Debris was floating everywhere around the vessel Valkyrie. The ship had just left
slipstream and had reached it's destination. Captain Reed could
hear the scraping of metal as it slid against the front of the bridge. The distant sun
illuminated Reed's view helping him make out his surroundings. Some were rather
small and others were large but all shared the same characteristics, burnt, shredded, and
unrecognizable. "Sir! Spotted an alien vessel on radar we are coming up on it now.
Bringing it up on screen sir." Announced the Sensor Officer. This was the mission, one
month ago a ship called the Pillar of Autumn had disappeared after the battle of Reach.
Reports came in that the Pillar of Autumn was last picked up here and they had sent Reed
to find it and bring it back. At once the overhead screen flicked on and a covenant
phantom appeared on the screen. It was damaged alright but still intact. The purple color
of the covenant ship was faded. No lights beamed from its engines and it floated
uncontrollably seeming to be abandoned. All of a sudden a transmission was coming up
on the screen and as the static went away a covenant elite stood there beginning to speak.
Reed couldn't understand a word the elite said and soon he barked out, "Lieutenant get
that transmission working so I can understand the damn thing!" Quickly the Lieutenant
worked away on the computer and the transmission started it over again only this time in
English.
September 30, 2552 CDS Recorded message.
"This is elite commander Zuka. I am reporting in a covenant dropship. Are plans
with the holy ring have been ruined. A human vessel named The Pillar of Autumn has
followed are ships. We thought this resistant's could be handled but the humans were
very reluctant to give up. But it seems that the humans were the least of are worries, the
ring held a secret that the humans let lose. We could not figure out what it was but they
killed covenant and human alike controlling the dead corpses. Because of the flood the
ring was overrun and the humans destroyed the holy ring with their ship. We managed to
abandon to our ships but most of the Mother ships were destroyed by the blast, our
engines have failed, and we are stranded on this god forsaken vessel. (An Elite cry is
heard in the background and the elite talking turns around running to the noise)
something scurried across the floor but some kind of fog was suddenly clouding the
vessel.
END OF TRANSMISSION
Sergeant John Richardson sits curiously outside the bridge waiting for the search
reports. As a part of being a Helljumper his nerves are always high. A few other marines
waited around him eager to hear what the hell was going on. John pondered on the
thought of how long the trip had been and how they came up with nothing to report.
Suddenly the intercom blared all over the ship, "Officer Peirce report to
the bridge immediately." With much anticipation John jumped from his seat as Officer
Peirce passed by and entered the door into the bridge. "What do you think it is?" Asked a voice from the side. John looked over to see his old friend and comrade Sergeant William's.
The two of them met 10 years back at Reach where they both attended Lumar Academy leading the largest number of Helljumper graduates. After the Academy they shipped off on
the Valkyrie where they have moved up in rank and gained command of their own squad of ODST's each. "Don't know, must be something important they wouldn't call Officer Peirce in
if it was nothing." John replied back. "All I know is this waiting around has made me uneasy, we should have found the Autumn by now. I know Cortana is important to the Colonies
but we can't be chasing around some small hope that Cortana is still out there and that the Covenant have not got a hold of her." Williams announced. Before John could replied the
intercom echoed throughout the ship again. "Sergeant Williams report to the Bridge stat!" With that Williams walked towards the door and turned his head back to John and said,
"See you on the flip side Sergeant." John smiled and replied, "Falling feet first." With that Williams entered the bridge.
Sergent Williams entered and was astonished to see a corroded covenant drop ship floating in the endless space. As he looked around the room he established the seriousness of
the situation through both Officer Pierce's and Captian Reed's expressions. "Sergeant Williams reporting sir." Williams announced as he saluted his superiors. Captain Reed stepped
forward and addressed him, "Sergeant Williams you have been called into this meeting to command a search team to infiltrate the covenant drop ship and retrieve all Intel on
previous months. Understood?" Williams looked at the alien drop ship then back at his commanding officers. "Yes sir." Officer Pierce turned to the drop ship "Good, have your men
ready by 1715 dismissed." Williams nodded saluted his commanding officers and headed for the door. "Oh, and Sergeant Williams be ready for anything." Officer pierce warned.
Williams turned to his commanding officer and proclaimed "Don't worry sir we're helljumpers we're always ready" with that Williams walked out the bridge to prepare his squad. As
Williams turned the corner he caught eyes with John. "Well what's going on up there?" John questioned. Williams looked at him with a smile "We've got what looks to be an
abandoned covenant drop ship and they want my squad to check it out," John laughed "Why is it that you always get the easy routine checks." Williams laughed "fuck you." And
with that he left to prepare his squad.