Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my final Halo/BattleTech crossover redux.

Thank you all for your wonderful feedback and support. I deeply appreciate it.

This is the first in a series of chapters that will explore the SLDF's struggles as it gets settled down in the Soell System. We're going to be seeing some major character development during these chapters, along with a few interesting events to take note of.

Either way, I appreciate your feedback with the story, and I hope that you have as much fun reading this chapter as I did writing it.

As always, leave a review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Halo or MechWarrior/BattleTech franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of Microsoft Studios, 343 Industries, Bungie, FASA Corporation, FASA Interactive, Catalyst Game Labs, WizKids, Piranha Games Inc., etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers 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 it's original composers and/or artists.

BattleTech OST - A Welcome Respite

SLS McKenna's Pride

Installation 04, Soell – Basis Lagrange Point

October 22nd, 2785, 1115 Hrs (June 22nd, 2515, 1115 Hrs)

"Fusion reactor at the settlement's fully online," Andery said. "That should enable the colony to function properly. There's also the food situation, but we're already working on that."

"Guilty Spark's been quite helpful in that regard," Nicholas said. "I must admit, I've never seen anything like these 'Engineers' before. Plus, they were quite curious about our technology."

"I know what you mean," Andery said. "That being said, how are they handling the situation when it comes to food? I know that we've got enough food rations to last a year, but I'm curious to know how Guilty Spark's handled that problem."

While the siblings talked with each other, Kerensky's eyes were focused on the holo-table. Already a week, and we've gotten half of the first two settlements ready. Within a few months, we should have all of the settlements, including the ones on Soell III and IV ready.

He frowned. Still, the ones on Halo are temporary. Yes, it's a good place to live, but it's not a viable long term option, especially with the Flood around. Still, it'll do until we can get atmosphere processors online at Basis, and that's another ball game entirely.

He smiled, listened to the conversation his sons were having. And to think that the 'Huragok', as Guilty Spark calls them, are instrumental in this regard. His smile grew as he thought back to a few days ago…

. . .

Five Days Earlier

"Do you know of any suitable places that we can establish a city for our civilians?" Kerensky asked Guilty Spark. "We simply can't plop them down on a part of the ring and think everything's gonna be all right. We need a location that can satisfy everyone's needs, while allowing us to expand should the population begin to grow."

Guilty Spark hovered near the holo-table, accessed the McKenna's Pride's computer systems. It had been two days since their arrival, during which much of their time had been devoted to getting the fleet in order, while sending down survey teams to scout out new locations. So far, most of them came back with lots of good spots, but all of them are too close to Flood containment facilities, Kerensky thought.

"I think I know of a suitable location," Guilty Spark said. "Based on the schematics of the Installation, I believe that this location should suit your purposes quite well." He activated the holo-map, then created a 3-D representation of Halo. A single section of the ring lit up, then was zoomed in on.

Kerensky and his sons leaned in closer, examined the image carefully. "Looks like an island in one of Halo's seas," Nicholas noted. "There's a smaller island nearby, as well as some white water rivers. There's even a small bay there that could be useful."

"An astute observation. The island is large enough that city designed to hold six million people could fit comfortably onto it. If more room is required, there's a smaller island located next to it, and then there's the main landmass. While I'm not certain if you have ships that can travel on water, I'm certain that the proximity to multiple sources of water will do wonders for helping a city grow."

"It will," Andery agreed. "That said, I'm more concerned about how we'll feed the population. We'll need fertile soil, unless we get hydroponics going. We've got another five years worth of rations for the fleet, but I'm worried that we might burn through those rations before the deadline."

"I believe I have that handled quite nicely. I have a number of Huragok in stasis that can help with the construction of hydroponics facilities. In addition, there are a number of places on Installation 04 that can be used to grow crops at an accelerated pace."

Kerensky frowned. "What do you mean 'accelerated pace', and what do you mean by 'Huragok.' Is there something you haven't shared with us?"

"Yes, though not without good reasons. May I bring along such a Huragok?"

Kerensky shrugged. "I don't see why not."

"Very well. I will be along shortly." Guilty Spark then vanished, his chassis disappearing into thin air.

Nicholas smirked. "Actual teleportation technology. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that it was all smoke and mirrors. I guess that goes to show how much more advanced the Forerunners are compared to us."

"'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic,'" Kerensky said.

"Arthur C. Clarke's three laws, specifically the third one," Andery said.

Kerensky smiled. "Well said."

"I have my moments. Besides, if you're going to be a soldier, you might as well be a cultured soldier. You can thank General Killian Squarn-Turk for that one, though I appreciate his decision in that regard."

"As do I," Nicholas said. "That being said, I wonder how long it will take him to bring one of these 'Huragok' around. It can't take too long to wake up one of those things… Can it?"

As if the Universe had decided to answer Nicholas' question, Guilty Spark appeared back out of thin air, only this time, he wasn't alone. A large, bulbous creature resembling a collection of sacks with tentacles was with him. From underneath this collection of sacks snaked out a long, eel-like head. "What is that?!" Andery asked, more surprised than alarmed. "I've never seen anything like it!"

"This," Guilty Spark said, "is a Huragok. You may call them 'Engineers,' however. Their primary function is to assist the Sentinels in repairing and maintaining the equipment on Installation 04."

"Can you demonstrate this in a practical fashion?" Kerensky asked.

"Of course! Do you have anything that we can use for the demonstration?"

Kerensky looked at the collection of items near the holo-tabled, then smiled. "This should do," he said. He picked up a noteputer and handed it to the Huragok. "Go ahead and demonstrate. We're all watching."

The Huragok, at first, didn't respond. Instead, it ran a hand over the screen of the noteputer, as though it was admiring the simplistic but functional architecture. What happened next legitimately surprised Kerensky.

In an instant, the two tendrils holding the noteputer split into numerous smaller ones. At the same time, the noteputer was promptly disassembled; every single component of the device, from the screen to the CPU was stripped down with the simple ease of someone assembling a toy. It reassembled the noteputer just as rapidly, then repeated the process four more times.

After the fourth time, it seemed to be satisfied, as it handed the device back to Kerensky. "Here," he said, handing the device to Andery. "Tell me if there's anything different."

"OK," Andery said. He pressed the power button, tapped the screen a couple times, then ran a series of complicated mathematical formulas and a performance tests. "I… Wow! Just… wow!"

"What is it?" Nicholas asked.

"The noteputer, it… I don't know what that Huragok just did, but it's made the noteputer run even better than if it was brand new! Take a look for yourself if you don't believe me." He tossed the device back to Kerensky.

Well, I'll be… he thought as he put the noteputer through its paces. It's responding to my commands far faster than before. Hell, it even feels lighter than before. He looked at Guilty Spark. "What did it do to the noteputer?"

Guilty Spark turned to the Huragok, emitted a series of whistling sounds and projected a series of holograms. The Huragok quickly responded in kind, whistling while making gestures with its tentacles. "It says that it's tripled the processing power, doubled the capacity of its temporary and permanent memory banks, and has reduced its weight by thirty percent."

Kerensky whistled. "Impressive, and all of that within the span of just half a minute. I can see why you believe the Huragok will be invaluable to our colonization efforts. How many of them do you have?"

"Around a two hundred," Guilty Spark said. "That, combined with the Sentinels, is enough to keep Installation 04 in good condition. However, if you're wish to know if I have any to spare, the answer is only a few. Most of them are already involved in necessary maintenance throughout the ring, so I can only spare thirty of those Huragok for various projects. As for Sentinels, I can make more of them here. Why?"

"Because I've got a few engineering projects in mind. Guilty Spark, I want these Huragok to assist in constructing the new settlement we'll be building. As for where we'll be building it…" He pointed at the section of the ring displayed over the holo-table. "We'll build there. We've got access to arable soil, a good source of water and plenty of building space."

"Splendid! I'll instruct the Sentinels to begin construction of the settlement immediately. I'm sure that your engineers will be willing to help assist in the construction of the settlement. Do you have any intentions to name the settlement."

"That I do," Kerensky said. He tapped his fingers on the table's edge. "Do you have any suggestions, Nicholas, Andery?"

"Why not… Legacy," Nicholas suggested. "After all, we're trying to build a new legacy for the Star League."

"Good name, but I think I've got a better option," Andery said. "How about… Sanctuary? After all, we are building a sanctuary for our people."

Kerensky thought it over. That is actually an excellent name. "I think that Sanctuary will be a wonderful name for our new settlement. We're here to provide hope for a better future, as well as hope that the Star League will not only survive, but become stronger and better than before."

"Very well," Guilty Spark said. "I'll have the Sentinels and Huragok attend to the new settlement immediately. "

"Thank you. Carry on, gentlemen."

"Yes sir," the others said.

. . .

Present Day

Kerensky banished the memory from his mind, focused on the matter at hand. "I'm curious as to how he's doing it as well. Could you enlighten us?"

"It's really odd, but simple, really," Andery said. "You remember that information he sent us on Slipstream Space?"

Kerensky nodded. "Yes. I must admit, I was surprised to learn that the dimensions from String Theory existed in Slipstream Space at the exact same time. The fact the Forerunners were willing to use it for FTL flight speaks volumes on their technology, though if you ask me, I will always prefer the KF Drive to a Slipstream Space Drive. Why do you ask?"

"Because the Forerunners were advanced enough to use Slipstream Space to alter the flow of time. Guilty Spark actually showed me a demonstration of this in action. We went out to a crop of wheat that was plated the previous day. To my amazement, the wheat was fully grown and ready for harvesting. When I asked Guilty Spark how that was possible, he told me the Forerunners used the Huragok to create slipstream space 'bubbles.'"

"Bubbles?" Nicholas asked. "Could you… elaborate as to what you mean?"

"To be honest, I was just as confused. According to Guilty Spark, since Slipstream Space is hyperdimensional space, the contents of the bubble can be manipulated both spatially and temporally relative to the 'normal space' of the outside universe. When I asked him to explain it in simple language, he said that this meant that time within the bubble could be accelerated or decelerated, while the space within the bubble can be made larger or smaller than the exterior would suggest."

"So Guilty Spark used these 'slipstream space bubbles' to accelerate the passage of time for the wheat, causing it to grow from planting to harvesting in just a few hours," Kerensky said. He rubbed his forehead. "I must admit, that's… actually impressive. At least we can put our food shortage issues behind us. What about water?"

"Guilty Spark's got that covered too. He's using the same trick to accelerate the construction of the necessary facilities we need in order to support the city, from water filtration and sanitation, to power generation. Hell, it's the reason why we've got the fusion reactors for the city up and running so quickly. We just provided the materials, components and plans, Guilty Spark's Huragok and Sentinels simply assembled them, all within a few hours while a few days passed for us."

Kerensky rubbed his chin with a finger. "Now that's impressive. I can certainly think of a few uses for such a technology. Is Halo capable of doing this?"

"Of course," said a familiar voice. Within seconds, Guilty Spark floated into the room. "Installation 04 is capable of performing what is known as a 'time-lock.' This locks portions of the ring, or the entirety thereof, into pockets of time-suspended slipspace fractal stasis, also rendering the sections invulnerable to damage. However, this also consumes tremendous amounts of energy. As such, it's used only in emergencies."

"Makes sense. It's a good way to keep a structure from being destroyed. That being said, is this how you're constructing parts of the city so rapidly?"

"Yes," Guilty Spark said. "If you don't approve, I can have the Huragok cease such operations entirely."

"No, no. That's all right. So long as no one is caught inside of these things, then it's all right. That will be my only restriction: that these 'slipspace bubbles' aren't used on human beings. Does that sound reasonable to you?"

Guilty Spark bobbed up and down, the equivalent of a nod. "That is most reasonable, General Kerensky. Personally speaking, I wouldn't use such technology on a living being unless it was absolutely necessary. In addition to that, slipstream space bubbles are most difficult to keep stable, with only my makers and their technology being able to easily use such a technique. As such, I will only use it when you give me explicit permission to do so."

"Good." I don't want that tech to be abused for horrid ends. Kerensky stood upright, looked at his sons. "So, beyond that, is everything proceeding on track?"

"Yes," Andery said. "We should have the settlement ready for habitation within a month and a half, along with schools, hospitals, police buildings, etc. Once that's done, we'll get shipyards built, along with orbital facilities, to facilitate the next step of our operations."

"Good. As sections of the settlements on Halo, Basis and Soell III come online, we'll move the civilians down to the installation in groups. That way, we can manage the move from the WarShips and JumpShips down to the surface of Halo without considerable difficulty. Civilians with construction, agricultural and research jobs are to be given priority."

"What do we do about our military forces?" Andery asked.

"I know someone that's already pondered the answer to that question. DeChavilier?"

DeChavilier, who'd kept silent until now, stepped forwards. "We'll hold a series of tests to determine if some of our soldiers should keep their uniforms on, or if they should take up a different profession. However, given that we're in another universe, and close to another version of Terra, we'll need to keep some members in the military."

Kerensky nodded. "I gathered as much. That being said, we've got more than just potential outside threats to deal with. We have a number of internal threats that could pose a major hazard to the civilians that'll be arriving at the settlements. Guilty Spark, any ideas?"

"I'd suggest staying far away from any Flood containment facilities," Guilty Spark said. "As for internal affairs, that is your purview."

"That'll do," Kerensky said. "Andery, you'll coordinate with the military ground forces in ensuring that nothing happens to destabilize the settlement here. Understood?"

"Yes sir," Andery said.

"What about me?" Nicholas asked.

"You'll work with Andery to identify potential schisms before they become insurrections," Kerensky said. "I believe that will be good practice for what I'll need you to do in the future. Understood?"

Nicholas nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Good. I'll speak more with the two of you, and your mother, at the end of today. Dismissed!" The two young men nodded, then left the room proper. Guilty Spark simply vanished.

DeChavilier leaned in closer. "Any progress on who commenced the Prinz Eugen mutiny?"

Kerensky shook his head. "No, though at this point, it's not a major issue. What is a major issue is getting Sanctuary online and operational. Once its online and ready, we'll focus on internal affairs next. I have a feeling that not everyone in the fleet liked the speech I have a few days prior."

"My thoughts exactly. We're weak and vulnerable right now, which means that anyone that wants to start an insurrection will have an easier time to do it. Plus, there are some people who either can't or won't forget past disagreements, or are suffering genuine hardship. I'll bet that someone's gonna try and stir shit up eventually."

"I couldn't have put it better myself," Kerensky said. "It's also why I put Andery in charge of keeping the peace. Once we start to get the civilians set up, I'll have one of my subordinates, Colonel Wright, establish a civil administration aimed at keeping the peace and getting everyone settled in. After that, we can focus on establishing law enforcement and the other necessities of a modern society."

"Why not continue martial law? I'm certain the people wouldn't mind having you as their leader."

Kerensky looked at his friend with a hard glare. "I have no desire to rule as a military dictator. History has shown what happens when governments don't separate the military from the civil servants. The Draconis Combine's a good example of that."

DeChavilier frowned. "I see. In any case, I wasn't advocating the continued use of the military as both a strike force and government. If anything, I fully agree with you in that regard. The government and the military have to be kept separate, otherwise we'll just become another Stefan Amaris."

"Precisely why we need to establish a civil administration," Kerensky said. He rubbed his chin, thought hard for a moment. "Until the civil administration is set up, we'll remain under martial law. Once the civil administration's been established, we can worry about if we're going to set up an autocracy, oligarchy or democracy. Given what we know of history, I'd say we'll gravitate towards a oligarchy or dictatorship.

"Good idea. If practiced properly, those sorts of governments will do the trick. That being said, democracy will also work too.?"

Kerensky nodded. "Yes. We're small enough that we can effectively manage a democracy and keep corruption to a minimum, though as you've pointed out, the other forms of government will also work. People tend to gravitate towards what they're familiar with, so I'm guessing they'll gravitate towards an autocracy. However, if people intend to put me into that position of power, they will be disappointed."

DeChavilier smiled. "Good to know you're still one of the good guys."

Kerensky smiled grimly. "I'm just fully aware of the fact that power is an aphrodisiac. All I've ever wanted is to serve the Star League in my capacity as a soldier. I do not aspire political power. Politics is not my game; let someone else play it."

"Good. I'll head out now and see what else needs to be done. Talk with you later?"

"Sure," Kerensky said. "Dismissed!"

. . .

"Gonna need a fresh power cell!" a worker shouted. "My laser welder's battery's dead!"

"Hang on, I'll get you another one!" Richmond, the foreman, shouted. He opened a nearby toolbox, rummaged through it. He smiled, pulled out a freshly charged power pack. "Here you go! Fully charged and ready to rock!"

"Thanks!" Grabbing the power cell, the worker swapped out the dead one for the live one, then continued working at his station. Sparks flew everywhere as the laser beam melted metal and began to join the two sections of the duplex habitat together.

Richmond stood back, surveyed the structure they were working at. Newest hab-block that we're putting up, he thought, and this is just the base of the structure. Once this thing's fully ready, we'll have enough room to house four hundred people in this thing, with fresh water and electricity to boot.

He smiled, then glanced around. All around him, dozens of other engineering crews were hard at work assembling the prefabricated structures that would serve as the basis for the Exodus Fleet's newest settlement. Sanctuary. Now if that doesn't promise a new start, then I don't know what's going to.

It wasn't just human engineers that were hard at work either. Leaning over railing of the catwalk, Richmond was greeted with the sight of a Sentinel flying by. It turned, its single optic focused on him. "Howdy," he said. "How you doing?"

An update appeared on his noteputer. "All Systems Functional," a blurb of text said. "Unit Operating At Optimal Levels. Query Status."

"Just fine. We're getting the next hab-block down, and with you Sentinels helping out, it shouldn't take long for this thing to be ready. Speaking of which, I've gotta speak with Spark or, whatever his name is. We need to ensure that the other sections of the city are ready for habitation."

The Sentinel merely bobbed, then flew off to wherever it was needed. A quiet beep alerted Richmond to the next development he needed to take care of. Looks like it's lunch time, he thought. Well, time to get the boys together. Gotta grab some grub and then get back to it. With a sigh, he left for the elevator.

Down below, on the ground, was the commons area. It consisted of a few trailers where workers would eat their meals, chat and gossip, while others would use the time to reflect on their current situation. Most usually ate their foods and talked, while others were silent, caring only to eat and then return to work.

Sitting at his table, Richmond began to dig into his meal. Nothing like a chicken sandwich and coffee to remind one of home. I have to admit, I really like how quickly we're getting this place set up.

He smiled, then keyed his noteputer. Wonder if Guilty Spark is available, maybe we -

A hand slapped his back, sending shooting pains into his toes. "Well well, what have we here?" a voice said. "Looks like the high and mighty foreman's decided to have lunch with us lowly workers!"

Richmond turned around. His eyes greeted a dark skinned man with green eyes, a smile as wide as an Atlas plastered onto his face. "Barnard," Richmond said. "Looks like you're well. How's life treating you?"

Barnard shrugged. "Just fine, thanks for asking. Anywho, I wanted to shoot the shit with you for a little bit. See what's happening beyond the project we're working on."

"All right. I don't see why not." Barnard leaned back, set his coffee onto the table. "So, whatcha wanna know?"

"Well, firstly, I want to know how we've been able to get good food so fast," Barnard said. "Did Guilty Spark have some of this stuff on hand, or did he just magically make it appear out of thin air? You don't just start sending food without an explanation."

"I know a buddy of mine that works in the agricultural areas," Stanton, one of the workers, said. "According to him, they've got these weird ass 'slipspace bubbles' or what have you over yonder. He even asked one of them balloon-ish aliens to show him what happens to the stuff inside of 'em."

"And what happened?" Barnard asked.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told ya, but I'll tell ya anyways. Turns out, them bubbles do something weird with time and all. I watched as the wheat, barley and what have you inside of those things went from being seeds to being ready to harvest inside of fifteen minutes."

Barnard sneezed. "They alter the flow of time inside of those things? Get real, man. That ain't possible."

"But it is," a voice said. Everyone looked up as Guilty Spark appeared inside of the canteen. "Each of the Huragok onboard this Installation can generate a slipspace bubble that can act as a temporal acceleration or deceleration field. To put it in easily understandable language, they can accelerate or decelerate time inside of the slipspace bubble to the desired rate. It's how your food was grown so quickly."

Barnard looked at his sandwich, then at Guilty Spark. "Color me impressed. At least we don't have to worry 'bout running out of food anytime soon."

"Indeed." He hovered over towards Richmond. "You mentioned that you wished to speak with me. Once you're done with your meal, may we?"

"Let me guess: that Sentinel told you?" Richmond asked.

"Of course. I have a direct connection to the Sentinels in the immediate area. For those further away, I use network nodes to communicate with them."

Richmond nodded. "That makes sense. Right now, I'll enjoy my sandwich, and then we'll talk. Be with you shortly."

"I'll be ready when you are." With that, Guilty Spark vanished into seemingly thin air.

"That scares the piss outta me," Stanton said.

"Tell me about it," Barnard agreed. "Dude was listening to us and we didn't even know it. Something tells me that he does that a lot."

"Given how long he hasn't talked with anyone, I wouldn't be surprised if he was a tad clingy," Richmond added. "He's been stuck on this ring for the better part of a hundred millennia. Solitude's fine and all, but after that long on your own, you go a little crazy."

"That's exactly what I thought," Stanton said. "He's in the loony bin, but at least he's in the good loony bin. I wouldn't want him as an enemy."

"Me neither," Barnard said.

"Agreed," Richmond finished…

Before long, Barnard was near the edge of an ocean cliff-side, eyes staring out over the sea. Once we're done building this settlement, I'll take a sabbatical out on the ocean again, he wistfully thought. You can take a man out of the sea, but you can't take the sea out of him.

He sighed, darker thoughts occupying his mind. I just hope Kerensky can keep everything together long enough for people to get settled down. Sooner or later, some bastard's gonna stir up some shit for one reason or another. Me? As long as I've got food to eat, water to drink and a place to sleep at, I'm a happy man.

Any further thoughts were interrupted when he heard someone humming a strange tune. He turned, watched as Guilty Spark came to a hover next to him. "Taking a moment to reflect?" he asked.

"Yeah," Richmond said. "It's a beautiful view. If I had my art supplies with me, I'd be hard at work on an Impressionist esque piece of art with a canvas and easel. Plus, my parents were sailors in the wet navy the Lyran Commonwealth had on its planets. They always told me, 'son, you can take the sailor from the sea, but you can't take the sea from the sailor.'"

"Very true. I take it you miss them?"

Richmond sighed. "Yeah… I miss 'em all right. Wish they'd been alive to see this."

"What happened to them?"

"Killed during the Amaris Coup," Richmond said. "I usually wouldn't talk about, but it's been long enough that I've come to terms with what's happened. Still, what I wouldn't give to have a boat, a fishing rod and some bait. I bet there's a lot of fish to be eaten out there." He glanced pointedly at Guilty Spark. "Is there?"

"There is. Installation 04 supports a wide variety of life, from various mammals and reptiles, to aquatic creatures. There are also numerous protein rich plants on the Installation, so you won't be short on proteins and meats to consume."

"That's good to hear," Richmond said. "That being said, I wanted to talk about more than just my wishes and my regrets. I was wondering how far along the other sections of Sanctuary are in their construction. We'll have to get people settled in on Installation 04 before long, or they'll start to get antsy."

"The first habitation section will be ready for use in six hours. The fusion reactors your civilization designed are highly efficient. In fact, they should provide more than enough power to keep the city functional."

"That means we can start to move the civilians there in just six hours," Richmond noted. He smiled. "That's very good. I wouldn't be surprised if, within the next few days, we get everyone settled in. After that comes the job allocation process. Gotta have a job in order to be useful."

"Indeed. Many civilians I have spoken with have expressed a desire to begin companies and corporations of their own. How curious, since I've given your people everything they could ever need. Perhaps they wish to exercise their more creative talents."

"Perhaps," Richmond said. He stood up, looked one more time over the artificial horizon. "Well, I gotta get back to work. We've gotta finish putting up that hab and making sure it's connected to the utilities and all. See you 'round, Guilty Spark. Been a pleasure to speak with you."

"Likewise," Guilty Spark said. With a muffled pop, he vanished. Richmond smirked, then left his usual spot to return to work.

. . .

A similar state of work was present high in orbit. Dr. Kincaid sighed as he filled out the last forms on his desk. Finally, my work is done, he thought, at least for today. Perhaps we'll finally get to have a few research ships to ourselves for the work we need to do.

The thought made him frown. Still… if it wasn't for the fact that I was invalidated into being a scientist, I'd be a MechWarrior, just like my ancestor from the 25th century. He shook his head. Still, I can't do much about it. If being a scientist is what I've got to be, then that's what I need to be.

He leaned back in his chair, directing an empty stare towards one wall. That wall was filled with numerous accolades, commendations, awards and trophies for numerous scientific achievements. Not that it matters much now. All that really tells anyone is that I'm smart, well educated, and without a job. He took off his glasses, rubbed a forearm across his face. I guess there comes a time when everybody feels worthless.

He would've continued this self-depreciation, were it not for a sextuple of loud knocks at his door. "Come in," he said. When the door opened, he smiled. "Dr. Howard! I didn't expect you to be here at this hour. What brings you here?"

Howard, a middle aged man with salt-and-pepper hair, smiled "Just making the rounds. Figured that you were a tad lonely, so I thought I'd come by and chat with you." He eyed a pair of glasses in the back of the room. "Wanna drink?"

"Not right now, no. I prefer my mind to be clear and sharp. Those beverages up there are for show, if nothing else."

Howard frowned. "Suit yourself. I think I'm going to have myself a drink, toast our arrival into his new universe, and to a new home." He picked up one bottle, looked it over. "Mmmmhmmmm… 2571 New Avalon Distillery. Damn fine year for a drink, and the year the Star League was founded." He removed the stopper, then poured himself a drink. "You mind if I have a couple?"

"Only two, and no more than that."

Howard nodded, then took a swig of the expensive bourbon. He swished the drink around in his mouth, then swallowed it momentarily. "I like that taste. Reminds me of my grandmother's cooking. She used to use this kind of bourbon when cooking some of our meals. Alcohol was boiled away, leaving that fine taste."

"Good to know that somebody around here's got taste."

"Indeed." Howard pulled back a chair, then sat down. "So, what are you up to right now, Kincaid?"

"Nothing much. In fact, I can't do much of anything until the proper facilities have been set up. They're letting the civilians go down once the first sector's ready for operations."

"Good," Howard said. "I feel for the people in the fleet. We've been burning through space for goodness knows how long without a break. I guess that, since we're in another universe, we won't have to worry about the Successor States dragging us back to Terra for punishment."

"Indeed," Kincaid said. In an attempt to change the topic, he said, "Have you heard about what's been happening down at the settlement?"

"Oh, sure I have. I was down there earlier this day, saw their slipspace bubbles in action. It was like watching a video sped up to five times its original speed. In fact, it was so fast, I could've sworn it was… cartoonish. Certainly would've given that roadrunner a run for his money."

Kincaid looked at his partner, surprise in his eyes. "I didn't know that you watched Looney Tunes."

"I do, from time to time, usually when I'm feeling depressed and sad. Plus my son gets a kick out of it. One recorded episode later, and he was laughing his ass off. Never seen him happier than that, not since he went from fourth grade to fifth grade.

"Still, it's amazing what the Forerunners were capable of doing. Building an enormous Bishop Ring that could house tens of millions of people without needing an expansion? If I wasn't a man of science, I'd say that Halo was a gift from a deity, and a big one at that. "

"Tell me about it," Kincaid agreed. "The sheer engineering prowess needed to manufacture such a structure is practically unheard of. I can't imagine the Young's Modulus of the materials they used to build the damn thing. Part of me has a hard time wondering if they're using nanocomposites, metamaterials, or some combination thereof. Hell, they might've used materials we haven't even dreamed of."

"Tell me about it." Howard set the glass of bourbon onto the table, leaned back. "Something tells me that, before long, you and I are going to be pretty damn busy studying some of the things on that ring. I dare not hope that we get to study the Flood. I know a few that have expressed interest and tried to justify the risk, but not me. I'm not stupid enough to study that kind of shit."

"I know what you mean," Kincaid said. He shivered. "A parasitic species that can infect anything, including dead bodies? I'd sooner toss myself into an incinerator than let myself become a Combat Form."

"Amen to that. Still, I must admit, I find a kind of… beauty in Halo."

Kincaid looked at his colleague. "What do you see in Halo?"

"The duality and relationship between life and death. Life needs death and death needs life in order to exist. Two concepts, seemingly disconnected and unrelated to each other, are actually connected to each other at a fundamental level. On the one hand, Halo is a destroyer of words and life, but on the other, it has become a bastion of hope and civilization for us. It's also why I'm scared and more than a little angry with the Flood."

Kincaid frowned. I've never seen Howard get this philosophical before. "Why is that?"

"You remember that meeting where Kerensky showed us what we were dealing with?" Kincaid nodded. "Then you'll likely understand my hatred of the Flood. They utterly subvert that cycle. They twist it, bend it, perverting its beauty and necessity. If the Flood had their way, they'd consume the entire Universe and never let it die. Oh sure, true immortality would be achieved, but an immortality of sickness, suffering and decay, and that is not a future that I want for my kids."

A spark of understanding lit up inside of Kincaid. "You hate them because they don't let things die when they need to. You hate them because of what they've done, the lives they've ruined, the species they've destroyed. You hate what they have done."

Howard smiled. "Precisely, Kincaid! It's also why, if I do get assigned to studying them, I'll find the most devious, most efficient and best ways to destroy them. On top of that, I will ensure that they know that it was Dr. Howard Giuseppe that sent them to their graves! Gravemind my ass! I'll make sure any Gravemind ends up in a grave."

The two men laughed. "Now that's a play on words if I've ever heard one."

Howard chuckled. "That it is." The two would've continued alternating between sharing stories and talking about events on Halo when an insistent beeping sounded off. "Fuck, what is it now?"

"I'll find out." Kincaid leaned over, tapped a part of the desk phone. "Yes?"

"Report to the McKenna's Pride in 45 minutes," a voice said.

"Why?"

"Classified," the voice said. "All that you need to know is that you, and every other scientist and engineer in the fleet have been called to the McKenna's Pride, or to attend a classified vid-call in the event they are unable to or the ship's meeting room is filled in forty five minutes. That is all." The call clicked off.

"Can't be a status update on the Kearny-Fuchida Drives, or if it is, it's only part of the picture," Howard said. "That means…"

"Find out soon."

"I guess…" He looked down into his glass. "I'd hate to waste a good drink but duty calls, and I don't want to be drunk."

"Here," Kincaid said. He took the glass from Howard, then walked to a small appliance. Opening it, he stashed the drink inside. "Portable refrigerator. I brought it with me from Terra."

"Smart." With that out of the way, the two men walked out of the room, eager to learn why they had been called to the McKenna's Pride…

Onboard the McKenna's Pride, Kerensky tapped his foot on the deck floor. It won't be long now, he thought. Once everyone is here, or is attending via video call, we can get to work on our next secondary objective.

Nearby, DeChavilier waited patiently, arms crossed behind his back. "If all goes well, we can get started on the next step of the plan."

"Agreed."

The doors to the meeting room hissed open. One by one, the best scientists and engineers in the fleet walked inside. Kincaid and Howard are here. Good, very good. He turned to an officer in the room. "Is the vid-call secure?"

"Affirmative," the officer said. "Vid-call is secure. No one outside of this room will know of what happens in here."

"Very good." Kerensky glanced at everyone in the room. "I assume I can speak for all of you when I say that you don't know why you are here." The others nodded. "Then you're in luck. We are about to discuss the reasons why all of you are here."

He stood up and paced around the table. His eyes swept over everyone in the room. "It's been an incredibly difficult journey for all of us, and not everyone that began this journey has made it. All of you are to be commended; your efforts to help us reach a new home have placed us in a better position than I had previously hoped, even if it was mostly accidental.

"However, this also means that I must ask more of you than I ever have before this point. Many of you might stumble along the way but, rest assured, we will do what we can to pick you up and continue on in our efforts. Should you stay the course for what we are about to ask you, you will be rewarded accordingly."

"And that would be?" one engineer asked.

Kerensky focused on him. "An excellent question, Mr…?"

"Lester, James Lester, sir."

"What is your specialty?" Kerensky asked.

"Kearny-Fuchida Drive Engineering, sir. I work with Dr. Kincaid in that field."

Kerensky smiled. "Well then, Mr. Lester, I will provide an answer. At this current time, we have to bring the settlements up to full operational capacity, and that means building the essentials. Most of you involved in the various fields of engineering are going to be put to work getting hospitals, water purification systems, schools, universities and other necessities for modern society rebuilt. In other words, gentlemen, I need you to focus on getting our society onto it's feet and off to a good start.

"We can't do that if we can't feed, house, or otherwise serve the civilians in the new settlements being built. Guilty Spark can do what he can, but he's not here to be our servant. We'll be asking him for advice, while we do most of the legwork. Installation 04's the only place he's assisting, as that his installation. Everywhere else is fair game for us, and a good opportunity to put our colony building capabilities to good use. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," the others said.

"Very good. You will be receiving the tests within six hours from now. However, I will make it clear that I am not devaluing your previous contributions to science and technology. I'm merely stating that we must put them aside temporarily to ensure that our new settlement can get a good start off. Dismissed!"

The scientists nodded, then filed out of the room. Now, for that one final matter, Kerensky thought. "DeChavilier, you have command of the ship. I need to speak to my sons on the surface of Halo."

"Family matters?" DeChavilier asked.

Kerensky nodded. "Yes. Family matters…"

. . .

On the surface of Halo, Andery sat at the edge of another ocean cliff, eyes focused on the planet of Threshold. It's a beautiful planet, he thought. It's sad that we can't live there since it's a gas giant, but it's beautiful all the same.

He sighed. I never really took the time to appreciate the beauty of the cosmos. Apparently, being thrown into another universe is exactly what I need to begin to appreciate the artistry of the universe.

The sound of footsteps drew his attention. The sight of the source caused a storm of emotions to well up inside of him. Oh, hell… it's Nicholas again… He sat up, ready to face another lecture.

Then he noticed something odd. Nicholas wasn't looking at him, intent on being obnoxious. Instead, the man's attention was focused on the ocean down below. With a grunt, Nicholas sat down, then gazed ahead.

How very strange, Andery thought. Nicholas isn't usually like this. He's usually very condescending when he speaks to me. He frowned. "Nicholas?" he asked. "Is everything all right?"

Nicholas didn't respond, his eyes squarely fixed onto the ocean. For a full minute, he sat there, seemingly hypnotized by the motion of the waves below. Andery stood up and turned towards the house. "I'll be back if you need anything."

He was just about to when Nicholas said, "Andery…"

Andery turned, confusion on his face. That… doesn't sound like Nicholas. Something's wrong. "Yes?" he asked. "Is there something you need?"

"Yes," Nicholas said. "Would you sit with me please?"

Andery frowned, then sat down alongside his brother. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes," Nicholas said, though it sounded weak even to himself. "… no, I…" He sighed. "I'm not really good at this sort of thing." He turned towards Andery. "Mom found out about my role in the Prinz Eugen mutiny five days ago…"

A realization struck Andery like a thunderbolt. Oh… shit, he thought. If there was one person he knew that Nicholas didn't want to upset, it was his mother. She kept him safe throughout the entire Amaris Coup. If she's found out about what he did… "What happened?"

Nicholas shrugged. "I don't know. She said she found out from somebody in the fleet… wouldn't tell me who it was. It doesn't matter; what does is that she was pissed. She screamed at me for a full minute, no words, no angry ranting, she just… screamed. The next thing I knew, I blew out of her quarters and ran, I didn't care where. I just ran, ran like you wouldn't believe

"The angry ranting came a few minutes later, when she found me. Called me a manipulative son of a bitch for arranging the mutiny and causing the deaths of all those people on the Prinz Eugen. Then she said the one thing that's… well… that's stuck with me since that day."

"That being?"

"That I was no better than Stefan Amaris," Nicholas said.

The words stung Andery, but for a different reason. He is a very manipulative person, I can say that much for certain. "Really? That's... harsh."

"It is," Nicholas said. He turned towards Andery; denial shone in his eyes. "Be honest with me, Andery. I can't be that bad, am I? I'm not Stefan Amaris. I never hurt or killed those people in the Prinz Eugen Mutiny. Voton and the other ringleaders did, but I never hurt a soul."

No, but you're pretty close, Andery thought. He shrugged. "I wouldn't know, though I think she was a tad unfair by saying you were no better than that piece of filth. I will say one thing, however."

"That being."

Andery hesitated momentarily. I gotta choose my words carefully, or I risk pushing him away. "You can be pretty... persuasive when you want to be, That being said, she did have reason to be angry with you concerning your role in the Prinz Eugen Mutiny."

"Very true, but I was just doing what I thought was right. The mutiny was going to happen one way or another. I was just letting it go so that Dad would take care of things. I never meant for anyone to get hurt."

Andery frowned. "Maybe, but there's a difference between meaning well and doing well. You meant well, but you didn't do well, and that's the difference. Stefan Amaris might've meant well when he took over the Terran Hegemony, but he certainly didn't do well. Why else would Dad fight and kill him when he had the chance."

Nicholas shrugged. "Fair point. Still, I'm not like that son of a bitch. I'm different."

I find that difficult to believe, given that mutiny two months ago, Andery thought. "You are. I can say that much. Still, you should probably tell Dad about this."

"I intend to," Nicholas said. "It's not fair that Mom should throw such an accusation like that at me, though I do understand her initial reaction. That being said, we should probably head inside. Speak with you some more soon?"

"Sure." The two brothers stood up, then proceeded to the entrance to their home.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, General Kerensky had eavesdropped on the entire exchange. So my son Nicholas is partially responsible for the Prinz Eugen mutiny, and my wife found out. He sighed. I had a feeling that it wasn't just Robert Nicholis, Admiral Votok and Major General Braso. I'd hoped that my wife was just having one of her mood swings, though it appears that was a vain hope.

Still, there's hope yet. The fact that I now know that my eldest son failed in his goals means that there's time to correct his wayward behavior. First, however, I will have an honest discussion with the two of them. Clearing his throat, he advanced to the door of the prefab house and knocked.

There was movement inside, then the door opened, with Katyusha at the door. She smiled, embraced Kerensky in a heartfelt hug. "It's good to see you home, honey. I thought you'd never come home to see your new place."

"Well, here I am. I take it you've already given our sons a tour of the place."

Katyusha smiled. "How could I not, what with you being mysterious about it and all. Come on in. I'm sure you'll love the place."

"Perhaps I will." Without further ado, both of them walked inside.

As far as prefab houses go, this isn't too bad, he thought. A-Frame construction, with the upper floor being visible. A faint crackle reached his ears. To the right, he saw a fireplace. A small, but healthy fire steadily burned, with Nicholas quietly tending the flames. Then he saw the seats and table arranged before the fire. "Where did you find the seats?"

"Found them on the black market," Katyusha said. "Some greedy asshole stole the furniture in our estate at Moscow and thought it would make a pretty penny. Before we left Terra, I… educated him on why it was a bad idea to steal a Commanding General's possessions."

Kerensky smiled. "Sounds just like you, Katyusha. You're like a mother bear; kind and protective towards her own, yet terrifying and merciless towards her enemies."

"And you are much the same," Katyusha said. "Would you like to see the rest of the house?"

"In due time. First, I want to speak with our sons. It's high time that we had a family meeting like we used to, when I wasn't away on business of course."

"Of course." Katyusha turned, then made a shrill whistle. "Andery, come down here! We're having a meeting!" The younger of the two sons quickly made his way down from the upper floor. Once they were all gathered, they sat down in the seats.

"So, what's this about?" Andery asked.

"I'm wondering the same thing," Nicholas asked.

He's uneasy, Kerensky thought. He's clearly worried about my reaction to his role in the mutiny. Time to put him at ease. He cleared his throat. "First, I would like to know how things are going at the colony."

"So far, so good," Andery said. "Guilty Spark says that the first section of the settlement devoted to habitation should be ready by this evening. Thanks to him and the efforts of the engineers, they've got clean water, power and lots of food. That being said, we're curious about what you've been doing."

"Very well. I ask that you do not share this with anyone outside of this room. Understood?" The two brothers nodded. "Good. I've decided to begin laying the groundwork for a civil government that'll take care of the things a government should do."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Nicholas asked. "Shouldn't we keep martial law for just a little while longer?"

"For now, yes, but as a General, Nicholas, I have to consider the future as well. Martial law works well as a short term solution, but eventually, people will begin to chafe at such a heavy handed means of administration. If kept up for long enough, they'll begin an all-out rebellion, and that's not what we need. Right now, we need unity in order to fully establish our civilization in the Soell System.

"That leads to the logical conclusion: In a few weeks time, the military will go back to doing its regular job, while the civilian administration will begin its job of governance and public servitude. Colonel Wright will help in establishing that administration, though the specific type of government will depend on what the people ask for, and what the military officers ask for. Wright will set up a poll to determine that, while we'll begin looking for potential candidates to lead the civilian government."

"Sounds like a plan," Andery said.

"Indeed. That, however, means that the two of you will have to handle certain responsibilities for me." He sighed. "The truth of the matter is that I'm old, and the stresses of this life will catch up to me sooner or later. I won't be around forever, and when I'm gone, I'll need the two of you, including DeChavilier, to help ensure that the civil administration is not a paper tiger."

His gaze turned to Nicholas. "That also reminds me of something I overheard, Nicholas. My wife told me this, but I want you to be honest with me. Did you play a role in the Prinz Eugen Mutiny?"

Nicholas' gut tightened. He knows! a voice inside of him shouted. It has finally come out! You will be punished! For a brief moment, the image of Katyusha angrily shouting in his face flashed before his eyes. The sound of her screams of rage echoed in his ears.

A hand rested onto his shoulder. He looked up sharply, and found himself gazing into his mother's eyes. "It's all right, Nicky," she said. "You can tell the truth. I was angry before, but I was... overwhelmed and reacted instead of asking for more information. It'll be all right."

Nicholas nodded. Here we go, he thought. "Yes," he said. "I did play a role, though it wasn't as bad as my mother made it out to be. I didn't actively participate in the mutiny. I simply allowed it to happen."

"That's not all either," Andery said. "Nicholas persuaded Jennifer Winson to... well... you know what happened."

Damnit! Nicholas thought. He didn't need to go that far. Still, given that we're airing this... He sighed, awaited his father's angry response.

What happened instead was, in some ways, both better and worse than. "I'm disappointed with you, my son," Kerensky said. "I'm disappointed with the fact that you manipulated your brother into playing the role he did. However, I do know that it wasn't entirely your fault. You may have helped the mutiny happen, but it was Robert, Voton and Braso that were to blame. They were the ring leaders; you were just the enabler."

The words stung at Nicholas. A dozen voices in his mind began shouting accusations at him. He'll tear you down! one voice shouted. Just another chapter in the Tragedy of Nicholas Kerensky: betrayed by his family and consumed by his failures! Another failure of a leader to add to history!

He frowned. Very well then. If that's what happens, then so be it. "I know," he said, "and I have no excuse for it. I didn't hurt anyone during the mutiny. I simply let it happen... and manipulated Winson in the process."

"That much is clear to me now," Kerensky said. "Normally, I'd have you thrown in the brig. However, given that you harmed no one, and that it happened two months ago, I won't do so. That being said, I don't intend to let this go unpunished. Your actions have consequences, Nicholas, and I intend to make that clear to you."

"While you clearly have the ability to be persuasive and cunning, I've long suspected that the trauma from the Amaris Coup has shaped your mind in numerous ways, even wounded it. Since the Amaris Coup, you've become paranoid, worried that everyone is out to get you, and you've been coping with that through manipulation and deception. During the Amaris Coup, those were valuable traits to use. Now, however, you have to rein in those traits, or I will be forced to do so for you, and you don't want that. Understood?"

Nicholas nodded. "Yes, father."

"Good. As I've said, however, I do not intend to let this go unpunished. Until you've shown that you can be trustworthy, your communications with other people in the SLDF will be monitored. You will also serve three weeks in community service, with the people that were onboard the Prinz Eugen."

"Community service for inciting an insurrection?" Andery asked. "What kind of military tribunal would agree to that?"

"None that I've seen, which is why we're keeping this a strictly familial matter." He turned back to Nicholas. "You will also be seeing a psychiatrist that I know of, Dr. Edward Jung. He will be working with you to help understand the root causes of your psychological trauma and how to bounce back from it. Do you understand?"

Nicholas nodded. "Yes," he said. "I understand."

"Good. I also want you to write down an essay containing all the reasons you helped instigate the mutiny. That will help Dr. Jung understand why you did what you did. I'm not doing this because I'm angry with you, Nicholas. I'm doing this because I love you. However, a loving father knows when he must discipline his children when they misbehave, an aspect of parenting that Katyusha here has told me I've neglected for too long."

"I understand," Nicholas said. "I'll do better next time."

"I know, Nicholas, and you will. Someday, you may lead the Star League when I pass away, but if you are to do so, you must correct this wayward behavior of yours. If you do as I've asked you, then we can start the process of doing so. Oh, and Nicholas?"

Nicholas looked up. "Yes?"

"You'll begin your community service after lunch today. Foreman Richmond needs extra bodies for his area of the city. He'll help you get settled in. Now go get some food; you look like you could use it."

"Thank you," Nicholas said. "I promise I'll do better."

"I'm sure you will. Now go get ready. You've got a long workday ahead of you." Nicholas nodded, then left for the kitchen.

"Well, that went well," Andery said.

"It did," Katyusha said. "I didn't mean to cause him any harm by calling him another 'Stefan Amaris.' I screwed up, and I take full responsibility for that."

"And you've apologized for that," Kerensky said. "Still, the fact that Nicholas' showing signs of sociopathy is another good reason to get him help," Kerensky said. "I believe that Dr. Edward's judicious use of analytical psychology will help Nicholas heal from the Amaris Coup. That being said, I've got an assignment for you, Andery. You'll be the head of the police when it forms, but for now, I need you to help keep an eye on things.

"If the Prinz Eugen told me anything, it's that there are a lot of fractious people in the civilian and military side of things. I wouldn't be surprised if gangs began to form simply due to nationalist fervor. That cannot be allowed to disrupt the safety of the civilian populace, nor can it be allowed to destroy what we're working to build. Understood?"

Andery nodded, a quiet determination in his eyes. "Yes."

"Good. Now, let's sit by this fire for a time and reflect on how good our fortunes have been. I think we all need a moment of introspection."

. . .

Six Hours Later

The rapid tempo of Jason's beating heart matched the growing excitement within his mind. This is it! he thought. We've finally gotten permission to land! We're gonna have a home! The realization had sent a storm of conflicting emotions throughout his mind.

"Daddy?" a voice asked by his feet. "Are we gonna be home?" Jason looked down, saw the source of the voice. A young girl with blond hair and green eyes stared back up at him. "Is it home, like everyone says it is?"

Jason smiled, picked up his daughter. "It is," he said. "We're finally gonna settle down. We're far away from all of those bad men. They won't hurt us anymore." His daughter smiled at the reassuring news.

"Attention, Attention," the PA said. "Commencing Landing In Three… Two… One…" The deck rumbled and for a moment, Jason felt twice as heavy as he was. Then the feeling subsided.

The doors to the passenger compartment in the civilian DropShip opened. Two flight attendants emerged from behind the doors. "Everyone, please exit the DropShip in an orderly fashion. We thank you for your cooperation, and we look forwards to being of service once more. May the first row begin exiting?"

The civilians in the first row stood, Jason among them. Without a word, they all filed out, careful not to step on any toes. Before long, they had exited the DropShip. "Wow!" Cassandra, Jason's daughter, shouted. "It's cool. Why is the ground curved?"

Jason followed his daughter's finger. He smiled, seeing the inner surface of Halo curve upwards. "That's because we're on a Bishop Ring," he said. "Think of it like those places you hear in those stories I've told you."

Cassandra's eyes widened with wonder. "Cool!"

"It is," Janice, Jason's wife said. "That being said, I wonder where we're supposed to go."

She got her answer when a man dressed in worker's coveralls approached them. "You three the Gatsby's?" Jason nodded. "All right, then. Follow me. I've got your house ready."

The trio followed the man, stepping into the nearby APC. The doors shut, then the engine rumbled, sending the vehicle off on its journey. "How long 'till we reach our home?" Jason asked.

The worker smiled. "Just a few minutes. You'll love the place. We've got your belongings there already. I've made sure no one stole anything."

"Thank you." Jason frowned. "You seem… oddly familiar."

The man shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. We'll see if you do recognize me." The rest of the trip was spent in silence.

Before long, the APC stopped. "Here we are," the man said. "Your new home."

Jason stepped out, examined his family's new residence. "Not bad," he said. "Two story prefab house. Still, it's much better than being stuck on a cramped ship all the time. It'll be nice to stretch my legs." He set Cassandra down.

The young girl raced towards the house squealing happily. Walking to the door, Jason turned around. "Thank you, sir. Now, I seem to know you from somewhere…"

"Perhaps you do," the man said. "However, I don't think I ought to tell you off the bat. Every man needs a hint of mystery now and then."

"Ain't that right. I've gotta go now. Take care, sir."

"You too," the man said. With one final parting gesture, Jason went back inside...

Unbeknownst to him, another person had been observing them. Retreating around a corner, Guilty Spark filed away the sounds and sights within his memory banks. It would seem that settlement of this part of Halo is going well, he thought. It'll take longer for the other facilities to be built, but Kerensky insisted that he and his people handle the settlements on Basis and Soell III. Given that Halo is my purview, I'm inclined to agree.

He sighed, the sound tinny and artificial. No matter right now. I must tend to my work. A Monitor's duty is never finished.