About my data packages

This is where the action happens!

Moderator: Moderators

ISitInA
Data [Conditional]
Posts: 47
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 9:26 pm

About my data packages

Unread post by ISitInA »

bzzt! I have applied your personal language filters.

To: Cpt********.1465.UNSC.THESEUS
From: ISitInA.ERROR DATA UNAVAILABLE
Origin: ERROR DATA UNAVAILABLE
Received:
Sent: ERROR DATA UNAVAILABLE
Classifications: Captain's Eyes Only, Message Archival Allowed, Neural Net Upload Permissions Denied
Attachments: 4 (SCC.2-B438-F484-49A21-1, UEM-F484-U.MP.S-2E141-6, UEM-F484-U.MP.S-2E141-8, UEM-F484-U.MP.S-2E142-7, 78 Mb total)
Subject: About my data packages

Captain,

You may have noticed that I'm able to move more in your direction. I hope this helps.

I heard you had a little incident aboard the ship. I'm going to tell you the honest truth, no matter what you might think of me for it. Yes, we've known about the questionable mental state of Michael Ives for some time now. As in, before this mission. We apparently had arranged for him to serve two more missions before being stationed on a planet, and so that he could have a battery of shrinks look at him. I'm looking at the paperwork, and it's dated a month before you were given your orders for the current mission.

I'm sorry. I can't help but feel like we dropped the ball on this one. We knew that he was starting to go, but we didn't think he'd gone this far. Rest assured, he will be punished, but he'll also receive the help he needs.

As for the other two... They'll be given a workup, but right now we think they'll just be punished.

But that's not what you want to talk about, is it?

The destruction of a cruiser, as well as the surprisingly thinned ground forces, was correctly pinned on F484. Some wanted to call him in for debriefing and possible investigation for operating without orders and “misappropriating military equipment.” Others wanted to let him continue on with business as usual. Everybody agreed that he'd probably get a medal and a promotion when everything was said and done.

Fortunately, one certain Major General was the highest ranking officer to make it off of Reach and onto Halo. Nobody could ever accuse F484 of networking or social climbing or whatever politically correct term there is for it these days. But the fact that he was able to secure the backing of such figures as Major General Sacora and Lord Hood worked in his favor throughout his career.

Of course, if Lord Hood had been there, I fully expect that F484 would have gotten more than a stern chewing out. More likely, he would have been put in the stockade for a full workup the first time that he discovered Myung's nature. All in all, I suppose it was better that the BLAM was still sitting on his worthless, self-important, pompous rear back at Earth. The little BLAM should have stayed in retirement. (No member of ONI proper that I ever met has ever held a good opinion of him for a lot of reasons. Even with how badly he messed up his personal life and career, we all preferred Cole. God BLAM politics...)

In retrospect, reviewing these files worried ONI rather greatly. Perhaps you've noticed tiny little things out of place in F484's mannerisms. I call attention to it now. Later, when I give you the science behind it, you'll be glad that I gave you time to look things over and think about it all.

Also, I'd like you to know that you and your crew aren't the only ones having problems right now. Both Prowlers are reporting several equipment failures of both critical and non-critical systems. Nothing that can't be fixed, but it makes the already cramped quarters of a Prowler even worse. If anything, take comfort in the fact that the eyes watching you are more miserable than you are.

Sincerely,

Chair

*************
Note by Hive: Captain, I have encountered additional encrypted data within this message. The encryption keys are old enough to be added to my own databanks upon my creation due to our frequent status in the outer regions of humanity's occupied zone, in case we encountered any of the number of missing ships from the war. Below is the unencrypted message.
*************
Had they known what they know now, would they have let you continue to operate? Or would you be in a cryo chamber to this day? What would my fate have been then? What of all humanity?
*************
SCC.2-B438-F484-49A21-1 wrote: B438: Bravo four-three-eight to Foxtrot four-eight-four, do you read, over?
(PAUSE, 10.8 SECONDS)
B438: Bravo four-three-eight to Foxtrot four-eight-four, do you read? I have orders from Major General Sacora to get in contact with you, over.
F484: This is Foxtrot four-eight-four. I read you Bravo four-three-eight. Please switch to encryption channel seven, over.
B438: Foxtrot four-eight-four, General Sacora requests that you return from the field to explain the unauthorized acquisition of one Shiva warhead, one Warthog, one Hornet, one niner-niner Delta Sierra two, one Mike four one, one Mike six Delta, one Bravo Romeo five five, associated ammunition, and replacement packs for your armor's medical systems. Over.
F484: Bravo four-three-eight, I am currently en-route to mission objective. Once the mission is complete, I will return for a full debriefing. (PAUSE, 2.7 SECONDS) And the Warthog has been returned, over.
(PAUSE, 5.2 SECONDS)
B438: Foxtrot four-eight-four, please explain objective of your mission, over.
F484: Bravo four-three-eight, I am proceeding to a location that my intelligence indicates will provide us with intel as to our galactic location and other artifacts such as the one we are on now. I have codenamed the installation the Cartographer. Over.
(PAUSE, 36.2 SECONDS)
B438: Foxtrot four-eight-four, proceed with your current objective. Once confirmation has been achieved, place a nav beacon and return, over.
F484: Bravo four-three-eight, due to either localized interference or suit damage, I am incapable of placing a nav beacon. I cannot currently determine which it is, either due to localized interference or suit damage, over.
(PAUSE, 12.3 SECONDS)
B438: Foxtrot four-eight-four, prepare navigational flight plans to reach the Cartographer so we may confirm upon your return. Good hunting, over.
F484: Confirmed. Out.

*************
Note by Hive: Captain, I have encountered additional encrypted data within this message. The encryption keys are old enough to be added to my own databanks upon my creation due to our frequent status in the outer regions of humanity's occupied zone, in case we encountered any of the number of missing ships from the war. Below is the unencrypted message.
*************
They never could argue with your results, could they?
*************
UEM-F484-U.MP.S-2E141-6 wrote: F484: Not as much as you said there would be.
Myung: At least you have more data than you did before. Will this help you with your superiors?
F484: Maybe. The local intel will at least make them a bit happier. I'm seeing a few locations that are more easily defended than where we're set up now.
(PAUSE, 7.6 SECONDS)
F484: This is where we connected with Reach. It looks like there are two more gates on the ring.
(PAUSE, 2.4 SECONDS)
F484: (SUSPICIOUSLY) That's how you got here, isn't it?
(PAUSE, 4.3 SECONDS)
Myung: Yes.
F484: And?
Myung: And what?
F484: Can we move people back through there?
(PAUSE, 2.5 SECONDS)
Myung: Maybe.
F484: (IMPATIENTLY) What do you mean, maybe?
Myung: It depends on if I want to send them right into a security checkpoint.
F484: What kind of security?
Myung: The kind that might very well shoot UNSC troops first and ask questions later.
UEM-F484-U.MP.S-2E141-8 wrote: (SOUND OF IMPACT WITH WALL)
F484: (INARTICULATE SCREAM OF RAGE)
F484: I'd hoped that you were the tolerable kind of Innie! The kind who just protested and handed out pamphlets and junk! That you'd gotten the suit in trade from another group of them because they knew about the nuke and had to pawn it off! Not the kind who enjoys wholesale slaughter! I've been giving you way too much intel!
Myung: (FRIGHTENED, ANGRY) I'm not! For all I know, they sent me over here in this suit so that they could get me out of their hair! Do you think I like killing innocent people? Kids? Huh?
Myung: (SOUNDING NEAR TEARS) I joined because I thought we'd be fighting off troops, kicking them off our world. I joined because I thought we needed to be free. But when I joined up, I found out that they were just a bunch of terrorists with pretty words.
(PAUSE, 2.1 SECONDS)
Myung: (SADLY) But once you get in, you don't get to leave that easy. You have to stick it out. Or else. So I... Coming here was my big chance. Find something worth negotiating with the UNSC over. Get our people free without violence. Maybe convince their help in getting rid of the more radical parts of the resistance. I never thought... I never thought that they'd have sent me here to get rid of me. I never thought...
UEM-F484-U.MP.S-2E142-7 wrote: F484: Do you know what this is?
Myung: (WEAKLY) Huh?
F484: I'm looking at our galactic placement, and I'm looking at... something. Here, do you see it?
Myung: One sec. (PAUSE, 1.3 SECONDS) It's a... It's a data storage and analysis facility.
F484: For what purpose?
Myung: For collecting and preparing information for the Reclaimers.
(PAUSE, 0.9 SECONDS)
F484: So it's a listening array.
Myung: No, no. More than that. It's more like... A gift to the Reclaimers that would help uplift them to the status of those who made this place. Not just history, but a full explanation of all facilities and a primer as to their sciences.
F484: (AWE) We need to get there.
Myung: (SURPRISED) What?
F484: Think, six-three. Just think for a moment. This weapon comes at too high of a cost. I don't want to be responsible for genocide on so wide a scale. But it may have intel on other weapons, or may give us something that will give us a shot at beating the Covenant. My current overreaching mission is to continue to look for a way that we can beat them, or to simply beat them. We need to find a ship or something here that can get us there.
(PAUSE, 1.4 SECONDS)
Myung: (NERVOUSLY) What if I said that I might have a way?
F484: I'd say that you'd have my attention again. Which you do.
PsycoJoe
Data [Authenticated]
Posts: 76
Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2011 4:26 am

Re: About my data packages

Unread post by PsycoJoe »

Chair,

Does this mean that the Insurrectionist movement had a route to Reach? (I bet that caused a lot of "Oh *bleep*" reactions.) Was the innie entry portal ever sealed off? I shudder to think of a weapon capable of such devastation.

I think I'll be needing some help to get to sleep. (Straight, no ice....)
ISitInA
Data [Conditional]
Posts: 47
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2011 9:26 pm

Re: About my data packages

Unread post by ISitInA »

bzzt! I have applied your personal language filters.

To: Cpt********.1465.UNSC.THESEUS
From: ISitInA.ERROR DATA UNAVAILABLE
Origin: ERROR DATA UNAVAILABLE
Received:
Sent: ERROR DATA UNAVAILABLE
Classifications: Captain's Eyes Only, Message Archival Allowed, Neural Net Upload Permissions Denied
Attachments: 0
Subject: Brown pants moment

Captain,

You're right. It caused a definite brown pants moment when the UNSC realized that there was indeed a method for the Innies to get to Reach. Fortunately, they took a little comfort on two matters. First, the gate to Reach from the Halo had closed before the Innies even knew it existed. Secondly, when they located the gate to Niflheim, it had closed as well.

According to the Monitor, the exits to the gates were blocked on the other side. This told us a lot. First, the Covenant hadn't found the one on Reach. Good news indeed; if they'd realized that there were humans on the Halo, it probably would have caused... problems. The mines that the gate on Niflheim was located in had been blown, sealing it.

That was a little more lamentable. It would have been a nice way to get the Innies in a pincer attack. Maybe then we wouldn't have lost Niflheim to them when it declared its independence from the UNSC.

Well, officially the UEG, but we both know that it exists in name only these days. It makes our jobs both easier and harder, though. We can monitor for Innies much more easily with the UNSC being in charge, but it means that Section Two work that much harder to keep people viewing us as the good guys. Thank you, Terrance, for making that delightful decision. Just another way you BLAMed things up for us after the war.

Sincerely,

Chair
Post Reply