Transmission 1: (START – REPORT)
- Urgent Transmission (Priority Code: Alpha) -
- Directed to UNSC-HCOM -
- Outer Colony World 11-23-G6 Designated: "Haven" -
- Last Recorded Population: 34,521,679 -
- Capital: Plentiful -
- Known for: Alien Ruins Site A through G, Farming Communities, Colonial Memorial -
- Current Date: January 7th, 2529, 1:16 PM -
- Status: Covenant Invasion, Plentiful (Destroyed), UNSC Colony Fleet 33 (Destroyed), -
- UNSC Army Divisions 1 through 3 (Destroyed), SPARTAN II: 046 and 043 (Alive), -
- Planetary AI Demeter (Operational), Alien Ruins Site A through G (Occupied by Enemy) -
- Transmitted by Planetary AI Demeter -
- Response -
- Colony World 11-23-G6 Status: Acknowledged -
- Dispatching Extraction Fleet -
- UNSC Paris Class Frigate "Crusader" (Stealth) Dispatched -
- Current Date: January 9th, 2529, 6:00 PM -
- Transmitted by UNSC-HCOM -
- Additional Note: Good Luck -
Recording Alpha:
Wind howled through the once bustling streets of Plentiful, only days before filled of life. People once hurried between buildings going about their business, some were with children, others with partners, but most were by themselves. Now their plasma scarred corpses litter the streets, some had tried to hide, and their bodies could be found in the steel ruins of skyscrapers. The ones who tried to flee could be found in battered and crimson streaked vehicles lining the streets. The ones who had fought were left in the open, the green army uniforms and the blue police uniforms are now burnt and stained. The tanks, aircraft and jeeps they used to defend their city are now nothing but smouldering wrecks. Most of the green uniforms could be found outside the broken titanium gates of the UNSC Army Base "Resilient", its automated gun turrets twisted by super-heated plasma. Amongst the green uniforms was the occasional alien corpse, their blue blood painting spots in the crimson-soaked streets. Inside the battered base the bodies of staff could be found in groups behind broken doors, expressions of terror carved into their crumpled bodies. In the sub-levels of the base alien Elites, Grunts and Jackals can be found littered throughout the hallways. The purple and blue blood congealing in pools where grenades had gone off. Behind a set of titanium doors faint blue light bathed the two remaining humans in light.
The AI Demeter checked the city camera's again desperately looking for another person, yet she could find none. They had all been slaughtered in a brutal, yet efficient, massacre. The two humans left were standing in front of her holoprojector, their entire bodies covered in emerald green armour. The one designated 046 had a rocket launcher strapped to his back and a pistol attached to the magnetic clamp on his right leg. The other designated 043 had an assault rifle slung across his back a pistol in the same place as his companion. Both silently kept a vigil over her core room. Since as an artificial intelligence she experienced life at such a slowed rate the Spartans appear as statues to her. She processed UNSC-HCOM's burst transmission again and let out a virtual sigh. It had been five days since the message and the Crusader had sent no message informing her that it had arrived in system. It was an almost certain probability that it had been detected once it emerged from slipspace and annihilated by the orbiting Covenant fleet. An internal blip in her system alerted her that the matrix that governed her personality had been transferred to the small data chip in the port of her console. Before alerting the Spartans of her status Demeter left a virus in the remaining UNSC systems that would destroy all data that could lead to more harm to UNSC planets or installations. She then allowed her projected figure of an ancient Greek goddess to nod her holographic head slightly in the direction of 043. The Spartan moved faster than she anticipated and retrieved the chip from the console. 046 forced open the titanium doors while 043 plugged Demeter into his neural link and walked out into the corridor with 046 following.
In 043's helmet systems and effectively inside his head, Demeter was surprised to find that there were hardly any thoughts inside that wasn't related to his current operational goal. That being to secure transport off Haven and board the Crusader for debriefing and extraction. On the way out of the base 046 retrieved a shotgun and a Havok Tactical Nuclear Device from a stash inside the armoury while 043 retrieved a battle rifle and a submachine gun from the same room. On the final corridor out of the main complex Demeter prodded around 043's head again and found the same mission goals and a slight irritation at her intrusion. Sending him a virtual shrug Demeter continued scanning all communication channels for signs of life. They then emerged into the parade grounds of the base. Using 043's helmet sensors to take in the court yard of the complex and observe that the flag that had always flown above the base was no more than scraps of string and the flag pole itself was twisted so it was a blackened mess of melted metal.
Before passing through the gates 043 moved to the left door and 046 moved to the right-hand side. 046 looked outside first since 043 had Demeter inside his head. A light inside 043's helmet flashed green and he then moved past the gates with total confidence. With 046 in the lead the two Spartans emerged into what used to be the plaza and central hub of Plentiful. The government building was directly opposite them, and what had once been stately marble was nothing more than melted stone. Across the circular plaza military jeeps, which were known as "Warthogs" to most UNSC personnel, rested in various states of ruin. Some were nothing more than glorified burnt axels with melted tires and others looked semi functional if potential occupants didn't mind the lack of seats, windows, wheels or chain gun turrets. "Demeter." 043's voice floated across the shared consciousness that the two shared. Demeter responded with a virtual nod while beginning to shift through his thoughts. "We need transport, anything useful here?" After two seconds of scanning Demeter found a Warthog that had lost its chain gun, but the rest of the vehicle was relatively intact. Once directions were given 043 motioned to 046 to follow him. 046, who had been keeping watch 50 meters away, got off the truck he was on top off and followed 043.
On the way to the vehicle Demeter mused that the total value of the two Spartans and herself would have to in the trillions, while any frigate would only be worth a couple hundred billion. As she continued to explore their value 043 got increasingly irritated so she cut it off. Spartans didn't need to be made aware of their value or the price UNSC personal would have to pay to extract them. After crossing the spacious plaza to the Warthog, it was confirmed that the vehicle itself was in good condition, barring the lack of heavy weaponry and the UNSC trooper sprawled through the windshield. 046 gently pulled the body out of the windshield and lowered it to the ground. Demeter checked the UNSC records she was carrying in her files and identified the trooper as Private Daniel Baker. After a micro second of processing Demeter identified that Baker had been assigned to the defence of the alien ruin sites alongside Army Division 1. Baker and his platoon had been the only the lucky ones to escape the ruins with their lives. It was obvious by the state of his body with his flesh burnt by plasma that his luck had run out when the aliens had turned their attentions to Plentiful itself. With the body removed 043 pulled himself into the driver's seat and 046 climbed into the burnt passenger seat. Before 043 activates the engine, he passed the launcher to 046. He dutifully shouldered the weapon. Once the two Spartans were secure 043 gently coaxed the Warthog to a cruising speed. Once the Warthog got up to speed its engine was the only sound on the deserted streets as it sped off in the direction of the alien ruins and the Covenant army.
