The Presidential Palace was a hive of activity. The last two days after the party had gotten obviously busy with the UNSC and the President and her staff working tirelessly to acquire what they needed. Jeanne had been forced to call a few of the less savory members of the Government in for talks just so that her summoning her former comrades and current cabinet members into her room didn't seem so suspicious.
"Here's the report, ma'am," The Minister of Health offered, handing the woman a sealed, cardboard-colored envelope with the stamp of the Health Ministry on it as confirmation. The woman nodded appreciatively and took to opening and removing the files inside as gently as she could. Printed reports in regards to medicine expenditures, one would think at a first glance. And indeed, the uppermost five papers were just that, expenditure by the HM in regards to medicine manufacture and the likes. Just enough that nobody would bat an eye at the rest of the package.
Beneath it were the medical reports of a few of the higher-ups in the other ministries that supported the status-quo. Recreational drug usage was at an all-time high(heh) among the wealthy Elite that didn't view things the way that Jeanne and her compatriots did and these files were damning enough, but to add insult to injury, they also mentioned and had pictures of the actual dealers:Fellow members of the Government...
Where the hell they even got the drugs from, the woman didn't know. It must've also been mentioned in the reports, so she offered a curt nod of thanks to the Minister, then slid the important files under her desk and stamped the word 'approved' onto the five actual expenditure papers, handing them over to the man. Up next, came the MoD. The man handed the woman a set of approved budget files for the spending on maintenance. She hummed, then thumbed one of the files.
It split at the seam in the middle of the paper. She removed the file stuck to the budget paper, then narrowed her lips. The micron-thinned paper was a set of pictures brought over by one of the Military Policemen loyal to the cause, from one of the concentration camps. Experiments, the horrid squalor in which the Eighty-Six kids and teens inside lived and so on, so forth. There was a small USB stick with the film inside it. She slid the stick in her pocket, folded up the paper out of notice of the other half of the Government and put it away.
Stamping her approval onto the maintenance budget, she handed it to the MoD, who flashed her a smile before his face turned to its usual blank, thousand-yard stare again. He had opened up contact with her the moment he heard the UNSC was a thing and had hence brought another ministry under their beck and call. The San Magnolian Government really did a dumb by letting several members with loyalties to the old Military sign up.
A few more Ministers and Aides delivered important files, ranging from footage of an underground Market where the trade of Eighty-Sixer girls was being perpetrated, something which shook the woman to the core. She squelched the thoughts and slid the papers to somewhere she knew they were safe, then leaned back into her seat with a heavy, tired sigh, staring up at the vaulted ceiling.
The room continued to move around her, people walking to and fro, talking, engaging in discussions that she had no time nor will to respond to if any were ever addressed to her. She simply continued regarding the ceiling for a moment, wondering how to tie every piece of information together before she got into contact with the UNSC to send it to them. She then heard the door open and looked down, spotting them in a sea of people.
Vladilena and Samantha. She'd requested that they be brought forth to assist her in matters of the state. Smirking, she waved them over to her and the agent and officer formed up. Lena smiled, then saluted and said, "Madame President..." which Sam quickly copied. The woman saluted back and nodded them at ease. Lena pulled out a file after making sure nobody was looking, then stated, "We got what you asked us to get."
"That's gonna incriminate forty percent of the current military staff and their families..." The woman smirked as she took the file and the datapad with copies of videos and the like, "The UNSC's gonna put everything together, right, Sam?"
"We are," She nodded calmly, then whispered, "We'll have a presentation ready for the Coup, but I'd suggest gathering a bit more data before it... For safety's sake."
"Of course," The woman nodded, tugging at her necktie to straighten it out. She and the girls had a lot of work ahead of them. Both of them had already started gathering important allies for the Operation ahead, with still a few months' worth of time needed for preparation. of the last few resources, namely:The time of the announcement. She'd need to slot in an announcement on her schedule, introduce the UNSC to the general populace, reveal to them the depths of the depravity that their Government had fallen into and announce that they would henceforth take over and right the wrongs of San magnolia.
She knew some people wouldn't take it well. Many may well fight it. But she wanted exactly what the general wanted. What they all wanted. A bloodless coup through which the Republic could begin to atone for the sins that their early government during the War had committed. They could only do so through the plans that the girls now made for this operation. Operation:LIBERATOR... The Coup that would seize San Magnolia and hand it back to the ones who built it. The common soldiery and the people who stand behind it.
"So, what now?" Lena inquired.
"Keep up the work. Get me as much dirt as you can on the rest of the staff and we'll be through with this in no time," The woman smiled, "Oh, by the way, did the UNSC introduce you girls to Earth Media yet, Lena?"
"I was actually given a book to read as a gift from the Admiral... Through Sam and Matt, but ya know," She smiled.
"It's called Starship Troopers. A bit on the nose, but it's a fun read, especially if you get the political subtext," Samantha explained.
"Ooh?" She grinned, "Make sure to toss it my way, too, once we're done here."
"Will do," Lena nodded, then arranged her uniform and saluted, "If we may, ma'am? We still got some work to do."
The President snapped a crisp saluted back and said, "Dismissed, major, lieutenant. Take care out there..." and she gazed upon them as they departed, engaging in a conversation that lead to a few laughs just as they left the room. Women like Lena were the future of the Republic, the woman thought. Hard-working, driven and well-intentioned, she and her peers would bring this damn country back from the brink time and again in the future. Hell, they were doing so now.
She smiled, then neatly stacked some of the remaining requisition forms and papers off to the side and began running through them. Good thing they'd just approved the most recent budget for spending on a lot of this stuff. Fuck, she still wondered how San Magnolia's mines were still running, but then she figured it best not to look a gift horse in the mouth.
... Following our two intrepid heroines on their way back to the Headquarters, one would find them talking still. Lena had been telling a tale to Samantha about her mother and how annoyingly focused on marriage and ditching the military she was. Sam replied, "Oh, trust me, I know how moms can be... Stepmother didn't much agree to me becoming what I am today..." clearly trying to maintain the ambiguity about her ONI job, which Lena understood.
"How'd she take it in the end?" Lena raised a brow.
"She just had to live with her stepdaughter being a soldier-girl," Sam smirked, pulling her silver hair over her shoulder. Around them, life in the Republic went on unabated. Civilians and off-duty soldiers continued their usual work, though Lena could easily spot a couple of other spooks among them, some of which Sam and Matt had introduced personally to her.
There were also reports of other surviving nations currently being brought into the fold. Lena had been given information on the remnants of the Empire that had spawned the Legion and what they were doing to combat it. The Federal Republic of Giad, a democracy much like the Republic of San Magnolia, was currently in talks with the UNSC to allow them to host a military presence in their territory to bolster cooperation. Add to that the possible presence of several more surviving nations to both the North and East and the Republic suddenly felt less alone.
"We should do a movie night some time," Sam remarked and Lena looked to her. The Spook smirked, then said, "I have the Starship Troopers movie saved on my tablet. One of the few things occupying space on the damn thing. We could link it to a projector and watch it... I dunno, somewhere."
"We could do it at my place. All of us," She offered, "I have plenty of leftover food in the fridge, usually."
"Heh. I already spoke to Matt about it and he said he'd be down. Just have to convince Annette to come along and we'll be golden for a movie night... Hmm, I don't know, we could have it where I and Matt live," She offered, "It's a big enough place, I'd say... Sadly, I think it was 'appropriated' from an Eighty-Six family, but I and him are willingly going to give it back once their heirs return... Hopefully alive."
"Sure," Lena nodded, "We can do it this weekend if you want. Rest of the week's gonna be busy for all of us."
"Oui," Sam smiled, "Ooh. I could teach you and Annette to speak French if we do some sort of sleepover or something!"
"Heh. That'd be interesting," Lena nodded, then checked her own wristwatch and gasped, "Oh, crap! C'mon! We're almost on duty and you're getting to the ten-mission milestone!" to which her friend gasped, shocked. The two made a mad dash back to Headquarters, running as fast as their legs would hold them. After managing to reach the place in the nick of time, the two girls had gone to their usual business, with Lena now slowly jogging(while taking big gulps of air through a burning throat) to the R&D Section, to meet Annette and Matt.
She found the two talking, this time about normal things, surprisingly. Huh. Must've been a slow day.
"Favorite restaurant?" Matt asked calmly, checking San Magnolia intranet posts on his laptop.
"Definitely Mandy's, just two blocks down from HQ on the main boulevard" The girl offered as she, too, focused on an intranet search on what was an ancient website named 'Stackoverflow dot com'. Lena smiled as she heard Annette comment, "They can do wonders with the synth-stuff we're usually given, but when they get fresh ingredients, hoo boy... Best pasta and tuna I ever ate, quite honestly..."
"Hah, noted," The man grinned.
"Yours?" She asked, then smiled at Lena as she saw the girl sit herself down at the table and set aside her black backpack. The woman then eyed the man as he took a thinker's pose, seemingly considering the food. Lena had packed her own lunch from home, this time, so the pangs of hunger she felt could easily be sated the moment she sat herself down.
"Quaint little bakery in one of the back alleys six blocks from here," The boy replied, "Can't quite remember the name of it, but they did make some damn fine baguettes and sandwiches."
"A simple man, then," Annette remarked, "Good to know."
"Aye, aye," He nodded, "What about you, major?"
"Yeah, what's your favorite place to eat, Lena?" Annette turned to face her best friend. The girl had been taken by surprise and the first bite she took of her sandwich damn near hitched in her throat. Thankfully, she'd managed to swallow it and not hack up a lung doing so, but she still had to take a moment to think while her pallid face regained a little color.
"I guess..." She hummed, "I don't frankly know. Here, really."
"Oh?" Annette raised a brow, pushing her glasses back onto the bridge of her nose.
"Hey, you make fine sweets. Can you blame me?" She shrugged, "Plus, I know the chef. She's a bit stuck-up, but she's a good friend."
"Pfft," Annete smiled and brushed off the compliment, "Fair enough, you dolt..." to which Matt laughed. She looked back to him and asked, "What's so funny?"
"Oh, nothing..." The man smirked, "C'mon. Let's get working. We still have a few things to parse through before we send the finalized reports from today to the General..." and he stood up. The two girls nodded, then all turned to Matt's laptop as he set it on the table. Together, they began tying up the next pieces of data for Operation:LIBERATOR. It'd be one helluva job.
It was surprising Annette seemed so ready to help, though...
Marines aboard the UNSC No Inch Spared prepared within the ship's hangar bay. Three Pelicans loaded with both medical equipment and ammunition had begun loading kit and troops to head on out. Major Volkov had been called upstairs with Sergeant Horvat to oversee the deployment to the unidentified warship, while Agnieszka and the others remained on the planet with Shiden's squadron.
Much of the Hangar had either been cleared out or strapped down to the floors to ensure that it wouldn't float out into the void. Only the Pelicans had been left on their deployment pads, ready to go the moment gravity cut and the doors opened. Volkov was in the lead Pelican, carrying enough AP ammo and grenades to make sure he and his force wouldn't get surprised again.
He was concerned, clearly. Not about the ship itself. It was UNSC, clearly, by design, but it wasn't sending any pings. Its Beacon was either offline or had been turned off by choice. Eitherway, it left a pit in the man's stomach. He looked back to the Blood Tray of the aircraft from the cockpit, watching as Marines strapped breather masks and oxygen tubes to themselves, just in case the ship had no atmosphere when they arrived.
He breathed, then said, "Charon, what can we expect?"
"Unknown. Scans inconclusive..." The AI replied, "The No Inch Spared detects a faint power source aboard, but it's either auxiliary power or the reactor running on Silent."
"Guess we'll find out when we're aboard... All units, ready up," Volkov replied, hefting himself onto the co-pilot's seat of the bird, behind the pilot himself. He then reported over com, "No Inch Spared Actual, this is Pelican Gamma Three-Three-Three, we're ready for take-off and deployment. All units are standing by..." before he tightened his harness around himself.
"Roger Gamma Three-thirty-three. Takeoff cleared. Stay linked to us. We'll provide a safe route through to the old girl."
"Roger," The Major nodded, "Gama Three-Three-Three out... Pilot..." The man nodded to the one in the chair in front of him as the atmosphere was drained from the bay and gravity was turned off. The rear hangar door then opened and the lead Pelican powered its engines, taking off and boosting forward, out and into this section of the Kuiper Belt. Powering on searchlights, the three Pelicans fell into a staggered wedge formation, pulsing their engines to increase forward momentum.
Massive rocks and irregular, iceberg-sized objects floated around them with micro-meteoroids being flung about at high speeds. As the three craft entered the field of remnants from the period of this system's formation, the crackle of impacts against the hull echoed. Projectiles ranging from golf-ball-sized to fist-sized ice balls and rocks hit the reinforced glass as well, shattering against it while doing little damage. The damn thing had been heat-treated to survive re-entry velocities. Some minor impacts wouldn't do jack to it.
The pilot hit the bottom-facing thrusters of the craft in a half-second burn to move them out of the way of a larger object, then piloted around it with gentle modifications to their trajectory. His comrades followed, as could be seen on the radar screen next to Volkov. He kept a keen eye on it to make sure they didn't lose their way back to the ship and their comrades due to something as stupid as impacting an asteroid.
The aircraft slowly traversed the distance between them and their intended target, some kilometers away. Soon, they entered the darker inner area of the Kuiper Belt, where the ship itself resided and where the floodlights on the Pelicans would be really useful. The debris and micro-meteoroids grew thicker the deeper in they went, with the noise of impacts intensifying. It almost sounded like someone was firing off assault rifles in the other room.
"Approaching target," The Pilot announced as he veered around one of the biggest, Vesta-sized objects in the field, bringing the searchlights to bear on where the ship would be. And indeed, they caught sight of her. A Phoenix-class colony ship that had been refitted for combat duty lay beside the massive object which obscured the sun. The ship was a familiar sight to everyone aboard, seeing as they had two similarly-modified Phoenixes...
"Wait..." Volkov paused. His breath caught in his throat as he saw the symbols of the ship. Though time had been kind to her, her location hadn't. He could see several small impact craters, though nothing too deep, in the front-mounted 'wing'-style plate they were facing. The writing above, at the top, was faded, but readable... Volkov paused, then whispered, "My God..."
"It's her..." The pilot offered, taking his helmet off and smiling, "It's really her..."
"Command," Volkov called in, "... We're making contact with the UNSC vessel as we speak. This is Major Kolya Volkov, going on record to the UNSC Battle Group and all staff present. I am confirming the vessel as the Phoenix refit, the UNSC Spirit of Fire. Repeat, UNSC Phoenix-class, designation CFV-88, Spirit of Fire has been found intact and seemingly operational!" and he smiled. Several of the Marines and ODSTs in the back, Horvat included, broke into cheers muffled by their oxygen masks and helmets.
First, the No Inch Spared pinged an acknowledgement over the com, followed by the rippling cheers of bridge crew aboard the girl. Following that, Volkov heard them link directly to the Serene Mind and to Captain Ambroz and Admiral Nakano. The woman spoke proudly, "Well done, Major! Well fucking done! Bring her online and let's get these folks home!"
"Roget that, ma'am," He nodded, "Bring us in, pilot. Hangar bay at the belly. Let's wake her up."
"Sir, looks like she's already doing so..." The Pilot replied, watching as lights slowly winked on aboard the vessel. The Pilot then reported, "Ping. HANDSHAKE protocol from shipboard AI of the Spirit of Fire. She's requesting coms with the officer aboard the three 'unidentified aircraft' currently on the starboard of the ship. Should I accept, sir? We can patch Admiral Nakano through afterward."
"Affirm," The man replied. The pilot tapped a few buttons on his console, then gave a thumbs up. Volkov spoke, "This is Major Kolya Volkov of the UNSC Epoch-class Heavy Carrier, Serene Mind. Spirit of Fire, we are UNSC assets currently stuck within the same section of the galaxy as you and your crew. Transmitting identification and confirmation now. We mean you no harm."
Static filled the com relay for a bit, followed by the buzzing of the vessel's lights. The signal cleared up and a female voice replied, "Major, this is shipboard AI, designation Serina. Are we glad to hear we've finally linked up with UNSC vessels, sir... You'll have to explain the 'stuck' bit to Captain Cutter, however. You're cleared to come aboard. We'll prep our engines and join the UNSC frigate No Inch Spared on the trip back home as soon as we can get ourselves unstuck from here. Spirit, over and out."
"You heard the Lady, Pilot. Bring us in."
With a jovial nod, the pilot pushed his craft in toward the opening hangar at the side of the warship, entering the main hangar where Marines and Technicians hurried to work. Some guided the three craft to a landing pad, while others prepared equipment to check on the birds themselves. Meanwhile, squads of Marines clad in standard-issue 2531 BDUs of the Corps stepped up, weapons at the ready. They eased and holstered their guns the moment they saw UNSC markings on the craft.
The entire Marine force stood to their feet, sliding firearms onto their backs and removing their breathing apparatus and helmets to reveal their faces. Volkov joined Horvat and the Marines on the deck, then said, "Stay with me, Horvat. I feel like we'll need to chat them up a bit. Surprised their scanners didn't tag our IFFs..." and slid his own rifle onto his back, removing his helmet.
Upon touchdown and the opening of the rear hatch, Volkov was met by a sight he didn't think he'd live to see again. Clad in a green UNSC uniform with black sleeves and a cap with his ship's symbol plastered onto its forehead as a patch, an elderly man with a five o'clock shadow flashed them a smile, then saluted and said, "Welcome aboard, ladies and gentlemen. Apologies for Serina's rough greeting, but our IFF system was still rebooting by the time we acquired you on scopes. I'm captain James Cutter of the Spirit of Fire."
"Understandable, captain, sir," Major Volkov voiced, stepping off onto the deck first. The captain extended his hand for a shake and Volkov took it, gripping firmly and smiling as he introduced himself, "Major Kolya Volkov, Thirteenth Guards Drop Division of the UNSC off the Carrier Serene Mind. You're way late to the party, Captain, but by God are we glad to see you are in one piece."
"Serina's been keeping count of the years we've been out for, major. Twenty-one years total, if calculations are correct. We'd all very much like a briefing about the situation ASAP, so we know what we're working with, as well as where we are. Serina will also want a checkup with the fleet docs and your shipboard AI, because, according to her, she should've completed her own self-dispensation some time into our foray flight in the middle of nowhere," Cutter explained, then paused as he saw Volkov and his Marines now wore grim expressions. The man narrowed his lips, then stated, "I take it the War's not going well...?"
"... Sorry, sir..." The man sighed, "The most we can tell you is that Reach is gone and Earth is next..."
Cutter paused, then breathed, staring out into the distance of the hold. He closed his eyes, shook his head, then said, "I understand... C'mon. We'll have a briefing prepped for everyone aboard. I want information on where we are right now, though... What we can do to help and why this fleet isn't at Earth... Because I can only assume the star system we're on isn't Sol, since you said we're 'stuck' here.
"Sir, yes, sir. I'll give you the rundown as we move to the bridge," He offered. Cutter offered a nod and the Major ordered, "Marines, stay with the birds. Help our brothers and sisters aboard the Spirit in any way you can. I and Sergeant Horvat will brief Captain Cutter as we prepare the ship for departure to rejoin the Battle Group," to which his Marines snapped-to, turning to assist their comrades. The Major and Captain proceeded, taking one of the several trams that led to the front of the ship from the Bridge, with Volkov giving him a rundown of the situation with the war, the planet they were currently orbiting and what they were fighting.
"... Damn..." Cutter murmured, then stated, "Earth still stands, doesn't it?"
"Yessir. Several hundred ODPs with Super-MACs are positioned in orbit and many ships have already made it to Earth by our calculations. We're the only fleet that's gone missing and I presume the UNSC will send a search party for us if time and the war allows them to," The officer replied. Kolya could do little but feel like a child. He sat face-to-face with the Captain James G. Cutter. A legend among the UNSC, he and his ship had fought during the five-year campaign to retake Harvest, one of their bloodiest, first and only victories against the Covenant, under Admiral Preston Jeremiah Cole. He hated being the bearer of bad news for a moment...
Then he saw the wheels in the Captain's head spinning. Cutter looked to him again, then said, "Good... Means this war isn't lost yet. Who's the commander of the defense?"
"Sir, Fleet Admiral Lord Terrence Hood commands the defense of Earth," The ODST replied. The corners of Cutter's mouth curled up into a smile.
"I knew that man had the stuff of a commanding officer in him. But damn, did I miss a lot if he's already Fleet Admiral..." he sighed deeply, then nodded, "Good to know we've still got a fighting chance. If I know Hood, he'll be doing his damnedest to keep Earth from falling into the hands of the Covenant, no matter what. That just means we have to do what we have to do until we can get the hell out of here, which means we have to find that Slipspace Inhibitor and disable it... Run the Legion by me one more time. What are they?"
"Sir, Autonomous fighting force of a defunct nation known as the Empire of Giad. To put it bluntly, they're numerous, belligerent and not taking anything beyond the total surrender or annihilation of mankind... You can imagine that hasn't gone over well with anyone, either aboard the Fleet or on the planet we're currently helping to defend from them. Admittedly, one of the countries is..." He hesitated, then nodded, "Less than pleasant... Admiral Nakano will have a full briefing for you as we head on in."
"I understand," Cutter nodded, "Our forces will be ready to assist with anything, including providing our own armored fighting vehicles and troop complement to the fight, then... Give my people something to do while we find a way home," he said, more hopeful with that last part as the tram began to slow down. Indeed, the signs flashing on board the tram told them they neared the bridge.
"Sir," The ODST nodded, "We'd be glad to have you, sir."
Cutter nodded as the thing ground to a halt, then stood to his feet. The two entered through the bulkhead doors, onto the crowded bridge of the UNSC Vessel. A holographic table sat in the middle of the room, right behind the Captain's Chair, which had been turned to face the multitude of windows that showed the outside world. Cutter and the Major approached the holographic table, watching as the form of a young woman with hair that reached down to her waist, a beautiful face, a white shirt and black pants, appeared.
"Captain Cutter. Major Volkov," The AI known as Serina nodded to them, smiling, "Good to see the ODSTs haven't changed their look in twenty-one years."
"Lean and mean, ma'am," The ODST replied with a curt nod, while the Sergeant beside him had remained relatively quiet, probably taking everything in.
"Good," She nodded, then said, "Captain. All crew are at their stations... We're waiting for your order to cast off. Do you wish to address them?"
"Yes," He replied, "Best they know what we're getting into before we reach the planet and start deployment," and he looked over to the Major. The man began, "Put me through, Serina..." then turned to face the insides of the Kuiper belt as, around his ship, rock and ice moved together almost like it was in a trance. He started as soon as the PA clicked, "Ladies and gentlemen. Good morning... It's certainly been a few years..." his voice calm, eyes focused.
"I'm afraid that our comrades have brought some bad news. I will rip this off like a bandage, because I'd rather we all knew what we were getting into beforehand. I will not mince words. Reach is gone..." and he heard dozens of gasps from bridge crew and even from Serina. He bowed his head, took his cap off, then said with a grim look, "Indeed... The Fortress World we knew the Covenant would have to crash against to get to Earth has been destroyed. The fleet we are moving to join are survivors from the battle... Survivors with, I imagine, colorful tales of what has occurred on my homeworld. Tales I'm looking forward to hearing..."
He saw an ensign break down at her console, covering her face, while one of her comrades patted her on the back. He continued, his voice steel, "We've lost a lot. Time and worlds, families. The world we know has moved on without us, ladies and gentlemen, and Earth is the last thing that stands between humanity and total annihilation... However, not all hope is lost!"
As several Ensigns and deck crews looked up, the man continued, eyes locked onto Serina and onto the two ODSTs beside her, "Humanity is still in the fight. Major Kolya Volkov tells me that Earth has received substantial upgrades. Hundreds of ODPs and are online over our capital, over our cradle. Hundreds of ships have also joined in her defense, entire fleets coalesced into one, known as the Home Fleet. Humanity is still fighting out there, people, so don't lose hope just yet!"
"The Covenant have beaten us down for too long. They wanted us to break under their continuous attacks, to fold, roll over and die quietly. We've shown we won't from Harvest all the way to Reach itself. The planet may have fallen, but the debris of hundreds of enemy ships orbit her, because you can be sure that not a single inch was spared by our comrades! And now? Earth is being defended by some of the most promising officers I've seen fighting during the Harvest Campaign, with Fleet Admiral Hood in charge. I doubt that man is going to let a single inch of Earth soil be touched by the Covenant..." He was firm and proud, staring his men and women in the eye as he spoke.
"That is their mission and I am sure they'll succeed. They have the Master Chief, Blue Team and Earth with them. They will hold!" He saw the Deck Crews raise their bowed heads, "All we can do from here, stuck as we are, is think of them for now. We have our own mission. We are not alone in the face of extinction. Major Volkov and his subordinate, sergeant Horvat, have told me of the world we're going to meet the fleet above. They are facing a genocidal force, too, though their threat is autonomous and highly-dangerous. They are known as Legion. An inexhaustible army of machines that seeks to subjugate or destroy all of the people on that planet, all fellow humans..."
"Ladies and gentlemen, we may not be able to go back home yet," Cutter stated, "But we do have a mission here to keep ourselves busy while we search for a return trip... The UNSC fleet under admiral Eiko Nakano has taken it upon themselves to help stave off the Legion on the planet and assist the surviving nations in retaking their lost world... Because, I imagine, they saw us in them. A people pushed to the edge and threatened with extinction. Fellow Humans, cornered and under threat... And we? We, my crew, my family, we're going to show these machines why you don't take on humanity and think you can kill us all."
Crew members smiled and looked to one-another, while Serina crossed her arms to her chest and grinned as Cutter finished, "We're going to fight for mankind, as we've done until now, no matter the time and place we find ourselves in... And we're going to go home victorious!"
"HOORAH!" The Bridge and crew chorused as each man and woman present manned their station.
"Systems nominal," Helm called out, "Engines spooling. Directional thrusters online and at one hundred percent."
"Weapons systems re-keyed and online, MASTER ARM SAFE," The Gunnery Officer stated as she took her seat.
"Sensors and radar systems operational. We've got a trajectory out of the Belt, sir," The sensors station offered as he looked over his and his subordinates' screens.
"All systems nominal, Captain," Serina offered, "Deck crews have strapped in our supply equipment and are ready for immediate burn out of the system Kuiper belt. On your mark," She then stated, smiling, "One way ticket to a world full of hostile machines has been stamped. ETA to Battle Group is one day and twenty-three hours from now, or we could take the more dangerous route and slingshot around the nearby moon at full speed."
"Can the frigate keep up with us?" Cutter inquired as he sat himself down and strapped himself in.
"She should be able to," The woman nodded, "SPARTAN RED Team reporting they're on standby, sir. Also strapped in and ready to roll. Doctor Anders will want to go planetside as soon as we enter orbit, so she said. If you wanted to know the ETA, sir, with the Slingshot it halves our travel time."
"Of course," The man nodded, "Major Volkov, you and Sergeant Horvat best brace yourselves. Serina and my Helmsman are known for making Slingshots a bit too fun."
"Already strapped in, sir." The Major replied and Cutter saw the two men pinning themselves against the wall and utilizing specialized harnesses. Although, technically, there should have been no problem with just standing while the ship did a run(there was. It was called centrifugal force) it was better to be safe than sorry. The Captain hummed, then gave a nod and leaned back into his chair. After a short ping to the UNSC No Inch Spared, the Spirit of Fire began its exit burn. Pushing aside larger fragments of ice and rock, the ship blew through the layers of the Kuiper belt with relatively little damage to her hull, the windows having been covered by inches-thick titanium-A bulkheads.
Behind them, the Frigate began its burn and followed in their trail as they barreled for the nearest planet and its moon at top speed. Serina made the calculations, bringing up a three-dimensional display on the holographic table and showing herself the route. She made minute corrections with the Helmsman's help, then helped the No Inch Spared adjust her flight to match theirs.
Within a few minutes, the ship had made two correctional burns and began to near the moon. The force of the ship's powered engines pushed the crew into their seats hard enough to somewhat dig into the leather, but Serina somewhat found this hilarious as she watched them manually tighten their harnesses so they wouldn't lose consciousness. The ship rattled underneath them as, by Serina's model, they were finally entering the moon's gravitational field.
Another minute correction on the Spirit and then a hard left turn of the helm and the massive interstellar craft veered around the moon, damn near scraping the surface with the portside wing. The craft then exited the slingshot, each member of the crew feeling a pit in their stomach that grew as the moon's gravity stopped interfering with the vessel's own artificial grav field.
Following her, the Frigate had made the pass and both now hurtled toward the fleet at sublight speeds exceeding their usual normal velocity. Serina reported, "Engines overheating on both ships. Inertia should carry us to the fleet as we go... Shutting them off, now. We'll reactivate them when we need to slow down," and the group heard the whirr of the engines turning off.
"Well..." Volkov murmured, his eyes shut so tight he could swear he wouldn't be able to open them again, "That was certainly fun..."
"Yeah," Horvat murmured, "Fuckin' hellishly so, boss..." as the bulkheads protecting the windows opened, revealing the space between them and the fleet and the closing fleet, winking dots in the distance, hovering above an Earth-like planet. Serina hummed, then narrowed her eyes on the planet as she focused the sensors, then sighed deeply and continued to make sure they'd stay on course and that the No Inch Spared was still following them.
She spoke, "So, Major. What's the word from down below?"
"Long story, ma'am," The man replied, removing his harness and taking a step forward, "The Legion are relentless, I'll give those tin can ublyudki that much..."
"Guess we'll get to hear more about them after we link up with the fleet and start combat," The woman stated, gazing at the planet. Indeed, the UNSC had the time to take on another 'war of extermination' that they had to deal with. This time, though, it was thankfully set on a single planet and contained on it, meaning they had the resources to combat it, especially now that they were part of a bigger fleet.
Behold a Pale Horse and his name that sat on him, death, as the old Bible Quote would go. Serina smiled as she watched the planet grow ever-closer.
This should be a fun mission...
Shin stared up at the blinking lights of the UNSC Fleet up above. He'd learned to pick them out from among the stars some time ago. Finding them wasn't hard, either, since they were more clustered together than other stars. That nobody on the planet had even bothered to look with a telescope or something at the sky to find them was sort of stupid in Shin's eyes, but alas.
He looked to see Raiden helping haul an ammunition box toward the ready-area. The Motorpool remained underground in Spearhead's FOB, but the ready-area was the hangar where their own vehicles lay. The UNSC was apparently planning on providing a new vehicle to Daiya as soon as they could easily do so, presumably to give the boy a fighting chance so he wasn't lonely at the base.
Speaking of Daiya, god bless UNSC medicine. The young man had fixed his strut some hours ago and now walked as he did just before the shrapnel tore into his knee and nearly blew it apart. He wanted to help Raiden, but he and the Marines and Army personnel thanked and quickly refused him, probably espousing some excuse about how the boy should rest his leg instead of doing stuff like this.
Shin could agree with the sentiment. He didn't want his grenadier throwing his leg while he has to do crowd control. Not to mention Daiya had been pretty thoroughly spooked by the explosion, but was thankful the lad was alive. Not as thankful as Anju, though, clearly. The girl greeted the boy with a warm hug as she appeared from behind him. He laughed, much like the other two, while Shin just watched.
It must've felt good, having someone...
His thoughts went back for a moment, to one of his old friends. He wondered if she was still around in the Republic. He barely remembered her, but knew that she'd been the one to agree with giving them in to the Republic's authorities. He had never found a reason to hate her for it. She had done it to protect her family, but he would probably not easily forgive her for what she'd done either.
He wasn't sure if she even remembered him, though. He shook his head. It didn't matter. He had to command a platoon of people to survive until they were to face his brother in battle. Not to mention the Artillery Shepherd that he knew would be side-by-side with him. That ODST needed to be put to rest, much like his brother. That made him a target for Shin. For the Reaper.
If it was required, he would be the one to lead UNSC troops across, too, just so that the Legion didn't gain a further boon. Still, that thought and the memory of his dead teammates stung at his heart. Shin may have become a machine on the outside, but to anyone who dared look beyond the superficial surface of the heartless Reaper of Spearhead Squadron, he was just another boy who'd seen too much and just wanted it to be over.
His Para-RAID device turned on.
"Captain!" Lena's voice blared over the device, somewhat startling him.
"Major... Did something happen?" He asked, concerned, "Legion patrol?" No, it couldn't have been. He'd have heard it. He'd have heard them approaching. Right now, they stayed in their territory, probably under the watch of the UNSC Army units that had been setting up outposts around the Republic's old borders and the areas they'd actually cleared out. Still...
"What? No! Captain, listen, we've got good news from the Admiral!" She replied with the most jovial tone Shin had heard from her as of yet. It made his heart skip a beat for a moment.
"Oh?" Shin raised a brow as he sat himself back down calmly.
"Another UNSC Ship is joining the orbiting force! They're going to be operating with the rest of the fleet and are bringing several thousand more troops and armored vehicles into the battle!" and Shin paused. Another ship? Had they found a way to call for... No, he'd openly ask that in a moment. Lena continued, meanwhile, "And according to her Captain, they may have weapons useful for combating the Legion! EMP cannons, too!"
"... That sounds almost too good to be true," Shin noted in a murmur, "How did they get here?"
"They were stuck in the system's Kuiper belt, it'd seem," The Admiral's voice replied, seemingly as jovial behind the serious tone, "They'll be here within the day, ready to deploy troops to assist. The first unit to get their support will definitely be Spearhead. Major Volkov will come down to introduce you to the forces that are tagging along, captain, so welcome them as best you can."
"Aye, ma'am," Shin replied firmly, "Should we be expecting these new vehicles to be deployed planetside as soon as they reach us?"
"Yes. The EMP guns should be deployed first for testing. You will also be receiving a researcher from the ship. Her name is doctor Ellen Anders and she'll be Spearhead's chief researcher and medical officer," The Admiral reported, then continued, "Major. Can I ask how the preparations are going? I haven't had much time to talk to Jeanne as of late, but according to Samantha's reports, she's been getting what she needs."
"Yes. The President's been very open. We've been delivering the information you asked us to deliver. We should be done with the prep and rehearsal in the next month... So, this September," Lena admitted, which somewhat shocked Shin. The next month? September? Oh, crap, he must've overestimated the time-frame they were going by. He'd thought the Long Range Reconnaissance op was within the year instead of a few months. Damn it.
There was still time to prepare. It was barely August, still, so he had enough time to prepare a plan for it. He spoke, "What are you talking about?"
"The Coup, captain. Did you not read the reports we sent across the net? Or do you just not look at computers?" The Admiral inquired, then sighed, "Nevermind. I'd suggest going to look into it. I have to prepare a welcome party for the Spirit of Fire and a briefing for the Captain of the ship. He's going to want every damn detail in the list while we prep to deploy his troops. Farewell."
"Take care, Admiral," Lena replied just as the woman disconnected from the call. She then spoke to Shin, "It's exciting to know we're getting even more reinforcements, is it not, Captain?" before the noise of a turning page echoed in Shin's ear. The young woman must've been writing in that diary she kept to memorize their names and everything about them, including their Juggernauts' callsigns. She seemed far more jovial than before, now that she had an actual job to do.
"Indeed," Shin noted, somewhat aloof, "It should certainly be interesting to see them deployed..." and he watched as Theo started drawing something from a corner off to the right. Mary was right behind him, smiling as she watched him draw. Somehow, he now felt how the arrival of the UNSC may've been an issue. His team-mates had gotten attached, readied themselves to go to battle alongside these people. It'd be cruel for him to rally them and bring them to his silly quest of putting his brother to sleep.
Sighing, he said, "If you don't mind, major, I think I'll go to sleep..."
"Oh. It's a bit early, but of course... Take care, Captain. We'll see each-other soon!" She said with the most hopeful, happy tone Shin had heard to date. It almost felt heartbreaking to leave within the month. His heart sank as he said his goodbye, then stood to his feet and looked around. He saw Raiden approaching and wondered if he should say-
"You look more glum than usual, Shin. What's up?"
... Of course...
"... Raiden. We need to talk... About the Long-Range Recon Mission..." He stated firmly. And Raiden's face sank. Shin knew this had to be done. He knew he had to talk his friends out of joining him for the simple reason that they'd have no backup unless the UNSC did the most mental thing and chased them square into Legion territory. To be honest, he saw them as willing to do that after witnessing Major Volkov's wish to protect Daiya. Not to mention Shiden's own reports and messages...
He wondered just how his teammates would take what he was about to say, though...