Fort Polaski, somewhere North of Sarajevo
0620 Hours, August 6, 2553 (Military Calendar)
First Lieutenant Kartek Kalimee walked down the long corridor. It wasn't a happy corridor, nor was it eloquent, simply drywall and a few cheap wood doors. Noone was ever really comfortable here, the very reason the Office of Naval Intelligence found it so attractive.
It was the tenth door on the left from the elevator Kalimee entered. Inside was a small oak desk, a hologram console, and a well built imposing man in a black uniform. He wore the epaulettes and bearing of a Colonel.
"Good morning, Lieutenant," he said coldly. "I suppose you may be wondering why you have been summoned here.
"Yes Ec," the puzzled Elite said flatly, "Sir," he amended. The Colonel was not amused.
"I am James Ackerson. Now to get started."
The Colonel pushed a few buttons and an image appeared filling the majority of the room. It was of a lengthy ship, with lots of odd ends and angles.
"This is a Chiroptera-class vessel, it disappeared a little more than a year ago."
The vessel had been floating in the image for some time, but now it tore through the virtual sky and disappeared into slipspace. Kalimee watched this all with quiet puzzlement.
"It left known space with two wanted fugitives onboard: Petty Officer First Class SPARTAN-087, and former ONI consultant Catherine Halsey, ID 10141-026-SRB4695. ONI Section Three wants that ship and its passengers.
"Sir?"
"Are you questioning my competence in handing out assignments?"
"No, Sir," Kalimee said defensively.
"Good. The prowler Isis has been modified and extended to provide more room accommodate you and your troops.
"Sir..."
"You are to proceed in the Isis to the Eridanus system, the last known location of this craft. There, you are to collect any and all information to determine where the ship went, and then follow, secure the ship and those aboard it, then return to this system for immediate court martial. You are authorized to use deadly force if they refuse to cooperate. Food Nipples, plasma batteries, and other supplies are already being transported to the Isis. That is all." Kalimee left the room and walked back to the elevator.
Spartans. That brings back memories. Painful ones.
For the first time since his days on Cartairus, Kalimee felt true sorrow.
Flanked by military police armed with stun batons and M6C pistols, the Grunt was led from the new shuttle bay on the ONI stealth ship Isis to the officer's mess where several humans and two Elites were talking quietly. The soldiers entered with the grunt.
"The new Grunt is here, Commander," the senior of the two said. The Grunt looked around in bewilderment.
"We picked this one up after the flying pyramid showed up, Section Three's done with 'em. He has been transferred to this unit.
"Very well," Lieutenant Kalimee said. What is this Unggoy's designation?"
"Me, Mehmep," the grunt said in a scared yet high voice.
"You're with Hakimee's unit," Kalimee said, gesturing to his second. Kalimee thought for a minute. "Show this one to the squad chamber." Hakimee left with the grunt.
"Can we go on with the briefing?" the commanding officer of the Isis, a full man with a sometimes fiery temperament.
"There is another, sir," a soldier said.
"Another?" the skipper scowled.
"Another Grunt?" Kalimee asked.
"No, Sir."
An Elite walked in. It wore the same olive-drab armor 305th officers of the 305th wore.
"Naba Nakumee, reporting to First Lieutenant Kartek Kalimee." It said flatly.
"Yes. Second Lieutenant?"
"Yes, Excellency, vehicle specialist."
Kalimee was disturbed by the voice. It was a Sangheili alright, but the pitch was wrong. A little higher, too minute a difference for a human ear to hear. The two looked into each other's eyes for a few seconds. Then it struck him: It was a female.
"Do we have female quarters?" Kalimee turned to the ONI skipper. The fierce jaw dropped.
"N. No." he said as he rose his head in wonderment, quietly swearing under his breath.
"I will prepare some." With that he left.
"You will be in second squad with Hakimee and Hoke. We don't have enough Unggoy to prepare a third.
"I understand," Nakumee said understandingly, as if she knew all along she was a techie. "I will be in another room If I am needed. I understand we are departing soon." Kalimee nodded.
"Alright."
Commander Matthew McTallow sat in his command chair in the small bridge of the Isis. Not claustrophobic or even very small, just small. On either side were two bridge officers manning consoles. Lieutenant Commander Kaller at navigation, the second officer at the fire control console, and two young Ensigns on the right side operating the communications suite.
"Reactor at 30, Commander. It'll take us a few more seconds to start up with the extra bulk.
"Carry on," McTallow replied calmly. He had been against adding the extra thirty meters to his ship which was required for the hangar and ODST pods.
"Are the slipspace calculations set Kaller?"
"Yes, Sir." Ready to jump in five.
McTallow had asked why he hadn't been given an AI for this mission, other prowlers did, but Section Three didn't need to explain its actions.
"Go."
Mehmep sat on the floor in s squad room contentedly drinking from his food nipple. The UNSC issued him one but he preferred the old one he had drunk since he was conscripted. He still couldn't understand what the big starship or the green thing was the Prophet was holding...but, now the humans had something other than Crest toothpaste to fill the nipples with he was fine in his little world.
It took two days for the Isis to reach the Eridanus system. They arrived and greeted by a panoramic view of debris and chunks of rock. All sorts of junk was floating out there, the remains of the pirate base visited by the Spartan.
"Damn," McTallow said quietly as Kalimee, Hakimee, and Nakumee walked into the already crowded bridge.
"Have you determined the target's exit vector?" Kalimee asked the Commander.
"No," McTallow growled. "We've started a long ranged scan. Come back in a few hours." Kalimee thought back to his first encounter with shotguns, he felt the same blow from this dismissal.
"May I remind you," Kalimee said in frustration," that I have tactical command of this operation?"
"It's my ship, Lieutenant," the skipper shot back. "I am also the ranking officer," he said coldly. Kalimee clicked his mandibles in disgust and left the bridge with the two other Elites.
"Do you have anything for us yet, Ensign?"
"No, Sir." The shrimpy man at the sensor console replied. "A few old drive trails and a few old fuel rods leaking radiation, but no flight recorders, Covenant wreckage, or anything else to imply the ship was here."
"Carry on then."
"Aye, Sir."
McTallow walked back to his small room two meters aft of the room for a drink, after having a few shots he slowly walked back and sat down in his command chair. A few of the bridge crew were whispering amongst themselves.
"Sir," Kaller piped up.
"What is it, Lieutenant?" Kaller paused for a minute to look back at his station.
"Sir," he began. "We've found something.
Kalimee didn't know why he strayed over to women's quarters, he just did. He was even less unsure why he decided to stop at the new Elite's door. Was he simply evaluating the soldier? Was he simply going for a visit? Kalimee shook his head. He knew he'd never let any emotions get in the way of his duty. She was expendable, he was expendable, Cartairus had taught him that, as did his Covenant training.
He knocked, the voice a notch too low answered.
"Who is there?" It asked.
"Me," nothing else would have sounded right, yet the damage was done.
"Yes, Excellency?"
Kalimee needed to make something up, anything to cover his tracks.
"I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"We are on a starship."
"Yes," Kalimee answered gravelly.
"Come in."
"What?" Kalimee asked, completely caught by surprise.
"Why would I want to do that, soldier?"
"I know why you are here."
"You don't," Kalimee said defensively, and with that he left.
Hakimee had watched the whole thing from a spot down the corridor. He knew his commander had been a little disturbed by having a female in his unit. Hakimee himself hadn't seen a female since his escape from High Charity with Kalimee and the rest of the 305th. It was an odd feeling, being around females. Leave was rare in the Covenant.
Hakimee started walking down towards his own quarters, failing to notice the his commanding officer had decided to take the long way 'home.' Hakimee didn't even hear him until they met in a corridor intersection.
"Excellency."
"Lieutenant Hakimee."
"Gotten to know the additions?"
"No." Kalimee marched away.
He doesn't know what he is getting himself into.
The armored human fell at Kalimee's feet. Its green armor and helmet white-hot from numerous plasma hits.
Kalimee had no time to celebrate as several shots impacted his shield, he did the only thing to do, rush the enemy. Concentrating his plasma fire on one human, another demon was downed.
About two-thirds of the ten Elites, twelve Jackals, and twenty-nine Grunts involved in the attack had been lost. The armored humans were putting up a good fight, futile as it was.
One of the humans, this one carrying a shotgun, rushed Kalimee. A few blast killed the Unggoy accompanying the Elite and Kalimee ducked to avoid another shot. Rasing himself, Kalimee performed a quick uppercut, then strafed to avoid the majority of the next shell. A few pellets hit him, downing what was left of his shield supply.
The Spartan jabbed Kalimee in the face, drawing blood. Kalimee clubbed the human and made off two shots into it until he was thrown to the ground. Damn those humans! Stealing our lords' creations. The Human drew the butt of its rifle and prepared to crush Kalimee's head when it faltered, turned, and was downed by a fourth plasma shot. Kalimee rose starting with his head and shoulders to see Hakimee standing over him.
"Good hunting."
"Y-Yes," Kalimee stuttered.
"I'll call a dropship..."
"No," Kalimee croaked,"There are more humans to kill."
"It's over."
"What?"
"It is, Excellency."
"Excellency, Excellency..."
"W-What?" Kalimee returned to the world of now.
"Excellency, it's the Commander, he's found something."