[Halo] New! Halo RPG Pt. 11

[Hells Sniper]

Carmicle nodded. Carmicle: Understood, sir. I will set up an Ops center with my team. Carmicle saluted and then walked out of the observation center, his team behind him. Dakota and Dallas followed suit, they knew the drill with the Task Force.

[Naked Crook]

Vernette looked back at Cochraine. Vernette: Now...Captain Cochraine...I am concerned about you...and your views, you attitudes. As a preface...I do not make it policy to try and make people believe what I believe or like what I like. Vernette paused. Vernette: I am familliar with your service record Captain. You have an excellent record, I do not dispute that. You have done excellent work in the years that you have been with us, and you are a credit to the uniform. However...your...intolerance...could pose a potential problem for our long term goals. I am not going to order you to like non-humans...but I am going to issue a direct order for you to tread very carefully with your words. Vernette paused. Vernette: The reason I say this is because...well...imagine, for a moment, that we somehow manage to get The Elites onboard with our plan to fight The Trust. If that does happen...we are going to be stuck in between two races that BITTERLY hate each other more than you can possibly imagine, united by a very fragile alliance brokered by ONI. That makes us...the mediators in this alliance. One wrong remark on your end...could destroy all of that. Keeping these two sides from killing eachother is going to be a monumental task that will require unmitigated grace on ONI's part...and I cannot have my officers jeprodizing that. If you feel that you are unable to keep your remakrs in check...I can have you removed from this task force. It will not be a reprimand on your permanent record...but rather, a transfer. Vernette paused again. Vernette: Can I rely on you to demonstrate discipline and excellence...or do I need to transfer you?

[Kairu]

Cochraine took a moment to weigh the options. A part of her considered the opportunity but she decided against it. Cochraine: "I understand, Sir. I will watch what I say from now on. If I may ask you a personal question, Sir? More of a request."

[Naked Crook]

Vernette: Certainly. What is on your mind Captain? Meanwhile: Beckett looked at his medical teams bring the Trust personnel into the medical bay. He stood up from behind his desk. Beckett: Good Lord...what happened to these men!? Who are they? Where did they come from?

[Kairu]

Cochraine: "You know why I am like I am when it comes to alien species?"

[Naked Crook]

Vernette: To be honest Captain...I do not know entirely why you are so intolerant. I could speculate...but I would rather hear it from you than run the risk of making a potentially insulting guess.

[Kairu]

Cochraine: "The fall of Reach hit me very hard. I grew up there and it was where I lost my family. I wasn't there during the battle, but I did see some of the footage during the attack. That aside, being so naive allowed a seed of ignorance be planted. But seeing more and more attacks during the War, that seed sprouted. I have had to push it aside and I just lost myself during the session. But the War has taken its toll, but I know that that is no excuse." Cochraine's head hung itself while she did her best to keep herself together. It was the first time she opened up about her history, her life, that she wasn't close with. Marcus was the first person to ever get to know her, but at the time, it was required for their relationship. And to her, Marcus was openly ok about it and her opinion. After all, at the time, they were at war.

[Naked Crook]

Vernette: I know exactly how you feel Captain... Vernette paused. Vernette: I was born on Harvest...the first human world to be glassed by The Covenant. In fact...it was the same people we now call our allies who did it. Vernette paused. Vernette: I was there when it happened. I had a wife and two kids on Harvest. All my friends...none of them made it. People I had known my of my life...gone. I have been hit hard like you have when you watched Reach fall. Vernette sighed. Vernette: I don't blame you for having the views you do, Captain. People cope in different ways...they handle difficult circumstances in different ways. All I ask is that you do your best to deal with this difficult circumstance. I know it is not easy...but I doubt you joined the military for an easy time. Everyone who wears this uniform joins knowing that they will all be called to do what is difficult. Just try and keep something in mind Captain...no matter if you are human or not...everyone is capable of either great acts of heroism...or great acts of evil. Not all humans are paragons, and not all aliens are evil. That has been a philosophy that has guided my career...and I am sure it will do your career as much good as it did mine.

[Kairu]

Cochraine took a deep breath of reassurance. Cochraine: "Thank you, Sir, for your input and time. I will definitely keep your wisdom in mind in all future circumstances. If there is nothing else, I will return to the Infinity's Voyage."

[Naked Crook]

Vernette: That is all Captain. You are dismissed.