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| - Zoey had been called away. Felix wanted to make arrangements to take her to Earth or something, so Jake had escorted her back to the conference room. At least someone's getting what they wanted out of this, Simon thought bitterly. Cassandra too, come to think of it. For all her talk of helping people outside the UNSC's system, she had always been convinced that she could do the most good back with the other Spartans. Well, she'll get a warm welcome back into Jian. The other Gamma assholes will be good to her, they always liked her. He sat cross legged on the cot in his room, arms folded, and stared at the wall. His remaining eye was starting to get sore, but he didn't feel like moving. The alternative was to start thinking about what he'd just agreed to that was the last thing he wanted to do. "So, got any plans?" Diana asked. He'd installed her chip in his arm an hour ago, and she'd been pestering him for details about everything that had happened ever since. "Why bother?" he said coldly. "The UNSC's going to be making all the plans from now on. There's no point in wasting my energy on them anymore." "Well, let's be honest, you're plans lately have really sucked," she teased. "Maybe it'll be good to have some professionals doing it for a change." "You know better than that. Felix talked big back there, but at the end of the day as long as the UNSC gets what it wants they couldn't care less what happens to people like us." "I have to admit I'm a little surprised that you're accepting all this so easily. Usually you're a lot more stubborn than this." Simon gritted his teeth. "What choice do I have? It's either take this offer or go back out there and see if the Path Walkers or ONI gets me first." "And Doc? You're just going to let her walk away with them?" "She never owed me any obligation. If this is what she wants, I won't get in the way. Now shut up and give me some peace for a change." For once, Diana actually did as she was told. Simon returned to glaring at the wall. But the damage was already done. His mind was working again, and the more it worked the harder he had to fight from getting even more pissed off than he already was. I'll make this work. Somehow. He'd have to eat out of ONI's hand for a few years, to be sure, but if Felix was serious about taking down the Syndicate then there would be quite a few opportunities to be had once everything was said and done. Colossal criminal empires didn't fall without leaving a ton of loose ends lying around. If he played his cards right, he could wind up even more set for life than Felix was offering. Yeah, because ONI's really going to let you walk away after they've finished using you. No matter how he looked at things, this was as raw a deal he could get outside of a straight shooting. Felix might try to dress it up as a second chance, but all it really boiled down to was another chance to get himself killed for people he hated. But there was no other option. He'd just roll with things, like he always did, and if he kept his head in the game he'd come out somewhere near the top. Hopefully. He closed his eye and grimaced. It had taken them nearly two decades, but ONI had finally succeeded in wresting control of his life back. "You know," Diana said quietly. "There are other options." "Oh really?" he asked "And what exactly would those be?" "Well," the A.I. said, drawing out the word. "Imagine if a certain someone broke the coding on that disk we got back on Beta-14." Simon flexed the arm containing his partner's memory chip. "I'm listening." "Well, imagine if that chip was actually a series of codes that gave this certain someone a back door into a bunch of high-profile bank accounts. You know, the ones the Interspecies Union runs." His mind slowed down as he registered what she was getting at. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck beginning to stand up in anticipation. "I'm listening closely." "Well, this certain someone has a back door into one account in particular." If Diana had had a pedestal to project herself from, she would have been grinning from ear to ear. "Our last employer. The last real employer, anyway." Simon gulped. "You're lying," he muttered. "Idat 'Ostal?" "Richest squid head in the galaxy," Diana confirmed smugly. "Well, until you get me a strong, secure feed and we empty out his accounts." His hands were shaking. Possibilities began crowding through his head, but he fought to keep them down. "Cassandra," he muttered, but it was hard to focus. "She'll never forgive me." "You said it yourself, dumbass," Diana assured him. "She doesn't owe you anything. Why should she have a say in any of this?" Simon ran a hand through his mop of hair. "So, how much money are we talking here?" Diana told him. The word took her several syllables. And when she had finished, Simon laughed. He rocked back on the cot and shook with mirth. His injuries started to ache again, but he didn't care. Peals of laughter split the room as he held his sides and tried to keep from crashing to the floor. "I... I could buy my own cruiser," he wheezed. "My own fleet!" "Why stop there?" Diana asked. "Think big, dumbass. The galaxy's our oyster!" "Fine." Tears leaked out of his eye as he rocked back and forth. "My own fucking planet! ONI won't be able to lay a finger on me when I'm done!" "And who says money can't by happiness?" Diana said, but she was laughing too. This was it. The big break. The payoff for everything he'd ever been forced to suffer. All he had to do was reach out and take it, and he'd never have to live in fear or need ever again. "Um, are we interrupting something?" Unable to stop laughing, Simon turned and blearily recognized Jake and Zoey standing in the doorway. Zoey and his former team leader held armfuls of gear and weapons. "No," Simon gasped, staggering to his feet. "You're good." "What's so funny?" Zoey asked curiously. "I'll tell you later." He struggled to keep a straight face as he faced Jake. "So what've you got for me?" "We recovered your equipment from the facility," Jake said, offering him his battered helmet. "The lieutenant commander wants you kitted up before we head out." "Right," Simon said disinterestedly. "We're heading out. Of course we are." It was all he could do to keep from breaking out into more laughter. You were right about one thing, Felix. I'm finally going to be free.
*
* "Shipmaster!" one of the bridge officers yelled. "Several ships just emerged from Slipspace! They're headed straight for us!" "What?" Sona rushed over to his command chair. "Identify them at once!" "Some Phantoms and over a dozen boarding craft!" the navigation officer reported. "Their heading indicates that they plan to force their way aboard!" "It's a Path Walker attack," Fira said. "It must be. But why now?" "Yes," Sona said, sliding into the chair. "Convenient that they choose the time when we have several important humans onboard to attack. No matter. Blast them to atoms!" Autel watched the screens as images of the oncoming craft hurtled for them. The sudden attack made absolutely no sense. The ships had no chance of even getting close to the Incumbent Wrath. Was it some sort of suicide attack? "Weapons!" Sona yelled. "Why aren't they firing?" He turned furiously to the bridge weapons officer, who was standing motionless at his post. "I gave you an order! Fire!" The weapons officer turned and looked Sona in the eyes. "No, Shipmaster. They must be allowed to board." "What are you talking about?" Sona demanded. He motioned for the bridge security team. "Remove this incompetent at once!" "They must be allowed to board," the weapons officer repeated as two warriors approached him. "By our blood, the Sangheili will be reborn." And with that he drew his energy sword and cut down both warriors in two blows. Before anyone could react, he hurled a plasma grenade into his station and charged towards Sona. The blast consumed the weapons station and sent the officers on either side flying to far sides of the bridge. The weapons officer threw another grenade at Sona before bounding past the command station and impaling a third warrior. Autel and Fira moved together. Fira threw himself at Sona, knocking the command chair away from the grenade just in time. Autel went for the weapons officer, who raised his blade as he approached. Activating his own blade, Autel disarmed the officer with a single blow. The traitor leapt back and activated his energy gauntlet. The navigation officer's sword flashed to life as he ran to cut the weapons officer off. "Don't kill him!" Sona yelled. "Take him alive!" But the navigation officer's blade caught the traitor from behind and sent him sprawling lifeless to the deck. The navigation officer stood over the dead warrior for a moment, then turned to Sona and knelt on the blood-stained floor. "Forgive me, Shipmaster," he cried. "In the heat of the moment I, I... I accept whatever punishment you deem fitting." "You are forgiven," Sona told him. "Return to your post." The bridge was in shambles. The weapons station was a complete ruin and two other stations were without officers to crew them. Fira ran to an auxiliary computer and flashed through several holograms. With a snarl of frustration, he pounded his fist through the images and into the wall behind them. "That worm drained all power from the weapons!" he spat. "They are completely offline." "The shields!" yelled the operations officer. "They've been drained as well!" Sona maneuvered his command chair back to what was left of his station and opened a ship-wide channel. "This is Shipmaster Sona 'Demal," he declared. "We are about to be boarded by enemy craft. All warriors, prepare for battle. Guard this ship with your lives!" Autel turned towards the bridge's doors. "I will contact Felix," he told Sona. "If the humans are indeed the targets they will need to be evacuated immediately." "See that they are," Sona replied. "We will seal ourselves in here and hold this bridge to the end. I will not lose my ship!" As he left, Autel took one last look at the dead weapons officer. How had an enemy agent managed to infiltrate the ship so successfully? There were no reports of the Path Walkers using these tactics. He would have to dwell on it later. Right now, he had his own duties to perform.
*
* The boarding craft tunneled their way through the Incumbent Wrath's hull, their tubular fronts disgorging Cleansing Blade and Path Walker warriors into the frigate's outer corridors. They were met with plasma fire from surprised security teams, but as the Path Walkers bellowed war cries to the gods and charged them the Cleansing Blade vanguard busied themselves erecting energy shields around the breach zones. When Shinsu 'Refum strode through the boarding dock and into the enemy vessel, the fighting was already over. A few Path Walkers had fallen in the initial charge, but the other corpses belonged to the security teams. A good start. "You know your targets," he told the warriors around him as they assumed their formations. "Move quickly and leave no survivors in your wake." As the vanguard charged off to make room for the warriors still disembarking, Shinsu turned to three Cleansing Blade warriors. "Come with me," he ordered. Engaging their active camouflage, they headed off down one of the corridors as the sounds of battle spread across the ship. The faithful and the outcasts had come to the Incumbent Wrath.
*
* "Damn!" Felix swore as he limped down the corridor. An attack couldn't have come at a worse time. He was next to useless in a fight and his team was scattered throughout the ship. "I am taking a lance to guard the hangar where your shuttle landed," Autel told him over his earpiece. "Gather your warriors and meet us there." "Got it." Felix opened a channel to Jake. "You hear that?" "Yes, sir," the Spartan replied. "Rosch is already stable onboard the shuttle, so we don't need to worry about moving him." "Get Ralph and go secure Kahn and Nimue," Felix ordered. "Get them to the shuttle ASAP. Have Cassandra head to the hangar now and get the engines warmed up." "Understood." Jake paused. "Sir, Simon is still suiting up. What do you want me to do with him?" "There's no time to wait," Felix replied. "Tell him to take the girl to the hangar once he's ready." "Yes sir," Jake said, signing off. Readying his pistol in his good hand, Felix headed down the hall as fast as his battered legs would carry him. All of his gear was aboard the shuttle; that would teach him to assume any place was safe in times like these. He would just have to trust that his team would get everyone back to the shuttle in one piece. Now the only person he needed to be responsible for was himself.
*
* The Spartan (Zoey was still having a hard time thinking that these guys really were the ones they made movies about) lowered his hand from his headpiece and gave Mordred a hard look. "You get all that?" Mordred, or Simon as everyone was calling him, looked up from the gear he was still strapping on. "Yeah, I heard him." "Then hurry up and get to the hangar." The Spartan turned to the door, but then seemed to think of something else and glanced back at Mordred. "Simon, about before. The things I said on that asteroid--" "Forget it." Mordred looked down at his gear. "Can't change the past, so save your breath." "Simon--" "Don't you have things you need to do?" he snapped. The Spartan looked at him for a moment longer, then nodded. "You're right." He slipped his helmet on. "Get to the hangar," he said again, and then he was gone. Zoey fidgeted in the corner as Mordred continued to buckle weapons and equipment onto his armor. It must have hurt to be putting things over his injuries so soon, but if it did he didn't show it. "Um," she said uncomfortably. "About the things you said earlier, you know, about your eye..." "I changed my mind," he said absently, strapping his two energy sword hilts to his chest. "You're off the hook for that. And all the other things. Just be smarter about pulling scams on people next time." "Really?" She shifted her feet. "But after everything you went through--" "Christ, what is it with people not being able to drop things today?" he groaned. "I said don't worry about it. You did what you have to do. We all do." "Oh. Okay." She sat back quietly and watched him finish pulling on his ammunition pouches. His hands, organic and mechanical alike, fastened straps and checked pockets with the ease of someone who had done it a hundred times before. Zoey couldn't help but envy him for his ability to take everything life seemed to throw at him and keep on moving. "Here." He glanced up and handed her a pistol. "You might need this." She glanced down at the plain grey pistol and noticed that something was carved along its barrel. Squinting down on it, she saw the letters J-I-A-N. "What's this?" she asked. "A pistol, moron." Mordred had already returned to his preparations. "It's an old model, so don't expect to do much with it. Piece of shit even by my standards." "No, the thing written on it. It says Jian." "Yeah," he said, still not looking up. "Cassandra carved that for me a long time ago." "Are you sure I should have it then?" she asked offering it back. "If it's so important..." "Did I say it was important?" he demanded. "Keep the damn thing." He straightened up and picked up his assault rifle. Slipping a new clip in, he racked the slide and slung it over his shoulder. Seeing him with it now, Zoey remembered what he'd told her back on Sanghelios. She looked back at him now, with his armor and weapons and all the other things that had kept them both alive during their time together. She thought about everything he'd told her. He hadn't really saved her on Famul. Cassandra had done all that. He would never have helped her if he hadn't thought she had money to pay him. He didn't care about anyone but himself. She didn't believe any of it. For all the things he'd done, the cold things he'd said, the things he'd dragged her into, she couldn't help but feel safe with Mordred standing there with her. She hadn't felt this way about anyone since her parents had died. If I had a brother, she decided. This is how he'd make me feel. She realized that Mordred was staring at her through his remaining eye. He didn't look angry or suspicious anymore. Instead, he really just looked tired. "Mordred?" she asked. "What is it?" He took a breath. "The hangar is just down the hall from here. Diana's hacked the ship's systems. She'll guide you to where you need to go. You need to get out of here before the enemy advances." She opened her mouth, surprised. "Wait, what about you?" He turned away from her and looked at the door. "Use your head for once. There's no way the attack is going to come from just one place. This is an isolated ship with limited resources. So they lure everyone out towards the hangars. Meanwhile the real target is in the back. Where I'll be." Zoey gulped and held the pistol closer. "Be... be careful out there." For several moments his head didn't move at all. She looked at his scruffy black hair, the bandages from his eyes poking out from underneath the grimy locks. Finally he lowered his head and sighed again. "Do you remember the last thing Felix said during the meeting? Did you understand him?" She blinked, trying to pull back what the officer had said: "Stability won't come overnight. Until then you and the people you help us recruit must continue to fight the fight." "What he meant was that the UNSC's shit is going to hit the fan and splatter, and it's people like us who get to clean up the mud afterwords. I don't like any of this; Felix, Jian, the UNSC, it's all a big flaming load in a paper sack." "What are you saying?" Zoey asked, not quite believing what she was hearing. "Diana and I don't take jobs for some selfless cause, and we don't waste time trying to fix something that broke a long time ago." He looked back over his shoulder and gave her a crooked smile. "We're mercenaries, her and I, and it's time for us to clock in. Show them how real mercenaries roll." Zoey nodded, trying to fight back the lump growing in her throat. "Yeah." A distant explosion reverberated from somewhere else on the ship. Mordred pulled his helmet on and nodded to Zoey. "Okay, get moving. Just do everything Diana says. Don't worry about the rear, I've got that covered." She tried to think of something reassuring to tell him, a way to let him know how grateful she was for everything he'd done for her. But by the time she'd worked up the nerve to say anything at all he was already halfway down the corridor. The lights were beginning to fail, and within a few seconds the shadows had swallowed him up completely. Then he was gone.
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