[b]Halo: Only the Bold [/b] Chapter 1 [i]12 July 2546 Location Unknown UNSC Nagamo,[/i] Prowler-[i]class[/i] Inside the central security conference room, the report remained suspended in the air between the two officers. The title header "Operation: TORPEDO" flickered in a two-sided holoform before Captain Galin Thorm advanced the pages of data through the complete report. Seated across from him, Lieutenant Kandis Jokling stirred in her seat. With the final page displaying the commentary of the operation's ONI Lead, Galin felt his stomach grow cold from the facts. [i]296 Spartans--dead.[/i] It was almost too many to comprehend. "What a waste," Kandis muttered, slowly rising out of her chair. "All of those Spartans, all of the equipment . . . and for what, to slow the Covenant Front in one Sector?" Galin's brow furrowed. "The destruction of the refinery will set the Covenant back months. We'll use that time wisely to build up our defenses or evacuate the systems on that vector." Kandis' blue eyes flashed a stare at Galin as she started pacing. Her pale skin contrasted her long black ponytail swaying with her short steps. "And then what? We try to take potshots at them, hoping they don't find Reach or Earth or--" "--I know, Kandis," Galin said wearily. His eyes grazed over the projected losses for either side and the numbers didn't help him feel any better for the sacrifice of those Spartans. "That's why HIGHCOM sent us this report. If we can figure out ways to halt the Covenant's progress, we might find ways to stop them altogether." Galin ran a hand over his face and scratched at his beard before folding his hands across his chest. "Call it motivation." She paused briefly before coming around to his side of the conference room and leaned against the table, facing him. Kandis looked down into his deep brown eyes and she forced a smile. "We both know we're in desperate times. Humanity is running on a lot more than motivation right now." Galin returned her smile. "Self-preservation, for one. Duty. Honor . . . " His eyes flickered to the report and he knew the bold red number of 296 would be forever burned in his memory. "Sacrifice." Kandis reached out and took his hand in hers. "Then let's make sure we do our part." He pulled her closer and their lips met. The softness of her lips reminded Galin of the first time he met Kandis many months ago. She was a bright, young ONI Analyst assigned to [i]Nagamo[/i] to round out his staff, but he soon found her knack for troubleshooting--and troublemaking--a two-sided lure of his affections. Kandis Jokling was all sweetness underneath a hardened exterior. Though nearly 15 years apart in age, they complimented each other well. Galin was almost 40 and his dark skin was beginning to wrinkle around his eyes more and more each day. Unlike most ship captains in the UNSC, Galin had purposely kept himself in top physical shape, while Kandis was still in the twilight of her youth and still had a gymnast's physique. Galin wanted to wrap her in his arms, but a ping on the center console pulled him away from their kiss. Kandis sighed and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before walking around to her previous seat. Galin smoothed over his uniform and straightened in his chair. "This is Captain Thorm." "Captain," the young male voice said over the comm. "We're about to arrive in the Epsilon Eridani System." "Thank you, Lieutenant." Galin quickly stood, catching a puzzled look on Kandis' face. "We're going to Emerald Cove," he explained. Kandis nodded, but let a smile tug at the corner of her mouth. "So, back to work?" She lowered her head and crossed over to him, running her hands against the back of the chairs playfully. Galin knew her body language all too well and held up his hands in quiet, gentle protest. "Another time, Kandis." "There won't always be another time," she whispered, repeating her go-to saying that had kept Galin from returning to his quarters alone many times in the past. But she stopped her advance and she nodded again. "I know; now's not the best time." She raised a slender eyebrow. "Later?" "Of course." Their relationship was completely against ONI regulation and it was highly possible that his 'separation' to his wife Heather back on Reach would be finalized into a legal divorce as soon as he came in to dry dock, but Kandis . . . [i]She has been worth the risk[/i]. He gave her a quick kiss and started for the door. "What are we doing at Emerald Cove?" Kandis asked, already snapping back into a professional, official manner. He keyed the door open with his access code and flashed a smile. "Visiting an old friend." *** *** *** On the bridge of [i]Nagamo[/i], Galin took his seat in the command chair and nodded to the shipboard artificial intelligence, Jovan, which stood on his pedestal to the right of the Captain. "Status?" Jovan, who chose to display his avatar in the manner of a cultured professor who was constantly looking down his nose, stood with hands collected on his rotund belly. "The ship is running in full Stealth Mode, and we'll be arriving . . . " The blackness of Slipspace reverted into a star field that was largely consumed with a green and blue planet dead ahead. " . . . Now." Galin didn't have to order his crew about the usual arrival protocol and the bridge was soon filled with updates. "No Covenant transmissions detected." "No other ships in the area." "Our exit vector is clear." Jovan tilted his head slightly. "Incoming signal, Captain. It's coming from the far side of the planet." He looked up. "It matches ONI profile." Motioning with his hand, Galin nodded to the communications officer. There was a burst of static before a female voice spoke. "This is the UNSC [i]Apocolypso[/i], Captain Amanda Greene, hailing UNSC [i]Nagamo[/i]." Galin activated the comm on his command chair's arm. "This is Captain Galin Thorm. Good to hear from you again, Greene. It has been too long." Out of the corner of his eye, he spied Kandis quickly glance over in his direction from her station along the portside consoles. "Our initial scans show the system to be clean, but I assume you've had more time to sweep the area." "That's affirmative. We're in the clear, though I would recommend we stay Silent for the duration." Greene paused before adding, "if you could sync your AI to mine, we could begin docking maneuvers." His eyebrows rose slightly. AI synchronization was really only reserved for Orbital Platforms or other, larger ships that had higher-end AIs with the capabilities to temporarily link their processes with other AIs. "ONI hasn't spared any expense with your ship's upgrades, have they?" "Comes with too many faithful years of service," Greene gloated. "Something you're unfamiliar with." Galin laughed lightly. "See you soon. Thorm out." He nodded to Jovan. "If you may." The [i]prowler[/i]-class ship began a slow rotation to starboard and muffled thuds could be heard from the docking collar being extended. It would latch onto [i]Apcolypso[/i]'s collar and Greene's own AI would pressurize the passageway.