Prologue: WE ARE THE META
On a distant planet many light-years from Earth, in a small valley in the middle of a snowy mountain range, a great mystery was brewing. For a while, the valley was silent then two Mongoose-Class ATVs came roaring into the valley. The drivers, two Spartan-IIs, pulled up next to the nearest base and dismounted. The first driver, wearing steel-grey armor with red trim, approached the main entrance and discovered it barricaded by several large crates. He motioned to his teammate, whose grey armor had blue trim, to follow.
These two soldiers were members of Project Freelancer's Recovery Team, codenamed Recovery 6 and Recovery 9. Earlier, they had received news from Command that the two bases at Valhalla were not answering their radio transmissions and were ordered to investigate this strange occurrence. Now Recovery 9 planted some explosive charges on the barricade then he and Recovery 6 stood a safe distance away and set them off, clearing the way in a matter of seconds.
As the two agents stepped inside, they gagged at the smell of death. They went further inside and discovered the bodies of the Red Team, lying completely motionless. Recovery 6 examined each of the bodies and found they were all dead. He then saw that each body was holding a gun and quickly determined that they had been killed in battle by some kind of blade. Recovery 9 meanwhile checked the main computer and discovered that the radio-phone had been tampered with. He also discovered a strange message scrawled on the wall.
After checking the Blue Base to find a similar scene of carnage, the two agents made their way towards what they assumed was the cause of this whole thing: the wrecked Pelican-Class drop-ship. One of the last transmissions from the Blue Base had said that the ship had come out of nowhere and crashed in the middle of the valley, but the details on what happened next were a bit sketchy. Recovery 9 approached the vehicle to examine the damage while Recovery 6 kept watch on his Mongoose.
As Recovery 6 waited, an invisible figure approached from behind and knocked him off the Mongoose. Before the agent could recover, he felt something sharp puncture his chest and he died with a choking gasp. Recovery 9 looked up at the death cries and ran towards his teammate but then he was knocked back by an invisible punch and slammed into the ship's side. Quickly he whipped out his machinegun and fired at the air, but then a rocket-propelled grenade shot out and sent him flying before hitting the ground. Just before he died, Recovery 9 activated his recovery beacon, hoping that others would find them soon...
XXX
A memo to Chairman Malcolm Hargrove of the Oversight Sub-committee from the Director of Project Freelancer:
Dear Chairman, I write today in response to your committee's request for more information about our program and the suspected incident at Outpost 17-B.
No doubt, by now you have received the video logs transmitted by our Recovery agents dispatched to the region. I am sure you have seen the empty bases, the barricades constructed by the survivors, the cryptic warning left on the wall, the battles that apparently took place between team members that had turned on each other... and of course the ship.
While we cannot say for certain, I share your concern we have a post-project scenario taking place. However, I take exception to your assertion that we were warned this was a possibility.
I would like to remind the Sub-committee members that anything is possible. Some things are probable. This is what is. And my agency as it always has will continue to deal with what is... until it is no more.
XXX
And what the message on the wall said was this: WE ARE THE META.
XXX
Ominous, isn't it! That's just a taste of what's to come in one of my favorite seasons. Till next time guys!