In Infinitum: First Contact

Author Note

Alright, my dear readers and people who have followed the other story. I regret to inform you all that I will be deleting it and its chapters up until that point will be banished to the deepest recesses of my stories folder for all eternity. Why? Because I've lost all interest in writing for it. I have reread it, blinked at some of my choices and face palmed. So now, I deem it an eye sore and with my improved skittles, knowledge and the aid of both wikis, games and general know-how, I am going to be redoing In Infinitum and trying to rectify my many mistakes.

On that note. The first few changes will be that I will be posting this story, a smaller version to kick things off. The stories, assuming I make it that far, will be in three. (Bold promise, I know. Get it? Bold?…Anyways!) The first being In Infinitum: First Contact. This will cover how the Haloverse encounters the Citadel races. Not giving any real length on how many chapters this story will be, but it will begin with moments leading up first contact between the UNSC and Turians all the way through until the conflict is ended.

The second will be covering the events of Eden Prime, possibly the Collectors depending how I can fit them into the story line. The third will obviously cover the Reaper War. Now, all of that out of the way, here is to the prologue to the first story of the new series by myself.

In Infinitum: First Contact

Update Author Note: I feel I should now add this to the AN at the beginning. As some, rather... many, have pointed out. I do know the Relay is huge from Canon ME information and the Relay should have buried in Charon. But instead, I shoved it inside Pluto. To explain the reasoning behind these changes. I shall do so! First, the Relay size. I imagine it takes a lot of power to send ships from one point to another with the Relay system. And so, it has always bugged me how small the relay seems to be for this duty. Way I see it, they needed to be bigger, so they could contain the power core that sends the ships on a one way "second trip" across vast amounts of galaxy, so, yeah. made em bigger. Now, the reason for shoving the Relay inside Pluto. I did that because if it were a moon, I firmly believe Humanity would have found much earlier in its 200+ years of space faring life since most of the local systems would have mined for whatever materials it could be. So I needed a hiding place for the thing where I knew it would remain hidden... And I just wanted to 2012 Pluto. Righto!

Prologue

September 21, 2581. Military Calendar.
UNSC Sensor Station Athena, Sol System. 1300 Hours.
The blackness of space was always so daunting when one was alone in a computer filled room with nothing to look at by the screen filling with various, and unimportant, sensor data or the long slit of a viewing window into the deep black vacuum that was endless space. And for Ensign Henry Connors it was the second most boring posting that the UNSC could ever give someone during peace times, which it was. Almost thirty full years of peace had been good for the UNSC of course, but for the people like him who were once making decent pay for sitting around a station and keeping alert for Covenant? Not so much.

His pay check wasn't as impressive anymore, his hours were still murder and now it was boring. Especially since it was the Sol system, Earth was practically next door and they kept him here on this stupid station? Madness! But, he guessed it could be worse. He was still getting paid to literally sit on his ass and do nothing, it was his own fault he lacked any real entertainment to pass the hours.

He could hardly believe it really, it still seemed like only last week the UNSC and Covenant were at others throats trying to strangle each other. Now? Well, more or less it was still the same. Brutes had retreated into their own systems and as part of a "rehabilitation" project as they called it in the holovids, they were trying to uplift the damn things into something bigger than "Smash that, win this".

Waste of time if the Ensign ever heard one.

Though, he supposed the relations with the Jackals and Elites, or as they were to be called now for political and racial reasons, Kig-yar and Sangheili. The relations between these two and the UNSC was stable and prospering like a well oiled and maintained machine of economy. The birds had a natural talent for trading and their home system was rich minerals that both the UNSC and Sangheili needed to build a great number of things.

Kig-Yar, bless them birds, were quickly becoming the richest species in the neighbourhood and knew it. Henry remembered when he had been on leave on Earth and he had seen some Kig-Yar high-class citizens. They were pretty blinged up.

Hah! Bling. Who says that anymore? He thought himself, snickering.

Of course the times for the UNSC and Sangheili were fairly good. With the goods from the three of them fuelling their economic machines. The Big Three were rebuilding so quickly it almost seemed that they'd be seeing fat Kig-Yar and fifty new colonies within the next decade. But, with any growing lawn there were weeds.

The Covenant Loyalists, a small faction of mixed species who still bought the lies sown by the Prophets of the old Covenant were still a problem in the outer colonies of the Sangheili and Kig-Yar systems. Acting much like the Innies of today, terrorists who focused more on killing and recruiting.

The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

Henry was about ready to just daze off for a couple hour nap when his terminal pinged. It pinged. A ping meant something out there was happening and it wasn't normal. He sat straight up, almost falling back over in his haste as he hastily moved his fingers over the keys while staring at the screen.

He had received a report from one of the probes. He clicked Enter on the file.

More data scrolled across his primary screen and the Ensign sat up. He blinked slightly, narrowing his eyes as an anomaly was detected by one of the sensor probes orbiting the various planets of the system, particularly Pluto. Apparently the Probe had performed a close sweep of the iceball and discovered a very surprising fact about it. There was Seismic activity on it.

"What?" Henry whispered, leaning closer and rereading.

That had to be a mistake. Pluto wasn't a planet, it was a giant, well, more so, massive ball of ice. No core, no shifting plates. The thing was just the galaxy's, as far as they knew, largest ice ball. So how did it have seismic activity? He stared at the report a moment longer then activated a Tight-Beam transmission to the probe and ordered a visual on the main viewing screen.

A moment later the connection came online and the ice ball appeared on the screen. It looked normal, but seismic activity couldn't seen from orbit. He wished the probe had deep thermal scanners or better observational equipment. He couldn't get much more from this.

He cut the connection, flagged the report and Tight-Beamed it to UNSC CentCom Station Atlas in orbit over Earth. Along with the following recommendation. "Seismic activity detected on Pluto. Probe checks out, no errors. Recommend closer inspection." The message sent and he sat back in his chair.

Just what the hell?

September 21, 2581. Military Calendar.
UNSC Exploration-Class Frigate Eye of the Beholder, Sol System. 2100 Hours.
Commander Nathan Massey sat back in his Captain's chair with a stern expression on his aging face as he and his small inspection group sped towards the ice ball that was Pluto. At forty-seven he already looked twenty years older, but anyone who gazed into his dark eyes would know that despite the old look he moved like a man three decades younger. Despite being a Navy Commander, he had once been a full blood Captain before a mistake during one of his shore leaves had resulted in him being kicked down to Commander and assigned to a out-of-the-way job as Captain of a ship designed to scope things out inside the Sol System.

Which was another way of saying that the UNSC didn't want him causing him more trouble. Not that he cared, he was still commanding a ship. Albeit an Exploration Class ship, but still a ship.

"Slow to cruise!" He ordered, voice full of authority.

"Aye, Commander." his Navigations officer replied. The Eye of the Beholder slowed as they neared the ice giant. "Destination reached, sir." Navigations reported.

"Good work," Nathan said, observing the iceball. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, then again. He wasn't the scientist. "Connect me to Doctor Asuka." He said, looking up at his central view station.

"Aye sir!"

The screen flickered, then the view of a pretty young redhead appeared on the screen. Her sharp green eyes stared at him as she adjusted her lab coat. "Yes, Commander?" she asked, tone polite.

"Ma'am, we've arrived. Get your people prepped to go to ground, We'll be in orbit here waiting to pick you all up once you've gotten your investigation out of the way." Nathan replied just as politely. It was no secret that Navy personnel and civilians didn't get along, especially when he was the babysitter and cab for say civvie and she some up and coming "star" in the science community.

It was a major headache waiting to happen. Nathan could just feel it.

"Thank you, Commander." Doctor Asuka replied, gesturing to someone offscreen before looking back at him. "Will we have a security detail?"

Nathan considered, then nodded. "A squad of marines should do. Nothing out of ordinary detected on the sensors. it's the Sol system, Doctor. We're secure." he waved a dismissive hand.

"True," she agreed with a small nod. "But, the cautious are the most rewarded." she grabbed a tablet, typed in something on it and said. "My team and I will be ready and off in ten minutes. Good day, Commander."

"Doctor." Nathan nodded. The screen closed, he sighed. "Damn civvies."

UNSC Eye of the Beholder, Hanger bay.
Gunnery Sergeant William Buck wondered who he had managed to piss off to be put posted on a Exploration Class Frigate when he should be on a more distant ship out in the outer colonies trying to get the last few pockets of the Insurrectionists cleaned out so that thorn in their side could stop digging deeper. But, that was not to be it seemed because he had been assigned to the Eye of the Beholder and now he was going to be leading the security detail for the eggheads being sent down to the iceball that was Pluto to scope out a possible seismic anomaly.

William didn't claim to be an expert on planet sized ice cubes, but when a coreless, plateless ball of ice suddenly started getting earthquakes, then maybe it was worth checking out if not for the science sakes. Least that was probably the reasoning that the UNSC was thinking since they sent only one ship to check it out.

He slapped on his helmet and checked his MA5D, he slid a magazine of Armor Piercing rounds and the ammo-counter flashed to a full and sweet 32. He racked the bolt and checked the other seven members of the security detail as they too loaded their MA5D and M6C sidearms. They were going down light, since no contact was expected and the security detail was more or less just a gesture of good will rather than a real necessity.

His helmet com crackled to life and the Commander's voice spoke into his ear. "Sergeant. Your team ready?"

William glanced at his team, they looked ready. "Yes sir, we're ready to get boots on ice. What about our team of eggheads?" he replied.

"They'll be down shortly. Don't let them slip and sprain an ankle."

William had to smile at that remark. "No promises sir." he said. And with that, the doors to the hanger opened and in marched a dozen people in airtight suits, holding various cases probably full of gear and reading equipment for whatever it is they were going to do down there. The leader of the group was the redheaded doctor he knew as Valerie Asuka.

She approached his team of marines, who were all suited up for vacuum in combat suits. "You ready?" she asked him.

"Five minutes ready now, ma'am." William replied with a nod. She nodded, told them to hop onto Pelican Two while she and her team rode down on Pelican One. "Yes, Ma'am." He rolled his eyes, civvies… you give them a job and they suddenly think they run the show. He turned to his team. "Piles into Pelican Two, double time!"

"Sir!" they chorused and rushed over into the hold of the second Pelican, which spun their engines up to prepare for lift off.

His team took their seats. He by the door, his second in command, a Sergeant Carl Holden. Bright young kid, only twenty-one and a sergeant, bright future in the Navy for kids like him. Bit brash through. A moment later, the Pelican shuddered as they were released into vacuum and then began to descend down groundside.

The ride was quiet and lasted only five minutes before they felt the tug of gravity, Pluto, while not a planet, had the mass for its gravitational field. The Pelican shuddered again, the pilots voice came over the com. "Alright, touchdown. Please watch that first step, gets icy out there!" there was a grin in the words.

The Gunny wondered how many Ice puns they're have to suffer during this trip. The ramp lowered. "Go! Go! Go!" He ordered his team. They shouldered their rifles and in two file lines stepped off the Pelican onto the ice laden ground, the temperature dropped could be felt through their suits and their internal systems increased the temperature to compensate. Their weapons swept the darkness, beside them, the second Pelican was also open and the science team stepped out, their helmets lighting with their own flashlights.

He opened a com to the doctor. "Ma'am, have your team stick close to ours." He turned to said team, "Ramirez, Vasquez. You two get to watch our asses." The pair nodded. "Tanner, you and Holden get the right side of the eggheads. Vickers and Boralis, you get left." The four accepted the orders, that left himself and York taking point. They moved over to the science team and together the twenty individuals moved across the darkened surface away from the Pelicans.

The small hike lasted four miles before finally, Asuka said to him. "This will do, Sergeant."

"Yes, ma'am." He replied, giving the hold signal with a fist. He scanned the area, they had descended into a large crater, the slope hadn't been steep, more like a slightly descent and now, they were at the bottom of it.

"Holden," William said. "Take Vickers and Vasquez and set up a perimeter around the camp."

"Sir!" Holden saluted, gestured to the other two and made off with them.

"Rest of you, help the eggheads set their gear up. Soon they get done, sooner we get back to the Eye." The Gunny said.

"Sir!"

And so, the Science team with the aid of the marines set their camp up in roughly ten minutes. Their air supply would last them five hours, four was their window. And as they finished setting up the last of the equipment, William would have wiped the sweat from his brow, but he was wearing a helmet and he didn't want to freeze to death, or choke, whichever came first here.

He stood on guard, MA5D held loosely in a relaxed position with its barrel to the ground. Flood lights had been set up to help visibility. The Pelicans were on standby, and up above? He could barely make out the Eye of the Beholder in orbit, he smiled up at the ship and did a small wave.

One of the scientists suddenly called out. "Doctor! Come here!" William turned to the commotion and saw Doctor Asuka rushing over to her colleague and looking intently at the screen of his terminal. She stepped back, looking surprised, which for the normally stoic doctor was more amazed. William walked over.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She looked at him. "Its feint, but… there's a heat build-up in the ice." She replied, tone thoughtful. Her eyes were focused on some distant goal now, likely thinking over what that would mean. A heat build up? On a coreless ball of ice? Impossible.

William wasn't sure what this all meant, but it showed there was more to Pluto than met the eye. "What does that mean?"

"It means something is heating the ice up." Asuka turned to her colleague. "How deep did the scans detect the heat increase?" she asked now.

"Ten kilometres, maximum depth range." He paused, then said. "We'd need drilling equipment shipped down to get a deeper reading."

She nodded, considering the option. The Gunny stepped forward, "Ma'am, remember our window. To get a drilling set up down here would take most, if not all, of our four hour window." he informed her. "I suggest we get what we can now, then make a second trip."

"Noted." She dismissed him, still looking thoughtful.

That irked him, but he held his tongue. She was in charge, he offered his advice and his job was to ensure security, not fret over her decisions. He turned to his team, then his com crackled and it was Holden who spoke. "Sir, perimeter swept, nothing. Its dead out here." a pause. "Making our way back now."

"Right, good work." William replied. He moved away from the eggheads and opted to back to his original post. Then, there was a slightly tremor beneath his boots, making him blink and glance downwards, it was slightly, but he felt it. He looked to the others. "Anyone else feel that?" he asked.

Asuka looked at him, frowning. "Yes, Sergeant. I felt it too." the various scientists gave their assent that they felt it. "Johnson, get me a reading, what cause that?!" she called over to another of her team. The man hastily typed, then, he shrugged. He didn't know. "Then find out." she said.

He snapped to it.

William raised his foot, then stomped it once. He paused, then the tremor returned and this time it was more defined, some of the equipment clattered, he raised his weapon on instinct to the unknown situation. "What the hell?" he muttered.

"Find me a reason for this, Johnson." Asuka ordered,

"Working on it, Doctor!"

The tremor happened again, this time it lasted longer, two seconds the ice beneath their feet rumbled and in the distance a soft "snap" echoed out. The marines turned and raised their weapons, expecting… something. William included. He frowned.

"Doctor!" the first scientist called. "The heat build up, its increasing rapidly!" He reported. Asuka rushed over to his side again, ordering him to show her the data. He did so, "See? Its climbing!"

William frowned deeper. "Alright, I'm calling the Pelicans, Pack up your gear. We're dusting off as soon as Holden, Vasquez and Vickers returns." he said, raising a hand to his com. "Pelican Two and One, do you-"

The tremor turned into a ground terrible shudder, the ice beneath his feet groaned and in the distance, another loud snap was heard, it carried on for a mile. The ice shifted again and when he looked down the ice creaked, then with a hiss became littered in fractures. He stayed still, as if the tiniest step would shatter the very ground beneath him.

"Temperature spike! Its rising again!" The man stood, "Doctor, we have to go! The temperature rising as this rate could very well flash vaporize the center of Pluto!"

That seemed to make Asuka pause, then nod, "Save what equipment you can!" She ordered, turning to William. "Sergeant, tell your men to hurry, we have to go!"

"Ma'am!" William com'd his second in Command again. "Holden, double time, it now!" he barked.

"Sir, on it sir! We're getting some weird tremors out here!"

"I know! That's why you double time your ass here, Now!" The Gunny turned and ordered his men to help the eggheads gather their gear for the Pelicans. He looked at the ground, and then… five meters to right, the ground groaned loudly, then with a loud snap the ice split open with enough force that resulting tremor shook the team onto their asses, the "crack" grew, spread and the surrounding ice fragmented, falling into the growing chasm. And then, steam shot up into the air.

The ground around them grew unstable as large cracks formed around them. William stood, turned to them. "Go! Run!" he grabbed his rifle, then said. "Now!" forgetting the gear entirely, the marines and scientists broke into runs away from the chasm that continued to spread. They ran for all they were worth. He risked a glance over his shoulder.

The chasm was now easily over a mile long and growing wider as steam continued to hiss out like an angry huff of air. The ice around it cracked and fell down into the chasm… and then larger fragments, the ground began to collapse into the steam filled maw. He turned back ahead and spotted the other three he sent out. They ran alongside him. The group of twenty moved, but the eggheads were getting tired.

"Pelican one and two! We need immediate pick-up! Right now, activating our transponders!" William shouted into the com.

"Roger, moving now. Be there in two minutes."

"You got one!" The Gunnery Sergeant growled. And then, as if fate decided it didn't like them. Ahead by twenty five meters. Another crack hissed steam and expanded with explosive force, they stumbled, but didn't lose their footing this time… but they were cut off now. He grit his teeth as the piece of ice they were on began to subtly sink downwards.

The scientists began to panic, the marines? They held their tongues, looking to the air for the birds and silently praying. The Gunnery Sergeant looked around, a tremor tore ground again and to their left, the ice split open. They moved away from it as quickly as they could. "Come on… come on." William whispered.

"Ground team, this is Pelican one. I see you, coming in now!" to the east, two spotlights shined down on them. The two Pelicans descended downwards, their engines roar drowned out by the massive geysers of the steam around them. The first Pelican hovered down, opening its ramp. The scientists piled into it, the second hovered as well, its ramp lowered.

"Onto the bird, Marines! We're dusting off!" William shouted.

His marines stepped onto the second Pelican, then, the ground split again with another powerful hiss of steam… two feet behind him, the force of the blast was enough to send the pelican jerked up and forward, klaxons blared, the second lifted off hastily, knocking Doctor Asuka off the ramp and onto the ice, which began to tilt upwards, slanting the surface of the large fractured ice.

She screamed into the com she hit the ice and began to slide down, finding no holds to catch. William turned, seeing her, he grit his teeth. "Shit!" he dropped his MA5D and stepped back. "I'm going for her!"

"What?!" The pilot gasped.

William got a running start, and he leapt. He saw the ice coming, he hit it with a pained groan and began to slide downwards after her on his belly, turning around so he was facing down he slid like an armored penguin after her. "Doctor, try to slow your fall! kick the ice with your boot heals, try to dig in!" he spoke through the com.

"I'm trying!" she replied, obviously frightened, her arms flailed slightly, the gap into the chasm was fast approaching. He grit his teeth and used his hands to increase his speed. Soon, he was gaining.

Fifty seven meters and they'd be lost. He grit his teeth, she was a meter away, they were forty meters to death. She grew closer, then, he took her hand. "Hang on!" He shouted, rolling onto his back he drew his combat knife and with a jerk rammed it into the ice with a vice grip. The blade jerked, his shoulder popped and he cried out as the knife slid across the ice, leaving a shallow scar, slowing them, Thirty meters. "Pelican two, where the hell are you?!" he shouted into the com.

"Right here!" the Pelican descend edbeside them, overtaking them and the lowered ramp went down, scraping against the ice in front of them. William let the knife go and they slid onto the ramp, the marines pulled them inside and it closed. The Pelican lifted up and away from the surface.

Doctor Asuka panted, her chest rising and falling so rapidly he stared a moment, then his shoulder lanced with pain and he grit his teeth. "Shit!" he held it and looked to the others. They were all there. "What the hell was that?" he asked no one in particular.

No one replied to him. Each strapping themselves in for the ride back to Eye of the Beholder. When they reached the Frigate, the Pelicans landed and the ramps lowered, the teams climbed out onto the hanger deck.

William stood, looking to Asuka. He offered her a hand, "Doctor." he said. She looked up at him, eyes still wild with adrenaline and fear, she nodded, took his hand and he lifted her up to her feet. They got off the Pelican, looking around as crews checked the damages to the birds, which looked fine.

"Doctor Asuka to the bridge. Commander's orders." The coms Officer's voice came over to the intercom system.

"Shall I escort you, doctor?" William asked, looking at her. She nodded, and they made their way to the bridge as quickly as they could walk. The reached the lift, walked down two halls and finally they reached the doors to the bridge. They paused at the doors when William realised something.

They were still holding hands.

"Sorry, ma'am," he said, untangling his hand from hers. She took hers back as well, their faces colored slightly. His tan complexion to her paler one. Blushing, they entered the bridge and William snapped off a salute to the Commander. "Commander, sir!"

The Commander didn't address him, instead just stared ahead at the viewing monitors. William and Asuka followed his gaze. Their eyes widened.

Pluto was on the screen. Across its surface chasms appeared and spread, fracturing entire large island sized chunk of ice across its surface as large geysers of steam filled the air around it, the piece broke up, swallowed by connected chasms soon after.

Before their eyes. Pluto broke apart.

End of Prologue

Well, there it is. The prologue to the new In Infinitum. Now, be so kind as to leave some feedback in the form of a review and/or follow/fav! Questions? PM me or ask in a review and I shall answer. Same with suggestions. Now, I will not be posting any new chapters for awhile, i'm currently typing a few of them before I start posting them on a hopefully weekly basis so I don't suffer a lack of ideas or pressure. That said, thanks for reading.