Prologue - The Best Laid Plans.

Nickolas Austra thought of himself as a fairly middle-of-the-road road kinda guy. After serving during the last half of the Human/Covenant war with the UNSC and getting to live through the changes brought on by the Flood, he also counted himself as a pretty lucky kinda guy. With the plans announced recently for a massive new fleet, he felt that he might try his luck again all these centuries later. Standing in front of the Forward Fleet recruiter, the Kig-Yak went over his file, Nick found it was a little nerve racking. Mainly because of the jerky, bird like movements the recruiter made but also because he hadn't even thought of military service in centuries.

'It's weird, during my first time serving in the military this guy would have been a shoot on sight target, now I need HIM to tell me I can serve again!' Things have changed he reflected and him with them.

After the paperwork was reviewed and the physical was done, the recruiter told him the news. "You are no longer eligible to enlist in any branch of the services." Immediately he was floored.

Nick couldn't believe what he had heard. "Are my scores not good enough? I am in great physical shape, the gene therapies have ensured that much, and my record is spotless! I'm a well decorated UNSC vereran, what the hell!"

The Kig-Yar listened to human before him with patience, his species manner of speaking caused issues like this many times, the pauses between pieces of information were too long for some species. He continued, "The Forward Fleet will allow you to join, just not enlist human."

The recruiter looked at this file again. "Specifically BECAUSE of your record our regulations require someone of your experience be employed as an officer." His head swiveled to one side to vew the human with a single eye.

"So I can only be an officer? That's not what I expected but..even better! ...sorry for jumping at you and yelling."

Looking down at the forms in front of him, the recruiter continued. "No doubt you wish to serve in the newly announced Ark Seed Fleet, yes?"

Nick thought that had to be obvious, it was the most exciting thing across the news for 600,000 worlds in centuries. "Exactly my good man, a few hundred years as a scientist and civilian hasn't done much to satisfy my curiosity 'What's over the next hill.' And all that."

The recruiter thought, humans do seem to have an insatiable curiosity, with his service record he'll no doubt make it to be one of the 25 million to serve in the newest fleet. Unless he has a breakdown or something the recruiter thought. Well, stamp, sign, encrypt, and send. "Congratulations Lieutenant, welcome to the next great endeavor!"

Officer training was hell, he had expected as much but the time since he last served dulled the memory of all those aches and pains. The training to serve on the bridge of a ship was less physical but no less challenging but 1st lieutenant Nickolas Austra decided that if he was to serve on a ship that was to make history, he would be as close to the history as possible. He was not as gifted naturally as some but time was on his side and he had an abundance of patience.

His scores and performance improved as ranking officers began choosing him for higher positions. Promotions were long time coming but that was to be expected during peacetime among a society who's life expectancy was "However long you don't get killed"

Now he was looking down the gauntlet of the last station he had to pass to land him a slot on the bridge of the Havoc-Class Battleship 'Majestic Night' in the Ark Seed Fleet. The data pad had few details but he knew it would be difficult. Taking his seat at the terminal assigned to him he hooked up the leads.

He tensed up as his mind fell into the simulation, appearing on the bridge of the 54 km long warship at his communications console. 'SIMULATION WILL BEGIN MOMENTARILY' He was ready. The others in the crew simulation populated the bridge. The ship was in slip space. 'We're probably going to drop into some crap.' Moments after the thought crossed Nick's mind, the captain gave the command to drop from slip space.

What he saw was indeed, some crap. Nick didn't expect this. The final test was briefed as a mystery and he knew that the brass expected to get a good feel for how everyone would perform. An edge of nervousness played on his mind. The ship dropped out of slip space into hell.

The forward view screen showed a menagerie of ships in combat, wreckage, and some other large chunks of something. He was barrage with these images and a torrent of data from his console. The captain yelled for a report and as the sensor officer began a readout, Nick began making sense of what was in front of him when a distress call reached the ship.

"SIR! A ship is hailing us!"

"On screen."

The image resolved to a crew in shambles, the captain of the ship on the other end was ragged as well as the other members of his bridge. "We require assistance, they dropped on top if us and began bo-" the connection was cut short by an explosion and the view screen showed a ship getting rammed by one of the unidentified chunks.

Bringing his attention to his console again, Nick isolated the signals and listened in on a few when the realization began to creep slowly into his mind.

"SIR! IT'S THE FLOOD!"

The crew froze for a split second before going into frantic motion. The bridge dropped into its spot deep in the ship behind the armor belt while the captain ordered firing solutions on ships showing signs of flood infection. As he began coordinating among the other ships he realized the chunks he saw were pieces of ships the flood had infected and then been blown apart. For the next ten minutes their ship took and dished out damage in equal measure.

Everything seemed to be going well until he heard the clang. An icy moment passed until his console light up

"Sir, we have contact, we're being boarded!"

He looked up to the captain waiting for his commands. Everyone tried their best to ensure their job was done and the bridge crew was surprised when the captain began yelling "ABANDON SHIP!" Before running out the door.

Nick was stunned, the XO was in a different part of the ship and his console was screaming a cacophony of disaster on the ship, and now the captain had abandoned them. The crew looked around finally settling their gaze on him.

He was the ranking officer now, stepping up from his console with a confidence he didn't feel he sat in the captains chair. He activated the comma on the chair and addressed the crew. "All crew, we are being boarded, the Cole Initiative is in effect, repel borders."

Looking at the bridge crew "let's get back to work, weapons - keep shooting anything Flood until the guns melt, shields - do your best to contain internal infection and keep us protected, helm - keep us away from those big fleshy chunks." Not the most elegant space but it put his crew back in action.

The shipboard AI, Gru, materialized on the pedestal next to his chair.

"Sir, the Flood are spreading rapidly and are approaching the bridge. I have encrypted all data and sent it according to the Cole Protocol. The reactor is primed but may not last long."

The AI was interrupted by a loud banging on the bridge door.

"All hands, guard the door, helm, put us in the center of the biggest grouping of flood!"

With confirmation all around, he drew his sidearm and waited for the helm to steer the ship where it could do the most damage. The ship shuddered as more flood attached to the ship or fired on the Majestic Night. The flood continued to break the door, the crew could see the telltale fleshy tentacles gripping hungrily around the edges.

In that instant, Nickolas remembered the fear he felt the first time facing the flood, images of his fellow soldiers being twisted and mutated by the infection flashed in his mind.

Then, as the door burst in and he saw the deserter captain's corpse leading, his head pushed viciously to one side of his torso with the flood growth rising from his other side while his face stuck in a horrified grimace of fear and pain, Nickolas saw the world in slow-motion. He fired his pistol into the mass of flesh lunging at him, intent on consuming him.

He heard the helmsman scream that the ship was in position. At that moment among the screams and disaster a small corner of his mind watched, knowing it was a simulation, the rest of his mind was convinced. With the final thought of defiance as the flood reached him he slammed the self destruct command through his neural lance. His existence exploded into fire, light, and pain.

'SIMULATION ENDED' The words sank into his consciousness as he struggled to reconnect with his own mind.

"Uuuh, what?"

"Take it easy sir, it takes a few moments for the effects of THAT simulation to wear off."

"The flood, why did it have to be the flood?" Nick sat up and looked around, he was apparently the last candidate or the only one that had been in the simulation, the other terminals were empty and two techs stood over him.

"Yhea, you'll be debriefed shortly, we keep it a secret because-" a new face walked in, interrupting the tech.

"Because we value the experience those that fought against the Covenant and the flood but we have to be sure that you can overcome the...trama those conflicts can have on a person."

Nick's vision cleared and he saw he was speaking to none other than Admiral Hood.

"SIR!" He said, attempting to snap to attention. He was thwarted by the leads hooked to his arms and his own disorientation.

"Whoa there lieutenant, sit back down. I came here to debrief you, I was monitoring that simulation and yes, you were the only one participating."

Nick thought briefly about what the officer said. "Sir, I feel like we...I was blindsided, didn't the SSC dispose of all the flood spores? Why would we evaluate based on a flood attack?"

The admiral moved to stand next to his terminal. "The flood spores were destroyed, yes, but I know of few other situations that can test a candidate as well as an unexpected flood infection. Especially for those that had fought them before. The good news, however, is you passed."

Nickolas sat up as the techs unhooked him, having verified he was fit again.

"I passed? Sir, the captain abandoned the bridge and I ended up blowing the ship up..." He didn't know what to make of that now that he had said it aloud.

"Regardless lieutenant, you acted as expected of you in, above really, your line of duty. Seeing the Cole Protocol through and using it to do the most damage on your way out was more than a lot of those in that chair manage."

Nick shifted a little, not entirely comfortable with the praise from the almost legendary Admiral.

"With that I mind however, you will not be serving on the bridge of one of the Havoc-Class battleships."

Nick's hopes sank a little, "Where does the Forward Fleet need me Sir?"

The Admiral looked him in the eye, "I won't lose your talent and skill to some menial job in the fleet lieutenant, I am here overseeing this simulation because I personally screen ALL of my bridge crew. I have to know each one of you will do what is necessary to complete our mission. You will be my communications officer on board the 'Reclaimed Mantle'."

Nick almost yelled with joy before he composed himself, not just a ship but the largest and most advanced when shes done! "I would be honored Sir!" snapping a salute to the flag officer.

"Glad to have you on board lieutenant."

Cornelia looked out among the shipyard where the shop was being built. She monitored, calculated, adjusted, and offered her advice. The ship was very special. Inside the virtual space she felt another AI enter.

"Cortana, what's the occasion?" It was not often the voice of the AI nation stopped by.

"Just taking interest in the second largest project in the SSC." She said with a small bit of humor coloring her voice.

"It is beautiful isn't it? 280 km of SSC might powered by a singularity we made by collapsing a gas giant...I can't wait!" Her code shimmered with excitement.

"Well hopefully it won't be the only one even tho I can't see a fleet of them until the process can be refined, losing 70% of a Jupiter sized planet leaves room for improvement."

Cortana tried to be practical although she was very impressed by what had been accomplished. "Of course there is room to improve, makes it that much more exciting if you ask me."

Cornelia had another thought, "I'm just not sure if I'm ready to be a Monitor. The Forerunner Monitors didn't end up too healthy." Thinking of 343 guilty spark specifically.

"Well, they DID have 100,000 years alone to go crazy, I doubt we'll face the same issues. You'll do fine!"

Cornelia was still nervous at the thought. "I hope so..." She gazed out at the shipyards again before turning her attention to the million things she had postponed for those few milliseconds.