1225 HOURS, NOVEMBER 15, 2554 (UNSC MILITARY CALENDAR)
HALO INSTALLATION: SIRCA--QOPPA--FREELANCER HEADQUARTERS

The Freelancer facility rocked from the detonation of charges Agent California had set in place. The blast echoed through the halls, and the debris from the collapsed entrance made any HADES breach nearly impossible as the remaining Freelancers took defensive positions. For a brief moment, there was a sense of accomplishment on buying themselves time among the defenders as dust and smoke obscured the outside.

The reprieve was short-lived as Tysiac sprinted into the atrium and gave a single leap up to join Wash on the upper floor. Wash shot the Spartan a grim look, "Raff's reporting in from the watchtower: We got four vans and a Scorpion rolling up and the front gates were fried."

Not the kind of news Tysiac wanted to hear. Four vans meant plenty of bodies and equipment to nab and run with. His voice became sharp as his expression behind his helmet darkened, "Scorpion, you mean the Main Battle Tank Scorpions?"

Wash gave a nod, which made Tysiac give a grumble, "What else have you Chupas nicked from that UNSC ship?" His mind went over what he knew: Scorpion MBTs, heavy armored, 90mm High-Velocity cannon, and a coaxial machine gun or pintle-mounted machine gun turret depending on the variant... "The debris won't hold, it'll blow through like paper."

Tysiac leaned over the railing, calling down to the main floor, "Get everyone down the hall somewhere else to defend from, the shell will plow right through the defenses there."

Agent Indiana chimed in through the radio, which Tysiac quickly picked up and keyed into with his helmet's comm systems, "Can't slow them down without getting blasted from up here."

"Don't bother," Tysiac replied, giving Wash a slight jump from the sudden addition and how quickly the Spartan had tapped into the radio frequency, "Stay hidden until the shooting happens." He turned to Wash, "Second the tank clears the debris, we'll need concentrated fire at the infantry before they reinforce the breach."

"The hell are you going to do?" Wash frowned as some of the Freelancers on the first floor had picked themselves up and started shuffling and scrabbling to new places to hide and defend from. A few even picked up some of the furniture to add them elsewhere.

Tysiac's eyes glanced towards one of the shattered windows nearby, leading out to the rooftop of the front entrance where HADES was taking shelter under, "Finishing this fight."

Wash only responded with confusion as he watched the Spartan move towards the window. His confusion shifted to alarm, "Wait--what are you doing?!" He demanded, moving after him and keeping pace.

Tysiac ignored him as he easily broke the remaining glass that was still in the window frame and peered out. Through the rising dust and with his ANUBIS-helmet's advanced sensors, the Scorpion tank was positioned about a hundred meters from the debris pile, its cannon trained on the blockade. Four vans were parked in a semi-circle behind the tank, with a few HADES infantry taking positions around the tank and vans with more moving away from the blockade. They were setting up their assault and he didn't have much time.

Wash tried to put one of his clawed hands on Tysiac's armored shoulder only for the shielding to stop him, "Damnit Spartan, what are you planning?"

Tysiac pushed through the shattered frame and landed on the roof, the smoke keeping him hidden from the HADES forces as he replied, "Stay with the others and focus on holding out, I'll deal with the tank."

The Chupadore's reaction told Tysiac that he may as well have told him he's calling a danger-close airstrike as Wash could only watch and mutter. Tysiac didn't give attention to the Freelancer as he climbed to the far side of the atrium's rooftop, finding a vantage point with multiple clear lines of fire.

While numerous and reinforced with a Scorpion MBT, with the variant having the pintle-mounted machine gun turret, one HADES Chupadore gunner already in it, they were spread out and distracted by their efforts and preparation.

Tysiac shifted his shoulders just a little, and rolled his neck as he muttered to himself. Waiting, "Now then..."

He didn't need to wait long, as soon the Scorpion's main cannon aimed and delivered a thunderous explosion that echoed across the base and the desert. The deafening blast reduced the makeshift barricade to a smoldering firework of debris that scattered in every direction. Tysiac had been correct in guessing the tank round's trajectory as it smashed through the abandoned hallway's defenses and tore into the elevator doors and pinned the elevator's interior against the wall.

The firefight began in earnest as the Freelancers returned fire from within. Their gunfire making the HADES troops' assault into the breach slow and risky. Though that wouldn't last if Tysiac allowed the Scorpion to line and fire again.

Tysiac moved from his elevated position, opening fire with precision with the MA5D. His rounds found their marks easily as the HADES soldiers fell and scrambled to find cover. The Spartan's unexpected presence and attack caused confusion. The commanding officer peeked from the cover he found. His appearance tall and imposing with ornate decorations to his armor as he bellowed past his helmet at the Spartan, "Relic Bearer! Surrender the sacred artifacts!"

The Spartan scoffed. As if.

Tysiac reloaded with mechanical precision and speed. His energy shields flared as stray rounds struck him, but he paid them no mind. The HADES commanding officer shouted orders, rallying his troops, "Focus fire! Bring him down!"

The HADES' concentrated fire barely did much as the Spartan leapt from the rooftop, his heavy armor delivering a concrete cracking thud as he moved towards the Scorpion tank. The officer quickly realized Tysiac's intent, even at the Spartan's unnerving speed towards the tank as he shouted his orders. Yet despite the concentrated fire, Tysiac's shielding kept him safe enough as he weaved his way towards the tank, his MA5D cutting down and returning fire with efficiency.

The tank's gunner was frantic as he tried to cut the Spartan down, but the advancing super soldier was too fast for the machine gun turret to track. Tysiac gave a leap onto the tank's hull and lashed out with his MA5D against the gunner before tearing open the hatch's entrance of the tank itself. The driver of the tank barely had time to yell in panic before he had the collar of his armor grappled with and thrown halfway across the base.

Tysiac's shielding just nearly failed as he hopped in, finding the controls no different than any other Scorpion MBT and quickly turned the heavy armored vehicle on the HADES troops, backing the tank up to not allow them an equally easy time boarding him.

The troops scattered in a panic, now finding themselves not just against an armored and shielded enemy, but now with their tank turned against them. The first roar of the cannon's shot exploded and destroyed one of the nearby vans, killing a small cluster of HADES forces. The armored van had no chance of withstanding the direct impact as the growing sound of engines soon joined the rumbling of the tank and Tysiac's radar picking up friendlies behind him.

A Mongoose skidded into the base, carrying Constance into the fray as she one handed her rifle at the HADES troops. Following close behind was the distinctive roar of a Warthog engine, solidifying the arrival of the Movement.

As Tysiac leveled and let the cannon roar again, the impact against the crater behind one van delivering a lethal shroud of concrete fragmentation on the HADES troops hiding there, the Warthog burst into view, the short and red-furred Chupadore of Sarge let his shotgun fire and a holler. Just behind the Warthog carrying the Reds came a jeep carrying militia, adding their own firepower to the assault as Simmons used the chaingun turret.

Tysiac didn't pay much attention to Sarge's enthusiasm as he finished the counterassault with one more swivel of the tank's turret and firing on the remaining and retreating cluster of HADES forces, ensuring there was no survivor to tell Omega of his presence and his failure of obtaining the base.

The sound of a Mongoose ULAT engine came to an idling stop near the Scorpion as Tysiac left the tank. Constance looked up at him coming out with disbelief and exasperation, "Seriously? You hijacked a Scorpion tank?"

Tysiac looked down to her and with a hidden scoff and smile, his memories hazing over his eyes a slight bit as he asked, "Were you expecting me to pull something else out of my pocket?"

Constance rolled her eyes but didn't retort in a small smile as Sarge hopped out of the Warthog and gave a gleeful grin, "Now that's what I call a battle! Genuine Scorpion beauty under Red control! Blues oughta be shakin' in their boots!"

Grif groaned as he leaned against the driver seat, "Great... Just great. Now we're stuck lugging this thing around... Dibs on Simmons getting tank maintenance."

"T-pW-Why me?!" Simmons sputtered.

Constance shook her head as she had to turn her attention away from the Reds, "It's a circus with you three..."

Tysiac barely registered much of the banter, the cheery attitude not something he was used to indulge in, as he gave a quick check on the formerly active battlefield. The scent of scorched metal and ozone still lingered in the air as the dust began to settle as one destroyed van was still smoldering and burning from the violent impact from a tank round. A few craters in the concrete pocketed near the entrance of the facility, including the Spartan's heavy landing from the rooftops.

Tysiac hopped down, cracking the concrete again and adding another small crater in his landing as he told Constance, "We're keeping the tank. But it's good you came, Cons'. We've got new 'recruits' and intel to crack."

The Spartan paused, his mind catching onto what his mouth had said, remembering that this Constance wasn't the same woman he knew. The Chupadore woman gave a jerking and twitch of her tail as her expression turned slightly unreadable a bit from his words and how he addressed her. An awkward silence lingered between the two before Constance gave a small jerking nod of her head as Tysiac moved back to the facility.

The two made their way past the debris-strewn corridor to find Wash and York rounding up the Freelancers inside. Wash's armor was streaked in soot and his tail was still bristling as he demanded, "What the hell was that, Tysiac?! Is there an actual brain in there or you had a death wish, taking that tank alone??"

York chuckled as he swayed and leaned heavily against Wash, the height difference making Wash struggle, "Not gonna lie, big guy. That's a hell of a show you put on for us. But yeah, you either got flairs for the dramatics or a death wish."

Tysiac merely gave a small huff at the two, "That's just how Spartans work. And I'm only getting started." He gave a small motion with his head, "Let's check whether the elevator's still usable. We've got work to finish before we leave the facility."

Constance took a small look around before giving an unhappy huff, "And where's Tex? Did she disappear again?"

The Spartan shook his head, "No. She's stewing in the brig. Beth's not thrilled I left her out of the fight. And after what we've uncovered... There's a lot to discuss."

Red vs Blue © Rooster Teeth. Halo © 343 Industries. Concept by Myshu, assisted by The Department of Chupapology.