Sent To Protect and Serve Humanity

Chapter 46: The Gears Turn

3rd POV

The quiet, soft click coming from the minute hand of a clock filled a silent office. Not much could be discerned from this particular room aside from the single light source in the form of a lamp that rested on a cluttered desk. At this desk, a visibly stressed Godspeed wrote away at a series of documents that had become a part of the clutter, his pen beginning to drag along the paper due due to fatigue that had begun to set in.

This particular document had the symbol of Vacuo with the UNSC's eagle perched above it, signifying the entry of the UNSC's newest member and adding to the new United Republics of Saunus as the western republic. Further looking at the piece of paper, one could derive it is a conscription order that was to be sent back to the desert city in an attempt to further beef up UNSC forces.

"Prrt?"

A soft, inquisitive chirp from a Huragok broke his concentration. The old man blinked and furrowed his brow before setting the pen down and reaching for a nearby manila folder.

"Yes. The documents have been signed, and the experiment is under your supervision." Godspeed flashed the infamous emblem of ONI that was on the folder. "However, the United Nations will not be held responsible for any failures or unfortunate outcomes." He pushed the folder toward the alien.

Nobel excitedly squeeled as he snatched up the documents before he opened the folder and began reviewing its contents.

As the Engineer began to make its way to the door, the overhead lights in the office flicked on, and the soft stomp of boots came from the opposite side of the now well-lit room. Emerging from a now closed sliding door, Eos approached the man at the desk, not batting an eye at the exiting Huragok.

Eos, looking exhausted, snapped her fingers and caught the attention of the leaving alien. "Nobel, administer scans for irregularities on Courageous once she's done with her rehabilitation." She heard the door slide open and shut.

The English man leaned forward with intrigue. His curious and tired eyes met those of the other warship. "Report."

"Show me some respect, first." The Scottish woman folded her arms and narrowed her eyes at him. She would wait for a response that wouldn't come. "Well? Say something."

"Tell me the condition of my daughter and move along." Godspeed glared at the lady, clenching his fists as he did so. "There's plenty of work I need done."

Eos' fists shook at her sides as her usually calm demeanor began to break. "I'll tell you when you start treating me like I'm important. Let alone our damn kids." She said, laced with venom.

The man sighed and looked back down, searching for his pen. He would pick it up and attempt to resume his writing on another sheaf of nearby papers.

THUD

A pair of pale hands slammed onto the desk, sending several papers flying away and creating a very slight indent where they landed.

"I'm tired of you treating our family like some goddamm objects!" Eos balled up her hands and glared into the eyes of the man. "Ever since I've got here, you've been working my kids to death! They haven't gotten a break like the men and women in the Corps or Army-"

Godspeed shot up from his chair and cut her off with an irritated groan. "Because those vessels were designed for combat! Not for love! Not for affection! Not for civilian life, damn it!" He gripped his pen to the point it snapped in two, the ink from the cartridge beginning to run down his hand. "They've had more than enough time to play pretend-"

"But you let them!" She shouted back. "Back at Beacon, you let them have friends and fall in love! You let them make relationships! You let them live!"

"Because there was no threat, Eos!" He exclaimed through an increasingly hoarse voice, as if this wasn't their first argument today. "We didn't have the issue of global annihilation then, so why not let them have fun!" He dropped what was left of the pen on his desk. "Things are different now! At this point, you're lucky I gave you permission to make those idiotic Oath Rings! Those were a waste of valuable time and resources-"