Chapter 8 NAME "Shit Happens" Part 6

(Jeremy)

It makes sense, but im not the only one issued with the armor, and there is another type I believe, one that is very bulky and allows the wearer to pick up miniguns. That one was issued to the commander. If need be I can try to find some kind of image.

(Jason)
You're not getting the idea, Jeremy. Someone, gave ONI intel on what GloboTech was doing, and that came from you. And if you don't go back, if you don't check in with them, they will immediately finger you, as the one that betrayed them to ONI.

(Jeremy)

You don't understand, there is two people they will look for, the commander, then me. I know they will come.

(Jason)
And when they find the commander, and he proves his innocence, they'll come for you. Jeremy, what I'm saying is that the price of you staying here on Haven, is that there's a chance you can never go back into UNSC space.

(Jeremy)

I understand that. GloboTech as far as I know does not have a good sized fleet, but I know UNSC does, sort of.

(Jason)
Well, either way, they won't be able to get you here Jeremy. No one else knows the location of Haven, or that you're even here. What's more, the UNSC won't dare attack this place, not without Parangosky's say so. Even then, the fleet we have here is enough to shatter anything they'll send.

(Jeremy)

That's nice to know, at least I have a place to live.

(Jason)
=I stood up=
Just remember, that the price of you living here is not just the chance that you can never go back to the UNSC. It's the chance that you may have put everyone here in danger.

=I let that hang in the air for a moment. But only for moment=
That, was out of line. I'm sorry. Well, first thing's first: where do you want to live? Inner Shell, or Outer Shell?

(Jeremy)

=I wasn't sure what he meant, so I asked=

Where are they located? I was hoping somewhere open and not so populated.

(Jason)
Haven is a Shield World, meaning that it's hollow. This means we have two separate zones; The Inner Shell, and the Outer Shell. Haven's population is housed in the Inner Shell, with the cities. All we have up here, on the Outer Shell, are the Bases.

(Jeremy)

=I sighed=

I'll just have to go to the Inner Shell, I don't want to be stuck up in a military base.

(Jason)
I'll see if I can get you set up somewhere nice and quiet.
=I started to walk out of the room=

One more thing: While I can't really restrict you from it, I have to ask that you not call anyone you know back in the UNSC. We're doing our best here, to maintain secrecy, at least until secrecy is no longer a concern. If you really must call someone, check with Haven's monitor, Silver Light, to get clearance for it.

=Macgraw stumbled back, he couldn't comprehend what had just happened=
Wha...?

=He felt warm blood trickle down his arm, then pour more and more, he couldn't see anything but red=
My.... My...

=He tried moving his fingers, he could still remember the feeling of the nerves working together to complete this action=
=But now... Nothing, he couldn't feel anything=

=He suddenly regained his wits, realising he had fallen to the ground, his hand laid dormant next to him, taunting him=
=With a rush of fear Macgraw pulled his amputated stump closer=

What the hell is wrong with you!!

=He didn't know what else to say, he'd never had his hand cut off before=

If you want to play dirty! Then fine!

=He twisted his arm, it felt odd an alien for it to be bare=
=With tac-pad in reach of his functional hand he punched in a code=

Think that I would use my threat! Well you've sealed the deal!

=He clambered towards his lonely hand, hoping he could retrieve it somehow=

=He walked towards the hand and picked it up before Macgraw could get closer=
=He raised the blade up to Macgraw's head=

=His eyes were clear. The red in the right, flaming. The white in the left, pulsing=

Call it off.

Or what!? Your going to hold my hand hostage!?

=He wrapped his bleeding wound into his chest again, trying to stem the blood loss=

I've still got the cards kiddo! Back off!

=He wanted to pull out his gun but in the confusion of the fight he had no idea where it had landed=

Beautiful, what a beautiful meal. He sat there and just looked around at the huge Messhall. He enjoyed it here, although he had not seen Dormii, in a long while.

=While the work on the ships was going on, the planetary scan that Silver had set up finally found Xazhi's ship, near the old crater from the Flood ship. Sentinels were deployed in a swarm, to secure the area, and lock down the ship, if possible=

(Jason)
=I left Jeremy in the room. If he wanted to follow, that was his choice. Silver gave me a call, saying that the ship Xazhi had arrived in had been found. Finally, I was starting to doubt we'd ever find that thing. I had a team sent out to the ship, to investigate, while the Sentinels gave them aerial support and reconnaissance=

=He stands there with the hand. Looking over Macgraw. He had no idea what had truly happened. He had nothing to say. His helmet was a fair distance away and he had no way of getting to it to call in for back up=

What... now...

What!? Your just going to stand there with my hand!?

=He spat in the direction of Draco, there was little else he could do but make foul of his enemy=

It's over you fool, I was bringing you down one way or another...

=He moved his feet into a more comfortable position, he wasn't exactly in the prime situation to attack=

=He looks down=

So that is it.
You are going to kill everyone. Including Jay.

=He looks up towards him=

Kill Jay!?

=He laughed to himself, grinning emptily=

Still trying to make that fly huh? Or do you really not remember when you killed my daughter? Hmm? Your dam freedom... Is it worth it..?

=He looked out into skyline awaiting his reward. If he was going out he didn't want to leave alone=
Dammit... Can I do this..? I thought I upheld justice....

=He shakes his head=

You are blind, Macgraw.
She is alive and well on my ship.
I should damn well know.

You should know huh!?

=He stares up at his recent prisoner now possible executioner=

Heh... What do you know about her?! What does anyone know!?
Do you know I never knew about her and Oni!!
Dammit!

=Macgraw's face flinched with anger as he began to remember all the ways Oni had manipulated him. All that time they lied to him=
=She lied to him...=

=He tilts his head=

And that matters how?
She is up there

=He points up=

On my ship.
I've held.....

=He shakes his head=

She is up there. Right now.
Do you want to kill her.

Heh...

=He shrugged=

I've done so much for the brat that she's never realised!

=He glanced away from Draco, pulling his bleeding arm even closer=
=The rapid blood loss began to worry him, he had some Biofoam in his pack but he felt to winded to move=

What if she's up there?! What does it matter...?
As soon as I turn this thing off you'll have my head... I'd do the same...

How do you know that for sure, Macgraw.
As far as I'm concerned you're a rejected soldier just like the lot of us.

You sent yourself here to die.
I won't let you have that feeling.
That pure release of death.

Heh... Really now? After all I've done?

=He stared at his cold decapitated hand the colour from its flesh rapidly fading=

I would have shot me from a mile away...

=He shook his standing up, walking away from Draco=

I will let you go.
Just tell me one thing.

You didnt kill her.

=He stares at him. Waiting for a response=

=Macgraw stared at his feet, then back to his bleeding stump, the wrinkles on his face starting to show=
=Coughing nervously he cleared his throat=

She... She...

=His eyes finally met Draco's, if he was going to be honest he might as well be brave about it=

She wanted me to pass something on... Hell if I know who she wanted me to tell...

=He cleared his dried bristled throat again, Macgraw's voice regaining some of its confident ring=

Say goodbye to her parents for her...

=He shrugged not understanding its meaning=

We must have gotten to her before she could...

=He waited as the wind picked up, still wondering if telling the truth was the best thing to do in his situation=

=He stands there. He looks straight ahead. Unable to truly think now=

Say goodbye to her parents for her...

=Macgraw watched Draco for awhile but he had no words=
=He wanted to say something, explain his actions but there really was no point=
=It was easy for him to believe enemies were a monster... It was easier to see in black and white=
=Macgraw shook his head, colour fading from his face due to his loss of blood=

Hey... If Jay is still around...

=He shrugged the idea off, what was the point...=
=Macgraw pulled his bleeding hand closer as he tapped the code cancelling the bomb threat=

You won...

=His words were empty he had nothing else to do, he had nothing else left=
=Macgraw could finally feel his place in the world slipping, all he'd ever done, all he'd ever wanted was gone=
=Turning his back to Draco Macgraw began to walk down the shelled bunker he left his pack in=

=The hand drops from his. The dogtags around his neck rattle with the wind. Her dogtags=
=A lump had formed in his throat. He takes a breath in and walks over to his helmet=

=As he walks he watches Macgraw=

=Macgraw had reached his pack, his arm and feet were numb. Reaching over for his equipment he almost collapsed=
=His blood loss had been severe, his wound would surely be fatal if he couldn't apply any Bio-foam=
=Macgraw sat next to his bag, burnt shell casings and rubble littered the floor of this once epic battle scene=
=He wondered if he should let himself fall here like others had before him, he'd just be forgotten like the fights that took place here=

You've got nothing now...

=He looked down at his wound, then back to his pack, if he did make it trough what then?=
=All Macgraw had ever done was fight, that had been his life and now it was gone...=

=He sighed to himself, awaiting for some sign or reason to continue=
=Macgraw sank as the memorise of his mistakes arose in his mind, what good had he brought to the world?=
=He closed his eyes picturing the one time he had been in love, the one time things made sense=
=But those days were history, he was history this new world held no place for him=

(Dormii)
=i slide closer to Jay and put my hand in her's=
Est omnia bene?

Quote :

Is everything okay?

=He reaches it and takes it in both of his hands. A glare appears on the helmet as he lifts it. He lifts it over his head and pops it down=

Atlas: It seems as though things have calmed down.

=He nods=

Atlas: I will call for immediate evac.

=He nods again. Unable to speak=
=A message is sent to the bridge of the Whisper of Life where a crewman recieves it=

"Evac is on it's way, sir. ETA ten minutes"

=The team that Jason sent had finally arrived, their transport landing at a safe distance from Xazhi's ship. They departed, and made their way towards the ship. Sentinels drifted overhead, providing backup from the skies. Once they got close enough, they came across a problem: they had no idea how to open the ship=

=Meanwhile, construction of the cargo ships had progressed smoothly, estimates being surpassed by build times. It was now estimated that within hours, the ships would be ready. As for the crew themselves, most already had experience in engineering, communications, navigation.... All that was really left, was training others=

=He calls back to Macgraw after thinking for a long while=

Do you have an idea where Ash's family may be?
I want to fulfill her final wish...

=He sees his HC not too far from his location. He begins walking towards it=

(Jason)
=After I left Jeremy back at Alpha Base, I decided now was as good a time as any to go back to the Serenity, and rest. Besides, I had a feeling that Miri would want to know what was going on. I made it to a teleporter, and returned to the ship, walking through the recently repaired cargo doors. I found Miranda near an open crate, putting back the tools she, Gabby and Kenny had used to fix the damage that was caused by the intruder. She must have heard me, because she turned, saw me, and smiled. I didn't care that I had seen that smile already for a few years; my heart still skipped a beat, and I found myself smiling at her in return=
Hey.

(Miranda)
Jason, glad you're back. So, what happened? I heard we had another guest?

(Jason)
Did Silver inform you?

(Miranda)
He might have slipped that a friend arrived.
=I noticed that behind the smile, Jason looked.....worried. He was troubled=

What's wrong?

(Jason)
Our guest was Jeremy, the ODST we rescued from the Covies a while back. He had some information for us.
=For the next few minutes, I told Miranda what I had learned, and what I had done: The renegotiation with Parangosky, the cargo ships we were building for the trade, and how Jeremy would be living on haven now=

(Miranda)
Wow. Talk about deals with the devil.

(Jason)
Yeah. I know that, in a way, what we did was inevitable. I mean, we were planning to establish trade with the UNSC. I just never imagined it would be this soon. Or with her, for that matter.

(Miranda)
There's always going to be someone liker her, Jason. And despite how much you may hate her, or what she's done, maybe it's better you're making this deal with her. After all, Parangosky is the devil you know. From the sound of it, these GloboTech guys would be just as bad, but what would make them worse......

(Jason)
Is that i don't know them. I can't predict how they'd act, what they'd do.....

(Miranda)
Exactly.

(Leonard (Leo))
I am a Ship Captain within The Haven Trade Fleet.
The Ships are being built at the moment.
I am currently waiting inside a observation room within the construction building.

(Jason)
Ugh, and here I was thinking life would be simple now!

(Miranda)
If life started getting simple, we'd be out of a job Jason.
=I got up, and went opened one of the crates marked as "FOOD." There were some granola bars inside, and I was feeling peckish. I took two, and offered the other to Jason=

(Jason)
=I looked from the granola bar to her, took it with a nod of thanks, and started peeling the wrapper off=
And what job would that be?

(Miranda)
Seeing complicated issues unfold, taking place in life changing events, and even diffusing massive situations.
=I took a bit out of my freshly peeled granola bar, and spoke between chews. Hey, no one ever accused me of having proper eating etiquette=

In other words, living life to it's fullest. Can you imagine spending the rest of your days living a simple life?

(Leo)
This room is fully stocked with every bit of information you could need on the new ships.

(Jason)
=I thought about it. Truth be told, while living in peace had it's appeal.......it just wasn't the life for me, at least not yet. Oh, I didn't want to start wars, just to have some excitement in my life. But living quietly on a hidden world, just wasn't going to work=
No, I can't.

(Miranda)
Then for now, we accept the world of excitement, and complications.

(Leo)
I'm waiting for the ships completion so in the mean time I'm watching their construction

=The Scouts that had been deployed to Xazhi's ship, decided to use some gear from the transport to cut a hole into the ship, targeting a seam on what could have been a door. Their luck held, and there was a door made for them. They boarded the ship, weapons raised, while one of them, an engineer, looked for an interface port, to start a hack of the ships systems=

=Macgraw gave no answers as to where to find her family. The Pelican touched down near the position and before he boarded he gave Macgraw access to his private comm if he should ever find anything out about the location of Ash's family. With a sigh, he boarded the friendly Pelican and left the planet for the Whisper. It was a silent trip back up. His head clogged with many thoughts and things. Another sigh escaped his mouth as the minutes passed=

=The engineer found an interface port, and immediately plugged their data pad, a tool that had been made by the humans on Haven, and began hacking into the ship=


--Silver Hawk, in orbit over Haven--

(Molly)
=My team and I, almost a full day after docking with the Hawk, had already grown fairly comfortable aboard the ship. Quarters were waiting for us upon landing, and so far the crew seemed decent. We were currently awaiting orders, either for another patrol route, or just another simple training run=

(Dormii)
=Jay slumped against me suddenly. Her limbs went limp, but she was still breathing. Her breaths came in short panicky spurts=
Non! Non non non! Medicus!

Quote :

No! No no no! Doctor!

=i tried to wake her up, i squeezed her hand, shook her lightly, but nothing worked. I was panicking. I had only just be reunited with her, and then something happens to her. It wasn't fair. I picked her up and all but sprinted to the medbay with her in my arms. Once there, I set her down on a bed and did my best to tell the doctors what happened. They said they would run some tests and get back to me. I sat down nearby and waited. The panels on my arm jittered nervously as I sat there=

(Leo)
My ship the "Kinsonix" is going to be first to completion
When said ship is done it'll need a test run.

-Doctor present in medbay-

=I approach Dormii. A clipboard in my hand. Some time had passed between when he brought Jay in and now=

Hello.
There... have been some complications...
She has entered a comatose state. I'm sorry, we will take care of her.

=I walk off to leave him with his thoughts=