Chapter 27 Ring of Fire
Character Anjali
Terrador had returned with Zora, Qui-gon, Gandalf, Legolas, and Gimli only an hour before the rouge Covenant battle fleet came into visual range. At its head was a sphere, old and sturdy in its construction and crafted in such a way as to be almost impenetrable. Anjali didn't trust it. She and the rest of the Echoes, as they had decided to continue calling themselves, with the addition of Jackson and Imhotep were in what RuGaard called the Lavadome. The massive crystal sphere was in fact a space and time vehicle that they had hijacked when it appeared on Earth empty. It also had some very powerful lasers that she enjoyed controlling. Thus she was at the controls when Simon came in.
"Anjali how did I know I would find you here," Ghost stated as he pulled off his mask, an action he did only for her.
"Well you probably just had to follow the fire," Anjali replied, "What do you think of these ships, specifically the orb."
"Something is off," Simon said. "Soap can feel it, like a demon is on that thing somewhere."
"So he probably wants to go charging in and kill it doesn't he," she said.
"Oh he already volunteered us to infiltrate the sphere," Simon said, "The Doctor is going too as is John, Cortana, Arbiter, Scaron and Elantra. Now it is just a matter of figuring out how to get in, well no it is where we want to get in the Tardis can get us in easily we just want to find out where in is first."
"If we leave who will control this," Anjali remarked as she gestured to the Lavadome.
"RuGaard and his kin," Simon said, "They used to live here."
"And I guess we get back using the Tardis," Anjali summarized, "Ok do we know what is going to be on the inside?"
"Not a clue," Ghost said, "That's why I came to find you, whatever is on that ship is not like anything we've fought before. Soap can tell you that even from this far away... Anjali I want you to go with the Doctor back to this time and place on Earth and save me from being burned alive." He handed her a piece of paper with a date, time, and coordinates on it, "I have to make sure it is you who saves me cause I wouldn't want it to be anyone else."
She looked from the paper to him as she place a hand in the grooves of his scarred face, her hand matched the grooves perfectly. "Where is the Doctor, it is about time I returned the favor."
"He is just outsi..." Ghost got cut off as she gave him a light kiss and went to meet the Doctor.
"Ah Anjali ready to go," the Doctor asked as she approached him.
"Here are the directions," she said handing him the paper.
"Ah good," Doctor said with a smile, "lets get you there so you can do your thing."
She turned to see Ghost smiling at her as she went with the Doctor to his Tardis. Withing a few minutes the controls were set and they were off.
"So are you going to need any help," River offered as she came into the control room from farther inside the Tardis.
"No thanks," Anjali replied, "This is something I have to do alone."
"I understand," River said with a nod in the Doctor's direction, "I did many similar actions with him."
The Tardis landed and Anjali stepped out to see a raging fire consuming two men, she recognized Riley immediately and ran to his aid. The other man, Roach it must have been, was already dead from a bullet wound. She changed into her Archon form and molded the flames around Ghost into a cradle healing his injuries as she did so. Then on impulse she caressed his face, whispering to him, "your right a life alone is not worth the living." Then she kissed him as she had just done a few moments before leaving behind the distinctive hand prints and if she was really lucky enough Archon energy for her to activate for him when she got back. Putting out the fire she set Riley down before heading into the Tardis and back to the Lavadome.
"Still enjoying the fire," Doctor asked as she entered still in Archon form.
"Something like that," Anjali replied, "Lets go."
A minute later and she was exiting the Tardis leaving the Doctor and River inside to get it ready to take them to the Sphere. Riley was waiting for her outside the fire control chamber. She hovered over to him as he walked over to meet her.
"Well," he asked.
"It was me," Anjali said as she landed on the ground, reached out to him and brought him into a long deep kiss. Riley, despite his past history with fire, embraced the still flaming Anjali and that was when her hope paid off for he, Simon "Ghost" Riley morphed. As they withdrew from the embrace she looked him over. Orange flaming eyes and patterns covered him in contrast to her white. His form was the same shadowy black as hers but since he had never had an Archon form before his parts were showing, him not knowing how to mold the Archon form to cover himself. She helped him out on that molding his form for him.
"Well this is..." Simon said, "Anjali, marry me."
The request was so sudden she was momentarily dumbstruck but then she smiled, "Well I did want him to be an Archon for that very reason," She thought. "Accepted. Doug could marry us, being the captain of a ship and all and I'm sure Dameon and Janelle have some rings they would let us have."
"Anjali, Ghost," it was Price, "Holy blarg, there are two of you? Wait Ghost?"
"Got it in one," Ghost said, "Oh and can you go get Daemon we need wedding rings."
"Never could take anything that wasn't a mission slow could you," Price said with a laugh, "Hold it you're serious aren't you. The two of you Archons and married? Well the band just got a lot more dynamic at the very least, I'll go round up some rings, I heard that Gandalf may have one or two he doesn't want."
"I think we will stay away from any rings from Middle-Earth thank you," Anjali said laughing as she hugged Simon and Price left them alone. "Simon Riley, I love you. However I hate long ceremonies so if we could just get Doug to marry us in something nice and short that would be great."
"See this is the problem with you," Simon replied, "Everything you say is just so practical, just another reason to love you though."
"Well from what I saw you were quite ready for that," Anjali said, "Come on let me show you how to morph in and out of your form without flashing the whole world."
"That would be appreciated," Simon agreed as they both returned to normal forms, "Also how do our cloths not get burned up when we change, where do they go?"
"It is actually the other way around," Anjali informed him, "The Archon is our real state, the human forms are now what we encase ourselves in when we don't want to draw attention. The clothing is a part of these forms."
"So I lost my humanity for a woman," Simon remarked as he picked her up, "Well at least you're worth it. Think we should have music with the wedding?"
"No, I'd want 'Everyday is a Winding Road' and since Katarina can't do Crow I'd have to sing it," Anjali replied.
"True and I would probably end up on the strings," Simon added, "Soon as Price gets back I say we go over to the Pestilence and get Doug to marry us. Until then show me that trick you did to cover me earlier."
Anjali smiled and morphed back into Archon form saying, "As you change wrap the fire about you like a garment."
Character Janell SaDiablo
She Daemon and Luciver, as he had decided to start calling himself to distinguish between himself and their foe, were strolling through the gardens in the Lavadome with RuGaard and Nilrasha. RuGaard was going on about how these gardens used to be his before the Dome left and how he had hopes of bringing it back to his people once this war was over.
"It is an interesting construct," Daemon remarked, "works almost like our jewels to focus and store power."
"Indeed that is what we determined," Nilrasha replied, "Though too late to save our rule the first time. This time has been much better."
"How have you all managed to stay in power with you're people from such a distance," Luciver asked.
"Until the Dome returned we would send messages through Spark's battle net to the units he still controls back in Hypatia," RuGaard said, "Now though we can think directly from the Dome to any of its receivers back home."
"I'm sure the dragons will be more accustom to that method of communication than having to rely on robots to relay your messages," Janell said, "If I were still Queen... there would be much that I could use this Dome for."
"Daemon," Price called as he ran up to them, "Everyone. Good to see you're easy to find. Any of you got spare rings?"
"We do," Luciver said, "But what good would they be to you?"
"No clue," Anjali and Ghost want to use them in their wedding," Price said.
"Well that is unexpected," Janell remarked, "They have been close since you all got back but marriage?"
"Yeah oh and they are both Archons now," Price added.
Janell raised an eyebrow and looked at Luciver who in turned looked at Daemon who said, "A male Archon?"
"Archon or not he is still Ghost," Price said.
"Oh we know," Janell said, "But Archons reproduce by marrying males from other races, they have all been female until Ghost. I wonder how powerful a full blooded Archon will be."
"Hmm I think I see what you're getting at," Price said, "Still you got those rings on you or will I have to find someone else?"
"No we have some," Janell said as she rummaged through her vanished items until she found a pair of rings she had made from the broken pieces of her old scepter. "Here take these."
Price inspected the rings as she made them appear in her hands, "Is that onyx, no it is something else... ah doesn't matter these will do. Now I have to get our two Archons to Doug before we go raiding that sphere on the horizon."
"Send them our best wishes," Nilrasha said, "and good luck to you all inside that ship."
"Will do," Price said as he headed back the way he had come humming some tune as he went.
"A male Archon," Janell said again, "Father will want to know."
"Indeed he would," Luciver agreed, "RuGaard, Nilrasha thank you for the tour but we need to be going."
"Yes we also have things to be doing," RuGaard said, "Farewell SaDiablos." With that he and Nilrasha took off to head for the Imperial residences on top of the small mountain that was in the center of the Dome. Janell drew her husband and brother together and picked up on a gray level energy string that would take them to her father. A few moments later and they were standing before Saetan who look up at them from his book with mild interest.
"What brings the three of you here at the same time," He said as he marked his place and set the book aside, "I am sure it is not some trivial matter."
"Male Archon," Daemon said. Saetan blinked then rose from his chair and waved them over.
"Tell me more," He said.
"Ghost has become an Archon," Janell said, "Most likely from his relationship with Anjali, also they are getting married oh probably in an hour or so before they go to scout out that sphere."
"Hmm... we can't let anything happen to them," Saetan said, "Daemon find Surreal and Grays-fang take them with you. The five of you are going to accompany the couple but do so without them knowing, like you did with Hawk and Fisher."
"Guardians huh," Luciver said, "We can do that, right Cat?"
"They won't even know we are there unless we have to interfere," Janell said, "Come on lets go find Surreal and her pup."
"Keep me informed," Saetan said, "I will funnel you energy if you need it."
Janell gave him a hug before they left. "The Archons returning," she thought, "This will be glorious."
Character Scaron
Scaron was checking over their armor, he and Elantra had decided to go in with their human forms. He took up the guise of a paladin while she was an assassin. Since they both used plate mail armors he took up the care for all their armor, she got the much more varied task of keeping their weapons in good condition. After he made sure that their body armor was good he moved onto their shields. Elantra came back into their room during the time he was polishing his shield with their weapons that she had retrieved from the armory.
"Looks good as new," She commented to him, "Didn't think I'd be wanting to be back in this get up this soon but it kind of grows on you."
"I will admit these forms are much better at getting into places that our regular forms would be harder pressed to access," Scaron said as he finished polishing up her armor and passed it to her as she gave him his mace. "Come we should go find the Doctor and get ready to depart the others should be arriving shortly and I believe the Doctor is on that Dome with the rest of our party."
Elantra nodded her agreement and they went to find Doug. The Flood had already set up teleporters that linked the Lavadome to the Pestilence, however he had yet to transfer the control protocols to anyone else. As they followed the trail of green Flood slime that would lead them to Doug they encountered Moroni.
"Scaron, Elantra," Moroni said, "Is this to soon for us to talk?"
"Walk with us and talk fast," Scaron said, "We have a mission to get started."
"I understand," Moroni replied as he sped up to keep pace with the pair, "I am simply trying to catch all of you to say I'm sorry. I know it isn't worth much but its all I have."
Scaron and Elantra stopped for a moment to study their former friend and most recent enemy turned ally. "I... we understand your need, and while we will forgive you don't expect us to trust you just yet," Elantra replied, "Now we need to find Doug if you will excuse us."
"And I should go find the rest of your group to see if they will be as merciful to me," Moroni said, "God's grace be with you on your mission."
"And yours," Scaron said finishing the old Leviathan parting phrase as the two left Moroni behind. They soon came upon Doug, or one of his minions, who went with them to activate the teleporter.
"Hmm seems that two of your friends want to come over here," Doug said, "I'll let them over before I send you two back so I don't have to make multiple teleports."
Anjali and Ghost teleported in from the Lavadome. "Scaron, Elantra, good to see you, Doug we want you to marry us," Ghost said.
"Marry you two," Doug said seemingly unmoved, "Well why not but it will have to be quick you two and Scaron and Elantra here need to get to the Doctor so you can go board that Sphere. With K and Celantra out I don't want us taking any chances."
"Hold up," Elantra said, "marriage, you two, why?"
"This is why," Anjali said as she and Ghost both morphed into Archons.
Elantra looked at him Scaron gave her a wink and thought to her, "Now that is new."
"Isn't it," Elantra replied.
"You two can stop thinking to each other we can tell when you do that," Ghost said.
"Heh well I guess that is that then," Scaron said, "Ok what are you waiting for Doug you've got you bride and groom and us witnesses, get this show on the road."
"Scaron this is a big moment for these two have some class," Elantra rebuked.
"No its fine," Anjali said, "We didn't want anything long or fancy anyway."
"Very well what would you like for me to do," Doug said, "I see you have rings so would you like me to have you each make vows?"
"Aye something simple but complete," Ghost said, "Neither of us are big into the long speeches."
"So be it," Doug said, "Simon 'Ghost' Riley as husband you are to provide, care, protect and love Anjali until your death. Anjali as the wife you are to support, care, strengthen, and love Riley until your death. To accept this bond place the rings on each others fingers." They did so. "Scaron, Elantra, you are witnesses to the marriage as is God. As Admiral I pronounce you two to be wed."
"Doug forgetting something," Elantra supplied.
"Hmm oh yes the documents will be ready when you get back," Doug said.
"I think she meant the part where they kiss," Scaron said.
"Ah that is right most species do that don't they," Doug replied, "Yes you may kiss, though I am pretty sure you two already have."
Ghost and Anjali shook their heads before kissing and Doug teleported them over to the Lavadome.
"Well he wasn't kidding," Scaron remarked, "That was short."
"It was fine with us," Ghost said.
"Worth it," Anjali added, "Now I want to take you out for a test drive, get your Archon powers going."
"Well there is a big sphere that is bound to be crawling with enemies just waiting for us," Scaron said, "Now lets go you love birds and don't get all mushy on me."
"Oh things are going to get hot now," Elantra said, "Between their fire and your fire and Halo Company's energy swords... that's a lot of heat."
"You couldn't even wait two minutes could you," Ghost remarked, "Ah blarg it, lets get on the Tardis I'm sure everyone else will be there."
They met up with Lucas and Katarina on the way to the Tardis, both were surprised at the marriage of Ghost and Anjali but seemed to accept it readily enough Katarina remarking, "Just don't make him crispy," to Anjali who laughed in response.
"So you didn't want an actual wedding you just had Doug perform it," Lucas asked.
"No," Ghost replied, "We both just like simple and to the point events."
"I would at least had lace," Katarina supplied, "You should always have lace at a wedding."
"Well they were on fire," Scaron commented as they reached the Tardis and the Doctor waved them in.
"Wait what," Lucas asked as they entered.
"Tell you later," Anjali said, "Now lets get on this sphere."
Character Cortana
Scaron, Elantra, Ghost, Anjali, Lucas and Katarina had just boarded the Tardis when Storm poked her head in.
"Cortana, You'll want to hang on to these for John, I've got to go but this armor will be useful soon."
"Why... another vision isn't it," Cortana said accepting the armor that was a sleek formed mold that would be slightly to big for John, "I'll keep track of it."
The Doctor and River got them moving towards the sphere after Storm withdrew her head. Cortana didn't like it, this sphere just felt wrong every sense she had Sentinel or otherwise was screaming how wrong the craft felt. Additionally she was concerned that it and the fleet that surrounded it had not made any move to engage them even though the two fleets had been staring each other down for a couple of days now. And now Storm had a vision of something that was going to happen on the sphere.
"I don't like this John," she said.
"We know," John replied as he put a hand on her shoulder and took the armor, "But saying it for another thousand times won't change anything."
"It as big as a planet," Arbiter said, "Forerunner no doubt."
"Hollow on the inside," Cortana remarked, "Its like if the Ark was curled into a ball."
"Ok we've landed," River announced.
"What did you turn the sound off again," Doctor said, "I love that sound why did you turn the sound off?"
Scaron and Elantra walked out the doors as they opened, Cortana got up and followed them out with John and Arbiter behind her. She had left the ACU on the Pestilence since she would be more useful for this mission in her bodily form. She picked up movement almost immediately, more important movement that wasn't from any of the members she could see. They were on the side of a hill near a building of white metal, light came from somewhere over the hills and from inside the building.
"Hold it," She called, "Something is here with us." Looking at the spots that her motion tracking identified as the last location of the motion her Sentinel senses told her who it was. She called out, "SaDiablos show yourselves."
Daemon, Luciver and Janell appeared with Luciver commenting, "Well that doesn't happen normally."
They were about to explain what they were doing when Cortana picked up a signal, "Hush," she said, "Emergency broadcast, from two of ours. Projecting it now."
"UNSC AI Cortana. This is the Pillar II and the Infinity we are stuck in a gravity well on the inside of the structure please assist at the coordinates 42,77... Repeat please assist."
"Well that doesn't," John started then the whole group was caught in a red scanning beam from a flying machine of some kind that had rings for wings and a slender pillar for a body. After which the whole structure powered up and started moving.
"What the... well we woke it up now," Price said.
"You people run into trouble a lot," Imhotep said, "Good thing you've got us here." Indicating himself and the SaDiablos.
"It wants us to follow it," the Doctor said as the flying robot headed off down one of the passages that led into the structure.
"Doctor," Soap said as the adventurous man chased after the robot with River, "Crap come on we can't let them get into trouble."
John took the lead after they got inside the structure him being able to keep up with the Doctor and Cortana able to guide the rest of them after him. He rounded a corner that the Doctor just disappeared around when Cortana lost his signal.
"John," she yelled down the hall, after getting no response Cortana dashed to the end and around the corner leaving the rest to catch up on their own. She saw the Doctor and River but John and the robot were gone. The Doctor was flashing different places with his sonic screwdriver and mumbling to himself River had her laser pistol in her hands. "What happened," Cortana demanded.
"Teleport," Doctor replied relieving some of Cortana's concerns, "Trying to get a lock on its location so I can get us there..." As he was speaking the rest rounded the corner and gathered around them.
"Where is he," Arbiter hissed.
"Teleported," River explained, "By the robot. We are trying to determine where."
"Got it," Doctor said, "He is about a thousand feet up."
"What," Jackson said, "On the top of the building?"
"Seems like it give me a moment and we will be there too," the Doctor replied, "River do you have a piece of string?"
River sighed and handed him a long string. The Doctor dangled it in the air and watched how it moved before sonically activating the teleportation array that was built into the structure, transporting them all to a room filled with floating pillars and a platform on which they and John were standing. Well they were standing John was floating as if he was in the grip of some large invisible person.
"John," Cortana yelled as she ran to him.
"Cortana wait," John hissed, "Just let it finish."
Cortana was still under him to catch him as the force let go of him.
"Are you alright" Cortana asked as she caught him. Arbiter had joined her but the rest of the team had spread out on the platform to check for enemies.
"Uh, yeah I think," John replied. "Armor is a little tight though... I guess Storm saw the Librarian in her vision."
"The who," Cortana asked.
"Me," replied a voice as a projection of what could only be a female forerunner appeared before them. She was hairless with large eyes and dressed in a white robe. "I am the Librarian keeper of the knowledge of the Forerunners. When I discovered that the reclaimer had come here I had to keep my duty and give to him the gift we had stored for him."
"And what Old One is that," Arbiter asked.
"This," John said as he took of his helmet. Cortana almost dropped him and Arbiter was visibly shocked. John's face was like the Librarian's he was Forerunner. "Explains why the armor is not fitting right, Cortana help me get this suit off I'll bet Storm's gift will fit just fine."
"Interesting," Doctor said as he came over, "Total bodily regeneration just like... oh."
The Doctor jumped back as Cortana hit the releases for the Spartan suit and the piece fell off. She thought John looked a little silly in just his undersuit, the black single piece protective garment that keeps the metal, composite plates of the armor from hitting up against the skin and had the gel layer in it, but he was nonetheless impressive with his chiseled muscles and now taller sleeker form. He looked like a Forerunner in the face and in the way his limbs were proportioned but his hands and feet were the same as before, over all he looked pretty good.
"Tana you can stop staring," John said as he picked up the bundle of armor that Storm had given them.
"Oh that's fine I don't mind," Cortana replied with a slight smile.
"Reminds me of you," she heard Daemon say to Janell. John put the armor on it fit in such a way that it locked into each piece with a flexible energy stream which emitted a low orange light.
"So that is what the cloak is for," Arbiter observed, "to mask the glow."
In the armor with the cloak John looked well Cortana wasn't sure what he looked like she had never experienced a sensation like she was now looking at him. The sleek metal plates that molded to his sculpted body connected with the low orange glow and the cloak with its hood. "Wow that is... is..." Cortana thought.
"Attractive," John asked her.
"Yes that is it! I've loved him for so long then I could touch him now even his appearance is beautiful to me," Cortana thought then said, "Yes very you look like a cross between a man and an AI."
"Seems fitting," Arbiter remarked. Soap laughed at that as did Luciver, the rest were trying to ignore the relatively private moment. That ignorance actually paid off for them as Jackson yelled.
"Everyone look out we got Covenant!"
The Librarian vanished and the Doctor started flashing his screwdriver around, "More than Covenant some hostile AI's have just uploaded themselves into forms like our flying friend among other forms."
John picked up his energy swords, Arbiter readied his swords Cortana charged her fingertips with electricity, Imhotep cracked his neck, Janell threw up a barrier, Daemon was inspecting his ring, Luciver had his ax out, Ghost and Anjali both morphed into Archons which surprised most everyone there, Scaron drew his mace and shield, Elantra placed three lightning turrets, Soap had his pistol in one hand and his knife in the other, Price had a sniper, Jackson his katana, Lucas had drawn his two handed sword, Katarina had her rifle, Reinhardt his lexicon, the Doctor kept sonicing and River had her laser out.
Then a dog-like machine stepped out onto the platform. It let out a shrike and charged them as it fired spikes from its face. Cortana zapped it causing it to explode while Soap dodged out of the way of the spikes which embedded themselves in Imhotep who subsequently pulled them out with a snarl.
"Sorry about the suit," Soap said.
"Better than those hitting you," Imhotep replied as he healed the holes that the spikes had made in him leaving five patches of visible skin in his tux. Then twenty more dogs appeared accompanied by five large robots that were bipedal and had guns mounted into their arms which extended from their triangle shaped bodies. There were also at least five flying robots.
"Why are these things after us," Scaron asked, "One just finished helping us."
"He is free," the Librarian said, "I will teleport you to your allies at the grounded ships, you must stop the Didact or he will try to compose everyone."
"What does that mean," Cortana asked but they had already been teleported. "Well I guess we will have to find out."
"Hey over here," called a voice. There was a group of marines that had come out of a cave and was waving them over.
"Lasky is that you," John exclaimed as they got closer, "What are you doing here."
"Who, no wait what are you," Lasky a man in his forties with a stern face and brown hair that was just starting to gray asked.
"Chief you did just change," Price reminded him, "most people wont recognize you."
"Oh right," John said, "Sierra 117 reporting in as is Cortana."
"Chief," Lasky stated, "Holey... is this what they did to you original Spartans?"
"No that would be the Forerunner AI that we just finished encountering," Cortana said, "I'm Cortana we got your hail."
Lasky's jaw dropped but he restructured his composure quickly before saying, "Well I must say I was not expecting to be meeting you umm in person? Doesn't matter I guess I see the Arbiter is still with you even if his race is caught up in this... dispute, but who are the others?"
"You mean the deserters," Arbiter said, "We hold back nothing on destroying their kind."
"Lasky I'm Price captain of 141, you may have heard of us," Price said as he walked up to start the introductions.
"141 but that was five hundred years ago..." Lasky started.
"Get used to that," Captain Jack said as he walked over to him, "I've had several of their friends on the Pillar II over the years, what no dragons with you?"
"Oh we are here," Scaron said for himself and Elantra.
"Ah just trying to blend in I see haha," Jack said, "Well its good to have some of Dragon Company back. How is Doug?"
"Oh he is good," Soap replied, "His fleet is outside this planet thing here guarding another world that this sphere almost floated into."
"Yes well you can introduce me on the way to the ships," Lasky said, "Captain Del Rio will want to see you all."
"Indeed he would and I would very much like for that snobbish prick to meet them," Jack said.
"He hasn't interfered with your command," Lasky said, "But he can be stubborn."
"Touchy subject," River observed.
"Slightly," Jack replied, "Now I've mellowed with age but he has only gotten more stiff necked."
"How old are you now," Jackson asked, "Last we rode with you you were what forty and that was almost ten years ago."
"Your math is right," Jack said, "I'm fifty-three now, I keep thinking maybe I should just officially join up with you all none of you have seemed to have aged a day."
"That is because we don't," Reinhardt replied, "Something about being around the Leviathans as much as we are suspends our aging process."
"Hey can I get in on that," Lasky asked.
"We'll see," Cortana said, "It sounds like you have to report to your superior at the moment."
Lasky nodded and led them to the Infinity. In size the Infinity and the Pillar II were about the same both big enough to hold a whole city inside them, or in this case take up an entire canyon that ran between two mountain ranges. They were led through several levels of the Infinity which was crewed by several thousands of members including the newest line of Spartans. Soon they got to an elevator that took them to the Bridge where they were introduced to Captain Del Rio.
"Lasky what have you brought me this time," Del Rio asked as the man looked up from the table display of the surrounding geography and tactical reports.
"Sir," Lasky said, "Sierra 117, Cortana, Arbiter and company, and Captain Jack Sir."
"Arbiter, hmm yes so I see," Del Rio remarked as he studied them, "Master Chief I assume that is you under the hood and Cortana I see you have disregarded all protocols and got yourself a body."
"Yeah I did," Cortana said, "I also married John since the UNSC last saw us."
"Married or not a UNSC AI in an unapproved vehicle is still a violation of protocol must I order you to obey them?"
"You could try," Cortana said starting to see why Jack didn't like Del Rio, "I would ignore you however."
"Married, a body and disobeying orders," Del Rio said with a raised eyebrow, "I guess I'll have to see which codes apply to you now. Chief by our records you are technically still in active service even though we haven't seen or heard from either of you two in years, I'll want a full report on what transpired since then to make sure you didn't desert us. Now the rest of you weapons go in the armory they are not carried on your persons am I clear?"
"Hell no," Luciver replied as he flared his wings for Del Rio to see, "I am keeping my weapons."
"Yeah same here," Scaron and Elantra put in.
"As a diplomat between our races I get to keep mine even if your orders are to have them stored," Arbiter said, "Luciver there is an ambassador for his race, the Doctor and River are Time Lords your laws don't apply to them and Scaron and Elantra are Leviathans they are far beyond your authority."
"Lasky is this some sort of a mutiny," Del Rio asked.
"No Sir I just thought you would be interested to know..." Lasky tried to explain.
"Not another word," Del Rio said, "Why are you all here?"
"They are responding to my distress call," Jack said, "Yeah I sent one, even despite your idiocy."
"Captain Jack," Del Rio said flatly, "I ordered you as commander of this mission not to send any signals."
"Well to bad," Jack said, "I'm saying stuff your orders and stuff command. Lord Hood will have to come and discharge me himself before I will stop trying to look after my crew. These guys are part the best fighting force this universe has ever seen and I will ask them for help even if you said not to!"
"And that is treason," Del Rio said, "Lasky lock up the Captain and transfer command of his ship to..." Soap cut him off with a blade against his throat.
"You are going to want to reconsider that last statement friend."
"Soap let it go," Cortana said trying to avoid bloodshed at the encounter that had just gotten really hot, "Arbiter under Title 57 section 43 paragraph 3 line 5 you have the right to take command of any UNSC ship at any time for any reason as long as an official UNSC entity approves your command, as the official UNSC entity I approve of your command of this vessel, the Infinity, until such time as it is deemed suitable circumstance to return the current captain to command. During your command you are entitled to full rights as an Admiral of the UNSC and of equal status to UNSC Naval Command and the highest level ONI operatives. If you want to play by the books then you should know what is in them, Del Rio."
Del Rio looked furious but knew he was out done. "Then what does the Arbiter say in this matter?"
"I would say you are to be my technical adviser on the capabilities of this ship, its weapons, cargo, and any and all weapons on board," Arbiter said, "Lasky you are the head of operations your first duty is to fill in the crew on the transfer of command and get me a broadcast ready so I may speak to the crew myself. Jack I would be grateful if you would return to your ship and inform your crew of the same however you may conduct you operations as you see fit unless in the situation of the defense or engagement of both ships then I will have oversight of your actions. DC lets get settled in Soap says there is a demon here and the Librarian mentioned a Didact, Didact not a word used lightly in my society it means terrible conqueror or dictator. I believe this to be the source of the disturbances that my friends here have picked up on, it could also be the reason for the deserters coming here, we have to find it before they do."
"Well at least now we know why the fleet didn't engage us they were busy with a ground war in here," Cortana said.
"All you have is wild speculation, but we have been picking up some unusual readings from the core of the planet, whatever the deserters as you call them are after is most likely there," Del Rio said.
"Most helpful thing you've said so far," Jack said, "I'm shocked."
"I may not like this but I follow the rules and obey the responsibilities of my post," Del Rio said with pride, "And I always will."
"I figured you would be dependable in this position," Arbiter said, "Glad to see I am right. Also get a signal to Doug if you can, Cortana, tell him what we've found."