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Unfortunate Discoveries by Bloodwraith
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Unfortunate Discoverys, Part one
Date: 13 January 2005, 3:32 AM
9/21/2552
Barnard System, in orbit around Gas Giant LV-1084
Captain Peter McGreen sat at his chair on the bridge of the UNSC False Hopes, staring out the view port at the Gas Giant. The Barnard System was never an interesting system, a Red Dwarf star with 2 gas giants and a few moons orbiting the star.The only thing that brought them out here was a set of courdinates that the ships AI, Julius, decoded on a crystle found in the Alpha Centouri system on the planet Alpha Centouri 2. The UNSC High Command sent a ship out to investigate, showing interest in it, just to at least get peoples minds of the human-covenantwar. Captain McGreen was startled, although he didnt show it when, when Albert O'Brien, a husky Irish man who was the navigation tech on the ship, started to talk behind him. ''Sir, we've arived at the coordinates and have found a large object floating in the clouds of the planet.'' said O'Brien. ''Alright, Gale, get the cameras online, I want to have a look at this thing.'' Replied the caption to Bill Gale, a bridge technician. A view of the planet came into view on the bridge, showing red and orange hues of clouds wisping by in the atmosphere. Another thing was there to, barely visible, a silver building, hovering among the clouds, with a smaller structure suspended under it.''Give me 50x zoom on that structure there.'' ordered Mcgreen. The structure was very complex, rectangular overall. The smaller structure, suspended by what looked like very thick cables, was a polygonial shape with a tower like structuer in the middle.
''Orders sir?'' asked O'Brien. ''Bring us within 50 miles of the structure, I don't want us to close, or else we could tumble into the planets gravity field. Alert Dr. Bourne to tell her scientists to be prepared to go down there at 0500 hours tomorrow.'' ''Were going down there, captian?'' Asked Lacy Sharp, a electronic technician. '' Of course, you don't expect us to just sit here and stare at, do you.'' '' But what if it's still occupied, sir?'' ''I don't see a greeting party yet, so it looks abandend. Alert Sargent Harvego also to get some marines ready to guard the scientists once there on the structure. You can never be to catious around alien objects.''
It was 4:30 AM in the mess hall where a group of 20 scientists, most specializing in the field of alien artifact study, and a few in ancient history, and a few for other purposes. Dr. Kelly Bourne, a very recognized scientist who studied alien artifacts on colony worlds, now most of wich where glassed, was debreifing the eager men and women of the expidition. ''So now we know why we're here, why don't we go over the ever important subject of safety.'' A few groans came from the crowd. ''At all times everyone sticks together, if you have to leave the group, I want you to ask me or the captain, who decided to go along. I want at least one scientist and one marine to go with you. And everyone is to carry a walky-talky at all times. Do not touch any switch looking things bla bla bla you know basic rules.'' Someone from the crowd asked'' So where do we go to the bathroom?'' '' Well I'm glad someone asked that. You all get to go through teh embarrising procces of going into a portable toilet in front of a marine in a secluded place. Appearently the captains worried we might come back and have things burst out of our chests.'' A few people laughed. Bourne then looked serious'' If anything bad does happen, then report to a marine and well regroup at a spot we pick when we arrive. Now, when we get there, well be droping off at this structure suspended here...''
Three pelicans awaited in the hanger of the False Hopes, one carrying all the supplies for the team, and the other two for the scientists, marines, and other people.
Captian McGreen walked up to Sargent Erik Harvego and asked him, '' Is everyone loaded?'' '' All the marines are and most of the scientists to, exept a few who are bitching to the pelican pilots because some of the tools can't be taken due to weight restraints. Were all ready other than that.'' '' All right, you'll board the pelican with the marines, I'll go with the scientists.'' The captian walked to the pelican and boarded, yelling at the scientist who were complaining to the pilot, saying that if they didn't get on now, they'de be left behind. They quickly got on. McGreen walked over to Kelly and sat next to her. ''So what possessed you to join us , sir.'' '' Lets just call it common curiosity. But seriously I wanted to come and just make sure things go alright and everyone stays safe.'' ''Comon sir, what could possibly hurt us in in an abandoned alien structure.'' '' I don't know, I just don't like the idea of it being abandoned, it just doesn't feel right.'' '' Don't worry sir, if anything in there scares you, you can hide behind me.'' The captain just politly laughed.
Unfortunate Discoverys, Part Two/The Hanger
Date: 13 January 2005, 5:06 AM
9/22/2552 0513 Hours
Enroute to suspended alien structure.
Clouds of red and orange were suddenly disturbed of there endless cycle of wisping around in the wind of the gas giant as three pelicans roared toward a large, unatural object that hadn't been disturbed in ages. Everyone sat in aww at the sight of it, a large, grey facility, running who knew how many miles across. Suspended under it, by a large cable, or what closer observation had revealed, at least three cables strewn together. The smaller, suspended structure was there target. It had a large central tower, with other buildings rooting out from out. A few outer towers had what looked like mesmorizing, blue lights covering the wall of them. The pilot of the lead pelican anounced over the intercom to the other pelicans. ''Okay everyone, were about 1 mile out and by captains orders, well be landing on that platform of that outer tower there. We've detected a door outside.'' The captian then came on. ''Okay everyone, the pelicans will go back to False Hopes, so well be all on our own. We'll be able to communicate to ship though, but only with the main radio. The magnetic field of this planet is to strong to permit communication to base from your personal radios. McGreen out.''
One by one the pelicans dropped down, using there landing gear to stay on the ground so the scientist could unload there equipment. In another half hour the gear was out, and the pelicans left, making McGreen feal alone. He walked over to Srg. Harvego. ''Srg. I want you and you squad to go to the door and open it. When we go in I requast you get your squad to go in defensive formation around the scientist.'' ''Don't worry sir, we'll take care of it. Hell, with our weapons,'' as he brought up a Battle Rifle'' we could hold our own against a covenant armada. We've got SMG's, Battle Rifles, frags, magnums, shotguns, even rocket luanchers.'' '' Well lets pray we don't have to use them''
As soon as the gear was packed up, carried by backpacks, who everyone wore, they went to the door earlier opened by Harvego's marines. Half the marines went in first, followed by the scientists and the captian, and trailed by the other marines. Mcgreen patted his two magnums, one on each of his sides, and felt reassured that he wouldn't go unarmed. Kelly noticed this and said ''Sir, calm down, you act as if there are covenant here.'' '' Please, call me Peter, Kelly. It doesn't hurt to be on the safe side.'' '' Well sir, I mean Peter, I see nothing harmfull here, just old things waiting to be studied and understood. If there was Covenant here, we would know.'' McGreen, a little anoyed at being lectured by a scientist, said nothing. Up ahead Harvego yelled, ''Theres ramp leading down up ahead, with two belts up ahead with what looks like spent fusion cells being carried on it.'' ''All right Sargent, we'll go down that way, and find a place to call HQ.'' The expidition went down and soon went under the ramp. Up ahead they came to a dead end, with an elevator in the middle. Kelly went up and exclaimed ''Look at the elevator, the hologram must be the controls. Interesting, these controls, they seem so familar. In fact, this whole facility seems familiar. Justlike the architecture in the underground structures we've found on Reach before it was destroyed.'' She brought out a small tube, one McGreen recognized as a portable hologram that carried AI's. Earlier, the captain gave Kelly permission to take the AI along.
Julius appeared on the hologram. Kelly said ''Jullius, we need you to interface with the controls to take the elevator down.'' A moment later he said, ''There, that circle, that takes the elavator down.'' Everyone Piled in, marines and scientists, making the elevator quite cramped. Soon they were on there way down. What they came across suprised them all. A large room, With a platform rising 2 feet of the ground on the first floor. There was a walkway that spanned the walls and rose above the first floor. The second floor housed doors, leading to various parts of the facility. On the ground, there where moving walkways that carried the barrels they saw before, some filled with glowing blue gas. The walkways went off edges, dropping to who knew where. But pherhaps the most magnificant thing was a large hanger door, large enough to easily bring a pelican in. The door was mainly glass, giving a view of the outside, turning the inside a reddish hue, almost like blood. Some scientists gasped, and McGreen said to the Sargent, ''This looks like a good of place as any to set up a headquarters. We could also bring a pelican in from False Hopes, park it in this hanger. That way the pilots won't have to fly back and forth every time we need a ride to somewhere on this structure. Once we get camp set up radio in. I imagine the pilot won't be to happy he has to leave the gormate dining on False Hopes, but he'll manage''. Everyone one laughed, knowing it as a joke, because the food on ship could be compared to eating insects.
An hour later, a small base was set up on the upper levels of the hanger. Cots were set up, portable computers placed, and the main radio, the only one capable of communicating to False Hopes. Marines slept in sleeping bags, preffering them to the bulky cots, and the weapons were stored in collapsable boxes, creating a sizeable armory. A pelican was called in, and was now parked in the middle of the hangar. Standing in the middle, McGreen made an anouncment. ''Could I have everyones attention, thank you. The plans for the for today call that two groups of scientist to explore our new surroundings. Three marines will go with each group, while the rest stay and keep an eye on our headquarters. Tommorow we will explore another tower. We've decided on one of the blue-walled ones. We will assemble here in aproximatly 0030 hours.
Among those who stayed and guarded the HQ was Sargent Harvego. The captain went to lead one expidition and Bourne the other. For a half an hour, the marines did nothing but sit and play cards. Approximatly thirty minutes after the expiditions left, machines appeared. ''Sarge, look!'' said a young marine ''What is it, marine? It better be good, I was in a good daydream!'' Then he saw it for himself, or rather he heard first. A mechanicle humming, sounding almost like a fast moving car in a tunnel. ''Marines, get into defensive position, form a perimiter and stay hidden behind these pillars.'' He whispered. Then he saw them, floating machines, with protruding like fins on the sides. He recognized a laser on the front. There were eleven of them totale, all flying around as if they had no purpose. ''Permission to engage target, sir?'' A marine asked. ''Negative marine, lets see what they do first.'' he whispered in replie. One of the machines saw them, and came to investigate, more came, and each one came within inches of all the marines. Each one studied the intruders face, and, satisfied, they all left into a hole on the wall.
Unfortunate Discoveries: Sentinels
Date: 25 January 2005, 3:44 AM
9/22/2552 1824 Hours
Hanger Headquarters
The scientists were back at the hanger, studying results and comparing notes on the days findings. McGreen was sitting at a makeshift desk, writing a report on the days findings on a portable computer to send to False Hopes. The sargent walked over and asked, ''Excuse me sir, but could I talk to you in private?''
McGreen sat up, streched, and said ''Yes Sargent, you may.''
They walked to a unoccupied corner of the hanger behind a pillar. ''Sir, today a strange event happened, and I just wanted to tell you.''
The Sargent went on to explain the machines that appeared that morning. ''This only happened once?'' Asked the captain.
''Yes sir, and they didn't pose a threat as far as I could tell, but you never know. Did any of this happen to you?''
The Captain exhaled and said ''No, but I did see the the holes were they came from that you described. Tell you're marines to be extra catious.''
''Yes, sir!''
McGreen waited untill the Sargent was back in the crowd, and walked over to his desk. He added this event to his report, sent it, and shut the computer down. He pondered whether to tell the scientists of this event, and, when he made up his mind, walked to the middle and made the anouncment.
''Could I have everyone's attention, thank you. Today some marines encountered something odd....''
He went on to explain ''Now, I dont think these machines pose a threat, but I just wanted everyone to know. And don't try to catch one to study, eather.''
he said, making a joke towards the scientists. One sweaty faced scientist sat up and asked, ''You said they're harmless, but how do you know?''
''Well they didn't attack the squad that stayed behind, so I'm pretty sure they're harmless. Now, does anyone have any questions?''
No ones hand went up ''Good, tommorow we'll get on board the pelican, and head over to Tower A, or so me and some others have decided to call it.
With that, McGreen went over Kelly. ''Hows it coming along?''
''Good, and yourself?'' She said with a smile.
''Oh, its ok.''
''Well, I've got an extensive catolouage of symbols from the from walls in my notebook. I gave them to Julius to see if he could make an attempt at dechiphering them. Strangely, they look alot like covenant symbols, if that means anything.''
''Interesting, keep me posted.''
''Yes, sir.''
''Please, call me Peter.''
''Yes, Peter.''
It was 6:00 AM in the hanger, where a group of red-eyed scientists and marines gathered around the pelican, loading supplies, and the pilot making inspections on the aircraft. All scientists were going, and two squads of marines, ten in each. The Sargent was in the pelican, going to lead the marines. Next to him was the Captain.
''Sir, these damned scientist are taking to long.''
''I'm sorry, Sargent, you'll just have to get used to it.''
''I should be out there, fighting the Covenant. For what reason they sent me out here is behyond me. I'm don't exist to guard some damn scientist, who most likely don't know who the hell the Covenant are.''
He stopped just as Kelly walked in and sat across from them. Throwing back her brown hair, she said. ''evryones loaded.''
''Thats good.'' McGreen. Over the Intercom to the pilot, he said, ''Alright, we're ready for dustoff.''
''Roger that.''
A marine by the hanger door pressed a holographic switch that opened the hanger door, bringing in gusts of wind. The pelican soared out, behind it the doors closing, and the pelican was on its way.
A pair of the the machines that the humans encountered floated through seemingly endless tunnels, built specificly for them. Sentinels, as the machines were called, were the protectors of the vast facilitys left behind by the thier creators, the Forerunner. Suddenly, the Sentinels burst forth into a vast room. The walls and ceiling were covered with holes, storage holes were the facilitys Sentinels could come and recharge, or rest. The room was illuminated in a dull, blue light. In the center was a large hologram, showing the status of the facility. Hundreds of Sentinels were floating about, going through tunnels that led throughout the facility. Thousands of smaller machines, built specificly to do repair, speeded in lines, creating highways for the small machines, into smaller holes. A hatch opened on the roof and out came an orb, with what would appear an eye glowing orange.
920 Gifted Seeker, the moniter of the facility, hovered toward the two Sentinels. Although he was not nearly as important as the monitors of the Halos, or nearly as smart, he was still the guardian of Research facility 0673. Although the station used to be hydrogen mining facility, the Forerunner later converting the suspended half into a research facility. He and the sentinels comunicated by radio signal, because the Sentinels did not have voice capabilities.
''Welcome back 0090 and 0147, what have you analized about the intruders?''
''They seem interested in studying out facility, and as of five units ago sent out a ship to Lab C. From what we translated, they call themselves 'Humans'.''
''Okay, I want you to go back and terminate the Humans in Hanger B7''
The two Sentinels went back into the endless tunnels, going back to where they came from.
Seeker then sent out a message to hundreds of Sentinels to go Lab C, because he knew the awfull things that waited there, hibernating for ages. And he would stop the humans from releasing it, by death.
The pelican flew towards the tower, straight for a platform in the middle that held a door. ''ETA 20 seconds.'' Anounced the pilot.
The pelican landed, and out came thirty scientist and ten marines. Aftter the the expidition was out, the pelican lifted off, going back to the hanger.
Kelly went up to the door and announced. ''Ok, everyone. Lets go explore this thing. The pelican will be back to pick us up here at 6:00 PM.''
The team went up to the door, and went in.
Back in the hanger, things were pretty dull. The ten marines and pelican pilot that where there sat around playing cards, trying to pass away the time. Private Max Walker, the person assigned to head the squad of marines guarding, was dozing on and off when he heard the machines again. It started off quite, and got louder and louder until all of the marines could hear it. Out of a the holes came 20 Sentinels, all gathering in the middle of the room. ''Why so many, sir?'' said a marine.
''I don't know.'' answered Walker. All of the sudden, the Sentinels shot out orange hued laser beams at the marines, cutting two down in the first seconds.
''Everyone, engage hostiles!''
Imediatly three-round bursts of Battle Rifles and a salvo of rounds from SMG's came from the marines. Five Sentinels were mowed down, and the remaining spread out, returning fire with lasers.
One marine who shouldered a rocket launcher fired at a Sentinel. The rocket hit, and the machine blew up in a fiery explosion, spraying flak and taking down three nearby Sentinels with it.
''God damn it! Continue firing! Don't let them catch you reloading!'' Yelled out Walker.
Three more marines were cut in half, leaving five defenders against the remaning eleven machines. Walker ran out of ammo for his battle rifle, so he grabbed his holstered Magnum, SMG from a downed marine, and duel wield the two against the Sentinels. SMG and Battle Rifle fire continued to come from the marines, as six Sentinels were destroyed. Another rocket fired and destroyed two more Sentinels. More bullets hailed and the remaining machines fell in fiery pieces.
All together five marines died, with one criticly injured, and all sustaining minor injurys. The pilot, having hid behind a wall, walked out with no damage. The pelican, having been under the Sentinels, recieved burnt holes on the roof, and damage to the structure. It was still capable of flying to the scientist, but in no condition of returning to False Hopes.
Walker stood with burn marks on his body, walked over to the radio, and found that it was destroyed, cut into peices by laser fire.
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