Chapter 26 A New Situation
The Pelican flew low though the mountain pass, behind them were the pelican transports both from the Gates of Valhalla and the Nightingale.
"We are about there." answered the pilot as he looked back to see the cargo bay full of Spartan warriors. Sitting on the end of the line was Noble Six, his armor had regained some power but the Cylon tank shell which had landed by his feet had caused even more damage. Sitting across from him with his helmet off was his teammate Jun. Unlike Robert who thanks to the cryo sleep hadn't aged, Jun had he now looked in his late forties early fifties. His head was still shaved and his tattoo of a hand grasping a bungle of arrows still covered the left side of his face by his ear.
"We thought you were dead." Said Jun as the pelican began to lower as it goes down for a landing.
"Spartans never die." stated Robert as Jun laughed a bit as he remembered those lines from training.
"True but they do go to hell to regroup." added Jun
"Jun did we win the war?" asked Robert
"In a way." said Jun as the Pelican "The war against the covenant is over."
"How did we win?" asked Robert
"In a way we didn't." answered Jun "The Covenant broke apart thanks to the actions of the Master Chief John 117."
"Him." said Robert as he remembered the one Spartan who always topped him on the charts of mission skills. "How did he do it?"
"With the help of the package you brought to the Pillar of Autumn." said Jun "Together they broke the covenant and showed the elites that the prophets had lied to them. They turned on them and the covenant civil war began."
"I see." said Noble Six as the pelican began to lower. "Listen Jun onboard the ship is my sister."
Jun's eyes widened at that news as he looked at his teammate.
"That is impossible, Spartan III are war orphans." said Jun "Your family died just like mine did."
"That is what I thought but it seems my sister made it off New Harmony and to our grandparents on Reach." said Robert "However the question remains did they UNSC know about it and lie to me or it was an accident."
"I see." said Jun
"She knows who I am." Added Robert "In violation of ONI orders, I will take any punishment they see fit, just leave my sister alone."
"Robert the UNSC you knew isn't the same as it is now." stated Jun as he looked toward the Spartan IV "They are all highly trained ODST who signed up to be a Spartan."
"Like we were supposed to me?" asked Robert
"Only they really are that." stated Jun "They released all the names of all the Spartans II and III apart from the Master's Chiefs. Your name is public knowledge."
"I see." said Noble Six "That is different."
"They even offer us to get married, retirement or even quite the military." added Jun as the pelicans went underground. It took only a minute to reach the hanger of the Gate's of Valhalla.
The Pelican came in for a landing with Captain Reed waiting for them. The ramp lowered as Noble lead the other Spartans out of the pelican, a moment later another pelican landed beside the first. The back ramp lowered as Captain Sunil Malhorta flanked by two ODST in front and two more in back forming a small box around the captain. Captain Malhorta moved toward his counterpart.
"Permission to come onboard Captain Reed?" asked Captain Malhorta as he saluted his counterpart.
"Granted.' said Captain Reed as she took Malhorta's hand "I can't tell you how happy we are to see you."
"I can imagine." said Captain Malhorta as they began to walk down the corridor and toward the bridge with Noble Six and Jun joining them "Your ship was listed as destroyed at the battle of Reach."
"We carried out a blind Slip space jump and got hit by covenant plasma weapons….it increased the speed and range of our drive and we crash landed on this rock." explained Captain Reed
"I see." said Malhorta as they moved toward the bridge.
"Tell me…did we lose the war?" asked Captain Reed
"No, we won." said Captain Malhorta as the large lift came down.
High above New Caprica within a sealed room Galen Tyrol sat up his body covered with an almost glue like liquid. Galen's eyes widened as he looked around the room.
"Welcome back Galen." said Cavil's voice as he stepped out of the darkness with a pair of centurions on either side.
"How did I get here?" asked Galen
"You died." answered Cavil as Galen's eyes widened.
Flashback
The air which had been chocked by snow only minutes ago was now filled with smoke and explosions. Galen ran though the explosions as suddenly a burning vehicles fell down out of nowhere landing right in front of him.
"Frak!" yelled Galen as he held up his hands to shield himself as the warthog exploded in a shower of burning metals. The blast sent him flying backwards into the snow, strangely Galen felt no pain as he looked into the sky as his lower half became cold, slowly he tried to force himself to his feet only to see that his legs and everything from the waist down had been blown off. Strangely a sense of peace came over him as life faded from his eyes; his only regret was leaving his son and wife alone.
End Flashback
"How did I get here?" repeated Galen
"Wait a few minutes it will all come back to you." said Cavil with a grin as Galen grab his head as memories came flooding back.
Flashback
"Morning Galen." said the fruit stand owner as Galen walked though a market place on Earth 2,000 years ago.
"Morning." answered Galen as he took a few more steps before a blinding flash of light filled the sky behind him as he vaporized in the fires of a nuclear explosion.
End Flashback
"My God I am a Cylon." said Galen
"Yes, Galen." answered Cavil as he looked toward one of the final five, the only one of the final five which he actually liked and respected. "You are a Cylon."
"Wait…if I died on Earth then how can the UNSC be from Earth?" asked Galen as he got out of the resurrection chamber.
"I was hoping you could tell me that." answered Cavil as suddenly Galen's eyes widened as he remembered an old myth from his days on Earth.
"It can't be." said Galen.
Back onboard the Gates of Valhalla both Captains had reached the bridge of the crashed ship the UNSC leadership was holding a meeting, the colonials had been taken out so that sensitive materials could be shared.
"Allow me to introduce myself I am Captain Malhorta of the UNSC stealth ship Nightingale currently under ONI command." said Captain Malhorta before gesturing toward Jun
"Spartan Commander Jun A266 leader of Fox team." said Jun before looking at Noble Six "However when I was on Reach I was a member of Noble Team."
Lisa's eyes widened as she remembered who was on her brother's team.
"Your Noble Three." answered Lisa
"And who are you?" asked Captain Malhorta
"Lisa, Lisa Rancord I was a civilian leader on Reach." answered Lisa
"She is also my older sister." added Noble Six as Captain Malhorta eyes widened a little bit before calming down.
"Alright." said Captain Malhorta as he pulled a small chip from his front breast pocket placing it inside a slot "Then there is only one last person we have to introduce."
"That would be me." said a new voice a second after the chip entered the system, the next second the image of an older man appeared out of the holographic system. "I am Ben."
"A smart AI." said Elizabeth with a smile "Ours died years ago."
"Yes…I am still processing the data left by him and the new information in the system." said Ben "Captain you may have to fill them in on the UNSC while I process the information."
"Alright." said Captain Malhorta as suddenly the door opened as Laura Roslin along with Athena entered the room.
"Captain Reed we need to talk about what happened out there." started Roslin until she noticed the extra Spartan and the blue glowing man.
"Who are you?" asked Captain Malhorta
"Former President of the 12 tribes of Kobol Laura Roslin." said Laura
"Junior Lieutenant Athena Agathon of the Colonial fleet." said Athena a Ben turned and looked at her.
"You're a Cylon." said Ben "A race of AI who had somehow found a way to become humanoid."
"What are you?" asked Laura
"I am Ben a level III smart AI." answered Ben as Laura's and Athena's eyes widened seeing their cousin's form of AI. "I will ask you questions after I finish processing this data."
"We will talk about whatever you want after we take care of things here." Said Elizabeth
"Actually stay….it will save time." Said Captain Malhorta as Athena and Laura moved to stand against the far way away from the ODST who stood spaced out against the wall behind Captain Malhorta and Jun.
"What is situation within the UNSC?" asked Lisa
"The war with the covenant is over…" said Captain Malhorta "Not because we won outright, it is more of the covenant itself broke apart due to the actions of the Master Chief John 117. Who combined with the AI you delivered to the Pillars of Autumn Noble Six helped turn the tide. They destroyed the super weapon built by the Forerunners?"
"The Forerunners?" asked Elizabeth
"They are the race that built the structure below Sword base." said Jun as he looked at Noble Six "The one we fought to defend."
"See hundreds of thousands years ago when the human race was just mastering fire the Forerunners were waging a war against a parasitic race we known as the Flood." stated Malhorta "They knew that they couldn't win and knew that the Flood would rule the galaxy."
"They decided the best way to win was to destroy the Flood was to starve it to death." said Jun "And their food source was intelligent life. So they created their ultimate weapon Halo."
"Halo." said Noble Six "The Covenant whenever that translator system in the armor worked which was almost never said something called Halo."
"It is a weapon system that removes all intelligent life in the galaxy." said Captain Malhorta as he began to inform everyone about the events that happened in the distance past and the events of the tail end of the human covenant war.
Meanwhile light years away Admiral Adama was looking over the latest reports from New Caprica, namely the fact that yet another UNSC ship had appeared and destroyed one Base Ship without taking any damage. He was almost at the CIC when his XO Karl Agathon rushed to his side.
"Admiral Adama are you sure you want to do this?" asked Karl Agathon
"You said it yourself the people are talking and word has leaked out of strange ships around New Caprica." said Admiral Adama as he looked down at the photo of the UNSC ship "And with the arrival of this Nightingale it means we will likely have to get used to the UNSC."
"I guess so." said Karl as they walked into the CIC.
"Admiral the wireless waves are open and waiting for you." said the wireless operator as Admiral reached for the wireless.
"People of the Fleet, this is Admiral Adama as some of you have probably heard stories of strange ships over New Caprica." said Admiral Adama "The stories you have heard is true."
He paused for a moment as he waited for the people to take in the idea that strange ships where over New Caprica.
"These smaller ships belong to a group called the United Nations Space Command operating out of a single ship called the Gates of Valhalla. This ship clams to be from a planet called Reach." stated Adama as he prepared to take the plunge "One of the words settled by our cousins on Earth."
A gasp filled the CIC as he was sure most members of the fleet where standing around stunned at the news that they may have found their lost cousins.
"Less than two hours ago another UNSC ship entered orbit around New Caprica destroying a Base Star in the process." stated Adama "Now our people are not off New Caprica yet, and we are still not sure how much help the UNSC may be but we are closer then we have ever been in the past. Soon our fleet will be back together and maybe we will join our cousins. I ask you now to hang on just a little longer our journey may soon be over."
Laura Roslin stood there in silence as she listened to the story the UNSC captain was saying. An ancient race who in an attempt to stop a deadly parasite race destroyed all intellect life in the galaxy only to repopulate it, naming humans as their successors. Then during the war a single UNSC ship came across one of their weapons and after preventing it from firing they destroyed the ring with the flood. Then their home world, Earth came under attack and then one race they called Elites broke off from the covenant after being betrayed by the leadership. These Elites joined the UNSC and their hero a Spartan called the Master Chief went off to destroy the covenant.
"So the current state of the UNSC is what?" asked Captain Elizabeth
"Most of our forces are dedicated to rebuilding what we lost." stated Captain Malhorta "However they predict it will take between 85 to 120 years to bring the human race back to the numbers prewar. That is even counting in the baby boom that has happened since the war ended."
"The other part of our forces are helping the elites take on brutes and the remains of the Covenant." said Jun
"So that is why you have cloaked Elite behind you." stated Noble Six as everyone apart from Jun's eyes widened.
"Why I am not surprised you knew he was there." stated Jun as a large shimmer went off behind Jun in between the two standing ODST. The Colonials along with the UNSC members of the Gates of Valhalla as the seven foot tall creature dressed in grayish armor reached up with its three fingered hand removing its helmet. To show it's split jaw with razor sharp teeth, with armor on its jaws.
"It's a Demon!" cried Roslin as the Elite turned and looked into her eyes with his owns silted yellow eyes.
"No…human I am Tul'Hungrel a member of the proud Sangheli race." stated Tul as he activated his energy sword before placing it in front of his face the tips pointing up in salute.
Well I hope you liked this chapter, I decided to have Galen die and remember that he is indeed a Cylon. I would like to thank everyone who reviewed and I ask that you keep reading, Thanks Wilkins75.