United Nations Space Command
Emergency Priority Order 098831A-1
Encryption Code: Red
Public Key: file/ First light/
From: UNSC/NAVCOM Fleet H.T. Ward
To: ALL UNSC PERSONNEL
Subject: General Order 098831A-1 ("The Cole Protocol")
Classification: RESTRICTED (BGX Directive)
The Cole Protocol
To safeguard and protect the Inner Colonies and Earth, all UNSC vessels or stations must not be captured with intact navigation databases that may lead Covenant forces to human civilian population centers.
If any Covenant forces are detected:
1. Activate selective purge of databases on all ship-based and planetary data networks.
2. Initiate triple-screen check to ensure all data has been erased and all backups neutralized.
3. Execute viral data scavengers (Download from UNSCTTP:/EPWW:COLEPROTOCOL/Virtualscav/fbr.091)
4. If retreating from Covenant forces, all ships must enter Slipstream space with randomized vectors NOT directed toward Earth, the Inner Colonies, or any other human population center.
5. In case of imminent capture by Covenant forces and boarders, all UNSC ships MUST self-destruct.
Violation of this directive will be considered an act of TREASON and pursuant to UNSC Military law articles JAG 845-P and JAG 7556-L, such violations are punishable by life imprisonment or execution.
PROLOGUE
The UNSC Marathon Class Cruiser Inheritance slowly drifted through space, patrolling the Sious system for Covenant Corvettes, ships that were the first wave in Covenant invasion fleets. On the Bridge, Captain Sebastian Buckell was sitting in his chair reading charts and data on the large glass holo-screen ahead of him.
Things weren't going well for the UNSC, and it was up to patrol ships such as the Inheritance, to search for clues of incoming Covenant fleets, so neighbouring human colonies could be quickly warned before they were attacked. The Inheritance had aimlessly moved through the sector for days, and nothing, not even a whisper had been detected. The bridge crew were into their routine, Captain Buckell noticed, looking around behind himself. The ship was his pride, the crew aboard it and his special cargo, that made the ship a high priority asset to the UNSC.
He was glad that his assistant wasn't at his side this time, which meant no sarcastic remarks- or at least until the FTL drive was operational again. But the few times he had to himself, he liked to savour them, and he did, sat in his chair, watching space go by as usual ahead of him.
He noticed an ops officer on a station behind him grunt with confusion, and he concentrated behind himself, on the person. He could sense he was very disturbed, as his grunts were becoming more frequent. Several taps on a console were heard, and another grunt.
"Urmm, captain" The Ops officer said, nervously.
"Yes crewman?" Captain Buckell replied, still facing forward.
"I'm picking up transmissions from a UNSC fleet sir, I'm having trouble capturing it but I think it's all saved through now"
"Send it to my neural lace" Captain Buckell informed him.
Captain Buckell was somewhat excited, he'd not seen another UNSC ship in weeks, and was eager to see how the fleet was, in terms of ships. There was a fair amount of scratchy audio coming through, as if from inside his head- a recording of some sort.
"To any UNSC ship who is receiving this, this is the UNSC Destroyer Nightingale, support ship of the fleet"
There was more scratchy audio, and the technician typed a few commands into his station.
"We are under attack by Covenant Hotel Sierras, and are requesting reinforcements! Co-ordinates are the stamps included on this beacon- Cole Protocol is now in effect"
Captain Buckell stood, and looked over the officers shoulder, at the screen.
"How far out are we?" He asked the officer.
"About five minutes out at full slipping speed"
"That's it then, put the Cole Protocol into effect crewman"
The Captain stood at his own viewscreen now, and was about to speak, as a voice came, as if from nowhere.
"Co-ordinates plotted, spinning up FTL drive"
"You fixed it then?" Captain Buckell spoke out.
"No" The voice replied, "It fixed itself"
And there was the all too familiar sarcasm.
"Slip us out!" Captain Buckell shouted, and the deck glowed an intense blue.