Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to the Halo/Star Wars redux short story collection.
Thank you all for your wonderful patience and support. I deeply appreciate it.
For those of you wondering, this chapter will cover the events between the previous main story chapter and the upcoming chapters. I highly recommend that you read this short story before the next main chapter when it comes out, as it will explain a lot of details that you might miss otherwise.
As always, leave a review and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Halo or Star War franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of Microsoft Studios, 343 Industries, Bungie, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Fox, Disney Films, etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to its 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.
Depatar
Genarius Upper Atmosphere
June 29th, 0BBY, 1330 Hrs (March 9th, 2559, 1330 Hrs)
Oh, boy… I thought the wider galaxy was bad, Osman thought ash she gazed through the viewport of the ship towards the city Now, it feels as though I've really stepped into a futuristic version of Mafia infested Chicago and New York, though at least you were on the same planet. Here… she shook her head.
Outside was the city of Despatar, one of dozens of cities that were kept aloft in Genarius' atmosphere by powerful repulsorlift generators. Shaped like a giant sea urchin, each spike represented a private landing area, while other spikes were for people that were visiting the city. Dozens of ships were heading to and from the city, each one laden with cargo… or other things.
She felt someone tapping her shoulder. Looking in that direction, she turned to see Sergeant Stacker. "You all right?" he asked, concern on his face.
"I'm fine," Osman said. "Just… thinking about what we might find in there."
"Despatar?" Stacker glanced outside the window. "Well, aside from looking like some kind of sea creature, there's not much we know. In fact, until we get in there and see for ourselves, we won't know a thing about the damn place."
Osman nodded. "I know. It's just that… what if we come across Jyn during our time there?"
"Then we'll handle it, like we've always done. For a Rear Admiral, you certainly are nervous about doing this kind of thing. You ever been in the field before?"
"Many times," Osman said. "None of them, however, involved infiltrating an entire city controlled by pirates and criminals. However, I'm confident in my capabilities."
"You'll be fine. Trust me. If anyone tries anything with you in there, they're going to need a prosthetic in order to replace their jaw."
Osman smiled. Stacker might not prefer missions like this, but if there's one thing I know, it's that anyone under his charge will be just fine. As they approached, she said, "All right, have the others report to the meeting room. We've got to go over the briefing."
"You got it," Stacker said.
Osman would've been left in peace, where it not for another man speaking up. "You seem… worried, Osman," Cal said. "We'll be fine."
Osman sighed. "There's no hiding my feelings from a Force Sensitive like you, is there?"
Cal smiled. "Nope, though I do sense tension among the group, mostly directed towards me. To be fair, we did kinda spook them."
"Indeed," Osman said. "It's not everyday that you meet people that can change the world around them with the use of a psychic energy field, so you can forgive my team for being a tad… wary around you. Either way, we have a briefing to get to so let's get to it."
The meeting room onboard the shuttle they were using was cramped, but it got the job done. Gotta admit, Krennic had an eye for shuttles, Osman thought. After this mission, however, we're going to be sending this thing off to Admiral Sark for her to study to her heart's content. At least we had the good sense to remove all emblems from the thing.
A cough forced her to focus on the team she had brought with her. I have full confidence that Kilo-5 will do well, she thought. They were born for this sort of thing.
The sound of Vasily Beloi, one of the members of Kilo-5, clearing his throat forced her thoughts back into focus. "Well?" he said, his Russian accent heavy in the conference room's confined space. "If we're here to speak, now's the time."
"All right," Osman said. "BB, if you please?"
"As you wish," BB, the team's fourth generation Smart AI, said. His usual avatar of a black box faded out of sight, replaced by a holographic image of Despatar.
"Thank you. Listen up, everyone. We're here to conduct a reconnaissance and intelligence gathering mission to determine what Despatar's weaknesses are, if the city has any. Intelligence gathered from the HoloNet indicates that Despatar, and the majority of Genarius, is under the control of a series of pirate syndicates, with a few being controlled by corporations from the wider galaxy.
"Intelligence given to us by Greez, one of Cal Kestis' acquaintances, indicates that Despatar, also known as the 'City of Masks,' is a major hotbed of criminal activity, and hosts a Black and Invisible Market. Anyone attempting to gain access has to pay a considerable sum of money to enter the city and conduct business.
"Due to the sensitive nature of this operation, we will be entering the city posing as mercenaries looking for equipment for our next job. While we move through the city to acquire any merchandise we can, we will be looking for Jyn Erso. BB will probe the city's information networks to find any loopholes and weaknesses in their cyber security. Once our mission is complete, we will head back to the shuttle and return to the Port Stanley. Any questions?"
"Do we really need a Jedi for this mission?" Vasily asked. "I know they're supposed to be psychic powerhouses and all, but I'm not too keen on working with one, especially after what happened three days ago."
"Yes," Osman said. "Cal Kestis is the only one in this group, aside from myself and Sergeant Stacker, to encounter Jyn. As such, he can use the Force, as he calls it, to confirm if Jyn is at Despatar. If she is, he can lead us directly to her. I know that he is a temporary addition to the team, as is Stacker, but right now, we can't afford to choose our allies. I expect you to work with them as though they are permanent members of the squad. Is that understood?"
Vasily nodded curtly. "Yes, ma'am," he said. "I can be a team player with them."
"Same here," Malcolm said. "Besides, I've got a certain amount of charm with the ladies."
Osman felt the urge to smile, suppressed it immediately. "No flirting with the women down there if you can help it. We're going on an intelligence gathering op, not a public relations mission. Understood?"
"Got it," Malcolm said. "Just say the word. You ask me to fall, I'll ask, 'how far?' You want me to kiss a Sangheili, I'll ask 'which cheek?'"
Osman smiled, especially when Vasily gave Malcolm a death glare. At least he can defuse our tense nerves. She looked at the sole Spartan-II in the group. "Naomi, I want you on overwatch in case something happens. The Active Camouflage module installed in your armor has been specifically modified for this mission, so you should be able to move around without being detected. You and Cal will be looking for Jyn Erso. Should he confirm that she is here, you will follow him wherever he goes."
"Understood," Naomi said. "We'll find Jyn. You can count on that."
"Good. The rest of you will be coming with me. You'll be posing as my guards, while I'll be posing as the mercenary leader of Osman's Obliterators. Understood?"
"Ma'am, yes ma'am!" the others replied.
"Good. Now, let's get ready to land. We've got a city to infiltrate…."
The landing as as smooth and textbook as it could've been, with Devereaux, Kilo-Five's pilot, landing the shuttle as though she'd been trained to fly the thing. "And there we are," she said. "We've landed at Despatar. At least the STC controller was nice and polite."
"Indeed," Osman said. "You people know the drill. Get your disguises on." The disguises in question happened to be the armor that they had snagged from the pirates and mercenaries that had been part of the attacks on Pantora during the failed coup and the subsequent attack. Good thing we made sure this armor would fit, she thought as she fitted the armored suit onto her frame. Otherwise, things might've been… awkward.
Nearby, the other members of the team made sure their disguises were neatly fit. Only Naomi remained in her Spartan Armor, while Cal donned a disguise that put a thin veil of cloth over his mouth and goggles over his eyes. "You sure that cloaking device you have will work?"
"The Sangheili don't skimp on their equipment," Naomi said. "They build their equipment to last, and the Artisan-Engineers onboard the ship personally worked with the Engineers to get the module to where it needed to be."
"Alright," Cal said. "Just haven't used one of those things before, so forgive me if I sound a bit skeptical."
"All right," Osman said. "Time to shut up and put your game face on. It's time to go to work." The hatch opened and the loading ramp lowered, allowing the team to exit the ship.
Looking around, Osman caught a view of the city for herself. Genarius' atmosphere was nothing short of psychedelic, with large bands of blue sky interrupted by streaks of orange. We really need to do an atmospheric analysis of Genarius at some point, she thought. Maybe then we'll figure out why the atmosphere's that odd blend of colors.
Shaking the thought away, she concentrated on her mission. From what I recall, there should be a checkpoint where permits to enter the city are located at. I just hope the amount of Credits I brought is more than enough to cover the cost of the permit. If not, all those credits that we've begun to snag from the Empire's banks will be for naught.
Advancing forwards with the rest of her team, she soon reached the checkpoint that rested near the entrance. A pair of guards were milling about, each one keeping an eye on the group. "Halt!" one of the guards said, "Who are you and why are you here?"
"Adrenta Osman, the leader of Osman's Obliterators," Osman said, keeping her voice calm and steady. "As for why I am here, I am looking to peruse the markets of Despatar for high class merchandise that I and my mercenaries can use. I only pay for the best, and I have heard that Despatar is where the best can be found."
One of the guards snorted. "Hmph! A likely story… but then again, all of the stories people tell us are likely too." Keying his personal com-link, he said, "Boss, we've got a group of mercs that are wanting access into the place. Should we have the officials come and verify them?"
"No," came the reply. "They've been expected for some time. Hand them the permit they've paid for and allow them inside."
"Understood," the guard said. Closing his com-link, he said, "Sorry for the inconvenience, ma'am. We may have a… seedy reputation, but even we have our rules and customs." Pulling out a card made out of flimsiplast, he said, "Here's your permit. Enjoy your stay at the City of Masks."
"Oh, I will," Osman said. "Come on, boys. Time to start perusing the merchandise." With practiced ease, the rest of Kilo-Five that was visible moved in. A quiet beep in her earpiece told Osman that Naomi had snuck past the guards, and was now inside of the city proper. So far, so good, but we can't let our guard down.
At that moment, a Devaronian approached the two, his eyes squarely focused on Osman. "You're new here, aren't you?" he asked excitedly.
"Yes," Osman said. "However, if you attempt to cheat me, I will ensure that the last moments of your life will be excruciating, and that you will know pain more than you ever wanted to know."
The Devaronian shrunk back, intimidated. "All right," he said. "I won't cheat you. Perhaps we've started on the wrong foot. I'm Dexaris, one of the local guides for the city. I was tasked to be your guide to the marketplaces in Despatar. If you're interested, some of the locals will also be paid in credits to work as decoys, though given the men with you, I am sure that no one will be willing to bother you."
"Then consider yourself employed for the time being," Osman said, her hidden eyes gazing like lasers at Dexaris…
Dexaris was as good as his word, with the Devaronian quickly leading them to the marketplaces at Despatar. Looks like that organized crime analogy was closer to the mark than I thought, she observed as she moved past dozens of people, all wearing masks and elaborate disguises. Well, at least we blend in nicely.
"And here we are," Dexaris said. "This is where the Invisible Market plies its trade. Just about anything you think can be sold is here, from exotic animals and luxuries, to extremely potent weapons and defenses. Rumor has it that the head of a Separatist General was sold here to someone of great import."
"How very fitting," Osman said aloud. Inside, she was stupefied. They sold an actual man's head here? She shook her head slightly. Who would be insane enough to do that? Disabling her helmet's speakers, she whispered, "BB, anything on your end?"
"Is the sky blue?" BB said rhetorically. "I've been scanning the networks of Despatar for quite some time, ever since we arrived in fact. Some of it is quite impressive, but all of it is designed without anticipating a UNSC Smart AI like myself. Getting through the cyber security here is going to be like taking candy from a baby, though I've never really understood why you'd want to take candy from a baby."
"Good. That means that it won't be too hard for us to shut down all lines of communication and transportation here. Anything else?"
"Yep," BB said. "I've implanted a number of computer worms and back doors into Despatar's information networks. Our agents will be able to gather continual intelligence until an attack is approved or they're withdrawn."
Osman smiled. I knew bringing an AI along on this mission was the right call. To keep herself from looking suspicious, she looked around for a vendor.
She didn't have to look far; just a stone's throw away from her was a building that had an orange and blue holographic sign that said 'Getornar's Fine Wares. Inside, she found a number of people examining weapons, armor and small devices she didn't recognize. Perhaps the seller might know more.
The salesman, a large, portly Human with brown hair and an off-kilter mustache, said, "Welcome to Getornar's Fine Wares! Everything, from personal deflector shields to the most powerful weapons on the market, can be found here! How may this fine merchant assist you?"
"I'm looking for a few personal deflector shields for my mercenaries," Osman said. "However, I do not want defective or substandard personal deflector shields. I only desire the best of the best."
Getornar smiled, his pearly white teeth glinting. "Oh, but of course! I only sell the finest goods! Allow me a minute to find what you require!"
I never thought that a man that fat could bend down that easily, Osman thought as Getornar bent down and began looking through his wares. Speaking in a language her translator didn't pick up, Getornar had a droid come over to help him go through the inventory. And they use droids for inventory. We use AIs for the same thing back home.
Eventually, he gave a small laugh and bent up. In his hands was what looked like a retro-futuristic boom box. "What is that?" Osman asked.
"This here, is a genuine Verpine VT-95 Personal Energy Shield!" Getornar said with a smile. "Unlike most personal energy shields, which offer substandard, and only protect a person for a time before burning out, the VT-95's provide top-of-the-line protection for long periods of time. It can block just about anything, from slugthrower rounds to the most powerful of disruptors. Should the shield fail, it will eventually recharge, though I will warn you, it can get quite hot. I would recommend putting it into a backpack unit, rather than wearing it on your belt as most would do."
"Could you provide a demonstration for me?"
Getornar's smile grew wider. "Of course! Follow me, but the rest should stay outside. Can't have too many people crowding a space now, can you?"
Osman smiled. "Of course not. I would not want to crowd such a genuine businessman." Looking at the others, she said, "Stay here. I'll be back shortly."
Moving to the back, she entered what looked like a firing range. In the firing lanes was a dummy that had one such device mounted. "Observe!" Getornar said. Nearby, a man wearing a suit of personal armor picked up a heavy repeating blaster, then opened fire. Osman watched as the blaster bolts splashed uselessly against the shield, with the shield turning from blue to orange. When it popped, she heard a beeping sound, while heat billowed from the shield generator. Within a few seconds, the shield popped back into existence.
"As you can see," Getornar said, "the VT-95's are the best of the best! Now, would you like to buy a few?"
"Yes," Osman said. "I would like to buy ten of those units, five for standard use, and five as spares in case something happens to them. Can't be too careful, after all."
"Of course!" Getornar said. "That'll be around thirty five thousand credits."
That's quite high, Osman noted, but definitely worth it for the quality shown. "Deal," she said. "I'll send you the money shortly."
"Excellent!" Getornar beamed. "Now, would you care to look at more of my fine wares?"
"Of course," Osman said.
. . .
While Osman and her team were busy perusing the markets of Despatar, Naomi and Cal were quickly making their way through the city. Weaving through the crowds, Cal keyed his COM. "Naomi, you there?"
"Affirmative," came Naomi's voice. "SitRep?"
"I'm starting to sense a familiar presence. I think it might be her, but I'm not sure."
"Understood," Naomi said. "Do whatever is necessary to get the job done."
"Got it." Closing the COM channel, Cal quickly moved into an alley. His heart weeped at the sight of children and women that reached their hands towards him, plaintively begging for food. Even we don't treat animals like this, he thought. The Dark Side flows strongly here. I really hope Lasky and the others choose to help out where possible.
Ducking into an unoccupied alley, Cal bent down onto his knees and reached into the Force. It was difficult to sift through the Force, courtesy of the Dark Side floating over the place like a miasma. Calm yourself, he could hear his former master Tapal say. Let the Force guide you actions and hone your senses. Let it be your ally.
As he expanded his senses, he immediately sensed a familiar mind. Overtones of agony and despair were present, but so was hope that stubbornly refused to die, and faith that someone would rescue her in the end. Jyn! Cal realized. Fighting the urge to leap to his feet, he got up and keyed his COM. "Naomi, I've got news!"
"Is Jyn in the city?" Naomi asked.
"Yes!" he said. "I sensed her presence in the Force. I'll move towards the building in question."
"Understood," Naomi said. Moving out of the alley, Cal quickly made his way to where Jyn's presence was…
Eventually, he reached what looked like a large warehouse. Outside of its walls, guards milled about, their eyes scanning the crowd for any threat. Reaching out into the Force, Cal nudged a small crate out of place. "What was that?!" a guard asked as they heard a grinding sound.
"I don't know. I'll go check it out. You stay here!"
"Got it," the guard said. He remained at his post, while his partner moved to investigate. With the guard distracted, Cal moved in. Seeing Cal approach, he said, "Whoa, buddy! Where do you think you're going? This is private property. Either you leave, or I'll blast you to pieces with my disruptor."
Cal waved his hand, reaching into the Force once more. "You do not wish to harm me," he said.
"I do not wish to harm you," the guard repeated in a monotone voice.
"You see no harm in allowing a wandering vagrant through the gate."
"I see no harm in letting you through the gate," the guard said. Opening the gate, he said. "All right, head through the gate. If you try anything, though, I'll kill you dead. You got that?"
"Yes," Cal said. Before the guard could change his mind, he moved into the courtyard. Just in time, he thought as the second guard came back and, after a small talk with his partner, continued his normal duty.
"Damn," Naomi said. "How'd you get past the guard? He didn't look friendly."
"The Force can strongly influence weak minded people," Cal said. "My late master, Tapal, taught me that."
"Can you influence a Spartan, or even Osman or Lasky?"
"No," Cal said. "Your mind, as are Lasky and Osman's minds, are far too strong to influence. If I had to guess, they were hardened by the Covenant-UNSC War." He was about to continue when he spotted a ground level window on one of the walls. Moving quickly, he peered inside.
What he saw chilled him to the bone. All over the walls were blood splatters of all colors. Some of them looked ancient, while others looked recent. Inside were cages filled with men, women and little children, all of them bearing scars, welts and gashes. Inside one of the cages was a woman that was bound to a corner of the room via a pair of rusty manacles. She was completely naked, and Cal could see welts on her body. When he saw the hair and part of the woman's face, his heart leaped. "Jyn? Jyn, is that you?"
"Who's that?" a child asked. "The man looking inside?"
The woman looked up, revealing a familiar pair of eyes. "C-Cal?" Jyn asked. "Is… is that you?"
"Yes!" Cal said. "It's me!"
"How did you get here?"
"I'm here with ONI." Cal said. "We were doing reconnaissance to see if you were in the city. They brought me along to find out if you were here."
"How'd you end up with the UNSC?"
"I sought them out," Cal said. "
Hope blossomed in Jyn's heart, her smile a ray of sunlight breaking through storm clouds. "I knew Lasky wouldn't abandon his search for me! The crime lord that took me said that Lasky would never be able to find me, but he was wrong all this time! Can you get us out of here? They've got a lot of people with them, including children!"
"Not yet," Cal said. "We don't have the manpower to do so, but I know that the UNSC is planning something big. If my suspicions are right, they might be planning to invade the city and rescue you at the same time. You're gonna have to wait for a few more says, maybe a couple weeks, but I can assure you that we'll get you out of here as soon as we can! Just hang in there a little longer!"
Jyn's expression became one of determination. "I and the others will," she said. "Now that I know Lasky is looking for me, I can withstand any torture."
Cal stiffened. "I sense someone coming!
"It's them!" Jyn hissed. "They've come for another 'session' as they call it! You have to go, now! Good luck!"
"Hang in there!" Cal whispered. "We'll come back for you when we can! Remember, trust in the Force!" Getting up, he quickly moved away from the window, then slapped something that he'd gotten from the shuttle into an alcove in the wall. There, he thought. Now we'll know which building Jyn is in. Keying his COM, he said, "Osman, you there?"
"Affirmative," Osman said. "Just finished buying some more goods with the money we took from Krennic's account. Do you have a SITREP?"
"Yes!" Cal said. "I've found Jyn! I've marked the building she's at with a beacon. It'll activate if we come close enough to the building."
Osman's smile could be practically heard over the COM line. "Excellent work, Cal. I knew that bringing you along was a good idea. When we leave with our purchased goods, I'll inform Lasky as to what we've found. That crime lord has made the last mistake he will ever make. When we return, he will receive his just desserts."
. . .
A few hours later, Lasky was in his flag quarters on the Infinity. Before him were the holographic images of both the UNSC and UEG Security Councils; even Ruth Charet was present, along with General Speakman. "RADM Lasky," Hood said. "I hear that you have news for all of us."
"You've heard correctly," Lasky said. "We have positively identified where Jyn Erso is, and her current status."
Relieved and startled muttering came from all members of both councils. "Are you sure?" Paul Russel, the Secretary of Defense asked.
"Positive," Lasky said. "Around two hours ago, Rear Admiral Osman and Kilo-Five investigated a lead that we obtained from a reliable source. According to the intelligence she has given to us, Jyn Erso is currently being held in the city of Despatar at the planet Genarius."
"Despatar?" Hood asked.
Lasky pulled up a holographic image of Despatar, along with photographs and footage that had been taken. "According to Osman and Kilo-Five, Despatar is one of dozens of city states on the gas giant Genarius. Despatar, however, is well known in the criminal underworld, and is the site of a major criminal market. Despatar is also known as the 'City of Masks', due to the locals and any offworlders wearing elaborate disguises to keep themselves hidden.
"Using that to their advantage, Osman and Kilo-Five managed to get into the city while masquerading as members of a mercenary group known as 'Osman's Obliterators.' While there, they managed to acquire a number of useful technologies for UNSC scientists and engineers to study, and they positively identified Jyn. She's currently being held at a modified warehouse in one of the cities districts in rather… squalid conditions; in fact, squalid is putting it rather mildly."
Charet examined the city. "That thing looks like it could be a tough nut for the UNSC to crack. Are you sure it can be done?"
"Yes," Lasky said. "Kilo-Five's AI, BB, was able to identify major weaknesses in Despatar's cyber defenses, and he was able to plant a number of viruses and backdoors into the network. Should we decide to invade, we can literally shut down the entire city. Roland assures me the UNSC could still take it, but that's where problems ensue. Speakman?"
"Certainly," Speakman said. "According to Roland's simulations and Osman's intelligence, if the UNSC assaults the city, we'll be looking at heavy casualties. Much of Osman's surveillance data suggests that the guards, while disorganized and poorly trained, are loyal to their cartels to a fault. Their lack of discipline, however, should give us the edge, as should their poor disorganization. Some of the guards, however, are suspected to have been former military, and the entire city has a lot of potential sniper alleys. However, if we do attack with a sufficiently sized assault force and the right tactics, a UNSC victory is all but inevitable."
"I see," Russel said. "The entire place is a wretched hive of scum and villainy all right. Do you intend to involve the CAA Marshals?"
"Yes," Lasky said. "I also intend to get NAVCOM CID involved. Is that agreeable, Holt?"
Alexander Holt, the Director of NAVCOM's Criminal Investgation Division, referred to as NICS by some, nodded. "It is. Jane Tennant, my SAC in the Andromeda Galaxy, will be working with Oscar, Knox's Deputy Chief of the CAA Marshal to take the criminals in Despatar into custody. To be fair, I was kinda hoping for things to be quiet. Looks like that was a false hope."
"Then it's a good thing you're here," Lasky said. "However, that is only part of the reason why I called. The other is to request permission to begin planning the invasion of Genarius and Despatar as well as the SAR operation aimed towards rescuing Jyn."
Ricardo, another member of the UEG Security Council, frowned. "I don't know if we should go that far to rescue one UNSC Navy Cadet. This seems like a tremendous waste of resources, when we could just send in a small strike team to rescue her."
"Actually, I like what Lasky is saying," Alexander countered.
"Why?"
"Because it's the best way to handle things," Alexander said. "I've been reading up on galactic history lately, and what happened after the Russan Reformations is nothing short of astonishing. The law enforcement bodies in the galaxy are completely inept, and the Galactic Empire hasn't done anything to make things better. The criminals in this galaxy have had the run of the galaxy for thousands of years. They think they are invincible, and that they can kill or intimidate anyone they can't buy off.
"That's why I like Lasky's plan. By invading Genarius and taking the city of Despatar, the UEG and UNSC will be putting forth a very strong statement to the criminal underworld, and the galaxy at large: that the UNSC and UEG will not tolerate this sort of behavior. All of you have been saying that we need an opportunity to show that the UEG is not a government that they can push around, but have disagreed on every opportunity to do so. We can all agree, however, that crime is never a good thing, so what better way to show our strength than to dispose of a problem that has infected the Andromeda Galaxy like the bubonic plague?"
"Plus, the pirate that attacked us bought most of their gear at Genarius and other criminal markets across the galaxy," Lasky said. "Any attack on the UEG, according to regulations, is not just an attack on the UNSC, it is an attack on Humanity and its allies. We cannot ignore what happened to Jyn Erso, or there will be immense public outcry back home, and it'll make us look bad. Plus, I would not be able to live with myself if I allowed a new recruit into the UNSC to remain in the hands of a sadistic crime lord."
The members of the UEG and UNSC Security Council shared glances with each other and the UEG President. "Lasky makes a very good point," Charet said. "We can't let this slide, or otherwise we'll not only make the UNSC look bad, we'll be betraying the very values we swore to uphold. It'll be like the invasion of Panama, only we'll be facing stiff opposition from the criminals there."
"Charet, you took the words right out of my mouth," Russel said. "So, what do you say now, Ricardo?"
Richardo frowned, then smiled to everyone's surprise. "Congratulations, Holt, Lasky. Those were exactly the words I was wanting to hear. I would've agreed with you anyways, in fact."
"As would I," Annette, another member of the UEG Security Council said. Before long, the others were agreeing as well.
"Good," Charet said. "Does anyone else want to add in anything here?"
"We could have the Sangheili and their forces assist," Lasky said. "Now, I know some of you have reservations in that regard, but to be honest, we will need the Sangheili. They might not be in large numbers, depending on what happens, but they are our allies. Since we were attacked, they have an obligation to help us as well."
Speakman frowned. "As much as I'd hate to admit it, Lasky has a point. We'll discuss however many should come along at a later time. For now, I have to get back to planning out the ground section of the battle, if we ever get that far. Take care now." Her hologram shimmered out.
"Well, since we're decided in that regard, we'll leave as well," Holt said. "I look forwards to seeing those criminals whine like school girls." Soon his, and the UEG Security Council's holograms, faded out.
"Good luck, Lasky," Hood said. "Once we decide what to do, we'll contact you again. Needless to say, you've done an excellent job."
"Thank you sir," Lasky said. "I hope that our planning of this operation goes well."
Once all members of the UNSC and UEG Security Councils had ended their calls to him, Lasky pulled up another contact. Keying it, he began tapping his feet as he waited. I really hope Del Rio picks up the call, he thought. Last time we had a 'chat' I aired a lot of dirty laundry before him and the rest of the Armed Services Committee when they gave me a hard time. A part of him suspected that Del Rio might simply choose not to call.
Thankfully that wasn't the case, as Del Rio's hologram appeared before him. Glancing up from his work, a flash of surprise came across his face. To his credit, he kept his cool and said, "Rear Admiral Lasky. How can I be of service?"
Lasky frowned. He's being sarcastic. Crass, but I can work with that. "I heard that you and the rest of the Armed Services Committee will be hosting another meeting, particularly on a few of ONI's actions during the Covenant/UNSC War. Correct?"
Del Rio scowled. "No much gets past you, apparently." He sighed. "Yes. We are going to be holding a meeting with Director Parangosky and the head of ONI Section Three, Vice Admiral Qatar. Why would you ask? You seem to know a lot about these sorts of things, ever since your confirmation hearing."
"I wanted to give you some information that I think would be relevant to the case. I'll have Roland send you the details, but to summarize it, ONI Section Three wanted to have an entire Star Destroyer to themselves. You're aware of what one is yes?"
"I am," Del Rio said. "Still, why does ONI Section Three need a Star Destroyer? Their job is special projects, not ship design, which falls under Admiral Sark's authority."
"Beats me. You might figure out why, though. Also, I'll have Roland send you some information pertaining to the Spartan-III Program in those files."
"And what information is that?" Del Rio asked.
"I'm afraid I cannot discuss that over an unsecured channel, Senator. You understand, of course, yes?"
Del Rio smirked ruefully. "Of course. It seems as though you're really bringing your skill in terms of warfare into politics."
"What can I say? Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War' translates well into politics."
"That it does," Del Rio admitted. "I'll investigate this information once it's sent to me. For the record, Lasky, you've done some good in causing ONI trouble. They certainly needed it. I hope you have a pleasant day."
"You too," Lasky finished.
. . .
As the call ended, Del Rio rubbed his face with a hand. My, my, Lasky. You certainly know how to give me work to do, he thought. I just hope this information is worth it. I do not want a repeat of what happened last time you were handing information to the Armed Services Committee. You made me and the rest of them look like blundering fools Opening the files sent to him over an encrypted channel, he began to read them. As he read the file, his eyes widened fractionally, then they went as wide as quarters upon reading some of the last bits. Tossing the datapad onto the table, he keyed his personal COM-link and said, "Chairman Gordon, is that meeting still on for today?"
"Yes," Gordon said, "We're about to begin that meeting in around an hour from now. Why?"
"I have some information that might be of use to us when it comes to interrogating ONI. I suggest that you read it thoroughly. It could change our ruling in the matter."
"That I will," Gordon said. "I'll see you at the meeting."
"You too." Del Rio said...
Two hours later, at the UEG Congressional building, a decidedly different meeting was underway. Vice Admiral Conrad Qatar could feel sweat underneath his uniform as he entered the meeting room commonly used by the UEG Senate's Armed Services Committee. This was a bit unexpected, he thought. Why do they want to talk to me of all people? Can't they see that I have things to do?!
His thoughts were interrupted when he spotted a familiar face. "D-Director Parangosky," he stammered. "Why are you here?"
"For the same reason you are," Parangosky said. "The Armed Services Committee is interested in speaking to us. Given recent events, I would be worried about what they might decide."
Qatar nodded. Thanks to Thomas Lasky, that damned Rear Admiral, ONI is in a mess right now.
His thoughts were interrupted when the members of the Armed Services Committee entered the room. "Ladies and gentlemen," Gordon said when all were gathered. "Welcome. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss some of ONI's actions during the Covenant-UNSC War up to the present day, particularly those covering the Spartan-III Program and events that have been ongoing lately in the Andromeda Galaxy. Without further ado, we will begin."
This isn't good, Qatar thought. First, one of our finest agents goes batshit crazy, and now this. Is this some sort of run of bad luck? It doesn't help that we have Parangosky breathing down our necks!
Next to him, the very person that he was thinking of was sitting right beside him. Parangosky kept her gaze level and her expression calm. I had a feeling I would be called before the Armed Services Committee, she thought. Oh well, it was bound to happen at some point. Might as well well the truth and see what happens.
On the other side of the room, Gordon looked at Qatar intently. "According to records given to us, the Spartan-III Program, under the command of Colonel Ackerson, recruited orphans as candidates for the Spartan-III Program. Why?"
Qatar licked his lips. "It was believed that, by recruiting orphans from the worlds glassed by the UNSC, we would be tapping into a group of individuals that would be motivated into fighting for the UNSC by their loss."
"I, for one, was unaware of Ackerson's decision," Parangosky said. "I gave him the authorization for the Spartan-III Program, but I was unaware of the ethical quandaries that would happen."
"So you say," Gordon said.
"Which leads us to the next question," Del Rio said. "According to records, various chemicals were used to turn these orphans into supersoldiers. Normally, this would be no problem, except for the fact that one of the chemicals used was designed to enhance the augmentee's aggressiveness, effectively allowing them to tap into the animal side of them more effectively." He clasped his hands. "So, would you tell me why Colonel Ackerson was turning children into animals, Vice Admiral Qatar? And was Parangosky aware of this?"
"I can answer that question for you," Parangosky said. "As the Director for ONI at the time, I was given a list of documents as to what the Spartan-III Program entailed. When I realized that Ackerson intended to trade lives for time I had a few... reservations, though I allowed Ackerson to go ahead with the program. I was not aware of the fact that he turned innocent children into animals." She shook her head. "It shows that Ackerson was little more than a monster in human flesh. Personally, if it wasn't for the Covenant beating me to the punch, I'd have killed him myself."
"I agree," Qatar said. "I admit, though, that I wasn't aware of Ackerson's actions."
"If that is the case, why do you know little about the actions of the very section of ONI that you are in charge of?"
It was a pointed question, one that demanded an answer. "I was rushed into the duties I needed to do," Qatar said. "Plus, I didn't command the same respect that Vice Admiral Stanforth did. In addition, ONI's compartmentalized nature makes it hard to share information."
"So you say," Del Rio said.
"Does that mean you did not know of Ackerson's attempted assassination of Spartan-117?" Ronald James, another member of the Armed Services Committee asked.
"Yes," Qatar said. "Again, if I had known what he was up to, I would've silenced him myself. Section Three usually prides itself on cleaning up its own messes. However, those messes are hard to clean up if we don't have any knowledge of them in the first damn place!"
"Calm yourself," Gordon said. "This is a meeting, not a shouting contest." Taking a breath, he said, "There is also the matter of what happened in the Prowler Corps. Have you taken the proper disciplinary actions, Parangosky?"
"Yes," Parangosky said. "When this meeting is done, the head of the Prowler Corps is going to be out of a job and in Midnight. His actions were inexcusable, even to me."
"Very good," Gordon said. "There's also the matter of the attempted assassination of Thomas Lasky before his promotion to Rear Admiral. Tell me, Parangosky. Did you give ONI Section One and Section Three authorization to kill him?"
"No," Parangosky said resolutely. "I dd not give the order to kill him, nor did I intend to. Lasky was my first choice to be the Commanding Officer of the Infinity. However, against my recommendations, Fleet Admiral Hood chose Del Rio over Lasky. Why would I attempt to assassinate the man I wanted as the CO of the Infinity?"
"She's got a fair point," Connor Jones remarked. "Why would she try to kill the one man she felt was suitable for the job? It doesn't make sense to me." The others in the Committee nodded in agreement.
"An excellent question, one that will be answered at a later time," Gordon said.
"Any more questions?" Parangosky asked.
"One more question, actually," Del Rio said. "We've learned that Section Three wanted a 'Star Destroyer.' Why?"
"Where did you learn that?" Qatar asked.
"We have the clearance needed to access that information, Vice Admiral Qatar. Don't you tell me that having TS/SCI Clearance doesn't mean that we get to learn what you know."
Qatar sighed. "We wanted some of the technologies onboard the ship, like the hyperdrive and the holotable. Section One also wanted to perform SIGINT operations to ensure that they could tap into Imperial networks if possible."
"I see," Del Rio said. "While I understand Section Three's desire to have certain technologies, your section does not have the authority to take an entire Star Destroyer for themselves. That falls under NAVCOM's authority, specifically Admiral Sark's authority."
"Any other questions?" Gordon asked. When none came, he said, "Good, then we have a ruling." Tapping the table with a gavel, he said, "It is the recommendation of the Armed Services Committee that Vice Admiral Qatar be stripped of his rank and position as Section Chief of ONI Section Three, and that the head of the Prowler Corps have the same punishment applied to him as well. Let this be a reminder to ONI that their actions have consequences, and that while the wheels of justice grind slowly, they grind finely. This meeting is adjourned."
Qatar's shoulders slumped as he got up from his chair, while a pair of guards took him by the shoulders. Well, it's off to jail for me and some other poor soul, he thought.
Nearby, Parangosky smiled. Learning about what Ackerson had done was a shock, even though she had an inkling as to what it was. Either way, I have some 'house cleaning' to do once I'm back at my office, she thought. It's high time that I get to work sanitizing ONI. Lasky, you certainly know how to cut out someone's work for them.
