#philianecro

In a starship cabin transporting eleven people, one of them deceased and stored in a medical pod, there was nothing more than enduring silence. The only soldier in the group leaned comfortably against the backrest with both hands resting atop his over-the-shoulder restraint was the male half of the human Pathfinder initiative. While the other combatants considered what they had been through, he gave them their time and space, aware and familiar with the position they all found themselves in first hand.

To an extent, it would have been feasible for them all to blame him for the death of one member of their squad. He had, after all, been brought aboard to serve as a tactical adviser against a very dangerous enemy. In the end, the only reason none of them spoke up about it was because they were also painfully aware that without him around, more than one if not all of them would have been wiped out fighting that Remnant Architect.

When Corporal Madison was brought aboard, there was nothing that Doctor Xia Mei, who was with them entirely by chance, could do to resuscitate her. She had been caught off guard by a remnant Breacher, her shields decimated by its claws before the Architect's cluster grenades went off and ripped her and her armor to shreds. Some of the body parts were completely vaporized but an expression of agony on her face framed with burnt tissue remained. One turian member of the crew shook bodily when he laid eyes on her, but was now simply seated there, staring off into a vast distance. He might as well be completely absent.

They were on their way back to Nexus space when the ship's pilot was given a reason to break the silence. "Incoming communication from an Initiative vessel, ma'am," the ivory toned turian with blue face paint called. The CO, an asari in her matron years of life, turned her head and responded, "Put it through."

"This is Col-[STATIC] -sey of the ASV Temperance-[SQUELCH]. En route to-[STATIC] -oang sys-[STATIC]."

Although nobody onboard said something immediately, they all at least turned their attention. The man who was broadcasting through their comms was clearly under duress, it could be heard in his tone, but he was also attempting not to be too loud, like he was hiding. There was something very strange about it.

"Immediate interven[STATIC] -ed. Andro[FIZZLE] in [STATIC] -anger."

Matt snapped to attention the moment the last transmission came through, "He said danger and something about Andromeda."

By the time he was done talking, Iryxnia D'vedo, the squad commander, had raised her left arm and linked her omni tool to the ship's comm systems, responding firmly, "This is Commander D'vedo of the ASV Reach. Your communique is coming in full of static, say again."

The next time the voice came through, it was even more ravaged by the disturbance, enough that it was impossible to make anything out anymore. Iryxnia lowered her hand and began, "Triangulate the source of the signal and set a course."

After pressing a few holographic keys on her omni tool, she held her middle finger against her ear, tilting her head to listen to a disembodied voice. When the message was over, she nodded firmly, "Copy that, we'll go slow."

The communication cut off and she turned her attention to the pilot again, "We're hours, maybe days, from backup so we'll have to play this right. Approach the source of the signal but keep your distance. The rest of you, make sure you're geared up and ready to move. I'm not expecting to get feet on the ground but in Apex, we don't take chances."

"Tap-rack- and I'll keep the bang in my pocket for later if necessary," the other human soldier besides Matt responded as a symphony of weapons checks echoed through the cabin. Because the ship was small, made to fit only a crew of ten, they could feel it when it shifted its direction and began a path towards their mystery signal.

"Contact with unknown vessel imminent, ma'am. Getting video of her now. Putting it up on the vid station."

A holographic image of the ASV Temperance manifested before the crew. Everyone recognized it immediately because of its Initiative architecture and colors. However, it was lifeless and badly damaged, pieces of it ripped apart with large compartments openly exposed to vaccuum.

"It hasn't got any power," a female turian commented. "No lights on, just drifting."

Commander D'vedo watched the Temperance carefully, her arms folded. After pacing left and right, her head turning to maintain a visual on the lifeless ship, she spoke, "Since it's dead, bring us closer and survey the damage. We want to know if they were attacked by kett, angara or outcasts."

The Reach's thrusters kicked in, burning brighter and propelling the ship ever closer to the Temperance, making scans more accurate. After a quick analysis, the turian co pilot turned over her shoulder to make eye contact with the CO as she relayed her findings, "From what I'm looking at, all of the damage on the ship looks internal, ma'am. Ripped from the inside out. Mutiny, maybe?"

Suddenly, the drifting ship's internal systems flickered to life, blinking several times like Christmas tree cords struggling to remain lit. It was immediately encapsulated with electrical sparks and flash fires that were snuffed as quickly as they began throughout some of its compartments and while everyone aboard the Reach froze in time, the Temperance opened up and bared its fangs. Missile batteries fired off in every direction and arced towards the Reach.

"Engage evasive maneuvers!"

When Matt's eyes opened up again, he was able to pierce through the discomfort in his body to remember what had happened. A memory flashed before his eyes of the Reach being gutted by missile explosions and the vacuum sucking Commander D'vedo out as if through a straw. Then he followed, spinning around wildly among sharp metallic debris until a burst from his jump jets set him on course with his only option for rescue, the UNSC Temperance.

The landing had been rough, and with life support running low, he pried open a bulk head and entered, hoping desperately that he wasn't the only one left alive. Once inside, his environment systems replenished themselves and he looked around, paying momentary mind to the deathly silence of the ship. Finally, he turned his attention to his omni tool.

Hey I just met you and this is crazy

but here’s my number