Location: Halo Ring Installation, UNSC ONI Prowler Corps Vessel Midnight Veil
Date: October 12, 2552
Time: 07:45
The days following the destruction of the Halo ring blurred together. We had barely escaped with our lives, but the cost of our survival was immeasurable. As I sat in the cockpit of the Longsword, the silence around me felt suffocating. The space between us and the wreckage of Halo was vast, and yet it didn't feel like enough. It wouldn't be long before ONI came for us.
I was right.
The Longsword shuddered as the UNSC ONI Prowler Midnight Veil slipped out of slipspace above us. The Dusk-class prowler, with its dark hull and sleek design, hovered over the debris, almost invisible against the backdrop of space. ONI didn't operate like the rest of the UNSC. They moved quietly, waiting for the right moment to strike.
"This is ONI Prowler Midnight Veil to all UNSC survivors. Prepare for docking. We are bringing you aboard," came the crisp voice of the ship's communications officer over the comms.
I responded quickly, initiating docking protocols. As the Longsword was pulled into the bay, the cramped confines of the cockpit became an afterthought. It was time to face ONI, and I knew they would have questions—plenty of them.
Location: UNSC ONI Prowler Corps Vessel Midnight Veil, Hangar Bay
Date: October 12, 2552
Time: 08:30
The Longsword settled into the prowler's hangar bay, its engines winding down with a mechanical sigh. As the ramp lowered, I stepped out onto the cold deck. The Pelican and Covenant Phantom from the survivors' fleet had also docked, but it was clear that everything was running under ONI's iron grip. The hangar was tight, barely accommodating the ships, and ONI personnel moved with an efficiency that bordered on silence.
"Chief," a gruff voice called out, and I turned to see several ONI officers waiting. My stomach twisted. There was no mistaking the formality in their posture, nor the weight of what was coming next. These people weren't here to pat us on the back for surviving.
As soon as Johnson and the other survivors disembarked, ONI personnel separated them into groups, whisking each of them away for immediate debriefing. The expressions on their faces told me everything I needed to know—ONI wasn't playing around. It wasn't a friendly reception; it was an interrogation.
As expected, they left me alone—at least for now. Technically, I was under ONI's jurisdiction. Even though I outranked some of the officers, the command structure was clear. They were here to get answers, and I would be on their list soon enough.
Location: UNSC ONI Prowler Corps Vessel Midnight Veil, Debriefing Room 4
Date: October 12, 2552
Time: 09:15
It didn't take long before I was ushered into a sterile debriefing room. The walls were bare, the room lit by harsh overhead lights that made the atmosphere oppressive. I sat at a metal table, waiting. ONI officers liked to make people wait—it was part of their psychological game. The longer I sat there, the more they hoped I'd start to feel on edge.
I didn't.
The door hissed open, and two ONI officers stepped in. Both wore the crisp, dark uniforms of ONI's upper echelon, and their faces were unreadable.
"Master Chief," one of them said, her voice cold. "We need to debrief you on the events surrounding the destruction of Installation 04."
I nodded. "Of course."
The debriefing was lengthy. They asked about every detail—what happened on the surface, the destruction of the Flood, and the activation of the Autumn's self-destruct. Their questions were sharp, precise. They were looking for something, but I couldn't tell what. All I could do was answer truthfully. I had nothing to hide.
Still, the more they pressed, the more it became clear that ONI wasn't satisfied with a simple recounting of events. They wanted more—details I didn't have. It was as if they were searching for something specific, something deeper, something only ONI was concerned with.
Location: UNSC ONI Prowler Corps Vessel Midnight Veil, Personal Quarters
Date: October 12, 2552
Time: 12:00
After hours of debriefing, I was finally given a moment to breathe. The personal quarters they assigned me were small, Spartan, but functional. It wasn't much, but it was better than the inside of a crashed Longsword.
Sitting on the cot, I removed my helmet, feeling the cold air against my skin for the first time since leaving the surface. My thoughts drifted to everything we had gone through—the destruction of Halo, the deaths of so many Marines, and the horrifying revelation about the Flood.
For the first time in days, I allowed myself to think about it all. We had survived, but at what cost? The Flood was out there, somewhere, waiting. And 343 Guilty Spark had escaped. Even as Halo shattered, I couldn't help but feel like we had only delayed the inevitable.
Cortana's voice cut through my thoughts. "You alright, Chief?"
I sighed, leaning back against the wall. "Just thinking."
"You don't get much time to reflect these days, do you?" she asked, her tone softer than usual.
"No," I replied. "But it's not over yet. We still have a lot to do."
"Right," she said. "I've managed to access some restricted data from the ship's archives. It looks like ONI is planning to take us back to Earth. There's going to be a full debriefing when we get there."
I nodded. "Earth," I muttered, almost to myself. "We're going home."
Location: UNSC ONI Prowler Corps Vessel Midnight Veil, Bridge
Date: October 12, 2552
Time: 16:30
I stood on the bridge, staring out at the stars as the Midnight Veil cruised through the void. The shattered remains of Halo were far behind us now, but I could still feel its presence in the back of my mind.
The journey to Earth was going to be long, but it would give me time—time to process everything, time to prepare for what came next. Because I knew, deep down, that this wasn't the end. This was only the beginning.
"Chief," Cortana's voice echoed in my helmet, bringing me back to the present. "We've got incoming communications from ONI command. They've marked us as high-priority for return."
"Understood," I said quietly, my eyes fixed on the stars.
The fight wasn't over, but for now, all I could do was wait and reflect.