Chapter 8 NAME "Shit Happens" Part 4

Tal:
well, i guess we could just leave...

(Rain)

=I nod=

Alright.

=We get to my room and I open the door=
=I go in and look over my things=

Hmm

so where to Rain?
are we just going to fly without any place in mind?

(Rain)

Don't worry.

=I lie a case down on my bed next to my Katars=

In my line of work.
Oni was gracious enough to give me places to live while I performed my tasks.

that's good!

(Rain)

=I begin packing the case with a few clothes=
=I take out another revealing my SMGs and my pistol=

Good, still there.

=I take my Katars and put them in their sheathes=
=I take the cases=

Your room now.

okay...

=i walk out and head towards my room, sad kota isn't there=

*sigh*

=i walk in=

(Rain)

=I follow her=

It's gonna work out.
It'll be like. An adventure of sorts.

that's a great way to put it!

=i begin packing, placing my umbrella on the bed=

(Rain)

=I set my cases on the floor=

Yeah.

so, how have you been lately? we haven't talked in awhile.

(Rain)

I've been good.
How about you?

bored is the only way i can describe it...

(Rain)

=I smile=

Then this adventure is just what you need.
We must cure this boredom.

well, *nyaaa....

i'm a bit tired right now... how bout' we rest up?

(Rain)

=I nod=

Alright.
We'll leave tomorrow.

=I go to leave, taking my belongings=

Goodnight, Talfie.

wait, could you stay in here?

= i put my arms around him=

(Rain)

Of course I can.

=I put down my things=
=I lead her over to the bed and lay down=

=i hug him tightly=

night rain...

*nyaa.....

(Rain)

=I return her hug andplace a kiss on her forehead=

Goodnight, Talfie.

=I soon drift off to sleep=

(Jason)
=I stood at the head of the holo table in the Command Center, with the rest of my staff. There was Commander Chang, a bright young man, who had a specialty for brute force tactics. Lieutenant Jackson was a man gifted in guerrilla based warfare, while Commander Bowman, the only woman in this conference, was capable of combining both brute force, and guerrilla warfare. She was there to help balance things out=

Okay, our intel so far is limited. All we really have to go on so far, is simply what the UNSC has learned about Covenant tactics. For one, when Covenant scouts have located either a human world, or a high value planet, they send a very large group of ships-- mostly somewhere between 30 to 40 ships. Now, from the simulations that Silver Light has run, our ships, just our human made ships, would have maybe a 60-70% of success, with losses falling under 30% of the fleet's total numbers. However, if they send more, like the fleet that took Reach, which was 341 ships, then our ships won't stand a chance.

*Co. Chang*
What about the Forerunner ships? We have 22 of them, so why not let them do the fighting?

(Jason)
Silver Light already ran the sims on that plan too. While the power of those ships would be enough to cripple a fleet of that size, their sheer numbers would be able to overwhelm us.

*Lt. Jackson*
What if we lay a trap for them? Like a minefield of some kind?

*Co. Bowman*
That could work. Do we have any mines to begin with?

(Jason)
I'll ask Silver, but I'm going to say no. However, we may be able to make some.

*Co. Bowman*
What about the Sentinels? Couldn't we re-purpose them into mines?

(Jason)
There's a thought....I'll look into it. Still, we have no clear idea of where the Covenant fleet will be exiting slip-space.

*Lt. Jackson*
Well, I doubt that they'll be arriving from the Galactic Core. So, that leaves us with all of this space.
=he brought up a holo map of the system, the Galactic Core "behind" Haven, and the area in question highlighted in green=

Even then, I doubt we'd have enough Sentinels to cover all that space. We'd need to know exactly where they will be exiting slip-space.

(Jason)
Leave that to Silver and his sensors. For now, all we can do is keep preparing. I'll discuss the Sentinel mines with Silver.
=I paused for a moment=
Dismissed.

=they all left, and I was alone, with only my thoughts for company=

I followed the asshole back to whatever-the-fuck [Alpha-base], and found myself at a loss as to where the fucking entrance was. I had no idea what to do. I just stood there. Ok, no I didn't, I was running around looking for a fucking entrance. It also looked familiar, but I couldn't bother myself with trying to remember what it reminded me of, so I kept at it.

(Jason)
=The Command Center was basically a small tower, so I walked for the viewing platform. Once there, I just rested my arms on the guardrail, and looked out at the perimeter of the base. the base itself was curved, the whole of it built along the entrance to Haven (hell, we basically became a massive toll booth) that way, there was no real back entrance. As I looked out, I saw someone running around outside the base. It looked like they were looking for something. I still had my armor on, including my helmet. It took only a moment to activate my visor's zoom feature, and I was shocked at what I saw: that fucking kid from the Trophaeum, the one that kept breaking into my ship=

Awww for Fuck's sake! Even here, on a Forerunner World, near the center of the Galaxy, and he still manages to find me!

=starts prepping the ship for departure=

(Fatet)

=I thrash violently in my sleep, reliving what happened on New Jerusalem but with an even more nightmare-ish quality=

=10th September 2552=
we were walking through a burning town, the ash raining down on us as our sniper took out an elite patrolling the street. It was a mistake, that one shot had caused hell to break loose.
I watched my best friend be gunned down in a flash of blue plasma.
The image changed.
I was in the town hall. There were two other ODSTs left. I saw her. The only person left who I loved. I ripped open her cage frantically and desperately tried to save her, but it was hopeless, she whispered her final words into my ear
"Stay alive..."
=Then I awoke in the med bay crying and screaming.=
"MEGAN!"

=Xazhi gets into the Eirav Wing and takes off from the Trophaeum's hanger=

=Most of the doctors in the medical wing jumped when the prisoner woke up screaming. He was still restrained, but they still felt a little nervous. After all, the guy did cut himself, and before that, he killed one of the soldiers. Still, he was a patient, so they did what they could. His wound was already healing=


(Jason)
=I kept watching as the kid (though it looked like he had grown up a bit) kept running around. I figured I'd may as well save him the trouble (and myself a heart attack) by inviting him inside for a change. At least then, he wouldn't have to break in. I commed some guards at a gate near the kid's location=

Hey, you've got a guy running around out there. Let him in, and direct him to the main building. I'll meet him personally.
=I left the viewing deck, and headed down, for the small little courtyard outside the main building =



=the guards at the entrance to Alpha Base saw the man running in their direction, and waived at him=

*Guard #1*
Hey, you're clear to enter. Just go through these gates, and head for that building over there.
=he pointed at the Main Building (a.k.a. Command Center)=

Just wait outside the building, and our boss will talk with you.

(Dormii)
=the SMG didn't seem to have that much firepower, but, then again, it could fire nonstop and a very fast rate. If this was classified as an SMG, then I'd hate to see what some of their bigger weaponry was=

Razgriz wrote:

=Most of the doctors in the medical wing jumped when the prisoner woke up screaming. He was still restrained, but they still felt a little nervous. After all, the guy did cut himself, and before that, he killed one of the soldiers. Still, he was a patient, so they did what they could. His wound was already healing=


(Jason)
=I kept watching as the kid (though it looked like he had grown up a bit) kept running around. I figured I'd may as well save him the trouble (and myself a heart attack) by inviting him inside for a change. At least then, he wouldn't have to break in. I commed some guards at a gate near the kid's location=

Hey, you've got a guy running around out there. Let him in, and direct him to the main building. I'll meet him personally.
=I left the viewing deck, and headed down, for the small little courtyard outside the main building =



=the guards at the entrance to Alpha Base saw the man running in their direction, and waived at him=

*Guard #1*
Hey, you're clear to enter. Just go through these gates, and head for that building over there.
=he pointed at the Main Building (a.k.a. Command Center)=

Just wait outside the building, and our boss will talk with you.

I guess someone saw me running about. A guard, idiota, waved me through. He said something about a building and waiting near it. So I did, I entered the forerunner gate and……… wait, that was it. forerunner technology. I had seen some of these before! It was in a photo-Album the Doctor showed me. Regardless, I waited where the guard had instructed.

=the troph heads away from haven before making a slipspace jump to it's destination=

==This is temporary==

(Jason)
=I reached the main entrance to the Command Center, and walked out the entrance. I saw the guy standing outside, and for some reason, he seemed a little pissed=
Can I help you?

(Jeremy)

I wonder when something interesting might happen. I have been stuck here for a while.

Andrea, you've been quiet lately, what happened?

(Andrea)

Code:

I don't know. I just ran out of stuff to do. I want to see more. I'm a bit sorry for my actions earlier between you and me. I was just so pissed of what the captain did.

(Jeremy)

What..? I don't understand what you mean.

(Andrea)

Code:

It's a long story. The captain.. set the ambush up. I realized this with the coordinates he set.

(Jeremy)

So, he screwed you, this entire planet, and me. For what?

(Andrea)

Code:

I don't know. But we are going to find out.

Razgriz wrote:

(Jason)
=I reached the main entrance to the Command Center, and walked out the entrance. I saw the guy standing outside, and for some reason, he seemed a little pissed=
Can I help you?

"Yes you can fucking help me! You people fucking never fucking brought the fucking Medication! What do think we're doing? Sitting out there with a thump up our Ass! No! Because of you we lost like two hundred and fifty patients! I mean what the Fuck!"

I finished, panting after my little rant. I had just jogged like ten miles and then yelled at some pompous jackass who happened to have the misfortune of talking to me. After yelling, I got a serious headache.

(Jason)
What? Oh hell. I offered to send in supplies, but you guys never answered!
=well, this was a terrible start to my being a host. 250 people dead. That was going to haunt me=

Look, I'll send in what supplies I can now, as well as any spare personnel. But like I was trying to explain to your captain, you guys just landed in a freakin hot zone. The Covenant just discovered the location of this planet, and they will be coming here in force to claim it, and that means they will slaughter every last man woman and child to do it. Especially your people.

"Like I give a shit! I just want to help people! And you are the one standing in my way! Thanks a lot Jackass! Now hurry up and fucking send the meds!"

I stop and sigh, "now, I need to sit down....."

I sit down, leaning against the side of the building.

(Jason)
Alright, I'll have the meds sent. But just so we're clear here.
=I stepped closer, and my armored form cast a shadow over him=

I do feel regret, over not having been able to help save your people. But make no mistake, that the 5 million people already here on this planet, the same people that call this place home......they far outweigh 250 lives, and if I do go to Hell for thinking that, then so be it. I will not let these people die here, not after all they've been through.

=and with that, I walked away. I called one of my Lieutenants, and had them gather medical supplies, food, and whatever personnel we could spare, and had them move to MED-7's location. I also called back Lt. Tucker, seeing as how he'd no longer be needed there=

As he walked away, I thought to myself a phrase oft repeated: Every dead man had a wife, kids and grand kids. Every dead woman had a husband, kids, and grandkids. Every dead person had memories of these people. Every death is a permanent loss of memory. Everything they experienced, everything they saw, everything they felt, gone, in an instant. If you can't be bothered with saving a few people, you don't deserve to be able to save a few million. Some people just don't understand responsibility, not like a doctor or medical student does anyway.

=the troph had exited slipspace hours ago and had arrived at the rendevouz point to pick up people=


zeru 3 years of finding people and it's finally time

=syaa is standing next to him on the bridge helping oversee the new crew arriving=


syaayou sure they're skilled i mean for the most part i would think so but certain parts of the ship would be hard to manage

zeru true i got a plan for that


=after several hours the ship's full=

(Jason)
=once all the supplies had been sent, I left Alpha Base, and headed back to Osea's hospital, to talk with my other guest, Jeremy. I still had some questions, including what should be done with him. As I was teleported, I couldn't help but feel a pit in my stomach. 250 lives, gone. The battle hadn't even started yet, and we would already need a mass grave. Those lives, could never be replaced, and who they were, individually, were lost forever. What I said before may have been true, about 5 million lives outweighing 250. But it was cold, and calculating. Those lives, could never be recovered, and my soul would be marked with their deaths forever. They died, because I failed to act. But so help me, I would not fail to act here. I may not have liked it, but I was in command here. Hell, being in command is a tough job, and the victories and failures follow you wherever you go, but I didn't see anyone else lining up for the job, and someone had to do it=

=sends a message to jason explaining the details so far=

(Jason)
=I arrived at the hospital, and a few minutes later, I was outside Jeremy's room. The two guards were still there. Good, it meant that Jeremy hadn't tried to escape=
At ease men. I'll be having a chat with our guest.

=I walked inside the room=


(Miranda)
=for the most part, I had stayed aboard the Serenity. War's weren't really my thing. That said, I was making sure my weapons were in good condition. Hey, if the Covies ever did make it this far, then I was going to go down fighting, not hiding=



=the supplies and personnel arrived at MED-7's base camp. There was medicine, food, clean water, and a few spare medical staff=

=after 5 hours arrives back at haven and attempts to dock=

elyon tell them to get used to the ship as much as they can

Code:

 understood

(Jeremy)
=I look up to see the man that talked to me before=

Hey. I hope I'm not in any trouble.

(Jason)
No. I've come to the conclusion that you are not a threat. However, I do have some news. As I explained before, one of the Covie ships that was after you escaped, and has most likely alerted it's allies of this planet's location. Now, we don't know when they will get here, but that was maybe three days ago, so they should be here soon.
=I walked closer=

Which brings me to why I'm here. Despite the fact that it was your mission--whatever it really involved--that brought the Covies to my home, this is no longer your fight. However, many of my people gave their lives trying to save yours. So, you have two options: I can give you a ship, and you can leave. You can return to the UNSC, and complete your mission.

(Jeremy)

No. I'm not giving the UNSC what we found there. It's a long story, but the captain of my ship may have something to do with the covenant.

(Andrea)
=speaking through speakers=

I'm sorry for my last actions. I was, a little pissed off. But I can tell you why we are suspicious.

(Jeremy)

I want to hear the second option first, it's better than the first I hope.

(Jason)
=a hollow chuckle passed my lips=
Trust me, you may want to return to the UNSC. Option two, is that you stay here, and help us. Not to belittle my own men, but they still have very little combat experience. You on the other hand do. So, those are your options. Either leave and live to fight another day, or stay here, and help me defend this world.

(Jeremy)

I'm going to stay here. Now, about that information. Andrea, fill him in.

(Andrea)
=begins speaking through mic=

Well, the captain of the ship had preset the coordinates in the system. He had told me not to bother with it. So being a good AI I kept my distance. I remember him having a log, with messages from another ship. Not one of ours, though.

(Jason)
Your saying he was speaking with the Covenant?
=which was scary as hell. According to Silver Light, no one had entered the Haven system for 100,000 years. Hell, no one was even supposed to know about Haven, short of ONI, and they didn't even know where it was=

(Andrea)

It was the only logical answer. I'm just guessing that they had arranged some preset coordinates. The captain must be insane to start another war. Only thing is he died in the attack. Well, at least I thought he did. Unless he escaped some how. Did you see anything odd in the ship wreckage?

(Jason)
None. No other distress beacons, nothing shaped like an escape pod. But what I'd like to know is this: if the Covenant did give him the coordinates, how did they know where to look in the first place? Haven is a Forerunner world, and the guy that built it wiped all record of it from Forerunner Archives. There literally should have been no way for the Covies to know about this region of space.