Return to Sender:
Outside Cairo a massive fleet of Covenant Capital Ships began to descend towards Earth. The Mac cannons onboard the Athens and Molta began to piercing through the Covenant fleet, causing massive explosions. Dozens of Short Sword fighters engaged the Banshees fliers. It was all out battle on outside as well as the inside of the station.
Within the station, Cortana was given the order to get MAC gun online. She tapped into the access port and brought cannon online. The Mac cannon joined the others in dwindling the Covenant fleet, victory seemed imminent. Suddenly there was explosion and a shockwave hit the Cairo. Cortana began to do analysis sweep, she discovered that the Molta was gone, nothing but debris remained. As she did some more cross checking another explosion came from Athens. Lord Hood opened frequency
Lord Hood: What was that?
Cortana: An explosion.. it came from inside the Athens.. it must have been something the Covenant brought with them.. a bomb.
Lord Hood: Then they sure as hell brought one here. Chief find it.
Meanwhile Master Chief had finished mopping up the rest of Covenant boarding parties in Docking Bay B. Chief received the transmission from Lord Hood. Chief quickly ran down some stairs into corridor. There he encountered two Elites with group of Grunts. Chief opened fire with his duel wield SMGs. The bullets bounced off the Elite's shields until they where depleted.
Chief plowed through the Grunts and killed the remaining Elites. He hen made his way into one armories. There he acquired a Battle Rifle and Shotgun. Chief pressed through into one of larger room fortified with Covenant troops. is rifles' barrel was blazing as he picked off his enemies. Nothing seemed able to stop this Spartan from reaching his objective.
Meanwhile Cortana began transmitting to Master Chief.
Cortana: Chief.. I've located something in the lower hanger. It might be the bomb.. give me a moment.
After a pause.
Cortana: Chief It's defiantly the bomb! Hurry there isn't much time left!
Master Chief made his way to elevator where he was confronted by pack of Drones. Chief ducked behind a metal crate as the plasma fire hurled overhead. Leaning against the crate chief opened fire upon the Drones, causing them to drop like flies. He then made his way down to elevator where he confronted several more enemies. Chief then made his way outside of the station in Zero G. Chief then made his way to door on the other side of station. There he entered elevator down to lower hanger.
Surrounding the bomb was group of Elites bent on protecting the bomb at all cost. Chief heard Cortana warning prior "There’s a large group of Elites guarding the bomb.. so you might need to get creative."
Chief rushed in barrels blazing. The Elites began to return fire. Chief headed under a structure and waited. He prepared a plasma grenade. Then in flash Chief came out of hiding and threw the sticky grenade and stuck one of Elites. He then picked two other off with his BR and charged the last remaining one and melee him. Chief then turned his attention to bomb. On port near bomb Cortana appeared.
Cortana: Me inside your head now!
Master Chief placed is hand on port and transferred Cortana to his implants. He then walked over to bomb and put his hand on port. The red blinking light turned a soft blue.
Chief: How much time was left?
Cortana: Trust me you don't want to know..
Master Chief looked at the bomb and got an idea. He communicated Lord Hood.
Chief: Sir.. permission to leave the station.
Hood: For what purpose Master Chief?
Chief: To give the Covenant back there bomb.
Hood: Permission granted.
Master Chief then dragged the heavy Bomb into the elevator. The elevator began to desend.
Cortana: I know what your thinking and It's crazy.
Chief: So stay here.
Cortana: Unfortunately for us both.. I like crazy.
The elevator stopped and the door opened. Chief dragged the bomb into a hanger. There he looked out large hanger door and saw space battle. Approaching close to the Cairo was Covenant capital ship. Chied steped over to a control pad and prepared to pull the emergency override.
Cortana: What if we miss?
Chief: I won't..
Master Chief pulled the latch and two large doors opened. The bomb began to be sucked out like vacuum. Chief grabbed ahold of one the bomb as it was pulled into space. He then hanging on drifted toward the Covenant ship. The Covenant ship began to fire one of It's cannons hitting a UNSC ship near Master Chief. The explosion nearly engulf him. As Master Chief drifted toward the Covenant ship, several Longsworth Bombers hammered a part of Covenant ship making an opening to engines. Master Chief lead the Bomb toward the fusion core and activated the bomb. He then pushed off from it and drifted away as the Covenant ship exploded into a blue haze.
Master Chief then landed on an Amber Clad. On board was Miranda Keyes and SGT Avery Johnson.
Johnson: For a brick he flew pretty good..
Miranda: Chief get inside.. were taking this fight to the surface.
Note: A good deal of this post is from Halo 2's first level Cairo Station and I've recited most of it by memory. However It is abridged and has original elements added by me.
