When the Traveler first graced the Sol System, it brought knowledge, peace, and untold power—until whispers of ruin crept from the dark came and brought ruin to humanity's future, paving the way for a tale of the struggle between the light and darkness for the ages.
But now, one anomaly rewrites the path of history, and presents an echo of different choices.
Will humanity use this new chance to prevent it's predetermined destiny, or will they fall once more.
Welcome to the Echo of Choice.
Tags- Bungie's Destiny, Resistance: Fall of Man, Halo
So, I was looking around my old files, found this thing that was half finished, and decided to finish it.
It's a chat fanfic based on Hypn0s "Multiversal Support Chat Group" fic on A03.
WarChat
Chapter 1: Strange Connections
June 1, 1951 - Somewhere in the North Atlantic (One month before R1 starts)
Nathan Hale sat on his bunk, the low hum of the USS Liberty's engines vibrating through the steel walls. He had just returned from a briefing, yet another mundane session about hypothetical threats and naval maneuvers. His mind wandered, contemplating the nature of the mission that had them patrolling the Atlantic. He was midway through unwrapping a pack of cigarettes when a sudden shimmer of light caught his attention.
Floating before him was a glowing, translucent box.
====d=====
Jacinto Maximum Security Prison (1 month before GOW1 starts)
Marcus Fenix leaned back against the cold stone wall of his cell, idly spinning a coin between his fingers. The days blurred together, one long haze of regret, anger, and apathy. He was used to solitude, but even the constant silence was beginning to get to him.
Then, out of nowhere, a box appeared, floating mid-air.
"What the hell?" Marcus muttered, leaning forward.
====d=====
WarChat Initiated.
Current Participants: Nathan Hale, Marcus Fenix.
Welcome….
Nathan Hale: What is this? Some kind of prank?
Marcus Fenix: Yeah, I was going to ask the same thing. This some Locust trick?
Nathan Hale: Locust? What the hell are you talking about? And who are you?
Marcus Fenix: Marcus Fenix. Former COG Gear. And you?
Nathan Hale: Sergeant Nathan Hale, U.S. Army. This doesn't make sense. This thing just appeared in my room.
Marcus Fenix: Same here. Damn thing's floating in front of me like a bad hallucination.
Nathan Hale: Could be some kind of new tech. Some sort of experimental radio?
Marcus Fenix: Experimental? Buddy, this thing's got "weird alien crap" written all over it. At least that what Dom would say.
Nathan Hale: You're not making any sense.
Marcus Fenix: Neither are you. What year is it?
Nathan Hale: 1951. Why?
Marcus Fenix: …Right. Sure. Totally believable. It's 14 A.E. here.
Nathan Hale: A.E.?
Marcus Fenix: After Emergence. Long story. Not buying the 1951 thing, by the way.
Nathan Hale: And I don't buy "A.E." either.
System Message: Welcome to the WarChat.The WarChat allows for communication across time, space, and realities for soldiers in need. To aid in your journey, a shop and memory-sharing system are now available free of use. You each receive 1000 credits with an income of 1000 more each week.
Use them wisely soldiers of man.
Nathan Hale: What the hell was that?
Marcus Fenix: Okay. Now this is getting creepy.
Nathan Hale: "Shop" and "Memory-sharing"? What kind of nonsense is this?
Marcus Fenix: I don't know, but there's a little icon in the corner of this thing now. Clicking it.
Nathan Hale: You're trusting this thing?
Marcus Fenix: Don't have much else to do in a damn cell. (Pauses) What the hell?
Nathan Hale: What?
Marcus Fenix: It's a store. Full of… stuff. Random stuff. Weapons, tools, supplies. All of it costs 1 credit.
Nathan Hale: (Clicks the icon) …You're right, everything costs 1 dollar. This… this is insane. How does this even work?
Marcus Fenix: I don't know, let me check something. (Pauses) No way. It's got… bacon?
Nathan Hale: Bacon?
Marcus Fenix: Yeah. A can of bacon. Actual bacon. It's been years since I had that. Ordering now.
System Message: Item "Can of Bacon" delivered to Marcus Fenix.
Marcus Fenix: Holy shit. It just appeared. Comes with a fork and everything.
Nathan Hale: Let me try. I'm ordering… steak and mashed potatoes.
System Message: Item "Steak and Mashed Potatoes" delivered to Nathan Hale.
Nathan Hale: It's… it's hot. It even comes with a knife and fork.
Marcus Fenix: This bacon smells amazing. (Pauses) Okay, I'm digging in.
Nathan Hale: Yeah me too.
-----d-----
Both men ate in silence, savoring their meals.
Nathan couldn't remember the last time he had a meal that didn't come out of a tin can, and Marcus savored the salty, smoky flavor of bacon and a cold beer he also just bought, a luxury long lost to him.
-----d----
Nathan Hale: Okay. This… this is legit. No way this is some prank.
Marcus Fenix: Agreed. But this raises more questions than it answers.
Nathan Hale: Speaking of questions, this thing said that this 'chat' covers across realities, and you said something about your year being 14 A.E. and something called Locust. So, I am guessing you are in another reality right?
Marcus Fenix: Yeah. Though I will admit that part feels a bit skeptical.
Nathan Hale: Well, there is one way to truly find out. The system said something about sharing memories. Maybe we can share a memory each to verify.
Marcus Fenix: Fine. Sending you something now.
Nathan Hale: Same.
System Message: Marcus Fenix has shared a memory.
System Message: Nathan Hale has shared a memory.
Marcus shares a video of a Locust emergence hole tearing through the streets of Ephyra. Hundreds of Locusts pour out, roaring as the COG soldiers engage in battle. Explosions, gunfire, and the screams of civilians fill the clip.
Nathan shares a video of him and the rest of his regiment undergoing a morning exercise on the deck of the USS Liberty with the entire 1st United States Atlantic Fleet visible in their route to Europe.
Marcus Fenix: Different Battleships? Aircraft carriers? An entire Naval fleet that looks new? You really are from another world. The COG Navy is basically the least funded part of the army and just collect rust in their harbors.
Nathan Hale: What… what the hell is that? Those things… those can't be real.
Marcus Fenix: The Locust. They are real as it gets.
Nathan Hale: And you have been fighting these underground monsters for 14 years. Damn.
Marcus Fenix: Told you. Different worlds. Different wars.
Nathan Hale: I don't know about war. Though the higher ups are saying a war seems to be going on in the continent of Europe, along with a flu epidemic; they have not told us any details. Current orders are for the fleet to patrol the ocean.
Marcus Fenix: My bullshit-meter just rang when you said your higher ups have not told you any details. A war goes on with a flu epidemic and you are not given details, that does not bode well.
Nathan Hale: I know, me and the rest of my squad know that this stinks to high hell but there is not much we can do. Word around is that we are just probably waiting for the President to declare war and send us to Europe.
Marcus Fenix: Well, judging by what the message this chat gave us, something tells me you are going to get involved in that war sooner or later.
Nathan Hale: Great. At least this thing can give me stuff if I need it.
Marcus Fenix: Yup.
END
=======================
So what do you guys think?
The fic will be mostly crack (AKA don't be surprised if Nathan buys a fully working HoD and uses it on a Chimeran Tower) and AU for some details.
And probably a lot of food buying.
Hey, they are soldiers in the middle of the apocalypses, good food that is not MRE will be a godsend to them.
As for who else to join the chat, I yet to decide, though I have a list.
Right now the top of the list is on ME's Shepard (no gender lock yet) and set during the months they are in prison due to Arrival.
And yes, Halo is on the list. The problem is who to choose from that list. Money is currently looking at Six.
If this somehow reaches three chapters, I might put it in its own thread.
