Upholders of the Mantle

by PVonTuckIII

When a Orion Species Goverment vessel discovers the Clone Wars, the now superior UNSC and Covenant go head-to-head with the Galactic Republic in war to determine who will become the new holders of the Mantle: The Reclaimers and their Protectors, or the Ursurpers? (NOW A MULTI-VERSE CROSSOVER WITH WARFRAME)[ON HIATUS]

7. Chapter 6

Chapter 7

A New Revelation

Author's Note #11: Standard stuff

Hey there guys! This chapter will be longer than the others, around 10k words if I'm not mistaken. Chapters will get longer as the story progresses. I figured I might as well make up for the rest of the chapters being pretty short and less well written. Hopefully I will improve with time. Other than that, this chapter will be focusing on really introducing the Tenno as fighters, thus showcasing their combat prowess. I'll do my best to portray them as accurately as possible without being extreme (because you know, a player in the game probably wouldn't engage in a fair duel with their opponents. They would more likely lock them in stasis before blowing them to hell with handheld rocket-launchers). Anyways, I will NOT have anyone important like Anakin or Obi-Wan die, nor anyone on Infinity Squad. Too many people will flame me if I do :D. Formal 'negotiations' (coughspoilerscough) between the Tenno High Council, Republic, and OSG will also take place. Finally, I know that in formal Halo canon, Cortana is now gone amok and has joined the Created. I will be rewriting it so that Cortana somehow survived Requiem and is perfectly fine and metastable. Enjoy!

Milky Way, Local Cluster

Orion Arm, Unknown Sector

Republic Wolfpack, 501st Legion

The battle, if it could be called that, had begun. Most people would look upon the odds, and scoff. 5 soldiers against 3 Destroyers worth of fighters? It wasn't even suicide. It was closer to mailing the devil your soul. And yet, to the 5 Tenno, one of which was a Prime Wielder, this was perfectly normal. They almost even felt at home. Outnumbered, possibly outgunned, but not out-witted. For the Tenno were far more than just soldiers. They were thinkers, highly intelligent. Powerful tools, with deadly purpose.

As the Tenno watched the fighters approach, a voice spoke to them in their heads.

"Tenno? Tenno! Can you hear me?"

"It's the Lotus. She must have finally established contact." thought Jake over the team-chat. The Tenno were capable of communicating to each other this way (Author's Note #12: This is just how I decided to manifest the in-game chat). "Lotus, we hear you! We found Calven, one of the Prime-Wielders!"

"I'm here Lotus. It's good to be guided by your knowledge once more." said Calven. He had been of the Lotus's most trusted individuals, often being sent on the most difficult missions.

"This is good news, Tenno. Very good news. However, reunions will have to wait. If you want any of my assistance in your combat, I will need information. Information that can only be found on one of those Destroyers."

Jake looked to his team, and then to his old-time friend, Calven, and then messaged the Lotus once more: "We're up for it Lotus. But it will take us some time."

"Hurry. I fear time is one thing you don't have much of. I have sent messages to your Landing Craft. However, there is a Void disturbance in the system. They will have to travel through realspace. Don't expect much support during your fight."

"Understood." Came the reply from all 5 Tenno. With that, they cut off the link and peered out at the advancing force.

"I count over fifteen hundred fighters, of 2 classes." thought Traven over the chat. "The majority seems to be of a smaller type, with V shaped wings. The second class seems to be their heavy fighters, with 4 wings, each with what appears to be weapon hard-points, and a rear gunner from what I can tell."

"At least these guys know how to make their stuff look good." muttered Edward mentally. "They don't look like flying junk-heaps."

"It takes talent to make junk-heaps fly, Edward." Pointed out Calven. "That's one thing you could give the Grineer a point for."

Loren was not participating in the banter. As sniper, she had already branched off from the group. With her huge Velocitus railgun at full charge, she had cloaked and was ready to open fire on command.

"Infinity Squad, enemy is at 3 kilometres and approaching fast. Break off and engage!" commanded Calven. With a blast, all 4 Tenno flew off, weapons ready to rip and tear through their unfortunate targets.

Milky Way, Local Cluster

Orion Arm, Unknown Sector

Republic Wolfpack, 501st Legion

Anakin was in command of the fighter force. Originally their course was set for the planet. However, scanners had picked up 5 beings in the nearby asteroid field, which were approaching the wolfpack. Analysis suggested they were of the same origin as the artifact which the OSG team was looking for. Which made capturing them a priority.

"General, the figures are moving out. They see us. But there is something strange."

"What happened Captain? Something go wrong?"

"No sir. One of the figures just disappeared."

Anakin frowned. "What do you mean, disappeared?"

"Just that, General. Vanished from all sensors. And is completely invisible. We can't find it."

Normally Anakin would have wanted to find the unknown before engaging. A missing figure was never a good thing to have in a battle. But he had no choice."

"Ignore it Captain. If something else happens, alert me."

"Yes sir." And with that, the radio went silent.

The four figures were still out of weapons range, but they were approaching fast. From the distance he was at, Anakin could pick out minor details. Whoever or whatever they were, they weren't in fighters. In fact, they seemed to have wings. More importantly, 2 of them seeming to have gigantic blades for arms. He could clearly see a sword of some kind, and was that other one carrying an axe?. How the bloody hell did they expect to bring down starfighters with an axe?

"All fighters, engage! Captain, take your team with me. Disable the creatures. Do not, I repeat, do not destroy unless necessary!"

There was a hail of affirmatives, and then, just as Anakin primed his weapons to fire, his wing-man, flying an X-Wing, exploded, shards of brilliant lights burning his retinas.

"Kryff, they've got a sniper in the field! Evade, evade, evade!" came the call, before two more fighters exploded. Even with his Force-enhanced senses, all Anakin could see was a streak of blue light, before a fighter exploded.

Before he could trace back the shots, a proximity warning sounded. He glanced up to see one of the winged beings speeding towards him, a huge minigun mounted on its arm. He barely managed to evade, and the being shot past him, colliding with another fighter. Anakin expected the being to at least take damage, but was shocked to see the V-Wing explode, the being shake it's head slightly, and turn back towards him.

Even though he couldn't see its face, or feel it in the Force, he felt anger. Not just that. He felt something... deadly within it. Like chaos controlled. Barely reined in insanity.

That was before the being accelerated shockingly fast, at speeds that would have caused all but the most experienced pilots black out. This time, a shield materialized on its arm, and from the shield extended a 12 foot long dual-pronged sword, which the being swung once, cleaving a passing V-Wing in half, and continued its charge.

Locking it in his sights, he opened fire, bolts of energy racing towards the being. The first few shots hit it, but, to his shock, deflected off of a blue shield, not even fazing the creature. The rest of the blaster bolts were dodged, amazingly. If he didn't know better, he would have assumed that the creature was a Force-user.

"Just die, already!" He screamed, as the creature swooped over his craft, raking its sword over the wing. It probably would have cleaved the wing off if he hadn't rolled at the last second.

The fight wasn't going much better elsewhere. At the edges of his vision, he could see starfighters being cut down by the beings. Every so often, another fighter would explode, as the cloaked sniper took pot-shots at the mayhem. Distress calls echoed through his cockpit as he engaged his own opponent.

To his left, he saw one of the beings fire off a missile. He thought it was the standard anti-fighter missile... until it exploded. A monstrous 400 metre wide explosion rocked the space, obliterating dozens, if not hundreds of fighters.

He saw fighters release their own proton torpedoes at one of the beings. At the last second, the being erected a shell of energy around itself, protecting it from the blast.

Realizing the fight wasn't going to go anywhere, he sent out a fleet-wide command.

"All fighters, retreat! Fight them where we are strong! Get back to the hangars!"

Like the tide receding, the waves of fighters fell back to the safety of the Destroyer's hangars. The four beings also halted in their attacks.

Anakin ground his teeth in frustration. "We'll be back. By the Force, we'll be back!".

Milky Way, Local Cluster

Orion Arm, Unknown Sector

Republic Wolfpack, 501st Legion

The Tenno halted, as they watched their foes retreat. Most would have celebrated, but the Tenno weren't finished.

"We need to leave them a message. If we stop now, they'll come back in greater numbers. Loren, come with me. Lotus needed info. We will get it." called Calven over the chat. Loren called out an affirmative.

"Why don't we all go?" asked Traven, following the fighters with her scope.

"They'll probably send out extra fighters if we do. Between them and the weapons on the ship, I don't think we'll make it. Just the weapons is fine. Anyways, I need you guys to send a message to the OSG team down there. Tell them to get to safety. We'll be off now."

Thrusters engaged, the two of them followed the retreating force.

Loren's voice entered his mind. "The only way to enter that ship is through the hangar. It's opening now for the fighters. If we want to get in, we'll have to be fast."

As they approached the Destroyer, weapon emplacements turned, and targeted the two lone figures. Turbolaser bolts streaked towards them, in vain. The slow bolts were easily evaded by the two nimble Tenno. Calven pushed the thrusters on his Odonata Prime to the max, squeezing through the hangar doors as they began to close. Loren wasn't going to make it. Just as the doors were about to close, she Blinked through the crack, appearing on the other side.

"Nice work. I love how you cheat with that thing." teased Calven over the chat.

"It's not cheating. Besides, mine doesn't come with heat-seeking missiles like yours."

Calven nodded. "Thanks for reminding me about those." With that, he targeted several clones and technicians on the ground, before engaging the Archwing's Seeking Fire ability, sending a volley of missiles to the hangar deck, destroying the people and equipment in his path, before he touched down. He turned to see Loren touching down farther away, before drawing her Daikyu, and activating her Prowl ability. She disappeared from his view, but he knew she had his back.

"Lotus, we're in." he called over the chat.

After a few seconds, she replied. "There should be a terminal on the far wall. Get me in, and get ready to defend. They'll no doubt send reinforcements to deal with you."

He scanned the room until he saw a computer access panel on the wall. Sprinting over, he lay a hand on it. Blue symbols swirled, and the Lotus called once more. "I'm in. This will take a minute, Tenno."

It was then that he heard a mechanical roar. He turned, drawing his rifle to see one of the mechs turn around to face him. For a few seconds, they stared at each other. Then the mech raised a foot and stepped forward, the barrel of its cannon glowing blue.

When the bolt came, he was ready. Flipping backwards, he fell into a crouch and opened fire. The Orokin crafted rounds punched through the armour of the mech, no doubt shocking the pilot. The cannon fired again, the round sailing over his shoulder as he rolled to the side. Placing the rifle on his back, he drew his pistol.

Again, they both stared each other down for a few seconds, formulating a game plan. Then, in what would have been a suicidal maneuver for most, he dashed forward. The pilot, obviously surprised fired randomly. He was about to jump upwards and fire into the cockpit when the mechs foot slammed down, knocking him backwards.

He picked himself up slowly. "Just like old times, isn't it?" He thought to himself.

He would have tried the charge again, but the cannon fired, forcing him to dodge the bolt. Just as the cannon heated up for another bolt, he heard a whoosh, and a 4 foot long arrow sprouted from the glass of the cockpit, killing the pilot. The mech itself also keeled backwards from the hit, hitting the ground with a crash.

He looked back, and had his Warframe salute her sarcastically. Loren had his back covered as always. He was about to holster his pistol until he heard the unmistakable sound of an elevator dropping. He (his Warframe anyways) turned. The humming slowed, until the elevator reached the hangar floor. Then the doors opened.

Obi-wan and Anakin both walked out, hilts in their hands. As they searched the carnage, their eyes fell upon Calven, standing in the midst.

"I presume you're responsible for this?" called Obi-wan.

Calven's Excalibur Prime tilted it's head. "I dunno. Maybe." he answered with a hint of cynicism.

Anakin snarled. "And were you the one who kept annoying me back there in the dogfight?"

Calven projected a laugh through his Warframe. "No that would be my friend. I will say that he spoke fairly highly of your skills at the controls. It's tough to get his respect."

Anakin activated his lightsaber, the blue blade humming with power. Obi-wan also activated his.

Calven sensed another arrow in flight, launched by Loren's Daikyu. To his surprise, the Jedi cut it out of the air, the useless shaft falling to the floor.

Loren had also been surprised. It seemed her Daikyu would be useless here. She folded it and placed it on her back. "I'm coming in, Calven. No point in staying hidden anymore. They'll probably be able to sense me too."

He tilted his head. "Do you think you can hold your own?"

She mentally scoffed. "Of course I can" To prove her point, she uncloaked and bullet-jumped over to the group.

Anakin and Obi-wan were both surprised to see a second being uncloak and join her (it looked like a her) partner. Anakin realized that this was probably the one that had sniped his fighters out. A fresh surge of anger coursed through him.

Calven drew his Skana Prime, the intricate blade reflecting the light of the hangar better than any mirror. Loren also drew her Destreza, one of the newest weapons devised for warfare. The rapier's thin blade was fast and darting, capable of inflicting devastating internal wounds.

The strange melee weapons were noted between Anakin and Obi-wan. Apprentice and Master stood together like always, ready to face this new foe.

There were a few tense seconds when neither team moved. Then, in a lightning strike, they lashed forwards.

Milky Way, Local Cluster

Orion Arm, Unknown Sector

Planet-side, 3rd Planet

The OSG team was feverishly waiting for the signal to move. The Prowler was now in LPO and awaiting for the all-clear to evacuate. While Slipspace jumps could be done in-atmosphere now, it was still only to be used in combat situations. It was found repeated in-atmosphere jumps had a detrimental effect on ship hulls.

Just then, the radio crackled. "Hello? Hello! Can anyone hear me?"

The communications officer leaped forward, mashing buttons. "Yes! This is the OSG Science Team."

"Thank the Lotus. We've managed to drive back their main fighter force (at this most of the team's eyes widened in shock) and we've managed to buy you time to leave. I'd give you another half-hour for a window."

"Thank you so much. We will keep in touch, and inform our superiors."

"Likewise."

With that, the radio fell silent. The vessel's captain spoke up. "Lt. Jay, get us into Slipspace! We need to inform HIGHCOM about this!"

Lt. Jay saluted. "Yes sir."

The Prowler accelerated, and tore a hole in the fabric of space-time, purplish energies swirling around them as they journeyed into the void once more.

Milky Way, Local Cluster

Orion Arm, Unknown Sector

Republic Wolfpack, 501st Legion

In a flurry of strikes, the two teams met, a blur of blades that would have scared the most veteran of soldiers. Calven's longsword was met by Kenobi's talented blade. Two experienced warriors faced each other, cautious and wary. Calven struck with a powerful horizontal slash, which was met with an equally powerful parry. Twirling and dashing, the two combatants circled each other, exchanging powerful blows. As they did so, they were able to learn more about their opponent.

He is fast and powerful. More importantly, he seems tireless. If I keep this battle long, then I will not win, thought Obi-wan as he parried off another powerful vertical slash from Calven.

Despite a lack of any power-armour, this man is capable of withstanding my attacks. He is quick and powerful, but I should be able to overpower him eventually, decided Calven, performing a rapid double roll combined with slashes in between.

While Calven and Obi-wan dueled, Anakin had engaged Loren. He, in his ego, had thought that Loren would go down fairly quickly, especially against his superior skill. To his surprise, however, Loren easily kept up with his spinning blade, using a combination of rapid thrusts, powerful lunges, and even back-flips to dodge and counter his lightsaber.

He backed up, gaining a newfound respect for his adversaries. "I have to admit, you are a warrior of whose skill I haven't seen in a while."

Loren twirled her blade in glittering arcs through the air. "Likewise. It's been a while since someone's lasted longer than 5 minutes against me."

With that, the two of the clashed again. Loren had channeled Void energy into her rapier, the blade glowing a violent shade of cobalt now. Sparks of energy pulsed through the blade. She met Anakin's strike, a flash of energy bursting between them.

Without a second's hesitation, Anakin struck once more, Loren stepping to meet him. Waves of sparks dashed off of their blades as they collided, the very ground heating up from the combat. Loren's Destreza slashed through the air, keeping Anakin's offensive strikes at bay. Then, just as she turned to strike out again, Anakin reached forward unexpectedly, and impaled her in the gut.

She was vaguely aware of Calven urgently spamming her name through the chat, but at this point the world had gone blurry and out of focus. She fell to her knees, and felt the saber being pulled out of her.

Anakin drew out his lightsaber, somewhat satisfied. Another opponent down. He turned to the ongoing duel between his master and the other being. Contrary to what Anakin expected, the warrior didn't seem the least concerned about the apparent death of his companion. He continued his duel, and in a master stroke, disarmed Obi-wan and kicked him in the chest.

If he hadn't shielded himself with the Force, he probably would have broken every bone in his body, and Calven's foot would have gone right through his chest. Calven turned to face an approaching Anakin.

"It's over for you!" shouted Anakin, swirling his saber in a glowing arc. "Your friend is dead! You are alone!"

Calven, back in his Somatic-Link Pod, smirked. His laugh was projected through his Warframe. "I wouldn't be so sure."

It was then that Anakin was aware of something happening behind him. He whipped around to see the body of the warrior rising up from the floor, a ghostly light forming in a halo around her.

With a blinding flash, the energy dispersed in a shockwave, knocking Anakin back. When he gained his bearing the two warriors now stood facing him, weapons sheathed. The one he had killed was back to full health.

"Our combat ends here for now. We have no further need to fight you." spoke the ornate, male one.

Anakin roared in rage. "That's not how it works. Stay and fight us like as soldiers! You can't just leave!"

Calven's Warframe shrugged. "We just did."

The hangar doors opened up, and the other three Tenno flew in, and unloaded their weapons in suppressive fire forcing Anakin and a recently recovered Obi-wan into cover. Loren ran over to the computer terminal and recovered the Lotus' imprint from the system. Jake's Scimitar Landing craft also flew in, unloading a swarm of missiles into the hangar, dotting the deck with craters.

"I have gleaned what we need, Tenno. Your landing-craft await." spoke the Lotus over their intercoms.

With that Calven and Loren both engaged their Archwings, and with a hurricane roar, blasted out of the open hangar doors to the awaiting craft. Calven turned back to the two Jedi who were watching the departing Tenno with frustration.

"We'll keep in touch." He broadcasted simply, before turning and fleeing into the darkness of space.

Milky Way, Local Cluster

Orion Arm, Epsilon Eridani,

Orbit, Reach

An indigo tear appeared in the void of space, and the Prowler shot through. Clearance codes were checked out, and the multiple orbital platforms targeting the Prowler redirected their guns. Having learned from the tragedy that was the Fall of Reach, the UNSC, and the OSG, had declared that it would never happen again. 100 Orbital Defence Platforms ringed the planet, coupled with a joint fleet of over 300 ships. It was one of, if not the safest place to be in OSG space.

Halsey still remembered the fear of the H/C War, the feeling of having no where left to run. No longer. They stood strong, with powerful allies. And if these Tenno were to be taken truly... they would not have to fear much anymore.

"Communications, can you get a line to HIGHCOM? We need to inform them about our findings."

The communications officer tapped out a few keys. "Alpha encryption in place, doctor. The line is open."

The main viewscreen flickered with the OSG insignia, and the face of Admiral Lasky appeared. Dr. Halsey inwardly sighed with relief. She knew Lasky personally, and she knew him to be clear-headed and open-minded.

"Dr. Halsey. A pleasure to see you all made it back safely. Did you find anything?" asked Lasky.

"Oh we found something all right. Or rather, we found someone. The implications of what we found are highly severe. I would like to request a meeting between the Admiralty."

Lasky raised his eyebrows. "Understood, doctor. May I inquire as to who you found, though? Just so I have something to tell the rest of the board?"

"To put it short? A new faction. One that might help us in our war."

Lasky leaned forward, suddenly on full alert. "You what?! A new faction? How large are they? How diplomatic? How-"

"Wait Admiral. We don't know all the facts just yet. They are peaceful with us. They wanted to meet with their High Council for further discussion. I can't tell you much over the line, but I will say that their combat prowess is stunning. They outclass everything in our arsenal a hundred times over."

Lasky mused this over. "Just how good are we talking here?"

"Oh you know. We were attacked by a Republic Wolfpack who was after our 'artifact', which by the way happened to be one of their soldiers in stasis. 5 of them drove off the entire fighter force without sounding any worse for the wear."

Lasky nearly choked on his coffee. "I can see that a meeting is in order. I'll do my best, doctor. Best of luck." With that, the line closed.

Halsey sighed. Would she ever get a break from her job?

Milky Way, Local Cluster

Sagittarius Arm, Sector 001

Larunda Relay, Origin System

All seven Tenno councillors were rarely ever in the same place. They would either be assisting in the research of Orokin technologies, negotiating deals with other factions, or fighting. They were only ever called to the same place in times of great need. Like now.

After Infinity Squad had returned, they had immediately been whisked off to the Councillors Chamber for questioning. After telling the tale of their meeting with the OSG team, and their subsequent conflict with the Republic, the normally calm Councillors were in a frenzy.

"So you expressed the desire for further peace negotiations with this... OSG? A semi-galactic alliance of 7 species? One of which is... human?" asked one of the Councillors through her Banshee Warframe.

Jake nodded at the question. "The OSG members we met were on a mission to investigate the source of the signal they had discovered, which turned out to be the distress beacon from Calven's cryopod. Calven initially, out of instinct, disabled the team's security force. Once we arrived, it seemed they had managed to talk things out."

The Councillor thoughtfully shook her head. "I wonder how humans exist so far outside the system. This seems to almost be... engineered. Perhaps our new friends can shed some light on this when we talk."

There was a murmur of assent amongst the Councillors. "But what if they were to turn hostile? Not to mention, Infinity Squad engaged the forces of this Republic. Which also has humans in their midst. They no doubt will be hesitant to talk things out." one of them spoke.

Councillor Jonas' Warframe stood. "I have few doubts that the OSG will turn on us. They, according to Calven, have just come out of a brutal 30 year war of survival against each other. I highly doubt they will risk a war on two fronts. On that note, if we were to stay peaceful with them, or even enter an alliance with the OSG, they will no doubt ask for our support in the war."

Traven's frame stood. "I would like to say in the event that they asked for our support, that Calven also indicated peace talks with this Republic. We have to tread carefully. Remaining peaceful with both factions may end up on them turning on us."

Jonas nodded. "You're opinion has been noted, Tenno Traven. As such, Infinity Squad, along with Prime Calven, are dismissed from this meeting. You have given us what we needed. The High Council and the Lotus will discuss further action. Thank you."

Calven and the squad bowed, and left the room, the door hissing shut behind them.

For a few minutes, none of them talked on the way to the hangar. Edward broke the silence.

"Say... do you think we have the assets to even help them? I mean, we don't have a fleet. Most of our Tenno are scattered across the system, fighting against the Grineer and Corpus, while also containing Infestation outbreaks. Can we even offer our help?"

"I've been thinking the same thing," voiced Jake. "We won't be able to send too many Tenno to help, in the event we ally with the OSG. Or Republic, for that matter."

"Let's worry about that when it comes to it," said Loren. "For now, let's just hope for the best, shall we?"

Agreeing on that, the 5 Tenno split up to their various landing-craft. Shooting out of the Relay, the various members of the team rested for the while, the Tenno themselves dreaming quietly in their Somatic Links, whereas the various Warframes were shut down. Soon, their dreams would be shattered with nightmares.

Milky Way, Local Cluster

Orion Arm, Epsilon Eridani,

Planetside, Reach

At HIGHCOM, the normally brisk, businesslike air was now stirred into a boiling brew of tension. The fact that another, highly powerful faction existed and had the means of striking at the OSG was of no comfort. The only thing keeping the Admiralty from sending a fleet to nuke the factions system was their desire for peace.

Inside the room containing the Admiralty, the various admirals, led by the venerable Lord Hood, were discussing these recent turn of events.

"According to Dr. Halsey, these beings are of enormous power. 5 of them held their own against the fighter force of an entire Wolfpack." narrated Lasky. His courageous actions at Requiem had earned him the rank of Admiral.

Lord Hood stood. "I want to avoid conflict at all costs. Our forces are already taxed against the Republic. In fact, our chances of victory are no better than 50/50."

A loud grumble rose from the end of the table. Arbiter Thel 'Vadam leaned forward. "I believe you want to engage in an alliance with them. Ask for their support?"

Hood nodded. "Of course, Arbiter. With their support, our odds in this war would surely become more favourable."

Rtas 'Vadum leaned forward at this. "I, for one, am wary of gaining their support. They seem to be honourable, but until we meet the-."

Before he could finish, the holo-crystals in the room warmed, and blue light flashed in the room. As the stunned leaders watched, 7 figures materialized in the light.

Several of the leaders rose slightly. "Lusitania, who are these-?" began Lasky, asking the base's AI.

The lead figure raised his hand. "Worry not, Admiral. I believe the one called Catherine Halsey has informed you of our desire for talk. That is what we are sending this message for."

Several of the admirals sat down, but Lord Hood stayed standing. "If that is so, then a little warning would be nice."

Another figure spoke. "We have no desire for anything except peace with you, the OSG. The Tenno seek balance. We are knowledgeable of your current struggle. We will see as to how far we may or may not assist you."

The Admiralty was still wary. "Who are you?" inquired the Arbiter.

The seven spoke as one. "We are the Tenno High Council, representatives of the Tenno, who are the last of the Orokin. We are demons, striking down deadly retribution to wrongdoers, and also the angels of balance. We are the glowing iron, but also the silver water. We are the scorching sun, but also the cool moon. We are Tenno.

A single councillor now spoke. "We do not have time in this message to fully negotiate and talk. Instead, we would like to extend our hospitality. We have sent the Cephalon of this base, Lusitania you call her, the coordinates of our Relay, where we will be able to fully discuss our origins, and yours. As well as any peace talks for alliances."

Rtas 'Vadum growled slightly. "How do we know you will keep your word? This could be a trap to destroy us."

Rather than take offence at the accusation, the lead Tenno laughed. His ornate suit glittered. "We have nothing to offer you but our word. Do note, however, that there are much worse things than us in the system. We will offer our protection from these forces. On that note, we would also not advise bringing any more than 2 ships with you. Our system is at war with itself. A fleet would surely attract the attention of our enemies. And you would not like to meet them."

The Admiralty looked at each other. Could they trust these beings, who were known to be warlike?

Hood cleared his throat. "We accept. When shall we arrive?"

"We have gleaned some information from Lusitania. Send your diplomats to the given coordinates in 1 of your solar weeks."

With that, the holo-message cut out.

For a few moments, no one spoke. Lasky spoke up. "Well, gentleman! I believe we have a meeting to arrange. I will inform the Presidents."

With a grumble of assent, and a scraping of chairs, the Admiralty dismissed themselves, ready to meet with someone who could be their greatest friends, or their worst enemies.

Milky Way, Local Cluster

Orion Arm, Sol,

Planetside, Earth

The alarm clock unleashed it's daily noise of terror, jerking Jerald Fischer out of bed. Groaning, he smacked the snooze button, before clambering out of bed.

"Note to self. Alarm clock might be the thing that kills me in the end. Get replacement." as he groggily walked over to his bathroom.

After brushing his teeth and taking his shower, he walked into his rather plain kitchen, hoping to get something to eat. As OSG ambassador, he was by no means poor, but he still tried to lead a simple life. As he was waiting for the toast to finish toasting, he noticed the light on his phone pulsing. He had messages. As he unlocked his phone, a message popped up. It was from HIGHCOM. Strange.

"Wonder what this is about." he murmured as he looked over the note.

"Dear Mr. Fischer,

You no doubt have been up-to-date on news. The Republic is a powerful foe, one that we will have a difficult time defeating. Analysts have calculated that the chances for victory are no better than 50/50. This, for us, is unacceptable. We cannot afford to lose. However, fate may have answered our prayer. We cannot tell you everything without your full agreement to this assignment, but the gist of it is this: We have found a new faction. One that is friendly with us, and is incredibly powerful. If we can ensure your assistance in negotiating with them, we will tell you more.

Sincerely,

Lord Terrence Hood, Fleet Admiral

Jerald's jaw dropped. A new faction? That was friendly? How powerful? These, along with another few hundred questions clustered his mind. But one thing rose above it all. They could help the OSG. Help them end the second Great War.

Was it worth it? He was talented, no doubt, but to make a negotiation with people who could turn the war... it was almost too much pressure for him.

His cat leaped onto the table, purring for milk. He smiled as he opened the fridge and pulled out a carton of milk. "I may need to go, girl. Take care of yourself, ok?"

His cat stared at him with her huge amber eyes, unblinking.

He sighed. To or not to accept, was that the question? Didn't he have a duty to the OSG to do this? Did he want to be the guy who did this?

With trembling fingers, he tapped out his response to HIGHCOM.

Milky Way, Local Cluster

Orion Arm, Epsilon Eridani,

Planetside, Reach

(6 days later, eve of departure)

The 5 ambassadors were clustered in the shipyard dock, waiting to board the 3-km cruiser Uncertain Equinox. One member of each species had been chosen to represent the OSG in their talks. A Human, Sangheili, Unggoy, Mgaelekgolo, and Jiralhalnae would be followed by a team of 2 Spartan IVs, 2 Spec-Ops Sangheili, and 4 Spec-Ops Unggoy. The Lekgolo and Brute representatives could protect themselves.

The 5 ambassadors had spent the last few days fervently looking over any data they had on these Tenno. They had talked with Dr. Halsey, and also with the AI Lusitania. From what they knew, the Tenno were highly capable at combat, and equally intelligent with computers. But not much more. Their conversation would be relayed live back to HIGHCOM, where the Presidents and the Admiralty would view it.

As they went over last minute preparations, they bantered, nervous but excited for the coming talk. It had been some time since they had a purpose, since talks with Republic usually ended up in people shooting each other in the face. Hopefully these ones would be a bit more pleasant.

"What do you think? About them, I mean." asked Jerald Fischer, the human ambassador.

The Sangheili ambassador, Vrem 'Tagon, grunted. "We are screwed if things go the wrong way. If an entire force of Republic fighters didn't hurt them, nothing we have will."

The ground rumbled as the Mgaelekgolo ambassador spoke, or rather, vibrated. "They seem to be a faction based on honour. I will hold them to their word. We should be safe. I'd rather worry about the fact that there entire system is apparently undergoing civil war."

On that happy note, the group fell silent and picked up their luggage to carry onto their ship, as the engines went about their start-up cycles. A fusion of Covenant, UNSC, and Forerunner technologies, the Equinox was a state-of-the-art cruiser. A single H-L Projection Cannon, plus 2 energy projectors made for a fearsome armament, along with dozens of missile pods and hundreds of point-defence guns. A squadron of slip-space capable Greatsword fighters stood at the ready to engage any threat. A second one would be accompanying them to the meeting, for protection.

A half-hour later, the two ships pulled out of the shipyard, and once they were of sufficient distance from the dock, engaged their Slipspace drives, plowing into the swirling maelstrom, to their meeting.

Milky Way, Local Cluster

Sagittarius Arm, Sector 001

Orbit of Mercury, Origin System

(1 day later)

2 holes were ripped in the black sheet of space, and the two OSG cruisers slipped out, hulls gleaming against the brightness of the sun.

"All systems nominal. Performing standard scans." reported the sensors officer.

Captain Johansson smiled. "Excellent work. Apprise me if you find anything irre-."

"SIR! You won't believe what I'm getting!"

Jerald, along with the 5 ambassadors on the bridge, all jumped, immediately on alert. "What is it!? Hostiles?"

"No sir. The system... it's exactly like... Sol. The planets, the star... everything. The only irregular thing is Ceres and Phobos giving off unusually strong gravitational fields, and several additional bodies permeating the system." At that moment, the viewscreen snapped up on a sensory image of Earth.

Those on the bridge all gazed upon the world. The only noticeable difference was that it looked a lot more green than the Earth they knew. That, and that the Moon had several huge golden protrusions webbing around it.

"What happened to the moon?" asked Andrew Johansson, looking upon the pictures in awe.

"The Tenno mentioned they were the last of something called the Orokin. Maybe these Orokin did that."

Just then, the communications officer called out. "Incoming message! Tenno in origin!"

"Put it up," said Johansson, adopting a formal stance, as did the 5 ambassadors. The viewscreen flickered for a few seconds, then an image of a glowing blue diamond appeared.

"Hello, I am Ordis, Cephalon of the Tenno. I would presume that you are the OSG diplomatic team, correct?"

"Yes, that is us. This is the right place, right?"

"Yes. Welcome to Larunda Relay. Due to the fact that your ship won't fit in the hangars, we would advise you leave your ships at a distance of 50 thousand kilometres, and send your ambassadors in a dropship. We will mark a hangar location for you."

"Affirmative. We look forward to meeting you."

"As do I." With that, the link closed.

Johansson turned to the navigation officer. "Take us to the requested location," He turned to the diplomatic team. "Get to the hangar. I'll alert your security team, and get a Pelican scrambled up. Good luck. And remember, if something goes wrong, get a message to us." He saluted.

The ambassadors saluted him back, before taking the elevator to the hangar. They had a meeting to attend.

Milky Way, Local Cluster

Sagittarius Arm, Sector 001

Larunda Relay, Origin System

"Damn Jake, you really need to get in shape. I beat your record in the obstacle course by like, 2 minutes." projected Traven as she watched Landing Craft moving out of the way in order to make way for the incoming OSG ship.

Jake's scoff was just as realistic through his Warframe as it was coming from his own mouth. "Yeah, 'cause you're using an Equinox. I'm using Rhino. If our 'frames were reversed, I think I could do better."

Infinity Squad had been assigned to the task of welcoming the diplomatic team and giving them a quick tour before escorting them to the Council's chamber. As they waited, they went over the emergency plan.

"Alright let's go over it one more time. If they become hostile, incapacitate, but do not kill. If Grineer or Corpus appear, then evacuate them."

Loren projected a yawn. "That's all cool. Are they here yet?"

Just then, they heard a hurricane roar, and a dropship entered the Hangar, flying down to the pad that had been cleared for them. Unperturbed by the gale winds that whipped around, Infinity Squad walked closer to the craft, ready for real First Contact.

Milky Way, Local Cluster

Sagittarius Arm, Sector 001

Approaching Larunda Relay, Origin System

The Pelican swiftly drifted through the black, the gleaming structure of Larunda Relay looming over them as they got closer.

"So uhh...," said Jerald into the silence. "Anyone know what Larunda means?"

Vrem grunted at this. "I searched it up a while ago. It means, in human vernacular, an ancient deity. Nothing of importance. It seems to be a reference to the fact that this 'Relay' orbits the planet of Mercury."

Jerald nodded wisely. "How intelligent."

"Sirs, we are entering their hangar. Prepare for landing."

The diplomats collected their thoughts, while their guardians lifted their weapons. Whether or not they would be of any use... they tried not to dwell on that.

In the cockpit, the pilots were half flying, and half gawking at the gigantic hangar. The ceiling stretched several hundred metres over their heads, and constant traffic buffeted the open space. The computer pinged, indicating the pad on which they were to land on. As they touched down, they noticed two things. 4 of the 'Tenno' were waiting for them. An escort. More importantly, they noticed their ships, which strangely docked vertically on the sides of the pad.

When they touched down, immediately all 5 ambassadors pulled on breather masks. They didn't know if the atmosphere would be poisonous or not.

As a precaution, Jerald had been assigned to carry an AI, Borlock, as a specialist companion. The AI would feed them information, translate things, and the like.

"Attention diplomats, we have landed. Good luck out there."

Jerald keyed the intercom. "Thanks. Stay safe."

With that, the door opened, and two powerful empires met face-to-face.

Milky Way, Local Cluster

Sagittarius Arm, Sector 001

Larunda Relay, Origin System

As the door to the dropship opened, Infinity Squad got their first good look at the OSG diplomats. With the eyes of practiced soldiers, the immediately picked out who was who.

There were 5 ambassadors by their count, one of each species. A human came out first. About 6 feet tall, thin, with brown hair, he carried himself with an open air, honest and polite. A biped alien stepped out next, with reverse knees and mandibles, as well as large orange eyes which glanced around the hangar in concealed wonder. Next was a tiny alien, no taller than Jake's knee, which was wearing a suit, presumably an environment suit. After that, a huge behemoth walked out, 9 feet tall and wearing thick armour. The ground shook as he stepped onto the pad. It didn't escape Infinity's notice that it seemed o have tendrils underneath that armour. Finally, an equally large being stepped off, with thick fur and a brutish face. A large spiked hammer was slung across its back. It sniffed, eyeing them beadily.

Additionally, several soldiers walked out, white-knuckling their rifles. Even with their faces obscured, they could sense the wariness pooling off of these soldiers. The guns were long and shiny, not unlike Corpus Dera's. The Soldiers were a mix of humans and the biped aliens.

The ambassadors were all wearing what appeared to be atmosphere masks. A smart decision in times like this. Infinity then realized that the ambassadors and soldiers were staring at them too.

For a few awkward seconds, no one spoke or moved. Then Jake had his Warframe move up and extend his hand. "Welcome to the Origin System."

Milky Way, Local Cluster

Sagittarius Arm, Sector 001

Larunda Relay, Origin System

The OSG team walked out onto the pad, observing everything. The first thing their eyes fell upon were the four figures awaiting them. They didn't seem to carry any weapons, but like any good soldier knew, the body was the most deadly weapon. These figures were dangerous, they could feel that much.

After a few minutes, the lead figure stepped forward, extending his hand. "Welcome to the Origin System."

That move alone had the soldiers raising their rifles and reaching for their hilts.

However, in the interest of good faith, Fischer stepped forward. "Thank you. I am Jerald Fischer, human representative."

Vrem spoke next. "I am Vrem Tagon, Sangheili ambassador." The Tenno bowed their heads slightly at him.

After the other three ambassadors had introduced themselves, they got to business. "So ambassadors, my name Jake, leader of Infinity Squad. That's Loren, Edward, and Traven." The respective Tenno waved as they were introduced. "We have been assigned as your guides and escorts. We'll take you on a short tour of the Relay, answer any questions that we can, and then escort you to the High Council."

The ambassadors nodded at this. "Sounds good. Shall we get underway then?" asked Jerald.

Jake nodded. "Let's get going."

Infinity Squad led the OSG team through the security check at the door, before taking them into the breathtaking main hall, the Concourse, which bloomed with red leaves and trees, the control centre hovering above a waterfall. A rock statue of Rhino stood firm in the centre, a monument to Tenno strength.

"This is beautiful," murmured the Unggoy representative as she took in the sights and smells. Several humans wandered around, masks covering their eyes, tapping on holo-panels or simply chatting. She saw several Tenno clustered around a man standing on a podium, a cart of wares behind. Though the OSG team couldn't see much from where they were, the Brute and Mgaelekgolo, with their height could discern several weapons, strange circular objects, and other items.

"Who is that?" asked Vrem, indicating to the man on the podium. Traven turned back to the team.

"His name is Baro Ki'Teer. Or as he is known in the business world, the Void Trader. In exchange for currency, he provides special weaponry, mods, and occasionally cosmetics."

Vrem nodded at this. "Does he fight?"

Traven shook her head. "No. He is one of the last surviving inhabitants of Phobos. Many years ago, the Grineer invaded Phobos. They slaughtered the local people. Baro's mother held them off long enough for Baro to be evacuated. She was executed."

Vrem pressed his mandibles together. "And what happened to these... Grineer?"

If a Warframe could smile, Traven would have made hers. "Once we found out, we slaughtered every single one in sight. There is far more to the story, but we don't have time for it now. If you ever get the time, you can ask him. He comes by every 2 weeks or so, brings some nice stuff that he smuggled out of the Void."

Still glancing at the trader, the group moved on to the next series of room. 3 doors faced them, along with 2 elevators at the sides. Additionally, two hallways branched off.

"The doors you see here lead to Mission Control and the Conclave headquarters. Mission Control is just an easy way for any Tenno here to launch missions from. The Conclave, founded by one of the surviving Orokin, Teshin, is a program designed to train the Tenno in the way of advanced combat," said Jake.

Jerald nodded. "Where do those hallways go?"

"Each hallway leads to the Syndicate rooms. We have 6 syndicates here. The right hallway leads to one alliance, and the left to another."

Jerald frowned. "Syndicates?"

Jake nodded. "Yeah. They have the same ultimate goals as us, but different ideologies. Some, like Steel Meridian over there (he gestured to the first door on the right, with an emblem of 2 spheres with a line through them) do what we can't and help us on the civilian front. They protect what colonies remain."

The Mgaelekgolo ambassador vibrated. "You mean you don't help the colonies of civilians?" with a slightly dangerous undertone to his voice.

Edward's 'frame projected a scoff at this. "It's not like we don't want to. But it's for the best. Helping them would only draw the attention of the Grineer or Corpus onto them. It would only make things worse."

Jake nodded. "Anyways, continuing on, other's prefer to work in the shadows, like Red Veil, the first door on the left. They send their operatives on high-risk assassination missions. Other's are simply here to aid us in exchange for our help, like Cephalon Suda over there or the Perrin Sequence. The other two, New Loka and the Arbiters of Hexis, are here because they see it as their duty to enlighten us on further truths."

As the team processed this information, one of the Spartans stepped forward. "Who are you, the Tenno? You said you were the last of the Orokin. What happened? Who is your leader?"

Loren stepped forward. "The Orokin were a race of trans-humans. At one point in time, the system was overpopulated. To fix this, the Orokin devised a line of terraforming machines called the Sentients. These machines could adapt to anything, and could regenerate from anything. They were sent on a one-way trip to the nearby Tau Centauri system. They were to colonize the system, and then construct a Solar Rail," he stopped at the confused glances. "Solar Rails are the main method of FTL. There is an alternative, which our Landing Craft use, but Solar Rails tend to be much safer. Think of them like gigantic slingshots which propel ships across vast distances."

The Spartan nodded. "Ok, go on then."

Jake's Warframe sighed. "Something went wrong. The machines became too adaptable. They became sentient. As such, they swore revenge against their Orokin masters. To the Orokin's horror, the adaptability was a deadly advantage. Even the most advanced tech was turned against the Orokin."

"Countless bio-weapons, WMDs, and projects were tried. However, an accident resulted in the creation of the Tenno. I could tell you more about that, but I don't have the clearance to do that. I'll let the Council and the Lotus - she's our leader actually - tell you the rest. Speaking of which, let's get you to the chambers."

The Spartan nodded, and stepped back to his brethren.

"Alright then! Let's not keep them waiting!" With that, Infinity Squad turned, and walked off, and the rest of the group followed.

Jerald was impressed. Tenno architecture was amazing. Minimalist and functional, and yet so flowing and elegant. Not only that, but the suits that they wore. They were deadly in appearance, yet quite fancy and stylish.

As they passed on their way to the Council's chambers, he saw other Tenno going about their business, talked with a trader, kneeling before a huge holographic projection of a digitized eye, or exchanging medallions with vendors in the syndicate rooms.

He cleared his throat. "Is this the only Relay?"

Jake answered without stopping. "No, we have one around Saturn, Kronia Relay, and one around Pluto, Orcus Relay. We had others, but Grineer attacks destroyed them. These three are the strongest, the most powerful."

"Oh," said Jerald. "And I don't think you explained who these enemies of yours are?"

"We'll let the Council explain this to you. They can do it much more easily. Speaking of which, here we are!" said Jake, gesturing to a door near the middle of the relay. They approached, and the door slid open silently.

Infinity Squad turned to the OSG team. "We cannot take you past here. We will wait here for you. Good luck." said Jake, and the team bowed their heads.

"Thank you." said Vrem. He turned, and walked in, followed by the others.

The Council chambers weren't as opulent as some would have thought it to be. Like the rest of the Relay, it was elegant, functional, and spartan. At the back center of the room was a raised railed dais, and on it stood the High Council, 7 Tenno awaiting the group silently.

Somewhat hesitantly, the 5 ambassadors walked in front of the dais. The Spartans and Elites spread out to the sides, hands on their triggers.

For a few seconds, no one spoke, but then the lead Tenno, wearing a dark brown frame with an ornate helmet, stepped forward.

"Welcome, ambassadors. We are the Tenno High Council. We are the representatives of the Tenno. I am Hyrus, head of the Council."

Jerald stepped forward. No translation delay. They spoke English. "Hello, Councillors. I am Jerald Fischer, human representative."

Vrem stepped beside Jerald. "I am Vrem 'Tagon, Sangheili ambassador."

"I am Keerap, Unggoy ambassador."

"I am Oxos Dyrn Kole. Representative of the Lekgolo."

Kerberos grunted. "And I'm Kerberos. Jiralhalnae leader and rep."

If Hyrus could have raised an eyebrow, he would have. "You're the leader of your species, and you're also a representative?"

"Yeah yeah. My species was at war with itself for a while, ya know? Not many smart people around at the moment."

"Oh... I see."

The Tenno standing beside him cleared his throat. "Before we get into any form of negotiation and diplomatic talk, I think it would be best that we explain ourselves, make some things clear, and introduce our leader."

Keerap shuffled. "Your leader?"

Another Tenno, this one's helmet having a large crest on it, spoke up. "Yep. We are simply the face of the Tenno. However, the mind and heart are separate. Our leader took her time to arrive here. Normally she doesn't visit at all. May I introduce - the Lotus."

A door behind the Councillors opened and a female walked through. There some things strange about her. First of all, she wore a large mask covering her eyes, in the shape of a Lotus flower. Tendrils extended from the back of the helmet.

She stepped forward to the rail, observing them. The group was silent.

"Welcome to the Origin System. I am the Lotus, guide of the Tenno."

Jerald and the rest of the group seemed to be absorbing this information. "We are grateful for you taking your time to visit us. We do have a few questions we would like to ask."

Lotus nodded. "Please, put forth your queries."

"Well, to start off, who are the Tenno?"

"The Tenno are keepers of balance. You already know where they originate from, as Infinity Squad told you. But the truth is complex. Before the fall of the Empire, there was a ship, known as the Zariman 10-0. On board it were many children, and their caretakers. It was the advent of a new technology. The Orokin were testing out a new FTL technology were they utilized the Void for travel. However, something went wrong on the jump."

Jerald paused. "Lemme guess, the ship was destroyed?"

"No," said the Lotus. "Well, that's what the Orokin thought, but anyways, it was declared lost with all hands. But many years later, the ship inexplicably re-appeared. When a group was dispatched to investigate, they boarded the ship to find something eerie. All the adults were missing or dead. Only the children were alive. And they weren't normal anymore."

"Define normal."

"The Void had transformed them. They could channel Void Energy through them to accomplish incredible things. But, they had no control over these abilities. Handlers that were assigned to them were killed or severely injured by the children."

Kinda like the Spartans. Thought Jerald. "Ouch."

"Indeed. However, the work of a brilliant Orokin scientist by the name of Margulis helped out. At the cost of her senses, she found a way to help them. She found that in dreams, they could control their powers. So she created a series of surrogate bodies that could withstand this power. Using her new discovery, the Tenno would channel their abilities through these bodies."

"Which were the Warframes, right?" asked Jerald.

"Incorrect. The Warframes were next. Margulis' interactions with the children was considered a horrible crime. Her husband, Ballas, who was also Executor of the Orokin Council, was forced to execute her. After her death, the Sentient rebellion started. As Infinity Squad no doubt told you, the Orokin were losing heavily until Ballas conceived of the idea of a Warframe. Since the Void was poison to the Sentients, the children could control and channel their powers to combat the Sentients. And so, the Tenno was born. They pushed the Sentients back to the Outer Terminus, before the Sentients deployed their endgame. A sleeper agent, disguised as an Orokin, who infiltrated the ranks of the Tenno and tricked them into killing their own leaders. However, that same agent, due to having her own reproductive capabilities neutered by the Void, decided to betray her own kind in order to become the guide to the Tenno; their mother.

Vrem stepped forward. "And just what happened to this agent?"

The Lotus smiled. "I am that agent. I was once Natah, but now, I am the mother. I am the Lotus."

As the OSG group processed this twist, Hyrus spoke up. "While her actions may seem out of line, do note that we trust her. She may have betrayed in the past, but she has proven her loyalty. Her actions have merit."

Jerald was hesitant to trust her, but he knew that if they trusted this Lotus, then the OSG had no reason not to. "Thank you for the information. Infinity Squad mentioned that the system was full of people who would kill us. Who did they imply?"

The Lotus continued smoothly. "Nevertheless, I put the Tenno in cryo-sleep in order to keep them safe. When they woke, they found the system at war once again. The Grineer, a race of cloned humans who were originally the slave caste of the Orokin, had rose up, under the command of two Orokin sisters, the Twin Kweens. On the other hand, the Corpus, the direct descendants of the Orokin, a vast mega-corporation whose only goal is profit, also rose, constantly at arms against us and the Grineer. Occasionally we have united to face common foes, or the Tenno have allied with either side to maintain balance, but they are evil, and will not hesitate to kill or maim."

"However, both of these threats pale in comparison to the last two." The Lotus raised her hand, and a holographic image appeared of a grotesquely mutated quadruped. "The Infested. Once an Orokin bio-weapon, it recently broke free of its chains on Saturn, and have overrun the system, completely transforming the planet of Eris into a hive-world."

The entire OSG team had taken a step back at the image, and the soldiers had raised their weapons slightly.

"It's just like the Flood." thought Jerald, horrified that something like the Flood existed in this system too.

"We try to keep it contained, but it is difficult. If you are to ever encounter the Infested, kill them. Simply shooting the forms should kill them, however, for larger infestations, burn it to the ground. If that is not possible, run. There is no escape from larger forms, like Phorids.

"Now, as I said, one more, serious threat exists. More recently, the Sentient Hunhow, encaged in the bowels of Uranus, was accidentally released by the Grineer, and he has begun to call back his brethren. They will be upon us soon."

Oxos grunted. "Fantastic. What a rich and fascinating history."

Several people in the room glared at him, but the Lotus seemed to be at perfect ease. "That is all I have to say in this. Now, I would ask, who are you? The OSG?

The diplomats looked at each other. Where to begin. Jerald sighed and stepped forward.

"First things first, I need to get something out of the way. Your system, the Origin, is an exact replica of humanity's. The planets, the stars, everything. We are at a loss as to how this has happened."

Lotus frowned. "The Orokin have existed for countless millennia. If some outside force had a hand in making such a eerie relation, they would have to be ancient."

Jerald nodded. "We hypothesize that it was the acts of a race we know as the Precursors. Incredibly advanced, existing before the universe, practically god-like. They may have done this."

"A theory for another time. Now, tell us your history."

He paused to collect his thoughts. "Let's start with humanity. By the year of 2100, we had terraformed Mars and Venus, and had established colonies everywhere. By that point, we realized we would die of overpopulation if we didn't get out of our system. Two brilliant scientists, Tobias Shaw and William Fujikawa, discovered an alternate realm of existence called Slipspace, where the laws of physics were different and more malleable."

One of the councillors spoke. "So similar to the Void, though seemingly less malevolent."

"I suppose that's an apt analogy. Either way, the two scientists made the Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine, and human FTL travel was born. Over the next few centuries, we expanded, and by the year 2520, we had over 800 worlds and colonies under our control. By that point, multiple insurrections were building up, forcing UNSC high command to take measures.

The first of these measure was the Orion project, which created 100 genetically modified Marines. The project in of itself was a success, but they weren't enough. So the Office of Naval Intelligence, led by Dr. Halsey, who also made first contact with your team, devised a new project. The Spartan II program. 130 kids of 6 years, with remarkable genetic markers, were covertly taken from their homes and trained for the rest of their life to become soldiers." He paused, waiting for their reactions.

"Go on. We cannot criticize your actions, partially because we ourselves technically did the same." said Lotus, with a small smile.

He exhaled, and continued. "Anyways, the Spartan IIs were the most successful project ever created. Insurrections were stopped cold. However, by then, the real threat emerged.

He used his wrist projecter to show an image of Harvest. "This is Harvest. It was peaceful, a agricultural world with a moderate population of 13 million." He switched the image to post-glassing. "We lost contact with it, and when a battle-group was dispatched, they found this."

Even the Tenno, veterans of war, were speechless in the face of this. "And what happened then?"

"We made first contact with an alien hegemony called the Covenant. Their goal? Complete extermination of humanity. And so, for the next 30 years, we fought against them. Our worlds burned, billions were killed. However, a team of Spartans, and a cruiser under the command of a brilliant captain, who were on a mission to find and capture the Covenant leadership, instead found this, and crash-landed on it." He showed an image of Halo. "This... is Halo. One of seven rings created by a race we call the Forerunners. They were far more advanced than us, extremely powerful."

A councillor appeared to scrutinize the image. "And what was the purpose of these, Halos?"

Jerald, along with the entire team, grimaced. "They were weapons of mass destruction. Upon activation, everything within the galaxy would be purged of life. Anything with neural systems was obliterated."

Hyrus' gruff voice spoke next. "I'd assume there was a very good reason for this, right?"

Vrem took up the story from here. "Correct. The Forerunners encountered an extragalactic parasite called the Flood. They are similar in function to your own Infested. Assimilate all life. When the ship crash-landed there, along with some Covenant ships, they triggered a chain of events where they needed to exterminate traces of the Flood left on Halo, while preventing the Covenant from detonating the rings, which they saw as a path to transcendence."

Hyrus snorted. "How ridiculous."

Vrem sighed. "Sadly, it wasn't until later that we realized this. In fact, Humanity was the Reclaimers of the Forerunners. Their inheritors. A De- Spartan named Master Chief, he was the saviour of us all. He journeyed throughout Halo, deactivating it. Finally, near the end, it turned out that the control panel for the Halo Array was outside of the galaxy, on a installation known as the Ark. And the portal to the Ark... was on Earth. Which started a race where Covenant flooded Earth to excavate the portal from beneath Africa, while Humanity tried to stop them, while the Flood tried to get through the portal.

Eventually, both the Covenant and humanity went through to the Ark. Master Chief, along with the Arbiter of the Covenant, stayed behind to destroy the Ark, and prevent the Halos, and the Flood, from ever posing a threat again. They used a partially constructed Halo in orbit to destroy the Ark. The Arbiter crash landed in the Pacific Ocean, whereas Master Chief was left drifting in space for 4 years with his AI."

"By then of course, the Covenant and Humanity reconciled, burying the old sword, and promising peace. Over the next few years, we rebuilt our colonies and our fleets. Reverse-engineering Forerunner technology. Now, as you see, we stand tall. After Master Chief was rescued eventually, the old Covenant and humanity joined together in a new alliance. The OSG."

Jerald spoke again. "And so ends our story. We have seen death, and we have not backed down from it. We confronted war again against the Republic, and now, we stand ready.:

Jerald nodded. "And we've been at war with them for a year now. It hasn't escalated too far, but we've recently come out of our first battle. We managed to pull off a victory, but the Republic bombarded the civilian colony on the nearby planet in revenge."

Hyrus clenched his fists. "A despicable move I'm sure. However, I think we all here know what you will ask us. You want our help in this war."

Kerberos stepped forward. "We had testimonies from a team that Infinity Squad rescued. The Tenno are apparently the most powerful troops that they've ever seen. Currently our analysts say that the war, even with our advantages over the Republic, will not end well for us. We need something to turn the tide."

"I think you will understand our reasoning if we are hesitant to agree to such a proposal," said the Lotus. "Our forces are already spread out across the system. While I'm certain we could find some to help out, we cannot support you fully without leaving the system to ruin."

"Well, what if we came and offered our support to combat these Grineer and Corpus?" asked Keerap.

The statement from the Unggoy was met by laughter from Hyrus's Warframe. When Keerap started looking angry instead of confused, he stopped. "You can barely stand against the Republic. The Grineer and Corpus easily outnumber the Republic by a factor of 100. Their tech easily is more advanced than anything you have. We've been fighting them for 3 years now, killed dozens of billions of their troops, but we've barely even slowed them down. Nothing you have would even scratch the paint on their war machine."

Keerap shrank back at this, but another one of the Councillors stepped forward. If Warframes could have projected facial expressions, she most likely would have been projecting an angry glare at Hyrus. "Don't mind his blunt attitude. However, his point is valid. The factions fighting for dominance here could easily steamroll over whatever you, the OSG, or the Republic could throw at it."

Jerald stepped forward, a tad bit more nervous than he was before. "Considering the skill that we've observed from your soldiers, I don't think we need as much help as you may presume. In fact, only a few teams would be enough to turn the tide against the Republic."

The Lotus was silent for some time. "I am not worried about their safety. The Tenno, functionally speaking, are immortal."

One of the Spartans coughed. "Say what?!"

"The Warframes themselves are replaced after each fight. The Tenno themselves, the children of the Zariman, are free from the chains of age."

Kerberos stepped forward, a confused expression on his face. "Wait, so you're saying that you're all children?"

Another Councillor nodded. "The Tenno that control these Warframes use Somatic Link pods to control them. We are technically centuries old, but our actual bodies retain the appearance of youth. We simply project our voices through these frames."

"And just where are your real bodies?"

"Classified, but even if we were to tell you, it would be impossible for you to reach the location."

Kerberos looked somewhat unhappy with the fact that his new allies were a bunch of kids, but he held his tongue. "So are ya gonna help us, or not?"

The Councillors looked at each other. Hyrus looked to the Lotus. There was a tense few seconds when Jerald didn't know what was happening. This was the tipping point of his career. If he could pull this off, he may have saved the OSG.

Hyrus consulted the council, and then whispered to the Lotus. She turned to the OSG diplomatic team. Everyone held their breaths. Even the Spartans and Elites tightened their grips on their weapons.

"We will ally with you. However! There are some conditions that must be met."

Jerald wanted to walk over there and shake her hand. He forced himself to stay focused. "Name them."

"First. We will only dedicate a few teams at a time to help you out. Those teams will follow ulterior commands, but ultimately, they will be under our command. Second, our squads will be given the freedom to act as a separate unit from any team you may send to work with them. Of course, they will still fight with you, but the method of doing such is up to them. If this is possible, then we will accept."

Jerald looked to his comrades. Vrem and Keerap nodded. Oxos clenched a huge fist, signalling his agreement. Kerberos still looked unhappy, but he sighed. They were in agreement. He turned back to the Council.

"We accept your terms."

After another few hours of debating semantics, the OSG team walked out of the room, into the cool air of the Concourse. As they promised, Infinity Squad was waiting, or at least Jake and Loren. Jake's head turned towards them, and upon recognizing them, he turned, and silently beckoned them. Apparently Traven was with Baro, exchanging currency. The squad walked over to the OSG team. Jerald saw the door to... what was it called again? Oh yeah, Steel Meridian. Yeah, the door to Steel Meridian opened up, and Edward walked out, a brand new quad-barreled shotgun slung over his back.

"So, how did it go? Do we get to come along to kick butt, or what?"

The euphoria that Jerald was feeling was nearly overwhelming, but he forced himself to stay professional. "Uh yes. We've entered an alliance. Hopefully it goes well."

Jake nodded. "In that case, I look forward to seeing you on the field."

One of the Spartans was eyeing the shotgun on Edward's back. "Whatcha got there, Edward, was it?"

Edward pulled the shotgun off of his back. "This here, mate, is Steel Meridian's custom-engineered shotgun, the Vaykor Hek. It's got a upgraded specs over the original, better rounds, and Steel Meridian's personal Justice effect."

The Spartan whistled. "I wish I had a gun like that. I'm stuck with this piece of junk." motioning to the M90 Shotgun on his back.

Edward shrugged. "If I get the chance, I can try and get you something. Although the recoil on our weapons are probably much stronger than yours."

"Thanks," said the Spartan. He had heard the stories. Whatever weapons these Tenno used, they had to have packed a punch. He was eager to have new allies in this fight.

And of course, in such a peaceful moment, everything went downhill.

Suddenly, an alarm rang in the relay, a clear, warning tone. At the exact same time, a transmission came in from the Equinox. "Ambassadors! We're getting an unauthorized ship entering Relay space. It's a Republic Destroyer!"

The Spartan, whose name was David, turned to Infinity Squad. "Are you aware that a Republic Destroyer just entered your system?"

They shrugged. If it had hostile intent, it wouldn't matter. They didn't stand a chance against the Relay.

A Relay-wide announcement came in. "Attention all Tenno! This is the High Council. We have detected a Republic Destroyer entering the system. They are the enemies of our allies, the OSG. We will have information sent to all of you as soon as possible."

Jake turned to the team. "Now we are."

"We believe they want to engage in diplomatic talk."

Oxos snorted. "Sure they do."

"This is an order. Do NOT attack it. Ordis will be giving it instructions. We repeat, do not engage. Allow them to land. Infinity Squad, you are hereby assigned escort duty."

Warframes couldn't frown, but Infinity's frames probably would have. "Aw hell." said Edward. "This ain't gonna end well.