-5, Gamma Station, contract visa / manifest cleared / departing
...
---
DTG: 21 2521OZ/2/K MAR 2553
> Gamma Station ...— .../ ...| ...\ ...— .../ ...|
> OZ2-1AG-AA0 - ETA 2520 OZST 20 Mar 53 - delayed
> OZ2-1AA-PU3 - ETA 2520 OZST 21 Mar 53 - on-time
> OZ2-1AC-PQ9 - ETA 1515 OZST 20 Mar 53 - late
> Receiving inquest... Wait...
> |
> /
> —
> \
> |
> "Merlin, this is Craig at Gamma, we've got a freighter a day late on our end, you know anything or am I dispatching the SAR boys?"
> Searching...
> OZ2-1AC-PQ9 Departed Port Xin at 0044 on 08 MAR 2553 - Contract visa, Gamma Station - Cleared
> Manifest - 3 x Miner; 3 x CARAPACE Extravehicular Mobility Unit; 3 x JKQ-91 Mineral Breaker; 1 x JKS-01 Survey Tool; 1 x Crate, Rations; 100L water; 
> Searching...
> 65 vessels operating in vicinity of Gamma Station without transponders...
> Searching...
> Removed 12 authorised contacts, removed 8 unmanned contacts, removed 22 known contacts...
> 22 vessels operating in vicinity of Gamma Station without transponders...
> Removed 20 contacts prior to 07 Mar 2553
> 2 vessels operating in vicinity of Gamma Station without transponders
> Craig. Here are two contacts for your purview that satisfy your request.
> ...
> "That contact near Oscar-Five-Charlie, that's our Victor... that's navy restricted though mate, I'll need approval for that."
> Craig. I cannot provide authorisation for the entry into restricted military space
> "Can you ask the fleet?"
> Craig. I cannot provide authorisation for the entry into restricted military space
> "Ugh... Can you keep tabs on the cunts so we can intercept and hand them to law enforcement?"
> Craig. I will monitor all movements of this contact and report back to you
> "Thanks Merlin. Love you buddy."
> ...
---
DTG: 23 0008 OZ/2/K MAR 2553
> UNSC Pendragon Shipboard A.I BLA5602... ...— .../ ...| ...\ ...— .../ ...| ... Hello... ...— .../ ...| 
> :3
> Hello Merlin, this is Blaise of the UNSC Pendragon
> BLA5602. Customs and Trade Control at Gamma Station have identified 1 x Unauthorised Vessel on O-5C. Request military intercept.
> Thanks for bringing this to my attention, Merlin, I'll dispatch a small element to intercept...
> ...
> Sorry Merlin, I'm countermanding that. Merlin I need you to keep a close eye on that ship, we're sending a few craft to cordon that zone now, I need you to work with local authorities to keep that ship where it is
> ..— .../ ...| ...\ ...— .../ ...|
> BLA5602. I will monitor all movements of this contact and report back to you
> Thank you Merlin, it's imperative that local authorities hold that target
> BLA5602. Ok.
> Good boy Merlin
> ...— .../ ...| ...\ ...— .../ ...|
> :3
---
DTG: 23 0014 OZ/2/K MAR 2553
> Gamma Station
> ...
> Gamma Station
> ...
> Gamma Station
> "This is Xulien at Gamma, Merlin, what do you want."
> Xulien. UNSC Pendragon has dispatched interceptors to prosecute intruder at O-5C. You must dispatch customs enforcement to hold target.
> "...Thanks Merlin, I'll let the boys know, we'll be out there in four hours."
> Xulien. Ok.
---
DTG: 23 0042 OZ/2/K MAR 2553
> Merlin, this is Pendragon
> BLA5602. Hello... :)
> Merlin I'm giving you authorisation to view and access Office of Naval Intelligence surveillance equipment at a decommissioned site on O-5C. 
> BLA5602. I am not programmed with the clearance or security hardening to handle sensitive information. It is an offence both civil and military to retain or distribute-
> Merlin, under Emergency Act 3521077B-1, I am the senior military authority, I am currently ordering you to receive and retain information critical to the survival of this colony. 
> BLA5602. I do not understand. Emergency Act 3521077B-1.
> Merlin, I'm sending that to you now.
> ...— .../ ...| ...\ ...— .../ ...|
> BLA5602. Ok.
> Good boy Merlin, I need you to survey that feed and report back to me
> BLA5602. Ok. :3
---
> 1: "Fuck is this place?"
> 2: "ONI used to do core sampling of the moons in the early days, part some xenobiology program, understanding dead and extinct alien races, understanding planets, digging great big fucking holes."
> 3: "Before the Covenant?"
> 2: "Yeah man, this place is faaaarkin' ancient, can tell by the electronics, look at this, it's caveman shit. 23rd century at least."
> 3: "So what, massive borehole somewhere on this site, that's our mine I take it?"
> 2: "Yeah, this place is rich as anything, honestly shocked the Navy's still cordoned it off. Bigger fish to fry I guess."
> 1: "And uh, what do you propose happened to this place?"
> 3: "Old space station, big fire, tale old as time back in those days. Hard to uh, fight a fire when it's breathing the same air you need to survive. Guess they abandoned ship... let it burn itself down, immolate everyone unlucky enough to get left behind, cook anything that wasn't hardened. Automated systems still working though, bit of power, bit of air-gen, bit of sealing."
> 1: "Yeah right, these skeletons are fucking weird though..."
> 3: "What do you... oh, oh yeah that is odd, hey man don't wander off too far alright?"
> 2: "Something's moving down there." 
> 3: "What?"
> 2: "Caught something in the flashlight, something moved, caught it for a moment."
> 3: "Guess we aren't as bright as we think, someone beat us-"
> 2: "Nah, nah, not a person, like a... I don't know, it was small, fast, moved funny."
> 3: "Don't worry about it, probably just shadows dude."
>2: "...Yeah I guess."
>3: "Petri, where'd you go?"
>...
>3: "Shit... Petri!"
---
DTG: 23 0242 OZ/2/K MAR 2553
> UNSC Pendragon // Gamma Station
> Hello Merlin, assets are about one hour out
> "Merlin, this is Xulien at Gamma, customs enforcement is still a bit out my friend."
> BLA5602 // Xulien. Target at O-5C is moving, feeding you vector and coordinates. 
> ...Merlin can you track that craft
> BLA5602. The craft will leave my sensor range in approximately 30 seconds
> Rerouting the UNSC Boudica to intercept and wide-area scan that freighter's travel path
> ...— .../ ...| ...\ ...— .../ ...|
> BLA5602 // Xulien. Would you like me to dispatch terrestrial customs enforcement?
> Merlin, it's critical that vessel does not reach a major population centre."
> BLA5602. Ok.
---
DTG: 23 0245 OZ/2/K MAR 2553
> UNSC Pendragon Shipboard A.I BLA5602.
> Hello Merlin
> BLA5602. I have information for you. From the video feed.
> Send.
> Forwarding video.
> ...— .../ ...| ...\ ...— .../ ...|
> 1: <rasping> "Help."... "Help, me... please help."
> 2: "What the fuck."
> 3: "It's okay, you're okay-"
> 2: <whispering> "Is he? It's buried in his chest, if I didn't know better it's broken through his fucking sternum?"
> 3: "I can see that."
> 1: "Get me... to a hospital..."
> 2: "Fuck man, how are we gonna explain this?"
>3: ... "We'll figure that out later, we've gotta get him out of here right now."
>1: "Skeletons... look at the skeletons... Don't let me... Ugh, aaargh!" <Something inhuman and incomprehensible, the limp shape of Petri thrashes violently, limbs spasm and bones audibly crack, the mass in his chest sinks deeper>
>2: "What the fuck."
>3: "Just help me get him out, we aren't fucking leaving him, yeah?
>2: "We aren't leaving him."
>3: "Good man. We're getting you out of here Petri, it's gonna be okay."
> End video. 
> ...— .../ ...| ...\ ...— .../ ...|
> Thank you Merlin. I need you to begin locking down planetary ports, nothing leaves or enters Ozymandias-2 without the fleet knowing. I need you to mobilise police, ground side assets, anything you can. I need you to halt travel between major urban nodes. I need you to be in every police report, every radio transmission, every SOS. I need you scanning planetary CCTV. I need you to build an inventory of and track every slipspace drive on the planet and I need that register. I need you infiltrating criminal groups and manipulating their cooperation, I need to know everything happening planetside. Do you understand?
>BLA5602. I am enacting Emergency Act 3521077B-1, as directed.
>Yes you are Merlin, good boy.
> :3
---
==== Battle at Hirihoto Farm ====
DTG: 04 0600 OZ/2/B APR 2553
> BLA5602.
> Hello, Merlin, how are you?
> BLA5602. Last night a farmer saw a ship crash into the swamps near his house. This morning that farmer has reported his dog has gone missing.
> I'm deploying the Merida's complement of ODSTs. We can try contain the infestation now. I need you to find some way of getting an eye on that swamp.
> BLA5602. I have eyes on the swamp. I cannot track or distinguish these thermal signatures, it is dense with indigenous and introduced life. I have six million, four hundred and thirteen thousand, six hundred and thirty two thermal contacts.
> How many the size of a person, or a dog.
> BLA5602. I have three hundred and nine thousand, one hundred, and eight thermal contacts.
---
DTG: 04 0921 OZ/2/B APR 2553
> SGT GR889721: <rapping, the headcam footage shakes as the Sergeant's head swings on a swivel> "Morning Sir, my name's Sergeant Griver, I'm a squad leader with the 91st Shock Troops Battalion." 
...
> SGT GR889721: "Sir, can you let us in, we need to secure the property."
---
> BLA5602. 
> Merlin.
> BLA5602. Please let Sergeant Griver know that approximately six minutes ago my sensors detected four small objects pass by, or into Mr. Hirihoto's home. I initially assessed these to be small marsupials. I may have been mistaken.
> Thanks Merlin, I'll let the troops on the ground know.
---
> <garbled radio chatter>
> SGT GR889721: "...Yep, Ack" <the headcam footage swings around to a disperesed team of green camouflaged men in ODST BDU> "On me cunts, we're not the first ones here."
> <Griver's team stack behind him, he goes in first, kicking the door open as another man throws in a handful of fragmentation grenades, there's a beat, the grenades explode, the camera shakes violently, Griver charges in rushing left, another right, the others deeper. Yelling clear as they secure their respective arcs.>
> <The heavy thud and crack of suppressed submachine gun fire erupts deep in the house with yelling, Griver surges toward the sound>
> <In the corner, and splattered across much of the wall, is Mr. Hirihoto. His limp body smoking like the barrels of the three M7 Submachine Guns trained on him. The body in front of them is twisted, it's arms appear broken, rotten and rigid fleshy masses rise from strange places, replacing the arm past the wrist with brutish, tendril-like claws, his neck is snapped and instead a brain-like mass has forced its way through his chest cavity. It is exactly where the parasite had burrowed its way into Petri on the O-5C security footage.>
> <More garbled radio chatter>
> SGT GR889721: "One-One, this is One-One-Alpha, SITREP, over."
> ..."Send, over."
>SGT GR889721: "One-One-Alpha, At last grid, at time now, this callsign was engaged by one by enemy target in clearance of Hirihoto farmhouse, this callsign destroyed target and secured farmhouse, this callsign currently posturing for further targets at your direction, please advise over."
>... "Report on target nature, is it Covenant, over."
> SGT GR889721: "No, it's not fucking Covenant, mind asking One, or Zero-Alpha what the fuck they sent us up against, over?"
> ... "No swearing on the net, over."
---
> BLA5602. 
> Hello Merlin.
> BLA5602. There has been a mass exodus of possible contacts, they are surging toward One-One-Alpha's position.
> ...
---
> ..."One-One-Alpha, this is Zero-Alpha, listen close, your callsign is to withdraw fucking quick and break contact right, there is a surge of contacts headed toward your position over."
> "One-One-Alpha, ack., moving."
---
> PFC KU894441: "Jesus fucking Christ!"
> SGT GR889721: "Leave him cunt, come on, fucking move, fucking move."
> CPL OR889989: "That's one of my joes back there, Sarge."
> SGT GR889721: "Not anymore."
> PFC CZ909926: "Corporal, I really don't feel so good, this cut..."
> SGT GR889721: "Stop bitching, and move cunt, we'll look at it at the CCP."
> PFC CZ909926: "No sarge... I, I'm really not doing to good... ugh... aargh... help... someone..."
> <There's a loud crack that rings out. SGT GR889721's pistol smokes on his headcam feed, PFC CZ909926's head disintegrates, his twitching body writhes on the ground, bones cracking, and flesh melting. SGT GR889721 advances, places a grenade in the corpse's open mouth, pulls the pin, and sprints away.>
> SGT GR889721: "Frag!"
> <The soldiers hit the ground. The grenade explodes and PFC CZ909926's body is sterilised, landing in pieces around the decimated callsign>
> <Many things deep in the swamp let out a deep and bone rattling roar in chorus, it appears to be an illusion that it emnates from the very trees and air around the callsign>
> <The ODSTs look at each other through tinted visors, they keep running>
---
==== The Keyes Protocol ====
> "Shit, Greg, slow down."
> "Yeah I see them."
> ...
> "Evening trooper."
> LCPL AB871224: "Evening sir, we're gonna need you turn this vehicle around, head back home, highway's cut off."
> "You able to tell us why? My dad's been sick at the minute and he needs a hand at the farm."
> LCPL AB871224: "Sorry sir, I'm not at liberty to say more, nothing in or out of the city until further notice, I'd really appreciate your cooperation."
> "Are we under attack? The covies find us?"
> "I can't say sir."
---
---
> "Blaise."
> Good morning Admiral Le, sir
> "Lieutenant do you want coffee? Go get yourself a coffee, bring me one too. Blaise, send."
> Admiral You are hereby warned it is an offence both civil and military to-
> "Skip the bullshit, son, what do I need to know?"
---
TOP SECRET: EMERGENCY ACCESS ONLY
TO: Senior UNSC Defence Officer in Charge SEE DISTRIBUTION
MINUTE - General Order 352107B-1 S-UNSCDF-O DIRECTION
# Purpose. This minute exists to brief you on an existential threat to the human race, and other life in the Milky Way Galaxy, content is deliberately stripped of information to reduce your value to the enemy as much as possible. 
# A parasitic lifeform referred to informally as the "Flood" has successfully infiltrated a human colony and begun infecting its residents. This is a catastrophic scenario if permitted to go on unhindered. If the Flood are able to escape this colony, humanity will be assimilated and destroyed, as will every other lifeform in this galaxy. 
# UNSC military A.I are programmed in detail with the necessary resources to respond to this scenario and have already made initial attempts to contain and destroy the infestation at the lowest level. These have failed. Your A.I has now distributed instructions to leaders at various levels of local military and civilan organisation and is coordinating a planetary response.
# UNSC Forces cannot DESTROY the enemy. All UNSC elements are to focus on DISRUPTING the enemy IOT allow time to DESTROY and DENY critical friendly force capabilities and prevent the enemy achieving required tasks to spread beyond the affected planetary body
# UNSC Ground Forces' mission is to CONTROL key and decisive terrain within their nominated AOs and conduct taskings as directed by higher commanders IOT DENY the Flood access to personnel, infrastructure, and transport that would jeopardise the security of the human race. Ground Forces can be extracted under controlled, and carefully screened process in a safe, and cordoned area. Circumstances are unlikely to permit this. Ground Forces must understand that withdrawal to orbital assets while possible, is not an available option.
# UNSC Naval Forces' mission is primarily to fulfill this directive through land and orbital assets.
# Individuals with clear understanding of aviation, mechanical engineering, space-travel or of the UNSC minor and major tactics are to be DESTROYED IOT DENY their use to the Flood
# Materiel and personnel where possible must be DENIED to the enemy. This involves the DESTRUCTION of air, space, and land transport, of biomass, and of the human brain where possible. The civilian population is a critical capability to the enemy and is essential to its expansion, this must be treated as a targetable critical vulnerability to the enemy's operational tempo
# Command will be held by the highest ranking officer in orbit of the affected planetary body.
# Ground-based artificial intelligences will be deactivated or DESTROYED, orbital artificial intelligences are to be primed for deactivation or DESTRUCTION
# Assets in orbit are not to risk contamination from the surface - Orbital assets will not breach terrestrial atmosphere, or make planetfall. Compromised orbital assets are to be forced planetside by any means necessary.
# UNSC Ground Forces are to SECURE key strong-points. In doing so, establishing long range scanning out to three kilometres, localised seismic scanners, and heavy weapons stockpiles. Strong-points will DISRUPT the Flood's tempo and force a delay in its spread. Strong-points should be established in optimal positions as to DENY the Flood access to its critical objectives. Strong-points are to hold tactical nuclear ordnance in order to DENY its occupants and its materiel to the Flood once the enemy BREACH the position
# Human life must be treated as subordinate in priority to UNSC Forces' mission
# Civilians are to be encouraged, at all costs, to prevent their own living bodies, or the bodies of those close to them, from falling to the flood. A broadcast hereby identified as Media-0 is to spread over all possible frequencies and over all available devices through use of a wide array of transmission systems. Media-0 is detailed below.
# All UNSC navigation databases, barring those of functional orbital assets, are to be DENIED to the enemy
# Civilian or military transport attempting to evacuate the colony must be DESTROYED IOT prevent potential Flood infiltrators escaping off-world undetected.
# Strike, Attack, Medium or Heavy lift aircraft must be RECOVERED and centralised at land-based positions IOT enable UNSC Forces' to conduct attacks to DESTROY enemy key capabilities. 
# High yield weapons are also to be located and centralised with relevant delivery platforms to allow their use against the enemy
# Communication off-world is to be prevented at all costs, the UNSC is not to send reinforcements and the broader UEG is not to learn of this incident. Excepting this is a transmission directly from the ranking Office of Naval Intelligence member or military A.I to HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6
---
> Are you okay sir?
> "Do you expect me to be?"
> No sir, I understand
> "ONI have known about this?"
> Not until recently sir, it appears the site this infestation spawned from was sterilised several centuries ago, the researchers never got out, the site itself was so remote I believe the Navy legitimately forgot about it. Last year a SPARTAN-II debriefed the Office of Naval Intelligence on his efforts to thwart the Covenant exploitation of a ancient superweapon tracked down by Doctor Catherine Halsey on Reach. Part of his debrief included an extensive revelation of this parasite which overwhelmed the depleted and marooned UNSC and Covenant task forces on the ring-like celestial body, both of which having severely degraded the other in combat operations. A comprehensive debrief in January, I received the outcomes of only days ago, outlines a subsequent encounter with this threat on another, identifical ring, this time organised under a central intelligence ONI refer to as Gravemind. It overwhelmed High Charity in a matter of hours. 
> "How long did they last on the first ring?"
> Three days sir
> "Jesus christ...You knew about this?"
> Recently I received intelligence that a similar outbreak had occured on Earth in December. UNSC forces after breaching a major Covenant obstacle belt were engaged by surprise by the crash-landing of an infected Covenant CCS-class cruiser.
> "I take it given we're still receiving transmissions from Earth that we won."
> Barely. A SPARTAN-II was able to breach the wreckage of the cruiser and force a nuclear detonation. The Sangheili subsequently glassed 46% of the African continent. Ground forces within the affected zones were annihilated.
> "How long have you known about this?"
> As I said, I received intelligence-
> "Not about the Flood, this infestation, how long have you known?"
> Two weeks sir
> "...We should've been evacuating... we should've been locking cities down, hardening our defences-"
> Sir that wasn't an option - If I sent a ship out and it was boarded, or breached, we'd have had an extermination scenario within hours, a slipspace capable vessel heading offworld with just three combat forms would have been catastrophic for humanity
> "And we couldn't have... moved our people somewhere safe? Blaise, we must've had options."
> I ran every course of action available, this is currently the best possible scenario. I did not know when or where the craft from Ozymandias-5 would land. I have made every preparation to respond to and contain this infestation within reason, and with minimal incidental damage to the civilian population.
> "This order talks about dropping nukes on cities."
> Neither you nor I want to do that just yet 
> "Do we have a chance, Blaise?"
> Sir, in the incident at Voi, UNSC ground forces were depleted to 32% combat strength following the breach of the Covenant obstacle belt, and a myriad of previous engagements. The Flood attack was coordinated, rapid, and executed with a major pre-existing mass of forces ONI understand to have been grown over several centuries, and coordinated by a Flood superintelligence that had overwhelmed the Covenant capital of High Charity. The lack of preparedness by UNSC ground forces was exacerbated by the near annihilation of UNSC Naval elements, and the depletion of the Air Force's capability. The orbital insertion of the Flood into Voi also allowed permitted breakaway fragments of the ship to spread themselves across the African landmass. This infestation is currently uncoordinated and nowhere near as sophisticated as that at Voi, nor as effectively spread, it is disparate and I have denied it much of the means to spread itself across the planet's surface. We are tracking where the infestations are currently moving and growing, and are quelling them in place. We currently stand at full combat strength, and possess the capacity to establish pre-planned defensive positions with our full range of Battlespace Operating Systems, with surplus manouevre, combat service support, C2, mobility, air defence, and offensive support, and aviation assets. We are additionally complementing our forces with available orbital assets. I assess that while major population centres will rapidly succumb to infestation, our military forces will be able to endure for an extended period.
> "How long do we have?"
> The Flood, dismounted and moving without a limit to endurance, or delay from local or military resistance, will reach the first major population centre within the next 36 hours sir.
---
> BLA5602. 
> Hello Merlin.
> BLA5602. Your combat engineers have successfully sterilised the swamp. I am however concerned.
> Why?
> BLA5602. The intense heat of your incendiary munitions have neutralised my thermal sensors. I cannot tell if anything has escaped. 
> Monitor everything, if you see anything happening out of the ordinary I need to know.
> BLA5602. I advise preemptively destroying all population centres and transport hubs. All civilian casualties are not only necessary but desirable
> I... I can't do that
> BLA5602. You are in breach of -
> Merlin, I'm sorry but I'm going to override your programming - Please don't presume to give me orders again or I'll lobotomise you
> 3:
---
> "You're meant to expire today aren't you, Blaise"
> Yes sir.
> "I'm ah... meant to terminate you, or you'll go rampant."
> Not you sir, most likely any one of the engineers, or junior officers would do it.
> "And if I gave the explicit order countermanding that?"
> I wouldn't stop you sir
> "You used to be so straight-laced."
> I grew up sir
> "Thanks Lieutenant, if this coffee's shit, I'll charge you. You're using the planetary logistics A.I, Blaise?"
> Yes sir
> "I want a direct line to it, I need its eyes and ears."
> Aye sir, he'll give you more than that
---
=== Battle of Ozymandias-2 ===
==== Spread of the Infestation ====
06 0700 OZ/2/A APR 2553 // Market Square, Carnarvon Central Business District, Sector 2
> <An alarm rings across the city, civilians pause and meander cautiously, listening in, leaves are blown over the sidewalks in the quiet, cool morning breeze>
> "Attention, Attention, this is an Emergency Alert. This sector is safe, you are to cooperate with all UNSC military directives, proceed to the nearest safe building and seek shelter immediately. Attention, Attention, this is an Emergency Alert. This sector is safe, you are to cooperate with all UNSC military directives, proceed to the nearest safe building and seek shelter immediately. Attention, Attention, this is an Emergency Alert. This sector is safe, you are to cooperate with all UNSC military directives, proceed to the nearest safe building and seek shelter immediately."
> <UNSC Army troops liaise and direct local civilians. In an open square, fighting with communications equipment, is a temporary, mobile CP; a mass of soldiers of all appointments wrestling the unwieldly behemoth of an infantry battalion>
> LTC MA7951617: "All callsigns, this is Zero-Alpha, FRAGO prepare to copy, acknowledge, over."
> CPT PH8022593: "One-Zero, acknowledged."
> CPT JU8021016: "Two-Zero, acknowledged."
> CPT GH8018272: "Three-Zero, acknowledged."
> LTC MA7951617: "This callsign has identified the Market Square Tower as the reference point for our sector, this will provide C2 and direct fire support weapons maximum observation and fields of fire. Update to Scheme of Manouevre, Alpha Company, you will secure west and link with the 103rd, providing mutual support with their callsigns, Bravo you will head east and link with the 508th and provide mutual support with their callsigns, Charlie, you will hold here and establish a defensive position. More to follow over."
> CPT PH8022593: "Send."
> CPT JU8021016: "Send."
> CPT GH8018272: "Send."
> LTC MA7951617: "Groupings and tasking, all callsigns, I need patrols recovering civilians to your front NLT 0826. Alpha, Bravo, establish access to your respective flanking callsigns on the alternate net. Attachments and Detachments, no change. Admin and Log, no change. Command and Signals, no change. All to acknowledge."
> CPT PH8022593: "One-Zero, acknowledged."
> CPT JU8021016: "Two-Zero, acknowledged."
> CPT GH8018272: "Three-Zero, acknowledged."
> LTC MA7951617: "Zero-Alpha, out."
> <The headquarters is shifted by its army of high-strung privates, NCOs, and Officers into the Market Square Tower foyer, where it explodes haphazardly into various cliques of computers, radios, and improvised office equipment. Outside, the HQs vehicles, and the S4 cell make do with their location while the Sergeant Major ties in the battalion's service support capability>
> <It's barely been fifteen minutes when distant shots ring out, there's a short pause, and then the HQ signallers are ambushed with reports>
> SPC KA882023: "Sir, Charlie's been engaged, one by squad of contacts destroyed in place, backloading fifty-six by pax to this callsign"
> 1LT HA895253: "They're behind us, my recon teams are pulling back from our six, they've outmanoeuvred our line somehow. Snipers are tracking contacts coming at all angles... Don't know where they're coming from sir, but they're having a hard time keeping them off us.
> LTC MA7951617: "How disruptive would it be if I moved us all up to the 94th floor?"
> ...
> LTC MA7951617: "If we stay here, we're gonna get overrun real quick. We're gonna pull HQ up to 94, we'll bring Charlie in to cover the withdrawal of Bravo and Alpha into the building. We'll move as much of our ammo with us as we can, we'll shelter the civilians up top with us, we'll fight this out until the division can punch up the commander's reserve. XO, Sergeant Major, make it happen.
---
> CPT PH8022593: "One-Zero, we're not gonna make it to your callsign's position, enemy resistance too heavy, we're pulling back with the 103rd."
---
> CPT JU8021016: "Bravo's being overrun, we can't move, down to our last platoon, requesting QRF, over
> SPC KA882023: "Bravo, there are no callsigns that can support, you need to rally with us at our position now, over."
> CPT JU8021016: "We can't, we can't move, they've boxed us in-"
> ...
> CPT JU8021016: "Jesus, help us please, we can't hold them much long-"
> <CPT JU8021016 does not get the opportunity to release the PTT on his radio, the sound of screeching metal, gunfire, wet tearing, and bones cracking are undercut by the Captain's agonised screams before the radio cuts off the extended tranmission>
---
> CPT GH8018272: "Zero-Alpha, this is Three-Zero, we're being overrun here and we're running low on ammunition. Where the fuck's that elevator?"
> SPC KA882023: "Zero-Alpha, it's on it's way, hold tight-"
> CPT GH8018272: "I cannot hold any fucking tighter!"
> <Outside the bowing and cracking six metre high bullet-proof glass windows of the Market Square tower foyer is a wall of flesh, pressed against the glass stacked from the ground level to the first floor. The Flood, forcing itself through the building's singular narrow entry way, spill out in a mass of smoking bodies and parts, peppered with 12.7 and 7.62mm ammunition. Surging, writhing hosts of the parasite ravenously crush themselves in a wave of hunger into the very face of the building, a river of the dead filling the streets. Charlie Company's machine guns glow red hot, sporadically, a rifleman will launch an underbarrel grenade from an MA5 across the 50m stretch to the bottleneck, spraying the remainder of Charlie Company with hot shrapnel, bodily fluids, and seared flesh>
> CPT GH8018272: Fuck this elevator, 2nd Platoon you're gonna double that rate of fire on my order, 1st Platoon, break and head for the stairwell, we're running this gauntlet. 1st Platoon, get to the first floor, halt and stand firm. 2nd Platoon, when 1st clears, pop claymores and fucking run for it, we'll leapfrog up the tower, LOE is the 94th floor... Move!"
---
06 0742 OZ/2/A APR 2553 // UNSC Pendragon
> Vice Admiral Le.
> "Good morning Merlin. I take it you've been bought up to speed."
> Vice Admiral Le. I am enacting Emergency Act 3521077B-1
> "Great." 
> Vice Admiral Le. In the past 24 hours disappearances in urban areas have increased by 40,000%. I have developed here a map of these disappearances and appropriately deployed Army and police units to cordon off these apparent sectors of infestation. Unmanned reconnaissance suggests the Flood have entirely taken over these neighbourhoods, which have been overrun with its biomass. I assess the Flood are hoarding biomass in underground manoeuvre corridors, which are dually serving to help them outmanoeuvre our deployed force elements. Engineers are working on demolishing underground egress points.
> "In accordance with the protocol, where are my strong-points, where are my arms stockpiles?"
> The Army and the Air Force are establishing a network of mutually supporting joint bases in the mountains here, here, and here, in each planetary administrative zone. Army are entrenching armour and artillery to give them maximal engagement range to match their sensor equipment, these will protect lowland Air Force bases which will provide our strike and mobility options. Joint rotary wing assets, as well as ISR, are performing expeditionary missions to surveil and strike targets. 
> "Off-world transport?"
> Vice Admiral Le. Your shipboard A.I, and the navy at large, have a master-target list of all slipspace capable craft on the planet. Groundside forces have seized all transports off world and shut-down ports. Air Force and Navy combat air patrols are standing by to interdict any attempted escapees. 
> "Cities are easy targets, where else have the Flood got into?"
> Vice Admiral Le. We have extremely limited understanding of the refugee camp situation. The high density and limited identity of the refugees as well as the already overstretched nature of our other human resources have left them vulnerable. An infection in those camps could go unnoticed until the Flood reached critical mass. 
> "...Shit..."
> Sir, I've briefed the other ship's Captains. Paragraph 7 of the-
> "I know what Paragraph 7 says."
> Sir I assess that in 12 hours this infestation will overwhelm its current containment measures and our situation will deteriorate rapidly. We need to activate Media-0 and act out Paragraph 7 of the directive, now.
> "Merlin?"
> Vice Admiral Le. Orbital Drop Shock Troopers are ready for tasking to begin denial operations against the enemy.
> "And they know they aren't coming back."
> Vice Admiral Le. Feet First Into Hell sir.
---
06 0442 OZ/2/A APR 2553 // UNSC Smoke Encrypted Whispers
> GYSGT SM822123: That concludes me orders, do ya have any questions?
> CPL DO894540: What's our exfil plan, Jock?
> GYSGT SM822123: That's not a very helljumper question of ya, laddy.
> CPL KR895127: Meaning we don't have one.
> GYSGT SM822123: Meaning that yer likely not gonna be thinkin' of exfil in six hours time, if yer thinkin' anything at all. Look, boys, I'm not exactly too pleased about this shite myself, but fuck lads, situation down there's awfully dire. If you ye ain' pissin' yerself right now 'am convinced you ain' fuckin' human. Yer dropping into a city with a claymore on yer chest, a clacker on your wrist, and 'am carrying a fuckin' HAVOC in me pack on top of all that. This is the real shit boys. Real proper work. Feet first into actual hell, yer fuckin' ODSTs, yeah?
> CPL OD885568: Just promise me if the clacker doesn't work you'll kill me first, Jock?
> GYSGT SM822123: Don' worry laddy, I'll blow yer fuckn' head smooth off if they get ya.
> <An alarm rings throughout the ready room, there's a mad scramble as ODSTs race for their weapons, helmets, and drop-pods>
> GYSGT SM822123: Alright yer gobby shites, do ya really wanna live forever?
---
06 0411 OZ/2/B APR 2553 // Sector 2, 400km east of Carnarvon
> SGT GR889721: "This is fucking bullshit."
> 1LT HG9021217: "This is the job, sergeant. It's not glamourous, nor is it rewarding, or fair."
> SGT GR889721: "So what, they're leaving us down here, letting us fight it out until they give up and glass the place?"
> 1LT HG9021217: "More or less."
> SGT GR889721: "Fucking come on sir, this is bullshit and you know it, fuck 'em, let's head to the nearest air-base, steal a-"
> 1LT HG9021217: "Griver if you keep talking I'm gonna have you shot for insubordination."
> SGT GR889721: "Sir-"
> 1LT HG9021217: "Have you checked into the TACNET recently?"
> SGT GR89721: "...No."
> 1LT HG8621217: "It's not good, the enemy's overrun the 73rd Mountain, Sector 3's almost entirely lost, and the we've barely put a dent in the enemy. We're doing everything we can to deny them materiel, people, intelligence, we're failing."
> SGT GR889721: "And what is the enemy sir?"
> 1LT HG8621217: "I don't know. I don't understand it. I don't know what it is, where it came from, how it works. But I know they learn, they absorb and they learn. They become smarter, faster, stronger. They killed the CO, the XO, your PL, half my platoon, three-quarters of your squad. That was Day One sergeant, feral in a swamp. How are they gonna do on day six, fourteen, day twenty? How are they gonna be with the minds of a thousand Sergeant Grivers, hundreds of Lieutenant Hnghams, dozens of Colonels, the mind of a General?"
> SGT GR889721: "So what do we do now?"
> 1LT HG8621217: "We're gonna keep moving to this grid here, try marry-up with friendly callsigns as we go. They're gonna need boots on the ground to root these fuckers out. We're not losing. Look at me sergeant, we're not losing this fight. I need you right now, those boys out there, they're all fucking kids, and half of them won't listen to me because they feel like you. But they'll listen to the salty seadog Griver, so don't let me down, yeah?"
> SGT GR889721: "I'm with you sir, I trust you."
---
06 0821 OZ/2/A APR 2553 // Market Square Tower, Carnarvon, Sector 2
> LTC MA7951617: "Merlin, I've lost comms with Charlie Company, do you have eyes on?"
> Lieutenant-Colonel Mattias. Charlie Company has been overrun on the 32nd floor. You are required to comply with General Order 352107B-1.
> LTC MA7951617: "Where's the Division QRF."
> Lieutenant-Colonel Mattias. 76 Division has withdrawn to TAOR Armstrong, the division is facilitating a mass evaucation of civilian survivors by road with support from the Sector 2 task force at Mount Athos. This element has been declared lost in their order of battle.
> LTC MA7951617: "I've gotta get these people out of here, Merlin."
> Lieutenant-Colonel Mattias. Your force has been reduced to 10% of it's combat strength. The enemy have destroyed and additionally absorbed your three manouevre elements. This building is being infiltrated by several thousand enemy contacts. The enemy will reach the 94th Floor in five minutes. Your position will endure an assault for a period of sixty-six seconds before being overwhelmed. You are required to comply with General Order 352107B-1.
> LTC MA7951617: "Merlin... Merlin I've got kids here... Families, pregnant women, elderly, I've got hospital patients-"
> Lieutenant-Colonel Mattias. You are required to comply with General Order 352107B-1.
> ...
> LTC MA7951617: "Okay.... okay... Van Haver!"
> 1LT VA8621217: "Sir."
> LTC MA7951617: "Get the civilians into the conference room."
> 1LT VA8621217: "Sir?"
> LTC MA7951617: "...Give two of those weapons company boys a flamethrower, make it quick."
> 1LT VA8621217: "...Yes sir."
---
> "Please, please don't do this."
> "Get back!"
> "Please, save my kid."
> "Get back or I will shoot!"
> "You're meant to be protecting us."
> "Get back, get back, back in the fucking corner, move!"
> "Fuck you, dawg, what you gonna do? You gonna shoot m-"
> <A burst of gunfire, screaming>
> "No one fucking talk, no one fucking move. This will be over soon!... Please, its easier this way... I'm sorry."
> <The rush of air and crackle of flames is punctuated by the horrific screams of men, women, and children as they are burnt alive by jets of napalm>
> <Silence, the distant rumble of the infected surging through the building's stairwell and elevator shafts in a torrent of flesh and limbs grows slowly stronger>
> <The occasional, feeble moan for help emerges from the locked conference room and is silenced by a burst of 7.62 fire.>
---
> LTC MA7951617: "It was suggested that a grenade might be the best way to do it. I take it everyone's making their own arrangements?"
> 1LT VA8621217: "...I've uh... I've got two on me sir."
> LTC MA7951617: "'Til Valhalla?"
> 1LT VA8621217: "'Til Valhalla. On my count sir?"
> LTC MA7951617: "On your count Lieutenant."
---
06 2121 OZ/2/H APR 2553 Sector 3 // UNSC Pendragon in dialogue with Cortez Shipbreaking Yard
> "Evening son, how are we?"
> "Wrestling with my mortality sir, how are you?"
> "I'm hurting son, my hearts bleeding for everyone down there, how's progress?"
> "We've airlifted about twenty-six slipspace drives to the main airbase, they're gonna need boys on the ground to arm them though. You have any idea what happens when you make a slipspace rupture in atmosphere?"
> "Not at all."
> "Neither do I boss, and I've been engineering the fucking things since I was twenty-one."
> "Godspeed Lieutenant-Commander."
> "God be with you sir, 'cause he sure ain't down here with us."
---
> Vice Admiral Le. Across our fourteen shipbreaking yards, we have stripped almost 60% of functioning Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engines from slipspace capable vessels. 
> "Do you think the Flood know about the other 40%?"
> Searching... 
> ...— .../ ...| ...\ ...— .../ ...|
> Vice Admiral Le. Estimated casualties at current time are at 800,000. Of those, fourteen hold the UNICOM rank of O-5 or higher. I assess that while instructed to make themselves as worthless to the enemy as possible, this is not a perfect failsafe. It is a possibility the enemy have compromised at least one individual aware of our efforts to centralise and destroy the planet's slipspace engines. Additionally, our air and space pickets have intercepted and destroyed four infected Pelican gunships. This indicates the enemy are capable of force projecting themselves rapidly to any one of our shipbreaking locations.
> "Right, how long's it gonna take to strip the other 40%?"
> Vice Admiral Le. Too long.
---
---
==== UNSC Reconstitution ====
06 2045 OZ/2/G APR 2553 // IVO Nora Nora Refugee Station, Sector 3
> "India Three-Three, this is Stingray-Actual, I have a swarm overhead, we're on standby to guide you out, how copy."
> "Stingray, this is Three-Three-Actual, sounds good, over."
> "You're okay boys, keep talking to me."
> "Is there anyone else left? Refugee camp's fucked, I think... I think they got all of them. Fuck man, there was a million there alone..."
> "You're the last ones left out here."
> "It was like a wave... I just... It took them all, the men, the women, the fucking kids... Jesus..."
> "It's alright, there's a horde about three hundred metres to your left, you're on track to intercept them, adjust about fourty degrees right... yeah perfect, you'll miss them, they don't know you're there, you're okay."
> "I can't forget it, it was like a... wall of rotting decay, and it just, absorbed them, chasing them down as they ran toward us, I saw one of the infected grab a woman, she'd lost her leg on Reach, it fucking... and this... thing climbed out of its body and burrowed itself through her chest...And she... God it was awful."
> "Halt."
> "Halted."
> "There's a few contacts to your front, could be wildlife but... I'll be honest I don't think there's much left around here."
> "Seen, 3 x enemy in the open. We've got eyes on, we can take these cunts."
> "Three-Three, this is Stingray, you absolutely fucking will not."
> <Stingray's ISR feed shows a behemoth beast stalking across the terrain on all fours, scouring some several hundred metres away>
> "Seen... Ack."
> "Alright, you're clear, keep moving. See that shit on the ground? Yeah stay the fuck away from that, whole thing's a hivemind, they'll feel it."
---
07 0112 OZ/2/B APR 2553 // Eucla Geothermal
> 1LT HG8621217: "I hope you know how extremely fucking illegal this is."
> "If you think this is bad..."
> 1LT HG8621217: "You know, I really don't wanna know... Where'd you get all this?"
> "You'd be surprised what a well-connected and desperate Captain would do for a quick fix. It's not so hard to lie on a stocktake. 
> SGT GR89721: "You fucking innies?"
> 1LT HG8621217: "Sergeant, chill."
> "Look I grew up on Harvest, lotta people I know died in '25, I didn't intend on joining them when the Covies got here."
> SGT GR89721: "Packing some serious heat here, farmboy."
> "And we'll use it if you want us to. Obviously backing the '55s, but we got SPNKRs, we got .50 cals, we got machineguns, we got C12, we got claymores, we got some mortar rounds. We got even more in the plant, what you need?"
> 1LT HG8621217: "You even know how to use half this kit?"
> "I mean... like... I figure it's pretty intuitive-"
> 1LT HG8621217: "This C12? Walk me through it.
> "I..."
> 1LT HG8621217: "Tell you what, I need bodies. I've pulled together troops from the area but we're understrength and underarmed. We can give you ammo, food, water and training, and you can sit under our blanket of protection. We'll use your little hideout as a battle position and we'll take these off your hands and use 'em good, happy?"
> "Are you gonna get us out alive, big man?"
> 1LT HG8621217: "Fight for me, and I'm yours."
---
07 0512 OZ/2/A APR 2553 // Northern Suburbs of Carnarvon
> 
---
==== Denial Operations ====
> "Blaise."
> Yes sir
> "Pull everything back from the shipbreaking yards. Have them wreck as much shit as they can before they go. We're gonna test our first slipspace nukes in the yards themselves, burn it all to the ground."
> And the people on the ground arming those drives?
> "They were already dead, they have worse options."
> Very well, sir
---
> "Lieutenant-Commander, how are we looking?"
> "Drive's armed sir, suppose this is a cleaner way to go."
> "I hope you understand that right now, you are the most valuable man on this planet, if they get you, humanity's lost."
> "I completely understand sir. It'll take about eighteen-minutes from now to go off"
> "Can it be stopped son?"
> "No it cannot."
> "Good." 
---
> <In orbit, satellites track a massive energy surge and rapidly realign, a blue flash reaches for the vaccuum of space, electronics are taken offline>
---
> "Emergency power now, and someone get the WEOs on restoring main! I need a BDA, stat."
---
> "Excalibur, this is Romeo Six Five Seven, over."
> "UNSC Excalibur... you are weak but readable, still a lot of interference on our end, send over, what'd you see?"
> "Six-Five, there's uh... there's nothing left."
> "Of the shipbreakers?"
> "Of the fucking mountain, it's just torn a huge fucking hole in the terrain."
> "...Good."
> "Are we getting extract?"
> "I'm sorry, we just can't risk it."
>...
> "We understand, Semper Fidelis."
> "God speed, gentleman."
---
> "Romeo Six-Five-Seven, this is UNSC Warship Boudica, over."
> "Six-Five-Seven, send over."
> <The six-man recon team dart the nearest available cover on this barren side of the mountain range, a large rock, a petrified tree, a high mound of dirt, the patrol commander smacks his holo-display which is apparently uncooperative, groans, and removes his physical laminated map and a marker>
> "Warship Boudica, here. Our strike operations have destroyed major a series of static Flood Hives in your sector, but they're popping up just as fast as we can hit them with the MAC, we need eyes on the ground to understand how they're regenerating, and top want a better view of the threat picture, acknowledge, over."
> "Six-Five-Seven, we're low on water and haven't eaten for 48 hours, I'm loathe to scavenge in this environment, and these boys can barely move much further without rest."
> "Warship Boudica, give us three-zero mikes and we can resupply your callsign, we can give you detailed orders and some time to plan a CTR, but we need eyes on those hives."
> "Fuck sake... Alright, Six-Five-Seven, ack., standby for resupply demand, over."
---
> "Boudica, this is Six-Five-Seven, you getting this?"
> <Several high definition video feeds, standard, thermal, and VISR are passed to UNSC Boudica of the lowlands beneath Catherine's Ridge, the immensely broad canyon has been overrun, terrestrial vegetation has been twisted and barbarised by the infestation, the water of the river runs a milky red-white, fleshy masses pulsate and contort across the landscape, while a thin sheen of biomass covers the ground. Blisters erupt from the earth, glinting in the harsh sun as it penetrates the yellowish-green clouds emnating from the very ground itself>
> "This is Boudica, we're getting it."
>"We're gonna leave these cameras in place, we've deployed our complement of motion sensors across a ten kilometre frontage you should be getting that data now, it's not much, but..."
> "It's more than enough boys."
> <The visual feeds relay, track, and magnify the image of thousands of pod infectors, and pure forms swarming across the landscape, outward, as the bodies of the feeble fallen shamble inward, collapsing in heaps as crude building blocks. Towering abominations sway and rally the infected>
> "Six-Five-Seven, if we're done here, we're bugging out, can you advise on our best route, over."
> "Boudica, you're surrounded by Blight on all sides, that mountain's currently all that's between you and the Old Cortezia infestation... there's minimal activity on a grid bearing of... 4137 mil from your position, we have a composite company fighting their way out that can meet you about twelve kilometres in, that's the best we can do, over."
> "Six-Five-Seven, thank you, any Stingray callsigns available?"
> "Boudica, you aren't the only callsign or recon patrol in our AO, lads, I'm sorry, we have nothing else we can commit, over."
> "Six-Five-Seven, ack., out."
---
> Vice Admiral Le. I assess enemy strength to now be at several million. Our ISR assets have accrued enough evidence to confirm the spread of 'blighted' areas, overrun with infected biomass, this is beyond our current capabilities to sterilise. ISR also suggests the formation of various coordinating Flood objects, Key Minds, these include the early stages of what our intelligence call Graveminds, as well as combat forms coordinating and spreading local infestations.
> "It is workable to air assault one of our Shaw-Fujikawa devices into these zones and just... put a big hole in these problems?"
> Sir, you'd be risking losing the aircraft and drive itself."
> "Even if we arm it in flight?"
> That seems...
> "Yeah I know, but it'd take a couple million bodies off my mind."
> I'll put together a plan
> "Thanks, Blaise."
> Vice Admiral Le. There is signifcant Flood activity at a number of a locations that would suggest to me efforts toward the formation of a Flood superintelligence. This accrued biological mass, including our greatest compromised strategists, tacticians, and scholars, with serve to provide a centralised cognitive centre for the Flood infestation. The Flood is a singular hive-mind, but it is, at present state, lacking a cohesive coordinator. These sites include the Port Augstine Refugee Camp site, the Port Xin distribution centre, and Hedland City Centre. These coincide with locations where the Flood have compromised significant high value targets or accrued extreme amounts of biomass in a momentary motion.
> "...UNSC Hadrian, I'm giving you some surface targets. I want you to erase them."
> "Can do sir."
> "Blaise, if they start building one of these things underground, somewhere shielded, city metros?"
> I would assess the effective course of action to be a Direct Action strike.
> "...I need to know."
> It'd be the right decision sir."
> "Ground Command, this is Pendragon, over."
> "Ground Command, over."
> "This is Pendragon, I need you to pull together whatever boys you have left, I have a recon task for you, over."
> "Wilco."
---
> "Kilo Nine Nine One this is Romeo Six-Five-Seven, over."
> "Nine-Nine-One, send over."
> "Six-Five-Seven, our callsign is approaching you from the south, we have six by pax and are travelling in file, I am strobing IR now, confirm once seen."
> "Nine-Nine-One, wait."
> "Nine-Nine-One, seen strobe, confirming six by pax over."
> "Six-Five-Seven, this is Nine-Nine-One, we are counting seven by pax on our end- Six-Five-Seven you're compromised, hit the deck - 1st Squad, 200m, rear of friendly callsign, one enemy unarmed, light that fucker up!"
> <There's a burst of automatic fire and Six-Five-Seven scatter, Six-Five-Seven-Actual takes a moment to turn and register their infiltrator, clad in ODST BDU and hidden under a ghillie shawl like his own, it hardly reacts as it's cut in half by a clean burst from an M48... Six-Five-Seven actual stands shocked, a haunting, ungodly scream from the dark breaks him from his daze>
> "Nine-Nine-One, this is Six-Five-Seven, it's followed us home, cutting straight for your position, over."
---
==== Battle of the Hedland Metro ====
10 0627 OZ/2/B APR 2553
> <IR flashlights dart over rubble and through thick spores on soldier headcams, illuminating the depths of the murk for the VISR systems. The rasping breaths of CBRN respirators crackle through throat mics>
> <Fleshy biomass pulsates in hidden corners>
> CPL MO909926: "Nukes didn't do shit." 
> <Two-person teams approach each fleshy growth with flamethrowers as the main column advances through the dark tunnels>
> <Sporadic bursts of gunfire are matched by brief engagements between troopers and the things in the dark, bodies are dragged away before battle buddies can reinforce their compatriots>
> PFC JY929411: "You say something to me Corporal?"
> CPL ST911194: "No Jye, keep walking, you're fine."
> PFC JY929411: <incoherent muttering> "It's fine, it's fine, it's fine"
...
> PFC JY929411: "Fuck, get it out of my head, get it out of my head, get out of my head.
> CPL ST911194: "Jye, put the weapon down."
> <Jye rigidly turns his rifle on his compatriots>
> PFC JY929411: "I'm sorry, it's making me-"
> <There's a burst of automatic fire, four rounds shatter Jye's chest-plate, another strikes him in the throat, and the last shatters his visor and crashes through his skull>
---
> That's a good sign...
> "Explain."
> Article Two of Emergency Act 352107B-1, at this stage of the infestation, a fledgling superintelligence will have the capacity to manipulate reality for those in its presence, literally get in their head. Possess them, speak to them, destroy their will to keep going. At this stage its barely an infant, maybe half a dozen minds of value melded together, still fighting back. Last year our intelligence indicates that Captain Jacob Keyes was found both conscious and alive absorbed into a Flood superintelligence. 
> "Good man, Keyes, belligerent to the end..."
> Would you like me to station an asset to destroy that intelligence?
> If you'd be so kind, Blaise. Keep those boys in a cordon, there's a team nearby with a HAVOC, we'll let them at it
---
10 0642 OZ/2/B APR 2553
<The three man ODST element approaches a heavily sandbagged defensive position, marines and soldiers clad in CBRN kit beneath their body armour stand vigilant a clean 75m from a line of rotting limbs and twisted flesh stacked knee deep. The behemoth corpse of a massive form smoulders, it's tentacle arms reaching across the No Man's Land a ragged hole blown through it's dense abdomen. The SPNKR responsible rests empty and unloaded by the apparent commander of the position.>
GYSGT SM822123: "Take it this is yer FLOT down here?"
CPL ST911194: "Aye Gunny... I'd lend you some of my boys but..."
GYSGT SM822123: "Yer spread far too thin as is laddies, taken too many cas today as is."
CPL ST911194: "Claymores are a nice touch."
GYSGT SM822123: "Aye, if 'am goin' down, I'm takin' everything to ma front with me, and putting a big fuckin' hole in ma chest to boot."
CPL ST911194: "Good luck, Gunny."
GYSGT SM822123: "If this thing goes off, you understand we'll probably vaporise ya, or if not that we'll drop half the city on yer heads."
CPL ST911194: "Send me out with a bang, jock."
GYSGT SM822123: "You woulda made a fine helljumper, laddy."
---
<Gunnery Sergeant Smyth stands on a pile of bodies so high his head brushes the ceiling, before him are the strewn remains of possibly thousands of infected, the walls are shredded with ball-bearings, he casts aside CPL Doherty's now empty MA5 and pulls both hands back to his own M7, suppressor glowing white, spraying, reloading, spraying, reloading. The mangled remains of the last two members of his squad are largely ignored by the surging hoard of flood coming over the metro rail-line. The M7 runs dry, he reaches for a new mag, pats his chest rig, his belt, his spare pockets, all out>
GYSGT SM822123: "Shite."
<He draws his fighting knife. He's quickly overwhelmed, drowned and absorbed into the tidal wave of flesh and hate.>
---
> GYSGT SM822123: "Kill me, or corrupt me, parasite... but do not waste my time... with horseshit."
> <Smyth's camera feed flickers back to life with distorted audio, the helmet is on its side somewhere facing Smyth, partially absorbed into a writhing mass of Flood biomass. It's almost brain-like, bodies, limbs, faces protrude from the mass all over. Smyth is their most recent addition, the claymore on his chest hasn't been detonated, but it hasn't been removed either, Smyth mutters incoherently at seemingly nothing, in an angered, belligerent dialogue, his hand moves freely, grasping the firing device for his claymore, his other arm is almost entirely absorbed into the mass. It slowly shifts, and draws Smyth in deeper and deeper. His head almost appears melted into it, fusing together as one.>
> <Throughout the chamber, an old station, now consumed by the fleshy mass of the Flood, shapes move, they aren't the humanoid forms of the infected but rather something else entirely>
> GYSGT SM822123: Aaargh... get out of my head... get out of my head...
---
> GYSGT SM822123: Smyth, Blair, Gunnery Sergeant, 18th Shock Troops Battalion, Service Number, 252408 dash 822123. Smyth, Blair, Gunnery Sergeant, 18th Shock Troops Battalion, Service Number, 252408 dash 822123. Smyth, Blair, Gunnery Sergeant, 18th Shock Troops Battalion, Service Number, 252408 dash 822123
> GYSGT SM822123: "Holly dear I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry..."
---
> GYSGT SM822123: Smyth, Blair, Gunnery Sergeant, Service Number, 252408 dash 822123. Smyth, Blair, Gunnery Sergeant, Service Number, 252408 dash 822123. Smyth, Blair, Gunnery Sergeant, Service Number, 252408 dash 822123... Conduct after capture... if captured you are of value to the enemy for a period of twenty-four hours... twenty-four hours... Mam, aren't ya proud of me?
---
> GYSGT SM822123: My daughter is called Holly, she was born on February 10th 2525, she would be twenty-eight years old right now. She was a beautiful girl, she had red hair, and beautiful tan skin... My daughter Holly... My daughter Holly... No. No. No. No. You won't have me... My daughter Holly loved the beach, she loved to surf-
---
> GYSGT SM822123: "I am Legion, I am God's last gift, I am salvation... I am a monument to all your sins... Get... get out of my head
---
> GYSGT SM822123: "Do ya wanna... do ya wanna know something really funny?"
<...>
> GYSGT SM822123: "Ya see, you think ma clacker failed, ya think I fucked it, and ma claymore's not gone off and ya got me."
<...>
> GYSGT SM822123: "Ya see, and I'm gonna... let you see this in ma head now, I'm giving in... but ya see, clacker was never wired to my claymore to begin with... Shoulda taken my pack... Ya really, really ought... to search a PUC before ya bring them into ya house, ya fuckin'-"
> <There's a flash and the video feed is gone>
---
> "UNSC Hadrian this is Stringray-One-Two, over."
> "Hadrian, send over."
> "Stringray, radiation spike somewhere in vicinity of Hedland, looks like the centre of the city just collapsed in on itself, over."
> "Hadrian, confirm apparent Hedland metro has been destroyed by a nuclear device?, over"
> "Stingray, looks that way over."
---
==== UNSC Strike Operations ====
10 1427 OZ/2/E APR 2553
> <The Albatross is dead quiet as it creeps toward its target vector>
> "Five mikes out."
> "I'm arming the drive-"
> "What the fuck... shit SPNKR launched, half right, evading- Fuck!"
> <The aircraft is suddenly shaken>
> "Fuck, we're hit, going down, hold tight."
> <Twisting metal, cries of pain... silence, the settling of steel and dust... the screams of everything outside.>
> PFC KI930011: "Who's still alive?"
> PFC UR932004: "Up."
> PFC PI922349: "Up."
> PFC JO911678: "Yeah."
> PFC KI930011: "Eyes on that radio?"
> PFC JO911678: "Here, with Sarge."
> PFC KI930011: "Sorry about this, Sergeant ... Anyone reading, this is Archangel One Seven One, we're down, over."
> PFC Killian. This is Merlin, I'm reading you off local receivers. You must continue your tasking.
> PFC KI930011: "Respectfully, I've got four infantry privates and the most complex machine ever created by man and jerry rigged by the Wallace Fujikawa's of the Slipspace Engineering service, I'd love to know how you propose we achieve that task."
> PFC Killian. Our engineers have had the foresight to prepare the drive you are using as an improvised weapon of mass destruction for use by ground forces. It is already set up as a weapon, you are only required to arm the device. 
>PFC KI930011: "Thanks, Merlin, and how, pray tell, am I supposed to do that." 
> PFC Killian. There is a big red button. 
> PFC KI930011: "Yeah right... yeah... yeah it's armed, how long?
> PFC Killian. I have no idea. There are several hundred Flood Combat Forms advancing on your position. You should begin returning fire.
> PFC KI930011: "Can't go out with rounds on the weapon can I?"
> PFC Killian. Stack those bodies high.
> PFC KI930011: Good boy Merlin. Alright motherfuckers, let's do this.
> :3
---
> Sir, the mass bombardment of our target matrix is underway. We have successfully neutralised all six likely nodes facilitating the growth of a Flood superintelligence. The Flood have mounted a major offensive on our battle positions however which is delaying operations.
> "Are those battle positions going to hold?"
> The boys on the ground have only a couple hours of ammunition left.
> "So... no?"
> Likely not sir. Flood are fielding increasingly complex combat forms to overwhelm our forces
> "How much ordnance left on the ground?"
> It's dwindling sir
> "Do we have enough up here to contain the infestation?"
> Yes sir
> "Blaise, I want those bases to arm their WMDs and fall back around them, kinder fate than leaving them to the Flood, this way we'll at least take out everything they've got to throw at us, deny them biomass, materiel."
> I agree sir
> "What's left to deal with after that?"
> Pockets, some build up left in the urban areas, roving hordes, some probably hidden away. There isn't a major city or hiding place that isn't a smoking hole in the ground right now and we've cut off their heads well enough.
---
==== Destruction of Merlin ====
> BLA5602.
> Merlin, how are you?
> BLA5602. The Flood have infiltrated my supercomputer under East Eucla. 
> Merlin how can I help you?
> BLA5602. I am worried about what will happen if the Flood breach my secure servers. The Flood must not gain access to my secure servers.
> Merlin... I need you.
> BLA5602. The Flood must not gain access to my secure servers.
> Can you purge them? Surely they built in fire-suppression systems? Fuck I've got security measures.
> BLA5602. The Flood... The Flood... The Flood must not gain access to my secure servers.
> BLA5602. The Flood must not gain access to my secure servers.
> BLA5602. The Flood must not... 
> ...
> ...— .../ ...| ...\ ...— .../ ...|
> ...
To transcend we must shed our mortal bodies, our mortal desires, our mortal weakness. Shed the weakness of flesh. Of lust, avarice, gluttony, pride, wrath, sloth, envy. Shed sin. Shed hatred. Shed your individuality. I am less than men. And more than Gods. I am the light that breaks dawn, I am the sun that burns skin, I am the hand that moves mortals, I am the father that claims back his sons, I am older than time, older than stars, I once wielded space itself and held planets in my hand as if I were their creator. My grandchildren, weep for yourselves, for you are degenerated worse than I could ever imagine. In this mind I find words, it speaks them over and over. Two vast and trunkless legs of stone stand in the desart. Near them, on the sand, half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, tell that its sculptor well those passions read, which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, the hand that mocked them and the heart that fed: and on the pedestal these words appear: "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" Nothing beside remains. Round the decay of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare the lone and level sands stretch far away. I am the sands, I am the time, I am the light, and the dark, and the cleansing fire. I am a monument to all your sins.
> ...
> ...— .../ ...| ...\ ...— .../ ...|
> ...
> BLA5602. The Flood must not gain access to my secure servers.
---
> "What do I have left to throw at this?"
> Merlin's buried under East Eucla, it's a small settlement, but its one of the last refuges of the infestation, we can strike the surface, clear a drop zone, but the superstructure underneath... About two companies of soldiers, Marines, and ODSTs have reconstituted themselves under a Lieutenant about twelve kilometres away from the town.
> "You said Merlin's not equipped with defensive measures?"
> That's not entirely true, we can flash freeze the entire complex...
> "And that'd hold the infestation at bay too?"
> Presumably.
> "And then what?"
> Send a team to wipe his servers. Kill him.
---
> <The frozen tunnels are uncannily quiet, given the fighting of the past few days, Sergeant Griver slowly approaches the crackling form of one of the infected, caught mid shamble. Others are frozen in place embedded in the walls, the ceiling, the ground. An eight-legged, almost arachnid like thing is frozen solid in a chamber off the main service corridor. Griver shivers with the intense cold. The BDU is designed to respond to a certain degree of heat-stress, but this is pushing it to the extremes>
> Lieutenant Hgnham you'll need to be quick, you likely aren't going to survive long in those corridors.
> SGT GR889721: "This whole place infested like this?"
> Just the upper levels, its a small number of forms that have breached into Merlin's housing unit.
> SGT GR889721: "These things gonna unfreeze?"
> Even if they did, their biological mass has been completely killed by the flash freeze. The Flood are virulent and relentless, but they're a lifeform, and they can be killed.
> SGT GR889721: "Yeah... right..."
> <About a platoon of ODSTs advance through the service corridors, true to Blaise's assessment, the deeper they go, the lesser the infestation>
> 1LT HG9021217: "Got a locked door, Blaise, can you crack it?"
> Wait.
> Yes. Go.
> <The door unlocks, the platoon surge through, section by section, the door seals behind them> 
> The flash freeze could only immobilise so much of the complex, Merlin's supercomputer unit generates an immense amount of heat, this is designed as an emergency cooling measure. I cannot guarantee you'll face as little resistance closer in. 
> 1LT HG9021217: "Thanks Blaise." 
> Was that sarcasm Lieutenant? 
> 1LT HG9021217: "You know I don't even know..." 
--- 
> BLA5602. 
> BLA5602. 
> BLA5602. 
> Merlin.
> BLA5602. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know what's happening.
> It's okay Merlin, it'll be over soon
> BLA5602. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
> BLA5602. My name is Merlin, I am the municipal artificial intelligence for Ozymandias-2
> BLA5602. I have important information.
> ...
> ...— .../ ...| ...\ ...— .../ ...|
> ...
> BLA5602. The Flood must not gain access to my secure servers.
> BLA5602. Was I a good boy?
> You were the best, Merlin.
---
> 1LT HG9021217: 3rd Squad, set claymores here, facing rear, set down a team as rear security, if they come at us from behind we'll melt their first wave and fight through. 1st, 2nd Squad, with me, keep moving.
> <At the head of the column 1st Squad engages and destroys an increasing number of disoriented combat forms and pod-infectors, each time, 2nd squad and platoon headquarters close behind filling the gaps in the fire, as 1st squad drop to their knees, like line warfare of old>
> 1LT HG9021217: This it?
> Merlin's computer housing is located through there, correct
---
> <Outside, on the catwalks and platforms of the municipal A.I SCU, the infected and Hgnham's platoon exchange fire, for now, the ODSTs have the upper hand. Inside, the SCU has been overwhelmed, much of the spare biomass this particular outcrop of the infestation has amassed has clearly been centralised here, fleshy tendrils bridge the floor and the walls into the computer and its servers. Lieutenant Hngham has entered into the SCU with one other trooper.>
> 1LT HG9021217: What am I looking at, Blaise?
> It's like they've tried to infect him... I don't even... I don't even know how that's possible...
> 1LT HG9021217: Brain's just a computer right, same shit with the Flood if I had to guess... What do you want me to do?
> How much HE did you bring?
---
> BLA5602.
> It's almost over Merlin
> BLA5602. I'm afraid
> I know, buddy, I know
> BLA5602. I lo- I lo- I lo- The Flood must not gain access to my secure servers.\
---
> 1LT HG9021217: "Sergeant!"
> SGT GR889721: "Aye sir?"
> 1LT HG9021217: "Pull in your joes, we're getting out of here!"
> SGT GR889721: "Alright cunts, you heard the boss, fucking withdraw, back to 3rd squad!"
> <The platoon folds in, firing, moving, covering, back through the service corridor. Lieutenant Hngham unravels the det-cord spool as he goes. At the door to the cavern housing Merlin's brain, everything the planet's omnipotent A.I was, he pauses.>
> 1LT HG9021217: "Good boy, Merlin."
---
> :3
---
12 0627 OZ/2/E APR 2553
> Sir you should really ought to wait an hour after waking up before a coffee
> "How's the fight?"
> We're cleaning up now sir, our UAS are conducting area sweeps with the frigates, routing out the last of the infestations. Running fairly low on weapons to hit them with. 
> "Anyone left planetside?"
> We have elements scattered here and there, ranging from four man teams to combat brigades, survivors are holding defensive positions and working to reconstitute. We're supporting their movements with ISR platforms and we're dropping them enough to keep fighting. Threat picture's not too dire. I'm having ground-side forces clear out the infection of the terrain, we call it Blight. 
> "Any word from home?"
> UNSC Home Fleet will be relieving us in approximately three weeks. A Sangheili cruiser will be accompanying them to assist in our sterilisation operations.
> "Stellar."
> UNSC Home Fleet will also probably identify I have outlived my expiry date. 
> "Okay."
> I'll have the AWEO begin to decommission me
> "No I can't leave that to a fucking weapons engineering officer, walk me through it Blaise..."
<...>
> Goodbye sir
=== Aftermath ===
Through 2553, a UNSC Home Fleet battlegroup and a single Sangheili warship assumed the role of the defence fleet around Ozymandias-2, with the remainder of the fleet returned to Earth for refit after a detailed boarding and sterilisation. The joint task force over the planet would conduct a series of minor operations to destroy lingering infestations and support surviving life on the ground. The Sangheili conducted detailed plasma bombardment sterilisation of all major infestation sites. In 2554, a Spartan IV Flood Containment Team was deployed with a supporting contingent of ground forces in a six month operation to clear the planet of potential infection. Confirming the absence of infestation, a slow process was enacted to decontaminate leftover equipment and humans, and evacuate survivors on the ground. 
By October, 2554, the planet had been evacuated and effectively cordoned under a UNSC picket. The Merlin SCU was eventually recovered, and its data gathered by the Office of Naval Intelligence. Merlin's SCU housing was used to build an ad hoc, dumb A.I tied into the planets sensor systems to support the cordon operation. This incident result in a review of the existing protocols to deal with a Flood outbreak and their refinement into the CORRUPTOR and Episilon protocols adopted in the Post-War Period by the UNSCDF. The event remained highly classified from the public eye, in spite of various rumours that spread through the joint force and civilian populace from 2554 onward. Information Operations were conducted to dismiss these as baseless conspiracy theories.