Fri Oct 02, 2020 12:24 am
Olivia Parker's heels clicked as she strode down the dimly lit corridor of the UNSC Broadside, her steely eyes locked on the data pad in her hand as she replayed the footage that had been sent her way that very morning for what felt like the thousandth time.
"Commander." The marine stationed at the holding room's door greeted, offering her a crisp salute. She nodded politely to man, flicking her eyes up to his with a disinterested "At Ease" before they returned to the pad. Getting the message, the marine hastily tapped in his code to the door's key pad, causing it to slide open, reveling the lone man inside.
He was older than the marine, maybe in his late thirties. His armor had been taken for testing, but his black ODST fatigues had been delivered as requested before he was placed into holding. His eyes flicked up as Olivia stepped inside, an annoyed snort shooting out from his mouth as he leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowed in disgust.
"Fantastic. An ONI spook. Just who I wanted to talk to." He grouched as Olivia sat down across from him, folding her hands on the steel table and waiting for his grumbling to finish. "Who are you supposed to be?"
"My name is Olivia Parker, I'm an ONI analyst and former ODST. I was assigned to take your testimony regarding the events on Phobos." She answered swiftly, before taking her pad and sliding it across the table to her interviewee. "I know you would say no to a handshake, so let's get started. What is this, captain ..?"
"Garcia. Ryan Garcia, 21st Airborne platoon." The ODST answer diligently, refusing to look down at the data pad as he slid it back over to the agent. "And you know exactly what this is."
"Actually, that's the problem. We don't." Olivia retorted, the slightest air of irritation entering her tone. "You and your men were dispatched to Phobos at 0800 two days ago for an emergency reconnaissance mission after a slew of distress calls from both local colonists and UNSC personal stationed on the moon. Only you came back alive. Now we want to know why."
There was a lull for the briefest of moments, before a second scoff left Ryan's mouth as he grabbed the data pad and pressed the play button. The footage, while lightly distorted, was clearly the HUD of one of his squad mates, specifically Mark H.
"How did you get this?" He asked grimly, briefly bringing his gaze up from the pad to the agent across from him. She met his gaze and answered simply and, surprisingly enough, honestly.
"A secondary team was sent in after your return. They found the helmets, armor, and weapons of your men. No bodies, however."
The end of the statement was said in a tone that bordered on accusatory, but if Ryan noticed as much he didn't mention it. The video continued, displaying both Mark and two other ODSTs, pinged the two as "Vasquez" and "Garcia", running along a grey cliffside before hunkering down in a crater. The group knelt down as a whole, all breathing heavily. Vasquez was the first to speak, Mark's helmet tilted just the right way to catch her in the peripherals.
How far are we from exville, Mark?
"Another 2 minutes, tops." Mark replied, his helmet tilting back as his breathing slowed and he appeared to load his weapon. "Christ, that thing took out Charlie from right next to me. I thought we were clear ...
"I'm sorry, Mark. Garcia muttered, a sound of armor plating connecting lightly indicating some kind of friendly gesture between the pair as Mark's helm tilted back down to face the rest of the group. "We need to keep moving. Vas, how many mags you got left?
If there had been a proper response, it wasn't audible. Suddenly, a noise that seemed to shift between a shriek and a roar, and the ODST's practically leapt out of the crater and turned to fire in the direction of the sound. The footage degrades severely at this point, but a dark form is very clear as it lunges as the group, slashing at Vasquez before lunging for Mark, resulting in the feed cutting to static.
"Quite strange, wouldn't you agree, captain?" Olivia queried, taking the pad back from the man and sliding it away as he lifted his head, a dull but recognizable rage in his eyes.
"Strange? My men dying in droves to a monster we couldn't even see ... is strange to you?"
"Well, I certainly feel as though it qualifies as abnormal, yes." Olivia replied, eyes flicking to the pad briefly. "Now, in your own words, tell me how your men were killed."
Suddenly two fists collided with the table, making the startled agent jump as she realized that Garcia was now on his feet, leering at her with an undeniable rage flaring in his eyes.
"Let me tell you something, spook. That *thing* didn't just kill my men. It hunted them. Now, I might not be a high and mighty ONI officer such as yourself, but I know as well as you that the list of Covenant operatives that could strategically hunt and kill a squad of 12 experienced ODSTs is a number less then the fingers on my one of my hands!" He spat, locking eyes with agent and practically daring her to speak up again. "So, I'll ask what we're both thinking: What is this thing?"
" ... now that truly is the question, isn't it?"
Olivia's voice was softer that time, less confident. It was enough to calm the captain down to the point where he retook his seat, allowing the questioning to continue.
"Captain, why are you so sure that this attack wasn't Covenant related?"
"... maybe it is. A rouge sector or somethin', I don't know." Garcia admitted, bowing his head an letting out a shaky breath. "But I've fought Sangheili. Jiralhanae too. This ... this wasn't like that."
"Why?"
"I-I can't put it to words." Garcia hissed, clearly frustrated. "I mean, I've seen the Spit-Jaw's get tacitcal, but this ... this was different. Pure predator hunting it's prey. It was ... it was scary."
Another lull in the conversation, before Olivia picked up the pad and swiped a few times, before sliding the pad back over to the ODST with an expectant look. Confused, he picked up the pad and started to read, a sudden dark feeling of dread settling in his chest the farther down he got.
"What ... what is this?"
"A transmission from a former Covenant ship, five days before your mission." Olivia answered, leaning forward slightly and lowering her voice. "We found what was left of the ship last night. It was destroyed via destruction of it's reactor. We don't know why or how, but we do know this: whoever killed your team is taking on the whole galaxy. And they're headed to Earth."
