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Vael ‘Virisusai





Vael, perhaps predictably, behaved as a serious-minded leader. His focus was the mission ahead and how he might best prepare for it. That was, perhaps, not all he was under the surface, but when working with a new team, especially this mostly Human team, he did not seem to allow himself to divert his thoughts away from the mission. He was not familiar with the customs and procedures aboard a Human ship, and as such, made no attempt to collect food for himself. He ended up approaching Aviza’s table empty-handed, and remained standing rather than taking a seat.

While Vael did agree that the simulator could be useful to them, they did only have a few hours ahead of them in which to use it. That was hardly enough for comprehensive training. He did not doubt the individual skill of the members of this team; they would not have been selected if they were not capable. However, some or all of them would need to unlearn their habit from their past teams in order to coordinate with a very different set of allies. Swords and UNSC teams no doubt had quite different ideas of how to give orders, what orders were expected and how they should be phrased, and how much individual autonomy each member of the team should act with in the midst of battle.

”If it is not appropriate to speak of the mission directly now, then what is acceptable to discuss here? We have only a limited time to prepare.” Vael remarked towards Aviza, though his attention soon went to another that had accompanied them. The Mgalekgolo had gained Vael’s curiosity earlier, given its modified armor and apparent familiarity with the Human soldiers. ”Wherever it is we speak, I believe you should join us as well, Tasuma. You may be a key to our success. We need to familiarize ourselves with the differences between Human and traditional Sangheili command, and you appear to be experienced with both.”
Vael ‘Virisusai





Vael took a brief moment to review his map of the ship. It was detailed to the extent that it showed him the path to each place he would need to go as a passenger. The cruiser was of comparable size to a CCS-class battlecruiser, though somewhat smaller. Regardless, he doubted he would have need to see most of it.

Briefly, Vael considered simply waiting in the quarters he had been given until they arrived. Provided what the Captain had said was true, everything that he was bringing with him was already in his quarters, aside from his weapons. He had multiple sets of armor with him, including the one he was wearing, another environmentally-sealed combat harness, and another that he kept for…sentimental reasons. Checking over his equipment was an option, but ultimately, he felt that the time he had could be used more productively. These “War Games” did have Vael’s interest. From what he understood, they could simulate combat situations with surprising accuracy. He was skeptical that it could truly compare to battle itself, but he could see its value in training. Several of the others seemed to intend to use the simulator while they could, but while Vael did want to see his team in combat, he decided that it was important that he take some time to speak with Spartan Aviza. She was the Fireteam Leader for their mission, but they were both leaders of this team, and it was their responsibility to ensure they guided their team efficiently.

Vael gave a brief glance to Spartan Ryker. He appeared to have integrated an energy dagger into his armor. The Humans had began integrating reverse-engineered Covenant technology into their own, though in this case, it appeared to be an energy dagger taken from a Sangheili harness and integrated into his own. While Sangheili did place special importance on the energy sword, a simple dagger did not carry the same cultural weight. Though, it was his opinion that the Spartan embarrassed himself by swinging it around like a child playing with a knife.

In any case, Vael put away his data pad and followed after Aviza. He remained wordless at first, but did eventually turn his head down towards her as he walked alongside her. “We should speak about our team, Spartan. I fear it shall be to our detriment that we will not have the chance to train sufficiently as a unit before this mission.”
Captain Leroux and Vael ‘Virisusai





Once the briefing itself was concluded, Shih returned to the data crystal chip, which Captain Leroux pulled from the holotank. After getting a brief confirmation from the Major that she was done, he addressed the team. ”The ship to which Aegis Team has been assigned is the Autumn-class Heavy Cruiser, UNSC Chorus of Thunder. My ship. Now, I do not know the customs of the Swords of Sanghelios navy, so for the sake of clarity, I will say now that the Captain is the ranking officer aboard a UNSC vessel, regardless of your branch of service. That means that, as far as my ship is concerned, I have the final authority. As long as that is understood, there is a Pelican waiting outside to take you all to the ship in orbit. Given the needs of your missions, the Thunder has been outfitted for light ground support. A War Games Simulation module has been installed for your use, and you will all be given officer’s quarters for the duration of your assignment to my ship. Apart from you, Tasuma.” He said, looking to the Mgalekgolo. ”Given your…unique requirements, a section of one of the hangers has been converted into a space suitable to your needs. For the Swords personnel present, your weapons have already been checked into the armory, and any other personal effects delivered to your quarters.”




After they were dismissed by the Major, Aegis Team were shown outside to their Pelican. While Tasuma did take up quite a lot of space on its own, a Pelican too was quite a sizable dropship. As long as the rest of the team kept to their seats, there was more than enough space for the Mgalekgolo to stand in the back. Their flight path had already been cleared before take-off, so the flight into orbit did not take too long. Although, even after their Pelican touched down in the cruiser’s hanger, the team was not put in any particular hurry. They were deploying on their mission that day, but it would still be a few hours before the ship was ready to depart Earth. In the meantime, Aegis Team's members were free to do as they pleased.

Vael was among the first to step out of the Pelican into the hanger. Vehicles and supplies were being loaded onto the ship and taken into storage, so the many of the crew were almost too busy to notice the ship’s new set of passengers. Almost. He looked around with at least some slight curiosity. For Vael, this was not his first time aboard a Human warship, but it was his first time aboard as an ally to them. The last time he had walked through one of their corridors, it had been in a hail of bullets and plasma.
Major Robinson and Vael ‘Virisusai





For once, the Major did not have an immediate answer when Grik posed his question. Despite his surprisingly insightful comments regarding the Brutes, Robinson had not paid him too much attention, even when he broke one of the chairs. However, his question caused her to raise her brow. ”You mean the Flood?” She knew what he was referring to, but the connection to why he was bringing it up was not immediately clear to her.

Vael, however, understood Grik right away. He had already given the Unggoy a low growl out of annoyance for his clumsiness, but he did not do the same for his mention of the parasite. Normally, he might chastise an Unggoy, or any other of his warriors, for cowardice, but Vael too had the misfortune of having to face the Flood during the war. It was the one opponent to which Vael felt no shame in saying he feared. The parasite was a horror he would not wish upon even the San’Shyuum. ”These shield worlds were intended to preserve life when they used the rings. The researchers at Sarcophagus have found no presence of Flood.” Vael answered to Grik, basing his words off of the information he had been reading from his data pad.

”Yes, well, you all have your orders.” The Major continued. ”I will also ensure you all have access to the relevant mission files when you arrive on the ship. Now, as to the matter of Aegis Team’s command structure, the UNSC and Swords of Sanghelios have come to an agreement on a non-standard command hierarchy. Depending upon the context of your individual missions, either the UNSC or Swords will be given operational authority. Meaning, the command of the team will be given to either Vael, or myself. However, as I am not a field agent, it will be one of you taking command in the field. Spartan Aviza Morgenstern, in light of your service history, you have been authorized a promotion to Fireteam Leader. For this mission, the UNSC has been given operational authority, so you will be in command of Aegis Team. Also note that Vael will be considered your second-in-command, and when the Swords have operational authority, you will likewise be considered his second-in-command.”
I'm still here. My character is done, so I'm just waiting.
”It is possible your intuition is correct, Spartan.” The Major answered to Ryker. “ONI has accepted that as a possibility as well. Should you arrive to find the situation is drastically different from our predictions and are unable to contact us, then you should exercise your best judgment to act in the interests of the UNSC and Swords of Sanghelios. But, the evidence we have does lean more strongly towards rebels being the guilty party. Shih, if you please.”

The AI brought up a different set of images, this time close-up shots from multiple angles of the weapons recovered from the attack, two plasma rifles and an energy sword, as well as detailed shots of some of the plasma damage on the walls. “The markings were found on the energy sword, and were not prominent. Based on previous patterns where it has been seen, it may be a custom of this particular Brute clan to mark trophies they take, perhaps as an insult to the previous owner. They could have been mistaken for battle damage, and the rebels may have not realized they planted marked weapons. If we are right, their goals with the attack were still successful. We may be careful and methodical in our investigations, but the court of public opinion is not so patient. Tensions on the planet are already rising as the colonists blame each other. The rebels may be taking the strategy of driving a wedge between us and the public.”

”Whether it is rebels you find or another threat, it is still our job to act. Aegis is not merely a strike team. You all were not just chosen for your combat ability, but also your loyalty, judgment, and adaptability. In this mission, and others, you will be called upon to go into uncertain situations that are too dangerous or time-sensitive for traditional espionage. You will need to investigate on your own and act in the best interest of our respective governments.” Major Robinson added.
I posted. Also, @Aristocles and @Crab Bane, Franklin Mendez was the officer in charge of training every Spartan-II and Spartan-III, in case his mention means something to your characters.
Major Robinson, Vael ‘Virisusai, and UNSC AI SHI 1203-8





Major Robinson, this time, wasted no time in addressing Aviza’s questions, at least to an extent. ”You are partially correct. The UNSC and the Swords of Sanghelios have come to an arrangement for the leadership of this team. It is…unconventional, and it will mean you will need to learn to work more closely together than you may have been expecting. We will address the command structure of Aegis Team at the end of the briefing. As for the rebels, they almost certainly are the guilty party for the attack. This Brute clan has just those three ships, and barely enough Brutes and Grunts to operate them. Their Jackals left them years ago. However, the Brutes are not your primary target. They are hardly more than a pest; it is the rebels that are dangerous. We know little about them, other than that they are likely a small, but well-trained group. The most concerning detail of your mission, and the primary reason that Aegis team has been selected for it, is to where we have tracked the Brute ships, and most likely the rebels: Sarcophagus.”

Vael’s eyes widened slightly upon the mention of Sarcophagus. Not everyone present would even know about its existence, likely just the Spartans that had been trained on the world as it had once been known: Onyx. Although, the world that they knew had been replaced by something far different. The secret was not so tightly kept outside of the UNSC, but Vael had only been informed of it as a result of his selection as a leader of Aegis Team. The description he had been given had felt almost unbelievable.

The AI Shih resumed her briefing once prompted by the Major. “An ONI Prowler tagged the Brute ships and tracked them into the interior of Sarcophagus, formal designation Shield World 006. We believe that the Brutes are making another deal with the rebels for more of their weapons, which means that Paxopolis is almost certainly their next target. The heads of security for the settlement, Franklin Mendez and Kasha ‘Hilot, have been informed to prepare for threats, but we would prefer this be dealt with quietly, and especially without danger to the colony. So far, the settlement has not detected the presence of the Brute ships.”

Vael had put aside his data pad and now looked curiously at the artificial construct. “How is it that capital ships, even just in a small group, could go undetected by the settlement? I had been told that both of our people have fortified the settlement with warriors, and even ships.”

”You don’t understand how massive Sarcophagus truly is. I doubt anyone in this room does. However large you think it is, you are wrong. It is larger. Halo rings? The Ark? They look like children’s toys in comparison.” Shih explained, though she soon decided to represent it visually. She first created a hologram in the center of the table that almost reached to the ceiling depicting a star, one not too different from the sun. Then, she “zoomed out” to show the orbit of a planet around the star, then again to show a second planet farther out…then yet again to show a third. Only after the third planet did she zoom out far enough to show the Dyson shell around the star’s entire inner solar system. At this point, the hologram covered nearly the entire room, which she had no doubt done intentionally for emphasis. ”Sarcophagus is a solid shell that orbits at about one astronomical unit. It has an approximate surface area of two hundred and fifty-fife quadrillion square kilometers, and has three planets orbiting a star inside it. Our settlement, our little ‘city of peace’, is just a speck on its surface.”

As stoic as he usually was, even Vael’s awe showed through in his demeanor. Even just trying to imagine the scale of this creation of the Forerunners felt like an impossible task, and a reminder of the incredible power their kind had once wielded. Major Robinson too hesitated, but she did eventually speak up. ”As Shih has…demonstrated, Sarcophagus is a place where the rebels could very easily go into hiding, despite our presence there. Your mission is to follow these Brutes, observe their deal with the rebels, then follow them back to their main encampment. Once you find them, you will strike quickly and decisively. Capture their leader alive if possible, but your main priority is to ensure that their operations are ended permanently. We cannot afford to let them get away, so you must remain undetected until you have identified the rebel encampment.”
@krismer22I was re-reading something on the wiki, and I realize I was probably wrong about your character's rank, since the UNSC Marines are considered to be a part of the Unified Ground Command. I think you were correct with Corporal. My apologies.
Major Robinson and Captain Leroux





”We will not be rushing out of the room to get to the ship, but we will not be making any delays to this mission. We have reason to believe that our target will be acting within a few days.” Major Robinson answered to Yalu. At the very least, there were no objections to skipping training, but she viewed such enthusiasm as a double-edged sword. The Spartans would likely be able to work together intuitively, but they all needed to learn how to coordinate together, despite vastly different military backgrounds. Against the type of odds they were likely to be facing over the course of their missions, they would not likely be able to rely purely on individual skill to get them out alive, much less complete the mission. For this first mission, though, there was no choice but for them to act quickly. Still, there needed to be some measure of patience at the moment. ”I do not questions your combat experience, Spartans, but I do recommend you take preparation seriously. I know some of you have coordinated with Swords of Sanghelios teams before, but none of you have ever been a part of one. All of you will need to learn to fight together as efficiently as you would among your own respective species. At any rate, we will begin the briefing once Captain Leroux has arrived. He has the most recent mission files.”

Fortunately for Aegis team, the Captain was not far behind the rest of them. It was only a few minutes before he entered the conference room as well. He calmly waited for the door to slide shut behind him before he continued to the table. Unlike many of the others who had seen Aegis team, he had no hint of surprise or discomfort. Even the sight of the Hunter did not influence his composure. He was a man in his late thirties, perhaps early forties, with fair skin and light brown hair. He wore a grey and black UNSC naval uniform that prominently displayed his rank.

The Captain stepped up alongside Robinson. After they exchanged a salute, he spoke, perhaps unsurprisingly, with a distinctly French accent. “Aegis Team. I apologize for the delay. May I assume you have all had time to become acquainted?”

”Yes, we can get straight to the briefing.” Major Robinson answered rather quickly. She consciously avoided sounding too brusque.

The Captain gave a nod, then inserted a data crystal chip into the holotank in front of him. The AI within soon manifested its avatar near the center of the table. The avatar had a mostly uniform, light blue tint and depicted a Chinese woman wearing the clothing of a 19th century sailor.

”Shih, if you please?” Captain Leroux remarked.

The AI acknowledged the Captain, then brought up a hologram of two CCS-class battlecruisers and one SDV-class heavy corvette at the center of the table. ”The clan of the Brute war chieftain Brakabus. It is a rather minor, independent clan of Brutes that splintered off from the Covenant after Truth’s death. Their chieftain likes to boast about their strength as survivors, but basically, they took a few ships, gathered as many weapons as they could possibly horde, and ran away once things started to fall apart. At first, they ran far from any settled part of space, but presumably, they quickly realized that they couldn’t actually eat guns and had to start raiding for supplies. For all of their bragging about their strength, their leader is at least somewhat pragmatic. Over the last five years, they’ve only raided easy targets, then ran before a response fleet could get to them.”

Pausing a moment, Shih displayed several images showing what seemed to have been a massacre of twenty or so Humans inside what appeared to be a prefabricated structure, commonly used on colony worlds. Aside from being a rather gruesome sight, what could be easily gathered from the images was that the damage to the bodies, as well as the interior of the structure, was done primarily with plasma weapons. ”Last month, this attack was carried out in the Lulnanit province of Andrakis, a colony in one of the Joint Occupation Zones. The victims were the recently-elected governor of the province, and anyone else who happened to be in the building. It was a quick, brutal, and efficient massacre. An EMP attack took out the settlement’s power, and by the time any reinforcements could come, the attackers were gone. How does this relate to the Brute clan? Well, our analysis of a few weapons that were seemingly left behind found some subtle, but distinctive markings that link back to Brakabus’ clan. Now, nothing about this attack matches the normal motivations or methods of this Brute clan, but we did manage to locate their ships. Based on initial investigations, we believe these Brutes have made a deal to trade some of their weapons to a rebel group for supplies. We have not identified the rebels in question, but we believe their objective is to spark conflict between the UNSC and Swords of Sanghelios. Tensions have already been rising between Human and Sangheili colonists on Andrakis as a result of the assassination.”
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