Line #36 FanFic/HaloChimeraRising


1	->''"We're building the single most effective fighting force the universe has ever seen. And you're going to help us."''\
2	-- '''Director Idris Carter'''
3
4	-> '''SPARTAN-IV candidate/Damien-451:''' ''"And why the hell should I do anything to help you?"... "My friends have been put through enough trouble!"''
5
6	-> '''SPARTAN-III/Eric-G239:''' ''"Trouble? You speak of a thing you don't understand, Candidate. You never fought in the last war. You never served. Never went mag-dry in a foxhole, surrounded by red-flags and hurting on all things but your own squad mates. Never watched as the only people you ever knew got taken from you, one by one. Mission by mission, piece by piece."''
7
8
9	''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6595977/1/ Halo: Chimera Rising]]'' is a completed ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' fanfic and a sequel to Katsuhiro's ''FanFic/EnemyOfMyEnemy''.
10
11	The Human-Covenant war is over and has been for some time, but it left its scars. The UNSC decided that Spartans represent the best hope humanity has for defense and reactivated Spartan training programs. Hopeful recruits are being given the chance to try for Spartan training. If they pass, and if they are genetically compatible with the augmentations, they will become Spartans.
12
13	Some have prior military experience while some have never fought at all. None of them are quite like fireteam Chimera. Five men and women who have already tried to escape from the training process, holdovers from the last days of the Spartan-III project, they are being given another chance to become Spartans under the watchful eye of a veteran Spartan, their new psychologist and the staff of the Laconia Academy.
14
15	Katsuhiro describes ''Chimera Rising'' as "A bridging story between The Enemy of my Enemy and its sequel. The story concerns the creation of a Spartan 4 team; their origins, their training, their rivalry with other fireteams. The story is intended to shift from an origin story to a more hard contact military sci-fi story, similar in scope to The Enemy of my Enemy, albeit with a more immediately personal focus."
16
17	While it's nominally a sequel, there haven't been any major appearances by ''Enemy of My Enemy'' characters. However, there have been a number of cameos and small references to the planet Crassus keep popping up.
18
19	Finally, at some point after ''The Enemy of My Enemy'' was written, Katsuhiro found the TV Tropes page for it and has been a dedicated troper ever since. So much so that when he was asked if there was anything specific he wanted on this page, all he replied with was JustForFun/OneOfUs.
20
21	Shortly after the completion of ''Chimera Rising'', Katsuhiro began work on the sequel, ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11347326/1/Halo-Chimera-Rogue Halo: Chimera Rogue]]''.
22
23	----
24	!!''Halo: Chimera Rising'' provides examples of:
25	* TheAce: Fireteam Platinum. They have a habit of getting perfect scores. They're also {{jerkass}}es about it.
26	* AcePilot: Chindima and Wing Commander Laurent.
27	* AnArmAndALeg: A thug who was stupid enough to attack an Elite with nothing more than a switchblade has his arm torn from it's socket. Eric looses his arm in the prologue.
28	* {{Arcadia}}: Hibernia, where Damien grew up, is this, despite the UsefulNotes/BritishWeather.
29	* ArmorPiercingQuestion: Rashid manages to stop Eric in his tracks with one.
30	* ArtificialLimbs: Eric has one. It gets torn off in a fight later, when he uses it to his advantage.
31	* AttackAttackAttack:
32	** When you're a Spartan, sometimes it pays to just go straight in.
33	** Also the favored tactical and strategic approach of General Stape, even when it's not necessarily the ''right'' approach.
34	* AttackPatternAlpha: Used by Scimitar in the prologue.
35	* AutobotsRockOut: Deliberately invoked by Kodiak 2, who blares out Ram Jam's "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbjyuDYtAtk Black Betty]]" from his Mantis's speakers as his team obliterates an Insurrectionist convoy.
36	* BackStab: On occasion. Fireteam Platinum executes a large scale version when they sneak in and capture the flag from behind while Chimera and Trident are assaulting the position.
37	* BadassBookworm: Rashid's only demand is that he occasionally be provided with a good book. He wants to start with Steinbeck.
38	* BadassCrew: Scimitar in the prologue. All of the Spartan teams later on, but especially Chimera.
39	* TheBadGuyWins: [[spoiler:While the UNSC successfully puts down the Insurrection on Cadiz, Hedekar accomplishes what he came to do, which involves completely destroying New Cadiz and putting Chimera out of commission.]]
40	* BandOfBrothers: Chimera'a a bit on the small side, but this definitely applies.
41	* BigBrotherIsWatchingYou: Rashid invoked this to scare off a thug before he was picked up for the program. It's actually happening for real in the Laconia facilities.
42	* BigDamnHeroes:
43	** Fireteam Trident pulls one.
44	** Chimera themselves pull one off [[spoiler:in their first engagement on Granica]].
45	* BoardingParty: The story opens with one gone wrong.
46	* BodyCountCompetition: Part of, but not all of, ThisIsACompetition below.
47	* BloodierAndGorier: Much like it's predecessor, when people get shot they will be realistically injured.
48	* BoobyTrap: A dead Spartan is rigged with a satchel charge in the prologue. [[spoiler:Scimitar's pelican is rigged as well.]]
49	* BottledHeroicResolve: Stimulants are automatically administered by MJOLIR armor when the wearer is injured badly enough.
50	* BreakingLecture: Eric ''crushes'' Damien the first time they meet. For once it doesn't overlap with a TheReasonYouSuckSpeech.
51	* BringIt: Eric asks who in Chimera has, "The stones to take me on." They all go for it at once. [[spoiler:[[CurbStompBattle And loose badly]]. Viktoyra lasts the longest, but not by much.]]
52	* BringMyBrownPants: A side effect of Spartans being [[MookHorrorShow mook horror shows]].
53	* BulletTime: Spartans experience this as Spartan Time when fighting.
54	* CallBack: A number of references are made to EnemyOfMyEnemy.
55	** Chapter 3 opens with a quote from a MAJ(Ret.) G. Abelev.
56	** Sgt. Murphy's [=ODSTs=] make appearances in a couple of the flashback chapters.
57	** Viktoyra lived on Crassus briefly. Other minor references to Crassus are all over the place.
58	** Vtan Arum'ee makes an appearance in a flashback.
59	** Amanda Jennings shows up in the flashback to the opening of the Granican War.
60	* TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive: The war knows where Chimera used to live.
61	* CasualDangerDialogue: If anyone ever breaks radio discipline this is the likely result.
62	* TheCavalry: Damien and Chindi play this role at the start of Chimera's last stand. They head back just in time to help finish off the first wave and fight until they go down in the second wave, along with everybody else.
63	** Stride Team Kodiak [[spoiler:tries to pull this off, but gets ambushed in return]].
64	* CeilingCling: Viktoyra's introduction.
65	* ChekhovsGunman: The ONI spook in the flashback chapters ends up being [[spoiler:the main antagonist of the story, Conrad Hedekar]].
66	* ChessMotifs: Rash brings them up in his ArmourPiercingQuestion to Eric on the UNSC.
67	* CombatBreakdown: It's a ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' fic. Firearms used as clubs isn't anything unexpected.
68	* CombatPragmatist: Spartans may be the epitome of this.
69	* ContemplativeBoss: Director Carter is overlooking the initial training this way when Rebecca first enters his office.
70	* ConvenientlyAnOrphan: The members of Chimera who didn't start out this way are now, due to the manner of their induction into the Spartan program.
71	* TheCracker: Rashid, even as a kid.
72	* CrazyPrepared: Sergi has a go to hell bag ready at all times. Naturally, it gets used.
73	* CurbStompBattle: Several.
74	* CurseCutShort: Related to NWordPrivileges below.
75	* CustomUniform: Mjolnir armor has become this. Each Spartan chooses a their own separate look/functionality. Rebecca thinks it's as close as they can get to artistic expression.
76	* DangerDeadpan: Played straight and averted by the various pilots in the simulator.
77	* DareToBeBadass: What the various Spartan candidates received. They're trying.
78	* DarkMessiah: Al'Hajar, whose magnetism and tactical brilliance has managed to attract many ideologically diverse Insurrectionist groups to flock under his banner.
79	* DeadpanSnarker: ''Many''.
80	* DeathByOriginStory: Lots of cases because four out of the five members of Chimera get origin stories. The prologue also counts for Eric.
81	* DeathFromAbove: In several different flavors.
82	* DeathGlare: Chindi's could strip paint from a starship.
83	* DefeatingTheUndefeatable: [[spoiler:[=McBride=] is ordered to find a way to kill or at least maim a Spartan. He succeeds.]]
84	* DeflectorShields: Standard on Mjolnir armor.
85	* {{Determinator}}: Spartans, again. Eric in particular has this as a trait.
86	-->''Victory at any costs. An arm, a leg, a Spartan.''
87	* DoubleTap: Used all over the place.
88	* TheDragon: Conrad Hedekar is this to Al'Hajar.
89	** DragonInChief: It quickly becomes clear that Hedekar is the real brains behind the insurgency on Cadiz.
90	** DragonWithAnAgenda: [[spoiler:Hedekar and his personal minions do not share the same ideology as the other Insurrectionists on Cadiz, and Hedekar ends up betraying Al'Hajar for his own agenda.]]
91	* DropPod: Standard for the ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' universe. An Elite in one of these saves Rash and Chindi by accident.
92	** They're also how Chimera gets deployed to the city of New Cadiz.
93	* {{Dropship}}: The UNSC and Covenant standbys, the Pelican and the Spirit, make appearances.
94	* DrillSergeantNasty: They only show up once, but they're in Chimera's past and the rest of the Spartan candidates had to deal with them to get where they are.
95	* DynamicEntry: Several, starting with breaching rooms and going up from there.
96	* ElaborateUndergroundBase: The Laconia facility.
97	* EliteArmy: Spartan Units form one within the UNSC armed forces.
98	* EliteMooks: The Sons of Granica, elite Insurrectionists who are all battle-hardened veterans of the Human-Covenant War.
99	* ElitesAreMoreGlamorous: Apart from the Spartans, the story also shows the perspectives of UNSC Army Rangers and [[MiniMecha Mantis]] pilots.
100	* EnemyDetectingRadar: Mjolnir comes standard with one. [[spoiler:Eric proves it can be spoofed.]]
101	* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Each member of Fireteam Chimera get one when about to be interviewed. Eric also gets one when he is re-introduced after the prologue, showing off his changed personality and ruthlessness.
102	* FosterKid: Luke's parents were killed in a mining accident on Crassus. He spent most of his life in UNSC facilities.
103	* HardLight: Name dropped. It's used in some of the simulations.
104	** It's not true hard light. Only one thing in the UNSC has that capability, and it's not named.
105	* HeadsIWinTailsYouLose: [[spoiler:Hedekar challenges Luke to defuse a bomb before the timer runs out. Luke succeeds, but it turns out that the bomb ''also'' had an additional remote detonator.]]
106	* HiddenWeapons: Eric's armor is scanned once. It contains, "a truly extraordinary number of hidden knives, blades, and garrote wires."
107	* HiddenAgendaVillain: Conrad Hedekar, whose goal remains mysterious through the entirety of the story.
108	* HitmanWithAHeart: Sergi, Viktoyra's father. Mostly, he just has a soft spot for her.
109	* TheGreatestStoryNeverTold: Director Carter tells all of the Spartan candidates that no one will know the full extent of what they do.
110	* IJustWantToBeFree: Chindi's motivation for the escape.
111	* ImprovisedWeapon: Boiling water and a frying pan save the day.
112	* InvisibilityCloak: Spartans in general have a fondness for optical camouflage.
113	* IronicNickname: Rash is anything but rash.
114	* ItAmusedMe: Rash was bored with ten years of being a candidate, so he agreed to take part in and organized Chimera's attempted escape.
115	* ItsQuietTooQuiet: Parodied; one Ranger is instantly shushed by his comrades when he begins to say it. [[spoiler:It turns out the quietness is due to Chimera having already killed all the Insurrectionists in the area beforehand.]]
116	* JumpedAtTheCall: All of the Spartan candidates, Damien and Luke, but not the rest of Chimera.
117	* JustToyingWithThem: After their first simulated fight with Eric, Chimera suspects he might be doing this.
118	* KukrisAreKool: Trident's scout is a former Gurkha. He brings his with him.
119	* LandMineGoesClick: It doesn't, actually. Chimera walks into a simulated ambush run by Eric. A concussion mine killing two of them is the first sign that things are going wrong.
120	* LargeAndInCharge:
121	** Spartans tend to be tall. Really tall.
122	** [=McBride=], the commander of the Insurrectionists guarding Dakhar Market, is noted to be a "slab-jawed monster of a man".
123	* LaserGuidedAmnesia: If candidates wash out of the training program and don't take a job with ONI they get this instead for security purposes.
124	* LastStand: [[spoiler:The prologue]]. Chimera gets a simulated one later.
125	* LampshadeHanging: At least once, on Hibernia's meaningful name.
126	* LeaveNoManBehind: The cause of Chimera's simulated last stand.
127	* LeeroyJenkins: Chimera does this once. Justified because they had to get clear of an artillery killzone, so they charged the infantry screen guarding the artillery. Also deconstructed because they get pinned down and would have been defeated if not for a BigDamnHeroes moment from Trident anyways.
128	** Lampshaded, since a direct assault is described as being tantamount to suicide.
129	* LoveAtFirstSight: Played with. Sergi suffers from a case of lust at first sight.
130	* MajorInjuryUnderreaction: Standard for Spartans. Eric has a particularly notable one in the prologue.
131	* MeaningfulName: Hibernia, the planet Damien grew up on. A [[LampshadeHanging lampshade]] is promptly hung when its Latin translation, "The Cold Place" is mentioned in the next sentence.
132	* TheMenInBlack: Admiral Carter's blank uniform gives off this impression. Black Coat is definitely one.
133	* TheMentor: Eric, as the only veteran Spartan on hand, assumes this role for Chimera.
134	* MiniMecha: Stride Team Kodiak is a team of three Mantis pilots.
135	* TheMole: [[spoiler:Luke. He agrees to send monthly reports on Chimera to command because he's considered the most loyal to the UNSC. This is actually to their benefit--If he hadn't agreed to it the team wouldn't have been reactivated.]]
136	* MookHorrorShow: Eric at the bank.
137	* MoreDakka: In varying degrees of intensity, depending on the situation and the weapon. Anything from a SAW to a warhog's LAAG counts, and will be used at some point.
138	* MysteriousPast: In universe, the UNSC tries to keep Eric's records sealed to preserve this. Rebecca isn't playing ball and goes to Rash for help.
139	* MythologyGag: The simulation in chapter 12 is capture the flag played by teams of Spartans. Sound familiar?
140	* NoodleImplements: Rash cracked Laconia's security system with a datapad and a combat knife.
141	* NoseArt: Kodiak One's Mantis has a cigar-chomping wallaby clutching an assault rifle stenciled on it.
142	* NWordPrivileges: Smiler uses it without these while talking to Chindi. She doesn't take it well.
143	* ObligatoryJoke: A bit tied up right now gets used, just because.
144	* OffhandBackhand: To a body that hadn't even had time to collapse, but was in the way.
145	* OffTheChart: Rash specifically, but it probably applies to all of Chimera.
146	* OhCrap: A couple. Viktoyra gets one when told the rifle in her face isn't loaded with stun rounds.
147	* OldSchoolDogfight: The space combat simulator.
148	* {{Overheating}}: Plasma and energy weapons have to cool down just like in the games.
149	* PoweredArmor: Mjolnir.
150	* PreAsskickingOneLiner: "Always outnumbered, ''never'' outgunned, Five."
151	* PsychoticSmirk: The black-coated ONI agent in the flashbacks has his share of creepy smiles. [[spoiler:He keeps up the habit while under the guise of "Conrad Hedekar".]]
152	* RebelLeader: Al'Hajar.
153	* RedBaron: Sergi gets Duh, which is serb-croat for ghost.
154	** Al'Hajar is known as The Lion of New Cadiz.
155	* TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: The Insurrectionists on Granica V; among other things, they deliberately engineered water shortages to make the local government look bad.
156	* RefugeInAudacity: Charging directly into an enemy force to get out of an artillery killzone.
157	* RippedFromTheHeadlines: The actions and subsequent battle against the ULF insurgents can, at times, sound exactly like something read from a news report on UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror.
158	** Among the things included: Refugees fleeing the conflict and presenting a humanitarian crisis, insurgent suicide bombing campaigns, a charismatic leader with religious undertones that has an army of poorly skilled militia fanatically loyal to him. Heck, the insurgents are even equipped with what are essentially AK-47s and [=RPGs=]. Simply replace the ULF with a Middle Eastern terrorist organisation of your choice, [[spoiler: ONI with the CIA]], Grancia V with Afghanistan and the UNSC with Coalition soldiers.
159	* TheRival: Platinum is this for Chimera during their training.
160	* ScarsAreForever: Eric has some truly nasty scars on his face. They're normally hidden by his helmet, but he uses them to great effect during the BreakingLecture he gives.
161	* SceneryPorn: Indulged in every now and then. Descriptions of Laconia tend to include this.
162	* SceneryGorn: Katsuhiro lavishes description on torn up battlefields whenever they appear.
163	* ShoutOut: Plenty. Rashid in particular seems to be a source of them.
164	** Film/Halo4ForwardUntoDawn gets a passing reference with the phrase "Snot-nosed CAMS detail."
165	** Rashid's reaction to Kazien is to quote [[Franchise/MassEffect Mordin Solus' reaction to EDI]].
166	** Rash also says, "I will commit to this program," answering a question that gets asked to [[Film/TheBourneSeries Jason Bourne]].
167	** The first line Rash puts up on the walls of the train station is taken from the ''VideoGame/Halo3ODST'' trailer.
168	* TheSiege: Eric breaks one up quickly and violently.
169	* TheShrink: Rebecca.
170	* TheSmartGuy: Rashid.
171	* SmokeOut: The eternally useful smoke grenade makes an appearance.
172	* SoleSurvivor: [[spoiler:Eric is the only remaining member of Scimitar.]]
173	* SpaceElevator: Laconia has one. New Cadiz on Granica also has one; [[spoiler:the Insurrectionists defending Dakhar Market take advantage of its proximity to the elevator's support struts to limit the UNSC's use of airstrikes]].
174	* TheSpook: An ONI agent wearing a black coat is a recurring character in the flashback chapters. [[spoiler:As it turns out, he's currently going under the name of "Conrad Hedekar".]]
175	* StealthHiBye: Eric pulls one at the bank using his active camo.
176	* SteelEardrums: Averted. Those not wearing a helmet or ear protection in a firefight will have damaged hearing.
177	* TheStinger: [[spoiler:The epilogue implies that Hedekar is still working for a faction within the UNSC.]]
178	* TheStoic: Eric doesn't talk much, and rarely reveals what he's thinking.
179	* StraightEdgeEvil: Al'Hajar is a devout Muslim who never drinks and rarely swears, but also is a ruthless and savage fighter.
180	* TakeCover: A necessity on any modern (or postmodern) battlefield.
181	* TakingTheBullet: [[spoiler:Rashid pushes three Rangers out of the way of a rocket, losing a leg in the process.]]
182	* TakingYouWithMe: Chindi in the space combat simulation. Rashid at the end of the simulated last stand.
183	* TechnicallyASmile: Damien gives on to Rebecca during their first meeting. It's not particularly surprising, given the circumstances.
184	* ThisIsACompetition: Invoked for training purposes. The current leader gets priority on assignments.
185	* TragicKeepsake: Quint's dogtags become these for Damien.
186	* TrainingFromHell: Eric and Chimera have already endured it. The rest of the candidates get to go through it, and Chimera gets some more.
187	** There are 3000 candidates, and Director Carter estimates that from them he will get less than 30 Spartans.
188	* TwentyFourHourArmor: Eric. [[JustifiedTrope When asked, he says he's performing system calibrations for materials group]].
189	** It also "Discourages nosy doctors from asking stupid questions."
190	* {{Understatement}}: Katsuhiro seems to like these.
191	* UndyingLoyalty: Chimera feel this for each other. Damien has a particularly bad case of it that he expresses through LeaveNoManBehind.
192	* VillainousBreakdown: Al'Hajar goes from being a charismatic and cool leader respected for his bravery to a desperate man trying to dig a tunnel using a knife [[spoiler: when it is revealed that his Dragon had betrayed him all this while and tricked him into a corner]]. At least he maintains the bravado to [[spoiler: charge a fully-armoured Spartan]].
193	* VillainousValour: Whatever their ultimate goals may be, many of Granica's Insurrectionists are truly ready to die for their cause.
194	* WarIsHell: Making a return in full force from EnemyOfMyEnemy.
195	* WireDilemma: Luke's introduction. [[spoiler:He chooses the wrong one but it's an exercise.]]
196	** He comes across this situation again near the end of the story. [[spoiler:He chooses the right one this time, but unfortunately the bomb has an additional remote detonator.]]
197	* WhamLine: Not for for the story, but, "Who said anything about stun rounds," acts as one for Viktoyra.
198	* WholeEpisodeFlashback: The interludes about the recruitment of Chimera are all told in flashback.
199	* WorthyOpponent: Damien's adoptive father manages to earn this from Vtan after his death.
200	* YouAreNumberSix: All of the Spartans are referred to by their candidate numbers at times.

Context FanFic / HaloChimeraRising