Chapter 8 NAME "Shit Happens" Part 6

=She shrugs=

I'm not due for another nine months.

=She tilts her head=

Unless you were talking about something else?

(Dormii)
=i stay smiling=

Quote :

Just curious how far along you were.

(Jessie)
I'm really pissed now. I mean seriously, how many fricking soldiers do these rogues have?
=I stab through a guy who happened to be close and use his body as a shield until my shields start charging. (Not fully done.) I tossed him into a couple other guys, breaking them.=
=I was slowly getting closer when was a shield, just close enough to slash into them, killing a couple guys.=
=I take my assault rifle and fire into the unshielded marines, killing more. With a couple more rounds there's only a four left.=
"I'm a Spartan guys. You really think you could take me? I can still *cough* beat you wounded. I suggest you run."

"I guess whoever's up there is who's getting out of this alive."

=The two patrol groups, already formed up and in formation, entered their slip-space portals, and left the Haven system. Their coordinates were set, and their orders clear: monitor the space between Delta's fleet, and his point of origin. They were under strict orders not to instigate hostilities, unless fired upon first=


(Molly)
=My squad and I were already out of the ship, and we were flying standard defensive formation, along with the other fighter squadrons. Our current patrol route though, was not within the fleet. We, and three other squads, had orders to patrol certain areas of Havens atmosphere, what were considered the "weak points," in our security. From what I understood, while we could detect any threat that began to enter our atmosphere (or entire system for that matter), our current fleet size was not enough to actually defend all points of entry. That was what both the fighter squadrons, and Sentinels were for. Granted, the Sentinels could do all the work, since there were more of them but Jason felt that having his people feel more responsible for the safety of Haven, would inspire them even more to treat this as their home. So far, that idea proved itself a dozen times over=

=Back over Xenos, the rest of the XNNO armada was moving around in patrol, keeping close watch for any sign of attack. On the surface, the planet was starting to resemble a city-world. With an entire rapidly-expanding population working nearly non-stop, they were transforming Xenos into their new permanent home. As the XNNO Capital Ships neared Haven, Delta began to think about how they would go about what they were going there to do=

=He comes through the crowd of his soldiers and tackles the Spartan to the ground=
=He retrieves his HC and fires four rounds into her chest=

I told you.
My voice will be the last one you hear.

Fall into oblivion.

-Lynn-

=She nods and when the shooting stops she turns to look behind her=

Is it over?

(Jessie)
"I die... the way I want. Dante."
=I couldn't do much other than that. Oh wait.... the explosives on me..=
=My head limps to the side. My last movement was my thumb on the button, pressing down.=

=His eyes grow wide as the button is pressed=
=He quickly removes himself from the body and plunks down the bubbleshield from the gauntlet=
=Unfortunately, not fast enough. His right arm is taken in the blast as well as much of his armour. He is sent flying back through the shield and slams against a wall. His head slams back into the helmet and he passes out=

=There is a large hole where the body was. Looking down unto a floor above and below. Many of the soldiers were lost in the blast=

-Lynn-

=As the explosion went off she lets out a loud cry and runs off through the bulkhead's hole=

Draco!

=She looks around at the damage and tears begin to fill her eyes=
=She looks to a wall and finds a body. Most of it's armour is torn off and the right arm is gone=

Draco!

=She runs up to him and begins to try to shake him awake=

(Dormii)
=i followed Lynn, hearing the explosion as well. I felt regret, for all the lives that I know were lost, and the damage to the ship. If i hadn't attacked the station, none of this would've happened=

=Most of his helmet was torn in the blast. Sending some shrapnel into his right eye. She removes what's left of it and places her hands onto his bloodied face=

Draco... cmon...

=She notices he is breathing slowly. She cries out=

Medic! Atlas! Bring some medics over here!

=Tears continue to fall from her eyes=

*Sending now*

(Al)
"Fuck... another MIA Spartan. There's no way we can find her.. better report this to O.N.I."
=I run the top of my helmet. I also enter a few ship commands.=
"How many living Spartans left?"
=We go back through slip space towards Earth.=

=Grace enters with a team of medics and a stretcher=

Grace: Clear away!

=Lynn looks up to her and stands=

Lynn: Grace....

=Grace nods at her and gives a wink=

Grace: He'll be fine.

=She looks around at the other wounded=

Grace: Let's go! Clear these guys and get them to the medbays around the ship!

Medics: Ma'am!

=They lift Draco onto the stretcher and they move out. Lynn stays there in shock=

=The patrol group exited slip-space. It was pitch black in the void of space, with only small pinpoints of light, distant stars, providing the smallest amount of light. They spread themselves out, staying in constant communication, while they tuned their sensors out, to scan both the real space they were in, and the slip-space they had exited from=

=The capital Ships prepared to exit Slipspace. Delta stood at his console, waiting to greet Jason, and more likely than not his fleet as well. His eyes became speckled with red dots as the massive slipspace portal tore open, and the six Superships came out over Haven. Just as he expected, the usual welcoming committee was there to meet them=

(Dormii)
=I arrive in time to see the medics carry off Draco, his arm gone and his face bloodied. Lynn is standing there, blood on her hands. I walk over=

Quote :

You okay?

(Jason)
=I guess it should not have come as a surprise to me, when Delta's fleet arrived ahead of schedule. I motioned to my comm officer=
Lieutenant Williams, contact the lead ship.

*Williams*
Yes sir.
=They began typing in commands=

Ship has been contacted. Now awaiting response.

=A blip appeared on Delta's Console. He opened it, and initiated Vid Comm with Jason. The video feed filled the front 180 degrees of the Comet's Bridge. Quickly, Alpha, Beta, Theta, Giga, and Sigma joined the Comm=

Del- Greetings, Inheritor. I can see you were expecting us.

(Jason)
Yeah, you'd have to get up pretty early in the morning to fool our sensors.
=I paused for a moment, as I saw on a separate console the ships he'd brought with him=

You know, people tend to call when they visit. Unless of course they bring enough ships to wage a war with.

=She begins to tremble slightly and nods. Her voice trembles as well=

Ye... yeah..... I'm... okay....

=She has a flashback to the day the clone had been killed=

I haven't seen... him like that in a long time...

Del- Trust me, Inheritor, if it were anyone else the ships I've brought would be enough to start, and finish, a war with. But that is not why we have come here. Our business this time is of a much more diplomatic variety.

(Jason)
=While I was tempted to remind him that despite the small size of my ships, they'd still give us even odds, I opted to hear him out=
Diplomatic?

(Dormii)
=i nod=

Quote :

Want someone to walk with you to the medbay?

Del- Yes. You may recall before the end of our war with the UNSC, how we tried, and ultimately failed, to reach a peace agreement with Haven. Now that we have rebuilt, we come hoping to try again.

(Jason)
=That made me chuckle a little=
If at first you don't succeed then?

=She nods=

Yeah... thanks...

=She begins a slow walk. Following the path the others took=

-Atlas-

=He sighs=

*That explosion costed us a lot... Hmm... repairs, repairs, repairs*

-Grace-

=They continue moving through the halls=

Alright, this one's big. We can't lose him alright?

=She looks at his form and sighs=

Took a beating... You'll be fine, Draco.

=He to let out a brief laugh=

Del- Precisely.

(Jason)
Well, I'm sure the Council will be willing to talk. We have a slight problem though; Silver Light, the monitor of Haven, found an unexpected problem with the Council tower, when we had our meeting there in orbit. I won't bore you with the technical details, but the short version is that while we'd still be holding these talks in the tower, it won't be in orbit. I can assure you though that you, and those you bring with you, will be treated as diplomatic guests and shall be extended every courtesy we can afford.

(Dormii)
=i walk next to Lynn, trying to be a comforting presence. I know she was worried, and I was trying to help stop that=

-Grace-

=She checks his pulse periodically to make sure that everything is alright. It's slow. Very slow=

Stay with us. Cmon.

=The blood had turned his white hair red. The same colour his eyes are. They approach a nearby medbay and enter in. It had been filled with other soldiers except for one spot=

You're a lucky man.

-Lynn-

=She picks up her pace a bit. A thousand thoughts running through her head at the same time=

Are you okay?
What happened?
Please don't leave me...

=Delta cracked a smile under his helmet=

Del- I trust you, Jason. Point us in the direction, and we will meet you in the Tower.

(Jason)
I need to inform the rest of the Council to get ready, and assemble at the tower. Not to sound like I'm giving you orders, but you and your leadership will have to board a shuttle, and arrive here, at Alpha Base. From there, it's just a short flight down through the tunnel, and Silver Light will show you the way from there.

(Dormii)
=i watch Lynn hurry ahead. I follow, but stay at the same pace. I hold the rifle on me, not needing it, but not wanting stop by my room first, although that was something I was debating=

-Grace-

Lay him on the table. Gently!

=They do as instructed and slowly begin to remove the pieces of armour that was left=

Crack this hunk of metal open and check for any damage caused to the inside.

=She sees a bit of blood had pooled onto the stretcher from the back of his head=

Damn it.

=She works on his head first as the others perform their jobs=

-Lynn-

=After some time she arrives just outside the medbay, but chooses to stay out=

I don't want to... be in the way...

=She takes off her helmet and wipes some tears away=

(Dormii)
=i decide to make a stop in my room to drop of my rifle first, then go to the medbay. I open the door, and set the rifle down on it's little stand next to the armor stand, then start making my way to the medbay=

-Lynn-

=She takes her back onto the wall and slowly slides down. Hugging her legs the best she can=

Did he... did he know...?

Del- Very well. I will meet you there.

=Delta cut the comm, and went down to the Hanger to meet Xazhi, who was talking with Aebeir about the new recruits=

Xaz- Greetings, Delta.

Ae- Cap'n.

Del- Xazhi. Gather what you need. We're heading down to the surface via transport. Commander Aebeir, assemble your squad, and tell Lord to do so as well.

Ae- Yes, sir.

=Aebeir went off to find his squad, while Xazhi and Delta boarded a CL-25 Transport and waited. A few minutes later, Aebeir returned with 9 other elite SS soldiers. They all boarded the shuttle and took off, heading down towards Haven. Alpha, Beta, Theta, Sigma, and Giga did the same=

(Dormii)
=i keep going, ignoring my knee. I know i'm going to have to relax and not walk on it for a few days at least, but that would have to wait for later. I made it outside the medbay, and see Lynn sitting on the ground. I go over and sit down next to her, staying silent=

-Lynn-

He'll be alright. Grace is great... it'll be fine... don't worry...

=She sighs and pushes her hair out of her face=

One... heck of a... a time... right?

=She gives a small laugh. Trying to calm herself=

(Dormii)
=i start to respond, but decide to try it in English. Just, make the noises in the right sequence to speak the words=
h...ee...wi...ll...b...ee....fy...n.

-Lynn-

=She nods=

I know... I know...

=She lifts her head and smiles at him=

I shouldn't be worried... He's been through worse.... I guess...

(Jason)
=As I left the bride for the hangar, I gave orders. First and foremost, no one was to fire on Delta's ships. The first captain to do so would be court-martialed. Second, I gave control of the ship to my Executive Officer, Cmdr. Traynor. Third, I contacted the Council, told them what was up, as well as to assemble at the Tower for a diplomatic meeting. They all agreed, even Hans. I noted though, that his voice had a small, nervous edge to it, but I paid it no thought. Most people got nervous at these things=



(Hans)
=Dammit, this is too soon. Delta and his fleet were in orbit. And he wanted to talk peace again? No, not this time. I'd play the part for now, but I had a plan. As I headed for the teleporter, I contacted one of my people already on the tower, one of the guards there. I gave them their orders, and I knew they'd be followed. At the same time, I managed to reach the rest of my lieutenants, and told them one simple thing=
The time is now. Await my signal.

(Dormii)
=i half-grin=

Quote :

Yeah.

=The transports arrived at Alpha base, and out of them stepped 6 fully-armored XNNO leaders, along with Xazhi, and 35 Elite SS. They remained silent, waiting for Jason. Sigma admired the view from the surface, for he spent most of his time either on the Silver Void, or in his labs on Xenos. Alpha watched the humans as they passed by, examining them. Theta, Delta, and Giga seemed to pay no attention to anything at all. Xazhi and Aebeir went back to their conversations=

-Lynn-

=The vision of the shrapnel in his eye comes back to her=

Will...

=She cuts her thought short=

(Jason)
=I got to the transport waiting for me in the hangar, and rode it down to Alpha Base. It wasn't a long trip, seeing as how it was faster to go down than it was to go up. We landed at the airbase section of Alpha, and I already saw Delta and his people. I got out of the transport, and walked towards them=

(Dormii)

Quote :

You okay?

=Delta saw Jason approaching them and spoke=

Del- Greetings, Inheritor.

(Jason)
Delta, always good to see you.
=I looked past him, and towards the large number of soldiers=

Hate to ask, but are they really necessary?

Del- Where we go, our guards shall follow, regardless of how much we may trust the area. So then, lead on.