The vast space above the ARK loomed around the spirit of fire, the debri of the Enduring Conviction lay in orbit. Tis was a symbol of triumph and victory, but also a symbol of the men lost and buried beneath forerunner dirt and soil.
Captain James Cutter of the Spirit of fire stood in the bridge, the AI Isabel beside him. His eyes were baggy and heavy with untold greif for the battles he had won to push back the Banished forces.
A low sigh escaped him.
"Isabel, what is the update on Red team below?"
Isabel perked up and shifted. A holographic display of the terrain below formed, revealing Command Base Theta and various mechanized infantry platoons.
"All of red team have randavoued at Theta Base sir, their mechanized infantry are establishing a perimeter as we speak."
A low hum escaped Cutter, his eyes wandered.
"Good, tell them to finish up their perimeter, i want Major Vaughan to join them soon for a joint reconnaissance mission for another Banished supply base."
His eyes grew heavy for but a moment.
"Little by little they're being pushed back... so far so good."
Isabel nodded in agreement, she was about to do so verbally until her eyes lit up.
"Sir we have a-"
Slipspace rupture detected.
Before Isabel could say another word the monotone voice of the ships onboard warning system pinged to life. All eyes turned to the distance where several slipspace ruptures were spotted off the Spirit of Fire's portside.
"Sir, it's UNSC!!"
Cutter's eyes widened as he turned fully to the viewport.
"Open a frequency to the lead ship when they get out of the rupture."
"Aye sir."
The bridge entered a moment of surprised and controlled chaos, orders from the bridge were sent to various parts of the vessel while Isabel began establishing a set communication. Before Cutter knew it, the beautiful voice of a UNSC rear Admiral patched in.
"This is Rear Admiral Lucian Trent of the UNSC Dauntless. Welcome home Captain Cutter"
Cutter took a breath and nodded.
"Good to be home Admiral, glad to use the assistance"
Trent huffed, a hybrid between a scoff and chuckle.
"Looks like we missed all the fun Captain, no matter, we'll begin cleanup and assistance with your men on the ground."
Cutter smirked, a rare thing to see on the veteran.
"I appreciate it, I'll let Red Team know. Have your men land at Theta Base sir."
Cutter turned to Isabel.
"Send the details of the last year Isabel, something tells me Admiral Trent is going to require it."
Isabel saluted. "Sir yes sir."
Isabel vanished into holographic particles as she got to work.
Cutter watched with interest as several pelicans took off from the UNSC Dauntless with very quick response time. His eyes narrowed then relaxed.
"It's probably nothing"
He thought to himself, letting his shoulders lower, muscles relax and have tension slowly vanish... he was home now, help was here....
But for some reason he couldn't help but feel... tense still...
-----
The rumbling of the pelicans engines shook the file in Agent Elara Finch's hand. Her eyes sharp yet relaxed, focusing solely on the file in her hand.
Around her, a squad of marines were checking their gear, making sure their rifles were clear, their safety's on and visors prepped.
Several marines glanced at Agent Finch, she glanced back, making the 3 marines straighten their backs with evident nervousness.
She didn't care for them at the moment, what she did care was the strange file in her hands..
"Bioluminescent curtains, shapeless form, definitely not Banished, not covenant warlord forces.. not Lekgolo either"
Her eyes narrowed, as the rumbling of the pelicans intensified, signaling their arrival in the ARKS atmosphere. Yet Agent Finch wasn't alarmed, her eyes continued to bounce.
"Interim Major Vaughan's squad of marines experienced bioluminescent phenomena when they approached the wreckage of fallen Enduring Conviction wreckage fields."
She took a breath as the pelican landed, it's ramp opening. She closed the file and straightened her back, checking her standard issue sidearm for but a moment before exiting.
Upon entering the Ark's sun her eyes squinted, she looked around the Theta Base, checking it's floodlight poles and the foliage around them. The faint scent of ozone and burnt gunpowder surrounded her, making her scrunch her nose subtly.
"Eyes open ladies" she spoke, her voice just as sharp as her eyes.
The other 2 pelicans landed soon after, dropping a Warthog and a Cobra beside another 2 squads of marines.
They took point, letting Agent Finch walk forward. Her arms behind her back as she approached Theta Base.
"Agent Finch."
A gravely voice called to her, a figure way too recognizable.
"Ah, a Spartan II. Designation?"
"Jerome-092 of Red Team ma'am."
Finch nodded, her eyes taking in the details of his armor, scorched, dented, nothing usual.
"Hm, show me around Spartan."
Jerome nodded, turning around and leading the Agent into Theta Base's main compartment, a command station with the Veterans of Cutter's Fire diligently working. Finch hummed in approval.
Her eyes looked around, scanning the main compartment, looking at the eyes of the veteran, bags, heavy, paranoid, diligent. Then to the holographic display table, blips showing retreating Banished forces and advancing unsc forces.
"It's appears you've been handling yourselves well Spartan."
Jerome maintained posture.
"Yes ma'am, Banished did put up a fight."
Finch fell silent for a moment, letting the Spartan's words soak and settle whilst he led her deeper into the base. They'd enter the observatory module which was retrofitted to be a retrofitted monitoring station.cameras scanned the entire perimeter and even slightly beyond.
Finch would approach the various monitor setups where several marines were checking through their electronics.
"Afternoon ma'am."
One marine replied, making the other glance at him. Finch rose a brow.
"... afternoon..." she replied dryly, her eyes narrowing once again.
"Anything unusual to report?"
She said, voice sharp as usual. The marine shook his head.
"No ma'am, nothing unusual, just the usual suspects."
Finch said nothing and scanned the various monitors overlooking the perimeter. Not the actual perimeter but the physical monitor, then a flicker, a glitch, purely visual.
"Marine, has there been issues with the cameras?"
The marine nodded halfway.
"Ark interference ma'am, happens on our comms sometimes too."
"Run a diagnostic, I want the system restarted."
The two marines blinked and shrugged, turning off the monitors and began resetting the system, one marines muttered something about ONI paranoia being unreal.
Finch ignored the jab, it was a true statement.
She took a breath, nodded at Jerome and walked away.
-------
"Appears everything so far is in working order."
Finch began, her eyes looking around and landing on another Marine. Finch hummed and approached, the Marine immediately stopped and straightened.
"Marine, do me a favor and find me a copy of the patrol logs over the last 72 hours."
The marine blinked. "Y-yes ma'am."
The marine saluted and took off my, making way to the Reconnaissance monitoring area. Finch rose a brow and glanced at the Spartan.
"Spartan, has there been anything... unusual these last 72 hours?"
Jerome tilted his head, it was subtle but unmistakable.
"Yes ma'am, local wildlife behavior has been has been alert for some time."
Finch probed, adding another question dryly in that signature ONI way.
"Specifics?"
Jerome glanced at Finch a subtle gesture of suspicion.
"local wildlife is agitated, more skittish than previously recorded."
Finch moved on.
"Has there been a discovered pattern to those visual bugs in the monitors, if so has there been a breech in the last 72 hours?"
It was a loaded question.
"No pattern has been identified and no breach has been dentified."
Finch's eyes narrowed.
"Any anomalies?"
"Only 2 false alarms near the Enduring Conviction wreckage ma'am, several Hornet and Vulture patrols have confirmed both cases to be electronic malfunctions."
Finch huffed.
"I'd like a report on those patrols too, send them to my file please, I'd like to-"
Ping
Finch rose a brow as Jerome pressed his index finger to his helmet.
"Report"
Finch could hear someone, likely a marine speaking to the Spartan about something important. A moment passed and the Spartan turned to the Agent.
"Apologies Agent Finch, the perimeter sensor has been tripped."
Finch tilted her head.
"Go on, I'll finish my inspection. I expect a report soon Spartan."
Jerome sped walked off, leaving the ONI agent by herself. Her eyes narrowed some more as she turned to the nearest window, a low hum escaping her in the process.
"Something is going on here, ONI needs to know about it."
she turned on her heel and followed Jerome at a safe distance, passing by several marines in the process who were responding to the sensor trip.
Finch arrived back in the main command compartment and looked around, approaching the console. She'd take advantage of her rank as an ONI agent and sign into it, opening several files of the patrols occurred in the last 72 hours.
But as she got close to accessing the file she'd sense something. Not sense... no...
She'd turn her head to the window she passed earlier and for a moment she saw movement, a flicker of wavy light, similar to the refracted light seen around pools followed by the scent of something humid and floral.
She'd maintain eye contact with the window for 1 second... 5 seconds and 10 seconds before looking back at the console, instead of accessing patrol files, she'd look at morale reports.m
According to AI Isabel onboard the spirit of fire a psychological review hosted by professor anders noted that the marines have an uneven morale.
Isabel and Anders have reported of suspicious activity in regards to the wreckage of the Enduring Conviction. However it has been noted that these have been inconsistent and as such regarded as high stress and low morale causing hallucinations.
Finch blinked and turned off the console, fixed the collar of her uniform and made way to the Base's entrance. She was curious.
--------
Finch would catch up to the Spartan, exiting the Base and right back into the ARK's sun, the sound of communication chatter entered her ears followed by the signature ozone and... floral scent.
She'd glance at Jerome, a dry chuckle escaping her.
"Sensor trip but no Banished. Curious isn't it?"
Jerome said nothing, chosing to ignore the ONI agents remark.
"Report."
Said Jerome to one of the approaching marine squad captains.
"Sensor tripped sir, my boys are investigating the area as we speak."
Finch hummed. "Good work, what were the initial scans when the sensor tripped?"
"Sensor indications are unknown ma'am, were gonna need some time until-"
The Marine captain would be interrupted by one of squad mates waved them over.
"Over here!"
Finch and the two soldiers quickly approached, ducking behind low hanging fauna of a bush.
"Sir, look at this."
One of the marines lowered to their knee, taking a picture of what appeared to be-
"Tracks."
Said Jerome, his voice cool and even despite his defensive posture. His head lifted and scanned the immediate forested area with his helmet.
"But it doesn't lead anywhere. Curious for tracks, are there any animals that share these circular shapes?"
The marine shook his head no.
"No ma'am, I'm sending the info to Isabel now for cross referencing."
Finch hummed in dry approval, her eyes lifting to the area around the tracks, allowing a moment of contemplation/ reflection.
"Uneven morale, reports of the Enduring Conviction, strange bioluminescence and now unknown tracks of no known flora/ fauna... how... curious... there IS something here..
She straightened her back and glanced back at the tracks then to the Spartan.
"Spartan"
"Ma'am"
Finch began sharply.
"Double patrols tonight, I want sensors to detect thermal changes around the base rather than movement."
The Spartan nodded, watching Finch turn and walk back the base. Her eyes bounced from left to right, her mind slowly picking up speed, a subtle change before she stopped moving for but a moment.
"Also... Send me Major Vaughan, I need to speak with him."