AN: Here is chapter 4. I guess that I got it in sooner than I expected (?). Eh, not really. A lot of things came up that stalled it's process, such as school. I wanted to crank this out a few weeks earlier, but couldn't. Either way, thanks for the reviews, and enjoy chapter 4.

Chapter 4: A Proposition

Just as luck would have it, part of the cargo just happened to be a new prototype communications satellite. Once in orbit, it will be able to communicate using slipspace messaging. Without any physical mass to transfer, data through such communications will be able to travel almost instantaneously throughout all the colonized worlds. This technology is again courtesy of research into Covenant technology. But the main problem is getting this machine into orbit. With a broken ship grounded indefinitely, we have no way to call for help and repairs. With this satellite, we would be able to do that. But it needs to be put into orbit...

The men proposed a last ditch effort to get the satellite up: scavenging from the ship, they plan to build a one-use multi-stage rocket. That, in turn, will carry the satellite up into orbit. This idea is considered crazy by everyone and just as unanimously hated, but we have no other choice. We are desperate.

What's more, the men say that the rocket will have another goal: To say that we are technologically superior to these natives is not hard. But to say that it's better is not as easy when we have a nicely broken, gutted, and charred ship to show off. So they think that showing off a rocket launch can do what the ship can't: amaze the locals in a positive way.

But for now, we can just wait, hope, and work. It is theorized that if the satellite will work, mass application of such devices will revolutionize communication. They will connect worlds, entire star systems, much the same way the net connected Earth in the early twenty-first century.

A daunting prospect, to say the least.

King Galbatorix didn't look like what Stacker expected. The king was decked out in a rather unimpressive outfit, that while expressed wealth, looked more like it offered comfort over appearance. Stacker thought of that as a good thing: the king knew what he wanted, and wasn't afraid of letting others get in the way. After a while, King Galbatorix finally spoke up again after greeting the two soldiers.

"As you are aware, our world is much different than what you are used to," he said, "but I do not consider that as a... difficulty. In fact, I see it as a potential. A way for both of us to improve our respective homes: My Alagaesia, and your... worlds." He said with some hesitation. "As I understand, you just emerged victorious from a massive war. May I ask what it was like?"

Stacker held out a hand to stop Patterson from speaking. He, on the other hand, cleared his throat and started speaking, nervously. "With all due respect, your highness, I wish not to discuss our past. It was horrible to say the least, and many men still feel uncomfortable speaking about it, let alone having someone else talk for them. I will respect their wishes and not discuss it, not without them present." He explained. "And also, we are rather short on time, and we have other things to discuss."

Stacker cleared his throat again. "About the war, one thing that everyone left alive are proud to say is that for the past thirty years, the entire human race has been united and at peace with itself. And now it is our goal to preserve that peace for as long as possible. So when we.. came here the first time, we were rather shocked to find two separate human factions at war with each other. Well, with your permission, we would like to help negotiate a peace treaty between your kingdom and the Varden." He said.

Galbatorix leaned forwards, interested. "And what did the Varden say?" He asked.

Stacker sighed. "They have agreed to give up their ambition to conquer you if that will mean peace between you and them." He said. Finished, he looked down at the ground, knowing that there was one more point to say, but he didn't want to do it.

Patterson, on the other hand, knew what had to be done. "Tell him," he muttered.

The king leaned forwards again. "Tell me what?" He demanded.

Stacker became even more nervous than before. "Well... We were given express orders that..." He gulped down hard. "That if peace cannot be made, we will have to directly interfere and bring the war to an early end." He said.

Galbatorix leaned back. "Now I don't think that will be necessary." He said, to the obvious relieve of the two soldiers. "If the Varden are as self-righteous as they claim to be, they will see the reasoning in negotiating for peace. You must understand, on the other hand, that there is another reason to negotiate: There is one last dragon egg. It will determine the next Rider, and will help to stabilize the region, once it hatches." He said. "The Varden are desperate to get it in order to get another Rider on their side. I must not let that happen, for if they will get a second Rider, they will assume themselves to be powerful enough to wage war again. And you don't want that war to get even worse."

Stacker now felt really nervous. "Well, about the power struggle... The Varden have told us that your forces attacked them. With guns." This piece of information was given to them by Burton shortly after he extracted Eragon from the Empire. "The Varden think we are helping you because of this."

Galbatorix laughed at this. "Those guns are not your kind, if that's what you mean! They were designed by my best thinkers after I got reports of your performance against the Urgal forces." He said. "I have to apologize for imprisoning you and your men, but I had to protect my kingdom from the unknown."

Stacker nodded. "I understand." Even though he still felt resentment against the king for his actions the first time they were on Alagaesia, he knew that holding a grudge won't help them. "So how are the guns like?" He asked, hoping to get some information on exactly how much original work went into those, and how much was just a plain copy.

"Maybe I can show you them in some other time," Galbatorix said, as though he read his mind. And knowing how magic operated here, he probably was.

"So is there a possibility of an arranged meeting between either you or a representative for the Empire meeting with the Varden?" Stacker asked, bringing the topic back to his main concern.

Galbatorix smiled again. "And not have to fight your forces? I will send someone to talk." He said. "Where should they go to?"

Stacker thought for a moment, but the answer was clear. "To the Burning Plains." He said. "This was where the Varden and Empire armies united with us against the Covenant, and where we now hold our base. This way, we can oversee the meeting, and at the same time, the place will hold symbolic meaning that is neutral to both sides." As Stacker said this, he surprised himself at how he was able to make up such weird stuff in real time, but it sounded good enough for him.

Galbatorix leaned back in his throne. "I like the sound of that," he finally said, "You will know when my man will come." The king motioned at the door. "I would love to have you stay and chat, but I am a busy man," he said, "have a nice journey, and once again, welcome to Alagaesia."

Stacker and Patterson bowed again and left the room, Stacker feeling rather foolish. "You think it will work?" He asked Patterson when they left the room.

Patterson shrugged. "Might. Might not. We will simply have to see." He replied. "You know, this Galabarla..." H stumbled over the name, "the King was much more pleasant than we were told he would be." Stacker nodded in agreement.

Once again, the two marines were stopped by a guard. This time, the guard was pleasant enough. "I've been ordered to escort you out of the city," he said as he motioned at a table with all their things on it. He gave them time to grab their belongings and check that everything was there. When they were ready, he lead them to the gates in silence, and left them once they left the border of the city.

Stacker and Patterson mostly walked in silence as they headed back to the hidden Hornet. They uncovered it quickly enough, and Patterson requested that he pilot them back in silence, so Stacker took the opportunity to simply rest on the flight back. By the time they got back to base, it was evening, and the sun low over the horizon.

Eragon, to his annoyance, found himself surrounded by a large group of curious marines.

"Can it breath fire?"

"Can I have a ride?" Not a chance

"I bet I am better!" In your dreams.

At least this reception was more interesting than the one the Varden usually gives.

Burton grinned as his fellow marines swarmed the rider after his announcement. After a while, he decided that the poor kid had enough torture. "Come on guys, that's enough!" He shouted to make sure that they heard him. Despite his low rank, they all listened, knowing that he was important enough to listen to. "If you have something really important enough to tell him, or a few real," he emphasized the real, "then you can ask him privately. But now, please leave the poor guy alone." Slowly and grumpily, the group dispersed as the marines went of to do their own things. Burton looked around. "Where's that reporter," he muttered to himself. "Hey, Albert!"

Albert ran towards him. "I'm here!" He announced. "Can I start?" He asked. Burton, knowing what the reporter wanted to do, nodded.

Albert grinned at turned to Eragon. "Can I ask you for an interview?" He asked eagerly.

Eragon looked at him, and then at Burton, who smiled and nodded again. "And interview...?" He asked, slightly unsure. In his head, Saphira found it amusing. He won't hurt you. At least, if he will, he won't live to talk about it. Eragon nodded after a short while. "Yeah. Why not?" He followed Albert to another room, where Albert set up a bunch of strange looking equipment. "What's that?" Eragon asked, curious.

Albert looked up from his set up. "This? Oh, it's recording equipment." He explained. "I am going to ask you some questions, and it will record what you say." He found it amusing how the dragon rider looked amazed at the simple technology. "Here, have a sit." Albert motioned at a chair, and Eragon sat on it. Albert sat down on another chair behind a small desk, facing Eragon. He took out a pad and turned on the recording equipment.

"Anything you say, you have a right to ask not to be repeated," Albert said. "Right. I will ask you a few question I came up a short while ago." He cleared his throat before proceeding. "The first question is: How did you befriend a dragon?"

Eragon chuckled a little at how wrong this marine was. "It's a long story..." he said, and then proceeded to explain how exactly he found Saphira.

After that, Eragon answered a few more questions, from the mundane, to some tough ones, such as what he thought the arrival of the UNSC back at the first time. After some hesitation, he answered it as well. But then came a question that he didn't like at all.

"What is your opinion about the UNSC as a whole?" Albert asked.

Eragon hesitated. "Well, I don't know exactly yet," he said uncertainly. Watch it, Saphira told him. "I'm sure that you mean well, but right now I think that you will only make things worse." He paused, thinking of what to say. "We right now are in a war with the Empire. And it appears that, even indirectly, you are helping it. And I already know that if we will try to take the initiative, you will stop us." Eragon said. "So to be truthful, I think you are only making things worse. I can't even go back to my own side. For now, you guys are locking me up here." Eragon explained.

Albert sighed and nodded. Reaching out, he turned off the recording equipment. "As much a I would like to understand, I simply can't." He said. "We have just won a war. But victory was not riches or new territory. Our prise for winning is the simple right to continue existing as a species." He told Eragon. "For the past thirty years, all known humans united under the common goal for survival. And for twenty-nine of those years, it was not enough." He shook his head sadly. "Our victory over the Covenant is costly. As far as numbers go, we are a healthy species, but that is not the case. With only a few colonies and our home-world remaining, we are at the verge of extinction." Albert leaned closer. "We did not actually win the war," he said, "We only destroyed the Covenant. But they still have forces remaining powerful enough to finish off the human race if they united against us. The immediate threat is over, but we must still be ready for our final stand if we need to."

Albert leaned back. "What this means is that, in our eyes, you are committing one of the worst sins imaginable. You are willingly engaging in warfare against fellow humans." He motioned around the room. "Outside these walls are about a hundred UNSC personnel. All of them, including me, are trained to fight and kill without hesitation," he said, "but if you ask them to level their weapon at another human..." he shuddered. "I don't know if they can pull the trigger."

Eragon looked at him, feeling slightly guilty. Albert shook his head before continuing. "So you must understand that we came here not to help out one side or the other, but to stop the war immediately and cease the bloodshed. You might say that it's not our right, but after what happened in the past three decades... I think humanity can take care of itself without having to fight."

"But humans will always fight for one reason or another. Surely you know that!" Eragon tried arguing back.

Albert smiled sadly. "That is true. But it doesn't give a reason to start now." He said. "There will be another war, some where, some day. But as long as there isn't, let's keep it that way." He sighed. "The next thing you know, here we are, trying to stop this one."

Eragon didn't know what to say. After a while of thinking, he finally spoke up. "Well, even if you mean well, how many here will appose you? The Varden hate the Empire, and so do they likewise."

Albert leaned back. "That's where your leaders come in. We sent some men to try and talk with the king, while you are already aware that the Varden, for now, are listening to us." Eragon nodded slightly, still angry at Nasuada's decision. "We will find out what will happen when the two come back from the Empire."

Stacker squinted as the sun got into his eyes. Patterson, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind, even as the pilot landed the Hornet on the pads. The two of them exited the aircraft and made their way to the mess hall for some supper. On the way there, Stacker spotted Saphira resting inside one of the hangers. Inside, there were a few soldiers inside, but so was Eragon.

Stacker and Patterson walked over to him and sat down. "So, you made it," Stacker commented. "How was the trip?"

Eragon looked at them but didn't answer. He looked rather mad, and out of nowhere quickly pulled his fist back and punched Stacker hard in the face, causing the marine to fall out of his chair. The entire place turned dead silent.

"What was that for?" Stacker demanded angrily, rubbing his chin where he got hit. "Don't they teach you that that's not a polite way to say hello?"

Finally, Eragon decided to speak up. "You are helping him, aren't you?" He said in barely a whisper. "Saphira nearly got hit by one of your guns. And now you dragged me here."

Stacker shook his head. "Didn't anyone explain to you-"

"I already tried." It was Burton, sitting nearby. Up until now, he tried not to get involved and mind his own business, but that won't work. "He's still convinced that we are against him. And specifically, you."

"Until I hear from your superiors, I am not trusting you." Eragon replied, ignoring the unanimous hate he was now getting. "You were gone long enough to make things worse."

Knowing that it could get ugly and fast, he took a deep breath. "Everyone out! Right now!" Murmurs of complaint escaped the marines, but they complied and left the mess hall. Stacker pointed and Burton, Patterson, and Eragon. "Not you. You three stay here."

When the last marine left the building, Stacker let out a long sigh. "Look, kid," he said, resorting to Eragon's nickname they gave him back when they were stranded on Alagaesia the first time. "You might think that we left and didn't come back because we didn't want to." He shook his head. "You can't believe how much I wanted to return. Not because this place is great, but because what it would symbolize." He looked at the plastic roof. "The only reason why we were able to come back is because we won our war. Remember that big purple ship we attacked?" Eragon nodded. "If they had won, you wouldn't be here anymore." Stacker said simply.

Patterson spoke up, feeling left out. "Out of the nineteen you remember in the forest, only four remain. Us three and Banks, who's somewhere else at the moment. So this is why we are 'helping' your enemy. Because we want to stop this war as well. We've had enough of war."

Eragon still wasn't convinced. "So you will help the side most likely to win, right?" He asked. "Help the Empire destroy the Varden and get your pea-."

"No." Stacker said sternly, cutting Eragon off. "With the two of you, no one wins. We aim to win, not let one of you. Ask your commander, she might be able to convince you."

Eragon looked away. "You still hadn't explained how we can contact your superiors. I remember that you are far from being a leader."

Stacker was amazed by Eragon's stubbornness. "Just a question, where do you think we're from?" He asked. Maybe the rider will remember that some things were not easy for the UNSC.

Eragon thought about it. "Across the ocean, maybe. That's why you needed that ship. To get across quickly enough. And you do call it a ship."All three marines next to him looked extremely offended. "What?" Eragon asked. "Not where you're from?"

"If only we were." Patterson said. "Crossing oceans is easy. It's space that isn't. I'm sure you got a good look at our own ship." Eragon nodded. "Didn't look like much did it? It doesn't work either. We are trying to fix it with what we have."

"But that can take a while." Burton finished for him. "We have a piece of equipment that can contact our superiors. But only if it's in orbit."

Stacker was not aware of this piece of news. "And how are we going to get it up? It's a satellite, I presume."

Burton nodded. "There's an idea going around of scavenging what we can to build a rocket." He explained. "Just needs your go-ahead."

Stacker was impressed. "And by-pass fixing the ship. Yes, that might work..." He looked at Eragon. "Tell you what, you stay here until we get that satellite up, then you can talk with our generals all you want."

Eragon thought about it. Saphira didn't exactly help. Considering how you are acting, I'll agree no matter what. She told him. I, at least, trust them. They don't mean harm for us. You heard them, and how they talked. They're not making it up.

Eragon frowned. You searched their minds, didn't you? He asked her.

Inside his head, he felt Saphira laugh. Yes I did. But it's worthless to tell you what I got. It's so strange, confusing, and... horrible. They've been through a lot, little one. Don't make it hard for them.

Eragon finally sighed. "Alright, I'll do it." He agreed. "But I want to see that... rocket first."

Stacker smiled and leaned back in his chair. "We don't have magic kid. First we design it, then we build it."

"What he means," Burton explained, "Is that there's nothing to look at yet. Makes it even better. You will see the entire construction process."

"And how will you build it in the first place?" Eragon asked.

"We'll figure something out." Patterson answered. "We'll find a way."

AN: Thanks for the reviews, guys! Yes, this story is not abandoned! :)