[Naked Crook]

that the rest of them had. Black 1 knew that his key to victory was to simply outpace Grey 6. If he could do this, then he knew this would be a quick and decisive battle. However, Black 1 felt a bit dismayed. He had been searching for Grey 6 for some time now. Black 1 even went as far as to brazenly walk around the corridors in order to trigger a confrontation. Black 1, despite his self-assurance that he could easily beat Grey 6, he did feel uneasy about not being able to find Grey 6. Despite this, Black 1 was resolute to see this through, and he knew he needed to have patience. After a few more minutes of sweeping the engineering section of the ship, Black 1’s patience paid off, as he came under fire from Grey 6. Black 1 was immediately forced into cover as a hailstorm of two SMGs rained down on his position. Black 1 was shocked that Grey 6 would take such a direct and aggressive approach. He expected Grey 6 to be more conservative in his tactics, to only strike when he had a definite advantage. However, Black 1 now knew that he was not correct in his initial assumption, and that he was need to change his plan of action if he was to take down his opponent. Black 1 simply waited behind cover until he heard the sound of Grey 6 reloading his weapons. As soon as he heard this, Black 1 emerged from cover, and charged at Grey 6, firing off his Assault Rifle. Grey 6, as a result of Black 1 firing at him, ducked into cover, behind a large computer terminal, away from the gun fire. Despite Grey 6 being in cover, Black 1 continued to move forward, occasionally laying down suppressive fire in order to move forward. As Black 1 approached the computer terminal that Grey 6 was hiding behind, he circled around the terminal to get at Grey 6, only to be tackled to the ground. Grey 6 had lunged upwards and tackled Black 1 to the ground, separating him from his Assault Rifle. As Black 1 hit the ground, he could see Grey 6 pinning him to the ground. Grey 6 was holding a combat knife on his right hand, ready to lunge it down. As Grey 6 began to slam the combat knife down, Black 1 raised his arm, and let his own forearm meet the wrist of Grey 6, effectively stopping the knife before it could stab Black 1. Grey 6 began to fore the knife downwards, while Black 1 resisted and pushed upwards. The struggle went back and forth for a few moments before Black 1 managed to finally push Grey 6 off of him, and get back to his feet. Grey 6 also got back to his feet, and the two stared each other down. Grey 6: I was hoping to get a shot at you…I just did not expect it would be before I killed Black 6. It is funny how we can get what we want sometimes. Black 1: Yeah, well, lucky you I guess. Grey 6: Yes…lucky me… Grey 6 charged at Black 1. Black 1 drew his own combat knife, and the blades of both knives hit each other, cancelling out the force of the other. Black 1 and Grey 6 pushed back and forth, with neither side losing or gaining any quarter. However, the two men were separated when Grey 6 kicked Black 1 back. Black 1 stumbled backwards, as Grey 6 walked forwards with a vicious resolve. Grey 6: I expected more from you Black 1. You fight like a novice. Black 1 was none too pleased with the comment. He could not believe the audacity. Here he was, fighting a simulated of a man who, in every measurable sense, was nowhere near as trained as he was. Black 1 had to shrug off the comment, or else he faced the possibility of becoming distracted. Black 1 kept himself ready as, once again, Grey 6 charged at him, ready to attack with his combat knife. Black 1 met Grey 6 head on, as the two were once again locked in a struggle. This time, Black 1 managed to gain the upper hand. Black 1 was able to push Grey 6 back a bit, and follow up with a swift elbow to the side of Grey 6’s head. Black 1 watched as Grey 6 stumbled to the side. Black 1 took advantage of this, and charged at Grey 6, and gave him a swift kick right to the side. The force of impact pushed Grey 6 right off his feet. Black 1 watched Grey 6 hit the ground, getting separated from his combat knife. Black 1 was confident that he had the advantage, but he needed to be weary. He knew that these simulated opponents were very unpredictable. Black 1 began to step forward, keeping his eye on Grey 6 as he worked his way back to his feet. Once again, the two were face to face, except this time, Grey 6 had only his bare hands to rely on. Black 1 lunged forward a few times, swiping his combat knife at Grey 6, only to be met with recoils and evasion on the part of Grey 6. This went on for a few minutes, with Grey 6 demonstrating amazing dexterity and flexibility, as well as excellent reaction times. The tables began to turn when Grey 6 managed to disarm Black 1. When Black 6 had taken another lunge and another swipe, Grey 6 managed to grab the arm of Black 1, and punch the forearm of Black 1, causing Black 1 to drop the combat knife, as a result of nerves in his forearm being hyper stimulated. Grey 6 proceeded to follow up with an Elbow right to the face of Black 1, followed by a shuffle sidekick right into the gut of Black 1. Black 1 stumbled back and slammed right into a wall. Grey 6: Come on Black 1…I know you can do better! Black 1 clenched the combat knife in his hand, as he recovered. Black 1 pushed himself off the wall and lunged forward, once again, taking an offensive against Grey 6. Black 1 began to slash his knife at Grey 6. However, Grey 6 was ready for this, and once again, began to evade and recoil at every move Black 1 made. Grey 6 took his time, and waited, eventually finding a tactical opportunity to disarm Black 1. Grey 6 managed to catch Black 1’s arm and pull it down, slamming Black 1’s arm into his knee. This caused Black 1 to drop his combat knife. Grey 6 then followed up with a head butt to Black 1. The head butt delivered by Grey 6 knocked Black 1 back. Grey 6: Pitiful…very pitiful. The mighty Black 1…pride of the ORION Project…can’t even handle ONE man… Grey 6 laughed. Grey 6: You should resign. You are an embarrassment. Black 1 was even more furious when he heard this…but he had to stop himself and think. Black 1 began to realize something; he started making mistakes when he allowed Grey 6 to get into his head. Grey 6 had managed to throw Black 1 off his game with words and taunts. Black 1 realized that he had to tune out the taunting, and get a hold of himself if he was going to turn the tables. Black 1, now armed with his new found knowledge, cleared his head of everything except the task at hand; survival. Black 1 readied himself, and he moved forward, with nothing more than his bare hands, and his desire to survive. Black 1 proceeded to throw a left hook, but Grey 6 managed to recoil back. Black 1, this time around, instead of following up with a right hook, simply lunged forward, and gave a swift right haymaker punch to Grey 6, placing his fist square in the abdomen of Grey 6. This caused Grey 6 to keel over. Black 1 then took the opportunity, to used his forward, and place it in the throat of Grey 6, slip behind him, and drag his opponent back, into a headlock. Black 1, in one swift movement, then proceeded to snap the neck of Grey 6. A very loud and rather satisfying snapping noise filled the engine room, as Grey 6 fell to the ground, dead. Black 1: Well…killing him was more of a snap then I thought… Black 1 grinned, and began to catch his breath. He proceeded to recover his weapons. After Black 1 had recovered his Assault Rifle and combat knife, he left the engineering deck to go in search of the rest of his team. ========================================================== UNSC Marathon Class - The Ulterior Motive - Simulation Deck Observation Room - Currently in Slipstream Space en-route to The Apex - 1300 hours - April 19th 2515. ========================================================== Spender and Novak were still observing the ongoing simulation. Novak was busy monitoring the rest of Black Team, while Spender had his focus set exclusively on Black 6. Novak: Sir…Black 1 has prevailed. Grey 6 is dead. Spender: Hmmm…fascinating. Novak turned and looked at Spender. He could see Spender keenly focused on one set of monitors. Novak: Sir? What are you doing? Spender: Observing Black 6. Novak: Still? Spender: Still… Novak: May I ask why? Spender: I already explained it. I am considering Black 6 as leader of Black Team. I need to pay close attention to him. Something tells me that this he is at an important stage of development. I need to observe his every move, his every decision, his every thought process. I need to see what he is made of…I need to see what is going on in that brain of his. Novak: I still don’t get it…why Black 6? Spender: Black 6 is smart! Black 6 is cunning! Black 6 has foresight! Black 6 is… Spender paused. Novak: Is…? Spender: He is a blank slate…more malleable than the others. The others are set in their ways. We are limited to expanding upon what they already know, and honing that. Black 6, on the other hand…he is capable of so much more. We could refine our best methods with him; build him around our methods, as opposed to building our methods around the man. Novak: Sir…he is not even an ORION. Our methods require that he be an ORION! We both know his limits fall much shorter than anyone else on Black Team. Granted, Black 6 can push himself harder than any other man I have seen…but… Spender: But nothing Doctor! Spender paused. Spender: We both know that without ORION augmentation…he has crippling limits. We both know that very well. However…if he pulls through on this simulation, and he survives…I think he will have earned a shot at being improved. I think we should augment him in the same way that the other members of Black Team were previously. We should make him an ORION. Novak: Sir…the ORION program was disbanded. When ONI canned the project, they made it very clear that any unauthorized continuation of the project was illegal. Spender: I am aware of this Doctor. However…we have the information required synthesize another treatment plan to initiate augmentation…do we not? Novak: We do…but…if ONI finds out… Spender: Doctor…ONI has no jurisdiction as far as The Trust goes. We do not answer to ONI, nor do we care about what they have deemed illegal. ONI, and the UNSC for that matter, are means to an end; the end being the continued advancement of our interests. We may wear the uniform of UNSC Naval Officers…but we are Trust Operatives…first and foremost. Remember that Doctor. Novak: I am very aware of this sir. However, my opinion does not change. If we attempt to synthesize the drugs used during ORION au8gmentation, I fear we may garner unwanted attention…from either ONI or The Board of Chairmen. You said it yourself sir…you fear that The Board of Chairmen is losing faith in you, and they fear that the existence of The Trust may become known if we become far too progressive in our tactics. If they find out what you are doing…they will use every means at their disposal to take you down…to take us down! They will kill us just to keep things quiet! Spender: Doctor…I dare The Board of Chairmen to try and stop me. Novak: You are serious…aren’t you? Spender: I am very serious about this Doctor. Novak paused and sighed. Novak: Alright…if Black 6 survives this…I will begin to synthesize the drug that was used to augment soldiers in the ORION project. However…I stand by my claim that we are going down a dangerous path. If Black 6 is augmented and if ONI or the rest of The Trust finds out…our heads will be on pikes. I cannot emphasize this enough. Spender: I understand the risks Doctor. ========================================================== UNSC Marathon Class - The Ulterior Motive - Simulation Deck – The Bridge - Currently in Slipstream Space en-route to The Apex - 1315 hours - April 19th 2515. ========================================================== Black 6 had walked onto the bridge of the Simulated Ulterior Motive. He paced around the bridge, giving it a sweep, and ensuring that it was clear. Black 6 took a walk around the bridge, checking every corner. After he had finished his sweep, and ensured that there was nobody on the bridge, he lowered his weapons and sighed. Black 6: Still no sign of the bad guys. Black 6 looked around the bridge; inspecting all the details on the ship. He had to admit to himself, that there was a great deal of attention paid to the facsimile. Black 6 then began to think to himself. Black 6: How the hell did I get here? Why the hell did I put myself here? Here I am…training for a special ops squad, my team mates are genetically enhanced soldiers, and I am just a normal guy trying to fit in with a team that is superior to me in every measurable sense. How the hell am I ever going to match their pace? I am pushing myself at 120% every day, and I am barely keeping up. Black 6 sighed. Black 6: I am stuck in a combat simulation that is just as real as field deployment, with the same lethal threats that I would find in the field. I am fighting simulated opponents who are superior to my team mates, and somehow, I am supposed to prevail and survive. Black 6 paused. Black 6: Do I seriously belong here? Black 6 looked out the window on the bridge. He stared at the stars for a few moments before he heard the sound of a weapon chambering a bullet. Black 6 turned and he saw Grey 5 standing at the entrance of the bridge, holding a DMR. Black 6 and Grey 5 exchanged looks. Grey 5: Black 6…how fitting that the two of us should square off. Black 6 did not acknowledge Grey 5. Black 6 simply raised his two SMGs from his sides, to his chest level, ready to draw. Grey 5 saw this, and he readied his DMR, mirroring Black 6 movements. Grey 5: I know everything there is to know about you Tye. I know your tactics…I know your methods…I know every idiosyncrasy. You are WAY out of your league… Black 6: Perhaps… Black 6 took the safety off his SMGs. Grey 5 did the same. Black 6: You may have a ton of advantages in this fight…but there is one thing you don’t have over me. There is one advantage that I have, that you do not. Grey 5: And what would that be? Black 6 paused. He laughed. Black 6: That is for you to find out… Black 6 jumped to the side, raising his SMGs while he was in mid-air, and he began to fire a fully automatic discharge. Grey 5 was hit several times by the spray and prey, and found himself stumbling from the hits. Black 6, on the other hand, had landed behind a bridge workstation. Grey 5 shook off the impacts, and raised his DMR. He stood his ground, and took aim, looking around the bridge. However, Black 6 was currently behind cover, so Grey 5 had no clear shot. Black 6 remained behind cover, as he began to reload his SMGs. Black 6 knew that Grey 5 had a range advantage with his DMR, and that if he was going to best Grey 5, he needed to stay in close range, and take every opportunity available to lay down fire. Once Black 6 had reloaded his SMGs, he raised one of his SMGs over his head and began to blind fire in the direction of Grey 5. Grey 5 saw this, and ducked down into cover to avoid getting hit. As a result of Black 6 blind firing from behind cover, Grey 5 was able to identify Black 6's exact position. Grey 5 kept his head down, moving in prone, as he moved across the bridge to where Tye was in cover. Grey 5 moved around the bridge terminal that Tye was covering behind, and proceeded to strike Tye in the side of the head with his DMR. The force of the blow knocked Black 6 to his side, and right on the ground. As Black 6 fell to his side, Grey 5 got back to his feet, and took aim at Black 6. Grey 5: This was too easy... Just as Grey 5 was about to pull the trigger, Black 6 wrapped his feet around the legs of Grey 5, and tripped him down to the ground. Grey 5 fell hard, getting separated from his DMR. Black 6 was not about to let himself be taken down so easily. He was going to fight as hard as he could to ensure that he got out of this alive, and as the winner. After Grey 5 had fallen to the ground, Black 6 rolled to the side, and got back to his feet. However, the rapid recovery of Grey 5 ensure that both combatants got back to their feet at roughly the same time. Grey 5 wasted no time in charging at Black 6, and knocking the two SMGs from his hands with a very swift and very strong roundhouse kick. Black 6, realizing how easily he was disarmed, decided to put a bit of distance between him and Grey 5. Black 6 realized that Grey 5 was very well versed in martial arts, in the very same way Black 5 was. Black 6, for all intents and purposes, was also trained in CQC, but he had no doubt that he would need much more than just his training if he was going to beat Grey 5 in hand to hand. Black 6 took a few steps back, and watched the movements of Grey 5. He made note of how Grey 5 moved, and how he preferred to situate himself. For the most part, it was nearly identical to how Black 5 would move. Tye then realized that Grey Team were much more than simple replicas of Black Team. Black 5 realized that there must be extensive detail in these simulations. Black 5 had no doubt that if Novak and Spender cold replicate little idiosyncrasies, such as movement, that they no doubt went the extra mile and even replicated personality. This gave Black 6 the edge he needed. Black 6: Pathetic. You should of been able to land the killing blow Eli. You are not as sharp as I thought you were. Grey 5: I thought it would be far too anti-climactic to just kill you so quickly. Black 6: Now you are making excuses? You should know better than that. Soldiers don't need to make excuses to do their job...unlike Insurrectionists...they had to convince themselves they were doing the right thing. You strike me as more of an insurrectionist. Grey 5: Watch your mouth... Black 6: Or what? You will ravage me? Black 6 laughed. Black 6: Ravage me...like the UNSC ravaged the stronghold on Arcadia? Grey 5 snapped, and charged at Black 6. He threw multiple left and right hooks, trying to hit Black 6, but Black 6 continued to move back, and dodged each strike. Grey 5 was clearly angry, and it was very clear by the way he was moving. Grey 5 was swinging with much more force, but with much less grace. Black 6 knew that he was throwing off Grey 5's concentration, and that the only thing he needed to do was fight a defensive battle. Black 6 simply continued to dodge and evade, and did not make any effort to try and retaliate. Black 6: You are getting slow Eli! I expected better! Stop trying to hit me and hit me! Grey 5 yelled in anger as he began to charge forward with every swing. Black 6 did not expect a simulated duplicate of Black 5 to become this angry. Black 6 had to admit, that the level of realism that had been introduced with these simulated copies was incredible. However, Black 6 had never known Black 5 to become this violent...ever. Black 6 never thought that Black 5 could turn nearly psychotic with only a few words. It was because of this, that he had no explanation for how angry Grey 5 was. This almost seemed out of bounds for a simulated personality of Black 5. However, despite all this, Black 6 was finding it more and more difficult to evade and dodge each attack from Grey 5. In fact, it was not long that Black 6 was hit with a very devastating left hook, which put him on the ground in a single blow. Black 6 felt like he was just hit by a car. The force of impact was very disorientating. Grey 5 looked down at Black 6. Grey 5: Not so smug now hmm? Black 6 shook his head, trying to shake off the impact. Grey 5: Come on...get up! Grey 5 proceeded to slam his foot right into the chest cavity of Black 6. Black 6 had the wind knocked out of him when Grey 5 kicked him. Black 6 was now breathing very heavily. Black 6: There is no way Eli hits that hard... Before Black 6 could even begin to catch his breath, he felt a pair of hands on the back of his neck and his shoulders. Black 6 then felt himself lifted up to his feet, and tossed across the bridge, right through a pane of glass that acted as a divider between two separate bridge stations. As Black 6 flew through the glass, he could feel the force in which he impacted the glass, and he immediately knew, that he must of been thrown through a pane of tempered reinforced glass. The very fact that he went right through was all he needed to know about the force at which he was thrown. Black 6 simply laid on the ground, unable and unwilling to move. In no less than 30 seconds, he felt like he had just been subjected to 30 minutes of non-stop beating. Black 6 felt drained of all his energy. His body was one more hit from screaming in pain and agony. Black 6 had no idea how he was going to fight back in this condition. However, he had to find a way. His life was on the line, and he needed a plan this very instant. Black 6 could hear Grey 5 slowly walking towards him. The heavy sounds of boots hitting the deck plates echoed in Black 6's ears. Black 6 then felt a hand reach down, and clench his throat, and squeeze. Black 6 was then lifted right off the ground, and into the air, right off his feet. Grey 5 held Black 6 in the air, with a full arm extension. Grey 5 looked up at Black 6, as he squeezed Black 6's throat. Grey 5: Mouthy little SOB...capable of talking the talk...but got walked all over when he had to walk the walk. Some soldier you are. This time...I will deliver the killing blow... With one hand holding Black 6 in the air, Grey 5 made his other hand into a fist, and drove it right into the gut of Black 6, as hard as he could. Tye screamed in pain, as the sound of ribs breaking complimented the impact of Grey 5's fist. Grey 5 simply laughed, as he punched Black 6 again, the sound of ribs breaking could be heard again. BY this point, Black 6 was so far past his pain threshold that he simply could not vocalize any type of outcry. Grey 5: What's the matter Black 6...no witty comeback? Grey 5 proceeded to toss Black 6 across the bridge once more. Black 6 hit the deck plating had, and slid across the ground, right into the wall. Grey 5 was clearly capable of throwing Black 6 around like a rag doll, and Black 6 was incapable of moving in any way that would be significant. Black 6 simply watched as Grey 5 began to approach him again. Grey 5 repeated what he had previously done, and lifted Black 6 into the air, and slammed him against the wall. With his free hand, Grey 5 grabbed Black 6's helmet, and tore it right off his head, and tossed the helmet aside. Grey 5 looked into Tye's eyes and laughed once again. Grey 5: I wanted to see the face of the man I am about to finish off. Do you have any final requests? Tye nodded. Tyber: Yeah...I have a request for you... Tye paused. Tyber: Go fuck yourself... Grey 5 laughed. Grey 5: I was willing to make your death an easy one...I was just going to break your neck...but you are an impudent little fuck right to the bitter end. Little pricks like deserve to be beaten to death...and I am now just going to beat you to death. Tyber: Do your worst! Grey 5 didn't respond. Instead, he simply spun Tye around and tossed him across the bridge again. However, as he did, Grey 5 heard something rather odd as he threw Tye. He had no idea what it was, and it could be best described as the sound of someone shaking a pair of keys. Grey 5, not knowing what made the sound, decided to dismiss it. However, just as he did, the grenades on Grey 5's belt exploded all at the same time, killing Grey 5 in the process, and seriously damaging the side of the bridge that Grey 5 was on. Tye, who had been thrown across the bridge, was sheltered from the blast. When Tye heard the blast, he simply grinned, as he looked at his hand, and saw the pins from the two grenades on Grey 5's belt wrapped around his index and middle fingers. When Grey 5 was occupied with his taunting, while holding Tye against the wall, Tye was able to lower his hand, and place his fingers in the pins of the grenades. When Grey 5 had thrown Tye, the momentum allowed Tye to easily pull the pins from both grenades. In only a few moments, a voice could be heard over the intercom. Ulterior Motive: Simulation Complete. Final Score - ODST Black Team - 6 - ODST Grey Team - 0 - Winners - ODST Black Team. Tye listened to the announcement, and sighed. Tyber: Oh...how nice. We won. That's good...that is...that is... Before Tye could finish his sentence, he felt his eyes get heavy, and his vision became blurred, as he felt the room starting to spin. It was at that moment that Tye blacked out. [FF] ========================================================== UNSC Halycon Class The King Raven - Interrogation Room - Currently in the San Angeles Star System - 0400 Hours – January 30th 2540 ========================================================== By this point, the atmosphere and the situation had become more relaxed, and less formal. The lights were now on in the interrogation room, so there were no longer any dark corners. Nighthawk and Anaconda were now also sitting down in chairs, listening to Tye retell events. Jennifer: They made you fight simulated copies of yourself? Tyber: In a sense...yes... Jennifer: In a sense? You said that Novak said they were simulated. Tyber: That is exactly what he said. I don't forget a thing like that. However, these are minor details that I will clear up later. I don't want to ruin this riveting story for you just yet. Jennifer: Riveting? I would say it is disturbing. Nighthawk spoke from the shadows. Nighthawk: I would call it informative and very eye opening. I knew the Trust was evil...but this...this takes the cake. I really cannot think of anything much worse that what Tye is describing. Nighthawk then looked at Anaconda and nudged him. Nighthawk: What do you think? Anaconda grunted and growled. Anaconda: Well...you have to train them somehow. It might seem brutal...but typically brutal training leads to stronger soldiers. Burke: I tend to agree. Additionally, when we take into consideration the highly questionable scenarios that were being run, I have no doubt that there was a very nefarious form of indoctrination taking place. The Human brain is very malleable...very plastic. It is very easy to attack a person's psyche, to slowly wither it down, strip it away, in an effort to desensitize them, and make them more vulnerable to indoctrination. Historically, this is called brainwashing. Anaconda: Brainwashing? Burke: Not in the literal sense. It is a figure of speech. Think of it this way...uhhh...hmmm. Burke started to think. Burke: I cannot think of an analogy that he would comprehend. This is...really embarrassing. Nighthawk laughed, as he looked at Anaconda. Nighthawk: Think of it like the doctrines of The Covenant. In so few words, you can say that the lies and half-truths spun by the leaders of The Covenant eventually changed the way people thought over time. After a while, it became normal to think a certain way, act a certain way, and believe certain things. It became comfortable…like old leather. Anaconda: Ohhh...I see. I understand now... Nighthawk nodded. Nighthawk: Good. Tyber: When did this turn into a roundtable discussion? Nighthawk: Roughly at the part you nearly died in the Ulterior Motive med bay. That is when shit got serious. Tyber: Ohhh...right. Nighthawk then looked at Tye and shrugged. Nighthawk: Anyway...resume at your leisure. We are dying to find out what happens next. [/FF] ========================================================== Marathon Class - The Ulterior Motive - Observation Deck - Currently in Orbit of the Fourth Planet in the APX-449 Star System - Center of Trust Activity known as The Apex - Six Days Later - 1100 Hours - May 8th 2515. ========================================================== Spender was in the observation deck with the other member of the Board of Chairmen. Much like their previous meeting, all four men were gathered around a large conference table. Rear Admiral Hoffman: This meeting will come to order. Spender, Davidov, and Smith all looked at Hoffman. Rear Admiral Hoffman: As previously agreed upon, we have reconvened here, after a six week period, to discuss Rear Admiral Spender’s ongoing projects, and to discuss findings from follow-up audits. As we have already discussed previously, the audits undertaken by Commodore Davidov of Spender’s projects she a very uncomfortable light on a troubling situation; is The Trust misappropriating resources, or are we correctly investing our assets into the correct areas to better oversee Human affairs. It is the belief of Rear Admiral Spender that we are on the right track, and the contention of Commodore Davidov that we are misappropriating. We are here to discuss that. Now, before I get into my findings, I would like to hear from Rear Admiral Smith about his findings from the audit that he ran. Rear Admiral Smith: Thank you Admiral. Smith paused as he cleared his throat. Rear Admiral Smith: I will be blunt; this looks very bad…for YOU! Rear Admiral Smith looked at Spender when he said this. Rear Admiral Smith: Spender…what the hell have you been doing? What the hell have you been spending our assets on? The numbers that my team found were…large, to say the least. You are blowing our assets faster than we can take them in…and you have very little to show for it. You have literally operated with what I like to call…the carte blanche…or the blank cheque. Your spending is out of control. Your asset utilization is TOTALLY out of control! In fact, I decided to see how bad this was, and compared current asset utilization against the multitudes of decades that the Trust has operated…and this is the FIRST time we have ever been running in the red! Commodore Davidov: Sounds about right. Rear Admiral Hoffman: Spender…these men are right. We found the same thing. What are you doing that is costing this much of our asset allocation? You are breaking our bank. Spender sighed as he took out a cigarette from his jacket pocket. Spender then lit up his cigarette. Spender: You people…you fucking bureaucrats. You three are the most short-sighted people I have ever met. Commodore Davidov: How dare you… Spender: Oh, be silent Davidov! You are the worst of the three. You are a dissenting snake, trying to weaken The Trust by painting the illusion that we have limitations, boundaries, withdrawal limits, monthly bills, morals, and ethics. You think The Trust is some…law abiding business. I say The Trust is a clandestine military power that is waiting for the right time to thrive and expand its influence! Spender paused. Spender: To hell with you, to hell with your view of The Trust, and to hell with what you think, and everything you think. You are what is wrong with The Trust. All of you...you are the ones who will be the death of The Trust. Not I, not my views, not my way of doing this. It will be all of you that will preside over our destruction. Rear Admiral Hoffman: You are out of line Spender! Spender glared at Hoffman, giving him a look that sent sent a chill down Hoffman's back. Spender: You people have no idea what The Trust is capable of, because you refuse to acknowledge that we are more than capable of doing anything! The Trust has endured for roughly 400 years, and we have play a vital role in the development of Human history because we were among the best and the brightest who were willing to take risks. Spender sighed and shook his head. Spender: If you cancel my ongoing projects, if you back out, and allow everything we have invested to go to waste...you will kill this Organization. The other members of the Board of Chairmen looked at each other. Commodore Davidov: Nice try Spender. You almost had me for sure. There was only one problem with everything you said... Davidov paused. Commodore Davidov: It was all just a pile of bullshit! You have no credibility as far as I am concerned. I don't speak for the rest of the board, but I can say that you are human garbage. You are the worst thing that has ever happened to The Trust. You have polluted the original vision of who we were, and you are taking us down a road that would never come back from. To be frank...I would rather see The Trust destroyed than watch it turn into what YOU want it to be. Rear Admiral Smith: Davidov is right Spender. You have corrupted this organization. You are turning The Trust into something it was never meant to be, simply because you have ambitions that the most treacherous villains in all of Human history had; the desire for unreasonable amounts of power and control. You are dangerous…and you, quite frankly, are a very twisted man. Rear Admiral Hoffman: There seems to be no argument about this. Spender…YOU are the problem here. Not us, but you. We all agree that you are out of control. You have ambitions that ARE disturbing! You make no effort to conceal what you want; and what you want is to turn The Trust into your seat of power that presides over Humanity. You want to control every facet of Humanity. You want to control the military, the economy, commerce, and even private enterprise. You are a dictator, not a leader. You are the kind of person The Trust was created to oppose. Hoffman stood up, and looked at Spender. Rear Admiral Hoffman: But…it is more than that…isn’t it? There is much more to you than meets the eye. Just by looking at you…I can tell that there is malevolence in your eyes, and malice in your voice. You are more than just a power hungry aspiring dictator. You are the very definition of evil. Hoffman scoffed. Davidov looked on with a very smug sense of satisfaction. Rear Admiral Hoffman: I seriously doubt we need to take this to a vote. Believe that I can speak for the entire Board of Chairmen that the best course of action is your immediate dismissal from The Board of Chairmen, and your discharge from The Trust. You are too dangerous to be allowed such a prestigious position Spender. Spender: You cannot do this to me! Rear Admiral Smith: We just did. Rear Admiral Hoffman: Effective immediately…all ongoing projects which have been spearheaded by Constantine Spender are hereby terminated. Once we have informed The Apex of your dismissal…you will no longer be a threat to our survival or our identity. Hoffman looked at Davidov. Rear Admiral Hoffman: Davidov! You are more knowledgeable of Operation Blind Eagle than anyone in this room, save for Spender himself. When is our next scheduled delivery of weapons and supplies to The Insurrection? Commodore Davidov: three weeks from now, in Sector 4493, near the Biko Star System. We were scheduled to rendezvous with one of their ships, and then meet with one of their leaders on Biko to deliver the supplies. If we depart immediately, we should be able to make it in time. Rear Admiral Hoffman: Seize that ship and execute all of the Insurrectionists aboard. Commodore Davidov: I will see to it personally. Rear Admiral Hoffman: Smith! Hoffman looked at Smith. Rear Admiral Hoffman: If I am not mistaken, there is also a large Insurrectionist HQ on Draco III? Rear Admiral Smith: That is correct. Rear Admiral Hoffman: Go to Draco III…and destroy that facility as soon as possible. Rear Admiral Smith: That will be easier said than done. I will need to plan an assault on that facility, and I will require a significant amount of manpower. Rear Admiral Hoffman: Do whatever you must. Just get it done! As for myself…I am going to remain here, at The Apex, where I will inform the entire Trust Syndicate of Spender's dismissal. Spender frowned. Rear Admiral Hoffman: Spender…I will give you a shred of dignity to walk away with. You have one month before I have you removed from command of this vessel, and replaced. You can use that one month any way you like. In fact, it will be better for you if you use that time to assist us in shutting down your failed projects, by providing us with every piece of logistical information that we may lack. You may just walk away with a bit of respect if you do help us. Spender: I will do no such thing. Rear Admiral Hoffman: Suit yourself. You had your chance to walk away with dignity. If you want to spend your final days on this ship being an uncooperative asshole…that is your choice. However, if you refuse to cooperate, we will refuse to let you have any dignity in this process. In the end, if you choose to fight us on this…we will escalate the situation, and we will become violent. Davidov and Smith both stood up. They both looked at Spender, and then to Hoffman. Hoffman, on the other hand, glared at Spender. He didn’t say anything. Instead, he simply turned and left the Observation Deck, with both Smith and Davidov in tow. Spender, on the other hand, simply sat in total silence, in a state of total irritation and rage. He felt as if he was just betrayed by officers who could be best described as snakes. He knew that if he did not take immediate action, he could be thrown out of The Trust, and totally disavowed. Spender needed to act quickly if he was going to survive ========================================================== UNSC Marathon Class - The Ulterior Motive - Medical Bay - Currently in Orbit of the Fourth Planet in the APX-449 Star System - Center of Trust Activity known as The Apex - 1300 Hours - May 8th 2515. ========================================================== Tye began to slowly regain consciousness. His vision was blurry for a few moments, as his eyes shifted around as much as they could, trying to take in the surroundings. After his vision started to clear up, he felt life coming back to the rest of his body. Tye slowly sat up, and realized that he was in the medical bay. Tyber: The med bay… Tye paused for a moment. The last thing that he could remember was fighting Grey 5, and then losing consciousness, and even then, the memory was fuzzy. Tyber: Doctor? Tye called out to Novak, to see if he was anywhere in the med bay. Tyber: Doc? Are you there? Tye heard a bit of shuffling in the CMO’s office, and then saw Novak emerge from the office. Novak: Lieutenant…you are awake! Tye groaned. Tyber: Is that your professional opinion? Novak rolled his eyes, as he approached the bed that Tye was resting on. Novak: How do you feel? Tyber: Well…I feel a bit stiff for sure. My sides hurt a bit, and my head hurts, and I feel a bit dizzy. Other than that…I am fine. Novak: So…your recovery is ahead of schedule. That is good. Tyber: Recovery? Novak: Five broken ribs, a fractured collarbone, a severe concussion, about a dozen bruised muscles, trauma to your larynx, about three completely torn muscles, a torn rotator cuff in your left shoulder, a minor fracture in your ankle, and a bruised tailbone. You were in brutal shape son. The very fact that you can sit up on your own power is very promising. Tyber: I guess I was a handful. Novak: Oh yes, you were for sure. It was touch and go for a while…but you pulled through again. That is twice you have surprised us all. Novak paused. Novak: Speaking of surprises…your performance during the combat simulation was…exemplary. Admiral Spender watched your fight with Grey 5…and he spoke very highly of your performance. He was very impressed with your tactics, quick thinking, and resiliency throughout the entire scenario. The very fact that you were able to go toe to toe with Grey 5, an opponent that was intended for one of your augmented teammates, was…very impressive. When you pulled that little maneuver at the end, by pulling the pins on the grenades…that was incredible. Tyber: I am to please. Novak: Well…you did way more than please, Lieutenant. You stole the God damn show! Novak paused. Novak: In fact…you can say that your performance was so good, that Admiral Spender has considered you to lead ODST Black Team. He has yet to make an official announcement. However, if my last conversation is ANY indicator of which way he is leaning, you can bet that you will be leading up Black Team. Tye was taken aback by what he was hearing. He did not expect to hear something like this. Tyber: Are you pulling my leg here? Is this a test? Are you testing to see if I have memory loss or brain damage? Novak shook his head. Novak: I am being totally honest with you. In fact, I was under orders to inform the Admiral when you fully regained consciousness so he could tell you himself. Before starting this pleasant conversion, I took the liberty of informing him. He should be here any minute now. Tyber: Wow. I still find it hard to believe. To be honest…I am shocked that Jonas or Eli were not considered. Novak: Mr. Prescott was the early favorite, and he was going to be crowed leader. However, like I said, your performance pushed you right to the top. You proved to be more than muscle. You proved that you had a thinking brain that could dish out amazing tactics. While the other members of Black Team are smart in their own respects, a good leader must have a keen tactical awareness and a mental prowess to match it. Tyber: What about Evan? That guy is smarter than all of us combined! Novak: He is a smart man for sure. However, he lacks a certain polish on his tactical awareness. He has the propensity to over-analyze a situation. While an over-analysis could lead to the best course of action, he is simply not quick enough to bring it into practice. He lacks the ability to quickly cut through the bullshit, and make the best decision. Tyber What about Arch? That guy can make split second decisions. Novak: Yes, but he only makes good decisions…not the best ones. Tyber: Well, Kraven has a boom tube. That requires the best decision making you can get to use that thing. Novak: He is very blunt in his approach. Blowing something up isn’t always the answer. Tyber: Surely Eli strikes a balance? Novak: Mr. Decker has other limitations which could jeopardize the team. I believe you are aware of them…you made reference to it during your fight with Grey 5. Tyber: The fact that his parents were insurrectionists? Novak: Exactly. Mr. Decker is stable in every other way, except when faced with the reality of his parents. There is a clear physiological disturbance when dealing with Insurrectionists. This precludes him from leadership. Tyber: So…what about Jonas? You said he was the favorite. Novak: Mr. Prescott…has a malevolent streak to him. While his authoritarian and domineering nature combined with his quick thinking, quick reflexes, and commanding presence make him the perfect candidate for leadership. He honestly has no shot comings. Tyber: Then why am I being made leader? Novak: Because Mr. Prescott is set in his ways…you are not. There is so much room for you to grow as a soldier, and Admiral Spender wants to mold you into the perfect leader of Black Team. Tyber: Doc…I don’t think there is any more room for me to grow. I am at my peak. Novak: No…you are not at your peak. Tye was confused. Novak: Lieutenant…we are prepared to make you a once in a lifetime offer Tyber: A once in a lifetime offer? What would this offer be? Novak: Well…that is something that Rear-Admiral Spender will discuss with you. He wants to be the one that makes the offer. I won’t tell you what it is, but I will tell you that if you accept the offer…your life will be different, and your career will take on a whole new direction. Tyber: In other words…good thing will happen to me if I accept? Novak: In so few words…yes. Tyber: Well, that is not enough to convince me right off the bat. I need to know what I will be getting into before I agree to anything. Just as Tye had finished speaking, the door to the Medical Bay opened, and Spender walked into the room, approaching both Novak and Tye. Spender: Lieutenant! It is good to see you alive and well. The last time I saw you, you were a mess. Tyber: Still not 100% yet Sir, but in a few more days I will be back on my feet and ready to go. Spender: That is good to hear. Novak interjected between Spender and Tye. Novak: Sir, just prior to your arrival, I briefed the Lieutenant on recent changes that have been discussed with Black Team. Spender: Ahh yes…recent changes to Black Team. Tye nodded. Tyber: The Doctor told me that you were considering ME to lead Black Team. Somehow I think he is pulling my leg. Spender: Nobody is pulling anyone’s leg. Novak was totally honest with you. He and I have discussed it at length, and we believe that you would be the perfect candidate to lead Black Team. You have a very important quality about you Lieutenant; you have the ability to analyze strengths and weaknesses very quickly, and take appropriate action. The way you fought with Grey 5, as well as the way you delegated Black Team to fighting opponents that they would have an advantage against was brilliant. You managed to recognize a weakness in the simulation, and you used the skills of the team to turn the tables to your advantage. That is leadership material if I have ever seen it. Tyber: So, you are serious then. Spender: Very serious. Tyber: Well, as much as I appreciate the high praise…there are a few things that confuse me. For starters, how am I supposed to lead a team of men that officially outrank me? Second, how am I supposed to lead a team of soldiers who are, in every way, physically superior to me? Third, what would make them respect me as a leader? Spender: Well Lieutenant, to answer your first and third question, you must understand who is in charge of the entire project. I am the one who is ultimately in charge of what Black Team does and does not do. If I order Black Team to follow your orders, they will do it. If I order them to respect you as the leader of the team, they will do it. All you need to realize is that while you lead them in the field, and you lead them in their autonomy, I will lead you in your overall direction. I give you the orders to give to the rest of Black Team. Spender paused. Spender: As for your second question…well…the solution to that is simple. Tyber: What is the solution? Spender: I am willing to authorize your immediate augmentation. I am prepared to allow you to undergo the same procedures that the rest of Black Team underwent during their time with the ORION Project. Your augmentation will be complete and absolute. There will be no half-measures. You will be granted the exact same augmentation that the others have. Tyber: You can do that? Spender: I can do many things. Tyber: Is there any danger to this? Novak stepped forward to answer the question. Novak: Close to none. Any problems or deviations can be easily corrected. Overall, the procedure will almost be as simple as slipping on a pair of shoes. There will be several clinical trials needed, as well as persistent and ongoing observation. Tyber: In other words…you are going to pump me full of drugs and pharmaceuticals. Novak: That is one way of putting it. Tyber: There has to be more to it. Nothing this big is that simple. Spender: Well, you are right about that. You see, ORION Project candidates underwent special training which enabled them to take full advantage of what was given to them. While the training itself is valuable, it is, by all standards, obsolete to newer methods. To put it another way; the training that the other members of Black Team got during their days with ORION, while still valuable, falls short of what I expect Black Team to be capable of at its prime Spender paused. Spender: In so few words, Doctor Novak and I would construct a new training regiment for you, one that is based on what the ORIONs underwent, but more up to date with current military standards, and my standards. We want to prepare you for the unique challenges you would face, both as leader of Black Team, and the tip of the spear against new and unique challenge the likes of which you have never seen before. Tyber: Sort of like a sudo gen 2 ORION. A revision to the program, designed to incorporate what you think would be beneficial to my role. Spender: Precisely! Spender grinned. He then looked at Novak. Spender: The Lieutenant is a sharp one! Spender looked back at Tye. Spender: However Lieutenant, there is just one problem with all of this… Tyber: What would that problem be? Spender: Your willingness to take the big step. This is a life altering decision. You are being asked to step into a whole new world. When the ORION Project was run, and men like Eli Decker and Jonas Prescott took that step, they did so knowing that they could handle their new found abilities and obligations. Will you be able to handle the changes? Tye thought for a moment. He considered what Spender said. Part of him wanted to step up his game. Part of him wanted to be on the same level as the rest of Black Team. However, part of Tye was indeed hesitant. The hesitation stemmed from the fact that if he allowed himself to be augmented, would he still be the same man? Would he change in any way that would be unfamiliar to him as he is now? Tye liked who he was, and he was confident in who he was as a person. He was secure in his own identity. Tye did not know what the personal effects of undergoing augmentation would mean for his sense of self. Tyber: I… Tye paused. Tyber: I could handle the responsibility and the obligations that came with it. However…the one thing that does trouble me is the question of what would happen to me, personally? This may sound cliché…but I am just a regular man, and I am very comfortable with that identity. I have my goals, and I have my challenges. What happens to those things when I become someone who never needs to try to achieve better, or strive higher? Spender grinned and laughed. Spender: Think of it this way Lieutenant…the goals you have now would no longer be worthy of your attention or effort. You will find new goals, and new heights to strive for. You will find new challenges, new difficulties, and new heights that are VERY worthy of your attention. You will be the same man, for all intense and purposes. The only difference will be your scope. You will broaden your own horizons. Tye felt better after hearing what Spender had said. As long as he had something to strive for after it was all said and done, he felt confident in the decision to undergo augmentation. Tyber: What about the rest of Black Team? How will their training proceed? It is safe to assume that my augmentation will not be an overnight thing. I surmise this will take time. How will you keep my training and the rest of Black Team’s training in sync? Novak: Well, that answer is simple. While you undergo augmentation and specialized training, the rest of Black Team is going to spend the time focusing on improving their own weaknesses. The rest of Black Team will use the down time to correct mild errors and deficiencies in their performance. Tyber: How long will my augmentation and training take? Novak: Well, in the interest of time, I believe I can condense fundamental training into a three to four week period, based on performance and setbacks. The first week will involve normalizing your body to its new physiological peak, along with light conditioning. The subsequent two to three weeks will involve heavy and uninterrupted training. Normally, the typical and full training regimen of an ORION would be 2 months. However, there are some tactics and methods from the original program which we now consider depreciated in the face of newer tactics. Combined with the fact that you have already undergone intense training already which has incorporated much of the newer tactics, as well as the fact that you are also carrying over a lot of your own personal training, as well as the ongoing training you will receive with Black Team, I believe that a two week period is all we will need to get you the fundamental framework you need to rapidly elevate yourself to the same level of training that the rest of Black Team had time to complete. Tyber: Close to four weeks of intense and condensed training? Tye shrugged. Tyber: Alright...I'm game. Let's do it. When can we begin? Novak: We can begin immediately...provided Admiral Spender gives us the green light. Tye and Novak looked to Spender. Spender simply gave a slow nod. Spender: Do it. Novak grinned. Novak: Splendid! Spender looked at Novak. Spender: Keep me apprised of every development. Novak: Aye sir! Spender then looked at Tye. Spender: I look forward to seeing you when it is all said and done. I expect great things from you. Tye nodded. Tyber: Likewise sir. Spender nodded again. Without another word, he turned and he left the med bay. Spender: This just gets better and better. Hopefully, Novak can get the Lieutenant’s training done in that three week window, and I can finally put Black Team to use in the field...and I know EXACTLY who my first target is going to be! ========================================================== Marathon Class - The Ulterior Motive - Constantine Spender's Office - Close Proximity to the Biko Star System - Three Weeks Later - 1500 Hours - May 30th 2515. ========================================================== Doctor Novak and Admiral Spender had both met to discuss Tye's progress over the past three weeks. Doctor Novak had spent the entirety of the last three weeks working closely with Tye, and carefully observing his development. Novak: Sir, as you know, for the past three weeks, I have paid special attention to Black 6 - Lieutenant Vernette - in order to ensure that his development stays on course. Spender: Yes, of course. I am aware of what you have been up to. Novak: Well, in that case, I will cut right to the chase; Lieutenant Vernette has shown remarkable progress. I have carefully monitored his vitals, his simulation scores, and his overall combat effectiveness. I have concluded, that there is an overall 318% improvement to his combat effectiveness. Spender: That is quite the improvement. Novak: You should actually see his performance. Boiling it down to a number is very underwhelming. Spender simply nodded. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small tin container. Spender opened the container and drew a cigarette. Spender placed the tin back into his pocket, and from his other pcket, pulled out a lighter. Spender proceeded to light his cigarette. Spender: As much as I would enjoy going over three weeks of documented footage of Black 6 in action, I think the numbers tell me enough. Spender paused. Spender: Where is Black 6 now? Novak: He is currently in the gym, sir. Last I heard he was...taking advantage of his new found abilities. Spender: Fascinating. Spender paused for a moment. He then took another drag of his cigarette. Spender: What about the rest of Black Team? What have they been doing the past three weeks? I want specifics on Black 1 through 5. Novak: Well, as I stated earlier, I outlined a program which Black Team would follow. In a nutshell, I would gradually push them beyond physical and mental limits, using a combination of mind altering drugs, mental conditioning, cybernetic augmentation and subliminal conditioning in the consorted effort to break inhibitions and moral boundaries. Spender: Yes, I recall this conversation. Novak: Well, the rest of Black Team is currently on Phase 3 of their training. During their last physical, I implanted each member of Black Team with a small transmitter located at the base of their brain stem. It was a simple case of microsurgery. Essentially, the micro transmitter is being used to...manipulate their perceptual senses. They are hearing things, smelling things, tasting things...at random intervals, for no apparent reason. Their sense of reality and perception is being withered down. You would be surprised how that can cripple and weaken a man. Furthermore, during REM sleep, they are being subjected to controlled stimulation which triggers extreme nightmares and other forms of hypertension during the sleep cycle. Inducing them to high level of stress can do wonders in breaking the psyche of a man by introducing extreme levels of stress. So far, they have responded quite well, and they are very unaware of any action on our part, though, they are aware that something is not right. Their frustration with the idea that they are under stress, that they are losing their minds, the idea that they are slipping from their peak…it is being reflected on basic simulations I am sending them through. They are escaping into their work, spending overtime hours, on their own accord, in the simulation room, running some very intense training programs just to try and tune out their…broken perceptions. Spender: Fascinating. Novak: I also talk with them, on a daily basis. They have...begun to admit things that they never would of before. Spender: Like what? Novak: Well, when they first started, they felt out of place, worried, and even confused by some of the training scenarios they were engaging in. Now, by their own admission, they actually enjoy what they are doing, and they have even started to make recommendation as to future scenarios. and, ever since Phase 3 training, they have had a longing, even a need, to bury themselves in their work. Spender: Go on. Novak: They have also begun to face their vulnerabilities…and their weaknesses. They admit fear, terror and anxiety. They are coming to terms with a very vulnerable part of their psyche…and it angers them. They never wanted to see this, yet, they are subjected to it…non-stop. They are rejecting what makes them vulnerable…what makes them Human. They want nothing to do with it. Spender: Pretend I know nothing about what you are talking about…and break it down for me in simple terms. What does it mean when you tell me they are rejecting what makes them vulnerable? How does this benefit the project? Novak: In the simplest of all terms…each member of Black Team is in the process of dehumanizing themselves. They are rejecting what is left of their morality, their sense of right and wrong, and anything else that they could attribute to weakness or indecisiveness. That is what I call their Humanity. We have brought them down from their peak, exposed their weaknesses, their fears, their inhibitions…and they are doing away with these things to bring themselves back up again. Novak paused. Novak: We are passively reconditioning the human psyche of Black Team. This is, what is traditionally called…brainwashing. We are brainwashing them, erasing who they were, and creating perfect killing machines. Spender grinned. Spender: Halleluiah. That is what I wanted to hear. Novak, however, had to interject. Novak: Well, sir…Black 6 has not undergone this procedure yet. However…rest assured…he will undergo the very same process as the rest of Black Team. Spender: See that he does. The last thing we need is an inconsistent member of the team. Novak nodded. He paused for a moment, and then changed the topic. Novak: Have you heard anything else from The Board of Chairmen? Spender: No, they have been silent on the matter. It appears they chose silence when they decide to betray someone. Novak: Have you thought of what you are going to do? Spender: I have given much consideration to a plan of action, and I believe that I have come up with something very solid, and very proactive. Novak: Oh? Spender: I plan on murdering every single member of the Board of Chairmen. Novak: Oh… Spender: Too direct? Novak: No. Well…perhaps. How are you going to murder them? Spender: I am surprised you don’t know. Novak: Should I? Spender: Yes…you should. Think about it Doctor… Novak then realized what Spender was referring to. Novak: Black Team. You are going to send Black Team after them. Spender nodded. Novak: Sir…Black Team is not done. I have not finished with them. They are at a crucial stage of development that, if disrupted in any serious way, COULD have terrible results, and WILL have unpredictable results. Spender: We are out of time Doctor. The Board of Chairmen is making their move, and they have the sword on my neck. We need to act now. We need Black Team…NOW! Novak: I understand that. However, I cannot stress enough how careful we must be with them at this time. If you are going to send them into a real scenario, you are going to need a pretense. Flat out telling them that they are being sent to murder people for you will possibly screw them up! I cannot say for sure what will happen. All I know is that if they close their minds to what we are trying to do...then we will lose them, and they become unwilling to cooperate. Spender: Noted. I will keep that in mind when I talk to them. Spender paused. Spender: In fact...I think I will go and talk to them now. ========================================================== Marathon Class - The Ulterior Motive - The Gym - Close Proximity to the Biko Star System - 1600 Hours - May 30th 2515. ========================================================== Tye was currently in the gym. He was doing a headstand, pushing himself up and down using his arms, as if he was doing pushups. Tye had been at this for roughly 20 minutes, seeing how far he could push himself. However, despite his best efforts, he was unable to tire himself out, or do something that would physically exhaust him. Tyber: This is FUCKING amazing! I never DREAMED I would ever be THIS built! I am a fucking tank. Tye pushed himself up, and flipped back to his feet. He looked at himself in the reflection of the mirrored wall. He could see that he was now in the best shape of his life. He could see that his body mass had clearly increased, and he was defiantly bigger than he was before. Tye began to flex, looking at himself in the mirror. There was a very obvious increase in his muscle mass. Tyber: Damn…I look good. Why the hell is not everyone in the UNSC using this augmentation stuff? The Insurrection would be a thing of the past if every marine was sporting these kinds of guns. Tye sighed as he walked over to a punching bag that was hanging from the ceiling. Tye began to punch into the large sandbag, thinking to himself as he did. Tyber: This is too good to be true. Like…what are the odds that ANY of this would happen to me? The odds are zilch! This was more than luck…this was an act of God. This was divine intervention that I managed to get this far, get as many chances as I did. Is this too good to be true? What the hell did I do in my life to earn this…gift? This is a gift! I am using this gift…to punch a giant bag of sand in a sterile gym. Why the hell am I still here? Why am I still being trained? What am I being trained for? I am being trained to kill other UNSC Marines and other UNSC personnel. There is a reason so few people have undergone the type of augmentation I was put through. What did Eli call it...The ORION Project? Tye continued to punch away at the punching bag, hitting harder than he was before. Tyber: He mentioned how the ORIONs were intended to fight Insurrectionists, and partake in high-risk missions. Novak said the same thing about Black Team...how we would be engaging in high risk missions against the Insurrection. If Black Team is composed of ORIONs, who have already been trained to run high-risk missions against The Insurrection, then why does Black Team need more training to run more high-risk missions against the same Insurrection? This does not add up... Tye stopped punching the punching bag, and he stepped away. He found himself confused by the logic of his situation. He did not know where his sudden clarity came from, but it was very apparent, and it was now bothering him. Tye was so distracted by this, that he did not hear the doors of the gym open. Tyber: Why did I not think of this earlier? It was at that moment Tye turned when he heard someone talk to him. Jonas: Think of what Earlier? Tye turned around and saw the rest of Black Team. They were standing at the threshold of the gym. When Tye saw the rest of Black Team, he grinned, as the sense of familiarity was a welcome one. Black Team approached Tye, and they all exchanged a greeting. Kraven: Ohhh...Tye...looking good. You look...bulkier. Eli: So the rumor is true. They gave you the same drugs they gave us hmm? That is very surprising. Tyber: Yeah...three weeks ago. Spender and Novak made the offer after our little fight with Grey Team. Tye paused. Tyber: It was pretty welcome... Evan: Well, it is about time they let you perform on our level. It is good to see that everything worked out. We were kind of worried after not seeing you for a whole three weeks. We thought you were dead. Jonas: Yeah...what was the deal with that? Why did they separate us? Novak didn't want to answer that. Tyber: Novak said it had something to do with "preserving the integrity of the training I missed out on". They wanted to make sure that the outside involvement of the rest of the team did not taint the tests. Kraven: Yeah...that makes sense. I remember how the instructors used to keep everyone separated for the physical evaluations. Tyber: So wait...why are you guys here then? Are you even allowed to be here talking to me if the intention was to keep us separated? Evan: Well...whatever. We wanted to see how you were doing. We got sick of waiting. Tyber: Oh...oh well. A silence fell over the group, as if they realized that they may have violated directed orders. Jonas: So...how was it? Tyber: You mean the augmentation and the training? Jonas: Yeah. Everyone handles it a bit differently. Tyber: Oh, well...it was pretty good. No real problems. The first few days were a bit tough when I was trying to get used to the improved physical abilities. I found myself either underestimating or overestimating what I was capable of. Took a few spills, and a few nasty wipeouts...but I eventually got used to it. I was so used to working within a pre-defined limit that was set by my own limitations. Now that I have broadened my scope...I sort of need to relearn how far I can push myself. Eli: Yeah...we all had that problem at first. You will pick it up REALLY fast. Eli paused. A look of terror shot across his face. Tyber: Eli? Eli shook his head, and found he was short on breath, as if he just had the life scared out of him. Tyber: Eli...are you alright? Eli took a deep breath, and then responded. Eli: Yeah...yeah...it is just...these past few weeks have been very stressful. Tye looked at the rest of Black Team, and all saw that they all had a look which projected the fact that they were hiding something. Tyber: You guys look scared out of your wits. What the hell have YOU guys been doing these past few weeks? The other members of Black Team looked at each other. They all then looked back at Tye. Eli:: Tye...we have had a pretty rough three weeks. Jonas: Yeah...it has been pretty rough. Tyber: What happened? Jonas: What didn't happen? We have been stressed out, tired, bent out of shape, and flat out mentally exhausted. We have had almost no sleep, and when we do sleep, it is not for long. Some of the dreams we have been having could turn a black man pale white. Tyber: That is a little disturbing... Evan: On top of that, for the past few weeks...we have all felt like... Evan shook his head. Evan: It is like...we are not alone. The best way I can describe it is if you were by yourself...and every sense was telling you that there was something in the room with you. It is a feeling of...almost paranoia...fear...sheer terror. Tyber: That sort of sounds like PTSD. Have you guys talked to Novak? Eli: Yeah...we did. He said the same thing. He has been giving us some sleeping aides to try and help us sleep, to try and help us mitigate the symptoms...but...they are not really working. Tyber: And I assume he knows that? Jonas: Yeah...we told him they were not helping. He simply told us that this was temporary and that this will pass. Tyber: He seems to be taking your condition very lightly...as if he is not even concerned. And since when does PSTD pass without treatment. It is not like the common cold, you know? He should know this. The rest of Black Team exchanged a look of confusion. Kraven: That does not make sense...why would he do that? Why would he not care about what we are going through? Tyber: That is a good question. Have you tried asking him that? Jonas: No...we haven't. We have never thought of it like this. We have no reason to believe that Novak would be with-holding anything from us. He has not done so yet. He has been nothing but a help to us. I am sure if there was something he could do, he would tell us. Tyber: Hmmm...if you say so. Tye was very suspicious of what had been told to him. Things did not seem to add up...and more and more he was starting to realize it. Tyber: Don't you guys find it odd that all five of you are experiencing the SAME problems, at the SAME time? The other members of Black Team did not respond. Tyber: I have never known you guys to be this docile about something. Archimedes: Well...we don't really have time to worry about it. We are just burying ourselves in our training. You would be surprised how therapeutic it is when we are re-running the old simulations, beating our time records, beating our kill records, taking on new challenges, getting better at what we do, and being told how we are a credit to the uniform. It gives us a sense of relief. Eli: Worth... Jonas: Satisfaction... Evan: That we are still useful... Kraven: And not a bunch of insane lunatics who are slowly losing our minds. Each member of Black Team had a very cold look in their eyes. Jonas: It gets easier when we bury ourselves in our training. It makes us feel so much better. We forget about our problems...and we remain focused on our task. As long as we have an enemy in our sights...everything is just a hell of a lot easier. Tyber: An enemy in your sights? Jonas: Not just an enemy...it could be anyone. Even that is sufficient. As long as anyone is looking down my barrel when I pull the trigger... Tye had a horrified look on his face. He could not believe what he was hearing. He now knew that something was terribly wrong. The kind of behavior that was being exhibited by the rest of Black Team was very unusual. They sounded more like deranged killers than trained soldiers. However, Tye didn't want to say anything that could potentially upset the situation. Tye decided to say nothing, and keep this to himself for now. Tyber: Well...whatever helps you guys sleep a night. Tye felt very awkward about the situation. He could see all five of them looking at him, as if they were aware of his attempted evasion. Tyber: As long as you guys can do your jobs, we won't have a problem. Eli: That is the idea. We just have to do our jobs. Tye was starting to feel very uncomfortable by his present company. He did not expect this sort of behavior. However, much to his relief, Spender and Novak entered the gym. Spender: Lieutenant Vernette! The rest of Black Team stepped aside. They gave Spender a clear line of sight with Tye. Spender: How are you feeling son? Tyber: Different, sir...very different. Spender: Good different or bad different? Tyber: Good different. I am feeling at the top of my game. I have never felt this good before in my life. Novak: That was to be expected Lieutenant. Tye looked at Spender and Novak, and then his eyes shifted to Black Team. There was nothing Tye wanted more than to get out of this room. He just felt like he was surrounded by the sketchiest people in the galaxy. Spender: Well, there are a few matters of business that we have to attend to, and it is fortunate that every member of Black Team is here, present and accounted for. Spender paused. Spender: First matter of business is the finalized structure of Black Team. Tye knew what Spender was going to say, but the looks that the rest of Black Team gave Spender was one of confusion, as if this had not been discussed with them before hand. Spender: As you all know, you have all been trained to go above and beyond the call of duty. Quite frankly, you have the best training that the UNSC can muster at this time, and there is no question that the six of you are the finest soldiers produced by the industrial military complex. When you are together, you are the epitome of the perfect team. However, like any team...there must be a chain of command. The responsibility falls on my to begin that chain. Kraven: Sir...are you saying that you are about to pick a team leader? Spender: That is exactly what I am saying... Eli: So...who is going to be the team leader?