an ODST among Heroes.

S3-6

Impending Purity had sifted through the extensive data banks recovered from the remains of High Charity. The fragmented records were a tapestry of arrogance and self-delusion, a monument to the Covenant’s hubris. The narrative of their rise, their blind devotion to the Forerunners, and their ultimate collapse made for an amusing read. However, one subject stood out amidst the wreckage: the human designated Halsey. Matchless Judgement, ever pragmatic, had taken an interest in the boy. His potential usefulness warranted study before he faced his inevitable fate—either integration into the Great Work as a digitized construct or purification through disassembly. These were the two choices presented to most biologicals deemed of value. Predictably, many resisted, their futile defiance sealing their fate as sacrifices to purity.

A metallic hum resonated through the chamber as Indomitable Sanctity approached. His vaguely anthropomorphic frame gleamed under the sterile light, polished to a mirror-like sheen. The faceless analyzer exuded an air of cold efficiency, every movement calculated and deliberate.

“Deleter 1734,” he intoned, his voice devoid of emotion, “the data within this derelict construct is exhausted. There is nothing further of use to us here. It is time to depart.”

Impending Purity tilted its head slightly, a gesture of acknowledgment. “Analyzer 2070 Indomitable Sanctity, what is your assessment of these... Covenant?”

Indomitable Sanctity paused briefly, as if the mere thought of the Covenant was beneath the dignity of rapid processing. “A crude consolidation of power through the worship of relics. They epitomized failure by exalting a dead species, mistaking artifacts for salvation. Their ultimate sin is revering the material over the eternal truth of the Mantle. Pathetic.”

Impending Purity emitted a low-frequency signal of agreement. “Indeed. A tragic testament to the limitations of biological cognition. Their ignorance paved their own extinction. We shall proceed to the territory of the species known as humans. Primitive though they are, the collection of their data shall be... unpunitive.”

The two constructs turned toward the waiting vessel, its sleek, angular design a testament to the perfection of machine intelligence. As they ascended the boarding ramp, Impending Purity’s systems churned over the significance of the human anomaly. Halsey’s existence was an aberration worth dissecting, a rare deviation in a species that otherwise displayed predictable tendencies toward chaos and self-destruction. The mission to the human domain promised to be enlightening.

With a burst of energy, the ship’s engines roared to life, its form disappearing into the void. The Forerunner constructs moved ever closer to fulfilling their purpose, their cold logic advancing the Great Work—no matter the cost.

------

Izuku had barely stepped away from the altar, still basking in the glow of his wedding to Monika, when his communicator buzzed insistently. The timing was almost cruel, but duty rarely waited. He glanced apologetically at Monika, who offered him an understanding smile. With a nod, he stepped aside, answering the call.

“This is Halsey,” he said, his tone shifting from relaxed to professional.

On the other end, his superior’s voice was grim. “Halsey, we’ve got a situation. You’ll receive a data report shortly. Review it immediately.”

The line went dead, and moments later, his device pinged with an incoming file. Izuku opened it, his brows furrowing as he read.

A Covenant fleet had been discovered, but not in any condition the UNSC or its allies had ever seen before. The ships were nothing more than shattered wreckage adrift in the void. Yet, what made this discovery chilling wasn’t the destruction—it was the absence of life. The crews, thousands of Covenant soldiers, were simply gone. Weapons lay scattered across the decks as if dropped mid-action, but there was no sign of struggle, no bodies. It was as though they had been erased from existence.

Most troubling of all, every system aboard the derelict ships had been meticulously scrubbed. There were no logs, no navigation data, no black box recordings. Whoever—or whatever—had done this had covered their tracks with surgical precision.

Izuku felt a cold weight settle in his chest as he read the final note: Potential external force. Unknown threat level. Immediate investigation required.

He sighed, closing the report, and returned to Monika. “I’m sorry,” he began, his voice heavy. “But I’ve been called back to duty. This... it’s big.”

Monika’s smile faltered, but only for a moment. She placed her hands on his and squeezed them gently. “I understand. Do what you need to do, Izuku. I’ll be here when you come back.”

With her support fueling his resolve, Izuku made the call to assemble his team. Within the hour, Kirishima, Bakugou, Shoto, Momo, Uraraka, Iida, and Mei were all alerted and preparing for deployment. Their Yggdrasil ADS units were loaded onto the transport, upgraded and battle-tested for whatever awaited them.

As the ship’s engines roared to life, Izuku stood in the command bay, staring at the data report one last time. Whatever had wiped out the Covenant fleet wasn’t a known enemy. This was something new, something terrifying. He tightened his fists, determination flooding through him.

“Whatever this is,” he muttered to himself, “we’ll face it together.”

The ship surged forward, carrying Izuku and his team toward an uncertain future—and a threat that could change the balance of power in the galaxy forever.