Chapter 16

Of Hardlight and Darkness

Captain's Ready Room, UNSC Eternity,New Harvest, August 19, 2554

Curtis sat back in the now finished ready room of the almost complete Eternity looking over new reports coming in. It had been over a month and a half since New Harvest and the UNSC had revealed itself to Remnant and the local news stations still had not shut up about it yet. From talks about Kingdoms getting their own Space Tethers, to rumors of the UNSC being actual aliens in human suits, to even the whole thing being a hoax put on by Atlas.

Thankfully, most of Remnant saw the UNSC for what it was, a group of people fighting to save their world, and in turn protect Remnant as well. Protecting Remnant had become infinitely smoother with the kingdom's cooperation, especially Atlas who, along with a now fully revitalized Mantle had become their biggest allies on the planet. While Mantle set about designing new UNSC ships and weapons, with a few unique creations of their own thrown in, Atlas had begun to aid in the creation of Remnant's Orbital defense network.

Curtis already had high orbit Sentinel factories pumping out Constructors, assemblers and Retrievers to create Moncton-class orbital weapon platforms in geosynchronous orbit over Remnant and now had Atlas to help in operating said platforms. This plus the fact the UNSC, Atlas and even the Cylon Collective, who now thanks to their more biological forms now had a very good reason to fear the Halo array, were working on new ships and technologies.

The UNSC was pulling out old experimental designs like the Actium class Super Heavy Frigates and Nevada class Heavy Frigates and its variants and even Noryang class heavy carriers, which were just a variant of the Epoch class first seen with the UNSC Noryang and UNSC Atlas back in 2523. The Nevadas were going to be a co opted program with Atlas to see what Remnant technology could be used to enhance the UNSC ships as well as get the Atlas Navy used to both Slipspace and fighting in Exo-atmospheric environments. Mantle's primary arms producer, Morita Industries, had begun creating weapons designed for combating heavy armored or shielded targets such as the Mk I Rifle, which while large, had a high fire rate and chambered the same round as the UNSC's MA series of assault rifles, the Mk II SAW and more while Atlas's own company, NeoVenus Construction, which aided in their creation of weapons and new technology along with confusing UNSC personnel with another Earth based name found on Remnant, began to see about improving Atlesian energy weapons and designing their own brand of starships that would make sure they didn't rely fully on the UNSC for interstellar travel along with taking the advice form the UNSC to expand their armor and air wings in versatility.

Curtis leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes. While things were going well, it had also given him an influx of reports to read and sign along with more work leaving him quite tired with the mind-numbing paperwork, even if it would all lead to a UNSC Victory over the Covenant.

He sat up and picked up another data pad with some new reports. "This is why I refuse to become an admiral." Curtis said to himself as he went over the report. As he did, his door chimed. "Come in."

The door opened to reveal Solara who had a big grin on her face as always. She was wearing standard fatigue pants and a black T-shirt that had the emblem of the UNSC Poseidon's Trident on the chest and she brought in two cups of coffee.

"Though you could use a pick-me-up." Solara said, offering him one of the cups.

Curtis smiled and took the offered cup. "Thanks Solara." He said as he took a sip. "What are you doing here anyways?"

"Oh, just helping Valkyr with some subroutines for the Eternity's weapon systems." She explained, taking he own sip of her coffee, a large grin splitting her face as she did so. "I will never get used to that."

"Get used to what?" Curtis asked, quite confused.

"Taste!" Solara exclaimed with a toothy grin. "Sensation! It's just so...amazing! To realize how muted my senses were as a pure AI...and now this! It's almost euphoric."

Curtis smiled and set down his cup before standing up and giving the AI a hug. "You help us out through thick and thin, Solara." Curtis told her. "I think you deserve this as a reward." Solara blushed but hugged him back. "You got your whole new life ahead of you now."

"Ya, I do." Solara said, looking down. "I... actually don't know what to do if I decide to leave the military after the war."

Curtis ruffled her hair up a bit. "We will cross that bridge when we get to it." He told her. "First we save Earth and stop the Covenant, then we look up retirement plans."

"Hey! I am not that old!" Solara said, pouting at him. "I just don't know what to do as this...AI hybrid. I mean if I need to, I can break off a fragment to operate a ship, but what does that leave my physical self?"

Curtis thought about it. "Why not help on the ground alongside us?" Curtis suggested. "You always say you would be a better shot if you had real hands. Well, now you can prove it."

Solara looked down at her hands and thought about it. Curtis did too and noticed something new about her. Her skin seemed to have a faint golden tone to it, and he could see data streams flowing under her skin like her old avatar did. Solara noticed his staring.

"Oh!" Solara said, somewhat embarrassed "Noticed the new upgrades?"

"Upgrades?" Curtis asked.

"Ya, me and Caprica found new ways to incorporate our AI nature into our bodies, while still keeping them semi-organic." Solara explained. "We used some techniques used in the old Orion and later Spartan augmentation process to allow for our biology to mesh easier with the nanotech we added in. Cylons and UNSC AI however have telltale differences however."

"Like what for example?" Curtis asked as he watched streams of data flow down her hair, still finding it very surreal.

"Well UNSC avatars are usually seen with data flowing down our forms, no matter the form we pick as an avatar." Solara explained. "That along with our chosen color often carries over to our human forms. I still have a faint golden glow, just like Valkyr glows silver and Charon and Kalmiya glow crimson. Valkyr, with Defiance's help, even gave herself small hardlight emitters so she can have physical version of the helmet, braces and boots her avatar had."

Curtis laughed slightly as he tried to imagine Valkyr with the silver hardlight helmet on the bridge of Eternity trying to act serious and failing. "Ok, well that seems more like personal preference, than an innate difference." He said.

"Cylons main give away is their eyes and back." Solara continued. "When blinking, a Cylon's iris will flash red and will stay red if they use a built-in function, like switch to inferred vision or zoom in on a faraway target. They also, or so I have been told, give themselves away as any very...active event that sends a lot of neurological information to the brain, like a serious injury...or intense pleasure," She gave him a sultry smile "their spines light up and are visible through their skin."

Curtis blinked. "Ok, that's something." He said. "I noticed you never brought up the Atlas AIs or the Prometheans."

"That's kinda were we hit a problem." Solara said. "While Cylons are technically Dumb AIs, they have evolved enough to have matrices similar enough a Smart AI which is how they originally were able to make almost fully human bodies. But Atlas AI are fully dumb with little sentience. They can't work one of these bodies."

"And the Prometheans?" Curtis asked. "They are Forerunner ancilla, and while I don't expect you to convert Sentinels and Crawlers, the Armiger Soldiers and Knights must be able to be given a choice, can't they?"

"The Soldiers have expressed no want to become semi-biological...but the Knights...are a different story." Solara said. "You know how they were made, right?"

Curtis's face became very serious. "Unfortunately, I do." He walked over to the window. "The Ur-Didact, the leader of the Promethean Warrior servants and the Forerunner Military used a device called the Composer to turn his own troops and later, Humanity into the Knights."

Solara nodded. "The composer doesn't make normal AIs. They are not compatible."

"So, their trapped as Knights then?" Curtis asked.

"Not necessarily true." Solara added as Curtis turned back to her. "Dawn, Angela and Miranda have been...working on something to help reverse the process."

"I have a distinct feeling I am not going to like this something." Curtis said, as he crossed his arms.

"They made a mini-composer." Solara blurred out.

"They WHAT?!" Curtis shouted.

"Woah! Calm down!" Solara said. "It's a sort of...Anti-composer they made to reverse the Composer's effect."

Curtis took a deep breath. "Why was I not informed about this?" He asked.

Solara picked up a Data pad form his desk. "Looks like you were."

Curtis took the pad and read it. It was the same pad he had put down before Solara came in. He sighed. "I need a break after all this nonsense."

"It can't be that bad." Solara said. "It just some paper work!"

"No, the paperwork is just boring." Curtis corrected her. "And it's also not what has me worried and stressed."

"Ok." She sat on his desk, looking at him for him to explain. "Then what does have you stressed?"

Curtis sighed and sat back down on his chair. "Atlas." Curtis explained. "One of the general's to be specific."

"It's not Ironwood, is it?" Solara asked.

"No, Ironwood has been very helpful." Curtis said, taking a sip of his still warm coffee to calm his nerves. "Though being given the technology to make starships has that effect on people. No, I am talking about General Meridian."

"What did he do this time?" Solara asked. She knew who Meridian was, he was at the unveiling ceremony after all and was one of the UNSC's few critics on Remnant, if not the only major one.

Curtis leaned back. "Well, that's a bit of a story in and of itself."

"I have nowhere to be right now." Solara said

Curtis rolled his eyes with a small smile. Solara never changed. "Fine. I'll tell you. It started just after the reveal..."

[Headmaster's Office, Beacon Academy, Vale, June 27, 2554]

Curtis looked out from the green tinted window past the gears of the room at the city below, watching as the people of Remnant conversed with UNSC personnel and Promethean forces.

"Not the way I was hoping we would be announced." Curtis said. "But in light of the aftermath, I say this went better than expected."

"Expecting a worst-case scenario?" Ozpin said, as he took a sip of coffee form his mug.

"Kinda." Curtis admitted. "30 years of hell under the Covenant gave me a bit of a pessimistic worldview. I am hoping that will change once we start pushing them back."

"Agreed." Ironwood said. "But I have to ask, why did you call us up here?"

"Because, I have some information that I omitted form the speech I felt would cause a panic if known to non-military personal." Curtis explained. "I know I said there would be no secrets, but I rather not see how well my forces can hold back the Grimm flooding into Vale due to widespread panic."

"And showing off the Flood wouldn't do that same?" the snarky General Meridian said. "I mean, ancient alien space zombies? Really?"

"What? Do you want to come to a lab in New Harvest and study the few samples of Flood Biomass we have for proof?" Curtis asked, slightly upset with Meridian's tone.

"You brought samples of it to Remnant!?" Ironwood shouted.

"My chief medical officer wants to find if not a cure, but an immunity or defense and no flood forms were taken, only samples of inert biomass." Curtis explained. "The facility is underground and is guarded by Aggressor Sentinels and Hellbringer Troopers. Only one way in and out."

Ozpin lean forward. "I'll take you on your word, but I am not a fan of this...flood, in any form being on our world."

"I understand, believe me I was against the idea at first." Curtis admitted. "But knowing that most Halo Rings have Flood containment facilities...I need to know what I am up against. The Battle of 56-B showed us a glimpse, but something tells me whatever allowed Darkness to have his consciousness be center stage in the Gravemind affected the Flood so that while they were in the coordinated stage...they didn't act like they were."

"You think he was successful in his experiments." Ozpin deduced.

"I do." Curtis said. "But that problem died with him, though I do hope to find whatever planet this 'black liquid' he found came from. More than likely it still has his twisted legacy on it."

Ozpin was deep in thought. "Black liquid? It couldn't be...no Dawn said over 1000 years ago. But then again, that world's year could be longer than Remnant's. If it was 2000 years ago...yes. That would be just around the right time."

Ironwood spoke up. "The Flood, while a problem we will have to deal with, is at least one contained for the foreseeable future, and I assume not what you brought us here form."

"No, it's not." Curtis said as he places his own scroll on Ozpin's desk, activating the room's holo-projector. An image of the Galaxy appeared. Curtis pointed to one section of the galaxy. "UNSC Territory is right here." The area he pointed to flashed blue and encompassed what seemed to be a small section of the Orion arm. "And this is where we assume Covenant Controlled space to be." Another section further on the Orion Arm flashed purple. "If we zoom in more on the space between, here, closer to UNSC Controlled Space, we have our new allies the Cylon's Colony and the space they control." A small area near the UNSC border flashed silver, with a binary star system and 60 lightyears around it specifically left out. "And finally, we Have Remnant, sitting right here, in the void between UNSC, Covenant and Cylon space." Remnant's star system flashed red, the red dot seeming so small compared to the other systems.

"While knowing we are uncomfortably close to Covenant Space gives us some perspective, I don't see why this constitutes an emergency." Meridian said dismissively.

"The emergency is this." Curtis said as 7 green flashes appeared in the screen, each a dot in 7 different locations around the galaxy.

"Is that?" Ozpin asked before he stopped himself.

Curtis nodded, knowing what he was going to ask. "This...is the exact location of all 7 Halo rings."

Ironwood's eyes widen as he looked at Installation 07. "That ring is VERY close to Covenant space."

"Yes, it is." Curtis admitted. "But the Covenant are not expanding up the Orion arm, they are expanding down, toward us. That gets 07 out of their reach for now... but," He point at UNSC Space at a system very close to Reach. The Soell system, home to Installation 04. "But after Reach fell, it may only be by pure luck, but they have not found 04 which is VERY close to the heart of the UNSC and its fire radius covers UNSC, Remnant, Cylon and Covenant space."

"So, you bumbling buffoons didn't even notice the superweapon on your own damn doorstep!?" Meridian shouted.

"Ok, what is your problem?!" Curtis shouted back. "I am trying to help both of our planets, yet you seem incapable of getting your head out of your ass and listening!"

"I don't NEED to listen to some young upstart!" Meridian said with a sneer. "How do we even know this, 'Halo Array' is even real!? You never leave Remnant! How could this Galaxy-destroying super weapon slip past an advance civilization when it was so close to their own home world!?"

"I don't know!" Curtis shouted back. "Reach was colonized centuries before I was born, how the fuck am I supposed to know how they missed Soell!?"

"General Meridian, Stand down!" Ironwood shouted at the younger General.

"No!" Meridian said, standing up to Ironwood. "You are too accepting of this, General Ironwood! This UNSC could be a damn lie, a trap! And you are just blindly walking into it!"

"And of what evidence has this batshit crazy assumption come form, Meridian?!" Ironwood shouted back. "They have been NOTHING but helpful, while you have been nothing but a pain in my ass! Its only because of your family ties that you even HOLD the rank of General, but do not for one moment, assume you have earned that rank and can bark orders at me!"

Meridian scowled at Ironwood, his face red with anger. He turned and stormed out with a huff the elevator doors closing behind him. Before he left, Curtis looked into his eyes as he turned around in the elevator. They were so filled with rage, it gave Curtis a feeling in his gut that Chriss Meridian wasn't going to go quietly into the night.

[Captain's Ready Room, UNSC Eternity,New Harvest, August 19, 2554]

"Wow." Was all Solara could say. She was honestly shocked at how arrogant Meridian was. "You think he will try and sabotage Atlas and the UNSC?"

"I know he will." Curtis corrected. "I just don't know when."

Solara stood up from his desk and gave him a slight comforting hug. "Hey, we have dealt with aliens and Insurrectionists." She told him "We can handle one upstart General."

"I am worried he could turn the people against us." Curtis admitted, leaning into her hug.

Solara laughed. "If you really think this asshole can convince anyone that hasn't been brainwashed that he is in the right, your faith in Remnant must be really low."

"Hey!" Curtis retorted as Solara just smiled at him. "I have faith."

"Then don't worry so much!" Solara said, moving to sit in his lap. "Things will turn out fine!"

"Ok, ok." Curtis relented. "I'll relax." Solara smiled in victory. "Thanks Solara."

"No thanks necessary!" Solara said. "You just have too much on your mind, so I helped lighten the load."

"Right." Curtis admitted. "Speaking of which, I have to get back to the reports." He tried to lean forward, only to find he was unable to with Solara using him as a seat cushion. "Umm, Solara? Can you get off my lap, please?"

"Nope!" Solara said, with a smirk.

"Solara, get off." Curtis said.

"Not happening!" The AI reaffirmed.

"Act your age!" Curtis demanded.

"I am under 5 years old!" Solara said with a devious smile. "You really want me to do that?"

Curtis groaned as Solara's teasing continued on for a while. Elsewhere on Remnant however, Curtis's fears were becoming reality.

[Salam's Castle, Land of Darkness, Unknown Location, August 19,2554]

A Lone Bullhead flew over the dark, barren wasteland, with rocky terrain and enormous purple crystals sprouting from the ground. The sky is stained a dark red. Grimm spawn in large numbers from pools of a viscous, tar-like substance below as the Bullhead flew to a large structure built in a huge crystal wall. The aircraft bearing the markings of the Atlesian Military, began to slow as it came in for a landing at the Cathedral styled building built in this 'No-Man's Land'.

As the craft landed, the side door opened, and two figures exited it. One was an older scientist that had a robotic left eye that glowed and ominous red and a similar robotic right arm. Next to him stood General Chriss Meridian. They both stepped off the transport Tilt-jet and entered the cathedral.

Past the main doors, a main greeted them. He was very tall and looked like he could take on a Deathstalker with his bare hands yet seemed quiet and intelligent. Meridian stepped forward.

"Greetings." The atlas General began, "I assume you are the one who called us?"

"No." The man replied with a deep voice "She is inside. Come...it's better to not keep her waiting."

While feeling slightly insulted by this man's insinuations, the scientist he came with simply chuckled.

"Don't like having your authority challenged, Eh Chriss?" The older man laughed.

"Shut it, Merlot!" Meridian snapped back. "You are lucky you are even here, you mad man! I could have just thrown you out the airship!"

Merlot was about to retort when a voice cut through the air, its words like ice yet its tone soft and firm at the same time. "I don't think that would have been in your best interest, general."

The two new arrivals turned to see who spoke. They stood within a large council chamber within the cathedral and at the end of the large crystal made table, sat a woman with deathly white skin, black veins and grimm red eyes.

Meridian would never admit it...but she terrified him, and all she had done so far was speak. Everything about her just screamed that she was something that shouldn't exist, yet despite all rational, she did.

The General summoned his courage, or what little he had. "So, you are the one who summoned us? I'll admit your letter was...vague."

The woman smiled slightly. "I suppose it was." She admitted. "But that was just to peak your interest into coming. I have an offer you two cannot refuse."

Merlot was busy looking out the windows at Nevermore that flew past, seeming guarding the building, not attacking. "We cannot because it is too good to do so, or that you will feed us to the Grimm outside?" Merlot asked as Meridian looked at him.

"You old fool, no one can control the Grimm." Meridian said as Merlot scoffed

The woman laughed. "Perceptive. I like that, but no. If you say no, I will let you leave safely. But I feel you wouldn't want to miss out on the offer I have to give you."

Meridian looked impatient "And what would that be?"

"For you dear General, how about the destruction of the UNSC and the gaining of their technology for Atlas and Atlas alone?" The woman asked as Meridian blinked.

"There is no way you could come through on that deal!" Meridian shot back. The woman was unmoved.

"Is that so?" She asked as she got up. "Follow me then." She seemed to...glide across the floor rather than walk. Merlot and Meridian followed her, the latter reluctantly and the former with curiosity.

The mysterious woman lead them to a stairwell down under the mountain on which her cathedral sat into a massive chamber. Meridian and Merlots eyes widened as they saw what sat in the chamber before them. It sat on three massive legs and had a pyramid like structure. Its silver metal hull shone in the light of the torches that surrounded it.

"W-What is that!?" Meridian asked.

The woman smiled. "That my dear General, is the Ecumene's Will. A Forerunner Keyship."

"Forerunner!? Those aliens that gave the UNSC their technology!?" Merlot asked, surprised and eager to tear into the ship for all its secrets.

"The very same." The women said, turning to face Meridian. "So... believe me now?

Meridian nodded silently. "What would you have me do, to gain the power to destroy the UNSC, Ma'am?"

The women, known only as Salem to those who knew her, smiled. She lost Tyrian and Cinder but gained two new allies who may prove much more useful. She looked back over the ancient keyship and began to think of just how she could use them to crush the United Nations Space Command, maybe even the Covenant as well if she played her cards right.

Salem turned to Meridian with a smile "Tell me Meridian, what do you know...about the Halo array?

I had been asked to add a few Fanon ships in. I was hesitant but i figured, what the hell.
The Actium class, Nevada class, and Noryang class belong to their respective owners

Sorry this chapter came out a bit late.

Halo is owned Bungie by 343 Industries
RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth
Starcraft is owned by Blizzard Entertainment
Battlestar Galactica is owned by Syfy
Mass Effect is owned by Bioware
All other references or tidbit to other series belong to their respective owners.
OC character, Curtis Fletcher is created and owned by SBB-67Montana ,my good friend.