(thought I'd remaster the first chapter since I'm a good bit better at writing now. Enjoy)
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2538 UNSC Standard time
Unknown section of Milky Way Galaxy
All was calm in the inky black void that all civilizations have come to understand in their history. Space was endless and empty. Narrow and full.
But that calm was shattered as a hole when the very fabric of space and time opened up. Creating a vortex of and blue sorrounding an onyx black rift.
Out of the void exited the lumbering of the UNSC Arcturus, a Marathon class heavy cruiser. It's gunmetal hull dotted with dozens of small hull breaches and burns. But it's thick hull was still in one piece as it's automatic bulkheads closed off the damaged sections to keep atmosphere in.
But if one were to look at the 1.2 kilometer long warship, all they would see was a dead hunk of metal. Broken and beaten as it desperately tried to cling to life. The flickering blue lights that contrasted with the hull like a failing heartbeat. The massive engines that usually roared with the blue glow if their plasma trail absent as it slowly drifted closer to the familiar blue and green ball that was the cradle of human civilization.
The ship itself would cause concern to those that lived below just from its shear presence. But what was most important lay deep within the depths of the cruiser. Beneath meters of Titanium and circuitry was one lost soul.
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In the darkened cryo bay of the Arcturus was just as dark as the rest of the ship currently was. Rows upon rows of dark tubes where people once lay as they waited for their destination. But in the very end of the room was one that was activated. Coloring the room with it's crisp light.
Inside the cryo pod was a figure that could be described as Herculean in terms of build. Covered head to toe in angular and thick plated green and black armor that protected the wearer. As well as a thick black bodysuit that protected everywhere the plates didn't cover as well as a host of other advantages.
A bright gold visor stared sightlessly out of the frosted glass of his frozen tomb.
The black pedestal for the ships AI lit up with a dark blue color. Signifying his presence in the cold room. The panel on the side of the cryo pod then lit up as it started the unthawing process. Lights inside the pod bathed the Spartan in a soft white light.
His job done for now, the AI retreated back from the pedestal and left the soldier to sort the rest out.
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Cold.
That the first thought that came to his mind as his senses slowly came back to him. His awareness expanding by the second as the pod slowly resumed his vital functions.
The next thing he felt was how his armor was frozen slightly to his skin. Giving a very uncomfortable, but manageable annoyance. After all, that could be fixed soon enough.
He could here the hiss of the pods vacuum seal being broken as it unlocked. He lifted his armored hand up and shoved the glass door open. Which made a loud crash that echoed throughout the bay.
He could feel his joints pop as he stood up. He cracked his knuckles. As soon as he finished the familiar golden light covering his body let him know his shields had fully recharged.
"Time to warm up a bit." He said to himself. It was at that moment that green flames erupted from him that made himself and the area around him heat up.
It always felt good to do this whenever he was cold. His emerald flames warmer him up like sitting next to a campfire. Just like survival training in cold Reach winter.
He let the flames die down as all the frost had boiled off his armor. As well as the body glove heated back to a normal temperature.
He then took a moment to gaze around the cryo bay. He hadn't noticed it while he was waking up, but there should have been a lot more chatter. As well as some lights, and computers running. But there was nothing, not even the hum of the engines that normally echoed throughout the ship.
But he could tell that the ship had at least some power. Judging by the fact he was currently standing without the use of his magnetic boots. So that was a plus.
He then held his hand out of front of him. Then, in a flash of emerald green light. An M45 shotgun appeared in his hands. Fully loaded with shells. He racked the pump to chamber a shell and shouldered the boomstick.
His footsteps were quieter than one would expect for a seven foot Supersoldier wearing a half ton of power armor. But that's what he was trained for. Stealth had saved his ass more times than he could count. As well as his Spartan brothers and sisters pulling him out of the fire.
He gazed all around the two level cryo bay. Both his level and the one above were completely devoid of life. But that put him on alert. A warships crew and passengers don't just go missing. He knew they barely had half the ships full crew, but they also had more than a few civilians as well.
To be fair, they did have other cryo bays. But he shouldn't have been the only one in here.
He then stepped in front of the airlock door and it opened for him. He walked through and scanned both hallways. Both were empty, which only unnerved him more. He then heard the sound of the door behind him close and lock with a mechanical and magnetic hiss and click.
He then saw a message appear from the ships AI appear on the top corner of his HUD. It simply read 'Come to the bridge'. He complied and lowered his shotgun as he began his journey. He was ready to raise it and fire in a moment if needed.
His footsteps echoed softly as he walked through the warship. The lack of anything other than the small, white hallway lights that lined the floor made seeing for anyone else difficult. So he activated the flashlights on the sides of his helmet. Which shined off the dull gunmetal colored walls.
His walk through the 1.2 kilometer warship wasn't to long. With only two decks of stairs and a couple more hallways being traversed. The cryo bay he inhabited was close to the bridge for a reason. But he once again didn't see anybody on the way here.
He arrived in front of the massive bulkhead that both protected the officers and captain, as well as cutting off any vacuum there might be.
The 2 foot thick slab of Titanium A slid apart with the same mechanical and magnetic hiss. Retracting into the ceiling and floor respectively.
He walked into the bridge and immediately noticed the bodies. He could see the body of the captain slumped on the holotable. As well as the various officers and techs all slumped over on their consoles. His Geiger counter telling him that they died from a massive radiation exposure.
He sighed slightly as he tucked it into his mind to put them in cryo later for a proper burial.
His attention was then drawn to the holotank in the middle of the bridge. The form of the ships AI Quasar displayed on it.
The small blue figure was wearing a pair of dark dress pants with a lighter dress shirt with suspenders. His body itself was modeled after a mid twenties man with an average build and baggy hair.
"So, it looks like someone finally woke up from their beauty sleep. Glad you could finally join me Sierra-009." He said with a smile as he gestured for the Spartan to come over.
"Cut the chit chat. I want to know what happened here." He said simply as he walked in front of him.
"You want the abridged version? Because there's something important you need to know about right away. We'll, a couple things but you get my drift." He said with a wave as the Spartan simply stared at him through his visor.
"Abridged."
Quasar nodded before pulling up several holographic screens behind him on the holotable. 009 pit the thought of the dead captains head resting on this their from his mind as he looked at the various camera feeds and schematics on and for the ship.
"We'll, as we were evacuating the latest colony to be blown up by the Covenant. A battlecrusier gave chase to us as we were reaching the Slipspace portal for a jump. It sent a couple Banshees and Seraphs after us. But it was nothing a couple dozen 50mm slugs each couldn't handle. But the main problem was the energy projector the Covenant ship was charging. So the captain ordered a jump without a fully charged drive or coordinates." He explained to the Spartan as he saw a live feed of what he was talking about.
He then looked at the AI curiously that was standing beside the screens. "Then how are we not atoms spread across the eleventh dimension? That kind of move should have killed everyone here and ripped us down to elementary pieces." He said as he racked the scenarios through his mind.
"We'll, I can't answer that question. But what I can tell you is that obviously were still here. But you were partially right with one thing. Your the only life sign I can still read on the ship. So that means that either they got EMPd and I can't read them. Or...." He said as he trailed off and let the since fill the room.
"Or I'm the last person left alive on the ship." He finished for the AI. That thought left a deep pit in his stomach. He was all alone then, with only Quasar for company.
"But the more pressing matter right now is where we are. I know mostly where. Or well at least solar system were in. But I can't tell where everything else is." He said as he scratched his holographic chin in thought.
"What does that even mean?" 009 asked him with confusion in his voice.
Quasar rubbed nervously at the back of his head. "We'll, were in the Sol system. Or more accurately, right above Earth. But it's not our Earth persay."
It took a moment for the Spartan to let that sink in. They were at least a hundred light-years away from Earth. That kind of journey should've taken two weeks, not a day and a half. But what was he taking about with the rest of the systems?
"What do you mean about the other systems?"
"We'll, this isn't exactly our Earth or our Sol. Their almost exact copies of it. But I'm not detecting any UNSC signals and I can only tell that there is an earlier humanity on the surface. I could tell more, but most of the ship is damaged. I'm barely getting half power on the secondary reactor. Main engines are offline. Archer missile pods and PDCs are offline. MAC is cold. And most of my sensors are fried." He explained to the Spartan.
He sighed at the AI. He supposed it could be worse. But it could also be a lot better as well.
"Anything else." He said in an annoyed tone.
"Oh yeah, were currently falling into the atmosphere with no way of stoping it. As well as the hangers are in dissaray. So I would advise you strap in buddy." He said with a smirk.
He had his shotgun dissapear in the same emerald light before he walked over to the railing of the Bridge.
"Your gonna get on my nerves, aren't you?" He asked. Hoping for an answer he knew he wasn't gonna get.
"Yup." Quasar said with a thumbs up before he dissapeared