Tar rose to her feet as Aegis team surged aboard the downed AA gun. She popped the battery out of her carbine and deftly replaced it with a fresh one while surveying the scene. The storm had rolled over the spine of the mountain range and right onto their position. Shards of lightning scraped the grey peaks around them and splayed over the massive purple weapon they were trying to disable. Deafening cracks and booms assaulted Tar’s ears, going over and above even the gunfire below her. Black clouds billowed out to obscure the evening light and the view of the forest valleys below. The rain was increasing its intensity, and a rising wind was blowing it sideways, creating a silver screen which made a mockery of their previous visibility. A metallic taste registered in Tar’s mouth from the water, and a sulphurous smell wafted into her nose. Wasting no time, the Commando dropped the dozen metres or so onto the leaning AA gun’s troop platform. Plasma bolts flew everywhere; one activated her shield. Plasma grenades went off nearby, jolting Tar into action. She jogged past Spartan Ryker, firing two shots at his Sangheili opponent as she passed. She didn’t stop though, turning her attention instead to the gaggle of dazed defenders regrouping behind tangled wreckage in the middle. Looking through her sights, Tar loosed two more shots at an exposed head, and one at another shieldless Kig Yar. She drew fire for that, so Tar jouked across the platform diagonally, taking advantage of whatever cover existed to try and flank them. This brought her close to a low, thin shelter, partially buried into the deck plating. Tar only noticed it when she was practically on top of it because of the driving wind. Slowing her pace, she covered the wide entryway and approached at an angle. The noise of battle dimmed in her ears as she focused all her attention on the darkness inside, peering past the waterfall of rain water cascading off the top. Her eyes adjusted slowly. Is that… Two yellow Sangheili eyes opened to look directly into hers, before dashing forward and up the steps. The lithe black frame of a Hunter Killer was upon her in a second, sword shimmering on to impale her. Tar opened fire.