ONI AAR Operation: ILLUMINATION

{| style="width:100%; color:#FFF;"
| valign="top" style="padding:5px;" | 
Operation: ILLUMINATION
Transcript
To: The Commander in Chief of the Office of Naval Intelligence 
From: The Director of the Office of Military Justice 
Dear Admiral
It has come to my attention that you have taken over the Office after the stepping down of your predecessor and mentor Admiral Parangosky. We understand that evidence has come to light that has implicated the office in numerous violations, including unregistered formation of black-ops teams, unsanctioned military campaigns, and other such illicit operations. 
I want to thank you in advance for the openness displayed by many agents of the Office, in response to our committee's request for access to secure ONI files.
We understand that the transgressions of the previous Admiral are in no way connected to you, but we must also stress the severity of what has transpired. Anyone found to have advanced knowledge of such infractions of the Unified Code of Military Justice, and of the UEG Accords, will be taken into custody by UNSCDF Military Police personnel, and questioned. Anyone found guilty of other crimes shall be prosecuted in compliance with the full extent of military law. 
As the Director of the newly formed Office of Military Justice, the task falls to me to search for, and acquire, any and all violators that may be hiding among your staff. 
I trust that our relationship will become one of mutual benefit, and we are looking forward to an easy transition. Needless to say, your full compliance in these investigations is expected, and necessary for seamless integration. 
With kind regards
Douglas M. Richardson.
----
To: The Director of the Office of Military Justice
From: The Commander in Chief of the Office of Naval Intelligence
Subject: Operation: ILLUMINATION
FOREWORD:
In an effort to ensure proper, seamless cooperation between our departments, 
Director, I have included a full, undoctored report of a recent operation
undertaken by ONI operatives, investigating the whereabouts of three known
criminals, and fugitives of military justice. Undertaken by our most trusted
operatives, and prior members of the very same programme these three prior-
ONI operatives once exploited for their own gain. I trust this report will
do nothing but display our trust in the Office of Military Justice, and
demonstrate, above all else, our willingness to cooperate in any henceforth
investigations.
After-Action Report
ONI Section Zero, Department of Internal Affairs
HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6
	1. This after-action report has been independently vetted and
	verified by Judge Advocate General Louis V Medelgard, assigned JAG
	for the prosecution of targets named within.
	2. Herein follows a report of Operation: ILLUMINATION, as undertaken
	by operatives of the now-defunct Epimetheus Programme. Targets were
	the previous leaders of the now-defunct Epimetheus Programme;
		ONI Vice-Admiral Abigail Daltona
		ONI Major Romero Briggenshaw
		ONI Medical Practitioner Charles Monroe, PhD, MD 
	3. Targets were chosen due to crimes committed while operating in
	their capacity as ONI operatives. These crimes include, but are not
	limited to;
		Illegal human trafficking
		Kidnapping of vulnerable minors
		Illegal human biological experimentation
		General cruelty towards vulnerable minors
		Laundering of official funds
		Unauthorised experimentation on UNSC Military assets
		Dereliction of duty
		Obstruction of justice
		Fleeing from military custody
Deployment Location(s):
 - Venus Groundside Habitats
 - Lunar Domes, Second Module
 - Jovian Moons, Europa
Deployed Operatives:
 - Spartan Carrie Lones
 - Major Willard B Jones
 - Sergeant Dalthon B Bruon
Deployed Units:
 - Epimetheus Programme Spartan Personnel (1) 
 - ONI Salvage & Recovery team INDIGO-SEVEN (12)
 - UNSC Army MP CID unit, 109th MP Detachment, Wheeler Air Base, Hawaii (5)
 - ONI Winter-class Prowler SHADOWRUN (5)
Deployment Duration:
 - Venus: March 20th 2555 to March 24th 2555
 - Luna: March 25th 2555 to March 26th 2555 
 - Europa: March 28th - April 1st 2555
----
After-Action Report CONT.
ONI Section Zero, Department of Internal Affairs
HIGHCOM Facility Bravo-6
Deployment Timeline (major events): 
 - 20th March 2555
	09:30: ONI Sol Surveillance detects possible leads on whereabouts of
	Major R Briggenshaw on groundside Venus Habitats. 
	11:30: Major Willard B Jones aboard ONI Winter-class Prowler Shadow-
	run contacted during routine shakedown above Earth. Major Jones was
	briefed according to a need-to-know basis, and was advised to act
	accordingly. The Major accepted the assignment, and was instructed
	to wait until further operatives could be located.
	12:17: Spartan Carrie Lones, Petty Officer Second Class, and member
	of the Epimetheus Programme, was contacted in her garrison at UEG
	Wheeler Air Base, Hawaii. Spartan Carrie Lones was briefed in full,
	and given priority information due to the nature of the target as
	her previous commander. Spartan Lones accepted the mission. Spartan
	Lones was instructed to await Pelican transport to ONI Shadowrun.
	13:32: ONI Salvage & Recovery group INDIGO-SEVEN contacted at Dallas
	Texas. Sergeant Dalthon B Bruon briefed on a need-to-know basis.
	Sergeant agreed to take the mission.
	14:13: 109th Army CID unit briefed on a need-to-know basis. Unit
	commander agreed to be present as both witness and possible liaison.
	16:09: Pelican transports arrive at ONI Winter-class Prowler
	Shadowrun. All operatives transferred successfully, ship begins prep
	for an immediate departure.
	16:30: Shadowrun departs on outbound slipspace trajectory consistent
	with destination vector Venus. 
	20:18: Shadowrun exits slipspace in orbit above Venus. Immediate
	contact is established with local ONI forces, and UEG government. 
	Permission to conduct operation granted, security clearance protocol
	'GOLD' enacted.
	21:21: Spartan Carrie Lones, and ONI Salvage & Recovery unit INDIGO-
	SEVEN deployed groundside for intelligence-gathering and surveillance.
 - 21st March 2555
	09:22: Groundside operatives report to Shadowrun, possible leads as
	to whereabouts of target Major Briggenshaw. Local habitat systems
	accessed to secure facial recognition data and possible profile data.
	11:13: Profile data matched, presence of target confirmed, location 
	of target still unknown.
 - 22nd March 2555
	Time Unknown: Report logged in Shadowrun terminal: No significant
	evidence discovered.
 - 23rd March 2555
	11:19: Shadowrun operatives report confirmed location of target.
	11:43: Operatives move to engage.
	12:13: Operatives engage PMC forces under Major's payroll.
	13:19: Post-firefight, target moves to escape.
	15:15: Target attempts to flee via habitat sewer system. Operatives
	move to secure target.
	17:12: Target secured, moved to Shadowrun for questioning.
 - 24th March 2555
	10:11: Shadowrun makes for immediate departure from Venus.
----
 - 25th March 2555
	11:10: Shadowrun arrives in orbit above Luna. Using data gathered
	from interrogation of Major R Briggenshaw, location of second target
	presumed to be somewhere within Lunar habitat domes.
	11:42: Contact made with local government and ONI forces.
	12:11: Permission to commence operation denied, pending further
	inquiry.
	13:15: Operatives head groundside for intelligence gathering and
	surveillance.
	14:13: Leads confirmed as viable, local data gathering successful in
	identifying general location of Admiral Daltona.
	16:18 Local law enforcement contacted regarding possible PMC or other
	private security presence in the area. Law enforcement sends intel on
	recently-hired private security around penthouse of luxury apartment
	complex.
	17:19: Spartan Carrie Lones assumes tactical command of mission
	following brief altercation with INDIGO-SEVEN personnel. Spartan
	Lones opts to infiltrate solo.
	18:19: Local Private Security engaged.
	21:19: Penthouse breached. Target ruptures impact-resistant glass
	and vents luxury penthouse into space, killing herself. Apartment
	was located outside of habitat dome.
 - 26th March 2555
	01:19: Altercation between Spartan Carrie Lones & INDIGO-SEVEN
	personnel aboard Shadowrun. Both parties reprimanded.
	14:19: Spartan Lones reveals captured intelligence regarding the
	whereabouts of third and final target, as well as whereabouts
	of various other staff members of Epimetheus that went into hiding
	following the programmes' dissolution. 
	18:19: Shadowrun departs Luna for Europa.
 - 28th March 2555
	08:19: ONI Winter-class Prowler Shadowrun arrives in orbit above
	Europa. No contact made with local UNSC, or ONI forces. No
	contact made with local UEG government.
	10:30: Operatives deployed groundside for intelligence gathering 
	and surveillance operations.
	Time Unknown: Report logged in Shadowrun terminal: No significant
	evidence discovered.
 - 29th March 2555
	Time Unknown: Report logged in Shadowrun terminal: No significant
	evidence discovered.
 - 30th March 2555
	Time Unknown: Report logged in Shadowrun terminal: No significant
	evidence discovered.
 - 31st March 2555
	Time Unknown: Report logged in Shadowrun terminal: No significant
	evidence discovered.
 - April 1st 2555
	11:42: Target's temporary dwelling raided. Items discovered include:
		- One fake passport
		- One duplicate ticket for transit out of system
		- One record of transaction to private travel company under
		false name.
Conclusion: Subject either escaped from Europa prior to or during operation.
Alternate: Subject remained on Europa, planting false evidence in an attempt
to cover his tracks. No further evidence of target presence detected. 
----
CLOSING STATEMENT
With the formalities out of the way, I would like to take some time to 
personally clarify some questions you may have. As to the whereabouts of the 
detained Major R Briggenshaw: The Major has been confined to a maximum-
security facility in an undisclosed location. For reasons of confidentiality
I cannot disclose where, but he will remain until he has given us sufficient
information regarding other members of Epimetheus who may be, like him,
escaping justice.
 
I trust this report will do nothing but display our trust in the Office 
of Military Justice, and demonstrate, above all else, our willingness to 
cooperate in any henceforth investigations.
Signed
CINCONI
----
To: The Commander in Chief of the Office of Naval Intelligence 
From: The Director of the Office of Military Justice 
Dear Admiral
The only thing this farce demonstrates to me is that ONI is
entirely too eager to appear innocent, and to take any and all
opportunities provided to cover its own tracks.
It is highly convenient that you have waited until an external
full-scale investigation was conducted to greenlight this so-
very-beneficial operation.
It is even more convenient that this report utterly fails to
mention in any great detail what your plans for this errant
programme actually are, now that two of the three instigators
are behind bars, or dead. 
In your attempt to appear innocent, helpful, and trustworthy,
dear Admiral, you have dutifully and thoroughly proven the
exact OPPOSITE. And now, we are forced to call into question
what else you may be hiding in plain sight, under such guises
as helpfulness, and trustworthiness.
The office has been nothing if not secretive, shady, even, 
since its very first days, dear Admiral.
I look forward to ILLUMINATING it all.
With kindest regards
Douglas M Richardson
Category:The Weekly
Category:Short stories
Category:The Weekly Winners