For the past few years, I’ve been working on a trilogy of canon-compliant fanfictions, following a group of ODST’s that become Spartan-IV’s. I’m working on beefing the first book up from 36k words to 100k, as well as writing the plot of the second book in the trilogy. Well, as inspiration would have it, the prologue to the third book (already planned and given major plot points) came to me at work. I’ve decided to share it here for feedback before publishing to any sites (if at all, I’d like to get these actually published). It’ll take a couple of posts below, but enjoy!
ONI Facility "Delta Black"
Location: CLASSIFIED
October 24, 2558
The woman’s voice was passive, almost apologetic. “I can see how Major Smith’s actions were a bit… extreme. However the intelligence that was gained regarding the Soell Virus prior to his death…”
Alan Roberts sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He was in his mid-forties, his brown hair cut short. Fairly standard for an ONI agent; forgettable, dismissible. It made infiltration and even interrogations easier. Currently the Board of the Office of Naval Intelligence - himself, Major Beth Delaine, Captain Damien Hogarth, Commander Michael Sullivan, and Admiral Serin Osman sat in attendance - was discussing the actions of Major John Smith and his experiments with an alien parasite generally known as the Flood. Of course ONI pushed the dismissal that the alien parasite was a virus, designating it with the system it was first encountered in. Agent Delaine continued her excuses of Smith’s experiments. A younger agent than her peers, Delaine was also relatively plain. Blonde, average build, easy on the eyes. If only she wasn’t currently making excuses for a mad scientist. “In light of what we have learned, a second occurrence of the incident across East Africa back in ‘52 is unlikely. Response teams have been drafted from various companies of Sierras–”
Alan scoffed, cutting her off. “Sierras?” He repeated the designation incredulously. “You’re seeing the Spartans as military hardware–” He cut himself off, another scoff (this one amusement) breaking from his open mouth. He was starting to sound like her. In 2553 Alan had interrogated the war criminal Doctor Catherine Halsey in regards to the Spartan-II Project. She had told him the same thing, and she was right; he had viewed the Spartans as nothing but military assets. That was before he had sat in on the debriefing of Master Chief Petty Officer John-117, previously thought dead, and observed several of the new Spartan-IV’s. Still, if he wasn’t careful he’d start talking about destiny and human evolution, which Dr. Halsey had been eager to voice.
“Did you have something to add, Agent Roberts?” Delaine fixed him with a reprimanding look.
“I only meant that it is a mistake to view the Spartans as nothing more than things.” He glanced around at the semi-vacant stares. He certainly wouldn’t be winning any allies here, but still… “The Spartans are people. Even the Spartan-II’s and III’s, but certainly the Spartan-IV’s.”
“People indeed,” Captain Hogarth stated as he pulled a file up on a datapad, sliding the device to Roberts. “Hell, they even try to play house. Were you aware of the unauthorized marriage of Spartans Hackett and Yakusheva?”
Roberts pushed the datapad away. He didn’t need to see the report. “Yes, I was aware. After the fact, of course. I didn’t think it presented enough of a security risk to warrant alarm."
“And what do you think now?” Hogarth learned forward on the table, folding his hands and addressing the gathered officials. “These Spartans are increasingly becoming a liability to the UEG. I’m sure we’re all quite thankful for the role they played in the Covenant war, but that time has passed. Spartans behaving with little to no decorum, engaging in relationships that result in psychotic breaks, and now hunting down ONI agents and assassinating them! Even the strict parameters set by Parangosky’s initial project are beginning to show their age, dangerously. Which brings me to the next issue.”
He leaned forward further to retrieve the datapad, projecting reports onto a wall screen. “Yesterday at 1700 hours, Spartan-II unit Blue Team went AWOL following a mission aboard the Argent Moon. Communications from the Infinity suggest MCPO John-117 ‘disagreed’ with Fireteam Osiris being tasked to handle Dr. Halsey’s mad-pet AI. His squadmates, of course, followed him in open defiance, and Blue Team broke contact aboard a stolen Prowler; after scuttling the Argent Moon.”
A hush fell over the room at the news. Roberts felt like he had been punched in the gut. Admiral Osman broke the silence, speaking for the first time at the meeting. “Why are we just now hearing of this, Captain?” She had known, of course. As Commander in Chief of ONI, there wasn’t much she didn’t know. Still, it was no secret she was suspicious of Hogarth after he had attempted to take her predecessor’s job - her job, now - and so she wouldn’t miss an opportunity to hold his feet to the fire.
“Given the Master Chief’s near mythic status throughout the UEG and the UNSC, you’ll understand if this wasn’t shouted from the rooftops, Admiral Osman.”
The CINCONI steepled her fingers, pressing them to her lips as she thought. “Still, this leaves us little choice at this point. Had you informed me sooner, a more efficient solution could have been reached. As of now, Blue Team must be declared AWOL. It’s no good sending two teams after CTN 0452-9, at least not directly. Sullivan, you’re rather amicable with Infinity’s Captain; pressure him to reassign Fireteam Osiris into asset acquisition.” It was an act, Roberts suspected. Osman had likely known Blue Team went AWOL the moment it happened. This was all just a show to make it official and public.
“You want to bring them back in with more Spartans?” Hogarth demanded angrily. “With all due respect, Admiral, they are extremely out of line! After that s***-show on Biko, who knows what the Master Chief will do next? Worse, what will that do to us?”
“Grow a spine, Captain.” The Admiral shot him down with a scathing glare. "If you’d like, I can have Dr. Halsey flash clone you one. The Master Chief is too great an asset and liability for us to put out a hit on. With Blue Team accompanying him, the risk is even higher. Can it be done? Certainly, and with ease. Yet look at the storm that came from Giraud’s little exposé; even the notion of the Master Chief betraying the UEG was enough to incite the whispers of a second galactic Civil War. Fireteam Osiris will retrieve Blue Team, alive, and neutralize CTN 0452-9 if possible.”
“And what about Fireteam Valkyrie?” Agent Delaine spoke up. She had been awfully quiet during this debate on the Spartans’ place in the UNSCDF. “Surely there needs to be some punitive action for them going AWOL to eliminate Major Smith.”
Osman let out a heavy sigh, pinching her brow in exasperation. “Major Smith was an imbecile living on borrowed time. He should have been executed for war crimes beyond anything we’ve ever seen after his little stunt aboard the Mona Lisa in ‘52, but was granted amnesty due to our complete ignorance of the Flood at that time. His continuation of his experiments - on a civilian population no less - was absolutely unsanctioned and stupidly dangerous. He got what was coming to him.”
Hogarth shook his head. “So they go free, just like that?”
“Your vendetta against the Spartan Branch is tiresome, Damien, especially taking into account your work adjacent to the Spartan-III Program.” ADM Osman stated bluntly. “It has been three years since Valkyrie has been sent on any significant mission. The Brisingamen has been grounded. Consider that time spent for acting on the orders of their Commander.” A sly smile spread thinly across her lips. “Who was acting on mine.”
“The very same Commander who you then utilized to execute Catherine Halsey,” Hogarth continued, "a task she failed, and made an even bigger mess of things! These Spartans are too reckless and damaging to a lasting galactic peace. Every problem we face post-war could have been mitigated had the Program been shelved–”
“That is enough, Captain.” Admiral Osman cut him off forcefully. “The purpose of this meeting is not to discuss the Spartan Branch in any administrative capacity, and is now scrambling to handle a growing issue as a direct result of your lack of expediency.” She stood, indicating the end of the meeting. “So, to recap: Commander Sullivan, you will reassign Fireteam Osiris to asset retrieval through Captain Lasky; Major Delaine, you will compile everything that Major Smith learned regarding the Flood and have that report on my desk by 0700 hours; Major Roberts, you will oversee psychiatric evaluations for Spartan Yakusheva regarding the events on Taranis and the loss of her wife. Captain Hogarth… I expect you back on Earth, delivering a report on Blue Team to HIGHCOM.”
Hogarth grimaced, sinking into his seat. “And what do I tell HIGHCOM about Blue Team?”
“The truth. Commander Sullivan, once Fireteam Osiris is reassigned I want you to convene your best and brightest ASAP. Put a lid on this firestorm before it burns us all down.”
Sullivan nodded. “Yes, sir. I’ve got just the people in mind.”
As Alan departed Delta Black aboard his personal Owl, he reviewed the dossier sent to his datapad regarding Spartan Maria Yakusheva. Russian, former ODST, a highly decorated service marred by a psychiatric break following her wife’s infection and death from the Flood parasite. Apparently Yakusheva herself had shot the infected Spartan, at her request according to Maria. Alan let out a soft sigh. He certainly had his work cut out for him.