EliteCommander

The Cradle

Vreta tilted his head with a frown. “No, the atrium is quite real. I don’t know if I would call these experiences ‘dreams’ if you are awake when you receive them, though. The way you stood there, you looked like you were petrified. Given the nature of the Cradle and what it takes for a person to enter it, I don’t think this is something we should just ignore.”

After a moment, Vreta sat down in the grass alongside Freyr. It was more than common enough for people to relax in the “natural” environment of the atrium that they were not going to be drawing any particular attention to themselves, unless someone had witnessed Freyr’s episode to begin with. “You said you’ve had these experiences before? You might be in a position to get some answers about them now, though. Those sensor nodes you have on you, they are recording everything that happens with your body. That includes recording neural activity. If these hallucinations have a neurological origin, that data might help to pinpoint it.”

Vreta leaned in somewhat, seemingly staring rather intently into Freyr’s eyes. Though, it started to seem more like he was staring past her eyes. “It could be that it’s not neurological, though. May I ask, what kinds of implants do you have? Neural? Ocular? Both could be vectors for malicious code from the Cradle.”

Halo: Aegis Team

Vael 'Virisusai

---

The Sangheili stalking Grik had little trouble avoiding the grenade’s detonation, but it did disrupt him momentarily from being able to track the Unggoy’s movements. Still, there was no hesitation from the Elite to rush forward after his prey. His camouflage faded as he ran through the dissipating plasma, but he soon stopped in his tracks. He growled when he found that his target had slipped away. When he had started tracking Grik, he had seen only a Grunt. An easy kill on the way to more dangerous foes. For Grik to be able to evade him caught him off guard. He had not approached with any cover in mind, so he was currently in the open, his eyes scanning around for Grik. When he spotted a shimmer, he quickly opened fire in its direction with his plasma rifle.

---

On the platform, Aegis team’s aggressive attack had broken the enemy’s defense. Between their snipers still on the ridge and those that had advanced to the platform, the major threats had been eliminated. Most of what remained were fleeing Unggoy, though for the success of their mission, there could be no mercy for any of them. ”Stay focused. Kill the last of them quickly.” Vael ordered, though he was still quick to try to contact their Unggoy squadmate. ”Grikgar, what is your status?”

The Cradle

Vreta gave a mildly curious look at the delivery for Freyr. He was not sure who had sent it, but such gifts were a custom he could understand perfectly well. Granted, a Rothian gift basket would not be quite so heavy on the fruit, but he understood the sentiment all the same. No doubt, there had been more than a few people who had been worried for Freyr’s recovery.

Freyr’s sudden panic came with an elevated heart rate, along with a myriad of other stress-related symptoms. The sensor nodes on her body recorded and reported on every aspect of her vitals, from heartbeats, to the endocrine response, and even the electrical signals in her brain. Vreta, though, did not need that data to be able to see that at least that something was wrong.

Vreta stopped alongside Freyr as she did, noting her breathing. He could not see what she was seeing around her in the moment. “Are you alright, Freyr?” He asked, placing his hands on her shoulders with a firm enough grip that he could be sure he had a hold of her. With the way she was acting at the moment, he was not sure if he was going to need to catch her from collapsing. He gave a quick look around and tried to guide her towards a clear space with soft grass nearby, just off the path. “Let’s sit down for a minute. Catch your breath.”

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

The silence did not break for some time, until Yerig ceased his silent prayer to look up to the stars above. The constellations one could usually observe were nowhere to be seen in this realm. “It is not Kyne’s sky that looks down upon us here. My prayers to her cannot fall upon her ears…but it was never her realm his spirit was meant to pass through. Sovngarde was not his home. His spirit-home was chosen by violence, by a twist of fate he spent his life trying to fight. His spirit…my friend’s spirit, was split. Bound by pact to the Prince of Wishes, and bound by blood to the Prince of Beasts. He fought with heart and will to break his bindings, but through desperation and fear, was driven to commit great sins to reclaim a life he was never fated to live.”

Yerig paused and seemed to catch his breath. His breaths were long and heavy, and even just speaking seemed like it took effort for him. The battle had been absolutely exhausting for all of them, but Yerig looked like he had aged another ten years in just a few hours. “But it was not sin that overtook him. It was not fear…not regret…it was purpose. He fought so long to avoid this realm, but in the end, he made his peace. His choice. He did not go to his grave fearing his death and what lay beyond. I do not know what fate lies ahead for him in this realm of Beasts, but I do know his mind was settled and content upon it. In the end, he claimed the fate of his choosing.”

The Cradle

“I’m not sure.” Vreta answered. “If you have any packages, there will be a message for you about it on the ship’s network. Here, let me help you get set up on it…”

The pair spent a few minutes getting ready before leaving the infirmary. Vreta made sure that Freyr was able to connect to the ship’s internal network, which allowed her access to many of the ship’s automated services. With as many options as were available, it could almost feel like the service list of a luxury cruise. If Freyr really wanted to, she would not likely have to leave her room at any point during her stay. With the press of a virtual button, servant droids could deliver her meals, or anything else she might request. She could even request a droid as a personal servant, capable of carrying out nearly any custom instructions she wanted. The only real restrictions were, of course, any instructions that might compromise the safety and security of the ship or its crew.

For now, Freyr did have a chance to change into the…unique outfit Marae had gifted to her, if she so chose, but regardless, the pair did finally set out from the infirmary. From the network, Freyr did have access to a simplified map of the ship to see where they were going. Crew areas, as well as emergency escape routes, were highlighted, though any section not intended for crew habitation were not included. Even just the halls themselves felt different from a Human vessel. For its size, a Rothian cruiser had a relatively small organic crew, which was made up for by an expansive complement of droids that carried out the lion’s share of duties aboard the vessel. They tended to be smaller drones that often moved through their own designated passages in the ship, so the vessel altogether felt less crowded than the Barbarossa. Even just the taller ceilings and wider hallways made the ship feel quite open by the standards of starships, though that feeling was dwarfed by the feeling of walking into the ship’s main atrium. It was a massive chamber, tall enough in fact that, with holographic assistance, the ceiling could give the illusion of being the sky itself. The atrium was a hub area that extended across almost two kilometers of the ship’s length, which connected to most of its crew areas.

There were a few designated pathways through the atrium that would guide them to the chamber’s exits, but most of its space was dedicated to natural features. Grass, trees, and other foliage, or sandy beaches alongside water features. It was easy to miss at first, but the sounds of birds in the background was not simply piped in for effect. If one looked carefully, they could spot Anskarian birds flying overhead, interacting quite physically with the trees. It was no illusion. It was an entire artificial ecosystem, with genuine flora and fauna taken from the Rothian colony of Anskaria, all contained within a starship. The vessel did have tram systems for quicker transportation, but when not in a rush, it was easy to see why one might want to take the scenic route. If a person could forget about the ship for a moment, it could feel just like walking outside in the tropics.

“The atrium connects to pretty much anywhere else you might want to go.” Vreta explained. “You’ll probably find more of the crew here at any given time than anywhere else. It’s a great place to meet, or just relax. This chamber perfectly mimics the lighting profile of Anskaria, so it’s nice for sunbathing.”

The Cradle

“If you are not feeling up to work, then you don’t have to work. End of story. We’ll take care of anyone who complains about it until you are feeling well enough again. Marae is perfectly capable of handling the team in the meantime.” Vreta assured her. “Your team is fine. At least, we got everyone who was with us in the arcology out safely. No untreatable injuries, and we are giving them any treatment or comfort they request. I’m sure they’ll be glad to hear you’re alright, too. As for Wallace, I can’t really say for sure. As far as I know, your government detained her when you returned, but I don’t know much else beyond that. Like I said, things have been a bit chaotic. I do know that Marae and Nirann testified to your government that you all left consensually with her, and since you were not legally prisoners, I believe you had the right to leave of your own volition. Technically speaking.”

Looking around for a moment, Vreta took in a breath, then stood slowly up to his feet. “But you shouldn’t have to worry about that right now. If you like, I could show you around the relevant parts of the ship you’ll want to see. It’s comparable in size to the Barbarossa, so there is quite a lot to familiarize yourself with. It is a warship, but, well…I’m sure you know how much we like our luxuries. You’ll have plenty of ways to rest and recover.” He said, extending out his hand to offer to help her up.

The Cradle

Vreta shrugged lightly, leaning back in his chair. “It could be the Skinners. That is who our enemy have presented themselves as being. But, we’ve only encountered holograms and hacked robots so far. They could just be a scapegoat being used by some other group. Our people are going to need to do their own investigation to confirm who these terrorists really are, one way or another.”

Vreta leaned forward and clasped his hands together, looking down on Freyr with a soft expression. “Like I said before, though, we’re safe here. Whoever our enemy might be, they have clearly infiltrated parts of your government in some capacity, but they certainly haven’t infiltrated a Rothian crew. Every other Human brought on board right now has to be thoroughly vetted.. Right now, it’s really just the science team, and your doctors. And in case you were worried about anything having happened to you while unconscious, don’t be. You’ve been hooked into a Rothian medical drone from the moment we evacuated the arcology up to now, and those things can keep track of every molecule that enters or leaves your body. You haven’t been poisoned, or anything of the like. As for outside threats, I don’t care what weapons they acquire, they are not going to be able to get through a Rothian cruiser’s shields before we can jump out of the system. You can rest for as long and as deeply as you need.”

For the moment, the doctors seemed to have little else they needed to do. The data flowing from the sensor link provided a continuously updated picture of her physical of her current physical health that they could access anytime, from anywhere. If anything went wrong with her, they would know about it right away, regardless of where they were. Vreta felt he had said enough to address any worries she might have had about their immediate safety, so he started to look ahead. “Aside from that, I do know that Marae has been anxious for you to wake up. She was…shaken by the attack, but she seems to be focusing on getting to work now. According to her, the lab has all the equipment you need to analyze the data we already have, even faster and more thoroughly than before. My advice would still be for you to get some rest and recover, but I know you’ve been anxious to get back to work yourself these last few weeks.”

The Cradle

Vreta nodded, pausing a few moments as he looked around for a chair to pull up alongside her bed. He let out a long, slow breath as he took his seat. “Yes. The story I have heard is that terrorists hijacked two large ships and sent them hurdling towards the arcology. Between ground-based defenses and a Rothian drone squadron, they were able to stop them from crashing into the buildings completely, but they still dealt some damage. Like I said, a lot of fires. They also managed to get some hacked industrial droids in the building after us, but we fought them off and managed to evacuate. I…took a hard hit or two on the way out myself, but it was nothing serious. You were already hooked up to the medical droids being treated at the time, after you passed out.”

Vreta looked up to the Rothian doctor. “Does she need to stay here, or is she free to leave?”

The doctor turned her focus to Freyr directly. “You are not considered to be at risk anymore. While I do highly recommend a psychological evaluation, your body appears to be perfectly fine. Still, I do want to keep you monitored for at least the next day, just to be safe. The sensor links on you will keep a constant check on your vitals and let us record the data. You don’t need to stay in this bed for that, though. As long as you’re on the ship, the sensors can connect to the network.”

Across Freyr’s body were a handful of small, translucent disks attached to her skin at various points. Each were no larger than a centimeter in diameter, and were non-intrusive to the point that she had likely not even noticed them until the doctor pointed them out. They caused no irritation or other discomfort, at least.

The Cradle

“We’re on the Faultless Spear, our cruiser in orbit. We’re safe here.” Vreta answered softly. “We managed to get out of the arcology amid the attack, if only just. The fires consumed many of the upper floors, before they got them under control. The dropship that evacuated us brought us straight up here, and we’ve been here since. Everyone on both science teams received the best medical treatment we could give them, and there have been no deaths. At least no one who came up here with us. I haven’t heard any details yet about casualties on the ground.”

Vreta was interrupted for a few seconds as the medical drone floated over to fulfill Freyr’s request. It produced a bottle of water, made from polymer with a straw built-in. Vreta waited for the drone to return to its dormant position before continuing. “I know what happened down there was stressful for…many reasons. I’ve already been debriefed on my experience, and I’m sure they’re going to want to do the same for you, but you don’t have to worry about that right this second. You can rest and recover. Catch your breath. We weren’t really able to bring our belongings with us when we evacuated. I don’t know yet exactly how far the fires spread. They’ll send word if there is anything we can recover. In the meantime, Marae did stop by earlier to bring you some clothes she got for you. I told her you would probably want some while you are here, but, umm…”

Vreta rubbed his hand over the back of his neck as he awkwardly gestured to the table beside her bed. Laid out on it were a few garments that seemed to have been picked out by someone with absolutely no concept of Human fashion. There was a fine, expensive green suit jacket, a pair of baggy, tie-dye cargo shorts, dark blue dress shoes, some nearly knee-length rainbow-patterned socks, and to top it all off an exceptionally wide-brimmed sun hat with a fake feather.

“I, um, think she just liked the colors.” Vreta remarked, clearing his throat. “We can get you some more, in a little while. Things are still a bit chaotic.”

Halo: Aegis Team

Vael 'Virisusai

---

Vael had rushed in alongside the others to capitalize on the discord they had sewn among their enemy. Though, he was not concerned with anything except the efficient destruction of their foe. With his carbine in-hand, he targeted the most vulnerable among them first to thin their numbers the most quickly. Unggoy or Sangheili with damaged shields would fall within just a few shots. The fewer the number of their enemy, the less they would be capable of returning fire.

The moment he heard Yalu’s callout, Vael trained his aim towards the fleeing Kig-Yar. They had clear parameters for success in this ambush: none of their enemy could escape. The Human AI was jamming their communications and could prevent the keep from learning from this attack in that manner, but if any of them escaped, that could open the possibility of a warning reaching the Keep. Vael quickly took a plasma grenade in hand and threw it towards the edge of the platform, ahead of the jackals. They both had ample time to react, but Vael did not expect it to kill them. He just needed it to stall them.

The jackal closest to the grenade tried to leap to the side, though wet metal platform did not give him the best grip. He slipped, lost his footing, and ended up sliding a short distance across the platform. He did manage to slide out of the range of the grenade’s detonation, but without his shield in the way, he was completely exposed. Two carbine shots cut through his torso, and he did not get up from there.

The second jackal had managed to stop short and stay on his feet. With his shield directed towards Vael, he unleashed a full magazine of his needler towards him. Even Vael’s shields could not withstand a supercombine, but he did not panic. He knew just how needlers behaved. Rather than run away, Vael dashed towards the jackal and rolled diagonally to the side. Some of the needles still struck Vael’s shield, but most could not turn sharply enough to keep up. By the time Vael was on his feet again, the jackal had emptied the needler’s magazine. Vael had the time to line up a careful shot through the shield’s cutout to strike his hand. The jackal staggered back, shifting the shield just enough to allow Vael to put a second shot through his head.

Tar’s call for assistance, however, was more difficult to handle than a few Kig-Yar. At a glance, he could see that the shields of the Sangheili pinning her were still up, and it would take too many shots from his carbine to break them in time. He was too distant from her for his blade to be of any use…at least, not in his own hands. Vael took one of his energy swords in hand, but did not activate it. For the briefest moment, he judged the distance between them and eyed the rain so he could see the wind. This would need to be a good throw.

”Tar, on your right!” Vael replied as he threw his sword to her. He threw it on a flat arc close to the ground to try to reduce the impact of the wind, letting it slide across the floor until it came to a sudden stop striking Tar in the side.