Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, sat there in the pilot seat of the Longsword Fighter that he and his AI companion, Cortana, escaped Halo Installation-04 with. "Cortana, scan again to see if there were any others that managed to escape Halo's destruction." Cortana sighed as she performed the scan, "Chief there's nothing but dust and echoes. If anyone escaped the ring they would surely…." Cortana paused, "This is odd. I am detecting from what seems to be a signal but I can't be certain as to what this signal is or where it's coming from."
The Chief raised an eyebrow at Cortana, "Where is it coming from at least?" Cortana put up one of her fingers and put a hand on her head before shaking her head and shrugging, "I can't tell you where it's coming from but now I am detecting more signals. And this time they are Covenant."
The Master Chief put his helmet back on and positions himself in the chair to combat ready and hands on the control. "Chief, I am also detecting a UNSC Pelican sending out a distress call and that Rouge signal…it's stronger now but right now we cannot worry about that. I have made contact with the Pelican and they are requesting a meetup. The Covenant Fleet that arrived is currently holding position near the planet and her moon. I think they are scanning for something. I need a few moments to analyze this Chief. Meet with the Pelican and I will monitor the Covenant Fleet." Cortana said disappearing into the on board AI dock.
John waited at the hatch where the Pelican was boarding, "Well, at least there isn't a boring day now." He said to himself as Johnson and the remaining UNSC members follow through. "Chief! It's good to see you aga…" Johnson stopped as The Chief pulled out his pistol and aimed it at his head. "I saw you. You were infected with those things." "I know Chief. I don't know why they didn't convert me like they did with the others. Maybe they thought I didn't taste so good or perhaps it was something else." Johnson said pushing the pistol down, "Now if we are done pointing guns to each other's heads, we need to figure a way out of here and fast." ONI Lieutenant Haverson says entering the Longsword, "I have a ship picked out for us to take and Chief, it will take you, Johnson, and our ODST friend here to capture that thing. We could use this Longsword to collide with this ship or we hit it with nukes. Either way we need to capture one of those ships." Cortana appeared on the dock, "I'm afraid we have more pressing matters Lieutenant." Just then a spatial distortion appears in front of them and an odd looking ship appears inside. "Chief, we're being contacted by a…" Cortana freezes again, "A Captain Jean-Luc Picard." Everyone looks at each other with puzzles looks as The Chief sits in the pilot seat. "Are they UNSC? Rebels?" Cortana shakes her head, "From what I can make with the hails they are sending they are part of a group known as the Federation of Planets. I honestly can't give anymore for I have no idea who they are." She says confused as Haverson walks up, "As the highest ranking officer here, open the line and let me talk to them." Cortana sighs as she opens the line. "This is Lieutenant Haverson of the United Nations Space Command. Identify yourselves or be destroyed!"
"Captain's Log, Stardate 50995. The Enterprise and her crew have been working continuously for several days analyzing this unknown anomaly. The scans we have taken have proven that there is some sort of massive structure on the other side. Could this be a Borg Transwarp conduit or could it be something completely different?"
Captain Jean-Luc Picard sat in the Command chair of the USS Enterprise-E. "Science, what do you have to report on the anomaly and please tell me it isn't a Borg Transwarp Conduit…" Picard says looking toward the Science Officer. "There is no sign that this has any Borg origins Captain. Although from the probes that we've sent I am detecting as to what appears to be an explosion of some sort." A pause erupts for a second, "Wait, something is coming through the rift." She says putting it on screen.
Picard looks at the Main viewer, then stands up walking toward the Helm, "My God…that thing is massive. Bigger than anything we've seen before." Picard says in shock, "Mister Data. Plot a course toward it. I want to have a close look at this thing." "Aye, Aye Captain." Data says plotting a course for the Halo fragment.
The Enterprise slowly makes her way toward the fragment, becoming engulfed by its size. "Mr. Data, are there any life signs on this thing?" "No Captain. Sensors are not detecting any life signs on it. But it appears to be part of something much larger. The species that it belongs to is unknown. There are absolutely no records of anything like this in the Federation Library." Picard stared at the Halo fragment with amusement. "Lieutenant Elfiki, what readings are you getting from this thing? If there an atmosphere to which we can send an away team?" Dina Elfiki taps on her console for a moment, "Well, Lieutenant?" Picard says a little impatient, "Sir, sensors are indicating that there is some sort of atmosphere on this but it's decaying. We could send an away team but I wouldn't recommend having them stay on there for long." "Alright, Mr. Worf, take Geordi, Data, and Ensign Codwell with you." Worf stood up from his chair and went to the turbolift, followed by Data and Ensign Codwell. "Transporter Room 3," Worf ordered the Turbolift computer and it begins to move, "So what do you think that we'll find on that thing Commander Worf?" Codwell asks, "What if we learn something about where it came from! Do you think it could be Iconian?" Worf rolls his eyes and growls to himself as Data speaks for Worf, "I don't know Ensign what we'll find something then we shall give the information to Captain Picard and let him decide what to do from here on out." Just as soon Data finishes that the Turbolift stops outside of Transporter Room 3 and Geordie La Forge meets the Command crew. "Well, shall we get this over with Worf?" La Forge says smirking before walking into the Transporter Room and stepping onto the pad followed by Worf, Data, and Codwell.
Ensign Codwell shivered as he re-energized on the ring fragment. "I am never going to get used to that thing." He said to himself, "Ensign, go with Commander Data and scan the region over there." Worf says setting up pattern enhancers with La Forge. Data and Codwell walk over the black rubble left behind the destruction. "Fascinating. Most of this black substance used to contain plant life. Grass maybe? I honestly can't tell." Data says taking a sample of the ground. "Ensign, what can you tell from your scans of this region?" "I'm not sure Commander. My Tricorder is picking up something, a life-sign maybe? It's erratic Commander." Data looks up at Codwell with a raise eyebrow while scanning the area as well, "Strange, there are multiple life-signs now," Data taps his combadge, "Data to Commander Worf, Ensign Codwell and I have discovered life-signs a few feet away from here. He and I are going to investigate." Worf acknowledged Data and the two set off on their adventure for those life-signs.
Lurking in the shadows, it followed both Data and Codwell. The Parasite watches them and tries to see which one would be a prime candidate for the taking.
Codwell shivers again and looks everywhere feeling as if there were eyes watching him and Data. "Commander, can you feel as if there are eyes watching you?" Data looks at him with a puzzled look, "I'm afraid Ensign, I can't feel these "Eyes staring" at us." Data scans the area again, "Interesting, the life signs are all around us but I don't see anything." The duo looks around puzzled and then Codwell notices something in the shadows then draws his Phaser. "Commander, over there!" Codwell points to the humanoid looking figure in the shadows as Data looks with a drawn Phaser, "I am Commander Data of the USS Enterprise. Come out and identify yourself." The Flood Combat form walks out slowly with one arm still attached but the other not.
Codwell freezes at the sight of it and he scans it with his tricorder, "There are vital signs underneath that! They're human vital signs! Commander we need to try and help him!" Data analyzes the situation and looks over the creature. "Can you talk? Are you able to understand us?" The human underneath the parasitic form groans and tries to speak words "Help me…." But couldn't form the words. Data squints and notices more movement in the shadows. "Ensign, we need to retreat back to Worf and Geordie." He opens fire as the Infection forms begin to charge at them. "This is Ensign Codwell to Commander Worf and La Forge. We are being followed by hostiles! We're headed to the RV point but be ready to encounter hostiles." La Forge responds to Codwell, "We're aware Ensign!" Geordie fires his phaser at incoming Infection forms, "Just get here soon!" La Forge taps his combadge again, "La Forge to Enterprise, we are being attacked by unknown hostiles! We need an immediate beam out now!" He says that as Data and Codwell arrive to the beam out point. "Energize Enterprise! Energize!" La Forge says as an Infection form attaches itself to Codwell. "AHHHHH! IT HURTS!" Codwell screams in pain as he holds onto the parasite. "Enterprise, beam Ensign Codwell to the Medbay!" Data says as everyone energizes to the medbay.
Picard rushes to the Medbay as Codwell's screams echo through the corridor. "Hold him down! Nurse prepare a Hypospray and inject the parasite with it. Let's try and get it off of him first!" Doctor Crusher says trying to reveal Codwell of his pain. "Doctor, what's going on?" Picard says walking in, seeing Codwell and the parasite. "I'm not sure Captain, this thing, whatever it is, is not letting go of Ensign Codwell and is immune to everything we are putting into it and him. All we can is help Codwell but the parasite, whatever it is won't let go on him." Picard looks at Ensign Codwell and puts a hand on his shoulder, "Don't give up Ensign, fight this thing with every last breath you have." He tightens his grip on his shoulder and looks at Crusher, "Do what you can Doctor." He turns to Data, Worf, and La Forge. "Get to your stations, we are going through that anomaly in a few minutes." Picard orders the three before heading to the Turbolift with Data and Worf. "Captain, why are we going through that anomaly?" Worf asks curiously, "Because Mr. Worf, we have picked up a distress signal on the other side of that thing. I've ordered the helm to take us in as soon as we get back on the bridge." The Turbolift stops and Worf/Data take their stations as Picard sits in the Captain's chair. "Helm, Full Impulse. We have a distress signal to help." The Helmsman acknowledges the order and inputs the command into the console.
The Enterprise arrives at the edge of the anomaly's mouth before moving into it. "Captain, we should be through the anomaly in t-minus 45 seconds." Data informally says to Picard. Picard nods and starts to see more of the Halo debris appear on the main viewer. "Lieutenant Elfiki, what are you reading?" "I'm detecting a massive debris field in front of us and a few unknown ships, a fighter, and a transport shuttle from what it looks like." She says looking at her console even more. Picard looks toward Tactical, "Lieutenant Šmrhová, open a hailing frequency to that fighter."
"Aye, Aye Cap'n." She replies, "Hailing frequencies open Captain."
"This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise, Flagship of the Federation of Planets. We are responding to your distress signal." Picard waits a moment before repeating what he said then turns to Lieutenant Šmrhová, "Lieutenant, are you sure the channel is open?" She nods to Picard as a figure appears on the screen, "This is Lieutenant Haverson….."
