(A/N) Hey guys, it's that time of week again! Another Saturday, another update, and hear we finally a little insight into the antagonists of this fanfic, and a little bit of a nod towards the new authors that we have recruited, and I am incredibly excited for you to see what we have in store in regards to that. Anyway, without further ado, I reveal the latest Director chapter, written by myself, and hope you all enjoy it. This one is a bit of a game-changer for all concerned. Love to know what you all make of it! Next chapter will be on Monday, and will be quite, quite exceptional. Then again, Casaric's work always is.
Enjoy!
Chapter Twenty-Five - War
The Director
Written by NicKenny
"Older men declare war. But it is the youth that must fight and die." – Herbert Hoover
I sat at my table, flicking through my report to the UNSC High Command, anxiously waiting for their response. My requests were bold, for an essentially untried project, but I had hopes that my previous services to the UNSC would sway them. I flicked onto the page displaying the profiles of the eight individuals whom I had requested to join the project, all accomplished soldiers within the UNSC, each and every one of them exceptional, supplying something to the project that we still required. Some of them had skills that other agents within the project already excelled at: sniping, lock-picking, brute strength, infiltration, demolition etc., while others supplied something new. Each and every one of them would provide something that the project required, and I had firm hopes that the UNSC would grant us the use of their services.
I had made several other requests, some great and some small, but the most important ones were those concerning the allocation of new personnel, allowance to establish several new bases on Eris, access to a particular set of equipment that was currently in development from some area of the UNSC, which I believed had great potential when combined with our agent's suits, and…something that I had once created for the UNSC, and wanted them to give us access to, knowing full-well the advantages that such an asset would grant us.
The Counselor stood at the bridge's observation deck, occasionally glancing up from his data-pad to look out into the depths of space. He had also supplied a report, supporting my demands, although I had feared at one stage that he might refuse to do so. Luckily, Agent Pennsylvania had managed to refrain from killing or seriously injuring any more of our personnel, so his anger was satiated for the time being. Indeed, Pennsylvania had shone over the past few months, and as a result had steadily climbed up the leaderboard into third place.
I glanced over at it, remembering revealing the new ranks to our agents a few days previously. The majority of them had accepted their places with good grace, although I could see that Alaska was still unsatisfied with being in the bottom half. I had ordered Virginia to remain afterwards, passing on a letter to her, and informing her that while I was pleased with her progress, there was still room for improvement.
I briefly wondered how our new agents, if we were granted them, would match up to our current ones. I found it hard to believe that any would be able to match Carolina, the sniping abilities of Wyoming, the infiltration skills of York and Virginia…
As for the brute strength of Pennsylvania, once, I would have thought that he had no match, but recently, after viewing the files of one of the men I hoped to recruit, I'm no longer so sure. That should be interesting, I mused, distracted in my speculation of the future.
I was snapped out of my trance by a soft cough from the Counselor, who had walked over to the table, unnoticed by me until now due to my lapse in concentration, a grave but slightly confused look on his face.
"Director, we have received a transmission from HIGHCOM," he murmured slowly, his eyes locked on mine. "General Petrarch wishes to speak to you, regarding a matter of great importance that he would not divulge to me."
I nodded eagerly, presuming that the General was messaging me solely due to my report and the requests I had made. It was only when his transmission was patched through, and I saw the grave look on his face, his grey eyes burning with a barely withheld fury, that I began to understand that the cause behind this transmission was something much more serious. The Counselor grudgingly exited the room after I ordered him to, clearly unhappy with being kept out of the loop.
"General," I began, smiling warmly. "I wasn't expecting such a speedy reply to my report. I do hope you and the rest of High Command have seen it fit to grant me my few, meagre requests."
The General merely frowned, shaking his head slowly. "We have received your report, Director Church, but that is not the sole reason behind this call, though I'll address your requests in a moment."
He paused and took a breath, glancing at a figure behind the camera, out of my field of vision, and raised his eyebrows, clearly signalling for that person to depart. After a few seconds his eyes refocused on mine, and, with a small sigh, he began speaking once more.
"Three days ago, Insurrectionists on the Outer-colony planet designated 'Haven' launched a full out assault on UNSC troops stationed there at the time, managing to push the main bulk of our men back into the capitol city of New Delphi. At the same time, using ships that had either been constructed from previously abandoned, crashed ships or constructed in secret using plans that they had obtained from one of our manufacturing facilities, the Insurrectionists established a blockade of the capitol, preventing us from getting either military or humanitarian aid to our troops. We only have minimal forces in the area to send in an attempt to liberate our men trapped down on that viper's nest, and we have no method of getting them onto the planet before our soldiers on the ground are over-run."
He paused again and took another deep breath, frowning heavily, the bags under his eyes becoming even more prominent at this angle. "That's where you come in."
I frowned, confused. "I'm sorry, General, but that sounded rather like an order, and I don't believe that you have the authority to give those. Project Freelancer was established as a military organisation affiliated to, but ultimately separated from, any other branch of the UNSC. The only orders that I am required to follow are those issued by the UNSC Security Committee."
The General's frown grew even more pronounced, and he spat out his next few sentences. "I am well aware of the status of you project, Director, believe me. And while, yes, I cannot give you orders, I can make requests. Just as you have made requests to us."
I leant back in my chair, suddenly aware of where this was going. "So, in return for the co-operation of my project, you will grant my requests?"
Petrarch sighed, holding his left hand to his brow. "We will grant you your requests for an increase in personnel, including doubling your number of agents. We will also agree to the establishment of five new simulation bases on Eris, but I have to express my doubts on whether a project such as yours truly has need for the number of bases that yours is currently running. Your other two requests, supplying your project with equipment that is still currently in development, and…the other matter, will remain under review for the time being, but I will put in a personal recommendation that you are given access to these assets."
I steepled my fingers, not entirely appeased by the General's offering, but…it was tempting. The added personnel in personnel in particular would be a bonus, particularly the new agents. I would have use for them, if the UNSC wanted to use us to combat Insurrectionists in the future. Although, of course, they were not the true enemy. They were not the enemies that Project Freelancer had been created to fight.
But one day, the Covenant would discover who we were. And on that day, they would bleed.
"I accept you request, General," I announced slowly, maintaining eye-contact. "But if you intend on using us against the Insurrection in the future, I will need access to those further requests. However, for now, I am satisfied with your offer. What do you need of Project Freelancer?"
Petrarch nodded, evidently relieved that I had agreed to his terms. I felt a sudden stab of regret, as I realised that they were evidently in more trouble than he had let on, and would probably have given in if I had dug in my heels. However, that opportunity had passed me by, so I dismissed my feelings of regret and paid attention as the General explained exactly what they needed my project to do, interjecting only here and there, when I had suggestions for how exactly we could accomplish these goals.
When we finished finalising plans for the mission the transmission ended, and I asked F.I.L.S.S. to summon the Counselor, who must have been waiting just outside the observation deck this entire time, as he strode through the doors within seconds.
"Can I ask what the transmission was about, Director?" he began before even giving me a chance to speak.
I rolled my eyes in mock-frustration and gave him a tight-lipped smile. "The good General had a few requests of his own to make, in return for granting some of ours."
The Counselor stared at me, waiting for me to inform him as to what exactly these requests entailed, but I just stared at him blankly, unspeaking.
"And these requests were?"
I smiled absentmindedly, standing up and walking past him over to the control panel. "He wants Project Freelancer to join the good fight against the Insurrection. He wants us to go to war."
While the Counselor struggled with this new information, I ordered F.I.L.S.S. to inform the agents that their presence was required in the bridge immediately, and to order personnel to their stations. After that I punched in the co-ordinates that the General had given me, and the ship lurched, beginning its journey to Haven."The General and I have made the necessary plans. He's asked us to liberate the currently besieged city of New Delphi on Harvest. Apparently we are the only UNSC forces near enough to support the small force he has assembled to reclaim the city from the Insurrectionists."
The Counselor nodded, his face twisting briefly as his mind swiftly digested these details and he began to hurriedly work on his data-pad, his fingers flying as he pulled up information beneficial to the mission. I walked over to the holographic table, summoning up images of Haven, New Delphi, the Insurrectionist blockade of the city, a UNSC Paris-class frigate and the Mother of Invention herself.
I was staring at these, my mind sorting through the plan that myself and the General had agreed upon, when the agents made their way into the room, quickly making their way to the table and standing at attention as I stared at them, my face locked in an image of utter seriousness.
"Agents, the Counsellor is finalizing the specific details of the situation, which will be uploaded to your armour after briefing," I began, as several of the images flashed scarlet, due to the ship diverting power in order to open up a rift into slipspace.
The ship rocked as the Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine opened a hole into slipspace, the first time we had utilised the MOI's engine. Several of the agents staggered unsteadily, with Agent Pennsylvania almost colliding with Alaska, asking "Sir, what is going on?" as he struggled to regain his balance.
I looked at the assembled agents for a moment, wondering how exactly to answer that question. In the end, I opted for simple honesty. "War."
I could see the implications of one simple word settling over the agents, and some part of me almost felt sorry for destroying their brief chapter of innocence. However, these emotions quickly passed, and I glanced over to the Counselor, who indicated that the files had been successfully uploaded, so I began the briefing, the images for Haven, New Delphi and the Insurrectionist blockade expanding above the table as I mentioned them.
"Three days ago, the capitol city of the Outer-Colony planter Haven, New Delphi, was besieged by Insurrectionist forces known as the Unified Revolutionary Front. We have been asked by the UNSC to assist their forces in liberating the city. The main problem that we face is that the city has been placed under a blockade by a fleet of Insurrectionist ships, so getting aid down to the UNSC in the city will be difficult."
I took a deep breathe, carrying on, despite the fact that several of the agents appeared to have questions, pulling up the images of both the MOI and the other UNSC vessel. "The Mother of Invention will be aided by the Paris-class frigate Soul of Tranquillity inbreaking the blockade. While we combat the Insurrection in space, you will be taken down by two pelicans to the planet's surface, using the battle as a distraction in order to slip past the blockade. You will have two objectives: Rendezvousing with UNSC forces in New Delphi and aiding them in the defence of the city, and tracking down and assassinating the Insurrectionist leader heading the assault."
Agent Carolina took this moment to speak, immediately taking control of the situation. "So we'll need two teams."
A statement, not a question.
I nodded, pulling back up the holographic image of the city. "Two Teams. Team A will consist of Carolina, York, Massachusetts, Florida and Virginia, with Team B consisting of Pennsylvania, Alaska and Wyoming. Team A's mission will concern the defence of the city, while Team B will perform the assassination."
I paused, staring at the collected agents, weighing them up in my mind. "Agent Carolina and Pennsylvania will lead their respective teams."
I could see the Counselor glance at me from the corner of my eye, clearly not satisfied with Penn's assignment as the leader of Team B, but I ignored him, concentrating on the image of the city before me. I couldn't help but notice the smug look that Penn shot Alaska, but I quelled the urge to reprimand him. Carolina took the announcement with a quiet confidence, no more than I would expect of her. "From the reports we have received, the local UNSC commander, Colonel Eric Grant, has established a base of operations here, in the heart of the city." Some parts of the city suddenly turned red, and some turned orange, but the vast majority remained a pure blue. "The red areas have been seized by the Insurrection, while the blue areas represent those still in control of the UNSC. The orange areas are currently being disputed by both parties."
Virginia spoke up, her eyes locked on mine. "So we're supposed to report to this Colonel Grant for orders?"
I shook my head slowly. "No," I replied, "Agent Carolina has been authorised to take control of the city's defence from him. You have been cleared as Level Zero, the ultimate level of clearance a soldier can receive. Project Freelancer will be running the defence from the ground, not the UNSC. We need you to organise the defences in order to hold out until we have eradicated their blockade, and Team B had time to locate and remove the Insurrectionist leader. At that point we will land personnel, along with military forces from the Soul of Tranquillity, in the heart of the city, who will assist in routing the Insurrection."
The agents paused for a moment as they digested the information I had just presented to them. Eventually, Pennsylvania raised a hand. "How are we supposed to discover the name and whereabouts of their leader?" delicately skirting around the real question.
"Using whatever measures that you see fit, Pennsylvania. Whatever you need to do."
"Understood, sir," he murmured, and I had no doubt that he did, noticing Alaska's suddenly face light up next to him as the full meaning of my words suddenly became clear to him. I almost felt bad for this Insurrectionist, whoever he was, now that I had set Pennsylvania, Alaska and Wyoming on his tail.
"Then get to it, agents," I said, nodding to the doors behind them. "Good luck to you all."
Teach them to fear the name Project Freelancer.
