Chapter 8 NAME "Shit Happens" Part 3

Why on earth would I tell you my name when it annoy you so?

=She smirks before at the frustrated Spartan=

(Dormii)
=i see Miranda and Molly. I wave to them from the back ramp of the Pelican, of which I am sitting on. My arm clicks once or twice so I stop to look at it, seeing if something is wrong or if it was just bumping into itself or my armor=

It only annoys me that I have to resort to the more degrading term, AI. You call a person by their name, not by what they are.

(Miranda)
=I saw Dormii waiving at us, and Molly and I walked towards him=
Dormii, hey. Things have gotten bad.

(Dormii)
=i look past the AI at Miranda and Molly=
How bad? I mean, I know you said Jason was kidnapped, but, like by whom and how long ago and so on.

(Molly)
I don't know who exactly kidnapped him, but it sounded bad. When he told us to run, he sounded scared. I'm guessing it was ONI.

(Miranda)
Yeah, all things considered, it was probably ONI.

=She sighs, examining the woman in front of the AI and the Spartan=
Well this seems rather personal...

=She hums to herself to try and relive the awkward tension=

(Dormii)
=to the AI, politely=
Please stop humming. If you aren't going to contribute, please, stay quite.

=to Miranda and Molly=
Any idea where they took him?

Wha?!

=She was angered by the Spartans attitude=
I can help! You just never asked me!

(Miranda)
None. My info on ONI is limited, and I doubt they'd take him to a fixed location. For all I know, he's on a ship somehwere in UNSC space.

(Dormii)
=to the AI=
Okay, then, can you help find Jason?

=to Miranda and Molly=
By the way, meet some AI. She won't tell me her name. AI, meet Miranda and Molly.

(Miranda)
=It was a good thing I had the patience of a saint=
Hello. My name's Miranda.

(Molly)
=I lacked the patience of a saint, and said nothing=

=The AI remained silent inside Dormii's helmet=
I don't like people, did I mention that?

=She continued her quiet charade=

(Dormii)
=i sigh=
Okay, sorry Miranda, Molly, she's quiet. She said she would help =i looked at the AI= if we asked. And I asked. Can you help?

=i stand up=
Let's get on the ship, we'll work things out as we go.

=She averted the Spartans gaze=
Yes...

Just tell me what happened... And where they were last seen...

(Dormii)
Jason was kidnapped. Miranda, where was he when he was taken?

=had arrived at the hangar and sees the others=


this can't be good

(Miranda)
=I faced zeru=
Really, what gave it away? And where the hell were you, I was comming you for half an hour!

=I turned back to Dormii=
We got a job offer. It was his smuggling job. He had to travel to a warehouse on Chi Rho.

(Molly)
Someone, or something, attacked him. Whatever it was, it was bad enough for him to warn us to run.
=as we talked, we had boarded the Serenity=

(Dormii)
=to the AI=
So, a few days ago and on Chi Rho. Any ideas?

(Miranda)
=I muttered under my breath=
Remind me never to get shot while you play mechanic.

(Miranda)
=we ended up at the mess area of the ship, standing around the table=
Zeru, haven't you been listening? We have no idea who took Jason. Our best guess is that it was ONI. Argo, activate the table.

(Argo)
Affirmative.
=I activated the holo projector of the table. My image appeared in the center of the table=

And to answer your question Miranda, yes, it was ONI that took him. I neglected to share this information with the rest of the crew, but it looks like the time for secrets is over.

=I shared with them the files I stole from Vigil, and how ONI knew of Haven's existence. That Jason and the rest of his kind were made to not only serve as soldiers, but be used as keys to unlock Haven, should it ever be found=

=The AI watched the scene play out, feeling like she wasn't needed any more=
At least now we can leave and continue with our operation

(Miranda)
Well, that tells us who took him, but not where.

(Argo)
True, but considering the files, and who they mention, then I'd say this would be a good start.
=I brought up the files referencing the Point of No Return=

(Dormii)
=i notice the AI has gone silent=
Hey, AI? Can you help or not?

(Miranda)
Well, that's a good lead. So, they're probably holding him close to home, i.e. the Point of No Return. Now, we just have to find the damn thing.

=The time that had passed had not been pleasant for the three=
=Draco had fallen once more into a coma like state. Lynn and Grace at his bedside=
=Grace, constantly having to have Lynn leave so she could work=
=Lynn, constantly going against the orders=

=Grace had given up and let her stay with them=

Lynn-How...how is he?

Grace-Like I told you five minutes ago. So far, so good. I will tell you if things go wrong.

Lynn-Oh...okay...

=Lynn buries her head into his arm=

Grace-God...sometimes she can be so annoying...

=The Azure Comet had been outside the Obsidian Wolf for a few days, and Delta was with Xazhi in the training room, preparing for his first mission. Xazhi wore jet-black sub-maroon armor made by the SS. He was much taller, with pale skin and long birch-white hair; even his voice had gotten a little deeper. He had undergone the surgeries of the LIFE project at his request, hoping to become like his father. Xazhi was keeling on the floor, burning Silver Sage. The smoke had a strong scent, and has spiraling around him=

Your mission is clear, is it not?

Yes, sir.

Good. Recite it to me.

=Xazhi spoke grimly=

I am to depart for the Grassland planet and uncover any information i can, and report back here.

And if you encounter any resistance?

I kill every last one of them.

=Delta was glad to see that the kid was so determined to complete his goal. He gave a look of approval=

Good. There is something i want you to have.

=Xazhi stood up, and Delta handed him a data chip. Xazhi looked confused=

You'll thank me for it later.

=Xazhi put the chip in a small hard-plastic container just big enough for it, and stuck it in one of the pouches on his belt=

I will report on my progress as opportunities become available.

Good luck.

=Xazhi left the training room and make his way to the Hanger, where he had loaded his things onto the Eirav Wing. He boarded the relatively small vessel and took off from the Comet before jumping to slipspace. Delta went back to the Bridge. the ship's new AI appeared on his console=

Code:

You know this mission is suicide, right? There is no way at his age and with his training that he will be able to defeat them, let alone all of them, and make it out alive.

I know. But if he does succeed, I have plans for him.

-Zayne's realm-

Zayne-How. Can you still hold on!

=Laughter=

Zayne-Youre on your final strings of sanity. I can tell. The look in your eyes.

=Draco is on his knees. Looking up=

Zayne-What do you have to live for. Lynn? Ha.

Draco-Do not speak of her. =he says through blood stained teeth=

=A pool of blood had formed next to him=

Draco-As long as she is here.

=He motions to his heart=

Draco-I will continue to fight. I will protect her.

Zayne-Just like you could protect Ash all of those times.

=He laughs=

Zayne-I cant count how many times she was harmed when you were RIGHT THERE!

=He moves to get up. Wobbling=

Zayne-Did I strike another nerve? Fun!

(Jason)
=I had no idea how long it had been at this point, but I didn't care. My nerves were on fire, every one of them screaming in pain. I couldn't take it anymore, and it was a miracle that I had held out for this long. I told them where to find Haven=

*Parangosky*
Excellent. See, was that so hard?
=she commed someone, the bridge maybe=

Captain, I'm sending you a set of coordinates. Send them to the other ships, and prepare to jump.

(Dormii)
=i shake my head as the AI stays silent. To Miranda=
Okay, so, what would ONI want from taking Jason?

(Argo)
The location of Haven. Apparently, Jason, and the rest of the Spartans that were made from Project Dragon's Teeth, were all made to be used as key's to unlock Haven, though ONI never knew where Haven was. However, since the Battle of the Obsidian Wolf, ONI is bound to have seen the Forerunner warships that Jason summoned.

(Miranda)
Which means that they know that he found Haven.

(Argo)
Correct. It is only reasonable to assume that Haven is what they are truly after, and Jason is but a piece of their plan.

(Dormii)
=the plates on my arm ripple faster=
So they may know about the strongest weapons ever found. We need to get there and make sure they aren't going to get anything. ONI can't get those warships.

(Argo)
Agreed. We may not know where they are, but where they will be heading, is certainly no mystery.

(Miranda)
But, let's say that is their goal. If they really are interrogating Jason, how do we know he'll even break?

(Argo)
We must assume that he will break Miranda. It's not a pleasant thought, I know. But at this point, this course of action is the best option available.

(Dormii)
=i nod=
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. We need to go to Haven, now.

(Molly)
Alright. I'll head to the bridge, get us un-docked.
=I left for the bridge=

(Miranda)
=I folded my arms=
I'm going to head down to the armory, see if what we have. If we're going to board an ONI vessel, we'll need some fire power.
=I waited for the elevator to come back down after Molly left, then headed for the armory=

(Molly)
=When I got to the bridge, I strapped in, un-docked us from the Trophaeum, and got us out of the hangar. A few minutes later, we jumped for Haven=

(Dormii)
=i stayed in the messhall, waiting=
If ONI gets Forerunner tech...

=i looked at my arm and thought about things=

(Argo)
Considering the repercussions of ONI gaining Forerunner tech are we?

(Dormii)
Yeah, a bit. I mean, what would happen, if all Spartans got arms like mine? Or even Marines? What new "projects" would ONI undertake to make people have these arms? Or, what would happen if the most secretive government got the strongest weapons? Dictatorships don't always have just one leader.

(Argo)
I think we're thinking a bit small, if all they would use is that arm. I saw the power of those ships, and they decimated that fleet. I've seen the power of that suit Jason used, and that was but a low class of armor. If ONI gains even a quarter of Haven's technology, then they will have the power to wipe out any threat they face, and subjugate any who would challenge them.

(Dormii)
I was focusing more on the people-problem. Assume they get my new arm and manage to replicate it for all. They will most likely think up a plan that involves utilization of that arm onto hundreds of people in the armed forces. They will, most likely, make the hundreds give up their own arm so they have this one. They will further remove a person's humanity, for the "sake of humanity." Which is just wrong.

(Argo)
No offense, but that arm of yours is nothing compared to Forerunner Combat Skin. That is one limb that is being augmented there. A Combat Skin augments everything. And from what I know of ONI, they aren't going to chop off the arms of troops, just for the sake of one limb.

(Dormii)
No, but it should give you an idea as to what they do. This is one limb, but it is more powerful than a normal, human limb. ONI will jump at the chance to do that, claiming "we must do this for humanity." I'm not putting aside the Combat Skin's power, I'm just thinking about what might make a person, let alone an organization, that desperate.

(Argo)
True. The fact that they were willing to create a whole new species show's what lengths they will go to.

(Molly)
=I checked the readout on the clock: we had maybe three hours, before we reached Haven=

(Dormii)
But also, using children, to create the ultimate soldier. A child who has yet to grow, to learn, to decide for themselves, to take them and twist them into things that any child would scream and hide from...

(Argo)
Perhaps. But in the end, what they chose to do with the 'authentic' Spartan program, was perhaps the only course of action that was left to them. After all, they were on the brink of war with my makers.
=I thought for a few seconds, reviewing all the files I had=

For now, it does not do well to dwell on what may be. We must focus on the now, and simply use that possible future as a reminder, of what we fight for.

(Dormii)
I remember what I fight for. And I always will, because they can never be free...

(Argo)
They?

(Miranda)
=I checked what was in the armory: grenades, ammo, explosives=

(Dormii)
My old squad mates.

=i tap my helmet=
I couldn't save them, and now they are stuck in my mind.

(Argo)
Ah. Well, you have my condolences.

--Point of No Return's Location--

=the Point of No Return, in addition to a small battlegroup of three destroyers, four frigates, and eight corvettes, all jumped to slip-space, for Haven. Estimated time, was three and a half hours=