Chapter 4
"FLEETCOM, this is UNSC Light of Vengeance and Divinity. We've managed to find UNSC Spirit of Fire and its crew. We're bringing them in on our ships because their slipspace drive was missing, apparently they used it to destroy a Covenant fleet." Said Heller
"Come again? I got that you guys are Light of Vengeance and Divinity, but Spirit of Fire is officially MIA. Where did you find them?" replied the Fleetcom operator
"At the edge of the outer colonies, we found them under attack by a pair of Covenant cruisers. We destroyed one and the other retreated. We then removed all useful data and equipment we could carry and destroyed the Spirit of Fire."
"You'd better bring the crew in for debriefing, still, it's odd, it's not like the Covenant to do that."
"I know. I have a full report to hand in as soon as we touch down. Light of Vengeance out."
As Heller, Cutter and Anders touched down on the landing pad of a high rise building, they were approached by a tall man with a full head of grey hair and a lined face and a marine escort detail. Heller saluted and Cutter did the same.
"At ease, Heller. I'll take your report in a moment. You must be Captain Cutter. I am marshal Gonnel. I was very surprised to hear that you and your crew had survived all these years. And that your on-board AI construct is still around too." Said Gonnel in a tired voice that reflected his apparent age
"Well, when we heard that the war was still going on, we couldn't just abandon it." Replied Cutter
"ONI personnel are waiting to debrief you on level 34. They'll be hard to miss. Heller, that report if you please." Said Gonnel turning his attention back to Heller and the two walked away, leaving Cutter and Anders alone with the marines.
The marines escorted them down to level 34 where two men in suits were waiting with their hands behind their backs and a lack of expression on their faces. They could be described in a single word: official.
"Captain Cutter, Professor Anders. Please, enter and have a seat." Said one of the men.
Anders and Cutter sat down and the marines took their places by the door.
"Now, we have pulled the information you recorded on the organism, professor, and we think it best if it were, not released to the public, or anyone else who doesn't have level 4 clearance. ONI doesn't want more of a panic than we already have from the Covenant attacks, alright?" said the same man who asked them in
"We understand, but we would like to make sure that that data isn't just going to sit in a filing cabinet in a storage facility somewhere, instead that it is being used to find a way to defeat-" started Cutter
"You aren't in a position to make demands, captain. You work for ONI, so you'll do as you're told. You're both going to be reassigned since the Spirit of Fire was destroyed. Anders, you have been positioned at a research laboratory. Captain Cutter, you are required for a full debriefing before we decide what we do with you."
"Understood." Said Cutter with a bit of remorse