Disclaimer: Alan Tyler belongs to Alexander M. I'm just borrowing him for a moment. I do not own Halo, just my own opinion about it.

Prologue

1045 Hours, October 23rd, 2552 (Military Calendar)\Earth\on board the Divine Journey

"Telek, you're insane!" said Tulsa 'Duroshee in protest.

"Don't go, Telek," Mitsu 'Kimamee said. "We need you here."

"I'll report this to Lord Hood, Telek," Cujo snapped. "You're struck with madness again."

"I'm always struck with madness, Cujo," Telek said in a sigh. "You know me better than anyone."

"I'll have you bound in chains this time, Telek!" Cujo cried. "I'll make sure you'll be placed in an asylum!"

"I'm your commanding officer…"

"Not when you loose your head," Cujo said.

"I agree," said Mitsu. "Think about this, Telek. Regret will send for reinforcements. High Charity will come along with every available ship in the Covenant Armada. Truth will have your head on a pike!"

"Miranda jumped on her own," he said. "Through Regret's wake. She's out there alone with the Covenant fleet right behind her—just like her father."

"Yeah, and we know what happened to him!" Tulsa said.

"I won't let it happen to her," Telek said. "Tekn, prepare to jump once we get beyond the range of the MAC-Guns. I don't want to damage them."

"And where do you think you're going, Rear Admiral?" came Lord Hood's voice. His image appeared beside Cujo's image.

"Already tattled on me didn't you, Cujo?" Telek said, sighing again.

"I'm trying to stop you, Telek," said Cujo.

"Sir, the Prophet made a jump to Halo," Telek said.

"Which one?" Hood asked.

"I don't know," Telek replied. "I won't know until I'm there. It doesn't matter, they all do the same thing—destroy sentient life capable of sustaining the Flood. We're all dead if Regret activates Halo. Miranda moved her ship into the rupture the enemy capital ship was going into. If she survived, she's there as well."

"You allowed that to happen?" Hood asked.

"Sir," Telek growled. "If Miranda didn't, the rupture that capital ship made would have completely destroyed her ship and killed her and her crew. She has a better chance of surviving making a blind jump than just sitting there waiting for the shockwave. But she needs help."

"She has some of your Elites on board, Telek," Hood said. "They can assist her when she needs them. And she has the Chief."

"It's not that," Telek protested. "I know more about what those Halos do—more than my Sangheili troops know. She'll need backup. I have to go. I'll leave the other ships here. I'm sure Admiral Harper will command them well."

"Telek," Hood sighed. "Fine. Against my better judgment, go. But you're going against protocol here. So, you better pull off something spectacular or your job with us will be on the line."

"Don't I always?" Telek grinned. "Thank you, sir."

Lord Hood's image faded from the screen.

"Telek," Cujo sighed.

"Duty calls, Cujo," Telek said.

"No, this isn't duty," Cujo sighed. "This is your way of trying to get to Truth—and not only that—but it's about Miranda. You have so much of a crush on her you can't even think as straight as you normally do."

"You and Johnson," Telek sighed. "I swear. Alright, so what…I'm in love with a Human, big deal."

"And now you're gonna play knight in shining armor and go rescue your princess," Cujo crossed his arms. "Just like those fairy tales Humans like to speak about. You're gonna rescue her, and she'll be more than grateful. A damsel in distress, waiting for her tall—handsome—Sangheili prince to save her from the wicked Covenant and their Prophets of Truth, Regret, and Mercy."

"Shut up!" Telek barked back. "I can handle it. Do what you can to protect Earth if the battle goes ill. Protect it. It's our home now."

"Very well, Excellency," Cujo bowed his head. "I will do as you command."

"Now, why don't you make yourself useful while I'm gone, Cujo," said Telek. "Go sneak around some area in the South Pole. I've been wondering about that area for some time. It's an unmarked base in Antarctica. I think it belongs to Kiryuu personally, but I'm not sure. Just snoop around there and have a look at it. I don't like how my 'boss' hides things."

"Is this something you want me to do to keep me busy while you're going after Miranda?" asked Cujo.

"That's the idea."

"Fine," said Cujo. "I'll do it."

Telek gave a wink to his second in command of his small battle group and with that, the assault carrier Shade of Darkness blinked out of sight, jumping through Slip-space. Cujo rumbled and clacked his mandibles in frustration.

"Mitsu," he began. "How's the battle."

"All enemies have been neutralized, Cujo," replied Mitsu. "The stragglers however have escaped."

"Lord Hood," began Cujo, bringing up his image. "My battle group reports no Covenant in the area. They've all fled."

"I suppose they went where Telek was going," said Hood.

"Yes, sir," said Cujo.

"Alright," said Hood. "Well, just continue monitoring the area just in case they return."

"No problem, sir," Cujo replied. "Mitsu, Tulsa, you heard him. Keep your scanners pealed. I'm going to the South Pole."

"What for?" asked Tulsa

"Well, to do what Telek wants me to do," replied Cujo. "Snoop around there."

With that, the Divine Journey cloaked itself into invisibility leaving the other two ships to help the UNSC cruisers to patrol the space around Earth. Cujo waved his gloved hand over the projector and the screens around him changed pulling up the image of Earth. The image flipped over, showing off the South Pole and then zoomed in closer to the continent of Antarctica. Pressing a button on the holopanel, the Shipmaster leaned in.

"Field Master Dovi 'Canthonee," he began. "Get your squad together and meet me in the gravity lift bay."

"Roger that," said Dovi. "Anything you have in mind, Shipmaster?"

"Telek's put us on assignment," said Cujo.

"I'll get the gear ready."