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March 1st 2525

Oort cloud outside of Sol System

Maybe this wasn’t the best way to start a new career, but orders were orders. Captain Oswald Progrim had been in the middle of his class at Luna officer academy. Perhaps not the most experienced officer, but he did serve his time rather well out on the frigates patrolling the outer colonies. He must have been on someone’s good side, otherwise he didn’t know how he got this assignment. 

The dock where he stood he could see his new ship that was to be his five year cruise. The door opened up behind him. A elderly looking woman dressed in the black spook uniform of ONI. She was Admiral Margot Parangosky, head of the Office of Naval Intelligence. She was the one that had signed off on Progrim’s orders. He stood erect and saluted as she approached.

“At ease, captain.” She took a stand next to Progrim and surveyed his new assignment with him. “I suppose you might be wondering what this ship is?”

“Sorry Admiral, it has crossed my mind at least once. I was more curious as to what the classification for this sort of vessel would be? I have seen frigates, destroyers, cruisers and carriers, but this ship is something new and special.”

“Indeed Captain Oswald, this is a support craft. A dock or port. Capable of housing six frigates or destroyers. Port Haven is capable of supporting many deployments and extreme long range with little or no support. It can support a crew of fifty with cryotubes. There is an atrium for gardening and a limited field for beasts and birds. You may find that the Haven becomes a better home than most of any other ship. The interior of the vessel allows for some shops and venues to be placed in the many bays. Of course with that being said, you must be wondering what your mission is?”

“It had crossed my mind once or twice.”

“Right, your mission is to go to the far colonies and set up your ship there as a listening post, black market dealer, and general trouble maker for the insurgency and other enemies of the UNSC.” 

“Other enemies? Are there more than humans out there?”

“Deep space listening is what you are going to do. Who knows what you may find out there. Your ops package will be able to hear and see far beyond our current range. You will be the most extreme scout for our forces. The forward operating post, one might say. You are the commander of this post for the very reason that you are without a family to keep you coming back. This will be a long deployment that may seem akin to treason at some points.” She held up her hand as if she could feel his protest coming around. “I know you’re loyal. There’s no question about that. Your loyalty to Earth is without doubt in my mind. However, I wish to change your loyalty to Earth to loyalty to me.”

“How might I do that Admiral? Earth is my home and likely to be the home of much of my crew.” 

“True but as a forward operating post for the Office of Naval Intelligence, your post will be your home until I say otherwise. This is a good posting and one that I hope you will conduct with many feats toward the protection of the UNSC.”

Captain Oswald took a moment to consider the proposal. Of course he had to consider what Parangosky was offering. She was ONI, spies and black ops. Her very presence off of Earth was a very serious subject. She headed up her own branch of the military. So if she had hand picked him to head up a piracy mission then he would do so.

“Where would you like me to set up?”

“Cygnus II will be your first point of contact. You are to go to the edge of the system and lay off at the edge of the system and set up your pirate signal. You are to set up a market selling guns and hard to find earth made goods. Sweet Williams and such. Make the port a place of refuge and a no fire zone.”

“How will that happen? Even the everyday insurrectionist can fight a marine.”

“Part of your crew will be two squads of ODSTs. Marines of that caliber can make even an army of rebels think twice. There will be some experimental units as well, the army has volunteered some rangers for milk runs. They understand how colonist minds work and will be more useful with certain negotiations. So at least a fifth of your crew will be fighters. Don’t be afraid to use them, I am not cutting you off completely from support, you will just get it as a regular source.”

“Sounds good Admiral. When shall I ship out?”“Port Haven will be ready to launch next month. Your crew will be ready on Earth after we finish. Get yourself ready. I don’t think that you’ll be coming back for sometime.”