Chapter 4: Dangerous Debriefing 

SSV Bostan 

Holding Cells

2176

2 hours after Blitz

Alex was unhappy. An unhappy Alex used to result in death for everyone within a six block radius at minimum. Fortunately, he spent enough time as a Supernova to recognize the value of restraint.  He was still a psychopath, but he'd come a long way from "sociopathic disregard for others, and displays of classic narcissism. "Still, there was nothing he could do. After all, the focus of his anger was worth more alive, and Ryan was also a force to be reckoned with when angry.

Jack "Rapture" Ryan. The Rapture Raptor. The Splicer King. Supernova, but also Unique.

When Jack Ryan's life came to a close, and he accepted the position of Unique, the territory known as Rapture Earth full into chaos. Jack had demanded that nobody set foot in that underwater hell, and it took and from the long-retired leader of "Old Halla," Bobby Pendragon himself, for Jack to allow Eleanor Lamb into the Supernovas. But Rapture was not a city that would let itself be forgotten. It demanded that its ruler return. Since no Supernova was sent, Rapture made its own Supernova. The entire city's ADAM and EVE reserves were drained into a single vita-chamber, and the all-too-malleable material was shaped into the last genetically accurate individual to use them: It created an exact replica of the original Jack Ryan, with one exception: this copy was much more powerful.

As he was made of ADAM, Jack "Rapture" Ryan, as the copy was named, possessed every plasmid and gene tonic ever created. It looked like Ryan, but had far better physical attributes, more agile than the spider splicers and stronger than the brutes splicers. He could turn invisible at will, teleport like the Houdini splicers, and that's not even mentioning the countless plasmids at his disposal. 

He was Supernova-class before even learning about Halla*. The first thought on everyone's mind was to get him off of Rapture Earth and seal the territory away. This decision is still controversial, as the Uniques stand by their choice, while Supernovas have long hated the consequences. 

Immediately upon being taken away from Rapture Earth, Ryan incapacitated his escorts. Zero the Reploid, and Samus Aran the Hunter, before running straight for the flume. He visited Retronuke Earth, The Plant, and several other territories (he was rumored to have visited Unique Revan's territory!). Each location fell victim to his scavenging. Nobody knew what happened to the things he took, but he had reportedly taken several canisters of FEV virus, large quantities of concentrated mako, at least two different strains of T-virus, and (Alex's personal favorite) a damn metroid. Ryan swore to Pendragon himself that he never used any of his "acquisitions" on himself and when Pendragon believed him, that was that; everyone knew it was impossible to lie to the old man and actually get away with it. Alex believed him too, but he knew it didn't change the fact: 

Ryan looked human, he sounded human, shit, he could even act human, but he wasn't human, and he never would be. He was the Splicer King, with everything that implied. ADAM made up his flesh, bone, and muscle, and EVE coursed through his veins. 

Of course, after his little joyride, the first thing the bastard did was offer his services to the Uniques however they saw fit. And unfortunately, they saw fit to use him as a one-man wetwork squad. If the rest of the Supernovas were the soldiers of Halla, then Jack Ryan was the black ops boy that nobody talked about in public. Most Supernovas had at least one grudge with Ryan. Alex, surprisingly didn't hate the man personally, but Cole really did, and that meant Ryan was "shit-list by proxy" in the shape-shifter's book. Ryan was often Unique Kessler's first pick for any territory with gunpowder, and that did not amuse the younger MacGrath time-clone. And now they all had to work together. Alex hoped that Cortana enjoyed playing mediator.  

A hissing noise shook Alex from his thoughts and alerted to another presence in his "confinement". That was hilarious; he could have torn the door off the wall like aluminum foil. He turned around to see Master Chief, who nodded towards the hall he had just come from. "We're finally getting debriefed," he said, "but Ryan spared us the 'why we are here" routine". 

Mercer raised an eyebrow at that. "No shit? What did he do for that?

"Swallow you man-pride and ask him yourself," Cortana's called out through the Chief's helmet. "I am not playing go-between in boys' pissing match!"

"Aw shit," the virus groaned, getting up and following the Chief. "Well, at least tell me how Cole's taking it." 

Cortana could be heard laughing softly, "patching into the briefing room's comm. system."

After a moment of silence, Chief's suit speakers began to play a heated "debate" taking place in the briefing room, and the words they heard encouraged the two Supernovas to walk quickly, before their brothers in arms kill each other.

"Relax MacGrath! For the fifth time, I was sent ahead of you guys to run interference!

"Is that right? I seem to recall a Jedi Master falling off a cliff the last time you "ran interference" for me!

"There was a lake below..."

"Ninety feet below! If Alex hadn't been running up that cliff, you would have killed him!

"And the fact that he agreed to keep quiet after Alex saved his life? That had been my plan from the start. If he had continued along his course of action, Carth Onasi would have probably died a very painful death. You need to think two or three step ahead, like Kes-"

"Say it and I swear-"

"Enough!" bellowed a very irritated Cortana. The two quarreling men looked to the doorway and saw the rest of the Supernovas had arrived. Ryan instantly relaxed his features.

"Good you're all here. Now we can contact this territory's resident Acolytes**. Pressly, would you patch them through? An aging man keyed his omni-tool, and the holoprojectors along the back of the cam to life as two humans appeared. One middle-aged, dark-skinned, and reminded Alex of an old sergeant named Foley he had served under using the alias "Corporal Dunn" (A/N: Barry Pepper and Keith David reference. I couldn't resist!). The other man was fairly old, but Alex knew a warrior when he saw one. He had also consumed enough soldiers to recognize that the first was a captain and the other was an admiral. Quite the turnout, Ryan, I'm almost impressed. Alex thought to himself.

"You boys and the AI are the 'Supernovas'?" the old admiral asked. I'm Admiral Hackett of the Fifth Fleet. Before you ask, yes, I know just about all I need to know, and I have known for roughly two months, thanks to Staff Lieutenant Ryan." Everyone looked to see Ryan holding a hypnotize plasma and sporting a shit-eating grin. "It's completely ludicrous, but after what I've seen him do and what footage there is of Elysium, I'm beginning to understand that ludicrous is what you're going for. Spare me the details, and save me a headache, and a mountain of paperwork. We'll cut to the chase. Anderson," He nodded at his associate.

Anderson looked at Alex with an uneasy expression, "You reportedly... ate the man leading the attack on Elysium. Ryan has alerted us to the fact that you learn what your enemies know whenever you do that." 

Hackett interrupted at this point, "We're already going to take the batarians to task over this ordeal, but just have two questions. Do you know who behind the Blitz, and would you be interested in going to war?"

Ryan looked at them expectantly. Obviously he hoped they would say yes. They all knew their answer: Chief was a given, Alex was itching to kill, and Cole had spent enough time on Elysium for this to have become personal. 

Alex stepped forward and gave his trademark psychotic grin. "The man you're looking for is Elanos Haliat, and you've got our support on one condition. 

"Let's hear it." Anderson said, obviously relieved that the Alliance had acquired such powerful assets.

"Cole and I get to walk out of here and do thing our way. We're willing to work with you, not for you; and we're certainly not working under his," Alex pointed at Ryan "command." 

"Son," Hackett said calmly, if you manage to put Haliat in the ground, and you're willing to help us secure victories that would cost us thousands of lives otherwise, I'll book you two for the first transport to your destination of choice myself."

Alex's grin got more disturbing, if possible. "Then get us a to Akuze, and give us a month. then we'll be happy to nail Haliat and the batarians to the wall.

"Of course," Anderson said, confused, "but why Akuze?"

Alex chuckled. It was inhuman sound, discomforting to everyone in the room. From beneath his hood, he leveled his gaze at the two Alliance officers.

"I've spent the past two months in the Terminus systems, and you think that one batarian pirate is the only fool I've consumed? I'd tell you the details, but you really want plausible deniability on this one."

That seemed to settle the matter. Chief, Cortana, and Ryan were off for Arcturus station.

Alex and Cole were headed for Akuze. Cole didn't ask why. He really didn't want to know. And Alex, now in a much better mood, wasn't planning on telling. He had said in private that it would be fun, though. 

That's when Cole knew he was screwed.