21 Chapter (18) Terrible losses and dropping into hell (2)

[Trying something new this Chapter, also some questions in the authors note answer them if you please.]

(3rd Pov)

J̶a̶n̶u̶a̶r̶y̶ 3̶0̶t̶h̶ 2̶5̶4̶3̶

O̶N̶I̶:̶ SWORD Base, E̶s̶p̶o̶s̶z̶, Reach

In a meeting room on one of the uppermost levels of the private Office of Naval Intelligence facility. There was a table surrounded by the most important leaders of the UNSC known as UNSC High Command (High Com or High COM). On one side of the table sat the 4 heads of the UNSC military branches Kingsley Nola leader of the UNSC army, Lord Terrance Hood leader of the UNSC Navy, Shauna Roz leader of the UNSC air force, and Levi Asher leader of the UNSC Marines. On the other side was Colonel James Ackerson, Senior Chief Petty Officer Franklin Mendez, Lieutenant Commander Spartan Kurt S-051, and scientific advisor for the Spartan-III program Dr. Naomi Hunter. At the head of the table sat the leader and director of ONI Admiral Margaret Parangosky.

(Lord Terrance Hood)

(Franklin Mendez)

(Margaret Parangosky)

After everyone was settled and ready. Admiral Parangosky began the meeting by speaking first "Good morning, I hope everyone has been well these past few months." Though her words indicated concern the tone with which she said the words did not carry such worth but was instead cold, straightforward, and unfeeling.

"We have many topics to talk about today. Much more since the reason for the delay was the further glassing of another 2 colonies. Which I am sure everyone has heard of as of now about the fate of Alluvion and Camber. Now that Camber is out of commission not only is all of the work on Project: OUROBOROS now dust, but we also lost one of the biggest ship manufacturing depots in UNSC territory. Because of this, the budget is going to be reprioritized again."

Once the Admiral stated the fact that the budget needed to be rebalanced again everyone in the room let out a heavy sigh. The current state of the war had made money scarce and extremely vital. Not only did they need to be constantly replacing the ships lost in combat but they also needed to be researching as much as possible to eventually overcome the technology gap. Suffice it to say that waste of any resource was heavily frowned upon and was almost always unacceptable on any project.

Now however with Camber, they had lost innumerable vital parts required for both building and maintaining the ever-dwindling Navy. And presently all of the money put into making more as well as researching one of humanity's last hopes Project: OUROBOROS has gone up in smoke. Making everyone in the room frustrated to no end as the grim reality of the galaxy comes to find them no matter what. What makes this worse is that it is just one of the pieces of bad news.

"Alluvion was also glassed in late October. According to the report given to me by the director of the evacuation efforts, of the 336 million that were living on the planet. Counts show that we were only able to evacuate 55 million." Parangosky continued with no change in the sound of her voice as she listed casualty numbers. The more she listed reflected just how much life and resources were lost in a single invasion by the Covenant. To say the experience was…. sobering would be an understatement.

As the Admiral continued on stating statistics about the losses, sustained dread spread through the room. The members of UNSC High Command were quite literally the men and women keeping the entire governmental structure and military afloat. Therefore they are the first to know and get insight on the latest war reports, but that access comes at a cost along with their position.

Though they might be in a higher role that isn't exactly on the frontlines of combat their position is all the more challenging. Not only do they coordinate strategies across the war front, but they must take responsibility for any failures under their command. Even when it's not their fault for problems popping up they will still be the ones blamed and if not careful could very well find themselves hung by public opinion.

Because of this, good news is the most valuable commodity anyone in the room could receive. So when the losses keep piling up, and the world keeps crumbling further around them. They aren't allowed to quit, become depressed, or to simply give up because it's no longer their choice anymore.

At this stage of the game, it's do or die and every member knows that.

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(Mc Pov)

U̶N̶S̶C̶ H̶e̶a̶r̶t̶ o̶f̶ D̶i̶s̶c̶o̶v̶e̶r̶y̶, A̶b̶o̶v̶e̶ 19 Draconis

1̶1̶:̶0̶4̶ J̶a̶n̶u̶a̶r̶y̶ 3̶0̶t̶h̶ 2̶5̶4̶3̶

Immediately after I departed from the bridge I began walking down the hallway to the drop pod bay. As I walk through the hall I take note that any crew member that comes my way makes sure to get out of my way or stand to the side as I pass. I guess all this armor can intimidate anyone though I am not complaining I have always been a bit of a loner.

I continue walking at a steady pace through the ship. All while going over a multitude of stratagems and plans because knowing my luck nothing good will come of the first 3 plans. So I might as well get a head start thinking about my improvisation during the mission.

Eventually, I reached my destination walking in through the automatic doors. Once inside I look down the bay for the drop pods. Though I say bay it's more like a platform with drop pods lining either side of it with panels spread throughout the room.

What I didn't expect to see in the room was a group of 4 ODSTs smoking and playing cards on the main platform area. I shrugged and didn't think much of it. Seeing as I am about to go on what could quite possibly be my final mission, I would rather not be distracted and instead would rather focus on doing my best to live to see another tomorrow.

…But that didn't stop the ODSTs from trying and succeeding at being dicks.

"Hey! Look who it is, it's Agent Cowboy." Said the soldier closest to me while he leaned back into his seat, "Are you going to come back again covered in the blood of your fellow humans? Ahhh what am I saying of course you will, because you are ONI's hunting dog not meant to think nor to care," the 3 other ODSTs apparently found what he said funny if their snickering at the table were evidence of their humor.

I didn't want to start a fight so I just looked to the trooper and said seriously "You shouldn't be leaning back in the chairs they may break", then began to walk to my pod. If these dumbasses really wanna pick a fight with me then they should stop being a bitch and instead throw a punch. Rather than them being a pot and calling a kettle black, but they don't seem to be able to realize that fact.

He didn't take my advice, but instead leaned further back into his seat in rebellion "Oh? I didn't know you cared about my well-being so much. Could it be that you are attracted to me? Sorry, I don't swing that way," Again he made another snide remark gaining laughter from his friends at the table.

This time however I didn't say anything. I just kept walking silently until I was beside his chair. I didn't break stride nor stop as I passed him, but as I was right beside the back left leg of his seat I sent out a small, reserved, and quick sidekick. The kick had the exact intended effect that I wanted.

*crash*

"FUCK!"

The chair leg immediately snapped like a toothpick from the force of my kick. Under the weight of the soldier and due to the center of gravity the remaining 3 legs of the seat couldn't withstand the resulting load. Of course, leading to the chair collapsing and subsequently the ODST falling into the floor completely surprised by the turn of events.

His friends rushed over to help him while laughing at his predicament. I just kept walking once the man that fell had gotten back to his feet, he decided to shout in anger "HEY WHAT THE FUCK. IF YOU WANNA FIGHT THEN LETS FIGHT SO STOP BEING A PUSSY AND WALKING AWAY"

By this time I was standing in front of my open pod in the slot clearly marked 06. I looked to the side after the man was done yelling and simply said "I warned you," with a shrug and placed my rifle and shotgun in the magnetic locks in the pod. The technician that was shaking probably hoping that the ODSTs didn't end up taking their anger out on him.

I sat in the pod and as I say the flustered ODST yelled again but this time at the technician, "DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE CLOSE THAT POD," at this point the technician is shaking and looked towards me sitting. I looked back at him with my head tilted and expressed the question, 'Who do you wanna piss off more right now?'.

He didn't think twice after seeing me and immediately began the procedure to shut the hatch. As the hatch was closing slowly I heard the enraged soldier yell some type of threat at the poor technician that was doing his job so I decided to throw the guy a bone and chime in, "I wouldn't do that if I were you," I said in a calm voice that silenced the people outside, "Don't forget he is one of the few that maintain and work on your drop pod,".

I guess that the ODST understood what I meant by saying that because the last thing I heard before the hatch shut was the sounds of someone stomping off.

'Honestly, I swear they are a bunch of children.' I think to myself, shaking my head at the situation from before.

The hatch closes and the screens in the pod light up displaying Miranda in one screen and the Captain in the other. At the same time, I feel the pod moving to the zone to be released above the hole for my drop pod. I grip the control sticks tightly as my anxiety begins to kick in over the impending drop.

To say that I am scared of heights or the drop is not correct. I would like to say I am quite literally fearless seeing as I have to be otherwise I wouldn't be able to run into the jaws of death like I am on a stroll through a neighborhood. No, my anxiety comes from what happens during the drop, basically focusing on all of the things I can't control. I could slam into an asteroid and explode. I could burn up on re-entry because the heat shields were defective. My drag chute could deploy incorrectly leading to me slamming into the ground and becoming a puddle that someone will have to pick up and pour me out of.

Now, before anyone says anything I know it's not going to help thinking about things I can't change nor that I could control…But I can't help it. In my past life, I was always a control freak and I still am. I have never drunk, done drugs, hell I never even got a girlfriend because I knew that I would never be able to trust someone like that. It's sad but…it's just how I am.

But enough about those depressing thoughts….It's time to drop into hell.

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So another new chapter I hope you like it. Not much happened this chapter but I think I highlighted a good bit of lore in the meeting portion and developed the Mc a bit more.

If you didn't notice the dates and times I had crossed out to give it the ONI black ink type feel. I got the idea when thinking about the campaign in COD black ops during the intros. So tell me if you like it.

Oh yeah so I meant to mention this yesterday. I had a idea for a Star Wars fic that would go through the some what pre era clone wars, clone wars, and to the end of Return of the Jedi. Ironically someone uploaded a clone wars fic during the time I was contemplating about the story, and it seemed we had somewhat similar ideas. However, our writing styles as you can see are entirely different and I would have done A LOT different as well. So if you want to hear more about it I might drop some ideas I had for it in the author's not on the next chapter or in the comments if you have questions.

The song of the day is "Lusus Naturae" by John Williams from the RWBY soundtrack. Honestly that man can make some fucking bangers if you go through each season's soundtrack. I ain't even going to cap.

That's about it I hope you all have a wonderful Friday and I will See You Star Side.