Chapter 267: "Neptune" - Sudden Incident

March 26th.

Near-Earth orbit around Reach, inside the orbital space station directly above New Alexandria:

"All passengers preparing to board the Neptune, please proceed to Dock 13 immediately. The Neptune will close its gates in 15 minutes. I repeat..."

The station's hall echoed with announcements from the PA system.

UNSC Marines, equipped with MA-series rifles and wearing non-exoskeletal infantry armor, stood guard at security checkpoints and elevator entrances, some patrolling in groups of three.

Tourists dressed in a variety of styles followed holographic signs directing them to their respective destinations.

Among them were Ryan, Mike, and Maggie Shaw (Queen Maeve), all dressed in casual clothes. Their luggage had already been checked in, and they were now heading toward Dock 13 as instructed by the broadcast.

As for Chris and his special operations team, along with over a dozen colleagues, Soldier Boy, and Homelander, they were boarding other flights, preparing to head to Earth, which was "only" ten light-years from Reach.

The reasoning was simple: gathering everyone in one place increased the risk of exposure, so it was better to split up and regroup on Earth later.

A short while later.

Ryan, Mike, and Maggie arrived at Dock 13. Using the forged identities created by Cortana and the legitimately purchased tickets, they passed the final inspection by the crew and entered the boarding bridge leading to the ship.

As they walked down the bridge, Ryan glanced out the observation windows, taking in the sight of the Neptune cruise ship and the surrounding dock.

The dock was similar in scale and style to the space cities built by the company in the main universe, connected directly to outer space. The environment was low temperature, low pressure, and filled with harmful radiation.

Civilian, commercial, and military ships alike docked here, assisted by large mechanical arms.

The retractable bridges of varying sizes provided the ideal pathways for unloading cargo or allowing passengers to board and disembark.

At this moment, as he gazed at the Neptune, Ryan couldn't help but squint slightly.

He had an inexplicable feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Perhaps it was because of his long history of vehicles encountering unexpected problems.

During vacations, his privately purchased car was frequently involved in accidents—sometimes just minor scratches, but other times it was flipped by other vehicles.

On the job, the company-provided investigator vehicles were slightly better, thanks to armor protection and the ability to switch to anti-gravity mode.

Though Ryan wasn't superstitious, the number of incidents had made him increasingly sensitive to such situations.

"What's the matter, my old friend?"

At this point, Mike noticed Ryan's serious expression and joked:

"Are you worried about getting seasick? No worries, I totally get it."

"No." Ryan shook his head slightly, indicating that everything was fine.

"No?" Mike feigned seriousness, wrapping an arm around Ryan's shoulder and teasing:

"Is it that the number 13 isn't lucky? Do you think... something bad might happen on this trip? Hmm?"

"Stop being a jinx," Ryan muttered, elbowing Mike in the ribs.

"Ow—you're really going for it, huh."

Mike winced, letting go of Ryan's shoulder.

Meanwhile, Maggie, significantly younger than the two, looked at them with mild exasperation.

In terms of seniority, both Ryan and Mike could be considered legendary investigators. In terms of experience, Maggie couldn't hope to compare.

But that didn't stop her from mentally rolling her eyes at their banter.

Still, it was this lighthearted attitude from Ryan and Mike that had helped Maggie, since joining the Investigation Department and entering the Halo universe, maintain a steady mindset during covert operations and combat.

Soon, the three of them crossed the bridge and entered the interior of the Neptune.

A uniformed attendant, whose outfit flattered their figure, led them to a large suite with three bedrooms.

Before leaving the room, the attendant smiled and followed protocol, saying:

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Neptune is the newest, fastest, and smoothest civilian cruise ship to date.

During your voyage, our buffet restaurant offers complimentary service 24/7, though the supermarket requires payment for purchases.

In addition, the ship's entertainment areas are also open 24/7, but we ask that you strictly follow the safety regulations and the instructions of our security personnel.

If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask me or my colleagues.

Lastly, thank you for choosing Oceanic Airways, and we wish you a pleasant journey."

With that, the attendant clasped their hands in front of their stomach, gave a slight bow to Ryan, Mike, and Maggie, and left the suite.

Swoosh—

The automatic door closed, leaving the three of them alone in the room.

Mike tossed his backpack onto the couch, then flopped onto it himself, lying back with his hands behind his head, gazing up at the metal ceiling with satisfaction:

"Ah, finally some rest. I'm going to take a nap."

"I'm going to check out the supermarket."

Maggie put her bag away, grabbed her plastic ticket, and also left the suite.

Ryan said nothing. He walked over to the chair by the window, sat down, and stared out at the docking bay.

Although it seemed like only he and Mike were in the room, Ryan wasn't about to discuss anything work-related.

Who knew if the room had hidden listening devices or surveillance equipment?

The current state of the UNSC was at its limit in terms of tolerating rebel forces, and those rebels often resorted to terrorist attacks that harmed civilians.

As a result, the UNSC and UEG had little regard for civilians' privacy rights, using any means necessary to prevent rebel threats.

It was a common practice to place listening devices and cameras in civilian cruise ship cabins.

Moreover, the Neptune was the newest ship in the fleet, carrying many wealthy and influential families, all under UNSC protection.

With this in mind, Ryan could only shake his head in weary resignation.

Without a unified enemy, humanity would always fall into internal conflict.

Before long.

Ryan noticed the view outside the sealed window slowly shifting, indicating that the Neptune had disengaged from the bridge and was gradually departing the dock.

Soon, the dark void of space and the aurora-covered surface of Reach came into view.

Then, the outside scene was replaced by the swirling blue glow of the slipspace corridor.

This meant that the Neptune had entered slipspace, en route to Earth, ten light-years away.

"Dear passengers, this is Captain Robert Ramsay of the Neptune," the broadcast came on, introducing the captain's voice:

"Our ship will travel at a speed of approximately three light-years per Earth day and is expected to arrive at Earth's near-Earth orbit on March 30th.

During the journey, you are welcome to enjoy the ship's free entertainment and delicious meals and desserts. Our entire crew is here to provide the best possible service.

Please follow the safety regulations so that we can all have a pleasant and safe trip. Thank you for your cooperation."

"Safety regulations, meaning don't wander around too much... I'm not interested anyway," Mike muttered after hearing the captain's announcement, still lounging on the couch.

Ryan merely shrugged and didn't respond to his friend's remark.

After glancing at the vibrant colors of slipspace outside the window, he got up from his chair and headed to the bathroom.

It seemed like Ryan was planning to freshen up a bit before heading to the bedroom for a good night's sleep.

——

Twenty-four hours later.

In the Neptune's upper-level buffet restaurant:

The ceiling here was six meters high, filled with hundreds of passengers. Instead of a dull metal ceiling, there was a panoramic skylight, which provided both security and insulation.

The shimmering light from slipspace filtered through the skylight, combining with the greenery, soft lighting, and calming music, offering passengers a unique and pleasant experience.

Security personnel, equipped with stun guns, stood at the entrances and corners of the restaurant, maintaining order.

In reality, the Neptune also had a UNSC Marine platoon aboard, ensuring the cruise ship's safety.

This was because most of the Neptune's passengers were from near-Earth colonies or Earth itself, including many wealthy families and government officials.

If the Neptune encountered any issues caused by rebels, it would be more than just "embarrassing" for the UNSC and UEG.

If passengers became hostages, the UNSC and UEG would be forced into negotiations with the rebels.

However...

"Haha! Come on, hurry!"

"Slow down, wait for me!"

Children, unaware of political or military conflicts, played in the lobby outside the restaurant.

Their noise wasn't enough to disrupt the passengers' dining experience.

Among those dining were Ryan, Mike, and Maggie, seated near the edge of the restaurant.

"Burp~"

Mike, having cleared his plate, let out a loud belch. Leaning back in his chair, he looked up at the slipspace view through the skylight and remarked:

"Say what you want, but this view alone makes the ticket price worth it."

"…"

Ryan frowned slightly, clearly not agreeing.

The investigators' funds were all provided by the company, but Ryan felt the Neptune's ticket prices were exorbitantly high.

However, the identities Cortana had arranged for the three of them in the Halo universe portrayed them as coming from wealthy families, so their actions and words had to align with these fake backgrounds.

In reality, Ryan was all business, and he couldn't shake the feeling that the Neptune's one-way ticket prices were ridiculously steep.

Converted to military resources, one

 ticket could buy 240 rounds of 8mm Gauss needle rounds.

Maybe it was the relatively low, reasonable prices in the company's main universe that gave Ryan a sense of "sticker shock."

If the Neptune were a company ship, families of all social classes would likely be able to afford it.

After all, Atlas was built on the principle of "common prosperity."

Maggie, on the other hand, was focused entirely on eating, showing no interest in discussing ticket prices with Mike and Ryan.

After a brief pause.

Mike turned to Maggie and asked, "Hey, have you ever thought about finding a boyfriend? You're not getting any younger."

"Me?" Maggie, who had just finished a plate of dumplings, looked a bit stunned.

Then she shook her head and replied, "Why would I need a boyfriend? Isn't it nice to be free?"

Maggie wasn't lying—she really had no interest in finding a boyfriend.

Besides, even if she did want to, it was hard to imagine anyone who could "keep up" with her, so there were few men who caught her attention.

As for women...

At this point in the timeline, Maggie hadn't suffered the torment and intimidation by Homelander like she had in The Boys series, so her orientation remained normal, with no interest in women.

"Let's stop talking about all this nonsense," Ryan interjected, "Worry about yourself first, my old friend."

"What, are you jealous—"

Mike was about to retort when his expression suddenly changed. His gaze locked onto the restaurant's entrance.

Because the security personnel at the entrance were in a heated argument with three UNSC Marines.

?

Mike's body immediately tensed, becoming alert.

Ryan and Maggie quickly turned to look at the entrance as well.

Just as they shifted their focus, the three Marines raised their rifles and aimed them at the security personnel trying to intervene.

Then—

Ratatat!

The deafening sound of gunfire filled the restaurant.

Thud! Thud!

The bodies of the security personnel, their heads pierced and shattered by rifle bullets, collapsed to the ground with a sickening sound.

"Oh my God!"

"Help! Help!"

The sudden violence threw the passengers into a state of panic. Many fled from their seats, trying to escape through the emergency exits.

However, just as the security guards unlocked the doors and began ushering the passengers to safety, two more Marines entered through the now-open airlock, shooting the remaining security personnel in the back.

One Marine even jumped onto a dining table, pointing his gun at the crowd and shouting:

"If you don't want to die, stay quiet!"

"Hands up! Get on the ground!"

"Move it! Don't make us shoot!"

"And don't even think about trying anything. Out here, no one's going to save you!"

The Marines quickly took control of the passengers, as well as the ship's crew and attendants.

Ryan, Mike, and Maggie also complied with the Marines' orders, raising their hands and getting on the ground.

For now, the three of them decided to observe the situation before taking any action.

After all, while the three of them could easily take down the Marines, it would likely result in innocent casualties.

Additionally, they were still trying to figure out why the Marines had suddenly "turned rogue."

Had rebels infiltrated the UNSC Marines?

Or had the rebels somehow persuaded this platoon stationed on the Neptune to defect?

As these thoughts raced through Ryan's mind, he noticed that the shimmering light on the carpet had suddenly disappeared, leaving only the soft interior lighting to illuminate the restaurant.

Looking up at the skylight, he realized that the slipspace corridor had been replaced by the dark expanse of real space.

This meant the Neptune had been forcibly pulled out of slipspace, likely arriving in a star system controlled by the rebels.

_________________________

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