A/N: Ok, so... I'll clarify something here. I don't update regularly. I never have. Fortunately, though, I'm getting better. I just wanted to write this because I had an idea that i thought would be cool.
So, something else. This fic starts in 2294, three years after the invention of the Shaw-Fujikawa Slipspace drive, and skips to reach after the first chapter. I'm basing a large portion of this on the books "Fall of Reach" Through "Ghosts of Onyx", And books in that series, and the games Halo 1, 3, and reach. Never played two, but I'm planning on it. Also, I'm using the halo Wiki. I'll be using the "Fall of Reach" more than Halo: Reach, if only because the book goes into more detail.
Well, now that I've said all of that for almost no reason, on to the reason you're here... Unless of course you're here to read Authors notes... Anyways, here you go. Parallel Humanity: Chapter 1.
Parallel Humanity
Chapter 1
Expedition to Martark
[ 1939 Hours March 3rd 2294(Military Calendar),Slipspace approaching Lun system, USNC Translite]
"Captain, we're approaching the spitspace exit point. A young Lieutenant called out. He was of a medium build and height, with regulation short brown hair. His eyes were a vibrant blue as he looked at his data readings.
"That's Slipspace Johnson." The captain corrected the newly named navigation officer. He was tall, but only by a few centimeters. He had short black hair and abnormal eyes. They were black with red spiking out from the center, falling just short of the edge of the pigment.
"Sorry sir, the name is still weird after they made that drive thing three years ago."
"It's alright Lieutenant. Just pay attention to what you're doing."
"Yes sir. Exiting slipspace now sir." The lone cruiser dropped out of slipspace on the outskirts of a large solar system. There were three planets rotating around a moderately sized sun. The planet closest to the sun looked to be barren and made of yellowish rock. The second planet looked vaguely earth-like, mostly blue and covered in large swathes of green land with two moons orbiting it. The last planet was much like the first, rocky and yellow.
"Set a course for the middle planet. That's our destination, Martark, and the first human planet outside of earth ever discovered. Were making history boys, a new era for humanity." The Captain, Captain Robert Fox, could practically feel the excitement on the bridge. He had given brief thought to the fact that he would be famous when he returned to the human homeworld, but didn't stay on that fact long. He was never one for fame, but he had taken the mission anyways, out of a sense of duty to the UNSC and humanity. He wanted to usher in a new Era for Humans, where people wouldn't have to worry about the degrading resources of earth.
He felt the Translite move slightly, turning towards the new planet. The Fusion engines roared to life and the ship accelerate.
[Two hours later]
The Human Cruiser slowed down as it neared the large world. As the Captain looked at it, he realised that the planet was almost about the same size as Earth. He gave a brief order without looking away from the planet, and continued staring as the ship fell into a geosynchronous orbit. He walked closer to the window to get a better look. It was a beautiful planet, more so than Earth in Fox's opinion. The water was an incredibly deep blue, even from space, and the two continents looked green and lush with plant life.
He continued looking for quite some time, before ripping his gaze away and turning to his bridge crew. "Tell the exploration teams that they can launch the Sarac's (S.A.R.A.C - Space Ready Aircraft. The pelican's great granddaddy.)."
"Roger sir." Another bridge officer said. She pressed a button on her console and spoke into a microphone. "Exploration teams are cleared for launch, I repeat, Exploration teams are cleared for launch."
The hangar doors on the side of the ship opened up and seven transports flew out. They reminded Fox vaguely of C-47's from the mid 19th century, but the Sarac's had a more blocky fuselage with a ramp on the back and shorter, stubbier wings. They, of course were powered by jet engines on the wings, capable of adjusting and letting the plane land vertically. The VTOL's (Vertical Takeoff and Landing. Real term.) shot towards the surface, heating up along the bottom as the composite materials the bottom of the plane were made out of deflected the heat of reentry. The Captain watched them all the way the the ground, or at least as far as his sight would allow them to go. After a few minutes of waiting, a message came over the communications officers console.
"Sir, incoming com signal from planetside. I'm putting it up." A face came onto the screen next to the Captains chair. He looked at it to see the ecstatic face of the head of the exploration team.
"Sir, It- It- The atmosphere is breathable sir, just like predicted!" The captain nodded and let the man continue. "There's... There's so much wildlife here sir! We've already seen at least ten different species since we've landed! There's birds and these mammals that look almost like deer, and- and... are you coming down to see it sir? It's indescribable... The beauty of this place... untouched by intelligent hands."
"I wish I could... It looks incredible, even from up here, but we have to run the ship."
The man looked at Robert for a few seconds with something resembling pity in his eyes before he spoke. "It's a shame we have to build here. That's not to say that i don't want to, no, it's still worth it to build here, but no one else but us will be able to see this planet like this... untouched in its completely natural beauty..." There was a silence for a few more seconds before the man spoke again. "Well, we have to get back to work sir." and the com channel blinked out.
[1207 Hours March 7th 2294(Military Calendar) Martark, Lun System]
A group of three scientists, flanked by two marines for protection from any predatory wildlife, walked into a clearing. They walked forward and looked around. One turned to the right and his eyes widened.
"What the hell is that?" Everyone looked over and saw what he was talking about. through a gap in the trees they could see another clearing, and in that clearing they could see a large, low to the ground structure. It was made of a silver metal and covered in etchings. They walked into the clearing containing the structure and stared at it.
"Maybe we should call this in." One said, but another was already on his com system, contacting the ship.
[Aboard the UNSC Translite]
Captain Fox looked down at the planet one last time as the ship prepared to leave the system, having already dropped the last of the supplies the exploration team needed to survive for a year, even thought they would be coming back in less than two months.
"Sir, incoming com. Labeled Urgent." One of Robert's eyebrows went up as the call came up on his screen.
"What is it?" he asked the man on the screen. The man said nothing but turned the camera the the structure. Robert's eyes widened when he saw it. "What the hell... That's not human is it?" He asked.
THe man turned the camera back towards him and spoke up. "No sir... Should we investigate?"
Robert thought for a moment. "No. I'm sending down squad of marines. We don't know if whoever built that is hostile." The man nodded and cut the link. Robert looked at one of his bridge officers. "Put down a squad of marines down on where that signal came from."
"Yes sir." The officer said.
[One Hour later, Surface of Martark]
A Sarac set down by the structure that was now surrounded by scientists. The ramp opened and a squad of twelve marines walked out. They looked at the metal building and walked closer. Everyone watched them as they walked up to the entrance and stopped. A man stepped forward, apparently the Squad leader. "Alright, let's move in."
The squad took up positions outside the entrance. The squad leader made a hand signal and they rushed in. They found themselves at the end of a hallway. They all aimed down the hall, and slowly advanced. When they got to the end it turned right. They once again took up positions, and a hand signal was made. One man turned the corner quickly, rifle raised. He swept the area and motioned the rest of the squad that it was clear.
They thoroughly combed the area for any kind of enemy or explosive. Once they were satisfied a marine was sent outside to tell the scientists that it was safe to enter. The entire exploration team quickly rushed inside, and found the single room fascinating.
It was a large room, ringed by supports on the outside. The middle was dominated by a single control panel looking object. The lead scientist walked forward to the panel, which was floating in the air and looked like it was made completely out of light. The man waved his hand under it and over it to see it there were any invisible supports. When there were none his eye's widened.
"Incredible... to create a gravity defying object on a planet, with no visible apparatus... this must be a very advanced civilization." He reached to what appeared to be a button on the panel, but a hand stopped him by grabbing his arm.
"We don't know what that does... You probably shouldn't touch anything." The squad leader said.
"Well, we won't know what anything does if we don't experiment will we?" The exploration leader said. She shrugged off the marines arm and reached for a button in the center. Another two buttons popped up, both with red symbols spinning around them.
"That doesn't exactly look friendly you know..." One of the marines said. Ignoring him, the man reached forward and pressed the left button. The screen suddenly shut down. The man frowned, but before he could say anything, a bright light, accompanied by a loud whining sound started at the far end of the room.
Right before the bright light completely encompassed the room, the Marine Squad leader spoke up. "Told you." And before any other words could be said, the bright light suddenly grew even brighter and shot past even the Translight. If anyone had been observing from outside the solar system, they would have seen a orb of light form around the entire solar system. When it faded away, the entire system had disappeared.
A/N: Hmmm... I wonder what happened to the Human expedition... Maybe they were killed? Teleported? Sent to a different time?
By the way, I really appreciate any reviews. You don't have to, but I would really appreciate it if you did review. It kind of the only thing that Fanfiction writers get, since we don't get payed... ya so... yep... bye.