Debrief and Doubts

The roar of the ship's engines faded as the landing ramp slowly lowered, the dull thud of metal hitting the hangar floor echoing through the bay. The mercenary stepped out first, his rifle slung across his back, body aching from the mission's strain. Alyssa followed closely behind, her face set in a mask of exhaustion, though her eyes still flickered with that sharp intensity that never seemed to fade.

Lachlan, of course, was the last to disembark. He strolled down the ramp like it was a casual afternoon, his helmet tucked under his arm and a lazy grin spread across his face.

"Well, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Lachlan said, his voice echoing off the walls of the ONI hangar. He gave the ship a once-over before turning to the mercenary and Alyssa. "Could've been worse. You know, minus the giant alien with the glowing sword and the whole 'artifact might be trying to fry your brains' bit."

Alyssa shot him a look, somewhere between annoyance and amusement. "You call that 'not so bad'?"

"Mate, you've clearly never had a drop go sideways in the outer colonies. Trust me, this was a walk in the park." Lachlan leaned against a nearby crate, his grin widening as he surveyed the sterile hangar with an air of nonchalance. "Though I reckon ONI's debrief is gonna be a bit of a slog. They love their paperwork."

The mercenary said nothing, his mind already racing ahead to the inevitable debriefing. ONI would want answers—about the mission, about the artifact, about everything. But there were still too many questions swirling in his head. The system had quieted since they left Phaethon, but he could still feel its presence lurking in the background, waiting.

Alyssa sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Let's get this over with."

They made their way through the winding corridors of the ONI facility, the harsh lights overhead casting long shadows on the cold, metallic walls. Every step echoed, a reminder of the sterile, calculated world they operated in—where people were assets, and missions were just numbers on a spreadsheet.

As they approached the debriefing room, the mercenary couldn't shake the growing sense of unease. The artifact. The energy. The system's malfunction when he touched it. Something about the mission had gone deeper than the standard covert op. He felt like he was on the edge of something he couldn't quite grasp, but the weight of it pressed down on him all the same.

Commander Tate was already waiting for them when they entered the room, his sharp eyes locking onto the group with the cold precision of someone used to dealing in secrets and lies. His gaze lingered on Lachlan for a moment, clearly sizing him up before flicking back to the mercenary and Alyssa.

"Report," Tate said, his voice clipped and devoid of emotion.

Alyssa took the lead, giving a precise, methodical breakdown of the mission—the infiltration, the discovery of the Forerunner artifact, the Covenant resistance, and the Hunter they encountered on the way out. She left out the part about the artifact's effect on the mercenary, though, a fact that didn't go unnoticed.

"And the artifact?" Tate asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Alyssa exchanged a brief glance with the mercenary before responding. "Secured for transport. It's en route now."

Tate nodded, his expression unreadable. "Good. ONI will handle the rest from here." He paused, his gaze shifting to the mercenary. "And you? Any unusual experiences during the mission?"

The question hung in the air, heavy and pointed. The mercenary could feel Alyssa's eyes on him, waiting to see how he would respond. He knew Tate was fishing for something. ONI always had a way of knowing when there was more to a story, but the truth was, he didn't fully understand what had happened back on Phaethon himself.

"Nothing I couldn't handle," the mercenary said evenly, his tone flat.

Tate studied him for a moment longer, then nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer. "Very well. You're dismissed. Rest up—we'll have new assignments soon."

Lachlan gave a mock salute, his grin never faltering. "Always a pleasure, Commander."

Tate didn't even acknowledge him as they left the room.

Once they were back in the hallway, Lachlan let out a low whistle. "Well, that bloke's a real charmer, eh? Does he always talk like he's about to sell you insurance?"

Alyssa shot him a sideways glance. "Tate's just doing his job."

"Yeah, but could he at least try to act like we didn't just pull off a bloody miracle back there?" Lachlan replied with a laugh. "I mean, we tangoed with a Hunter, danced around Covenant patrols, and you"—he pointed at the mercenary—"touched something that nearly turned you into a kebab. But sure, let's keep everything 'by the book.'"

The mercenary didn't respond. He was still turning over Tate's question in his mind, wondering if he should have told ONI more. Should he have mentioned the system's malfunction? The visions he saw when he touched the artifact?

But the thought of ONI knowing more about the system sent a chill through him. They didn't need to know. Not yet.

Alyssa glanced at him, her expression softening. "You okay?"

He nodded, though he didn't feel okay. There were too many unknowns swirling in his mind, and the weight of it was becoming harder to ignore.

"You know," Lachlan said, breaking the silence as they headed toward the crew quarters, "if you ever need a bit of a break from the whole 'brooding mercenary' routine, I'm happy to grab a drink. Trust me, mate, nothing clears the head like a bit of whiskey."

Alyssa rolled her eyes, but there was a faint smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "You don't quit, do you?"

Lachlan shrugged. "Life's too short to be serious all the time. Especially in this line of work."

The mercenary remained quiet, but he could feel the tension between him and Alyssa easing, if only a little. Lachlan's lighthearted approach was starting to chip away at the constant grimness of their situation, and while it was a strange contrast to everything they'd been through, it wasn't unwelcome.

When they finally reached the crew quarters, Lachlan gave them both a nod. "Well, I'm off to find the mess hall. Haven't eaten since that lovely little drop onto Phaethon." He gave them a wink before disappearing down the corridor, his voice echoing as he left. "Catch you lot later!"

Alyssa sighed, watching him go. "He's... something else."

The mercenary smirked. "Yeah. But he's useful."

Alyssa nodded, her smile fading as she turned to face him. "About what happened back there… with the artifact. Are you sure you're okay?"

He hesitated, the weight of her question lingering in the air. He could feel the system pulsing faintly in the back of his mind, its presence a constant reminder that something had changed. But what could he say? That he wasn't sure if he was still entirely himself? That the system was pushing him in ways he didn't fully understand?

"I'm fine," he said, though the words felt hollow. "We did what we had to do."

Alyssa studied him for a moment, then nodded, though he could see the doubt in her eyes. "Just... don't shut me out, okay? We're a team."

He met her gaze, the sincerity in her voice cutting through the haze of uncertainty. "I won't."

She gave him a small smile, then turned to head toward her quarters. "Get some rest. Something tells me we're not done with this artifact yet."

As she walked away, the mercenary stood alone in the hallway, the quiet hum of the facility surrounding him. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, the system's presence an ever-looming shadow.

He had survived the mission. They had secured the artifact. But the deeper he went into this world of secrets and shadows, the more he realized that survival was just the beginning.