Kimball shakes her head. "We need more soldiers to defend this planet." She tells Dylan as she looks at the current data on the holo table.

"I'm doing my best Ms. President." Dylan said tiredly. "Trying to get support from the UNSC has been harder than anticipated."

"Well, you aren't trying hard enough." She says harshly, giving Dylan a serious look.

I blink in surprise as Wash grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze. As soon as we arrived at the Presidential Tower, our duffel was taken away to be put away in Wash's locker in the training area while we were immediately taken to the War Room where President Kimball was in a heated conversation with Dylan, our resident Spartan sent from the UNSC, about the current situation and the progress on getting any sort of back up.

"Kimball, he is trying his best." Carolina tells her calmly. "There's so much one person can do in this situation."

Kimball slams her hand on the table. "But we need the support NOW. My citizens had already fought for their planet once. Now they face another war, one that is now bigger than before. They deserve to live in peace."

"And I understand that, Kimball." Dylan says. "But it's not like I have direct contact with ONI to tell them to give us some support."

She huffs. "ONI is just another corrupt corporation."

"A corporation that has a fleet we can use to get the upper-" Dylan stops talking as a string of beeps began sounding off at a console nearby. He sighs and walked over to the console to answer the call.

Kimball sighs and looks at Wash. "Any word on your friend on Infinity?"

She means Lieutenant Lindsey McKenna, an ODST that worked with Wash when he was a prisoner of the Chairman and searching for Epsilon. I don't know much about her except that she apparently was there when I met back up with Wash and Carolina back in the old Freelancer facility when I was hunting for the Director and part of the response team to Church's message. Wash wouldn't tell me much about her, but I believe the reason behind that was to keep her off the record since the Chairman was still around.

I watched as Wash's head slightly drops. "No. She hasn't been answering my comms since she came to aid after the war."

"And the UNSC has a bigger problem on their hands at the moment." Dylan adds, turning around from the console to face us. "Seems like humanity just gained a new enemy called Prometheans. The Master Chief, however, has been found and is investigating the new enemy while Infinity has been ordered to support."

"Then we have no choice. We have to find a way to contact ONI and get the forces we need." Dylan concluded.

"I don't have direct contact with ONI, but I might be able to get into contact with a few people that might be able to help." Dylan offered.

Kimball nods her head. "Try to get them on the line."

"Yes, ma'am." He gives Kimball a salute and walks out of the War Room. 

"Hey, Command? Commandddddd? Can you hear me?" A 2D holographic picture of Tucker appears from the holo table. I gently take away my hand from Wash and pressed the button on the holo table to turn on the mic. "This is 'laska. What's going on Tucker?"

"Simmons spot another Covenant patrol about 20 klicks Northwest from the city. He claims to have seen a Zealot and that the patrol is larger than any patrol we've seen so far." He reports.

I took my finger off the button and looked up. Before I could say anything, Carolina speaks up. "I'll meet up with them and bring some extra soldiers as well."

I nod my head and pressed the button again to reply. "Carolina is on her way to support. Keep an eye on the patrol till she gets there and if they engage, just try to maintain a defensive formation."

"Roger that. Tucker out." The call ends and the hologram fades from view. I look up at Carolina. "Thanks and good luck with the Zealot."

"Thanks, won't need it." She replies as she exits the War Room.

Kimball sighs and takes a seat in a nearby chair and sighs. "Never a dull moment."

"I hate to ask this Kimball, but what happens is we can't contact ONI?" Wash asks. "What then?"

"I... don't know." She admits.

ONI... I know I have heard that term before. I look at my brother on the other side of the room and he met my gaze. He signals me over to where he's standing and I nod my head. I walk over to him and whispered. "Isn't Mom part of ONI?"

"How did you know that Mom was part of ONI?" York whispers back in surprise. "Did Dad tell you?"

I nod my head in response. "He told me about two years after you left."

He doesn't respond to my answer so I asked another question. "Do you think Mom could be able to help us?"

He rubs the back of his neck. "It's possible... I do have her com-link. But I don't know how high of rank she is that can convince the Board to help us."

"Well, it's worth a shot." I reasoned.

"What's worth a shot?"

York and I look up from our conversation to see that Kimball and Wash were staring at us and Kimball was the one that asked the question. I look at York and he nods his head, giving me the signal to say our thoughts.

"We.. might have a way to contact ONI." I tell her.

She raised her eyebrow. "And how is that? I thought you Freelancers were high on their 'capture and put to jail' list."

York coughs. "Our mother.. is part of ONI."

They both look at us in shock while York continues. "The last time I saw her was after I recovered from almost dying to Wyoming. That was years ago but she was still with ONI."

"What's her name?" Dylan asks York as he walks back into the room. He must have heard York talking about our mother on his way back from trying to call a few people for access.

"Melissa Brown." York answers. "Believe she was part of Section One."

"Hm.." Dylan scratches his chin. "I can't recall a Melissa Brown but still, it's the closest we got to communicate with them."

"You didn't have any luck with your buddies?" I asked the Spartan.

"All of them are preoccupied with the current situation at hand with the Prometheans." He replied. "If we can get into contact with her, we might have a chance at getting support."

"Agreed." Kimball said. "York, can you speak to her?"

"I could, but not without my sister and a bit of privacy." He informs her.

I gulped. I haven't talked to my mom in over 15 years or even heard anything about her until York showed up. I start running my fingers through my hair, trying to make myself look more presentable.

"Very well, we will wait outside." Dylan says. Kimball nods her head in acknowledgment and follows him out of the War Room. 

"I'll check up on the rest of the Reds and Blues." Wash says. "God knows what they have been up to now they are all Captains again." He then walks over to me and gives me a quick kiss. "Probably going to be at the training room by the time you're finished." He tells me. "Once you get there, I'll take you out somewhere for dinner."

"David, we have food at the apartment." I tell him.

"True, but still want to treat my girl." He winks at me, causing me to giggle and blush.

"Oh my God, get a room." York complains.

My giggle turns into a laugh as Wash wraps his arms around my waist from the back, with a smirk on his face. "You agreed to let me marry her dude. And that would make me your brother-in-law." He says and kisses my neck.

"Still: get a room." York playfully shoves Wash away from me. "She's still my little sister."

"And your little sister can handle herself." I pointed out while Wash gives York a pouty face. "You're being overprotective."

York just rolls his eyes and playfully messes up my hair. I take a step away from his hand to escape, only to end up in Wash's arms again. He chuckles and gives me a quick kiss on my cheek. "Make sure you wear something fancy for dinner." He whispers in my ear before gently letting me go. "See you later, Tiger."

I watched him walk out of the room with a smile on my face and feeling like the luckiest girl in the world. York coughs, snapping me out of the lovey-dovey mode I was in and back into serious mode. "Sorry." I apologized.

York just laughs and pulls up the War Room's version of FaceTime on the main TV screen. I get hit with a wave of nervousness go through my body as I realized that I'm going to see my mom for the first time after she left home.

"You ok, Kid Sister?" York asks me with a hint of concern.

"It's... been a long time since I've seen Mom." I admitted. "Do you think she still remembers me?"

"Of course she will remember you. You're her daughter." He puts in the com-link number to the system and calls the number. As it rings, he stands in front of the screen and signals me to stand by him. I hesitate before I walk over to him and stand beside him. He gives me a quick one-arm hug and says. "Don't be nervous."

The call connected and a woman appears on the screen. You can tell that she was no ordinary soldier of ONI, but rather an officer, with years of experience on the battlefield and in the War Room. Her hair has started to turn gray from age, but there was a fire behind her brown eyes showing her determination for the cause.

"This is Lieutenant Commander-" She stops what she's saying as she recognized my brother. "James... this is a wonderful surprise." She says happily.

"Mom." He greets her. "How have things been?"

"It's been very busy late...ly..." She looks at me in confusion and shock. I think she recognized me, but like my brother the first time he saw me after a few years, she was having a hard time processing. "Is that..? Abigail?"

I slightly smile. "Hi, Mom."