Welcome back! This one was late, but I still got it out before midnight eastern standard time! So it's still Monday. It counts! I may give this some look over and edit things, maybe add somethings but I don't think I need to add much story and maybe more descriptions. To be honest, when it comes to my dialogue descriptions, I'm quite poor and really need to improve.
That might in fact be something that as I improve, I will go back to older chapters and fix.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
ONRIF TREVELYAN (SHIELD WORLD 006) – MARCH 6th, 2653 – 1320 Hours
Empty. Inside the room where Garret had just been, the Quarian, Sheni, was missing. In the brief window of confusion, someone had stormed in and kidnapped her. The three of them, CIC Liana Sutherland, Agent Garret Elphick, and Agent Yano Braddock, moved through the dark halls of the now dead research facility. Somehow their enemies had managed to get the facility of the power grid and set up some jammer so that nothing may get out. It was quite the problematic situation, one that they had done simulations on, but never expected anyone to actually do.
The three of them stopped at a corner when they spotted couple of light just up ahead, it was dark so they couldn't tell who it was. Though even if they could, they couldn't be sure they were on their side anyway. "How do we know if they're on our side?" Garret questioned.
"We don't," Braddock admitted as he ensured that his pistol was in working order.
"We can't just go in there and shoot them," Garret reminded his fellow agent.
Braddock looked at Sutherland. "Ma'am, don't suppose you got any ideas?"
Sutherland glanced back at her communication device, seeing still no signs of a signal. She grimaced but tried to think of some way to get out of this situation. However before she could speak, sound of gunfire echoed throughout the halls and then the sound of bodies hitting the floor. Each of them looked back down the hall only to see a single figure standing there in armor, their helmet visible by the headlights. A Spartan-IV.
They were wearing a white and red striped MJOLNIR GEN 2 Mark X Warrior variant, similar in aesthetic design to the original Mark VII that was created after the Human-Covenant War, but far more advanced on the inside. In her hands was the latest in the MA5 Assault Rifle line, the MA5G, and on her waist, attached by magnetic forces, was the MGH Magnum, an older variant but still deadly as any other. As standard with Spartans, they were an imposing figure.
Sutherland recognized the Spartan and walked out into the open. "Spartan Ayomide, is it good to see you," spoke Sutherland in a brief show of joy.
The female Spartan walked towards Sutherland. "I arrived when I got your message, I was down one floor when the power went out."
Garret and Braddock stepped out and the former spoke. "A message, ma'am?"
"Ah, yes, I had sent it out during the story- anyway we can't wait, we need to find the Quarian," Sutherland expressed.
Yoshiko Ayomide nodded. "I've been listening on the conversations to see who is a turncoat or not." She looked behind her at the bodies that lay on the floor. "These ones were whispering about finding you and taking you out."
Braddock recognized one of the bodies. "Agent Yanu? Damn, I liked that guy, was fun playing cards with. Though I guess his poker face was better than I thought."
"Spartan, lead the way," Sutherland commanded and the Spartan obeyed. They moved at a quick pace but made sure to not run into any avoidable danger. They opened a door that revealed a stairway. They moved down the steps and the Spartan held up her hand in a fist when she heard a door opening below them. Barely leaning, she looked down the stairs and spotted some agents making their way up.
Yoshiko held her MA5G Rifle tight in her hand as she stepped slowly down the steps. None of the agents were speaking, so it was hard to tell if any of them were a threat or not. However each of them were armed. "Something is wrong, outside us, and the agents you killed, there shouldn't be much more than that," Sutherland said in a whisper. "The fact that there is four of them down below is more than the amount stationed here. Most here are scientist."
The Spartan checked how much ammo was in her rifle and decided to strike. With the speed that only a Spartan could accomplish, the armored woman ran down the steps and closed the gap, and as expected- the turncoats fired at her. She slammed her body into one of them, making one fall over the railing and down three floor with a splat. Her shields took the brute of the force as she turned and fired her rifle at each of the agents. With no shielding the bullets easily ripped through them, breaking them into bloody pulps.
Once they were taken care of, the Spartan singled for the others to join her as she moved down the rest of the steps towards the ground floor. As they went, the Spartan reloaded her gun. At the bottom the Spartan hugged the wall next to the door and had the others fallow suit behind her. She counted down to three and then opened the door and stepped through first. Luckily for them, no resistance was met. However they did find themselves stepping over the bodies of some of the facility's staff.
"Fuck them," Sutherland murmured to herself.
They reached the foyer and through the doors windows spotted some Agents guarding the entrance. "Take them out," Sutherland said coldly, and the punishment that only a Spartan could dish out, rained upon the traitors. The Spartan ran across the foyer and towards the doors, they didn't open automatically and so the Spartan was forced to rampage through them. Considering the location of the facility, the doors weren't built with strength in mind- and so the doors went flying, slamming into the ground and causing sparks to sprinkle.
Naturally the traitors and turned and fired upon the Spartan, but it was pointless, as Yoshiko fired upon them, killing each and everyone one. Naturally, those nearby were confused at this and initially thought it was a Spartan was the one who turned traitor. However one the bodies dropped, Sutherland stepped from out of the facility, causing more confusion. "Good work Spartan," she said as she noticed that the jamming device was no longer overhead.
"Commander Whitham, it's Admiral Sutherland," she said into comms device.
A voice crackled over the comms. "Ma'am? What's going on down there? We were told the research facility you were in was having some issues."
"We've been played, I need you to seal down the planet, our discovery has been stolen by turncoats and they escaped the facility," Sutherland replied. "Has the tram platform from this facility been used?"
"Let me check…" Whitham said as he moved away briefly from his comms. "Yes- it appears that the platform went towards hanger six."
"They're trying to escape by ship," Garret pointed out obvious as he listened in on the call.
"Hold down the hanger, you can't let them escape!" Sutherland stressed. "I need you to teleport he four of us to that hanger."
Garret's stomached turned. "The… four of us?"
Sutherland quickly glared at him and then away. "Just a second," said Whitham. Suddenly there was a golden rings that began to circle around each individual. "Teleporting now." Eventually the rings became quicker and suddenly as they flew upwards, the four individuals vanished. It was a hard feeling to describe, vaguely similar to the one Garret felt when he first arrived at the Shield World, though he found it much worse.
In Hanger Six, in the command room overlooking the entire facility, four golden rings appeared and did the reverse of what it did earlier. The workers in the room watched the center as the four people suddenly appeared. Instantly Garret moved to the side, found a trash bin and puked into it. "I hate it- I hate it," he said among the barfing. However Sutherland paid it no mind as she walked to the officer on the scene, a young man named Hammon. Everyone who was working on station saluted the Admiral and she did so back to them.
"Give me a sitrep," she said as she looked past the rooms console and through the window, seeing all of the ships below. There was a single craft that was being surrounded by security.
Hammon began to explain. "A couple of agents arrived on scene with an unknown alien, as soon as they got close to a ship they were confronted by a security guard- who is now no longer with us. We got the ship on lockdown, and they still haven't gotten out but I can't be sure for how long. While they're held down for now, it appears they have a trump card- an AI with them. It's trying to work against our own."
"An AI? Is it one of our own? Something they got their hands on and corrupted?"
Hammon shook his head. "It doesn't appear to be, it isn't registered on any of our systems. Seems it's an insurrectionist original. Ma'am, should we storm in?"
"No, we can't say exactly what they will do with the Quarian, we can't let them kill her," she said.
"Then what do we do?" Hammon replied as he looked at the ship.
There was a brief moment of silence, until Braddock realized something. "Ma'am, Commander Whitham said they were told that the research facility was having issues- but if he had been told by a low level operative he wouldn't take their word. He had to have been told by someone high up enough that he wouldn't question."
Sutherland mentally slapped herself for not having come to the same conclusion earlier. She quickly typed on the console in front of her until a picture of Commander Whitham appeared. "Commander Whitham, tell me, who told you that there was an issue at the Research facility?"
The Commander scratched his head. "It was Colonel Duland, he said that he was informed of an issue at the research facility you were at and was taking care of it."
"And where is he?"
"He is… Oh shit. Ma'am, he was in Hanger Six."
Sutherland sighed. "Thanks Commander." The call ended and she looked towards Hammon. "Looks like our traitor is most likely aboard that ship."
"Colonel Duland? Jesus," Hammon said. "He's been here longer than myself- to see him as a traitor."
Sutherland looked back at out towards the ship, it still hadn't moved and security still surrounded it. "As much as we try to learn all of the history of the individuals we hire, there is always something hidden and even then- people change, it's possible Colonel Duland was once an outstanding ONI agent."
Garret, who finally felt better, stood up from having been on the ground and stood next to Sutherland. "It's most likely where he got the AI," he said. "Do you think they will kill Sheni if we try and move in?"
The admiral shook her head. "They would have to be even more insane then they're already to do that. Colonel Duland and his turncoats have already ruined their careers trying to get the Quarian out, I doubt they would squander it further."
"They honestly probably thought this was going to go a lot smoother," said Yoshiko who had stayed silent throughout the entire revelation. "Most likely didn't expect a Spartan-IV to be in the research facility when it went dark."
"Thanks again, for coming so soon," Sutherland said with a smile.
"Not like my CO had me doing much," Yoshiko said.
Garret noticed a beeping noise from a nearby console and sat down at it began to work. "Ma'am, we got a call incoming… It's from the ship."
Sutherland eyebrows furrowed. "Send it over here."
On the same screen where she had spoken to Commander Whitham, now appeared a middle-aged man, Colonel Duland. "Ah, Admiral Sutherland, how kind of you to take my call," he spoke condescendingly
"Cut the crap, you know what we want, give us the Quarian and just maybe I won't have you killed," she said back. "Maybe I'll be merciful and stick you in a cell."
Duland shook his head. "Never are able to escape the old ways of ONI."
Sutherland rolled her eyes. "You're not getting out of here, so just give us the Quarian."
"I've gotten this far, mind as well see how things play out," he replied.
As the conversation continued, Braddock walked over to the console where Garret was sitting. "This AI he has, it is new generation, we need to get another AI to help us push it back," Garret said as his hands moved across console.
Braddock leaned towards the screen. "But even if we hold it back, how can we get on that ship?"
Garret continued to work, he was communicating with another AI from another Hanger to lend aid to his cause. Typically they wouldn't be used in this way, their own jobs to merely keep everything in check, but he could still use them to fend off this AI. He was even talking to some engineers to get some help, as it was known, engineers were basically supercomputers in organic form created by the Forerunners.
"Can't we just teleport them out?" Braddock said.
"If we could, we would have already. They managed to create a dead zone where their ship is," Garret explained. From the evidence he could gather it seemed that it had happened before the capture of Sheni. It seemed as though the dead zone had been implanted in the system but was just activated when they needed it to be. However not only did it activate the dead zone but gave some small control to the AI. Meaning until they can get rid of the AI, the dead zone isn't going anywhere.
We received your orders, Agent Garret, he read on the screen on the computer. It was coming from the Dumb AI, Virgo, which he had communicated with. Though it was a dumb AI, with the advancements throughout the years, a Dumb AI was far more advanced than its compatriots during the Great War. Garret wasn't exactly the best when it came to computers, but he did know where to get in contact with those who were. Still, the threat was a Smart AI, which to their credit are far more deadly than any Dumb AI. One would think that all of the AI's were connected in the facility and in a way they are, but there is a separate AI for each facility. This is so that one AI couldn't have all control.
No doubt the goal of the traitors was to use the teleportation system to exit the shield world. Due to the nature of the shield world, with how it's very walls are the land mass rather than the shield surrounding an artificial planet, there was no way to simply drive through a tunnel into the world. However as it is, the teleportation from inside to the outside, isn't the same as using the standard teleportation from one spot inside the shield world to another spot inside. Not only where the traitors AI trying to stop us, but also is trying to gain access to this system. Garret wondered why they hadn't tried to gain access beforehand, but he wasn't going to give it much thought.
His thought process was halted when he heard the raised voice of Sutherland. "You're pissing me off, Duland," she said. The CIC was increasing becoming more annoyed trying to deal with the former Colonel Duland. With their options severely limited until one of their own AI's broke through, Sutherland had little choice but try and negotiate with the traitor. She hated becoming like this, and she admitted that it was one her faults. "What is it you want? Credits?"
Duland let out a chuckle. "Credits? I have no need for money where I go."
"And where is that?"
"…You expect I would tell you?"
Sutherland sighed. "At least worth a try."
"I'm done speaking with you," Duland said as he looked away from his own screen and pressed a button. The screen went dark and Sutherland slammed the side of the console in frustration. She looked over at Garret.
"Tell me you have something," Sutherland said without moving to him.
A smirk ran over the Agent's face. "Just a second." The combined might of the AI's from nearby facilities and the Engineers finally managed to not only kick the AI out of the system and also contain it within its own. "Alright, we got the dead zone down, I'm going to teleport the Quarian, Sheni, here, Spartan Ayomide if you want to get down there, prepare to board."
"Capture Duland, Spartan, I need answers," Sutherland ordered and the Spartan saluted and left the room and headed down to the ship. With the AI out of their way, it was not difficult to gain access of their ship and open its ramp inside. Sutherland watched as the Spartan walked up to the security forces and explained to them what was happening.
Just as the ramp of the ship went down, the golden rings of teleportation appeared in the room in the same spot they had arrived in just before. Suddenly standing there was the Quarian, no doubt confused at what was happening and what just happening that second. She stood there staring at each one of them, only recognizing Garret, having not been introduced to Sutherland nor Braddock. "I… What is going on?"
Sutherland walked to the Quarian. "I apologized for all of this. I'm Admiral Sutherland, current Commander-In-Chief of ONI. We were just as surprised as you went the power went out and you were captured."
"They held me at gun point, there wasn't much I could do," she admitted.
"There's no need to apologies, you're safe now. Once we get take care of them, we shall interrogate them as to why they did this," Sutherland explained. "Did they by chance say anything?"
Garret had to admit, the conversation was probably awkward for the others in the room. When the AI Diana, translated Sheni's language, she uploaded all of the information to their implants. However she did so only for those present, so to anyone else, they had no idea what the Quarian was said, though at the same time they had only heard the name Quarian just minutes ago. "No," Sheni said. "They had been quiet as they dragged me. Even once I was in the ship the only part I heard was Duland speaking to you."
Suddenly before they could speak their were sounds of gunfire that could be heard from outside the room. Sutherland and Hammon both looked out the window of the room just in time to see Spartan Ayomide dragging Colonel Duland by the neck of his uniform. It hadn't been a long encounter, not that anyone expected it to be with a Spartan involved. "Agent Elphick and Agent Braddock, take Sheni here to one of the active Research facilities, I on the other hand have to go chat with Duland."
And with that, the crisis ended.
Duland was brought to an interrogation room and strapped down to a chair. Typically Sutherland would have another come in and extract information, but Sutherland was no longer in a good mood. Sutherland stepped into the room, stood across from the clearly frustrated Duland. "I remembered when we hired you Duland," she began. "You were bold and showed deep loyalty to ONI. Yet here we're, I am now going to interrogate because of your betrayal."
"If you think I shall expose my secrets, you're wrong," Duland said defiantly.
"You know our methods yet you stay defiant," she said as she shook her head. "You got balls, but that won't help you here. So instead of throwing up this act, just tell me who you're working for and I'll make it less painful. Maybe."
"They say torture is the least effective way of getting information," Duland spoke with a smug expression.
"…Perhaps," replied Sutherland. "But if I were to be honest, I'm not in the mood to go kind."
The Admiral stood up and walked over to a container attached to the wall. She pulled out a syringe, already it was filled with a red-colored substance. Sutherland admitted, she wasn't the most knowledgeable of its contents, but what he did know, it what it did when it entered the body. She considered its contents to be the domain of the scientist under her command. There was no chance of Duland striking back at her, his arms and legs strung together.
Sutherland walked over to Duland who began to squirm in his seat, knowing exactly what was coming. It mattered not where the needle went, so long as it entered, and so she pulled up the sleeve of his uniform, padded it and then the needle pierced. After emptying its content into the traitor's body, Sutherland pulled the needle out and placed it back in the container. It would take some moments to work, but when it did, it wasn't quiet.
Duland could feel it, as though his body was being surrounded by flames. It tricked the body into thinking it was under fire. His body began to shake, his eyes wide open, and he began to yell in pain. Sutherland just stood and watched the man, though her expression was blank, behind it, she felt a bit of joy. It was one thing for someone to torture a known criminal, but to do it so someone who was considered an ally, even a friend… There was pain in that, but there was joy in finding a traitor and stamping out its flame from spreading.
"Duland, you want to tell me now? Or I shall put more chemicals into your body," she said as she walked around him. "They will bring you pain, more pain than even a Spartan could take, but it won't kill you. No- you will feel the pain of ten lives before you fall."
The pain began to go away, but Duland found himself physical exhausted. His breathing was fast and sweat began to pour from his face. He looked down towards the ground, not making eye contact with Sutherland. "Oh, it seems it has worn out, shall I go get another?" she said as she walked back towards the container. She pulled out another syringe filled with a different chemical, this time blue, but just as useful.
As she walked back over to him, Duland looked up at her, his eyes almost glazed over. "N-No! Please I'll tell you what I know."
"So what was that about torture not working?"
Truthfully she knew it was true, they had been trying to slightly move away from it and gain information from other methods. However she knew that Duland was a pitiful man, one who spoke strong but easily fell under pressure. While ONI was large, she tried to know about each and every one under her command. "Now you're going to tell me, everything you know," she spoke sternly.
Against orders, Garret and Braddock did not bring the Quarian to a research facility, but instead to one of the few ONI-regulated restaurants on the shield world. The place was big enough that they were needed alongside the cafeterias. However along the way the Quarian posed a problem to them, her species are dextro-protein, meaning any food human would be inedible to her. Also due to her suite, it would need to be a paste in which she could put through a tube. It was however a non-issue as with the almost freighting amount of resources at ONI disposal, they were able to get some with relative ease.
Along the way, Sheni exploded with questions, less about her kidnappers and more on the nature of the Shield World. It was nothing like she had seen before, and a lot of the technology was so foreign. They told her only what they were allowed by the brass to tell her. Though even with the answers she got, the Quarian continued to gawk in awe at the sheer size of the facility. Garret was reminded of himself when he first came to Trevelyan. Sometimes it seemed like it was all a dream, as there was nothing else to compare it to. Outside maybe Requiem, though from the history books he read that it was significantly smaller than Trevelyan and also was thrown into a sun.
"Probably didn't expect that to happen, being kidnapped and all after being woken up," Braddock said as they sat down at a table. The restaurant, simply dubbed 'restaurant 08' had an outdoor part with various tables and umbrellas above them. There was a lack of creativity within the name. Though no one was paid to think of anything better, so it was kept. It was the same for all Restaurants one through twelve. Braddock ended up getting chicken and Garret a hamburger and fries. And unlike the cafeteria's, they had to pay with this in their own credits only for the money to go back into ONI's pockets.
"I did not," she said. "Considered to me it felt like I had just awoken from being captured, it wasn't a good feeling."
"I don't doubt that," Garret said as he took a bite of his burger. ONI in the past had been known for kidnappings, but at least they were discrete about it. For what it was worth. "We truly do apologies. Though I imagine that you will want to know what we have in store for you."
At the last part Sheni looked at Garret with caution behind her visor. "Probably should explain further before you start thinking of wild ideas," he said as he rubbed the back of his head. "While granted we can't force you, though I would highly advise taking this offer. You hold the secrets to finding the Master Chief and Admiral Sutherland has ordered me to take you with me around the galaxy. Going to the planets from your time, seeing if they hold any possible ruins."
"And if I decline?" she said.
"I'm unsure what will happen to you, though I imagine you might have some difficulty adjusting to life in our time," he replied honestly. "So at least coming with me, you can learn about the galaxy along the way."
She looked away from Garret and towards the sky. "I truly hadn't imagined any of this would have happened. I had expected to wake up to familiar faces. Yet now I'm told that I woke up, just millions of years later and inside a cryotube unlike the one I had originally been put under in."
"Look at it like this," Braddock said. "Not only will going with Garret help us find out what happened to the Master Chief, but if you do find ruins. Well, maybe you can find some form of closure. Your life in that time may have of ended, but you're still alive."
Garret glanced at Braddock. "I'm surprised to hear that coming out of you."
Braddock gently hit Garret in the arm. "Ass."
Sheni chuckled. "Your words are true, Agent Braddock. I suppose it is best for me to go with you."
"There you go," Braddock said with a grin. "My words convinced her. You can thank me now."
The other Agent sighed. "Thank you… I guess."
Suddenly there was a beeping noise coming from Garrets pocket, he reached in and pulled out his communicator. It revealed to be a call coming from the Admiral. Then he remembered, they hadn't told her where they were going. "…Hello Admiral." he said as he opened up the call.
"Where are you three?" she spoke to the point.
"Oh yeah… Well we were all hungry, so we went and got something to eat."
He could hear her sighing on the other end. "Fair enough, though considering what had just happened, I would have expected you two to inform me beforehand."
"My apologies."
"Never mind, just where you are before I call up Commander Whitman and teleport you three to me," she said.
"Restaurant 08," he said.
"I'll be there along with Spartan Ayomide," she answered and ended the call.
Garret looked over at Braddock. "We should have informed her."
Braddock merely shrugged as he took a bite out of his piece of chicken. They stayed silent, each of them eating until the golden rings of teleportation appeared just near them. Since the three of them were alone at the outdoor of the restaurant, they paid no mind to it as they knew exactly who it was.
Sutherland walked over to the table as soon as she manifested into reality and noticed only three meals. "No food for me, I'm disappointed," she said. "Anyway… Sheni, did Garret by chance already tell you about the upcoming mission?"
The Quarian nodded. "I accepted too."
The Admiral smiled. "Great, I'll leave it to the side for now. To something more pressing. Something that Sheni may recognize."
Sheni looked at the Admiral with curiosity. What ever could she mean? Thought the Quarian. "I interrogated Duland," she began only for Braddock to interject.
"That was fast."
"As I was saying," she said with a stern look towards the Agent. "I got bits of information out of Duland, apparently he works for an insurrection, though what he described was something more like a cult. Saying that they believe in something called, the Great Purifier, he apparently was 'inducted' into their ranks just a few years ago."
Garret raised an eyebrow. "Great Purifier? Any idea what that could be?"
"I was hoping Sheni might, after all they did try and kidnap her," the Admiral said.
Sheni shook her head. "It doesn't sound familiar."
"Hm… I wonder if this is something we might discover in the near future," Sutherland said as she turned towards the Spartan. "Anyway, until then, a reintroduction is in order."
Spartan Ayomide took that as a cue and she placed her hands behind her helmet and with a hiss pulled off the helmet. Ayomide was dark skinned, her there was a small eyelid slit, her eyes and short hair were both black, her face was also oval shape. "I am Yoshiko Ayomide, Spartan-IV Class Eleven, and I shall be your guardian, Agent Elphick and Sheni."
"Spartan Ayomide will join you aboard the ship, Discovery, an apt name. However not only her but," she said as she pulled out a small device and without input a hologram appeared. It was of a man in a suit, with short straight hair and strong facial features, including a scar under their left eye, strange for an AI, he was also completely purple. "Smart AI Klaus shall join you."
"A… AI?" the Quarian spoke in both admiration and fear.
"Is there a problem with me? I apologies if this form is…" the AI spoke in a formal tone.
The Quarian waved her hands in front of herself. "Oh no, it's just where I came from an entire war was founded on the principality that organics and synthetic cannot coexist. Even after we proved we could."
Garret spoke. "Does that have anything to do with the synthetics in the story you told us, the Geth I believe?"
Sheni nodded. "Yes, though we once fought against them, during our war against the Reapers, we made peace with them."
"The Reapers?"
"They're-," she said but was cut off by Sutherland.
"Later, if possible write a report on them and send it to me. I need to explain further as your mission won't be long after," Sutherland said as she still kept Klaus out. "I am entrusting you three with Klaus because I believe he will be a valuable asset. It isn't common for Smart AI's to be sent with Agents. His usage should be obvious. Take this as a trust of faith in you."
Garret stood from his table, stood straight and gave a salute. "Thank you for this opportunity, ma'am!"
"The ship is already being prepped, with both food and fuel to last a long time. We even took into account Sheni's dextro-protein problem," the Admiral said just before her voice turned to a more solemn tone. "However I should warn you, I couldn't out any of the other traitors that may lurk in our ranks, so it is very possible that you may come under attack by this cult. So- the ship has guns attached to it and you shall also find a slew of firearms on board. Sheni if you need to learn them, Spartan Ayomide will be more than happy to show you the ropes."
Braddock finished eating his food. "Wait, how did you know about Quarians being dextro-protein, she just told us."
"During our time at the Hanger, Commander Whitham got Engineers to bring the building back to life, the AI Diana informed me of it, it was part of the information stored in the cryotube," she explained. "…This day has been more than expected, as this very rarely happens, Sheni, however everything should be in order. The three of you report to the ship in Hanger Four at 1800 Hours."
"No time for sleep?" Garret said jokingly.
"You can sleep on the ship," Sutherland said as she handed the data chip with Klaus to Yoshiko who simply inserted it into the back of her helmet. The Admiral saluted everyone and they did so back, Sutherland nodded and walked away from them as she brought up her communicator. It didn't take long for the golden rings to surround her and then the CIC vanished.
Garret shook his head in disbelief. "I can't handle one teleportation and yet she does it all of the time."
The Spartan looked down at Garret. "I shall meet you at the designated spot at 1800 hours, now if you will excuse me…" She placed her helmet back on her head and simply walked away instead of getting teleportation. Not that he expected it, there were few that were even given access to it. Garret only ever had it happen to him when he was with a superior officer.
The three of them were once again left alone. Braddock leaned in his chair. "Well, this has been an eventful day. Not going to lie Garret, I both admire you for getting this job and also happy I'm not getting it myself."
Garret took a sip of his drink and placed it back on the table. "And why is that?"
"Cause, your now in the sights of an estranged cult, no idea what they will try and do to get to you."
Alright that's another chapter! Yeah the kidnapping arc was short, it wasn't meant to be long. More or less the introduction of this cult insurrectionist to the main characters. You should expect to see a lot more of this. Though I do have chapters planned out for the most part, the next one may take me a day or so to debate. I'm unsure if I want to move to the next past segment or show more present day. Either way you will see the crew of the Discovery set sail from Trevelyan.
Anyway, again I hope you enjoyed the chapter. My writing is still rough, so I hope you bear with me as I try and improve as we go along! :)
