Chapter 6: Pure of heart
UNSC Infinity hanger bay
October 3rd 2728

"You going to see if he's over there?"

Hicks stopped putting on his armor and looked up at Fernando.

"I'll take that as a yes." He said.

"We've known each other for 200 years! If he is over there I'm shoving him put the airlock!"

"He might be able to be persuaded."

"You of all people should know that we shoot to kill. We give traitors no second chances."

"And that's our fighting spirit. But you of all people should know that this method of traitor removal leads only to hatred and sadness."

"When did you become a Jedi?"

"I just know we've been a team for 200 years. We fought everything from Covenant to poachers to Innies to Equestrian spirits. And we always came out together as a team! I know Anthony can be a tough SOB and an addict at that but nobody is unredeemable. Look at Samborn. She's hated you since training! But we forgave each other."

"Only with a blast of magic or energy or radiation whatever the hell the elements are!"

"I know but think about her."

Hicks cringed.

"Your training is what took her away from you."

Hicks picked up the nearest rocket launcher and thrust it i to Fernando's arms.

"So how are we gonna do this?" Fernando asked.

"Do you have to say that every time?" Hicks said with a smirk.

UNSC Pelican Sigma 142
en route to the Pure of Heart

Adorned in armor was Hicks and Fernando. Hicks preferred the original MJOLNIR mark VI helmet and armor design though upgrades to the mark 9. Fernando however wore the Hayabusa mark VI design.

Hicks held his MA5B that he had recently painted cerulean. Fernando had his trusty golden desert eagle, a rocket launcher, and a Spartan laser.

The pelican zoomed pass the last Cruiser as the Shining armor blew it apart with its plasma beam projectors. The ship exploded as the beam sliced through the engine core.

The Pure of Heart had been sliced in the coolant tanks and its primary thrusters. The engine core was exposed. The blue glowing core was leaking its drive plasma. The hanger was melted open by the plasma fire it sustained. The pelican squeezed through the twisted metal and landed in the hanger.

The pelican opened and the 2 Spartans jumped out. The hanger was covered in soot and warped metal.

"We'll be lucky that the door works." Hicks said.

"This is why the Infinity-IV is better than III! Better firepower!"

Hicks tried to open the door via terminal but no.

"This is not how you infiltrate enemy ships!" Fernando then slammed with all of his might into the door.

The door caved in but there was another door on the other side.

"An airlock."

Hicks tapped the controls and activated a force field where the door they just destroyed was so that they wouldn't be blown into space when they reached air. The door opened and standing there was Nacho.

"D-Don't move." Nacho stammered.

"Take us to your leader!" Fernando said.

"You haven't changed a bit in these many years have you Fernando." Nacho said.

"Last I saw you was in the Harvest campaign."

"Big things happened there."

"Yes they did." Hicks said.

"Anthony's gone mad!" Nacho said. "He's got a portal onboard getting endless Psycho,
Mentats, and Jet. And I don't even want to mention what he's been doing to Samborn."

"Good God." Fernando said.

"Now how do you feel about redeeming him?"

"He's got a grudge against you." Nacho said. "That fight back on the Infinity, he feels as though he needs those drugs to at optimum performance."

"He's a Spartan! He's one of the smartest and strongest in the fleet!"

"Yeah no. He just likes being high. And he'll keep being so unless you destroy this ship, his army, and him. He's made up his mind and he'll kill you, the UNSC, and anybody who stands between him and his drugs."

Hicks's intercom crackled to life.

"Son, the next fleet has arrived you might want to take care of whatever your doing and get out of there because when the plasma starts a' flying you might get caught in the crossfire."

"On it dad." Hicks looked over to Nacho. "Take us to him."

"Yes sir!"

They walked to the turbo-lift and entered it. Most of it was wiped out from the damage done to the ship.

"Most of the crew mutinied when we fired on the Infinity. The end result led to Anthony sealing himself in the portal room. Thing is no living biological matter can pass through it. So he sends weapons through and drugs come out. The portal is in the armory. What's weird is if you go though the portal it will remove dead skin cells and it's kinda Awesome!"

The turbo lift stopped. When it opened it revealed a red painted door. With the blue words 'Armory' painted on it.

"I have the cure to sealed doors." Fernando pulled out his Spartan laser.

He crouched on his heels and charged the laser as it was aimed at the door. Pure red energy pulsed at the tip of the weapon and it lashed at the door. The door turned into orange goop and exploded.

When the dust cleared they saw Anthony in his armor minus the helmet injecting himself with some psycho, while inhaling some jet, at the same time chewing on some Mentats, and drinking some Brazilian ale.

"Anthony!" Hicks yelled.

He turned around. His eyes were bloodshot from the massive amount of toxins in his system.

"Well, well. Admiral Hicks." He said in a slurred voice. "You come to fight or surrender?"

"You're a traitor. If you come quietly I can let you off with just being court marshaled."

"No I'm sorry but I won't be complying today."

"So let's go!" Fernando said.