AN: Let's get some things clear before people start bitching:
Science is in this, to explain some things like how the fuck does a ship stop in space by just turning off its engines. I'll try to make the sciency stuff flow into the chapters as best as possible, but if you don't like science, then…that's too bad.
OG Character limit: 4 (two major, two minor) AND THAT IS FUCKING IT. But obviously, I'm going to give random names to peoples (random soldiers, people, etc.) I'll try to make them as likeable as possibly, and more enjoyable. I debated whether adding them or not, but, eh, I want to. Don't like it, too bad…
Why the fuck in Halo it implies that all of Earth and the whole unity, but with the diversity and names you might as well call it "United States Space Command"? For reals? No Middle Eastern recruits, African, Asian? With names like…Muhammad Ibn-al'Ashad, or Koji Murofushi? No highly religious recruits? No accent ridden recruits? I know they Bungie did a thing with Jorge and Jun in Halo Reach and the farmers speaking Hungarian, and then there's that one really Mexican marine in Halo 2 that always appears that I fondly named Juan, but still. Thomas Lasky? Terrance Hood? John? Kelly? Fred? Palmer? Keyes? Osman? Halsey? Dubbo? Stacker? Johnson? Buck? Lash? Veronica? Forge? Cutter? Don't get me wrong, the characters are great. And I'm not undermining them. And yes, blah, blah, blah, the Spartans are given simple names on purpose. You know Muhammad is a common and simple name in the Middle East? Just saying… But statistically, Asian, Middle Eastern, and African peoples outnumber and are growing a lot more than, well, white people. Unless it implies that the Western Nations set out to colonize first, which might be true since they do hold more power and space status, then that's slightly understandable. Yet their main colonization efforts was after Earth was unified. Just expect some really foreign names for randomly named soldiers and stuff…
This I get a lot of flak fore, so let me be clear: I VIEW THE UNITED NATIONS AS: A xenophobic, ethnocentric, propagandist, fascist, totalitarian (possibly communistic. I have to think about that one) dictatorship under Fleet Admiral Lord Terrance Hood.
Is this going into philosophical shit throughout the story? You bet your ass. Such as how the fuck can we apply a human-perception bound scenario and how come this became true (in the story) despite species developing in a completely different environment, thus having a unknowable and unaccountable effect on their psychology and culture, being unimaginable to humans like trying to explain a new color.
Unfortunately I have a tendency to be more Halo-centric. I try to keep the universes balanced. (AS IN I'LL GIVE BOTH the same amount of story time)
If you have any suggestions, post a review…
Let's get this God forsaken show on the road…
"For us, the storm has passed. The war is over. But let us never forget those who journeyed into the howling dark and did not return. For their decision required courage beyond measure...sacrifice, and unshakable conviction that their fight; our fight, was elsewhere. As we start to rebuild, this hillside will remain barren, a memorial to heroes fallen. They ennobled all of us, and they shall not be forgotten."
- Fleet Admiral Lord Terrance Hood, Supreme Commander of Humanity and all United Nations Space Command Defense Forces during the end of the Great War and the Period of Rebuilding
"Never before have so many come together from all quarters of the galaxy, but never before have we faced an enemy such as this. The Reapers will show us no mercy so we must give them no quarter. They will terrorize our populations. We must stand fast in the face of that terror. They will advance until our last city falls, but we will not fall. We will prevail. Each of us will be defined by our actions in the coming battle. Stand fast. Stand strong. Stand together. Hackett out."
- Fleet Admiral Steven Hackett, Supreme Commander of all Systems Alliance and Citadel Military Forces during the Reaper War
Aboard UNSC Spirit unto God
18 Light Years outside UNSC Space
July 28th, 2557 Military Calendar, 08:36
"-slipspace momentum eliminated, lowering terminal velocity."
"Once you lower terminal velocity, cut engines. I want our velocity momentum coordinates three kilometers out, laying above the Shadow of Intent. Use Reaction Control System engines as needed. Inferi, set up a line with the shipmaster. Tell him the UNSC Spirit unto God and UNSC Legend After are on standby, but our scanners have not picked up the beacon. Unknown what these big bastards are talking about." Captain Mark Florencia ordered, standing upon the bridge to the newly built Autumn-class cruiser Spirit unto God.
The window revealed the black of the void painted upon those holy skies, dotted by myths of distant light with the boundaries provided by the separations within the viewing glass of the bridge. The quieted engines continued to hum the song of radiation from the recent slipspace jump. As the momentum edged the ship closer, the view of the CAS-class assault cruiser Shadow of Intent emerged slowly as it lay motionless and still in the shrouds of its oddly unique majesty centered around the ship. The majesty surrounding the titan then which Humanity achieved emulation to, leveling the battlefield of despite the years of accumulating massive technological advantages to begin competition against Covenant technology through the use of Forerunner application. Still did the Spirit remain in inferiority, with the Shadow of Intent holding four kilometers of length against the cruiser. Of course, with the relationships in peace, there wasn't exactly a test between the combaters.
To Mark's bridge held still a bright, yet highly green crew of ten other sailors straight from the naval training academies. The crew, more emphasized by a sense of direct following of the book and a slight awkwardness and youth tainted from those teenage years, went forward with a calming set unlike the hundreds of simulations through training unneeded here at their current level in the assigned field.
Past upon the Spirit one-hundred clicks out stood the brother Autumn cruiser UNSC Legend After, bearing the same build and assortment of armaments common in conventional warfare as a majority of the UN Navy. The hull lights displayed their name, visible even to the Spirit's position.
In the distance, the shining glow of the enigmatic and terrifying presence of the Halo Ring Installation 03 seemingly presenting a glow of light reflected from the local sun. The Ring stood thirteen-thousand kilometers away, bearing habitable worlds and seas to join them. But oh, how it lied with the destruction it could hold against the life of the galaxy. The threat it almost produced those five years ago at the end of the Great War. Yet today, the Ring was not a priority, as the Spirit unto God aimed its MAC of the newest enigma recently discovered in stranger ways than usual. The artifact was almost anticlimactic for the colossuses the ones who came before always constructed.
"Ah, sir? This isn't a trench beacon, it's gonna disappear when ya turn it off." A figure said, appearing upon the holo-display of the bridge, who composed himself of a dark blue that painted a youthful face with a skinny body built of a runner athlete, covered by a hoodie and jeans, leading to sneaker shoes. The face itself comprised of curly, light hair that stopped upon only those innocent eyes hiding the alternate depths of the true Forth Generation AI capacity of humanity. An uplifting smirk ran across his face, always hinting something stranger to the personality itself. In a sense, one could only relate to…'innocence' he held, always emerged and distinct through his figure. In any event, the AI figure who named itself "Inferi", of homage to the dead, held a voice of the same age set as his appearance. A voice constantly light and cheerful. Lines of code, crafted of numbers, letters, and zeros and ones ran across his body, emerging through his cloths, traveling downwards and upwards until they disappeared from existence.
"The Shipmaster reported it originated from the artifact. If this is a short range transmission with a slow spread, then we should still receive wavelengths at this distance." Mark responded, slightly annoyed by the purposeful intent of literal configuration. Something the AI coaxed into himself learning it bothered those around him and leaving him in a purer state of beyond, that innocence he loved.
Mark sighed, unknown why of the thousands of captains to ships of the UN Navy these two UNSC ships were picked to venture on with this mission along in the presence of the Covenant Splinter Cell. In reality, this task would've been assigned to the greatest warship Humanity has ever built, the UNSC Infinity. But from the odd events four days ago, the ship worn itself from battling the opposed threats of the Covenant Remnants who dared attack the homworld. Indeed, from three months on patrol of Captain Florencia and his crew in the fringes of UNSC space, the beloved and always truthful Office of Naval Intelligence, primarily her holiest highness Admiral Serin Osman herself called upon the services of the patrol group to ensure the Elites do not hinder advantages from Humanity. Being the nearest UN group, ONI wanted them to forage quick as possible, before the contamination by the xeno 'allies'.
"Well, Captain, it seems the beacon disappeared from their scanners a while ago. So they report. But they definitely confirmed it originated from…whatever the hell kinda Forerunner object it is."
Florencia crossed his arms, attending to the holo-display. The blue fade held the few light sources in the darkened room, shining with green dots the captain's brown skin of Neapolitan Italian and Spaniard descent on an oddly youthful face, near the same age group Inferi presented himself in. Black hair bordered on regulation, touching those common brown eyes held surrounded by dark circles and features from the sleepless nights and stressful hours during the War.
And the captain himself lived in the shadow of his age; even in the mindset of the green crew, they oversaw their naivety to momentarily question internally the age of a captain of twenty-seven years. But of what reason he held, he rose in those days in the desperateness of the UNSC in the final days of the Great War. Young naval officers who showed slight leadership potential were thrown into the reigns of command, correlating to the days of the United States and the allies in the Second World War.
"Copy. Have all UNSC ships stay ten kilometers from the object. If the beacon originated from the artifact, no telling where it leads to." Florencia said, looking upon the local orbital map of the solar system, indicating this artifact in an impossible standstill with no eclipse orbit around the sun.
To obvious was the ploy the artifact contained, holding this beacon. Every strategist with a brain (which surprisingly wasn't many) could see it. A lure -unknown how it was obtained- to edge bait closer for investigation possibly positioning something that could pose a threat towards Humanity. After all, Humanity apparently –according to the eggheads- were the "Reclaimers", being the only species to activate Forerunner technology. How the ancients seemingly love to test them at every corner with the failure penalty of death, enforced by the woes of the leftovers from the days of the ancients.
"Rodger dodger, Cap. Relaying orders to the Legend After. I'm receiving a new line from the shipmaster, standby. " Inferi said, not even giving Mark a moment as the AI stepped aside for the display of Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum.
An Elite drawn forth upon the blue lights of the display. It was dressed in the white standardized armor of the Commander of Special Operations. It stood above Mark, nearing eight feet and bearing a forced removal of two of its mandibles of the left side, showing the rows of teeth inside the outer flesh. Green lights flickered upon the chest plating covering the muscular, lizard-like body that stood in a constantly slouched position, bringing itself lower than it really is. Yet beyond this, the head itself bore the old helmet of the Covenant days, covering the face that shared those tired features like Mark created during the experiences of the Great War. The Shipmaster looked to Florencia, who stood at attention out of the external needed respect at least.
"Captain? Yes, we received word that Admiral Osman would send support. Our ships are on standby incase this…Forerunner construct presents a more dangerous threat than anticipated." Shipmaster Rtas 'Vadum reported. Mark nodded, almost pitying the remnants of religious indoctrination try to surface in the words, zeal destroyed long ago. "Boarding parties are ready to deploy."
"Standby, Shipmaster. We have you at coordinates nine, by seven, by six, at three by four, we are above you at three by five. I recommend we stay ten clicks from the object. You confirm this was a UN distress beacon that originated from the object?"
"Indeed. The signal related to your ships, screaming to be found. Though it now remains in silence."
Mark turned to Inferi, who spoke. "Yes, honey?"
"The artifact? What exactly is it?"
"The artifact is definitely Forerunner from the architectural scans, at least some of the foundations. But besides that, there seems to be a lot of added compartments and other foundational designs. Something definitely not Forerunner, and these individual compartments and foundations contradict each other, completely different builds." Inferi said, presenting an image of the fifteen kilometer object which ONI fondly named "God's Key". "Besides that, the thing obviously hasn't been used in a long time, judging from all the ice formed around the it. From the circuit logic, the energy inputs are strange. It has a direct current energy flow, along the structure. It has an energy pool within that weird, ring part of the object, and then it shoots out towards the tips of the object."
"The way you describe it, is it a weapon of some sort?" The Shipmaster said.
"I have to agree with the Shipmaster, Inferi. A direct energy weapon? Used for what? Defense?"
"Possibly. Though I would've just said something sexual, ha… Uh, anyways, I'm not sure I would call it a weapon, Captain. This thing has no orientation system, so it would only be shooting in one direction. But the energy this artifact can store is…incredible. The pool is so massive in fact, that if an object were to travel along with the open conducts this artifact is showing…. Christ, it would shoot halfway across the galaxy in a matter of a few moments."
"You're suggesting a FTL transportation system? When you say "moments", is time still relative to the artifact?" Mark said, crossing his arms and contemplating on the need of a system.
Forerunners, just like the Covenant and UNSC, used slipspace systems for travel, unneeded of relative flight. And from the backing of Einstein's basic quantum laws, nothing can travel faster than light. This proved correct even in that day, around five-hundred years later. Yet a loophole perceived with the rise of Shaw and Fujikawa, through the rips in the space-time curvature to a deeper realm where special relativity no longer applied.
"Six-hundred years later, and we still don't know a thing what happens when an object goes faster than the speed of light within relative space. When Einstein said ya' need an infinite amount of energy to propel an object that fast, he just meant a' very, very, lot – more than the universe holds - to balance out the increasing relativistic mass. At least this is according to our current understanding of physics. I mean, sir, you can't see it, but the readings are impossible. That's it. To build a pool for this amount of energy is just staggering. I think this could be a Forerunner prototype of something failed and left abandoned when they realized you cannot keep this amount of energy at a stable level, or they stopped the prototype when they realized you simple can't generate this level of energy." Inferi said.
"In any event, Shipmaster, maintain a ten click deck from the artifact. We don't know what this thing is, and its potential. Inferi, contact and send all data to High Command relay for further orders. Do not send a thing to the Office. Set up the three-D perimeter grounds in the meantime.
"…Also, Inferi, make sure Admiral Osman's orders and this artifact are known to HIGHCOM." Mark added.
From the past years which gave away grave experience triggered by interference, charged the Office of Naval Intelligence into the ordering of Captain Florencia for the enforcement of zealous actions in the event if something went wrong, even slightly. Counter measures and guard units were enforced in every position for the quick retreat and protection of themselves. If anything went wrong, Captain Florencia had orders to eliminate the artifact by any means necessary.
As obvious, this was set in by the threats the ancients unleashed, always seemed to be quelled by the Master Chief, God rest his soul. Unfortunately, this crew was stocked with little actual ground combat capabilities. With caution in set, Osman still wanted them to forgo the interiors of the God's Key. This would require too much in the standings Mark held towards the Office.
"You do not trust your Admiral?" The Shipmaster said.
"It's not that, Shipmaster. But the Admiral ordered our group to deploy without a single word from our…"Shipmaster of Shipmasters"."
"Yet you still follow through?"
"That's why we're staying ten klicks out. The part I won't follow is her orders to deploy Marine assault teams or Elite parties on the artifact. She is an admiral though, only reason why I'm here, and we'll follow her orders...we're just stalling for a moment."
The RCS systems activated, causing the ship to rotate about twenty degrees starboard. The artifact display then moved to the portside viewing glass panel. Mark's lungs constricted with applied gravitation of the activated main engines, increasing their velocity, propelling them forward into the plotted trajectory course. The Shadow of Intent followed, flying in a smoother manner, seemingly without the use of extra engines to balance Newton's first law.
The image of the shipmaster disappeared, leaving Mark to pay full attention at view. The Legend After remained portside of the Spirit unto God. Both being Autumn cruisers, each used their RCS systems to turn and aim their MACs towards the Key while they still moved starboard. The Covenant ship tilted its roll, those oval shaped wings dipping beneath the artifact's lower grid, directly heading towards the God's Key.
In the settings of space, Newton's First Law hold: An object in motion will stay in motion unless acted upon by an external force. This applied to extreme terms in the bounds of space combat and movement because there is nothing to stop a ship's momentum. A ship's main engines' only purpose is to create force to propel the object (the ship) in the opposite direction the engines were facing. Reaction Control Systems (RCS) were basically hundreds of smaller maneuverable engines placed throughout the outer hull of the ship, acting upon as inertia dampeners to orient and control the pitch, yaw, and roll of the ship. And it prevented the ship from continuing movement after the main engines shut off if the captain ordered the ship to make a complete stop. It also helped with axis flight dynamics. An object moving at a trajectory course from point A to B can move its front (the MAC) into whatever position it wants to. The object can be facing a completely different direction while still moving towards point B with only minor effects to its orientation, velocity, and trajectory.
"How's the distance looking?" Mark said to the younger navigator.
"Uh...ten klicks on all routes." Navigator Nanahara reported.
"Good. Inferi, did you contact HIGHCOM relay like I ordered you to?"
"Didn't you get the memo? Slipspace beacons out here aren't set up yet. That's why the local research station couldn't contact anybody when it got burnt. I've sent a report through the slipspace routes; it'll take a couple hours to reach the homeworld." Inferi reported. It was odd how the AI simply relayed a harsher reality in words holding this persona of innocence. The coldness of those words, no pity for the scientists and security personnel that were wiped out four days ago.
"Fine then. Extend the hard deck to fifteen kilometers, just in case. Keep all weapons aimed at the artifact, shields active, with backup static generators on standby. Get the Legend After to do the same. We'll have our ships keep the starboard flank above the Key by one coordinate at a twenty-two degree angle. See if you can get the shipmaster to place his ship directly beyond that ring of the God's Key.
"Inferi…" Florencia said, observing the encircled rings of the decreased majesty "You said this thing doesn't have any energy stored, right?"
"I didn't say that but it really shouldn't. Nothing that I can read at least."
Well that's comforting. Thanks, asshole.
Moments passed. The ship entering its intended position with slowed momentum as the RCS engines began to killed it. When the Spirit unto God set itself into position, one of the astronomical watchmen, Lieutenant Commander Ashley Ibn-la'Aheid's scanner screen blinked red.
"Commander, what's wrong?" Mark said.
"Uhh….standby. The God's Key gravitational depression is slightly increasing in size.…Oh, shit."
"What is it?"
"Sir! I'm reading heavy gravitational flux depression coming directly from the object. It looks like a' black hole, sir!" The watchmen reported, almost straining his voice, from his station in surprise.
The emergency lights of the bridge ignited, amassing the dark room in red lights with a constant, blaring alarm. Crewmembers immediately awakened from their calmness, rushing to action stations, skidding and sprinting past each other, preparing for what they've trained for to be unleashed by the words of the captain.
Mark felt the pull of gravity centering towards the front of the bridge, as if tugging his captain's uniform. The RCS engines failed, and a new velocity was created not from their main engines but from the potential gravitational influence. The ship tugged downwards, pulling the rear of the ship upwards giving a scathed view of the artifact. Flares across the hull activated, as RCS engines aimed and shot down, trying to maintain original orientation.
"Captain, the artifact is starting to drag us in, along with the Legend After and the Shadow of Intent. I'm reading a small electric pulse from inside the energy pool but that's it. Orders, sir?" Inferi said, giving away only the same expression mixed with a hint of complete boredom. It was obvious he was trying to remain calm from the more uncontrolled emotions the Forth Generations possessed.
Something within the mindset of the captain wondered into a channel of unbound reality. The corrosions of engaged visions was thought only as shadows in the corners of sight from the rise of gravitation. Mark didn't speak, only looking upon the situation in a normal fashion.
Different sailors began to yell out details of the situation. Their voices became a murk of screams and yells to the captain. Only a few voices were audible, while the rest were seemingly replaced by whispers.
"Captain, the Shadow of Intent is charging plasma channels. They are going to engage. The After's captain is requesting orders, sir!"
"Sir! Space-time curvature depression is increasing in size, the event horizon is expanding. Engines are losing control. Orders!"
Mark felt the pull of the black hole, causing the ship to drift towards the artifact despite the RCS systems and main engines.
"The Event horizon is still expanding. We are two kilometers away and closing. Orders!?"
The artifact itself, encoded in ice, was a single ellipse shaped end that encompassed two rings which entangled each other, forming the center of the oval. At the main curvature of the oval, opposite end to the group of ships, outstretched two arms that surrounded an area of empty space, cutting the full connection of the oval. Main antennas strut out from near the connected side of the oval, giving off no visible wavelength. The ice broke off, falling to present the rings beginning to twist around each other, activating a small ball of dark blue and black light that continued to expand within. With this conquest of space, the rings sped up raising to a speed constant out of control while the ship drew ever closer to those the orbit of death.
"Captain, rings are increasing to eight-hundred-thousand plus revolutions per minute."
Orders…destroy artifact….
"Sir, I'm reading another space-time disruption near the first black hole. Two black holes, sir, I repeat, twin black holes. They are morphing together, uh…standby…"
"I'm giving it all she's got, Captain! We are one klick from our event horizon!"
Destroy….
"Alright, both two-dimensional shapes are bending and forming together at their combined gravitational influence. They're forming a binary black hole orbit."
"Half-a-click out."
…Priority?
Mark didn't respond. The corners of shadow again conceived constriction of sterile air holding the realms of generators. The horrors of the sailors showed with training disappearing every second, and only a single thought flung in the mind of the captain…a start…
"MAC on standby, sir! All weapons are hot and ready at your command."
Of your destiny.
"Captain! The shipmaster is going to engage without you! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOUR ORDERS, SIR!?" Inferi yelled, breaking the boredom of innocence to relay the necessary counter. His face was filled with panic, voice in the same level of the sight.
The mindset of Mark Florencia to this day questioned itself: why he didn't act sooner? Why of all moments, even during the atrocities of the Great War, did he freeze then? Yet it wasn't of fear, no, this was of unknown. A blank unable to proceed in the proper steps of actions needed. For this, this grave mistake of idiocy, placed Humanity and Earth herself in danger. Of these thoughts, from the darkness he rose to the officer of the United Nations trained like every soldier, to prevent any acts of threat or mystery towards Humanity. Unaffiliated, undamaged by the ice grip he set upon himself…
"We are a quarter away from the event horizon!" Mathematical analyst Ensign Clare Morganson screamed, as she had been for the past few seconds.
Captain Florencia was about to order for the ship maintain a symmetrical alignment of the nose directly towards the God's Key and have the MAC and all weapons fire at will. In the moment the blackness of the void disappeared, replaced in the midst were of bright blue colors. The ship's pitch, along with the roll and yaw, spiraled out of control within this stream, creating gravitation that rocked the ship worse than any engine transmission, or hull breach could provide. The force knocked Florencia to his knees, pulling him and other crew members in an array of directions. The captain quickly grabbed onto the rail of the holo-display, using all his strength to pull him towards the small table.
Through the hell of the bliss the Key started, once more they quickly entered back into the void filled with stars, all out of previous alignment. The ship moved from position, rolling out of control, and pushing forward. Yet within moments, the RCS engines activated, and the ship calmly positioned itself, staring towards the view of the Shadow of Intent remaining purposeful and the Legend After realigning itself.
And something else laid in the distance. It was surrounded by bursts of red and blue explosions...