ME: Time for the UNSC to begin to fight back.

J. KEYES:

"Permission to board Captain?"

Jacob Keyes nodded as he smiled. "Permission granted Admiral, you may board."

Lord Hood exited the Pelican and shook hands with the Captain. "I trust all is well aboard our highly expensive flagship?"

"Yes sir," Keyes replied. "By God, the taxpayers are gonna get their money's worth. You can count on that."

The two boarded a tram and travelled forward. When they stopped and exited, Hood let the Captain lead on.

"Serina, please open the door."

The two entered when she complied. Inside was the bridge of the Infinity; due to the fact the traditional location of the bridge made command crews unnecessarily vulnerable, the UNSC had widely placed this critical room in the heart of the ship.

Only an idiot would expose a flagship Captain to enemy fire.

"What?" Serina asked, sending them both a holographic smirk. "You boys feeling small now?"

"Not at all," Hood replied. "Keyes, you heard about the Ariadne?"

"I did," he replied. "Heard she blew up near Venezia, reactor problems. Heard the locals didn't let her land any nonessential personnel."

"You're correct," the Admiral answered. "We sent the Monte Cassino to help out, but there was a delay and they showed up too late. When they went looking for survivors, the bastards fired on her with a Covie anti-aircraft cannon. Luckily they didn't hit her."

"Son of a bitch," Keyes cursed. "Want me to teach them a lesson sir?"

"That I do," said Hood. "The Venezians have been very naughty lately-spare the rod, spoil the child. I want you to pay them a visit with the Infinity, a little Thursday War as they said in the British Royal Navy. Give those bastards a spanking Captain."

MORITZ:

"You fired on a destroyer?!" Staffan Sentzke asked. "A Goddamn UNSC destroyer?!"

Peter Moritz, head of the Venezia militia, swallowed. "How was I supposed to know the Monte Cassino wasn't gonna invade or bomb us?"

"Now they're going to for sure you idiot," the Swedish Insurrectionist replied. "Earth lost three cities to the URF and their friends, all of whom weren't exactly backwater towns. I don't care for the mother planet, but how long until they use us as an example to the rest of the colonies since you've fucked everything up?"

The other rebel was about to reply when suddenly one of the Airfield's guards screamed as a grenade went off.

Both men instantly drew their sidearms, only for a figure to uncloak right behind them.

Moritz was barely able to turn and shout in shock before the armored giant withdrew a knife and stabbed the terrorist in the neck with it.

"Thanks for the toys Santa," the monster spoke through his helmet. "I'll be good."