FREESUN'S PAST

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Covenant Command Base

In the city of Skytron

On Sunterria, the Covenant Command Base towered imposingly in the heart of Skytron City. With ten stories, its exterior featured shimmering blue gem slabs that glistened in the morning light. The fifth level housed the command room and other significant chambers.

Within one such chamber, Freesun presided, backed by Jayden and Zico—chief security officer and chief medical doctor, respectively. Nikolai's gaze briefly scanned his subordinates as they focused on their workpads; puzzled by the doctor's presence, he knew he had to concentrate on the meeting's serious agenda.

A cluster of video screens adorned the far wall, streaming live footage from human research labs in Lavadome. Yet everyone's eyes were fixed on Freesun as he addressed his chief intelligence officer. "Officer Zico, please present your report."

Zico quickly reviewed his findings before swiftly brushing back a strand of ebony hair obstructing his view. Like all Covenant beings, he appeared youthful—a testament to his race's power over appearance. Dressed in a silk uniform studded with gems, he monitored human traffic to and from Sunterria—an ordinary task requiring constant vigilance.

Taking a deep breath to quell his apprehension, Zico began his report: "On May 9 at 09:14 hours, one of our reconnaissance drones on routine patrol above Lavadome detected evidence of a Covenant device."

Muffled gasps greeted the revelation as Nikolai observed with interest. Undaunted by the disclosure, he merely widened his florescent blue eyes and motioned for Zico to proceed with his explanation.

"As protocol dictated, our drone endeavoured to pinpoint the exact location," Zico offered, momentarily pressing a slender hand against his chest to quell an unexpected malaise. With a sad gaze, he locked eyes with Freesun. "Then the impossible transpired..." His voice conveyed a note of stark bewilderment.

Nikolai was captivated by his revelation, his curiosity piqued, and he yearned for more. "Elite Officer, what transpired?" He inquired in a voice both serene and animated. 

Struggling to articulate his shocking discovery, Zico hesitated. Security reports demanded strict adherence to established protocols; evidence had to be supported by video recordings or unaltered data. Yet his video footage was revealed to be inadequate, and the data file lacked information on the event.

"The drone's scan was blocked," he declared, eliciting astonished gasps from the officers encircling the table.

Even Jayden appeared so taken aback that his mouth ran dry, forcing him to swallow a sip of lemon water before he voiced his opinion. "Blocked, such nonsense, what kind of report is this." His words were full of authority and annoyance.

Zico felt an immense weight pressing down on his shoulders as he faced Jayden's insistent question. "As I mentioned earlier," he began carefully, "our drone encountered an anomaly. It circled back over the research labs for another scan."

Jayden nodded, pleased that the drone had been thorough enough to double-check its findings. But when he looked at Zico's face again, his smile disappeared as if it had never been there. These drones can be temperamental—perhaps it's a false reading, he thought, hoping for a simple explanation like an overheating memory bank or damaged wiring.

Zico clenched his fists tightly at his sides, trying to keep them from trebling—the pressure felt as intense as his time aboard the Starship Eirden with Jayden when they had faced planetary emergencies one after another. Ignoring the curious gazes from his teammates, he took a deep breath before authoritatively announcing, "The drone was unable to locate the covenant device's signal despite repeated attempts. It was blocked—every single time."