11:00 September 21st 2542 (UNSC military calendar)
CCS-Class Battlecruiser crash site, New Ghent.
"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Doctor Catherine Halsey yelled at the ONI Scientist as she opened up the side panel of the Covenant computer system. The scientist shrunk away before Halsey, averting her eyes and gritting teeth. Halsey continued her tirade. "You risk the destruction of an utterly priceless piece of equipment by opening it so recklessly."
"But I copied your technique!"
"Yes. Mine. I have been examining Covenant technology before you were born. Now get the hell out of here and bring me a coffee." Catherine stated, turning her back on the scientist as she ran off. She activated her custom blue omni-tool and took several scans of the computer systems. She quite liked the holographic interface of the device, and had created her own Omni-Tool using custom hardware that she'd personally created.
"Remarkably cruel." Mordin remarked as he looked up from the computer systems whose internals he was examining using specialized equipment extended through a small hole he'd drilled into the side. "Her work was acceptable. As good as yours." The Salarian's handiwork was impeccable and without flaw, and he had provided very handy skills to Halsey's efforts to examine the Covenant computer systems of the defeated Battlecruiser. His most handy trait at the moment was his ability to perform complex adjustment of the interior of Covenant equipment using a hole the size of the nail of a pinkie finger. To avoid Covenant technology from melting down into slag, incredible care and diligence was needed, to the point that the Joint Research Institute found it easier to employ brain surgeons and teach them how to be engineers than try to teach engineers to safely dismantle Covenant equipment. There was a click, and the panel Mordin had worked on slid open with a hiss, revealing undamaged Covenant computer components. "Welcome challenge of surgical and technical skills."
Halsey gave a rare smile at the Salarian whose assistance she had grown fond of. The Covenant Battlecruiser contained enough computer cores and complex systems to keep a woman like Halsey busy for years, just cataloguing and examining them all. She approached and brushed Mordin aside, squatting down to take a look at what he had opened up. "Excellent work as always, Mordin." She reached inside and gently removed the data storage unit inside, then plugged it into her omni-tool. "Hrmm. Another operating system I don't recognize. Excellent discovery."
The UNSC and its new allies had spent weeks combing the crashed Covenant ship up and down, and it was starting to bear fruit. Most of the computer networks had now been discovered and safely disconnected for analysis. The Slipspace drive had been safely removed for analysis, and the ship had been stripped off its remaining weapons systems. These were now all at the Joint Research Institute bases on Telvanis where they could safely be examined, and be beyond the range of the Covenant. ONI had initially been reluctant to agree, and Halsey had had to remind them of the many research facilities destroyed by the Covenant during their advance through the Outer Colonies. But it had become a place of study and learning for the best and brightest of the galaxy, and the finest collection of minds Halsey had ever worked with.
"Shame to dismantle components." Mordin muttered. "Research would be easier with everything in original location. But ship removal too important."
There was a light rumble through the floor. The feeling of the construction crews raising distant chunks of the ship to prepare them for the heavy orbital lifting equipment that was waiting to move the Battlecruiser away from the ruins they had crashed on. Halsey was almost giddy with the amount of time she got to spend going from examining Covenant technology, to checking the bowels of the buried alien ship. Even if she had to wear full hazmat while inside. There was so much to do, that the best way to advance the analysis of the ruins was to dig them up, and that meant moving the Battlecruiser.
Halsey looked through what had once been a full server room containing many fridge-sized Covenant computer systems. The room had been stripped bare, with Mordin having only just finished the final dismantling. Mordin and her had performed thorough research on all parts, then carefully dismantled them catalogued each part, recorded every discovery, and packed the components into specialized storage crates. These would be moved to another location on New Ghent where the components would go through another thorough round of testing, before being moved to Telvanis, where the components could be reassembled around a custom frame that resembled the Covenant Battlecruiser. They were essentially removing all the important components of the battlecruiser, and then reconstructing it upon a different planet.
Halsey remarked. "It will take us years just to decrypt all the storage devices we've found. Special Materials Group is going nuts over the removed plasma projectors and pulse laser turrets. I heard some of the younger engineers saying that you can see the testing grounds on Telvanis from orbit due to all the test firing."
"Reverse Engineering will take time. But progress is progress." Mordin said as he finished loading up his storage crate and gently closed it. He pressed a button on the side, causing it to levitate off the ground. He began pushing it out of the room. Halsey followed Mordin with her own storage crate. They passed by the remaining scientists and engineers carefully preparing the ship for transport.
Halsey observed engineers were placing internal support structures in compromised sections of the superstructure, carefully working their way through the ship as they did so. They passed a large gap in the hull that was being patched up thanks to a large resin mold that filled in a tear in the hull that was almost thirty meters long, leaving a big yellow layer of resin through which metal supports were woven. All of this was done without a single screw, bolt, or rivet being driven into the hull. It was impressive that soon the Coalition would be lifting a two kilometer long warship with massive custom lifting equipment and the support of heavy transport ships. It would then be moved five kilometers to the south, and the full scale excavation of the ruins the ship had fallen upon.
Halsey and Mordin left the ship via a large hangar that had been turned into a staging area for the workforce that had been assigned to the Battlecruiser. They got onto one of the large elevators and went down to the service, whereupon their crates were taken by assistants that began to rush them towards the next stage of the supply chain. Mordin then took Halsey aside and asked her, "We should get drinks at the bar. Can share surgical techniques."
Halsey hesitated, then nodded. She was thirsty, and she had asked Mordin to show her the way he performed keyhole surgery upon Covenant equipment.
They passed through a large field filled with prefabricated structures that held the homes and amenities of the thousands of workers assigned to the project. They passed by dozens of large apartment blocks that could hold five hundred workers comfortably. Here the workers had running water, comfortable bedding, privacy, and even room to set up their own private entertainment systems. And according to some of the complaints from the cleaning staff Halsey had overheard, engage in scandalous interspecies romance.
As Halsey looked around, her eyes fell upon a man and a female turian embracing each other in a corner, making out and exploring each other with their hands. She was dumbstruck at seeing something so blatant in public, looking around if anyone else was seeing the same thing.
"Mordin. You are a xenobiologist." Halsey asked. "Why are the Turians so open about their sexuality? I see an inordinate amount of flirting from them towards their fellow turians, or even human co-workers. Is it just part of their species?"
"Turians think sex is healthy way to relieve stress. Has led to issues. Anaphylactic shock from, aherm, ingestion. Do not worry. Your previous assistant will make full recovery. Recommend he avoid cunnilingus."
"He said he had a stomach bug!" Halsey blurted out. "That lying little brat."
Mordin didn't seem bothered by the outburst and continued leading Halsey towards a cantina in the distance. "Can provide advice leaflet if you requir-"
"No, thanks. I'm too old for that kind of adventure!"
There were theaters that showed both human and Citadel movies, which always drew large crowds. Krogan action movies had quickly become popular amongst humans, while human movies rooted in military science fiction quickly gathered an audience amongst Turians as comedies. Halsey preferred the Salarian biopics about their scientists, and the history of the STG. There was something to be found for everyone.
Mordin looked at one of the signs. "Any recommendations?"
"I heard the retro movies are decent. You could try them."
Halsey's hair waved in the wind as cargo drones buzzed overhead to restock the large shopping areas where workers could spend their wages on luxury objects. There were even stores where Turians openly sold narcotics and drugs, some of them usable by humans. This has continued for a while until ONI had cracked down and banned the purchase of any drugs by humans. Although that didn't stop Turians from just sharing them with their human comrades. All in all, it was an incredibly cozy place at times. It was also a place one could acquire different food than what was served in the vast communal dining halls.
Several Hospitals had risen over the last week, each of them specialized in the care of a particular species, and all of them excellently staffed and equipped. Halsey had examined them on a whim, and was very impressed by the quality of Citadel Healthcare. Their hospitals were more artpieces than the utilitarian UNSC structures. UNSC Sterile Field Generators and Flash Cloning technology had quickly become popular amongst the Citadel Races, using them to improve the efficiency of the hospitals.
Mordin led Halsey into the cantina, and they took a pair of seats in an alcove. Mordin didn't waste a moment and began talking.
"Doctor Halsey. You wanted to know about keyhole surgery methods?"
"I would very much like that. You must have been a doctor if you are so good at complex procedures through such a small hole. How do you use your tools with such ease."
Mordin smiled. "Trick is using instrumentation using eezo to lighten weight and manipulate objects. Antigravity and micro adjustments allows unimpeded movement. I use personal designs, adjusted for own hands. Can help you calibrate own set."
"That sounds nice."
The television over the bar which had been showing a football game between Earth and Reach since they'd entered, suddenly switched to a studio interior. "We interrupt this football game to bring you breaking news. President Roselynn of the UEG has been found dead in her home. The cause of death was determined by autopsy to be caused by a stroke."
The cheery mood in the bar ended then and there, replaced with unsure apprehension. Halsey sighed deeply when she heard the news. She was not surprised, Roselynn had been old after all, but it still felt like a bitter reminder of all the things she had taken for granted being lost one by one. Now the UEG no longer had an elected president, even if she had been a puppet of the Security Council and lacked any real power.
The news anchor looked shocked, and had trouble finishing his sentence as he continued with his announcement. His voice broke at times. "As the last elected president of the United Earth Government, Roselynn was the only civilian on the UNSC Security Council and responsible for keeping the civilian administration and bureaucracy running in the last seventeen years of turmoil. She will be remembered for her kindness and focus on alleviating the suffering of the civilian population displaced by the Covenant. The Unified Earth Broadcasting Service will be broadcasting her life's story tomorrow, and a minute of silence will be held tomorrow at 20.00."
Halsey rolled her eyes at the sappy message. ONI Section Two was shamelessly milking the death of Roselynn for as much as they could.
"Condolences, Halsey." Mordin said, shaking his head. "She must have been a great leader." The Salarian sounded sincere.
"She was okay. I remember voting for her, before this war started. It's a sad day when our last democratic leader dies, and we're nowhere close to getting new ones. I doubt we will have any elections until the war is over. Or the Covenant is driven out of the Outer Colonies at the very least. But still. A stroke in your sleep is a horrible way to go. I would lie if I said I wasn't afraid of it myself."
Halsey thought of something to take her mind off the depressing news. "I'm sorry, Mordin. I need a moment to myself." She stood up, heading for the doorway and to her appartment.
"No worries Halsey. Will I see you at the lifting of the ship?"
"Wouldn't dare miss it, Mordin." Halsey smiled at her unlikely new friend.