Prologue

The lake was warm. There was a peaceful buzzing, ambient to the reflective waters painted in deep orange. It was that time of day mostly everybody in Argyle could appreciate, the time of rest where the lights dimmed and the night ever so slowly set in. Unlike the worlds you've been used to, a night was gladly welcomed among those of Jericho VII, when the days were longer and the nights were quicker.

A small pale hand extended toward the lake, swishing back and forth playfully.

"Watch out. Don't fall in."

"You're so protective!"

Two kids, who couldn't have been any older than six, sat along a slope about a meter from the lake rim. They were opposite genders, a boy and a girl, and they were happy.

"Ooh! Look, look!" The boy shook his friend by the shoulder repeatedly and pointed across the water toward a series of infrastructures.

There was a faint buzz, and a roar following along it. A large winged ship slowly ascended, arms spewing out hot blue fire into the wind as it hovered several dozen meters above the ground.

The two kids stared, slackjawed and eyes sparkling amazed. It was like a big metal dragon taking flight for the first time, so stunning.

"Wow. So is that what your daddy fixes?" The girl looked over, filled with joy.

"Mhm! That's why he is always away." He nodded before pointing again, "My book says that's called a Pelican!"

The girl looked again, "Wow..." she was still taking in the sight.

For an adult, the flight of a D77 Pelican was no new occurrence, one of the most familiar forms of transport nowadays, but to kids who still had so much to learn about the galaxy, magnificent was an understatement. The innocence of a child was always something to preserve and reflect upon–where apprehension and indifference had no place.

The two laid down on the bed of green beside each other, beaming up at the clouds as the Pelican cruised far and wide for its impromptu airshow for the youngsters.

"When I grow up, I want to be UNSC and fly in a Pelican too. I want to go... up there!" the girl declared, looking toward the setting sky with great admiration.

The boy craned toward her, a look of uncertainty on his face. His green eyes flickered at her.

"Ooh... Are you sure?"

"Mhm. What's bad about it?"

The boy looked up toward the Pelican, still making light strafes across the clouds.

"Mommy says there's a lot of bad things happening."

"Bad things? Like what?"

"Like... monsters. She said that there are bad monsters in the space that are fighting with the UNSC." The boy told her.

The girl sat there blinking, slanting her head to the left with a clueless "hm?" The boy frowned a bit, idly running his fingers across the grass.

"You promise you will be safe?"

"Oh. Mhm! Promise!"

The two kids smiled at one another, and quickly broke out into a heartfelt giggle. They sat back down and observed the remainder of the Pelican's flight, growing ever tried the more the sun lowered down.

The girl stared, watching as the Pelican landed again at the port, its rounds completed and the boy was on the verge of dozing off.

The girl stood and when the boy noticed, he followed her.

"We should go now." She advised.

The boy didn't respond, eyes captivated at the lake water, which was glistening.

The girl tilted her head, "What–"

The boy flicked upward, toward the dispersing clouds. He raised his finger and pointed.

"What is that?"

"Hmm? What's what?"

They looked up.

Thunder roared, fire flared in the skies, and numerous shaded figures arose just above the clouds, before descending upon them.