Interrogation

Shane pressed Krone for details on Fox Company’s drop. Krone’s voice was low, recounting how HQ lost key leaders during entry, and higher-ranking troops couldn’t fill the void. They later linked with a Marine outfit holding a battered town, their first real fight with the Covenant after clearing pockets of Insurgents.

Krone’s tone changed as he described his men being torn apart in a brutal counterattack. Medics worked under precise Covenant fire, sheer guts. He spoke of Thompson and Davidson, who risked it all to knock out enemy armor, standing firm against the threat.

When the Covenant surged into the town, overwhelming the line, Fox Company retreated. That’s when Hastings fell. Krone skipped over a fleeting moment—a young ODST trying to save a kid caught in the chaos.

Shane asked how many men Krone had lost. “Fox had 112 when we left the ship,” Krone said, voice rough. “Only seen about 60 since the rally point. The rest are MIA or KIA in this shit hole.” He paused, then asked, “Jackson and Taiga— they really gone?”

Krone couldn’t see Shane’s face behind the gold-tinted visor. The Spartan, didn’t want to face it either. After a heavy silence, Shane spoke. “Jackson’s hanging on, faint pulse, suit’s breached. Taiga… he’s out of the fight for good.”