Blunt Instruments

The cover of Blunt Instruments as illustrated by Bryn Casey

Blunt Instruments is the sixth short story in Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe. Written by Fred Van Lente, the story shows Spartan Team Black when the demolition of a Covenant Beacon on Verge goes terribly awry.

[edit] Plot

Sometime during the Human-Covenant War, Team Black is sent to eliminate a heavily-fortified Covenant Beacon within the ruins of Ciudad de Arias on the UNSC Colony world, Verge, in order to cut off supply of Helium-3 to Covenant ships blockading Tribute.^[1] While finding a safe room for Team Black to sleep in before the Op, Black-Two discovers a mutilated Yanme'e, nicknamed Hopalong, lying on its back and struggling to help itself up. When Black-Two decides to flip the Drone over to gain intelligence, Hopalong upgrades her translation systems so that they could communicate.^[2] Because Hopalong was a prisoner to the Covenant overseers, it decides to co-operate with Team Black so that it can free its fellow inmates. Although Team Black is uneasy with Hopalong's presence, Black-Two convinces her squadmates that they can trust the Drone.^[3]

The next morning, Team Black proceeds with their mission in destroying the Beacon with a C-12 "blow-pack".^[4] Hopalong guides the Spartan Fire Team through a wrecked apartment complex's basement, where a tunnel has been hollowed out by Drone inmates.^[5] Thought to be uninhabited, the team soon discovers hundreds of sleeping Yanme'e nesting throughout the tunnel.^[6] After making it through the tunnel unscathed, they engage the Covenant forces.^[7] Hopalong then uses this chance to free the Drone inmates, and Team Black then realizes that the Drones used for excavation were not actually slaves, but hostile prisoners.^[8]

When Team Black is assaulted by a swarm of Yanme'e, they lose contact with Black-Three.^[9] While Black-One and Black-Four make their way to a train to evacuate the area, Black-Two goes to find Black-Three who is struggling with the Drones.^[10] She manages to save Black-Three, and she tells Black-One to start the train while being attacked by Yanme'e with grappling devices. Black-Two and Black-Three make it aboard the train after using the detonation device as a distraction to the swarm.^[11] Team Black then rides the train to be picked up by a Pelican dropship in a safe landing zone.^[12]

[edit] Characters

• Black-One
• Black-Two
• Black-Three
• Victor-101
• Hopalong

[edit] Sources

1. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, page 194
2. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, pages 197-198
3. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, pages 199-200
4. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, page 202
5. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, page 203
6. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, page 204
7. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, pages 207-210
8. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, page 212
9. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, page 215
10. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, page 219
11. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, page 220
12. ^ Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe, pages 221-222