Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to the next short story in the companion piece to the Halo/Star Wars crossover.
Thank you all for your wonderful feedback and support. I deeply appreciate it.
As you have likely noticed, I will be posting a short story every Tuesday when possible. Every Thursday, I will be writing a new short story that will explain more of the story and fills in any plot holes that are present.
As always, leave a review, and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Halo or Star Wars franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of Microsoft Studios, 343 Industries, Bungie, Lucasfilms, 20th Century fox, Disney Films, etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers, producers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to its original composers and/or artists.
UNSC Infinity
Deep Space
October 20th, 2558, 0300 Hrs
Once the initial terror of their battle with the Supercarrier had worn off, Lasky felt tired and drained for a moment. We barely got away from that battle by the skin of our teeth, he thought. Damnit! If we had another fleet to support us during the battle, we could've easily been able to defeat the Supercarrier, or at least damage it enough that we could've driven it away.
He took a breath to calm himself. It would not do well for him to become angry with what had happened. Besides, the mission had been a success. While they hadn't been able to kill Jul 'Mdama, they had been able to severely injure him, as Chief's AAR had indicated, and they had been able to complete their primary objective: rescue Dr. Halsey.
Speaking of which, he thought to himself. I'll need to speak with Dr. Halsey. From the sounds of things, she's been through quite the experience. I'll probably do that once I've spoken with HIGHCOM on why the hell we didn't have a fleet in addition to the ships that we have.
As if the Universe had been listening in on his thoughts, Roland said, "Sir, I've got an incoming transmission from HIGHCOM. They want to speak with you in your private quarters. My guess is that the news about the Storm Covenant Supercarrier we encountered got their attention pretty fast."
"Thanks, Roland," Lasky said with a sigh. "I'll take it in my quarters. Inform them that I'll be ready to speak with them in fifteen minutes" He paused as he turned to leave. "Did anyone else catch the transmission that we sent out about six hours ago when we encountered the Supercarrier?"
"Yeah," Roland confirmed. "Several ships in the area picked it up, but they were busy with their assignments and couldn't come to assist. Vice Admiral Alexander Reaves also picked it up, but he was busy dealing with a Kig-Yar pirate group. He wishes to convey his regrets that he wasn't able to come assist you, and would like to speak with you in person."
"All right," Lasky said. "Inform him that I'll be speaking with HIGHCOM, but that I'll talk with him once my meeting with them is done. Connor, you have the bridge."
"Thank you, sir," Connor said. "I'll inform you of anything that requires your urgent attention."
"Understood." Lasky turned and walked out the door, while Connor quickly took control of the situation at Lasky's command. Moving through the hallways of the ship, Lasky quickly turned down the corridors that would take him to his personal quarters. Before long, he was at those quarters, with Lasky giving the Spartan IVs that served as his guards a quick salute before striding inside.
Before heading to the personal WAVE/SLIPSPACE COM system that was in his quarters, he took a minute or two to make himself presentable. Once he was satisfied with how he appeared, he strode over to the COM system and looked through his contacts. Seeing the HIGHCOM contact flashing, he hit it, bringing up a video feed that showed all of the members of HIGHCOM.
Terrence Hood, the Admiral of The Navy, was the first to speak once all the others were on. "Captain Lasky," he said. "Good to hear from you. I take it that you were able to complete Operation ANCHORITE and DESINENCE?"
"Yes," Lasky said. "We were able to damage or destroy a number of Covenant assets and complete the goal of Operation DESINENCE. We were, unfortunately, unable to assassinate Jul 'Mdama during the battle. We did, however, manage to severely injure him. He won't be able to come onto the field of battle for quite some time."
"Damn," General Hogan growled. "I was hoping we'd kill the bastard that cost us a Forerunner Shield World and captured Dr. Halsey. Oh well… I suppose there's always next time." On another screen, Osman looked similarly irritated, though Lasky had a feeling that it was for another reason entirely.
"I see," Hood said. "According to your AAR, you encountered a Class Five flagship in orbit over Kamchatka, a CSO-class Supercarrier if I recall correctly, yes?"
"Yes, sir," Lasky said. "According to historical records that Roland access, there's only been one other battle where a CSO-class Supercarrier was encountered: during the Battle of Reach. The presence of that supercarrier meant that we had to retreat from the battle once Spartan Blue Team was back onboard the Infinity, which begs the question that I've been wondering for some time."
Looking at Hood and the rest of HIGHCOM, he asked, "Why didn't you send another fleet to support the Infinity? If we had another fleet in support of the Infinity, in addition to the ten frigates that we carry as standard, we would've been able to easily defeat the CSO-class Supercarrier and possibly even capture it, or at the least drive it away. It was a result of us not having that fleet, combine with the battle that was going on, that once we had the objectives of both operations complete, we had to fleet or risk destruction. So, again, why wasn't a fleet sent to support us?"
"That is a good question," General Hogan said. "In the Marine Corps, one good adage we have is you never go it alone. You always bring someone or a group of people, that can help you out if you're ass is about to be burned. So, why wasn't the Infinity provided with the support that would've turned the battle from a hasty retreat into a victory?"
"Osman?" Hood asked.
"I can explain," Osman said. "When the Infinity was initially constructed, it was decided that a fleet of ten frigates stored inside the ship would be sufficient to deter any attackers that would've tried to assault the ship. Given that the Storm Covenant have become an increasing threat, it is clear that assessment, while valid at the time, is now not only outdated, but also incredibly dangerous."
"Then there is the lack of intelligence that was to be had on the Storm Covenant's ability to send in Class Five flagships into a battle," Hood said pointedly.
"Yes. That was clearly a failure on ONIs part to gather, analyze and provide the necessary intelligence for Operations ANCHORITE and DESINENCE. I'll be speaking with the head of ONI Section One on why that intelligence wasn't gathered in the first place. Had we known that the Storm Covenant was in possession of Class Five flagships like the CSO-class Supercarrier, and was capable of fielding them in their operations, we might've sent a fleet with the Infinity to ensure that the battle as a victory and not a smash-and-grab operation."
"Agreed," Hood said. "However, the responsibility for ensuring that the Infinity has the support needed to complete a mission falls on my shoulders." Looking at Lasky, he said, "It appears as though hubris about the Infinity's capabilities clouded my judgment on the matter. As such, I apologize, Lasky, for not providing the fleet with the means to support itself. It was an error in judgment on my part."
"I see," Lasky said. "With all due respect sir, why isn't an Admiral, or at the least a Rear Admiral assigned to the ship?'m just a Captain, and a Captain usually commands something smaller than the Infinity. I don't wish to be disrespectful. I'm just wondering why I'm in command of a 11 ship strong fleet, with one of them being the biggest in the entire UNSC. As such, I would like to request that a Vice Admiral, or at the least a Rear Admiral is assigned to the ship, along with a 30 warship strong fleet. That way, if we do encounter a Supercarrier again, we can stand a chance of defeating it. If you want to hear a recommendation, I would recommend Vice Admiral Alexander Reaves. He and I work well together, and he has an excellent track record."
"An excellent idea," Hood agreed. "A CSO-class Supercarrier is a major problem. I'll have a fleet arranged to provide support for the Infinity, but I will have to deny your request for a Vice Admiral to be in command of the Infinity. For the duration of your hunt for that Supercarrier, you'll have provisional command of that fleet. Understood?
"Yes," Lasky said. True, it was annoying to hear that part of his request was now being turned down, though he could understand the reasoning behind that decision. "We were able to retrieve Dr. Halsey from the Storm Covenant. Apparently, she signaled for us to come pick her up. I'll be talking with her once this meeting is completed. I certainly would like an explanation from her concerning all of the events that have happened since her capture by the Storm Covenant."
"Good," Hood said. "Dr. Halsey's been inside of the Storm Covenant long enough for her to figure out what their intentions are. That makes her an asset in our war against the Storm Covenant."
"Yes," Osman said, though her voice was dripping in annoyance. "Just make certain that she doesn't try to pull anything else that is… untoward. Last time she did, we lost a Forerunner Shield World, as well as a number of Spartan IVs."
"I'll make sure that nothing else like that happens," Lasky said. "You have my word on that."
"Good," Osman said. "Is there anything else that you would like to discuss with us, Captain Lasky?"
"No," Lasky said. "I've said my piece."
"Good," Hood said. "Continue with your current operations, Lasky. Once you've completed your post-battle inspection for the Infinity, you are to head back to Earth and pick up the support fleet while you are at it. Dismissed." With that, the COM link between the Infinity and HIGHCOM was cut.
Well, that went well, Lasky thought, and I now know why they didn't send a fleet to support us in the battle. He sighed. Hubris has been the fall of many a General and Admiral. I'd rather not be killed and the ship destroyed because of arrogance like that.
He was about to leave and speak with Dr. Halsey when he remembered what Roland had said earlier.Say, Vice Admiral Reaves wished to convey his regrets to me for not being able to assist. Perhaps I could ask him to come and be the flag officer for the Infinity as well as my CO.Returning to the COM console, he quickly opened up a channel to Vice Admiral Reaves.
The screen winked on to show a man that was around thirty years older than Lasky was. A tall man with salt-and-pepper hair, blue-gray eyes and pale skin, Vice Admiral Reaves was starting to get on in terms of age. He was, however, one of the better Vice Admirals in the UNSC, and had supervised numerous operations that were well above Lasky's clearance level. Despite this, the two had become close friends, especially when the events surrounding Corbrulo Academy were learned by HIGHCOM. "Vice Admiral Reaves," Lasky said. "It's been a while."
"It has," Reaves said, his husky and hoarse voice coming in clearly. "I wanted to convey my regrets for not being able to assist the Infinity when you sent out that distress signal. I was busy dealing with a Kig-Yar pirate incursion near one of our colonies."
"It's all right," Lasky reassured him. "You were busy with your orders and I had mine. That being said, it would be nice to have some backup in case we encounter another Supercarrier like we did a few hours ago. I made this problem clear to HIGHCOM, and even they agreed that it was a problem that needed to be rectified. However…"
"Let me guess," Reaves said. "They turned down your request for a Vice Admiral to be in command of the Infinity, but allowed you to provisionally command a fleet to destroy the enemy Supercarrier. Am I right or not?"
"Pretty much," Lasky said. "How'd you know?"
"I'm not a dumb person," Reaves said. "I've been around the ballpark long enough to know how certain things work. Honestly, I'm not surprised, but it doesn't make sense for them to say no to having a Vice Admiral aboard the Infinity. I'll look into that for you."
"Please do. Permission to express myself, sir?"
"Granted," Reaves said.
"I feel very… annoyed," Lasky said. "We encounter a Supercarrier that has the ability to kick our asses and force us to flee once our mission was complete. After that, I request HIGHCOM for a fleet to support the Infinity, only for that request to be turned down. I don't know if I've pissed off HIGHCOM somehow, or if something else is going on, which brings me to a request that I would like to make."
"And that would be?"
"I would like to make a request to HIGHCOM that they could send over a Vice Admiral, or at the very least a Rear Admiral, to be the flag officer of the Infinity. That way, the Infinity can be captained by someone befitting of her prestige, and have a fleet that is capable of providing support for when a CSO-class Supercarrier shows up at a battle."
"I see," Reaves said. "I'll see if I can use my influence to sort out that trouble. It's probably because they're hearing the request from a Captain and not considering it to be serious. I'll contact you if anything else happens."
"All right," Lasky said. With that, the transmission cut out.
. . .
On the other side of the transmission, onboard the UNSC Euclid's Anvil, Vice Admiral Reaves frowned as he clasped his hands and rested his chin on his thumbs. Very strange, he thought to himself. Lasky makes what is normally a highly reasonable request, only for HIGHCOM to deny the request. Very curious. Still, as I told Lasky, I'll see if I can get this sorted out. Walking to his quarters, he said, "Daedalus, get me a direct line to HIGHCOM."
"Affirmative, sir," the AI for the Euclid's Hammer said. It wasn't long before the faces of the UNSC HIGHCOM Council appeared. "Vice Admiral," Hood said. "I take it that Lasky talked with you about what happened."
"Yes," Reaves said. "I came to see if I could speak on his behalf and try to sort out this debacle. As he probably told you earlier, I would like to be transferred from the Euclid's Hammer to the UNSC Infinity. Now, would you grant me permission to explain why I am making that request?"
"Yes," Hood said.
"No problem here," Hogan said. "I think we should hear an explanation."
"All right then," Reaves said. "To be honest, sir, I believe that Lasky's request is quite reasonable. For starters, it is tradition for a high ranking officer, such as a Vice Admiral, to be in command of a ship like the Infinity. Captains usually only command their ship, as well as two to three other ships, while a Vice Admiral commands around twenty to thirty. Given that the Infinity has ten warships at her command, it would make sense for a Rear Admiral, at the very least, to be in command of the Infinity. The other reason is due to naval tradition: you don't place a Captain in charge of a fleet like that. It doesn't make sense."
"I see," Hood said. "While I do understand the reasons why you would want to be transferred, I will have to decline," Hood said. This prompted the other Generals and Admirals to look at Hood with a confused expression, while Reaves looked flabbergasted. Before he could ask why, Hood said, "While I understand those reasons, and they are highly reasonable ones, we still need you to keep the border worlds safe from Kig-Yar incursions. We can't spare the manpower right now to have someone else take over your position. As such, I have to decline your request. Understood?"
Reaves sighed. "Yes, sir," he said. "I don't like it, but I understand sir. I will see myself out."
"Very good," Hood said. "Terrence Hood out."
Once the COM channel closed, Reaves again clasped his hands and rested his chin on his thumbs. Why the hell did he refuse my request? he thought. It doesn't make sense... Oh, well, at least I tried. I'll have to give Lasky the bad news though. Shame. I really thought I was going to get through.
. . .
What Reaves didn't know was that many of the Admirals were sharing his confusion on the topic. Hogan was looking at Hood as though the man had lost his mind, while Strauss and Dellert were sharing a confused look with each other. Even Osman was confused. "What the hell?!" Hogan asked. "Admiral Lord Terrence Hood! Have you lost your mind?! It's insanity to send a Captain with a fleet like that alone!"
"While I am understandably agitated myself, I am curious as to why you turned down Lasky and Reaves, twice now," Osman said. "What's going on, Hood? Why turn them down?"
"My thoughts exactly," Strauss said after he finished a short conversation with Dellert. "Naval command isn't my forte, but even this is ridiculous. Why?"
Hood looked at the others. He could understand their confusion, as well as Hogan's outburst. I wish I could tell them, but I can't, he thought. My plans for Lasky have to remain a secret. "I have my own reasons," he said, "reasons that I will keep to myself. All I will say is that I have my reasons for denying Lasky and Reaves their joint request. All that I ask is that you trust me. Besides, I would tell you if I could, if Parangosky was still the head of ONI."
As Hood finished speaking, the other Admirals and Generals looked at each other uncertainly, with Osman looking a little bewildered and irritated. They didn't understand why Hood was doing what he was doing, but they trusted him. They had to, otherwise everything would fall apart. As such, they returned to their duties, more than a little mystified as to what was going on.
. . .
Onboard the Infinity, Lasky was occupying his time while waiting for Reaves to call back. When he heard his COM chime, he opened it. Seeing Reaves appear on the screen again, he asked, "So, any luck?"
"Nope," Reaves said. "Hood turned down my request too."
"Why? That doesn't make sense at all."
"Don't know," Reaves said, "Still, like you said, it doesn't make sense. Why it was turned down, I have no clue, but I do intend to find out, even if I have to do a little digging to do so. I'll listen in on the scuttlebut and I'll call in a few favors I've got with ONI Section One to find out why Hood turned down your offer. Strictly off the book. Maybe even find out about that Supercarrier until now.. Still, I'm glad you made it out of whatever situation that you found yourself in alive and well, and I hope that you have a better go of things next time."
"Same here," Lasky said. "I should probably let you get back to your business now. I've got people to talk with and a post-battle inspection of the ship to conduct. Talk to you later."
"Understood," Reaves said. "Take care now, Lasky. Vice Admiral Reaves out."
"You too, sir. Captain Lasky out."
The image that was before Lasky's eyes faded out of existence, leaving the Captain to his thoughts. So, Reaves tried to address the same issue that I was trying to take care of, but had his request turned down like my own. Just what is Hood's reason for doing so? He sighed explosively, the sound loud and harsh in the silence of the room. Oh well. I should probably head down to the brig. Last I recall, Halsey was there as per standard operating procedure. Brushing off his jacket, he went to his computer and set up an intra-system link to the onboard hospital.
The feed that came up showed a single man that was working behind a desk, with the image showing a UNSC banner in the background. The man in question was enormous, with Lasky estimating that the man would've stood at a grand total of seven feet in height, and likely weighed over a hundred and twenty kilos. The man's skin was also very dark, hinting at the man's African descent. He was also bald, though this was more from choice than age. When Lasky sat down, the man looked up at him with amber colored eyes and smiled. "Good afternoon, Captain Lasky," he said in a deep, but warm voice. "Need something from me?"
Lasky smiled. The man in question was Commander Ali Muhamar. One of the deputy section heads for the Infinity, Muhamar was in charge of assisting Dr. Cassandra in operating the hospital and ensuring that all of the patients inside made a full recovery, or at the least a recovery. While uncompromising when it came to protocol, the man was a warm and kind individual, which was very fitting for a man that had been a medic during the war. "Yes," Lasky said. "Dr. Halsey was sent down to the onboard hospital given her current medical condition, yes?"
"Let me see," Muhamar said, pulling up a series of files on his computer. "Yes. Dr. Catherine Halsey. Submitted to the hospital for an examination of her left arm, or rather what is left of it. From what I recall, she took a bullet there, which necessitated the amputation of the limb."
"Yes," Lasky said. "I was wondering if I could speak with her in my quarters, if she's well enough for the talk that is."
"That she is," Muhamar said. "Aside from various ailments and the like that come with age and stress, Dr. Halsey appears to be the picture of health. In fact, we finished our examination of her a few hours ago. The site of amputation on her arm appears to have healed quite nicely, though I don't believe that it is quite time to install a prosthesis there. Still, if you want to talk to her, you're more than welcome to do so."
"Good," Lasky said. "I'll send down a few Spartans to escort her to my quarters. Beyond that, are you doing all right?"
"Doing fine," Muhamar said with a smile, his pearly white teeth glinting in the lighting of his office. "We've gotten our patients treated for their injuries, and they'll be out of the recovery ward soon. If all goes well, we'll actually be only treating every day sort of injuries." Hearing something out of Lasky's hearing, he said, "I'd better get back to it. Talk to you later, Lasky."
"You too, Muhamar," Lasky said. "Captain Lasky out." Closing the COM call, he got up from his chair and proceeded to the coffee machine. Quickly making two cups of coffee, he set them down on the table. Once he did so, he said, "Roland, inform Dr. Halsey that I would like to speak with her. Send some Spartan IVs to escort her in safety."
"Roger that," Roland said. "She's already on her way. Spartan Fireteam Majestic is escorting her." With that in mind, Lasky made sure the coffee was hot, and began to wait.
It wasn't long before Halsey arrived. Around ten minutes later, Lasky could hear the door chime. "Come in," he said. The door opened, with two Spartan IVs proceeding inside. In between the two of them was Dr. Halsey. She looked worn and tired, as though she'd run a marathon. As the door closed, Lasky said, "Sit down. I made some coffee for you."
"Thank you," Halsey said. Sitting down, she used her sole remaining hand to drink, while Lasky simply cupped his own cup of coffee. The two were silent for another ten minutes, not wanting to disturb the other's peace for some time.
Eventually, Lasky asked, "How are you feeling?"
"Tired," Halsey admitted. "It was one hell of a journey, getting to this point."
"It was," Lasky said. Looking at her, he asked, "Why did you leave the Infinity at Requiem? If you were just honest with me, we could've avoided all of this drama. In fact, if you'd told me what you were worried about, I would've been able to protect you." He prepared for Halsey to speak to the contrary.
"I needed to find out more about what was going on," Halsey said. "While I appreciate your concern for me, Lasky, having guards that were second-guessing me as my protectors would've made things… difficult. You saw what happened when I was down in the engine room, merely trying to figure out what was going on."
"Yeah," Lasky agreed. "Palmer and the others were a little trigger happy, to be honest. Why work with 'Mdama, though? I'd think he would be the last person that you'd want to work with."
"To be honest, you're right, Lasky. However, as one person once put it, the best partnerships arise out of mutual necessity. I needed 'Mdama if I was to find where the Janus Key would lead us, and he needed me to get at his prize. At that one Forerunner facility, I tried to do what I intended to do to him."
"To dispose of him," Lasky finished. "Instead, you lost the Janus Key, and we still have to deal with the Storm Covenant and 'Mdama." Another question crossed his mind, one that he found himself asking, much to his surprise. "Was it worth it all?" he asked.
"Come again?" Halsey asked.
"Was it worth all of this drama? Do you think that after everything that's happened, that what we've learned and how far we've come was worth it all?"
"Yes," Halsey said after a moment of silence. "Keep in mind, Lasky, that I never betrayed the UNSC or ONI. They betrayed me. Yes, I've done some horrible things, and if there is a Hell, I might even end up going there, but I can say that everything I've done has been for Humanity's good. It's why I lost my arm, and it's why I've had to live with guilt and regret for a long, long time: that's the price I've had to pay to help Humanity have a future."
Lasky had to admit, Halsey did have some good points. The Spartan Programs did help save Humanity from the Covenant, and some of Halsey's actions had done them good. "Do you think there could've been another way to do all of that?" he asked.
Halsey frowned. It was a question that she grappled with every day of her life: could there have been another way? At length, she said, "If there was another way, I would've taken it immediately, if only to avoid all… this…"
"Yeah," Lasky agreed. "I'm surprised that you regret some of your actions."
"All of us live with regret in some way or form," Halsey said. "It's how we deal with it that matters most."
"I hear you on that," Lasky said. "So, do you plan to stick with us for good this time around? I don't want to have to keep chasing you all over the galaxy, and I don't think HIGHCOM would appreciate repeated betrayals and defections."
Halsey smiled. "Of course. Besides, I believe my days of running around like the young woman I was are over. Just look at what's left of my arm if you don't believe me. I'll stay onboard the Infinity for asylum, on one condition."
"And that would be?" Lasky asked.
"That I'm not treated as a prisoner onboard this ship, and that I have my lab back," Halsey said. "Also, I would like to be consulted for any Forerunner technology that is onboard this ship, and to be a consultant for any engineers that tinker around with the technology."
"Of course," Lasky said. "You might get along well with Jordan."
"Who?"
"Jordan MacCallum," Lasky explained. "He's a Ship Systems Specialist, and his specialty is in Slipspace Drive technology. He's also a former Marine Scout Sniper, so he's focused whenever a crisis occurs."
"I see," Halsey said. "I might get along with him. If he doesn't prove to be an idiot, of course."
"All right, then," Lasky said. "I hereby grant you asylum onboard the Infinity." As he turned to continue his post battle inspection, he said, "The Master Chief also seemed happy to see you again."
Halsey smiled. Ever since she had recruited him for the Spartan-II Program, she always had a soft spot for the Master Chief. "Of course," she said. "Probably just happy to have an asset onboard." And happy to see the person that helped him become a Spartan, she said to herself.
"Probably," Lasky said as he and Halsey both left.
