Chapter 7 -- Preperations


--HES Swift--

"Dan, slip us into a holding position above the planet and decloak." Ordered the Duke.

"Aye, sir." Replied Daniel.

The small no-ship Swift dissolved into view near the Peter Blake. The Duke quickly hailed the Blake. The screen in front of him flashed as the hail was acknowledged, Capatin Jack of the Peter Blake appeared.

"Sorry Captain Jack but we have to skip the pleasantries and get to business. Your orders have been changed, you and your Command Staff have an hour to prepare to transfer over to my ship. We will be docking presently. Duke Ecaz out." Shutting the channel down Brian turned to his helmsman, "Daniel, you can dock now."

"Aye, sir."

The Duke stood up and headed to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat.

A half hour lather the Duke floated beside the door controls waiting for the command staff of the Peter Blake. A light on the control panel glowed signifying the other door had opened. As it winked out the Duke pulled the inner door open.

"Permission to come aboard M'Lord?" asked Captain Jack.

"Permission granted." Replied the Duke. The seven men and women of the Blake floated through the door and stopped on the opposite wall. After shutting the door the Duke turned to Captain Jack and said, "You have been chosen by me to be technical attache's to the UNSC. We are giving them lasguns and they will require people with intimate knowledge of them to maintain and fix them. Your quarters are down the hall and down the ladder. They contain information on your new mission. If you'll excuse me we have one more person to pick up before meeting the UNSC personnel involved in this mission. Just so you know, we will be picking up the new Mother Superior of the Bene Gesserit and two of her advisor's. Dismissed."

Everyone quietly dispersed and headed to where they needed to be. The Duke drifted into the exchange corridor so he could walk to the bridge. Entering the small bridge the Duke ordered Daniel to disengage and jump as soon as he was clear.

--Rakis--

The newly elected Mother Superior, Reverend Mother Kethve Siave stood alone out on the landing flat. A large explosion drew her attention, looking into the sky she could see a trail of flame descending to the ground. She knew it was the Duke coming to transport her to meet the humans of this universe. The streak of fire turned towards her and slowed down and the little no-ship landed softly on the landing flat. After the dust had blown away Katherine walked to the entry hatch that was opening on the side of the no-ship. Standing there was the Duke himself. As she approached the Duke said, "Welcome mother Superior, if you would get aboard we can head to Reach and meet the UNSC."

"Very well Brian." Katherine replied entering the ship. After closing the doors the Duke opened a channel to the bridge and said,

"Everything down here is ready Dan, you can lift off any time you wish. As soon as we are clear jump to Reach."

"Understood sir." Came the reply and the channel shut off.

"Mother Superior, if you would follow me you can meet Joan, a UNSC AI." The Duke offered.

A shiver ran down Katherine's spine though she did not show it. She, as with the rest of her people, were still getting used to the fact that these humans work side by side with artificial minds. Organizing her thoughts she replied, "Very well Duke Ecaz. Lead on."

--Reach--

Michael stood silently beside Dr. Hasley as the sky of Reach thundered and a trail of fire followed the Swift as it came into land. The Swift quickly slowed and transferred the weight over to the suspensor's. Coming to a stop above the lancing pad closest to Michael, the landing legs extended and the ship landed. After several minutes of waiting as the drive was shut down and the exterior of the Swift had cooled, there was a hiss and a door opened. Behind it a boarding ramp extended. After it had finished extending the Duke walked down with the Mother Superior beside him, Captain Jack and his staff followed behind. The Duke walked up to Admiral Stanforth and extended his hand. Stanforth stood there for a few seconds, looking carefully at the Duke. He then shook the Duke's hand. "Welcome to Reach Duke Ecaz." Stanforth said.

"Thank you Admiral. Due to the nature of our meeting I suggest we start it as soon as possible." Replied the Duke.

"Already done Duke Ecaz. We are just waiting for you and your party."

"Lead the way then."

After everyone had boarded a line of Warthogs, the small convoy left the Swift and proceeded to a secure meeting room.

--Secure Conference Center 01--

The Secure Conference Center was one of the most heavily defended areas on Reach. Surrounding the main building was 60 square kilometres of grassland. The facility was surrounded by jammers of every sort. The buildings were lined with copper and the people that guarded it were given shoot on site orders. The Warthog convoy quickly pulled up outside the main entrance and everyone walked through the doors without saying a word. The group was guided to the main conference room and let in. As they entered they could see everyone that was already there. The best engineers that the UNSC could get there hands on, ONI Section 3 representatives, several people from the UNSC High Command, Captain Keyes and his Command Staff, and gathered in one corner were two dozen Spartans, all at attention and saluting Admiral Stanforth.

Admiral Stanforth looked at the Spartans returned the salute and said, "At ease."

Admiral Stanforth waited until everyone was seated and then signaled for Dr. Hasley to begin. She walked onto the podium and began. "Each of you gathered here today are experts in your fields. What we are planning to do today and in the near future will tax everyone one of you. Right before the appearance of House Ecaz, the UNSC High Command were just beginning a plan that could potentially stop this war on one go. With the appearance of House Ecaz, the potential for success has been raised. We have been in talks with the leader of House Ecaz, the Duke Ecaz to design a joint mission between our two powers to capture a Covenant leader. We believe this would work because of the structure of the Covenant. Our plan is to capture a so called Prophet and bring it back here to negotiate a peace. Without a peace, the survival of our two powers is not assured. I have been informed that the Duke Ecaz would like to say something before we depart and get down to business." Dr Hasley stepped off the podium as the Duke walked to the front. Standing on the podium the Duke began,

"As Dr. Hasley has stated, if there is no peace between us and the Covenant we may not survive. When I first received word of this mission I knew that the UNSC ship or ships involved would need upgrades to survive." The Duke nodded to Michael who pulled a holo projector out of a briefcase and placed it on the table in front of him. "After scanning several of your ships I tasked my engineers to create a self sufficient weapons system that could be installed in your ships without the need for any modifications. My engineers came up with this." Michael activated the holo projector and a hologram of a lasgun with a power generator appeared. "This is a Light Capital ship grade lasgun, it has been designed to replace your 50mm autocannons. It has been designed to be installed in the space where the autocannons are. The entire unit is self contained and requires very little maintainece . There are 40 sets waiting transfer on my flagship. They will be shipped as soon as the Pillar of Autumm is ready, and as soon as our production facilities are ready to make these you will be given two hundred more as a gift. Also, as soon as my engineers have got a system ready to allow our lasguns to run off your power systems you will be given the technology." Duke Ecaz stepped of the podium and walked back to his chair.

Admiral Stanforth was stunned, the firepower jump this would give the UNSC would make a huge difference. Realizing the Duke had got off the podium Stanforth approached the podium and stepped onto it. "Okay everyone, you know what you need to do. The survival of the human race is at stake. Dismissed." The room erupted into noise as everyone got up and left. Dr. Hasley waited by the door until everyone except for Admiral Stanforth, John, Duke Ecaz and Michael had left. John walked up to Dr. Hasley and said.

"Dr. Hasley, you asked to see me after the meeting."

"Yes I did John, the Duke here has another surprise and so do I, if you would follow me."

"Understood doctor."

Dr. Hasley walked to a waiting Warthog and got in it, she waited until John, the Duke and Michael had got in then tapped onto the driver's shoulder and the Warthog moved off. Turning to the Duke she said, "Okay, since my surprise will have to wait you can show yours."

The Duke smiled and pulled out the briefcase that held the holo projector. Opening it he said, "Master Chief, I'm sure you have read reports of the effectiveness of our weapons. You should also know we have not given the UNSC any of them. This is for some very good reasons. First, these weapons are very powerful, if not used carefully you will cause more damage to your own side than to the enemy. Second, they are an alien technology and you don't know how to fix them. But the most important reason is that when fired at one of out shields, the resulting sub-atomic fusion reaction is huge and destroys both the target and the attacker." The Duke then lifted a lasgun out of the briefcase. "After reading of the exploits of you and the rest of the Spartans. My advisor's convinced me to lend the UNSC twenty-seven of our latest model lasguns for the exclusive use by the Spartans. The other twenty-six are being distributed as we speak but since I'm here I will give you this one." The Duke then held out the lasgun to John. John looked at it carefully for several seconds then took a hold of it. He was surprised at its lightness, no heavier than a sniper rifle. "Something else I will mention. The lasguns that you and the other Spartans will be receiving have a few modifications. These modifications allow them to be integrated into your suit systems, showing you the level of the capacitor and reactor, and where it is aimed." The Duke added. John shouldered the lasguns and looked down the iron sights. "Any questions Master Chief?"

"Will you also train us in their use?" John asked.

"Yes, we will teach your our tactics on their use."

"You mentioned a reactor. How is it fueled and will we need to carry it with us in battle?"

"There is a tiny fusion reactor contained in the gun. The fuel is carried in the handle and it only requires refueling about every twenty years."

"How powerful is the beam?"

"Just the simple questions." The Duke smiled. "The gun when set on about half power could cut through this vehicle with ease. The gun will also continue firing for twenty seconds. It will then require thirty seconds for the capacitor to recharge. The gun is set at around ten percent power for anti infantry use. At that level it can fire for well over two minutes continuously."

John was impressed and wary. Something so powerful would be very dangerous until he had trained with it.

The driver of the Warthog then stopped smoothly outside a tent outside the rifle range that John knew very well.

"I guess it is my turn to give you something new John." Hasley said stepping out of the Warthog. "Follow me John. Duke Ecaz. If you could please remain here with the driver until I return."

"As you wish Ma'am." The Duke replied.