ODST: Surviving the drop

Prologue

Hello everyone! This in now the official rewrite/rework/redo of my old story, ODST. After starting that story over three years ago, I wanted to re-write it now that my writing skills are much better in comparison. I also lost interest in where I was originally gonna go with that story as well, so this will provide me a chance to refocus my efforts on the plot overall. As well as to be able to possibly wrap in season 7 of clone wars when it comes out in 2019/20.

When it comes to the timeline in the Halo universe, halo 5 and every book after it never happened in this version. And in the Star Wars universe, it's only a half a year before Revenge of the sith/Clone wars season 7 takes place.

So enjoy!

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The room was silent.

Multiple videos played at once on the large screen that covered the wall in front of them. Videos of carnage, of death, destruction between fleets, and on the surface of planets in the unexplored but obviously populated regions of space outside the Orion Arm. The battles... no, the war that was taking place between these two factions was something that was... concerning. All it would take is one lucky slipspace jump and the war would be on our front doorstep.

And it's only been ten years since the end of our own war.

"What is this?" Thel 'Vadam, or otherwise known as the Arbiter asked in a low tone, apprehensive of what he just watched.

"These are our cosmic neighbors on the other side of the Galaxy. Neighbors who are currently fighting in a galaxy wide civil war that threatens to engulf us all" Lord Terrence Hood said warningly, the seriousness and almost imposing nature of his voice not fitting well with his wrinkling and weakening body in his old age.

The Arbiter examined the videos with a keen eye, the arrowhead and oval-shaped ships destroying each other with a strange type of weapon system that seemed to shoot out red or blue lasers instead of plasma. He narrowed his eyes and turned to Lord Hood, still wary of the man he fought against for the better part of 10 years during the war, the blood between them high. Thoughts of this being a human deception momentarily passing through his mind.

"When did you find out about them?" the Arbiter questioned.

"One year ago. We were originally gonna keep this to ourselves, but now... " he said slowly from his chair behind a desk.

The Arbiter growled "Now?!" he demanded, tired of how secretive humans are sometimes.

"We realized pretty quickly that if either of these two factions decided to move against the UEG. They would steamroll right over us with the technology they possess, along with the fact that they outnumber us 10 to 1. We wouldn't last a week, let alone win without your support." Terrance admitted.

He was almost surprised by the human's plea for assistance, but when it comes to humans he's seen over the years, rarely anything does these days. It also reminded him of the bind humanity was in the past, the Covenants war to exterminate the humans taking 27 years and ultimately failing in the end. So even if a conflict is what's destined, I doubt these factions will fare any better.

"You plan to fight them?" Arbiter asked, wondering what his strategy was against these foes.

"No. Even with you at our side and our initial advantage of being in what they call 'the unknown region', our estimates show that our combined ship totals and manpower would be decimated by them." Hood said grimly.

The Arbiter huffed in disbelief "My people are more resilient than you're 'estimates' believe them to be Terrance," a little annoyed that he would question the resilience of his brothers, or his own kind for that fact.

"I bet they are, but we're not taking these newcomers lightly" he looked at his desk for a brief second "and to put it frankly, the UEG isn't ready for another war," Hood said firmly, not wavering from his words

"So if you're not planning to fight them, Terrance, then what are you planning to do?" he questioned.

"We have a plan that will neutralize a few undesirables that would present problems in the pursuit of peace with the Republic and Confederation of Independent Systems," Hood said as he stood up from his chair behind his desk.

A plan? Thel looked back to the screens, the videos of destruction, of men in white armor and what seemed to be brown colored robots blowing each other apart. His eyes drifted to the corner of the screen. A dark hooded figure standing there. This whole situation was far too... sudden to just jump into, something he will not just randomly throw his resources at now that Sanghelios has finally been restored and the Covenants lies finally purged from his homeworld.

Thel turned to the screen as video of what appeared to be a large planet with red lines running throughout its surface caught his eye, more importantly, however, was the thousands of ships surrounding it. His eyes widened in surprise at the sheer number of ships that sat in the planets orbit and beyond, thousands of them just waiting for a chance to defend the planet.

"This is only a portion of the Republics fleet, and it's only growing by the day," Terrance said as he slowly walked up to Thel, stopping at his side.

The video overtook the entire screen, and the increase in detail was almost frightening.

"And this CIS?" Thel asked with some concern, not even bothering to count that many ships.

"Just as powerful, maybe even more so in some areas,"

Thel let out an uncomfortable hum of acknowledgment, crossing his arms as he thought over the many strategic and military variables that this planet and its defenses presented. He would need his old Covenant fleet to even attempt an attack on this world, let alone any other planets that are aligned with this Republic.

However, that's not what concerned him. There are still a few small remnants of the Covenant and other Sangheili opposition forces still actively fighting against him, and it's taking up most of his attention as he grows closer to snuffing them out for good. Another war would also require an absence from Sanghelios, an absence that many of his enemies would take advantage of.

Things that can not be allowed to happen in these fragile times, not when they're so close to stability.

No... war is not an option, not until we are secure at home.

He glanced down at Terrace with a watchful eye "You will tell me everything before you risk war." he said firmly.

"That is why you're here" Terrance said with a nod, his eyes remaining on the video.

Thel looked back at the video in front of them, his brow raising in disbelief as a small fleet of ten or more arrowhead ships slowly moved into frame much closer to whatever camera recorded this.

"Then let us begin."

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Well, there you go, the first chapter of Odst: Surviving the drop! It's not much in comparison to what I have in store for you, but a good start is all I desired. I'll probably tweak the chapters in this story now that you can save your files for a year, but otherwise, I hope you stick around.

Leave a review and I hope you have a good day!