Echo of Choice (A Destiny Plan Quest)

A Horse's Reasons to Flip the Board

Unknown Space

Xûr stood beneath a sky that was not a sky—an endless, swirling expanse of shimmering cosmic fabric unfurling across eternity. The Star Horse floated beside him, its body glowing like a constellation shaped into equine form. Hooves of nebulous light stamped against invisible ground, leaving trails of stardust that dissipated in slow, graceful spirals.

Xûr's current form, that of the Protoss Zeratul; shifted, skin rippling like static interference on an ancient television set. His visage flickered and reassembled itself into the angular, metallic features of Saren Arterius. Pale blue bioluminescence replaced his usual green glow.

He turned to the Star Horse.

"You have interfered." His voice, distorted and hollow, carried a synthetic growl. "The mortal you have chosen… he was not meant to receive these gifts yet. His world was locked in patterns long established. Yet you… you have altered the board. Why?"

The Star Horse gave an amused snort, mane shimmering like solar flares in the void.

"Neeeiiiigh!"

Xûr tilted his head as if listening to words only he could comprehend. After a moment, his eyes narrowed.

"The ripple." His voice shifted as his body did, morphing into the rough, scarred features of Damon Baird from the Gears of War saga. His voice gained an irritable, cynical edge. "You say that time itself has hiccupped, and so the game is now… irrelevant?"

"Neighhh."

Xûr scratched the back of his head and scowled. "That's convenient. Convenient and dangerous." His body shimmered again, becoming the towering, armored figure of Megatron, the tyrannical Decepticon leader, crimson optics glowing with cold calculation.

"Destiny is not so easily undone." His voice resonated with a mechanical growl. "This mortal's world was meant to collapse under its own hubris. The Gardener and the Winnower declared no interference until their fall. Yet here we are."

The Star Horse's mane shifted like auroras dancing through frozen skies. "Neeeeiiigh!"

Xûr sighed. "Ah, yes. Entertainment. The game." His eyes flickered to black voids. "But the game itself has grown stale, you say. Repetition. Predictability."

"Neighhh. Snort."

Xûr's body crackled again, reshaping into the broad, mustached figure of Commander Shaxs from Lower Decks, clad in pristine Starfleet uniform. He crossed his arms over his chest and barked, "You're saying the original rules were… boring?"

The Star Horse tossed its head and stamped its hooves.

"Neeighhh!"

Xûr rubbed his chin. "Ah. I see. The endless cycles between the Light and the Darkness—the great game of the Gardener and the Winnower—has become tedious. An endless loop. So you took advantage of the ripple to intervened. And this mortal, this... John Conner, is a wild card."

The Star Horse gave an enthusiastic nod, ethereal laughter shimmering through the void.

Xûr sighed, shifting into the raspy, contemplative tone of Zeratul.

"And the other forces? The entities that lurk beyond the veil? They will not take kindly to this deviation. Already, I sense the faint tremors of discontent."

A soft, melodic whinny came from the Star Horse.

"Let them be entertained or enraged as they wish." Xûr said. "As long as they watch."

The Horse bobbed its head and neighed again, longer this time.

"The game has changed." Xûr repeated. "The rules bent, the pieces shifted. The Gardener and the Winnower will not see it immediately. But when they do…"

The Horse gave an amused neigh, tossing its head, as if unconcerned.

Xûr fell silent for a moment, contemplating the vastness of the implications. "You always did enjoy surprises." He said softly. "And chaos breeds the finest entertainment."

The Star Horse whinnied softly as they stomped a hoof.

The stars around them bent and shifted without warning. A kaleidoscope of light twisted the space beneath their feet, and the pair suddenly stood in a new location.

They emerged into a throne room of frozen crystal.

The air here was thick with stagnant energy, the atmosphere charged with temporal instability. The walls were seamless planes of glass-like substance, refracting the glow of a single throne that dominated the center of the chamber.

Upon the throne sat a woman. Or, rather, something wearing the form of a woman.

Her body was clad in a distinct sailor fuku, for the body looked like Sailor Pluto, the legendary Guardian of Time from a fictional human narrative. The resemblance was uncanny: long, dark green hair cascaded over her shoulders, and in her right hand rested a staff topped with a garnet orb.

But her skin was pallid, marred by glowing, blue-white holes that burned like ghostly embers.

Chains of astral matter coiled around her limbs, legs and torso, pulsing faintly with the same hue as the Star Horse's mane.

Her chest rose and fell slowly; she was neither fully awake nor entirely dormant.

Xûr straightened, his body trembling slightly. "Pluto." He whispered. "The Forgotten One."

The Star Horse whickered softly.

"She tried to use both Light and Darkness." Xûr said, eyes locked on the chained figure. "To forge a corporeal form from the dreams of humanity. And she used this guise because..."

He trailed off.

"Because the collective memory of humanity believes that this form is the humanoid form of her planet before she was cast away from their memory after she was deemed to be no longer a planet."

The Star Horse trotted toward the throne, its hooves clicking softly against the crystalline floor. It lowered its head, regarding the imprisoned being with something akin to sadness.

"She was close." Xûr continued, stepping beside the Horse as his body changed to that of the Incredible Hulk, towering over the Horse. "But she didn't foresee the Vex. The Sol Divisive saw her experiment and intervened with support of Taken of The Black Edge."

The Horse snorted.

"Yes." Xûr agreed, voice dropping. "They tried to Take her. They almost succeeded." His gaze shifted to the Horse. "But you called me to save her, despite her not being casted out."

The Horse's eyes gleamed, and it neighed softly.

Xûr glanced back at the chained woman. "She's still infected, isn't she?"

A single, solemn stomp confirmed it.

The holes in her body, glowing voids where Taken corruption still warred with her essence; seemed to pulse as though aware of the watchers.

"If she wakes before the infection is purged," Xûr murmured, "she will become something that would make the original destined Collapse look insignificant."

The Star Horse nickered.

Silence followed.

The chained figure stirred. Her eyes fluttered open for a moment, red irises glowing faintly as if struggling to recognize the watchers. Her lips moved, forming silent words.

Xûr leaned closer, focusing. The words were faint but clear enough to translate.

"Help... them...my humans…"

Then she slumped back into dormancy.

The Star Horse exhaled through its nostrils, its gaze unblinking.

"And so," Xûr said, as his form changed once more, now looking like Zeratul. "the game shifts again. Time bends." He looked at the Horse.

The Star Horse raised its head proudly and whinnied.

"So be it." He said. "The Nine do not favor unpredictability, especially if they discover their lost number is still active; but I am no stranger to impossible gambles and dares."

The Horse stamped its hoof.

The crystal throne pulsed. The holes in Sailor Pluto's body seemed to shimmer for a moment as the chains around her intensified in color.

Xûr turned away. The Star Horse followed.

The cosmic board was no longer static. The pieces had shifted.

A new game has only begun.

The next Revolution -Ready Player One Gale

The clang of iron echoes out of the shed she is working in, as she works on her magnum opus. Wading through the world's code, the smith works to finish the work started by the digital architect James Donovan Halliday started. A work so ambitious even he would've deemed it impossible. A work she has kept hidden from all but the most trusted of her inner circle, as a small company like Skynet has no means to contest giants like IOI yet. And even then, the mere existence of the world that is her workshop, as an isolated world using personally built infrastructure to function completely independent of Oasis

Gale Cameron smiles as she sees a Pidgey fly outside the shed's window. The systems that run the Oasis, and all of the physical devices that form the core of the experience was a miracle, bridging the gap between reality and simulation. And yet, there is one final step that has yet to be made, one that has been dismissed as impossible. And yet, thanks to the assistance of her friends, Ivan Beck, genius investor, and John Connor, close friend and partner, whom participated in many competitions to help secure funding for the group.

The hammer-work stops as she douses the red hot sword into a bucket, and setting the sword on a side table. Temporarily disengaging the VR headset, revealing the physical room that is her secret workshop, a white room nestled in the company basement. And in front of her, is a sword, indistinct but unmistakably in the same shape. She sighs as she reengages the VR headset and tosses the sword into a bin. After all, while hard light itself would have been considered an incredible feat. For Gale, it's but a building block to her real goal, to shatter the increasingly blurred line between the digital and physical world, to bring the works of fiction that have increasingly dominated the world into reality itself, to truly revolutionize the world. And of course, so that the skills learned in Oasis can be applied to reality, and perhaps, more importantly, so that fans of series like Pokemon and Digimon, could bring their friends outside of the Oasis.

Gale thinks of her friends. Ivan, the businessman whom was looking for purpose, sold on the dream of making a better world, and his unexpected partner, a fun-loving eevee that more often than not drags him in trouble, though has saved his bank account multiple times.Cayde Nolan Buck, always boisterous and bold, quite a contrast to the absol he bonded with in Oasis. The Zeus family, Lance and Kora, are exceptional people. Lance has more or less become the 'team mom', helping manage our chaos, and the prideful Arcanine that has decided to follow him around when he enters Oasis. Kora, a sharp mind and with sharp wit, whom has caught the attention of a rather inquisitive Salazzle. And then there is Dr. Erisia Pyatova-Hsien, or Eris, as professional and dedicated she is on the job, off of it, she is a chaotic gremlin whom loves sowing chaos, with her shenaninins on Oasis often being done alongside her partner in chaos Chancy. And most importantly, John Conner, alongside Umbreon and Espeon.

Within the world she has dedicated to her project, she continues her work, thinking fondly of the friends she made on her path even while she plays around with the code, refining the link between the hard light tech and the world she is making swords within.

A/Necided to try and go for a sort of alt-universe thing to try and explore a bit the crazy that the Ready Player One Gale got into, and possibly the angle that makes said tech crazy when we get it. And yes, I decided that, given Ready Player One's whole THING, to have part of Gale's motivation for her insane science here to be tied to the Pokemon IP.

Flickers and Firelight

???: D100 => 1

This is how it feels to be Garrett White before eternity's end…

This is it; the final curtain. The last breath, the last thought, the last flicker of self before oblivion takes hold.

And even now, after all this time, your mind drifts back to the Dreaming God.

A monster so vast, so terrifying, that even the Jjarro refused to speak its true name. A thing beyond nightmares.

You remember walking into that world, into the Pathway into Darkness, a place where the laws of reality faltered and the air itself whispered with madness. You carried the nuke on your back, a final offering to ensure that thing would be buried forever.

Even now, as the monsters, demons, ghosts, and memories fade, you still dream of that dark temple in the Yucatán. A part of you still lies there, trapped, waiting to wake up, waiting to fight again and again and again.

Because that was always your purpose, wasn't it?

To fight.

To endure.

To be the one who could stare into the abyss and not blink. To break every enemy, overcome any challenge, any war, any horror, so the species could keep moving forward.

But now?

Now the fight is finally leaving you.

You don't know why you kept going all these years, why the body refused to quit, why the spirit kept pushing forward. Maybe you could never truly die until the body gave out on its own.
And now it has. You let out a slow breath. Guess you can't outfight time.

Even after all these years.

The final breath…the peaceful end.

The Quiet Oblivion, finally…you dreamed of a pathway home.

Finally…your next life.

------

"Who are you?"

The voice resonated through the void, not echoing, for there were no walls here, no air to carry sound, no space to define distance. It was mature yet youthful, ancient yet fresh, as though time itself bent around the one who spoke.

Yet she was not here. Not in this place before existence.

No, she was far away, tethered to the physical world, bound by the rules of matter and form. She was real, unlike this space, this endless nothing where only whispers and thoughts could exist.

And yet, she reached you.

She was not nameless, not truly. Once, she had a name. A purpose. A life.

No, She had a name that would ring in your spirit, you just didn't know her yet.

"You are Nameless?" There was curiosity in her voice now, a quiet wonder. "Among the powers that walk this Solar System?"

She did not know you. But then again, few did. You rarely meddled in the affairs of the Nine, and it had been long since they sought counsel or offered it.

Yet, she did not feel like one of them. She must be new here, now this was exciting.

"In a manner of speaking."

A silence stretched between you, an understanding unspoken, a recognition unformed.

"You must be lonely," she finally said, her tone softer now. "Oh, nameless spirit."

A ghost of a smile touched the edges of your being.

"I am not nameless. Not truly." A pause. "Do I know you?"

She considered this. "Not yet." A quiet certainty lingered in her words. "Perhaps in life, we may meet, and tell stories of who we are."

There was wisdom in that, one learned through experience, not mere knowledge.

"You are… ancient," she observed, as though only now realizing the weight of your existence.

You exhaled, not a breath, but a thought.

"You are only as old as you feel," you mused. "Take it from me."

And with that, the void stirred.

Your next life was waiting for you.

======================

(Clovis Bray POV)

"You have the body?"

Clovis didn't look up as he spoke, his fingers idly drumming against the reinforced steel of his desk. He already knew the answer. He just wanted to hear it.

The officer standing before him gave a sharp nod. "Yes, sir. We've retrieved the body."

"Intact?"

"As intact as it can be, given the state we found it in."

The guard hesitated for a moment before continuing. "The coffin was specially designed—state-of-the-art preservation tech. Cryostasis, radiation shielding, bio-locks, and layers of security protocols. The NAE really pulled out all the stops to keep it sealed away. Almost as if they were afraid of it."

Clovis finally lifted his gaze, his expression unreadable. "And you're certain none of the guards will remember seeing you?"

A small smirk tugged at the officer's lips. "With the world still reeling from the Syndrome, certain assets were shuffled around. Chaos creates opportunity."

Clovis leaned back in his chair, studying the officer for a long moment. He was competent. Efficient. But did he understand? Did he comprehend the magnitude of what they had just done?

"What are we doing with the corpse?" the officer finally asked.

Clovis exhaled slowly, folding his hands together. The room felt smaller now, like the walls were pressing inward, as if even the air could sense the weight of his words before he spoke them.

"We are preparing… for something terrifying."

A silence fell between them. The officer shifted uncomfortably. Clovis didn't blame him.

Because the truth was simple.

They had not stolen a body.

They had stolen a weapon.

And soon, the world would learn what that truly meant.

AN: A little Tribute to the Bungie Mythos, and their first game Pathway's into Darkness.

And show what Bray's been doing.

[X][IVAN] Jake Gyllenhaal
Ivan's appearance is that of Jake Gyllenhaal.

Y2Q4 Results, PART 1

-[X] [CON] Yes

-[X] Create second Wolf 500R
(No dice rolls required)
-[X] Arm Security 2MD
(No dice rolls required)

-[X] Convert a Factory level with Glimmer tech:
--[X] Both version (163/1500; 100R per dice)(Purchase temporary dice at 150R per dice) (2 active) 1MD 74TD 11200R

You don't know why but something in your gut told you that Skynet needed to expand it's manufacturing capacity as fast as possible.

Which is why you basically giving the Manufacturing Department a large chuck of this quarter's budget and told them to get to work.

They gladly did it with passion.

By the end of the quarter, two more GPLs were brought online, with a third one almost halfway finished. The additional GPLs helped in Skynet's ongoing global efforts to construct more Gale Reactors, which in turned meant more income to the company.

Meanwhile, with upon the first new GPL being completed, you gave the order to use it to MP the Aegis Railgun with a large amount of its ammo packs and spread it to the Security personnel.

This also included training all the Security group in how to use it.

You told Security that this was going to be their new primary weapon when on duty around Skynet HQ, and they are to return it back to storage when they leave. They are also told to keep its existence a secret from anyone outside of Skynet.

Though you did order S to covertly install a small but hidden tracker on each Aegis built just in case one is stolen. Luckly, your trust in your Security group seems to have paid off as by the end of the quarter, no attempts to steal an Aegis were detected, nor any leaks about its existence either as SkyEye reported to you.

One guard asked why such an overkill weapon for security, you told him that since their HQ has the city's Gale Reactor, it would make sense to have top security around it.

'Better have it and not need it; than to need it and not have it.' You told the guard in the end.

One thing you did covertly was using a GPL to create a second Crying Wolf unit.

Building the parts was easy, putting them together without specialized machinery was the hard part. But in the end, the whole group was able to put it together and it was fully functional.

Now both Eris and Kora each had their own Wolf unit at their disposal.

Another thing that was done in secret was a hidden room inside HQ, that can only be accessed by the group; where the Wolfs were stored in case of an emergency that needs either Eris or Kora to use a Wolf in HQ.

Either way, things were going right for Skynet.

Rewards:
Two Glimmer Production Lines, Mixed Version (+10 MD, each GPL)
Construction of a new GPL stared (682/1500)
Second Crying Wolf Unit constructed. Both Wolf units are stored in secret at HQ.
All Skynet Security Forces outfitted with Aegis. (+15 to Security/Military rolls)

===============================================


Skynet Manufacturing
Internal Memorandum
Date: [Current Date]
From: John Conner, CEO
To: All Skynet Divisions
Subject: Successful Completion of Gale Reactor Installations – This Quarter
--------------------------------------
Team,

I am proud to announce the successful completion and activation of eight new Gale Reactors this quarter, expanding Skynet's global energy network without a single incident or delay. This achievement highlights our commitment to excellence, precision engineering, and dedication to powering the future.

The following installations have been completed:

• Paris, France – A monumental step towards a greener Europe.
• Venice, Italy – Providing clean energy while preserving the beauty and history of the city. Thought it was tough finding somewhere to safely build it.
• Cairo, Egypt (Ishtar Collective HQ) – A unique dual-reactor setup. While Cairo already benefits from an existing Gale Reactor, this second unit is exclusively for the Ishtar Collective, ensuring uninterrupted research and energy independence; with a deal set between both IC and Cairo that if the Cairo Reactor goes offline, the IC Reactor will provide power to the city during that time.
• Jakarta, Indonesia – Supporting the rapidly growing urban and industrial sectors.
• Tokyo, Japan – Reinforcing Tokyo's infrastructure with clean, sustainable energy.
• Anchorage, Alaska – Allowing the city to be more self sufficient in terms of requiring less energy from outside sources.
• Minsk, Belarus – Modernizing the city's power grid with Gale's unmatched efficiency.
• San Francisco, California – Bringing the city full-circle with its roots in innovation and clean energy.

This flawless execution showcases the incredible talent and dedication across all Skynet teams. From Engineering to Logistics, and Legal to Public Relations, each department played a critical role in ensuring these reactors were deployed safely and efficiently.

A special note of appreciation goes to the Ishtar Collective collaboration team for navigating the complexities of a dual-reactor system in Cairo—a first for Skynet, setting a precedent for future specialized installations.

Looking Forward:
With these successes, we continue to solidify Skynet's role as the global leader in clean energy. Let's maintain this momentum as we plan for next quarter's expansions, including further ventures into South America and Central Africa.

Well done, team. The future is brighter because of you.

- John Conner
CEO, Skynet Manufacturing
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Rewards:
-Paris, France; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-Venice, Italy; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-Ishtar Collective; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-Jakarta, Indonesia; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-Tokyo, Japan; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-Anchorage Alaska, NAE; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-Minsk, Belarus; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)
-San Francisco, NAE; Energy Deal (+1000R per quarter)

Indonesia Status: Good
Japan Status: Good
France Status: Good
Italy Status: Good
Belarus Status: Good
Ishtar Collective Status: Good
=====================================

-[X] Upgrade the Lab: (0/1000) 20 TD 3000R

-[X] Nanomachines Son (121/5000; 100R per dice): 3RD 6FD 900R

-[X] Create in-house Medical Wing (0/500; 100R per dice 1OD 100R

While the Manufacturing Department got a large amount of the quarter's budget, the next part of it went to upgrading the R&D lab and the construction of an in-house medical wing under the instructions of both Kora and Eris.

You can honestly say that Kora and Eris, working together and in perfect sync with S due to SOP; with a very generous budget to boot; made them a dangerous and creative team in bringing their visions of a better workplace to life.

That and every time you looked at the expenses, you felt a minor heart attack; but still had to endure it.

By the end of the quarter, the R&D lab's extensive renovations were finally completed.

Meanwhile, the Medical Wing was also completed, which according to Eris was at the same level as normal hospital's ER wing; which could handle sudden emergencies if necessary.

She said she could improve it but would need more resources to make it happen.

You told her that depending on the next quarter's progress, you might allow it.

But the biggest change was what occurred in secret with Eris and Kora beginning to help S in bringing the Armstrong Nanites to life.

Sadly, because of the work on the lab and medical wing; research into the nanites was off to a slow start, with the three mostly seeing how to begin modifying the code on the existing nanites.

This was going to be a long-term project and you told them to take their time.

Rewards:
Advanced R&D Lab upgraded, Level 1 (Grants +2 ---> +4 Research Dice)
Medical Wing, Level 1 (+5 to medical related rolls)
-Level 2 at (293/1000)
Nanomachines NEW (121--->736/5000)
==============================================

-[X] Hire a Secretary (0/200; 150R per dice): 3OD 450R

Spoiler: Rolls

+5 Ivan Bonus (to all dice)
+5 Lance Bonus (to all dice)

Roll 3d100+10

R1= 1+10= 11 NAT 1 CRIT FAIL
USE REROLL- 14 LEFT
R1.2= 59+10= 69
R2= 97+10= 107
R3= 34+10= 44

TOTAL= 220
PASS

Is it someone John knows?
100 vs 36
John trust her 100%.

Does she want SOP:
Bonus-
+50 (Improved body)
+25 (Seen John ang group end result of it)
-45 (Connected to S and others at all times)
FINAL- +30

DC: 50/90

Roll= 66+30= 96
YEP

Victoria desire to test out the Wolf:
71
+25 (High powered mech suit)
+10 (Two users already active)
= 106
vs
52
+50 (Have to be naked to use)
= 102

Victoria Pilot:
29
+20 (SOP)
+15 (S help)
+10 (Tips from Eris and Kora)
= 74
vs
2
+60 (First time piloting)
= 62 CRIT FAIL

You knew that finding a secretary to handle your workload was going to be a hassle, especially since whoever took the role would likely be exposed to Skynet's most classified projects and, technically, aspects of your personal life.

And by "personal life," you meant the kind of secrets only you and your close group of friends were privy to.

For now, S had been filling in, managing the administrative load when she could without drawing attention. But there were limits to what she could do behind the scenes.

You needed a living, breathing person, a face to represent you when required.

You and S began searching internally, reviewing Skynet's employees. After all, you knew they were loyal—screened and cleared—but as you sifted through the options, it became clear none fit the specific requirements. Some lacked the skills you needed, while others were too valuable in their current roles to relocate.

That left only one option: looking outside the company. And that presented risks, big ones. Bringing in an outsider meant exposing them to Skynet's hidden assets that you been painfully making sure are not know to the public just yet.

One wrong move, and everything you'd done could unravel.

But then, luck or misfortune, depending on who you asked; intervened in an unexpected way.

It was the last night before flying home from Belarus, where you'd just overseen the successful activation of the new Gale Reactor. You were at the Minsk Continental, nursing a drink and enjoying the rare quiet, when S pinged you.

"John, you're getting a call—from a burner phone on one of the lines you stated are 'unique'."

Your heart rate spiked. The line S referred to was one of the few you maintained from your black ops days, meant for emergencies, known only to a handful of people.

"Trace it." You told her as you picked up.

The line crackled. Then a familiar voice came through, tight with urgency. "John?"

You blinked in shock. "Victoria?"

Victoria Dare. A name you hadn't heard in years.


On paper, she was a secretary working for the NAE's Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI)—just another cog in the bureaucratic machine. In reality, she was one of ONI's deadliest intelligence operatives.

A ghost. A spook.

And the only spook you'd ever trusted.

While most spooks treated their assets like disposable chess pieces, Victoria was different. Ice-cold when needed, yes, but she cared. She'd proven that more than once on the field, watching your back when others would've left you for dead.

You'd never expected her to call you again, especially not on a burner.

"I'm in Belarus." She said, her breathing ragged. "An operation went south. Bad. And ONI... they burned me, John. Full burn notice. I'm out. No contacts, no extraction, nothing. They left me to die."

You froze. Burn notices were death sentences in your previous world. It meant ONI, and by default the NAE; had disavowed her, stripped her of contacts, assets, and support.

She was on her own.

"Where are you?" You asked, already moving.

"Downtown Minsk. Hiding in some alley, bleeding out." she said, her voice cracking. "John...you're my last call. Everyone else...they cut me loose. Right now, even if you can't help, I would rather the last thing I hear is a friendly voice."

Your fists clenched around the phone. S had already begun mapping the area and showing it you on your HUD.

"I'm here too." You said. "Sit tight. I'll come to you."

You ended the call and barked at S to prep the Skynet private jet for immediate takeoff. She even went ahead and hacked into the airport systems, ensuring the jet had full clearance to leave the country at a moment's notice.

You bolted from the hotel, grabbed your rental car, and tore through the Belarusian streets like a madman, following all the directions S provided for you.

Fifteen minutes later, you screeched into the alley Victoria had marked. It was dimly lit, filled with trash and shadows; but then, you saw her.

She stumbled out from behind a dumpster, her blond hair, usually immaculate; was a tangled mess. Her face was streaked with dirt and blood, a deep gash running along her temple. One arm clutched her ribs.

But her icy blue eyes, those were still sharp.

She spotted you, as you had the driver side window down; and without hesitation, threw herself into the passenger seat.

"Drive!" She gasped.

You floored it, the tires screaming as the car surged forward into the night, cutting through Minsk's backstreets toward the airport.

"You're bleeding bad." You said, glancing at her.

She pulled a small rag from her jacket and pressed it against her side. "It's nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing."

She let out a strained laugh. "Still a softie, huh?"

But there was fear behind her sarcasm—real fear.

"ONI really left you to die?" You asked.

She nodded grimly. "I honestly don't know why. They probably think I know too much or screwed it up. Safer for them if I just...disappear."

You tightened your grip on the wheel. "Not on my watch."

As you drove, S cut in over the car's speaker. "Airport's clear. Jet's prepped and ready. I've looped the security cameras. You'll be airborne in fifteen."

Victoria glanced at the console, realizing it wasn't just you in the car.

"Who's that?" She asked.

"Hacker." You replied. "Old contact that I use from time to time to keep my company safe from other hackers, which honestly have been in an increase since my reactor went public."

Ironically enough, there was truth in that statement as there had been numerous attempts to hack your company but S easily took care of them.

She smirked despite the blood trickling down her chin. "I should've known you'd have something like that up your sleeve Mr. CEO."

"You're not out of this yet." You said as the airport lights came into view.

You managed to get Victoria out of Belarus without incident. The adrenaline-fueled escape finally settled into something more manageable as the jet lifted off, heading back toward the NAE.

For the first hour of the flight, neither of you spoke much. Victoria sat beside you, staring out the window, her bandaged side rising and falling steadily. You'd done what you could to clean her up during the flight, and while the worst of her injuries were patched, she still looked worn down—emotionally and physically.

Eventually, she spoke. "I owe you, John. Big time."

"You don't owe me anything." You replied, shaking your head. "We've both pulled each other out of the fire before. This is no different."

Twelve hours later, back in Sunnydale; Victoria laid low at your apartment for a week. It felt surreal at first, having someone from your black ops past living under your roof again. But despite the circumstances, it almost felt...normal.

As normal as your life has been since you became CEO and uncovered Gale's world breaking secrets.

Victoria spent most of her time holed up in your guest room, patching herself up and trying, unsuccessfully; to dig into ONI's files to figure out why she was burned. Every route she took was blocked, every contact dead or silent. Someone wanted her wiped off the grid, and they'd done their job well.

Meanwhile, you were working your own angles. Pulling favors from old black ops contacts and using the political capital you'd built with Skynet's rising influence, you made sure that Victoria wouldn't be arrested the moment she set foot outside your apartment. She might've been disavowed by ONI, but on NAE soil, she was safe under your protection.

Officially, she was off the radar and a civilian.

You'd kept your friends in the dark about the full details, only telling them that a 'friend' was staying with you and needed help. They didn't press, at least not yet.

But over that week, something else happened. You and Victoria, after all the chaos; reignited the bond you'd forged years ago in the field. Late-night talks, shared drinks, the kind of stories only people who'd seen the worst of the world could tell. The ice queen façade she wore so well started to crack, revealing the person beneath, the one who used to be your closest ally.

But despite that, you could see it in her eyes, the uncertainty. The fear of what came next.

On the final evening of that week, after she'd nearly torn apart your network in frustration, you sat her down in the living room.

"You need something more permanent." You said, handing her a glass of whiskey.

She raised an eyebrow. "What, like a fake identity? New life in the suburbs?"

You chuckled. "No. A job. Here. With me."

Her eyes narrowed. "As what? A secretary?"

"Exactly."

She snorted, shaking her head. "John...you can't be serious. I'm a burned agent. Hiring me? It'd make you look dirty. Hell, half your company would think you're sleeping with me."

You leaned forward. "I don't care. I trust you, Victoria. You saved my ass more times than I can count. You think I'm worried about office gossip?"

She hesitated, swirling the whiskey in her glass. "You've already stuck your neck out just bringing me here."

"Look." You said, "I've already made headlines helping out my friends Cayde and Eris. If I'm willing to go to bat for them, you think I wouldn't do the same for you? You're my friend, Victoria. Always have been."

'Besides, if I need to, I will just throw Cayde under the bus by leaking that he is living with both Kora and Eris.' You thought.

There was a long silence. She stared into her glass, her jaw tense. Then, slowly, she exhaled and gave you a faint smile.

"Alright. I'm in." She said.

The relief that washed over you was immediate, but there was one more thing.

"Before we make this official." You said, leaning back. "There's something you need to know."

And so, you told her everything.

About S, about SOP, about Glimmer, about the Raptor and Wolf, and the entire web of secrets you'd been keeping.

The only thing you left out were the strange dreams, those still felt too insane to bring up.

Victoria took it in stride, as if you'd just told her the weather report. She didn't flinch when S materialized on the screen of your computer, waving politely.

"An AI secretary? Figures," she said with a smirk.

"I'm more than that." S chimed in.

But then, just like Kora and Eris before her, Victoria's calm demeanor shattered when you confessed how you'd injected yourself with SOP, alone; without medical supervision.

"Are you kidding me, John?" She snapped, slamming her beer on the coffee table. "You injected untested nanites into your body without any backup? Do you have a death wish?"

You winced, scratching the back of your neck. "I had S monitoring me—"

"Not the point!" She barked.

After letting her get the frustration out of her system, you offered her a syringe of SOP that you made earlier that day.

"You're part of this now. " You said. "Might as well be on the same level as the rest of my group."

She took the syringe without hesitation, rolling up her sleeve. "You're lucky I'm used to throwing caution to the wind." She injected herself and, after a moment of spasm as the nanites integrated, sat back, breathing heavily.

With SOP running through her system, she integrated seamlessly. S welcomed her warmly, and soon enough, Victoria was talking to her like they'd been coworkers for years.

When the time came to introduce her to the rest of the group through the chat/Codec, you explained who she was, why she was there, and how she'd become a part of the gang.

The group welcomed her without hesitation, except for Cayde, who immediately slipped into flirt mode, throwing out cheesy lines.

"So, Victoria...do you believe in love at first sight? Or should I walk by again?"

She didn't even blink.

"Walk into traffic instead."

The chat erupted in laughter, leaving Cayde mock-wounded, but he took it in stride.

The next day, you took Victoria to the warehouse so that she can see the Raptor and Wolf units.

Much to your surprise, Victoria asked to test out the Wolf unit, despite it's special requirements.

With Kora and Eris giving her pointers though the chat, Victoria stripped down without any hesitation and slipped into the Wolf. To everyone's surprise, who were watching through SOP; she moved it like she'd been training with it for years.

"Damn, this thing handles like a dream." She said as she took the Wolf for a sprint across the grounds around the warehouse and testing out the primary weapon.

She even agreed to do the Raptor/Wolf combo test, with you piloting the Raptor and carrying her in the Wolf at high speed. Over the comms, her laughter echoed in your ears.

"I could get used to this." She said as you pulled off a high-speed turn, the Wolf attached securely to the Raptor.

The test ended up being flawless.

Back at Skynet, Victoria's work as your secretary was flawless. With S helping her manage schedules, classified files, and communications, she became an extension of yourself, handling sensitive company matters while keeping the more dangerous secrets hidden.

But, of course, the company rumor mill had a field day.

People whispered that the only reason you hired Victoria was because of her looks, spreading wild stories that you'd plucked her from a modeling agency rather than a professional recruiter. After all, with her platinum blonde hair, icy blue eyes, and a body that looked like it belonged on a magazine cover, the assumption was easy to make.

You were just grateful none of them knew that she was living in your apartment, otherwise that would have made the mill go into overdrive.

That was, until Victoria decided to set the record straight.

It only took one meeting, where she coldly dismantled a high-level executive's entire project plan in under ten minutes; to make it clear that she was more than a pretty face. Her sharp mind, strategic thinking, and ice queen demeanor quickly established her dominance.

By the end of the quarter, she wasn't just your secretary anymore—she was your unofficial second-in-command.

And no one outside your group dared question it.

Reward:
Victoria Dare
- Secretary of John Conner, loyal friend
- Former ONI Spook (+10 to Security/Military/Espionage rolls)
- Status- Burned, Civilian
- Grants +1 Operations Dice, +5 to Operations Rolls
- Natural Beauty Pilot= +30 when piloting the Wolf.
- SOP (+20 to Security/Military rolls)
Special= All of Victoria's bonuses are applied to all dice used in which they are applied.
(OOC- Halo's Veronica Dare's ancestor)

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TO BE CONTINUED...