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Relevance: Prologue, In the Face of War
Recording:
Pvt. R. Hunter
Military date,
19/02/2538
Recon:

Private Richard Hunter stared blankly out at the drab green landscape. The cargo Warthog jostled as it hit another pothole when it came around another corner of the old dirt road. Alpha IV had been a UNSC military base of operations since late 2510, and it had seen little action since. He sighed and stared at the driver, an older major.

"Why the hell do we always end up on recon?" He said with a tinge of annoyance in his voice. "Does command have a grudge against us, or do we just suck that bad?"

"Bah, I don't know," the older man said, pausing to veer around a corner. "But someone sure has something against us. Remember sewer patrol last week?" He sighed and shook his head, "I don't know why they even send us out here. The Covenant hasn't been seen in this sector for months. I mean, why would they? This backwater dirt hole isn't even noticeable without us here, let alone with all the debris we send up. It looks like garbage dump."

"Stow it marines, you know the C.O. checks those tapes." A taller man with dark hair leaned up from the back seats. "We haven't got a damn choice whether we're out here or not."

Hunter laughed, the situation was bleak, but what else could you do? He turned his attention out of the windshield into the forest ahead of them. He noticed something moving up the road. "Stop the jeep, I think I see something."

The Warthog slowed to a halt as Hunter levered himself on the side of the vehicle. He brought a pair of combat binoculars to his eyes and looked up the road where he saw the object. A large blue creature lumbered slowly up the road, large plates covered its sides and grass hung loosely out of its mouth. He laughed to himself and turned to the driver again.

"It's one of those damn Tataglas. Pull up, it'll move when we get…" He paused, staring past the driver into the forest. A green glow formed, getting brighter fast. "Get out of the car, now!"

The men threw themselves from the warthog as a ball of superheated plasma impacted it. The metal melted into a puddle, pooling under what was left of the vehicle. Hunter spun, facing the attacker. A large blue creature stomped out of the forest and onto the road. Spikes ran down its back and a large plate was attached to one arm. Attached to the other arm was a grey cylinder, the tip glowing a bright green. It stood a good 12 feet tall and didn't look like it would fall very easily.

The creature lifted its plated arm and smashed it into the Warthog, sending it rolling into the forest. Hunter stood, intent on getting away from it. He spun around, looking for the other men. They were gone, to where, he didn't know. The creature roared, the sound muffled for lack of a mouth. Hunter turned and ran, running as far into the forest as he could. His leg tangled in the undergrowth and he tumbled over. A large weight rolled him over. He looked up at the creature, studying its features in the last moments of his life. The last thing Private Richard Hunter ever saw was a large metallic foot coming down toward his head.

The war had come to Alpha IV…

Recording terminated
Reason unknown ?KIA?
Video transmitted to closest UNSC vessel
Target found
File sent to: UNSC Frigate Relevance

_____________________________________

Chapter 1: As Duty Calls
UNSC Relevance
Slipspace En route to Alpha IV
Date Classified Zulu-Tango-Bravo
Deck A, Forward Command

Captain James Adam Cane strode hurriedly down the corridor toward the bridge. His graying hair was un-kept, standing defiantly on end. His uniform was buttoned one button too high, making it look awkward. His ship, the frigate UNSC Relevance was on its way back to Earth for some long needed shore leave. Midway the ship was redirected by command. The Covenant had attacked Alpha IV, and Relevance was the closest ship at the time. The crew was defrosted and everyone scrambled to get to their stations before exiting slipspace.

Cane punched some keys next to a large metal door. It slid slowly open and Cane went through, stepping onto the bridge. The Lieutenant on the bridge snapped into a salute, stating "Captain on deck." The other men and women raised and saluted. He smiled, this crew would do anything he told them to, scheduled leave or not.

"At ease, get back to your stations. " They all went back to work without question or hesitation.

Suddenly the bridge was filled with a disembodied female voice. "Good Morning Captain, would you like me to brief you now or when you get settled in?"

Cane shook his head, "Good Morning Salina." Salina, the ships onboard AI, materialized on the holopad next to the captain's station. "I suppose now would be fine."

Salina's avatar nodded, flicking her eyes about as she went through routine ship systems. Her avatar was not unlike other AI's, simple face, welcoming smile, and the way she held herself implied confidence, but something about her set her apart from others. She had been with Cane since he took command of Relevance, so there was somewhat of an attachment issue.

"So, inform me why I have to tell my crew why they will not be spending the next few months home with their families? I've got men who haven't seen land in years." Relevance had been active for three years now without a break, longer than most ships in the fleet, but when the ship is setup for long-term reconnaissance there isn't much time for leave.

"Alright Captain. Nine hours ago, Alpha IV was taken by the Covenant. A level seven security broadcast was sent out to all ships within range. Apparently the crews stationed on the base found something, and the Covenant wants it. Last year, an archeological team stumbled upon Forerunner ruins. Within the ruins was a stone, codenamed Artifact-67. The team just recently broke the code, they're coordinates to a Forerunner world."

"So? What does that have to do with my crew?" Cane was impatient, it was the usual ploy by command to keep them out of home space. "If the Covenant attacked, then they just glassed the world right? Usual strategy, lose on the ground, bombard from space, what is there to find but a destroyed world?"

Salina shook her head, "The circumstances of the breakthrough merit immediate reconnaissance. If the artifact still exists, we are to find it and return it to UNSC hands. Relevance is to be the first vessel to the coordinates listed on the artifact, direct orders." She directed Cane's attention to a small pad next to the display. "Command has complied with an extension of pay for all crew aboard, your bravery will not go unrewarded."

Cane sighed, leaning heavily on the control panel. The men needed the money, but it was the principle that bothered him. Command has kept Relevance out in space for three years now, denying requests for leave, and coming up with new 'missions' for them to carry out, always taking them farther away from the core worlds.

He pinched the bridge of his nose when a younger ensign called out, "Ten minutes to destination sir." He waved the ensign away and looked back to Salina.

"What are they trying to do to us?"

Salina blinked, "Sir?"

"Three years, it has been three years since we've been to a UNSC controlled planet. They expect us to jump when they say to. We're all human, Salina, and we can't keep going like this." Cane shook his head, "I don't know if I can tell them that we're not going to Earth. I can't keep lying to them and telling them that we'll go there next time. These people have families, friends, siblings, they need to be home, not floating out in space wondering when the next threat is going to try to kill them. I don't know Salina, I just don't know anymore."

"Captain, I if I may?" Cane nodded at her. She nodded back and began, "The men and women would follow you to the end of the universe and back. They would stare death in the face for you sir. Look in the eyes of any crewmen on this ship, and you will see admiration, respect, and a sense of duty to their people. Your crew is not here for themselves, they're here for humanity sir, and if you want to question their faith in you, then you question your faith in yourself. Respectfully sir, you need to trust these people."

The ensign at the helm stood, clapping. Soon the entire bridge was filled with applause, at that point, Cane knew his crew would follow him, he knew where he had to go, and what he had to do. Alpha IV would not be taken by the Covenant, not while the Relevance still had one rusty bolt holding her together. This was humanity's fight.

"Sir, we're about to exit slipspace," the ensign reported.

"Good, let's get this fight over with and get home." Cane lifted himself up and gripped the railing in front of the observation booth. The blurring effect of slipspace cooled and stars shined in space. A large mostly blue planet sat directly ahead of the ship. Water covered most of the planet, but a large, lone continent sat in the planet's center. One moon orbited Alpha IV, Cybern wasn't to terribly big, but it commanded respect. None of these aspects drew Canes gaze. His sight was already locked on the Covenant armada that orbited the planet.

He turned to Salina, "How many ships?"

"One moment…"

"I said how many!?" Cane's breath was ragged, his legs almost shaking.

Salina hesitated, "Approximately forty ships sir, mostly CCS class, but there is at least one carrier in the battle group."

"Forty ships? Command can't expect us to get in there, it's suicide. Have they spotted us yet?"

Salina hesitated a second more, "No, we are well out of range of their sensors. The only reason we can see them is because of the light off the planet sir. Strange, there seems to be a concentration of vessels around a larger vessel. Analyzing, there is a large unidentified Covenant ship, if I had to guess, a command vessel. Based off its size and its visible hangers, it could possibly hold two to three more CCS class ships."

Cane froze for a second, weighing his options. "Salina, what courses of action do we have?"

She thought for a moment, sizing probabilities. "We have the greatest chance of success if we land our soldiers on the far side of the planet. If Relevance stays dark she shouldn't be seen. Would you like me to plot a course captain?"

Cane let out a short weak laugh, "What other options do we have? Plot the course Salina, I have some people to address."

"Yessir, plotting course and firing up engines now."

Cane left the bridge and headed to the hangers where his men were assembled. What ever he did, Relevance was in the long run now, and boy was it going to be long.

_____________________________________

Alpha IV
Dark side
Pelican Drop Ship 113
Insertion area A-4

Blake Conner hung low in the Pelican's bay. His combat armor felt heavy and awkward after the usual medical get-up he wore. Field medics didn't get deployed too often, usually they were stationed aboard the ship dealing with wounded. He shrugged, setting the plates in a more comfortable position. Not more then three hours ago he was imagining seeing his wife again, sitting on the beach relaxing for a change. But it all changed when Salina gave the briefs. Captain Cane said that the mission was for the sake of humanity. Right.

Conner looked around at the squad he was shadowing. The men looked young, too young. Most of them, he figured, were barely out of boot, all assigned to Relevance because of the lack of combat she saw. He laughed to himself, trying to figure out how he ended up stationed here. An older man sat in the corner, Corporal Hendricks, he led the squad. Hendricks was ex-ODST, demoted after a bizarre incident that led to the failure of the mission, sticking him on the new recruits on Relevance. He was just another lost soldier trying to help in any way possible. The idea boggled him, why was he stationed here, he hadn't done anything to get there.

He sighed, and then turned to look back out the hatch at the sea pulsing below. Dark memories fill the corners of his mind. He suppressed them, not wanting to dissect the darker parts of his psyche. One thought popped up, pulling itself from his suppression, growing in the opened space. Flashes of a struggling soldier on a surgical table flew past his mind. Before they could impress themselves the radio started screaming out. Plasma light up the night sky in brilliant colors of green and blue.

The pilot turned to the back, "Marines, you may want to close that hatch, I'm expecting company." Conner pressed some keys next to the hatch and it slid up into place. "Damn, they're every where. Strap yourselves in, we're coming in hot." The pelican banked hard left as another salvo light up the sky around the drop ship.

The radio screamed even louder, "We've lost Bravos two and three, and we don't even know where Epsilon is. We need longswords captain, before these fighters tear us apart."

Salina was the one who answered, a job usually reserved for the captain. Conner made a mental note of it, but continued listening.

"Affirmative, squadrons two through eight have been dispatched to your location Bravo, Give'em hell." Salina sounded distant, almost uncaring, ending in another mental footnote.

"Roger that Salina, see ya when we get home. Leave the front door open for us, and the lights on. Bravo out." The pilot switched back to concentrating on avoiding the next salvo instead of what the radio was saying.

"How did they know we were coming?" Conner thought aloud.

The marine next to him looked pale, but answered. "Who cares, I just want to land." He turned and threw up into the spillway in the floor as the Pelican spun to avoid a stray shot.

The Corporal stood as best he could and addressed the men. "Marines, hold your lunch and listen up. We've been thrown into the fire boys, most of us won't make it back to the ship alive. This fight isn't about you anymore, it's about what we stand for. We stand for what? Freedom? Humanity? No, this is about much more, this is about the green men, the green is what we are. We are the rejects from across our space, and we have a chance to stand up and do something that matters. Now who's with me?" The marines cheered the corporal on, not for what he was saying, but for what they knew was going to happen. They knew they were probably going to die, but they were going to enjoy every last damned minute of it. Conner almost smiled, but frosted his emotions before they took control.

The pilot piped in again, "Uh, marines? I hope you all buckled in. We've got a bug problem." Conner hadn't ever seen a Scarab, he hoped he'd never have to, but fate had thoughts of otherwise. The pilot lifted the receiver for the radio. "This is Echo-113, we need immediate assistance. Any longsword still in the area, we've got a scarab within the landing zone. Immediate support would be much appreciated." She turned back to the marines, "Last warning, buckle in now, I'm going evasive."

The massive Covenant tank tilted its head up, tracking the Pelican as it made its way closer. The 'eye' started glowing green as the metal plate surrounding it opened. A lance of green plasma hurled itself toward the ship at remarkable speed. Suddenly a missile burst into its side, tilting the vehicle, toppling it. A longsword fighter blasted over the landscape. A new voice filled the cockpit. "Heh, he wasn't so tough. Good luck to you 113, Echelon-4 out."

"Appreciate it Echelon, I'll see you when we get…" The pilot was cut off as the partially thrown beam impacted the pelican's right wing. Smoke billowed from the engine, trailing behind the ship. "Dammit, they still clipped me. We'll have to talk later Echelon. Salina, this is Echo-113, we are going down, I repeat, we are going down." She turned to the marines one last time, "Brace yourselves, it's going to be a rough landing."

Conner watched out the view port as smoke continued to pour out of the wing. The pelican's nose angled down then started to spin wildly. Someone screamed. The world tilted and spun as the crippled bird plummeted toward the ground. Finally, darkness ensued with peaceful bliss. It all seemed to stop at once, and the world was quiet.
_____________________________________

6 Years Ago
Sol System
Earth
Old New York

Conner wasn't very old when the men came. They informed his family about the war, telling them that the UNSC needed every one they could get, so they took his father. 10 years later they were back again. Conner was ready for them, he knew what they wanted, and he wasn't going to leave his family because some airhead told him so.

It was cold when they came, winter had just set in on the streets of old Manhattan and the trees were bare. His mother spotted them first. She turned to Conner, who was watching TV at the time.

"Do you remember what I told you son? About what to do when the men came again?" He nodded, turning to his younger sister who was just coming down the bedroom hall. "Go, I'll keep 'em here as long as I can. You get yourself and your sister as far from here as possible, don't ever look back. I don't want to see you two end up like your father." Conner asked why he had to take his sister. "Because, you know that she will follow you no matter where you go. Now leave, I'll call you when it's safe again."

Conner rushed his sister, Kara, out the door and into the family's small sedan. He talked to her in a hushed tone, "Hurry, get in the back and lay on the floor until I tell you. Don't worry, it'll all be alright." He got in the driver side and started the car. As he backed out the men on the porch started running to the car. He swerved into the street and pulled away as fast as he dared.

After a few minutes of driving, he told Kara she could get up. It wasn't far to where they were going, but it would be a long time before they could get there. The drafters didn't give up too easily on dodgers. His job, a doctor, gave them enough money to stay at a motel for the night.

They shared the room's one bed and slept in their clothing. Conner couldn't settle his mind long enough to sleep. He knew that this was his fault in some way. He went along with his mothers plan because he was afraid to face what's really out there, or was he? He couldn't keep his thoughts straight. Late that night Kara rolled and faced him, "Are we ever going to be able to go home again?"

Conner shook his head, "I honestly don't know, I hope so. Go back to sleep, you need it more then I do."

The morning met them no different. Conner drove most of the way, trying to keep his concentration in one place. It wasn't long before they reached the border. Kara smiled, "We're almost there Blake, just a while longer and we won't have to worry." He slowed the car and pulled off to the side, the border in sight. Kara frowned, "What are you doing?" She asked, frustration in her tone.

"Do you remember when dad left?"

She shook her head, "No, what does he have to…"

"I do," he interrupted, frowning slightly. "He told me that I should look out for you, and to not be sad that he was gone. He told me that one day I would have to go too, that I would have to serve. I didn't want to believe it, but I knew it was my responsibility to fight for us. Kara, I need to do this." He turned the car around and headed back toward home.

"No," Kara cried out, tears starting, "I'm not going to let you go like dad, you're all I have besides mom Blake. I need you."

It was a tense drive back, neither siblings talked to each other. They pulled into their driveway, their mother running out. "Why are you back, you know they'll take you." She was crying too. He stared at him grimly. "Your father had that same look on his face when he left. I just thought I could keep you out of trouble." She sobbed, looking over her shoulder. Two men in dress fatigues were crossing the lawn to the house.

They approached him, papers in hand, a loose smile on their face. "We have some things to discuss son, it would be easier if you just came with us."

That day Blake L. Conner was drafted into the UNSC Marine Corps. Three years later, Conner was placed aboard Relevance after his attempt to see his sister, who joined the Corps a month after he did, while under direct orders to do otherwise.
_____________________________________

Surface of Alpha IV
Wreck site of Echo-113
Two and a half Clicks from LZ
Three and a half hours later

Conner slowly opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings. "Strange," he laughed to himself, "Why is the pelican upside down?" Images of the crash flashed through his mind, the faces of the soldiers burned into his head. He groaned, and levered himself up onto an elbow. He tried to stand, pain lancing through his back. Slowly he got into a sitting position. He checked himself over, nothing broken. His ears were ringing, and his head ached, he thought he might have a concussion, but didn't worry too much. Pressing his back against the bulkhead, he slowly raised himself to his feet.

He arched his back, cracking his spine and relieving some tension. Stooping again, he lifted an M6D magnum and hooked it to his belt. Quickly he snapped his head up and listened, thinking he heard something. The wind swept through the bay, whistling among the wreck. Shaking his head, he went back to salvaging what he could from the pelican. Again he froze. An odd squeaky sound drew him to the mouth of the bay.

The Pelican rested close to the middle of a clearing. Trees lined the edges of the area and Conner thought he could see a road out to the west. Standing over a body not ten feet from the wreck were a pair of Jackals. The bird like creatures stooped over the body, greedily ripping at the flesh of the man's gut. Conner felt sick, the man was the marine who sat next to him on the flight. He didn't know if the man was alive when the Jackals found him, but Conner hoped he was.

Reaching down for the pistol, he swept it up and sighted the nearest one. The Jackal's head sat in the middle of Conner's crosshair when he yelled, "Hey, why don't you try something fresher." Hating himself for not coming up with something better, Conner sighted again and pulled the trigger. There was a loud clatter, but no gunshot. He looked down and saw the empty clip on the floor. The Jackals screamed, igniting their wrist shields, the energy hummed and sizzled in the air. Conner scrambled back into the pelican as they bounded toward him.

He slid, turned, and slammed keys, sending the thick blast door down into place. The Jackals slammed into the door, beating on it with their curved pistols. Conner leaned against the wall and slid down into a crouch. A little red light flashed on the door controls with 'Emergency Release' written on it. Conner's face light up and he pressed the button. Smoke filled the bay as the bolts holding the door up exploded, letting the door fall freely to the ground crushing the Jackals underneath it.

Conner cheered in triumph, walking out into the clearing to check for other Covenant. As he passed the smashed creatures he felt obliged to 'relive' them of their weapons. He clipped a few plasma grenades to his belt and hefted the odd pistol. It was nothing compared to an MA5B, but it would have to do. He checked the dead marine for ammo, trying not to be sick. Being a medic helped, but nothing prepares someone for something like reaching into the pockets of the dead man you just sat next to not five minutes ago. He found a clip for his M6D and a frag grenade.

The edge of the clearing was covered in underbrush, bushes and twigs lay scattered around the bases of the trees. Conner figured that the road was his best bet, and headed west. A long dirt road snaked its way between larger trees and rocks. He hadn't hiked for long when he felt something out of place. The twigs on the side of the road seemed to bend, back and forth. The attack came from the left, two camouflaged Elites charged him, hitting him over the back of his head. The peaceful darkness filled him once more.

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