Prologue Rewrite
Emergency High Command Message
Date: 1 August 2562
Message to: All members of the United Nations Space Command High Command.
Subject: Newly commissioned UNSC Super Carrier missing in action following what can only assumed to be a Slip-Space drive malfunction.
I cannot begin to explain the severity of the situation at hand. UNSC Sol of the Sol Class Command Carrier is gone after entering Slip-Space near Mars to participate in War Games with the Sangheili and the 7th Fleet near Reach. The very same 7th Fleet that UNSC Sol would have led and be in command of.
To make the situation worse we have a member of High Command on Sol. Fleet Admiral Becket. Born on 11th April 2523 on Earth. A veteran of Operation Trebuchet and the Great War. Becket is arguably one of High Command's most valuable assets due to his combat experience and being one of the very few Admirals who had survived the Great War.
To make matters even more concerning is the fact we have over 19,000 soldiers of the UNSC onboard UNSC Sol, who are now along Becket MIA. To top it all off, Sol was equipped with a NOVA bomb. The NOVA bomb is meant to enforce the Hood Protocol in case a Flood outbreak were to happen on any of the remaining UNSC-controlled Inner and Outer Colonies.
All High Command personnel are to move Facility Bravo-6 in Sydney Australia on Earth to discuss the nature of this development and any future developments.
-Fleet Admiral Lord Terrance Hood.
End Message.
Fleet Admiral Lord Terrance Hood
Sydney Australia…one of the few lucky places on Earth that hasn't been attacked when the Covenant invaded. The same unfortunately can't be said for North America, Europe, and worst of all Africa. The Covenant hit Northern and Middle Africa the hardest and glassed a massive portion of the Continent when the Arbiter and his people contained the flood outbreak…so many lives were lost.
"This is Mojo 01 we are now approaching the landing pad at Bravo-6 Admiral." The Pelican's pilot announcement quickly broke Hood at his negative thoughts. 'Good, I am finally at HighCom to get this damn meeting over.' Hood thought to himself as he disembarked from the rear of the Pelican. Moving to the Conference building, Lord Hood is accompanied by two Spartan IIIs who will act as his security.
Passing by the hallways and lounges that are decorated to the brim with war trophies, paintings, and medals from the various conflicts throughout recorded human history. Turning right into the next door Lord Hood finally enters the main conference room where the current meeting will take place.
Moving to the Center of the room, Lord Hood glances at everyone inside. The entirety of UNSC High Command, one well-placed plasma grenade or fragmentation grenade would kill the entirety of the UNSC Leadership and in the process dooming mankind.
All the seats in the room have someone already occupying them. From the Xenophobic Admirals and Generals, with some of them being veterans of the Great War, to the brand-new Admirals and Generals who have never experienced combat. 'The Xenophobic side would surely try to push their agenda in cleansing the universe of filthy Xenos. Idiots, all of them.' Hood glares subtly at the Xenophobic group before turning his head to the Xenophile group. 'And they will try to push their Agenda by saying we should forgive the Sword of Sanghelios for slaughtering Humanity in the tens of billions. Also, idiots, it won't take decades to move past it. It will most likely take generations or centuries to forgive The Arbiter and the rest of the covenant's species.'
Then there is the neutral UNSC personnel who believe for the time being isolation is the best course of action so that we can rebuild Earth and reclaim our lost territory and Colonies. While also bringing back the outer Colonies that left the UNSC, whether it be with diplomacy or by force. Humanity should not be divided, especially when we are at our weakest.
Only two seats out of the hundred remain open. That being mine and Becket's. With Becket being MIA and me just not preferring to sit down. After all, I can focus better when I am moving around and not sitting still like some elementary school child.
Coughing hard enough to quiet everyone down and get their attention, Lord Hood immediately begins. "Ladies and gentlemen of HighCom. Does everyone know why they are gathered here?" Multiple hands instantly shot up and their owners answered. "To discuss about our missing Command Carrier."
"Fleet Admiral Becket and getting someone to fill in his shoes."
"To declare war on the Swords of Sanghelios?" Of course, it was one of the Fanatic Xenophobic members who said that. How hard is it for them to understand that enough human blood has already been spilled? Fucking idiots, I swear.
Hood quickly answers them while letting out a small sigh of disappointment. "Yes, yes and no. Don't even try to argue with me Vice Admiral Jeremy." Watching Jeremy shrink in his chair from all the stares he is receiving, Lord Hood can't help but smirk. "Okay following UNSC Sol's disappearance, does anyone have any theories or questions regarding the matter?"
The head ONI, Admiral Serin Osman is the first to start talking. "It could be possible that this was sabotage. Maybe one of the crew members of Sol is an insurrectionist sympathizer, or maybe has ties with the United Rebel Front. They then went and sabotaged Sol's Slip Space engine."
Osman brings out a valid argument. After all, there are still rebel sympathizers in the UNSC. They are slowly being hunted down, but they are still there, hiding among us. "What if Admiral Becket and the crew of the Sol went AWOL to join the URF?" Someone asks.
Admiral Osman beats Lord Hood to the punch. "That is highly unlikely. Lord Hood and I personally knew Becket. His loyalty to the UNSC and humanity is not questionable."
"Okay, so the most likely cause of Sol's disappearance would either be sabotage or a Slip Space drive malfunction."
"Yes, that is what we believe at the moment." Lord Hood responds before continuing. "But at the same time, Sol is using one of our newest Slip Space drives that were reverse-engineered from Forerunner tech. This Slip Space drive is capable of making the ship travel 250 light years a day." The scientists gave the all-clear on the Drive, so we of course began mass-producing it. Maybe the scientists missed a fatal design flaw.
"Maybe the scientists who reverse-engineered and developed the new Slip Space missed a fatal design flaw?" a General spoke Lord Hood's thoughts.
"It could be possible for that to have happened." Someone else agrees. Good it looks like we are actually making process. Thought Lord Hood.
"If that is the case, we need to stop immediate production of this variant of the Slip Space Drive as well as Sol's sister ship UNSC Zeus." Spoke a Fleet Admiral in a concerned tone. Of course he is concerned. A Simple flaw just possibly cost us the lives of 19,000 humans and a bloody Fleet Admiral.
"Does everyone agree on halting the production of UNSC Zeus and the malfunctioning Slip Space Drives?" Lord Hood asks the room.
"I agree."
"Agreed."
"Agreed."
The result was unanimous. Everyone agreed on halting production and possibly for the first time in a while the Xenophobic and Xenophile factions agreed on something. Must be my lucky day.
"Moving on to the next subject. The current whereabouts and status of UNSC Sol." Lord Hood said while looking around the room before continuing. "Our scientists already know her current status and whereabouts, some of you within here who have a degree in physics also know." With said people nodding their heads.
Lord Hood takes a deep breath before speaking again. "UNSC Sol could be anywhere in the known universe as we know it. They could be within 1000 light years of us or on the other side of the Orion Arm."
Upon hearing this news some of the Admirals and Generals gasped in shock. "And as for the status of Sol. It is highly likely that they are still alive. But there is still a chance that they exited Slip Space inside a celestial body. The chances for that to happen is low, but it is still a possibility."
"Dear God. I hope wherever in the Universe Sol has ended up in, that they are all right." An Admiral part of the Xenophobic group answered.
"I know people. But there is unfortunately nothing we can do about the fate of UNSC Sol. Onto the next subject. Compensation for the families of the crew that is now MIA." Lord Hood quickly moves to the next subject.
"Is compensating the family really that high of a priority?" Asks a Vice Admiral. Great, yet another person in a high-ranking position who doesn't know about common sense.
"Yes it is. We need to show the people of the UNSC and the UEG that we care about them. By giving them compensation, it will enforce that fact. If we don't give them compensation, they will slowly start to hate us and that will lead them to form or join already existing rebel groups." Lord Hood explained with a stern voice while glaring subtly at the Vice Admiral.
"Now does anyone know what would be the best amount of credits to pay the families?"
A General who has experience in financing responds. "I believe around 220.000 credits shall be enough. It will be more than enough for the families of Sol to satisfy them, and it will be low enough so that it won't financially impact us."
Lord Hood nods his head. Hmmm, why is he a General and not the Minister of Finance in the UEG? He clearly knows what he is talking about. "Okay, 220.000 per family that is then." Using his neural link, Lord Hood instantly gets the required number of credits. Multiply 222.000 with 19.000 and the total is "4,180,000,000 credits to the families."
"As for the new open Fleet Admiral position, we shall hold the Selection process this time next week. Now onto the next agenda." Lord Hood says completely unaware that this meeting will last for another 7 hours.
Great War Memorial
Lord Hood finds himself standing before one of many memorials around Earth and the remaining human colonies. So many lives lost in the name of religion. Tens of Billions dead. Hundreds of worlds turned to molten glass. Out of 80 billion humans, only 16 billion remain. Out of 800 worlds, only more than a dozen remain. Humanity as a whole was decimated and set back centuries by the Covenant. It will take centuries to rebuild. But we will rebuild.
Bringing the liquor bottle to his lips and taking a sip, Lord Hood stares at Luna and can't help but wonder where in the Universe Sol had ended up. But one thing is for certain. If they are alive, they will cast their Shadow.
Author notes.
Rewrote the first chapter so far after receiving valid criticism. Hope it is better than the previous version.