Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to Star Wars, Tales of the Infinity's Odyssey.
Thank you all for your wonderful feedback and support. I deeply appreciate it.
As you all know, Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, was released yesterday. I and my beta-readers have been watching it carefully. As such, I will be writing the next chapter for the main story soon. It'll come out at some point around a week from now, if not next week. Once the main story chapter is ready, it will be published for your viewing.
As always, leave a review and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Halo or Star Wars franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of Microsoft Studios, 343 Industries, Bungie, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Fox, Disney Films, etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers, producers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to its original composers and/or artists.
Presidential Suite Press Briefing Room
Sydney, Earth
June 7th, 0BBY, 1000 Hrs (January 20th, 2559, 1000 Hrs)
The room was crammed to the very fullest by reporters eager to hear from Present Charet as to what had happened to the Infinity a little over a month ago. Camera drones hovered in the air, reporters took out datapads and guards ensured that all within the room were behaving in an orderly fashion. Anyone that wasn't in the know would've assumed that this was a regular briefing for the press and media.
In the dressing room, Charet was making sure she looked presentable. This is one of the most monumental events that will have happened in my Presidency, she thought. I'm about to open one of the largest cans of worms in the entire history of Humanity, she thought as she made sure her makeup was on. Sooner or later, the entire UNSC was going to learn about this. Better that I tell them now, rather than later, so that we avoid as much political fallout as possible.
The door to the dressing room opened, through which Secretary of Defense Paul Russel walked. "Yes?" Charet asked. "Any news on the fleet in the Andromeda Galaxy?"
"Yes, ma'am," the Russel said. "The UNSC Security Council wished for me to relay a message to you the old fashioned way." He handed her a slip of paper.
"Looks like the old ways still have their place," she said.
"Sometimes the old ways are best," Russel said. "It was because of the old ways that so many Inner Colonies survived the war against the Covenant." He frowned. "Can't say the same for the Outer Colonies… Part of me wishes that we'd have been able to save some of them."
"It's a regret that I live with every day," Charet said. "Still, as the old adage goes, 'no use crying over spilled milk.'" She opened the small slip of paper. On it were the words, 'Successful Rendezvous With Infinity. Final SLIP/HOLOCOM Buoy Operational. Connection Secure & Clear.'
Charet smiled. "Finally, some good news. Now we can talk to them and maintain a reliable connection. I must admit, for a while, I wasn't sure that Harper would be able to talk to us. Looks like the UEG Senate was right to approve his nomination."
"That they were," Russel agreed. "I'll be working more closely with Hood and the others to see if we can do more to boost our recruiting rates. With any luck, we'll have the means necessary to get things done." Noting the time, he said, "I'll let you handle the paparazzi now, ma'am. Have a good one."
"You too, Russel," Charet said. As the SecDef walked out, Charet stood to her feet. Brushing her hair one more time, she took a deep breath and let it out. All right… time to tell the truth, and hope we don't get burned as a result.
Walking through the door, she confidently marched up the steps leading to the Briefing Room's podium. An unintelligible storm of questions erupted as soon as she was inside, while cameras began flashing as though the Fourth of July was going out of style. Shaking the hand of an assistant nearby, she took to the podium and tapped a mike. A whine came over the speakers in response, silencing the crowd of reporters.
When all were silent, she cleared her throat and spoke. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome," she said. "I have an announcement to make, and I request that you refrain from asking any questions until the end. As all of you likely know by now, the flagship of the UNSC Navy, the UNSC Infinity, went missing for a month or so. As such, we created a joint fleet with the Swords of Sangheilios in order to find the Infinity and ascertain the condition of her crew. I am pleased to say that fleet has found the Infinity, but not in the same galaxy that we currently inhabit."
Reporters began asking all kinds of questions. Charet waited until they quieted down, then continued to speak. "We have found that the Infinity, due to a malfunction in her Slipspace Drive, brought on by incorrectly installed equipment, ended up traveling a record 2.5 million light years into our galaxy's figurative next door neighbor: the Andromeda Galaxy. We have also learned that this new galaxy is not deserted or lifeless; instead, like our own, it is host to a number of sapient lifeforms, all of which are under the governance of what is called the 'Galactic Empire. Currently, the Galactic Empire is undergoing a time of unrest similar to the Insurrection we have had to deal with.
"During the Infinity's plight, she was fired upon by overzealous Imperial forces at the planet of Scarif, whereupon a temporary agreement was made with the Rebel Alliance to assist the Infinity's escape. After which, Rear Admiral Lasky spoke with the leaders of the Rebel Alliance and the Galactic Empire, securing a cease-fire and a potential truce between us, the Galactic Empire and Rebel Alliance. He is currently at the Pantora System, where he, along with Vice Admiral Preston J. Cole, negotiated an alliance with the Pantorans in exchange for shelter until they could contact us.
There was another flurry of words, with some people cheering upon hearing mention of Cole."It is in this period of unrest that we and the Infinity now find ourselves in, a time where we have to make our choices very carefully. While the future is uncertain, I can assure you that your belief in I and the rest of the UEG, will make the right decisions to ensure that our civilization continues to recover from the Covenant-Human War, and is ultimately restored to its former glory. If you have any questions, you may ask them now."
At that, there was an explosion of words as each reporter tried to ask their own questions all at once. Charet quickly silenced the maelstrom of words with a raised hand. "Now, I'm certain that all of you have questions, and I can assure you, I will get to all of them in good time." Seeing a reporter raise his hand, she said, "Go ahead."
"Will the UEG and UNSC be allying with the Galactic Empire, or their version of the Insurrectionists?" the reporter asked.
"At this point, it is too early to determine what will be happening on a broad scale. However, I can assure you that we are currently pursuing trade relations with the Galactic Empire, but have yet to decide if we wish to enter into a military alliance with them or otherwise."
"Is it true that the Galactic Empire spans the entirety of the Andromeda Galaxy?" another reporter asked.
"At this time, we believe so. However, we have heard rumors that they do not span the entire galaxy. Until evidence shows otherwise, we will continue to maintain the belief that the Galactic Empire does span the entirety of their galaxy."
"Will be be able to communicate with the fleet in the Andromeda Galaxy?" a war journalist asked.
"Why don't you ask HIGHCOM yourself?" At that moment, holographic projectors built into the Press Briefing Room activated, projecting life sized holographic images of the UNSC Security Council's members, as well as those of Fleet Admiral Harper, Rear Admiral Thomas Lasky and Chairman Riyo Chuchi. Silence reigned as the reporters gazed at the holograms in bewilderment.
"As you can see," Charet continued to say, "we have developed our own version of what the Galactic Empire calls 'Holo-Communications.' With the simple press of a button, we can communicate over intergalactic distances with the use of modified Slipspace COM Buoys. If you have any questions to ask of them, now is the time to do so."
A war journalist raised his hand. "Fleet Admiral Hood, is it possible that war journalists like myself will be able to travel to the Andromeda Galaxy?"
"Yes," Hood said. "However, wartime regulations will be followed closely. Madame President?"
"Thank you, Fleet Admiral," Charet said. "As Hood stated, war journalists will be able to travel to the Andromeda Galaxy, but they will be asked to follow strict regulations. In fact, that question brings me to the crux of a question that I'm sure all of you are asking: will civilians be allowed to travel to the Andromeda Galaxy? The answer is a resounding no, with the only exceptions being vetted cargo haulers and technicians."
"Why is that?" a reporter asked. "Why impose travel restrictions that prevent civilians from heading to this new galaxy? That seems counterproductive to me."
"For the simple reason of operational security," Lasky said. "The Andromeda Galaxy is much more dangerous than most people would think. I personally have had to deal with pirates that had sufficient power and military capability to overthrow the legitimate government of a planet. Riyo?"
"That's correct," Riyo confirmed. "I was personally held hostage by pirates that wanted to overthrow the Pantoran Assembly and replace it with a criminal dictatorship. It was only due to Lasky's actions, and the actions of Vice Admiral Cole, that I survived and the legitimate government was restored."
"As such," Charet continued, "there will be no civilians, aside from the aforementioned exceptions, that will be traveling to the Andromeda Galaxy. In addition, we will be going back to both a wartime economy for the duration of the period of peace between the UEG and Galactic Empire due to the threats that Lasky mentioned. Plus, we do not have the infrastructure needed to support a military force there for long periods of time, nor do we have the medical infrastructure needed to treat injured civilians or handle any pregnancies that might occur. I have also decided to raise the UNSC's military readiness to DEFCON 2 indefinitely."
The reporters murmured among themselves. The UNSC used the defunct United State's Defense Condition Readiness system to denote military readiness. A DEFCON of 2 meant that the UNSC's military forces would be ready to deploy within six to twelve hours if necessary.
"Ma'am," a reporter asked, "Is it true that Vice Admiral Cole is alive and well, from what you've told us thus far?"
"I can confirm that statement for the President," Lasky said. "Vice Admiral Preston J. Cole is alive and well. He's unable to attend this press conference, so he's asked me to send his regards."
A few cheers came from the reporters. One man, though, asked a hard question. "There have been rumors that Vice Admiral Cole was a potential Insurrectionist sympathizer, and that he may have sympathized with the Insurrectionists during the war. Those same rumors also say that Cole abandoned the UNSC to join the Insurrectionists after the Battle of Psi Serpentis. Are those true?"
Lasky smiled and shook his head. "I wouldn't put too much stock into the veracity of rumors. To answer your question though, Cole has remained loyal to the UNSC and the United Earth Government. I can say this with certainty as he saved myself and a UEG Envoy from being murdered at the hands of ONI."
The gasps that followed seemed to suck all the air out of the room. The silence that followed immediately after was deafening. Even Hood, who was normally reserved, had a brief moment of surprise flash onto his face. "Is this true?" a reporter asked him.
Ruth Charet frowned. "Yes, unfortunately," she said. "We have, however, dealt with the problem and ensured that those responsible for the act have been punished accordingly."
"What about the rumors of ONI attempting to kill the Master Chief?"
"I'm afraid I cannot comment on the nature of those rumors," Charet said.
The reporters began to mutter among themselves once more. This time, Charet could hear angry words, though a few seemed resigned. One reporter cleared his throat. "We're getting a tad off track here," he said. "Madame President, is it true that the UEG is considering relations with the Rebel Alliance, or will it take the same aggressive stance against them as it did against the Insurrectionists?"
Charet sighed. I'll have to be careful about how I answer this question. "We are not considering any military alliances at the time," she said.
"Is it true that the UNSC engaged the Galactic Empire during the fight at Scarif?"
"That I can confirm," Lasky said. "The UNSC Infinity was fired upon by Imperial Naval personnel who mistook my flagship as reinforcements for the Rebel Alliance. After speaking with Imperial Senator Leia Organa, we were able to defeat the belligerents and force a cease-fire on the Galactic Empire's part.
"And before you ask, we also spoke with the leaders of the Rebel Alliance. While they invited us to join, I was unable to comply due to UNSC regulations, and the fact that the Rebel Alliance is currently badly disorganized. As such, the UNSC and UEG is currently a neutral party in the affairs of the Andromeda Galaxy."
As the press briefing continued, Charet gauged the reactions of the crowd to her words. So far, they seem to be quite happy with the answers they're getting, and they should be. When in doubt, tell the truth; they won't be expecting it from a politician anyway.
Eventually, one of the reporters asked, "Chairman Chuchi, is there a chance that the UEG might annex the Pantora system and its inhabitants given their agreement to an alliance with the UEG? If so, when can we expect them to join?"
"At this time, we are not planning to agree to any annexation," Riyo said
"Precisely," Charet said. "The Pantoran Assembly and the people it represents reserve the right to decide whether or not they wish to join the UNSC. We would be no better than the Covenant or the Galactic Empire if we forced them to join against their free will."
"Why is the UNSC defending Pantora? Shouldn't you be able to defend yourselves from any attack?" the reporter asked.
"They are defending us because we are unable to," Riyo said. "The Galactic Republic formally disbanded their military forces, aside from judicial forces. Any military force was strictly prohibited, though planetary defense forces were allowed to exist. When the Empire took over, they continued that reformation while making the Imperial Navy and Imperial Army exempt from that. It's left us vulnerable to pirates, and the defense fleet we have isn't strong enough to protect Pantora from a large invasion force."
Another reporter stood up. "Madam President, given the recent Covenant-UNSC War's end, is there a chance that the UEG and UNSC are willing to negotiate with the non-human species in the galaxy? In addition, will this joint fleet continue to operate as is, or will it be dissolved?"
The question made Charet slightly angry. Keeping the emotion bottled up, she said, "Of course we will. Just because the Covenant was made up of aliens that were hostile towards us doesn't mean that all aliens are bad. We cannot allow one bad experience to close us off from the possibility of working with non-human species."
"Aren't you concerned about the reaction that some xenophobic elements of the UEG and UNSC might have?"
"I am fully aware of them," Charet said. "However, I will tell you what I have told them countless times. We cannot allow our emotions to cloud our judgment, nor can we allow a vocal minority to dictate our future. Discriminating against non-humans of any kind would be a perversion of the ideals that I, and every citizen of the UEG, have sworn to uphold. So yes, I am aware of the reaction that any discriminatory individuals might have. I am confident, however, that saner minds will prevail in the end.
"As for the dissolution of the joint fleet, that possibility is remote, if it's even considered at all. The war against the Covenant brought out the worst in both Humanity and the Sangheili, but it also shone a light on the best elements of both. While I will never forget the tragedy and losses that we endured, we must also remember that the Covenant only went to war against us due to the dreams and lies of fools and madmen like the Covenant Hierarchs.
"Should we forget what the Covenant did to us? Absolutely not! Should we shun the Sangheili and the other aliens because of the words and decisions of an elite few? Again, absolutely not! If anything, the joint fleet we have created will ensure that the wounds of the Covenant-UNSC War heal, and that our xenophobia will be replaced by an enthusiastic, but wary, desire to work hand-in-hand with our Sangheili allies."
"I see," the reporter said. "Strong words from a strong leader, ma'am."
"Strong leaders are needed for difficult times," Charet agreed…
After hours of standing before the podium speaking to each and every reporter, Charet was more than happy to have her office and the building to herself, in a manner of speaking. You'd think that those reporters would be smart enough to ask sensible questions, instead of questioning every decision that I've made. She sighed. Oh well. That's the price of politics.
She was about to have some more tea when a knock came at the door. "Come in." The door opened, with Secretary of Information Patricia Steeds walking in. "Patricia. Is all well?"
"Definitely," Patricia said. "I don't know how you managed it, but you won over just about every Tom, Dick and Harry. Public opinion of your handling of the Infinity's disappearance is beginning to skyrocket. Of course, you have some of the xenophobes criticizing your 'pro-alien' stance, but they've been honking that horn since you became President."
"I thought as much," Charet said. "Jerry and his band of sycophants have always been criticizing my decisions as President. In a way, I'm glad they are. The day they stop criticizing me is the day that things go downhill."
"You got that right." Sitting down on the sofa, Patricia said, "A lot of people are wondering if we really should be siding with a totalitarian regime like the Empire. Kinda goes against the ideals that we swore to uphold."
"It's only temporary," Charet reassured her. "I have no intentions of lying in bed with someone like Palpatine. That man might seem like a kindly old grandpa, but I have a feeling that what we're seeing is a mask covering up a very ugly deception. Besides, I have a few plans to to do more than just damage the military infrastructure."
"Like what? Get a loan from the Empire?"
"In a manner of speaking," Charet said with a smile.
Patricia shivered. The number of times that Charet smiled when discussing politics could be counted on a single hand. She's up to something all right, she thought. "Well, whatever you're planning on doing, Madam President, I'm certain that it'll blind side the Empire."
"Oh it will," Charet said. "That we can both agree on. Speaking of which, how are negotiations going over in the Andromeda Galaxy? Given that you're the Secretary of Information, you're likely in the know."
"That I am," Patricia said. "The UNSC's getting their bases set up at Pantora. So far, all is well, but I'm betting that those pirates might try to get revenge on us for stopping their coup attempt."
"That they will. I'm reasonably confident, however, that Fleet Admiral Harper can handle a few motley bands of pirates." Checking the time, she said, "If there's anything else you need to discuss with me, we can do so tomorrow. See you then?"
"That I will," Patricia said. "That I will…"
. . .
A decidedly different drama was taking place in one of the meeting rooms in the UEG Senate building. Fifty delegates were sitting in amphitheater style chairs around a single seat, in which sat the holographic image of Rear Admiral Lasky. I hope we can get this over with sooner, rather than later, Lasky thought.
Eventually, the members of the UEG Senate's Armed Services Committee sat down. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome," Gordon Steeds, the head of the committee, said. "Today, we are here to discuss the actions that Thomas Lasky took during the time he was cut off from us following the Infinity's Slipspace Drive malfunction, and to determine if his actions have given him the merit to be permanently promoted to the position he currently holds provisionally. Without further ado, we shall begin."
"Very well," came a familiar voice. Lasky frowned at the sight of one of the members. Looks like Del Rio secured a position on the Armed Services Committee, he thought. Wonderful. I'll bet he still hates me for what happened after Requiem, even though he bit himself in the ass on that one.
Thankfully, it wasn't Del Rio that asked the first question. An older gentleman with gray-white hair leaned in and said, "Records from the Infinity indicate that you were rendered unconscious due to head trauma when the Infinity rammed an Imperial Star Destroyer. Did a certified medic check you over before giving clearing you for duty?"
"Yes," Lasky said. "The medic assigned to me by FLEETCOM checked me over and performed a number of tests. After determining that my memory was intact, and that I wasn't suffering from a concussion, he cleared me for command."
"Was your decision to aid the Rebel Alliance made before you were attacked by the Imperial garrison at Scarif, or was it after the attack began?" Del Rio asked.
"After," Lasky said. "I chose not to act immediately because we were still bringing systems online, and I was working with my bridge staff to figure out where we were and what was going on. Things only got more difficult when the Imperial garrison fired on us without due provocation."
"Wouldn't ramming one of their ships be considered due provocation?"
Lasky shook his head. "No. We lost power to the bridge shortly after we emerged from slipspace. The ship sensors were also scrambled, so we had no means of determining where we were. Visual checks were impossible due to the blast shields being raised as per protocol when making a Slipspace jump."
Most members of the committee nodded at that. Del Rio sighed when another delegate asked, "Was your temporary agreement with the Rebel Alliance a spur of the moment decision, or did you consider the potential consequences that might happen?"
"Spur of the moment," Lasky said. "I had a ship that was crippled, and I needed to buy time to allow the crew to bring the ship back up to full operational status again. My options were severely limited; if I could've made a different choice, I would have. Unfortunately, the Imperial garrison at Scarif forced my hand when they fired on the Infinity. After that, I followed all necessary regulations to ensure the safety of the crew on the ship."
"Fully understandable," one delegate said.
"Records show that you made the decision to land ground troops on the planet, even though that wasn't necessary," Del Rio said. "Would you care to explain as to why?"
Lasky sighed. Looks like Del Rio's might try to make me look like an arrogant, impulsive hotshot. "I made an agreement, as did UEG Envoy Melody, with Imperial Senator Leia Organa to assist in rescuing and aiding the ground forces at Scarif. Had I gone back on my agreement with her, it would've made the UNSC and UEG seem untrustworthy to her. I also wanted to find the man that was ultimately responsible for firing on the Infinity and perform the requisite actions necessary to convince him to stand down."
"So you chose to go after Admiral Gorin and Director Krennic out of a desire for justice, or vengeance?"
Lasky frowned. "If you're implying that I carried out the actions that I did for the sake of revenge, Mr. Rio, then I believe you're sorely mistaken. I did what I did to protect the lives of my crew, and to ultimately bring the person responsible for the unprovoked assault on the Infinity to justice. Besides, by speaking to all of you, I'm actually risking my life due to the fact that ONI is currently out for my blood. If you want to know why, all you need to do is look at a news feed."
"Yes," Gordon said. "ONI's supposed assassination attempt on your life. George Glenn's AAR was quite detailed in that regard. Would you care to explain that in further detail, please?"
"Gladly," Lasky said. "I was working to ascertain Cole's loyalty to the UNSC when Roland and Gabriella locked the ship down. When Melody and I asked why they had done so, they stated that it was on orders from ONI."
"Did you suspect that this might happen?" Del Rio asked. The man's formerly accusatory tone had chanced to one of curiosity.
Lasky shrugged. "I had my suspicions. Ever since the Second Requiem Campaign, I believed that Osman, the Director of ONI at the time, might've been out for blood when I refused to follow her orders to assassinate Dr. Catherine Halsey. I suspected that she had an ONI Prowler tailing me, but never did I think she'd pull something like a coup attempt."
"So you believe that the then Director Osman was thinking of removing you from command for disobeying what we all know now to be an illegal order?"
"Yes," Lasky said. "Given that Serin Osman is also the protege of Margaret Parangosky, and has been assigned as my intelligence officer, I felt that Parangosky might've been out for my blood as well."
"So, when Ferdinand overrode the AIs of the ship and had them lock it down, you weren't too surprised by what happened?" Gordon asked.
"Not specifically, no," Lasky said. "I was surprised when Ferdinand made it clear that he was willing to kill me if I, rightfully, refused to turn command of the Infinity over to him. It was only thanks to Vice Admiral Cole that Melody and I got out of that one alive and well, and it's because of him that the Infinity wasn't turned into the command center of a rogue ONI officer. On top of that, he claimed that the UEG Senate and all of the organizations inside of it had no power over ONI. If you don't believe me, view this video."
The holographic emitters built into the small podium at the floor began playing the video feed. As Ferdinand's words came in loud and clear, Lasky watched as cold lines of anger formed on the faces of all the committee members. Even Del Rio seems quite angry, Lasky noted. Now that's a surprise.
When the video ended, he said, "As you've seen and heard, Ferdinand committed treason by attempting to kill the both of us, while stating that the entire Senate and everyone in this room was obsolete. He only stopped when Cole reminded him of his position within the UNSC, and that ONI is a subsection of the Navy, rather than a commanding element. As such, until evidence shows otherwise, I believed, and will still believe, that Osman was out for my blood, and that Parangosky might also be out for my blood as well, which is odd considering that she wanted me to become the Captain of the Infinity in 2553, after the Infinity's construction."
That does seem odd, Del Rio thought "There's one other question I'd like to ask. Do you know anything about the rumors surrounding the supposed assassination attempt of the Master Chief?"
Lasky nodded. "I know quite a bit about the attempt," he said. "According to Dr. Halsey's testimony, Ackerson disliked the Spartan-II Project due to the fact that his own projects, particularly the HRUNTING/YGGDRASIL and Spartan-III projects, competed against hers for funding. Personally, I think he hated the fact that a civilian was getting all of the attention, while he, a military man, was not. As such, he began to spy on her, even creating his own AI to monitor her and the Spartan-II Program."
"I see. Did the assassination attempt happen, and if so, why did Ackerson attempt to kill the Master Chief?"
"Yes," Lasky said. "Ackerson did try to kill the Master Chief. As to why, Halsey explained to me that Ackerson wanted to disgrace her and the Spartan-II program by killing off it's most experienced member. Unfortunately, he underestimated the Master Chief's experience and Cortana's ability to enhance his capabilities on the battlefield. As revenge, Cortana hacked into his files and tried to get him assigned to front line duties while smearing his personal reputation. I don't know how, but he managed to exonerate himself."
"How come we didn't learn about what happened?"
"Mostly due to a cover-up conducted by Vice Admiral Stanforth," Lasky said. "According to Dr. Halsey's testimony, Stanforth was worried that the incident might tear apart ONI and the UNSC at a time when they needed to remain united in order to defeat the Covenant. It was to also prevent an embarrassing public relations nightmare that would've hampered both organizations."
"So he covered up one disaster to prevent another one from happening," Del Rio surmised.
"Yes," Lasky said.
"You mentioned a Spartan-III Program," another committee member asked. "Would you care to elaborate on that?"
"Yes. The Spartan-III Program was created by Ackerson as a competing program to Dr. Halsey's Spartan-II Program. To acquire the candidates he felt were necessary for the program's success, he began sourcing potential recruits from orphanages before sending them to train at various facilities. After that, they were given approximations of the augmentations in Project ASTER via Project CHRYSANTHEMUM, including augmentations that turned them into animals."
"He recruited children for the Spartan-III Program?" A delegate member asked, aghast at what she was hearing.
"Yes," Lasky said. "He specifically recruited orphans of the Covenant-UNSC War, exploiting their desire to make the Covenant pay for destroying their homes. I'll admit that I don't know why Ackerson did what he did, but it was morally and ethically wrong to say the least. It also doesn't help that he sent most of these Spartan-IIIs on suicide missions, resulting in the slaughter of hundreds of Spartan-IIIs during these missions. On top of that, Parangosky planned to make Ackerson the head of the Spartan-IV Program and have Dr. Halsey as his deputy."
All of the delegates looked angry, but it was Del Rio that was the angriest out of all of them. "I see," he said. "Would you allow us to discuss these matters with each other? We have much to talk about. We'll contact you once we're done speaking with each other."
"Of course," Lasky said.
As soon as Lasky's hologram faded out, the delegates began to speak to each other. "And I thought the Spartan-IV Program was faulty," one man said. "Now that I've heard what Lasky had to say…" He shivered.
"Tell me about it," Gordon said. "It looks as though we need to begin a thorough investigation of ONI's practices during and after the Insurrection and Covenant-UNSC War. A part of me dreads what we'll find."
"Yeah," Del Rio agreed. "I would love to ask Parangosky for an explanation, but this meeting is not about that. We'll reconvene with some of the members of ONI at a later time. For now, however, we need to determine if Lasky should be permanently promoted to his current provisional rank or not."
"Yeah," Gordon said. "Personally, after examining the records of what happened following the malfunction of the Infinity's drive, I think he's more than earned it. Not only did he stop a war that we didn't need nor ask for, he found one of the greatest, if not the greatest, UNSC Vice Admiral to ever live, and he successfully negotiated a temporary agreement with the Pantorans. That kid has potential."
"I agree," another committee member said. "Lasky certainly has the skill and competence needed to become a Rear Admiral. I say he's earned the position."
"Are you sure?" Del Rio asked. "We haven't exactly finished quizzing him on the events that happened in the Andromeda Galaxy."
"True," Gordon said. "We'll finish that, but for me at least, it's a foregone conclusion as to what matter of action we should take." He hit the call button for the HoloCOM. "Would you mind if we questioned you further, Lasky, on your actions."
"Not at all," Lasky said when his hologram came into existence…
By the time all the questions were asked and answered, Lasky was quite tired of the meeting. At least Del Rio didn't ask any stupid or provocative questions this time around, he thought. Looks like my whistle-blowing really knocked him off kilter.
As he finished answering the last question, Gordon said, "Thank you for your time, Lasky. We will call you when we have reached a decision."
"You're welcome," Lasky said. "Just doing my job."
When his hologram faded, Gordon looked at Del Rio with a sly expression. "Well, I guess that settles that conundrum. It would seem that Lasky has quite the clever mind when it comes to military affairs, and politics. I don't think anyone else could've done better than him. His talks with the Rebel Alliance High Command and Galactic Empire are proof of that."
Del Rio shrugged and frowned. As much as I hate to admit it, Gordon's right, he thought. Lasky did a really fine job, despite being thrown into a situation that no amount of training could've prepared him, or even me, for. "Even I couldn't have done as well as he has," he admitted.
"So, all in favor of permanently promoting Lasky to the rank of Rear Admiral, raise a hand," Gordon said. Forty five hands flew into the air. "And against?" Only one. "Well, that settles it then. Contact Lasky and inform him of our decision. It seems that the Admiralty is getting another member."
"So it would seem," Del Rio said. "Call Lasky."
Lasky's hologram faded into existence. "So, have you reached a decision?" he asked.
"Yes," Del Rio said. "It is the decision of the Armed Services Committee that your provisional rank will be your new rank. Congratulations, Rear Admiral Lasky."
"Thank you, sir," Lasky said. "Also, If I may ask a question?"
"Go ahead."
"Why am I even being given this job?" Lasky asked. "Vice Admiral Cole is a more qualified person than I am. Plus, why is he still a Vice Admiral when he has earned the rank of Admiral? Are you planning on making him the next Benedict Arnold or Raymond A. Spruance? Y'all think Cole was an Innie. Well... technically speaking, Cole has proven that he's not an Insurrectionist. If he was, he would've tricked me into coming onboard the Everest before killing me and taking command of the Infinity to aid the Insurrection.
"It's my understanding that part of the problem is that Cole and Hood have a bit of a rivalry, mostly over the fact that Hood disobeyed orders when he failed to retrieve the Spirit of Fire's log buoy. Now, don't get me wrong, I fully respect Hood for leading us to victory against the Covenant in the war nine years ago, but the fact that he hasn't promoted Cole, or even Parangosky and a few others, to their rightful ranks is... disturbing."
The others looked at each other. Damn, Lasky's voice really went low and dark, Del Rio noted. This is something that's really bothered him. "We don't know, exactly," he said. "However, I can assure you, we will investigate the matter."
"Good," Lasky said. "Because there are a lot of people that deserve ranks they haven't been given, and some of them are sitting on the UNSC Security Council."
. . .
In her office, Parangosky's mouth was open in shock as she listened to the entire meeting from start to finish. Lasky thinks that I want him dead?! she thought. Why...? Of course. Because Osman is my protege, and because she tried to have him removed, Lasky thinks that I want him dead as well. She never even told me or even apologized for Ferdinand going so far, or even what he really was.
She groaned loudly, then placed a hand on her head. That's enough to give me a migraine headache, on top of hearing of what Ackerson did. Not only will I have to make it clear that I don't want him dead, I'll have to investigate Ackerson myself. She ran a hand through her hair. Serin Osman... If it weren't for the fact that you admitted your mistake, I would've removed you as my replacement. Then there's this whole mess with the Spartan-III program files being leaked. That's another migraine in itself.
A chiming sound mercifully interrupted her dark train of thought. Answering the call, she watched as the image of a man with brown hair and brown eyes appeared on the screen. "Sullivan," she said. "Is there something you need from me?"
"Yes," Sullivan said. "I would like to know if the rumors flying about are true."
"What rumors?"
"That you want to have one of my best friends from Corbulu Academy dead," Sullivan deadpanned. "I saw the entire Armed Services Committee meeting, and I would like to have answers."
And the curse continues, Parangosky muttered to herself. "Absolutely not!" she growled. "There's not one shred of evidence. In fact, let me ask you a question. Why would I want to kill the man that I want for the position of Chairman of the UNSC, and the only man that seems to get anything done, even if it does mean flinging himself into the biggest brush fires out there?"
"Lasky's a candidate for Chairman of the UNSC?" Sullivan asked. "That's news to me."
"He is," Parangosky confirmed. "And he's the man I want to get the job. The other alternative is Del Rio."
Sullivan looked shocked. "Him?!" he nearly shouted. "What kind of idiot put that nutjob up for the position?! If Del Rio becomes the chairman of the UNSC, then I'll resign! In fact, now that you mention him, it's easy to see why the accusation that you want Lasky dead isn't true."
"Precisely," Parangosky said. "I'd much rather have Thomas Lasky as the Chairman of the UNSC than Del Rio. He's certainly more qualified for the position too."
"Indeed," Sullivan said. "Is there anything you need me to do?"
"Yes. I want you to conduct a press conference when you have the time. I would like it to be said that I never intended to have Lasky removed from command or killed, and that Ferdinand is now persona non grata due to his attempt to unlawfully overthrow the UEG's authority. I will also make it clear that we will be conducting an internal investigation into Colonel Ackerson's actions and that any honors that he once had will be stripped from him. Make certain that no one knows that Lasky is being considered for the position of Chaiirman of the UNSC, even though Del Rio is also a candidate. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," Sullivan said. "I'll see to it that gets done."
"Good. Now get to work. I have a mess of my own to clean up. Margaret Parangosky out."