UNSC-Heretic Intermission

[Deleted]

"Phma. Welcome to the UNSC. I look forward to our two races fighting and adapting together."

The Vice Admiral gave a kurt nod, earlier, the Fleet Admiral wanted him to go into a "Ready Room", but the Arizona had no such thing.

"Fleet Admiral! I assume you mean a briefing room. If so, Briefing rooms one to three are open. Alternatively, I can meet you in my office on the officers deck." The Admiral said... "Actually, Sir, my office would be preferable."

With that, the Admiral nodded, "I've got the time though, sir."

He turned to the elite, "Phma. Bring your vessel towards Reach. Hide behind one of the moons or a near by planet. I don't want our forces firing on you."

He gave a nod, again. Turned, smiled at the elite with a coffee mug and straw, and walked out of the mess hall, walking towards his office.

[dave36464736]

Nodding, David winced at his mistake as they walked down the hall. The whole deal with elites and heretics had made his brain hurt. It would seem he was not at optimal efficiency but a few swigs of his premium, brewed coffee would restore his normality.

Arriving at Klix's office, David quickly swept around Klix's desk and stood akimbo.

"Alright Vice Admiral. I bet your wondering what your doing here?" David began, almost snarling.

[kuran]

Phma 'Refumai

Phma nodded and shook the Admiral's hand, standing with the two humans. "Rakath, there you are. The humans have shared a beverage with me...coff-ee. It is most stimulating."

He turned to Klix. "I assume then that we are free to power up our engines? And what of your warriors aboard?"

Sato Takashi

"Oh allright. Come with me." Leading the way out of the apartment, he whisked Eden down to street level and climbed into a taxi. "You will like my neighbourhood. Very violent."

[Deleted]

"I assume then that we are free to power up our engines? And what of your warriors aboard?", Phma spoke.

"Yes, but only your engines and the required systems to bring your ship in." The Admiral said.

---- Klix's Office ----

"Alright Vice Admiral. I bet your wondering what your doing here?" The Fleet Admiral said, in a rough tone.

"Well, sir. I can only assume by your tone that you are not happy with my performance with something." The Admiral said, setting down his data pad. "What do you need, sir?" The Admiral said, with a hint of annoyance in the air.

This probably has something to do with Phma, or the recent engagement.. Or me ordering Phma to bring his vessel closer to Reach, The Admiral thought silently.

[dave36464736]

Laughing gutterally at the Vice admirals joke, David dug around in his pocket and pulled out a small cardboard box that contained something special.

"Vice Admiral Eric Klix. For your actions on our most recent mission, for the design and deployment and successful first test of the Arizona class ship, and for the first not hostile communications between the Covenant and humans, I hereby promote you to Admiral." David said, formality creeping into his tone as he spoke.

Sliding the box forward on the desk, David snapped to attention and snapped off a crisp salute.

[Deleted]

"Vice Admiral Eric Klix. For your actions on our most recent mission, for the design and deployment and successful first test of the Arizona class ship, and for the first not hostile communications between the Covenant and humans, I hereby promote you to Admiral.", The Fleet Admiral informed.

The Admiral didn't budge his mouth, even though promotions were a very nice thing to have. The Admiral stood up, gave a crisp salute and lowered his arm. "Oh common, Dave. This is to good to pass up. I've got a little something for us."

With that, the Admiral pulled out the bottle of brandy from under his desk. Technically, he wasn't supposed to have it, but it was his ship and regulations can go damn themselves. This was war, not some fancy political showdown.

He grabbed two cups, poured the liquid in and offered one of the cups to the Fleet Admiral. "We may be on duty, but technically, we are resting and restoring... Have a sip?" The Admiral joked, sat down and toyed with his new set of stars.

He stuffed it into his shirt pocket.

[kuran]

Phma 'Refumai[/u]

Phma watched the humans leave and shook his head. "Well that went well. I half expected for us to be blown to pieces as soon as we entered the system. Go Rakath, we must return to the Shadow of Faith. Make sure to behave on the way." Turning, he made his way back to the docking bay and the transport waiting to take them back to their ship.

He activated his comm on the way. "Phma to command deck. Restore power to the engines and navigation. Leave the weapons alone, and inform any humans that ask that their Fleetmaster authorised it. Prepare to take up station behind the near moon."

[dave36464736]

Grinning at the newly minted Admiral, David accepted the cup from Klix and took a sip.

"Ahh. Very nice. and yes I know we are on duty, but as you said, we are resting and recouperating. and I think we can have a little bit of celebration." David said.

Looking at Klix, David nodded and said "So Admiral. How does it feel to be the negotiator between implacable enemies?"

[Deleted]

"So Admiral. How does it feel to be the negotiator between implacable enemies?"

The Admiral sighed. "If Phma didn't radio in that he was a seperatist, a 1, 000 ton round would have been punched threw the mid-section of that ship. In fact, the Arizona's Mark Four is still charged." The Admiral said, "Fifty Three percent to be exact, dropping to twenty and on stand-by mode." The Admiral sighed.

"To be blunty honest, sir. I don't now what to expect. A dagger in the back, or a Covenant fleet in the front. Or how about both at the same time. I'm on edge, how about you?" The Admiral asked.

[z]

Rakath V'keelaii

Rakath perked u when Phma ordered him. He simply gave a laugh and a chuckle.

Then opening his eyes as if realizing something, he spoke. "Oh! your serious? Let me laugh even harder! AAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!"

[C3]

Asha McNane
Spec Ops ODST
Fireteam Raptor

Asha listened to her squad leader's introductions to the team in silence, taking every bit of what he told her and making sure to commit it to memory. This was all important information that she was going to need later, especially if she was to get along with her new team okay.

"Thank you, sir. I won't let you down," she told James with a polite smile. She had relaxed a notch or so by now. She had made her first impressions and as far as she could tell, it was all being taken fine. She looked around the room, from the man with the shotgun to the woman with the DMR. Lenov, Megan. She reviewed the names in her mind and made sure she had them right. She then found a place to set her belongings down for the time being.

She hadn't been pleased to know that close quarters would be possibly required of her from time to time, but it hadn't surprised her. She would have to make due with what she could do. But for now, she was fine. She would worry about all that later.

Zoe McNane
Enlisted ODST
Green Squad

Zoe looked at the hotel's address and then at her information. This was the place. She knew that she would be meeting part of her squad here in the lobby. She pushed the doors open and stepped inside.

The place wasn't huge, but it wasn't too small either. It was actually quite pleasant. Smiling easily, she wandered into the open room, searching for anyone that might be the people she was looking for. A small group sat on the left side of the lobby, looking like they were waiting for someone. These must have been the people.

"Hey there," she spoke upon approaching them. Her tone was easy going. "I'm looking for Green Squad? My name's Zoe."

[lurker]

"Yeah," Sierra answered the rebel Elite's question. "Us humans only have one heart. And sometimes I get the feeling it's a helluva lot less empty than either of yours." The major shifted carefully, trying not to displace the weapon on her shoulder. "So I guess my first question would be this: what changed? Why now? You guys were just as dead-set about eradicating humans like me as the Covenant just a short time ago." A wry grin formed on her face. "I can't hope to think our charm and wit as a species lulled some of you into betraying your own. So what happened?"

"That requires a bit of backstory so you can understand more about the Covenant. Back ages ago, there were the Forerunner, responsible for the creation of the shield world we so recently fought on. They ended up disappearing, however, and left behind a great deal of technology. My people worshiped this technology in the bygone days, though we built our own. The Prophets sought to utilize this technology to their own advantage, and attempted to steal the relics that we possessed. The war... did not go well for either side. We ended up forced to use what relics we had to equalize things, and even then our people very nearly lost. Though the Prophets didn't exactly win either. In the end we allied together, and have remained aligned since then. But, at times, splinter factions break off, and are always pursued with some vigor to be purged. One of our greatest leaders, the most skilled Sangheili of his Age, turned away from the Great Journey, and the Prophets had him silenced, his entire family line purged, though he slew the one who had murdered his family. The rank that he used to hold is now considered one of great shame, despite the prestige that it has and the place in our culture. Our turning away wasn't the first, merely the first where we joined with you. I would ask the Shipmaster why he decided to turn against the prophets. I merely came along to support and aid one of my closest companions. Given the camaraderie I have witnessed between humans, that is surely something you can understand."

[spartan129]

Heretic Sangheili Beta Jaqo 'Tulahai
Corridor to the Hangar, Shadow of Faith
Over human planet Reach

Jaqo grew more calm and occasionally nodded in agreement as Jente had a conversation about the Heretics' origins with Major...Lloyd. It was odd...The rank of major had such a high standing in the human's armies-or, rather, "marines." Jaqo still wasn't quite sure what it meant...He was pretty sure that marine had something to do with oceans, but these people were certainly not in oceans...perhaps he would ask the human when Jente finished explaining the Heretics to her.

Gunnery Sergeant Francis Hayes
Badger Platoon, Alpha Company, Task Force 77, UNSCMC Armor
New Alexandria Military Cemetery
New Alexandria, Reach

Hayes stood in the crisp grass with Hernandez. They looked down at the two adjacent tombstones: Henderson and Alfaro. Hayes had missed the funeral due to his injuries...Now he was coming to pay his final respects. He knelt in the grass and placed a flowers on each grave. He then stood up, wiped the dirt from the knees of his dress blues, and gave a salute-one that would never be returned.

Hayes dropped the salute and straightened his head. He turned around, performing an about face to do so as a natural instinct. Sighing, he walked away from Badger's graves. He walked between two rows of graves, and began to look around for other marines, or UNSC servicemen and women in general. He wanted to make conversation, meet someone new-somewhat fill the void that had been left by his two dead teammates. He realized he was probably conveying a message for anyone around to come speak to him just by the way he was walking...he didn't care, though. He let his upper body slouch as he walked over to a bench and sat down, Hernandez right behind him.

[hollowsaber]

Corporal Jake Furrow TF 77: Sniper UNSC New Alexandria Base

With a final click of the bolt, the last round clambered to the floor next to Furrow’s elbow. His eyes stared down the distant targets, still zeroed in on the silhouetted heads and torsos. Unmoving, Jake’s trigger finger remained yanked back, as if he was still watching the bullet fly. The Trooper wasn’t frozen to be dramatic; his mind was still moving... Bullets whizzed by him, orders were collared through the shadowy trees around him. And the Covenant spat plasma all around him.

It was back when he was still with Reaper... Back on Planet Albert. They were dispatched ahead of everyone else to investigate an anomaly up to the North beyond the UNSC Outposts. They had to get there before the Covenant, and had to do it quietly. The platoon did so efficiently, and they had moved several miles with little stops. The Covenant were focused on the main UNSC force, and they were able to get by fairly easily. Until they got to the structure that was...

* * * * * * *

“Tango left! By that tree!”

Sergeant Loudin yelled, pointing his finger just over Furrow’s shoulder at the Covenant Elite standing in cover. In the split second it took Furrow to adjust, the Elite was drilled by four bursts of armor-piercing rounds and dropped dead. Jake looked over to the killers and saw the ODSTs already moving on, their rifles still blazing as more Covenant came out of the brush.

“Look alive Corporal!” Loudin moved passed Furrow and took position behind a tree. Furrow nodded to the Sergeant and shifted into cover.

“Foely! We’ve got your left flank! Secure the package!” Loudin called to no one, but his voice echoed far.

“Copy that. We’ve secured. Be ready to move.” Furrow heard the man who took him in just a few hours earlier; Captain Foely.

“You heard him ladies. Keep the Covenant off the Captain!” Loudin spun around and started to fire into the darkness, the rest of the squad following suit...

Then a massive flare shot forward and exploded in front of Furrow’s eyes..

* * * * * * *

Realizing it was a dream, Furrow snapped away at the range and found himself still staring down the scope. Slowly, he leaned his head up and looked with his own eyes to the targets. Was he really shooting the targets...? Or was he shooting the aliens in his dream...?

Furrow sighed and hefted himself up to his knees carefully. Collecting the empty rounds on the floor, he carefully recycled the clips and used bullets before getting a fresh group of clips. He pocketed them and slung his rifle onto his back. The two Marines weren’t across the hall anymore, and Jake was alone again. It didn’t bother him, but he just wished sometimes that he had at least someone to look at besides his own reflection.

Taking a few steps out of the range, Jake sighted around the base and found that a few hours had passed, and it was much darker then it was before. Some soldiers jogged around the base, some chatted, and a few played a pick-up game of basketball across the base. It was good to see people enjoying themselves. Even if it was for just a moment.

“Excuse me, Trooper.” Jake looked to his left to see a female marine and two friends behind her.

Jake took two glances at both of them, then nodded politely before stepping off. He felt their eyes on him for a few moments, but Furrow only sighed in his helmet and strode away, making his way to the base gates. He’d enjoy a nice walk before hitting the hay tonight. Maybe he’d finally learn what everyone was talking about on the way here.

[dave36464736]

"To be blunty honest, sir. I don't now what to expect. A dagger in the back, or a Covenant fleet in the front. Or how about both at the same time. I'm on edge, how about you?"

"I've been on edge since we first recieved a message from those alien bastards. I don't know if we are doing the right thing. But trust has to stem from something. I guess we are just the beginning." David replied, shaking his head.

Getting up, David walked up to the computer console beside the door and punched up his own personal file of his wife and child.

"See them? Lovely aren't they? Too bad they are ash now. All at the hands of the filthy alien bastards that are on our ship, drinking our coffee, and enjoying our hospitality." David said, banging the door with his fist.

"Admiral. I put it to you. If they so much as twitch their asshole wrong at us, I want you to put a mac round through their ship. If they don't like it? put another round in. Until I can trust them myself... they are just as good as the enemy." David snarled, walking back down to the desk and sitting heavily into it.

[Deleted]

The Fleet Admiral showed them a picture of his family, burned by the glassing of a Covenant Vessel. Personally, Klix had lost his daughter to health problems, and even then it was before the outbreak of the Covenant - Human War, so he figured he was lucky. But the thought was always there, would she still be here today after what the UNSC has lost? Probably, because she died on Earth.

"Admiral. I put it to you. If they so much as twitch their asshole wrong at us, I want you to put a mac round through their ship. If they don't like it? put another round in. Until I can trust them myself... they are just as good as the enemy."

"Well, Sir. My main gun is on standy-by for a reason. I feel for your family, I do wish they were still alive. Sir, we will get revenge, we will win this war." Klix said, eyeballing the readings of his ships outline on his datapad.

He picked it up carefully, tapped a few buttons and finally sent the order. To the Admirals order, he had Rear Admiral Micheals Marathon II Cruiser come starboard with both her two 79's ready at 20% charge, so it wouldn't damage the charging couplings for the MAC Gun.

[dave36464736]

Nodding curtly, David turned and walked out the door into the hallway, his heart racing and his head swimming.

Finally, slowing to a halt, David leaned against the corridor and caught his breath. It wasn't doing him or the crew around him any good to be in the state he was. His grief and his pain would have to wait for when he was in his private quarters.

As David got to the shuttle bay, he strode up to the comms and requested permission to leave the ship. Quickly gaining approval, David strode on to his ships shuttle.

[Deleted]

The Admiral laughed as the Fleet Admiral strolled out of his office, then he stopped. He realized the Fleet Admiral was still thinking about his family, which got himself thinking about his daughter. No..., He thought, and vanished the picture that was about to pop into his head from coming. Not right now.

The Admiral sighed slightly, pulled out the small box in his shirt pocket and clipped the extra star on his uniform, and strode out of his office, closing and locking his personal quartar door behind him, the keypad turning red with a greenish glow.

He returned to the bridge, almost the entire bridge crew didn't notice, and the Admiral wanted it like that.

[dave36464736]

As David watched his ship, The UNSCS KILIMANJARO rotate into view, David felt a momentary surge of pride. He had one of the finest ships in the fleet. He had command of some of the best and brightest that the UNSC had to offer. There was no way that he could fail in his duty to protect the UNSC. Or if Dave did die, he knew it would be in the service of the people.

Docking with his ship, David waited for the atmosphere to equalize and then strode off the pod onto the deck and strode out of the bay.

As David was walking, his AI Lambert crackled on his COMM and gave him a sitrep. "All crewman accounted for, Situation Normal." Lambert whispered in his ear.

"Then why are you bothering me? Go back to your duties." Snarled David, scaring one of the crewman infront of him.

"No not you son, just the damned AI" David said, patting the crewman on the back. "Keep up the good work."

Shaking his head, David doubletimed it to the bridge, where his brother and XO was sitting in the command chair. Nathan looked at him and frowned. Nathan knew enough about his brother to know when things were troubling him.

"Admiral! Welcome back" Nathan said, snapping off a crisp salute.

"Thanks. Good to be back." David said, indicating to Nathan to have a seat.

"Ok. So whats got you down?" Nathan whispered.

"Later. I'll tell you later" David said. Then more loudly "Report!"

One by one his bridge officers reported status normal. Then Lambert popped on the holopad. "I told you Admiral."

"Lambert. Your really trying my patience." David Spat. "Deactivate yourself until further notice."

Meerly nodding, the AI winked off.

Satisfied, David reclined into his Leather chair. It wasn't UNSC standard but being Admiral had its perks.

[Deleted]

The Admiral leaned back, activated his personal data pad and brought a strategy game to the main tactical display. The game was called "Battle station", a Modern Simulation that was set back in the 2510's.

"Sir, what are you doing?" The Navigator said. "Taking some rest, Lieutenant. IF you want to join, grab your data pad and join me." The Admiral said calmly, as the mission titled "Defense of Lunar Base"

The Admiral smiled. This game had them fighting aliens that were easy to battle in space, and almost impossible to defeat on the ground. The complete opposite then what it was now, "All right, sir. Add me into the game. What do you want me to do."

"What is your individual rank in this game?" The Admiral asked.
"Yours..." The Lieutenant said, noticing the new star on the Admiral's uniform.
"Then you tell me what to do, I'm only a Lieutenant in this..." The Admiral replied, smiling.

"Alright... Deploy your fleet.. Sir, I'm sorry.. I can't do this."
"Son, go ahead. I want a good relationship with my crew. This will be the only time you get to tell a ADMIRAL, what to do."
"Your right sir. Deploy your forces in a thirty-three percent formation in the Lower Left, Middle and Lower Right."
"A vee formation?"
"Yes"
"Good..."

[kuran]

Phma 'Refumai

"So." Phma remarked. The trip back to the Shadow of Faith was taking longer than it should, Phma thought. Especially given the presence of his aggravating shadow, Rakath.

"What exactly is it that you think you will be doing aboard my ship?"

[Deleted]

It didn't take to long before the game ended, in a minor victory. The Admiral and Lieutenant lost all ground forces, but the "Unified Earth Navy" was able to be victorious in space, and with orbital bombardments, won on the ground too, despite loosing every soldier deployed.

The Lieutenant controlled the ground forces, and the Admiral Navy. The Lieutenant put his data pad down eleven minutes after the mission had started, well the alien forces blew there way through his 33%-33%-33% fleet layout with 1% laying in reserve. After the Lieutenant returned to his station, the Admiral devised new tactics, creating two sub-fleets. One larger one, consisting of ninety percent of the remaining forces and another, ten percent of the remaining forces. The larger one engaged the hostile fleet as the smaller one bombarded the planet... But it was just a game.

Reality would sink back in eventually... "Admiral Klix, a new Fenghuang-class Light Carrier has just slip-space'd in and is under your command. Currently, it does not have a Commanding Officer as it is fresh from the docking lines. Current navigator is Captain Derren Hema."

The Admiral nodded, "Thank you, Dino." The Admiral opened a new link, the fleet was brand new, and this was it's first voyage in space. Seems like it was getting more popular, but it would get more and more new as the UNSC Fleet attempted to rebuilt its self. The war was taking an impact on the UNSC.

Vessels after Vessels were lost, and the Admiral's report of the effectiveness of the Frigate's was completely ignored. The fact was, well they were fast, and in a group could disable a larger ship, there roles were almost obsolete as even UNSC Cruisers had a tough time taking down larger Covenant ships. The Admiral believed that the resources could be spend more wiser, towards Cruisers and Destroyers, vessels that had firepower and could actually "Tango" with Covenant Ships.

The Admiral accessed the log, them remembered Rear Admiral Yakamura. He opened the Rear Admiral's profile, and selected "Send voice message..."

"Rear Admiral,

Your command has been changed, again. A new Carrier has been deployed to the fourteenth, and I'd like you to command it. You are the only Admiral who is serving on a Frigate in the UNSC Navy right now, and that is about to change.

The Fenghuang-class Light Carrier you'll be taking command of is docking with Spaceport Benning.

I expect you to run system checks and take her for a spin as soon as possible. Your Stealth Frigate will be handed down to ONI, or potentially another Commanding Officer. I don't really see how Frigate's are effective. Klix out."


The Admiral sighed again, getting lost in his train of thought. Why is the UNSC spending monkey on FRIGATES! They just sit there with a target on there backs. We need to do something else, something more... Sure, they are quick to build, but fleet effectiveness does not mean fleet numbers. I'd rather have ten Destroyers rather then twenty frigate...

The Admiral leaned forward and restarted the same level, this time he planned on not loosing any space forces... Hit and run attacks, by fast ships. I know the Frigates have there purpose when it comes to this type of tactic, and eliminating them from the production line leaves the UNSC poor in terms of fleet numbers and flexibility... But are they really worth it?

The Admiral watched as the screen adjusted to the explosion of a human corvette. This game, the weapon systems were completely different then the weapons they had. The main human ship based weapon was a laser, not a projectile.. Only if this game were real..

[z]

Rakath V'keelaii

Following Phma quietly with his hands behind his back he walked, mocking the Ultra's walking stance and putting a goofy twist on it which made some watching Marines laugh, and each time, if at all, Phma turned he would go back to his normal walking stance quickly.

"Well, personally I see a chance to get away from what I hate... Don't think I have told you my story yet, Phma 'Refumai..."

Eden Lawrence

"Alright Sato, lets go..." she said, waving her hand towards the door and rolling her head on her neck, jogging on out.

Alex Summers

Standing, Clay and Lewis greeted the new member of Green while Alex stayed sitting, her hair over her eyes and her cybernetic arm on her own thigh as she shyly watched the new woman. she could feel her teeth gripped in her gums and her nails digging into her fingers.

She remembered feeling this once before... When Amy joined the squad...

"Private, I am Sergeant Lewis." The Sarge said, then pointing to Clay. Gian quiet guy here is Clay. He doesn't talk much at all. But actions speak louder than words." he then pointed to Alex.

"Miss Robot over here is Alex Summers, our Primary Rifleman. She's been on Green as long as I have." Upon that, Alex lifted her hand and waved to Zoe, slowly looking away and scratching her head with her cybernetic hand.

Revan Knight

New Alexandria, Relaxation Apartments, Floor 6 Penthouse.

Was rare to get a day off like this, but then again, Revan had just gotten out of med-leave. Three broken ribs and one cracked, minor and moderate cuts and bruises, a Broken nose, hairline fractures to her right shoulder. All months ago when her Warthog had been blown off the road when escaping an op. But now she and Shell were sitting quietly in the shared apartment. Shell quietly flipped through an e-book while Revan stood on the balcony and simply watched the city six floors below.

They're penthouse was rather big. Comfortable. And the whloe left wall was fully glass with shades that reacted on voice command. Revan actually had a bigger house and salary than her father who retired a UNSC Major.

"Shell, I'm going for a walk." Revan said, looking to the blond sitting on the couch before walking to the door, down the hall, and down the elevator to the lobby.

Immediately, the Hotel Manager ran up to her and began rambling. "Ms. Knight, your rent is overd-"

"No, no it is not actually. I paid you two days ago, so why don't you stop trying to scam me out of my money. I am not as easy to trick as I was when I was on painkillers and other medicines, so you can drop it, or I can go to the authorities..." She said, glaring.

The man met her stare and the two of them stood there quietly with their hands gripped before the man backed down from the gray-eyed unwavering stare and nodded, going back to his desk.

Pushing the door out to the side walk, Revan looked to her left and right and began to aimlessly walk, flipping through he Datapad, coming across some old names she thought she had deleted from her contacts actually.

Tapping her chin, she ran over them. "Sato Takashii." Her old partner before Shell... Hm, maybe it was time to call him for once.

Putting in her ear piece Revan typed in the number and name and waited for any reaction on Sato's end.

[Wax™]

Corporal Dean 'Coxy' Cox[/b]

Cox sighed as he walked along one of the walkways in the city it was very busy today and there were people all over the place rushing from point A to point B where ever those destinations were Cox didn't care, Cox was wearing baggy black cargo pants and his black UNSC ODST Jump boots with the ends of the cargo pants tucked into the boots, covering his torso he was wearing one of the enlisted ODST black training T-shirts you got during training to represent the Helljumpers.

Cox continued down the walk way and approached a set of stairs going down to another level, instead of taking the stairs he just decided to vault the five or so meter drop and land down below bending his knees to support the shock as he hit the ground, the drop wasn't that much, well it wasn't that much considering you had to do jumps like that all the time in ODST training, Cox passed what looked like a Cafe and as he did he looked inside the window, he smiled and continued walking before quickly stepping back to see Lucy inside at a table.

Of course... This was Lucy's favorite Cafe in the city and she was sitting at her favorite table, Cox entered the Cafe and grabbed one of the chairs from a separate table, dragged it across the room and turned it backwards before sitting down on it and crossing his arms on the back rest and resting his chin across the arms, he looked under a pair of yellow combat glasses at Lucy and winked one eye with a smile.

[z]

Lucy Grey

Looking up to see Cox join her at her table, she feigned a smile and looked back to her datapad, tracing her fingers over it slowly. Reading intently and trying not to look up at him.

Closing her eyes she rested her elbows on the table, her fingertips in her hair and over her face. Letting out a long sustained sigh, the skinnier, paler Lucy with dark circles with bloodshot eyes looked up to Cox.

"How are you doing, Dean?" Lucy asked, faint and slightly hoarse. She looked almost sickly at this point.

[tincanhitman]

ODST PVT.Raul
Green Team
Planet side hotel

Raul walked around the corner to finally see the hotel they were meeting at.

"Damn, took me long enough." with an agitated flick he opened his zippo and lit up. he walked briskly into the hotel, scanning the small sized area until he found his team, along with a new face....he slicked back his hair and put on a smile, allowing his cig to slip to its 'cool' spot, at the corner of his mouth, almost highlighting his smile.

He walked up and set the two bottles of scotch on the table, and rested an elbow on Clay's huge shoulder and propped his face in it, looking at the New Girl.

"Why, hello there darlin', you are the new girl to green right?" he gave her his fake womanizer smile as he said darlin' "Names Raul, green teams residential womanizer." he ended womanizer with a play full wink, still lightly puffing on his cowboy.

MimYap
Free
Shadow of Faith

MimYap slipped away from the conversation and moved to the bridge, where he eagerly awaited Rakath's return. MimYap was very bored, so, he began to bother the various bridge crew with

"Oh, what does that do? And that, and that." Even when threatened by the sangheili in their commanding tones, he would just move to a deferent member of the bridge.

[Kenny]

Heretic Special Operations Bodyguard Tavise

Shadow Of Faith

"Oh, what does that do? And that, and that."

"Now now Mimyap. It is not the best idea to be going up to humans and touching their weapons and such. Some of it could be.. dangerous." Tavise explained while looking at a human grenade.

He walked around the ship, quite bored indeed though. Though wanting to learn about some of the human technology. He knew he should watch Mimyap, especially when the Heretics had practically just landed on a human planet and asked for peace. There could be some who weren't completely agreeable.

[Deleted]

"Captain. Do you need assistance in searching this compartment, sir?"

"Not right now, Lieutenant. What you could do is continue searching this area for devices. The scan was good and clean, but we need to find the people who are planting them now." The Captain responded, turning towards the Lieutenant, a purple device in his hands.

"It's de-activated, for now." The Captain smiled. "CORPORAL!" The Captain raised his voice, handed the device over to her. "Destroy it. I don't care how, just do it." The Captain ordered. He rounded the corner, nodded to the defense elite, and turned his flashlight off. "Laughing are we?"

[C3]

Zoe McNane
Enlisted ODST
Green Squad

Zoe grinned as Sergeant Lewis introduced himself as well as Clay and Alex. A mostly guy-made squad from first impressions. She hoped that they were ready for her. She would find out soon enough.

She nodded politely at both Lewis and Clay, then looked over at Alex who seemed to be hanging back a touch. Maybe it was just her imagination. Naturally, Zoe's eyes were drawn to woman's cybernetic arm first, but only briefly. Zoe had heard of such things before, but this was the first time she had ever seen someone with one. Interesting. There was probably a story behind that, but she decided to save asking for later.

"Heya," she spoke with a friendly manner. Her words seemed to be directed at the entire team, but she was looking particularly at the Alex. "It's a pleasure to meet you all." She glanced over at Lewis once more, then to Clay, and finally back to Alex.

"So... It sounds like you guys aren't too formal," she commented casually. "Probably for the better. I don't really do the whole uptight thing. It's not really my style," she finished with sort of a wry smile.

[nex]

Lieutenant Steve 'Crash' Colsten

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ONI Section I

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UNSC Just Whisper, docking with Station

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Reach, High Orbit

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Four years. Fours years since a corpsman pulled me from the ruins of the hotel plaza. Four years since I watched Glasgow burn. Fours years of light duties spent circling the remains of the outer colonies, poking under rocks at the scraps the covenant had left behind. Four years waiting for the injuries to fade. Four years in the UNSC. Four years in hell.

I held my dufflebag tightly in his left hand. The bag was grey, unmarked. Cold and emotionless. Like everything I'd come to represent. Like the navy I'd started to serve. All my posessions reduced to one single grey dufflebag. My room on the Just Whisper hadn't been as spacious as the on Ares. Or even much of a room. I'd had to shed most of my prized possessions. There were still a few I'd managed to cling on to. An energy sword that had once incidentially pierced a young marine's leg. An alien PDA recovered from a downed Phantom on Groombridge a few years back. A charged Plasma Rifle that served as my sidearm. But that was it. The price to pay for Prowler operations. He wouldn't have been comfortable that far out in anything louder mind. The boundaries had shifted in the last few years. The places he'd once called home, now couldn't be further from it.

The prowler would only be in dock for an hour or two to take on fresh supplies and rotate the crew. Luckily the transfer notice had come in. Return to Active Duty. Rejoin TF-77. Something I'd been waiting for. I wasn't quite sure how I felt about it. I couldn't stand the cramped conditions onboard, and the work was repetetively dull at the best of times. Everything about him craved excitement. But it was safe. TF-77 would bring him that challenge, that thrill. But it'd also bring back that danger.

A twinge in my arm. It was getting better. Physically, it had healed a while ago. Psychosomatic, the surgeon had said. It still lacked the strength I used to have. Four years of Physio hadn't brought it all back yet. The edges of the scar just began to peak out from under the sleeve of my ONI dress jacket.

"Lieutenant Colsten, UNSC Navy, arriving," I said, snapping off a crisp salute to the duty officer.

"Welcome back to Reach, Sir." The Officer returned his salute.

I cleared the gantry, and proceeded directly to the hanger bay. The core owed me some much needed R&R before my next rotation and I was sure Reach would gladly accomodate. I'd already booked into a room in New Alexandria. I'd yet to be attached to a particular regiment yet, but truth be told, I was just glad to be off the ship. Four years is a long time. A hell of a long time.