After Action
Location: UNSC Never Forget, Debriefing Room
Space System: Procyon System
Date: March 3, 2531
Time: 1030 Hours
The debriefing room was colder than I expected. Maybe it was the stark, utilitarian design of the Never Forget, all steel and gray, or maybe it was just the shock of coming off the adrenaline high from Arcadia. Either way, the room felt like the polar opposite of the chaos we'd just escaped.
We were seated around a long table, a holomap of Pirth City floating in the center, its streets rendered in sharp blue lines. The atmosphere was tense, but not from the officers. It was us. The team. We hadn't really had time to process what we'd just been through, and now, staring at the aftermath on the map, it felt more real than ever.
Allen was standing at the head of the table, arms crossed as he listened to the lieutenant from command. The officer was droning on about the state of the battle, praising our extraction of the civilians and how crucial the mission had been for morale. But it all felt distant to me. My mind was still back on the streets of Arcadia, watching that Elite charge at us, feeling the heat of plasma rounds whizzing by.
"…commendable job under difficult circumstances," the officer said, wrapping up the debrief. "The politicians were impressed with your team's professionalism. Command expects more of the same in future operations."
Allen gave a curt nod. "Understood, sir."
The lieutenant tapped a few buttons on his datapad, sending the debrief log to Allen's device. "That's all. Your squad's earned some downtime. Take it. We'll call you for the next op."
He left the room without another word, the door hissing shut behind him.
For a moment, there was only silence. No one said anything, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I felt the weight of the mission pressing down on me now, the exhaustion starting to settle into my bones. It wasn't just physical, though. It was mental. The kind of tired you don't shake off easily.
Ramirez was the first to break the silence, leaning back in his chair with a heavy sigh. "Well, that was fun," he muttered sarcastically, rubbing his face. "Bet those politicians are gonna write us a thank-you note or something."
Doc snorted softly, leaning back in her chair. "Yeah, sure. Maybe they'll even give us a raise."
"Screw the raise," Slink said, crossing her arms. "I'd settle for them getting us a working Pelican next time."
Allen finally spoke, his voice calm but firm. "You all did well out there. We faced a lot of unknowns, and you handled it like professionals. Command's happy, and that means we did our job."
He looked at each of us in turn, his gaze lingering on me for just a second longer. There was something in his eyes—pride, maybe, or recognition. Whatever it was, it made my chest tighten a little, like I'd finally earned my place in the team.
"All right," Allen continued. "Get some rest. You've earned it."
The squad stood up, pushing their chairs back as they filed out of the room. Slink gave me a nod as she passed, her expression softening for a moment. "Catch ya later, Casper. Don't let this go to your head."
Ramirez grinned, clapping me on the shoulder. "Not bad for your first op, Junior. You didn't die. That's always a plus."
I laughed weakly. "Yeah, not dying is definitely high on the list of things I'm proud of."
The others left, one by one, until it was just me and Allen in the room.
Location: UNSC Never Forget, Debriefing Room
Date: March 3, 2531
Time: 1045 Hours
I was still sitting there, trying to process everything, when Allen sat down across from me. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, studying me for a moment before he spoke.
"First combat op," he said quietly. "How are you holding up?"
I looked down at my hands, flexing my fingers a little to shake off the lingering tremors. "Honestly? I'm still coming down from it. My head's… all over the place."
Allen nodded, as if he'd heard this a thousand times before. "That's normal. Your first time in real combat always sticks with you. The noise, the adrenaline, the fear—it doesn't just go away when the shooting stops."
I glanced up at him, the weight of his experience hanging between us. "How do you deal with it?"
He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table. "You don't. Not completely. Every mission leaves its mark. Some more than others. But you get better at managing it. You learn to focus, to compartmentalize. You think about your team, your objective, and you move forward."
His words hung in the air, and for a moment, I wasn't sure what to say. I'd been through all the training, the drills, the simulations. But nothing had prepared me for how overwhelming the real thing was—the noise, the chaos, the sheer unpredictability of it all.
"I wasn't sure I was gonna make it out there," I admitted, my voice quieter than I intended. "There were moments where… I just froze. Especially when that Elite charged us."
Allen studied me for a moment before nodding slowly. "That's natural. You're not a machine, Casper. Fear's part of the job. It's what you do with that fear that matters."
I frowned, thinking about the mission. "I guess I just… I thought I'd be more ready. After two years of training, I figured I'd be able to handle it. But when it happened, it felt like everything just fell apart."
He leaned back, giving me a thoughtful look. "You're never ready for your first mission. Not really. Training gives you the tools, but nothing prepares you for the reality of combat. That's something you only learn by surviving it."
I let out a breath, nodding. "Yeah. I get that now."
Allen tapped the table lightly with his fingers. "You did good, Casper. You kept your head when things went south, and you saved Slink's life out there. That counts for something."
His words hit harder than I expected. I hadn't really processed that moment with the Jackal sniper. It had been instinct, a reaction to the threat, but now, thinking back on it, I realized just how close we both came to dying.
"Thanks," I muttered, feeling the weight of it all settle in again.
Allen smiled faintly, leaning forward. "Listen, I've been doing this a long time. I've seen rookies who crumble under pressure, who panic and get themselves or their squad killed. You didn't do that. You stuck with the team, and you made decisions that saved lives."
I swallowed, feeling a lump in my throat. "I still feel like I have a long way to go."
"You do," he said simply. "But you're on the right track."
We sat there in silence for a while, the hum of the ship's systems the only sound in the room. I could feel the exhaustion settling in, but there was a strange sense of accomplishment underneath it all. I'd survived my first mission. I'd done my job. But more than that, I'd earned the respect of the squad.
After a long pause, Allen stood up, giving me a nod. "Get some rest, Casper. You've earned it."
I nodded, standing as well. "Thanks, Staff Sergeant. For everything."
He gave me a pat on the shoulder before turning to leave. "We've got more missions ahead, Rookie. This is just the beginning."
Location: UNSC Never Forget, Squad Quarters
Date: March 3, 2531
Time: 1100 Hours
When I got back to the squad quarters, it was quiet. Slink was in her bunk, fiddling with a datapad, while Ramirez was already passed out, snoring softly. Doc had her feet up on the edge of her bunk, her eyes closed, though I could tell she wasn't quite asleep yet.
I sat down on my bunk, letting out a long breath. My body felt heavy, my muscles aching from the stress of the mission. But at the same time, there was something else there—a sense of belonging. Like I'd finally found my place in this squad, even if it had taken a near-death experience to get there.
Doc cracked one eye open, glancing at me. "You alright, Casper?"
I nodded, leaning back against the wall. "Yeah. Just… processing."
She gave a small smile, closing her eye again. "Welcome to the team, Rookie."
I smiled back, the exhaustion slowly fading as I settled into my bunk. I still had a long way to go, but for the first time, I felt like I belonged.