Part 2

Fleet Admiral Carey looked toward at the surface of Eolhc from orbit aboard the UNSC Frigate, The Statue of Hope. He had read the reports. He knew there was no chance anyone was living there. No one survived or came back after the Covenant glassed a planet. But Autumn, the Artificial Intelligence belonging to the Fleet Admiral's ship, thought otherwise. Autumn had picked up a coded distress signal coming from what used to be Eolhc's main city. And AI were never wrong. Not unless they were corrupt after literally thinking themselves to death which took aproximately 7 years and Autumn was only 3.

The Admiral had sent SPARTAN Jim Y20 to investigate the source of the signal. The last contact Jim had had with The Statue of Hope had been aproximately 20 minutes ago when he had entered the remains of the capital.

"Tranmission from the planet's surface." Autumn appeared on the ship's display. She was the figure of a beautiful young woman, wearing clothes that matched the style that civilians wore back in the 23rd century. She supported heavy makeup around her eyes that swirled and looped around.
"Patch it through, Autumn." Admiral Carey told her. Jim's CQB helmet appeared on the viewscreen.
"There was indeed someone in the capital, Fleet Admiral." Jim spoke in his deep voice, metallicized by his helmet's voice filters. "I picked up an ODST about to be pinned down by Covenant troops."
"Have you questioned her about what the hell she was doing on a planet the Covenant have already glassed? And why they were after her? They never linger after they've moved on."
"She's wounded Admiral. I figured it would be best to question her after she was fit to talk."
"Bring her to the ship then, Jim. I'll send down a pelican and we'll have Autumn and Doctor Hayley see to her wounds."

Fleet Admiral Carey shut down the COM and looked at Autumn. "Do you have any speculations?" he asked her.
"Of course I do." she replied. "We will just have to wait and see if any are correct."