Cade McDonough: Difference between revisions
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[[Nor Fel]] informed the ''Ace of Spades'' crew that the ''Radiant Perception'' had spent the last twenty-six years grounded on the surface of [[Laconia]] in the [[Procyon system]], where it had crashed during the war. The Covenant and [[Covenant remnants]] had stayed away because of the presence of [[Mgalekgolo]] that had apparently killed the [[destroyer]]'s crew and multiplied for the following decades. After jumping to a point six million kilometers outside the Procyon system, Cade monitored [[Lessa]]'s attempt to course correct and take them to Laconia. Rion added that she wished to swing by [[Arcadia]] so that it was in visual range, and upon seeing it the entire crew was silent in the face of the [[glassed]] world. Once arriving in low geostationary orbit over Laconia, Cade and Lessa pulled up the best image they could of the CPV-heavy destroyer through the planet's ashen atmosphere using lidar and the ''Ace'''s quick mapping system. Life detection software confirmed the presence of a solitary lifeform inside the ship, but also eight smaller forms gathering outside it. Another vessel was also sighted: a Covenant [[war-freighter]]. Cade was confident the eight were Sangheili, but the software was at first inadequate to confirm whether the large form was a Mgalekgolo or not. Upon observing that the ''Perception'' was wedged in an old lava flow, Cade suggested that they might approach from a position three klicks away because deep scores and ridges of the volcano between could provide cover. He asked Rion for her thoughts, and she floated the idea of waiting for the Sangheili to leave. To this, Cade replied that there could be months' or even years' worth of salvage below, and that it would take that long for the Sangheili to finish going through it. He was determined that if they were going to stake a claim there, they would need to do so before the aliens called for reinforcements. However, Cade's enthusiasm drastically was cut short when it was realized the form inside the ship was not only Mgalekgo, but that it was on the [[bridge]] and thus unavoidable. Cade suddenly had serious doubts about whether their plan to enter the destroyer was worth it. He described what he had seen Mgalekgolo do as a marine and also cautioned that in all likelihood, another one was lurking nearby but unable to be detected by them for some reason. Rion was obstinate to his protestations in the face of this threat and in response, Cade stormed off the bridge. Rion found him in his quarters soon afterwards lying on his bunk and staring at the ceiling. He expressed frustration at her stubbornness and perceived disregard for her own safety but ultimately smiled because this was just who she was. He then found himself struggling to ask questions about where there relationship was heading, if anywhere. Before she could give an answer, he reminded her of the day they met to emphasize that he had her back. | [[Nor Fel]] informed the ''Ace of Spades'' crew that the ''Radiant Perception'' had spent the last twenty-six years grounded on the surface of [[Laconia]] in the [[Procyon system]], where it had crashed during the war. The Covenant and [[Covenant remnants]] had stayed away because of the presence of [[Mgalekgolo]] that had apparently killed the [[destroyer]]'s crew and multiplied for the following decades. After jumping to a point six million kilometers outside the Procyon system, Cade monitored [[Lessa]]'s attempt to course correct and take them to Laconia. Rion added that she wished to swing by [[Arcadia]] so that it was in visual range, and upon seeing it the entire crew was silent in the face of the [[glassed]] world. Once arriving in low geostationary orbit over Laconia, Cade and Lessa pulled up the best image they could of the CPV-heavy destroyer through the planet's ashen atmosphere using lidar and the ''Ace'''s quick mapping system. Life detection software confirmed the presence of a solitary lifeform inside the ship, but also eight smaller forms gathering outside it. Another vessel was also sighted: a Covenant [[war-freighter]]. Cade was confident the eight were Sangheili, but the software was at first inadequate to confirm whether the large form was a Mgalekgolo or not. Upon observing that the ''Perception'' was wedged in an old lava flow, Cade suggested that they might approach from a position three klicks away because deep scores and ridges of the volcano between could provide cover. He asked Rion for her thoughts, and she floated the idea of waiting for the Sangheili to leave. To this, Cade replied that there could be months' or even years' worth of salvage below, and that it would take that long for the Sangheili to finish going through it. He was determined that if they were going to stake a claim there, they would need to do so before the aliens called for reinforcements. However, Cade's enthusiasm drastically was cut short when it was realized the form inside the ship was not only Mgalekgo, but that it was on the [[bridge]] and thus unavoidable. Cade suddenly had serious doubts about whether their plan to enter the destroyer was worth it. He described what he had seen Mgalekgolo do as a marine and also cautioned that in all likelihood, another one was lurking nearby but unable to be detected by them for some reason. Rion was obstinate to his protestations in the face of this threat and in response, Cade stormed off the bridge. Rion found him in his quarters soon afterwards lying on his bunk and staring at the ceiling. He expressed frustration at her stubbornness and perceived disregard for her own safety but ultimately smiled because this was just who she was. He then found himself struggling to ask questions about where there relationship was heading, if anywhere. Before she could give an answer, he reminded her of the day they met to emphasize that he had her back. | ||
Rion and Cade made their way toward the heavy destroyer on foot. Cade armed himself with a rifle and both made use of [[active camouflage]] modules in their possession. When the ''Ace'' was three kilometers behind them, Niko asked Cade over their comms whether he had ever killed a Hunter. Cade admitted that he had not, but that he had seen plenty of them killed by others. The two salvagers entered the ship through a gaping hole that a [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]] had produced in its hull. Rion jokingly thanked Cade for their entrance, given his history with the UNSC. Soon after, the two of them | Rion and Cade made their way toward the heavy destroyer on foot. Cade armed himself with a rifle and both made use of [[active camouflage]] modules in their possession. When the ''Ace'' was three kilometers behind them, Niko asked Cade over their comms whether he had ever killed a Hunter. Cade admitted that he had not, but that he had seen plenty of them killed by others. The two salvagers entered the ship through a gaping hole that a [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon]] had produced in its hull. Rion jokingly thanked Cade for their entrance, given his history with the UNSC. Soon after, the two of them shut down their comms to the rest of the crew. They squeezed through a hole created by a bent bulkhead and made their way toward the bridge, all the while surrounded by the skeletons of various Covenant races and the more recent remains of dead [[Lekgolo]]. Cade marveled at the wealth of salvage aboard the ship and stated that they could exploit it for decades. He also joked that [[Niko]] could get the raise he was always asking for and poked fun at her for being a "tyrannical" captain. Walking past [[dropship]]s that appeared to be in working condition, they stuck close to a wall before finally entering the bridge, with Cade in the lead. After turning some corners, a motionless but intact Mgalekgolo was sighted slumped in a corner. A short distance away, a dead one was found and it became clear that the two had been a bonded pair and that the one still holding onto life was responsible for triggering their sensors earlier. Cade moved to finish the hulking creature off, but Rion stopped him, due both to the need to keep quiet and out of discomfort with executing an enemy that appeared to be no threat. Rion's call angered Cade, but he assented to her authority. When she moved on, however, he opted to remain with the Hunter to keep an eye on it. Two hours and ten minutes later, Rion returned from a fruitless search to find Cade leaning against a console with his rifle against his lap. She confirmed she had no luck finding the buoy and he could tell she was frustrated. Rion then activated [[Diane|one of]] Niko's [[drone]]s they had brought with them and left to continue her search again. This time, she did find what she was looking for, but upon turning a corner to return to Cade, she was met head-on by the fully erect Mgalekgolo. As it turned out, Cade had panicked when it finally stood up. He had frozen in fear before falling backwards and hitting his head on debris, knocking himself out in the process. He came to in time to unload a barrage of bullets into the creature at that moment, however and to put it out of its misery. As he edged around the giant mass of worms with his weapon still trained on it, Rion noticed that he was breathing heavy, trembling, pale, and bleeding from the side of his head. Tripping over his words, Cade profusely apologized for his failing. Rion downplayed what had happened, but Cade stormed off the bridge in shame. When the ''[[Ace of Spades]]'' came into view again, Rion grabbed his arm and spun him around. Cade's embarrassment, guilt, and horror was plainly evident on his face and as much as Rion tried to console him, he refused to make excuses or forgive himself. She told him that she was okay and that she never asked for him to protect her, at which point he flinched. He was able to calm down before they resumed their trek back to their ship, however. | ||
After a debriefing with the crew, Cade joined Rion on the ship's loading ramp where she was seated. Allowing a few moments of silence, he proceeded to encourage her about the log buoy they had found and attempted to make light of the recent heated exchange they'd had. Both apologized to one another, and Cade affirmed that while she had never asked him to be her savior, she would be missing a few fingers, limbs, and ships were it not for him. Cade requested that Rion never tell the others about what happened on the ''Radiant Perception'', and she could tell it would be a long time before he got over this. Cade expressed some self-doubt due to the feeling that he was just getting old and more easily scared, which she flatly rejected. She suggested they could just retire together. At that moment, Less and Niko, whom had been watching the couple, accidentally gave themselves away. Cade and Rion chased after them, but then Kip got everyone's attention by alerting them to a [[human]] running toward their ship. This was [[Ram Chalva]], another salvager who had been kidnapped by the Sangheili crew, led by [[Gek 'Lhar]]. Rion ordered Cade to the bridge to take control of the ship's weapons as they made to swoop in and scoop Ram up. Cade fired her cannons and manged to hit the Sangheili's [[war-freighter]] on the wing before the ''Ace'' safely pulled away from Laconia with one more person than it arrived with. Rion and Cade both spent most of there time immediately thereafter in the med bay giving medical attention to Ram. When they joined Lessa, Niko, and Kip at dinner they announced that he was going to make it. They then all had a good time eating and playing [[Alerian dice]]. As they approached Arcadia once again to follow the trajectory recorded by the recovered buoy, Rion had Cade assist her in transferring Ram from the med bay to a cryotube so that he could be frozen until they returned to Venezia. | After a debriefing with the crew, Cade joined Rion on the ship's loading ramp where she was seated. Allowing a few moments of silence, he proceeded to encourage her about the log buoy they had found and attempted to make light of the recent heated exchange they'd had. Both apologized to one another, and Cade affirmed that while she had never asked him to be her savior, she would be missing a few fingers, limbs, and ships were it not for him. Cade requested that Rion never tell the others about what happened on the ''Radiant Perception'', and she could tell it would be a long time before he got over this. Cade expressed some self-doubt due to the feeling that he was just getting old and more easily scared, which she flatly rejected. She suggested they could just retire together. At that moment, Less and Niko, whom had been watching the couple, accidentally gave themselves away. Cade and Rion chased after them, but then Kip got everyone's attention by alerting them to a [[human]] running toward their ship. This was [[Ram Chalva]], another salvager who had been kidnapped by the Sangheili crew, led by [[Gek 'Lhar]]. Rion ordered Cade to the bridge to take control of the ship's weapons as they made to swoop in and scoop Ram up. Cade fired her cannons and manged to hit the Sangheili's [[war-freighter]] on the wing before the ''Ace'' safely pulled away from Laconia with one more person than it arrived with. Rion and Cade both spent most of there time immediately thereafter in the med bay giving medical attention to Ram. When they joined Lessa, Niko, and Kip at dinner they announced that he was going to make it. They then all had a good time eating and playing [[Alerian dice]]. As they approached Arcadia once again to follow the trajectory recorded by the recovered buoy, Rion had Cade assist her in transferring Ram from the med bay to a cryotube so that he could be frozen until they returned to Venezia. | ||