Alright. Gonna make a try at getting back into writing. Let’s see how this goes. Wish me luck! -Colonel

March 9th, 2558. Tratski Orbital Platform

First Lieutenant Tamarochka sat at her post on the orbital station near the site where the VDF/UNSC Coalition’s prized ship, the Leonidas, was stationed, smoking a cigarette and resting on a crate. She enjoyed the job, and got to speak to members of boath groups. Albeit, peace between the two within said coalition is quite unsteady, it’s still peace nonetheless. She found it to be quite annoying, however, when she ended up having to defuse situations between civilians with differing political views. That got on her nerves. The lit cigarette in her mouth was beginning to dim, and she got up from the metal crate. The lieutenant snuffed the cigarette on the shoulder pauldron of her Jumpmaster MJOLNIR armor, and picked up her BR85N Battle Rifle off of the crate.

She clicks the bolt back, slides in a fresh magazine, and clicks it forward. The weapon’s safety goes on, and she gets back to patrolling the station.

Tama never quite found much to worry about when moving about the orbital station, as the system’s AI, Odessa, maintained security quite well. Though, it was better safe than sorry. Especially with all the conflict going on around the galaxy. Who knew? Maybe Tama would end up stumbling across some crazy alien—

And once again, Tama had jinxed herself. She stared out the large viewport, at the giant... Whatever the hell it was. It was larger than the Infinity, and looked vaguely, quite, quite vaguely of a bird.

She broke out of her stupor, and began a sprint down the hall. She needed to get the message to the Leonidas. Or at least get it to them. She tried the radio. Nothing but static. Tama swore under her breath, and swung around a corner, and was met with several VDF MPs, all wearing those suits of thin, gray armor. Their CO had a pauldron with a green stripe across it.

“Sir! Sir!” Tama called out, slowing herself to a halt beside the MP. He turned his helmeted head to face her.

“What is it, soldier?” He asked, his voice hinted with some worry. Before Tama could answer, the viewport to their left shattered from some sort of sonic blast, and most of those nearby were killed instantly. Tama was one of the unlucky few.

“Status report!” The Leonidas’ Captain Aerov Maskelivich, demanded. Aerov was a fifty-two year old Vanguard Navy vet. Aerov stood at six foot eight, with a full head of light gray hair and a short, unkempt beard, defined jaw-line and a rough face, dotted with small scars. Two worn, steely-blue eyes sat in their respective places.

Cayne, the AI, quickly manifested his hologram on the deck. His green-tinted hologram was that of a short man, wearing a uniform with an ERDL pattern,

“We just lost Tratski Station. More are going offline as we’re speaking.” the AI responded. Aerov swore, and quickly diverted his attention to his crew.

“All hands! Immediate slipspace jump, NOW!” He roared over the sounds of warning sirens and klaxons in his ears. The braces holding the ship no longer contained any power, and the hulking six-thousand meter-long destroyer was drifting. Aerov realized this was to their advantage.

“Power up the engines, get us into an emergency slipspace jump A-S-A-P! I’d be damned pleased if we can slip out of this bitch’s grip!” His subordinates got to work, and soon enough, a baby-blue swirling mass of literal nothingness was ahead, with a black center.

“En-route to bubble! ETA Twenty seconds!” Soon enough, the Leonidas was blasting through the void above Earth. Cayne sent a subroutine to record all of the comm chatter, as well as change all radio frequencies on-board to another.

Aerov found himself thanking his Gods that they’d had a test-run of the new weapon systems scheduled that day, otherwise they’d likely be adrift in space.

The ship’s weapons and engines suddenly cut, and Aerov was face-to-face with the deranged AI that caused this entire event.

“Cayne, shut her out!” Aerov barked, and the Vanguard-Constructed Artificial Intelligence quickly got to work trying to close off the bridge.

“You can’t run forever. We will track you down. We will not have mercy, ad—” She was interrupted as the deck went completely quiet and dark. They’d entered the slip-space bubble. The UNSC Infinity was not far behind, which explained why it seemed like the insane AI wasn’t entirely there.

“Thank God. I didn’t think she was gonna shut up.” Aerov stared out at the view-port ahead. It was all black.

“Cayne, I need a status report.” he asked. Cayne detected the exhaustion in his voice a mile away. He spent the next millisecond scanning every system and deck within the Leonidas.

“The medical-bay is reporting that they lost about a dozen patients as soon as the power went out. Everything else seems to be undamaged, just offline.” Cayne informed the captain.

“Alright. Damn it.” Aerov wiped a hand down his face and sighed.

“Get everything back online, then get everyone in the cryogenic storage bay. Long-term... myself excluded.” Cayne acknowledged this with a nod from his hologram.

“A pod in your personal quarters will be prepared just in case.” Aerov nodded. He whistled to the main crew, getting their attention.

“Alright, gents and gals. I’m having Cayne put the crew into stasis so he can do repairs on the ship. Get some rest, you’ll be alerted when it’s ready.” Aerov announced. There were grumbles and annoyed noises among the crew, but they eventually began filing out of their seats and positions, out the main bulkhead door. The UNSC Army troopers flanking the door went with them. Once everyone had cleared out of the bridge, Cayne turned his hologram to face Aerov.

“Lying to them was a bit unnecessary.” Cayne said warily. Aerov shook his head, staring out from the main viewport. Parallelograms of glass in metal frames, going around the front half of the bridge. The rest of it was shrouded with equipment and smaller viewports.

“It’s better this way. How’s the ship looking?” Aerov strolled around the bridge. It was about twelve meters long, six wide, near the end of the hull, slightly raised up and heavily armored. Only way in was via an elevator, or the long, branching halls and stairwells lining the area around it.

“We’re operating at 67% out of the 89% efficiency we are capable to operate at.” Cayne reported, pleased with himself and his maintenance drones. Aerov gave a nod of acknowledgement and stared out into the void.

’Within the thirty-some years I’ve been doing this gig... never thought this is how I’d be spending my last moments.’ he thought to himself.

“... sir?” Aerov shook himself out of his trance. He glanced back at Cayne’s hologram. It flickered softly, the AI’s soft glow illuminating his face.

“Sorry. I spaced out a minute there. What did you say?” Aerov pulled a cigarette case out of his back pocket, alongside an old-fashioned flip lighter, gold-plated with his initials engraved into the body, aside the emblem of a phoenix.

’Definitely worth the twenty-grand.’ he thought to himself as he lit himself a cigarette.

“I said that everything is online. It’s all ready.” Aerov gave a subtle nod, and stared out the viewport, taking a puff of his cig. He blew a ring of smoke and coughed.

“Alright. Once the wounded and dead have been dealt with, send everyone to the cryogenic stasis bays. I’ll be in my quarters... I’m done with this shit.” He muttered at the end, snuffing the cigarette and tossing the butt at one of the trash bins. It missed of course, but that didn’t sway him from leaving the bridge, and making his way to the Cap’n’s quarters down near the stern. He typed in the four-digit code to the door, and walked in, poured himself a glass of whiskey, and slumped into his chair, sipping from the crystal drinking glass.

“Cayne.” he coughed out, choking on his drink a bit. The AI projected his hologram on the projector on the little night-stand beside the recliner.

“Yes, sir?” the AI asked, his voice monotone. This was only a subroutine, which pissed Aerov off slightly. It meant he was focused on something else. ‘Hoping for a whole presence... Eh.’ he shrugged it off.

“Is everything ready?” The subroutine froze for a moment, then responded.

“Yes, captain.” Aerov gave it a nod, then opened the drawer to the night-stand and pulled out an M6H2 Magnum. He clicked the safety off, and slid the magazine out. Twelve rounds, full. He slid it back in, and placed it in his lap.

“Alert me when everything’s done and ready. If and when my lifelines drop, cleanse my room.” Aerov ordered. The subroutine was replaced with the full form of Cayne.

“Sir... what are you suggesting?” He quizzed, worry flooding his voice. Aerov gave him an award-winning smile.

“Nothing. Now get back to work.” Cayne gave him a nod, and his hologram dissipated. Aerov leaned back and closed his eyes.

‘I’m getting too old for this shit...’ He cracked his eyes to give a glance at the magnum one last time, then closed them again for a quick power-nap. He needed it.

Aerov woke up to the sound of Cayne’s subroutine beeping like an alarm. He sat up, and glared at it.

“What is it?” he growled, rubbing his eyes.

“Everything is completed, sir. All crew are accounted for in their pods.” Aerov gave it a nod, and wrapped his fingers around the handle of his M6H2.

“Cayne, you’ve got full control of the ship. Only awaken the troops if needed... I’m not fit for duty any longer.” Aerov sighed, and placed the pistol to his jaw.

“It’s been an honor, sir.” Cayne said. The real one. Aerov sighed.

“Godspeed.” And with that...

Captain Aerov Maskelivich was dead. Cayne did as asked, and, other than his pistol, lighter and a few photos, Maskelivich was no more.

Author's Note

And there is chapter... er, zero. Prologue.