Author Note: Ahem… Purr, purr, puuuuurrrrrr. That is all.
In Infinitum: First Contact
Chapter thirteen
January 14, 2582. Military Calendar.
UNSC Destroyer-Class Far Away, Unknown system. 1100 Hours.
Pssht! Pssht!
The two guards fell over, mouths open in silent question of what the hell was happening. A single hole dead center of their foreheads, just below the protective visor of their helmets, they stared ahead with hollow eyes as the figure of their demise stepped over them gracefully into the room they had been guarding. Once inside, the pair of guards were dragged in as well, the door hissed closed and with a sigh, the figure with the suppressed M6H glanced around for a radiation suit.
She was an agent of ONI, the real ONI, the shadowy figures who had once pulled the strings of almost every UNSC operation during the Human/Covenant war. Now it was forced to keep its head down and cover its tracks lest the events of the Kilo-Five operation and a half dozen other ops that had come to light during those years had the military brass looking to plant a lot heads on some pikes. It had resulted in many assets being "cut" and some others outright sold out.
ONI had suffered much from those, but now, it was more or less back to full strength in its way of cloak and daggering through the shadows of UNSC space. Which was what brought this particular agent to the Far Away for her mission. She was to sabotage the Slipspace corp so that it when fired off it would misfire instead, resulting in the Far Away's destruction. Afterall, no one really knew where misfired Slipspace engine portals went to. If anywhere.
She personally believed that whatever was caught in the blast was deconstructed at the molecular level. So, anything caught inside it was dead.
She reached up, removing her helmet, which was the standard uniform for the marines aboard the ship. Letting loose her darkened hair, she narrowed her dark eyes at the suit, it was a small precaution, one she didn't need if she was in any particular rush, so, she ignored it and moved over to the engine door. She entered the code, it hissed open and the pulsing engine sat in the middle of the room. Pulsing powerful energy, its solid lines were distorted, as if the thing was only partly there.
Then again, such was the nature of the Slipspace drives.
The agent stepped forward with a confident grace reserved for those who called themselves predators. Handgun sliding back into its holster, leaving both gloved hands free to use. Once near the engine, she reached up to one of the service panels and pulled it free, revealing the internal workings of the drive. It was even more distorted inside it.
Her hands reached inside and deft fingers began to work, removing a wire there, rearranging some there. It was so easy to make such a complicated piece of machinery have an accident, and due to the nature of the drives any devices placed inside it to detect malfunction were useless, so none were installed since there were no counter-measures to this effect. But Slipspace drives rarely misfired nowadays and had an operation life of thirty years before they needed to be checked over and repaired.
She pulled another wire, and was about to move it elsewhere when there was the click of another handgun being chambered behind her. Making the agent tense. "Do not move." another woman, the agent cursed slightly. "Hands up, turn around."
"Alright," she stepped back twice, turned around to face the person who was holding her at gunpoint. She blinked in surprise, part of the bridge crew, the files she had read put her as Maria Price. Ensign. "Ensign Maria Price. Thought you'd be on the bridge preparing to jump in the next half hour." the agent raised a brow despite the gun trained on her.
Maria glared, the M6H raised and steady. "I was on my way there, but when I saw the blood." she didn't finish, she knew those guards… Jackson and Hather, they were friendly and like her, believed in the Mantle. They were her friends and now they were gone, dead at her feet and it was because of the woman before her. She fingered the trigger but didn't fire. "Now, who the hell are you working for? The rebels?"
The dark haired woman rolled her eyes. "Call me Lawson, and who I work for is none of your business."
"Considering I have a gun on you and a security team will be here in a few moments, I think I can demand some answers." Maria said firmly. "You reek of ONI." she suddenly said, frowning at the mention of the shadowy organization. She saw the agent's brow twitch slightly, and she smirked. "You are with them."
Lawson frowned now. "You'll never prove it." she said dismissively. It was true, short of shooting her ONI would have her out with a new name and credentials before the week was over, she was far too skilled to be simply silenced. Not with her operation record with the organization.
"I don't need to, I just need to stop you here from doing whatever you were planning." Maria considered her options. She could just shoot the ONI agent and tell them to stall the launch of the envoy. That would be the safer option, but it would stall peace talks between them and the Citadel races and that was something that didn't sit right with her.
Her next option would be waiting for the security team to arrive and take her into custody, more fuel to aid in ONI's burning at the stake was good in her books. Her husband may be a spook and she didn't approve of it, but it was who he was, and he was a liaison, not like the woman in front of him who was likely one of the organization Black Operatives.
"Thinking over your options?" Lawson raised a brow, tone turning coy. "Slow, aren't you?"
"Don't test me, spook," Maria growled. "Step forward, away from the drive." she gestured the agent forward, not that she'd let the agent too close, Maria was trained in basic self defense as per military code but if the woman in front of her was a Black Operative she was nothing short of a human Spartan for ONI.
"Make me." Lawson smirked. "You can't really shoot, the drive is right behind me and who knows will happen if that 12mm round hits it."
Damnit. Maria knew she was right, she couldn't risk shooting her and possibly missing to hit the drive core, that could cause all sorts of problems. The door hissed open behind her, good, the security team arrived. "I found this wom-"
Pssht!
Maria fell forward, eyes wide in shock and mouth hanging open in a soundless gasp until she hit the floor. Her body was heavy like lead, she couldn't move… there was a soft patch of warmth creeping over her upper back, and as it grew… her limbs numbed. Her vision swam and she found herself getting dizzy. "…John…Micheal…" she croaked weakly. The names of her most precious son and husband.
Pssht! Pssht!
Miranda sighed as she watched her partner, Jacob Taylor execute Maria with a pair of shots to the back of her head, "Took your sweet time, didn't you?"
"Sorry, got caught up making sure security didn't come running at her call," her dark skinned fellow ONI Black Operative replied, looking down at Maria. "They'll notice that she won't report in." he noted.
"I know," Miranda groaned, shaking her head. "Alright, new plan. We have to set the damned drive to detonate now, give ourselves a small window." when he nodded, she continued. "Head down to the hanger, get the Pelican ready, I'll get things set up here." she turned around back to the drive.
"Got it, Miranda," The man smiled, turning away and walking out, leaving her to her work. So like Jacob… he'd do his job, then feel sorry for it afterwards, she'd again have to console him. They worked for the better of the whole of mankind, and even if sometimes they didn't agree on methods, Miranda knew Jacob was with her until their less than glorious end.
She finished, then set a basic timer on the core and stepped back. Work done, she turned and moved back out into the halls. Nothing could stop it now, and if all were according to plan the Prowler would be waiting for them at the designated coordinates. If not, they could just move to the ship designated for the Pelican and wait there for their exfil. Miranda had planned this to the last detail afterall, well, sides being held up but there was always snags when you were on missions for ONI.
Miranda grabbed her discarded helmet and slid it back over her head, the visor came down and obscured her features sides her mouth. Which was a tight line, she raised her MA6B and shouldered it in the "at ease" position as he continued on like she was meant to be there, she was afterall an actor as well as agent.
It didn't take her long to reach the hanger and just like he said he would she saw Jacob had the Pelican ready for take off, his own pilot's uniform on snugly. He nodded in greeting as he climbed inside into the cockpit. She glanced about, not many paid attention to them before she hopped inside too.
"Alright, lets get out here, I'd rather not be caught in the blast." She said, tossing her helmet off and sighing in relief. The Pelican shuddered as the engines lifted them upwards. A moment later, they were cleared to be away. Jacob piloted the thing expertly and soon they were in the blackness of space and moving away from the Far Away.
In the rear hatch's viewing window. Miranda stared at the ship they had just sabotaged. When they were far enough away she closed her eyes as it was enveloped in a purple-bluish light, when it faded… the Far Away was gone.
A job done.
January 14, 2582. Military Calendar.
UNSC Central Command Station Atlas, Sol System. 1100 Hours.
Inside Leonardo's vast office where he commanded the entirety of the United Nation Space Command's Military structure, he had a window to view the blackness of space and he was currently looking down at the planet that had been Humanity's cradle for thousands of years. Earth. Their birthplace.
It was their most sacred, beautiful jewel. And it absolutely sickened him to see how much they clung to a what he considered a symbol of Humanity's ability to never let go of whatever security blanket it deemed necessary. What made Earth so important that they need protect it like zealots? Then again, he had been born outside of Earth's atmosphere on Septimus VI. He wasn't from Earth so he guessed he just lacked the experience to fully understand the notion of why the planet was so important.
He reached over and took his mug of coffee. In about an hour the envoy they'd assembled would go to this Citadel and their cease fire terms would be laid out. And, considering the massive disadvantage the council would likely find itself in, they would have no choice but to agree to the terms.
Unless they were so foolish as to believe they had any bargaining posture here? Leonardo almost laughed at the thought. Still, he would allow them some lenience. Afterall, upholding the Mantle of Responsibility called for understanding and compromise, not tyrannical overpowering so with that in mind he would need to plan for the coming years.
Leonardo felt the air shift and the soft hiss of his door opening. He didn't need to turn around to know who would enter his room without announcement. "Hood," he said, glancing over his shoulder to see his mentor walking into the office. Leonardo turned to face him, offering a greeting raise of his mug. "To what do I owe this visit?"
The old man sighed and sat down at his desk, opposite of Leonardo's main chair. "Just dropping by to see what you're doing cooped up in your office as usual. Instead of monitoring the operation." Hood frowned a bit, "It is important. Afterall."
The Fleet Admiral blinked, "Majestic will inform me of any important developments." he shrugged, moving over and sitting opposite of Hood. "As for all my other work? I've done it already. Honestly, Mentor," Leonardo smirked. "Your faith in me seems to come and go as you age."
"Done your work?" Scoffed Hood. "Son, you learn in time that your work is never done, not since the moment that slapped those stars and bars on did you finish your work." he gestured half heartedly, which made his apprentice smile wryly.
"Of course," Leonardo agreed. "But then, that's why I'm fleet Admiral, because I can handle it."
"Is that arrogance or confidence?" Hood challenged.
"It is arrogance born of confidence manifested by skill." Leonardo replied with just a hint of laughter when he saw Hood's slightly perplexed expression. "In short, have rights to be both because I have the skills to back up claims. I am confident for the masses, arrogant for myself."
"Dangerous," Hood grumbled, shaking his head. "Then again, the way you play military and politics isn't a way many have tried to and survived. So I guess you're entitled to some bragging rights."
Leonardo smiled and opened his mouth to reply when Majestic appeared on the desk's holopad, looking more or less distraught. "Majestic, what's the matter?" the Fleet Admiral asked.
"Admiral, the Far Away… she's gone, her Slipspace engine must have fired prematurely." Majestic replied, then flickered and a holographic image of the Far Away appeared… it was there, then, it was gone as a ball of light engulfed it, shrunk away and revealing but empty space. Majestic's angelic avatar reappeared. "The envoys are gone with it."
Leonardo stared at the image, watching it play out and when it was back to Majestic, he narrowed his eyes and steepled his fingers before his face as he leaned forward slightly. His posture relaxed despite the harsh aura that the Fleet Admiral was giving off. "Play it again."
"Yes, Admiral."
The video played again. Leonardo watched, again his eyes narrowed and the air grew more harsh but with his eyes moving through a variety of emotions, Hood could see the man was thinking heavily, trying to catch something. "Again."
It played a third time. "Again."
"What are-" Leonardo cut Hood off. "Stop."
The video froze. The explosion, or rather, the slipspace bubble was at its height, the Far Away was engulfed entirely. Leonardo stared hard, then reached over and tapped a key on his desk, the floor at the center of the office split and revealed a giant holoprojector. He stood and moved over to its side. "Majestic, bring that frame onto the projector."
"Yes, Admiral."
The giant projector activated and the Fleet Admiral was treated to an explosion three times his size. "Now, magnify twenty on…" he reached up, tapping a part of the clip. "Here." Majestic did as ordered and they zoomed on the spot in question. Hood himself watched and saw it now as well.
"What is that?" he mumbled, standing and moving to Leonardo's side.
"Enhance, maximum setting." The Fleet Admiral ordered.
The imaged enhanced itself, and soon enough they could see what it was. A shape, moving in the blackness of space… only briefly illuminated by the Slipspace bubble of the engine misfiring. The Fleet Admiral and his mentor narrowed their eyes.
"A pelican?" Hood grossed staring intently at the shape, it was still difficult to see. But it was small, casting a shadow and moving away from the now gone Far Away.
"It would seem," Leonardo frowned, standing back. "What ship captured this video?" he asked aloud.
"The UNSC Third Valley, Admiral." Majestic replied.
"Bring me all the ship locations data on a TacMap at the time of the explosion." Leonardo said, tone resolute as he stepped back and gestured for Hood to do the same. When both men were aways back the images shifted and a square Tactical Map of the time appeared. Listing all the UNSC and Sangheili ship locations, even the enemy fleet locations. The Far Away being between the UNSC fleet and the UNSC one as a form of middle ground. Leonardo didn't recall approving that little action, but he pushed it aside, this wasn't the time to nitpick at Admiral Lasky's conduct.
"Highlight the location of the object."
A circle appeared in the map, and he frowned. "Assuming it's a Pelican, model one and place it at the angle until the shadow fits its silhouette from the light of the explosion." Leonardo said, thoughtful and now just a little agitated.
A moment passed, then a small Pelican appeared, and the way it was facing, the Fleet Admiral frowned further and his eyes were stormy. "I knew it, projected flight path puts it away from any of the fleets, friend or otherwise." he looked along the map into the blackness of space along its path, he wouldn't be able to see anything now space ate light like it was a sponge and it had been a small miracle he caught the odd shape in the recording, had they not been cutting the explosion so close he imaged he wouldn't have picked it up.
But he had, and now his best laid plans had a wrench thrown into them. And for Fleet Admiral Leonardo Petrov that was unacceptable. "I want the manifests for every coming and going Pelican at the time, check in times and logs. If anything looks off to you, Majestic, I want it brought to my attention immediately. Am I clear?" Leonardo asked.
"Understood, Admiral. Should… I gather the Committee for an emergency meeting as well?"
"Yes," Leonardo nodded, turning away. "I need to nip this in the bud before it gets itself carried away." he made for the exit of his office. "Come on, Hood. Walk with me."
Hood followed, and together the pair made their way towards the committee room in silence, however, it was broken when Hood asked. "What are you thinking?"
Leonardo grunted. "If it is a Pelican, it was flying away from the fleets, so, it was either in a really big rush and didn't have time to fly anywhere else, or it was moving to get picked up. Assuming it hasn't reported in on the reports that Majestic is getting me, then that means it never docked on any ship afterwards." He and Hood entered an elevator, and as it descended. Leonardo added, "So, what does that mean?"
"Prowler…" Hood frowned deeply, his age showing further on his features. "Which means the Office of Naval Intelligence. But that doesn't make any sense, what does offing the peace envoys get them?"
"They're ONI," Leonardo replied tersely. "They're well aware of my strong stance against them and their little operations, not to mention their flair for the overly dramatic. I wouldn't be surprised if they're going to attempt to use this to discredit me, if not for the fact an accident happened on my watch."
The doors parted and they stepped out and along.
"Still, even for them, this is shady."
"They are the shadows, Hood," Leonardo seethed. "And they've been looking for every reason to try and bring me down from Fleet Admiral, this could be a kick they need to at least have some favor pulled away from me. And that I will not allow, not by ONI and certainly not by those xenophobic idiots on the committee who care more about getting favor with their follow committee members then forwarding humanity, and by addition, all the galaxy's interests as a whole."
Hood raised a brow. "Where is this coming from?" he asked with a just a tinge of concern.
Leonardo sighed, closing his eyes and taking a breathe to calm his nerves. "Forgive me, Hood." he gave a rueful smile. "I guess this is just my petty nature showing itself, I hate it when my plans are interrupted, just the fact it likely is ONI only adds to my annoyance of this situation."
"You never were a graceful loser," Hood jabbed, trying to lighten his apprentice's mood before they met with the committee.
"Which is why I rarely do." Leonardo chuckled, lifting his eyes to stare ahead as they upon the committee room. "Time to feed the jackals, then the vultures… and then the masses." he sighed.
Hood patted his back sympathetically. "It's your job now."
"Heh," Leonardo chuckled. "Amen to that."
Turian Colony Falcus, 2148. Citadel Calendar.
Falcus Capital, Xellis. Calene Here'zia. 18:00 Cycles.
Celene couldn't believe it, the local Turian forces had been beaten… the most powerful military force in the galaxy to date, next only to the Krogan at the height of the Rebellions and Rachni wars, had been bested by some unknown Aliens… and she couldn't bring herself to ask herself why when it had been quite clear their technology had been of an entirely different design then the Element Zero reliance technology she and the rest of the galaxy employed. Watching a ship so huge part the clouds and then moving along in atmosphere was both frightening and eye opening.
Their technology allowed them make such ships, they didn't need to go in for ground operations like they had. She knew from a few Active Time Strategy games that if you controlled space, you controlled the planet and yet they had come down to ground and fought, for what purpose would they do that?
Whatever it was, it was obvious they were centuries ahead of the Turians, and by default the rest of the Council races. And such a thought was frightening, where had this new race been? Where did they come from? Did they just now stumble across the Mass Relays? If that was the case, they were either branching out violently or there was a bigger picture she wasn't getting.
But she was getting an elbow in the gut by a Turian inside a shelter, who wanted her tube of nutrient paste. She doubled over and resisted the urge to whimper, his friends, two other Turians, held her up. "Suit rat," the leader sneered, "Nice of you to make a contribution to us like this. I'll remember you fondly while I eat."
And I'll remember you fondly when I shoot something, Celene thought with a bite of her lip as the two Turians at her sides let her go, walking away after their boss. She groaned, wrapping an arm around her waist. That was going to bruise for sure, still… it hadn't been the worse encounter she'd had with the species and she was grateful for that. She sighed, wondering if maybe she could get the dispenser to give her another tube of nutrient paste.
Then again it would probably be stolen as well. Such was the life of a Quarian.
"Excuse me," the flanging trait only a Turian could make tipped her off to the speaker.
She sighed, "Sorry, you just lost your chance to take my nutrient paste," she looked up… and then stood straight and snapped off what she assumed was a Turian styled salute. "Sorry, Comander, sir!" she said quickly, realising she had just spoken badly to none other than Commander of the local forces Desolas Arterius.
The Commander in question chuckled, mandibles twitching in his amusement. "At ease," he looked her over, when he spotted no rank, he added. "Civilian. I was merely going to ask if you needed a hand up, but with how fast you moved. I guess not."
"No, I was fine, sir…" Celene could hardly relaxed, when high ranking Military figures took an interest in Quarians, it wasn't because they wanted to help, unless it was to help the other party solidify their argument and get the Quarian in question arrested. It was never good. "I… should, probably be getting to my group." she still waited for his dismissal.
Desolas observed her a moment, then he nodded. "A wise decision, but before you go." he reached over and held out a fresh tube of nutrient paste, unopened and thus clean for her to eat. She stared, and he held it out further, "Take it, I give you my word it isn't a bomb." he said with just a hint of teasing.
"Commander!" Celene was made aware of another Turian behind Desolas, who was now looking at Desolas in a manner that she could only call surprised. "She's a-"
Desolas raised a hand, and that immediately silence whatever the other was going to say about her, likely to call her a suit Rat, she silently appreciated it. "She's a civilian who had her food stolen, Sergeant," he didn't break his gaze from Celene, which she knew was a bit of an insult when a commanding officer didn't face their subordinate. "I will not stand by and allow such to stand, regardless of her species. The fact you would disheartens me." Desolas went on with a soft sigh.
The other Turian appeared to have more words, but bit them back with a soft growl and turned away, stalking back to the group of military Turians inside the shelter. With the surrender of the local forces, the military had been disarmed and put into shelters and hospitals to tend to their wounded. While troops in the areas from the unknowns had been landed in and the wounded tended to in makeshift field hospitals.
In short? It was kinda cramped in the shelters.
Celene reached up, took the tube and pulled her hand back, looking at it, then to the Commander sheepishly. "Uh, thank you, Commander." she said finally, figuring he was owed some courtesy for his kindness towards her. "My… name is Celene Here'zia."
He stared, then he asked. "Just Celene Here'zia? No Nar or Vas?"
That surprised her, most species didn't care for Quarian culture, let alone the significance of the Nar or Vas and ship names in their titles. The fact Desolas was asking was enough to almost completely defuse her from her earlier fears, almost. "No, I… don't plan to return to the Migrant Fleet, so those parts of my name are no longer needed." she replied, resisting the urge to meet his eyes.
"Hmm," Desolas hummed slightly in acceptance of the answer. "I see, so you've chosen to live outside the fleet," when she nodded, he did as well. "A tough decision, I'm sure. Considering the stigma on your species," seeing her hesitance to comment, he chuckled. "No need to hide your bitterness, my people can often be… what was the word, boshits?"
"Bosh-tet." Celene corrected, finding herself almost laughing at his botching of the simple curse of her people.
"Ah," Desolas chuckled. "Of course, my mistake." he straightened out his uniform, then paused, considering his next words for a moment before he spoke. "Celene, not to call you a liar, but if you didn't have a group, would you mind sitting with me and my brother? I assure you, he doesn't bite, nor would I allow him."
Celene's alarms went wide now, both in suspicion and shock. "Uh… but, why would you have me sit with you?" she asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.
He raised his own in defense. "Nothing nefarious, simply because it would afford you the chance to eat your paste in peace and me with some interesting, less hard headed company." he joked, despite the lack of humor in her previous words.
She stared, then, slowly she shook her head. "Thanks for the offer, but… I don't think that's such a good idea. Bye." with that, she turned and marched off back to her previous spot.
Desolas watched her go, when she was gone he turned over and made his way back to his brother's side. Sitting down and leaning back, he stayed silent. Until Saren broke it, 'What was that? You're above associating with their kind. Suit Rats, the lot of them." his brother muttered.
The Commander rolled his eyes. He loved his younger brother, he really did. Saren was brilliant, driven and full of talent. But he was also hard headed, and not so creative outside of combat. He believed all the propaganda of the galaxy, Turians were superior, Asari to be constantly respected, such things. Desolas had always tried to teach him to see underneath the underneath, that books should never be judged by their covers lest you lose the full story, It was slow going, but he was making progress… very slow progress.
"Saren," Desolas began, figuring he should explain this in a way that would make his brother more understanding. "With these newcomers coming in and showing us up," he raised a talon, silencing his brother about the unknowns "showing them up", "The council will be needing more hands on deck, that includes allies they'd never consider before. And which two species would they be bringing back into their good graces?"
"Krogan and Quarians." Saren said as it dawned on him. "These… humans would push us to do that? To rely on those traitorous and thieving races…"
"It is the only way we could possibly possess a shot at standing against them, and that's just standing… it will be a miracle if we ever possess the strength to active fight and win." Desolas shrugged his shoulders, leaning his head. "So, we have to make friends. And the best way to make friends is simple…" he closed his eyes.
Soon enough, Celene joined them, mumbling about how her group filled her spot. To which Desolas quipped, "Of course they did, welcome to our little group." she just rolled her eyes and ate in silence.
"It begins with one friend, Saren," he said to his brother as Celene ate. And the lesson was over, start with one and you'll make another and only more would follow.
End of chapter thirteen
There it is, folks! Chapter thirteen of In Infinitum: First Contact! And now with that outta way, I can go back to Armored Core and Code Geass. Also, heads up… I may or may not be putting mechs in this thing once it starts picking up more, I mean… I'm just so mech'd up right now! HOOAH!… Anyways, y'know the drill, read, review and have a nice day/night!