1822 HOURS, NOVEMBER 15, 2554 (UNSC MILITARY CALENDAR)
HALO INSTALLATION: SIRCA--QOPPAN HIGHLANDS--Q-BASE

The War Room had fallen silent over Tysiac's revelations, both on the origin of Sirca, the intent of Omega with the Index to Sirca's Control Room, as well as the revelation of the Halo Array and its purpose. Tysiac watched as the Chupadores around him digest it all.

If it had been his way, Tysiac wouldn't ever have revealed even a hint about the Index, or the Control Room. However with the sight of a human under Omega's thrall, whether knowingly or not, and holding the very key that primed the biggest gun to the head of the universe? He was stressed into pressing the rebel cell into realizing the importance of stopping Omega at all costs.

There was also the fact that this wasn't a mission that he could do alone. Tysiac didn't doubt any of the Movement's militia, especially with a good number being ex-Freelancer. However, they weren't half as equipped as he would like...

He could not, for any reason, simply sit on intel such as this without contacting ONI. He needed the Monitor of Sirca. And as much as Tysiac would've preferred, this was grounds enough for limited covert support. How much he would need to request would depend upon what he could get from the Movement both about Omega and his fortress, as well as where the Control Room was.

"We have to make a push, now." Tysiac's head jerked a little before seeing that it was Wash who spoke.

Nelson's eyes turned on the Chupadore and demanded, "Push where? Straight into the House of Omega?"

"Yes."

This only made Nelson angry, "You've lost your goddamn mind."

Wash threw his arms wide, one clawed hand stabbing toward Tysiac, "You've heard what he said, this thing's too dangerous to ignore! We didn't just learn that it's a weapon, the House is more than ready and capable of using the damn thing!"

Nelson's voice was raised as she bit back, "You're asking us to charge head-first into Perdition itself, all because your "best lead" and because a fucking alien tin-can is jumping off the bridge first!"

Tysiac was already coming up with a retort to her argument before Wash beat the Spartan to the punch, and not in an efficient way, "The House is going to kill thousands of us! Not just soldiers, but everyone on Sirca!"

"That's bullshit and you know it!" Nelson slammed her fist against her wheelchair, already worsening what grasp Wash had in talking to her, "I've heard no good reason for Omega to pull the trigger on his own goddamn slaughter parade!"

Tysiac was once again beaten to the punch, and one that soured his expression as Wash reacted what the ONI Spartan would classify as 'emotionally compromised,' "Why else did the House gun down the entire Freelancer Division, one of their top resources in their fucking wars?!"

"Because your precious Director pissed them off! Outside of the fuck-all outlandish shit tin-can here's been saying, its another stupid, political power-play that some priest in Omegrad is getting his rocks off on, and you're making all of us another notch on his belt while gunning us down on Omega's goddamn doorstep!"

Now, Tysiac slammed his own fist against the table, growling loudly, "Wash, stand down." The Spartan turned his attention to Nelson, who had snapped her head to look at him as he cut to the point, "Omega has been preaching the end of this war being in sight through the propaganda networks. The only reason a religious icon or leader would herald about it is in explicit reasons to say he has the very keys to do it. This isn't politics anymore. It's a pattern."

Tysiac turned his attention to Wash, "We do need to make a push. But we cannot drive headlong into Omega and expect planning on the fly to work for us. We need resources, information, and a plan."

The Spartan raised himself off the table as he continued, "Normally, I would want us to find the Control Room and have that as Priority One. Denial of access must come first. Failure or ignoring this results in us all dying. But given how Omega has the House and the entirety of Sirca's armies under religious fervor; destruction or capture of the Index is paramount."

Nelson's growling lessened, but she still held a cold tone as she countered, "You're talking about taking a stroll into god's backyard. Tell me it's even remotely possible to sabotage it and walk back out."

Tysiac's eyes narrowed, "You're asking if it isn't a suicide mission. And my answer to you is this: It's suicide to ignore, but I plan on making the mission succeed. The more we know and decipher, the greater our chances."

She didn't look satisfied on his answer. He didn't like it either, but it was better this than lying on assumptions just to placate the paraplegic.

"We're taking this one back with us." Nelson jabbed at Trevor, the Chupadore woman's voice a low, graveled and biting mood, "And only because the fucking tin-can impressed me enough and because I only respect you lot barely enough to share this base, we're going over the data ourselves."

"You... do that." Wash grumbled as he looked away as Nelson and the other Chupadores of Q-Base filtered out.

"Not our best presentation, huh?" York tried to quip.

Constance and Bethany could only look at the yellow-furred Chupadore as Constance replied, "You didn't help at all." She turned her attention to Wash next as she commented, "And you're still not a people person, Wash..."

"Thanks for the support..." Wash grumbled as his gaze turned back to the screens.

Tysiac shook his head before he placed the helmet back on, "It's a lot for Nelson and her crew to take in. She'll come around one way or another. She has nothing to tell her to ignore or reject us."

Bethany let out an irritated huff, "She’d better. Because if you and the rest of us are right about Omega, that woman won’t have a base left to go back to."

Tysiac didn't reply, but he gave a nod before moving off. His actions caught the Chupadores' attentions as York asked, "Where ya goin', Tys?"

"Surface." Tysiac replied curtly as he reached the doorway, "I've my own report to be made with ONI. The presence of the Index demands their attention."

His boots thudded across the mine's packed ground. This was certainly something ONI didn't want being brought to their table. But here he was, coordinating with an alien rebel cell, the Movement trying to make sense of everything, and Omega prancing about with his finger around the trigger.

There was clawed footsteps hurriedly approaching from behind, and the Spartan turned to look and see Constance joining up with him. He asked, "Something new to report?"

The Chupadore woman shook her head, "No, but I'm wanting to keep tabs on you contacting your 'ONI' people."

"Nosy." Tysiac huffed, getting a small smirk from the woman before they headed off, "We're going to have to retrieve my ship. As it's still back in the wastelands and on the other side of Freelance Command."

She didn't answer, but he could already see the questions lining up behind her eyes. The human Constance was always one with a question in her head and wanting it answered, and part of Tysiac believed that if similarities could be made, then the Chupadore tailing him wasn't different. He decided to distract her from her questions, "What's Wash planning to do?"

That seemed to have worked, as Constance blinked before moving a claw to adjust her pink-white mane, "He'll be trying to talk to the Reds and Blues. He thinks he'll be able to add at least a few more numbers and get Church to at least participate."

Tysiac chuckled, which took her by surprise, "He'll have better luck recruiting wildlife. Those two teams strike me as the group of 'we don't do anything unless anything comes after us.' Given Sarge's religious fervor during our trip here, he's even less likely to go against Omega."

A small smirk crept up Constance's muzzle, "Never hurts to try, right?"

Red vs Blue © Rooster Teeth. Halo © 343 Industries. Concept by Myshu, assisted by The Department of Chupapology.