The FSV Victoria, Halifax, and El Nido, search the outer part of the debris field while the Probes search deeper. It doesn't take long before the crews of the ships receive word of the Horizon's destruction.

On the Victoria the locker room falls silent as Kyle, Katherine, and the rest of the team struggle to come to terms with what had happened, and with what they saw. The recruits sit on the floor, one with his hands behind his head. Kyle, and Katherine sit together on a bench both with almost blank stares. The moments of silence are sudden shattered when Katherine stands up,

"Damn it!" She yells, as she slams her hand against a locker door multiple times causing one of the recruits to flinch.

"Those motherless fucking... BASTARDS!" She yells out, as she throws her helmet towards the others, narrowly missing Kyle. She leans against the lock she slammed, and begins crying. Tears falling down her face.

A few minutes pass by when a message is aired over the ships P.A. System: All boarding teams, stand down. Repeat, all boarding teams, stand down.

Katherine leaves the armory without hesitation, Kyle waits a moment before following after her. The others either remain in the armory, or wander.

The sliding door to the barracks opens as Katherine walks in while Kyle hangs back a minute, and waits as Katherine sits on her bed. She puts her hand against her face, and leans into them while sniffling, and sighing before brushing tears off her cheeks.

While Kyle waits outside for the right time to enter the barracks, he hears her sniffles, and cries.

It's hard enough for us to see what happened... it's even harder for her

Kyle enters and sees Katherine is sitting on her bed with a blank stare, he gestures with his head to his friend Mike, a black Marine, for them to leave. Mike nods his head knowing the signal, and gestures for the other two Marines to follow him as they leave the barracks.

Katherines mind races a mile-a-minute: I feel like my world is collapsing around me... my heart feels like it's not just broken to pieces, but shattered... I want to cry, scream and shout all at once, but I just can't...

She doesn't seem to notice him until he's right beside her. She looks at him for a moment before moving over a bit making a spot for him to sit. He sits next to her, and doesn't say anything. He sits with his hand together, fingers interlocked. There is a somber atmosphere, and silence for several moments before the silence is broken.

"Remember the day the Victoria docked at the spaceport, and Captain Carter gave him and my mom a private tour of the ship?" She continues, becoming more emotional. Kyle nodes his head, saying he remembered.

I can't imagine what she's feeling right now. As soldiers, we've seen terrible things, death is a part of our job... but this, what she's going through, it's impossible to describe that kind of pain...

"He was so excited. He- he loved spaceships." Katherine continues, voice breaking slightly, with an increasingly emotional tone.

"He thought they were the greatest thing ever to exist. I hadn't seen him so happy since dad died. That was the last time I'd seen him smile since I began this deployment.... Now, I'll never-" Katherine can't finish her sentence, he pulls her towards him and she leans her head against his shoulder, and his arm around hers. Tears falling down her face, voice becoming shaky, and breaking as she sobs.

I wish I had something to tell her. I wish I could tell her it'll be okay, that everything will be fine... but I can't. How do you say these things to someone who just lost the only family she had left? What do you say in this situation? What can you say?... As soldiers, we've seen terrible things, death is a part of our job... but this, what she's going through, it's impossible to describe that kind of pain...

"Those bastards took everything from me. I'll make them pay... all of them." She says through a crackly voice still leaning against Kyle. Kyle stays silent, feelings of concern takes hold for a moment hearing her say that.

I know where these words are coming from: a place of anger, and hatred. But I've also known her long enough to take these words seriously. Anyone would want revenge, but these feelings can be dangerous...

Katherine sits up, brushes tears off her cheeks, and from under her eyes. Her eyes meet Kyles for a moment and he sees both the sadness, and anger in her eyes. He

Sergeant Kyle, report to the Briefing Room. Sergeant Kyle, to the Briefing Room.

Kyle leaves the quarters after hugging Katherine, and makes his way down the corridor towards the lift. The lift doors shut as he steps in, and takes him to the next level. While to lift hums as it climbs to the next deck, Kyle is thinking about Katherine, her feelings, and the group responsible for the attack,

Her feelings of hate, they aren't unjustified. Though I don't have family left, I had friends on that ship. People I'd served with, so I can imagine her anger is ten times mine. But... all the same, she's the closest thing to family I have left...

Kyle and Katherine grew up together, they got especially close when Katherines dad died. They both enlisted in the United Forces together, and saw combat on Peacekeeping, and Intervention Missions several times.

The lift doors slide open, and he walks out into a corridor passing two Marines standing guard at the lift armed with pistols. He walks down the corridor towards the Briefing Room, outside are four Marines wearing Body Armor and armed with the G89.

Lotta security, understandable. This whole situation has everyone on edge.

The door opens, inside is a long white table with six chairs on each side, and one lone chair at the end of the table. Sat at the long chair at the end of the table is the Captain, short black hair, and light brown eyes. With two Marines standing behind him with only their pistols.

He sits at a seat as the admiral begins speaking,

"Sergeant Krane, two hours ago a life-pod was recovered. As far as we know it's the only intact pod that was launched from the Horizon." As Kyle listens, he is both shocked, and concerned.

Usually when survivors are found after an accident, or disaster is a good thing. But this doesn't feel like it's going to be.

"Before we report the Pod to the Assembly we received information that evidence was found suggesting the terrorists had help getting onboard the Horizon."

Who would want to help terrorists destroy a civilian ship? Military Logistics, or industrial sites makes sense. But this is bigger than anything they have carried out in the past.

Kyle runs his hand over his head and down the back, letting out a light sign as he brings his hand back. The Captain and Kyle both remain silent for a few moments while Kyle tries to process what he heard about the possibility of someone helping with the attack,

The Preservation has always had a lot of influential supporters from small fringe political groups. But I can't imagine who could have the ability to get them access to the ship.

"Has the Military Council been informed about this?" Kyle asks, breaking the silence.

The Captain orders the Marines to leave the room. Kyle watches as they walk out the door, and waits for it to close before turning his attention back to the Captain.

No, they haven't. Neither the Council, or Senate have been told yet. The Admiral decided to withhold that information until we know more about the survivor." The Captain explains, with his hands folded together on the table. Kyle silently agrees with the Captain, understanding the logic

"The Admiral has ordered an investigation before any information is turned over on the off chance they aren't involved." He continues, Kyle understands withholding the information, and the caution around this survivor.

While the Captain, and Kyle, continue discussing the survivor and the possibility of The Preservation being involved in the attack the door slides open and a Marine walks in then stands at attention.

"Sir! The Recovery Team managed to open the pod, and the survivor has been moved to the Medical Bay."

The Captain thanks the Marine for the information, and dismisses him, but he doesn't leave. Both Kyle, and the Captain look at him, and the Captain asks, Something else, Trooper?

The Marine hesitates for a moment before speaking.

"The survivor is wearing a Federation Officers' Uniform, Sir. Intelligence is working to identify her."

Kyle's head snaps back, and he looks at the Captain and sees he hasn't taken his eyes off the Marine yet. Even though his facial expression is the same as before, Kyle has known the Captain long enough to see the disbelief.

An Officer? A Federation Officer? Their influence, and reach seems to run deeper, and deeper by the day.

Kyle thinks to himself, before the Captain breaks the silence,

"Sergeant, put some of your men on this woman. Until we know more she does not leave your sight, is that understood?" Kyle stands from the chair, and salutes the Captain saying, Yes, sir!

He walks out of the room passing the Marine who steps aside and salutes Kyle since he is a higher rank than him. He walks back down the corridor towards the lift while thinking to himself,

The Preservation reaches throughout the Federation. It's troubling how many United Forces members have been arrested so far, but an Officer potentially being a traitor is hard to believe.

He enters the lift, and returns to the quarters where his team is waiting, chatting amongst each other, when the door opens the room falls silent.

"A survivor has been found amongst the debris. They are currently in the Med Bay." He explains, as the Marines' faces turn shocked.

"Why do we need security for a civie, Sergeant? Are they Preservation?" The young Marine asks, slightly confused.

"The situation is... complicated. The survivor found is not a civilian, as far as we know they are a Federation Naval Officer." The Marines go silent as the atmosphere changes from one of confusion to one of disbelief.

"Private Jackson, Corporal Lin, you two will be assigned to the prisoner. Until we know who this is they are considered a security risk. And since they are.... wearing a Federation Uniform assume they are trained. Guns stay here, batons only."

The Marines return to the Armoury, while Kyle and the others stay in the barracks. Kyle can see the tension around what he told them, he can see the disbelief on their faces.

The Victoria goes silent as the ship goes into a period of mourning after the Captain makes a statement on the P.AA addressing the situation to pay tribute to those who died in the attack.

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Thank you for reading the second chapter of Horizon! If you liked it leave a note, comment your thoughts and feedback. And make sure to Follow to stay up to date with Horizon, and other stories in the future.