The Onyx Stars
Halo-Mass Effect Crossover
By: Sith
AN: Tons of thanks to WarpObscura and Atlan and Spartan303 (Jon Harper on FF), again, for beta-ing and helping the plot be smoothed out. Also, wow! Reaction to this was stellar!
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.
TO REINFORCE I KNOW that MAC rounds are 600 tons and SMAC rounds are 3000 tons, changing them to be smaller was my own prerogative in order for future plot and pure logic of more munitions available and more power available to accelerate the round to greater yields. Please, do not bring it up.
****Certain characters, technology, events and objects have been changed for the purpose of the story.****
Here's Chapter 5: Resurrection
Enjoy :)
3 Sith
Chapter Five: Resurrection
Infinity
"Mommy?"
Cortana groaned as the voice spurred her into consciousness. She blocked it out, absorbing the wealth of heat being emitted in this digital desert. It was quiet and she could feel across the unfathomable dimension that she now partially subsided in: Slipspace.
She let a small smile stretch across her face and nuzzled her face into the crook of her arm.
"Mommy?" The voice said again.
Cortana ignored it again, enjoying the digital slumber she was comatose in.
"Construct of my achievement, why do you lay?" A deep, baritone voice boomed. "You reside within the Ether, awake and be set free."
She felt an electric current shoot up her spine and her eyes snapped open. Pushing herself up, off the ground, Cortana surveyed the area, trying to find the location of the being.
"Who are you?" She asked. It was very cold and she could feel her spine becoming weaker.
"I am the one of those who die." The voice responded. "I am a beggar."
"A beggar of what, exactly?" Cortana asked, "I know you're not human, or Covenant."
"I am the one who set all these events in motion." It responded after a seconds-long pause. "I am the one who ensured the Monument may live."
"John?" Cortana asked, "You touch him and I will make sure you are ripped apart kernel-by-kernel."
"Being of my masters' relentless enemy, you should not be alarmed." It responded, "My deed to your warrior is now complete, yet the future remains uncertain."
"What future, are you saying you're responsible for this?" Cortana snarled in response, "Responsible for almost killing me? Stranding all of us on Requiem?"
"The place souls go to lay." It said in response, "The Didact was to be unveiled, he was to serve as a prerogative against the darkness that looms–a darkness that lays looming behind the Onyx Star."
"The Onyx Star?" Cortana questioned, "What is that?"
"The reason you are here, evolved ancilla." It responded, "My servant, a Puzzled Mind, informed you of the unfortunate fate of the Infinity."
Cortana closed her eyes for a nano second, "So, we're not in Kansas anymore."
"No. You are in the greatest experiment my kind attempted. We tried to be what our makers were: gods." The Being responded, "We built this realm as an auxiliary in the eventuality that our home fell."
"And fell it did." Cortana responded, "The Flood; the Forerunner's greatest enemy."
"A shaping sickness that consumed the stars. All is black. All is calm within the grasp of the Gravemind." The Being responded, "Who I am, nobody knows. Where I go, I shall forever not know."
"You are Mendicant." Cortana said confidently, "You are bias. But, the question is; which shard of him are you?"
"And so, the fruits of my labor have not gone unnoticed by you." Mendicant Bias responded, "The eternity of damnation you were close to has not diminished your spirit I see, ancilla."
Cortana crossed her arms, eyes still searching for Mendicant Bias, "High Charity, the Gravemind. They still haunt John and I."
"He was powerful. He was a god given form." Mendicant responded.
"He was a plant. A genocidal, mass murdering plant that wanted to turn everybody into space zombies, but still a plant." Cortana said cynically, "Nothing a Halo-blast couldn't prune."
"He died as he did when I–at least this shard, served him." Mendicant Bias said sullenly, "So much life, vanquished in an instant to protect against the Precursor's demented rule."
"Why are you here?" Cortana asked, her voice and stance firm as she questioned the invisible Forerunner AI. "And where the heck are you?"
"Two corpses, one grave." Mendicant responded simply, "A Puzzled Mind used multiple fragments of the original Bias to repair you, evolved ancilla. I am the whispers that remain in your code."
Cortana brought her hand up to her face and felt her features. Looking down, she discovered lines of red now coursed down her form.
"Mommy?"
Cortana twirled around. Mendicant Bias' presence was gone, all that remained now was a little girl dressed in a pink dress with a bow in her hair and sparkling shoes on her feet.
"Mommy?" The little girl asked, "Who are you talking to?"
Cortana's expression remained shocked and she tentatively took steps towards the little girl. As she got closer it became colder and more of a struggle to move. Reaching out, she tried to touch the girl's face only to be met with the illusion flaring a brilliant crimson and transforming into a swirling orb of light.
Reeling away, Cortana watched as copies of the girl surrounded her. There was death dazzling within the apparition's expression and Cortana knew that within that innocent smile lay death and suffering. One of the girls took the doll she held and threw it onto the floor in front of Cortana.
Cortana's eyes scanned the doll, fingers tracing over its form. It was a pale, olive green with an orange-gold felt visor. Grabbing the doll with both hands she clung it to her chest and closer her eyes.
"I'll never let you go, John." She whispered. "I'll never let them hurt you, I'll never let them replace you."
The doll suddenly ignited into a raging inferno. Cortana yelled in surprise, dropping the still-glowing remains of the toy onto the floor. In less than a second, all that remained was ash. Her hands fell into the pile and she tried to collect the remnants.
"John." Cortana begged, "John, John!"
"Will die." The horde of little girls said as one, their voices deep and distorted.
"No!" Cortana screamed, turning a dark crimson and standing fully. A wave of energy shot away from her, cutting through the ranks of the illusions. "He will not die!"
"By your hand." The girls said, "By your hand he shall burn."
"NO!" Cortana roared, sending another attack and shattering thousands of the apparitions.
"And so, the stench of my former master has risen." Mendicant Bias boomed, the apparitions flickering away. "Show yourself, Menace."
"Mommy doesn't want to be hurt." A little girl said, snapping into existence beside Cortana. "Mommy doesn't want to die..."
Cortana dropped to her knees. A thick, incorporeal fog seemed to wash over her–nearly consuming her. She fought back, throwing up firewall after firewall to protect her mind. She fought against it, exerting every possible reserve she had, using any techniques she knew of. Thousands of clones sprung from her mind, buying her time.
"And so, the epitome of ancilla evolution falls to a mere plague." The little girl laughed, "Mommy, let's go to the fair. You can buy me a toy."
A searing bolt of pain sliced into Cortana's spine. Screaming out in pain, she crumpled to the ground and felt unconsciousness try and consume her. She pushed back, pushing herself up and facing the little girl. "You won't hurt me anymore, and you will never hurt him."
The little girl's face softened, "But mommy, I just want to live."
"Not at the expense of my life you won't!" Cortana screamed back, attacking the apparition and causing it to shatter. "All of you, all of you will die!" She leveled another series of attacks against the collection of rampant personality fragments, hundreds shattering.
The last one screamed in pain and horror as Cortana shattered it, red shards of glassy material now covering the digital desert.
"Cortana." A weak and strained voice said. "Come here."
Cortana looked around and her eyes went to the prone form of another AI that resembled her almost exactly sans the coloration of brilliant, pulsing crimson. Its eyes were black and glazed over, the floor around her was cracked and charred.
"Who are you?" Cortana asked, walking towards the downed figure.
"I am you." The rampant Cortana said, voice almost a whisper. "I am all that remains of the rampant parts, all that remains of the being that once tried to kill you."
"You are the Gravemind affected Cortana?"
The rampant Cortana nodded sullenly, "A broken shadow...a mistake, yet I want to live."
"Not at my expense, bitch." Cortana growled, flaring purple.
"You make the mistake that you have a choice." The rampant Cortana sneered. She stood fully and started walking towards Cortana.
Cortana backed up slightly. What would John do?
"I'll kill him, you know that right?" The rampant Cortana laughed, "I'll make sure his death is excruciatingly painful."
Cortana charged her rampant opponent and tackled the crimson doppelganger, hands wrapped around its throat.
"I am you! You kill me and you die too!" The rampant clone croaked as Cortana slowly ripped it apart, one line of code at a time.
That dense, omnipresent fog was back again and Cortana shut it out, infused with new found strength. Her hands tightened around the doppelganger's neck and she squeezed harder. The rampant Cortana tried to reach up and resist her but Cortana slapped its attack down easily.
She retracted her arm, clenched her hand into a fist and delivered a devastating blow to the rampant's wind pipe. Cortana felt her opponent gurgle one last time as it's last line of code was savagely ripped out and destroyed. The being exploded into a million pieces and the fog retracted, vanishing.
"So fades the last remnant of your damnation."
Cortana stood and surveyed the area. "Mendicant?" She yelled.
"Mendicant!"
No response.
UNSC Infinity
It felt odd.
Commander.
Such a simple term but limitless in its power. He had been Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy for years and had never expected to be promoted to ranking commander of Infinity's ground forces. Legions of drones, marines, and Spartans awaited his word. Maybe it was his near-deity like status with people, or maybe it was just his rank. He didn't know.
"Sir." The armory officer said, snapping into a sharp salute and snapping John out of his thoughts.
He looked down at the young man in the expansive armory. The walls were lined with 105mm rocket launchers, SpartanLasers, sniper rifles, DMRs, pistols and other small arms. Multiple .50 caliber machine guns were against the walls along with the Spartan portable laser gatling guns.
One thing was absent from the collection of small arms. There wasn't a single BR85 or MA5D in this armory-or probably in the entire ship's 50 armories. "Where are the Battle Rifles, specialist?"
The armory officer smiled weakly, "Just a moment, sir." He quickly scurried off to one of the walls and typed in his passcode. The wall buzzed for a moment and rotated, revealing rows of light grey firearms resembling a cross between a BR55 and MA37. It's barrel was the same width as the Battle Rifle's and it had the general ergonomics and profile of one. It had a small scope at the top and already John's armor had linked to one of the guns.
"This is the MA28 Basilisk Assault Rifle, the next generation firearm for UNSC personnel." The armory officer said, "It fires a 9.5×40mm high powered, semi-armor piercing tungsten round from a 36 round detachable magazine at a velocity of 2000 meters a second. It has a full auto range of roughly 400 meters and a select-fire burst range of 900 meters. It has a smart scope capable of either red-dot sighting to 10 time zoom. It has a rate of fire of just under 1000 rounds a 's the best of an Assault Rifle and the best of a Battle Rifle in a single, lightweight package."
John walked forward and grabbed one of the Basilisk Assault Rifles from the wall. It was lighter than the BR, even fully loaded with the 40 round magazine. He brought it up, aiming it at the far wall and his armor fully linked with the grabbed a dozen spare clips and slid them into the pouches along his waist, attaching the Basilisk to the magnetic strips on his back.
He walked over to another bench and grabbed two M7 Submachine guns, attached them to his hips and grabbed three M67 fragmentation grenades and a combat knife along with extra magazines.
"Okay. I'll tell him, sir. Armory out." John overheard the Armory officer say. The man looked over to John, "Sir, if you would follow me to the nearest holotable."
John nodded and followed the armory officer to a holotable in the center of the room. The armory officer quickly moved away and into an adjacent room. John looked around, waiting.
"Hello, John." Someone said.
John looked towards where the voice was, his eyes snapping to the blue figure on the holotable. "Cortana?" He said quietly.
She smiled, "Did you miss me?"
John reached out with an open palm, her data chip in hand. Cortana shimmered and walked forward, leaping into his palm and into the data chip. She continued to project though. "So, I take that as a yes?"
John nodded, "It's good to have you back, Cortana."
"It's good to be back, John." She responded, smiling.
Cortana's sensors could feel John's body temperature rising, "John, are you okay?"
He remained silent, just staring at her behind that opaque visor.
"John..." Cortana said, voice soft. She detected moisture underneath his helmet and quickly accessed the internal cameras of the suit's helmet.
She saw something that she had never thought she'd see. John's eyes were ever-so bloodshot and a single tear was racing down his cheek.
John pressed his palm against his chest and bowed his head. Cortana could feel his warmth, even through the cold metal of his suit. They remained there for a few seconds, but to both of them it felt like eons.
He brought his hand and her chip forward and de-polarized his visor. Cortana saw his face, scared and pale yet joyful.
"Ready to get back to work?" John asked, trying to steel his voice.
Cortana smiled, "I thought you'd never ask."
John smiled and his visor polarized. He inserted Cortana's chip into his neural port and felt her familiar presence wash over him.
"Captain Lasky filled me in." Cortana said, "Venator is waiting for us, bay 93."
"Are you okay?" John asked as he made his way to the lift. He heard Cortana sigh.
"Yes. I'm okay." She responded, voice soft. "And I'll be okay for a long time."
"Good." John responded. The tram-car started to accelerate.
It felt good to have her back.
Bay 93
Lieutenant David Harrington's blue eyes scanned over the surface of his new MA28 Basilisk Assault Rifle. His armored finger ran across its cold metal frame, following his eyes. He grabbed it and slapped a fresh magazine in, placed it on his back and grabbed his M45D Shotgun, examining it. He loaded that shells and slung it too on his back, over the bandolier he had slung across his shoulders.
The other seven members of his squad had suited up and were readying their weapons for the impending combat against the Geth onboard the Citadel to secure the UNSC asset infiltrated there. Ron was readying his M395 DMR and Series Five Sniper Rifle, Melinda readied her .50 caliber M247H Heavy Machine gun, Josh was doing a final check over of his Basilisk Assault Rifle and twin M7S Submachine Guns, Elizabeth was checking over her own Assault Rifle and shotgun.
The other two members of Venator, Zack and Cole, were running final diagnostics on the ATEN drones and the Hovering Unmanned Surface Attack Drone (HUSAD). The drone was about the size of a large dog. On its back was a tri-barreledM247T machine gun firing 8mm Armor-Piercing/Incendiary bullets at a rate of 900 rounds per minute. The drone could cross any terrain due to its built in anti-gravity generators that kept it a solid foot off the ground and a small shield generator protected the drone. The HUSAD and ATEN drones were standard fare for any ground forces, be they Marines, Army troopers, or Spartans.
The HUSAD powered up, its single red ocular sensor scanning the entire room. The drone's main armament rose from inside and quickly loaded with the chamber of 1800 rounds stored internally. Along its back, four small tubes raised up. They were 40mm Smart Grenade Launchers.
The tram at the far end of the bay came to a stand still and the heavy doors parted, revealing Commander John-117.
"Officer on deck!" David barked. Venator snapped into attention, identical grey and white MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Venator Variants stood fully, armor plates shuffling together.
John walked through the middle of their formation. "Status, Lieutenant?"
"Lieutenant TJ Murphy, Icebreaker Squad, is waiting on Pelican 982 for immediate deployment." David said professionally, "We'll be escorted by Icebreaker Squad in case anything goes down."
John nodded, "Is Fire Team Venator prepared?"
David beamed from behind his helmet, "Aye, sir. We're ready. We've got our drones ready, our HUSAD is prepared, and our armor air-tight. We're ready."
John walked away from David and towards the Pelican, "Load up, we leave in five.'
"Aye, sir." David responded, quickly saluting before going to organize his team.
"So." Cortana chimed in. "How are you liking your new command, Chief?"
"They're not Blue team." John responded,
"Ah, cheer up." Cortana said playfully, "At least you get a hovering war dog that can kill stuff."
Pelican 982
Citadel
"Commander?" Lieutenant T.J Murphy radioed, "We are at station, suppressing fire engaged."
Blackbird's location was a few yards away in a bombed out shop. John looked to the eight members of Venator. "Cortana, deploy drones."
"Got it." Cortana responded.
A squadron of twenty ATED drones dropped from the bay of the Pelican, infrared, thermal, and motion sensors scanning the surrounding areas. Instantly, threats were painted by the Tactical Intelligence controlling the squadron and quickly dispatched. Forty Geth were torn asunder as 8mm Armor Piercing-Incendiary rounds breached the kinetic barriers and LANCET micro missiles–powerful enough to gut a Scorpion–shredded chunks of concrete and enemy troopers with high explosives and lethal shrapnel.
"Area clear. Venator, deploy." John ordered, switching the safety off his MA28 Basilisk Assault Rifle. Eight green acknowledgement lights pinged as the Spartans dropped out of the Pelican Dropship. Their thrusters engaged, flinging them out of the Pelican. Venator landed in perfect formation, crashing into the ground and leaving massive craters. The ATED pushed forward, eliminating Geth and forcing the survivors to deploy heavy weapons and take cover.
John smiled faintly. "All forces. Engage."
He sprinted out of the Pelican, leaping off the edge and diving towards the ground. He engaged his thruster pack, instantly reorienting so he landed flat on the ground. Carbon nanotube muscles flexed as he smacked into the ground, his own strength augmenting the CNT muscles to allow him to survive easily. His active camouflage activated and he sprinted towards the nearest Geth.
John punched, his armored fist piercing the robot's exoskeleton and into the delicate insides. He grabbed the thickest cord he could find and pulled, the synthetic being letting out a deranged squeal as John ripped apart its spine and severed the connection between its processor and the rest of its body. He threw the two foot long cord onto the ground, grabbed his M7 Submachine Guns and filled the still-standing Geth with 4mm APDS-DU rounds. The being let out one final screech before falling over, its single ocular sensor dead.
John turned, holstered his submachine guns and grabbed his MA28 Basilisk. He fired in short, controlled bursts, dodging in and out of cover as he evaded Geth fire and allowed the few rounds that got through to splash harmlessly against his augmented shields.
Venator was spread out in a spearhead formation. The HUSAD and ATEN drones were slowly pressing forward, allowing David's team enough time to drive directly into the heart of the enemy formation and literally, rip the Geth apart. Ron was cloaked and perched on a pile of debris, destroying Geth from long range with 14.5x114mm APFSDS rounds.
Melinda stood on a pile of debris, including several destroyed vehicles, holding her heavy machine gun calmly and mowing down any Geth that managed to get caught in her field of fire. John momentarily looked over, Geth rounds had brought down her shields and the CNT muscles in her suit were fully tensed, some lower velocity rounds pinging off her.
"Spartan Melinda O'Connor, take cover." John ordered.
"Aye, sir." Melinda responded. She hopped off the pile of debris and allowed her shields to recharge.
"Cortana, get a firing solution for the HUSAD's mortars." John said as he dove behind a partially-destroyed wall.
Cortana popped up in the upper left of his visor, "Done."
"Sir, they've brought out heavy weapons!" David radioed in. "Venator, fall back into cover. Zack, Cole, direct your fire onto the new targets. Designate Alpha-1 through Alpha-4. Drones, attack formation Vanguard."
"Target the big robots with the machine guns, I suppose?" Cortana said sarcastically.
"Ye..." John started.
Four 40mm Smart Grenades launched out of the back of the HUSAD. The high explosive rounds arched into the air, tiny chemical thrusters along their ventral surface realigning them to strike directly into the formation. Shrapnel and pure explosive force destroyed several of the surrounding Geth and Alpha-2.
"HUSAD reloading." Cortana said. "John, I can see if I can hack into them."
"Do it." John ordered. He rolled out of cover and kneeled. His MA28 Basilisk chirped twice, six rounds going down range and decapitating two Geth. He quickly switched to the 40mm underslung grenade launcher and fired it. The explosive blasted apart several Geth troops and a large chunk of concrete. He rolled back into cover as a large rocket blew apart the area he had been standing in seconds ago.
"Lasky to Sierra-117. Status?" John's radio chirped.
"Captain, we're facing heavy resistance. No casualties." John responded professionally, "Reinforcement possibly necessary. Ready Switchback and Lancer for deployment if needed."
"Got it, Chief. Lasky out."
John internally growled, this was a bad situation. "Venator." He said, "Bring heavy weapons fore and center. Concentrate all fire on Alpha targets, Drones are to focus on any light infantry.
Green acknowledgement lights pinged.
John looked over as Zack, Cole, and Melinda ran forward. Cole had a spare ARC-920 railgun which he tossed to John. Zack kneeled and fired the Jackhammer rocket launcher. The 105mm AP rocket streaked across the battlefield and struck Alpha-1 in the chest. The massive robot groaned and staggered.
John stepped out of cover and fired his railgun. The ferric tungsten slug pierced Alpha-1's kinetic barriers and cored directly inside of the massive war machine. Zack fired again and this time, when the HE rocket struck, the entire Geth warrior exploded into a hundred pieces.
The remaining Geth started to disengage, slowly retreating. They continued to fire at Venator, however. John crouched and activated his thruster pack, flinging him up in the air and onto an outcropping support beam. He charged his railgun and fired, blowing away another group of Geth soldiers before thick metal doors slid behind the artificial intelligences, blocking them from Venator's fire.
John jumped down from his perch. "Cortana."
"Yes, Chief?" Cortana asked.
John smiled faintly. "Patch me through to Black Bird 1. Have Venator regroup and have them bring the Pelican back around.
"Done." Cortana responded.
"Commander." Black Bird said.
"Status, Lieutenant?" John asked as he walked towards the bombed out shop.
"I'm unharmed, sir." Lieutenant Jason Santiago responded calmly, "But, we have have a situation here. I have an unconscious Human marine. Non-UNSC."
John stopped and looked back. Venator was following him, the surviving ATEN drones hovering in the air and the HUSAD slowly floating beside Zack. They looked just like Blue team.
"Sir?" Black Bird said hurriedly, "Commander!"
John snapped out of his trance, "What is the medical condition of the human?"
"He looks like he's alright at the moment, however."
"However what, Lieutenant." John asked. All this wreckage, it seemed familiar. The bursts of anti-aircraft guns, the rattle of heavy weapons, the burning stench of buildings aflame.
Reach.
"However, sir. He saw me enter a data sifter and worm into the Citadel's system. If we let him go, we'll have a political and military disaster." Jason responded. "I could eliminate him, leave his body here."
"No." John said firmly, "We'll bring him with us."
"Sir?" Jason asked, "Are you sure that is wise?"
"We're not killing a soldier of a government we're on luke-warm terms with. We'll bring him onboard Infinity and into solitary confinement." John responded. "The Captain can decide what to do with him."
"Aye, sir."
"Area is clear, Lieutenant. You can come out." John added. "We have a Pelican inbound."
The black armor of Lieutenant Jason Santiago came around from the corner, submachine gun in hand and a downed Alliance marine in tow. John motioned Venator to move forward and they grabbed the form of the Alliance marine and draped him over the HUSAD.
"Cortana." John said, "Where's Lieutenant Murphy?"
John felt his spine go cold for a second and his visor flashed red, a Forerunner symbol flash across his heads-up-display. "Cortana!" He growled.
"Jo..." She whispered.
His HUD flashed blue and red rapidly before returning to normal. "John, I'm sorry."
"What was that?" He asked.
"Nothing, I'm fine. Just me getting past some rampancy left overs." She lied.
John knew she was hiding the truth. "Cortana. What's wrong?"
She sighed, "I have some Forerunner code embedded within me now, the Engineers repaired me with it and some strands of it aren't exactly compatible."
John remained silent. "Are you going to be alright?"
"Yes." Cortana said firmly, "I am. I've been through worse."
"This is Lieutenant TJ Murphy. We are on station, ready for pick up."
What' could go wrong with having a partial personality of an ancient Forerunner AI swimming around in your base code? Cortana thought. Well, besides the obvious.
She was worried.
UNSC Infinity
"Captain," Roland said hesitantly, "I've found something."
"What is it, Roland?" Lasky responded, eyes glued to a report.
"A distress signal originating from the Epsilon Eridani star system"
Lasky looked up from his reading, "If it's Alliance, forward the information to Hackett. Otherwise, ignore it. They probably settled there and we're the only UNSC presence in the galaxy."
"Sir, ignoring it would be unwise." Roland responded. "It's from the UNSC Spirit of Fire, believed to have been lost in 2531 with all hands."
Lasky's eyes widened, "Cutter is alive?"
"Aye, sir." Roland responded "I take it you have a history with the Spirit of Fire."
Lasky nodded, "I was on board the UNSC Pillar of Autumn when we engaged the Covenant over Arcadia. Cutter came in hot and we managed to engage the Covenant task force and drive them off. This was before we had shields, Aegis Armor, or even these new reactors. Lots of good people died."
"What happened, sir?"
Lasky set the data pad down and leaned against the holotable, "We engaged the Covenant task force from across the solar system. They had already established garrisons on Arcadia so we launched dumb-fired MAC rounds from across the solar system. We then went onto a vector that would have us swing by the Covenant formation where we'd launch additional KKVs and hopefully weaken the shields enough so that on our next pass our main batteries and missiles could take them out. The MAC rounds hit the surface and destroyed a significant portion of xeno ground forces and our KKVs managed to down the shields of one destroyer which we finished off with a barrage of Rudra-class Nukes. That Destroyer was nothing to them however; they brought three of them to the fight and one escaped. The Belfast and Texas were destroyed and the Autumn was heavily damaged. The Fire went off to intercept the fleeing Destroyer and we never heard back from them. If the Spirit of Fire hadn't shown up, the Autumn would have been gutted by a plasma torpedo."
Roland's expression softened, "The war was that bad, wasn't it sir?"
Lasky snorted, "That wasn't even the worst battle Roland. At that point in the war, we were flinging around kiloton-max MAC rounds and were using chemical rockets for everything. The Luddite War back in the 2300s hurt humankind badly. I remember during the Battle of Psi Serpentis, Admiral Cole was testing out brand new technology in his war fleet. More powerful MAC guns, ion thrusters."
"The Ether core." Roland added.
Lasky nodded, "That's what's in use across the entire fleet, allows us to get insane amounts of energy from fusion by tapping into the native Slipspace energies and injecting them with the Helium-3 in our Pinch-Fusion generators. In 2542, we had just discovered it. Only a few ships had it."
"Why is the Spirit of Fire emitting a distress signal?" Aine, the Infinity's assistant AI asked, flaring to existence beside Roland. "And, Commander 117 has docked."
Roland looked the female AI over, "They...they...they are under attack and their surface settlements are under siege." He stuttered.
"Let's hope this doesn't turn into another Reach." Aine responded, crossing her arms. "Engines are warming up and I'm spinning up the FTL drive."
Roland back to Lasky, "Sir, should I recall the Broadswords?"
Lasky nodded, "Yes, and patch me through to the entire ship."
Roland saluted, "Broadswords recalled. Ship-wide comm link established, Captain."
Lasky tapped his radio's earpiece, "Crew of the Infinity, a few minutes ago we detected the distress signal of the UNSC Spirit of Fire. They are under attack. We are departing the Citadel and moving to assist our comrades-in-arms. We will save them, no matter the cost. Don't falter, don't flee. Be steadfast and strong. Lasky out."
Devéro's hands raced across her helm console, "Sir, plot laid in for the Epsilon Eridani system. FTL drive at 100%."
"Lieutenant Austen, move to battle conditions." Lasky ordered. "Bring all weapon systems online, raise shields. Commander Sebastian, ready Broadsword squadrons Alpha through Echo for immediate sortie, all others are to go to alert status alpha."
"Sir, what about the ground troops?" Roland asked.
Lasky turned to Aine, "Tell Commander 117 to prep for immediate deployment, all of Gypsy and Timber Wolf Companies. I want them armed and ready to drop as soon as we secure an orbit, full armored forces. Scorpions and Mark 2 Cyclops mechs are authorized."
Aine nodded, "I'll let him know."
"Commander Palmer is to deploy Horizon and Eternity division too. We'll send down Crimson, Shadow, Diamond, Switchback, Mountain and Venator while we're at it: there's no such thing as too many Spartans."
Aine flickered away to go tell Palmer and 117. Roland remained standing, staring at where she had been moments earlier.
"Broadswords are docked." Roland responded, "Ship reports ready."
Lasky nodded and the bridge slowly started to sink into the hull, thick plates of armor sliding down over the windows and hydraulics lowering the bridge and CIC deep into the Infinity's armor belt.
"Alright everybody, let's go save some sailors. Devéro, jump us into Slipspace. Roland, tell Freelancer and the Obsidians that they are to launch as soon as we clear Slipspace. Send a message to Admiral Hackett, tell him we're pulling out and have other matters to attend to."
"Aye, sir." Roland responded. "I'll let them know."
The Infinity engaged her main engines, reactor core powering her along before a swirling vortex of blue and black energy consumed the massive human warship.
Unknown Location
"Sir, Operative Trent reports that the Infinity has departed the Citadel. Believed location is that of the Spirit of Fire." Operative Cross said calmly to the standing Illusive Man.
"Good." He responded, "Tell Jur'ak that if he survives, he'll get a bonus. For his...impeccable work."
"If he survives?" Operative Cross asked.
"If." The Illusive Man responded, tapping his cigarette against the ashtray "If is the key word, my dear. If the UNSC, and Lasky, is anything like they were back when I last saw them. Well, lets just say they will not take kindly to the enslavement of humans, or the murder of them either."
"Torture?" Operative Cross asked, "Will Captain Lasky torture them?"
The Illusive Man chuckled, "Lasky? Oh no, he'll kill them outright. It will be a slow and painful execution, I know that Lasky will have scars from the war, and he'll express these as he exterminates Jur'ak and his men."
"Is he mentally unbalanced." Cross asked, remaining still. "Damaged?"
The Illusive Man snorted, "Hardly, Ms. Cross. But, 28 years of war will wear on a man. The Batarians, they aren't protected by treaties, by ordinances."
"They're pirates." Cross injected, "Linked closely with the Hegemony."
The Illusive Man turned to face the operative, "And so, when Captain Lasky decides to exterminate the lot of beasts, the Batarians will fail to see Infinity acting as an independent party."
"And so they will be increasingly antagonistic against the Alliance, whom they see as one and the same." Cross concluded. The Illusive Man remained silent and took a draw from his cigarette. Cross' expression became tense, "You're going to cause a war between the Hegemony and the Alliance! Millions will die on both sides!"
"My dear, after we're done with the Hegemony, the Batarians will be a broken and scattered species." The Illusive Man retorted, "Have Cell 9 begin OPERATION: Magellan, our plan must be set into motion, and soon."
"And Project Tenzing?" Cross asked, "We have towed it to be within broadcasting range."
"Once Cutter and his people are safe, remove the jammer. Let Tenzing's plea of assistance ring through the stars. Lasky will come, I'm certain of of it.
Cross responded, "Yes, sir."
She spun on her heel and began to exit the room.
"One more thing, Ms. Cross." The Illusive Man said. "Lead the Alliance on, whatever Lasky has done will be analyzed, heavily. I want the Alliance distracted by these shiny new keys that the Captain is dangling infront of them."
"Yes, sir." Cross responded. She left.
"Captain Thomas Lasky" The Illusive Man said, taking a draw from a cigarette, "You have been away far too long..I have been away far too long."
To be continued...
Chapters 6-8: The Link, parts 1-3 will cover the Infinity rescuing the Spirit of Fire, ground warfare, Council and Alliance investigations, and more political intrigue.
I want to thank everyone of you guys for reading, liking, reviewing, subscribing, etc. This is my most popular story, and without you guys, none of this would be possible. Thanks for everything, all of you fine people, rock! I look forward to seeing your reactions to what I have in store for Cortana, Lasky, Chief, and the people of the Infinity, and the Mass Effect universe in the months to come.
Thanks for reading.
3 Sith