Chapter 6
"And that's it. The rest of it is in the report." Drake said with a sigh as he continued to look out of the window. The light flakes of snow had begun to settle, a light dusting of white beginning to grow in intensity as he refused to turn around.
"So you allied yourself with an enemy and, with it watching, you killed one of our own. Is that about right?" Fang said with a shake of his head. Drake slowly turned to the agent.
"I wouldn't use those words but yeah." Drake admitted quietly.
"You did what you needed to do to survive a hostile environment. What all Marines and ODST are trained to do. You did well to get out of there alive." Shapiro said gently with a nod. Drake glanced over to his CO and managed a small smile. It looked like Shapiro didn't care what had happened on Reach.
"That doesn't change the fact of the matter. You allied yourself with an Elite. And, with it, killed a member of the UNSC before letting it live. With your name too!" Fang argued, the distortion in his helmet not preventing the sound of his anger getting through.
"I did what I needed to survive. What would you expect me to do? Roll over and die?" Drake argued as he began to raise his voice.
"Drake please calm down. We're simply trying to get to the bottom of this and figure out what we're going to do with the message." Shaprio said calmly glancing between the two before him.
"I would have expected you to do the right thing. Eliminate the threat and do whatever you can to aid your fellow soldiers." Fang shouted back ignoring what Shapiro had said.
"I did what I could for the boy! The Elite helped me fight the Brute and kept us both alive. When I was dying from my wounds he helped me. He had every opportunity to kill me but he didn't. And you expect me to dishonour him by shooting him in the back?!" Drake shouted back without looking over to Shapiro.
"You're lucky right now. If ONI had found out about this any earlier you would either be locked up or dead. On the charge of Treason!" Fang shouted back
"Treason? I would have thought getting an Elite to turn to us and defect would be an intelligence gold mine for you. I would have thought you'd be happy about this." Drake argued back, his face flushing red and his anger continued to build. Shapiro shuffled in his seat, getting as upright as he could before clearing his throat wanting to get the attention of the two men before him without shouting.
"Intel aside, you have committed treason and confessed to the charge! I should take you in for a quick trial and summary execution now." Fang continued to argue.
"Gentlemen please, I do not want to pull rank here. Let's keep this civil." Shapiro said calmly as he glanced between the two men arguing. Drake clenched his fist getting ready to throw it at Fang's helmet if he said the wrong thing.
"Yeah I'd bet you'd like that but you can't do that can you?" Drake questioned mockingly.
"What do you mean by that?" Fang asked, sounding slightly confused.
"You can't kill me. Because if you do, your gold mine of intel leaves, never to be heard from again." Drake said mockingly with a chuckle as he watched Fang look away from him.
"It would be very simple. Elite's aren't the brightest of sparks. You died in a battle recently but confessed who the Elite was to me. That I could trust the Elite and it could trust me. I could then bring it in, interrogate it for information and then end it's miserable life." Fang said with a growl, his anger clearly showing through the filter of his helmet.
There was a loud thump before several items scattered across the floor as Shapiro slammed his fists down on the desk. Fang and Drake shut their mouths as they glanced over to the Commanding Officer.
"That is enough. The two of you will be civil while in my office or you will both be thrown in the brig. Is that understood?" Shapiro asked quietly, the anger clear in his voice but still managing to keep his composure.
"Yes sir." Drake said quietly as he stepped away from Fang, Fang glancing around the room but avoiding Shapiro's gaze.
"Understand this Fang: I will not allow any of my men to be taken and tried for Treason when the charge is moot. He did what he needed to do to survive." Shapiro began as he looked from Fang to Drake.
"Now as CO of this FOB I am the one who will decide what happens to who. If I decide that Drake should be charged with Treason for his admission then I will. Otherwise you will stand there and shut your goddamn mouth do you understand me?" Shapiro said with a growl as he slowly turned to look at Fang. Without a word Fang nodded his head slowly before turning away, looking out of the window.
"So, Sergeant. What do you think we should do in this situation?" Shapiro asked.
"Personally. I think I should go out and get him. If he's looking to defect he'll have inside information which will be valuable if he gives it up." Drake began to explain as he looked up to Shapiro.
"That and the fact that he's a Ranger. Elite Spec Ops. He's already highly trained. Imagine what we can get out of him if he fights for us? Send him and I on a recon op or drop us behind enemy lines. He'd be able to get about with his active camo and would be able to infiltrate Covie bases without any risk of detection. He'd blend right in." Drake concluded as Shapiro nodded slowly.
"So you'd have him fight for us, potentially trust him with operational information which he could very easily transmit to his true allies and rat us out to the Covies?" Fang asked with a snort without turning around.
"You don't understand Elite's then if you think he would do something like that." Drake said with a chuckle while shaking his head.
"I think I know a little more than you." Fang argued.
"If that's the case then you know how much they value their honour. You would know being a spy isn't seen as something honourable." Drake retorted.
"They have their own spies just as we do. Hence why they're able to speak our language. I think if it was asked by it's leaders to spy on us or face death I'm sure it would do it." Fang spat back before turning around to face Drake.
"I don't believe he would do something like that." Drake replied while turning away from Fang.
"I don't care what you believe. If that thing is brought back here I will take it for questioning." Fang said confidently.
"No you won't." Drake argued as he stepped towards the door, opening it with a hiss before glancing over his shoulder to Shapiro.
"Permission to leave the base sir?" Drake asked as Shapiro smiled at him.
"What exactly for Sergeant?" Shapiro asked in return.
"To seek out a potential defector from the Covenant and secure his safe return to this base sir." Drake explained as Fang stepped forward.
"I'm warning you now Taylor. You go out and get that thing you will be charged with treason and executed. I'll even let your split lip friend watch." Fang threatened before Shapiro stood up.
"Threaten one of my men again and I'll throw you in the brig myself. You have no authority here Agent Fang. Do yourself a favour and leave." Shapiro said gently as he stepped out from his desk and walked over to Drake.
"You may be in charge here Shapiro but don't forget that as an agent of Naval Intelligence I have means of getting things done whether you like it or not." Fang replied, stepping up to Shapiro.
"You listen to me here Agent. You threaten me or my men in my base and somehow, your pelican never showed up. You vanished without a trace." Shapiro said quietly.
"You wouldn't get away with that." Fang said confidently.
"You'd be surprised. How is Parangosky these days? I'm sure if I were to contact her directly and explain the situation to her she wouldn't be too pleased with how you're conducting yourself." Shapiro said leaning in close to Fang.
Fang reached up and adjusted his helmet before looking past Drake. He slowly approached the door, shoving Drake aside and strode through the doorway.
"You're going to regret this Commander. When this Split Lip comes into this base and manages to kill some of your men I hope you send me your apology. Or at least arrange your next of kin to do it on your stead." Fang said as he walked away. Swiftly vanishing around the corner as he left for the hangar bay.
"I have no idea what the Elite meant by 'moon cycle' so I'd suggest you get going." Shapiro said to Drake as he watched Fang vanish.
"Permission to take a 'Hog with me to get him?" Drake asked as he stepped out of Shapiro's office into the long hallway.
"Granted. Before you go I will inform you of this: When you return that Elite will be placed into the Brig. I want to question it before I allow it access to the base." Shapiro said calmly.
"But you said - " Drake began before Shapiro cut him off.
"I know what I said. I'm not asking you Drake. I'm telling you. The Elite will be placed in the brig until I question it and determine if it can be trusted. I trust you. I trust your judgement. But this is a serious matter. We've never had an Elite defect before. We have to be careful." Shapiro explained as he stepped back into his office.
"Understood. I'll explain the situation to him. Hopefully he understands and comes quietly." Drake said, sounding hopeful as Shapiro gently placed his hand on Drake's shoulder.
"If this goes badly you understand you'll be locked up for the rest of your life while I have any say in the matter right?" Shapiro said quietly. Drake understood the warning.
"Yes sir I'm aware. I...I hope it won't come to that." He said, sounding unsure of himself.
"I hope so to." Shapiro said with a nod before letting Drake leave, entering his office and closing the door behind him.
Drake made his way to the vehicle bay, jumping into a scout Warthog and engaged the engine. Looking out into the settled snow Drake hit the throttle as he made his way out of the base. 6 units. He didn't understand how Elite's measured distance or direction since he said 'to his front'. Hoping he wouldn't be late finding Tz'eal, Drake began to endure the cold as he began his hunt.