Humanity's Lost Identity

IX

A/N: Good Lord, it's been quite a while hasn't it? June? July? I've forgotten honestly, but I haven't forgotten the story.

Like for my other stories, Id tell you if I had just straight up abandoned it. And this, I haven't, despite the evidence.

Everything in moderation.

—/—/—\—\—

The Bridge of the URSF Infinity was alight in the usual crew antics and conversations. Currently refueling and resupplying above the world of Trifalgar. One of the most heavily fortified planets in the out rim territories of the URSF, albeit not as outer rim as the likes of Atlantis, it was still a good distance out from the likes of Reach and Sanghelios.

The Infinity, only the second ship in their histories to hold the name, sat at the mind numbing length of 31.7 kilometers. Not the biggest by any means in the grand scheme of things, but large enough to make those with ill ideals to take a second guess about how truly committed they were to those thoughts.

Alongside it, having just finished refueling and supply operations, were the majority of it's Task Force, eighty ships strong, ranging from the 31 kilometers in length to just below 6. Orbital Task Force 43. The majority of the fleet was once again linking up on Infinity to continue on their patrol route.

One that took them 19 hours off of Atlantis III.

"I want status reports." The Captain, one Shirley Johnson said as she stood before the viewing deck, looking down at the tropical world of Trifalgar below, the ever so slight glow of the native blue horizon coming up to shine as the twin stars in the system began to come over the horizon.

"URS Kongou And Kirishima just finished resupplying. The rest of the bulk of our forces are on route to finish within the next ten minutes or so. The 137th is set to begin as soon as we finish." Tezla, the Infinity's ship side AI reported as she appeared on TAC-table behind the Captain, Shirley turning to focus her gaze on the AI.

Tezla, the AI standing before Shirley, held an indigo hue for her avatar. Showing a knack and callback to the surge of Fantasy themed media that enthralled the URSF in the early 44th century, Tezla appeared to be one would know as an elf. Shirley wasn't keen on the appeal, but she knew enough to call it when she saw it. Therefore, seeing Tezla dressed in some form of form fitting floor length elven gown wasn't Surprising in the slightest. Shirley nodded somewhat at that as she brought up the display on the TAC-table alongside Tezla, looking over the composition of the 43rd.

"Someone's eager to move on." A voice called to her from the other end of the table, recognizable easily by his sheer service to his people alone. Shirley simply offered a nod at that before looking up to the man, High Admiral Thomas Lasky.

"Never been fond of the Hyper-Metropolis planets." She told him as she glanced up at the man.

"Harvest." Lasky confirmed. "Pre Great War if I remember correctly." He said. "Hell of a thing that you lived the war." He said as the familiar figure of the orange visage of Roland manifested onto the TAC-table, the AI offering a simplest of nods to his fellow AI, Tezla returning it in a cold fashion before Roland looked to the Captain.

"As far as I can remember, multiple reports include the phrase of 'Too Stubborn to Die'." Roland offered cheerily.

Tezla nodded in agreement.

"All that aside." Lasky offered. "Not a fan of Reach then, I take it?" He inquired. Her answer was a short shake of the head.

"No sir." She answered as she looked over the reports of her fleet for a moment before looking up to the man. "All my disliking for Urban sprawlings aside, I take it that your inspection is going well then, given your standing on my bridge?" She inquired. She wouldn't lie if she was directly asked, having a High Admiral look over her fleet wasn't exactly easy on the nerves, but Lasky was at this point far above the commands of the UNSC. As a High Admiral, he reported only to the Senate of the URSF, one of only fifteen humans to do so.