Lyanna Stark was missing. The news had reached the Westerlands by way of team wolf pack's reports. Brandon Stark had arrived in King's Landing demanding the return of his missing sister and the head of prince Rhaegar who was said to have taken her. He and his companions had been placed in the dungeons almost immediately and already Aerys had sent word to the North demanding that lord Rickard Stark come and answer for his son's threat towards the royal family. Kurt could already feel the headache coming on as wolf pack gave him the news.
The last months had been quiet for the most part. With the excitement of the tourney and prince Aegon's birth the country had been in a good mood, bordering on jubilant. So far the mining equipment sent to house Lannister and Marbrand had been working about as well as could be expected, and the proceedured for building the greenhouses at Kayce had been ahead of schedule thanks to the drafting of some of the local peasants into the building projects, for a good wage of course. The first UNSC living areas had even been successfully finished around the Plataea, and now the five thousand combined personel of the Plataea both Naval and Spartan had far more spacious quarters than those of the massive ship.
The civilian integration commitee, which was in charge of dealing with the locals, had even approved for the formation of a small settlement, with some houseing for the people who had begun to immigrate into their territory. Many of them were seeking work, and more than one had had some parts of their livelyhood smashed when the Plataea had falled from space. Kurt felt sorry for them and often wondered how many innocent people had died because gravity and engine trouble had made Fair Isle the only viable landing zone. Kurt and the commitee had tried to make some ammends by granting those people some of their new lands, and promising to build new housing for them. So far most of the locals were weary, but some were opening up as these new places were built, many of them far superior to the homes that they had previously had.
The Plataea had landed on the shore of southern Fair Isle, with part of it in the water. Some of the crew had commented about beach-front property but it had proven useful for the construction of hydro-electric facilities to provide power to the new settlement and take some weight off of the ship's engines. Combined with the resource gatherers stationed in orbit making trips to and from the local asteroid belt and the black-cat sub-prowlers, darters and pelicans stored in the hull, they had a ready and almost limitless supply of energy and raw materials. Already the engineers and maintenance crew who maintained the massive vessel were discussing a way to get the Plataea back into space. The slipspace navigators and physicists were also working hard, trying to figure out the malfuntion that had brought them here.
Truthfully, the disappearance of one woman, even a noblewoman like Lyanna Stark, shouldn't and didn't affect them or their plans, but Kurt cursed his bleeding heart, at least, a bleeding heart for a Spartan, as he had become somewhat invested in the efforts he and his men had taken to bring Westeros up to code. Already some of the plans for a new sewage system were being sent to King's Landing, along with ship designs and food preservation methods being shipped north to the Starks and used at home in the Westerlands. Kurt had found that the Starks and northmen were some of the easiest to deal with, being straigh shooters and blunt almost to the point of brutality. The dornish on the other hand had been cagey about possible trade, mostly due to their independent nature according to some of the locals in the court of Casterly rock. The rest of the kingdoms were all some level of interested, given that most saw the use in what they were offering.
The fallout from this could be catestrophic for their efforts, and so Kurt made a decision. He radioed into the Plataea and King's Landing.
"Autumn, I want you to redirect all satilites and find Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. Once we have their location, Jane, I want you to go and retrieve them. Shane and Robert will stay and guard Jamie. Hopefully we can bring them back and explain this whole thing away before lord Stark gets here and a scene is made."
"Of course Captain. I'll have the satilites scan the areas around Harrenhal within a few days journey looking for them." Autumn's voice was projected from the radio.
"Affirmative sir. Should I explain my absence to the royal family?"
"Best to ask for permission from the king. Try and frame it right. We don't want to go stepping on a madman's toes."
"Yes sir."
Days went by as everyone seemed to be searching for the missing prince and lady. Most of the realm had already heard of the kidnapping of Lyanna Stark by prince Rhaegar, mostly through gossip, and the subsequent inprisonment of the heir of the north. The Martells were in an uproar, almost as much as the Starks, considering the insult that Rhaegar's actions had laid at the feet of princess Elia. The wife of Rhaegar had strangely not made much noise about her husband's diappearance. She had made no noise at all really, apparently sequestering herself on Dragonstone with her two children.
As it was, Aerys was more than happy to take command of Jane and demand she return his son. Really, all Jane had to do was imply that it was something Tywin or Rhaegar wouldn't like and Aerys had been all for it, giving her a written missive with his own sigil demanding his son's return and that of his kingsguard. As of now, they were simply waiting for one of their satilites to get a glimpse of the prince or his kidnapped lady.
"We have them sir."
Autumn's voice rang out as Kurt was finishing a set of hanging situps in his quarters.
"Good, where are they?"
"It took us a little longer than expected, apparetly the prince decided to cover up that hair, but we found them moving south through the area the locals call the dornish marches. They moved off an have settled around an abandoned tower."
"Send the information on to wolf pack. I want Jane moving within the hour."
"Yes sir. Once we found the prince, we redirected the satilite feeds. It's bad news I'm afraid. According to reports and images, Rickard Stark will likely arrive in King's Landing before Jane can return with the Prince Rhaegar and Lyanna."
"Shit. Have Shane and Robert ready to move, we might need to intervene if things get hairy."
"Right away sir. Spartan A-203 is already on the move and requesting permission to retrieve Mjolnir armour from the local depot."
"Permission granted."
The radio went dead after that. Kurt spent the next few hours clarifying Shane and Robert's jobs while Jane was away and getting one of the UNSC's satilites to stay on Rhaegar while the rest returned to where they had been keeping tabs on the rest of the continent and the narrow sea.
Handing over the information to Tywin had been a rather exhausting affair. He was not happy that one third of his son's protective detail had abandoned their post at the orders of Aerys but Kurt had made more than one reassurance about sending additional Spartans to make up for the lapse in Jamie's protection. Kurt had already transfered Spartan teams India and Bravo to King's Landing in order to effect the assassination of the Targaryen royal family should the need come. The male members were the priority, as according to the realm's own laws the throne would pass to the nearest male relative and some research had suggested that Robert Baratheon was the next closest after their main royal family but should it be necessary Kurt had made plans to have the entire family, down to the newborns, killed. Kurt didn't feel right just handing over a throne to anyone but Robert Baratheon was better than Aerys by damn near every metric.
As it was, Jane had been gone for a little over a day and had already crossed through half of the Stormlands and was passing between Harvest hall and Ashford towards the Red Mountains and dornish marches to get to Rhaegar's little hideaway. According to intelliegence fron satalite imagery, it would take Rickard Stark another half-week before he would reach King's Landing. Kurt had, for a moment, almost considered deploying a pelican to ferry Jane to the Prince's location but had shook it off. They could not risk their technology being seen and demonised by the primative people of Westeros. Pelicans and other machinery could easily be considered magic, and their general understanding of the world, far more comprehensive than the religious superstition of their 'faith of the seven' could easily be decried as an attempt by demonic forces to turn people from their gods.
In the end, Kurt almost felt bad that he considered his people's secrecy to be more important than the lives of others, but his first responsibility was the protection of his crew and Spartans, and if that meant that some of the natives might die, then he was willing to bare the burden of those lives.
However, hopefully it wouldn't come to that. Jane was making good progress through the stormlands, and had passed by Harvest Hall that day. With any luck, she would have Rhaegar in hand by tomorrow and the prince's capture could be reported to the king. Hopefully, that might calm the madman and no lives would be lost.
Jane kept her eyes on the GPS on her HUD as she ran across the desert landscape. Being back in Mjolnir armour was a blessing after the last few months. King's Landing was an important assignment, but being forced to dress in clothes considered appropriate by the natives could be suffocating after living life dressing in powered armour.
She shook herself out of the thought. This assignment was important, probably one of the most important of any of mission undertaken amongst the native people of this world. Jane had been on the move for a little over two days, surviving on rations she carried with her and as little sleep as possible before she began moving again. Truthfully, the journey was almost leasurely. There were no covenant or insurrectionists hounding her and her team, there were no dangers or hinderances on the road given that she was running faster than a galloping horse. The weather could have been better, but all in all the slight chill in the northern areas gave way to the heat of the desert kingdom and with her armour, she barely if ever felt the outside temps.
Her HUD flashed, letting her know that she was less than a hundred meters from her destination. She pushed herself harder than before, taking those last hundred meters at a dead sprint and cresting the final sand dune. As she came over the top of the dune, she saw the abandoned, decrepit tower that stood just off from the mountain of sand. Her hud outlined that structure, but also highlighted several heat signatures either at the base of the tower, but also inside.
She zoomed in on the figures, even as she jogged down the dune and towards them. Most were instantly recognisable as members of the kingsguard. Ser Arthur Dayne, Oswell Whent and Gerlod Hightower stood guard at the entrance of the tower, meanwhile the last five signatures were unknowns. According to the Plataea's recon, two of them were almost certainly Prince Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark, but the other three could be anyone, and so Jane mentally classed them as possible combatants.
Her HUD flared slightly at the three kingsguard rose from their posts and faced her way. As she had not bothered with stealth, her approach was visible and obvious to all who even glanced her way. The Alpha-company Spartan wore an E.V.A. variant of the standard Mk. V Mjolnir armour that had become standard for all Spartans since its introduction in 2542. There were rumours of another upgrade on the way, a Mk. VI, but Blue Flag had seen the 'Plataea' and her crew lost before any blueprints could be obtained and assembled from the ship's advanced fabricators.
Such things weren't really points of concern at the moment. One of the kingsguard, ser Arthur if her eyes weren't wrong, was calling up for prince Rhaegar to come out from the tower. The other two knights, Whent and Hightower, were readying themselves and already had their blades out. Jane could have easily killed both from her distance with the pistol she had strapped to her thigh. It was the only modern weapon she was allowed to bring with her on her trip.
"Halt, who goes there? Identify yourself!" Ser Oswell shouted.
Jane slid to a stop thirty feet from the group just as the door to the tower opened and a pair of figures stepped out. One was prince Rhaegar, looking regal and poised as he descended the staircase. A step behind him, Lyanna Stark was staring at her with a look of confusion and slight wonder.
Reaching up, Jane allowed the seals of her armour to release. Pulling it off of her head her red hair spilled out from where it had been kept up. The four men looked at her and as she pulled off the helmet their faces transformed into ones of surprise.
"Lady Jane?" Rhaegar asked, looking her up and down in her armour. Lyanna meanwhile regarded her with awe at just how she looked covered head to toe in metal, even in the dornish head.
"Prince Rhaegar." She nodded. "You're needed back in King's Landing to answer for the kidnapping and disappearance of Lyanna Stark.
"Kidnapping?" Lyanna asked. "He didn't kidnap me. We are in love. We were married beneath the heart tree just days ago."
"Rhaegar's eyes flickered over to his new wife's face for a second and softened before returning to Jane.
"Indeed lady Jane, this all appears to be something of a misunderstanding. Something I'm sure can be rectified without problems." Rhaegar said, flashing a warm smile her way. "Lyanna and I are husband and wife, I see no reason why we cannot simply let this all go.
Jane's face remained unmoved.
"Good, then you will not mind returning with me to King's Landing immediately."
Rhaegar's face changed, and his eyes shifted.
"I'm afraid such a thing would not be sound my lady. The capitol will need time to process these events, and it is best that we not be around to inflame tempers. I would ask that you remain with us for the time being, in order to secure us our privacy here. Perhaps a message can be sent back to King's Landing and my father to soothe his frayed nerves."
"That isn't the job Prince Rhaegar. I have a written missive from your father the king demanding that you return. I have already informed the capitol of your location and given assurance that you will respond immediately to his majesty's orders."
Jane took out the letter and threw it through the air, whereupon Rhaegar caught the rolled piece of parchment and opened the wax seal. His eyes scanned the paper and his lip curled slightly into a look of distaste.
"I see my father's seal, but this is not his hand."
"It was written by the 'hand of the king', I believe the term is, the man responsible for ruling the realm when the king cannot."
"Either way, such a thing could be falsified, and without my father's writing upon the paper, I cannot simply take your word that this is my father's wish."
Jane didn't fight the bad feeling that was growing in her gut. The prince seemed adamant about not returning to the capitol, combined with the uncomfortable surety he had that the sworn kingsguard would not side against him. Indeed, Jane could see that the three men were already settling into fighting stances.
"This doesn't have come to blows my lady, please, stay here for the time being, I'm sure that you can send another message correcting your mistake in claiming to know our location."
The prince's words were flowery, filled with the charm that the realm seemed so set on eating up by the spoonful.
Jane wasn't moved.
"You will return with me prince Rhaegar. If not voluntarily then I will have to subdue you and deliver you back to your father."
Sers Whent and Dayne drew their blades, making a show of force that didn't even make the Spartan woman's face twitch.
"You would threaten a prince of the blood?" Lord commander Hightower asked. He had not yet drawn his blade, but seemed just as incensed as his fellows.
"My orders come from both my commander, and your king. I require your prince to return in order to clear up the circumstances of ms Lyanna's disappearance to her brother and father."
That seemed to get Lyanna's attention.
"What are you talking about lady Jane? What must you make clear to my family?"
"Your older brother Brandon, Ms. Stark, took news of your supposed 'kidnapping' quite aggressively. He is currently awaiting sentence for threatening the royal family in the dungeons of the capitol, your father is also traveling to King's Landing and is slated to arrive in only a few days according to intelligence. I am required to return you and prince Rhaegar in order to answer for his actions. Though it seems that we can now add your own to the mix."
That information seemed to give Rhaegar some pause, but only for a moment before he steeled himself.
"Even so. My word and a written missive should be enough for these events to be resolved, there should be no need for us to return and flare tensions between parties."
Lyanna looked unconvinced by her new husband's words, but Rhaegar turned around and ushered her back into the tower, gesturing for Jane to follow.
"I will have to make contact with my commander, I will be back to settle this." Jane said, leaving back up the sand dune in order to report to the 'Plataea' and her captain. It was better to do so out of sight and hearing range, lest someone overhear her conversation of wonder why it was that she was speaking to no one, at least as far as they knew. She still left a small camera in the sand at the top of the dune to keep an eye on things in the tower.
"Spartan A-203 reporting in to Spartan-actual and King's Landing-actual, do you read, over?"
"This is Spartan-actual and Plataea command we read you Spartan A-203."
"This is Spartan A-112, King's Landing actual reads you Spartan A-203."
"I have made contact with prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark in the dornish marches as ordered."
"Roger Spartan A-203, what is the status of retrieval?"
"Possibly hostile Spartan-actual. Primary target has expressed multiple times the desire to leave responsibility for actions up to the King's authority."
"And target Beta? What is the status of Ms Stark."
"Either a willing participant or the fastest victim of stockholm syndrome in the world, She claims that she and target alpha have married since their disappearance. Shows some signs of grooming common in controling relationships but overall seems congnative and competent, if naive, in her actions. Please advise on next move."
"Physical violence should be a last resort, we don't want to tip our hand of burn bridges with the next monarch of the nation. As of now Spartan A-203 will remain nearby and attempt to persuade targets alpha or beta to return with them to the capitol. Spartan A-112?"
"Standing by sir."
"Inform King Aerys about target alpha's actions and try to smooth things over. Let's see if we can settle things diplomatically before anyone has to get hurt."
I almost had Jane beat everyone up and drag them back to the capitol but considering that Aerys took the threat of harm on his heir as means to have Brandon Stark killed, I don't think that Kurt would have Jane actually inflict harm onto Rhaegar. His desire to avoid interfering too much in Westerosi politics, at least for the moment, means that any actions he's going to order will be for the most part rather tame and half-hearted.