Chapter 8 NAME "Shit Happens" Part 7

(Dormii)
=the transports met up with some ships from the far side of the planet. They were massive, swollen things, more engine than anything. They were minimally armed and armored, being designed for speed and maneuverability more than anything else. The transports all flew into the hanger of separate ships, which then quickly opened Slipspace portals and jumped away to three different locations=

(Simile)
=i finished off the last of the soldiers that had Hope and Destruction pinned down. I turned off my cloak and waved at them, radios not being trustworthy. They came out of the small structure, and we all ran through the tunnels towards the tower's location=

(Deniv)
=i went up to the top floor, and started to look around, my rifle drawn and ready. I saw Dormii's helmet nearby, on a console, and I walked up to it, trying to figure out what had happened=

Matt
Rebel
Ship
In Slipspace

We kept Dormii in the small ship. Mostly cause we didn't want to have to bring him back in when they had to leave the ship. I looked over him once more. Taking off my own helmet, chuckling slightly. "And to wonder I was working with you awhile back." He chuckled once more. Patrolling the small ship a bit, making sure no one hitched a ride.

(Dormii)
=some time passes, and the ship I'm on exits slipspace and heads down towards the closest planet, a small ice planet a long ways away from the sun. It has breathable atmosphere, but no animal life or plant-life, not even liquid water on the surface. The base was all underground, buried deep within the crust of the planet to capitalize on what small heat it's core gave off, and to better act as a prison=

Matt
Rebel
Ice planet
Escorting

We took Dormii out of the ship. I led the way towards the brig, the plan was of course a cell that would hold him for a bit. Until of course he was awake to be able to talk to him. About what, I didn't know. But I was the one doing the talking.

(Dormii)
=i was thrown in a cell, which made it sound worse than it was. I was more or less just transported into there, and then dumped on the ground. I was still in my armor, so a few guards were put outside to make sure I didn't try to escape. I slowly started to regain consciousness, but the toxin was strong, and I wasn't going to come out of it any time soon=

(Burk)
=we fought through a few more squads on our way to the tower. We got close enough to see Insanity's HUD icon at the top, walking back and forth. The quick vital icon next to it said she was stressed, but healthy=

I don't know what's going on, but I'm not seeing Dormii's name anywhere. What about you two?

"Negative."

"Not a hint."

This isn't good. Let's get to the top and see what's going on with Sanity, quickly.

=we started to climb the stairs, noises from behind and below us hinting that reinforcements were on their way=

Matt
Rebel
Ice planet
Guard

Since I was one of the men that had to talk to Dormii, I was one that had to guard him also. I looked over his armored self. My gun loaded with a mix of stun and AP rounds to...well do damage and stun the shit out of him. I ordered the squad I was with to cover the entire hallway. And they listened, like they always do.

(Dormii)
=slowly, but surely, the toxin wore off. I managed to wake up a bit, and I opened my eyes, I was still groggy however, so I couldn't really tell what was going on. I tried to get up to one knee, using my right arm, but I couldn't move it, which I found out after I failed to get up. I tried again, and then just decided to use my left arm=

Matt
Rebel
Ice planet
Clicking off the safety

I clicked off the safety of my guns, just as the rest of the men around me did. "Well welcome back to the world sunshine." I said with a chuckle. Telling the guards to spread out across the hallway. I soon opened the door of the cell, closing and locking it behind me, throwing the key to one of the guards out side. I went over to him. Squatting down. "How've you been?"

(Dormii)
=i heard a voice, and it sounded like Matt. I tried to speak but my tongue felt like lead=
M...Matt?

(Simile)
=we made it to the top of the tower and Sanity was pacing the floor, Dormii's helmet on her hip=
Sanity, what's going on. Where's Dormii?

(Deniv)
=i was pacing so I didn't have the realization that I all but let my CO get captured=
Dormii's gone, taken. I'm trying to figure out a way to get him back.

(Punikav)
Captured? How?

"I don't know. I couldn't see, but he was working, then he fell, then thy took him. The Rebels took him."

So we were right, it did end up being a trap. Where did they take him?

"To a hanger of some sort. Some transports took off, I don't know where they went. I couldn't follow them."

(Burk)
Okay, Sanity, calm down. We'll get him back.

"I am calm. I'm just thinking"

No, you're not, you're pacing. That's not calm. Look, we need to get out of here, calm for evac, then figure out what to do.

(Simile)
=i nodded=
Right. I'll download as much of this information as I can. Maybe we can decrypt it back on the ships.

Matt
Rebel
Ice planet
Talking

"Yup, it's me bud. How are ya. Haven't...seen you in awhile."

(Dormii)

Quote :

What's...going...on?

Matt
Rebel
Talking

"Latin eh? Alright then. Hopefully you understand English. Your captured Dormii. Weather you like it or not...for reasons I do not know. But I've told to fucking keep you under control."

(Dormii)

Quote :

What? Captured? Why?

=i tried to stand up some more, but my sense of balance was whacked out because of the toxin=

I helped you up a bit, sitting you against the small bed in the room, putting you down on it sitting up. "I'm not sure as I said Dormii. But for now your in here with me mate." He said as he propped you up.

(Dormii)

Quote :

What about...Jay?

I shruged a bit. "I'm not so sure man. I don't know." He said, sitting on the bed with you.

(Dormii)

Quote :

Where...are...we?

=the toxin was wearing of faster, i put my hand to my face to try and clear my mind faster=

I looked him over once more. "I'm guessing it's classified to you. But a rebel base. All you need to know."

(Dormii)
=the toxin wore off completely in a rush and I remembered what happened leading up to the capture. The needle, the blindness and hearing loss, sense of touch. I looked down and saw the chains around my waist and arm. I instinctively tried to get my arm free; a mixture of arm movement and pulling=

(Al)
Well now what? I start making a camp as most would do. Nah, I'd rather walk then sit. Just who I am.
So I did start walking forward unto the unknown. Not caring.
...
Gah!! How could I be so stupid? Allowing myself too be stranded here. Oh and wanting this instead of a quick death.
The heat was getting to me with each step. Every breath of hot air. Every time I lick my lips, desperate for water.
Soon. All I could think about was water and each step I took.
...
As more time passed there's no way I survive much longer in the 135°F heat.
Not much longer I collapse... with a metal clang...

(Dormii)
=i stand up slightly unsteady and extend my arm blade, trying to use it to cut through the chains. It goes under all of the links, doing nothing. I try to pull my arm free again, also pulling on the chains with my left arm=

My throat crispier then a burnt fry but wait... I have water.
That's right! I have that guy's water. Thank you!
I moved with such haste I don't remember taking off my helmet and unscrewing the cap from the water bottle. I just remember drinking the water.
The heavenly water which I didn't conserve, just downing it all in one session. Quickly I screwed my helmet back on and wondered if I stood get up.

"Elane, play weathered from Creed."
The sound of music fills my ears in response, which made me realize that I'm going to die today.
But I have no strength left to walk, to be honest, not even enough to move much.
I relaxed, laying my head back and letting my arms fall limp with a metal clang. Wait... there's something hard underneath.

I chuckled as Dormii tried to cut through. "Good lock eh?" I said, standing up with him. "You ain't breaking through them, I can tell you that right now." I said with another chuckle.

(Dormii)

Quote :

Don't stand there, help me get these off.

=i go over to the wall and start slamming that side of me against in the hopes of breaking a link=

Gold Team, Breifing

=We go into the breifing room at the appointed time=

Mays: Good to see you Gold Team. ONI has a big task for you today.

Sir, define 'big'.

Mays: ONI wants a certain someone to be taken out...

Nick: Assassination we can deal with, sir...

Mays: And that someone used to be one of their own.

And THAT'S where it gets tricky, doesn't it sir. When it involves the UNSC.

Mays: Indeed. They noticed this a few days before the Covenant War ended. Their agent was reporting in, just as he usually did. Two days later, however, line from the agent went dark. Over the next few months, ONI dicovered that the agent went native and turned on them. ONI wants this former agent gone.

Josh: =Curious= Sir, why does ONI want the agent gone?

Mays: This agent knows about the Spartan-II program, and details of a secret project that ONI doesn't want leaked. Your objective is to find the rouge agent and eliminate the agent. Anyone associated with the agent is to be eliminated as well.

Understood, sir. We'll get the job done.

Mays: Very well, Spartans. Dismissed.

=The team salutes and we leave the room=

Clang, clang, clang.
I kept hitting the hollow metal, making sure that its real and not a hallucination. I stopped hitting it and rolled over to get a better look.
I begin to push away the sand and there was a unknown steel. I kept pushing the sand away uncovering more and more.
This could be a ship or a structure. Something I could use to take shelter. I begin to crawl forwards looking for a way inside. As I did I kept uncovering sand.
Soon, I found what seems to be a door control panel. But its alien to me. Still I wanted out of this heat and fast. So I hit the button which opened the door... below me.

(Jason)
=Putting aside the fact that I was now hearing voices, especially voices claiming to be Forerunners, I decided to return to the immediate issue at hand, one that was not centered around me. It didn't take me long to think about all the resources this war was going to need, and one of them was probably the most important one of all. With that in mind, I entered my room to find that Miri was still awake, seated at the rooms desk, looking over reports that Argo received from Silver Light. In a way, that was good. There was something I wanted to talk to her about=

(Miranda)
=I didn't bother turning my head to see who had entered, my focus solely on the reports before me=
So, think anymore on what I said?

(Jason)
=Without a word, I walked to the desk, sitting on the edge=
Honestly? Yeah, I did. And, you're right. If anyone is going to make the happy ending for this story, it's me. But, that's not what I wanted to talk about.

(Miranda)
=Turning my head to face him, I arched a brow=
Oh, then what did you want to talk about?

(Jason)
=I shifted uncomfortably on the desk edge, working out how to properly say this=
If we're going to win this war, then we need to use every resource available. And, in this case, create our own resources.

(Miranda)
Come on Jason, spit it out. What resources are you talking about?

(Jason)
We need an intelligence group. Our own ONI as it were. We know that Hans was using spies, traitors, and most likely left some of them here on Haven to aid him further. If we don't root them out, they'll destroy us from the inside. So we need our own spies. And.....I was hoping that you could be the head of this new group.

(Miranda)
=Both eyebrows shot up in surprise=
Me? You want me, to head up an intelligence group?

(Jason)
Yes. Miri, if there was anyone else, I'd ask them. But you have more experience in the field of espionage and intelligence gathering than anyone on this entire planet. If we manage to create this organization, I need someone leading it who knows exactly what they're doing, and can impart those skills into others. I can't order you to do this for me though Miranda. That's why I'm asking you, to please, do this. If we're to win this war, we need every resource, and I can't think of anyone else I'd entrust this resource to.

Aislan made his way down to the barracks. He was meant to spar today. Climbing down the stairs, his opponent was already waiting for him.

He-ey, Aislen! Bout time you got your ass outta' bed!

Shiild. He was about the same size as Aislan, and to the naked eye, stronger. That may have been the case, but Aislan wasn't about to be showed up by him.

Without a word, Aislen faced him, putting his fists up.

In the usual fashion, Aislen let his enemy strike first. Shiild opened with a powerful haymaker for the jaw. Aislen backed away, time stopped for a moment as his assailant's moves were deconstructed in his mind, every nuance in his figure that hinted to his next movement was telegraphed to him.

Just barely dodging the blow, Aislen grabbed onto the presented arm, grabbed it, fluidly sending his opponent to the ground.


Idiot can't manage the weight he throws around...

(Miranda)
=To be honest, it was a tempting offer. And Jason had a point; Haven needed an intelligence organization if we were to have any chance of gaining the upper hand, not just in this war, but any future war we might end up in. Also, I was the best choice for this. I was trained, for years, by one of the best operatives the Insurrectionists had=

Alright, I'll do it.

(Jason)
=I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding=
Thank you Miri. I'll do what I can to help set this up, but I guess I'll leave it you to pick the personnel?

(Miranda)
Yeah, and I think I have a few ideas as who to bring into this. What are we going to call this organization anyway?

(Jason)
=With a smirk, I got up=
I have an idea of a name. I figured that since I'm probably the last one left, I might as well restart it. We'll keep the name, but the actions of this new organization will in no way be close to what the old one did. What do you think, of "Vigil?"

(Miranda)
Vigil? Really? After all the shit they put us through?

(Jason)
I know, I know, but I think we can all agree on the fact that I'm not good at coming up with original names. Besides, it won't be the same Vigil.

(Miranda)
Well, if you're sure....I guess it would be nice, to turn that name around, wouldn't it?

I begin to fall into the darkness. Alarm zoomed through my body. Thus causing me to throw my hands forward to catch myself on.. stairs?!
All that panic for a 3in fall which the armour took. I sighed and looked around. But I'm just so tired after walking for hours in this heat..
A tunnel lead down, under all this sand and hell.. heat. Cool air came from it, intriguing me.
As much as I didn't want to, I stood up groggily and clumsily. But now I had a purpose in fighting a little more.

I didn't actually feel the breeze. My suit, which is the only thing keeping me alive, told me there was a drop in temperature.
I began walking through the tunnel, noting its darkness. I turned on my visor's night vision and continued.

Shiild rolled onto his back. He was shocked by the quick change in the battle's tide, but he was anything but incompetent. He rushed for Aislan, and caught him off guard, sending the pair tumbling to the ground.

Shiild began throwing punches at his adversary's face, and landed each one.

Shit...Shit...Shi-

Aislen's thought was interrupted as the squad leader walked in. Arris.

Enough. Both of you. We have better things to do.

Shiild got off of Aislan, offering his hand. Aislan took it reluctantly, getting up.

Better luck next time, kid.

Shiild chuckled a bit, and Aislan shook it off. He needed to get better. Close combat was never his forte.

Arris led the way. He was quite the hard-ass.

If you're done getting your ass kicked Aislen, see me in my office.

"I'm afraid I can't do that bud. To much on the line, to many guns mainly." He said with a chuckle. "Would love to help, but there are a lot of people who would then kill us sooooo."

(Dormii)

Quote :

Well, then at least tell me why we are here. Maybe from there we can work out where we are and how to get out.

=i kept hitting the wall=

"Why I'm here? Gun for hire. Why your here, lead wants to talk to you, gotta take off your armor first tho. So whenever we can do that we're good to go."

(Dormii)
=a guard comes up=
"Matt, lead wants to talk to you."

(Punikav)
=i tossed one last grenade down the stairway. Someone panicked and tried to throw it back, but it exploded before it went too far out of the hole. The soldiers that were coming after us were all dead. Despair was working the computers, downloading files to her armor system, and Hopelessness was trying to get Insanity to calm down again. With the fighting over, that sense of "i could've done something" was coming back to bite her. To be honest, I think she could've done something. What, I don't know, but something=

"To me? Alright then" I looked back. "Stay here, don't cause any property damage." I said as I opened the cell and locked it behind me, giving it back to the guard as I ran off to the leads office

Soon making it in I walked up to his desk. "You called?"

(Dormii)
=lead looked at Matt=
"How much do you know about why we needed that Spartan?"

"Well you told me nothing so....nothing." He said with a chuckle. "Seriously tho, you told me nothing."

The hall alone was filled with strange symbols and writing. This is obviously not a ship.
But when the hall finally ends though, it stops at a large room. Metal walls hold this place together. It also keeps it very cool here.
The temperature was dropped a significant amount. Its almost 68 degrees in here.
Everything in here looks like it was build as a shelter for stranded. But it isn't. To big for just surviving. I think its forerunner.

I unscrewed my helmet and popped it off. Immediately I felt amazing.

Aislan followed Arris to his office, sitting down in front of his desk. Across the desk, there were medals, pictures, all the military paraphernalia that one would see on a seasoned veteran's mantle.

You wanted to see me?

(Dormii)
=lead nodded=
"As what was necessary, given your history with the Spartan. You see, he's unique. Special. One of a kind. We have intel that suggests he has an enhanced internal chemistry. More blood, larger blood cells, tougher muscle tissue. Faster reaction times. We want to capture that and enhance our own soldiers with it. Make them just as tough and fast. Now, we know the danger he presents, so we need you to try and keep him calm while we work."

As I passed through from the hall into the room, large metal doors closed behind me. The tempature plummeted into 10 degrees.
Obviously this suit is staying on until I find the tempature control. Until then my suit has its heating system on.

I walked around the room, observing it. It has built in counters, chairs and various other things I can't name.
But there's also plates, dining ware and what looks like a table. Execpt everything is trashed out. Obviously this place has been long since abandoned.

CossakHawk wrote:

Josh: =Curious= Sir, why does ONI want the agent gone?

Mays: This agent knows about the Spartan-II program, and details of a secret project that ONI doesn't want leaked. Your objective is to find the rouge agent and eliminate the agent. Anyone associated with the agent is to be eliminated as well.

Understood, sir. We'll get the job done.

Mays: Very well, Spartans. Dismissed.

=The team salutes and we leave the room=

=As we leave the room, Nick again begins what I would classify as almost a ritual...Bitching after a breifing, I sigh, shake my head, and pinch the bridge of my nose=

Some things never change, do they?

Nick, do you ever stop bitching?

Nick: =Rubs the back of his head= Sorry 'bout that, sir. Force of habit.

Joey: It's one of his 'safe' ways of blowing of steam.

Nick: You don't like it when I make an explosion, suck it up.

Both of you. Cool it. Get what you need from the armory, suit up, and suck it up.

Nick: Roger that, boss

Joey: Aye, aye.

=We head into the armory to armor up for the coming op=

Nick: =Spots an M363 RPD for the operation= Hello, gorgeous. =Looks to me= And we're using this for the op, sir?

Yes we are, Nick. It's easier to conceal than a Jackhammer launcher.

Nick: That we can agree on, sir.

=To the whole team= Remember, this is a deniable operation, team. So, supressed weapons are to be used.

=I get a score of thumbs up, knowing my team trusted my judgement=

=Heading out the door, twirling my hand= Ramp up in thirty seconds, team. So, be ready to roll out.

=I then smile as I feel the joy of being in command once again=

I continued searching the undergound facility, unknowing what lies ahead.
So. This just so happens to be here, right under where I fell. Seems weird. I should keep a journal...
I find myself entering another hallway, long and winding, dark too.

CossakHawk wrote:

=To the whole team= Remember, this is a deniable operation, team. So, supressed weapons are to be used.

=I get a score of thumbs up, knowing my team trusted my judgement=

=Heading out the door, twirling my hand= Ramp up in thirty seconds, team. So, be ready to roll out.

=I then smile as I feel the joy of being in command once again=

30 seconds later...

=My team assembles in the hanger as I show them the Pelican=

Boys and girls, this is ONI's specialized stealth Pelican. Everything on here that is made for the stealth aspects of this bird, ONI put on it for us. So, if at all possible, don't crash it.

Kristy: Sir, I'm shocked. I've never crashed ANY of our Pelicans.

I know, but ONI will have our asses if we crash it. And most importantly, it'll be MY ass on the line.

Kristy: Copy that, boss.

=I gesture and the team heads into the Pelican=

Alright, Gold Team. Let's get moving.

=I get with Diana=

You still there, Di?

Diana: I'm still here, Matt. What do you need?

Get into the Pelican's systems and get those stealth systems up and running.

Diana: Copy that, big man.

=I feel Diana leave my armor as we get ready to leave on the mission=

Kristy, we go to go?

Kristy: Aye, sir. Pelican is good to go.

Alright then. Let's move out.

=Kristy then fires up the Pelican and we head out on our mission=

=In time, the lockdown of Haven had ended, though while the public was allowed to move outside their homes, not one person felt that they were truly free to go where they pleased. Security personnel were out in force, Sentinels patrolled the skies, and public service centers were turned into temporary outposts for military personnel. And to add to it, it was now fast becoming general knowledge, despite the best efforts of the Council, that there was a rebellion, a separatist movement. An entire city state was empty, and there was talk of a declaration of war=

--In Orbit Over Haven--

(Molly)
=War....I still couldn't believe it when I heard it over the comms. Haven, was now in a state of war, with a rogue militant group. The past 24 hours had left me feeling drained, not simply because of the fact that my squadron and I had been flying patrol routes all day, but because of the implications of that simple word. War. After 28 years of warfare....after finding a new home for all of us to start anew....we were going back to war. Our dream of peace, was shattered=

Although the darkness didn't bother me (Because of my visor's night vision) the hallway lead further down into the planet. It went like this for half an hour...
When I finally start to see light, my temperature detector sky rocketed. Warning me of the heat nearby. I continued cautiously...

At the bottom of the stairs there was a turn to the left. Bright light emitting from it.
I came at the turn and switched off my night vision. I looked down the hall. Which is actually a room.

A large circle of stone sat in the corner, sparks flying out of it. A collection of strange steel lay by it. A bucket also lay by it, containing... water? And skeleton sat in the opposite corner. It wasn't human...
In the middle of the room sat a table, holding various weapons. Other then that, it's bare.
And still no clue on where the light is coming from.

(Simile)
=i downloaded a lot of information. I had no idea how much, but it was a lot. None of it was readable, we'd need a computer genius for that. I walked over to the others=

Let's go. We need to get out of here so we can find Dormii later.

(Burk)
=i nod and pat Sanity on the shoulder=
First, we need evac. Any ideas?

(Punikav)
Use their comms against them. We're in the comm room, after all.

"True. Okay, let's try this."

I walked into the room, immediantly going the stoen fire pit.
On it these words are engraved.
"The Everlight Forge."
The everlight forge? That would explain the light and tempature...

I walked to the table that sat in the middle of the room. Weird weapons lay on it.
When I picked one up, it fell to dust from age.
"Must be thousands of years old..."

I walked back over to the forge and examined it.

(Jason)
=I slept after the conversation between Miranda and I, and the next day I set about my business as Admiral. The Council was informed of the formation of Vigil, and they were already working with her to build it, gathering resources and personnel, though she oversaw all of it. Argo helped her out of course, finally having something to do. As for me, I was currently heading out to the Academy. The Academy was one of the most important locations in the whole of Haven, right up there with the Control Center and the Council Tower. See, the Academy was in fact the housing of the Archives; all the Forerunner data on Haven was stored there, as well as all the files from ONI. The Academy was a recent edition to Haven, one we built ourselves as a center of learning. Basically, it was our planetary university, though the students that attended had either restricted or no access to the Archives. The Academy was divided in two: one section was for the students, the other was for our scientists, the latter requesting my presence. Apparently, they had come up with a few new weapon designs, and they wanted me to see them. Stepping off the teleporter, I found myself in a wide, open expanse of land, grass fields going onward until they ended at a mountain range, a massive forest covering the slopes. It wasn't difficult to find the Academy, considering the fact that it was basically a massive spire sticking out of the ground, with a wall encircling the grounds. The spire itself was not in fact the Archives. Those were actually beneath the spire, and the spire served as the Academy, including the housing, teaching, and research facilities. The spire was just over 2,000 meters in height, and the grounds encircling the place were roughly half the length. I approached the main entrance to the academy, a smaller spire with a massive hall connecting it to the rest of the facility. Walking through the entrance, I opted to take a small tram system to save myself time, and while it sped down the hall, I gazed outside through the occasional window. Outside the walls, it was all grassland, but inside, there was a forest, and a massive lake. It truly was a beautiful place, and one of the crown jewels of Haven, more so because while construction Sentinels built it, it was designed by humans.....even if, the architecture was inspired by the Forerunners. It was one of the few things we made for ourselves, let's go with that=