Iscandar
Isk San Aria
Crystal Palace

The royal capital of Iscandar, the planet inhabited by Iscandarians with Iscandar itself lying about one hundred sixty-eight thousand light years from Earth. Within the Crystal Palace stood The Queen of Iscandar herself.

Stasha Iscandar

Stasha looks out into the morning sky of Iscandar through the window of the palace.

???: Sister, may I talk with you.

A younger girl with the same hair color as her approached.

Yurisha Iscandar

Stasha: Yurisha, is there something you wish to talk with me?

Yurisha: Yes sister, there's a message that had appeared.

Stasha: From Garmillas?

Yurisha: No... It came from here, Iscandar. More accurately, under the water.

Yurisha handed her sister a messaging crystal. It had the forerunner message with a translation to Iscandarian.

Yurisha: The message appeared on the crystal, it took some time to translate it but I was able to translate the entire message.

Stasha read what was on the crystal, the message seemed unbelievable to her.

Stasha: "First phase of reclamation initiated. Artifacts must be recovered."

She the read the last part of the message.

Stasha: "Bring human warship, UNSC Commonwealth."

Yurisha: Sister, do you understand what the message is saying?

Stasha: No, I do not understand.

She looked at the crystal.

Stasha: But I do believe the human warship mentioned does know something to this.

Yurisha: Shall I send a message to earth?

Stasha: Yes, send the message to the Garmillas Lunar Embassy.

Yurisha: Very well.

Yurisha then walks away.

Stasha: ... You may come out.

From behind her, a floating metalic being decloaks. It was a Forerunner Monitor.

Monitor: I will assume you have many questions.

Stasha: Yes... First, who are you?

Corrus: I am 434 Corrus Inviction. I am the caretaker of the building bellow your planets sea.

The monitor had a male voice and the same structure as 343 Guilty Spark.

Stasha: May you please reveal the truth of why you are here?

Corrus: Forgive me your highness. But I am afraid you are not a reclaimer.

Stasha: And why is that?

Corrus: It will all be revealed, by the reclaimer.

Location change
Earth
On board UNSC Commonwealth

On board the Heavy-Frigate, it was a more interesting day. The ships of the UNCF Cosmo Navy decided look around the Battleship sized frigate. Awed at the various different tech on board the warship. Andromeda herself was among the visitors.

Andromeda: So you're saying that your FTL drive can be TURNED into a BOMB?

Commonwealth: Yes, it was utilized during The Covenant invasion of Reach, it was my sister's, Savannah's Slipspace Drive.

Andromeda: So not only your MAC cannon can absolutely kill us from far away, vaporize any ship with 15 nukes, you can sub coherently convert you slipspace drive to implode into a semi black hole?

Commonwealth: Well it's not common practice, it was in desperation. That CSO was larger than any ship we had in service.

The two of them were convening in private on the bridge, Commonwealth was syphoning through encrypted UNSC data checking for any breaches.

Andromeda: *sigh* Your world is crazy...

Commonwealth: Been there, saw it all.

The intercom turns on.

Scarlet: Sir.

Commonwealth: Scarlet, what is it?

Scarlet: Head to the mess hall, it's quite urgent.

Commonwealth: On my way.

He stops what he was doing.

Commonwealth: Come on, let's see what's going on.

The two exits the bridge and headed for the mess hall. They reached an elevator outside of the bridge.

Andromeda: So... Savannah, is she-

Commonwealth: Destroyed, she entered a prolonged engagement with a corvette.

Andromeda: I'm... Sorry for your loss.

Commonwealth: Don't be sorry, it was our war not yours, many had fallen to safe guard earth. No matter the odds Savannah did her duty.

As they entered the elevator, both were silent.

Andromeda: During the war, were you once... Human?

Commonwealth: No, me and the other who became like me were turned from ships into having human bodies from a Forerunner artifact. We were never humans once.

Andromeda: I see.

The elevator started to move from the bridge to the lower decks.

Andromeda: I was once human... During the time where we were at war with Garmillas, Earth was bombarded until the surface was uninhabitable... I lost my parents, my brother was a part of the Yamato's crew.

Commonwealth: What happened to him?

Andromeda: He died... During a battle the Yamato sustained heavy damage, he manned one of the guns which was hit.

A moment of silence was present, until the UNSC warship spoke up.

Commonwealth: Sorry for your loss.

Andromeda: Ah... Thank you.

Commonwealth: And keep clinging on to your humanity. You'd need it.

Andromeda: Huh?

Commonwealth: For me, given a human body doesn't really count as much. I'm just a ship. I didn't need a heartbeat to function. I didn't need a brain to think. A hunk of metal given thrusters and a cannon, that's all I am.

Andromeda was shocked from the words that came out of his mouth, before she can talk back, the elevator arrives at the designated deck.

Commonwealth: Come on, let's see what's going on.

The two exited the elevator and followed the hallway towards the meds hall. When they got there, the UNCF Cosmo Navy shipgirls were all bunched up at a vending machine.

Commonwealth: What is the problem here?

Bismarck: It's just this thing here.

The German made space battleship points.

Hiei: It's just... Is this a menu or what is currently being served?

NJ: And we don't see any O.M.C.S around.

Commonwealth: Oh hahah. Let me show you.

Commonwealth approaches the vending machine before pressing one of the food and drinks button.

Commonwealth: And push here.

Pushing on the lids then opens and he grabs out the food and a packeted drink.

Commonwealth: Here you are.

He hands the food and drink to NJ. She unwraps the food and takes a bite out of it.

NJ: Wait... This is... A cheeseburger?

Commonwealth: Yep, the menu does change from time to time.

Haruna: How is the food made?

Commonwealth: It's stored in a separate storage compartment. The system is automated and the supply last for about 6 or 7 months before needing to be resupplied.

Kirov: You're not equipped with an O.M.C.S?

Commonwealth: I'm mostly relegated to planetary and solar system patroling duties. That way I can head back to a nearby planet for resupply.

Quincy: You don't participate in combat anymore?

Scarlet: Oh he does, if there was an opportunity for it he takes it first hand.

Scarlet chimes in.

Commonwealth: I'm relegated to training duties at best. I train newer frigates that gets commissioned.

Scarlet: Yes. Sir, there is a message coming in. Should I place it into hologram?

Commonwealth: Do it.

The hologram comes on. It was Heikuro Todo.

Andromeda: Sir.

The UNCF ships saluted along with the UNSC Frigate, though he saluted in a traditional UNSC styled way. Todo dismisses them.

Todo: I see that everyone is acclimating well with our dimensional guest.

Chapayev: On board a ship as large as a battleship is really interesting, sir.

Todo: Though you still quite concern the E.F on how many nuclear warheads are on board your ship, Commonwealth.

Commonwealth: Sorry sir, but as I stated when I was summoned to the meeting. I will not lend those warheads. They're UNSC property.

Todo: I understand, the Garmillas representatives also would like to meet you Commonwealth. Their embassy is located on the Moon.

Commonwealth: I'll depart right away, sir.

Todo: Good. Andromeda I want you to escort him.

Andromeda: Yes, sir.

Todo: Thank you. As for the rest of you, return immediately.

Commonwealth: There'll be a pelican at hangar 2. Take it.

Todo: Me and Serizawa will be at the embassy as well. That is all.

The hologram of Todo then shuts down.

Commonwealth: I wonder what this could be about.

Andromeda: Garmillans can be unpredictable-

A sudden quake then hits the ship as all the power went out.

Bremerton: What happened?!

Commonwealth: I don't know but it doesn't feel good-

Before anyone can take in what had happened, all of them started to levitate.

Yukikaze: Ahhh! W-We're falling?!

Andromeda: It's a flat fall!

The battleship looks towards the frigate.

Commonwealth: Scarlet, come in! What's going on!

There was no response from the A.I.

Z23: We're going to hit solid ground any second!

NJ: I thought your fusion reactor hadn't acted up until now!

Commonwealth: Most likely an EM-

Before the frigate could finnish the ship had stopped it's free fall and everyone met the hard steel deck hard.

Bremerton: Ouch...

Commonwealth: An EMP...

The hologram of Todo then appears again.

Todo: Commonwealth! What happened?! We saw your ship rapidly decrease altitude!

Commonwealth: Something had happened, sir. All power was lost, I'll have to investigate it first before going to the embassy.

Todo: Very well, but make haste. Andromeda and the rest of you try and assist.

The hologram shuts down again. Scarlet reappears in it's place.

Commowealth: Scarlet, report.

Scarlet: Forgive me, sir. There was a sudden system breach, I had to do a hard purge.

Commonwealth: Is the Fusion Reactor okay?

Scarlet: That's... The problem. The breach came within the ship. Who or whatever it is, tried to do an unauthorized access of every ship system.

Andromeda: Someone managed to sneak inside?!

Commonwealth: Perform a ship wide scan now.

Scarlet: Aye.

Scarlet disappears as everyone inside was tense. A few moments later, the UNSC A.I reappears.

Scarlet: Sir, there's a life form detected at the bridge.

Andromeda: We just came from there!

Commonwealth: Lock down the bridge, if it tries to escape lock down the hangars and every pelican there is.

Scarlet: On it.

Commonwealth pulled out an M6G from his pistol holder.

Commonwealth: Stay close and DON'T touch anything.

Tracing back from where they came from, Commonwealth led them towards the bridge above. They soon arrived to the bridge using the elevator.

Commonwealth: Scarlet, open the bridge and close it.

Scarlet: Roger.

The bridge doors open and everyone entered before subsequently being closed again.

Bremerton: There's no trace of anything in here.

Haruna: Could the person have escaped before the lockdown?

Commonwealth: Vents are also sealed off. It's impossible for that, just be cautious.

Everyone searched the entire bridge but found nothing.

Andromeda: There's... Nothing.

Commonwealth: Scarlet, is the intruder still here?

Scarlet: Scans show it's still inside the bridge.

A creature then floats down from behind Andromeda, everyone saw it except for Commonwealth who was busy with the bridge controls.

Quincy: Uhm... Is the thing we're looking for... Could it be an alien?

Commonwealth: Might or might not.

NJ: Well I think it very well is an alien.

Andromeda: There's no confirmation of that New Jersey.

Bismarck: I think you should look behind you, Andromeda.

Andromeda looked behind her and saw the creature.

Andromeda: Uhm... Commonwealth?

Commonwealth: Yeah?

Andromeda: Could the thing we're looking for... Be glowing blue and purple colored?

Commonwealth: Okay, what do you mean by that-

The frigate turns around and was taken by surprise at what he saw.

Commonwealth: OH BY THE GRACE OF GOD!!

The alien moves back as it was startled propping the UNCF girls to pull out their Nanbu Type-97 and aimed it at the alien.

Commonwealth: Woah-Woah! All of you stand down!

Commonwealth got in front of the alien and shielded it.

Andromeda: What the hell are you doing?!

Commonwealth: It's harmless for f*cks sake!

Everyone eased up as the words were uttered, the frigate then turned around.

Commonwealth: Hey there fella, don't worry they won't hurt you.

He extends his hand towards it, it slowly approaches seemingly calmed down.

Commonwealth: See? It's okay.

The alien rubs it's head against his palm.

Commonwealth: There.

He turns to the others.

Commonwealth: Come, it's harmless.

They got closer, the alien seemingly tame.

NJ: What is that?

Commonwealth: Huragok's, ONI calls them engineers. They're basically living supercomputers.

Haruna: It's so... Calm. It's not afraid of us.

Commonwealth: They were enslaved by the Covenant during the late stages of the war. Hated them more than we did in the UNSC.

The engineer let's out disturbed clicks.

Bismarck: Enslaved?!

Commonwealth: Brutes would place explosive charges on them, essentially turning them into bombs.

Bremerton: Aw, poor thing.

The cruiser pats the engineer, which it chimes somewhat gleefully.

Commonwealth: Now is the problem of what should we name him.

Andromeda: It doesn't have a name?

The huragok looks at Andromeda.

Commonwealth: He want's you to name him.

Andromeda looks at the engineer who was looking at her puzzled.

Andromeda: What about... Slick? He managed to slip on board without even getting detected.

The engineer chimes again.

Commonwealth: I think he likes it. Very well then, Slick, I hear by welcome you aboard. You are free to do work on any part of this ship. Do please notify Scarlet beforehand though.

The huragok gave an understanding nod.

Commonwealth: Alright, well we need to go to the embassy. You guys can go to the hangar and take a pelican back down.

The nodded and exited the bridge.

Andromeda: Now how do we explain this?

Commonwealth: They're your superiors.

Andromeda: Nice try, but he's from your world.

Commonwealth: Touche.

END