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The Sands of Derelict Chapter 2 Takeoff
Posted By: monitor101<wasup1989@hotmail.com>
Date: 14 January 2004, 10:59 PM
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(0930 hours, August 26, 2552 (Military Calendar) / Earth, UNSC Central Command HQ, New York New York, UNSC Security Council meeting room)
The normally crowded UNSC Security Council Meeting Room was empty except for the first few rows of risers. A group of people stood behind the podium in the middle of the room.
"Lady's and gentlemen, please be quite so we can begin," General Jacob Yaddin shouted over the voices of the twenty-four people surrounding him. The room fell silent and those who stood sat.
"Good, now let me begin by saying that this meeting is of great importance. What you are about to hear must be for your ears, and your ears only. I will get right to it, each of you has been hand picked by Secretary General Danforth, herself. As all of you know, the Spartans are going to launch an attempt to capture a Covenant ship and take the commandeered vessel to the Covenant home world and capture the Covenant leadership. Well if they succeed, then we need someone to negotiate with the leadership. Someone who has experience in peace talk and all the things that go with that, and that someone is you...all of you. You are the select few delegates who are going to be there to make a deal with the Covenant leaders. Now you have no say in this, but this is important to the future of the UNSC...the future of the human race."
Ripples of uneasiness swept through the twenty-four people. Some stirred in their seats, others engaged in talk with their fellow delegates.
"Now your security is of uttermost importance. This is why I have hired a long time veteran of Covenant ground engagements. Major David Brin will be the head of security, Major."
Yaddin stepped off the center podium and a tall, tan skinned man replaced him. "Hello, I am Major Brin. Your security is my first priority. I have the best security personnel the UNSC can offer. We also have another strong point." Brin stepped off and an even taller man replaced him. His seven-foot tall stature, black dress suit with an unmistakable insignia, square jaw, short black hair, and bulky arms, were all telltale signs that he was obviously a Spartan.
(1800 hours, August 16, 2552 (Military Calendar) / Epsilon Erandi system, planet Reach, Spartan training facility)
Spartan Nathan 106 stood in the large weight room, pumping a 450-pound dumbbell. He wore knee low sports shorts and a Tee shirt. His arm muscles rippled as he lifted the weight with ease. Nathan was one of those Spartans that liked to stay out of the spotlight. He chose to stay in his armor and follow orders. He was one of the more muscular Spartans, with a washboard stomach and muscles that popped out.
"Petty Officer!" a voice boomed into the room.
"Sir!" Nathan set the weight down and snapped to attention. He crisply saluted as Master Chief John-117 approached.
The Master Chief stopped a meter and a half from Nathan. "Well Nathan, it looks like you've been called to Earth," John said.
"Sir?"
"I don't know either, but get into your armor, get what you need, and get onto the transport," John said. "Good luck with whatever it is." He saluted, spun on his heel, and left.
"Yes sir, thank you sir," Nathan returned the salute and headed for the showers.
(2300 hours, July 23, 2552 (Military Calendar) / Earth, New York SpacePort, New York)
Nathan exited the SpacePort and examined his surroundings. The night was growing old, but the lights of New York were keeping the darkness at bay. The night was active, more than normal. Nathan walked over to a limo and stared down at the pitch-black vehicle. Nathan turned his gaze to the truck behind the limo; men were loading a tall case that contained his armor and his other belongings onto the trucks. Nathan's eyes adjusted to the darkness and saw two men walk up to him. One opened the limo door and Nathan entered.
. The two men entered and sat opposite of him. Both were dressed in expensive Brioni and Kiton suits, both suits had UNSC stitched on the breast pockets.
"I'm sure you don't know why you're here. Well my name is Fincher and this is Wilson. We're both aides to Deputy Secretary Yaddin," Fincher, who was sitting on the left, said.
"Sir, I am Spartan Nathan-106!" Nathan blurted. He tried not to hit the roof of the limo; the interior was cramped and small. The limo started up and sped away from the Spaceport so did the truck they sped into the city.
"Yah, we know who you are. No need for an introduction," Wilson said.
"Well, we'll get right to it. You've been selected to help lead security for an upcoming mission. Your fellow Spartans back on Reach haven't been informed yet." Fincher quickly laid down the specifics on the mission and Nathan's role in it. "You are going to help Major Brin lead the security forces."
"Sir, why me?"
"Well, you come highly recommended by the other Spartans. They say that you are the one who always volunteers to run double guard duty. And that you have a sixth sense for spotting Covenant ships in space," Wilson lied. They had never talked to any of the other Spartans.
"But sir, when I was informed by my CO of leaving Reach for Earth, he said that he had did not have the slightest idea as to why," Nathan said.
"We never talked to your CO, only a select few."
"When?"
"Two days before you were informed of your trip to here," Wilson said.
"Really, so how long have you been planning this?" Nathan fought down a smile. He loved playing these mind games with people, especially with civilians and high-ranking ONI officials. The only person who won (besides him) was doctor Catherine Halsey.
"For some time, " Wilson said with a sharp tone, Nathan-106 was starting to swim in too deep of water.
"How long is 'some time'?"
Wilson was about to shout something when Fincher cut in. "So Nathan, what do you think of this mission?"
"Well its very unexpected. I am very happy to be a part of a mission of this...scale."
The limo pulled up to a massive building. It had several flags of different old countries and one dominated the others...the flag of the UNSC
Nathan, Fincher, and Wilson climbed the tall flight of steps and entered the massive building. They entered the reception room and walked over to an elevator.The three entered the elevator and went up five floors. Fincher got out, leaving Wilson and Nathan in the elevator. They rode up to the 14th floor and Wilson showed Nathan his room. Nathan thanked him and Wilson left. Nathan quickly scanned the small room and prepped himself for a hot shower. Fifteen minutes later Nathan was out the door and heading for the UNSC HQ's Security Council Meeting Room.
(1000 hours, August 26th, 2552 (Military Calendar) / UNSC Spacedock, orbiting Earth)
"Well, this is going to be one hell of a trip," Major David Brin grumbled, looking through a view port at the ship outside.
"C'mon boss, it won't be as bad as you think...well if things go wrong and you run into some Covies, then they will," Lieutenant Cove laughed at the Major's hate of space travel. "Don't be afraid of a little old cryotube, it won't hurt, except for when they thaw you out of the freezer."
"Thanks for lifting my spirits," Brin sarcastically smirked. He stepped away from the view port and took a seat in one of the waiting room's many rows of chairs.
"Uh sir, looks like trouble!" Cove said, eyeing a women walking towards them.
Brin shifted uneasily in his seat, instantly recognizing Julia French, a delegate whom he had a bad history with. He looked away as if he didn't notice her as she walked up and stopped in front of him. She was wearing a knee-high skirt and a red collared shirt.
"Mr. Brin, I would just like to point out that since this mission is of high importance and that everyone should get to know one another for morale reasons, I would like to know if we could forget our differences and straighten things out, between us?"
Brin hesitated, he hopped she didn't see the beads of sweat form on his forehead running down his face. He was never good with women. "Uh-huh, sure, what ever suits you," he croaked.
"Good, now I'll see you on the ship," French walked off.
Brin looked at her as she went away. She was defiantly a striking woman with a smooth face and tall body. She walked away without a second glance. Brin turned away and stared at the ceiling, listening to the clicks of her heels.
"I don't think you handled that very well," Cove said.
"I never do," Brin stood up and walked off.
Nathan sat uneasily in one of the many chairs in the waiting room. He wished he was with his other Spartans and not in a crowded room above space. He sat stiffly, going over the security procedures. He saw Wilson talking to one of the delegates. He got up and strode over to him. "Sir, do you know where my armor and personal effects have been taken?"
"They have already been put on the ship, just like the rest of the people's stuff," Wilson replied.
"Sir yes sir, will I have easy access to them?"
"Yes,"
"Thank you sir," Nathan snapped to attention, spun on his heel and went back to his seat. Nathan sat down and took a deep breath. He looked around the room. The delegates were bunched up in a corner of the room, talking. Brin was staring out of a viewport, smoking a cigarette. The fifteen security personnel were talking in another corner. And he was here in between the two groups. God he wished he had at least one Spartan with him. He leaned back and set the wish aside, it was time to get serious and he played over all the possible scenarios. He didn't find any logic in the mission, why would they need a Spartan to escort a UNSC delegate's board across space to Reach. They were taking the long way from Earth to Reach. Nathan stiffened as Brin walked over to him.
"So Spartan, can I count on you to take extra care of us all?"
"Yes sir, you can count on me," Nathan stood and saluted.
"Ah, no need for chain-of-command right now, Spartan," Brin sat down next to Nathan.
Captain Feral sat in the command chair of the Corvette. "Alex, when will the engines come out of shake down?" Ferrell asked.
On the holopanel on Ferrell's right an image of Alexander the Great flickered into periphery. "Captain, the engines will be out of their final shakedown mode in three point two seconds...engines out of shakedown mode. Running final systems check...all systems are green."
"Good job, warm up the Slipspace generators and cryochamber B."
"Right away, captain."
"Lieutenant Etzler, prepare to castaway from the orbital docking station, and find us a good exit trajwctory, one that's not crowded with incoming and outgoing traffic," Ferrell said to the NAV officer Lt. Etzler.
"Aye sir, I think I got one," she replied.
"Well the, put it to memory and plot it in when we exit," Ferrell said.
"Captain, Slipspace generators warmed up, cryo B tubes warmed up," Alexander's image popped up onto the holopanel.
"Good, now send the passengers in and tell them to get into the cryotubes," Ferrell said, leaning back in his command chair.
Brin sat next to the Spartan. He wasn't much of a talker, seemed shy and liked to keep to himself. Brin didn't blame him; he had no other Spartans with him, had been pulled from his duty station faster than a humming bird flaps its wings, and was rushed to Earth. Man, talk about being rushed, he thought. Brin took a long pull on his cigarette just as Alexander's voice filled the waiting room via overhead speakers.
"Will all waiting delegates and security personnel please board now. Please follow your guide to cryochamber B and prepare to enter cyrotubes."
"Ah shit," Brin whispered as took one last pull from his cigarette and flicked it into a trash bin. He followed the rest onto the ship and followed a 'guide' to the cryochamber.
Outside the ship technicians were making last minute adjustments to the ships outer hull. One such man on the bottom of the port side was finishing up welding on a piece of steel reinforced Titanium-A battleplating. He looked over his shoulder and pulled out a small black, square object from his utility belt. Joseph Rorhbach took the small charge and planted the side covered with strong adhesive behind an edge of the plating. He took a role of EB tape and rolled it onto the charge until it was completely covered. The he sprayed some more adhesive from a bottle to make sure that it didn't rip off in the phenomenal speeds of Slipspace. "All techs return to the dock," a voice filled his helmet. Rorhbach pushed off from the Corvette and with his thruster pack, maneuvered back to the docking station.
Nathan was already in the cryotube as it closed and a mist filled the inner chamber. His vision blurred and he fell into a long slumber.
The Corvette caste away from the dock turned around 360 degrees and sped outsystem. Green motes of light surrounded it and it disappeared from regular space, into another dimension of space-time. Away to change to coarse of history...or...
To Be Continued...
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