Tide: July 2nd 2545
Location: Aboard Razor's Edge, Slipspace
The Razor's Edge continued to plough its way though the multidimensional terrain of slipspace heading at maximum velocity for Reach to rendez-vous with Admiral Parangosky to discuss matters which could turn the tide of the Human-Covenant War.
Osman looked around the bridge at the members of Noble, despite their hardened Spartan exterior she could tell how worried they were about Emile, after they had found his helmet abandoned at the Covenant's position she had ordered a detailed scan of the entire planet to search for him but when this had also come up negative she decided all she could do was mark him as MIA and head back to Reach.
The Forerunner known as the Didact was waiting in the hangar bay, the only room he could stand up in, along with the Forerunner Huragok running diagnostics on his armour after its one hundred thousand years of running idle. Also in the hangar was Steven who had taken it upon himself to give the Didact access to any unclassified information he requested. So far the two had discussed the major events of the war and the rough technological comparison between the Covenant and humanity as well as the Covenant's motives for seeking humanity's destruction.
When the Didact had learnt the extent of what the Covenant had done he had been wild with rage and had been forced to enter a meditative state within his half activated armour to avoid taking his fury out on anything around him. This in itself concerned Osman, the Forerunner had been locked away for a hundred millenia and if outbursts such as this were any indication his mental state could be frayed.
BB popped up on her command console and spun his box to face her, "Captain, we should arrive at Reach in approximately thirty seconds, you may want to brace yourself." He flickered out of existence and Osman grumbled to herself, gritting her teeth as she did so.
Carter walked over to stand beside her and leant down, his face creased with concern, "Captain, what are you going to do about Emile? I mean he was AWOL when he went missing but I'd rather that wasn't on his record."
Osman was frustrated by the Spartan's timing, she wanted to focus on preparing to exit slipspace but she couldn't just ignore him. "I will tell the Admiral that he was separated from us but will not give details unless the Admiral asks for them."
Carter nodded, seemingly satisfied and went over to join the small circle of Spartans that had formed in the corner of the bridge to discuss the situation in hushed voices.
Finally, the ship shuddered and stars burst into being on the view screens as they dropped out of slipspace and made for the planet below, Reach. As they made to enter orbit the comm bleeped and Parangosky appeared on the command screen. "Captain Osman, I'm sending you coordinates to meet with me, make sure your ship's sensors are targeted exactly where I tell you." The image was replaced by a single, hand written, set of coordinates.
"BB, you know what to do." Osman ordered. The Prowler's engined flared and the ship pulled away from orbit, heading directly for the local star, Epsilon Eridani. BB trained the ship's powerful sensors on the coordinates and to Osman's surprise the vague impression if a ship appeared, albeit distorted. To her surprise the way the sensors read the target was the same way most ships picked up a Prowler if they caught it but this ship could not be a Prowler, the could only be Admiral Parangosky's personal ship, Point of No Return.
Osman felt her heart skip a beat, even she, Parangosky's most trusted associate, had never been permitted aboard because she had never before had a reason to be there and she had only heard reference to it an a few occasions.
BB began firing thrusters and the ship rotated so that it sat in precisely the position specified. Osman left the bridge and headed for the hangar, knowing she would not be permitted to dock with the other ship but that a dropship would be sent across. "With me Noble One." she ordered and together she and Carter left the bridge.
"Captain?" Carter asked as they walked to the hangar.
"I want you and Steven with me when we go across as a security escort for the Didact, if he gets angry like he did earlier we'll need Spartans to have even a hope of restraining him." she explained.
The Didact looked to them as they entered the hangar and strode over, the heavy thuds of his footsteps the only indication of his massive weight. "Captain Osman", he greeted, "What do you have planned for me?"
"You will be taken to someone very high up in our military who will take the decision what to do with you and analyse what help you can offer?." she explained, standing at ease looking out into space as the darkened shape of a Pelican entered, covered from nose to tail in ablative stealth coating.
The Pelican rotated in the tight space and set down. The rear hatch opened and together she, the Didact and the two Spartans climbed aboard. The Didact was forced to crouch in the centre of the troop bay, forcing Osman, Carter and Steven, was well as the ONI Captain who was already aboard to squeeze into the little remaining space.
After a short and uncomfortable ride they touched down in the hangar of the larger stealth ship and once again the hatch opened, disgorging the occupants into the hangar. Waiting for them was Admiral Margaret Parangosky.
"Serin, it's good to see you again. Lets go to my office and discuss this situation."
Author's Note: Sorry it's such a short one but I wanted to churn one out quickly and this is really just a fill in chapter before the story takes another large leap forwards. Fear not, the next chapter will not be too far away. As ever please read and review and I value your comments.